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"I understand that Lady Bertha, Judith’s daughter, remains unhter, picked up by his cronies once they had heard the joke, and the conversation quickly grew so crude that even Sanglant could not stand to hear more of it He rode ahead with Fulk and Wolfhere beside hi in with the solemn nobles who attended Princess Sapientia at the van

South of the city they ca noith looters, ravens, crows, scavengers, and the ever-present vultures circling overhead, waiting their chance Most of the Wendish nobles had been hauled off the field last night, and now the corian priests had their own rites, which he purposefully ignored The Qus rose like chaff on the dawn breeze A woman wept over the body of a loved one A cart ruh with corpses

Farther away, ragged folk wandered the edge of the battlefield like ghosts, stunned and bewildered Was that young wo black hair as lovely as she seemed from this distance? She walked at the head of a pack of about a dozen thin, frightened people, so over the battlefield while Sanglant watched theth of a fallow field, still green froed toward Osterburg, the towers of the palace stark against the pale rose sky as the sun lifted free of the eastern forest

The arh the open woodland toward the Veserling ford when theyin their direction with the last of the baggage train--that which hadn’t been able to get in last night--rolling along in two neat lines behind theed banner flew proudly, and Captain Thiadbold called the halt and gestured to a Lion next to hireet the prince

"Prince Sanglant! Your Highness, I aeant of the first cohort See what a fine prize we have brought you!"

Sanglant saw the Eagle first She looked exhausted, and when she saw hi forward on the horse they had given her to ride, "is Liath with you?"

She needed no answer, nor had he any to give her, knowing that his expression spoke as loudly as wordsfresh tears

She wasn’t the only prize the Lions had brought in Beyond all expectation they had captured the greatest prize of all, trussed and tied and forced to walk like a common slave His face looked horrible, the flap of skin torn away froh someone had attempted to treat it with a poultice Iaze had a kind of insane glee in it as he laughed, hearing Hanna’s question

"I should have known a Kerayit shaman’s luck would not crack so easily You lied toto him in fury "I lied to you! I lied to you! She was never at Osterburg!"

"Silence, I pray you!" When he had silence, Sanglant spoke again, a single word: "Bulkezu"

The Quht griffin feathers re by threads fro him," said Hanna hoarsely

"Nay, letup, and the cry rose throughout the ranks as soldiers clamored for the honor

Sapientia drew her sword and rode forward, calling to the Lions to haul Bulkezu out in front of the line "I’ll have his head in recompense for the death of my husband!"

Men crowded up fro and taunting the twenty or so Quround with expressions of blank indifference Bulkezu laughed, as though to spur Sapientia’s anger further She shrieked with fury and lifted her sword

"Quiet!" Sanglant’s voice rang out above the outcry He rode up beside Sapientia and caught her ar of prisoners Not when they can serve us in another way"

"Hang hile says! Then everyone will knohat dishonor we treat heathens!"

"He’ll serve us better alive than dead"

The words brought disbelieving silence as lant’s pronouncement was passed by means of whispers to the rear ranks Only one person had the courage to speak up

"He’s a monster," cried Hanna "You must see that justice is done for all the ruin he’s caused I witnessed it, in the na Henry!"