The consortes meet with Bishop Martin, who praises them on their exemplary service to the Diocese. The Bishop also offers an intriguing and very dangerous mission. When Tereus invaded the Frounter, all priests in the occupied lands had been forced out, leaving the populace without any ordained representatives of the Church. Sir John the Bastard, now the new Lord of Lownell, has struck an arrangement with Tereus, allowing a limited number of priests back into the occupied lands. Although John can guarantee the safety of the priests once they reach Lownell, getting there is another matter entirely. The Bishop calls on the consortes to escort these twelve priests safely through lands controlled by the Black-blades.

The consortes express great concerns about the trustworthiness of Sir John, and several party members suspect a trap. The Bishop assures them that Sir John has guaranteed their safety while they are within Lownell. The Bishop further sweetens the deal by providing some potent holy relics: three philters, a stone blessed by Saint Auric, and a helmet that contains a relic of St. Thirsten. Further, Bishop Martin agrees to outfit the warriors with arms and harness, as well as any other supplies that are needed for the long and difficult journey to Lownell. Finally, the Bishop announces that any man slain while on this mission will receive a special indulgence that will allow his soul to speed directly to the City.

After much debate, the consortes vote and the majority elects to accept the mission, and prepare to leave on the first day after the Yule.

The consortes prepare for the journey to Lownell. They pay a visit to the babe Agnes, and inquire after the Seeker, Brother Wich of Threk. It would appear that Wich knew Sir John from when the bastard was in Canglen. The warriors are provided with chain mail, and the consortes divide the magical items: Vandoren gets the healing potion and agrees to hold St. Auric's Stone for Valerius, Renton gets the helmet, Mendelor gets the strength potion, and Ruik gets the poison antidote.

On the first of Caulding the consortes leave Canglen, arriving in Heremac more than two weeks later.

After a brief layover, the very large embassy departs for Lownell. Early on, the consortes encounter a large Seeker patrol, and are at a loss to explain their mission.

Leaving behind the Pentian lands and moving into the occupied territories, Noxumbra soon alerts Valerius to the presence of a large Black-blade patrol nearby. The consortes and their charges rush through the snow-covered landscape, trying to always stay at least one valley away from the rucks. Some of the priests grow tired and irritable, but luckily Vandoren and the friar are able to soothe the tired, nervous men.

After several days of avoiding rucks, the weather turn worse: bitterly cold, and it soon becomes clear that some of the priests will not last long under these conditions.

Mendelor spies a convenient cave nearby. Though the place stinks—reminding several consortes of the warrens beneath Caxbrill—the cave appears empty, and no hidden doors are found in the floors or in the cave walls. The party, grateful to get out of the cold, hunkers down for the night. Later that evening, Vandoren is alerted to a strange scratching sound in the ceiling. He awakens his fellows just in time to witness a great stone in the ceiling move aside. Down through the opening leaps a horrible troll!

The consortes give battle while Garnfellow leads the priests to safety. Valerius utters some strange words and the troll suddenly slips and falls. The warriors take advantage of this and begin hacking away, while others splash oil on the fallen troll. The abomination is set on fire just as a second troll leaps down from the ceiling. The first troll incapacitated, the consortes turn to the second one. Again, Valerius recites some strange words and a flaming bolt strikes the second troll, reducing it to cinders just as a third troll leaps down into the fray. Valerius causes this troll to slip and fall as well, and the rest of the consortes quickly douse it in ruckish fire and set the oil alight. The third troll dies, but not after raking Mendelor with one of its filthy talons.

Once order is restored, St. James climbs up through the hole in the ceiling and finds a smaller chamber, filled with filth. The consortes and their charges are able to spend the rest of the night in peace.

After a few more days of struggling through the snow, the group arrives in Lownell, where they are greeted by a patrol of Rotting Eye rucks, wearing the white lily of Lord John. Sir Burchard arrives, and leads the group to Lownell manor, where they are met by the seneschal, Claudius. The consortes, expecting treachery, are very wary, but they are treated cordially. That night a feast is held at the great hall, and Lord John himself presides over the festivities. He refuses to get drawn into an argument with Renton, and instead deflects any rude remarks. Sir John, for sport, offers a challenge to the consortes: who could defeat Sir Burchard in a test of arms?

Mendelor rises to the occasion, and is outfitted in padded armor and given a wooden sword. The combat is fast and furious, and although Mendelor fights hard, he is eventually bested by Burchard. Before bidding the consortes good night, John offers an interesting proposal: he claims that he knows the location of Mendelor's shield, stolen long ago in Willoghby Copse. The shield, claims John, is in the possession of Godwin's allies, who dwell in some sort of stronghold not far from Lownell.