ggk.asongforarbonne-第28部分

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would　not　have　valued　his　vineyards　over　my　life；　however　much　he　proposes　to　pay　me　in　wages。〃
　　The　priestess　laughed　aloud。　She　was　younger　than　a　first　impression　had　suggested。　〃Our　forgiveness　hardly　need　concern　you　。。。　in　this；　at　least。　But　Bertran　de　Talair　is　another　matter。　He　might　have　fairly　expected　an　experienced　coran　to　avoid　giving　provocation　before　even　arriving　at　his　castle。　There　is　an　eastern　way　around　the　lake　if　you　hadn't　noticed；　one　that　does　not　pass　by　the　vineyards　of　Miraval。〃
　　The　situation　was；　Blaise　had　to　admit；　being　belatedly　clear。　And　indeed；　had　he　known　these　lands　belonged　to　Urté　de　Miraval…or　taken　some　pains　to　know…he　would　certainly　have　gone　the　other　way。　It　was　no　secret；　even　to　Blaise　after　a　short　time　in　Arbonne；　that　for　reasons　that　apparently　went　years　back　into　the　past；　the　present　lords　of　Miraval　and　Talair　had　no　love　for　one　another。
　　Blaise　shrugged；　to　cover　his　disfiture。　〃I　have　been　riding　all　day；　this　path　seemed　easier。　And　I　thought　the　countess　of　Arbonne　stood　surety　for　the　safety　of　the　roads　in　her　land。〃
　　〃Barbentain　is　a　long　way　off；　and　local　hatred　will　usually　overmaster　larger　laws。　A　wise　traveller　will　know　where　he　is；　particularly　if　he　rides　alone。〃
　　Which　also　was　true；　if　arrogantly　spoken　by　someone　so　young。　He　tried　not　to　dwell　on　the　arrogance。　Clergy　of　all　kinds　seemed　to　have　it　as　a　collective　quality。　One　of　these　days；　though；　he　was　going　to　have　to　try　to　sort　out　why　he　was　so　reluctant　to　pay　more　attention　to　the　gossip；　or　even　the　geography　and　divisions　of　land　here　in　Arbonne。
　　Behind　the　priestess　he　saw　three　other　small　boats　being　drawn　up　on　the　shore。　Men　and　women　in　the　robes　of　Rian　disembarked　and　made　their　way　over　the　grass　to　where　the　dead　were　lying。　They　began　lifting　the　bodies　and　carrying　them　back　to　the　boats。
　　Blaise　glanced　over　his　shoulder　to　where　the　Arimondan　lay　beside　his　slain　horse。　He　turned　back　to　the　priestess。　〃Tell　me；　will　Rian　wele　such　as　he？〃
　　She　did　not　smile。　〃She　waits　for　him；〃　the　priestess　said　calmly；　〃as　she　waits　for　all　of　us。　Wele　and　grace　are　other　matters　entirely。〃　Her　dark　eyes　held　his　own　until　Blaise　looked　away；　beyond　her；　past　the　isle　in　the　lake；　to　where　a　castle　could　be　seen　on　the　northern　shore。
　　She　turned　and　followed　his　gaze。　〃We　will　take　you　if　you　like；〃　she　said；　surprising　him。　〃Unless　you　want　one　of　their　horses　for　yourself？〃
　　Blaise　shook　his　head。　〃The　only　one　worth　having　was　killed　by　its　rider。〃　He　felt　a　sour　amusement　suddenly。　〃I　will　be　grateful　for　passage。　Doesn't　it　seem　apt　。。。　that　I　should　arrive　at　Talair　Castle　in　a　craft　of　the　goddess？〃
　　〃More　apt　than　you　know；〃　she　said；　not　responding　to　his　tone　at　all。
　　She　gestured；　and　two　of　the　priests　moved　to　collect　Blaise's　armour　and　goods　from　the　dead　pony。　Blaise　himself　took　his　saddle　from　his　mount　and；　following　the　tall；　slender　form　of　the　priestess；　walked　over　grass　and　stone　to　her　boat。
　　They　put　his　gear　on　board　as　well；　and　then　the　craft　was　pushed　free　of　the　shore　and　with　the　west　wind　in　the　one　sail　and　the　sun　low　now　behind　them　it　went　skimming　across　the　waters　of　Lake　Dierne。
　　
　　As　they　approached　the　castle；　Blaise　registered　with　a　practised；　approving　eye　how　well　defended　it　was；　poised　on　a　crag　above　the　lake　with　the　water　ing　around　on　three　sides　and　a　deep　moat　carved　to　the　north。　A　cluster　of　men　had　e　down　to　the　pier　to　wait　for　them。　There　was　another　boat　already　there；　with　two　priests　and　a　priestess　in　it；　tidings　would　have　preceded　them　then。　As　they　drew　near　Blaise　recognized　Valery；　Bertran's　cousin；　and　then；　surprisingly；　Bertran　himself　stepped　forward　to　neatly　catch　the　rope　thrown　by　the　priest　at　the　prow。
　　The　duke　of　Talair　crouched　to　tie　their　craft　to　an　iron　ring　set　in　the　wooden　dock；　then　he　straightened；　looking　expressionlessly　at　Blaise。　There　was　no　hint　in　his　gaze　of　the　eerie；　late…night　intimacy　of　their　last　conversation。　Twenty…three　years；　Blaise　remembered；　suddenly。　The　last　thing　he'd　heard　this　man　say；　in　the　dark　of　a　stairway；　speaking　of　a　woman　long　ago：　So　much　longer　than　I　thought　I　would　live。
　　〃Wele　to　Talair；〃　Bertran　said。　The　scar　on　his　cheek　was　prominent　in　the　clear　light。　He　was　dressed　much　as　he　had　been　when　he　came　to　Baude；　in　a　coran's　clothing　made　for　the　outdoors。　His　hair　was　uncovered；　disordered　by　the　wind。　He　smiled　thinly；　a　crook　of　his　mouth。　〃How　does　it　feel　to　have　made　an　enemy　before　you　even　report？〃
　　〃I　have　my　share　of　enemies；〃　Blaise　said　mildly。　He　felt　calmer　now；　the　ride　across　the　lake　and　the　memory　of　that　dark　stairwell　in　Baude　had　taken　away　the　last　of　his　battle　mood。　〃One　more　or　one　less　should　not　matter　greatly。　The　god　will　take　me　when　he　is　ready。〃　He　raised　his　voice　slightly　on　that　last；　for　someone　else's　benefit。　〃Do　you　really　think　the　duke　of　Miraval　will　bother　hating　me　for　guarding　my　life　when　attacked？〃
　　〃Urté？　He　could；〃　Bertran　said　judiciously。　〃Though　it　wasn't　him　I　was　thinking　of；　actually。〃　He　looked　for　a　moment　as　if　he　would　explain；　but　then　he　turned　instead　and　began　walking　towards　the　castle。　〃e；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder；　〃there　is　meat　and　drink　inside　and　after　we　will　help　you　choose　a　horse　from　the　stable。〃
　　Broad…shouldered；　greying　Valery　stepped　forward　and　extended　an　arm。　Blaise　hesitated　a　moment；　then　grasped　it；　pulling　himself　forward　onto　the　dock。　His　gear　had　already　been　lifted　up　by　three　other　men。　Blaise　turned　back　to　the　boat。　Already　the　line　had　been　untied　and　the　small　craft　was　beginning　to　glide　back　out　over　the　water。　The　young　priestess　had　her　back　to　him；　but　then；　as　if　aware　that　he　was　looking；　she　turned。
　　She　said　nothing；　nor　did　Blaise　as　the　distance　between　boat　and　shore　slowly　increased。　Her　hair　gleamed　in　the　still　warm　light　of　the　setting　sun。　The　owl　on　her　shoulder　gazed　away　to　the　west。　More　apt　than　you　know；　she　had　said　on　that　western　shore；　responding　with　weighty　sobriety　to　an　attempted　irony。　He　didn't　understand　what　she'd　meant；　he　didn't　understand　it　at　all；　and　within　him　a　spark　of　rekindled　anger　blazed。　He'd　meant　to　say　goodbye　and　to　thank　her；　but　instead　he　watched　for　another　moment　and　then　turned　away　impassively。
　　Valery　was　waiting　for　him。　Bertran's　cousin　had　a　wry　expression　on　his　face。
　　〃Six　men？〃　he　said。　〃Fair　to　say　you　aren't　arriving　quietly。〃
　　〃Five；　and　a　catamite　from　Arimonda；〃　Blaise　said　tersely。　His　anger　was　mostly　gone　though；　he　felt　tired　more　than　anything　else。　〃I　was　riding　quietly　enough；　and　on　the　road。　They　shot　my　horse。〃
　　〃The　Arimondan；〃　Valery　murmured；　looking　out　to　sea　after　the　withdrawing　boat。　〃Remind　me　to　tell　you　about　him　later。〃
　　〃Why　bother？〃　Blaise　said。　〃He's　dead。〃
　　Valery　glanced　curiously　at　him　a　moment；　then　shrugged。　He　turned　and　began　walking。　Blaise　fell　into　step　beside　him。　The　two　men　went　along　the　length　of　the　pier　and　then　up　the　narrow；　increasingly　steep　path　towards　the　castle　of　Talair。　They　came　to　the　heavy　doors；　which　were　open；　and　they　passed　within　to　the　sound　of　music　playing。
　　
　　PART　II…Midsummer
　　CHAPTER　4
　　Walking　briskly　through　the　crowded　streets；　calling　cheerful　replies　to　people　she　knew　and　to　some　she　didn't；　Lisseut　was　reminded　over　and　again　why　the　Midsummer　Carnival　in　Tavernel　was　her　favourite　time　of　the　year。　Colours　and　crowds　and　light；　the　knowledge　of　a　season's　touring　ended　with　time　before　another　began；　the　hinge　and　axis　of　the　year。　Midsummer　was　a　time　between　times；　a　space　in　the　round　of　the　year　where　all　seemed　in　suspension；　when　anything　might　happen　or　be　allowed。　After　nightfall；　she　thought；　that　would　certainly　be　true　in　a　variety　of　ways。
　　A　masked　figure　clad　in　green　and　bright　yellow　sprang　in　front　of　her；　arms　outspread；　in　a　mock　growl　that　clashed　with　his　birdlike　costume　he　demanded　an　embrace　as　passersby　laughed。　Sidestepping　neatly；　Lisseut　pirouetted　out　of　his　grasp。　〃Bad　luck　to　kiss　a　singer　before　sundown！〃　she　called　over　her　shoulder。　She'd　made　that　one　up