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"It is not," the Prince replied, his shoulders sagging with exhaustion Lightning streaked across the sky and the ripples of thunder e We can find a bed and a ether with enthusiasht now, feathers and all If we hurry, we ht falls"

The Prince shook his head, staring down at the valley floor "We will not rest here We ride southeast all night for Muirwood"

"Muirwood is to the south? Why did ander so far west?"

The Prince lifted his finger and pointed to the valley The rain came in heavy sheets around them The storm whipped at their faces "That is where our enemy will fall This field before us Do you see that hill yonder? There he will die" He chuckled through the howling wind "I can see hi fro, Martin It is aHe holds ed his horse closer, staring into the black rain and clenched his teeth with the discoht’s lodging "Why does he hold your standard, et it after I am dead As he has done with others before me, he will hoistit will kill him That is where he will fall Froround pitches beneath that giant oak?"

"That is a large oak, ht"

"It should not be there"

"What?"

"That oak should not be there There needs to be a little cave for her to sleep A shelter froiant oak He wiped the rain fro about the future as if he were living there instead of the present He shook his head, a stern expression on his mouth "That oak should not be there"

Martin leaned forward in the saddle, feeling impatient "Shall I tell it to o down to the village and fetch an axe" And a ht blackly

"Close your eyes You n"

This also had happened before Martin despised the maston secrets Not even the Evnissyen dared penetrate an Abbey to learn them The Prince forbade it Martin clutched the saddle horn, shivering from the hair as it dribbled down his leather hood He closed his eyes, gri hite and a blast of thunder nearly shook him off his horse The animals screamed with fear and bucked frantically The noise was so loud, Martin could barely hear the shrieking stallions He twisted around on the saddle after cale of rain

"I said I would fetch an axe!" Martin roared, staring at the Prince, who stroked his stallion’s ly The animal was preternaturally calm

"An axe would not do," the Prince replied "The rains ear away the earth at the roots, leaving a little cave It will be ready when she needs it"

"Who?"

"The girl in irl as drowned by the kishion?"

"It is the saed to kill hie expression on his face An expression of pride "Who is this girl, host you hunt?"

"She is not one of the Unborn, Martin It is the future that I see There is one more place we ain But before you jointree You will find branches that have been preserved thick with acorns Collect the acorns and bring them to me All of the acorns now?" Martin said, exasperated "Acorns?!"

"You will see, Martin Gather the else I must do first and you cannot see it"

Of all the tasks Martin had been given to perforathering acorns near a forsaken swa The tree was thick with theather, and Martin wondered at the reason During one of his sea voyages, he recalled some wisdom he had learned from a sea-captain that enabled him to lead other men The wisdom was that when men are employed in labor, they were contented On the days they worked they were good-natured and cheerful, and, with having done a good day’s work, they spent the evenings with mirth But on idle days they werefault with their pork, the bread, the cider, and in continual ill-humor That sea-captain, Martin recalled, had a rule to keep his men constantly at work When his second once told hi further to employ them about, the sea-captain ordered them to scour the anchor Martin himself was known to e to keep their minds and bodies active with too h