"Are we unreasonable?" the dowager asked him, not rhetorically, turning a burning gaze on him, and either answer was treasonable.

2.

"Your father is here," Jegari had reported some time past, warning enough, and a wise son who did not wish to be flown back to the capital and confined to his father's apartment with his tutor for the rest of his life had immediately taken the warning and improved his appearance.

Cajeiri had on his best brown brocade coat, and his shirt lace was crisp and immaculate. His queue was tied with the red and black Ragi colors-his father's colors, politic choice of the four, even five heraldries he could legitimately claim. His boots were polished, his fingernails were clean, and he had, after the rush of preparation, quietened his breathless hurry and achieved a serene calm even his great-grandmother would approve of.

He had, besides, accepted his father's choice of bodyguards: he had already had Jegari and Antaro, a brother and sister out of Taiben province in the Padi Valley-those two were not properly Assassins' Guild yet, and could not wear the uniform, so they looked like domestic staff, but they were his senior bodyguard. He insisted so. And his junior staff, the ones his father had just sent-Lucasi and Veijico, another brother and sister, really were were Guild, and actually five years older. They were in their formal uniforms, black leather and silver, and looked really proper. Guild, and actually five years older. They were in their formal uniforms, black leather and silver, and looked really proper.

So he could muster a real household, and there was no laundry tossed over chair backs and no stray teacup awaiting house staff to pick it up (nand' Bren's staff never let things sit around) so the premises was immaculate, too. He was well ahead of his father's arrival when he heard the commotion of an approach outside.

His father's guard knocked once-ordinary procedure-and did not have to fling the door open themselves, since Jegari did a majordomo's job and beat the man to it. The door whisked open, Jegari bowing, and there was the bodyguard, and his father.

The guard walked in and disposed themselves on either side of the door. His own bodyguard, official and not, came to formal attention. His father walked in and stopped, looking critically about the room-which actually looked like a real household, Cajeiri thought, bowing with particular satisfaction, even a little self-assurance at his own arrangements. Father had not not caught him at disadvantage. For infelicitous eight going on fortunate nine, he had not disgraced himself, or Great-grandmother, or nand' Bren. caught him at disadvantage. For infelicitous eight going on fortunate nine, he had not disgraced himself, or Great-grandmother, or nand' Bren.

"Honored Father," he said respectfully, completely collected.

"My elusive son," his father said.

Bait. Cajeiri declined it, simply bowing a second time. Arguing with his father from the outset would not not get what he wanted, which was to stay exactly where he was, in nand' Bren's house. He did get what he wanted, which was to stay exactly where he was, in nand' Bren's house. He did not not to be dragged back to the capital and locked away in his rooms with his tutor. He had made mistakes, but he had remedied them. He was in good order. to be dragged back to the capital and locked away in his rooms with his tutor. He had made mistakes, but he had remedied them. He was in good order. Surely Surely his father was not going to haul him off in embarrassment. his father was not going to haul him off in embarrassment.

"Your great-grandmother thinks you should stay here," his father said. "You have worried your mother, who is not pleased, not to mention you have set off your great-uncle, who has had to be restrained from coming out to the coast... need I say with what what detriment to the delicate peace in this whole district?" detriment to the delicate peace in this whole district?"

That was was a threat. Uncle Tatiseigi was not inclined to be polite to anybody who was not of very high rank, a threat. Uncle Tatiseigi was not inclined to be polite to anybody who was not of very high rank, and and attached to the clans and causes he personally approved. There was a long, long list of people Uncle Tatiseigi did not approve of. attached to the clans and causes he personally approved. There was a long, long list of people Uncle Tatiseigi did not approve of.

"That would not help nand' Bren or Great-grandmother, honored Father." A third, smaller bow. "We understand. We are attempting to be quiet and useful."

"By stealing a freight train and a sailboat?"

A fourth bow. "My honored father exaggerates the freight train. But we admit the sailboat. We deeply apologize for the sailboat."

His father let go an exasperated sigh and walked over to the desk and the darkened window, which was storm-shuttered because of snipers, which were still a constant possibility. Out in the hall, and faintly even in here, one could still smell new lacquer, where they had fixed bullet holes.

So it was not quite safe. His father surveyed the room-then, embarrassingly, as if he were a child, flung open the inner door and had a look in the bedroom. The bed in there was made and there was nothing out of place. He was very glad they had not just tossed stray items in there.

His father walked back again, set fists on hips and looked down at him. "The staff is keeping you in good state."

"Nand' Bren has a very good staff," he said. "And we try to be no trouble to them at all."

"Ha." His father had been arguing with Great-grandmother. He was still mad. That was clear. But he was not being unreasonable.

Then his father asked: "Do you have the least least notion what is at stake on this coast?" notion what is at stake on this coast?"

He did did know that answer. He had listened when his elders talked, because it know that answer. He had listened when his elders talked, because it was was important. "The Edi people are connected to the Gan, up the coast in the Islands and the north coast. The Edi and the Gan both used to live on the island of Mospheira, before the humans landed, and now because we Ragi gave the island to humans, they live on our coast, which the Marid used to think they owned." important. "The Edi people are connected to the Gan, up the coast in the Islands and the north coast. The Edi and the Gan both used to live on the island of Mospheira, before the humans landed, and now because we Ragi gave the island to humans, they live on our coast, which the Marid used to think they owned."

"Did they own it?" they own it?"

He knew that answer, too. "No, honored Father. The Marid claimed the whole southern half of the west coast, but an association of local clans owned it. The Marid had tried to bully all the clans that were here. Then the Edi came in, and the Edi got along with the local clans well enough, especially since the Edi helped throw the Marid out and back into their own territory. Then the Edi fought among themselves, mostly, until Great-grandfather put a Maschi clan lord in charge of the coast and created Sarini Province. And now that Lord Geigi of the Maschi has been in space all these years and his nephew has turned out to be a total fool, the Marid thinks they can get back onto the west coast, which is what nand' Bren and Great-grandmother just stopped. And the Edi are all upset with the Marid, but they are grateful, too, to nand' Bren and Great-grandmother, which is why they wanted to talk-nand' Bren is their neighbor, and they feel an association there, and they really respect elder people, especially elder ladies, and, besides-" He was getting too many "ands," which Great-grandmother said was undignified, so he tried to amend it. "Besides, Great-grandmother has influence with you, she is an associate of Lord Geigi, too, and her own province is on the other side of the world, so she would be a very smart alliance for them. They know she she would not want their land. And she is associated with nand' Bren, so there is a local connection." would not want their land. And she is associated with nand' Bren, so there is a local connection."

His father bent an absolutely dispassionate face toward him, which, since he doubted his father had reason to lose his temper further than he had already lost it, probably meant that his father was actually amused at his account. One might take offense at that, because he had tried hard to understand what was going on-except it was certainly better than his father losing his temper.

"Tolerably well-reckoned," his father said. "But there is risk in staying here, boy, which agitates your great-uncle considerably. Not to mention your mother."

"If the Edi fall out of the aishidi'tat and the Marid starts fighting them, there will be a lot of assassinations, and you you could be in danger, honored Father, even in the capital, not to mention other people who will get hurt all over the place. If the Edi clan protects this coast and it allies to the Gan and to Great-grandmother in the East, that will annoy some people, but it will make this coast stronger, so the Marid can never come in here again. And if nand' Bren had could be in danger, honored Father, even in the capital, not to mention other people who will get hurt all over the place. If the Edi clan protects this coast and it allies to the Gan and to Great-grandmother in the East, that will annoy some people, but it will make this coast stronger, so the Marid can never come in here again. And if nand' Bren had not not found out the Marid were plotting to take Kajiminda, then the Taisigi of the Marid would have gotten a claim to it. And they would have killed off the Maschi one at a time until they got somebody else stupid like Baiji to make a treaty with them. And then you would have to come in and fight them and it would have been a found out the Marid were plotting to take Kajiminda, then the Taisigi of the Marid would have gotten a claim to it. And they would have killed off the Maschi one at a time until they got somebody else stupid like Baiji to make a treaty with them. And then you would have to come in and fight them and it would have been a much much bigger mess than having the Edi as allies and letting them have a house of their own." bigger mess than having the Edi as allies and letting them have a house of their own."

"Clever, clever boy. All your great-grandmother's arguments in a pleasant package."

It was not time to be pert with his father. Not at all. Cajeiri made a judicious bow.

"Do you already know you are about to become the elder of my offspring?" his father asked him then, which took a second thought, and rapidly three and four. "Is that what has prompted this current adventurism?"

Elder? As in-two? And with the same mother? Surely with his mother! He would be very upset if his father ended the contract with his mother and she went away. And Uncle Tatiseigi would be furious.

"No, honored Father. Is the mother my my mother?" mother?"

"The same," his father said, immediately relieving him of one huge concern.

"Am I to have a brother?" That could be good or bad. He had no idea. It could be fun.

"Or a sister," his father said.

Among humans, one apparently had a way of telling. But either was important news. It affected his place in the world, but not too much, since the parentage was all the same two clans, Ragi and his mother's Ajuri clan.

And having a baby of the same heritage might divert his mother and and his great-uncle from excessive worry about him, which could be good. his great-uncle from excessive worry about him, which could be good.

But- -which would not be good- Great-grandmother would have another great-grandchild to fuss over, who would get all the favors.

That was not to be tolerated. That thought got his blood to racing. was not to be tolerated. That thought got his blood to racing.

He really, really really did not want to share Great-grandmother's attention. Or nand' Bren's. He was not going to share. No. did not want to share Great-grandmother's attention. Or nand' Bren's. He was not going to share. No.

"We would rather have told you under calmer circumstances," his father said, "and we would have done so in very short order, in fact, so you would not hear it first from other sources. But you left the capital."

"Does Great-grandmother know it?"

A snort. "There is nothing your great-grandmother fails to know. Study that woman's information-gathering. It is highly efficient."

"She did not know we were going into a trap at Kajiminda."

His father flung up a hand. "Say no more on that score! One has heard quite enough of that argument!"

He bowed, not knowing what had annoyed his father, but he was sure that something had, something to do with that incident.

And whatever it was, it had nothing to do with the truly important fact-namely that his parents were having another baby.

That possibly made him a little less valuable to some people. It meant if someone did away with him, his father would still have an heir. He supposed that was a good thing.

It meant somebody else would be available for people to watch and fuss over, which was definitely good. His father only had so many security resources. And that meant more freedom for him.

But it also meant he had to be better better, in everything, or people would say his sib was better, which was already unfair.

It meant he was going to have to work work and stay ahead forever. Or else. and stay ahead forever. Or else. That That was a threat... a threat a lot more personal than the Marid posed by shooting at him. He never, ever wanted anybody to say his younger sib was better than him at anything. was a threat... a threat a lot more personal than the Marid posed by shooting at him. He never, ever wanted anybody to say his younger sib was better than him at anything.

Great-grandmother said if he was able to deal with the Edi because of meeting them and talking to them, that would be an asset for the future. And he was very sure that if they could settle the Marid's ambitions that would be an asset for everybody's future.

And he was not going to give up any assets he had. Not now. Not with competition on the way.

"Your great-grandmother says you can use common sense when you understand a danger is real," his father said in that no-nonsense voice he had. "One suggests you consider that the danger in this entire district is quite real."

"One has very well comprehended that, honored Father."

"Continue to comprehend it," his father said. "And obey knowledgeable elders!"

He was going to get to stay! "Yes," he said triumphantly- but not too triumphantly. Nothing was safe until his father actually left him here in his great-grandmother's keeping. And then he could do do things to secure his future and the aishidi'tat's. He would be important. He would make himself important- given a head start. things to secure his future and the aishidi'tat's. He would be important. He would make himself important- given a head start.

"Behave!" his father said, and he bowed and his father nodded an end to the matter and that was that. His father left, taking his bodyguard with him, and he- He looked at his intimates, his aishid, his bodyguard, who had necessarily heard all that exchange. He was gratified to see they all looked very respectful, even impressed... even Lucasi and Veijico, who were complete snobs about everything. He had come off rather well in that exchange, he thought, except being surprised by the information that he had a sib coming.

Still, one's aishid had to be privy to moments like that. And they had to keep quiet about what they knew. It was part of what they were.

"We need information, nadiin-ji," he said. "We need to know what my father said to my great-grandmother, for one, and to nand' Bren. Find out."

Jegari and Antaro were equal with Veijico and Lucasi in that mission: the two young Taibeni, who had reasonable access and credit with house staff, were able to get things from the servants, who heard almost everything. And the two newcomers, being real Guild, could gather information among senior Guild in the house. Both sets looked at him very soberly.

And then they dispersed, Antaro leaving Jegari on duty with him, and Veijico leaving Lucasi with him. Two sources, two kinds of inquiries-neither leaving him alone with the other for a moment-because the two halves of his aishid were not not in good agreement. in good agreement.

That was the problem his father had given him along along with his two real Guild members. with his two real Guild members.

Well, that was all right. At least all his bodyguards were primarily his his, not spies for Great-uncle, for his father, or even for Great-grandmother, and he would work it out. Veijico and Lucasi would take orders: they had said so, and they had better mean it.

He had been doing some talking with the two new members of his aishid over the last couple of days, and he had arrived at a fair understanding of their position. They were were good, they good, they did did understand Guild operations, and they would take the lead in defense. They had been very frustrated at having to live in the Guild house where nothing understand Guild operations, and they would take the lead in defense. They had been very frustrated at having to live in the Guild house where nothing ever ever happened that the seniors did not take care of, and they realized that being attached to him was a great thing, and they looked forward to being in action... happened that the seniors did not take care of, and they realized that being attached to him was a great thing, and they looked forward to being in action...

But they also understood that they had to take general orders from Antaro and Jegari as the two who best knew his mind on what Great-grandmother would call "staff policy."

They had readily agreed they would not tell tales unless they feared he was making a serious, serious mistake-and he was determined not to do that, given their experienced advice. Which he promised to hear, at least, on any important question. He assured them of that, and they seemed happy.

So he had his household in fairly good order. Jegari and Antaro ran staff things and most of the defense planning for the room and all was done by Veijico and Lucasi, who could also get some information out of nand' Bren's bodyguard and some even from Great-grandmother's.

And even his father had had to admit his presence here was an asset to the aishidi'tat, if he was learning things and making a good impression on people. He was proud of that.

So everybody agreed he would stay in nand' Bren's house, and he was so happy he could run through the halls shouting. But he did no such thing, because he was being proper.

He would be helpful. He would get get the man'chi of the Edi the man'chi of the Edi and and the Gan, the way Great-grandmother planned, so that someday when he was aiji, he would have the whole coast secure. the Gan, the way Great-grandmother planned, so that someday when he was aiji, he would have the whole coast secure.

The Ragi? They ran the whole aishidi'tat, all the Western Association, and they might be upset with him dealing with the Edi, but they were always arguing about something. One thing he knew for certain: he had Uncle Tatiseigi backing him, which was the Central Clans; and he had Great-grandmother, who was the East; and he was fairly sure of the Isles and the North; and certainly of the Taibeni, who were Jegari and Antaro's clan; and if he got the Edi, too, then they could flatten the Marid, and nobody was going to overthrow his father's heir.

No little brother was going to get ahead of him him, ever.

3.

Tabini-aiji did not not pay a visit to Lord Geigi's nephew Baiji, in the basement. Nor did he linger for tea, let alone lunch. pay a visit to Lord Geigi's nephew Baiji, in the basement. Nor did he linger for tea, let alone lunch.

In the main, Bren could surmise, this had nothing to do with Tabini's irritation at the local situation, and was entirely due to security concerns and the insistence of his bodyguard. The less time the aiji spent in this chancey region, the better his bodyguard would like it-and, unhappy truth, the better the Edi residents of the area would like it, too. Ragi clan atevi, which the aiji was, moving in with orders and decrees and consequent upheavals and relocations, was the unhappy history of the Ragi clan with the Edi people and their northern cousins the Gan. The Edi district remained as skittish about the aiji's actions as they were about Marid plots. Tabini, being no fool in such matters, and his guard likewise, they had kept his presence quick and relatively quiet.

What would be noted among the Edi and other observers was that Tabini's son had stayed, evidently with the blessing of his father, and his grandmother Ilisidi stayed, and the paidhi-aiji stayed, all with their Guild bodyguards, all of them having already established a dialogue with the Edi at some little cost of life and current risk to themselves.

That, Bren hoped, would resonate clear up the coast to the Gan, who were very likely following the proceedings here with some interest.

It would resonate southward, too, around the curve of the coast to the bottom of the continent, where the Marid, that little aggregate of five clans around a deep bay-a little private sea-had strung out a long history of conspiracy, internecine warfare, and general ferment. Members of the aishidi'tat? They were. But enemies of the aishidi'tat? They always had been.

So he could look for his Bujavid apartment back. Soon. The Farai could start packing and take themselves back to the Marid, ending any pretense of negotiations and new agreements for that region. That was one good thing to come out of Tabini's visit. Given current circumstances, the Farai might get nervous enough to quit the premises without the aiji ever saying a thing. That That would be nice. would be nice.

And under other circumstances, he would intend to be back in the Bujavid in short order-except for the matters he had inadvertently stirred up on the coast, namely the rest rest of the business that the Farai and their fellow Marid were involved in... of the business that the Farai and their fellow Marid were involved in...

Namely the plot to marry into Lord Geigi's clan and inherit Lord Geigi's estate-with its property rights and treaty privileges on the west coast. its property rights and treaty privileges on the west coast.

The defunct Maladesi clan, through which the Farai claimed that prime Bujavid apartment, had also been the previous owners of Najida. One wondered, one truly, truly wondered whatever had made the Farai hesitate to claim the estate as well during Murini's days in power.

Possibly a little reluctance on the part of Murini, himself from the central clans, to have the Farai, and thus the Marid, get too powerful too fast? The Farai had already claimed the Bujavid apartment. Maybe Murini had rebuffed their more important claim to the old Maladesi west coast estate-or told them to wait for that.

Maybe Murini had had enough common sense not to want to stir up the Edi in his first year in power. If the Edi-Murid feud had gone nova, Murini would have had his most important ally, the Marid, distracted with that old quarrel-and having the Marid's main force pinned down in a guerilla war would have weakened Murini's hold on the capital, and thus on the aijinate. It had been rumored, at the time, that Tabini was dead. It had been rumored, at the time, that Tabini's heir was lost somewhere in the heavens along with the aiji-dowager and the paidhi-aiji and never would come back-but there would have been claimants soon enough, if Murini had at any point looked distracted.

Timing, timing, timing. Contrary to Murini's expectations, the dowager had returned from space, Tabini had launched his counterattack on Murini, and Murini had gone down to defeat... before before the Marid had wormed their way into their hearts' desire... namely the west coast. the Marid had wormed their way into their hearts' desire... namely the west coast.

So-with Murini gone-the Marid had just kept working toward their goal while trying to stall Tabini with promised new agreements. The marriage offer to Baiji predated Tabini's return to power: so the Marid had been quietly pursuing their objective regardless of who sat in power in Shejidan. Murini might not have known what they were up to, offering Geigi's foolish nephew a Marid wife, or had turned a blind eye to it because he did not want a public break with his allies.

But certainly the Edi had understood what was going on. The Edi servants in Baiji's house had found a stream of Marid agents visiting the estate-agents who had set up shop in the township that neighbored the estate. Agents who had evaporated following the failed attempt on the paidhi-aiji's life-and now were rumored to have set up again.

Tabini's men were, one hoped, discreetly ferreting out that little nest, which had fled from Kajiminda estate down to Separti Township.

Possibly the Edi people were helping the aiji's men find those cells-though one doubted it: the Edi historically had blamed the Ragi for the treaty that had lost them their homeland, over on Mospheira, and they had only marginally attached to the aishidi'tat. The old, old resentment had never died, and they particularly did not cooperate with the Assassins' Guild.

Which made it all the more remarkable that the Edi people had approached both the paidhi and Tabini's grandmother- herself an Easterner, from another region dragged somewhat unwillingly into the continent-spanning modern state.

So Tabini had just paid a personal visit? The Edi would have known it even while it was in progress. The paidhi had absolutely no doubt of that-since there were Edi servants under this roof. They would know, they would be concerned, and they would certainly have an opinion, based on whatever those servants reported, which might well be the whole content of the conversation with Ilisidi-the conversation had hardly been quiet.

Considering the fragility of lines of communication just ever so tentatively reopened, it did seem a good idea to be sure the Edi did not feel the paidhi had been communicating their closer-held secrets to the aiji... in a conversation which had been much lower key.