After the death of his son Krispin, King Donal Haldane is desperate for a Deryni protector for his heir, Prince Brion Haldane. He attempts to sire a child upon Alyce de Corwyn Morgan, only to discover she is already with child. Because of the love they bear for their king, she and her new husband, Kenneth Morgan, promise to give their son to the king, and to raise him as Prince Brion's companion and protector.

At his birth, Alaric succeeded as Duke of Corwyn and Earl of Lendour, due to the death of his uncle, Ahern de Corwyn two years earlier. He was an intelligent boy with silver-gilt hair and a loving family: he was “quick and facile, a mannerly child, and easily kept up with other boys half again his age.” The innocence of his early childhood was interrupted when his party came across a Deryni execution at the village of Hallowdale. Alaric spent his early childhood between Rhemuth, Corwyn, Lendour, and Culdi, and his favorite playmates were Sir Llion and his cousin Duncan.

At King Donal's insistence, Alaric underwent his Naming ceremony when he was only four years of age (Duncan was Named at the same time, so it wouldn't be a strange experience for either child). Donal assisted with the ceremony and chose Airleas (“a pledge”) as Alaric's secret name, and began the binding which tied the boy to the Haldane line. Later that same year, Donal further set the instructions within Alaric that would enable him to bring Prince Brion to his Haldane powers; the king gave Alaric's mother Alyce a redundant set of instructions as well, in case Alaric was too young when King Donal died.

Alaric acquired a baby sister, Bronwyn, that December, but lost his mother to milk fever a mere two weeks later. He was well-loved by his friends and family, though, which eased the pain of loss of his mother.

When he was near an age to be a squire, he already outperformed many older children in the youth tournaments, and several of them disliked him for that, as well as for his Deryni blood. He was seven when Sir Se Trelawney awoke in him the ability to Truth-See. A few months later, as Duke Andrew McLain lay dying, both he and Duncan were able to see the archangels that Vera McLain had invited to attend her father-in-law's passing.

As his training continued, he excelled on horse and in academics. He also began learning that he had enemies who hated him for no reason other than that he was Deryni. But as more of his powers began to manifest themselves, he found he had a rapport with animals, and that he could take away the pain of some injuries. On his eighth birthday, he was given access to the green tower, and the scrolls and books contained therein. He made friends of boys who weren't his relatives, either, chief among them being Jernian Kushannan and Viliam de Souza, and the three of them bonded over cardounet, where he began to learn and understand strategy. He also began to sit in on the regency council meetings, which he found incomprehensible and boring.

While on a sea voyage to Rhemuth, Alaric had another taste of Deryni-hatred when Bishop Oliver de Nore destroyed a horse for no other reason than that Alaric was fond of it. He was also forbidden to use his benevolent powers on the other boys. But while in Rhemuth, he made friends with Paget Sullivan and Quillan Pargeter. It was during this visit to Rhemuth where King Brion struck up a conversation with him and the two of them began their friendship, and Alaric began training with Duke Richard Haldane.