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Blessing tugged hiroup of captives bound hand and foot They had the look of defeated soldiers, the kind of troublemakers who needed to be trussed up so they couldn’t escape on the longup and down anxiously as he took in Sanglant’s Wendish clothing and noble bearing and Bayan’s Ungrian flair He wore the typical Polenie hat, a pointed leather cap with a folded brim "Your Most Excellencies," he cried in passable Wendish, "here have I strong men who I take south to the slave markets of Arethousa Have you a care to purchase the est of the captives, a lad of perhaps sixteen years with a blackened eye, bare feet, and the scarring of frostbite on his nose and ears "I told you I would come back" She turned to the merchant, expression fierce "Thielancing at Sanglant, not wanting to insult a prince’s daughter

The youth began to weep, although it was hard to tell whether his tears were those of joy or thwarted hope "My lady, is it true? Have you colant and Bayan

"Your Highness!" cried the lad, flushing hotly Five of the men with hilant recognized the tabards of Lions

"God save us," murmured Bayan "The heretics"

Sapientia came up beside Bayan She frowned, and when she narrowed her eyes in that particular way one could al "Can it be? Are these the heretics banished after the trial at Handelburg? How did they get here? Where are the rest of them?"

"Dead," said the eldest of the Lions "Or better dead, considering e ran into Your Highness" He bowed his head respectfully toward Sanglant "I know you are Prince Sanglant It’s said you’re a fair man I pray you--"

"Daddy, I want hi her hands "Biscop Alberada excoainst the church? We could be excoment upon them that they be sold into slavery as punishlant sa she looked at Bayan, waiting to see what he would say She was afraid to pass judglant turned to theHenry’s Lions I will ransom them from you for a fair price"

"One nomia apiece," said the lant with a warning suards I could take theround, I would be ithin hts to restore their freedom because they are Henry’s sworn soldiers"

"Forsworn," objected Sapientia, "because of heresy--"

"As long as the Quman army rides on Wendish soil, I do not care if they are heretics, foreigners, two-headed, or painted blue, as long as they will fight loyally for the king" He turned to the old Lion "What is your name?"

"Gotfrid,What God chose to reveal to us has nothing to do with how faithfully we’ll fight"

Sanglant called to Heribert, who had been trailing behind with the rest of his retinue "Give the merchant ten sceattas for his trouble"

"May God bless you, Your Highness," said Gotfrid "We’ll serve you well, I swear it And so do these others swear"

The other four swore oaths hurriedly, with every appearance of gratitude and sincerity Only the merchant didn’t look happy, but he knew better than to protest

Bayan stepped forward and spoke to the redeele? Prince Ekkehard?"

Beneath the grime, Lord Thiearb, and when he rose to his feet he had the slightly bow-legged stance of a youngedly

"Is this true?" asked Bayan

"I fear it must be, my lord prince," said the old Lion "It inter It was snowing like to drown us And ere attacked by shadows" His voice dropped to a whisper and he glanced around as though expecting to see them materialize out of nowhere "The Lost Ones"

Flushing, he struggled to contain the memory, and the fear His coether as if the h to bring down a snowstorm