Shadowborn

Chapter 5

The next few days passed by in a blur of visiting nobles, signing endless documents and smiling so often that her cheeks pinched. Alais no longer had the luxury of spending her days alone. She was accompanied at all times, by excitable ladies' maids, sullen-faced guards, and by her new tutors. Her father quickly hired learned men to educate her in politics, history and economics, and her lessons took up much of her time that wasn't spent in the company of simpering nobles.

Political science followed an early breakfast with Safir, brother to former queen Szene, while she studied mind-numbingly boring economics over a working lunch with the equally dull Kingsley Horne, a former Priest of Animus who had been expelled from the order for excessive drinking. Alais was sure she could often smell the stench of stale whiskey on his breath. Her history lessons weren't so bad. They took place in the library every evening before dinner, with young librarian Lucian Lockhart. If anything, her now busy schedule allowed her to push all memories of her dreams to the back of her mind.

'Do you ever even leave the library?' asked Alais one chilly evening, while leafing through a dusty volume of the building of the Castle of Avaren. The library was deserted but for her and Lucian, who glared at her pointedly at her remark.

'On the odd occasion,' he mumbled. 'There's a lot to organise here.'

'You keep to yourself though, don't you? I mean, I'm no stranger to this place, yet I've hardly ever seen you before. You're always hiding behind a bookshelf.'

Lucian looked away, embarrassed. Though he couldn't yet be eight and twenty, Lucian's unkempt mess of fair hair was already peppered with grey, like a wolf old before his time. 'I prefer the company of books to people, so what? People let you down.'

'I can sympathise with that...'

'But back to your studies, Alais. I must admit, even though Orion Lozier was a dreadful student, your attention span leaves a lot to be desired.'

Alais gave a hollow chuckle as she thumbed through her book. 'I suppose you're right. Though, I don't understand how learning about the history of this castle is going to help me be a better ruler some day.'

'You can never be too prepared,' her tutor replied solemnly.

Woven amongst her lessons were daily interactions with her father, who only appeared more energised in the wake of ascending to power. At their first Grand Council meeting, he had announced the names of those inheriting the sought-after, high-ranking positions in their government. To everyone's surprise, he named Florian Lozier as Chancellor, while giving the titles of Master of Coin to Petyr Blackthorn, Court Justice to Katrina Creed, and Lord High Sheriff to Jordayn Paquet. In another interesting turn of events, Coryn announced that Orion was take control of the Arylla's army as its Commander.

'He's been learning about military strategy since he was an infant, it's the perfect position for him,' reasoned Coryn when the decision was queried by Alais over a brief supper. Her father was distracted, piling his plate with as much food as it would hold.

'I just think he's a little young, and he's never even been in a battle,' argued Alais as she toyed with the fruit on her plate. Orion may have graduated top of his class in swordsmanship, but he wasn't accustomed to leading a charge. 'Surely one of the Stonne brothers would have been a better choice?'

'The Loziers want to be on our side: they've just lost power, and will do anything to keep hold of fragments of it, even if it means siding with us. Trust me, Florian and Orion will remain loyal to us.'

'I hope you're right,' said Alais bitterly. She didn't think her father would listen to her opinion on this for much longer; his mind was elsewhere. 'Everything alright?'