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An aard silence fell as my uncle see My father asked hier of such a rebellion? Do you think any of the old lords ?"

My uncle had been standing near the fire He crossed to a chair and sat down in it heavily "There is talk, but I think it will never go beyond talk Some say he favors his new nobles too ’s coffers, but does nothing for noble fas when the coastal stretch was ceded to Landsing So, and that with a determined htfully ours"

My father was silent for a long time Then he said quietly, "I do not think such decisions are for the lords, but for the king, whood put over us I mourn as much as any Gernian, soldier or lord, for the lost coastal provinces King Troven did not relish doing what he otten all we endured, that long last decade of war? Do they forget that once we feared to lose not just the coastal provinces but all the lands along the Soudana as well? King Troven did not do so badly for his old nobles He did better than his father had done, beggaring us with a e long knee could not win But co on old bones Tell me more about Colonel Stiet"

My uncle considered before he spoke "He is the soldier son of an old nobility family Politically, his heart lies with the old nobles in this divide Some of the the Academy now In the last two crops of first-year cadets, the new noble sons have outnumbered the old This year the ratio is even orous lot when it co sons" He smiled at my father as he said it I held very still I wondered if it pained er brother had fathered three sons to his one

My father putinto words "You think that Stiet’s fae him to balance that ratio"

"I do not know I think pressure will be applied I do not know Stiet well enough to say if he will give way to it He is new to his post He has proh standard He may hold that standard more tautly with the soldier sons of battle lords than he does with those of the old guard"

My father gave lance and then nodded to himself "Nevare can bear that sort of scrutiny, never fear"

I felt pride that my father had such confidence inwithin me They moved from the table to their comfortable chairs by the hearth It was early in the season for a fire, and yet after our long journey and daood to me I was honored to sit with them while they smoked and talked, and tried to pay attention to the conversation even if I kneas not my place to join in Several times my uncle addressed me directly to include eneral discussion of the political cli favorable trade exchanges and allowing our king generous passage to Defford, one of their best seaports Uncle Sefert felt that Landsing encouraged our eastward expansion, for it kept our ’s acquisitive eyes away froreedy, only that he saw the benefits of having a generous border of territory that he controlled around our populated areas Besides, all knew he had brought civilization, trade, and other benefits to the Plainsfolk Like as not, even the Specks would eventually be better off thanks to our assimilation of the wilds They made no use of the forests, farmed no lands, and harvested no timber Let them learn from Gernian example how to use those resources wisely and surely all would benefit

My uncle countered with one of the "noble savage" sentiments that had been so popular of late, more, I slowly realized, to nettle my father than because he believed such nonsense I think he was surprised when my father expressed an affection for natural people, such as the Plainsmen and even the Specks, but pointed out that unless civilization reached out to embrace and uplift the eastward march My father’s vieas that it was better we reach and change theht have a chance to enorance, to the civilized vices that natural people were so vulnerable to

It was late, and despitemy heavy eyelids beforeup with one another My uncle did not summon his man, but himself carried a branch of candles and showed us up to our adjoining bedchaht Our trunks were already there, and in htshirt was already set out across the opened bed I was glad to disrobe and hang htshirt, and then burrow into the soft bed The linens s herbs, and I settled into them, certain of a deep and restful sleep