Late Evening
Ceardlann – Nursery
ONCE THEY’D FINISHED DINNER, Arkyn shepherded his brother, Cal and Elantha to the nursery. Once there, Tain rounded on him, demanding to know what had happened.
“Uncle Festus has been attacked.”
Tain whitened and Elantha looked at Arkyn with easily read distress. He gently hugged her, saying quietly,
“He’s not dead. Father had to be in Oedran to deal with it.”
She nodded, trying to be brave. Arkyn kept his arm around her.
“He’ll be fine—”
“You don’t know that!” snapped Tain. “You don’t know that. Mother wasn’t and you said she would be…” He ran out of the room.
“I thought she would be,” whispered Arkyn with a note of inward despair.
“Are you all right, sir?” murmured Cal.
Arkyn sighed. “I will be.”
Elantha gave him a spontaneous hug. “Tain’s a prat.” She started sucking her thumb.
Arkyn said quietly, “You’re tired, El. Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
She shook her head, leaning into him.
Cal found himself smiling. Having found Arkyn slightly intimidating for the first few weeks, Elantha’s trust reassured him. The elder Prince cared about people but had learned not to show it.
Cal sat in the window seat, watching the darkening gardens. He hadn’t expected to find a family life at Ceardlann, not really, but he was beginning to realise that he’d been welcomed into a close-knit family and it was helping him adjust. He was so deep in thought he missed the fact that Arkyn had persuaded Elantha to go to bed. He jumped when Arkyn asked if he was all right.
“Yes, sir.” Cal hesitated for the briefest moment. “Are you, really?”
Arkyn considered. “I’ve been better.” He caught Cal’s eye. “I just want to know Uncle Festus will be all right.”
“I’m sure His Majesty would have said if it was bad, sir.”
“I’m not,” admitted Arkyn unthinkingly. “He doesn’t like to worry us, and Uncle Festus is strong and an excellent swordsman. I’m sure Uncle Festus is wounded. I just wish I knew more.”
“I expect you’ll find out tomorrow, sir. Is there anything I can do?”
“You’re doing it. I’ve found talking helps,” replied Arkyn with a small smile. He watched Cal for a moment. “Have you settled in?”
“Mostly, sir. I… Do you know how long I’ll be here for?”
“I think as long as you want to be. Father’s not said. Do you want to go home?”
Cal shrugged. “I don’t know. I like it here, but I miss my family a bit, sir. I don’t miss Hal but the rest I do, a bit, anyway.”
Arkyn chuckled. “I can understand that. You should write to them at least… I mean, I’m sorry, but I assume they can read and write.”
“Yes. Pa’s made sure we all can. I went to school a couple of days a week… I don’t miss that, well, maybe a couple of my friends—”
“Write to them as well.”
Cal hesitated. “Won’t someone mind, sir? I’ll be using a lot of paper if I write to everyone.”
“We’ll cope. You shouldn’t lose touch with people. None of us wants that. We like having you here but keep in touch with people you care about.”
“Thank you, sir. Though I’m not sure what His Highness will think.”
Arkyn snorted. “Can he think?”
Cal chuckled. “If he has to, sir.”
“He’ll be fine, Cal. Does him good not to be the centre of attention. You’re not our servant, you’re our friend. The rules are different.”
Cal wasn’t sure how but didn’t like to say.
After a moment, Arkyn said, “You’re looking tired.”
“I won’t sleep at the moment, sir. Do you want me to go to bed?”
Arkyn snorted. “No, I just think I shouldn’t be keeping you up.”
“I’ll cope, sir. Perfect excuse and all that.”
They both chuckled and settled down to talk about life generally. Maria peered around the door after half an hour and simply left them alone. Cal was tired but some things were more important than sleep, and she recognised a friendship was forming between them. Arkyn needed someone to talk to as much as Tain did, but he was far less open about it.
* * *
The following morning, she left Cal sleeping and chivvied Tain and Elantha into their day. Tain pouted slightly when he realised Cal was getting a lie in, but Maria simply pointed out that he’d been up late.
Tain wandered into the Comptroller’s office after breakfast and sat down, brooding.
The Comptroller watched him shrewdly for a couple of moments. “Your nearfather is recovering, Your Highness.”
Tain swallowed. “What happened?”
“A dagger wound, sir, but the doc’s confined him to bed.”
Tain picked at the hem of his tunic. “I wish… Father was meant to be here for longer.”
“Yes, he was, but I’ve not had instruction that you’re to be back at your books, sir. So, enjoy skipping lessons with a clear conscience.”
Tain didn’t smile. “I wanted to see father more.”
“We all did. I’ve got to go to Silversley’s for a chat with young Carlon. I’d be glad of your company. Let the day blow the cares away.”
Six minutes later, they left Ceardlann to walk the mile to Silversley’s farm. The early spring breeze had lost the bite of winter but hadn’t found the warmth of the coming season yet. The slight frost was melting before their eyes and the hedges were greening. Tain drank in the clear air letting it lift his spirits.
They reached the farm to be greeted with, “Spring’s blowing in trouble.”
The Comptroller chuckled. “That must be referring to me, Silversley. You can’t possibly be talking about His Highness.”
“Can’t I? Oh. Take after His Majesty, do you, Your Highness?”
“People say so,” said Tain, confused.
“Hmm. Spring’s blowing in double trouble, Comptroller. Come on in. There’s a pot on the fire and my wed-daughter has a cake with your names on it, I’ve no doubt. Can you find a spot for a slice, Your Highness?”
“Always,” replied Tain with a grin. “There’s always room for cake.”
“Aye, there is that.” He led the way into a warm kitchen. “That looks good, Martha. You know the Comptroller. This is Prince Tain. Now, Your Highness, this is my wed-daughter Martha. That ruffian is Carlon and this bundle of trouble is Perry. Sit yourselves down. What can I do for you?”
“I came to talk with Carlon actually, but after we’ve had a brew is fine,” replied the Comptroller. “Are you sowing?”
“Aye. Well, preparing to. We’ve finished the ploughing. If you were a couple of days earlier, you could have helped, princeling.”
“I’m not sure what father would have said to that,” observed Tain.
Silversley snorted. “I taught him to plough so I hope he’d ‘ave helped. Now, know much about farming, do you, sir?”
The Comptroller chuckled to himself as Silversley quite successfully drew Tain’s mind away from the events in Oedran. He winked at Martha, picked up his mug of tea and jerked his head at Carlon. They walked out into the yard together.
“I was due to come to Ceardlann, sir. Is there a problem?”
The Comptroller shook his head. “Quite the reverse. No, Lord Landis was attacked yesterday and His Highness needed distracting. If you still want to join the guards, Fitz will have you quite happily. I need to check what you expect to do longer term. Your grandfather will be slowing down soon – well, there’s a chance he might.”
Carlon chuckled. “He’s well enough, sir. Father’s here to help and Perry. I can’t see that I’ll be needed for the twelve years that I’ll serve in the guards, but, if I am, what’ll happen?”
“We’ll assess it then. There are several possibilities. Not least that we have a tenant here from a different family for a time. Just like you could have been asked to mind someone else’s farm. If it’s closer to the end of your indenture with the guards, then His Majesty could release you but, as you say, your father is here and your younger brothers.”
“Well, I’m not sure Iestyn is old enough to help yet. When should I report to Captain Fitz?”
The Comptroller snorted. “If I know your family, it won’t take long until Iestyn’s toddling about helping. I’ll tell Fitz to expect you on Alunadai. There’ll be three of you starting. I’ll send one of the men with the details. Now, I should find out what your grandfather is talking His Highness into.”
As soon as the Comptroller entered the kitchen once more, Tain said, “Farmer Silversley says I can stay and help, Comptroller. May I?”
“If you want to, sir, I can’t see any harm in it. Though I should perhaps ask ‘help with what’?”
“This and that, Comptroller,” replied Silversley with a twinkle. “I’ll teach him to plough when he’s a bit bigger but we’ve animals to tend, and crops to sow. The princeling might as well help with that as he’ll be eating the produce. Here, Perry, show His Highness your jobs. He can help with those.”
The Comptroller watched his charge leave with Perry and crooked an eyebrow at his friend.
Silversley chuckled. “They’ll be fine together. Carlon’ll see him safe to Ceardlann later – unless you want to stay and help as well.”
“It’s my back these days, Arthur, plays me up something rotten.”
“You tried that one in our twenties.”
The Comptroller chuckled. “Aye, well, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thanks for the tea, Martha. Don’t let His Highness play you around. His Majesty wouldn’t want that.”
“He’ll be fine. I know how to handle his mischief. He is like his father was,” said Silversley.
Walking into the yard, the Comptroller admitted, “They’re similar in their ways. He’s still hurting after the loss of his mother.”
“Which he?” asked Silversley dryly. “How’s His Majesty anyway?”
“Coping. He planned to pop by but got called back to Oedran before he could. Carlon’s coming to us on Alunadai. Do you really not mind?”
“Nah. It’ll do the lad good. He wants to stretch his wings a bit and it’s better here than Oedran. Talking of which, you might want to drop by Hill Beck Farm at some point. I’m not sure Radley’s well. We’ve not seen young Caswal as much as we normally do, and when we have, he’s been tired. Not admitting anything’s wrong, you know that family, but I think his pa might be ill. May need a bit of a hand.”
“Thank you. I’ll check on them.”