Tristan waits for Mort's answer. These are very good questions, and he's excited to hear the answers. 

If he were to add anything - [i]oh, go on then [/i]- "Does the King have any heirs? I've talked to a lot of bards." He [i]really [/i]has. Tristan listens to anyone that will tell him things, and bards will keep telling you things as long as you can stand to listen. He might be a little more devoted to folk heroes than is strictly healthy, as a result. "They would say - well, if it's blood, then Pellinore would be felled today, and it would be something for her heir to avenge. Or a black sheep of the family to prove their lineage, and reclaim their birthright. That sort of thing makes for the better story." He says, knowingly. 

He has heard stories about the Oracles, of prophecies that baited the listener into the action that fulfilled it. "If you cross the river, a great empire will be destroyed", that sort of thing. 

He trusts Merlin to be on their side. But if [i]King Pellinore[/i] isn't... it would make sense to give a prophecy with enough slack to tie a noose from, right? One that might exploit a bold, brash temperament, to bait them into folly. That sounds like something Merlin would do! Which could also mean Nin is right too! 

Tristan feels very clever for having worked this out.