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after this experience with knighthood； how could life hold much but disappointment for this eager child？
Bless you； Pasevalles； the duke thought。 I hope your life is a happy one； but for some reason I fear it won't be so。
Prince Josua had been watching。 Now； he spoke。
〃There are other things you must know； Baron Seriddan。 Some of them are frightening； others infuriating。 Some of the things I must tell you are even more amazing than Camaris alive。 Would you like to wait until the morning？ Or do you still wish us locked up？〃
Seriddan frowned。 〃Enough。 Do not mock me； Josua。 You will tell me what I need to know。 I do not care if we are awake until cockcrow。〃 He clapped his hands for more wine； then sent all but a few of his benumbed and astonished followers home。
Ah； Baron； Isgrimnur thought； soon you'll find yourself down in the pit with the rest of us。 I could have wished you better。
The Duke of Elvritshalla pulled his chair closer as Josua began to speak。
7
White Tree； Black Fruit
At first it seemed a tower or a mountain…surely nothing so tall； so slender； so bleakly； flatly white could be anything alive。 But as she approached it； she saw that what had seemed a vast cloud surrounding the central shaft； a diffuse milky paleness； was instead an incredible net of branches。
It was a tree that stood before her； a great； while tree that stretched so high that she could not see the lop of it； it seemed tall enough to pierce the sky。 She stared； overwhelmed by its fearsome majesty。 Even though a part of her knew that she was dreaming； Miriamele also knew that this great stripe of white was a very important thing。
As she drew closer…she had no body： was she walking？ Flying？ It was impossible to tell…Miriamele saw that the tree thrust up from the featureless ground in one smooth shaft like a column of irregular but faultlessly polished marble。 If this ivory giant had roots； they were set deep； deep underground； anchored in the very heart of the earth。 The branches that surrounded the tree like a cloak of worn gossamer were already slender where they sprouted from the trunk； but grew even more attenuated as they reached outward。 The tangled ends were so fine that at their tips they vanished into invisibility。
Miriamele was close to the great tree now。 She began to rise； passing effortlessly upward。 The trunk slipped past her like a stream of milk。
She floated up through the great cloud of branches。 Out beyond the twining filaments of white； the sky was a flat gray…blue。 There was no horizon； there seemed nothing else in the world but the tree。
The web of branches thickened。 Scattered here and there among the stems hung little kernels of darkness； clots of black like reversed stars。 Rising as slowly as swansdown caught in a puff of wind； Miriamele reached out…suddenly she had hands； although the rest of her body still seemed curiously absent…and touched one of the black things。 It was shaped like a pear； but was smooth and turgid as a ripe plum。 She touched another and found it much the same。 The next one that passed beneath her fingers felt slightly different。 Miriamele's fingers tightened involuntarily and the thing came loose and fell into her grasp。
She looked down at the thing she had captured。 It was as taut…skinned as the others； but for some reason it felt different。 It might have been a little warmer。 She knew； somehow； that it was ready…that it was ripe。
Even as she stared； and as the tendrils of the white tree fell endlessly past her on either side； the black fruit in her hands shuddered and split。 Nestled in the heart of it； where a peach would have hidden its stone； lay an infant scarcely bigger than a finger。 Eyelids tiny as snowflakes were closed in sleep。 It kicked and yawned； but the eyes did not open。
So every one of these fruits is a soul； she thought； or are they just。。。 possibilities？ She didn't quite know what these dream…thoughts meant； but a moment later she felt a wash of fear。 But I've pulled it loose' I've plucked it too soon！ I have to put it back！
Something was still drawing her upward； but now she was terrified。 She had done something very wrong。 She had to go back； to find that one branch in the net of manyfold thousands。 Maybe it was not too late to return what she had unwittingly stolen。
Miriamele grabbed at the tangle of branches； trying to slow her ascent。 Some of them； narrow and brittle as icicles； snapped in her hands； a few of the black fruits worked loose and went tumbling down into the gray…white distances below her。
No！ She was frantic。 She hadn't meant to cause this damage。 She reached out her hand to catch one of the falling fruits and lost her grip on the tiny infant。 She made a desperate grab； but it was out of her reach。
Miriamele let out a wail of despair and horror。。。。
It was dark。 Someone was holding her； clutching her tightly。
〃No'〃 she gasped。 〃I've dropped it！〃
〃You haven't dropped anything；〃 the voice said。 〃You're having a bad dream。〃
She stared； but could not make out the face。 The voice 。。。she knew the voice。 〃Simon。。。 ？〃
〃I'm here。〃 He moved his mouth very close to her ear。 〃You're safe。 But you probably shouldn't shout any more。〃
〃Sorry。 I'm sorry。〃 She shivered； then began to disengage herself from his arms。 There was a strong damp smell to the air and something scratchy beneath her fingers。 〃Where are we？〃
〃In a barn。 About two hours' ride outside the walls of Falshire。 Don't you remember？〃
〃A little。 I don't feel very well。〃 In fact； she felt dreadful。 She was still shivering； yet at the same time she felt hot and even more bleary than she usually did when she woke up in the middle of the night。 〃How did we get here？〃
〃We had a fight with the Fire Dancers。〃
〃I remember that。 And I remember riding。〃
Simon made a sound in the darkness that might have been a laugh。 〃Well； after a while we stopped riding。 You were the one who decided to stop here。〃 She shook her head。 〃I don't remember。〃 Simon let go of her…a little reluctantly； it was clear even to her dulled sensibilities。 Now he crawled away over the thin layer of straw。 A moment later something creaked and thumped and a little light leaked in。 Simon's dark form was silhouetted in the square of a window。 He was trying to find something to prop the shutter。 〃It's stopped raining；〃 he said。
〃I'm cold。〃 She tried to dig her way down into the straw。
〃You kicked off your cloak。〃 Simon crawled back across the loft to her side。 He found her cloak and tucked it up beneath her chin。 〃You can have mine； too； if you want。〃
〃I think I'll be happy with this；〃 Miriamele said； although her teeth were still chattering。
〃Do you want something to eat？ I left your half of the supper…but you broke the ale jug on that big fellow's head。〃
〃Just some water。〃 The idea of putting food in her stomach was not a pleasant one。
Simon fussed with the saddlebags while Miriamele sat hugging her knees and staring out the open window at the night sky。 The stars were invisible behind