ggk.asongforarbonne-第83节

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ught…and　had　once　or　twice　even　said；　though　only　to　trusted　friends…that　the　youngest　of　the　de　Garsenc　was　much　the　best　of　the　three　of　them。
　　That　wouldn't　have　made　the　difference；　not　in　and　of　itself。　A　coran　in　Gorhaut　learned；　early；　to　keep　his　thoughts　where　they　belonged：　away　from　any　actions　he　might　be　ordered　to　perform。　His　own　sworn　liege　lord　was　Ranald；　duke　of　Garsenc；　and　if　the　duke　took　most　of　his　own　orders　from　the　father　in　Cortil；　well；　the　corans　of　Garsenc　were　not　expected　to　have　any　thoughts　at　all　about　that。
　　He　would　have　gone　down　with　his　tidings；　he　realized　finally；　still　sitting　silently　on　his　horse　long　after　the　king's　pany　had　gone；　watching　the　burning　fires　spread　from　two　of　the　wooden　houses　to　a　third；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　one　additional　thing；　drawn　slowly　up　from　his　own　history　during　this　long　day　like　a　bucket　from　a　well。
　　There　was　no　sound　now　save　the　cackle　of　the　flames　and　the　wailing；　very　faint；　of　a　child　or　an　animal　that　was　somehow　not　yet　dead。　After　a　moment　that　crying　also　stopped　and　there　was　only　the　rising　sound　of　wind　and　the　fires；　growing　to　a　roar　as　the　last　of　the　wooden　houses　caught。
　　What　had　kept　him　here；　rooted　to　this　ridge；　watching　his　king　and　liege　lord　and　corans　he　had　known　for　years；　was　the　memory　of　his　father's　last　year。
　　His　own　family　home　had　been　a　small　tract　of　farmland　proudly　entered　in　their　own　name　on　the　baron's　records　since　the　last　plague　had　made　labour　scarce　and　left　too　many　farms　untended。　A　small　bit　of　land；　but　his　father's　own；　after　a　grinding　lifetime　of　brutally　labouring　for　someone　else。　It　had　been　in　the　good　grainlands　in　the　north　of　Gorhaut；　that　farm。　Or；　to　speak　properly　now；　in　the　north　of　what　had　been　Gorhaut。　It　was　Valensa　now；　since　the　treaty　that　had　surrendered　land　kept　safe　by　King　Duergar's　own　sword　and　the　corans　of　the　king　and　the　courage　of　farmers　and　villagers　fighting　for　what　was　theirs。
　　He　had　fought　at　Iersen　Bridge　himself。　Fought　and　won　in　ice　and　blood　among　the　army　of　Gorhaut；　though　grieving　solely　for　his　king　after　swords　were　sheathed　and　spears　laid　aside。　A　season　later；　no　more　than　that；　back　in　the　south　at　Garsenc　Castle　where　he　served　the　young　duke　as　an　anointed　coran；　to　the　vast　pride　of　his　family；　he　had　learned　that　his　parents；　along　with　all　the　other　farmers　and　the　inhabitants　of　entire　villages　of　the　north；　were　being　told　to　pack　and　travel　south　to　wherever　they　would；　wherever　they　could　find　shelter。
　　It　was　only　for　a　time；　they　were　advised　by　the　messengers　of　the　new　king；　Ademar。　The　new　king；　in　his　wisdom；　had　taken　thought　for　them；　the　messengers　said…there　would　be　wider；　richer　lands　for　all　of　them　very　soon。　In　the　meantime；　his　father's　lifelong　dream　and　prayer　of　his　own　farm　was　gone；　handed　over　to　the　Valensans　they　had　been　fighting　for　fifty　years。　Just　like　that。
　　His　parents　had　actually　been　among　the　fortunate；　in　a　way　of　thinking；　finding　a　place　with　his　mother's　sister's　husband　east　of　Cortil；　working　for　someone　else　again；　but　with　a　roof　over　their　heads　at　least。　He　had　seen　his　father　twice　there；　but　though　the　old　man　said　little　at　the　best　of　times；　after　the　northern　fashion；　his　eyes　didn't　convey　any　sense　of　good　fortune　to　his　son。
　　Everyone　knew　where　the　promised　new　lands　were　supposed　to　be。　It　was　mon　talk　in　the　country　as　much　as　in　the　taverns　and　castles。　His　father　had　said　only　one　thing　about　that；　at　the　end　of　his　second　visit；　his　last；　to　the　farmyard　hut　that　was　now　his　parents'　home。
　　They　had　been　walking　out　together；　he　and　his　father；　at　twilight；　looking　out　over　the　grey　moorland　in　a　drizzle　of　rain。　〃What；〃　his　father　had　said；　turning　aside　to　spit　into　the　mud；　〃do　I　know　about　olive　trees？〃
　　His　son　had　not　replied。　He　had　watched　the　thin　rain　falling　on　the　moor。　There　was　nothing　to　say。　Nothing；　that　is；　that　would　not　be　treason；　or　a　lie。
　　This　morning；　though；　on　a　challenge　ground　in　Arbonne　under　a　clear　sky　he　had　heard　the　younger　son　of　Garsenc　name　Ademar　a　traitor　and　claim　the　throne　of　Gorhaut　before　lords　and　ladies　of　all　six　countries。　And　the　simple　truth　was；　he　realized　finally；　sitting　his　horse　on　that　ridge　above　a　burning　hamlet；　he　agreed　with　Blaise　de　Garsenc。　His　father　would　have　felt　the　same　way；　he　knew　with　certainty；　though　he　would　never　have　put　such　a　thought　into　words。　They　were　people　of　Gorhaut；　their　lives　and　lands　charged　to　the　protection　of　the　king…and　their　safety　and　history　and　trust　had　been　given　away　by　him　with　a　signed　piece　of　paper。　It　was　said　that　Galbert　the　High　Elder　had　been　behind　the　whole　thing。　That　he　wanted　to　destroy　Arbonne　because　of　the　goddess　they　had　down　here。　He　didn't　know　much　about　that　or　very　much　care；　but　he　had　seen　his　father　destroyed　by　living　on　another　man's　farm　far　from　the　northern　lands　he　had　known　all　his　life。
　　His　father　had　died　at　the　end　of　that　same　summer；　taking　to　his　bed　one　morning；　the　scribe's　letter　had　said；　and　passing　to　the　god　four　days　after　without　any　last　word　spoken。　He　had　not　appeared　to　be　in　great　pain；　the　scribe　wrote。　His　mother　had　made　her　mark　at　the　end；　after　the　part　wishing　him　all　best　fortune。　He　still　carried　it；　that　letter。
　　He　looked　down　a　last　time　on　the　burning　of　Aubry。　He　drew　a　long　breath；　finally　clear　in　his　mind；　though　not　any　the　less　afraid　for　that。　When　he　began　to　ride　again　it　was　south；　the　way　he　had　e；　carrying　a　different　message；　grim　with　fire　and　death　and　with　more　of　each　to　e；　certain　as　mortal　man　was　born　to　die。
　　He　had　actually　made　his　choice；　he　realized；　on　the　evening　of　that　last　walk　with　his　father　in　the　rain。　He　had　had　no　way　to　put　that　decision　into　action。　Now　he　did。
　　He　put　spurs　to　his　horse；　leaving　the　fires　of　Aubry　behind　him。　His　eyes　were　on　the　empty　road　before　him；　seeing　how　bright　and　strange　it　had　bee　in　the　mingling　of　the　moons。
　　
　　Blaise　hadn't　been　happy　about　it；　but　the　priestess　and　the　physician；　agreeing　with　each　other；　had　insisted　that　he　drink　an　herbal　concoction　that　led　him　to　sleep　for　most　of　the　day。
　　When　he　awoke；　in　a　room　in　Barbentain；　the　western　sky　outside　his　window　was　soft　with　the　hues　of　sunset；　dark　rose　and　purple；　with　the　blue…black　of　twilight　soon　to　e。　He　couldn't　see　the　river　from　his　bed；　but　through　the　open　window　he　could　hear　it　rushing　past；　in　the　middle　distance　lights　were　beginning　to　e　on　in　the　houses　of　Lussan。　He　watched　for　a　while；　feeling　curiously　at　peace　though　conscious　of　pain　in　his　legs　and　aware　of　bandages　about　his　left　ear。　He　brought　one　hand　up　and　felt　them。
　　Tentatively　he　turned　his　head　back　the　other　way　and　so　realized；　for　the　first　time；　that　he　was　not　alone。
　　〃It　could　have　been　worse；〃　Ariane　said　quietly。　She　was　sitting　in　a　chair　halfway　to　the　door。　〃You　lost　part　of　the　earlobe；　but　they　say　it　will　be　no　more　than　that。　Much　the　same　as　Bertran；　actually。〃
　　〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃
　　〃Not　long。　They　said　you　would　sleep　until　sundown。　I　asked　if　I　could　speak　with　you　alone　when　you　woke。〃
　　She　had　changed　to　sober　clothing　from　the　bright　regalia　of　the　morning；　her　gown　was　a　dark　blue　in　colour；　with　her　customary　crimson　only　in　the　trim　of　the　sleeves。　She　looked　very　beautiful　to　him。　She　smiled。　〃Bertran　has　been　going　about　the　castle　all　day　claiming　that　the　two　of　you　are　now　clearly　revealed　as　long…separated　brothers。　The　current　version　is　that　you　were　stolen　by　brigands　from　your　cradle　in　Talair　Castle　and　sold　for　three　goats　in　a　village　in　Gorhaut。〃
　　〃Three　goats？　I'm　outraged；〃　Blaise　said　with　a　sigh。　〃Five　at　least。　Tell　him　I　refuse　to　be　undervalued；　even　in　a　story。〃
　　Ariane's　smiled　faded。　〃You　are　unlikely　to　be　undervalued；　Blaise；　here　or　anywhere　else。　Not　after　this　morning。　Your　problems　are　almost　certainly　going　to　be　of　the　opposite　kind。〃
　　He　nodded　slowly。　It　seemed　that　he　could　do　that　much　without　pain。　With　an　effort；　he　pushed　himself　up　until　he　was　sitting。　There　was　a　flask　on　a　table　by　the　bed。
　　〃What　is　this？〃　he　asked。
　　〃More　of　what　you　had　before。　They　said　you　might　want　it。〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃Is　there　anything　else？〃
　　There　was　wine；　in　a　decanter　by　the　far　wall。　There　was　food　as　well；　cold　meats　and　cheeses　and　fresh…baked　bread　from　the　castle　kitchen。　He　was；　he　discovered；　ravenous。　Ariane　watered　the　wine　and　brought　him　a　tray。　Blaise　ate　swiftly　for　a　few　moments；　then　looked　up　again。　She　was　smiling；　scrutinizing　him　carefully　from　her　chair。
　　〃They　said　the　herbs　might　make　you　hungry　when　you　woke。〃
　　He　grunted。　〃What　else　did　they　say；　since　they　seem　to　know　me　so　well？〃
　　〃That　I　wasn't　to　agitate　or　excite　you。〃　Her　expression　was　demure。
　　Blaise　felt　oddly　happy　suddenly。　A　feeling　of　well…being　suffused　him；　looking　at　the　woman；　feeling　the　calm　and　silence　of　the　twilight。　When　he　did　leave　this　room　the　burdens　of　the　world　were　waiting　to　be　taken　up。　For　the　moment　though；　however　brief　the　moment　might　be；　all　of　that　seemed　agreeably　remote。　He　was　aware　o