Elvarin

I like Elvarin, even though there are good reasons not to. For one thing, he's arrogant. For another, he's lazy. And finally, he's not really very bright. But I've come to realise that Wildren is right about him. He is younger than he seems, and puts on an unpleasant outer shell to hide his lack of confidence.

Let's face it, Eleanora

can do almost

everything better than

him, and loves to remind

him of the fact!

But it is Elvarin who will

have to rule in his father's

place one day, and I

think he finds the

prospect terrifying! I

know I would!

When I sit in on his lessons

with Wildren, I can see

that he has a good

understanding of the law

and a deep knowledge

of history. If I'm not

mistaken, he has the

makings of a natural scholar.

He may not be as stupid

as he likes to pretend!