In the body of the letter Rovigo reported that Astibar was very quiet since the twelve poets had been executed among the families of the conspirators in the Grand SquareThat the price of grain was still going up, that he could usefully receive as much green Senzian wine as they could obtain at current prices, that Alberico was widely expected to announce, very soon, a beneficiary among his commanders for the greater part of the confiscated Nievolene lands, and that his best information was that Senzian linens were still underpriced in Astibar but might be due to rise
It was the news about the Nievolene lands that triggered the next stage of spark-to-spark discussion between Alessan and the Duke
And those sparks had led to the blaze
The five of them did a fast run along the well-maintained highway north to Senzio with more of the religious artifactsThey bought green wine with their profit on the statuettes, bargained successfully for a quantity of linens, Baerd, somewhat surprisingly had emerged as their best negotiator in such matters, and doubled quickly back to discount hermes Taccio, paying the huge new duties at both the provincial border forts and the city-walls
There had been another letter waitingAmong the various masking pieces of business news, Rovigo reported that an announcement on the Nievolene lands was expected by the end of the weekHis source was reliable, he addedThe letter had been written five days before
That night Alessan, Baerd, and Devin had borrowed a third horse from Taccio, who was deeply happy to be told nothing on their intentions, and had set out on the long ride to the Astibar border and then across to a gully by the road that led to the Nievolene gates
They were back seven days later with a new cart and a load of unspun country wool for Taccio to sellWord of the fire had preceded themWord of the fire was everywhere, Sandre reportedThere had already been a number of tavern brawls in Ferraut town between men of the First and Second Companies
They left the new cart with Taccio and departed, heading slowly back towards TregeaThey didn't need three cartsThey were partners in a modest commercial ventureThey made what dolce