Martin

The proxy lord. Every pick of Lord Martin's war arrived by courier through his brother Max, each one presented with more style than half the palace mustered in person — Panama drafted as the fourth-best Van Halen song, Scotland with a piper's flourish. His Brazilians marched unbeaten through the groups and his Japanese struck a 4–0 destruction; he even fought the war's second self-battle, Brazil against his own Scotland. But his lonely faith in Brazil through the knockout went unrewarded to the very last scroll, and the rear-guard could not save him: Peasant, twelfth, eight dollars and fifty-one cents to the pot. First in loyalty, last in the ledger — the realm thanks him for his patronage.