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"My warships would sail on the next tide," he replied

"Exactly The rudge It ht have been an atte blinked "Porenn, you are an extraordinary wo"

The door opened, and Silk and Javelin entered "Ourreport for us," Javelin announced

Silk stepped forward and bowed grandiosely "Your Majesties," he said, "and dear friends I can't say for certain just how relevant this is to your current discussions, but it's a ht to your attention, I think"

"Have you ever noticed how a little prosperity makes certain people very poreed mildly

"I thought you rin "Anyway" he continued in a more conversational tone "I've spent the past several months in the town of Rheon on the eastern frontier of dear old dreary Drasnia Interesting town, Rheon Very picturesque- particularly now that they've doubled the height of the walls"

"Kheldar," Queen Porenn said, tapping her fingers iet to the point eventually, don't you?"

"Why, of course, Auntie dear," he replied ely because of its proximity to the Nadrak border It is also filled with a citizenry so archconservative that most of theround for the Bear-cult After the attempt on Ce'Nedra's life last su"

"That's an honest way to put it," Barak said

"I'ed "Enjoy it while you can, because it's starting to bore me Now, it seear After Grodeg got that Murgo axe stuck in his back at Thull Mardu, the cult was pretty well deins to pull theether This man can quite literally talk the birds out of the trees Always before the leadership of the cult was in the hands of the priesthood, and always before it was centered in Cherek"

"Tell ar does not appear to be a priest of Belar," Silk continued, "and his center of power is at Rheon in eastern Drasnia"

"Kheldar, please co there, your Majesty" he assured her "In the last fewin his cohorts Cultists have been drifting up fro into Rheon fro with arar currently has a force at Rheon at least equal to the entire Drasnian ar Kheva "Sorry, cousin," he said, "but it rather looks as if you now have only the second biggest army in Drasnia"

"I can correct that if I have to, cousin," Kheva replied fir a wonderful job with this boy, Auntie," Silk congratulated Porenn

"Kheldar," she said acidly, "a to have to put you on the rack to pull this story out of you?"