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if his father has been quietly guiding that desire。 Another tool； another instrument of policy。 He ought to be challenging the king； he thinks。 He almost has to。 He knows he will do no such thing。 Loathing himself； Ranald realizes that he is not going be able to continue this much longer without a drink。
His father is shaking his head。 He asked Galbert a question； Ranald remembers。 It has bee difficult to concentrate。 〃Surrender them？ Arbonne？ Woman…ruled Arbonne？〃 The High Elder is laughing。 〃It will not happen。 They will destroy themselves before they yield a woman and a newborn babe to us。〃
Ranald feels a taste； as of bile； in his mouth。 〃Or you will do the destroying for them。〃
〃I will indeed do so；〃 says Galbert de Garsenc； the glorious voice swelling now for the first time。 〃In the name of Corannos and for his eternal glory I will indeed destroy that place of festering； blood…smeared； womanish corruption。 It is the quest of my days； the reason for all I do。〃
〃And you are so close now； aren't you？〃 Ranald says； his own voice harsh。 He is going to have to leave very soon； he knows。 He is afraid he is about to be ill。 He cannot get that image of the king out of his mind。 〃Everything has e together for you。 Duergar's death； the treaty； Rosala's flight now； Ademar in the palm of your hand。〃 He says that last too loudly； but he doesn't care any more。 〃All you need now； to deal with the other countries； to make it all acceptable to them； is for the child to have been a boy。〃
〃You are correct；〃 his father agrees； smiling benignly。 〃You astonish me； my son。 I have prayed upon my knees to the god。 I can only hope Corannos has heard my words and found me worthy to be answered； that I may strike soon with fire and sword in his most holy name。 All I need； truly； as you say； is for the child to be a boy。〃
Rosala came back down the corridor from the room where her son lay sleeping。 The wet…nurse they had found was with him； and the younger of the two priestesses who had been present at Cadar's birth was staying in Barbentain Castle for this first week。 They were careful in Arbonne with babies； she was discovering； or； at least； careful with the babies of nobility。 Some things were constant wherever in the world one went。 Rosala doubted the same attention had been paid to the child of the wet…nurse in its village。 She knew it had died； she didn't want to know how； or why。 Children died in so many ways。 The usual advice was not to grow too attached to them in the first year； lest the heart break if they were taken away。 Rosala remembered hearing that years ago； and thinking it made sense； she didn't think that any more。
She had no idea how women held back from loving the small； desperately needy infants in their arms。 She was grateful beyond words for the care they were offering Cadar。 Crossing the mountains south in that jostling wagon she seemed to have passed from an endless nightmare to a sheltering haven。
An illusory thought； she knew。 She was too versed in the ways of the world to imagine that she would simply be allowed to live here peacefully with her child and the old countess receiving troubadours and their joglars； listening to music and riding in the fields beside the river as the seasons followed each other and Cadar grew into a child and then a man。 They had been known to kill women in Gorhaut for merely speaking impertinently to their husbands in a public place。 What would they do to a woman who fled with a child？ And not just any woman； or any child。 The heir to the dukes of Garsenc was sleeping in the room she had just left； and Cadar was perilously near in succession to the throne itself while Ademar remained unwed。 Third or fourth in line； actually； by one path of reckoning； depending on whether one counted the disinherited Blaise or not。
It didn't much matter。 They would be ing for Cadar； and probably for her。 It would begin with the formalities of statecraft； the richly clothed emissaries with their learned speeches and their gifts to the countess and the mellifluously written letters they would carry。 The gifts would be elaborate； that was the way of things。 The speeches would be eloquent and courteous。 The demands in the letters would be unveiled and coldly precise； and backed by ultimatums that left nothing to the imagination。
Rosala wondered whether she should take ship for the east to release Arbonne from the burden of her presence。 If somewhere in one of the fabled courts of magic in those far lands she might find a home for herself and Cadar。 Another illusion； that。 She knew the tales of what happened to fair…skinned women in the courts and bazaars of those lands of spice and silk。 She knew what happened to their male children。
She could hear music； a murmur of voices and laughter spiralling up the stairwell from the great hall below。 She couldn't remember the last time she'd heard laughter that didn't carry an edge of malice。 They had told her that the music tonight； by a young man from Orreze； would be of a very high order。 She knew she would be wele if she went downstairs。 She still felt tired； though； and extremely tender； not ready for the demands of public spaces。 Privacy was a rare thing in her world； something to be valued as much as any other gift they had offered her here in Barbentain。
She sat down carefully in a recessed window seat to listen。 The stone bench was cushioned； for which she was grateful。 She reached over and unlatched the window。 It was of stained glass； etched wonderfully with the image of a green island in the sea。 The breeze came in； and through the window she could see the unfiltered light of the blue moon。 They called it Riannon here for the goddess； not Escoran for the god。 Because of that difference； she reflected； Arbonne was to be destroyed。
After a moment she rejected the thought： too simple an argument and conclusion。 Nothing was that simple in the world。
She could hear the river running below in the darkness； making a soft； continuous murmur beneath the singing of the joglar。 It was cool tonight on the isle of Barbentain； Rosala wrapped the woolen robe they had given her more closely about herself。 The fresh air revived her； though； and brought back with its clarity the reassuring awareness that she had； by ing here； done all she could do for Cadar。 The next moves； in the larger game； were not hers to make。 The scale of her own life had suddenly bee much smaller； focused on a heartbeat。 She felt an urge…and almost laughed at herself…to go back up the corridor to look in upon his sleep again。 It was strange how swiftly； how pletely； love could re…enter one's world。
The last person she had loved was her father； and he had died by Iersen Bridge almost two years ago。 Her mother had gone before him； in the last plague year。 Her brother Fulk elicited no real intensities of emotion； nor did she in him； Rosala knew。 He would not lead the pursuit to bring her back； but neither would he speak up to stay it。 He was a good steward of Savaric； though； and she respected him for that。 The Savaric lands were terribly exposed now； wide open to raids from Valensa across the newly drawn border of the Iersen River。 If the treaty ever ceased to hold they would be vulnerable to even more than that。
It wouldn't hold； Fulk had told her last year during one of the rare times when they were both at Cortil。 Truces like this one never did； but lands lost for long enough were likely to be lost forever。 He had said it quietly； for her ears alone。 Not for cautious Fulk de Savaric the openly critical talk of a powerful lord； with a new king on the throne。 Their father would have been loud in his denunciations； Rosala knew； whatever the consequences。
As Blaise de Garsenc had been before he left； both the first time and then again a year later； after his abortive return home。
Thoughts of Blaise were difficult。 He was here in Lussan she now knew； with the duke of Talair。 It would be easy to see him； to send a message as clear or cryptic as she wanted it to be。 She wondered if he'd yet learned she was in the castle。 The priestesses had told her the whole fair was gossiping about the high…born lady from Gorhaut who'd been