It was a year after their first journey to Sayerne that Melissande retired to the solar at Sayerne. She and Quinn had ridden to that holding to oversee to the ploughing and the planting. After the evening meal and much merriment, Melissande climbed to the solar with her son in her arms.
After the roof had been repaired and the rest of the hall restored, Quinn had ordered that a great bed be built at Sayerne, much like the one at Annossy. Melissande found it nigh filling the solar, just as she had envisioned it would be. It was hung with heavy draperies, as she had wished. The braziers had already been lit in the solar for it was still cool at night and the new tapestry she had requested from the Low Countries was already hung on the wall. Melissande touched it with wonder, thinking of the
