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  And then, as he twisted neatly behind her, taking her arm in a pinion hold that she did not know, she realized that she would not have to.

  And then, he let her go. Stepped back. "I would never defeat my wife," he said, smiling.

  She bowed, acknowledging a worthy foe. "But perhaps you would kiss her," she said, smiling back at him.

  They did.

  Maybe the crowd cheered.

  She didn't notice.

  Maybe they would tell their children and grandchildren that they'd been there.

  She didn't care.

  Chapter 85

  "Caesar. It has been done and the babe and mother lived to tell the tale," said Falkenberg. "But it takes a skilled surgeon. Someone like Marco Valdosta. It is neither safe nor successful that often. But it has been done."

  "Explain," said Dana, knowing that there was a listening wyvern in the ger.

  So the knight did. Dana swallowed and was brave. But she wondered if she should tell him that a wyvern would be accompanying them on the Via Engata.

  * * *

  "So, you are married," Vlad beamed. "Congratulations! I am hurt that I was not invited, but at least Dana was there."

  "Well . . . I didn't even know that I had proposed," said Erik, "And been accepted, months ago, before we even met you, Vlad. But we'll be having another ceremony in Iceland. You'd be welcome at that," he said ginning like a man who had just discovered that the world can be a very good place sometimes. It was after terce, and Bortai and Erik had just emerged from the same ger.

  Vlad looked a little puzzled. "You had proposed?"

  "I didn't have a very good grasp of the language," said Erik. "It was the second thing I said to Bortai."

  She held on to him very proprietorially. "And I will make sure that he says it to no other young maidens! I need all of him." She licked her lips. Dimpled. "Again. I am teaching him the art of wrestling."

  Erik blushed. "So what is the news out of Hungary?" he said hastily.

  "Chaos. If I had the men and the inclination I could go a-conquering. But I have neither," said Vlad. "I have consolidated my Duchy. And that is good enough. It will take years to fix what needs to be fixed. I came because Dana sent word you would be going south to take the Via Egnata home."

  "Well, yes. But the news is that some vessels have been sighted nosing their way up the Danube. Venetian ships. So we wait now for them. We plan to ride down there in few hours.

  "Then we will have the gifting ceremony," said Bortai. "You will come, Khan-from-over-the mountains?"

  "But of course, if I am invited. What will I have to do?"

  "The bride and groom sit together. The bride's father or protector brings her portion, and puts it around them. Then the guests each place a gift for the couple around them. There is a big feast, and everyone gets very drunk. Usually some people fight," explained Bortai.

  So Vlad joined them in the ride down to the Danube.

  * * *

  Sitting in the chairs, holding Bortai's hand, Erik was almost too stunned to take in the steadily growing pile of golden jewelry and coinage growing around them, until it got to waist high. "I hope they stop before they cover us."

  Bortai smiled at him, laughing a little. "But I must be at least as rich as you. And anyway . . . it is part of the legend. Gold . . . they can always find more gold. But dreams and honor are more precious. This is the story which will keep their honor burning bright forever. They want have been here, to have been part of it, to have added to the pile around the poor mongol maiden and her khan."

  Glossary

  Adige:

  River to the west of the Venetian lagoon, barge-route to Verona, and thence the Brenner Pass.

  Aquitaine:

  An independent kingdom, encompassing parts of what in our universe would be France and England.

  Armagh, The League of:

  A loose alliance of Celtic/Nordic states.

  Arsenalotti:

  The workers at the Arsenal, Venice's state shipyard.

  Ascalon:

  A port in Palestine.

  Aqua alta:

  Winter high-water.

  Auslander:

  Foreigner—a term of derision

  Bacino:

  Harbor basin.

  Barducci's:

  A tavern well known for music.

  Botega:

  An artistic studio. A group of artists gathered together for commercial production of art, usually under a master artist.

  Brenta:

  River just to the west of the lagoon.

  Bretagne:

  Brittany. An independent Duchy, part of the league of Armagh.

  Basse taille:

  An enamelling technique.

  Capi di contrada:

  Officer of control.

  Carnac:

  Capital of Celtic Brittany.

  Case Vecchie:

  Great houses.

  Chioggia:

  Settlement on the West of the lagoon.

  Chrysostom, John:

  Charismatic preacher associated with St. Hypatia, at the breakpoint between this universe and ours, born 349 a.d.

  Colleganza:

  A collective trading venture.

  Collegio:

  Senators of the Venetian Republic.

  Curti:

  Lit. short—the Case Vecchie who had not been ennobled for many years.

  Caique:

  Eastern Mediterranean sailing vessel.

  Cassone:

  A carved chest.

  Cotte:

  A surplice-like garment—the predecessor of coat.

  Dalmatia:

  The Western Adriatic coastline. Once the source of much of Venice's timber.

  Emeric:

  King of Hungary.

  Ferrara:

  City-state in the Po valley in Northern Italy, known for steelworking, particularly swordsmiths.

  Fruili:

  Region to the northeast of Venice.

  Fjells:

  Peaks (Norse).

  Godar:

  Priest-chieftain.

  Guidecca:

  Long island across a wide canal from the Rialto Islands.

  Galliot:

  Small galley.

  Hohenstauffen:

  The ruling house of the Holy Roman Empire.

  Hypatia, St. Of Alexandria:

  Patron Saint of the Hypatian order. Neoplatonist philosopher and librarian of the great library at Alexandria. Her saving of the Library from the mob instigated by Cyril the Patriarch of Alexandria is, along with Hypatia's conversion to Christianity and alliance with John Chrysostom, the breakpoint between this universe and ours.

  Ilkhan Mongol:

  A Mongol khanate, ruling Egypt and much of the Near East.

  Istria:

  Peninsula to the south of Trieste. A Venetian possession.

  Jesolo:

  The marshes to the east of Venice in the Venetian lagoon.

  Koboldwerk:

  Cunningly wrought mail made by dwarves.

  Longi:

  Lit. long—a Casa Vecchie which has been ennobled for many years from before the creation of the Doge.

  Marangona:

  The bell which rang for half an hour from dawn, to summons the Arsenalotti to work.

  Marciana:

  The library and art gallery across the Piazza San Marco from the Doge's Palace.

  Mestre:

  Mainland port of Venice.

  Murano:

  Island in the Venetian lagoon reknowned for glassworks.

  Marquetry:

  Inlaid work in wood or ivory.

  Popli minuta:

  Lit. small people. Workers, commoners.

  Misericord:

  Thin dagger intended to penetrate joints in armor.

  Narenta:

  Large river on the Dalmatian coast.

  Negroponte:

  Venetian trading outpost on the east coast of Greece.

  Outremer:

&nbs
p; orig. Outre mer—Beyond the Sea; i.e., The East—on the far side of the Mediterranean.

  Paulines:

  The faction of Christianity taking its lead from the writings of St. Paul. In this universe the dominant religious faction in the north of Europe. More heirarchical and militaristic than the Petrine faction.

  Petrine:

  The "gentler," more tolerant southern faction of the Church.

  Piave:

  River flowing into the Venetian lagoon on the east.

  Polestine Forts:

  Venetian defences on the river Po against invasion from the North.

  Pells:

  Heavy wooden posts used for sword practice.

  Poignard:

  Dagger.

  Ritters:

  Teutonic knights.

  Racasse:

  Scorpion fish, with highly toxic spines.

  Rebec:

  Stringed musical instrument.

  Scaliger:

  The ruling house of Verona.

  Schiopettieri:

  Mercenary soldiers under the control of the Lords of the Nightwatch (Signori di Notte)—roughly equivalent to police.

  Scuolo:

  Guilds.

  Signoria:

  The Doge, Ducal councillors, heads of the forty, de facto the government.

  Småland:

  Part of Sweden, near Lake Vattern.

  Spleto:

  Lit split—a port in Dalmatia

  Squalos:

  Trans:

  sharks. A Jesolo marsh gang of particularly unsavory reputation.

  Swabian:

  From Swabia—southwestern Germany.

  Seizin:

  The act of taking possession, and what is so held.

  Surcoat:

  Loose sleeveless garment with insignia normally worn over armor.

  Tintoretto:

  Artist.

  Trompe l'oeil:

  A still life painting designed to give the illusion of reality.

  Veneto:

  The region of northern Italy, which includes Venice.

  Veneze:

  People of Venice.

  Vinland:

  North America.

  Visconti:

  The ruling House of Milan.

  Water-door:

  In a city of canals:

  a door straight into the water.

  Zianetti's:

  Student tavern.

  HERBS & DRUGS

  Agaric (Fly Agaric):

  Powerful hallucinogenic and psychotropic.

  Artemisia:

  Source of artisminin, a treatment for malaria.

  Belladona:

  Deadly nightshade. Psychotropic, also containing atropine, used as a cosmetic or part of a cosmetic to dilate the pupils of women's eyes.

  Colt's Foot:

  Leaves as wound dressings—anti-inflammatory.

  Corn-poppy:

  Sedative.

  Red and White Clover:

  Cough remedy.

  Dead-Nettle:

  As a tea—a treatment for earache.

  Lotos:

  Blue and black, hallucinogenics. A drug originally from North Africa, the black is much stronger and enormously addictive.

  Lance-leaf Plantain:

  Leaves used for poultices and dressings.

  Opium:

  Commonly available from Turkey and Greece, as a painkiller and soporific, especially mixed with alcohol (laudanum).

  ITALIAN TERMS

  Barene:

  Marshy areas with sparse vegetation.

  Ciao:

  Greeting—hi (also used for parting—good-bye).

  Calle:

  Street.

  Camerata:

  Salon.

  Canale:

  Larger canals.

  Ponto:

  Bridge.

  Fondamenta:

  Levee.

  Finocchio:

  Fennel.

  Pasticceria:

  Pastry-cooks.

  Rio:

  Lit. river (narrow canals).

  Sotoportego:

  A built-over alley.

  Velme:

  Vast muddy areas.

  FOOD

  Asiago:

  Semi-hard cheese.

  Boccalao:

  Salted dried fillets of cod.

  Bruschetta:

  Crispy toasted white bread, rubbed with garlic and sprinkled with olive oil. It is sometimes served with a topping.

  Ciabbata:

  Loose-textured country bread.

  Castagnaccio:

  Chestnut-flour cake.

  Coppo ham:

  Marinated air-dried neck of pork, rolled.

  Cotechino:

  Highly spiced pork sausage.

  Fagioli stufata:

  Stewed beans.

  Frittata:

  Italian omelette.

  Marchpane:

  Marzipan.

  Pancetta:

  Air-dried ham.

  Risi e bisi:

  A thick soup of rice and young peas.

  Sarde:

  Sardines.

  Taleggio:

  Hard cheese.

  Toresani:

  Pigeon squabs.

  Zuppa di fagioli:

  Bean soup.

  THE END

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