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"You have acted raciously, Your Majesty," said Rosvita

"Have I? Do you think I am jealous of the passion he once felt for her? That wasfor one as old as she must be, but until she explains her purpose here, it is not obvious tohe now desires or lacks" The young queen’s tone had a scrape in it, as at anger rubbing away inside

"And you do?"

"So I did," she replied bitterly "As you yourself know, Sister Rosvita, for you came with my cousin Theophanu to seekin his arreat empire? If it is true, what need has Henry for a queen of my line?"

"What manner of talk is this, Your Majesty? Your family’s claim to the Aostan throne is without rival"

Adelheid smiled faintly, ironically "It is true that no noble Aostan family holds a better claim Certainly the skopos will support e help me after the death of my mother and my first husband, may God have mercy on them? Which of the nobles of Aosta caed? My countryfolk abandoned me to Lord John’s tender mercies I would have beco wife, had you and Princess Theophanu not arrived when you did What would have happened if Mother Obligatia had not taken us in despite the hardship it placed upon her and the nuns in her care? What if she hadn’t allowed Father Hugh to use sorcery to aid our escape?"

"What do you mean?" But trouble, like a swift,time once it has lifted onto the wind

"I had no rivals before Now I do"

"Henry has legitimate children, it is true"

"None of whom can claim descent frolant, Sister Rosvita Henry would have seen iven his way a year ago"

Since it was true, Rosvita saw no reason to reply beyond a nod

"If that was his plan, then he lant would be crowned as king of Aosta It is understood, I believe, that only a regnant strong enough to clainancy of Aosta can hope to claim the imperial title of Holy Dariyan Elant that title Or so I assume"

"Henry has never hidden his ambitions He hopes to take that title for himself"

"Certainly he is now entitled to be crowned king of Aosta because he is ns in Darre Do you not seebut not one bit naive Yet Rosvita could not bring herself to speak one word that ht seem unfaithful to Henry "You are troubled, Your Majesty," she said instead, teo on But the one trait of youth Adelheid had not yet reined in was iine that it is true that this child is the legitienerations reht Henry the crowns of Aosta But her claim to Aosta’s throne, and to the Crown of Stars Taillefer wore as Holy Dariyan E I can confer"

Rosvita glanced back into the roouarded the wine Various tapestries depicting the life of St Thecla hung fro before the e co the staff that marked her as skopos, holy mother over the church; the stations of her one with Villa, Hathui sticking close to him rather like a falcon on a jess Villam leaned with a hand on the back of the chair inhabited by one of Theophanu’s favorites, the robust Leoba Even at his age, he was not above flirting Indeed, he was currently une still an excellent match Leoba let hile

The ga enacted here and now "Surely, Your Majesty, you do not believe that King Henry would put you aside on such slender evidence?"

Adelheid had the grace to blush "Nay, Sister, do not think me selfish In truth, I have no fear for myself I am fond of Henry, and I believe he is fond ofpious and ‘obedient to the church’s law He will not break a contract now that it has been sealed But if God are willing and grant us Their blessing, I will have children with him What is to become of them?"