The story is set up when Lear chooses the Fool, the child of Lear's now deceased and beloved steward, to be the court fool. The Fool, who has been sent to study abroad with Edgar and Edmund and has absorbed as much knowledge as he could get his hands on, determines that the wonderful gift of existing in this world of power cannot be squandered. He believes he can influence the fates of those around him and that of his country even though he holds no power of his own whatsoever. Thus begins the machinations of the powers behind the power.