The Bastard Prince Read Free Page B

out.
    â€œYes, but I suspect Miklos has done it on Marek’s behalf,” Tammaron countered. “And I seriously doubt that King Arion supports it. He certainly doesn’t want a war with us right now, because he hasn’t got adult heirs yet either.
    â€œNo, I would guess this to be a drawing action, almost a field exercise, to see what we’ll do. Marek hasn’t the support to make a full-scale invasion and won’t until his heir is of age. I think he wants to flex his muscles and size up his enemy—and perhaps test to see whether it’s true, that the King of Gwynedd is not his own man.”
    â€œWhich means,” Hubert said, “that the king must be seen to be his own man, and a competent one, by riding with an expeditionary force to free Culliecairn. I’ll grant that there is some small risk, if he should take it in his head to actually try to lead,” he added, at the looks of objection forming on several faces. “On the other hand, he knows full well that if he should meet his death in such a campaign— for whatever reason —young Owain would become the next king, with the certainty of an actual and open regency until the boy reaches his majority.”
    â€œI can’t say I’d mind a ten-year regency,” Manfred said, grinning as he leaned back in his chair.
    â€œNo, but the queen would,” Tammaron said. “And she’d sit on the regency council by right. Would her brother sit as well, Hubert? He’s the boy’s uncle; it’s customary.”
    â€œThe king, ah, has been persuaded not to name his brother-in-law to the regency council,” Hubert said, pretending to study a well-manicured thumbnail. “Something about concern for the young man’s health, I believe—the strain of the office, and so forth.”
    â€œAnd it won’t be a strain to keep him on at court?” Rhun said archly. “If I’d had my way, he would have been killed six years ago.”
    Hubert favored the younger man with a droll smile. “Fortunately for him, dear Rhun, you were away supervising another killing at the time. But rest assured that Sir Cathan understands the precarious nature of his position and will do nothing to jeopardize his access to his sister. Nor will she do anything that might endanger his life—or even worse, from her perspective, force us to forbid her access to her son. So long as both of them maintain the utmost discretion and circumspection, I am content that Cathan Drummond should remain in the royal household, if only for the sake of appearances. Besides that, his presence reassures the queen, who will bear stronger princes if her mind is at ease. ’Tis a small enough inconvenience, I think—and one that is open to immediate reassessment, if either of them should abuse the privilege.”
    Rhun snorted and shook his head. “I’d still rather he were dead.”
    â€œThat’s as may be, but at very least, nothing must happen to him during the queen’s pregnancy. Do I make myself quite clear?”
    â€œYou do.”
    â€œGood. Because whatever else happens, she carries the second Haldane heir, our backup for Prince Owain. Worry about that, if you insist upon worrying about something. Whether or not the king survives this current crisis, Michaela could die in childbed—or worse, the child might die. And if the king should die, whether on a campaign into Eastmarch or as a result of his own folly, the shock could cause her to miscarry again; it happened before.”
    â€œAye,” Tammaron breathed. “So all Haldane hopes ultimately hang on one small four-year-old.”
    â€œPrecisely. For that reason, and to prevent the boy being brought untimely to the crown, I rather think that the king, his lady wife, and her brother will continue to do whatever we require of them.”
    Hubert’s words brought nods of agreement. That the king was a devoted father