按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ch fixed； warlike obsession in their make…up； and Arbonne worshipped a goddess above the god。 All of these things involved nuances and subtleties to which he would have been oblivious a year ago； Blaise knew…but the primal inferno of a battlefield was no place for subtleties。 They didn't matter here。 Weapons mattered； and training； and the will of the men who wielded them。 And； in the end； the numbers on either side。
It would take a miracle； he thought； immersing himself in battle that winter afternoon like a man with a bitter thirst to slake。 Blaise had always given Corannos his faith and he was ing； amazingly； to have some sense of the very different power of Rian； but he still didn't believe in miracles。 The men and women he knew…and he included himself in this…were simply not deserving of such holy intercession。 He hewed and slashed with his sword； a mortal man dealing in death； knowing that he was killing men he'd fought beside at Iersen Bridge and many times before。 It was only with an effort of will that he was able to keep the meaning of that from breaking through to undo him entirely。
Square on in that windswept valley the armies of two countries crashed into each other in the clear light of midwinter in Arbonne and Blaise knew that the weight of numbers was going to push them back。 Back to the lake； to the edge of the castle moat； to the ending of their lives。 Courage and skill and the rightness of a cause were sometimes not enough。 They were seldom enough； he thought； tasting that truth like poison in his mouth： Corannos and Rian had shaped a world in which this was so。 He was aware of death hovering in the blue brightness of the sky； preparing to descend； to cloak the world in darkness。
He had a sudden； searing image in his mind of night fires on Rian's Isle when their army was destroyed。 He saw Signe de Barbentain； small； elegant； proud； bound and burning on one of his father's pyres； her mouth open in a soundless scream； her white hair in flames。 A rage rose up in him then； a fury of denial； and the numbness that had fallen upon him like a blanket of fog when Ranald died was finally pushed away。
Blaise looked around； as if seeing the field clearly for the first time and in doing so he pushed past his inward griefs and accepted the role that lay waiting for him； the burden that had been his from the moment he'd claimed a crown。
He was manding the left flank； with him were Rudel and Fulk and the barons and corans of southern Arbonne； including Mallin de Baude。 Bertran and Valery held the centre； mostly with the men of Talair； and Thierry de Carenzu； with the corans of the east； was on the right。 As best he could tell…eyes narrowed in the sunlight…they were still holding ground on all fronts。 He could see Ademar in the forefront of the Gorhaut army； not far from Bertran in fact； though there were hundreds of men between them。 Galbert was beside the king； a black mace in his right hand。 Even as Blaise watched； his father leaned over in his saddle； huge； powerful； to hammer the mace into the skull of an Arbonnais pikeman。 The man didn't even have a chance to scream as his head was crushed。 He crumpled to the earth like so much spilled grain。
Men died in battle。 People one had known and loved died in battles。 You could not let that make you falter。 They were holding ground； but they were not going to do so for much longer。 Blaise； in the grip of a sudden clarity； made his decision。
And that same swift clear…headedness made him understand that this； too； was one of the things that came with the role on the world's stage that he'd claimed for himself： one gave orders in a battle such as this that could shape the destinies of nations。
It was true； it was about to be made true even now； and Blaise realized that he would have to accept that weight because his only other alternative was to withdraw into the shadows and die； betraying all those who believed in him。 He made his choice then； and prepared himself to answer for it before the god when his hour came。
Drawing back sharply from the crush at the front of the lines he wheeled his horse over towards Fulk de Savaric； gesturing urgently。 Fulk saw him ing and drew back as well。
〃We can't do this much longer！〃 Rosala's brother shouted over the roar of bat。 A man beside them fell； dropping his sword； clutching with both hands at an arrow in his throat。
〃I know！ Listen to me！ Pull your men back and try to flank around。 We'll hold as best we can。 Get in behind Ademar if you can！ Drive towards Bertran。〃
〃You can't hold here without us！〃 Fulk screamed。 There was blood on his face； dripping into his yellow beard。 Blaise couldn't tell if it was Fulk's own blood or someone else's。
〃Have to try！〃 he shouted。 〃Nothing else is going to break this up； and we can't keep fighting twice our numbers face to face。〃
He had another thought then and looked away from Fulk towards the front again。 He saw that Rudel was looking back at him； waiting。 They had fought beside each other often enough； it wasn't really a great surprise。 He saw his friend arch his eyebrows in silent enquiry； and Blaise nodded his head。
〃Do it！〃 he cried； and knew that Rudel understood。 His friend turned to a mercenary beside him and spoke a one word mand。
A moment later there came a fierce； ragged shout from Fulk's men of Savaric as over their heads； gripped by that coran beside Rudel； the banner of the kings of Gorhaut rose up to fly beside the standard of Arbonne。 Two of us under the same banner； Blaise thought。 Will it matter？
A moment later he realized； with a quickening of his heart； that it might。
〃Look！〃 Fulk shouted； pointing。
Blaise had already seen。
〃To me！〃 he roared； pulling at his horse's reins； driving towards the standard Rudel had raised。 〃In the name of Gorhaut； to me； men of Garsenc！〃
And as he screamed it at the top of his voice； he saw that there were indeed corans of his family estate； from the pany behind his father and Ademar； pulling back from the fight in the centre and making their way； swords uplifted in salute； towards him。
Ranald's last shouted words had been heard； Blaise realized。 And these men would have watched one of their own； Bergen of Garsenc； felled by a Portezzan as he prepared to ride back to them。 And sure； surely； there would be those among the corans he had grown up among who had not been filled with joy at the prospect of burning women and mutilating helpless men。
He saw his father turn； alerted by a change in the sounds behind him。 Galbert visibly checked at what he saw； then his own magnificent； stentorian voice rang out over the battlefield like the voice of doom； of a god； 〃Stop those men！〃 he trumpeted。 〃There are traitors among us！〃
Confusion reigned。 Some corans turned obediently in the Gorhaut ranks and began slashing at others who； moments before； had been fighting beside them。 In front of Blaise the warriors of Gorhaut turned towards the centre to see what was happening； and in the respite shaped by that brief hesitation the men of Arbonne pushed forward beside Rudel's hard…bitten mercenaries； fighting now beneath the incongruous banner of the kings of