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Lia had seldo on the opposite side frorounds Most of the rooh s set into the thick stone walls, but this rooh the sturdy oak door The furnishings were elaborate A single stuffed ainst the northern wall, with canopied bedposts olden tassels Several couches, changing screens, tables and cushions, and a garderobe also con Tapestries adorned the walls and rush-rant She ran her fingers through the stream of water and nodded

Marciana treated the bath with scented oil and soap,She seeured she did not hire a servant to bathe herself as many nobles did

"Let me help you out of those soiled clothes," Marciana said Lia unbuckled her leather bracers and girdle, which were filthy and daht with her a clean gown "What is it?"

"I have a spare dress is back in the kitchen," she said softly "I can send Astrid…"

Marciana touched her ar your garments behind the screen"

Lia slipped into the ater and shivered The tub was spacious, much more so than the one in the kitchen where she had bathed all her life Having a water Leering next to it was ideal, for water did not need to be toted in buckets from the ovens There was a fireplace and chi water But Marciana’s trick, learned fro it With a soft sponge, she washed her arers while Marciana cleansed her hair with a dish of water just as Sowe had always done The water turned a murky brown

"You have lovely hair, Lia," Marciana said and she squeezed the clu the them

"It can only be subdued for a while, never taht and beautiful, like yours and Sowe’s"

"It is beautiful in its own right It is darker than mine but not as dark as Sowe’s, and it has some lovely hints of copper ae of the bath, her flowing sleeves a little damp but pushed up past the elbows Lia was not sure how much time had passed, but she felt luxuriant and clean, as she had not felt for months

"The water is cold Can I dry by the fire now?" Lia asked

"First so to wear," Marciana said and rose She went to one of her chests and withdrew a pale chemise with an embroidered hem Lia had never owned a cheainst her skin, like a warm breath It was loose at the shoulders, so Marciana helped tighten the lacings in the front The sleeves fit her well but she was taller than the other girl so it did not reach down to her ankles

"By the fire then?" Marciana joined her, sitting at theflaainst Lia’s wrist, the way her hair smelled, even the chemise which had been packed with purple mint to keep away moths For a moment, she wondered what it would be like to be a noble like the other tere To have more than a spare dress The chemise was made of the softest athered up the dirty gear and went to the tub and co thegle to find a willing husband when it is your time But it will not be Colvin" She shook her head, her expression full of pity as well as syently "I need to explain to you why"

Lia looked into the flarateful that Marciana had kept her voice low She knew that Ellowyn could hear thenore theirdle with soapy water "He made it clear why I cannot be with him I aer, he did not explain so to you It is iil?"

Lia turned, her eyebrows raising "I have not"

"It is a maston custom You know so many of them, I was not certain if you had heard of it The teroes back to the First parents It is a binding sigil, one that has the power to last perpetually It lasts forever Only an Aldermaston can invoke them and only within the most ienerations within the order of the il Specifically, a e between two maston families When this is done, the power of the Mediueneration That is why es to those who are not of the order To the Earl of Dieyre, for exa supply of wealth But a es bound by the sigil will always seek out another of that station Always the next generation is more powerful in the Mediu sense to you?"