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"They’ll be shown irls they murdered," said Erkanwulf

"How so?" asked Ivar, ondering how any folk could fall so low as these They looked worse than he felt! They were the filthiest people he had ever seen, coated in dirt and worse things, besides their sins

"They’ll receive a trial, and their death’ll come quick Lucky for them" He spat

"There was a woirls"

Erkanwulf looked away and wiped his mouth "She was dead I don’t knoho killed her"

The lad with the injured hand wept To Ivar, the day seemed dark; the clouds would never lift Ravnholt Manor was avenged, but no one see, the prisoners were locked into the kennels once reserved for Count Lavastine’s faeant Gerulf, who had been assigned to the first shift of guards

"How is Dedi?"

"He’ll do, as long as the wound doesn’t get infected, but Biscop Constance knows a bit about healing and anyway that one, Brother Baldwin, can heal him, surely, if it comes to that"

"Maybe so"

"You doubt it?" asked Gerulf, with a hint of a shed, but he and Gerulf had a bond sewn up out of griether "It’s difficult for ht explain his handson of God’s favor" Gerulf chuckled "There now, h It was a shallow cut"

"Are you satisfied, still, with your service with Captain Ulric?"

"Duke Conrad assigned us to the captain, and I hold no grudge against the duke, since he treated us fairly considering the lady wished us all dead It must have been for a reason that Dedi and I ca Henry,his sister, don’t you think?"

"If Henry still lives"

"Then Henry’s heir That’s not all There’s ain Ulric’s following I’ve aa small company of men to settle Ravnholt Manor, now that it’s abandoned It’s soe I’ed, and Gerulf smiled crookedly, as if to say he kneords Ivar would speak, if he dared--which he did not Restlessness ate at hireat i in the backwaters while the battle moved on and left him behind

In the hall, Constance was seated beside the blazing hearth with her schola and young Lady Lavrentia in attendance, listening to testimony from a pair of woodsood look at these refugees, and we knew they was likely to be dead co back that way on the trail of a boar and they were still living They said it was the cloak, that they had been blessed by God or so as they did not speak quite right, cofrid riting, and Er quills on the opposite side of the table Lavrentia was seated aardly on a chair beside Constance, with her hands folded in her lap and her twin canes resting against her knees She uttered no word and ht be feeling except that when, on occasion, Constance sirl smiled back

On the other side of a hall a trio of wounded soldiers lay on the floor Hathu a white salve on the cut that had opened his thigh That was Dedi, grih as Hathu that a a soft cap in his hands walked forward hesitantly

"Do not fear," said Constance gently "Are you the one who came all the way up froard holds the land in that part of the county I hear it was a long walk--five days!"

He dropped to his knees as if she had shot hi our request to the count" He glanced around the hall apprehensively, looked at Lady Lavrentia, rubbed his cap against his chin, and coughed "I wasn’t sure who to speak to, Your Holiness"