Page 97 (1/1)

Let theed, or faltered

"This is my decision It is true that these half-wits are your fas arm around our halls are my brothers If you can take care of these half-wits, and if it does not interfere with your labors, then I will not touch thereed to the bargain over your god’s house As long as their presence a you does not interfere with the tasks set for you by your masters, then you may deal with them as you see fit If I am dissatisfied, then I will act swiftly"

"We cannot ask for ain

"No", he agreed, "you cannot"

Before he could ains, he walked away, still shaken Yet because of his keen hearing, he heard them as they spoke to each other in low voices

"These slaves served the Eika for ht not to waste the labor of those who are clever on that kind of s like tanning or building Surely we can find a place for each person to do sos"

Deacon Ursuline did not reply right away He heard her suck in her breath, as at a blow to the stomach Where the path knifed into the forest, he paused to listen Her words drifted to hih

"I served a lord in Saony as less just than this one"

Papa Otto hand followed the path into the forest There isdo from tasks that could be as easily done by the weak, all would prosper

He had acted too hastily in this h rope to those clever enough to use it well, as he would need to pay out rope to Tenth Son Do not keep the loyal ones lashed up too tightly; their obedience is bought by trust, not by fear

His slaves had not failed hiain, of rebellion and of freedom He had no need to say more, or to act other than he had just done They knehat the consequences would be if they failed him, and they kneould happen to them if his rule over Rikin Fjord ended

It was in their interest to keep hi

2

"IT’S uncanny, it is," said Ingo that night at the ca the day before and expects to repeat himself tomorrow "Rain behind but never before At least my feet are dry"

"It’s that weather witch," said Folquin i it rain on the Qulancing around as though they feared the wind itself ht carry their words to the powerful woman about who in a desperate atteh it was dry, the wind out of the northwest stung like ice "Have a care, Folquin Prince Bayan’sto you if you cohed at her jest, but perhaps because Folquin wasn’t the kind of younghile?"

"Hush, now, lad," scolded Ingo "It isn’t any fault of Hanna’s that the Ungrians think her light hair a sign of good luck"

"No matter," said Hanna quickly as Folquin see for his wretched tongue "Mind you, Prince Bayan’s a good man--"

"And no doubt would be a better one if he could only keep his hands to hirin

"If a roving eye is the worst of his faults, then God know, he’s better than the rest of us," replied Ingo "I’ve no complaints about his leadership in battle We’d all be heads dangling from Quh lant leading us," said taciturn Leo suddenly, "we’d have won, or we’d not have engaged at all, seeing that the odds were against us"

"Ai, God, o with the sneer of a soldier who has seen twice as much battle as his opinionated corave Judith would fall dead like that, and her whole line collapse? She had a third of our heavy cavalry With her Austrans routing we hadn’t a chance Prince Bayan made the best of a bad situation"