IN tUMN SEASON OF t FORtry estate t Sandre, Duke of Astibar, once ruler of t city and its province,  bitter breath of his exile and age and died.

    No servants of triad uals at  te-robed priests of Eanna, nor tals, nor tesses of Adaon, the god.

    ticular surprise in Astibar to triad and its clergy t eig. And impiety ibar, even in the days of his power, had shied away.

    ty lying distrada and far beyond on tival of Vines. In taverns and krut traded back and fortifiable terror at a summons to t in Astibar.

    All alk and speculation to alter t fact at time of  Alberico of Barbadior  Empire overseas and exiled Sandre into trada eighe memory of power lingers.

    Perainly because ended to be cautious and circumspect in all ed ocol.

    By noon of to  by tern gate of ty. A messenger bearing ted, carefully co Sandres c tate seven miles beyond the walls.

    In ttier sort  season, it  tyrant  a single message-bearer— suc. Before tive, eye-to-ening, ripple of amusement at t e died ainerant musician—tibar t o come, t from tival was over.

    quot;too ricunity,quot; teaming mug of k lined t;Brandin ting slip a co remind Alberico— and t of us—t t and learning is quite tilted  toily rout Doarde or some silly acrostic to puzzle out, ops in Astibar three days from now.”

    ter, t ival, ion t Alberico of Barbadior ly indulged alloions of sailing-time and tumn seas norte on t existed for just sucy prone to gambling.

    But sly after t all er ten. Someone in a steep cap h a

    curled feated for attention, and ed t tyrants messenger  been seen returning tern gate from  t an appreciably greater speed to, and t, not to ibar being broug request to lie a nigate in ty he once had ruled.

    In tion e and predictable: men began sing fiercely to be ics and ticipated pleasures of tival made for a ty afternoon. So brisk  table proprietor of tently serving full measures of liqueur in tic disposition, continued to s-measure all rons  lack of favoritism.

    quot;turned back!quot; young Adreano t cried, decisively banging do boot;Alberico !”

    t from ered about ticular table.

    Adreano stole a glance at traveling musician s on Cably in to time ago. Adreano felt seriously offended by t kno Camena di Cating for t .

    Adreano elligent enougo be a t be a contradiction in in t  quantity of k ao remain s.

    uous rustic. tly journeyed into ty to sa some country instrument or otins to squander at tival. o t fasern Palm and to a c t coveted table in t room?

    Adreano still carried painfully vivid memories of t aken er  verses —to circle  h.

    ually  to contradict  already prepared, about rabble of tters in tters.

    As if on cue to t t, tably back in roked a prematurely silvered temple ly to Adreano, quot;to be my afternoon for  to ter t Alberico is too cautious to ruffle tival over too many people in Astibar rigs are running too o people wter.”

    o take some of ting from t ;Far better for tyrant to be gracious,”

    on. quot;to lay o rest once and for all, and to  t be to abandon t of freedom t Sandre stood for in un-gelded Astibar.”

    By t smiling, nor did t grey eyes look away from

    Adreanos own.

    And  time, ruly dangerous ly spoken, but turally quiet space amid t, so sly composed, norivial and inappropriate in  beating curiously fast. it  he musicians.

    urning, quot;Do we have a wager, friend?”

    Parrying for time ;ould you care to enligo o come and ters suchis?”

    te teet;Im no farmer,quot; ested genially, quot;nor from your distrada eitregea mountains and Ill tell you a thing.”

    to include tire boot;A flock of seac men to ts . . . s ter ts of Morian to make you a p on a mountain in rain cer t coming on together.”

    ter around tted someension. Adreano tried unsuccessfully to keep ernly repressive.

    quot;; time, his manner friendly and relaxed.

    Adreano o reply, and several of  of grief and lost astins by tous t of tted tale-bearer, of Nerone ter.

    quot;Albericos given permission!quot; rumpeted over t; decreed t Sandres exile ended ate tomorro tes! Providedquot;—ically— quot;provided triad are alloo do t of it.”

    tions of all too large for Adreano to brood mucuous poets  o t t events! urned to terested, but certainly not triump.

    quot;A; t;I suppose being rigo compensate me for being poor—tory of my life, I fear.”

    Adreano laugly, breated over to make room for ter. quot;Eanna bless us bot; o ;You just saved yourself more astins touco make a  idings.”

    By  a pull. imistically, but ters s very re-gea proffered augo query largesse, Nerone quaffed it down. he khav was drained.

    Adreano noted t o an unexpected conclusion.

    quot;You ; ly, addressing Nerone but speaking to t large, quot;just reaffirmed igriad.  condition upon ting of t  t t agree to somet even begin to guess ins its going to cost to assuage ts and priestesses enougo get to tomorrohe man

    ibar back to triad at h.”

    ed by t;By t reminds me of trigues of tlety!  guided te line of the whole peninsula.”

    quot;ell, no; said tregean, urning grave, quot;t may be t insig tell me,quot;  on, as Adreano flus;if , t likely as sly—of to conquer, and before Brandin took Cern provinces, t not possiblequot;— of t;t played at ter all? Outplayed by a dead man?”

    Around ttling ts in loud e to be outside, ude seemed to be unfolding so sly. tern gate er eiger of an  riple cloak, racing to reace in time for a good vie. Not noo folloregeans voice doanding flas in darkness.

    “You see, don’t you?quot; ance said flatly. t to precipitously drain o tumn sunshe breeze.

    “I t out. “Sandre wins by losing.

    “By losing a battle ,” t ttered to  all. t le Alberico may be, t is t regea and Ferraut and Certando because of ern Palm only tibar ruled ty and its province for ty-five years tion attempts t I’ve  imes loyal troops,   o tion t o let ts and priestesses into  nigo induce Alberico to seize t as a face-saving condition today?

    Adreano didn’t knoement, t left   ed just to e do arting to tumble about inside him.

    quot; do you t;  would onished his friends.

    quot;Im not sure,quot; t;But I  tival of Vines ted.”

    as if , but did not.

    Instead o table to pay for ;I must go. Reime: Im  years plague caused raveling musicians— ts  my reprieve from ts.”

    t;tell your friends Ill be  to settle tter of Cic condolences. Farewell for now.”

    quot;Fare; Adreano said automatically, and c empty room.

    t collecting mugs and glasses and ables and benc drink. A moment later, sipping ime to clear  ten to ask the musician his name.