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"So I will"

It was quite warm already and bid fair to becoht days short of the summer solstice Henry’s brow had a sheen of sweat Absently, he mopped his broith a cloth and handed it to one of his stewards, come up beside hi’s shield, one his heln of God’s favor

"Where is the queen?" he asked, looking back over his shoulder

"She co," said Hathui

In the last five days Adelheid had grown increasingly clunancy She looked ready to burst, and could only mount and dismount with difficulty, aided by a half-dozen servants But ride she did

"What is this?" she asked as the lines parted to let her through with her ladies and servingwoive place to the queen "Ah! Ironhead has coreet us"

"It seems the issue is to be decided sooner rather than later," said Henry

Adelheid had a soldier’s eye She assessed the length and depth of Ironhead’s force, and studied the banners "He has ht they be bribed to desert hiht be," said Villaht of that himself, if he’s as wily as they say"

Henry examined Adelheid The heat had not withered hi e that Rosvita felt every day now that she, like the king, was forty-two--or was it forty-four?--years old It was hard to keep track and not really i again, and Henry ad queen, just as he had so sweetly ado; just as he had fallen hard for Alia, when he was only a youth of eighteen So attachnant’s luck, it extended to all of his friendships His affections were strong, balanced only by those rare displays of his anger which, once kindled, could not easily be laid to rest

"If battle is to be joined," he said noith a handsonant wife, "it would be best for you to retire, my love, to the fortress of Lady Gisla, where we sheltered last night"

"I will take not one step backward in fear of Ironhead I will ride myself into battle if need be rather than retreat!"

"Truly, you have earned the leopard banner your family bears, e widely, and what sorrowmovement--"

"I will not retreat"

Irritation flashed in Henry’s expression, but the sight of her stubborn gaze fixed on Ironhead’s distant arry, softened hie,herself outflanked Although pregnancy had softened her features so the sharp lines of her face, she had not lost the lightning-swift changes of expression that made her features so lively She sohere a placket of cloth had been added to accoirth A youth held the reins of her horse, solemn as he kept his hand up close to the bit so that it would make no sudden movement "I would rather not ride all the way back to Lady Gisla’s fortress, but I saw a stout little fort in good repair notto wait there, to be sure no har" Hathui pointed toward the plain where a sroup of riders broke away from Ironhead’s line to ride toward them They rode accompanied by three banners: that of the sun of Aosta, that of the presbyters’ college, and a white banner bearing the olive branch that signified "parley"

"Do you suppose Ironhead wishes to negotiate?" asked Villam skeptically

"We shall see"

Henry fell back from the front line Servants hurried to set up the throne he used when traveling, with its back carved as an eagle’s wings, legs fashioned as a lion’s paws, and ares, painted in bold colors Adelheid sat beside him in a handsome chair that had been fitted with pillows and a special backrest for her coht her the Aostan crown that was hers by right to wear; it and the royal seals were all that she had salvaged in her escape last year