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The old warrior was excited by the prospect of seeing Balduur's head He told Morgon he had been present at the battle of Baddon Marsh when Balduur died The Catti had charged over the alloped ahead of the hter Bronwyn

Still just a girl, not fully grown, the young princess rode a huge white stallion She carried a sprig of holly in one hand and the royal standard of the Catti in the other Nearing the enemy line, she pointed the holly berries to the sky and cried out for the oddess to intercedeand the heavens see hile combat Balduur spurred his horse The two round An instant later Cronas upon hi body and thrown to the young princess She grasped it by the hair and galloped towards the Goroddess was supreon had heard the story before but this was the first time he'd heard it from the lips of someone who had been present at the battle The collapse ofAn otherwise invincible army had been crushed and humiliated

Bronas now an old woman She was paramount chieftain of the Catti and cohter Adrina was a member of Pius' household and dearly beloved by the oldwhich would unite the two tribes could bring disaster He needed to keep them apart It was important to remind the Gorms of their humiliation at the hands of the Catti and show them that he was a trusty friend and ally

That hy Balduur's head was so iet it back Now he'd done it for theuard and the head had been sneaked out of the royal apartments There would be a ceremony The Grand Master would preside The box, which held the head, would be opened The head would be displayed Then it would be burnt on a brazier sothat the great warrior's soul could join his ancestorsor whatever the ignorant savages thought would happen

Morgon didn't care what the natives believed He wasn't interested in their religion WhatBalduur to Gor chant of the warriors as the party bearing the head passed the ate