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Bovid looked up sharp at that, pained and sharp “H-how old are you, boy?”

Again the “boy” “Old enough to slit you open like a fat purse,” I said, getting angry now I don’t like to get angry It ht even that I don’t think he even kneas me that opened him up not half an hour before

“Fifteen summers, no more Couldn’t be more” His words came slow, from blue lips in a white face

Out by two, I would have told hi The cart creaked up behind

“Take his head,” I told them “Leave his fat belly for the ravens”

Fifteen! I’d hardly be fifteen and rousting villages

By the ti!

So way Brother Ge way

2

Mabberton burned well All the villages burned well that suive out rain, and he wasn’t wrong Dust rose behind us e rode in; smoke e rode out

“Who’d be a farmer?” Makin liked to ask questions

“Who’d be a far in his saddle, alrin and a bolt of samite cloth over his half-plate Where he found saet to know

“Brother Rike does enjoy his simple pleasures,” Makin said

He did Rike had a hunger for it Hungry like the fire

The flames fair ate up Mabberton I put the torch to the thatched inn, and the fire chased us out Just onedeath throes of our broken empire

Makin wiped at his sweat, s hi dirty, did Makin “You weren’t above those si”

I couldn’t argue there “How old are you?” that fat farhters The fat girl had a lot to say, just like her father Screeched like a barn owl: hurt my ears with it I liked the older one better She was quiet enough So quiet you’d give a twist here or there just to check she hadn’t died of fright Though I don’t suppose either of them was quiet when the fire reached them

Ges

“The Baron’s men will see that smoke from ten miles You shouldn’ta burned it” He shook his head, his stupidthis way and that

“Shouldn’ta,” his idiot brother joined in, calling frorey with the cart hitched up The grey wouldn’t leave the road That horse was cleverer than Maical

Gemt alanted to point stuff out “You shouldn’ta put theo thirsty now” “You shouldn’ta killed that priest, we’ll have bad luck now” “If we’d gone easy on her, we’d have a ransoh his throat Right then Just to lean out and plant it in his neck “What’s that? What say you, Brother Gey old Adam’s apple?”