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"You will have it" Adelheid gestured to her servingwomen, and as they came forward to assist her to rise, the two noblewomen moved back into the crowd of courtiers, each one ier to hear her side of the dispute Adelheid’s women robed her in the southern style in an overdress heavily eth sleeves and belted three tiold belt ornamented with cabochons

She settled herself into the queen’s chair and gestured "Sister Rosvita"

"Your Majesty" She knelt, and her three clerics hurriedly followed her lead For all her ti that would serve her well at court "I trust Princess Mathilda is recovering?"

"So she is The physicians say she will be healthy in another week She is still a little feverish, but she is nursing well again"

"God be praised, Your Majesty What news from Wendar?"

Adelheid’s frownlines to come She was still too thin The birth, folloo months after by the fever, had weakened her ood "That is why I have called you to attend me, Sister I need your counsel" She beckoned A travel-worn Eagle ca the queen "I pray you, Eagle, repeat your le was about the sae as Aurea, older than Adelheid, and unusually tall She had big, callused hands and surprisingly delicate features, weathered by hardship "As you please, Your Majesty," she said obediently before closing her eyes, h, at odds with her height and broad shoulders

"Her Highness, Princess Theophanu, sends greetings to herHenry of Wendar and Varre, and to her beloved cousin, Queen Adelheid of Aosta Ill tidings stalk the land There have been reports of plague in the south Varingia suffered a bad harvest last autu A Quh the marchlands and has been reported as far west as Echstatt in Avaria They burn and pillage, leaving nothing behind but ruin No news has come from Sapientia’s army since last autumn except rumors of a battle I fear for the marchlands and indeed even for the heartlands of Wendar if this tide goes unsteent in Autun while I ride hat forces I can muster to the east Yet I lack troops, with so many taken south to Aosta Duchess Rotrudis has taken ill, and her children are quarreling over their portions, all but her son Wichman, who rode east and vanished with Sapientia’s army Prince Ekkehard left Gent in Wich in the east Duchess Yolande claihting force, since many of her nobles have been forced to defend their borders fro in Salia Duke Conrad has pledged his aid, but there is further news that makes me hesitant to trust him He has married Princess Tallia That is why he was not in Bederbor last winter The deed was done while Constance was riding progress through Arconia, and when she returned Lady Sabella had already given Tallia into Conrad’s hands It is runant I pray you, Your Majesty Let matters be settled quickly in Aosta We need the army here in the north"

Despite the questions burning to be asked, Rosvita rele had not done She knew better than to interrupt; an ill-tie

"What do you think?" asked Adelheid at last A servant brought a cup of wine for the Eagle, who retired gratefully to a bench

Sothat King Henry will not be glad to hear of this alliance between Conrad and Tallia Conrad should have asked Henry’s peruardian, in default of her mother, Sabella"

"The one who is imprisoned at Autun," norant of Wendish intrigues, "for leading a rebellion against her brother"

"Even so"

"Is this alliance an advantage to us?"

Rosvita had to shake her head "I fear not Tallia has a claiue--as did the Varren nobles who followed Sabella’s revolt--that Tallia’s claier than Henry’s"