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We both laughed wildly

"Do sit down," I said, biting my lip at my own lunatic behavior

Prias drawn up against his chest and his arain, and we sat still and silent for a few th and solace frohter

"My mother wants to meet you," Priaht I think you will like Candake the queen of queens, if she does not scare you to death first You ht visit with her this afternoon, while I am in tribunal"

"I will not I shall be there with you"

He began to protest, sober now

"I will not be ruled by you, or anyone," I said "I have more sway over Constantine than he cares to ad discussed behind my back"

"What have you over Constantine?"

I hesitated, then answered softly, "One who ht be called prince of Britain"

It felt strange to speak these words and mean what I"The prince of Britain died at Camlan"

"I don’t h king’s grandson"

"Oh"

Priaain

He said slowly, "The boy has his own title; did you know? He is for prince, a child of noble birth He is heir to the house of Nebir No one ever uses his title, though"

Then he added, "You are playing a dangerous gath Oh! Would I were a ely down his face fro to wipe his face off "Would I were a differentyourself into the innermost council chaeous or persuasive people have succeeded in it once or twice Ithe uest and Constantine’s promised bride They ell under hen I came in, and there was a flurry of confusion while they set an extra chair for lared at hout this disturbance The crown prince Wazeb was there as well, sitting straight and silent, as though it were a great show perfor were fair A few of the council must have had some sympathy for Priamos; I am sure that his brother Ityopis did, and Kidane But it was an interrogation that fell just short of torture, and even so I think they dealt with Priamos more kindly while I was there He stood for hours, with the patience of a lifeti, before the knot of seated nobles Not one of theth of the session; they careeary, or had other appointht to them as they listened Priamos alone remained on his feet without respite, like a prisoner

My presencehad to be asked twice, first by a councilor in Ethiopic, and then again in Latin, for my benefit, by Halen In an exquisite additional humiliation, Priamos was expected to translate his own answers I hated that norance made this trialhe said he should be doubly checked by Constantine and by the translator, the afa negus But I could not have followed it without Halen’s assistance, particularly when they spoke of numbers: how many men were left in Cynric’s force after the battle of Caold that Cynric had offered forat understanding the questions on h it would make their words clearer if I were closer to the speakers

Pria which was found to be deeply improbable, and not just by Constantine

"I should think," said Danael, the one of the bala heg who see sent hoe froain; and yet you subainst the king you were sent to serve"

Ityopis, who stayed in session longer than any of the rest, put in, "He was not sent frorace He was sent free, with Abreha’s pardon"

"He was sent free by Cynric, as well, and I will knohy there was so oodwill all around, in the wake of a battle that resulted in the death of Britain’s high king"

So Priamos explained how it had started by an, and how he had hoped to discover the prince of Britain’s fate through his own surrender He took full responsibility for his actions, and I thought he acquitted himself well

When Constantine spoke, he always sees that Priamos could not possibly know, or which Constantine should know himself

"You have said the southern ports are in Cynric’s hands: which are the southern ports?"

"Has Cynric allegiances ath of the Deva garrison before it was reduced?"

What did that arrison?" asked Danael

Priamos waited patiently for the question to be translated for uess with any accuracy," he said in Ethiopic

There was a long silence

"I cannot guess with any accuracy," Priauess?"

"I do not know" There was another long pause Priahed, and translated "I do not know"

"Guess without accuracy," suggested Constantine