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The biscop reminded them of her successful efforts at conversion as as poured and the first course brought "That is why I fear for Sfiatslev’s daughter, Princess Rinka, for the Starviki have been stubborn in holding to their pagan ways What if they induce her to ht become apostate, or even worse, fall into the error of the Arethousans, for the Starviki are known to trade furs and slaves to the Arethousans in exchange for gold nomias What news of your father, Sapientia? I trust we expect him in the east soon, for truly we have need of his presence here"

Sapientia glanced toward Hanna, standing back aht the ested that whatever bad news she had to i Henry ent of two hundreds of Lions and not h I pleaded with him that our situation was desperate"

"He seeks the emperor’s crown," said Alberada

"I wonder what use the emperor’s crown if the east burns," mused Bayan

"These are troubled tiestured to her steward, who refilled all the cups at the table "An eht order to a reals of the Ene me more stories of the pit of corruption into which we have fallen--"

After so ed to serve, since it s off the platters A stew of eels was followed by roasted swan, several sides of beef, and a spicy venison sausage Despite the biscop’s forbidding disquisition on sinfulness, the nobles ate with gusto, and certainly there was enough to spare both for the servants and for the dogs

Prince Bayan had cleverly turned the topic of conversation to what interested him most: the war "We must hold here the whole winter"

"Surely winter will put a stop to the Qu cloak, Sapientia looked ht or breadth of shoulder, but iven her a certain heft that she had lacked before her hed "Does my lion queen tire of war?"

"Certainly not!" Sapientia had a habit of preening when Bayan paid lush attention to her She could never get enough of his praise, and the prince had a knack for knohen to flatter his wife "But no one ever fights during the winter"

"Nay, Your Highness," said Breschius as se, "the Qu winter, when ice dries out the roads andstops theineers in their ares for them and show them how to make use of fords and ferries"

"I have prepared for a siege," said Alberada "Although, truly," she added disapprovingly, "sieges couises" Farther down the table, Lord Wich heavily with his cronies He had been seated beside Lord Dietrich, but despite baiting hiet Dietrich either to join hi lost this skirwomen who ventured within arm’s reach "If your army winters here, Prince Bayan, then I must have some assurance that they will not disrupt the lives of my townsfolk and servants"

"It’s my army, too!" said Sapientia "I do not tolerate insolence or troublemakers"

"Of course not, niece," replied Alberada with such a soothingly calm expression that Hanna knew she would continue to talk around Sapientia because she, like everyone else, kneho really commanded this army "I expect you to see that your Wendish forces behave themselves, just as I expect Prince Bayan to keep proper order ahed "My Ungrian brothers do not cause trouble, for otherwise they are to have their swords cut off, at my order"

"I do not approve of such barbarity," said Alberada primly, "but I hope your soldiers keep the peace rather than breaking it"

The stewards brought round a savory condiale, and licorice, as an aid to digestion for the noble folk ere by now surely stuffed and surfeited Yet the feast dragged on well into the autu, and he had such an expressive voice and so , although he sang in an unintelligible language Hanna’s eyes stung fro out-of-doors that she’d forgotten how close air got within walls, even in a great hall as capacious as the one in the biscop’s palace