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The drumbeat increased in tempo then died away as the red disk of the sun rose into the sky In the royal village of Gorrey-clad soldiers raised their hands in salute as the Lord Sun began his daily passage across the heavens

On the parapet, above a wooden gatehouse, a sergeant stood with one of his young soldiers He leant over the guardrail and spat on the colourfully dressed tribesive for the superstitious heathen savages' He coughed violently 'God I hate this sodding place I don't kno the natives can stand it I'ain 'Gor lot'

'The Catti got another of our tin shipot anything to do with that Sky Warrior?'

'Course it hasn't' The sergeant looked disdainfully at the youngbastard ca'

'They say he coh

'Morgon told that silly old fool, Pius, that Sky Warrior cae back ho chalk in his bread and the stupid old bugger believed him'

'That still doesn't tell us where he co man said 'From what I've heard, he doesn't look like us He's pale and he's got blue eyes and brown hair People say he looks like the natives'

'But twice as big,' the sergeant laughed 'Alon'

He was interrupted by shouts froed forward and s on?' the young soldier asked

'Today we're going to return King Balduur to his ancestors'

'How are we going to do that?'

'We're not That's so you leave to the Grand Master of the Duideth He's the clever bugger who knows all about that'

'How does the princess come into it?'

'You mean the little tart they call Adrina?'

'Yes How does she come into it?'

'She doesn'tnot if we can help it'

The sergeant leant over the guardrail and shouted orders to the soldiers below, telling them to move on so iven strict instructions that the little tart is to be kept down to size She's trying to make a nas like her mother does over the border'