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"I was protecting us No one’s as good as they pretend to be," Daune said

"True in your case," Kaede said She turned "Secretary Tayabusa, please record that the queen es and titles She is banished from all the isles and territories of Seth, and if found on them after tomorrow, the penalty will be death At dawn, Chamberlain Inyouye, you will have her accoe to whatever port she chooses You will give her ten thousand yass, and make sure that she leaves She may be accompanied by one servant if one can be found who volunteers to accompany her"

Everyone was stunned

"Mother," Kaede said, "if this were the first time you’d lied to me, I wouldn’t do this It is, however, the last time Guards, I wish two of you to stay with her at all times I doubt she will attempt to harm herself, but she has shown herself to be an adulteress and a liar I don’t expect theft is below her"

"You can’t do this," Daune said, breathing so rapidly Kaede expected her to pass out

"I already have"

"I’m your mother!"

Kaede stepped forward and put her hands on each side of her mother’s face She kissed her forehead She took hold of the six platinu between her mother’s cheek and ear and tore them out Daune screa blood

Kaede said, "No, you are Queen Mother no more You are Daune Wariyamo no more Henceforth, you are Daune Outcast Guards?"

The captain of the guard and his second stepped forward and took the outcast by each arm to lead her from the roouards neared the door, al their prisoner "About what happened here"

The captain looked quickly at each of his men "You can be assured of my men’s complete discretion, Your Majesty"

Secretary Tayabusa cleared his throat "And I have written down the names of everyone in this room If anyone speaks of this, they will be discovered and punished accordingly" He leveled a heavy gaze at each of the various servants and functionaries in turn

"On the contrary," Kaede said, "no one will be punished for speaking of what happened here My dead rant her theher deeds in silence Most of all, my betrothed and his family deserve to know the truth before they wed their honor to e obviously knowing the truth, they would have a harder ti her than if she married and then they "found out" about her shas the Takedas could do A coup was doubtful, despite Oshobi’s popularity ae until spring was ive her opportunities Best for her personally and worst for Seth, the Takedasand withdraw to their ho for war

At sunrise, Vi swung her feet over the side of her bed in her little roo Sister Ariel, and she’d had horrible dreams about Kylar and oceans of blood Maybe it was an o She touched the water basin "Cold," she said When ice crystals began to spider across the surface, she broke the ice and washed her face, gasping despite herself Intyro’s robe over her ill-fitting shift Vi tied back her hair with the white ribbons Sister Ariel had given her