theliesof | Memory Writeup #12: The Five-Year Game, Infinite Variation Pt. II: Back to Business in Karthain

Locke is twenty-eight or twenty-nine and he is in a carriage with Jean, full of exhilarated nervous tension. He's just set up a dinner date with a mysterious female rival, possibly an old girlfriend, who's holding Jean's hatchets hostage. The memory is light on context.

A Bondsmagi appears in the carriage, a woman named Patience, threatening Locke and reminding him that he's here to win a contest, not to strike up a romance. Apparently he was recently embarrassed in a way that somehow involves a ship (wait, is that what his memory of being marooned on a ship is about? ... no, the timeframe is off), and she's concerned he's off his game. Having been reassured of his commitment, the Bondsmagi vanishes.

     "Gods damn it," said Locke. "Tell me I wouldn't be such a
     tremendous pain in the ass if I had those powers."

     "You'd be worse," sighed Jean. "I'd have killed you myself a long time
     ago. And you know what else?"

     "Hrrrm?"

     "Patience can lick scorpions in hell. You and Sabetha take your time."

... Sabetha. Presently, Locke knows that's the name of the last member of the Gentleman Bastards, the one he's never met, the one who wasn't there when the others died. He and Sabetha have a romantic connection?

In any case, the rest of the memory involves Locke enthusiastically bullshitting a group of people about his recent disappearance, then cheerfully getting back to work at his current game: rigging a political election in Karthain, home of the Bondsmagi, on behalf of his employers, The Bondsmagi.

The other details aren't really relevant. Skulduggery, blackmail, pep talks - all in a day's work.

WHY IN THE FUCK IS HE WORKING FOR THE BONDSMAGI?

+50 WHY IN THE FUCK IS HE WORKING FOR THE BONDSMAGI?
+50 WHY IN THE FUCK IS HE WORKING FOR THE BONDSMAGI?
+50 WHY IN THE FUCK IS HE WORKING FOR THE BONDSMAGI?

+25 curiosity about Sabetha