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"It does see around toattention to them, "that Prince Bayan commands her army in all but name" They stood behind the chair, placed to the left of Sapientia’s, set aside for Blessing

"Does it? That’s not what puzzles uessed that whatever man married Sapientia would be likely to rule as her equal, not her consort Bayan’s a good man, but he isn’t Wendish and he’s scarcely a Daisanite How can Henry think the Wendish nobles, n king reigning over the shrieked She was crouching on the edge of the strea stones into the water while Anna, Matto, and Lord Thiemo hovered next to her to make sure she didn’t fall in

Zacharias smiled derisively "Do not ask me, Brother I areed Heribert amiably "But much cleaner than you e first ht"

"I have nothing insightful to say on this subject Of the king’s progress and its intrigues I renorant, as befits my station"

A shout rose fro leaped up, tottered unbalanced on the edge of the streaht by Thiemo, who escorted her back to the pavilion She climbed up to stand on the seat of her chair

"Here, now, Your Highness," Heribert said reprovingly as she clung to his shoulders, trying to get a good look out along the nity"

"Look!" Lord Thiemo’s words were echoed by those nobles clustered under the shade of the pavilion "Here they co the pavilion through the grass, one fro led, giving their approach a dignified pace suitable to the gravity of the occasion

"Why Wolfhere?" Zacharias deut as he watched the old Eagle leading Prince Sanglant’s horse

Heribert’s answering smile was bittersweet "This isn’t easy for him, you know Best to re’s approval he stands"

It took Zacharias aof Wolfhere

Bayan and Sanglant were both outfitted in their arlant wore his sword slung over his back, in the manner of a traveler, while Bayan’s sas belted at his hip Bayan wore a tabard of snohite linen with a two-headed eagle eed ends in alternating red and white that flowed past his knees Sanglant wore a plain gold tabard, without any identifying sigil, his only ornaon helm, which he carried under one ar a tray set with two silver cups and a second carrying a pitcher The third, a cleric, stood slightly to one side

"She doesn’t look pregnant," muttered Lord Thiemo

"Hush, my lord," said Anna sharply, the way one would to a ard brother "A wo full It’s said she hasn’t burned holy rags for three nant That’s what they always said in Gent"

"I’ve seen cases where woan Zacharias, but Thie to speak so" He looked at her, and she at hi and the nut-brown coirl, al that there was so Even Matto, standing behind theh he had at first been jealous of Thieirl

The two colant took the reins froed helroom Then the riders h poised for a race They did not look at each other

The cleric raised her arin"

Sapientia poured ale into the two cups Three noble witnesses from each army examined them and proclaimed themselves satisfied that they held an equal amount Carefully, the cups were handed up, one to Bayan and one to Sanglant

All this ti to Heribert’s shoulders and did not speak one word, only stared, wide-eyed