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ry young。 Should I be grateful for that limited exposure？ Is she as deadly as word has it？〃
Blaise shrugged。 〃I have survived。 So far。〃
〃Damaged？〃
〃Scars。 I'm dealing with them。〃
Bertran's mouth crooked。 〃That is the most that can be said of any of us in such affairs。〃
〃You were in love；〃 said Blaise； surprising himself again。 〃That goes deeper。〃
〃So does death。〃 After a moment Bertran shrugged； and then shook his head as if to break free of such thoughts。 〃Are we friends？ Are you visiting Talair and sparing me the cost of a trained coran？〃
Blaise nodded。 〃I suppose I am。 This has bee a strange path； though。 Where do you think it will bring us out？〃
Bertran looked amused。 〃That； at least； is easy enough： Barbentain Castle and Lussan town below it。 Hadn't you heard？ There's a fair about to start。〃 He turned his horse and they began to ride。
Endlessly witty； Blaise thought； and at the price of almost everything else it sometimes seemed。 He realized that he hadn't said anything to Bertran about saving his life。
On impulse he wheeled his horse and rode back a short way。 Dismounting again； he found the dagger。 The hilt was richly studded with gems in typically Portezzan fashion。 He swung up into his saddle again and cantered to catch up with Bertran。 The duke looked over； eyebrows raised； as he came up。
Blaise extended the blade； hilt foremost。 〃A shame to leave it；〃 he said。 〃Thank you。 That was quick moving； for a man past his best。〃
Bertran grinned。 〃My knee certainly is； at any rate。〃 He took the dagger； examined it。 〃Pretty work；〃 he said； 〃if a trifle gaudy。〃 He put it in his belt。
Nothing more was said； nothing more would be said； Blaise knew。 Men familiar with war had their codes in matters such as this。 He had once thought that the Arbonnais corans would fall short in this； that they would be prone to missioning rapturous troubadour verses to celebrate each minor deed of theirs in battle or tournament。 It didn't happen that way； he had discovered。 He seemed to have discovered a number of things in half a year； without really trying to do so。
The Portezzans ahead of them had begun to move； more quickly now。 Borsiard d'Andoria would want to reach Barbentain ahead of Bertran。 First plaint sometimes mattered in affairs such as this。 They were two days' ride from the fair； though。
Valery； as if reading Blaise's mind； cantered up to them。 Bertran looked at his cousin。 〃I'm not going to try to pass them myself。 We'll take our time。 Pick five men and go ahead；〃 the duke said。 〃Find the countess or Roban the chancellor； either one； both together if you can。 It is my counsel that all the Portezzans may freely be allowed to enter Lussan or the castle save the Andoria。 Tell them why。〃 The big； greying coran turned to go。 〃Valery；〃 said Bertran。 His cousin reined his horse and looked back over his shoulder。 〃Blaise de Garsenc is no longer in my service。 He honours us at Talair with his pany and his friendship。 Perhaps he will even fight with our men in the tournament melee。 Tell the countess。〃
Valery nodded； looked briefly at Blaise and galloped away in a swirl of dust up the line of their column。
And so the decision was made。 Given what had happened； it might have even seemed forced； obvious。 With the speed of recent events； they had forgotten something though； all three of them。 Under the circumstances that was； perhaps； not altogether surprising。 Which did not make it less of an oversight。
On their right； as Bertran and Blaise went by； the dead man； almost naked； swayed from the oak tree； blood still dripping from his forehead where the oathbreaker's brand had been carved。
CHAPTER 10
Roban； the chancellor of Arbonne； had had an intensely trying few days； for all the usual reasons associated with the Autumn Fair。 For more years than he could remember； his had been the responsibility of supervising the many…faceted preparations for the annual arrival of what sometimes seemed to be half the known world。 In the early days of the Lussan Fair； the burghers of the town had proudly taken charge of preparations themselves； but as the fair grew in importance and the tournament associated with it began to attract more and more of the celebrated figures of the six countries； including kings and queens on more than one occasion； the townsfolk were ultimately happy to swallow their pride and ask for help from the count in Barbentain。 Faced with a matter as important； detail…oriented and essentially tedious as the logistics of preparing a month…long fair； the count had assigned the task to Roban。 Naturally。 As if he didn't have enough to do。
Of course the townsmen helped…as well they should； given how much wealth the Autumn Fair generated for Lussan…and the count had allocated monies adequate to let Roban appoint two Keepers of the Fair and two Keepers of the Seals to assist them。 Having control of appointments was always vital； Roban had found； it let one choose men of petence instead of having to work with those who simply had favours owed to them。 He was familiar with both scenarios after almost forty years in Barbentain。
In his first year of organizing the fair he had also picked a captain from among the Barbentain corans and empowered him to select and oversee one hundred serjans to police the fairgrounds from sunrise to sunset。 At night there was little point in policing anything。 The count's guarantee…now the countess's…of safety in Lussan and on the roads approaching the fair was only good until sundown。 No ruler in any of the six countries was really able to enforce security after dark； though Roban had had the idea years ago of spending the money to light the three main streets of Lussan for the duration of the fair。
Small touches like that were what had made Lussan's fair by far the most celebrated and best attended in the six countries。 For all his frustrations and his chronic sense of being overburdened； Roban was proud of that； he'd always felt that it was worth doing a task properly if it was worth doing at all。 That was part of his problem； of course； that was why he ended up with so much to do。 It was also the source of his own particular pride： he knew…and he was certain the count； and more recently； the countess； knew…that there was simply no one else in Barbentain； in all of Arbonne； who could handle details such as these as well as he。
The tax officers of the fair were under his direct authority…the tariffs levied on all goods leaving Lussan went straight to the countess's coffers…but the burghers of the town were responsible for appointing and paying the inspectors； notaries； scribes； clerks and couriers。 They sent out their own heralds； too； into hamlets throughout the countryside in the harvest season； to remind the farmers and villagers of Arbonne…as if anyone was likely to need reminding…that the Autumn Fair was ing； with its puppet shows and performing animals； its dancers and singers； men who swallowed burning coals and others who made pigeons disappear； and pedlars who sold trinkets and toys and pottery and cures for everything from infertility to indigestion。 And there were also； of course； the women who gathered in Lussan for that month from all parts of the known world； and who could be bought in a tavern room for an hour or a night。
Roban was happy to leave the supervision of such things to the burghers； his own concern was for those ing with more tangible goods to trade； over the mountains or by water to Tavernel and then up the high road along the river。 The merchants came from everywhere； in fact； travelling with silk and wool and wood； with medicines and perfumes and staggeringly costly spices from the east； with daggers from Arimonda； swords and armour from the forges of Aulensburg； longbows from Valensa； carved icons of Corannos from Gorhaut； gold and silver jewellery from Portezza； Valensan cloth and cheese； wine and olives and olive oil from the south of Arbonne itself。 You could buy virtually anything at the Lussan Fair； see people from almost anywhere in the known world and； for the price of a beaker of ale bought in a tavern； hear tales told by sea captains of the fabled countries to