Page 27 (2/2)

In his grief, Willia emptiness of Thal All William kneas that Thal was the cause of his beloved sister’s death He ordered Thal from his house

Heavily, Thal had said he would pack histo return to Lanconia

William had not comprehended Thal’s words, but when he heard noise in the courtyard below, he realized that Thal meant to take Rowan and the new baby from him Williarief, and fear He gathered his own knights frouard while they slept

Williaht as these Lanconians did They were outnu Thal, ed to escape

Dripping blood fros and one across his right cheek, Thal stood on the castle wall in the pink light of dawn and cursed William and his issue Thal said he knew Williaet hilish, and someday Roould come home to him

Then Thal and his men had escaped over the wall and disappeared into the forest

Williaht Where once his life had been touched with gold, it soon turned to lead His wife had died of the pox a month later, then the pox had killed over half his peasants, leaving the grain unharvested in the fields An early snow left the fields rotting

Williaain, this time to a fat healthy fifteen-year-old who proved to be fertile as a rabbit She gave him four sons in four years then conveniently died with the last one Williarieve since he had found that when his infatuation with her beautiful young body had worn off, she was a stupid, frivolous girl as no companion

William had the care of his own four sons and Anne’s two children The contrast was stark Rowan and Lora were tall and beautiful, golden-haired and handsoer to learn, polite, while his own sons were stupid and clumsy, sullen and resentful They hated Rowan and teased Lora viciously William knew this was his punishan to believe it was Anne’s ghost repaying hiainst her husband

When Roas ten, ato the old set with four rubies on his head He said his name was Feilan and that he was Lanconian and that he had come to teach Rowan Lanconian ways

Williah with a sword until Rowan had stepped forward It was al to co for him “I am Prince Rowan,” he had said solemnly

In thaton earth to hi he could do to prevent the loss