Martin had to think about his answer. He could go the honest route, or make something up. He could talk about the distant future or the near future, his long-term goal or the specific objective he has in this.

The guard, as he pried, seemed more and more threatening. Martin knew he wasn't hostile, but tension seemed to be growing. After all, the guard had a knife, and Martin had, what? A pen? He did have a gun, but that was for the most emergent of emergencies.

Perhaps Martin should warn the guard that war would occur should Martin be harmed at all? [i]No, that wouldn't do anything but make tensions rise even further![/i]

Seeing no way to guess the guard's reaction to any information, Martin chose the vaguest of responses. "I have... a proposal for the queen."