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ROXANNE (Blandamour and Eliza ride with her to the mountain city of Never. Blandamour wants to hire a litter, but she insists on riding a horse, saying through gritted teeth,) "If the brat is indeed fated, he can hold his own for a mere horeback ride, and, if I lose him, what have I lost? A half-orc child by one of those bastards that raped me. No, his fate is in the hands of whatever dark gods intend something for him. But, I do not need to go out of my way to make things easy on them, Helm rot them." (Indeed, despite a rough three day's ride, the pregnancy thrives. As they ride through the steep streets, lined with temples and shops, she looks grimly around. Finally, they reach the fortress-like house of the Sisters of the Sword, a fanatical sect of women warriors within the Order who remain chaste, calling themselves the Brides of Lathander. It is here that she has decided to spend her pregnancy, safe from anyone that would harm her, for the House is heavily warded, and the Sisters grim Amazons. She stops at the door, then breaks down weeping and embraces first Blandamour, then Eliza.) "Ha, my big brother, I thought I could carry this off without a tear, but I cannot. Pregnancy, even this one has unwomanned me. But, do not worry about me, Lady Carola is a competent physician, and you have your own work to do. Eliza, watch out over him, for he really is a baby." (She then dashes the tears from her eyes and disappears within the confines of the House.)
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