«Sire, I — had no idea…» Kenneth finally managed to murmur, as Alyce beamed. «But I shall certainly strive to be worthy of the trust you have shown me in this matter».

Donal allowed himself a broad grin. «Rarely have I seen you at a loss for words, Kenneth Morgan», he said. «It also pleases me that, in so honoring you, I also allow dear Alyce to enjoy at least a part of the style to which she would have been entitled, had she been born male. But I would never wish that», he added. «She makes far too charming a woman».

«Sire, you need not flatter me», Alyce said happily, slipping an arm around Kenneth’s waist. «This is my lord husband’s day».

«And yours», Donal corrected. «I would have preferred to make Kenneth duke for life, and you a duchess, but that might be more than my other lords of state could stomach, to set a simple knight so far above them. Even so, there will be jealousy in some circles».

«True enough, Sire», Kenneth agreed, still stunned by the king’s generosity.

«This does, of course, put you in the interesting position of being your son’s vassal, when Alaric comes of age», the king added with a sly grin, «but you can always resign the title at that time, if you wish — perhaps retire to the country with your lovely wife. By then, you’ll be older than I am now, but hopefully your health will still be good».

The last comment seemed casually made, but something in the king’s almost-wistful tone caused both Kenneth and Alyce to exchange uneasy glances.

«Sire, is there something we should know?» Kenneth asked cautiously, keeping his voice low.

«Nay, I am well enough», the king replied, though Kenneth thought the denial came all too quickly.

«The announcement will cause comment, of course», the king went on, taking the warrant back from Kenneth and returning it to Brion. «But it is something I have been considering for some time. A few of the council know; most do not. Come the spring, I have it in mind that the three of you should journey to Lendour, by slow stages, to take up your new holding and introduce your eventual successor to his people». He nodded toward the wide-eyed Alaric. «For that matter, perhaps you should travel on to Coroth after that, make a grand circuit of it. The Corwyners should also meet their future duke».

«They should, indeed», Kenneth murmured, with a swift glance at his wife and son. «And is it your intention that we should remain in Lendour?»

«Good Lord, no!» Donal replied. «I need you at my side, just as I’ll have you at my side today.

«Now, for some further specifics». The king clasped his hands together and shifted his gaze to Alyce. «You are aware that, once he lived through the dangerous first few years of infancy, I have always intended to acknowledge young Alaric as heir of Lendour and Corwyn. I shall do that today, in the context of knighting the Lendouri candidates. I believe there are two this year?»

«Yes, Sire. Yves de Tremelan and Xander of Torrylin».

«I have heard good report of them», the king replied. «Trained by Sir Jovett Chandos and his father, are they not?»

«They are, Sire», Kenneth confirmed.

«An excellent young man, young Jovett», Donal said with a nod. «I’ve been watching his progress. You might keep him in mind as a deputy when you are absent».

He recalled himself and returned to more immediate concerns. «But we were speaking of Lendour’s two new knights-to-be. When the first one is called, I shall ask Alyce and Alaric to accompany them forward; Kenneth, you’ll already be with me».

«Yes, Sire», both of them murmured.

The growing chatter of children’s voices outside the door precluded further serious discussion as, with a smile and a shake of his head, Donal signed for Prince Brion to admit them.

«We’ll play the rest as it comes», the king said to Kenneth and Alyce, as the door flew open to an influx of crimson-clad royal children and ladies-in-waiting, followed by the queen. The two princesses, aged eight and four, raced forward to give their sire a hug. Prince Nigel, but a month short of his seventh birthday, held the hand of his younger brother — little Jathan, born but a week after Alaric. A pair of squires preceded the queen, bearing the king’s court mantle and the state crown of leaves and crosses intertwined.

«Darling, they’re waiting for us», the queen murmured, gathering her train closer to keep it from being trampled by exuberant children. «I do hope you won’t be much longer».

She broke into a smile at the sight of Kenneth and his family and, when the couple had made their courtesies to her, came to greet Alyce with a quick hug. She then crouched down and held out her arms to Alaric, who ran willingly to her embrace.

Richeldis of Llannedd had matured gracefully since her arrival at court as a fresh-faced royal bride of not yet fifteen, though frequent pregnancies had thickened her once-slender waist. Like the king, she was gowned in court crimson lined with sable, her dark hair dressed low on her neck and bound across the brow with a simpler version of Donal’s state crown. Laughing delightedly, she rose and turned toward the king, one hand caressing young Alaric’s silver-gilt hair.

«Donal, would you just look at this little man?» she declared. «What a proper young gentleman he looks today!»

«Aye, he does», the king agreed. With an impatient gesture, he signed for the squires to bring his state robe and crown. «Let’s see whether he acts the gentleman at court». He shrugged into the state robe and set the crown on his own head.

«Alyce, I suggest that you take your charming son and join Sir Jovett and the two Lendour lads to be knighted today. Kenneth, you’re with me. And we shall hope that today’s announcement meets with more favor than the last one I made concerning the two of you».

«In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, till the moon be no more».[4]

Returning to the hall, Alaric’s hand in hers, Alyce quickly found Zoë and Alazais, who were waiting just beside the nearest of the fireplaces.

«Goodness», Zoë said. «What was that all about?»

«Nothing unpleasant», Alyce assured her, though she decided to be vague, to preserve the element of surprise that the king obviously intended. «It’s to do with recognizing Alaric as my heir. There’s to be some kind of official acknowledgment at court this afternoon.

«And speaking of court», she went on, searching the hall, «we need to find my Lendour men. The king will be knighting two of my squires today, both of them with excellent prospects». She glanced archly at Alazais. «I think we should introduce them to our Zaizie, don’t you, Zoë?»

Zoë chuckled softly at that, and Alazais blushed furiously; but one of the reasons Kenneth had brought his youngest daughter to court for the season was to expose her to eligible young men. Geill, the middle daughter, had married the summer before, to a knight in the service of Jared Earl of Kierney, whom both of them now served. Zoë was technically a widow, having been all too briefly married to Alyce’s ill-fated brother Ahern, but marriage was once again on her mind.

«I think», said Zoë, «that Zaizie would very much enjoy meeting your incipient knights. I’m sure they are very worthy young men».

«Over there», said Alyce.

Her glance toward the deep window embrasures facing onto the castle gardens turned the gaze of both younger women in that direction, where the king’s half-brother, Duke Richard, was assembling the year’s crop of boys soon to be made royal pages, all in clean white shirts and scarlet breeches, faces scrubbed and hair mostly tidy. Assisting him were a handful of senior pages to be promoted to squire.

The knights-to-be, about a dozen of them, were gathering farther back with their sponsors, having kept vigil the night before. Each now wore the distinctive garb indicative of the status about to be conferred: the white under-tunic, symbolic of purity; the black over-tunic, as reminder of the grave to which all would eventually succumb; and over all, the crimson mantle, betokening both the royal house to which they owed allegiance and the blood each was prepared to shed in defense of that house.