I didnt feel ourkinship at all.Youhadnt seen him in many years, Tenryon reminded him.Ranaelsnorted. If that were so, explain why we accepted Shino so easilywhen, last we saw him before he arrived, he was little more than achild. Nay, it was not for want of recent contact that made me feeluncomfortable with him. He lacked warmth and scarcely responded to myefforts to reestablish familial relations between us. It was as if Iwere witnessing a demonstration of proper manners, no more.Tenryonfrowned. Perhaps hes not as outgoing as we thought. Hisfrown deepened when Tyrdes merry laughter floated back to them.Curious, he remarked.Thatwasnt all. Ranaels mouth tightened before he spoke again.He flirted with Vaeren our whole stay in Anju.Ah,reason indeed to dislike him, Tenryon murmured.Ranaelglared at him. Thats not the point! Had he kept it to mereflirtation, we could have stomached it. But he went so far as toimportune Vaeren the last evening of our visit. Was presumptuousenough to accost him in his room when he knew full well that Vaerenand I He broke off but his eyes flashed with ire. Hesuggested that itwouldntbe wise for Vaeren to refuse him if he wished to rise in rank. Had Inot arrived, they might have come to blows.Tenryonpursed his lips. Did you tell Rohyr?Iwanted to as soon as I learned of the betrothal. But I feared itwould prejudice him against Tyrde before they had a chance to betterknow each other. Well, to heyaswith that! I should have talked to Rohyr before he wed that hornet insilverwings guise. Ranael ran his hand through his fair hair infrustration. But if I speak now, it may drive a wedge between themwhen they should be forging a friendship at the very least.Indeed.Andperhaps Tyrde has changed since, Ranael half-heartedly suggested.As he has demonstrated in the past four weeks, Tenryon drylyquipped. Ranael looked askance at him. What do you really think?TheHerun shrugged. Does a serpents nature change when it sheds itsskin?** * *Scarcelya month had passed since Rohyrs handfasting to Tyrde and alreadythe Citadel was rife with intrigue thanks to Tyrdes efforts toestablish himself as the second most preeminent personage in theroyal keep. Since no one had ever made so active a bid for power,small wonder that those who frequented the Citadel lived each day ineither anticipation or apprehension of some new development. Changewas unwelcome when it disturbed the steady rhythm of life andreplaced it with discordance.Hewas never overt. Tyrde was no fool to flaunt his ambitions. Andcertainly not in a manner guaranteed to draw censure at best,outright anger and resistance at worst. He conducted himself with alloutward propriety. He never openly demanded what was due him, neverdressed down anyone in public and never behaved as other than asupportive spouse to the king, a gracious ruler to the people and thebenevolent castellan of the Citadel. In other words, he seemed thequintessential royal consort.Plainas day, Ylandres new Ardis was bent on winning the peoples loveand favor and in particular the fidelity of the Rikarans.Thecapital was almost a nation unto itself, its citizens comprising anamalgam of the many tribes of Ylandre. There was no regionalhomogeneity