Martin’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Amos filled his own goblet and took a long pull. “It’s all over the palace now, fellow-me-lad. Lyam’s a good enough sort, but he’s got rocks for ballast if he thinks he can have a crew of stonecutters put your name on your father’s tomb, then hush them up with something as petty as a royal command. Every servant in the palace knew you were the new first mate within an hour after those boys finished work. It’s all up in the wind, you can believe me.”
Martin drank the wine and said, “Thank you, Amos.” He studied the deep red wine in the glass. “Shall I be King?”
Amos laughed, a good-natured, hearty sound. “I have two thoughts on that, Martin. First, it’s always better to be captain than deckhand, which is why I’m a captain and not a deckhand. Second, there’s some difference between a ship and a kingdom.”
Martin laughed. “Pirate, you’re no help at all.”
Amos looked stung. “Blast me, I got you to laugh, didn’t I?” He leaned over, resting an elbow on the garden wall while he poured more wine into his cup. “See here, there’s this pretty little three-master in the royal harbor. I’ve not had much time, but with the King’s pardon being declared, there’s plenty of good lads fresh from the brig who’d jump to sail with Captain Trenchard. Why don’t we cast off from here and go a’roving?”
Martin shook his head. “That sounds fine. I’ve been on a ship three times in my life, and with you I nearly got killed all three times.”
Amos looked injured. “The first two times were Arutha’s fault, and the third time wasn’t my fault I didn’t send those Ceresian pirates to chase us from Salador to Rillanon. Besides, if you sign aboard with me, we’ll do the chasing. The Kingdom Sea’s a whole new sea for Trenchard to sail. What do you say?”
Martin’s voice turned somber. “No, Amos, though I’d almost as soon sail with you as return to the forest. But what I must decide cannot be run from. For good or ill, I am the eldest son, and I have the first claim to the crown.” Martin looked hard at Amos. “Do you think Lyam can be King?”
Amos shook his head. “Of course, but that’s not the question, is it? What you want to know is, can Lyam be a good King? I don’t know, Martin. But I’ll tell you one thing. I’ve seen many a sailor gone pale with fear in battle, yet fight without hesitation. Sometimes you can’t know what a man’s capable of until the time comes for him to act.” Amos paused for a moment, considering his words. “Lyam’s a good enough sort, as I said. He’s scared silly of becoming King, and I don’t blame him. But once upon the throne . . . I think he could be a good enough King.”
“I wish I could know you were right.”
A chime sounded, then great bells began to ring. “Well,” said Amos, “you don’t have much time left to decide. The Priests of Ishap are at the outer gates, and when they reach the throne room, there’s no cutting grapples and sailing away. Your course will be set.”
Martin turned away from the wall. “Thank you for your company, Amos, and the wine. Shall we go change the fate of the Kingdom?”
Amos drank the last of the wine from the crystal decanter. He tossed it aside and over the sound of shattering glass said, “You go decide the fate of the Kingdom, Martin. I’ll come along later, perhaps, if I can’t arrange for that little ship I spoke of. Maybe we’ll sail together again. If you change your mind about being King, or decide you’re in need of quick transportation from Rillanon, fetch yourself down to the docks before sundown. I’ll be about somewhere, and you’ll always be welcome in my crew.”
Martin gripped his hand tightly. “Always fare well, pirate.”
Amos left and Martin stood alone, ordering his thoughts as best he could, then, making his decision, he began his journey to the throne room.
By craning his neck, Pug could see those entering the great hall. Duke Caldric escorted Erland’s widow, Princess Alicia, down the long isle toward the throne. Anita and Carline followed. From Kulgan came the observation, “By those grim expressions and pale complexions, I wager Arutha has told them what may come.”
Pug noticed how Anita held tightly to Carline’s hand when they reached their appointed places. “What a thing, to discover you’ve an elder brother in these circumstances.”
Kulgan whispered, “They all seem to be taking it well enough.”
Gongs announced the Ishapian priests had entered the anteroom, and Arutha and Lyam entered. Both wore the red mantles of Princes of the Realm and walked quickly to the front of the hall. Arutha’s eyes darted around the room, as if trying to judge the temper of those on all sides. Lyam looked calm, as if somehow resigned to accept whatever fate brought.