kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第79部分

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〃We　are　blessed　with　fair　weather　for　our　nuptials；　my　lady；〃　Kelson　said；　inclining　his　head　in　tentative　greeting　when　he；　Morgan；　and　Dhugal　had　made　their　way　through　the　horses　and　bowing　courtiers　and　stopped　before　her。　〃I　trust　that　my　people　have　made　you　wele　and　carried　out　the　preparations　to　your　satisfaction。〃
〃Satisfaction？〃　Llewell　said　before　Sidana　could　reply。　〃How　can　there　be　satisfaction　when　we　are　prisoners？〃
〃Your　bondage　has　been　light；　I　think；〃　Kelson　murmured；　hoping　desperately　that　Llewell　was　not　going　to　make　a　scene。　〃You　have　not　been　ill…used。〃
〃Ah；　and　you　do　not　consider　that　you　ill　use　my　sister　by　forcing　her　to　agree　to　this　marriage？〃　Llewell　asked。
I　thought　he'd　agreed　to　cooperate；　Morgan　said　to　Kelson；　as　Sidana　drew　in　a　breath　of　horror　and　Kelson's　jaw　tightened。　Do　you　want　me　to　put　him　to　sleep？
No；　just　shake　him　up　a　bit。　Sidana　wants　him　to　escort　her。
As　you　wish。
Without　a　flicker　of　warning；　Morgan　reached　across　to　seize　Llewell's　upper　arm　in　a　vise…grip；　though　his　pleasant　expression　did　not　alter。
〃The　lady　has　agreed　to　an　honorable　marriage；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Now；　will　you　hold　your　tongue；　or　must　I　thrash　you　over　my　knee　for　the　spoiled；　ill…bred　young　boor　that　you　are？〃
〃You　wouldn't　dare！〃
〃Wouldn't　I？〃
〃Llewell；　please　…　〃
〃Stay　out　of　this；　Sidana！〃
〃My　prince；〃　Morgan　murmured；　his　hand　clamping　tighter　on　Llewell's　arm；　〃by　your　leave；　I　shall　escort　this　young　fool　to　a　place　where　he　can　do　no　one　any　harm　…　himself　included。〃
〃Now　yet。　Llewell；〃　Kelson　said　quietly；　〃you　have　found　me　an　unmonly　patient　man　so　far。　You　may　judge　the　truth　of　that　by　the　fact　that　you　are　still　alive；　even　though　your　mother　treacherously　slew　my　bishop　and　you　yourself　claim　to　stand　between　your　sister　and　the　Mearan　crown。　Out　of　concern　for　the　feelings　of　my　bride；　I　am　willing　to　overlook　a　great　deal。　But　I　will　not　have　your　insolence；　and　I　will　not　have　you　disrupting　your　sister's　wedding　and　coronation。　Now；　are　you　certain　you　want　to　pursue　this　line　of　resistance？〃
Llewell's　eyes　blazed　with　undisguised　hatred；　but　after　a　few　seconds；　he　turned　his　head　away。
〃You'd　only　use　your　black　magic　on　me；　if　I　tried；〃　he　muttered　into　the　horse's　mane。
〃What　did　you　say？〃　Kelson　gasped。
As　Morgan　jerked　Llewell　around　to　face　them；　even　angrier　than　he　had　been。　Kelson　moved　closer　incredulously。
〃I　…　said　that　you'd　only　use　your　accursed　powers　on　me；　if　I　didn't　agree　to　cooperate！〃　Llewell　said　haltingly；　still　defiant；　though　he　winced　at　the　pressure　of　Morgan's　fingers　digging　into　his　biceps。　〃As　your　Deryni　priest　did　before。〃
〃Are　you　trying　to　goad　me　into　an　act　we'll　both　regret？〃　Kelson　whispered。
〃Llewell；　please！〃　Sidana　begged。　〃For　my　sake。　You　can't　stop　the　marriage。　You　promised　you　would　stand　beside　me。　If　they　take　you　away；　I'll　be　all　alone！〃
Heaving　a　heavy；　defeated　sigh；　Llewell　drew　himself　up　with　as　much　dignity　as　he　could　salvage　from　the　situation；　though　Morgan's　hand　remained　clamped　on　his　arm。
〃I　see　I　am　also　alone；〃　he　said　evenly。　〃But　I'll　not　deprive　my　sister　of　the　escort　to　which　her　rank　entitles　her。　I'll　…　play　my　father's　part　and　give　away　the　bride；　if　it's　the　proper　form　you're　looking　for。　Kelson　of　Gwynedd。　But　I'll　be　loathing　you　for　every　second！〃
〃Ah　…　loathing　me。〃　Kelson　raised　an　eyebrow　and　smiled　with　relief。　〃Well；　I　can　put　up　with　that；　I　suppose；　if　you　do　as　you're　told。　Morgan；　you　can　let　him　go。　My　lady；　I'm　sorry　you　had　to　witness　this。〃
〃Please　forgive　my　brother；　my　lord；〃　Sidana　whispered。　〃He　only　means　to　protect　me。〃
〃Sidana；　I　don't　need　to　hide　behind　a　woman's　skirts！〃
〃Will　you　shut　your　mouth？〃　Morgan　muttered。
As　he　raised　a　gloved　hand　in　threat；　Llewell　drew　back　in　alarm。
〃Enough；　Morgan！〃　Kelson　said。　〃He's　young　and　he's　proud　and　hurting。　Let's　not　make　those　fatal　flaws。　I　will　make　you　one　threat；　however；　Llewell　of　Meara；〃　he　went　on；　turning　the　full　force　of　his　quicksilver　gaze　on　the　Mearan　prince　again。　〃I　will　remind　you　only　once　that　Morgan　and　other　loyal　friends　and　vassals　will　be　right　at　my　side　during　the　ceremony。　If　anything　happens　that　isn't　supposed　to；　and　it's　your　fault　…　anything　…　I　am　here　and　now　giving　them　free　license　to　take　whatever　action　they　deem　necessary。　That　assumes；　of　course；　that　I　haven't　dealt　with　you　first。　Do　I　make　myself　perfectly　clear？〃
〃You　do；〃　Llewell　muttered　under　his　breath。
〃I　didn't　quite　hear　that。〃
〃You　make　yourself　perfectly；　abundantly　clear；〃　Llewell　repeated　sullenly。
〃Good。　Then　we　understand　one　another。　My　Lady？〃
He　glanced　up　at　Sidana　again；　tentatively　extending　his　hand；　and　to　his　surprise；　she　responded。　Much　heartened；　he　bent　to　brush　her　knuckles　with　his　lips；　more　confident　as　he　straightened　and　released　her　hand。
〃My　lady；　I　apologize　again。　A　woman's　wedding　day　should　be　joyous　and　free　from　care。　I'm　afraid　I've　started　it　out　on　rather　a　poor　note。〃
〃You　have　done　what　you　had　to　do；　my　lord；〃　she　whispered；　〃and　I；　too；　must　once　more　beg　pardon　for　my　brother。〃
〃Sidana！〃
Ignoring　Llewell's　outburst。　Kelson　shook　his　head。　〃This　is　neither　the　time　nor　the　place　to　speak　further　of　the　matter；　my　lady。　Later；　after　we　are　wed；　there　will　be　time　enough　for　everything。　But　for　now；　the　archbishops　are　waiting　…　and　the　people　…　to　see　their　new　queen　go　to　her　marriage　and　coronation。　May　I　give　the　mands　for　our　procession　to　begin？〃
〃Do　you　ask　my　permission；　my　lord？〃　she　said；　amazed。
〃Of　course。　You　are　my　lady　and　my　queen。〃
One　look　at　her　brother　glaring　up　at　her；　hanging　on　her　every　gesture　and　expression；　apparently　was　sufficient　to　keep　Sidana　from　answering　with　words；　but　she　shyly　inclined　her　head　nonetheless。　To　Kelson；　it　seemed　more　than　just　dutiful　agreement。　As　he　withdrew　to　the　head　of　the　procession　where　his　horse　waited；　he　signalled　the　knights　to　bring　the　canopy　…　blue　silk　powdered　all　over　with　tiny　stars　and　moons　…　but　his　expression　was　jubilant　once　his　back　was　safely　to　the　Mearan　prince　and　princess。
〃Alaric；　did　you　see？〃　he　whispered；　as　Morgan　held　his　stirrup　and　helped　him　mount；　and　Dhugal　spread　the　cnmson　mantle　over　the　horse's　rump。　〃I　think　she　does　like　me。　Once　we　get　her　out　from　under　her　brother's　thumb；　who　knows　what　might　happen！　Maybe　it's　going　to　work；　after　all。〃
As　they　started　to　move　out；　Morgan　glanced　back　at　the　small；　lonely　figure　on　the　white　horse；　led　to　her　destiny　beneath　a　canopy　of　silk；　all　their　hopes　of　peace　wrapped　up　in　one　frail　girl。　He　dearly　hoped　Kelson　was　right。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO
For　the　Lord　delighteth　in　thee；　and　thy　land　shall　be　married。
Isaiah　62：4
To　Kelson's　already　heightened　senses；　the　bright…etched　images　of　the　procession　route　were　almost　overwhelming：　crowds　cheering；　banners　rainbow…hued；　fluttering　above　the　streets；　showers　of　snowdrops　and　other　winter　flowers　carpeting　his　path　…　and　cheers　and　flowers　also　for　the　dark…haired　bride　who　followed。　The　sounds　and　the　colors　carried　him　higher　on　a　wave　of　hope；　and　he　grinned　at　Morgan　and　Dhugal；　riding　to　either　side　of　him。
The　streets　were　narrow　and　winding；　the　procession　thick　with　celebrants　between　him　and　his　bride；　but　on　the　few　occasions　when　the　way　was　straight　or　they　passed　through　a　square；　he　could　glance　back　and　just　catch　the　top　of　her　rose…crowned　head　under　its　silken　canopy。　Once；　their　eyes　met；　and　he　almost　fancied　he　could　feel　the　current　leap　between　them；　kindling　anticipation　in　his　brain　and　a　white　heat　in　his　loins。
He　told　himself　that　he　was　imagining　things；　that　he　was　letting　himself　read　too　much　into　their　earlier　meetings　…　a　word；　a　glance　…　but　it　was　not　in　his　nature　to　hold　back；　once　a　mitment　had　been　made。　His　body　was　eager　to　unite　with　hers　already；　but　he　was　also　resolved　to　make　theirs　a　union　of　hearts　as　well　as　lands；　if　he　could。　He　tried　not　to　think　too　much　about　the　ing　wedding　night。　He　was　much　relieved　when　they　reached　the　cathedral　at　last　and　he　could　dismount；　turning　mind　as　well　as　body　to　less　physically　distracting　contemplation。
Archbishop　Cardiel　r