[Bond]

There's a word that's escaping me that I cannot seem to pin down and I was hoping someone could come up with it.

It's used to describe when representatives from opposing sides in battle approach to discuss possible diplomatic issues. I remember Sir Walter Scott used it quite often in one of his books when describing some confrontation in the Holy Land around Acre between the forces of King Richard the Lion Hearted and Saladin. I think it goes something like sortie, partie, sally, or something like that but I cannot remember exactly.

[alcatraz]

Parly?

[Erebus]

I think you're actually referring to parley, a negotiation between enemies etc. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Bond]

I'm pretty sure that's it. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif
Thanks!

It was on the edge of my tongue. Quite obvious now that I look at it since the French verb parler is so close to it. Hate it when my brain stalls like that.

[enazwo]

Drunken argument?

[Giarc]

Enazwo has it closest. 'Quaff' is the word you want. Usually in conjunction with the word 'ale'. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

"The two sides came together and began to quaff ale in great volume. The british still couldn't understand a word the spaniards were singing, as they swayed to the same unheard musical beat, but they sure understood the message. The scotsmen amongst them were all bawling in their beer as they belted out 'for auld lang sein' in broken gaelic, and the welsh were incomprehensible even to themselves. But one thing was for certain, no one was sober enough to swing a sword anymore. Afterwards, everyone agreed that the other side were just misunderstood and they undertook to meet again in a year's time and resume the quaffing. One ascetic fellow from Bristol unreasonably attributed a slightly different meaning to the single digit gesture as they stumbled away, but he was from Bristol so no one paid attention anyway.'

[kegasaurus]

Bond?

[Bond]

Kegasaurus?

[kegasaurus]

Was it Quaff or Parley?

[Bond]

Parley.