Read Forest Kingdom Trilogy 2 - Blood and Honor for Free Online

finally, as much to break the silence as anything, 'tell me about Prince Viktor. Just an outline to begin with, to give me a feel for the part. And I'll need to know about his brothers as well.'
    'Of course,' said' Count Roderik. As he spoke, his voice remained casual and unhurried, but he never once looked at Jordan. 'You are the middle of three sons. Prince Lewis is the eldest. He inherited earth magic by his Blood. There isn't much call for earth magic inside a castle, so he's spent most of his life training to be a warrior. He favours the sword, and is very good with it. In many ways he was King Malcolm's favourite, but of late he and your father had grown distant. He has a vile temper, and won't be crossed on anything. His private life is ,a scandal. In his position he could have practically any woman for the asking, but instead he prefers to intimidate and take by force young Ladies from the lesser nobility.
    Any who dare complain are dismissed from Court, and their families are disgraced. Few are prepared to make an enemy of the man who may one day be their King. He's known to have strangled one girl when she declared she was pregnant by him. It was never proved, of course, but everybody knows.'
    'Sounds a pleasant chap,' said Jordan. 'What does he do for a hobby - poison wells?'
    'Don't underestimate his support,' said Roderik sharply. 'He's quite popular among the guards and men-at-arms, due to his undoubted martial prowess. They tend not to hear the rumours about his other exploits. And as the eldest son, and your father's acknowledged favourite, he's always commanded quite a large following at Court.'
    'Could he have killed King Malcolm?' said Jordan, frowning.
    'It's possible, I suppose. If your father had threatened to disinherit him because of his behaviour, I can see Lewis striking back at him in a rage. But poison . . . no, that's not Lewis's style. Now then, your younger brother is Prince Dominic. He inherited water magic by his Blood, but he's never made much use of it in public. He's the quiet, thoughtful one of the family, and has an unhealthy interest in sorcery. He's had many teachers, and is rumoured to be something of an adept, though again he's shown little sign of this in public. Dominic has always been a very private person. He is also somewhat. . . strange.'
    Sir Gawaine laughed shortly. 'That's one Way of putting it.'
    'How would you put it?' said Jordan.
    'He's barking mad,' said Gawaine flatly. 'And dangerous with it.'
    'Like his brother Lewis, Dominic also has a following at Court,' said Roderik, continuing calmly as though Gawaine hadn't spoken. 'Dominic is married to the Lady Elizabeth, a very ambitious woman. She helped to build Dominic's following through a series of well-thought-out political deals. Many of us believe Dominic and Elizabeth to be the prime suspects in your father's murder, though it must be said that so far no proof has been found to lay at their door.'
    'How do I feel about my brothers?' said Jordan thoughtfully. 'Are we close?'
    'Hardly. In Redhart, inheritance of the throne is rather a complicated matter. In most countries the crown goes to the eldest son, and any other sons get nothing, but here the King chooses which of his sons he considers to be most fit, and that son inherits the crown. This is a throwback to the days of inbreeding, when many eldest sons simply weren't . . . suitable. The dangers of that time are mostly past now, but the law and custom remain. However, if your father had made a choice, it remains unknown. The will has vanished without trace. Since Lewis is no longer the favoured son, all three of you now have an equally valid claim to the throne.
    'Neither you nor Dominic care much for Lewis. He is arrogant and brash, and has always used his position as favourite to lord it over both of you. He in turn despises Dominic as a weakling, for spending most of his time as a scholar rather than a warrior, and considers you a fool for letting your emotions