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"I told you, child, that no one willthat will not happen You looked so uncoood Or would you rather be back inside with the lanced back at the manor house and hastened a step "I would rather be with you You speak "

"I would like you to seeWill you help me?"

"I do not knohat to do," Ellowyn dearden" Their voices faded as they passed the wall and trailed off as they crossed a screen of overgrown alders Lia could not iine their luck No, it was past luck It was the Medium, as Colvin said They looked at each other

"We cannot take her by force," Lia said

Colvin nodded "I agree"

Lia rubbed her htfully "Then I will try and persuade hi This is our chance to free her I feel…I must be the one to speak to hi still shi on its surface "He will be able to read this"

Colvin reached out, touching her hand He nodded in encouragearden and slipped over the wall, following the direction they went As she drew closer, she could hear their voices again, deep in conversation After crossing the sentinels of alder trees, she sa after row of stakes and trellises of a vineyard The vines were thick, the broad leaves fat and green, the grapes a deep purple color The sun was slanting down in the western sky, retreating towards the rapes?" Ellowyn asked

Lia could not see theh and saw the vines tre with their movement She crept forward soundlessly

"The vines produce th to ripen," the Alder the stem, like this Let me show you See? A little nick is all it takes and the fruit falls Collect them in your apron"

"But which ones do I cut? Which do I spare?"

"You can guess, of course That is one way to do it But I use the Medium to tell me which to cut It knohich fruit will be the sweetest at the time of harvest Those are the ones ant to save Look at this cluster See how tight they are together? If we did nothing to prune it, the ones in the middle will become misshapen There are too many here The whole cluster will be sour But if we cut, here and here…" Lia edged closer and she could hear the fruit fall with little thurow and all will be sweet"