章節 5: 5.
Inri stood before his father. He could see the King looking at him with focussed attention. This was a sudden change in the benign indifference that marked the king's usual affect around his supernumerary son.
"This duty," the king said, "is not a royal duty. For this reason, from this day forth, your status is not formally that of a prince, but of a Lord. In discussion with your mother, there is a title in her line of Lord Nubas we have settled upon for you. It comes with a rather small income from her off-land estates."
The kind handed over a tightly rolled scroll, presumably bestowing and specifying the nature of this title. Inri took it was somewhat numb fingers. "I… thank you, father."
Just for a moment, the king lost the look of equanimity that was his norm. "You are, of course still my son with all that it entails and a prince and everything but the title. If you are shown the least disrespect, you will notify me. And whoever is responsible will be given cause to regret that they were ever born." A rare vehemence glinted in his hazel eyes.
Inri felt a dormant allegiance stir to a father and king who was not what you could call charismatic—but an honest man and a good one. Many would consider themselves lucky you claim such a sire, were he king or not.
Inro took a deep breath with lungs stiffened by nervous anticipation. "I am eternally grateful for your guidance and your example, my father. But please, what is this duty you speak of?"
The King turned and lifted from his lesser throne a parcel wrapped in dusty cloth. "Upon my coronation," he said, " I signed the accord of seers. Our ancestors tell us their wisdom has saved us innumerable times—Although the sages do counsel us to doubt some of these accounts."
Inri accepted the parcel and found it cumbersome and emanating a slight and sinister warmth. He gritted his teeth, knowing that interruptions of any kind would only extend the time it took to draw out whatever his father had to say.
"A seer brought this book and amulet on the occasion of your birth. He bid it be held in absolute secret even from your mother, and there nothing I would withhold from her by choice—you do understand? It is given to you on the understanding you shall hold it in an equal degree of secret."
[Inri did not feel any particular anxiety about keeping a secret. As a royal child, he was raised by a parade of nurses, nannies, and tutors. None were kept on too long to avoid an improper degree of attachment between a royal child and a commoner servant. Longer serving household staff remained habitually reserved for similar reasons. As a boy not overly motivated by libido, and whose travels about the kingdom were mainly based on intellectual interest, not the bonds of friendship, Inri found himself universally incompetent and utterly devoid of meaningful relationships. Outside, that was, of a reasonably good rapport with his mother--which allowed him to endure her attempts at smothering with good humor.]
"So," Inri said, struggling to hold the heavy book which was somewhat majestic in its dimensions. "This book?"
"Ha." The king felt better to have the nasty thing out of his possession, but a little guilty at foisting it onto his son even if he had little choice about the matter. "I dare say I had a similar expression when it was given to me. Here are the instructions: so listen well. Keep this tome safe and secret, study it well, and be ready to be called upon should the nation be in need." The king exhaled, his own duty now discharged. "That being in the hands of the seers. And do not press me for any further information, for I have none. The grounds warden is waiting to discuss which if the outbuildings might be adapted as your new accommodations. Somewhere secure but… conducive to study. I shall reassign Seccat to your brother, for the sake of your privacy."
The king waved an airy dismissal. In truth, he had passed on barely half of what Spooda had told him, but it had been twenty years ago, and he had not taken notes.
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