pride in his position as Regent. His honor, the respect
accorded him--those were always uppermost in her mind as his wife. Though there was little she
really understood, her support made his burden feel lighter. She had been a fine hostess,
a showpiece for festivals at Quenlaque Castle, an ornament when he rode circuit court at the
estates and manor houses. She had been able to handle little else.
Why did Naylia come to his mind so often, lately?
Baedrix shook his head, feeling some humor at the idea of her silent suffering. She
would have reserved her ranting and raving for their private times. He couldn't remember the last
time he had considered the reactions, the thoughts and feelings, likes and dislikes of his dead
wife. She had been gone nearly three years now and Baedrix wagered he had thought about her
more in the last two days than the previous two years.
Naylia would have been furious over this small, quiet, military greeting party that rode
to the tunnel. The ladies in Court who considered themselves the arbiters of what was right and
proper were helplessly furious that they couldn't turn the heir's welcome into a moon-long
display of pageantry. His wife wouldn't have understood the need to bring the heir quietly to the
castle, any more than the ladies who led the Court understood now. If they had their way, this
procession riding to the Vale of Bo'Lantier would be half a league long, filled with wagons and
minstrels and supplies. The perfect target for the Encindi forces and Edrout's attacks, visible
from ten leagues away. Naylia would be on the side of the Court ladies. She wouldn't understand
the need for safety and strategy and stealth when bringing Athrar's heir to Quenlaque.
Perhaps it was indeed a good thing she had died, before Baedrix had to do battle with
her for the first time.
"What worries you, brother?" Eleanora asked, as she rode up next to him on her
mare.
"Memories." He knew better than to give his sister a half-lie. The Rey'kil blood of their
ancestors showed strongly in her, letting her tell truth from falsehood. "Naylia would be upset
over this change in our family's status, and the lack of ceremony."
"Any change upset her." Eleanora pushed back her hood to adjust a loose pin in her hair.
"Even the weather," she added with a mischievous grin. "How do you feel about this
change?"
"Glad." He wondered how often he had used that word lately. "Our father raised me for
this duty, but I am glad to be rid of it."
"Even if Naylia was alive and making us all miserable?"
"My wife's feelings would not make a crumb of difference." His smile faded a little. "If
fate had been otherwise, Naylia would be too busy with our children."
"Perhaps." Eleanora frowned slightly, studying his face. He wondered what she saw
when she looked at him that way, as if she looked into his soul.
Ectrix came racing back to meet them, gesturing over the rolling landscape behind
him.
"We're nearly there!" the boy cried, his face alight with excitement. "We made better
time than we thought."
"Not half as fast as you did, coming to fetch us in the first place," Baedrix retorted. He
laughed at the proud grin his little brother wore. He could barely remember being so free, so
delighted with adventures.
"Traveling without the fuss and pageantry of Court makes things so much easier,"
Eleanora observed, her mouth twitching as it visibly fought a smile that matched the mischievous
light in her eyes. "I wonder if that is a lesson we should share with the heir."
"What's her name?" Ectrix said, as he brought his horse around and settled in next to
her.
"The heir?" Baedrix laughed as he realized he hadn't thought of the name of Athrar's
daughter. She had always been "the heir," or "the child." He thought a moment.
"Great-grandfather always referred to her in his writings as Emmi."
"What sort of name is that for a Valor?" The boy's face wrinkled in distaste.
"What makes you think she'll be a Valor?"
"What else would Athrar's
accorded him--those were always uppermost in her mind as his wife. Though there was little she
really understood, her support made his burden feel lighter. She had been a fine hostess,
a showpiece for festivals at Quenlaque Castle, an ornament when he rode circuit court at the
estates and manor houses. She had been able to handle little else.
Why did Naylia come to his mind so often, lately?
Baedrix shook his head, feeling some humor at the idea of her silent suffering. She
would have reserved her ranting and raving for their private times. He couldn't remember the last
time he had considered the reactions, the thoughts and feelings, likes and dislikes of his dead
wife. She had been gone nearly three years now and Baedrix wagered he had thought about her
more in the last two days than the previous two years.
Naylia would have been furious over this small, quiet, military greeting party that rode
to the tunnel. The ladies in Court who considered themselves the arbiters of what was right and
proper were helplessly furious that they couldn't turn the heir's welcome into a moon-long
display of pageantry. His wife wouldn't have understood the need to bring the heir quietly to the
castle, any more than the ladies who led the Court understood now. If they had their way, this
procession riding to the Vale of Bo'Lantier would be half a league long, filled with wagons and
minstrels and supplies. The perfect target for the Encindi forces and Edrout's attacks, visible
from ten leagues away. Naylia would be on the side of the Court ladies. She wouldn't understand
the need for safety and strategy and stealth when bringing Athrar's heir to Quenlaque.
Perhaps it was indeed a good thing she had died, before Baedrix had to do battle with
her for the first time.
"What worries you, brother?" Eleanora asked, as she rode up next to him on her
mare.
"Memories." He knew better than to give his sister a half-lie. The Rey'kil blood of their
ancestors showed strongly in her, letting her tell truth from falsehood. "Naylia would be upset
over this change in our family's status, and the lack of ceremony."
"Any change upset her." Eleanora pushed back her hood to adjust a loose pin in her hair.
"Even the weather," she added with a mischievous grin. "How do you feel about this
change?"
"Glad." He wondered how often he had used that word lately. "Our father raised me for
this duty, but I am glad to be rid of it."
"Even if Naylia was alive and making us all miserable?"
"My wife's feelings would not make a crumb of difference." His smile faded a little. "If
fate had been otherwise, Naylia would be too busy with our children."
"Perhaps." Eleanora frowned slightly, studying his face. He wondered what she saw
when she looked at him that way, as if she looked into his soul.
Ectrix came racing back to meet them, gesturing over the rolling landscape behind
him.
"We're nearly there!" the boy cried, his face alight with excitement. "We made better
time than we thought."
"Not half as fast as you did, coming to fetch us in the first place," Baedrix retorted. He
laughed at the proud grin his little brother wore. He could barely remember being so free, so
delighted with adventures.
"Traveling without the fuss and pageantry of Court makes things so much easier,"
Eleanora observed, her mouth twitching as it visibly fought a smile that matched the mischievous
light in her eyes. "I wonder if that is a lesson we should share with the heir."
"What's her name?" Ectrix said, as he brought his horse around and settled in next to
her.
"The heir?" Baedrix laughed as he realized he hadn't thought of the name of Athrar's
daughter. She had always been "the heir," or "the child." He thought a moment.
"Great-grandfather always referred to her in his writings as Emmi."
"What sort of name is that for a Valor?" The boy's face wrinkled in distaste.
"What makes you think she'll be a Valor?"
"What else would Athrar's
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