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"I guess I get so passionate when I think of Zalman and the hurt that he has brought to both the royal family and my own, that I forget my station," Naveena continued. "You cannot imagine how embarrassed I am about my behavior."

General Ortega blinked and his lips quivered between a smile and a frown. It was as if he could not decide if what he was hearing was the truth or not.

"You must understand my position, General," the wisper continued. "I have had the responsibility of raising two very special boys. Those boys are the future of this country, and I love them both dearly, but it pains me everyday to think of the reason for my being in the palace. If Zalman had not perpetuated a gross, malignant evil upon this country, those two sweet boys would still have mothers alive to take care of them. There is not a day that goes by that I don't wish I could shove a knife into Zalman's body and twist it with all my might. I know that is not the proper way for a member of the Court of Borunda to feel, but it is exactly the way any mother would feel towards an evil person that had harmed her child."

"And you have grown to be their mother," the general nodded sympathetically. "I do think I now understand you, Naveena. I am sorry for having misjudged you in the past."

"It is not your fault, General," Naveena smiled meekly. "I too often give little regard to how others see me, and one cannot be blamed for getting the wrong impression of me. It is entirely my fault. I should be more conscious about appearances, but frankly, raising two strong-willed boys is an extremely time-consuming job. They are both extremely intelligent and that keeps me on my toes at all times."

"Well," the general smiled warmly, "I have to admit that you have done a magnificent job. Prince Garrick impressed everyone last week with his new duty roster. Frankly, I had to scold some officers for failing to notice the needed reforms before the young prince pointed them out. Both you and Lavitor are to be congratulated on the fine young men you are preparing for this country's future."

"I thank you for your warms words," smiled Naveena. "I will make it a point to relay them to the king's advisor. Perhaps it will lift his spirits. Frankly, I am worried about him, General."

"Worried?" frowned General Ortega. "About Lavitor? Why?"

"I think he is losing his mind," sighed Naveena. "He has daily nightmares and wakes up sweating. One minute he is kissing me passionately, and the next he is beating me horribly. There is something terribly wrong with him, and I don't know what to do."

"This is the first that I have heard of this," replied the general. "Are not your wisper skills capable of helping him?"

"I have tried," sighed Naveena, "but I cannot find the source of his dementia. If it gets any worse, I may have to have him locked away for his own safety. He gets so violent sometimes."

"Locked away?" echoed the general. "Surely things have not gotten that bad?"

Shouts rang through the corridor outside the office, and the general rose from his chair as if that would enable him to hear better. The shouts were indistinguishable, but they clearly indicated some type of calamity. Loud footsteps rose above the shouting, and the door to the general's office flew open. A panting officer stood in the doorway. His face was a mask of remorse.

"The king is dead!" he shouted across the room.

"Report," demanded the general.

"Servants were preparing a bath for the king," The officer said after he caught his breath. "As they brought in the last buckets of water, they found the king with a knife plunged into his chest."

"An assassin!" gasped the general. "Shut down the palace immediately. No one enters or exits without my express permission."

"There is no need," the officer shook his head. "The assassin was still in the room when the servants returned. We have him in custody."

"And how did he gain entrance to the palace?" inquired the general.

"He lives here," frowned the officer. "The assassin is the king's advisor, Lavitor."

"Oh, mercy!" wailed Naveena. "Oh, no! This cannot be," she added as she collapsed to the floor and fainted.

A sudden silence filled the room as the general thought about the ramifications of the officer's report. While the silence lasted less than a minute, it seemed an eternity to those present. Finally, the general's training broke the silence.

"I still want the palace sealed," ordered the general. "Lavitor is to be put in a cell immediately. There will be no consideration of his station, and make sure that he is not capable of harming himself. I want him guarded every minute. Escort the wisper to her suite, and post a guard outside. She is not to be disturbed until she feels well enough to emerge on her own."

"As you command," saluted the officer as he moved to pick up the unconscious wisper.

"I also want the council of advisors to assemble," the general continued. "Send two officers to Lavitor's office. Find the king's will and bring it to me."

"Two officers?" questioned the officer.

"Two," nodded the general. "I will take no chances of anyone tampering with the king's last wishes. No one person is to be in custody of the will until it is read to the council, not even myself."

The officer nodded and picked up the unconscious wisper. He carried her out of the office and began shouting orders to soldiers milling in the corridor. Within moments the palace was sealed, and the will was delivered to the general. The general ordered the two officers to remain in his office until he was informed that the council had assembled. When word arrived, General Ortega and the two officers marched to the council chambers. The general placed the will on the table and dismissed the officers.

"Gentlemen," General Ortega addressed the council. "The king is dead. As the assassin was the king's advisor, I have taken it upon myself to obtain the king's will and deliver it to the council."

"Lavitor?" gasped one of the advisors. "That is impossible."

"It may be impossible," the general shook his head, "but he was caught in the act. The servants found him holding the bloody knife. Lavitor's wife also informed me that the king's advisor had been acting strange and violent recently. In fact, we were discussing it when the murder occurred. I fear we were too late to help Lavitor."

"And certainly too late to save the king," remarked one of the advisors. "Are we certain that these are the king's last wishes?"

"We are," nodded the general. "Two officers seized it immediately upon the death of the king, and they have not left my side until I just dismissed them."

"Then let us proceed swiftly to appoint a regent," suggested another advisor. "Borunda must not spend a day without a rightful ruler."

"I agree," nodded the general as he pushed the will towards one of the advisors.

The advisor opened the will and read it aloud. It was a fairly short document and left everything to Prince Garrick as everyone expected it would. Neither was anyone surprised that Lavitor was named the regent for the young prince, but one stipulation did raise a few eyebrows.

"He wanted Prince Garrick to choose his regent should Lavitor not survive him?" questioned an advisor. "That is most unusual. The lad is only fifteen. What does he know of such things?"

"Obviously the king had faith in the lad," shrugged another advisor. "Why should we try to second guess our monarch?"

The general stepped away from the table and spoke to the officers outside. He returned to the table and noticed the questioning glances being sent his way.

"I have sent for the Crown Prince," explained the general. "As he is mentioned in the will, he has a right to be present for this discussion. Personally, I have heard good reports on both of the princes. They seem to have matured rather quickly under the tutelage of the wisper and her husband."

None of the advisors argued the point. Everyone had heard good reports on the princes. Naveena had made sure that their successes were well known. Within minutes, the Crown Prince entered the room. He obviously knew that his father had died, but he showed no great emotion.

"If you had to choose a regent for yourself," asked one of the advisors, "who would it be?"

"I either have the right to choose my regent, or I do not," the prince stated assertively. "Was that my father's wish?"

The advisors were taken aback by the prince's boldness, but several of them nodded affirmatively.

"Then I shall choose my own regent," declared Prince Garrick.

"This is highly unusual," objected one of the advisors.

"It is highly unusual that the king was murdered in his own bed," retorted the Crown Prince. "The fact that he was murdered by a man that all of you respected is also unusual. The choice is mine, and I shall demand it. Are there any objections?"

Many of the advisors looked upon the Crown Prince with awe and respect. None of them had daily contact with the young princes, and most of their knowledge of the progress of the boys came from Lavitor. They were totally unprepared for such assertiveness.

"Let it be known," declared Prince Garrick, "that my regent will be the Lady Naveena. Please make the arrangements to record her status while I go and mourn my father. I do not wish to be disturbed for the rest of the day."

The young prince turned and walked out of the chamber while the advisors looked on in bewilderment.

For the first time in fifteen years, the leaders of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms assembled in Tarent. The funeral of King Eugeon had precipitated the gathering, and every nation sent a delegation to pay their respects. King Hector of Salacia had ridden early into Anatar in order to travel to Borunda with King Caedmon of Arin. The two men had been friends since they met at a horse camp in Odessia when they were mere princes.

Each king was accompanied by a dozen guards for their personal protection. For generations there had been no need for large standing armies as the peace among the Land of the Nine Kingdoms was assured, but bandits often roamed the desolate stretches of the main roads. Were it not for the bandits, the escorts would have been much smaller, so it was worthy of note when they reached the city gates of Tarent that the walls were manned with hundreds of soldiers. The gates to the city were also closed, and a small contingent of guards stood outside the walls to question arriving travelers.

"Is there trouble in this land?" asked King Hector when the party reached the gate.

"The king has been murdered," the guard stated.

"I am well aware of that," replied King Hector. "It is the reason for my journey from Salacia. I am here to pay my respects, but you have not answered my question. Why are the gates closed and the walls manned?"

"The gates are closed because we were ordered to close the gates," answered the guard. "They will, of course, open for the king of Salacia."

The guard stepped away quickly as if he had no wish for further questions. He signaled to the men on the wall, and the mighty gates swung open. The two kings and their retinue rode through the gates and into the city.

Tarent was a large, walled city, and a prosperous one as well, but on this day not a single shop was open. The streets were deserted, and the party from Arin and Salacia were the only travelers. King Arin moved his horse close to King Hector without appearing to do so deliberately.

"I don't like the looks of this," the Arin king whispered. "There are no mourners in sight, and the city guards seemed almost embarrassed by their defenses. What do you think is going on?"

"I am not sure," King Hector whispered in reply, "but I agree with you. That guard did not want to answer my questions."

"I am going to demand that we each take a man inside with us when we reach the palace," declared King Caedmon. "Will you agree?"

"Antion and Derri?" questioned the Salacian king. "But we were going to have them go with us in any event. I do not understand what you are saying."

"They were going to come with us to pay their respects," explained King Caedmon, "but I am uneasy about that now. I would prefer to take them as individual bodyguards."

"They will be recognized," frowned King Hector,  "and we will be seen as trying to do something clandestine. I don't like the idea."

"I am not thrilled by such deceptions either," agreed King Caedmon, "but my gut tells me it is necessary. We can have them wear full-face helms. I made sure to carry two with us in case the men chose to have some friendly competitions with the other soldiers."

"That would be terribly uncomfortable for them," King Hector sighed heavily, "but I learned one thing about you when we were mere boys, and that is to never distrust your gut. Is there any safe exit from this if their identities are discovered?"

"There is," nodded the Arin king with a thin smile on his lips. "We can say that we feared that their lives might be in danger. I know that I can honestly say that with a good conscience."

"You were always shrewd with words," laughed the Salacian king. "Shall I tell them, or will you?"

"I will handle it," replied the Arin king.

King Caedmon let his horse falter as the rest of the column continued onward. Near the center of the short column were two young, muscular soldiers riding side-by-side. One wore the colors of the Arin Kingdom, and the other Salacian. King Caedmon expertly managed to end up riding between them without the chance that anyone would have suspected it was deliberate.

"Good riding, Father," smiled the Arin soldier. "I see that you learned your lessons well during your stay in Odessia."

"Some things are never forgotten," smiled the king.

"So you also feel as if we are being watched?" asked the Salacian soldier.

"I have no doubt about it," King Caedmon responded softly. "While I have not sensed any hostility directed towards us, your father and I have agreed to alter our plans. The two of you will accompany King Hector and me as personal bodyguards. That will require the wearing of full-face helms. Can you handle that?"

"Tell my father that it will be my pleasure to act as his personal bodyguard," replied Prince Derri.

"You can always count on me, Father," agreed Prince Antion.

"Good," smiled the king. "I know this will be hard on both of you as some of your old friends are likely to be here."

"I know that Prince Umal of Odessia will be here," nodded Prince Antion. "It will be hard not to socialize with him, but I know that you would not be taking precautions unless you felt the need. Derri and I will be fine with the arrangements."

"Excellent," nodded the Arin king. "Once you have the helms on, ride forward and flank King Hector and me."

The king eased forward and regained his place at the head of the column alongside King Hector. Several minutes later, the two princes appeared just behind them. Within minutes the column halted before the palace gates, which were closed. A squad of Borundan soldiers stood at the gates, but they made no move to open them. King Hector was about to loudly demand that the gates be opened, but King Caedmon gently touched him on the arm. The two leaders and their escorts sat silently before the gates, waiting patiently. Finally an officer approached from somewhere in the palace courtyard.

"Open the gates, you fools," bellowed the officer. "Do you not recognize the standards of Arin and Salacia?

"But…" began one of the gate guards.

"But nothing," yelled the officer. "Open the gates immediately."

Both gates immediately swung open to admit the foreign dignitaries. King Hector nodded his thanks to the red-faced officer, and the column moved towards the palace entrance. A squad of Borundan soldiers stood waiting for the new arrivals and held their horses as the soldiers dismounted. The two kings and their personal bodyguards moved forward to enter the palace, but the door guards immediately blocked their path.

"Only the dignitaries are allowed inside," declared one of the door guards. "Your men will have to wait outside with the rest of the foreign troops."

"That is unacceptable," King Caedmon said calmly and clearly.

"Those are our instructions," insisted the guard.

"Maybe so," replied King Caedmon, "but that is unacceptable to the nations of Arin and Salacia. Now do you wish to argue this point with me, or would you prefer to summon a general who is better suited to handling a diplomatic insult."

The two guards looked at one another briefly with confusion on their faces. One of the guards eased the door open slightly and slid inside the palace. Within moments the door opened wide and a large baldheaded man with a thin mustache walked out.

"King Caedmon, King Hector," bowed General Ortega. "How nice of you to come for King Eugeon's funeral."

"All of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms mourns the loss of King Eugeon," replied King Caedmon. "We have come to offer our condolences and to restate our pledge of peace and brotherhood with Borunda. May we enter the palace?"

"Certainly," smiled General Ortega. "We have set up a place for your soldiers outside. They will not be needed within the palace. I can assure you that you are safe within these walls."

"Tell me, General Ortega," asked King Caedmon, "why are the gates to the city closed and guarded?"

"That is just a precaution," smiled General Ortega. "During this sad time, most of our soldiers are mourning as well as the citizens. It only makes sense to man the gates."

"And why are the gates to the palace also manned and closed?" inquired the Arin king.

"Again," frowned the Borundan general, "it is just a precaution."

"I can well appreciate precautions," smiled King Caedmon, "especially in a place where a king was recently assassinated. Just one more question, if I may? Why are you going to agree to let our personal bodyguards accompany us into the palace?"

"I can answer that for the good general," grinned the Salacian king. "He will allow it just as a precaution. Is that not right, General Ortega?"

The Borundan general looked from the Salacian king to the Arin king and shook his head. "Very well," he conceded, "but just the two of them. I must say that it does not speak well of your trust in Borunda."

"Quite the contrary," replied King Caedmon as the four foreigners followed the general into the palace. "If I was truly fearful of law-abiding Borundans, I would not be in Tarent today. I do believe in small, sensible precautions though, as I am sure you do."

"What happened here, General Ortega?" asked King Hector. "We have heard the rumors from afar, but I would prefer the real story from a man that I trust."

"It is a sad affair," sighed the general. "The king's advisor lost his mind. Without any provocation that anyone could find, he plunged a knife into King Eugeon's heart. It is that simple. One insane moment, and a good king is gone forever."

"That is a sad tale indeed," agreed King Caedmon. "I knew Lavitor fairly well. I would never have suspected such behavior from him. Was there any warning that he was troubled?"

"None," the general shook his head. "Oh, his wife did bring the matter to my attention, but the murder occurred while she was telling me of his problems. Had the warning come a day earlier, it all might have been avoided."

"I didn't know that Lavitor got married," remarked King Hector. "I didn't think he had a heart for anything other than protocol. He was a master at it."

"He was married for over ten years," the general responded. "It was a good marriage by all accounts. His wife was the wisper who took care of the two princes. They appeared to be very happy."

"You speak of her in past tense," noted King Caedmon. "Did she not take her husband's action well?"

"What?" frowned the general. "Oh, heavens, no. She is not the type to take her own life. No, I speak of her life as a wisper in the past tense. She is actually the regent for Prince Garrick now."

"Regent?" mused King Hector. "That is a lofty position for a wisper. Do you think she will do well?"

"There was little choice in the matter," shrugged the general. "Lavitor was the named regent in King Eugeon's will, and that certainly could not be honored, but the king had inserted a rather unorthodox codicil. It allowed the young prince to name his own regent. The council had little choice but to accept the king's wishes. As for the wisper performing well, most think it hardly matters. The Crown Prince is quite mature for his age. He shows the promise of a great king."

"That is rosy news for a sad occasion," smiled King Caedmon.

The general halted outside the throne room.

"I will allow you to pay your respects before I show you to your quarters," offered General Ortega.

"Thank you," nodded King Caedmon as his fingers moved rapidly alongside his thigh in the sign language of the horse people.

Prince Antion and Prince Derri had been waiting for such instructions. As the door opened to admit the two kings, the two princes slid into the throne room before the general could protest. Taking up positions just inside the door, the princes stood silently as their fathers approached the throne. Sitting on the throne was the Crown Prince. At his left stood the regent, Naveena, and on his right stood Prince Zinan.

The meeting in the throne room was brief. The two kings offered their condolences for the death of King Eugeon, and their best wishes to the Crown Prince and his new regent. At the rear of the room, Prince Antion felt eyes fall upon him. He saw both the regent and Prince Zinan staring at him. A cold shiver ran down his spine. The feeling only lasted a moment, but Antion was relieved when the brief meeting was over and the party exited the throne room.

General Ortega had left during the time they were inside the throne room, but another officer was waiting for them. He showed the four men to their quarters and gave them directions to the library where the other dignitaries had gathered. When the officer had left, the four men entered the Arin suite, and the princes removed their helms.

"Who were the people behind the throne?" asked Antion.

"The woman was the Lady Naveena," answered King Hector. "She is now the regent of Borunda. The other was Prince Zinan, the son of the late Princess Orenda."

"Why do you ask?" questioned King Caedmon.

"They were both staring at me," answered Antion. "It was a weird feeling. I am not sure that I can explain how it felt."

"You don't have to explain it," replied the Arin king. "I already know. You could feel their eyes upon you, and a cold shiver raced down your back."

"Exactly," Prince Antion said with surprise. "How did you know?"

"You have inherited what I call my gut feel," smiled King Caedmon. "Always pay attention to it, son. It will save your life someday. Are you sure the feeling came from both of them? Is it possible that only the wisper gave you that feeling?"

"I can't say for sure where it came from," admitted the Arin prince, "but I am sure that both of them were staring at me. Does it matter which one of them it was?"

"Very much so," the king nodded grimly. "It is a feeling that I associate with magic. If it came from the wisper, that is understandable, but I have heard nothing about Prince Zinan having the Talent."

"His mother did," interjected King Hector. "Princess Orenda never practiced as a wisper, but she held the power."

"Are you sure?" asked King Caedmon.

"Positive," nodded the Salacian king. "I talked to her about it on one occasion. I was curious about how it felt. She was not very fond of having the capability, and she told me that she avoided using it."