ggk.asongforarbonne-第85节

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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　from　the　tales　told　of　his　dealings　with　women　in　many　countries。
　　〃How　do　we　know　of　this？〃　she　asked　at　length。
　　He　said；　without　turning；　〃A　coran　from　Garsenc　who　was　here　for　the　tournament。　He　watched　Blaise　this　morning　and　was　riding　north　to　tell　the　king　what　had　happened。〃
　　〃Why　did　he　change　his　mind？〃
　　Bertran　looked　briefly　over　his　shoulder　and　shook　his　head。　〃That　I　do　not　know。　I'll　have　to　ask　Blaise　later。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　fire；　shifting　the　wood。　First　one　side　caught；　and　then　a　moment　later　the　other　did。　With　a　grunt　of　satisfaction　he　rose。　〃He　swore　fealty　to　Blaise　tonight；　as　his　liege　lord　and　true　king。　He　named　Ademar　as　a　traitor。〃
　　〃Iersen　Bridge；　then；〃　said　Rosala　quietly。　〃That　is　why　he　did　it。　He　was　probably　a　man　from　the　north。　There　will　be　many　who　feel　that　way　about　the　treaty。〃
　　〃How　many？〃　asked　the　duke　of　Talair。　She　realized　that　he　meant　the　question　seriously；　that　he　was　treating　her　as　someone　whose　views　on　this　would　matter。
　　〃That　is　hard　to　judge；〃　she　said。　The　fire　had　caught　now；　warming　her。　〃Not　enough；　I　don't　think。　Most　of　the　men　of　rank　who　might　matter　are　afraid　of　the　king；　and　the　mon　folk　are　even　more　afraid　of　the　brethren　of　Corannos…who　are　ruled　by　my　father…in…law。〃
　　He　was　silent。　Looking　into　the　fire　Rosala　saw　a　future　there　shaped　of　flame。　Fifty　people　had　died　tonight　for　her。　She　closed　her　eyes　again；　but　the　imprint　of　the　fire　was　still　against　her　eyelids。　The　shock　was　beginning　to　pass。
　　〃Oh；　my　son；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　Cadar。〃　And　then；　〃I　will　have　to　take　him　back。　I　cannot　let　them　do　this　to　people　here。　It　is　because　he　is　a　boy；　you　see。　They　will　not　let　us　be。〃
　　It　seemed　that　she　was　crying　again；　the　tears　spilling　to　slide　down　her　face　before　the　fire。　She　heard　the　sound　of　a　chair　scraping　the　floor；　and　then　a　rustling；　and　then　petent；　capable　hands　had　taken　her　and　laid　her　head　against　a　strong　shoulder。　His　arm　went　around　her。
　　〃Neither　of　you　is　going　back；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair；　his　voice　roughened。　〃The　countess　herself　stood　up　for　your　child　before　Corannos　and　Rian　and　so　did　I。　I　swore　an　oath　to　you　the　night　Cadar　was　born。　I　did　not　do　so　carelessly。　I　will　swear　it　again：　neither　of　you　is　going　back　to　them　while　I　live。〃
　　Something　hard　and　tight　in　Rosala　seemed　to　loosen；　or　she　let　go　of　her　hold　upon　it；　and　she　allowed　herself　to　weep　without　shame　in　the　arms　of　the　duke　of　Talair。　She　wept　for　Cadar；　for　herself；　for　the　dead　and　burned　of　that　night；　for　all　the　dying　and　burning　yet　to　e。　His　clasp　was　firm　holding　her；　his　voice　low；　murmuring　words　of　fort　and　heart's　ease。　No　one　had　held　her　like　this；　Rosala　thought；　since　her　father　had　died。　She　wept　for　that；　as　well。
　　She　could　not　know　it；　but　Bertran　de　Talair's　thoughts　just　then　were　almost　a　mirror　of　her　own：　he　was　thinking　that　he　could　not　remember　the　last　time　he　had　held　a　woman　in　this　way；　offering　shelter　and　strength　and　not　simply　the　passion　of　a　moment。　And　then；　a　moment　later；　he　realized　that　this　was　untrue：　that　he　could　remember　the　last　time；　quite　well　actually；　if　he　allowed　the　memory　in　through　his　barriers。
　　The　last　woman　he　had　held　this　way；　his　own　heart　beating　as　if　for　hers；　had　later　died　in　Miraval　giving　birth　to　his　child；　twenty…three　years　ago。
　　
　　Blaise　stopped　outside　the　partially　open　door　of　Rosala's　room。　He　had　been　ing　to　tell　her　of　the　news　that　had　reached　them　that　night；　feeling　the　dread　of　all　such　message…bearers；　but　not　wanting　her　to　learn　it　badly；　from　a　stranger。　Ranald　had　been　at　Aubry；　Thaune　had　said；　and　Fulk　de　Savaric；　her　brother。　About　to　knock；　he　heard　two　voices；　and　realized　a　moment　later　that　he　had　been　anticipated　in　his　errand。　He　felt　an　unexpected　mixture　of　emotions。　Relief；　mostly；　in　the　end。
　　Uncertain　whether　to　enter　or　leave；　he　heard　Rosala　abruptly　speak　in　a　stricken　voice　of　taking　the　child　back　to　Gorhaut。　Grieving　for　her；　understanding　exactly　what　she　meant；　and　humbled　again　by　what　it　seemed　she　was；　he　heard　Bertran　de　Talair；　unexpectedly　gruff；　repeating　an　oath　he'd　evidently　sworn　to　her　before。　Blaise　heard　Rosala　begin　to　weep　then；　and　through　the　angle　of　the　door；　in　the　light　of　the　fire's　glow；　he　saw　the　duke　move　to　the　arm　of　her　chair　to　hold　her　while　she　cried。
　　He　felt　an　intruder；　a　cause　of　the　distress　the　other　man　was　trying　to　assuage。　He　ought　to　have　been　forting　her　himself；　he　thought。　He　owed　her　that　much。　He　owed　her　at　least　that　much。　Blaise　looked　back　up　the　corridor　and　saw　Hirnan　waiting　discreetly　at　the　farther　end。　Feeling　his　wounds　again　and　weary　still；　but　with　a　suddenly　urgent　need　to　at　least　finish　what　he　had　begun　with　the　white　rose　this　morning；　he　knocked　on　the　door　and　said；　quietly；　so　as　not　to　startle　them　too　greatly；　〃For　what　it　is　worth；　I　have　an　oath　of　my　own　from　this　morning　to　repeat。〃
　　They　both　looked　up；　Bertran　calmly；　Rosala　wiping　quickly　at　her　eyes。　She　shifted　a　little　then