ggk.asongforarbonne-第76部分

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ant　sea。　Blaise　felt　Ariane's　movements　above　him　like　the　rhythm　of　a　tide。　He　lifted　his　hands　to　her　breasts；　and　then　began　to　trace　the　outline　of　her　face　in　the　darkness　like　a　blind　man。　He　slid　his　fingers　over　and　over　through　the　long　glory　of　her　hair。　Once　again；　aware　of　how　unfair　such　a　thing　was；　he　could　not　help　but　contrast　her　to　Lucianna。　It　was　the　difference；　he　suddenly　thought；　between　love…making　as　a　process　of　sharing　and　as　an　act　of　art。　There　were　dangers　in　both；　Blaise　thought；　for　the　unwary。　It　occurred　to　him　that　he　might　very　easily　have　given　the　morning's　red　rose　to　this　woman；　had　he　not　wanted　to　send　a　private　and　a　public　message　beneath　the　canopy　of　the　Portezzan　pavilion。
　　He　must　have　slept；　afterwards；　he　didn't　know　for　how　long。　Ariane　had　dressed　herself；　and　there　were　candles　burning　throughout　the　room。　She　had　not　left　him；　though；　she　was　watching　from　the　chair　again；　as　if　this　were　his　first　awakening。　There　was　something　deeply　reassuring　about　waking　to　find　her　watching　him；　he　wondered　if　she　knew　that　was　so。　He　felt　differently　this　time；　drowsier。　He　looked　from　her　calm　face　to　the　window　again。　The　feel　of　the　night　had　changed　while　he　slept；　a　moment　later　he　realized　why：　the　blue　moon；　which　would　be　full　tonight；　was　riding　above　the　castle　and　the　world。
　　Blaise　turned　back　to　Ariane。　And　with　the　movement；　remembrance　of　the　morning　came　flooding　back　over　him；　the　clear；　sunlit　image　of　that　banner　of　the　kings　flying　in　his　name。　He　lifted　one　hand；　in　an　instinctive　gesture。　And　still　half…asleep　said；　in　a　whisper　near　to　dream：　〃But　I　don't　want　to　be　king　of　Gorhaut。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　Ariane　said；　without　moving。　〃I　know　you　don't。〃　With　her　night…black　hair　and　her　pale；　almost　translucent　skin　she　looked　like　a　ghost；　a　racoux；　in　the　candlelight。　She　smiled　ironically。　〃I　wouldn't　worry　about　it；　Blaise。　We　are　unlikely　to　live　so　long。〃
　　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；　precise　movements。　He　had　not　turned　out　to　be　what　she'd　expected　from　his　verses；　or