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"The honor would beshaded arcades Brother Petrus followed ten steps behind, carrying an unlit lamp

"I am sorry you could not attend Her Majesty yesterday We went outside the city to oversee the grape harvest at one of the royal vineyards"

"It is well for Queen Adelheid to get out reed Rosvita "I a her health at last"

They spoke for a bit of inconsequential things: Princess Mathilda, Aostan architecture, the rituals of the grape harvest What ga? Yet at tied By all reports, and by her own personal observation, he was pious, discreet, benevolent, eloquent but gentle, grave in his authority and yet as huar, affable to every person yet with such an elegance of manners that he never seemed common Surely if he were irretrievably stained by the evil inclination, then that mark must someho in his outward for of a joke in the schola that when queen and presbyter rode out into the streets of Darre, folk gathered to acclaim her authority and to marvel at his beauty

They stepped out froraveled path, white stones crunching under their feet Afternoon shadows drew long across the neatly raked garden and crisscrossing paths Above, parapets rose, visible beyond the roofs of the palace

"The Holy Mother means to appoint you to oversee a council on this heresy that troubles the north"

"So she has given me to understand I fear I aation"

"Nay, Sister, do not say so You are respected by all It is well known that your judgard to your own personal inclinations I cannot think of any person in the church who is as widely trusted as you are" They stepped onto the portico that framed the entrance, three monumental arches, that led from the skopos’ palace into the forecourt of the royal cootten used to the speed hich the sun set here in the south; no long, lingering twilights co, drowning them in shadow beneath the heavy arches She could barely ures of saints carved into the facade, pale for above them, stern but h softly Brother Petrus waited obediently behind them, just out of earshot In the forecourt beyond, torches were being lit, placed in sconces around the court, light flaring and srooate that led in to the stable yard Distantly, from the direction of the road that led down into the city, she heard shouting and cheers

She said nothing, only waited, and after a h went on "What would you do if you discovered an ancient text in whose words you read an account of the very heresy that even now pollutes the kingdom?"

"What do you mean? It’s well known that the Arethousan church remains in error on certain uments over the nature of the human and divine substance of the blessed Daisan--are part of the heresy as well Everything I have heard indicates that the heresy comes out of the east"

He stood in profile, visible in the twilight only as a shade, like aworld and the dead "I do not knohere to go I believe I have found an account written by St Thecla herself in which she describes the flaying and redemption of the blessed Daisan, just as it is said to have happened in this poisonous heresy"

"A forgery" But she could barely force the words out That such a stateh, of all people, set her completely off-balance She was either a fool, or he was a consummate actor, but he seeht

"I have labored to prove exactly that, but I fear--"

"Make way for King Henry!"

Soldiers raced to stand at attention in the spacious forecourt Cries of acclai and his retinue neared the gate

"This is unexpected" She had to yell to be heard over the clamor

"Come" He drew her forward by the are bronze doors that opened onto the entryway of the great hall, just as the first horsemen rode into the forecourt They bore the banners of Henry and Adelheid Behind the himself and his closest coard of Fesse, Margrave Villaile, Hathui No man there, nor woman either, outshone Henry He was hale and healthy, not one bit the worse for the wear after a su in Aosta’s brutal heat He disreet Adelheid But even as he led his entourage into the hall, he spotted Rosvita