Essien frowned. “More than a conversation?” he said. “What more could it be?”
“Your destiny.”
Essien wasn’t any clearer on what Christopher meant. “My destiny is out on the tournament field,” he said. “It is on the field of battle. It is at my brother’s side and it is serving in your armies.Thatis my destiny, my lord.”
Christopher perched his bottom on the edge of his cluttered table, watching Essien carefully. “Is that what you always envisioned for yourself?”
“It is,” Essien said. “Enjoying life, enjoying my friends, and fighting my enemies. What more is there?”
“What about an earldom, like your brother?”
Essien’s brow furrowed. “It is right that Addax should be the Earl of Deira,” he said. “An ancient kingdom now belongs to a king. Addax would have made a great king, you know. TheKaara Ejadar. The Dragon King.”
Christopher nodded. “He would make a magnificent king,” he said. “He would have made your father very proud. But what of you?”
“Whatofme?”
“What would you do to make your father proud?”
Essien had to think about that. “I do not know,” he said. “I’ve not given it much thought.”
“Why not?”
“I suppose because I was not born to be king,” he said. “I am the second son.Dosara betais what a second son is called. There is not much expected of him other than to support his brother, the heir.”
Christopher frowned. “Essien, you are a skilled knight and an accomplished warrior,” he said. “You have the best education I could give you. You have served the finest men in the finest armies. And you are telling me that you have no ambition beyond that?”
Essien didn’t say anything for a moment. The question either confused him or, worse, he had an answer that he was reluctant to bring forth. The expression on his face rippled between confusion and displeasure.
“Have I done something wrong?” he finally asked. “Is that why I have been summoned? Because I have failed at something?”
Christopher shook his head. “You have not done anything wrong,” he said. “But you are one of the rarest commodities in the world. You are one of only two princes of the ancient Kingdom of Kitara. You are the only hope to carry on your family lines. To carry on the blood of your people. Does this mean nothing to you?”
“Of course it means something to me,” Essien said. Then he looked between Christopher and Addax. “Have you two been discussing me? Did Addax bring up my lack of a wife again?”
“Nay,” Christopher said quickly. “This has nothing to do with Addax. This is coming from me, Essien. The man who found you when you were very, very young. I do not know exactly how old you were, but you were no more than three or four years of age. You do not remember your day of birth and neither does Addax, so we can only guess how old you are. What did we decide on?”
“That as of this year, I have seen thirty years and eight,” Essien said. “Addax is two years older than I.”
“Old enough that he has done his duty and married,” Christopher pointed out. “He has a lovely wife and children already. It is time for you to have the same.”
Essien bolted up from the cracked chair. “Youhavebeen speaking to Addax!”
Christopher remained calm. “I have not, not recently,” he said. “But I know this is a recurring conversation between you and your brother.”
Essien was enraged. “I do not need or want his advice,” he said, looking at Addax. “I will marry when I’m ready and not before. You will not force me into anything.”
“Essien, look at me,” Christopher said. “Stop looking at your brother and look at me. That is better. Now, I want you to listen to me and listen well. Are you listening?”
Essien nodded, but he was still angry. “I am listening.”
“Sit down.”
Essien did, but slowly. As he sank down, Christopher stood up from the table he’d been sitting on and faced the knight. The point had come in the conversation to reveal the truth and stand firm by it.
Given the expression on Essien’s face, it wasn’t going to be easy.
“Essien, I will say what I’ve said before,” Christopher said quietly but firmly. “You are a prince of Kitara. It is your duty to marry and carry on your family’s bloodlines through yourchildren. It is a duty like any other duty—a duty to your king, to your liege, and to your fellow knights. You would not disobey a direct order because it is your duty. Do you understand what it means to do your duty?”
