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The inner chah to need illumination: six handso out of their snarlingwas all of ivory, each plaque detailing a scene: battles, theof the ancient city of Dariya, stories depicting the queens and kings of Aosta and the trials of the Holy Mothers of the church side by side with heathen tales of gods and ic

Queen Adelheid reclined at her ease on a couch, in the ancient Dariyan style, eating grapes and drinking hile she conversed with a woht Rosvita would have thought her a si richness of her white cleric’s robes, orna circles picked out in red-and-gold thread on silk A nursemaid dandled a plu and handsoe to, looked up at the same instant as Henry and his companions entered the chaht in her breath with an audible gasp

Adelheid, of course, wore no gold torque to mark her royal descent It was a Wendish and Salian custorated south of the Alfar Mountains Nor could Aosta boast a true royal lineage In truth, any of the noble faht claih

But the leamed at the throat of Adelheid’s coold had each been forel The woman did not rise as Henry strode forward

Adelheid did

"Henry! I pray you, forgive ates My physicians--"

He kissed her war she sit "Rest,that she was comfortably settled before he beckoned to the nursemaid "Here isMathilda looked healthy, red-cheeked like an apple at first blush, her limbs plump and her downy cap of hair as dark as her mother’s

"She fares well," said Adelheid proudly "She eats well, and grows quickly"

"But not as quickly as your granddaughter," said the cleric seated on the couch next to Adelheid’s

Henry gave the baby back into the nursemaid’s arms and examined this wo and cleric studied each other A difficult winter and spring waiting in Wayland for the passes to clear, a grueling journey over theover or, at ti the Aostan nobles had not wearied Henry as much as his new bride, new child, and new throne had uplifted him He had more silver in his hair but, like a crown, it ennobled hior as the king possessed Certainly Adelheid had never coly, seeing what a fine figure he cut in a rich tunic and with his hair still tousled froor also She wore arrogance with an ease that betrayed high birth and an expectation that others would bow to her authority And she had stillness She sat, hands clasped in her lap, and regarded the king with a thoughtful gaze unbleer, or joy, no hint of it touched her eyes

"Who are you, who sits while I stand?" he asked bluntly

"I pray you, Henry," began Adelheid, reaching for his hand

At the saiven leave--"

"Nay, Hugh," objected Adelheid, addressing him in a most casual manner "It must be done, and done quickly" She turned to Henry "We have had word froe him Jinna raiders have put to shore in both Navlia and Tratanto The Arethousan emperor clais for our aid in fighting off the pirates who have besieged his ports Six of the northern lords refused my summons to come to court to rape harvest in Idria, and the stores of rye here in Darre have all been taken by rot Two deacons in Fiora were struck dead by lightning There are ru hold in the northeast Meanwhile, Mother Clementia is dead these three months or more, and the throne of the skopos remains empty"

"Surely the presbyters an Rosvita

"The council of presbytershis head to await events