Devins breath caught at that, because he knew how dangerous it was to talk back to any noble, let alone a drunk one. Prince Vars drew himself up to his full height and then struck Nem across the ear, hard enough to send him tumbling down among the steel. He cried out and came up with blood on his arm from where something sharp had caught it.

How dare you talk back to me? the prince said. I say that you walked into me, and youre calling me a liar?

Perhaps someone else there might have come up angry, come up ready to fight, but despite his size, Nem had always been gentle. He just looked hurt and perplexed.

For a moment, Devin hesitated, looking around to see if any of the others would intervene in this. None of the ones with Prince Rodry seemed as though they were going to intervene though, probably too worried about insulting someone who outranked them so greatly even as nobles, and maybe some of them thinking that maybe his friend did deserve a beating for whatever they thought hed done.

As for Prince Rodry, he was still over on the other side of the Houses floor, working with the spear. If hed heard the commotion above the din of working hammers and rushing forge bellows, he didnt show it. Gund wouldnt interfere, because the old man hadnt survived as long as he had in the environment of the forge by causing trouble for his betters.

Devin knew he should stand by too, even when he saw the prince raise his hand again.

Are you going to apologize? Vars demanded.

I didnt do anything! Nem insisted, probably too stunned to remember how the world worked yet, and truth be told, he wasnt all that bright when it came to things like this. He still thought the world was fair, still thought that not doing anything wrong was enough of an excuse.

No one talks to me like that, Prince Vars said, and hit Nem again. Im going to beat some manners into you, and when Im done youll thank me for the lesson. And if you get my title wrong while you do it, Ill beat that into you too. Or, no, lets give you a real lesson.

Devin knew he should do nothing, because he wasnt as young as Nem, and he did know the way the world worked. If a prince of the blood stood on your toes, you apologized to him, or thanked him for the privilege. If he wanted your best work, you sold him it, even though it looked as though he couldnt swing it right. You didnt interfere, didnt intervene, because that meant consequences, for you and your family.