Men would examine him and shake his small hand. It wouldn’t last long as soon his mother would send him up to bed with the nannies, giving him an affection kiss on the cheek. His parents would leave for weeks on trips together. His father was often in meetings with his stewards about his vast land holdings.

When Kedan was taken by the palace staff at twelve, his father shook his hand and his mother hugged him and dabbed at her eyes, yet Kedan wondered if there really were tears in them. His parents always seemed to be actors to him, always on stage, always giving a great performance.

Kedan stopped as he reached his chambers, and the soldiers on either side of the door bowed to him. Kedan nodded his head, and the soldiers opened the double doors and shut them behind him as he walked into the large sitting room that was at the front of his suite of rooms. Kedan tugged off his robe and threw it one of the wing back chairs by the fireplace. He then flopped down on the other chair, and leaned his head back, giving a loud sign.

“Rough day, my Lord?” said a female voice from the shadows.

Kedan didn’t even flinch, he had expected this. A small smile came to his face. “I don’t remember summoning you to my rooms. Do you dare take such liberties with your lord?”

“Oh, I thought you would want to relax a bit after such a long, tedious meeting,” said Teryn with dripping sweetness as she emerged from the shadows. She made a big show of bowing down at his feet; her long shiny, light red hair pilling on the floor. “I do beg the pardon of the lord and hope he will grant me forgiveness.”

Kedan reached down and grabbed the young woman off the floor, placing him on his lap. “I think you will have to do something to earn my forgiveness. I think you will find I can be quite generous to those who show me favor.”

Teryn threw her arms around him as she passionately kissed Kedan. Kedan had known Teryn since he had come to the castle. She was from the first circle as well, though not as high as Kedan. She had been sent to the castle in hopes that one day she would be an advisor and servant to the coming Lady that would be chosen for Kedan when he reached the age of twenty five in a little over a year.

He had noticed her almost as soon as he had settled into life at the castle. He had seen her sneak off to the kitchen to grab sweets. He had watched the way she had talked herself out of trouble and even out of lessons. She was always charming and sneaky, and Kedan was always fascinated by her.

She had grown into a beautiful young woman with a svelte figure, full red lips, and alluring green eyes. Her hair was the color of the sun as it set over the river behind the palace. She smelled of sunshine and wildflowers. He remembered the first time she had snuck into his rooms. She had figured out many of the secret passageways of the castles, probably even ones that guards didn’t know about, ones that had been secret for centuries.

As twelve-year-olds they would stay up late, playing card games and plotting adventures for after Lessons. As they grew, their feelings changed. He remembered the first night after his 15th birthday celebration when she had kissed him for the first time. Since then he had been under her power it seemed, always wanting more from her.

He wondered why she continued to come to him. He hoped she felt the same attraction he felt for her, the same desire. She must know that he could offer no position higher than the one she was working towards. He certainly couldn’t take her as his wife, as his Lady. He wouldn’t have much choice in who would be his wife. Did she hope to be his mistress? Kedan didn’t know. Now, he was only living for the moment. As their kisses deepened, he slid his hand down her leg and under her dress, and he heard her sigh against his lips. He felt the usual desire start to take over his senses, and he was about to stand up and carry Teryn into his bed chamber when there was a loud knock at the door.

“Damn,” cursed Teryn, breaking off their kiss.

“Shhh,” said Kedan quietly, not letting go of Teryn. “Yes? Who is it?” yelled Kedan at the door.

“My Lord, Till, the Viceroy of Aurumist, is here and wants to speak with you,” answered one of the soldiers.

“Hmph,” said Kedan. Till wasn’t busy like the others on the council, preparing for a journey. Till lived within walking distance of the palace in the Viceroy of Aurumist’s manor.

“Yes, I will see him. I will be there in a minute,” said Kedan letting go of Teryn. She hopped up off his lap, adjusting her skirt.

“I will go then, my lord,” she said with a smirk.

“Come back in an hour?” asked Kedan standing up and pulling Teryn to him. He started placing little kisses on her neck.

“I have meetings and training,” replied Teryn.

“Forget them. No one will care, or if they do, I will make sure they don’t,” growled Kedan between kisses.

“You have a fitting for the Harvest Ball this afternoon and visitors coming for dinner.”

Kedan huffed in frustration and ceased kissing Teryn’s neck. “Fine, come tonight then, after dinner. Come directly here.”

Teryn gave him a quick kiss on his mouth and replied,” Yes, my Lord,” against his lips.

She wiggled out of Kedan’s embrace and quickly stepped to Kedan’s bedroom where the secret panel she used to escape was located. Kedan made sure she was truly gone before he straightened his own clothes and opened the door to greet Till.

“My Lord,” said Till in answer to Kedan’s greeting. “I know you must be weary from the meeting today, but I feel as if I must speak to you urgently away from the others.”

Kedan nodded and showed Till into his room. Kedan picked up his robe and threw it over the small sofa in the room. He sat down in the winged chair and offered the other to Till. He opened the small decanter of wine that was on his table and poured himself a small glass. He gestured to Till offering him some.

“Thank you, my Lord, but no. What I say will not take long,” said Till sitting down in the other chair across for Kedan. “I wanted to talk about what is being said around The Great Surrounding. Other’s may want to brush it off, but I feel we need to act soon.”

“Really? The others didn’t seem so sure. Daracha herself said it was a bad idea, that waiting was the right thing to do.”

“I beg your pardon, but the others do not like to disrupt the peace even when it is necessary. Daracha is of the forest folk, she can be sympathetic to those who live in The Great Surrounding. She has lived a long time, and they say she even has ties to magical folk.”

“Surely not, “scoffed Kedan. “she might be old, but she can’t be that old. There hasn’t been any report of real magic in at least one hundred and fifty years, if it even really existed at all.”

“Still, she is not one to stir things up, but I’m afraid the time is coming when things will be shaken up whether we like it or not. Why should we not strike first? We should get ahead of this situation and snuff it out before it has time to even start to smolder.”

“Well, what would you suggest?”

“I think it is time to remind The Great Surrounding of who is really in charge of Regventus. They have been able to do what they want for too long. They have skirted by the rules of the Ancients. They don’t even really teach about the way of the Ancients. The temples are unkept and rarely used. They could easily be swayed by anyone who might want to start some sort of rebellion against the Ancients and you, my lord.”

Kedan smirked and scoffed again. “Come now, Till, who would rebel against us? We are in a time of prosperity. The kingdom is doing well. Who would be discontent?”

Till looked at Kedan warily. “Yes, the kingdom is doing well, but there are always those who suffer and struggle so others can prosper. It is sad, but necessary to have a safe and successful kingdom. Then there are those who don’t want to follow the ways of the Ancients just because they are either stupid, stubborn, or lazy. Those soft minds will be easy prey for anyone who might want to cause trouble for us.”

“I think you are jumping to conclusions, Till. Have there even been any real reports of any sort of rebellion in the kingdom?”

“Not really, my lord, just whispers, but you must know there are those who think they deserve more. There are those who do oppose us and all we have built.”

Kedan rolled his eyes. He wasn’t sure what Till wanted him to do. Yes, he was the Lord of Kingdom, but he served the people with the council. He could act on his own, but it would be unprecedented. He was taught to seek the wisdom of the council and to rule with them