* * *
AL599 -
Elliot
Prince-Heir
Elliot of the Kingdom of Murdoch was nine years old; it was at this
age that the Boy Companions who would share his daily life were
appointed.
Great was the
competition amongst the noble houses to procure one of the five
places, especially amongst the minor nobility with sons of suitable
age.
There were
fourteen boys in the running and Elliot’s father and grandfather
were insisting that the five should be chosen from not just the
highest echelons of the ducal houses and much to the dismay and in
some cases, anger, of the Dukes of Murdoch.
“I am utterly
convinced that five boys are not enough,” so the eldest Duke,
Alastair of Gardiner spoke his mind. Only the King was older than
Duke Alastair amongst the men sitting round the table. He turned to
the King, “My Liege, more than five are eager for the chance and
should be given the opportunity.”
“I will not
agree to more than five,” said the Crown-Prince, “I want the best
for my grandson. I had not five or seven but nine and know this far too many. I insist on a maximum of
five, three would be better. I know you all want your grandsons and
nephews to be chosen but it cannot be.”
He rapped the
hardwood table. “We can count three of them out right away. Three
are only seven years old.”
“I disagree,”
grumbled Duke David Smith who had put forward the name of his son
and heir and who was one of the three the Crown-Prince had
dismissed. “Age should not be a barrier.”
“He is too
young and small,” said Duke Pierre Cocteau whose candidate, his
nephew James was exactly the right age. “I agree with our
Prince.”
There were hums
and haws then a consensus of nodding heads except for the Duke of
Smith.
“Small and
puny, like father; like son,” said the Lord Marshall to young Duke
Charles Graham, referring to the Duke of Smith’s heir. Charles
stifled a giggle. The young man often found it difficult to take
the machinations in Conclave seriously. It immersed itself in
trivia and as he sat there listening to the arguments promulgating
the pros and cons of the remaining eleven he wondered what would
happen if a serious emergency occurred. They would argue themselves
into oblivion.
Tempers were
fraying. The Primate, Archbishop Tom Brentwood tried to instil some
calm into the situation but he wasn’t having much success.
The Lord
Marshall made another quiet comment, murmuring that he was glad
Conclave concerned itself with these domestic and dynastic issues
and left the running of the Kingdom to those who knew how.
It took until
dusk for the five Boy Companions to be agreed upon and the Dukes
were still arguing as they left the chamber.
As the Lord
Marshall followed his King out of the room he was thinking with
trepidation about a future meeting when the bride of the young
Elliot would be chosen. He made a mental note to make sure that all
weapons, including eating knives were confiscated. The Lord
Marshall was in no mind to witness a bloodbath.
The Kingdom of
Murdoch had to be seen to be a united one.
Outside the
borders, the Larg roamed.
* * * * *
AL600 -
Isobel
Four little
girls were enduring the bumpiest carriage ride of their lives.
Their
destination was a large brownstone building which was even now
looming out of the gloomy evening dusk. The building was the mother
house of the Order of the Grey Nuns, a teaching order and where the
four would live for the next few years to complete their education.
This was not the most popular option amongst the nobility and
gentry of Murdoch. Most girls stayed at home and were taught by
their mothers and aunts and occasionally a governess. The Order
taught more, turning out young ladies well versed in the attributes
deemed necessary for all noble ladies and to an educational
standard far in excess. At fourteen they would either remain at the
convent to become postulants or would return home to prepare for
marriage.
The oldest
Joseph P. Farrell, Scott D. de Hart