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oothly loosed arrow。 Blaise felt pleased to keep all his own flights anywhere on the distant targets； and Hirnan； scowling ferociously； couldn't even manage that。 Blaise had a suspicion that Bertran's cousin would have fared as well at a hundred paces if he had chosen to； but Valery was too polite to suggest such a distance and the exhibition ended there； with applause for all three of them。
They hunted the next day。 Soresina； clad in green and brown like a forest creature of legend； flew a new falcon for the first time and； to her prettily expressed delight； the bird brought down a plump hare in the high fields north of the castle。 Later； beaters in the fields stirred up a loud…winged plenitude of corfe and quail for their party。 Blaise； familiar with the unwritten rules of hunting in this sort of pany； was careful not to shoot at anything until he was certain neither Mallin nor the duke had a line on the same prey。 He waited until the two nobles had each killed several birds and then allowed himself two at the very end with a pair of swift arrows fired into the line of the sun。
On the third night there was a storm。 The sort of cataclysm the mountain highlands often knew in summer。 Lightning streaked the sky like the white spears of Corannos； and after the spears came the god's thunder voice and the driving rain。 The wind was wild； howling like a haunted spirit about the stone walls of the castle； lashing the panes of the windows as if to force its way in。 They had firelight and torches； though； in the great hall of Baude； and the walls and windows were stronger than wind or rain。 Ramir the joglar sang for them again； pitching his voice over the noises outside； shaping a mood of warmth and close…gathered intimacy。 Even Blaise had to concede that there were occasional times； such as this； when music and the attention to physical forts here in the south were indeed of value。 He thought about the people in the hamlets around the castle though； in their small； ramshackle wooden homes； and then about the shepherds up on the mountains with their flocks； lashed by the driving rain。 Early to bed in the wild night he pulled the quilted coverlet up to his chin and gave thanks to Corannos for the small blessings of life。
The morning after the storm dawned cool and still windy； as if the onset of summer had been driven back by the violence of the night。 Bertran and Valery insisted on joining with the men of Castle Baude in riding up into the hills in the thankless； wet； necessary task of helping the shepherds locate and retrieve any of the baron's sheep scattered by the storm。 The sheep and their wool were the economic foundation of whatever aspirations Mallin de Baude had； and his corans were never allowed to nurture the illusion that they were above performing any labours associated with that。
It was two hours' steep ride up to the high pastures； and the better part of a day's hard； sometimes dangerous work at the task。 Late in the afternoon； Blaise； swearing for what seemed to him entirely sufficient reasons； clambered awkwardly up out of a slippery defile with a wet； shivering lamb in his arms to see Bertran de Talair lounging on the grass in front of him； leaning fortably back against the trunk of an olive tree。 There was no one else in sight。
〃You'd best put that little one down before she pisses all over you；〃 the duke said cheerfully。 〃I've a flask of Arimondan brandy if it suits you。〃
〃She already has；〃 Blaise said sourly； setting the bleating lamb free on the level ground。 〃And thank you； but no； I work better with a clear head。〃
〃Work's done。 According to your red…headed coran…Hirnan； is it？…there's three or four sheep who somehow got up to the top of this range and then down towards the valley south of us； but the shepherds can manage them alone。〃 He held out the flask。
With a sigh； Blaise sank down on his haunches beside the tree and accepted the drink。 It was more than merely Arimondan brandy； one sip was enough to tell him as much。 He licked his lips and then arched his eyebrows questioningly。 〃You carry seguignac in a flask to chase sheep on a hill？〃
Bertran de Talair's clever； oddly youthful face relaxed in a smile。 〃I see that you know good brandy；〃 he murmured with deceptive tranquillity。 〃The next questions are how； and why？ You are trying extremely hard to seem like just another young mercenary； a petent sword and bow for hire like half the men of Gotzland。 I watched you during the hunt； though。 You didn't bring down anything till the very end； despite half a dozen clear opportunities for a man who can hit a target every time at eighty paces。 You were too conscious of not showing up either Mallin de Baude or myself。 Do you know what that says to me； Northerner？〃
〃I can't imagine；〃 Blaise said。
〃Yes； you can。 It says that you've experience of a court。 Are you going to tell me who you are； Northerner？〃
Schooling his face carefully； Blaise handed back the handsome flask and settled himself more fortably on the grass； stalling for time。 Beside them the lamb was cropping contentedly； seeming to have forgotten its bleating terror of moments before。 Despite insistent alarm bells of caution in his head； Blaise was intrigued and even a little amused by the directness of the duke's approach。
〃I don't think so；〃 he said frankly； 〃but I've been to more than one court in the past； in Gotzland and Portezza both。 I am curious as to why it matters to you who I am。〃
〃Easy enough；〃 said de Talair。 〃I want to hire you； and I prefer to know the backgrounds of the men who work for me。〃
This was too fast in too many ways for Blaise to run with。 〃I've been hired already；〃 he said。 〃Remember？ Mallin de Baude； youngish fellow； a baron in Arbonne。 Pretty wife。〃
Bertran laughed aloud。 The lamb tilted its head and looked at them a moment； then resumed his own affairs。 〃Really；〃 said the duke； 〃you belie your country's reputation with jests like that： everyone knows the Gorhautians have no sense of humour。〃
Blaise allowed himself a thin smile。 〃We say the same thing back home about the Gotzlanders。 And Valensans smell of fish and beer； Portezzans always lie； and the men of Arimonda mostly sleep with each other。〃
〃And what do you say back home；〃 Bertran de Talair asked quietly； 〃about Arbonne？〃
Blaise shook his head。 〃I haven't spent much time back home in a long while；〃 he said； dodging the question。
〃About four months；〃 de Talair said。 〃That much I checked。 Not so long。 What do they say？〃 His hands were loosely clasped about the flask。 Late…afternoon sunlight glinted in his short brown hair。 He wasn't smiling any longer。
Neither was Blaise。 He met the clear blue gaze as directly as he could。 After a long moment he said； in the silence of that high meadow； 〃They say that a woman rules you。 That women have always ruled you。 And that Tavernel at the mouth of the Arbonne River has the finest natural harbour for shipping and trade in the world。〃
〃And Ademar of Gorhaut； alas； has no sheltered harbour on the sea at all； hemmed in by Valensa on the north and womanish Arbonne to the south。 What a sad king。 Why are you here； Blaise of Gorhaut？〃