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He supposed they had finally given him Arilan's sedative； at the end； because when he finally woke； it was the next morning； and Jatham； his senior squire； was rousing him for Sunday Mass； and his head hurt worse than any hangover he could ever remember having or even hearing about。
〃God； how did Duncan function at all？〃 Kelson whispered； hardly even able to lift his head as he waited for Jatham to fetch Morgan。 〃The merasha disruption； on top of everything else they did to him！〃 He shifted one arm over his aching eyes to shut out the light。 〃And my father！ I doubt he even knew what was happening to him。〃
Dhugal； stirring from the cot where he had slept at the foot of the king's great bed； groaned as he managed to raise himself far enough to clamp both arms around one of the bedposts and look muzzily in Kelson's general direction。
〃You mustn't let yourself dwell on it；〃 he said； 〃just as I mustn't let myself think about what my father suffered。 It does no good。 What's important is that we've learned what can be done if we ever have to face merasha again … God forbid！〃
But though it was their resolve not to dwell on such troubles； both of them did…until Morgan's arrival shifted their attention to more practical concerns。
〃We have to go to Mass this morning； Alaric；〃 Kelson replied； when Morgan suggested that a day in bed would do both young men far more good than attendance at any ritual。 〃Cardiel will be reading the tribunal's dispensation from the pulpit。 Dhugal should be there。〃
Morgan could not fault that reasoning； though he warned both of them that any immediate relief he might bring them was but a temporary measure； cautioning that only another good night's sleep would really plete their cure。 After applying what healing measures he might； he underlined his advice by going back to bed himself。
At least Cardiel's announcement proved popular。 After Mass； dozens of well…wishers flocked around Dhugal and the king to offer their congratulations； for the young border lord had made himself well…liked at court in the past year and more…and doubly so； now that the social onus of bastardy had been laid to rest。 A contingent of Dhugal's borderers； e to Rhemuth to attend his knighting two days hence； cheered him as he and the king left the cathedral； though Ciard 0 Ruane； Dhugal's aged gillie； was quick to observe… and to point gleefully out to his clansmen…that both their young chief and the king apparently had over…celebrated the night before； judging by their bleary eyes and aversion to light and loud noises。
Neither Dhugal nor Kelson disabused them of that notion； of course。 Even were it not expected that all those to receive the accolade should retire early that evening； before plunging into the two…day round of ceremonies and festivities officially marking the event； a hangover gave both of them added excuse to seek seclusion。 By the time they had crossed the castle yard and mounted the steps to the great hall doors； only Jatham was still with them； for the clansmen and young warriors who had buzzed around them after Mass or acpanied them back to the keep had drifted on about their business。 Besides； Jatham； too； was a candidate for knighthood two days hence； and had his instructions from Morgan； though he did not know the true reason for them。
No ceremony attended the entry of king or border lord into the great hall； though individuals noted the king's passage with informal salute when he passed nearby。 Jatham led them briskly down the left side of the hall； intending to take them via a back stair and avoid the more direct and populous route that skirted the gardens…for the previous day's storm had brought a glorious； sunny day； unusual for March； and half the court had repaired to the garden to enjoy the unseasonable warmth。
The sunshine had also brought Nigel's duchess； Meraude； down from the ladies' solar for the afternoon； to stitch and read with two panions in the good north light。 Meraude's baby daughter Eirian dozed placidly in a basket at her mother's side。 The Princess Janniver tended the baby from time to time； sad…eyed and wistful beneath her mane of yellow curls…Janniver； whom Kelson and his men had been too late to save from dishonor at the hands of Mearan rebels the summer before； now rejected by father and betrothed and left no refuge save the court of Gwynedd。 But the other young woman…
Kelson made himself draw a deep breath and tell himself again that the other one was no more for him than Janniver was。 At just seventeen； Rothana of Nur Hallaj was beautiful in a dusky； eastern way that made Kelson's knees weak if he thought about it too long。 Her breeding was impeccable； for she was a princess of the Forcinn and Richenda's kin by marriage； but she was also Sister Rothana； a novice nun of the Order of Saint Brigid； even if her vows were not yet final。
She was also Deryni； perhaps as powerful and certainly as self…willed as Morgan's Richenda； if less thoroughly trained…which made her doubly fascinating to a Deryni king now more than a year a widower from a marriage never consummated and being pressed increasingly by family and royal counselors to take another bride。
At least Kelson had managed to postpone that inevitability for the moment； ostensibly out of respect for his slain first bride。 But to avow that he still mourned his lost Sidana carried less and less weight as the months passed。 He continued to wear the ring he had given her…a narrow gold band with a ruby…eyed Haldane lion carved on a facet pared from the top…but it bespoke habit rather than conviction； more than a year after Sidana's death。 Nor had he worn black for her since returning from his Mearan campaign the previous summer； other than to observe the anniversary of her death； in January。
He had met Rothana on that campaign； while he scoured the Mearan borderlands for traces of his dead bride's rebellious elder brother。 He had first seen her in the desecrated ruins of her abbey as she tried to fort the weeping Janniver…pale blue habit smudged with soot and her heavy； blue…black hair escaping from a braid as thick as a man's wrist。 Though Rothana herself had been untouched by the raiders； at least in body； her Deryni senses had amplified the terror and humiliation of those around her and left a uniquely Deryni anger。
But the psychic cost to Rothana had not occurred to Kelson； most interested just then in finding out who had been responsible for the attack。 That night； after setting his guards and returning to the abbey church where the remaining sisters had set up a hospice to care for the injured； he had wanted to use his powers to read Janniver's memory of the attack and perhaps identify her assailant。 But Rothana had held that to be too intimate a contact with the already violated princess and had forbidden it…though she did agree to read the memory herself and transmit to Kelson the information he required。
Only； when she did； she had also given him a taste of the rape from Janniver's point of view； with all its hurt and humiliation and anguish。 It had not been pleasant。 Kelson himself was yet a virgin； for a variety of tiresome but practical reasons that seemed valid to him； as king； but occasionally he had won