naught to do with trade and travel. He wondered whyMykal and Owyn had seen fit to journey all the way to Rikara.Dyhar,Mykal murmured as he and Owyn dipped their heads deferentially.Ah,please dont stand on ceremony with me, Lassen protested. Youare my sires closest friends and as kin to me. Im glad to seeyou after so long.Theysmiled, pleased by the warm greeting. Lassen signed to them to taketheir seats at the oval table in the center of the room.InAddaslast letter, he wrote that all is well in Tal Ereq, he said. Itmust be so if you were able to squeeze in enough time to travel sofar.Owynsighed. If only our journeying were for pleasure. But in truth, wecame to beg an audience with the Ardan.Andwe hope you can help us gain it soonest, Mykal added. We werevery fortunate that Commander Henaz offered to bring us here bytranslocation.Lassenfrowned. Trouble was a-brewing if something had engaged the sympathyof Velarus constabulary commander enough to risk leaving his postthat he might hasten the Elders journey to the capital.Whathas happened that you need to speak directly to His Majesty? heinquired. And why didnt Abaor Addawrite me about it?Idare say they feared their message would fall into the wrong handsand cause you much aggravation thereafter, Mykal explained.Particularly if it should be Imcael Essendris hands.Lassensbelly did a flip-flop. What has the Ardans uncle done?Hehas denied eastern Velarus passage through and around Anju. The movehas cut us off from the rest of Ylandre.Anoath nearly escaped Lassen. Bringing his indignation under control,he visualized the political geography of southeastern Ylandre.EasternVelarus was carved out of Cattania after the principalitys defeatin its war with Ylandre. Narrow and bow-shaped, Anju was a minor fiefthat had originally been located northeast of old Velarus, almost athird of its border adjoining Cattania. But as that border was rifewith treacherous bogs and pools of quicksand, the Cattanians hadnever attempted to cross into Ylandre through the fief.Withthe annexation of eastern Velarus, the western end of Anju came to besandwiched between the two territories, almost plowing into themiddle of the province where it curved southward. The main roads thatconnected eastern Velarus to the rest of the province and Ylandre atlarge either passed through the fief or skirted around it. Eitherway, Anjus Herun had the power to control those roads.Whywould he do such a thing? Lassen wondered.Mykalshrugged. Who knows what whims drive these nobles? It could bespite forhavinghad to succor us against his wishes all those years ago though tisa terribly long time to hold a grudge.Andoverly late to indulge it now, Owyn added.Lassenfrowned. But how did he accomplish this? Anju isnt his todirect. But tis his sons to rule, Owyn said. Imcaelssecond consort Naral was thebrotherof Javan Kardova, the late Herun of Anju. The coronet has now passedthrough Naral to his only son, Tyrde Kardova tharEssendri.Lassenswiftly mulled over the information. He knew Imcael had wed twice andthat both spouses had predeceased him. His first Heris, his herunicconsort, was a cousin of Essendri descent. His second consort hailedfrom House Kardova. His first marriage begot two sons while thesecond produced one.Theeldest, Mahael, was soft-spoken and