ggk.asongforarbonne-第105部分

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　offered　to　the　other。　You　are　about　to　be　king　of　Gorhaut；　Blaise；　in　the　midst　of　a　world　turned　upside…down。　The　heiress　of　Arbonne　will　be　waiting　at　Talair；　even　now。〃
　　〃And　you　think　I　must　take　her？　To　begin　the　righting　of　the　world？〃
　　For　the　first　time　Ariane　showed　a　flash　of　her　old　authority。　〃I　told　you　that　I　have　no　control　over　anything　here。　It　is　too　soon；　in　any　case。　I　do　think…since　you　ask…that　any　man　who　shares　his　life　with　that　one　will　be　blessed　beyond　deserving　all　his　days。　Even　you；　Blaise。〃
　　He　had　seen　her；　of　course；　twice。　Rinette。　Had　exchanged　hard；　haughty　words　by　the　lake　in　spring　after　he'd　killed　six　corans　of　Miraval。　We　have　been　waiting　for　you；　she'd　said　to　him；　self…possessed　beyond　her　years；　and　he　had　feared　those　words。　Perhaps；　he　thought　now；　perhaps　they　had　meant　something　other　than　what　either　of　them　had　understood　or　guessed　that　spring　day。　Perhaps　the　goddess　truly　did　work　in　ways　men　and　women　could　not　prehend。　He　thought　suddenly　of　the　red　arrow　that　had　killed　Ademar。　He　still　had　no　idea…and　was　trying　not　to　dwell　upon　the　thought…how　that　arrow　had　e　straight　down　from　a　clear　sky。
　　He　said；　looking　up　at　Ariane；　〃I　will　see　you？　You　will　not　leave　my　life？〃
　　She　smiled　then。　Said　formally；　〃The　king　of　Gorhaut　will　always　be　wele　in　Carenzu。〃
　　She　was　guiding　them　back　together　to　solid　ground。　Her　gifts　had　always　been　generous；　and　this　not　the　least　of　them。　He　tried　to　match　her　tone。　〃And　Carenzu's　lord　and　lady；　wherever　I　am。〃
　　There　was　a　short　silence。　She　bit　her　lip。　〃There　were　other　words　that　were　part　of　that　Midsummer　Night。　A　song　sung　in　the　tavern　where　we　met。　I　wonder　if　you　remember　the　ending　of　it？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　Lisseut　of　Vezét　had　sung　that　song；　he　remembered；　but　the　words　were　lost　to　him。　Ariane　smiled　then；　with　tenderness　and　sadness；　and　a　returning　hint　of　the　wise；　worldly　awareness　that　had　always　seemed　to　be　hers。　〃Let　me　ride　back　alone；　Blaise。　If　you　don't　mind。　I　don't　think　I'll　be　by　myself　very　much　in　the　next　little　while。〃
　　He　nodded　his　head。　What　else　could　he　have　done？　Bring　her　down　into　his　arms　in　the　fading　light？　Not　in　this　world；　he　thought。　She　touched　a　finger　to　her　lips；　still　with　that　same　smile；　and　turned　away。　She　was　as　beautiful　as　any　woman　he　had　ever　known。　She　would　have　offered　so　much　fort；　he　knew。　fort　and　passion　and　wisdom。　Offered；　and　taken　whatever　he　had　to　give　in　return；　had　he　but　asked。　His　heart　full；　Blaise　watched　her　ride　slowly　away　from　him　at　sunset　through　the　tall　grass。　He　was　thinking　of　her　at　thirteen；　with　a　new…born　child　in　her　arms。
　　That　child　had　grown　into　the　woman　it　seemed　the　world　and　his　own　growing　understanding　of　it　might　have　him　wed。　Nothing　would　or　could　be　done　swiftly；　and　indeed　it　might　never　be　done　at　all；　there　were　so　many　layers　of　plexity　to　this　world　he　had　entered　now。　She　was　waiting　in　Talair；　Ariane　had　said。　He　let　his　mind　move　forward　towards　such　a　meeting。　Only　his　thoughts；　though：　Blaise　remained　where　he　was　for　a　long　time；　sitting　quietly　in　the　doorway　as　the　sun　slid　down　in　the　west　and　the　colours　of　sunset　gradually　suffused　the　fields　and　the　bare　vineyards　and　the　trees；　and　fell　gently；　like　a　late　benediction；　on　that　small　cabin　by　the　forest。
　　Blaise　looked　back　once　through　the　open　doorway　before　he　finally　left；　and　he　saw　how　that　muted　crimson　light　slanted　through　the　western　window　to　fall　upon　the　small；　neat　bed　against　the　wall。　He　stood　there　for　a　moment；　motionless；　and　then　he　gently　closed　the　door；　that　the　wind　and　rain　might　not　enter　in　after　these　years。
　　It　was　dusk；　the　first　faint　stars　shining　in　the　east；　when　he　rode　back　towards　Talair。　And　because　it　was　so　nearly　dark　and　he　wasn't　really　thinking　about　his　path…his　thoughts　ahead　of　him　and　far　behind…he　rode　straight　past　the　woman　standing　quietly　beside　her　horse　in　shadow　under　the　elms　on　the　far　side　of　the　arch。
　　
　　Lisseut　had　meant　to　call　out　to　him；　but　in　the　moment　he　actually　appeared　and　went　by　she　found　that　her　voice　would　not　obey　her。　She　could　not　say　his　name。　She　had　seen　the　duke　ride　past　earlier；　and　then　Ariane　de　Carenzu；　and　she　had　remained　out　of　sight　beneath　the　trees；　holding　her　thoughts　close　to　her　as　the　sun　went　down　and　the　shadows　grew　deeper　beneath　the　looming　arch。
　　Her　thoughts。　No　fort　there　at　all。　The　man　she　had　followed；　as　she　had　followed　him　once　before；　was　the　king　of　Gorhaut；　or　would　be　before　many　days　had　passed。　He　was　already　wearing　the　cloak　of　royalty。　She　had　seen　it　from　the　isle。
　　In　the　moment　Blaise　appeared　she　was　thinking；　actually；　of　her　mother　and　father　and　of　home；　of　sunrise　seen　through　the　window　of　her　own　small　room；　morning　light　filtering　through　the　grey…green　leaves　of　the　olive　trees；　the　air　carrying　the　scent　of　the　sea　from　below。
　　She　had　always　been　impetuous；　always　found　herself　pushing　hardest　when　she　thought；　inwardly；　that　it　might；　in　fact；　be　no　time　to　push　at　all。　Her　mother　had　told　her；　endlessly；　that　it　was　a　trait　that　could　lead　her　greatly　wrong　one　day。
　　Perhaps　it　was　because　of　that　memory　of　her　mother's　words；　with　the　heart…breaking　lucidity　of　that　image　of　home；　that　Lisseut　kept　silent　as　the　man　went　by；　riding　away　from　her；　from　the　arch　and　the　winter　elms；　back　to　the　world　that　was　waiting　for　him。　She　lost　sight　of　Blaise　in　the　darkness　where　the　avenue　of　elms　ended　and　the　path　curved　east　towards　the　shore　of　the　lake。
　　She　remained　where　she　was；　it　had　bee　curiously　difficult　to　move　just　then。　She　clung　to　that　image　of　home　for　a　while　yet；　and　then　that　too　seemed　to　leave　her。　After　a　time　in　the　deepening　shadows；　Lisseut　found　that　her　thoughts　had　turned　elsewhere　again；　and　then　it　seemed　that　her　voice　had　e　back　to　her　and　that；　perhaps　not　surprisingly；　there　were　words　she　needed　to　offer　to　the　twilight　and　the　empty　path　before　her　where　she　had　watched　him　go：
　　Thy　table　set　with　rarest　wine；　
　　Choice　meats；　sweet　ripened　fruit　
　　And　candlelight　when　we　dine　In　
　　Fionvarre。
　　On　we　two　the　high　stars　will　shine。　
　　And　the　holy　moon　lend　her　light。　
　　If　not　here　you　will　be　mine　
　　In　Fionvarre。
　　She　sighed。　There　was　truly　no　point　in　lingering　here；　she　told　herself。　It　was　time　to　go　back。　She　still　felt　this　curious　reluctance　to　move；　though。　It　was　cold　in　the　night　now　but　the　elms　blocked　the　worst　of　the　wind　and　in　the　darkness　the　disturbing；　sculpted　shapes　of　prisoners　and　slaves　on　the　arch　could　not　be　seen。　It　was；　in　fact；　unexpectedly　peaceful　where　she　stood；　holding　the　reins　of　a　quiet　horse。
　　She　stayed　quite　a　long　time。　It　was　much　later；　in　fact；　when　she　heard　a　single　horseman　go　by　along　the　edge　of　the　woods　behind　her；　heading　south。　She　became　a　little　frightened　for　the　first　time　then；　alone　here　in　the　darkness。　She　mounted　up　and　began　the　ride　back　to　where　there　would　be　lights　and　shelter　and　friends　and　such　fort　as　any　and　all　of　these　might　offer。
　　On　the　way；　as　she　came　up　to　the　shore　of　the　lake　and　rode　alongside　the　water　towards　the　distant　castle；　carrying　loss　and　love；　remembering　home；　trying　to　prehend　the　shape　of　the　future　opening　up　before　them　all；　Lisseut　found　herself　thinking　of　a　song。　Not　an　old　lullaby　this　time；　its　origins　long　lost；　not　a　tune　by　Anselme　of　Cauvas；　the　first　of　all　the　troubadours；　nor　of　Count　Folquet　or　Alain　or　En　Bertran；　nor　even　of　lost　Remy　or　Aurelian。
　　This　tune　and　its　words　belonged　to　none　of　them。　This；　for　the　first　time　ever；　as　she　passed　beside　the　shore　of　Lake　Dierne　in　the　starlit；　wintry　dark；　riding　towards　the　castle　lights；　was　a　song　of　her　own。
　　
　　It　was　cold　here　outside；　but　Rinette　had　felt　awkwardly　enveloped　within　the　warm；　firelit　rooms　of　Talair　Castle。　She　had　asked　them　where　the　garden　was　and　someone　had　escorted　her　there。　Then；　when　she'd　walked　into　the　walled　enclosure；　she　had　asked　if　she　could　be　left　alone　and　they　had　done　that　for　her　as　well。　Everyone　was　being　extraordinarily　obliging；　even　beyond　what　could　be　expected　by　a　ranking　priestess　of　Rian。
　　But　she　was　more　than　that；　and　less。　She　had　left　her　owl　behind；　on　the　isle。　That　had　been；　actually；　the　first　of　the　very　hard　things。
　　This　is；　Rinette　thought；　walking　at　twilight　among　bare　trees　and　evergreens　and　bushes　and　shrubs　and　flowers　that　would　be　glorious　e　spring；　my　own　castle。　One　of　her　castles。　Barbentain　itself　was　another；　and　even　Miraval　was　part　of　her　legacy；　if　one　stretched　a　point　only　a　little。
　　It　was　cold；　but　she　did　not　mind　the　cold。　Winter　was　something　she　could　deal　with。　She　was　still　wearing　the　robes　of　Rian　under　her　grey　cloak。　It　wasn't　as　if　she'd　had　a　great　deal　of　time　to　change　her　garb。　Or　her　sense　of　where　she　belonged　in　the　world。　When　she　had　arisen　this　morning　she　had　been　a　priestess　of　Rian　on　her　holy　Isle；　the　named　successor　to　the　High　Priestess　there；　though　wondering；　with　a　fear　every　one　of　them　had　felt；　if　their　lives　would　stretch　beyond　this　winter。　Or　if　their　destiny　was　fire　in　the　name　of　Gorhaut　and　the　god　it　claimed　to　serve。
　　Then　battle　had　e　today；　screaming　horses　and　men；　blood　and　chaos　in　the　valley；　and　at　the　end；　unlooked…for　amid　helpless　terror；　a　victory　so　plete　the　mind　and　heart　could　scarcely　absorb　it。　She　had　gone　into　the　sanctuary；　to　help　the　High　Priestess　lead　them　through　the　ancient；　holy　ceremony　of　thanksgiving。
　　And　had　e　out　from　under　the　dome　to　find　the　lady　Ariane　de　Carenzu　waiting　for　her　with　a　story　that　changed　her　life　forever。
　　It　was　hard；　it　was　very　hard；　however　she　strove　to　deal　with　this　as　she　had　always　tried　to　deal　with　everything…calmly　and　with　as　much　clarity　as　she　could　mand。　The　lady　of　Carenzu　had　ended　by　telling　her　what　was　obvious　to　any　thinking　person　from　the　moment　the　story　had　begun　to　grow　clear…that　her　place　was　almost　certainly　away　from　the　isle　now。　That　the　blindness　and　inner　sight　of　a　High　Priestess　of　Rian　was　not　what　Arbonne　needed　from　her　after　this。　Everything　had　changed。
　　Ariane　had　sa