LITMIR.BIZ

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      The question, coming so suddenly without preamble, caught Pug off guard. The child’s prattling wasn’t very irksome, and he wasn’t following closely, being more intent on the scene through the window.

      He hesitated, then said, ‘I’m apprenticed to the Duke’s magician.’

      The Princess’s eyes grew round, and she said, ‘A real magician?’

      ‘Real enough.’

      Her little face lit up with delight. ‘Can he turn people into toads? Mummy said magicians turn people into toads if they are bad.’

      ‘I don’t know. I’ll ask him when I see him – if I see him again,’ he added under his breath.

      ‘Oh, would you? I would so very much like to know.’ She seemed utterly fascinated by the prospect of finding out if the tale was true. ‘And could you please tell me where I might see Prince Arutha?’

      ‘I don’t know. I haven’t seen him myself in two days. What do you want to see him for?’

      ‘Mummy says I may marry him someday. I want to see if he is a nice man.’

      The prospect of this tiny child’s being married to the Duke’s younger son confounded Pug for a moment. It was not an uncommon practice for nobles to pledge their children in marriage years before their coming of age. In ten years she would be a woman, and the Prince would still be a young man, the Earl of some minor keep in the Kingdom. Still, Pug found the prospect fascinating.

      ‘Do you think you would like living with an earl?’ Pug asked, realizing at once it was a stupid question. The Princess confirmed the opinion with a glance that would have done Father Tully credit.

      She said, ‘Silly! How could I possibly know that when I don’t even know who Mummy and Father will have me marry?’

      The child jumped up. ‘Well, I must go back. I’m not supposed to be here. If they find me out of my rooms, I’ll be punished. I hope you have a nice journey to Salador and Rillanon.’

      ‘Thank you.’

      With a sudden expression of worry, she said, ‘You won’t tell anyone that I was here, will you?’

      Pug gave her a conspiratorial smile. ‘No. Your secret’s safe.’ With a look of relief, she smiled and peeked both ways down the hallway. As she started to leave, Pug said, ‘He’s a nice man.’

      The Princess stopped. ‘Who?’

      ‘The Prince. He’s a nice man. Given to brooding and moods, but on the whole a nice person.’

      The Princess frowned for a moment as she digested the information. Then, with a bright smile, she said, ‘That’s good. I’d not want to marry a man who’s not nice.’ With a giggle she turned the corner and was gone.

      Pug sat awhile longer, watching the snow fall, musing over the fact of children being concerned about matters of state, and over a child with big, serious green eyes.

      That night the entire party was feted by the Prince. The whole population of nobles at court and most of the rich commoners of Krondor were attending the gala. Over four hundred people sat to dine, and Pug found himself at a table with strangers who, out of respect for the quality of his clothing and the simple fact of his being there in the first place, politely ignored him. The Duke and Prince Arutha were seated at the head table with Prince Erland and his wife, Princess Alicia, along with Duke Dulanic, Chancellor of the Principality and Knight-Marshal of Krondor. Owing to Erland’s ill health, the business of running Krondor’s military fell to Dulanic and the man he was deep in conversation with, Lord Barry, Erland’s Lord-Admiral of the Krondorian fleet. Other royal ministers were seated nearby, while the rest of the guests were at smaller tables. Pug was seated at the one farthest removed from the royal table.

      Servants were bustling in and out of the hall, carrying large platters of food and decanters of wine. Jongleurs strolled the hall, singing the newest ballads and ditties. Jugglers and acrobats performed between the tables, mostly ignored by the dinner guests, but giving their best, for the Master of Ceremony would not call them back again should he judge their efforts lacking.

      The walls were covered with giant banners and rich tapestries. The banners were of every major household in the Kingdom, from the gold and brown of Crydee in the far west, to the white and green of far Ran, in the east. Behind the royal table hung the banner of the Kingdom, a golden lion rampant holding a sword, with a crown above his head, upon a field of purple, the ancient crest of the conDoin kings. Next to it hung Krondor’s banner, an eagle flying above a mountain peak, silver upon the royal purple. Only the Prince, and the King in Rillanon, could wear the royal color. Borric and Arutha wore red mantles over their tunics, signifying they were princes of the realm, related to the royal family. It was the first time Pug had ever seen the two wearing the formal marks of their station.

      Everywhere were sights and sounds of gaiety, but even from across the room Pug could tell that the talk at the Prince’s table was subdued. Borric and Erland spent most of the dinner with their heads close together, speaking privately.

      Pug was startled by a touch on his shoulder and turned to see a doll-like face peering through the large curtains not two feet behind him. Princess Anita put her finger to her lips and beckoned for him to step through. Pug saw the others at the table were looking at the great and near-great in the room and would scarcely notice the departure of a nameless boy. He rose and moved through the curtain, finding himself in a small servants’ alcove. Before him was another curtain, leading to the kitchen, Pug supposed, through which peeked the tiny fugitive from bed. Pug moved to where Anita waited, discovering it was, indeed, a long connecting corridor between the kitchen and the great hall. A lengthy table covered with dishware and goblets ran along the wall.

      Pug said, ‘What are you doing here?’

      ‘Shush!’ she said in a loud whisper. ‘I’m not supposed to be here.’

      Pug smiled at the child. ‘I don’t think you have to worry about being heard, there’s too much noise for that.’

      ‘I came to see the Prince. Which one is he?’

      Pug motioned for her to step into the small alcove, then drew aside the curtain a little. Pointing at the head table, he said, ‘He’s two removed from your father, in the black-and-silver tunic and red mantle.’

      The child stretched up on tiptoe and said, ‘I can’t see.’

      Pug held the girl up for a moment. She smiled at him. ‘I am in your debt.’

      ‘Not at all,’ Pug intoned with mock gravity. They both giggled.

      The Princess started as a voice spoke close to the curtain. ‘I must fly!’ She darted through the alcove, passed through the second curtain, and disappeared from sight heading toward the kitchen and her getaway.

      The curtain into the banquet hall parted, and a startled servant stared at Pug. Uncertain what to say, the servingman nodded. The boy by rights shouldn’t be there, but by his dress he was certainly someone.

      Pug looked about and, without much conviction, finally said, ‘I was looking for the way to my room. I must be going the wrong way.’

      ‘The guest wing is through the first door on the left in the dining hall, young sir. Ah . . . this way lies the kitchen. Would you care to have me show you the way?’ The servant obviously didn’t care to do so, and Pug was equally lacking any desire for a guide. ‘No, thank you, I can find it,’ he said.

      Pug rejoined his table, unnoticed by the other guests. The balance of the meal passed without incident, except for an occasional strange glance by a servingman.

      Pug passed the time after dinner talking with the son of a merchant. The two young men found each other in the crowded room where the Prince’s after-dinner reception was being held. They spent a fitful hour being polite to one another, before the boy’s father came and took him in tow. Pug stood around being ignored by the Prince’s other dinner guests

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