'Barrayar' beginning a day after the end of that earlier novel. It again focuses on Cordelia Naismith, now Lady Vorkosigan of the planet Barrayar. Her husband is asked to serve as Regent for the child emperor of Barrayar and both Cordelia and Aral Vorkosigan have to deal with the plots and palace intrigues of their foes. An assassination attempt fails but seriously affects the growth and development of their unborn child, who will be the main character in most of the other volumes in the series.