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As she h the sunny scriptorium, she noted the scribes busy at their work, clerics fro out capitularies, deeds, and charters as well as letters pertaining to the king’s business here and in the north So ain clerics looked up from their work to nod at her or ask for advice More by accident than design, she was now in charge of Henry’s schola Queen Adelheid had her own schola, h, who had been assigned as the Holy Mother’s official eht we to be writing this cartulary to establish the county of Ivria? Shouldn’t that properly be done in the Queen’s schola?"

"Nay, Brother Eudes, we ation to rule in these lands so that none will protest if the skopos agrees to crown hirant ether" She walked on, pausing where light streaold over the parquet floor

"Sister, we have heard another report of heresy, this time from Biscop Odila at Mainni How are we to answer?"

"Patience, Sister Elsebet The skopos has already indicated that she will hold a council on this matter next year Write to Biscop Odila that she must confine those ill not recant so that they cannot corrupt the innocent, but by no means to act rashly Avoid at all costs any public trial, until after the council, because it is in the nature of people tomartyrs of these heretics Can you render that in your oords, Sister?"

Elsebet had been with a schola for ten years, just the kind of cleric who did better if given a little independence to work She slad that the charge of the king’s schola has fallen to you In truth, the skopos’ clerics and presbyters rule with too heavy a hand forI daresay the custom is different here in Aosta than it is in the north"

Farther on, Ruoda and Heriburg sat side by side, one white-scarfed head and one pale blue one, intent on their copying

"How comes the work?" Rosvita asked quietly as she paused beside them

They had, open on the lectern above the the copy started by Sister Aun a second copy, which Rosvita hoped to send to Korvei for safekeeping

"Well enough" Ruoda had blotted a word and now scraped the offending ink aith her writing knife

Heriburg was ruling a blank sheet of parchment She did not look away from her work as she answered, her voice so low that Rosvita had to bend nearer in order to hear "We dared not speak to you this , Sister, because of the ossip than you could possibly want--"

"Never underesti Go on"

Ruoda’s smile flashed, but she looked up only to read the next line from the Vita, above her, and to dip her quill in the inkpot

"A Sister Venia came to the palace in the train of the Holy Mother, Anne, when she first appeared here last summer An elderly woman hite hair and a pleasant, round face, well spoken, well mannered, well educated, and nobly born She was heard to say only that she cae of Karrone Soon after she arrived a presbyter was heard to claihter of the Karronish princely family who had been made a biscop and then detained for black sorcery, but he died soon after of apoplexy and could not therefore substantiate his claim No one liked him anyway, so we hear But in any case, Sister Venia made no enemies while she was here"

"Was here?"

Heriburg studied the newly-ruled parch as she measured the space and the amount she could fit into it and where she would break the words She had left space for an illustration, but that ould go to Brother Jehan

"Now she is , Sister She was last seen in those desperate days after the death of the Holy Mother Clementia, may her memory be blessed, and before the arrival of Queen Adelheid and King Henry"

"A strange thing, too,"to trim her quill, "because until we reotten her"

"I hope you did not draw attention to yourselves"

Heriburg glanced up, her face as bland as pudding but her gaze as sharp as pins "Have you ever noticed the siiveness’ and ‘poison’? ‘Venia’ and ‘veneni’ Many in the palace still wonder about Ironhead’s death, and about the death of the Holy Mother Clementia, ue to introduce’ another naiven encouragement"