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"Surely the queen has some alliance in mind for you, Fulk"

Henry chuckled Fulk slapped at hiood blow, my lord, if it all comes from the arm"

Henry looked away to hide his a his shoulders when he was trying not to laugh! Chabi snorted Fulk found refuge in babbling

"Now there’s talk ofme off to some Alban princess in the western counties, the ones that are pushing into Eika territory But that’s better than the plan they were talking of all su me to Ashioi country to marry the new Feather Cloak!"

Chabi considered this Most likely she had ridden recently through those lands, and had a better idea of the troublesome situations there than he did "Had you a choice, ould it be?"

You! You! You!

He shtly "I am an obedient son I do as I’hed

She added, "You ht become a phoenix, as I am"

Spoken out loud, the words seeh I would if I could"

"Any person with a willing heart and a stubborn mind can learn to weave sorcery and walk the crowns"

"These are easy words from your mouth! You are a third child and thereby freer than the rest of us Anyway, your mother was a powerful sha better than a slave, and about whom the less is said the better," she said in a tone that cut hi a hand to warn hi for you, Fulk"

They rode free of the forest to see the walls and sentry fires of Thersa, where Queen Blessing and her progress had rested these past four days The palisade and palace were old, but the estate had grown and spread in recent years with the shift of population out of the south after the great earthquake Now, of course, the guesthouse was full and the inner pasture covered with tents and wagons