<i>Why don't you hire a gardener, then?</i>But Basren bit back the question, because Alaras was, apparently, just the sort of person who would look unkindly at work done by others. He was no doubt fussy about the way his garden was, and so preferred to do it himself. Basren accepted the compliment with a mix of confusion and graciousness, but otherwise shrugged it off. He had his own troupe of servants and gardeners, though at some points he did do the work himself. It was a good way to while the time, and to feel like he was contributing more than a snobbish attitude about placement.<br/><br/>He carefully folded the leaf into the book, resisted flipping through the pages for himself. "Not a secret, perhaps... I just want the unveiling to be an event. It's silly, I suppose."<br/><br/>He handed the book back, let Alaras tuck it into his jacket again.<br/><br/><i>I.. really hadn't given that any sort of thought.</i><br/><br/>Basren's brows drew slightly down, his mouth just a little tight. Hadn't he? As the heir, wasn't it his constant worry? And then:<i>I'm surprised someone younger, like you.. </i>Basren waited for him to finish, and it was a little disturbing that someone so forthright was leaving such an open statement hanging like that. His mind jumped to several possible endings, but Alaras didn't seem keen to go on.<br/><br/>"Your inheritance...? No..." He trailed after Alaras, though it was with more reluctance than before. Alaras was so--blithe? unconcerned?--about it all. Perhaps that was what the world was like, when one had everything. Everything except a match, and more power, he supposed. But Alaras didn't seem particularly interested in those. Yet Basren couldn't pin him down as seeming<i>comfortable</i>, either.<br/><br/>Alaras wasn't sure he was fully prepared for court. Looking at him now, hearing him, Basren agreed.<br/><br/>"I suspect you won't have much trouble," Basren said, off-hand but still awkward himself. "You're high content, good-looking, and you have a pedigree..."<br/><br/>He stopped as Alaras knelt, plucked out a seed pod, and ate one of the fruits out of it. Basren stared at him. He took the pod, though, and mimicked what Alaras had done. The flavor was surprising, fresh. He looked down at the rest of the seeds with a small frown. He<i>hadn't</i>ever tried them. Most of the things here were ornamental, not meant to be<i>eaten, </i>though he'd known some of them were edible. But that was just a little eccentricity. Not unlike Alaras actually eating one of the seeds.<br/><br/>Basren said, solemnly, with his half-puzzled look still on his face, "You're very... different. Aren't you."<br/><br/>He put the seed pod in his pocket, to save for actual sprouting, for the king's sake.<br/><br/>"I wouldn't be surprised if you got offers in your debut. You shouldn't accept any right away. I think..." He bit his lip momentarily. "You should see what Sovele thinks of you." He hid a grimace. What kind of report was he going to take back to Sovele about this man? Was Sovele<i>expecting</i>a good or a bad report? He had no hints about that. If he said the wrong thing, and Sovele's eye had already been taken by Alaras... He would have to err on the side of caution and build Alaras up a little.<br/><br/>Except Sovele would likely be furious if Alaras got it in his head that he might be chosen to carry on his line and then Sovele didn't actually want him. But Alaras seemed so dense, Basren wasn't sure he could avoid spelling it out.<br/><br/>"Sovele might choose you as a mate, you know, if you can impress him. He needs high content mates, so when he doubles back on his line, they won't be too weak. If you'd like, I could make your interest known...?"