Coming of Age: IP1

Island Peoples 1

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They say that coming of age is a difficult time--even for Princes.

Perhaps especially for Princes, Seth thought as he wandered through the market. Here he was, only 16 years old, and his Father was already talking about his betrothal! His Father had spent time explaining how important it was to secure the succession. He had explained how he had spent long years in political and military action, hammering out a still uncertain peace, a peace that would be threatened by a hint of instability in the succession. Since his mother was past childbearing, his father said, it was up to Seth to begin providing heirs.

Seth had known, in the back of his mind at least, how important it was for him to marry well and to begin producing heirs. But so soon?!

It was harder because, for most of his life, he had been the ‘second’ Prince. All his life, everyone had seen his older brother as his Father’s heir, and it had been that brother’s life that was hedged so tightly about by ‘duty’; while Seth had been able to pursue, at least partially, interests not directly related to ruling; “even being allowed to study under a military Surgeon with a view toward that profession.

All that had changed two years ago when the rescuers pulled the bodies of his five siblings, his oldest Brother’s body curled protectively over that of his youngest Sister, from the wreckage of a fire, a very suspicious fire, in their castle. His Father, despite his grief, had immediately turned his attention to his second Son, plunging Seth into a flood of training, meetings… and now busily negotiating his betrothal.

Seth certainly didn’t mind the thought of getting married. He had the usual virgin boy’s idealised image of the marriage bed, but the nature of these particular marriage negotiations promised to be extremely tense. He would, of course, be marrying a Human female; marriage with one of the other races being technically feasible, he supposed, but politically impossible.

Besides the outrage that it would cause among the Humans, none of the other races participated in any meaningful way in the politics of the nation. Thus, an alliance with one of their families would provide no support for the dynasty; it would calm no important political waters.

Seth himself was pleased that this at least was ruled out of bounds. It was bad enough that his marriage would almost certainly be arranged with an important southern family where the opposition to his Father’s reign had been the strongest, but to marry a non-Human…

His Father had always insisted that he spend considerable time learning the language and customs of the other races. After a long and painful struggle, he was now reasonably fluent in all seven languages spoken by the various races on the island. Over time, he had gotten to know and even like most of his teachers. Indeed, Yonguth, the Ellyl (Elf) who was both his Father’s counsellor and his language teacher, had become a critical “friend and confidant. Still, he found the cultures of the other races a profound mystery.

Indeed, he was on his way to one of his regular language lessons now. Mnonan, the Sjefed (Marshman), owned an apothecary and, despite being one of the best pharmacists in the capital city, still willingly set aside several hours a week to teach the young Prince the intricacies of the Marshman language. Seth turned off the main thoroughfare into a small alley, an alley which had always proved an excellent shortcut to the street where the Marshman had his apothecary… until today.

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