"It's fine, Burrich, it's fine," Verity said quietly, cutting him off. "If it had to be thought about, I should have done the thinking. I left it to you, and I don't find fault with it. It's better than a lot of children have in this village, Eda knows. For here, for now, it's fine."
"It will have to be different when he comes back to Buckkeep." Regal did not sound pleased.
"Then our father wishes him to return with us to Buckkeep?" The question came from Verity.
"Our father does. My mother does not."
"Oh." Verity's tone indicated he had no interest in further discussing that. But Regal frowned and continued.
"My mother the Queen is not at all pleased about any of this. She has counseled the King long, but in vain. Mother and I were for putting the boy ... aside. It is only good sense. We scarcely need more confusion in the line of succession."
"I see no confusion in it now, Regal." Verity spoke evenly. "Chivalry, me, and then you. Then our cousin August. This bastard would be a far fifth."
"I am well aware that you precede me; you need not flaunt it at me at every opportunity," Regal said coldly. He glared down at me. "I still think it would be better not to have him about. What if Chivalry never does get a legal heir on Patience? What if he chooses to recognize this ... boy? It could be very divisive to the nobles. Why should we tempt trouble? So say my mother and I. But our father the King is not a hasty man, as well we know. Shrewd is as Shrewd does, as the common folk say. He forbade any settling of the matter. 'Regal,' he said, in that way he has. 'Don't do what you can't undo, until you've considered what you can't do once you've done it.' Then he laughed." Regal himself gave a short, bitter laugh. "I weary so of his humor."