Tobin is dealing with the fact of his gender. Also with the issues associated with being next in line to the throne and being attracted to his squire.
The magicians are having to deal with persecution from the harriers and their leader has plans, what they are have to be revealed. The king is unpredictable and the politics is getting murkier without getting too involved. Brother also has plans, what he's going to do when freed is another question Tobin is going to have to face.
Flewelling reads like a lighter Guy Gavriel Kay, there's a lot of politics in the story but it isn't as complex or as mindbending. The more I read of this story the more I like it.
