“Brixians, perhaps. They’re the only Salians who would degrade themselves in such a way.”
“My lord,” said one of the clerics sternly, “if such folk are starving, then God enjoins us to give them aid and compassion.”
“Well,” continued Amalfred boldly, “if Lady Sabella grants me those stores, then I can feed my restless soldiers who mutter about rebellion.”
“I pray you, Your Highness,” said Baldwin without looking up from his writing desk. How pleasing his voice was, compared to the coarser voices of Sabella’s companions. “Those rations of grain are meant to go to the poor in Autun, Your Highness. There are so many who haven’t enough to eat.”
“The poor of Autun cannot aid me,” said Sabella, “but Lord Amalfred’s hungry soldiers can fight to protect the Varren borderlands.”
“And gain a little territory in Salia for themselves,” added one of her companions.
Sabella laughed, but she looked again, frowning, at the pair of servants. “Haven’t you done? What slow pair of fools has been foisted on me now? What are your names?”
“I pray you, Your Highness,” said Baldwin sweetly without looking up from his writing desk. “I have forgotten again whether it is the monastery of Firsebarg or that of Felden which desires a new abbot to rule over them, now that their lord father has been absent so long.”
“Firsebarg, Baldwin! Why won’t you attend the first time I tell you things. My sister Rotrudis’ useless whelp, Reginar, has gone missing since last year. Must I remember everything for you?”
Johanna tugged on Ivar’s sleeve, and he hastily followed her out of the chamber by a side door. They came into a narrow courtyard abutting the wall.
“Wait here a moment, I pray you,” Johanna said, indicating he should set down the buckets. “I must use the necessary. Then we’ll get on with our work.”
She had lit a taper from one of the braziers and by its light slipped into one of the closed stalls built out from the wall.
Up here on the height it was cold and the wind bit hard. He blew on his hands and stared about him, but there wasn’t much to see. A pair of torches lit a distant gate. He could not see the town below but felt the expanse of air. All other souls slept. Only Lady Sabella had riches enough to burn oil at night.