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ought us； in numbers and possibilities。 I didn't propose to fight a war in winter。〃
〃We did once； in the time leading up to Iersen Bridge；〃 said Fulk de Savaric。
〃I know that。 I was there。 That was against an invader； with no choice offered us。 There's another thing： I don't want to begin attacking across the countryside myself； ruining castles or towns。 If I possibly can I want this to end up as one battle against Ademar and only one。 My army…if I have one…against his on a field somewhere。 If I am to e home as the saviour of Gorhaut…the man who takes us back to the god and our true destiny…I can't begin by killing my own people and destroying their homes and fields。 I won't do that； Fulk； for the same reason I won't invade with an army from Arbonne。〃
〃Did they offer you one？〃 Fulk de Savaric asked。
Blaise turned to Bertran de Talair。 The duke's expression was oddly inward； Thaune saw； as if he hadn't been closely following the last part of the conversation。 And a moment later； Thaune realized that this； in fact； was so。
〃Do you remember；〃 Bertran asked Blaise softly； not answering the question； 〃what your brother said just before he left？ His last words to me？〃 There was something strange in his voice； something that made the room feel cold again； despite the fires now burning on all the hearths。 Thaune； by the doorway to the corridor； tried to remember what it was that Ranald de Garsenc had said。
〃He said he wasn't going back to Cortil。〃 Blaise had been standing by the largest of the fires。 Now he took two steps towards the duke of Talair and stopped。
〃Would he have been telling you something？〃 asked Rudel Correze sharply。 He rose from his seat。 〃Because if he was 。。。 〃
〃If he was；〃 Duke Bertran finished flatly； 〃then we know why Fulk was ordered to bring all the men he could。 And why your brother wasn't going to Cortil。 Ademar isn't at Cortil。〃
〃How did you e through the mountains？〃 Fulk de Savaric asked abruptly。 He； too； had now risen from his chair。
〃Lesser Gaillard Pass to the west；〃 said Blaise。 〃There were only fifty of us； no wagons or goods。 We didn't want to be seen。 We might have been spotted had we gone through the High Road Pass。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Fulk。 〃But if En Bertran is right about this then Ademar and his army were moving south from Cortil towards the High Road Pass even while we were ing north。〃 Bertran de Talair had put down his wine glass。 His face； Thaune saw； was very white； an old scar showing in sharp relief。 〃That is what has happened； I am certain of it。 It fits what we know。 They decided not to wait for spring； after all。 This is a winter war； my friends。 In Arbonne。 They might even be there already。〃
〃And what do we do here with a thousand men？ Capture Cortil？ Raise the country in revolt？〃 Rudel Correze's eyes were bright in the firelight。 Blaise said nothing； his eyes were on the duke of Talair。
〃There is no country to raise；〃 said Fulk de Savaric slowly。 〃All of the men who can fight will be with the king。 I think I see what he is thinking： he doesn't care what you do here。 If he takes Arbonne quickly enough…and it will probably be wide open to him now in winter； however many men he loses to the mountains…he can e home with an army in triumph from the sack of that land and deal with us in spring； wherever Blaise is。〃
〃That isn't Ademar thinking； you do realize；〃 said Blaise finally。 You could hear the bitterness。 〃This is my father's cunning； and his dream。 He has always wanted Arbonne destroyed。 Always。 He told me stories as a boy of how the temples of Rian had to be brought down to save the whole world from their corruption。 And he knows me。 He knew I would not bring an army here； that Ademar would be safe to leave Gorhaut almost undefended； and then e back； as Fulk says； to deal with whatever happens while he's gone。〃 He turned to Bertran。 〃You know what he's going to do； don't you？〃
The other man's expression was bleak as the winter night。 Slowly he nodded his head。 〃He won't bother with the castles or the cities。 He won't try sieges in winter。 He's going to force our corans out by making war on the villages and the temples。 As he did at Aubry。〃
〃As he did at Aubry；〃 echoed Blaise。
〃Shall we ride； then？〃 asked Fulk de Savaric。 〃You wanted one battle； Blaise。 It looks as if you might get it； but it will be in Arbonne。〃
〃Of course it will；〃 said the duke of Talair with savage irony。 〃It is warmer there； isn't it？ The sun shines； even in winter。 If you go far enough south there's no snow at all。 You can even catch the scent of the sea。〃
〃Through the smoke；〃 said Blaise shortly。 〃Let's go。〃
They left two hundred of Fulk's men to hold Garsenc Castle and to spread word as best they could that they were there。 The rest of their pany set out that same night in the fog and the cold on the long road back to the mountains。 At one point during the night the mist finally began to lift and they caught a glimpse through tattered windblown clouds of white Vidonne low in the west before morning came。
CHAPTER 16
Roche the priest was in disgrace on Rian's Island in the sea。 Someone foraging for winter firewood had smelled burning by a cove on the southern shoreline and had gone to investigate； the risk of the forests burning； though rather less in winter； was always real。 A small fire…pit had been found； dug in the cold sand； covered with a flat slab of stone。 Lifting the stone with a long branch revealed half a dozen lampfish grilling underneath。
Roche would have even tried to deny being the culprit； had he not been discovered moments later by the same interfering woodsman in a small shelter not far away； dozing in happy anticipation with a fishing line beside him and the smell of fish on his hands。
Awakened by an insolent prod of the woodsman's branch； he had stammered an offer to share his morning's secret catch under the mild winter sun while they looked out from the beach at the gentle swells of the sea。 The woodsman was not moved； either by the idyllic setting nor even the succulent promise of lampfish。 He was one of those depressingly pious fellows who left their homes after some night vision or other to e and serve the goddess on her island； labouring for the priests and priestesses； often being more sturdily attached to the doctrines and codes of conduct than the clergy were themselves。
It was fixed law； the woodsman pronounced with obdurate； finger…wagging satisfaction； that all fish and fowl around the shores of the island were interdicted to mortal men and women； sacred； he intoned virtuously； to holy Rian in her incarnation as protectress of the beasts。
Roche tried； without real hope； to explain that this applied only to fishermen or hunters from the mainland。 As he'd expected； the woodsman knew better than that。 Such an impiety； the man declared self…righteously； would have to be taken directly to the High Priestess herself。 He shouldered his bundle of wood； took the reins of his equally burdened donkey and started briskly back north towards the temple pound。 They always wanted to go straight to the High Priestess； Roche thought miserably； watching him go。 As if she had nothing better to do than listen to reports of minor transgressions by her priests and priestesses。
This was； however； his third such minor transgression…for the same offence…in a year。 Despairingly； he wondered if he would be sent away； demoted to service in some temple in the grainlands or the mountains。 He didn't want to leave Rian's Island。 He didn't want to leave the sea。 He'd grown up by the ocean； it was what he knew and loved…as he loved the gracious harvests Rian in her generosity allowed them from the waves。 Especially lampfish； most especially lampfish。
Morosely depressed； cursing his own weakness and the fact that he'd been stupid enough to fall asleep so near the fire…pit； he considered catching up to the woodsman； trying to forestall him； or concocting some tale that would serve his cause before they both got back to the pound。 There was； he decided glumly； no point。 Roche felt so miserable he almost lost his appetite。
The fish were ready； he could tell from the wafting aroma。 With a heavy sigh； Roche went back to the fire…pit and looked sadly down on his six treasures sizzling invitingly beneath their carefully assembled and sprinkled herbs。 As he did so he was somewhat surprised； given the extreme gravity of his plight； to discover that his hunger seemed to be returning after all。
He wandered back to the pound somewhat later； though in plenty of time for his tour of duty in the temple。 He was a good priest； Roche told himself； he just liked fish。
As he'd anticipated； he was ordered to attend upon the High Priestess forthwith。 He saw the woodsman with his donkey by the bakehouse door。 The man looked smugly virtuous as Roche walked past。 Wiping his mouth and rubbing at the stains on his robe； Roche ignored him as best he could。
On the far side of the temple dome； where the High Priestess and the Inner Circle had their chambers and meeting rooms； Roche was admitted by a stone…faced woman from Cauvas。 He had never liked people from Cauvas…or anywhere inland；