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！
She left a little while after that。 Bertran came in and visited briefly； sharing his new jest about their fraternity； deliberately avoiding anything of more weight or substance。 Rudel and Valery came by。 Blaise ate again while they were with him； a proper meal this time； brought by Hirnan； he was still hungry。 The doctor and the priestess arrived afterwards and urged him to drink more of their herbal infusion。 He declined。 He felt all right； actually。 Some pain in the ear； rather more at the moment across his shins and the back of his calf where the Arimondan's sword had caught him； but； on the whole； he was better off than he'd any right to be。 He didn't want to be drugged again。
They left him alone for a time； going downstairs to the banquet and the singers。 Blaise dozed a while； then got out of bed and sat by the window looking out。 Faintly he could hear the music from below。 He was thinking of Rosala； as it happened； when there came a knocking at his door again； and the countess herself came in； with Ariane and Bertran。 Rudel was just behind them； and the chancellor； Roban。 Their faces were grim。 Ariane； Blaise saw immediately； had been crying。 Before anyone could speak he made himself take a slow； deep breath as if pulling himself back to the world。
〃There is a man who has e；〃 said Bertran as the countess； very pale； kept silent。 Her face was a mask； a carving in marble。 There was a look in her eyes though； a depth of anger he had never seen before。 〃A man from Gorhaut。 He has given us some extremely bad news and asked leave to be brought to you。〃
Valery and Hirnan ushered the man in。 Blaise knew him； if only slightly。 A coran of Garsenc； one of the better ones； he remembered Ranald saying once。 The man； without a word spoken； sank to his knees before Blaise。 His hands were uplifted and pressed together in position for the oath。
Slowly； aware that this too was a beginning of something irrevocable； Blaise rose from the window seat and cupped his own hands around those of the coran。 He heard the ancient oath of Corannos spoken to him then in that high room in Barbentain Castle as if he had never heard the words before。 Exactly as with the banner； he thought： it was different when it was meant for you。 For a moment he looked over at Ariane。 She was weeping again。 He turned back to the coran； concentrating on the words。
〃I swear to you in the name of the high god Corannos of fire and light； and on the blood of my father and his father； that I will keep faith with you。 I offer my service to the gates of death。 I acknowledge you in the eyes of men and the most holy god as my liege lord。〃
The man paused。 Blaise； just then； remembered his name： Thaune。 He was from the northlands； the accent had given that away in any case。 Thaune looked up and met his eyes for the first time。 〃And I acknowledge you also；〃 he said； his voice surprisingly strong now as he spoke words that went beyond the ancient oath； 〃as my true king。 I will not lie easy at night nor unclasp my sword belt until you are upon the throne in Cortil in the stead of the traitor now sitting there。 In the name of Corannos； all this I swear。〃
Blaise cleared his throat。 There was a feeling of dread in him； Ariane's tears； the silence of those around him。 He said； 〃I accept your homage。 I take you as my man； Thaune of Gorhaut。 I offer you shelter and succour and my own sworn oath of fidelity before the god as your liege。 I bid you rise。〃 He shifted his hands and helped the coran stand。 〃And now；〃 he said； 〃you had better tell me what has happened。〃
Thaune did so。 In the midst of the telling； Blaise discovered with some real urgency； that he wasn't as fully recovered as he had thought he was。 It was Hirnan； watching closely； who moved the chair by the window quickly over for him。 Blaise sank down into it。
It seemed that his father and King Ademar had not begun with messengers and elegantly phrased demands for Rosala's return with her child。 They had begun with fire。
Cadar was having an odd night； waking often to feed and then falling asleep again almost as soon as the wet…nurse put him to the breast。 The priestess was indulgent； unworried。 It took a week or two； she said； for some of the little ones to learn that the dark hours were for sleeping more and eating less。 Rosala； aware that under normal circumstances at home she would be far removed from her baby at this stage； with Cadar and his nurse living in another wing of the castle； or indeed； elsewhere entirely； had still not been able to stop herself from walking down the corridor to look in on him when he cried。
She was ing sleepily back up the hallway clad only in the night…robe the countess had given her when she saw someone waiting in the shadows outside her door。 She stopped； instinctively afraid； a hand fumbling to more properly close her robe。
〃Forgive me；〃 said the duke of Talair； moving forward into light。 〃I did not mean to frighten you。〃
Rosala took a shaky breath。 〃I am easily frightened of late。 I never used to be。〃
〃You are in a strange place；〃 En Bertran murmured gravely； 〃and have a new responsibility。 It is not unnatural； I think。〃
〃Will you enter？〃 she asked。 〃I think I have wine left from earlier this evening。 I can send a servant for more。〃
〃No need；〃 he said； 〃but thank you； yes； I will e in。 There are tidings you should hear。〃
It was late at night。 Something thumped within Rosala： her heart； pounding as if on a drum。 〃What has happened？〃 she asked quickly。
He made no immediate reply； opening her door instead and ushering her in。 He waited until she had taken one of the chairs by the fire and he sat down on the low bench opposite。 In the firelight his eyes were remarkably blue； and the scar on his cheek showed white。
〃Is it Blaise？〃 she asked。 She had been told about this morning； several times already； by many people。 The duchess of Carenzu had brought her a white flower and explained the meaning of it。 The flower was in a vase by the window now。 She had sat looking at it for a long time after Ariane had left； thinking of what Blaise had done； and had surprised herself by beginning to cry。
〃He is fine；〃 said Bertran de Talair； reassuringly。 He fingered his ear。 〃I'm afraid he is going to rather resemble me； in one regard at least； when the bandages e off； but other than that he is not seriously harmed。〃 He hesitated。 〃I don't know how much it means to you； at this point； but I can say that he honored his name and his country's this morning。〃
〃So I have been told。 It does mean something to me； obviously； given what he declared before the challenge began。 They will not wait long before ing after him。〃
The duke of Talair shifted a little in his seat then and left a small silence。
〃I see；〃 Rosala said； clasping her hands tightly in her lap。 〃They have e already。〃
〃They have； but not for him。 They will not learn about him for some days yet。 They destroyed a village named Aubry tonight； killing everyone； and then they burned the priestesses of the temple there。
Rosala closed her eyes。 Her hands began to tremble。 〃That was for me； then；〃 she said。 Her own voice unsettled her； it was dry and thin as a stream in a season of drought。 It seemed to be ing from someone else； a long way off。 〃It was because of me。〃
〃I'm afraid so。〃
〃How many people？〃
〃We aren't certain yet。 Perhaps fifty。〃
〃Who was there？ From Gorhaut； I mean。〃 Her eyes were still closed。 She brought； her arms up to wrap them around herself。 She felt cold； suddenly。
His voice was gentle； but he was not shielding her from any of this。 She understood that there was a large measure of respect for her in his not doing so。 〃The king himself； we are told。〃 He hesitated。 〃Your husband and your brother as well。〃
Rosala opened her eyes。 〃They would have had no choice。 I don't think either of them would willingly have done this。〃
Bertran de Talair shrugged。 〃I would not know。 They were there。〃 He looked closely at her a moment and then rose to tend to the fire。 It had burned low； but there was fresh wood and kindling beside it； and he knelt； busying himself with them。 She watched him； the neat； pre