Rigg had learned his patience by being schooled every waking moment by his father—by the expendable called Ramex—while they tramped in solitude through the forests of Ramfold. Rigg knew how to listen, how to concentrate on what he was hearing, how to analyze and process it.

I’m quiet too, sometimes, thought Umbo. I hold my tongue, I don’t say everything that comes to mind.

And that’s the difference, he realized. Rigg learned to concentrate on what Ramex was saying, and devoted himself to memory and analysis. While I, in my silences, I’m thinking of all the things I’m going to decide not to say.

No, I’m storing up things to complain about later.

Is that all I am? No wonder everyone looks to Rigg for leadership—he thinks through ideas, while I think of nothing but myself. How could anyone respect me? I don’t even have ideas that are worthy of respect.

“I wonder if you’re mooning over the princess,” said Olivenko, “or resenting Noxon for having so much time with her.”

Umbo was immediately filled with fury. But, trying to learn a lesson from Rigg, he curbed that first impulse. “I was wishing I had Rigg’s patience.”

“That was a good step, then, to answer me so mildly.”

“You were trying to goad me?”

“Yes,” said Olivenko. “Because it seems to be the only way to get your attention.”

Umbo thought: By hurting my feelings? But he said, “You have it.”

“I think she does like you, Umbo. She’s overcome some of her snobbery and seen you for a good man trying to be better.”

“You think of me as a boy,” said Umbo, “so when you call me a man it sounds like mockery.” But he said it mildly, because it was simply true.

“I’m talking about how Param thinks of you,” said Olivenko. “No matter how she feels, she’ll marry for reasons of state.”

“Thank you for telling me,” said Umbo. He did not say, By no means should you let me nurse the delusion that she might have fallen in love with me.

“If you’re going to marry her, you not only have to know how she thinks, you have to learn how to think the same way. The needs of the kingdom come before your personal desires.”

This time Umbo couldn’t keep the resentment out of his voice. “How would marrying me serve the needs of the kingdom?”

“No, I won’t answer that, because you already know the answer.”

“I say I don’t,” said Umbo.

“And I say that you already have enough information to figure it out.”

“And I say I don’t need a schoolmaster.”

“I think you do,” said Olivenko. “And since Loaf already stands in for your father, being your schoolmaster gives me a way to be useful to you. Or do you think you alone have nothing to learn?”