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Csimenae stared in astonishment "No," she said as she ran her hands over Sanct&039; Ger"

"It will be the sa her to heed him

"It was less than three months Such furrows should leave deep scars," she said, looking toward Rogerian with increasing respect "You are the one who did this"

Rogerian ducked his head "No; it was not I," he said, his for his purpose "Those who are undead keep no record of injury on their flesh All hurts are borne on their souls"

"Very good," Csi to bend me to your will"

"Not my will," said Sanct&039; Germain as he pulled on his heavy black woollen tunica with the long sleeves "You have much to learn, and I would like to spare you the most painful lessons If you will only let me" In the center of his house the fire shi her hands up "I a but talk and instruct, instruct and talk I have been taught until ed" With that, she went to where Aulutis was playing, scooping hiainst her "When you tell uard and serve my son When he is a year old, I will sacrifice a horse, as I should have done at his birth, and I will drink its blood so everyone will see and know the horse is within me, to protect Aulutis Then I will have the power I need I will hang the skull over the door ofit"

Sanct&039; Ger his belt-he was thinner than he had been when he came to Mont Calcius-and considered her "You do well to take care of your boy"

"How gracious you are to telltone

Rogerian frowned "He is not gracious," he said to Csi you"

"Is he not?" Csimenae achieved an expression of ht an to pace the floor, her steps heavy with ill-concealed frustration "The rain is endless I have not ventured beyond the walls for three days" She rounded on Sanct&039; Germain, "And do not tellwater That will coht that troublesame"

"But I want to hunt!" she protested "You , but I do not If you have no appetite, let e who are hungry, and they will share my feast I know there are deer in the forest, and I want-" She stopped abruptly as Aulutis began to screa and chiding him as she looked over his head and arerian and Sanct&039; Germain hurried to respond to her cry "Letout for the boy&039;s hand

"He&039;s cut!" Csimenae repeated in dismay, shocked at Aulutis&039; deter!"

"Then the sooner he is treated, the better," Sanct&039; Gerood sign"

Rogerian picked up a shard of pottery that was lodged in the earthen floor of the house "This is the instru a faint red stain on the edge of it

"He is cut!" she said again, her voice rising with her son&039;s

"Then per his hand on Csimenae&039;s shoulder as he held out the broken bit of pottery to Sanct&039; Germain

"Why? What will he do?" She stroked Aulutis&039; head "Look at all the blood If you would letfro a horse There is not so much blood as that," said Sanct&039; Germain, unperturbed by all he saw but worried at her intentions for his two horses "The cut is not deep If I put a salve on it, the healing will be faster"

"Because he will be one of yours then, too?" Csiested, leery of him

Sanct&039; Germain stepped back, appalled at her suspicion "No No"

"You would not share your blood with a child, is that what you mean, or that you would not share blood with my child?" This was an accusation "You do not want him protected as you protected me, or is it that you plan to be rid of him, so you may rule in his place?" She waited defensively for his response

"Itohis best to conceal his distaste He put the pottery fragment on the small table where his boots were set out, their soles newly filled with his native earth "Rogerian, old friend, if you will fetch my salve of pansy-and-?"

"It is in the lacquer chest?" Rogerian asked, although he was fairly certain it was "What vessel?"

"Yes-the lacquer chest In the chalcedony jar" He pressed his lips together as he went toward Csiry with me," Csimenae said, her voice sharp and her eyes hot "You think I ary," said Sanct&039; Germain "I am revolted by what you imply"

"And in time, no doubt I will understand and share your revulsion?" Her words were sweetly vitriolic "When I comprehend what your life is?"

This time Sanct&039; Germain did not bother to take up the dispute "I will treat your son&039;s hand, and then I will find deer, two stags; I will bring them here alive You will not touch s in spite of the rain" She ; in her arhing sounds, his face red and screwed up with passion

"I will take precautions against it," he said, and remembered how little of his native earth was left in his chests; by su water

"Which I will also learn to do," she said in a scornful tone "Even though this village is o beyond its confines, or seek to cross running water, yes" He studied the child "He is over the worst Look for yourself, Csier"

"So you say," Csi her shoulder up as if to shield Aulutis from Sanct&039; Germain

"If you doubt me, examine the cut as erian came from the pantry with the chalcedony jar of salve

Csied to contain Aulutis&039; little fist and coax it open; there was blood on his pal across his pal," she admitted after close inspection

"Let me salve it," Sanct&039; Germain said as he removed the stopper from the jar "It will not hurt him" He waited while Csimenae made up her mind, then quickly applied a thin film of the ointment to the cut

"Is that what you used on the bear&039;s cuts?" she asked as she watched him narrowly

"No," Sanct&039; Germain replied as he finished his work

"Then what is it?" She pulled Aulutis&039; hand away, prepared to wipe the oint huood medicine for cuts and burns and scrapes," he said carefully "My flesh will mend without such treat moment "If you want to lessen his pain, leave the ointed

Csimenae frowned deeply, her face set into hard lines "I will do what Itoward the pantry once more

"Of course," Sanct&039; Ger you deer tonight"

"Good," she oat or sheep to feed on" Her determination was plain, and her stance revealed er

"The villagers would not like that," Sanct&039; Germain reminded her as he returned the chalcedony jar to its place in his red-lacquer cabinet; he noticed that Rogerian had opened the s out a jar to measure the rain

"You worry too e," Csimenae complained "What have they to say about how I live? You are a stranger, and you will leave here one day" Before he could answer, she went on, "I know your views on this, Sanct&039; Ger"

"Am I" He set the latch on the cabinet

"Yes This is e, and these are my son&039;s people, and I know them for what they are They serve my son, and I serve him He will be their leader, and I will stand beside hi her son in her arue"

"All right," he said to her, and looked toward the door "I will bring the deer to your house so," said Csi She picked up her long paenula, pulling it around her and raising the hood so as to protect Aulutis as well as herself "After ht"

"Yes," he said, and watched her leave

"She is troubled," said Rogerian froave a single shake of his head

"And that, in turn, troubles you, does it not?" Rogerian coughed delicately "How are we to help her?"

"Until she is willing to be helped, we can do nothing," Sanct&039; Germain said in a remote voice Then he shook off his apprehension "I will need erian accepted this change without coo out?"

"As soon as the doors are all bolted for the night," said Sanct&039; Geret it for you, and your boots" He nodded toward the table "You will need theed a one-sided s us distress"

"And so do you," said Rogerian "At the least, she ant to sacrifice one of your horses"

Sanct&039; Ger than to contemplate the problems that lay ahead of thee to hunt, he had put his apprehension aside There was no reason to expect the worst-Csi to terms with the demands it made of her Her trouble was that she had much to learn and time was short He told himself that Csimenae would come to appreciate his instruction, and would do herself no harm; convinced that he would prevail, he went into the forest

His anxiety returned with greater force a her up the e, half-frozen and exhausted

"They are a gift, a gift!" Csimenae enthused as she caers had been put up in one of the vacant houses "It is plain that they have been sent here-the spirits of the horses that guard the village have sent the without preying upon the people of this village" This last was sharp, directed at Sanct&039; Gerift"

Sanct&039; Germain considered the situation "What do you know of them, other than they are travelers who lost their way?"

She folded her arms "Why does it estion of exasperation "Who they are, as a beginning If they are expected anywhere, and by who You do not want others looking for the Greek when he arrived, the other two Frankish You cannot be certain why they are traveling together, or where they are bound It ers, or factors They could be in the service of an Exarch or Episcus or Gardingio" He saw her disbelief "Do not think that travelers are without relatives and obligations"

"What does this mean to me? They have lost their way Should a search be made I need only deny they have been here; who is to contradict me," she said with studied unconcern "There are still raiders in the forest Who is to say that these travelers did not meet with the raiders?"

"The raiders could say the sae," Sanct&039; Ger for these travelers, then they, too, will serve ers safe, and ill not have to kill our herds and flocks"

Sanct&039; Germain shook his head "You do not understand If you attack travelers, you must kill them all or eventually the world will learn of it, and you will find you are as hunted as the game in the forest Travelers are wary, and if they know a place holds danger, they will not go there If you are too blatant in your predation, you yourself will be hunted"

"Do you think so?" she challenged hilad to be away from here, will you not?"

He was silent for a short while; her clear rejection of hiht him up short "Yes," he said quietly "Yes, I will"

"Then you are going to leave?" She was happily astonished "You will be gone after winter is over?"

"Yes," he said