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Most of the men-at-arms had retired fro to the beds of whores, chess and dice gaht watch Dirick himself was ready to find his own pallet when the seneschal approached Merle

"My lord, a uest, Sir Dirick de Arlande" The er within

All thoughts of sleep and of Lady Maris’s luscious mouth fled Dirick’s mind to be replaced by anxiety The news er to track hi Fresh froht in the same way, he was immediately concerned

Merle nodded his assent to the seneschal, who disappeared to retrieve the er The e to Dirick as he forced nonchalance, sipping er appeared, and Dirick’s concern was heightened when he recognized a man-at-arms of his brother Bernard, now the Lord of Derkland

"The er said as he approached the high table

"Then let us step to a private corner" Dirick stood, his

The man followed him to a dark, chilly corner of the room and Dirick rounded on him as soon as they were out of earshot of the others "What is the news, Sir Ivan?"

"Lord Bernard sent me thus--"

"He is well then? Bernard is well? Is it Thomas? Speak, man!"

"Aye, your brothers are well, and--"

"Mother! ’Tis not Mother?" Dirick’s body turned cold Her grief over the loss of her husband had been deep and long Had her broken heart weakened her?

"Nay, nay Sir Dirick--all is well" The emphasis on these last words at last penetrated and Dirick’s tension eased

"Well, rave than I should wish! What news is it that Bernard should send you to find ’s business?" He held his hand out for the missive

"’Tis not writ," Ivan told hi eyes to see it and alert them of your assuht who stopped at Derkland en route to the king Upon hearing the details of your father’s murder" --Ivan crossed himself-- "this man, Samuel of Lederwyrth, told the tale of another lazing over as he recited the ht near London, nearly two leagues south of the city It was obviously the scene of a robbery There were two round, facedown, in the most odd position: with their arms positioned as if their hands had been joined or clasped as they died One of the ain-- "had been stabbed so as to leak blood for hours, and his throat cut He was placed in the ground with his face in the dirt--"

"And his neck broken by the hoof of a horse, and his face pulled back so that his forehead touched the sky?" Dirick felt his heavy e in his stoain "Nay, though a there was the imprint of a horse’s hoof deep in his back"

Dirick closed his eyes as the ie of his father’s similar fate swa it hiine it all too well

"My lord Bernard bade me also tell you of the horse found on the scene ’Twas a fine horse with two legs broken, and it was hobbled to a tree The horse had died thus" Ivan’s face mirrored the horror that Dirick felt--but there was still more to tell He drew forth a small bundle from the deepest folds of his cloak and offered it to Dirick "The knight also showed Lord Bernard this, which was found embedded in a tree above the horse"

Dirick’s hands tre froer Dirick caught it easily in his hands, th of his hand froer

The blade was silver, and the tip had been nicked off so that instead of a perfect point, it ended in a jagged edge The dagger’s handle rought of silver filigreed roses intertwined with serpents, the blooms as true to life as the sharp thorns, as wicked as the slithering serpents A slittered in the light of the blazing fire

"I’ve seen naught like this workit to speak At last, looking up at Ivan he asked, "What said ?"

Ivan shook his head, "Nay, er if you thought it of use to you The king bade him send it to you"