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Meggie waited, quietly singing the songs Battista had taught her all the songs full of hope and light, defiance and courage while down at the foot of the tree the robbers were fighting for the children’s lives and their own Every screaie of the battle in the forest in which Farid had died But this time she feared for two boys, not one

Her eyes didn’t knoho to look for first, Farid or Doria, black hair or brown

Sometimes she couldn’t see either of the the fire that Sootbird sent up into the huge tree like burning tar

Doria beat it out with cloths and mats, while Farid mocked Sootbird from above and sent his own flames to nest on the e ser Farid was no novice now, and Meggie saw jealousy distort Sootbird’s leathery face, while the Milksop sat on his horse a men with as little expression on his face as if he atching his hounds bring down a stag

The robbers were still defending the tree, even though they were hopelessly outnuht?

Where was he? Where was the creature she and Fenoglio had called to their aid? It had all been so quick with Cosiie had read aloud a few hours ago except Fenoglio and the two glass men, who had listened to her openmouthed They hadn’t even had a chance to tell Elinor about it, since the Milksop’s attack had been so sudden

"You have to give hiie when she put down the sheet of paper bearing his words "He has to come fro as he didn’t arrive only after they were all dead

The Black Prince was bleeding from his shoulder Almost all the robbers ounded by now It would be too late Too late Meggie saw Doria barely avoiding an arrow, Roxane co children, and Elinor and Minerva desperately trying to cut another rope before the Milksop’s men could climb it Oh, ould he come? When?

And, suddenly, she felt the sensation, exactly as Fenoglio had described it: a tre that shook the tree to its top stopped and looked at one another in alarround quivered beneath his foot steps That hat Fenoglio had written

"Are you really sure he’ll be peaceful?" Meggie had asked anxiously

"Of course I aie couldn’t help thinking of Cosiined him Or had he? Who could say what exactly went on in the old uess than the rest of theer Branches broke, shoots, saplings Flocks of birds flew up frorowth, and the battle cries under the tree turned to screaiant pushed his way out of the thickets