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"Is it true you reject the Wendish regnant? Although you are both descendants of that line?"

"We are descendants of the Varren royal line," said Sabella sharply "This is our land to rule"

"And rule wisely, I trust," said Alain "The tees The stor is this?" de "I feel I am in the presence of a wise and reat storm passed over the land You may believe that you survived the worst, but the worst is yet to coh the season is late? Or does frost still kill seedlings every night? Have you seen the sun? When will the cloud cover lift? What are you doing to prepare, if the weather does not change?"

"Why would the weather not change?" asked Sabella "Summer will coained if our current venture prospers"

Conrad whistled softly, trying to lure the hounds, and although they whined a little and thu per them be

"These are not unreasonable concerns," Conrad said in the mildest voice Alain had heard from him "As in battle, even the best laid plansattack, or disaster And act so as to overcome it" He nodded at Alain "That is e need Lavas County That is how you can help us"

"Geoffrey has not ruled in a er hand"

"What do you say, Lord Alain?" asked Conrad genially "Are you interested? We can help each other"

"It’s not why I came here"

"Nor need it have been," replied Conrad with that same hearty camaraderie "Let it be a windfall You have acted boldly Boldness can expect reward"

"He’ll need a wife," said Sabella, shifting her pieces on the board "We can find sohter You yourself, Conrad, have a daughter alreat deal in this vein Alain could hear without coed hiiven Conrad but denied hi that was hardest to forgive The one thing that he had tried to conceal with a lie He had failed Lavastine

Briefly, the idea teased and flattered hiain, and fulfill his prohter," added Sabella, as if the thought had just that aria is--what? Four or five? She could be betrothed now, and married later, when she’s older In another ten years she’ll be old enough to bear children It would repay him for the loss of Tallia"