ggk.asongforarbonne-第94章

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　　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　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；　d