Trebilcock had extended himself to create his nasty image.

Aral Dantice met him on the cobbled way linking the castle with the surrounding city. They turned their horses into the parkland encircling the palace. Cherries and plums were in bloom.

„Late start this morning," Michael observed. For years they had ridden the park when they could. Usually they shared the bridle trails with others from the castle. This morning they were alone with the drizzle.

„Would have been nastier earlier," Dantice replied.

They talked out old times and finished gossiping. Now they grew guarded.

Aral was a squat, wide man in his middle twenties. He looked more street thug than prominent merchant. Before his father's death he had been more the former than the latter. Since, he had turned his father's nearly bankrupt caravaneer outfittery around. He had become a major supplier of tack and animals to the Royal Army.

„I suppose." Trebilcock swung a hand. His gesture took in their surroundings. „I'd like to redesign this. At the Rebsamen I had this adviser. His hobby was landscaping. Whoever did this didn't have any imagination. It's nothing but a damned orchard."

Aral looked at him askance.

„I'd move all these fruit trees out. Scoop out a lake. Make a reflecting pool. Put a line of poplars down each side, yea and yea, to frame the castle. Maybe put some shrubs and flower plantings in front for spring and summer color. See what I mean?"

Aral smiled. „Be interesting to see what you could do." He scanned the castle. „You'd either have to knock down

Fiana's Tower or build another one over on the left. To give the palace balance."

Trebilcock looked puzzled. „Balance? What do you know about balance?"

„What's to know, Mike? Stands to reason, don't it? You don't want it to look lopsided. What did he want, anyway?" „What did who want?" „The King. When he had you stay behind." „You won't believe it. I still don't. He wants me to play side to his right point in the Guards' Captures game this afternoon."