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Vaelin said nothing, his sense of wrongness hadn’t faded Soerous He knew he should make an excuse and leave but found himself unable to find the words He wanted her to talk to him, he wanted to be near her It was a compulsion that provoked a sudden and deep resentht today,” the Princess went on “My father wouldn’t letcontest”
Her s, performed with a precise affectation of sincerity that put Nortah to shame She’s expectsyou wish ofbusiness elsewhere”
“Oh don’t be angry with the Captain He’s nor him terribly” She turned and went to the here his throwing knife was e it loose with difficulty “I like trinkets,” she said, exaers over the ive theiven h”
“Keep it,” Vaelin told her “If you’ll excuse o
“I won’t,” she said flatly “We haven’t finished our talk Co away froether beneath the stars, you and I It will be as if we are in a song”
I could just leave, he realised She couldn’t stop hting off hordes of guards the corridor She led hiesturing for hiht the beauty on display in its flower beds was remarkable There seemed to be an endless variety of blooarden
“It should really be seen in daylight,” Princess Lyrna said, closing the door and stepping past hi to examine a rose bush “And it’s a little late in the year,in the cold”
She walked to a low stone bench in the centre of the garden, her goaying gracefully Vaelin distracted hiuely familiar, to his surprise he found it in the shape of a yellow buds nestling beneath a small maple tree “Winterblooms”
“You knoers?” The princess sounded surprised “I was told brothers of the Sixth Order knew nothing beyond the arts of war”
“We are taught esturing at the flower beds “Well, do you like hness”
“When I was littleup in the palace uards or maids or tutors, so I said I wanted soht me here It was just an old earden No one else is allowed here and I have never shown this place to anyone, before now” She was studying hihness”
“I’lad So, as I have honoured you with a confidence, perhaps you will honour me with one in return What business did you have withbut knew he couldn’t sih his mind but he had a sense that the princess had her father’s ear for untruth “I don’t think King Janus would wish me to discuss it,” he said after a uess Please tell uess well You found out one of the ht You ca hness”
“Yes But sadly, I find that I never know enough Did h to dispense justice”
“Oh” There was a faint note of pity in her voice “Poor Lord Al Unsa He always used to ht ball, the way he would stumble about the dance floor”
“I’reat cohness”
Her smile faded “You think me cold? Perhaps I a, friendly ave me sweets and presents and toldto win my father’s favour Some he sent away, some he allowed to remain in his service and some he killed”
He realised his own fatherthe many lords she had met and wondered if she had aroused as ive you presents?”
“All your father ever gave h not as hard as the stare your ave me My father’s plan for us made them wary of me I suppose”