ggk.asongforarbonne-第84节

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oment　though；　however　brief　the　moment　might　be；　all　of　that　seemed　agreeably　remote。　He　was　aware　of　her　scent　again；　subtle　as　ever；　but　very　much　her　own。
　　He　said；　〃You　aren't　very　good　at　not　doing　that；　you　know。〃
　　Surprisingly；　she　flushed。　Blaise　grinned。　He　shifted　position　and　moved　the　lacquered　tray　to　the　chest　beside　his　bed。　She　remained　seated　where　she　was。
　　〃Has　anything　happened　that　I　need　to　know　about？〃　he　asked。　He　really　did　feel　remarkably　well。　More　than　well；　actually。　He　wondered　if　the　two　physicians　had　predicted　this；　too。　〃Anything　that　requires　me；　or　you；　for　the　next　little　while？〃
　　Ariane；　her　dark　eyes　wide；　shook　her　head。
　　〃Is　there　a　lock　on　that　door？〃
　　The　hint　of　a　smile　returned　to　her　face。　〃Of　course　there　is。　And　there　are　also　four　guards　of　the　countess　outside　who　would　hear　any　key　turning。　Everyone　knows　I　am　here；　Blaise。〃
　　She　was　right；　of　course。　Deflated；　he　leaned　back　against　the　pillows。
　　Ariane　rose　then；　tall　and　slender；　her　black　hair　down　as　it　always　was。　〃On　the　other　hand；〃　she　murmured；　walking　to　the　door；　〃the　corans　of　Barbentain　are　legendary　for　their　discretion。〃　She　turned　the　key　in　the　lock　with　a　click。　〃And　since　the　whole　castle　knows　I'm　here；　we　couldn't　possibly　be　doing　anything　but　discussing　what　happens　next；　could　we？〃
　　She　walked　slowly　back　towards　him　and　stood　by　the　edge　of　the　bed。　Blaise　looked　up　at　her；　drinking　in；　as　a　draught　of　cool；　reviving　wine；　the　dark…eyed；　flawless　beauty　of　her。
　　〃I　had　been　wondering　about　that；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　Her　hand　was　playing　idly　with　the　coverlet；　pulling　it　back　a　little　from　his　chest　and　then　tugging　it　up　again。　He　was　naked　beneath。　〃What　happens　next；　I　mean。〃
　　Ariane　laughed　then；　and　drew　the　coverlet　fully　back　from　him。　〃We'll　have　to　discuss　it；〃　she　said；　and；　sitting　on　the　bed；　lowered　her　mouth　to　his。　The　kiss　was　brief；　delicate；　elusive。　He　remembered　this　about　her。　Then　her　lips　moved　down；　found　the　hollow　of　his　throat；　and　then　down　again；　across　his　chest；　and　down　again。
　　〃Ariane；〃　he　said。
　　〃Hush；〃　she　murmured。　〃I　did　promise　not　to　make　you　agitate　yourself。　Don't　make　a　liar　out　of　me。〃
　　His　turn　to　laugh；　helplessly；　and　then；　not　long　after；　to　stop　laughing　as　other　sensations　took　control　of　him。　It　had　grown　dark　in　the　room　by　then；　night　deepening　outside。　They　had　lit　no　candles。　In　the　shadows　he　saw　her　lift　her　head　from　his　body　and　then　rise　to　stand　by　the　bed；　another　shadow；　and　slip　free　of　her　clothing。　Then　she　moved　again；　in　a　swirl　of　scent　and　a　rustle　of　sound；　to　rise　up　over　him　where　he　lay。
　　〃Now　remember；　you　aren't　to　get　excited；〃　Ariane　de　Carenzu　said　gravely　as；　with　a　smooth；　liquescent　motion；　she　lowered　herself　upon　his　sex。
　　Lights　were　shining　now　in　the　town　across　the　water；　someone's　footsteps　came　down　the　hall；　a　voice　answered　a　quiet　challenge　from　the　guards　and　then　the　footsteps　went　on。　The　river　ran　softly　below；　aiming　for　the　distant　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　lit