ggk.asongforarbonne-第112章

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s　how　she　felt；　she　had　decided…or　how　she　had　been　feeling；　until　war　came　with　the　harrowing　reports　of　deaths　and　burnings　and　thoughts　of　such　private　matters　were　trivialized　and　driven　far　away。
　　She　looked　out　across　the　choppy　waters　of　Lake　Dierne；　past　the　honey…coloured　stones　of　Talair　on　the　northern　shore　and　up　beyond　the　grass　of　the　valley　to　the　winter　vineyards　and　the　forest　rising　in　the　distance。　Somewhere　out　there　an　army　was　ing；　axes　and　swords　and　brands；　severed　heads　dancing　on　pikes　above　them。　The　survivors；　fleeing　south　before　the　fury　of　Gorhaut；　had　brought　tales　of　such　horrors　with　them。
　　Lisseut　plunged　her　hands　into　the　folds　of　the　vest　she'd　been　given　by　Ariane　in　Carenzu。　It　was　a　cold　morning；　diamond…bright；　the　stiff　wind　pushing　the　three　plumes　of　smoke　almost　due　south。　The　air　was　fresh　and　clean　and　she　could　see　a　long　way。　To　the　west；　when　she　turned；　the　massive　stones　of　the　Arch　of　the　Ancients　showed　clearly　at　the　end　of　the　row　of　marching　elms。　Lisseut　hated　that　arch。　She　had　from　the　moment　she'd　first　seen　it　years　ago：　there　was　too　much　oppressive　power　stamped　upon　it；　the　sculptor's　undeniable　art　wholly　given　over　to　the　brutally　explicit　message。　The　arch　reminded　her　now；　every　day；　of　what　was　ing。
　　She　would　have　been　safer　at　home；　she　knew。　Vezét　couldn't　be　reached　by　an　invading　army　for　a　long　time　yet　and；　if　it　came　to　that；　a　well…known　joglar　could　take　ship　from　the　coast　and　find　a　ready　wele　in　Portezza　or　Arimonda。
　　That　last　thought　hadn't　even　lingered　long　enough　to　be　seriously　considered。　Even　when　it　had　bee　clear　that　the　flattering　invitation　she　and　Alain　had　accepted…to　winter　on　Rian's　Isle…had　brought　them　squarely　into　the　path　of　death；　Lisseut　knew　she　would　not　leave。
　　There　was　a　reason　she　could　have　offered　if　anyone　had　asked；　but　no　one　did　ask。　It　had　been　Ramir's　song　though；　in　Lussan　at　the　Autumn　Fair　that；　more　than　any　other　single　thing；　had　shaped　her　feelings　now。　If　there　was　a　role；　any　role　at　all　for　her　to　play　in　this　appalling　time　it　would　not　lie　in　hiding　away　south　by　the　sea　or　fleeing　across　the　water。　The　imagined　presence　of　that　stone　inside　her；　sinking　silently　down　as　through　dark；　still　lake　waters；　might　have　had　something　to　do　with　it；　too。　She　would　have　admitted　that；　she　was　usually　honest　with　herself；　and　the　worst　part　of　that　pain　seemed　to　be　gone　now。　It　had　been　months　since　the　Lussan　Fair；　she　didn't　even　know　where　Blaise　was。　She　called　him　by　his　name　in　her　mind　now。　Surely　that　much　could　be　allowed？
　　Alain　had　stayed　on　the　isle　as　well。　She　had　thought　he　would。　Her　affection　for　the　little　troubadour　had　grown　with　each　passing　day。　He　had　even　begun　practising　with　a　sword；　rowing　across　to　join　the　corans　of　Talair　every　afternoon。　He　was　not　very　good。　Lisseut　had　gone　to　watch　him　one　day；　and　foreboding　had　lain　within　her　like　a　different　kind　of　weight。
　　That　grim　sense　of　premonition　was　with　her　again　now　as　she　gazed　out　across　the　whitecaps　at　the　stones　of　the　arch　beyond　the　western　shore；　trying　to　deal　with　the　tidings　that　had　e　with　the　messenger　from　the　High　Priestess。
　　〃Will　they　build　their　own　arch；　do　you　think；　if　they　destroy　us　all？〃
　　She　hadn't　heard　Rinette　approaching。　Not　entirely　happy；　for　she　still　hadn't　worked　out　her　feelings　about　the　coolly　arrogant　young　priestess；　she　turned　and　regarded　the　other　woman。
　　As　always；　it　was　the　owl　that　gave　her　pause。　Only　the　High　Priestess　at　each　temple；　or　those　named　and　being　trained　as　their　successors；　carried　the　birds。　Rinette；　no　older　than　Lisseut　herself；　was　very　young　to　be　marked　as　heir　to　the　High　Priestess　of　Rian's　Isle。　Once　she'd　ascended　to　that　rank　she　would　be　second　only　to　Beatritz　de　Barbentain　herself　among　the　hierarchy　of　the　goddess　in　Arbonne。　Lisseut　had　even　heard　talk　among　the　priests　and　priestesses　of　the　isle　that　Rinette　intended　to　follow　Beatritz　down　the　paths　of　blindness　when　that　day　came。
　　Lisseut　of　Vezét；　child　of　this　world；　finding　her　pleasures　and　griefs　among　men　and　women；　had　found　herself　unsettled　by　the　very　thought。　If　Rinette　had　been　older；　a　dour；　pious　zealot；　it　might　have　been　easier　to　deal　with；　but　the　brown…haired　priestess　was　beautiful　and　drily　clever；　and　she　seemed　to　know　and　enjoy　the　troubadours'　repertoire　of　songs　almost　as　well　as　Lisseut　and　Alain　did　themselves。　Once　she　had　even　corrected　Alain　on　a　line…reading　during　his　recitation　of　one　of　the　old　speak…pieces　of　Count　Folquet。　Lisseut；　genuinely　shocked　by　the　interjection；　had　quickly　searched　her　own　recollection　and　realized　that　the　priestess　was　right。　Not　that　this　made　her　any　happier　to　have　heard　an　audience　member　interrupt　a　troubadour。
　　What；　she　remembered　thinking；　was　the　world　ing　to？
　　A　remarkably　inconsequential　issue　that　seemed　since　the　winter　invasion　and　now　this　morning's　news。　She　was　made　aware；　looking　at　the　tall；　slender　woman　beside　her；　that　Rinette's　fate　if　Gorhaut　conquered　was　even　more　brutally　clear　than　her　own；　and　the　priestess；　by　her　sworn　oat　to　the　goddess；　lacked　even　the　options　of　flight　south　or　overseas。　Given　that；　given　the　darkness　of　the　time；　it　suddenly　seemed　profoundly　ungracious　to　be　carrying　a　grievance　against　the　woman　for　correcting　the　misreading　of　a　verse。
　　The　world　had　greatly　changed　since　Ademar　of　Gorhaut　had　led　an　army　through　the　mountains　into　the　green　hills　and　valleys　of　Arbonne。
　　〃A　second　arch？〃　she　said　quietly；　addressing　the　question　asked。　〃I　wonder。　Do　they　build　anything；　these　northerners？　〃
　　〃Of　course　they　do。　They　are　not　inhuman；　they　are　not　really　so　different　from　us；〃　Rinette　replied　calmly。　〃You　know　that。　They　are　badly　taught；　that　is　all。〃
　　〃There　seems　a　great　deal　of　difference　to　me；〃　Lisseut　said　sharply；　〃if　they　burn　women　alive　and　cut　the　heads　and　sexual　parts　off　dead　men。〃
　　〃Badly　taught；〃　Rinette　repeated。　〃Think　of　how　much　of　the　mystery　and　the　power　of　life　they　have　lost　by　denying　Rian。〃
　　〃You'll　forgive　me；　but　I　can't　spare　a　great　deal　of　time　just　now　for　pitying　them　that。　I'm　surprised　you　can。〃
　　Rinette　gave　a　small；　graceful　shrug；　looking　out　at　the　western　shore　and　the　arch　beyond。　〃We　are　trained　to　think　that　way。　The　times　are　evil；〃　she　said。　〃Mortal　men　and　women　are　what　they　have　always　been。　Five　hundred　years　from　now　we　will　all　be　dust　and　forgotten；　and　our　fates；　but　Rian　and　Corannos　will　still　steer　the　course　of　the　world。〃
　　It　was　rather　too　much　for　Lisseut；　this　holy　posturing。　〃I　wonder；〃　she　said　harshly；　good　intentions　forgotten；　〃if　you　will　take　such　a　long　view　when　we　see　the　army　of　Gorhaut　ing　across　the　lake　with　torches　in　their　hands。〃
　　And　regretted　the　words　the　moment　they　were　spoken。
　　Rinette　turned　to　her；　and　Lisseut　saw　then　in　the　clear　light　of　morning　that　the　other　woman's　eyes　were　not　nearly　so　tranquil　as　her　voice　and　words　might　have　suggested。　She　recognized；　belatedly；　that　what　she　had　been　hearing　was　an　attempt　to　master　fear。
　　〃I　do　not　wele　the　prospect　of　being　burned　alive；　if　that　is　what　you　mean；〃　Rinette　of　the　Isle　said。　〃If　that　isn't　what　you　mean；　perhaps　you'll　tell　me　what　you　are　trying　to　say。〃
　　And　after　that　of　course　there　was　nothing　for　Lisseut　to　do　but　apologize　as　best　she　could；　and　then　carry　on　through　the　day；　and　the　next　two；　wrapped　in　her　vest　against　the　wind　and　the　coldness　of　her　own　deep　fears。　Alain　rowed　across　the　whitecaps　of　the　lake　to　Talair　each　day；　carrying　a　borrowed　sword。　He　came　back　the　second　afternoon　with　a　vivid　red　contusion　on　his　forehead。　He　made　a　small　joke　about　deceiving　people　with　a　show　of　clumsiness；　but　Lisseut　had　seen　that　his　hands　were　trembling。
　　
　　On　the　fourth　day　the　armies　came。
　　It　was；　in　fact；　a　near　thing。　High　on　the　ramparts　of　Talair　at　midday　after　the　brutal；　forced　march　from　Barbentain　and　Lussan；　Blaise　looked　down　at　their　exhausted　men　in　the　open　space　below；　and　then　north　in　the　clear　light　for　the　first　sign　of　those　they　were　to　fight。　He　was　uneasily　aware　that　besides　the　eerie