“Gram?” Gav asked as they looked out over the mountains. “I want Grampa to teach me the sword.” “Oh, I’m certain he can get to that eventually,” Navani said, then pointed. “See that cloud! It’s so huge!” “Other boys my age learn the sword,” Gav said, his voice growing softer. “Don’t they?” They did. In Alethkar, families—particularly lighteyed ones—would go to war together. The Azish thought it unnatural, but to the Alethi it was the way of things. Children as young as ten would learn to serve as officers’ aides, and boys would often be given a training sword as soon as they could walk.
