The general considered the information. If Rezkin was an orphan from an unknown family, it would explain his lack of family name, but then he would have taken the name of the town or region in which he was raised. “What fort was that?” the general questioned with interest.

Lady Adelina broke in, “Marcum, dear, let the young man eat. You can interrogate him later.” Changing the subject, she said, “Frisha, love, I know things must be so different for you here with us. It will take some time for you to get used to being around the nobility. If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to ask.”

“Of course, Aunt Adelina, thank you,” Frisha replied with relief.

“I have a question,” Tam said cautiously.

“Yes, Tamarin, dear, what is it?” Lady Adelina asked. Her excitement over getting to share her knowledge was plain to see.

“Well, my name is Tamarin Blackwater. My father’s and mother’s and brothers’ and cousins’ names are all Blackwater. The general is Marcum Jebai, but you are Lady Adelina Marcum and this is House Marcum. Why are you not Jebai?”

Lady Adelina laughed softly. “Oh, I guess that would be a little confusing. You see, only the immediate family of the direct bloodline are called Jebai. Marcum’s brother, Simeon, is the eldest son of Jerand Jebai and is now the Lord Jebai, Count of Glasbury. Simeon’s wife is the Lady Jebai, Countess of Glasbury, and all of his children are Lords and Lady Jebai. Simeon is the head of House Jebai.

“Marcum, being a son of Jerand, is also a Jebai, but I, as his wife, am simply the Lady Marcum, and any of his children … if he had any … would be called Marcum after his given name. Therefore, Marcum is the head of House Marcum. It makes it easy to identify the direct lines of the great houses, but it creates a mess of smaller houses of which one cannot possibly keep track.”

Tam thought he understood. “So, my father is a Blackwater. I have three older brothers. If we were nobles, my eldest brother, Cainith, would marry and have children who would be called Blackwater. If I married and had children, my children would be Tamarin?”

With a pleased smile the lady replied, “Yes, exactly, although I think it would be so much easier if the nobility followed the common customs in this and passed down the family name through the male line.”

The general grunted. “Yes, well, I think the same can be said for many of the customs of the nobility.”

Frisha asked, “What happens if the main bloodline dies? If, the Maker forbid, Uncle Simeon’s line failed, then Uncle Marcum would inherit, correct? Then would you become a Jebai?”

“Yes, Marcum’s descendants and I would be Jebai,” Lady Adelina replied.

“What about the king?” asked Tam. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard his family name.”