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"There ees here, who lost his wife and needs to aze, stripped of illusions "There is one h country But he’s lost in his , more a mute beast than a man I don’t know if I can carry hi the"

"What choice have I? I am all that’s left I would not have o to some other, for we’ve not even any cousins left to us If I lose the land, the children will have to go out as bonds to those akeful and ses and farion had been laid waste, they told him, crops left unsown, livestock scattered, and many, many folk were dead It would be a hard winter ahead, but at least they now had the rest of summer to rebuild and some measure of peace to build in At least they now had soht, he circled back to the main compound The haze had thinned The quarter h cloud At zenith, the Queen processed in glory with her Sword, Staff, and jeweled Cup The Dragon had already set

Lions stood at guard on the porch, and their captain hailed him

"Lord Alain You are out late"

"Many sleep restlessly tonight," he remarked "Now that I think on it, Captain Thiadbold, are there any nant’s service? There’s at least one young householder with a grand inheritance who is in desperate need of a partner--a husband--to help her hold her land and title"

"She’s too high for h

Alain was startled in his turn "I pray you, what do you ood cleric went inside not long ago, to the htful heir to Lavas County Who would have guessed it! The holy abbess cannot live long, and so the granddaughter will take the coronet It’s a miracle--don’t you think?--for the truth to be known after so long"

He paused, seeing that his dozen uard had shifted closer to listen "Still, no triueant Ingo pointed at the sky over the dor"

Where the haze cleared, the constellation Alain had always known as the Eagle unfurled its great square of wings No one corrected the other ht the hounds of Lavas, all this way," said the captain "None dare touch the"

"What will you do now, you Lions?" Alain asked

The la the porch illuminated the captain’s crooked smile and flame-red hair "Queen Theophanu herself called me to her chambers before we left She has askednew Lions, that is I’ll do it As for these others, that’s up to the road"

"There’s a young wo for a husband willing to farm the land she inherited, and help her raise her nephews and nieces" He nodded at the gaggle ofup the steps and under the porch, he crossed into the church

In silence, the vault of air below the high ceiling of Hersford’s church breathes A pair ofthe aisles whisper along their wicks, but otherwise the scene looks very like a painteddeath, which weighs heavily on all mortal kind The face is uncovered and at peace The black hair is combed neatly away fro burial shroud A glittering crown of stars sits upon theforever beyond his grasp

To in an attitude of despair and the other standing with hands at rest on those bowed shoulders, but it is youth that has been felled and age that shows resilience Mother Obligatia has gained reth even in the short hours since they entered Hersford Monastery It led skein of sorcery is at work, or perhaps it is sihter that invigorates her