Sigra heard the footsteps, but they didn't surprise her. She came to recognize them in the last two weeks.

'It's just Faren' she said calmingly.

Gorim frowned, but he didn't make any comment.

Faren Brosca wasn't surprised to see them together, still, his glance reflected no love, as he looked Gorim up and down.

Seconding a noble-born was more than he could have hoped for, when he was bullying beggars or merchants in the dirt of Dust Town. In fact, he didn't even know that there were seconds to serve the members of the royal family. He cherished his sister Rica, and kept looking for a way to prevent her from becoming a whore. Fate however was generous to them. Rica got pregnant from a nobleman and gave life to his son – and then he found out that the father was the youngest Aeducan prince himself. They soon were invited to the palace; Prince Bhelen treated them as valued family members and mentioned his name to the princess, who decided to employ him. His way led from the muck directly to the highest peak, all too sudden, but he enjoyed this new life nonetheless. Still, he never ceased to fear Sigra's words about getting Gorim back. Life in Dust Town wasn't that long ago, anyway, that he could have forgotten not to trust anybody wearing a lord's shiny armor. Gorim's return meant the end of this kind of life for sure, and he liked it too much already just to shrug his shoulder about it. He wanted to stay Sigra's second a life long.

Not that it was easy. He needed to confront himself constantly with soldiers, merchants and aristocrats, to whom the brand on his handsome face revealed his casteless standing. People talked down to him first. Later on, they started to accept his position but the heard rumors about a fiery dispute in the Assembly concerning Beraht and himself, the two casteless seconds. Even the king asked her daughter to change her mind and Sigra assured him that she'd be most happy to oblige, once Trian sent Gorim back to her. Still, it was a good life. Too good to be ended by somebody like this knight, who was foolish enough to play by the rules and carry out everything the nobles told him.

Gorim returned his gaze with open mistrust and jealousy. He envied Faren like no one else in his life. Of course, he didn't see him as a rival. Though Faren was a good ten years younger and so good-looking that the noblewomen in the Diamond Quarter already gossiped about him, Gorim knew he was not the kind of man Sigra fancied. Her latest words also proved that her feelings haven't diminished. The knight still couldn't help being jealous of every moment Faren spent with Sigra, because those moments were robbed from him. He would have felt the same way towards anyone, including Adal Helmi or even Harrowmont. Additionally, he couldn't trust a casteless scum, who had been a thug not so long before. He couldn't imagine why Sigra chose him, if not to have a spy in Bhelen's bedroom, but he doubted that Bhelen shared his secrets with his consort, and also that the consort would have dared to betray his confidentiality.

Sigra noticed how they were looking at each other but she decided to ignore it. She came to like Faren. In a way, the dwarf served as a perfect second. It was not the manservant she missed in him but Gorim's personality. They didn't laugh the same way, didn't move like one another, and damn it, she didn't love Faren the way she loved Gorim.

The moment passed. Faren bowed to her deeply and began to speak:

'Sorry to interrupt, my lady. Prince Bhelen sends his regards and kindly asks you to meet him in his quarters.'

'Excuse me, boy' Gorim disrupted 'but are you Prince Bhelen's second?'

Faren frowned.

'I just met his second, Beraht. He's been looking for my lady for almost an hour. By the way, ser knight, it seems to me that you aren't staying with your lord either.'

'Enough of this' Sigra said. 'Did Beraht tell you what Bhelen wanted, Faren?'

He shook his head.

'Well, I suppose I'll have to ask my brother, then. Let's go.' Sigra looked at Gorim for a last time with a small, sad smile. 'I do hope we'll talk again soon, Gorim.'

'As you wish, Lady Aeducan' the knight replied ceremoniously. He knew he caused pain to the princess with his unimpassioned words but he didn't dare to be less formal in front of his successor.

Bhelen waited for his sister in the most elegant room of his quarters. He honored Faren with a brotherly smile Sigra never saw on his face. She doubted its honesty but Faren seemed rather happy so she bit her lip and said nothing. From the next room, they could hear Rica singing to her baby.

'My beloved is eager to meet you, my friend' Bhelen showed the way with a small movement of his hand. 'Would you mind sitting with me, my sister?'

Sigra wasn't sure what to answer. They talked twice after accepting Faren as her second, both times very briefly. The prince offered his gratitude both times to Sigra for helping his consort's brother in starting a new life; yet he made Sigra remember – very, very gently – that it was him she had to thank for the man's services. The princess had a guess about why he needed her now: he wanted to tell her, what he required from her in return.

'You know I still don't trust you' she began but she sat nonetheless, as was asked.

'Don't hurt me, big sister, I beg you' Bhelen kept smiling. 'Mind if I ask you something?'

'Go on.'

Bhelen lowered his voice.

'Has the good ser Gorim refused your offer to run away together yet?' he whispered.

'What?' Sigra gasped. 'How did you find out?'

'With pure logic, I must say. I in your place would have asked that man… what was his name? Duncan, I think. So, I would have asked this Duncan to take away both of us. Surfacer dwarves usually don't even know of the existence of our beloved caste system.'

'You are not in my place' she said enthusiastically. 'You won't ever be. You are a man, free to choose your lovers. I, however, would put our royal family to shame in front of the Assembly and the Ancestors themselves by giving birth to a knight's bastard… as our father so kindly pointed out.'

Bhelen sighed.

'Trust me, big sister, I fully understand. Even I am not able to give my concubine the place she deserves. Rica has a good heart and she faced a lot of suffering in her life. Still, most people in the royal court treat her like dirt. One day she'll actually realize it and her heart will break. I am not going to witness it and do nothing.'

'Very touching.' Sigra's voice was dry.

'It must be, as you and I face the same problem. However, your situation is much worse. This is why I wanted to talk to you in the first place. I think we can help each other.'

'I don't think so…'

The prince lifted his hand.

'Please! Just let me finish.'

Sigra nodded, though a part of her wanted to stand up and go away. But she still could see the apathy in Gorim's eyes and hear his refusal. She wanted him badly enough to at least listen to what her brother had to say.

'I won't keep you in darkness of my motives, nor am I going to lie to you.' Bhelen leaned forward in his chair. 'Help me become king, big sister and I'll give you the possibility of marrying Gorim.'

Sigra jumped to her feet.

'I've heard enough.'

'Oh no, you haven't. I intend to destroy the castes and integrate the casteless into our society. Times change, and so must we.'

'I'm not going to sit here and listen to treason. Trian is father's heir. If you want to become king, you should go to the Deep Roads and conquer your own kingdom!'

'Do calm down, big sis!' Bhelen laughed. 'Would you really like to live under Trian's rule? If so, then you are the only one.'

'I want no part in your murderous plans.'

'It pains me you doubt my intentions. Very well, I'll swear to you, if you want me to, that I'm not going to harm Trian. No more than taking the throne he wants to sit on from him.'

'I don't believe you.' Sigra became more and more angry. 'Last time you tried to use me as your weapon against him.'

'I have already told you that it was a sad misunderstanding.' Bhelen sighed. 'I don't need his death. He may even stay father's heir. It's the Assembly's place to choose a new king. No one will vote for Trian if they can vote for me.'

'Why would you need me, then?'

'Look, Sigra, you're more popular than me. I am young and people barely know me yet. The nobles would like to choose you. If you told them that you supported me…'

'I support father's decision. Besides, I don't want a liar like you on the throne.'

'Lying is part of politics. Isn't it the reason you hate it? What I want is the benefit of all dwarves. Some lies are necessary, if not acceptable for the greater good. Or do you really think that Trian would be a better king than me?'

'I might prefer other candidates.'

'Whom? Harrowmont? That man is old and conservative to boot. He'll die shortly, and his sons are no better than himself.'

'Father may live a long life, and you have a son…'

'Good plan. And if father dies tomorrow?'

'Then I would know where to look for his murderer.'

Bhelen laughed heartily.

'I see the loss of Gorim hasn't robbed you of your sense of humor, big sister!' He pushed her back into her chair. 'Look around, please. You won't find a better candidate than me. All I ask is your support. If I become king, you will get married to Gorim in a year or less. I promise.'

Listening to him was like eating poisoned honey. It tasted good, it promised death and one still wanted to have more because it was too sweet to refuse. Sigra felt like being poisoned. All she knew was that she needed fresh air.

'Faren, we are leaving!' she shouted. Her second appeared shortly.

'May I ask you not to tell father what we were talking about? It would cause him unnecessary pain.' Bhelen showed them to the door quite politely.

Besides, I would achieve nothing but my own loss once again. Sigra nodded in agreement before stepping out to the corridor.