What word means "secretly delivered?"

[SciFrac]

Just trying to simply this phrase:

"... they secretly delivered him to Aragon, the kindest mage in town."

Thanks for any suggestions.

In other news, I'm writing again! Both excited and terrified.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Sneaked? Or snuck, depending on the speaker's vernacular.

Possibly conveyed or conducted, but those don't particularly imply secrecy. I'm not sure why you want to simplify it -- there's nothing wrong with it, really. Perhaps "delivered him in secret", but that's more words, not fewer.

Congratulations on the writing again!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I was happy with secretly delivered too. Nice to see you back!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I think the sentence is already simple and to the point.

But if you want to put emphasis on the secrecy, and maybe vary the structure of your sentences, you could put it at the beginning: Secretly, they delivered him to Aragon, the kindest mage in town. or In secret, they delivered him to Aragon, the kindest mage in town.

 

[Juliana]

Smuggled?

But it sounds fine to me as it is.

Good for you on the writing!

 

[Dozmonic]

As Teresa says, what you've got is fine, if you really want to emphasise the secrecy then dwell on it. "In the dark of night, as the town slept..."

 

[barrett1987]

slipped, bundled, smuggled, i think it depends on what they are delivering.

 

[JonH]

They secreted him with the kindest of mages, Aragon.

The delivery is implied, as is in town.

 

[SciFrac]

Smuggled is possible. Jon, interesting idea too. Or maybe I'll keep the original, was just editing for rhythm. Always good to check with the Chrons.

Springs, it's good to be back! Thank you, everyone.

 

[paranoid marvin]

How about

'under cover of night, he was delivered into the care of Aragon...'. More verbose, but more visually descriptive.The secrecy is more implied than stated outright.


If it's a word to replace secret, then surreptitiously is perhaps the one you are looking for.


One other point, in this context wouldn't 'kindliest of mages' sound better than 'kindest'?

 

[paranoid marvin]

Also , maybe 'conveyed' rather than delivered. To my mind a people may be delivered from slavery, or a package delivered to an address, but not a person delivered to another person?

 

[SciFrac]

Good point, Marvin. I'll consider rethinking. Though "delivered" is actually pretty accurate for my story.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Technically, "smuggled" means you've delivered him without troubling those nice customs people about any taxes they might be expected to collect.

So unless he's taxable merchandise (a slave?), he can't truly be smuggled.

However, since not too many people are aware of this technicality, there is nothing to stop your narrator from using the term smuggled. And even a reader aware of the technical meaning will know what you mean.

Especially if they hide him in a whiskey barrel, and roll him past the guards who are looking for him...