Nicholas grinned. ‘Sometimes I think so, sometimes not. She talks about finding a rich husband, because she doesn’t believe Father or the King would permit such a marriage.’ He lowered his voice again. ‘And truth to tell, sometimes I want to and sometimes I’m looking for a rich husband for her.’
Pug laughed. ‘I understand the feeling. When I was very young, your aunt Carline often made me feel the same way.’
Nicholas’s eyes widened. ‘Does Uncle Laurie know?’
Pug said, ‘Who do you think introduced them?’
The King said, ‘I have an announcement to make.’ All eyes turned to him and he said, ‘My Lord Henry of Ludland informs me his son, Harry, is to wed.’
There were cheers and applause in the room, and women gathered around Brisa, hugging her. Nicholas and Pug made their way to where a blushing Harry stood receiving congratulations, and Nicholas shook his hand. ‘You bastard,’ said Nicholas with a laugh. ‘You never said a thing.’
Leaning forward so that only Nicholas could hear, he said, ‘I’m the middle son of a minor earl; I had to ask her before some rich duke’s boy took her away from me. When we first met her, could you believe she’d be so beautiful?’
Nicholas couldn’t argue his reasons. Then Harry whispered, ‘Besides, we’re going to have a baby.’
Nicholas laughed and said, ‘Shall I have Uncle Lyam announce that, too?’
Harry grimaced and held up his hand. ‘It would put my father in his grave. We’ll wait a week or two after the wedding, thank you.’
‘When?’
Harry said, ‘I think as soon as possible, given the circumstances.’
Nicholas agreed with a laugh.
Then Lyam said, ‘My brother Arutha has something to say.’
Arutha, wearing a rare smile, said, ‘My son and Harry –’ Amos pointedly cleared his throat. Arutha added, ‘… with the aid of Admiral Trask, have managed to effect the first conquest of new lands since my grandfather took the Far Coast. With a pleasant lack of bloodshed, I might add.’ He raised his flagon in salute. ‘As we now have need of some governance in Freeport, with my brother’s permission I’m naming Harry, formerly my son’s Squire, as the new Governor of Freeport and the Sunset Islands.’
Lyam said, ‘And he is elevated to the rank of Baronet of the Prince’s Court.’
Again they congratulated Harry, and Arutha waved Nicholas to his side. ‘What about you?’ he asked his youngest son. ‘Have you given any thought to what you’d like to do? I can’t very well send you back to Crydee a Squire now, can I?’
Nicholas said, ‘I have given it some thought, Father. I think I’d like to return to sea. I’d like a ship.’
Amos laughed. ‘I said to Arutha you might be thinking of taking my job now that I’m to retire.’
Nicholas laughed, too. ‘I’m not quite ready to be calling myself Admiral yet, Amos.’
Amos said, ‘With the trade that’s going to start coming through Freeport, Carse will also become a major trading center; it’s the best port on the Far Coast. There’s going to be a lot of black hearts who will try their hand at piracy, so we’ll need strong men on tall ships out there.’
Arutha said, ‘We’re going to have to maintain a squadron in Freeport. Amos is right, with that idiotic free-trade agreement you’ve endorsed, we’re going to have every trader, pirate, and smuggler in three nations crawling over those islands. Your Patrick of Duncastle seems a capable enough fellow when it comes to breaking heads, a fine King’s High Sheriff, but we’re going to need administrators, which is why I’m sending Harry. Amos said he’s just the sort to deal with merchants and thieves.’
Amos said, ‘It’s true. If I were to go a-roving again, I’d have him aboard my ship in an instant; he’s a first-rate scrounger, and has a knack for settling arguments. And Brisa certainly knows her way around that city.’
‘Well then,’ said Arutha to Nicholas, ‘I’m sending the Eagle to join the two I left in Freeport. We’ll give you your captaincy and put you in charge of that squadron of pirates William Swallow is organizing out there. From all I’ve heard, you’ll be a fit match for those brigands, as you’ve tried your hand at the pirate’s trade yourself lately.’
Nicholas grinned. ‘In a manner of speaking.’
‘Lyam’s going to name Marcus Warden of the West when Martin retires, so you’ll be answering to him.’ He took on a mock-serious tone. ‘I was going to elevate you to Baron of the Prince’s Court, which will give you rank to see Harry doesn’t go too far off course, but perhaps I should have Lyam create a special title for you – say, the King’s Buccaneer?’
Nicholas laughed and said, ‘Captain will be fine, Father. I’ll let you know when I wish to try for Admiral.’
Arutha laughed and put his arm around his son’s shoulders. ‘You make me proud, Nicky.’
Anita joined them and hugged her son, saying, ‘I like your lady, Nicholas. She’s got a spirit that’s rare.’
Nicholas said, ‘She’s … different.’
They laughed and returned to the party, and as the night wore on, memories were shared, and hopes expressed, and a family that had known joy and sorrow took profound pleasure from simply being together again.
Acknowledgments
This work would not exist if it were not for the rich imaginations of the original ‘Thursday Nighters’ and of the ‘Friday Nighters’ who came after. Steve A., April, Jon, Anita, Rich, Ethan, Dave, Tim Lori, Jeff, Steve B., Conan, Bob, and the dozens of others who joined with us over the years gave Midkemia a quality of richness that no one person could author. Thanks for the wonderful world in which to play.
Thanks go to Janny Wurts for allowing me to learn from her as we worked together for nearly seven years. And to Don Maitz, for his vision, craft, and artistry, and for supporting Janny’s choices.
Over the years I have worked with a variety of editors at Doubleday and Grafton, now HarperCollins. Special thanks to Janna Silverstein at Bantam Doubleday Dell for taking care of business and to Jane Johnson and Malcolm Edwards at HarperCollins for picking up where their predecessors left off, never missing a beat. Also to those I’ve named before at both publishers, some now gone on to other callings, but none forgotten. From sales to marketing to advertising and promotion to those who simply read the books and said nice things about it to their co-workers-to you all, thanks. Many of you worked above and beyond to make the work successful.
I would like to offer thanks to some people who never got mentioned before: Tres Anderson and his crew, Bob and Phylis Weinberg, and Rudy Clark and his people, who did more than sell books – they built enthusiasm and helped the work stand out from the crowd back at the start.
As always, thanks to Jonathan Maison and everyone at the Harold Matson Company for far more than good business advice.
Most of all, thanks to Kathlyn S. Starbuck, who took the time to make sure this one stayed on course. I couldn’t have done it without her love, support, and wisdom.
RAYMOND E. FEIST
San Deigo, CA, February 1992
Continue the Adventure …
About the Author
RAYMOND E. FEIST was born and raised in southern California. He was educated at the University of California, San Diego, where he graduated with honours in Communication Arts. He is the author of ten bestselling and critically acclaimed series: The Riftwar Saga, The Empire Trilogy (with Janny Wurts), Krondor’s Sons, The Serpantwar Saga, The Riftwar Legacy, Legends of Riftwar, Conclave of the Shadows, Darkwar Saga, Demonwar Saga and Chaoswar Saga.
Also by the Author
Magician
Silverthorn
A Darkness at Sethanon
Faerie Tale
Prince of the Blood
The King’s Buccaneer
Shadow of a Dark Queen
Rise of a Merchant Prince
Rage of a Demon King
Shards of a Broken Crown
Krondor: The Betrayal
Krondor: The Assassins<
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Krondor: Tear of the Gods
Jimmy and the Crawler
Talon of the Silver Hawk
King of Foxes
Exile’s Return
Flight of the Night Hawks
Into a Dark Realm
Wrath of a Mad God
Rides a Dread Legion
At the Gates of Darkness
A Kingdom Besieged
A Crown Imperilled
Magician’s End
With Janny Wurts:
Daughter of the Empire
Servant of the Empire
Mistress of the Empire
With William R. Forstchen:
Honoured Enemy
With Joel Rosenberg:
Murder in LaMut
With Steve Stirling:
Jimmy The Hand
About the Publisher
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Canada
HarperCollins Canada
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New Zealand
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http://www.harpercollinsebooks.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
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London SE1 9GF, UK
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
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New York, NY 10007, USA
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.com
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