The story happens because of the protagonist, not Palace Guard #2. I'm sure he's a great guy, and yes, he can be present in the story if he adds something, but I don't need his history and contact info.
Madness string 22661
The soft scraping noise as the leaf unfurls. The quiet rustle each time a stem settles, the sigh as the orchid thaws, the crack as trunks freeze. Only in silence do you hear plants cry out. I am alive, I am alive.