按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e what he is thinking： he doesn't care what you do here。 If he takes Arbonne quickly enough…and it will probably be wide open to him now in winter； however many men he loses to the mountains…he can e home with an army in triumph from the sack of that land and deal with us in spring； wherever Blaise is。〃
〃That isn't Ademar thinking； you do realize；〃 said Blaise finally。 You could hear the bitterness。 〃This is my father's cunning； and his dream。 He has always wanted Arbonne destroyed。 Always。 He told me stories as a boy of how the temples of Rian had to be brought down to save the whole world from their corruption。 And he knows me。 He knew I would not bring an army here； that Ademar would be safe to leave Gorhaut almost undefended； and then e back； as Fulk says； to deal with whatever happens while he's gone。〃 He turned to Bertran。 〃You know what he's going to do； don't you？〃
The other man's expression was bleak as the winter night。 Slowly he nodded his head。 〃He won't bother with the castles or the cities。 He won't try sieges in winter。 He's going to force our corans out by making war on the villages and the temples。 As he did at Aubry。〃
〃As he did at Aubry；〃 echoed Blaise。
〃Shall we ride； then？〃 asked Fulk de Savaric。 〃You wanted one battle； Blaise。 It looks as if you might get it； but it will be in Arbonne。〃
〃Of course it will；〃 said the duke of Talair with savage irony。 〃It is warmer there； isn't it？ The sun shines； even in winter。 If you go far enough south there's no snow at all。 You can even catch the scent of the sea。〃
〃Through the smoke；〃 said Blaise shortly。 〃Let's go。〃
They left two hundred of Fulk's men to hold Garsenc Castle and to spread word as best they could that they were there。 The rest of their pany set out that same night in the fog and the cold on the long road back to the mountains。 At one point during the night the mist finally began to lift and they caught a glimpse through tattered windblown clouds of white Vidonne low in the west before morning came。
CHAPTER 16
Roche the priest was in disgrace on Rian's Island in the sea。 Someone foraging for winter firewood had smelled burning by a cove on the southern shoreline and had gone to investigate； the risk of the forests burning； though rather less in winter； was always real。 A small fire…pit had been found； dug in the cold sand； covered with a flat slab of stone。 Lifting the stone with a long branch revealed half a dozen lampfish grilling underneath。
Roche would have even tried to deny being the culprit； had he not been discovered moments later by the same interfering woodsman in a small shelter not far away； dozing in happy anticipation with a fishing line beside him and the smell of fish on his hands。
Awakened by an insolent prod of the woodsman's branch； he had stammered an offer to share his morning's secret catch under the mild winter sun while they looked out from the beach at the gentle swells of the sea。 The woodsman was not moved； either by the idyllic setting nor even the succulent promise of lampfish。 He was one of those depressingly pious fellows who left their homes after some night vision or other to e and serve the goddess on her island； labouring for the priests and priestesses； often being more sturdily attached to the doctrines and codes of conduct than the clergy were themselves。
It was fixed law； the woodsman pronounced with obdurate； finger…wagging satisfaction； that all fish and fowl around the shores of the island were interdicted to mortal men and women； sacred； he intoned virtuously； to holy Rian in her incarnation as protectress of the beasts。
Roche tried； without real hope； to explain that this applied only to fishermen or hunters from the mainland。 As he'd expected； the woodsman knew better than that。 Such an impiety； the man declared self…righteously； would have to be taken directly to the High Priestess herself。 He shouldered his bundle of wood； took the reins of his equally burdened donkey and started briskly back north towards the temple pound。 They always wanted to go straight to the High Priestess； Roche thought miserably； watching him go。 As if she had nothing better to do than listen to reports of minor transgressions by her priests and priestesses。
This was； however； his third such minor transgression…for the same offence…in a year。 Despairingly； he wondered if he would be sent away； demoted to service in some temple in the grainlands or the mountains。 He didn't want to leave Rian's Island。 He didn't want to leave the sea。 He'd grown up by the ocean； it was what he knew and loved…as he loved the gracious harvests Rian in her generosity allowed them from the waves。 Especially lampfish； most especially lampfish。
Morosely depressed； cursing his own weakness and the fact that he'd been stupid enough to fall asleep so near the fire…pit； he considered catching up to the woodsman； trying to forestall him； or concocting some tale that would serve his cause before they both got back to the pound。 There was； he decided glumly； no point。 Roche felt so miserable he almost lost his appetite。
The fish were ready； he could tell from the wafting aroma。 With a heavy sigh； Roche went back to the fire…pit and looked sadly down on his six treasures sizzling invitingly beneath their carefully assembled and sprinkled herbs。 As he did so he was somewhat surprised； given the extreme gravity of his plight； to discover that his hunger seemed to be returning after all。
He wandered back to the pound somewhat later； though in plenty of time for his tour of duty in the temple。 He was a good priest； Roche told himself； he just liked fish。
As he'd anticipated； he was ordered to attend upon the High Priestess forthwith。 He saw the woodsman with his donkey by the bakehouse door。 The man looked smugly virtuous as Roche walked past。 Wiping his mouth and rubbing at the stains on his robe； Roche ignored him as best he could。
On the far side of the temple dome； where the High Priestess and the Inner Circle had their chambers and meeting rooms； Roche was admitted by a stone…faced woman from Cauvas。 He had never liked people from Cauvas…or anywhere inland； he suddenly thought。 It took folk raised by the sea to understand the rhythms of life on the water。 He wondered if he could say that to the High Priestess。 She was from Barbentain； though； he didn't think it would be a prudent notion to present her with this particular proposition。
He waited in gloomy silence； alone in the antechamber； dabbing futilely at intervals at the tell…tale streaks on his robe。 He sniffed his hands suddenly and grimaced。 He ought to have had a wash； he realized。 He was carrying the evidence of his sin right into Rian's temple。 And this was the third time in a year。 He was going to be sent north； Roche decided with real despair。 He deserved to be sent to the mountains； far from his beloved ocean waters and their seductive bounty。 He had no self…control at all； he reproached himself； no proper respect for the traditions of holy Rian which he had vowed to uphold for life； no true sense of his own solemn responsibility to set an example for…
The door opened。 Another grim…faced servant nodded coldly to him。 The lay…folk always loved it when a priest or priestess was in trouble。 Roche wiped his hands on his robe one last time and walked in； with what dignity he could mand while smelling of lampfish and charcoal； to be told his fate by the High Priestess of Rian in Arbonne。
He came out of the room shortly afterwards seriously unsettled。 The High Priestess had barely even bothered to take note of his transgression。 She had reprimanded him briefly； never even turning to him or taking her blind gaze from the fire on the hearth。 She had pardoned him almost absently； with a ritually phrased injunction to pray in the temple for the strength to resist his weaknesses。 That had been all。 For the third offense in a year。 He'd been dismissed。 Not even her white owl had seemed to care enough to look over at him。
Roche couldn't understand it。 His had been a fairly serious malfeasance； a terrible example for the lay workers。 How could the High Priestess take an indifferent view of such a t