“Yes, sorry. Aelir, it’s been three days. The blood rites were only to take two as I understood it. We’ve not been allowed to leave the castle grounds for our own safety. I’m not a male to sit about stuffing my face with sweet meats.”
“You’re bored.”
“So dreadfully badly I may start pulling my hair out and braiding it,” I confessed. “Also, why is my ship not being worked on? The shipwright has been out to appraise it, and the damage was assessed, so why is it still docked?”
“It is in line to be serviced after the ships before it are repaired.”
“Ah, well…fine then, but is there no way to push it ahead of the others?” I asked.
Pasil looked disgruntled at my tone. I cared little if he was displeased. The king wanted familiarity, and he would get it.
“I shall see what I can do,” Aelir replied and walked to one of the open doors, waving me to join him as he stepped out onto the balcony.
“Stay and eat your pudding,” I told Prescott, who was happy to do so. Pasil moved to the doorway but did not walk out to join me at the king’s side. We stepped to a stone balustrade to place our hands on it and tip our faces into the prevailing winds. Seabirds kited overhead, ducking and diving to avoid a blue wyrmling trying to catch them. As annoying as the dragon had been, it was good to see him. Beiro and Asdren had been missing from view, as had Le’ral.
The call of the sea was strong today. It was strong every day, but the longer I was on land, the louder it grew. Perhaps it was more boisterous because I was feeling alone.
“The testing is near completion. There were some struggles in finding the proper regents and nodes as well as locating the fourth mage. The elders, the ones who know the ways of the wood elves, are few now, most having passed over to rest with Ihdos. But four were found, and they are now brewing the final potion that will be added to your blood to reveal its nobility.”
“You speak as if it’s a foregone conclusion that my blood and yours are similar.”
“One has only to look at us to know we are kin.” Aye, that was true. We were our mother’s sons. “The Exalted Cloisterer has prayed over the serum for longer than required to assure it is steeped in holy truth. When your name is added to the lists of nobility, we cannot have whispers of ill handling of the testing among the nobles and vills owners. They will be surly enough to find a half-human wearing the coronet of a prince of Melowynn. They still grumble about having Lady Merrilyn and V’alor as royal consorts, but there is naught they can do about it other than whisper and frown.”
That got me from my lazy watch of Jaculi soaring over the castle parapets. I stared at him, the king, my possible brother, with open shock.
“That is not possible,” I croaked out then cleared my throat. “To be a prince true, I would have to be the offspring of the king, as your children are, and I am not that. I am, at best, the son of a noblewoman. No more and no less.”
He turned to gaze at me. The call of a dragon overhead echoed off the seas. “You are far more than just a son of a noblewoman. You shall inherit the vills of Renedith as the eldest son of the daughter of Umeris Stillcloud. That will make you nobility, grant you wealth and prestige, and assure your right in the court. As my brother, I may, and will, cite royal prerogative. I plan to use my authority to grant you all the titles you were robbed of and make you overseer of the lands that should have been yours had our grandfather not been a bigoted fool.”
My mind was blank. “Surely you do not wish to place a crown on my head, Aelir. The people will revolt.”
“The people will know you are my brother, blooded and true, and they will accept it.”
“You’re delusional. I’m no properly raised son as you are, Aelir. By the witches tits! I’m a privateer, a rake, and a half-breed. I don’t follow your faith. I drink to excess, swear, fuck anything that will spread its legs, and steal from your coffers. You might better try to fob Prescott off as a prince!”
“He would be a genteel addition to court,” he replied with a smile that made me nervous. “The final results will be known by evening prayers. I will ask you how you wish to have the results announced. I would like to make the news known with a royal proclamation on the morrow, addressing the people of Celear, as well as sending out ravens to all the nobles to explain your new role at my side, if that suits.”
“Aelir, no, I am…this is…I’m not a good candidate. I have no knowledge of the court or its frippery bullshit.”
“You can learn.” He looked back at Pasil. “Bring him in, please.”
Pasil disappeared into the ballroom as I stared at Aelir in utter disbelief combined with mounting fear. Surely he did not expect me to fit in with the fobs and snogs of the ruling class? Had he been drinking? I could smell no wine on his breath. Perhaps he had hit his head, and his thinking was fogged. “Learning the intricacies of court are lessons learned when young but can also be passed along to a newcomer by someone with intimate knowledge of the ways of the complex politics and etiquette required to be accepted. To that end, I have arranged for a seasoned courtier to guide you through the rough seas of this transition.”
“Your Majesty,” Pasil softly said. We both glanced back in time to see Le’ral step out onto the balcony, his dark eyes going wide for a mere blink when he saw me before he inclined his head to Aelir. “Grand Advisor Fylson is here as you requested.”
“Thank you, Pasil. Fylson, you remember Coelum?” Aelir was practically beaming as he spun to speak to Le’ral. I held onto the cool stone rail as I worked at appearing unfazed by the man’s proximity. Even the faint smell of his scented soap made my prick twitch.
“Indeed, he is a hard man to forget once met,” Le’ral said, his half cape of deep red fluttering in the increasingly brisk winds. “You summoned me?”
“I did. The testing is nearly complete. We should have the results by evening prayers.” Le’ral nodded along politely as Aelir spoke, his gaze darting to me and back to the king. “Most of us in the inner circle of the monarchy are rather sure of the results. Once they are announced, I would like you to take Coelum under your wing. None in Celear, or Melowynn for that matter,know this kingdom, this court, and the people who comprise it better than you. I would have you train my brother in all he will need to know to be accepted by the nobles.”
“Ah, well, that is…an unexpected surprise, Your Majesty.” Le’ral’s eyes locked with mine. I raised both brows, hoping to convey the fact that no one was more surprised than I at the moment. “Perhaps it would be a wise consideration to place Captain Cadere in private lessons with the twins’ tutors?”
“He is far too old to sit in the nursery with the twins. He is in need of a court mentor as well as a teacher well-versed in governance. Perhaps we could bring in Mahouk Nouradi to impart his wisdom and vast skills in diplomacy.”
“If I may interject myself into this discussion of myself,” I said, slipping into the plans for my life. “I am, as noted, a grown male and fully capable of making decisions that impact me. While I appreciate your kindness, Aelir, and your wish to gift me all that was taken from me—if that is proven to be the case—I am not wholly sure I can step into the fancy slippers of the rich and powerful.”
Dark clouds began to blow in, sending the dragonling downward to land on the slate roof above us to watch us with interest.
