[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

not a horror to you? His tone grew almost pleading.  I assure you I m a
horror to me!
She glanced at his gut, then stared off across the courtyard, her jaw set
mulishly.  I do not believe that being haunted is catching. Do you think I
lack the courage?
 Never that, he breathed.
She addressed her feet in a growl.  I d storm heaven for you, if I knew where
it was.
 What, didn t you read old Ordol s book while you were helping Iselle cipher
those letters? He claims that the gods, and we, are both right here all the
time, a shadow s thickness apart. We ve no distance to cross at all to get to
each other.
I can see their world from where I sit, in fact.
So Ordol was right.  But you cannot force the gods. It s only fair, I suppose.
They cannot force us, either.
 You re doing it again
. Twisting the topic.
 What are you planning to wear tomorrow? Shall it be pretty? You re not
allowed to outshine the bride, you know.
She glared at him.
Up on the gallery, Lady dy Baocia popped out of Iselle s chambers and called
down to Betriz a complicated question involving what seemed to Cazaril a great
many different fabrics. Betriz waved back and rose reluctantly to her feet.
She flung rather sharply over her shoulder, as she made for the staircase,
 Well, that may all be so, and you as doomed as you please, but if I m thrown
from a horse tomorrow and break my neck, I hope you feel a fool!
 More of a fool, he murmured to the swish of her retreating skirts. The
bright courtyard was a blur in his disobedient eyes, and he rubbed them clear
with a hard, surreptitious swipe of his sleeve.
THE WEDDING DAY DAWNED AS FAIR AS HOPED. The orange-blossom-scented courtyard
was crowded as it could hold when Iselle, attended by her aunt and Betriz,
appeared at the top of the gallery stairs. Cazaril tilted his face up and
squinted happily. The tire-women had performed heroic feats with silks and
satins, garbing her in all the shades of blue proper for a bride. Her blue
vest-cloak was trimmed with as many Ibran pearls as could be found in Taryoon,
patterned as a frieze of stylized leopards. A smattering of applause broke out
as, moving a little stiffly in all her finery, she smiled and descended the
steps. Her hair gleamed like a river of treasure in the sunlight. Two dy
Baocia girl-cousins managed her train, under the sporadic direction of their
mother. Even the curse seemed to wrap about her like some trailing sable robe.
But not for much longer . . .
Cazaril obediently fell in beside Provincar dy Baocia, and so found himself
helping to lead the parade afoot through twisting streets to Taryoon s nearby
temple. Through a wonder of coordination, Bergon s procession from March dy
Huesta s palace arrived at the temple portico simultaneously with
Iselle s. The royse wore the reds and oranges of his age and sex, and an
expression of determined bravery that would not have been out of place on a
man storming a bastion. Palli and his dozen soldier-brothers in court dress of
their order had joined the royse s party along with Foix and Ferda, so as not
to let the Ibrans look, and perhaps feel, so outnumbered. Despite the short
notice, Cazaril calculated that over a thousand persons of rank crowded into
the temple s round center court; and what seemed the entire citizenry of
Taryoon lined the routes of the royesse and royse. A festival mood had clearly
seized the city.
The two processions coalesced in a swirl of color and entered the sacred
Page 228
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
precincts. Taryoon had good temple singers, and the enthusiastic choir made
the walls fairly ring with their songs. The young couple, led by the
archdivine, entered each of the temple s lobes in turn. They knelt and prayed
upon new carpets for the blessing of each god: to the Daughter and the Son, in
thanks for their protection in life
 s journey so far; and to the Mother and the Father, in hopes of passing into
their company in due course.
By theology and tradition, the Bastard had no official place in a ceremony of
marriage, but all prudent couples sent a placating gift anyway. Cazaril and dy
Tagille had been commissioned to play holy couriers today. They received the
offerings from Bergon and Iselle and, along with a small but earnestly loud [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]