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！
ot ready to share that intimacy with her husband…to…be…not yet。 But her head was high as she turned to go to her bridegroom； for she was a princess of Nur Hallaj； bred to her duty。 There would be no more tears。
She had light； gentle words for her maids as she joined them in the corridor； indulging them while they fussed with her veil and train and straightened errant strands of hair。 She was calm and resigned as she let herself be led to the chapel royal； where the marriage would take place。
Mother Heloise was waiting at the church door…all of her 〃family〃 that could be summoned on such short notice。 Later； there would be a more formal ceremony； but for now； this must suffice。 Rothana knelt to kiss the abbess' hand a last time and receive her blessing before taking the old woman's arm to walk down the short aisle。
Queen Meraude； her brother Saer； and Conall's younger brothers； Rory and Payne； were waiting with the archbishop； all in Haldane crimson for the affair； and Conall himself looked eerily like Kelson； just before he turned to watch her approach。 He wore a sumptuous tunic of quartered crimson and gold； powdered with tiny lions。 Kelson's lion brooch clasped at his throat and the Haldane sword bright and potent at his waist。 Rothana smiled as she put her hand in his。
CHAPTER TWENTY…FIVE
Do no secret thing before a stranger： for thou knowest not what he will bring forth。
Ecclesiasticus 8：18
〃Since it was a Haldane king who rescinded Saint Camber's canonization； and Haldane kings have allowed the persecution of his people to continue； you should understand why your mere identity does little to incline us to leniency； Kelson Haldane。 Your circumstances are lamentable； but a sacrilege still has been mitted； whether or not you intended it。〃
The speaker was a thickset individual in his potent mid…forties； previously identified as one Brother Michael。 He was also the spokesman for the Quorial； which Kelson and Dhugal had learned was the eight…person governing body of the village； called Saint Kyriell's。 The man had an unquestionable air of authority about him； dark eyes gazing unwaveringly out of a fleshy but powerful face。 The hands toying with a quill pen were square and callused with hard work and made the pen look very fragile。 He bore a token tonsuring； a small but precise shaven area no larger than two fingers in breadth； but the rest of his hair was long and drawn back in a thin； tightly plaited braid； untouched by grey。 His garb was the same as that of the deceased Sagart…a dark grey hooded robe and scapular girt with a knotted cord of red and blue…and Kelson had concluded that he； like Sagart； must be one of the priestly coisrigte。
One of the guards standing to either side of Kelson and Dhugal asked a question in the quick； staccato dialect that even Dhugal could not understand； and that sparked another round of heated debate among the four men and four women of the Quorial…which also included Bened and Jilyan； who were eventually revealed to be brother and sister。 An archer called Kylan； another soldier whose name neither Kelson nor Dhugal caught； and two older women； perhaps in their fifties or sixties； also sat on the Quorial； as well as a young girt called Rhidian； who looked to be barely into puberty。 Like the other women； she； too； wore a grey robe； but no wimple； her straight brown hair caught in a tidy knot at the nape of her neck。
Kelson had no idea how long the interview had been going； though he knew it must be several hours by now。 Since his and Dhugal's arrival； the circle of sunlight streaming through the smoke…vent above the hall's central hearth had crept some distance across the floor of beaten earth。 By the angle of the beam of sunshine； he judged it must be just past noon； but the windowless hall was dark and gloomy； lit only by torches。 A workmanlike lattice of well…hewn rafters supported a tightly thatched roof； low overhead to keep heat from dissipating in cold weather； and the plastered walls were whitewashed to make the most of the torchlight。 Just in front of the low stools where Kelson and Dhugal sat； the members of the Quorial were ranged behind a long trestle table； raised one step on a low dais。
The folk of the village had gathered to hear the proceedings； too…some fifty or sixty strong； seated on long benches just behind the prisoners…likely most of the inhabitants of Saint Kyriell's； Kelson suspected。 Nearly all of them wore at least something that was grey； and some were dressed in it exclusively。 That oddity； added to Brother Michael's presidency over the Quorial； lent a religious aura to the gathering that made Kelson more than a little uneasy。
Nor were he and Dhugal really certain what was actually happening。 Brother Michael had informed them that they were not precisely on trial； but it was as close to one as either king or border lord wanted to e。 Much of the proceeding was carried on in the quick； slurred dialect that only Dhugal understood even vaguely； so he and Kelson had to maintain constant rapport…difficult enough without physical contact…for the king to have any notion what was being said。 That was doubly disturbing； since several of the men involved in their initial capture testified at length and went on to describe the damages done to the tombs in great detail。
It sounded worse； the way they told it。 than what Kelson and Dhugal remembered doing。 Eventually； the two were given the opportunity to repeat their stories； but they could read nothing beyond the solemn expressions of their captors other than the impression that all of them acted in what they believed to be justice regarding the seriousness of the crimes mitted。 It was not until Kelson had finished his third testimony； reiterating his innocence of malicious intent； that he realized someone was Truth…Reading him。
Dhugal！ Someone else in here is Deryni！ he sent； just before slamming his shields fully closed。
Dhugal gave a physical start； though he covered it very well with an apparent coughing fit for diversion； and Kelson ventured a wary probe in the direction of the dais。 The entire area had bee vaguely blurred to his psychic sight。 At least one of the Quorial was Deryni and was shielding the others。
〃We are aware of what you are；〃 the girl Rhidian said； speaking for the first time。 〃We have known since you entered。〃 Her voice was lower…pitched than Kelson had expected； and her eyes were a pale amber…brown； almost straw…colored。 〃And now you know； because we have chosen to reveal it； that some of us are Deryni as well。 That you are Deryni only makes our decision more difficult； however； because the fact remains that you have mitted a crime against our people that customarily demands the death penalty。 And yet； we recognize now that you intended no sacrilege in the tuam coisrigte。〃
Kelson drew a deep； careful breath。 Rhidian was the source of most of the shielding he now perceived over the dais。 That she and at least a few of the others were also Deryni only made his and Dhugal's decision more difficult； too…for if they must try to fight their way out of here with magic。。。
But perhaps there was another option。 If Rhidian had read the truth of their statements。。。
〃We therefore grant y