LITMIR.BIZ

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voice going low with concern.

      ‘Strict. Strict, but not unfair, is more what I’ve heard. My wife is a close friend of his lady, and knows them well. There is talk that … well. How to put this? The cavalla is ultimately commanded by the King, of course, as is all our military. But some fear that too many battle lords’ sons rising to officer status will shift the military to, to a, well, to a loyalty to the King that might be unhealthy for the rest of the kingdom. The Council of Lords already saw its power diluted when the New Nobles were granted equal seats with them. It is much easier for the King to have his way there. And some say that if ever it came to, well, to an outright rebellion by one lord or another, the King might use the power of his army against the rebel lord. And that an army led by the sons of battle lords might be less dismayed by that than an army commanded by Old Nobles’ sons would be.’

      An awkward silence fell as my uncle seemed to run out of words rather than stopped speaking. My father asked him, somewhat stiffly, ‘Is there, in fact, any danger of such a rebellion? Do you think any of the old lords might rise against our king?’

      My uncle had been standing near the fire. He crossed to a chair and sat down in it heavily. ‘There is talk, but I think it will never go beyond talk. Some say he favours his new nobles too much. His push to the east benefits them, and fills the King’s coffers, but does nothing for noble families who lost their most profitable holdings when the coastal stretch was ceded to Landsing. Some say that we have recovered from our long war with Landsing, and that now, with a determined military, we could defeat them, and take back what is rightfully ours.’

      My father was silent for a long time. Then he said quietly, ‘I do not think such decisions are for the lords, but for the King, whom the good god put over us. I mourn as much as any Gernian, soldier or lord, for the lost coastal provinces. King Troven did not relish doing what he must to gain an end to that long war. Have they forgotten all we endured, that long last decade of war? Do they forget that once we feared to lose not just the coastal provinces, but all the lands along the Soudana as well? King Troven did not do so badly for his old nobles. He did better than his father had done, beggaring us with a war we long knew we could not win. But, come. Enough of chewing on old bones. Tell me more about Colonel Stiet?’

      My uncle considered before he spoke. ‘He is the soldier son of an old nobility family. Politically, his heart lies with the Old Nobles in this divide. Some of them say that we have far too many New Nobles’ sons attending the Academy now. In the last two crops of first-year cadets, the New Noble sons have outnumbered the old. This year, the ratio is even more skewed. You battle lords seem a vigorous lot when it comes to fathering sons.’ He smiled at my father as he said it. I held very still. I wondered if it pained my uncle that his younger brother had fathered three sons to his one.

      My father put my uncle’s unspoken warning into words. ‘You think that Stiet’s family and friends may urge him to balance that ratio.’

      ‘I do not know. I think pressure will be applied. I do not know Stiet well enough to say if he will give way to it. He is new to his post. He has promised to hold all the cadets to a high standard. He may hold that standard more tautly with the soldier sons of battle lords than he does with those of the old guard.’

      My father gave me a sideways glance, and then nodded to himself. ‘Nevare can bear that sort of scrutiny, never fear.’

      I felt pride that my father had such confidence in me, and tried not to let anxiety find any lodging within me. They moved from the table to their comfortable chairs by the hearth. It was early in the season for a fire, and yet after our long journey and damp wagon ride, the warmth felt good to me. I was honoured to sit with them while they smoked and talked, and tried to pay attention to the conversation even if I knew it was not my place to join in. Several times my uncle addressed me directly to include me in their conversation. From family matters they passed to general discussion of the political climate. Landsing had been quiescent of late, even negotiating favourable trade exchanges and allowing our king generous passage to Defford, one of their best seaports. Uncle Sefert felt that Landsing encouraged our eastward expansion, for it kept our military busy and our king’s acquisitive eyes away from them. My father did not think King Troven was overly greedy, only that he saw the benefits of having a generous border of territory that he controlled around our populated areas. Besides, all knew he had brought civilization, trade and other benefits to the plainsfolk. Like as not, even the Specks would eventually be better off thanks to our assimilation of the Wilds. They made no use of the forests, farmed no lands, and harvested no timber. Let them learn from Gernian example how to use those resources wisely and surely all would benefit.

      My uncle countered with one of the ‘noble savage’ sentiments that had been so popular of late, more, I slowly realized, to nettle my father than because he believed such nonsense. I think he was surprised when my father expressed an affection for natural people, such as the plainsmen and even the Specks, but pointed out that unless civilization reached out to embrace and uplift them, they would likely be trampled beneath its ongoing eastward march. My father’s view was that it was better we reach and change them sooner rather than later, so that they might have a chance to emulate us rather than fall victim, in ignorance, to the civilized vices that natural people were so vulnerable to.

      It was late and despite my interest in the conversation, I was battling my heavy eyelids before my father and uncle had finished catching up with one another. My uncle did not summon his man, but carried a branch of candles himself and showed us up to our adjoining bedchambers, where he bid us goodnight. Our trunks were already there, and in my chamber, my nightshirt was already set out across the opened bed. I was glad to disrobe and hang my garments on a chair, pull on my nightshirt and then burrow into the soft bed. The linens smelled of sweet washing herbs, and I settled into them, certain of a deep and restful sleep.

      I was leaning over to blow out my candle when there was a soft tap-tap, simultaneous with my bedchamber door opening. I expected perhaps a servant, but certainly not a maid in her night robe and mobcap peeking in at me. ‘Are you awake?’ she asked me eagerly.

      ‘So it would appear!’ I replied uncomfortably.

      A smile spread over her face. ‘Oh, good! They kept you so long, I thought you would never get to your bed.’ With that she bounced into my bedchamber, shut the door behind her and sat down on the foot of my bed. She curled her legs up under her and then demanded, ‘Did you bring me anything?’

      ‘Should I have?’ I was completely taken aback by her peculiar behaviour and had no idea what to expect next from her. I had heard tales of how forward maid servants were in a big city, but I had never expected to encounter such brazen behaviour in my uncle’s house. She looked young to be a maidservant, but in her night robe and with her hair bundled up in a cap, it was difficult to guess her age. I wasn’t accustomed to seeing women in such garb.

      She gave a small sigh of disappointment and shook her head at me. ‘Probably not. Aunt Selethe sends us little presents from time to time, so I hoped perhaps you had brought one with you. But if you haven’t, I shan’t be offended.’

      ‘Oh. Are you Epiny Burvelle, my cousin?’ Suddenly this midnight encounter had become even stranger.

      She looked at me for a moment in shock. ‘Well, who else did you think I might be?’

      ‘I’m sure I had no idea!’

      She stared at me a moment longer, perplexed, and then her mouth formed a scandalized ‘O’. She leaned closer to me and spoke in a whisper, as if she feared to be overheard. ‘You thought I was a wanton maid, come to warm your bed, and demanding your largesse in advance. Oh, Nevare, how depraved young men from the east must be, to expect such things.’

      ‘I did not!’ I denied hotly.

      She sat back. ‘Oh, don’t lie. You did so. But forget that. Now that you know that I’m your cousin Epiny, answer my first question. Did you bring me a present?’ She was eager and tactless as a child.

      ‘No. Well, not exactly. My mother sent presents for you and your mother and sister. But I don’t have them. My father does.’

      ‘Oh.’

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