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The Elderly one； who had let go of my collar； for which I was very thankful； laughed softly under his breath。 But there came no easy mirth from anyone else。
I glanced at Ursula。 How loving and desperate she looked； how bold and steadfast as she glanced from me to this Lord； whom she had called Florian。 But she was no more human than any of them； she was the deathly semblance of a young woman； past all description in gifts and graces but long out of life； as they were。 Some grail was this Ruby Grail。
〃Hear his words； Sir； in spite of what he actually says；〃 she begged。 〃It's been so very long since there was a new voice within these walls； one that would remain with us； be one of us。〃
〃Yes； and he almost believes in his angels； and you think him wondrously clever；〃 said the Lord understandingly。 〃Young Vittorio； let me assure you； there are no guardian angels that I can see about you。 And we are always visible； as you know； for you have seen us at our best and at our worst。 No； not really truly at our best； not at our finest。〃
〃Oh；〃 I said； 〃and for that I can't wait； my Lord； for I am so in love with you all； and your style of slaughtering； and there is of course the matter of what your corruption has done to the town below and how you've stolen the souls of the very priests themselves。〃
〃Hush； you work yourself into a mortal fever；〃 he said。 〃Your scent fills my nostrils as if the pot is boiling over。 I might devour you； child； cut you up and give your pulsing parts up and down the table to be suckled while the blood is still very hot； and your eyes blink …〃
On those words I thought I would go mad。 I thought of my dead sister and brother。 I thought of the hideous and hopeless tender expressions of their severed heads。 I couldn't bear this。 I shut my eyes tight。 I sought for any image to banish these horrors。 I raised from memory the spectacle of Fra Filippo Lippi's Angel Gabriel on his knees before the Virgin； yes； angels； angels； fold your wings about me； now； oh； God； send me your angels！
〃I curse your damned Court； you sweet…tongued devil！〃 I cried out。 〃How did you get your foot into this land！ How did it happen？〃 I opened my eyes； but I saw only Fra Filippo's angels in a great tumbling； falling spectacle of remembered works； radiant beings filled with the warm carnal breath of earth mingled with Heaven。 〃Did he go to Hell？〃 I cried out louder。 〃The one who's head I cut off？ Is he burning？〃
If silence can swell and fall back upon itself； then so did the silence of this great hall or solar； and I heard nothing but my own anxious breath。 But still the Lord remained unperturbed。 〃Ursula；〃 he said。 〃This can be considered。〃
〃No！〃 I cried out。 〃Never！ Join you？ Bee one of you？〃
The Elder's hand held me powerless with clamped fingers on my neck。 I would only make myself foolish if I struggled。 Were he to tighten his grip； I would be dead。 And maybe that was best。 Only I had more to say：
〃I will never； I won't。 What？ How dare you think my soul so cheap you can have it for the asking！〃
〃Your soul？〃 asked the Lord。 〃What is your soul that it does not want to travel centuries under the inscrutable stars； rather than a few short years？ What is your soul that it will not seek for truth forever； rather than for one paltry mon lifetime？〃
Very slowly； with the muted rustle of garments； he rose to his feet； displaying for the first time a long full mantle of red which fell down； making a great patch of blood…colored shadow behind him。 He bent his head ever so slightly； and lamps gave his hair a rich gilded look； and his blue eyes softened。
〃We were here before you and your kindred；〃 he said。 His voice never broke decorum。 He remained civil； elegant。 〃We were here centuries before you came to your mountain。 We were here when all these mountains round were ours。 It is you who are the invader。〃 He paused and drew himself up。 〃It is your species that draws ever closer with farm and village and fortress and castle； and encroaches upon us； upon the forests which are ours； so that we must be cunning where we would be swift； and visible where we would be as the Gospel 'thief in the night'。〃
〃Why did you kill my father and my family！〃 I demanded。 I could keep silent no longer； I didn't care how beguiling his eloquence； his soft purring words； his charmed face。
〃Your father and his father；〃 he said； 〃and the Lord before him … they cut down the trees that crowded your castle。 And so I must keep back the forest of humans from mine。 And now and then I must range wide with my ax； and so I have； and so it was done。 Your father could have given tribute and remained as he was。 Your father could have sworn a secret oath that required all but nothing of him。〃
〃You can't believe he would have surrendered to you our babes； for what； do you drink their blood or sacrifice them to Satan on some altar？〃
〃You shall see by and by；〃 he said； 〃for I think you must be sacrificed。〃
〃No； Florian；〃 Ursula gasped。 〃I beg you。〃
〃Let me put a question to you； gracious Lord；〃 I said； 〃since justice and history weigh so heavily with you。 If this is a Court； a true Court； why have I no benefit of human defense？ Or human peers？ Or any humans to defend me？〃
He seemed troubled by the question。 Then he spoke。
〃We are the Court； my son；〃 he said。 〃You are nothing； and you know it。 We would have let your father live； as we let the stag live in the forest so that it may breed with the doe。 It's no more than that。〃
〃Are there any humans here？〃
〃None that can help you；〃 he said simply。
〃No human guards by day？〃 I asked。
〃No guards by day；〃 he said； and for the first time he smiled a little proudly。 〃You think we require them？ You think our small pigeon coop is not content by day？ You think we need human guards here？〃
〃I certainly do。 And you're a fool if you think I'd ever join your Court！ No human guards； when right below is an entire village which knows what you are and who you are and that you e by night and cannot by day？〃
He smiled patiently。 〃They are vermin；〃 he said quietly 〃You waste my time with those who are beneath contempt。〃
〃Hmm； you do yourself wrong with such a harsh judgment。 I think you have more love of them； in some way or another； my Lord； than that！〃
The Elder laughed。 〃Of their blood perhaps；〃 he said under his breath。
There was a bit of uneasy laughter from somewhere else in the hall； but it fell away； like a fragment of something broken。 The Lord spoke again： 〃Ursula； I will consider but I do not …〃
〃No； for I will not！〃 I said。 〃Even if I were damned； I wouldn't join you。〃
〃Hold your tongue；〃 cautioned the Lord calmly。
〃You are fools if you do not think the townspeople below will rise up and take this citadel by the light of the day and open your hiding places！〃
There was a rustling and noise throughout the great hall； but no words； none at least that I could hear； but it was as if these pale…faced monsters were muning with each other by thought or merely exchanging glances which made their ponderous and beautiful garments shift and move。
〃You are numb with stupidity！〃 I declared。 〃You make yourselves known to the whole daylight world； and you think this