Free Madness in Solidar by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Page B

years. Then I went through rankers’ training.”
    â€œAt the training post to the north on this side of the river? Five milles out?”
    â€œYes, sir. They said it was once a scholarium. It’s where the army trains rankers.”
    That was something else Alastar hadn’t known, that there had actually been a scholarium in L’Excelsis. There was no mention of such in the archives he’d read, but then, he’d only scratched the surface of what lay in the stacks of file chests in the cellar. “Do you know how long ago that was? Did anyone say?”
    â€œNo, sir.”
    â€œHow many chateau guards are there?”
    â€œThree companies’ worth. That’s here in L’Excelsis. There are guards at all the chateaux the rex owns.”
    â€œThere are quite a few of those.” Alastar had seen estimates that Ryen owned fifteen large estates across Solidar, but those numbers had decreased since the time of Rex Regis, as some had been given to nonruling offspring over the generations.
    â€œI wouldn’t know, sir.”
    Less than a glass later, Alastar and the three others reined up at the white stone steps leading up to the main entrance of the Chateau D’Rex.
    â€œThank you, Llasel.”
    â€œMy pleasure, Maitre.” The chateau guard eased his mount away.
    Alastar dismounted and handed the gelding’s reins to Akkard, the older of the two thirds. “Just wait here.”
    Both imagers nodded, and Alastar made his way up the steps to the entry, where another guard, this one white-haired, accompanied the Maitre through the receiving hall and then up the grand staircase to the second level and back to the closed door of Ryen’s private study.
    The guard outside the study knocked and announced, “Maitre Alastar, sir.”
    â€œSend the good Maitre in.”
    Alastar concealed the wince he felt at the false heartiness he heard in Ryen’s voice, made certain he had a pleasant expression on his face, and stepped into the study. The guard quickly closed the door behind him.
    Ryen stood beside the wide desk and its stacks of papers, between the desk and the closed windows to the north. Two other men, much younger, stood on one side of the desk opposite the rex. One was clearly an offspring, because he had the same lank black hair and gray-blue eyes and thin build as Ryen. The other had fine blond hair and greenish gray eyes. He was also slightly taller and more broad-shouldered than either of the others, and he immediately smiled warmly at Alastar.
    â€œMaitre,” continued Ryen in his falsely hearty voice, “I thought you should meet my sons. Lorien here”—he pointed to the older-looking and more slender man—“and Ryentar.” The rex followed by inclining his head toward the still-smiling younger man, then continued, “And this distinguished personage, my sons, is the new head of the Collegium, Maitre Alastar, and the most powerful imager in Solidar.”
    Both Lorien and Ryentar nodded politely to Alastar.
    â€œI’m very pleased to meet you, sir,” offered Ryentar warmly.
    â€œLikewise,” said Lorien cordially, but far from effusively.
    â€œAnd I, you,” replied Alastar.
    â€œYou may go.” Ryen looked first to Lorien and then Ryentar. “At the stables at noon.”
    Alastar hoped he wouldn’t be spending nearly that long with the rex, but kept a pleasant expression on his face. “Fine-looking young men.”
    â€œThey are.” Ryen laughed. “What else could you say, Maitre?”
    â€œThat I was glad to meet them, which I was.”
    â€œSit down.”
    Alastar waited until the rex was about to seat himself before settling into the chair across the desk from Ryen.
    â€œHow are you managing with changing the councilors’ minds?”
    â€œI’ve met with Guerdyn, as a matter of courtesy, and I’ve requested meetings with the other