“Exactly,” said Lord Tieran. “In some ways, men are much like horses.
if a strong hand controls the reins, they may be spirited but will respond to commands. However, if they sense fear - - .”
Aedan nodded. “I think I understand,” he said.
He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. “There is still so very much I have to learn.”
His father smiled. “It is a wise man who knows he has much to learn.
It is a foolish one who thinks he knows it all. Take care of the prince, my son. See to it he is not left alone. My concerns may prove groundless in the end-and I pray they do-but remember 55 that it is not wise to place temptation into the path of an ambitious man.”
That night, Aedan couldn’t sleep, so he made his way up to the parapet of the tower in the west wing of the castle, where the royal party was quartered.
This tower, one of four at each corner of the castle, was toward the rear, looking out over the sea. No guards were stationed here, so he could enjoy some peace and quiet in which to think, with nothing to distract him save for the pounding surf on the rocks far below.
For the moment, he was not concerned for Michael.
Two men-at-arms from the Royal House Guard were posted at his door.
Soldiers also guarded the rooms of the emperor and the empress, and they were within sight of one another in the corridor. This was normal procedure, and as such, would not serve to reveal Lord Tieran’s suspicions to Lord Arwyn.
What the archduke didn’t know was that Lord Tieran had posted two additional guards inside both Michael’s and the emperor’s rooms, as well. Castles were often built with secret passages, and though Lord Tieran did not know if Seaharrow had such hidden corridors behind its walls, he wasn’t taking any chances.
As Aedan stood on the tower parapet and looked out at the sea and the surrounding countryside, he could see most of the castle, as well.
Lord Arwyn’s quarters were in the east wing, and Aedan wondered if he were asleep right now or if he were awake, considering what to do.
Lord Arwyn was not 56 a fool; he knew the emperor was ailing. Hadrian was old, and at his age, even a slight illness could easily turn fatal.
If he died, Michael would become the emperor, and he was not yet ready.
Nor was Aedan ready to assume the role of royal chamberlain.
Michael’s ascension to the Iron Throne would not mean Aedan would immediately assume that post, however. His father would continue in that role until he felt Aedan was prepared to take his place. But tonight, Aedan felt a long way from being prepared.
He had never even considered the possibility that Lord Arwyn might harbor ambitions to sit upon the throne himself, and after speaking with his father, he felt woefully inadequate.
What his father had said about considering possibilities had made him think more about his role in being Michael’s “nursemaid,” as he had always thought of it. When he was a few years younger, he had resented having to perform that task, but then he came to understand that its purpose was to help him develop patience and form a bond with the young prince, so that when the time came for Michael to assume the throne, he would feel trust for his royal chamberlain and, in turn, Aedan would have learned how his sovereign thought. Now, however, Aedan realized that there was much more to it than that.
Without knowing it, he had also been training him to consider possibilities. The role that he had played in the young nobles’
reenactment of the Battle of Mount Deismaar had, in a sense, been similar to the role his father played in the political maneuverings of the Imperial Court. He had learned enough of Michael to know how he was likely to respond in
given situations, and when young Corwin had shown him up, he had considered the possibility correctly, as it had turned out-that Michael would take out his anger on Corwin in the game. He had also considered the possibility that the bigger boy might hurt Michael if things got out of hand. He had been equally correct in that assessment, too, though he had failed to anticipate that Ariel would interfere with his ability to step in and stop it at the proper time.
Children’s games. Yes, they were that, and he had been both frustrated and embarrassed to be forced to play them at his age. But now, for the first time, he understood why his father had insisted on it. On a smaller scale, he was learning how to consider possibilities, how to assess the personalities and idiosyncracies of the players, how to gauge their reactions and deal with them appropriately. Now, however, he would have to learn how to apply those skills on a much higher level.
For the first time, he began to understand just how difficult his father’s duties really were.
In the distance, dark clouds roiled over the sea. He saw a flash of lightning and a moment later heard the distant roll of thunder. The wind picked up. A storm was moving in. In more ways than one, he thought grimly.
“It appears I was not the only one who could not sleep,” a young female voice said from behind him.
He turned and saw Princess Laera standing on the parapet behind him.
At nineteen, she was the eldest of the emperor’s seven daughters, and next spring, she would be the first to wed. Ironically, she was to marry none other than Lord Arwyn, who was twice her age. However, if his father’s fears were realized,
thought Aedan, there was a possibility Laera
