does.’
Asher felt his lip curl. ‘And especially not fishermen i turned stable hands?’
‘Don’t be ludicrous,’ snapped the prince. ‘Some of the biggest fools I’ve ever met in my life can boast a university education and blood lines that trace back to the Founding Families. If I thought like that, Asher, we wouldn’t be standing here in the middle of the road discussing this, would we? You’d be in the stable yard shovelling shit and I’d be … somewhere else.’
Fair point. ‘So why are we standin’ here in the middle o( the road discussin’ this? Sir?’
‘Because I started thinking about appointing an assistant a week after His Majesty agreed to let me take over from him, and nearly a year later you’re the only man I’ve met who I can imagine trusting to do the job!’
Asher stared. ‘You’re stark staring bonkers. You don’t hardly know me from a hole in the ground.’
‘I know enough!’
It was impossible not to feel flattered. Hating himself for it, Asher scowled. ‘And what about all the other palaver? Clothes and —’
‘Naturally,’ the prince said carefully, ‘you’d need to dress a little more formally than you do now. But there’s no law that says you have to wear lace. As for your accent …’ He smiled. ‘I confess it could do with a little citifying. Not because there’s anything wrong with it, as such,’ he added, holding up a hasty hand, ‘but because, like it or not, first impressions count and you’ll want
[people to be impressed with your abilities, not distracted I by the way you speak.’
‘Huh.’ Asher sniffed. That didn’t sound too bad. ‘All right. Say I agree. How much’ll you pay me? ‘Cause 1 don’t reckon to be gettin’ myself all hot and bothered over politics for a miserly twenty-five trins a week.’
The prince’s expression was a mingling of relief, hope and amusement. ‘What about fifty trins a week, plus all meals and a suite in the Tower, plus a wardrobe more fitting to your new station. And a horse. Say … Cygnet? Is that recompense unmiserly enough?’
Asher nearly swallowed his tongue. Cygnet? For his own? And fifty trins, every week? Forget about buying a lone modest, second-hand smack. He’d be able to buy a whole fleet of fishing boats, every one of ‘em brand new, when he went back home to Restharven with that kind of money.
The dizzying thought stirred his conscience to life. He sighed, and shook his head. ‘Reckon it’s more than enough, sir. But I can’t do it. Sorry. Thanks for askin’, though. I be right flattered.’
Taken aback, the prince stared. ‘Why can’t you? Don’t try to tell me you’re not interested. You’re not that good a liar.’
Asher scowled, hating to turn his back on all that money. Hating the prince for offering it to him. “Cause I weren’t plannin’ on stayin’ in Dorana longer than a year, all right? And this job you want me to do, that’s the kind of job as goes for longer than that. For life, maybe. I mean, if your da’s tired now he ain’t goin’ to be less tired this time next year, is he? You’re goin’ to be Olken Administrating till your hair’s gone grey and your teeth’ve all dropped out. And you’ll be needin’ it yourself an assistant as can go grey alongside you. That won’t be me. I got other fish to fry.’
‘It’s true I’ll be Olken Administrator for as long as His Majesty reigns,’ said the prince. ‘And I pray Barl grants him many more years to pursue his sacred calling.’ His lips pressed hard against his holyring. ‘But no man lives fore1 Our Doranen magic can do many things, Asher, but it cs make us immortal. What my sister will want of me oncci becomes WeatherWorker is anyone’s guess. It might well that both I and my assistant will find ourselves withoui purpose the day after she ascends the throne.’
‘All right, so mayhap you won’t be Administrating without your teeth. But the thing is, I a promise to my da, see? I promised him
Asher felt his lip curl. ‘And especially not fishermen i turned stable hands?’
‘Don’t be ludicrous,’ snapped the prince. ‘Some of the biggest fools I’ve ever met in my life can boast a university education and blood lines that trace back to the Founding Families. If I thought like that, Asher, we wouldn’t be standing here in the middle of the road discussing this, would we? You’d be in the stable yard shovelling shit and I’d be … somewhere else.’
Fair point. ‘So why are we standin’ here in the middle o( the road discussin’ this? Sir?’
‘Because I started thinking about appointing an assistant a week after His Majesty agreed to let me take over from him, and nearly a year later you’re the only man I’ve met who I can imagine trusting to do the job!’
Asher stared. ‘You’re stark staring bonkers. You don’t hardly know me from a hole in the ground.’
‘I know enough!’
It was impossible not to feel flattered. Hating himself for it, Asher scowled. ‘And what about all the other palaver? Clothes and —’
‘Naturally,’ the prince said carefully, ‘you’d need to dress a little more formally than you do now. But there’s no law that says you have to wear lace. As for your accent …’ He smiled. ‘I confess it could do with a little citifying. Not because there’s anything wrong with it, as such,’ he added, holding up a hasty hand, ‘but because, like it or not, first impressions count and you’ll want
[people to be impressed with your abilities, not distracted I by the way you speak.’
‘Huh.’ Asher sniffed. That didn’t sound too bad. ‘All right. Say I agree. How much’ll you pay me? ‘Cause 1 don’t reckon to be gettin’ myself all hot and bothered over politics for a miserly twenty-five trins a week.’
The prince’s expression was a mingling of relief, hope and amusement. ‘What about fifty trins a week, plus all meals and a suite in the Tower, plus a wardrobe more fitting to your new station. And a horse. Say … Cygnet? Is that recompense unmiserly enough?’
Asher nearly swallowed his tongue. Cygnet? For his own? And fifty trins, every week? Forget about buying a lone modest, second-hand smack. He’d be able to buy a whole fleet of fishing boats, every one of ‘em brand new, when he went back home to Restharven with that kind of money.
The dizzying thought stirred his conscience to life. He sighed, and shook his head. ‘Reckon it’s more than enough, sir. But I can’t do it. Sorry. Thanks for askin’, though. I be right flattered.’
Taken aback, the prince stared. ‘Why can’t you? Don’t try to tell me you’re not interested. You’re not that good a liar.’
Asher scowled, hating to turn his back on all that money. Hating the prince for offering it to him. “Cause I weren’t plannin’ on stayin’ in Dorana longer than a year, all right? And this job you want me to do, that’s the kind of job as goes for longer than that. For life, maybe. I mean, if your da’s tired now he ain’t goin’ to be less tired this time next year, is he? You’re goin’ to be Olken Administrating till your hair’s gone grey and your teeth’ve all dropped out. And you’ll be needin’ it yourself an assistant as can go grey alongside you. That won’t be me. I got other fish to fry.’
‘It’s true I’ll be Olken Administrator for as long as His Majesty reigns,’ said the prince. ‘And I pray Barl grants him many more years to pursue his sacred calling.’ His lips pressed hard against his holyring. ‘But no man lives fore1 Our Doranen magic can do many things, Asher, but it cs make us immortal. What my sister will want of me oncci becomes WeatherWorker is anyone’s guess. It might well that both I and my assistant will find ourselves withoui purpose the day after she ascends the throne.’
‘All right, so mayhap you won’t be Administrating without your teeth. But the thing is, I a promise to my da, see? I promised him
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