GotNova?

Faffnr paused. In the eye slots of his straked and knotted leather hood, his golden eyes blinked once, twice.

'If one can fall, more can fall. More have fallen. Half have fallen. It has been decreed that a company of Wolves be sent to the hearth-side of every one of the Emperor's sons, to watch them.'

'For what?' asked Guilliman.

'For signs of treachery, of heresy.'

'And if such signs become visible?'

'Then we are to act.'

'Act?' asked Guilliman. 'You're saying that you are here to watch me? To shadow me? And if you perceive my actions to be in any way untoward, what? You are authorised to enact sanction?'

'By the Sigillite, so authorised.'

Guilliman laughed. 'You would.. cut my thread?'

'If needs be. Primarchs are not invincible. Some already sleep upon the red snow.'

Guilliman raised his hand, indicating that his bodyguard should back down. The Cataphractii had cycled up their weapons at Faffnr's last response.

'Faffnr Bludbroder,' said Guilliman, 'do you really think that your pack could take me down?'

Faffnr shrugged. 'Perhaps not. You are Jarl Guilliman and your prowess is the stuff of saga. But we have our duty, and we would try. If you were, say, without your bodyguard and cornered in a room with us-'

'My dear Faffnr, then you would be cornered in a room with me.'

(Page 45-46 of Unremembered Empire)

~~~

'I will have my say, Lord of Macragge!' the old woman protested. 'You cannot be all of these things. You are too valuable to risk. Let others command the forces. Let the tetrarchs do that! Let others do the dirty work. Delegate! Formally appoint commanders from the forces you are assembling. As a figurehead alone, you are too important If fate overcomes you, the Imperium is most surely done.'

Guilliman looked at Prayto

'Tell Mamzel Euten what I am thinking, Prayto,' he said.

My lord is thinking that he does not wish to call himself regent. If he is building what amounts to a new Imperium, it would be unseemly to place himself on the throne.'

Euten snorted. 'Tell my beloved lord that he may yet have to if there is no other heir!'

'That would make me no more loyal than Horus Lupercal,' said Guilliman. 'I will not countenance it."

He saw that Prayto was looking at him.

'What, Titus? Something else?'

Prayto hesitated. 'No, my lord.'

Figures approached through the broad hall door way. Flanked by Ultramarines in artificer plate, Valentus Dolor approached. Dolor was one of the four tetrarchs of Ultramar, the four princes who ruled the master worlds of the fiefdoms that made up the realm, and whose rank was second only to Guilliman's...

Valentus,' said Guilliman, 'present me with good news and save me from my chamberlain's relentless nagging.'

Dolor looked down at the slender old woman. 'My good and distinguished friend Mamzel Euten is very small, lord,' he said. I do not know how she could ever be very bothersome.'

'Flies are small!' Euten snapped. 'Ticks, they are also small!'

'Ticks get plucked out and squashed,' said Guilliman. 'Flies are swatted. Your point, mam?'

I find myself temporarily without one, lord,' said Euten.