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The palace itself had a great hall and several wings, one of them fully three stories tall, added on over many years Anna made her way around to the carters’ entrance and was adoodly cha cordials, binding up sachets of aromatic herbs to relieve the s theretreat frowoled her out when he’d taken over the lordship of Gent after the great victory over Bloodheart and the Eika She had a chair set at the largest table, the seat of her authority, and when she saw Anna, she beckoned her forward and took the cloak fro, she shook it out Work in the hall came to a halt

"Truly," said Frederun, "Mistress Suzanne has outdone herself this ti, and a beautifully sewn triold-dyed thread

"Surely that’s not for you, Frederun?" dehtly scar, the mark of an Eika ax

"Nay, it’s for Lord Hrodik Now that Lord Wichone, he fancies hio over his arhed

"His sister’s armor, you mean," continued the scarred wohter Lady Amalia was, may God bless her name"

All the women there drew the Circle of Unity at their breasts and murmured a prayer for peace Many of them remembered the noble lady who had died of her wounds after the battle for Gent that Count Lavastine and King Henry had won

"No sense in calling the poor young man names, for all his faults," scolded Frederun "The rats have fled the nest, and the mouse that’s left us is a kinder master than they ever were"

"True-spoken words," agreed the scarred wo a hand on Frederun’s shoulder "You took the brunt of it, friend We’ve none of us forgotten that"

Frederun traced the outlines of dragons ee of the rich fabric She had drea into a lover’s ardent gaze, set off by light hair caught back and covered by a shawl tied so loosely that curling strands of hair had escaped to frareed, the second handsomest wo off her reverie i to her companion’s co outside in that wind just so Lord Hrodik can have his cloak the instant he desires it! Here, child, let you and your sister come in and have a bit of hot cider to drink for it’s that cold out, isn’t it now? Sit by the hearth" She addressed one of the younger servants "Give them a slice of apple, and be sure they have a bit of cake from the lord’s table as well" She clapped her hands sharply twice "Back to work! Let’s have no sleeping in the hall We’ve little enough light these months as it is Fastrada!" The scarred woman had taken the cloak from her to fold it up "I pray you, will you see that the cloak is delivered to Lord Hrodik?"

"Truly, Frederun, you knoill complain if you’re not the one to deliver it to hih, but she reached for the cloak and finished folding it with practiced ease She had strong hands froh certainly she couldn’t have been e "Why must he believe he is ohat Wich, perhaps only because of the boring familiarity of the situation "Can you not speak to Biscop Suplicia?" asked Fastrada

"She is kin by way of certain cousins to Lord Hrodik’s family Why should she feel any compassion for a bond servant like me? Do I not owe service to their noble house?"

"I thought you served at the mayor’s palace, not in the lord’s bed"

"You knoell as I that Mayor Werner was the last of his family Nay, the noble lords have hold of Gent now, and they won’t give it up"

The older woman frowned sourly "Very well I’ll take the cloak up to him, and let hiaze, as though in exhaustion "I thank you" She straightened one of her sleeves and wiped a fleck of ash, floating out froroorse--"