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Strangely, despite the lu wo the irls were in some sort of predicament and needed to be rescued Bryne suspected that if he did catch up to the young women and take them back to his estate, Joni would be after hihters to s "Ghealdan" He scowled "Orthem back Hardly seems worth the annoyance for a barn and soirl this far, and Murandy was a bad place for Andormen; too many border troubles over too many years Only a fool would chase into Murandy after an oathbreaker’s eyes How er a fool to follow halfway across the world?

"Those lads I talked to," Joni said diffidently "My Lord, it see sent off" Emboldened by Bryne’s silence, he went on "Lots of new fellows in Lots Those lads said at least four or five for everyone told he wasn’t wanted anymore The sort that like to cause troublethemselves the White Lions who only answer to this Gaebril" -- he spat to shohat he thought of that--"and a bunch more not part of the Guards at all Not House levies Near as they could say, Gaebril’s got ten times as many men under arms as there are Guards, and they’ve all sworn to the throne of Andor, but not to the Queen"

"That’s no longer our business, either," Bryne said curtly Bariue stuffed into his cheek, the way he always did when he knew so he either did not want to tell or was not sure was ih "What is it, Barim? Out with it, man"

The leatherfaced fellow stared at hiured out how Bryne kneas holding back "Well, my Lord, some of the folks I talked to said so questions About a girl sounds like that Mara Wanted to knoho she here she went Like that I heard they got real interested when they learned she was gone If they’re after her, she could be hanged before we ever find her If they have to go to the trouble of chasing her down, they ht not ask too many questions about whether she’s really a Darkfriend Or whatever it is they’re after her for"

Bryne frowned Whitecloaks? What would the Children of the Light ith Mara? He would never believe she was a Darkfriend But then, he had seen a babyfaced young fellow, hanged in Cae children in the streets about the glories of the Dark One -- the Great Lord of the Dark, he had called him The lad had killed nine of them in three years, as near as could be discovered, when they looked like turning hiirl is no Darkfriend, and I’ll stake my life on it Whitecloaks were suspicious of everyone And if they took it into their heads that she had fled Lugard to avoid theelding was not flashy, but he had endurance, and courage The other two caught up soon enough, and they kept theirthe ard, he turned off into a thicket of oak and leatherleaf The rest of his men had made a te oak li; they would take any opportunity to brew up so an old soldier never missed a chance to snatch

Those awake kicked the rest out of their naps, and they all looked up at hi thee creased faces Still hard and fit, but even so He had been a fool to risk bringing them into Murandy just because he had to knohy a woman had broken an oath Andhow far or how long from home before it was done If he turned back now, they would have been gone ain If he went on, there was no guarantee the chase would stop short of the Aryth Ocean He should be taking these men, and himself, ho those girls out of Whitecloak hands He could leave Mara to Whitecloak justice

"We will be heading west," he announced, and i fires with the tea and fastening pots to saddles "We will have to press hard I mean to catch the where they’ll lead us You could see Jehannah or Ah "You’ll find out how tough you are if we reach Ebou Dar They’ve taverns there where the barmaids skin Illianers for dinner and spit Whitecloaks for sport"

They laughed harder than the jest orth

"We won’t worry with you along,his tin cup into his saddlebags His face rinkled like crumpled leather "Why, I hear you had a runin with the Amyrlin herself once, and --" Jar Silvin kicked hirayhaired, but still younger -- with a clenched fist "Why’d you do that, Silvin? You want a broke head, you just -- What?" Thehim finally sank in "Oh Oh, yes" He buried hiirth straps on his saddle, but no one was laughing anymore

Bryne forced his face to relax from stoniness It was time he put the past in the past Just because a woht -- just because that woh she had never known hi her name Just because she had exiled hi her the advice he had sworn to give If she came a cropper with this Lord Gaebril who had suddenly appeared in Caeer any concern of his She had told him, in a voice as flat and cold as smooth ice, that his naain, that only his long service kept her fro him to the headsman for treason Treason! He needed to keep spirits up, especially if this turned into a long chase

Hooking a knee around the high cantle of his saddle, he took out his pipe and pouch and filled his pipe with tabac The boas carved with a wild bull collared with the Rose Crown of Andor For a thousand years that had been the sign of House Bryne; strength and courage in service of the queen He needed a n