“I had something to say to you, but it can wait till morning if you’re not in shape to listen. Meanwhile, I want another drink.” He started to struggle to his feet; I said, “Let me serve you, Father,” and brought him a glass of wine, got one for myself and sat beside him to drink it. He sat sipping it slowly. After a time he reached out and laid a hand on my shoulder, a rare gesture of intimacy from childhood. It did not make me angry now.
Finally he said, “You were at the Council. You know what’s going on.”
“You mean Aldaran.” I was glad he had actually changed the subject
“The worst of it is, I cannot be spared from Thendara, and what’s more, I don’t think I can make the journey, Lew.” His barriers were down, and I could feel his weariness. “I’ve never admitted, before, that there was anything I could not do. But now,” and he gave me his quick, rare smile, “I have a son I can trust to take my place. And since we’ve both defied Hastur, Thendara might not be too comfortable for you in the next weeks. I’m going to send you to Aldaran as my deputy, Lew.”
“Me, Father?”
“Who else? There is no one else I can trust so well. You did as well as I could have done on the fire-beacon business. And you can claim blood-kinship there; old Kenniac of Aldaran is your great-uncle.” I had known I was of the Aldaran kin, but I had not known it was so high in the clan, nor so close. “Also, you have Terran blood. You can go and find out beyond all rumors, what is really happening back there in the mountains.”
I felt both elated and uncertain about being sent on this highly sensitive mission, knowing that Father trusted me with it. Hastur had spoken of our duty to serve the Comyn, our world. Now I was ready to take my place among those of our Domain who had done so for more generations than any of us could count. “When do I start?”
“As soon as I can arrange escort and safe-conduct for you. There’s no time to be lost,” he said. “They know you are heir to Comyn. But you are also kinsman to Aldaran; they will welcome you as they would never welcome me.” – I was grateful to my father for giving me this mission, then, a new feeling and a good one, I realized that the gratitude need not be all mine. He genuinely needed me. I had a chance to serve him, too, to do something for him better than he could do it himself. I was eager to begin.
Chapter NINE
At this season the sun was already up when the rising-bell rang in the barracks. Little runnels of snow were melting in the court as they crossed the cobblestones toward the mess hall. Regis was still sleepy in spite of the icy water he had splashed on his face. He felt that he’d almost rather miss breakfast than get up for it at this hour. But he was proud of his good record; he was the only cadet who had never incurred a punishment detail for sleeping through the bell and stumbling in late and half asleep. Nevarsin had done him some good, after all.
He slid into his assigned seat between Danilo and Gareth Lindir. An orderly slapped battered trays in front of them: thick crockery bowls of porridge mixed with nuts, heavy mugs of the sour country beer Regis hated and never touched. He put a spoon distastefully into the porridge.
“Does the food really get worse every morning, or am I imagining it?” Damon MacAnndra asked.
“It gets worse,” said Danilo. “Who’s capable of imagining anything at this God-forgotten hour? What’s that?”
There was a small commotion at the door. Regis jerked up his head and stared. After a brief scuffle a cadet was flung off his feet and went reeling across the room, crashed headfirst into a table and lay still, Dyan Ardais was standing in the doorway waiting for the unfortunate cadet to rise. When he did not stir, Dyan motioned to an orderly to go and pick him up,