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understand the Arbonnais for a long time yet； if ever。 Still； the woman's attitude was useful； an outcry of loss from her would have proven embarrassing。
In the meantime； Soresina's public reception of the prodigal poet had been almost touching in its emotion。 〃There's an actress in that one；〃 Maffour had whispered drily to Blaise as they stood to one side of the castle forecourt and watched the young baroness kneel and then rise to salute the troubadour with a kiss on each cheek and a third one on the lips。
〃There is in all of them；〃 Blaise had replied out of the side of his mouth。 Nonetheless； he too had been feeling rather pleased that morning； a sensation that continued when it became clear that although Evrard was not going to linger in Baude Castle…no one really wanted him to…he seemed to have accepted his abduction with a good humour that matched Mallin's own。
The poet offered one quickly…fashioned verse with an elaborately strung…together set of images about emerging from a dark cave； drawn upwards by a glow of light that turned out to be the radiance of Soresina de Baude。 He used another name for her； of course； but the same one as it had been all along。 Everyone knew who the woman was。 Everyone was happy。
The troubadour left Baude at the end of a week with a jingling purse； an assuaged self…esteem and a more than slightly enhanced reputation。 No one in Arbonne would know exactly what had transpired in this remote castle in the highlands； but it was evident that Evrard of Lussan had somehow been wooed back by the baron and his wife； and had been handsomely rewarded for his indulgence of their earlier errors。 Among other things； the power of the troubadours； both in their person and through their satires and eniums； had been subtly augmented by the enigmatic sequence of events。 That part Blaise didn't much like； but there wasn't anything he could do about it； and this wasn't his home in any case。 It shouldn't matter； he told himself； what follies Arbonne strayed into； or continued with。
The corans of Baude had been making wagers amongst each other all week…wagers never likely to be settled one way or another…as to just how far Soresina's contrition had gone； or rather； how far it had allowed the poet to go。 Blaise； scrutinizing the woman and the man narrowly on the morning of Evrard's departure； had been quite certain that nothing untoward had happened； but this was not the sort of thing he wagered upon or talked about； and he kept his peace。 He did accept an additional purse from Mallin over and above his wages that month； the baron was so caught up in his new style of noble largess that Blaise actually spent part of a morning doing calculations and then musing on how long Mallin was going to be able to sustain this sort of thing。 Rank and position in the hierarchy of nobility didn't e cheaply； in Arbonne or anywhere else。 Blaise had wondered if the baron really understood all the implications that were likely to arise from his pursuit of status in the world。
And then； about ten days after Evrard's departure； one of the more immediate implications had arrived； preceded by an envoy with a message that had thrown Baude Castle into a chaos of preparation。
At the top of the dark stairway Blaise shifted his seat on the stone bench。 It would be nice； he thought briefly； to have a beaker of wine up here； not that he'd ever really have allowed himself such an indulgence。 He knew at least two men who had died； drunken and asleep； when they should have been on watch。 He had； as it happened； killed one of the two himself。
It was silent in the castle； he felt very much alone； and a long way from home。 An unusual feeling； that one： home hadn't meant much to him for a long time。 People still did； though； sometimes； and there was no one here who was really a friend yet； or likely to bee one in the time he was allowing himself at Castle Baude。 He wondered where Rudel was tonight； what country； what part of the world。 Thinking of his friend led him back to the cities of Portezza； and so； inevitably perhaps in the silence of night outside a woman's rooms； to memories of Lucianna。 Blaise shook his head。 Women； he thought。 Was there ever one born to be trusted since the world was made ？
And that thought； not a new one for him this year； would take his memories straight home if he let them； to his brother and his brother's wife； and the last time…as the High Priestess of Rian had somehow known…he had lain with a woman in love。 Or； not love。 The priestess had known that too； uncannily。 He had felt shockingly open and exposed before her blindness in the forest that night； and not overly proud； after； of what she had seen in him。 He wondered if her vision was deep enough； in whatever way she saw such things； to reach back to roots and sources and an understanding of why men…and women…did the things they did。
Blaise wondered if he himself really understood the events of that short； hopeless attempt to return home four months ago。 It had been pure impulse that had led him back； or so he'd thought at the time； bidding farewell to Rudel at the Gotzland Pass to go back to Gorhaut and his family home for the first time in almost a year。 What was a country； what was a home？ He looked out through the narrow archer's window。 The blue moon was high； almost full。 Escoran they named it in Gorhaut…〃daughter of the god〃…but they called the blue moon Riannon here； for their goddess。 There was a power to naming so； a choosing of alignments。 But the moon was the same； wasn't it； whatever mortal man chose to call it； lending her strange； elusive light to the landscape east of the castle？
Pale Vidonne…which bore the same name everywhere…wouldn't rise for some time yet。 If someone were actually making a foray from outside； climbing up to the window； it would be fairly soon； in the denser shadows while the blue moon rode alone。 It was a mild night； which pleased Blaise for Hirnan's sake outside。 It was unlikely in the extreme that any sane man would actually attempt to scale the outer wall of the castle in pursuit of a seduction； but as long as they were assigned to guard duty they might as well do it properly。 Blaise had had that attitude to things as a boy； and nothing in his adult years had made him find cause to change。
He couldn't see Hirnan down below； of course； but the moonlight showed the hills in the distance； and the fields where the lavender would soon flower； and the winding road that climbed from them up to the castle。 Lavender would make him think of Lucianna again if he wasn't careful。 Resolutely； Blaise turned his mind to the task at hand； to where he now was； to this matter of Bertran de Talair； with all its implications。
On a bright； windy morning seven days ago； with spring fully arrived and the first wildflowers gleaming in the sun like a many…coloured carpet laid down for royalty； three horses had been seen making their way up the slow； circuitous path to the castle gates。 A trumpet blew erratically from the ramparts； the portcullis was raised with a dangerous celerity； almost maiming one of the men handling the winches； and Blaise had assembled with the corans and most of the ho