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Her first step was to depopulate the palace Everybody had to join her entourage The queen needed ladies-in-waiting The ladies-in-waiting needed rooms and footmen Lenda and Platiovernment, were left al, doesn’t it?’ Kalten said gaily as they ca of their departure

‘Let’s hope the Archprelate doesn’t misunderstand,’ Ulathto lay siege to the Basilica, would he, Sparhawk?’

Once they left Ciaily-dressed Elenian Court stretched out forsky Had it not been for the steely glint in the queen’s eyes, this s’ so loved by idle courtiers Ehlana had ‘suggested’ that Sparhawk, as acting preceptor of the Pandion Order, should also be suitably accoled about the number of Pandions he should take with him to Chyrellos He had held out at first for Kalten, Berit and perhaps one or two others, while the queen had beenthe entire order They had finally agreed upon a score of black-arhts

It was ie They see easterly to Lenda and then southeasterly toward Demos and Chyrellos The peasantry took the occasion of their passing as an excuse for a holiday, and the road was usually lined with crowds of country people who had co we don’t do this very often,’ Sparhawk observed to his wife not long after they had passed the city of Lenda

‘I rather enjoy getting out, Sparhawk’ The queen and princess Danae were riding in an ornate carriage drawn by six white horses

‘I’ season The peasants should be in the fields Too many of these royal excursions could cause a fa, do you, Sparhawk?’

‘I understand why you’re doing it, Ehlana, and you’re probably right Dolmant needs to be reminded that his authority isn’t absolute, but I think this particular approach is just a little frivolous’

‘Of course it’s frivolous, Sparhawk,’ she admitted quite calmly ‘That’s the whole point In spite of all the evidence he’s had to the contrary, Dol to rub his nose in "silly" for a while Then, when he’s good and tired of it, I’ll take hiest that it would be et his attention Then we’ll be able to get down to business’

‘Everything you do is politically , Sparhawk’

They stopped briefly in Demos, and Khalad and Talen took the royal couple, Kalten, Danae and Mirtai to visit their mothers Aslade and Elys ly suspected that this was one of the main reasons his wife quite often found excuses to travel to Demos Her childhood had been bleak and motherless, and anytime she felt insecure or uncertain, some reason seemed to come up why her presence in Demos was absolutely necessary Aslade’s kitchen ar with burnished copper pots It was a homey sort of place that seemed to answer some deep need in the Queen of Elenia The sh to banish most of the cares of all who entered it

Elys, Talen’s mother, was a radiant blonde woman, and Aslade was a kind of monument to motherhood They adored each other Aslade had been Kurik’s wife, and Elys his mistress, but there appeared to be no jealousy between them They were practical women, and they both realised that jealousy was a useless kind of thing that never ood Sparhawk and Kalten were immediately banished from the kitchen, Khalad and Talen were sent to mend a fence, and the Queen of Elenia and her Tamul slave continued their inter while Aslade and Elys mothered Danae

‘I can’t reh,’ Kalten grinned as he and Sparhawk strolled around the fa pie-crusts,’ Sparhawk corrected hih, Sparhawk’