Carfilhiot clapped his hand to his forehead in mock-outrage. "You are as heartless as Diana herself. Have you no sympathy for our pa.s.sionate poet, this poor moon-struck adventurer?"

"Probably not. He seems over-emotional and self-centered, at the very least. The emperor Nero of Rome, who danced to the flames of his burning city, was perhaps such a 'pa.s.sionate poet.'"

King Casmir made a restive movement; this sort of conversation seemed a pointless frivolity... Still, Carfilhiot appeared to be enjoying himself. Was it possible that timid reclusive Suldrun was cleverer than he had supposed?

Carfilhiot addressed himself to Suldrun: "I find this conversation most interesting. I hope that we can continue it another time?"

Suldrun replied in her most formal voice: "Truly, Duke Carfilhiot, my ideas are not at all profound. I would be embarra.s.sed to discuss them with a person of your experience."

"It shall be as you wish," said Carfilhiot. "Still, please allow me the simple pleasure of your company."

King Casmir hastened to intervene before Suldrun's unpredictable tongue gave offense. "Duke Carfilhiot, I notice certain grandees of the realm who wait to be introduced."

Later King Casmir took Suldrun aside. "I am surprised by your conduct in regard to Duke Carfilhiot! You do more harm than you know; his good will is indispensable to our plans!"

Standing before the majestic bulk of her father, Suldrun felt limp and helpless. She cried out in a plaintive soft voice: "Father, please do not force me upon Duke Carfilhiot! I am frightened by his company!"

King Casmir had prepared himself against piteous appeals. His response was inexorable: "Bah! You are silly and unreasonable. There are far worse matches than Duke Carfilhiot, I a.s.sure you. It shall be as I decide."

Suldrun stood with down-turned face. She apparently had no more to say. King Casmir swung away, marched off down the Long Gallery and up the stairs to his chambers. Suldrun stood looking after him, hands clenched and pressed to her sides. She turned and ran down the gallery, out into the fading light of afternoon, up the arcade, through the old gate and down into the garden. The sun, hanging low in the sky, sent a somber light under a tall bank of clouds; the garden seemed cool and remote.

Suldrun wandered down the path, past the ruins, and settled herself under the old lime tree, arms clasped around her knees, and considered the fate which seemed to be advancing upon her. Beyond doubt, or so it seemed to her, Carfilhiot would choose to wed her, take her away to Tintzin Fyral, there, at his own good time, to explore the secrets of her body and her mind... The sun sank into clouds; the wind blew cold. Suldrun shivered. Rising, she returned the way she had come, slowly, with eyes downcast. She climbed to her chambers where Lady Desdea gave her a fretful scolding.

"Where have you been? By the queen's command I must array you in fine garments; there is to be a banquet and dancing. Your bath is ready."

Suldrun pa.s.sively stepped out of her clothes and into a wide marble basin, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with warm water. Her maids rubbed her with soap of olive oil and ash of aloe, then rinsed her in water scented with lemon verbena, and dried her with soft cotton towels. Her hair was brushed till it shone. She was dressed in a dark blue gown and a fillet of silver, set with tablets of lapis lazuli, was placed on her head.

Lady Desdea drew back. "That's the best I can do with you. No doubt but what you are well-favored. Still, something is lacking. You must use a bit of flirtation-not to excess, mind you! Let him know that you understand what he has in mind.

Mischief in a girl is like salt on meat... Now, tincture of foxglove, to sparkle your eyes!"

Suldrun jerked back. "I want none of it!"

Lady Desdea had learned the futility of argument with Suldrun. "You are the most obstinate creature alive! As usual, you shall do as you please."

Suldrun laughed bitterly. "If I did as I please, I would not be going to the ball."

"La, then, you saucy mince." Lady Desdea kissed Suldrun on the forehead. "I hope that life will dance to your tune... Come now, to the banquet. I pray you, be civil to Duke Carfilhiot, since your father hopes for a betrothal."

At the banquet King Casmir and Queen Sollace sat at the head of the great table, with Suldrun at her father's right and Carfilhiot to the left of Queen Sollace.

Covertly Suldrun studied Carfilhiot. What with his clear skin, thick black hair and l.u.s.trous eyes he was undeniably handsome: almost to an excess. He ate and drank gracefully; his conversation was courteous; perhaps his only affectation was modesty: he spoke little of himself. Yet, Suldrun found herself unable to meet his gaze, and when she spoke to him, as occasion compelled, words came with difficulty.

Carfilhiot sensed her aversion, so she divined, and it only seemed to stimulate his interest. He became even more fulsome, as if he sought to overcome her antipathy by sheer perfection of gallantry. All the while, like a chill on the air, Suldrun felt the careful attention of her father, to such an extent that she began to lose her composure. She bent her head over her plate, but found herself unable to eat.

She reached for her goblet, and chanced to meet Carfilhiot's eyes. For a moment she stared transfixed. He knows what I think, went her thoughts. He knows-and now he smiles, as if already he owned me... Suldrun wrenched her gaze down to her plate. Still smiling, Carfilhiot turned to listen to the remarks of Queen Sollace.

At the ball, Suldrun thought to evade notice by mingling with her maids-in-waiting, but to no effect. Sir Eschar, the under-seneschal, came to seek her out and took her into the presence of King Casmir, Queen Sollace, and Duke Carfilhiot, and other high dignitaries. When the music started, she was convenient to the arm of Duke Carfilhiot and dared not refuse.

In silence they stepped the measures, back and forth, bowing, turning with graceful gesture, among colored silks and sighing satins. A thousand candles in six ma.s.sive candelabra suffused the chamber with mellow light.

When the music stopped, Carfilhiot led Suldrun to the side of the room, and somewhat apart. "I hardly know what to say to you," Carfilhiot remarked. "Your manner is so glacial as to seem menacing."

Suldrun replied in her most formal voice: "Sir, I am unaccustomed to grand affairs, and in all truth they do not amuse me."

"So that you would prefer to be elsewhere?" Suldrun looked across the chamber to where Casmir stood among the grandees of his court. "My preferences, whatever they may be, seem to be of consequence only to myself. So I have been given to understand."

"Surely you are mistaken! I, for one, am interested in your preferences. In fact I find you most unusual."

Suldrun's only response was an indifferent shrug and Carfilhiot's airy whimsicality for a brief moment became strained, even a trifle sharp. "Meanwhile, your opinion of me is a person ordinary, drab and perhaps something of a bore?" So much said in the hope of exciting a tumble of embarra.s.sed disclaimers.

Suldrun, looking off across the room, responded in an absentminded voice: "Sir, you are my father's guest; I would not presume to form such an opinion, or any opinion whatever." Carfilhiot uttered a soft strange laugh, so that Suldrun turned in startled puzzlement, to look as through a rift into Carfilhiot's soul, which quickly made itself whole. Once more debonair, Carfilhiot held out his hands, to express polite and humorous frustration. "Must you be so aloof? Am I truly deplorable?"

Suldrun once more used cool formality. "Sir, certainly you have given me no reason to form such judgments."

"But is that not an artificial pose? You must know that you are admired. I for one am anxious to gain your favorable opinion."

"Sir, my father wants to marry me away. That is well-known. He pushes me faster than I want to go; I know nothing of love or loving."

Carfilhiot took both of her hands and compelled her to face him. "I will reveal some arcane facts. Princesses seldom marry their lovers. As for loving, I would willingly teach a pupil so innocent, and so beautiful. You would learn overnight, so to speak."

Suldrun pulled her hands away. "Let us rejoin the others." Carfilhiot escorted Suldrun to her place. A few minutes later she informed Queen Sollace that she felt unwell, and slipped quietly from the chamber. King Casmir, elevated by drink, failed to notice.

On Derfwy Meadow, two miles south of Lyonesse Town, King Casmir ordained a pageant and pleasure fair, to celebrate the presence of his honored guest: Faude Carfilhiot, Duke of Vale Evander and Lord of Tintzin Fyral. Preparations were elaborate and bountiful. Bullocks had been turning over coals since the preceding day, with good bastings of oil, onion juice, garlic and syrup of tamarind; now they were done to a turn and exuded a tantalizing waft across all the meadow. Trays nearby were heaped high with loaves of white bread, and to the side six tuns of wine awaited only a starting of the bungs.

Villages of the neighborhood had sent young men and women in festival costumes; to the music of drums and pipes, they danced jigs and kick-steps, until sweat beaded their foreheads. At noon clowns fought with bladders and wooden swords; and somewhat later, knights of the royal court jousted with lances tipped with leather pillows.*

*'The tournament in which armored knights jousted with lances, or fought mock battles, had not yet evolved. Contests of this time and place were relatively mild events: compet.i.tions at wrestling, horse-racing, vaulting: events in which the aristocracy seldom if ever competed.

Meanwhile, the roast meat had been lifted to the carving table, cut into slices and chunks and taken away on half-loaves of bread by all who chose to partake of the king's bounty, while wine bubbled happily through the spigots.

King Casmir and Carfilhiot watched the jousting from a raised platform, in company with Queen Sollace, Princess Suldrun, Prince Ca.s.sander and a dozen others of rank. King Casmir and Carfilhiot then strolled across the meadow to watch an archery contest, and conversed to the hiss and chunk of arrow striking into b.u.t.t. Two from Carfilhiot's retinue had entered the contest and were shooting with such proficiency that King Casmir was moved to comment.

Carfilhiot responded: "I command a relatively small force, and all must excel with their weapons. 1 reckon each soldier the equal of ten ordinaries. He lives and dies by steel. Nonetheless, I envy you your twelve great armies."

King Casmir gave a dour grunt. "Twelve armies are a fine thing to command, and King Audry sleeps poorly on their account. Still, twelve armies are useless against the Troice. They sail back and forth along my sh.o.r.es; they laugh and joke; they pull up beside my harbor and show me their naked backsides."

"Well beyond bow-shot, no doubt."

"Fifty yards beyond bow-shot."

"Most vexing."

King Casmir spoke weightily: "My ambitions are no secret. I must reduce Dahaut, subdue the Ska, and defeat the Troice. I will bring the throne Evandig and the table Cairbra an Meadhan to their rightful places and once more the Elder Isles will be ruled by a single king."

"That is a n.o.ble ambition," said Carfilhiot graciously. "Were I King of Lyonesse I would strive no differently."

"The strategies are not easy. I can work south against the Troice, with the Ska as allies; or into the Ulflands, presupposing that the Duke of Vale Evander allows me thoroughfare past Tintzin Fyral. Then my armies drive the Ska from the Foresh.o.r.e, overawe the G.o.delians and turn eastward into Dahaut for the climactic campaign. With a flotilla of a thousand ships I overwhelm Troicinet, and the Elder Isles are once more a single kingdom, with the Duke of Vale Evander, now Duke of South Ulfland."

"It is a pretty concept; and, I would think, feasible. My own ambitions are not affected; indeed I am content with Vale Evander. I have yearnings of quite a different sort. In all candor, I have become enamored of the Princess Suldrun. I find her the most beautiful of living creatures. Would you consider me presumptuous if I asked her hand in marriage?"

"I would consider it a most suitable and auspicious match."

"I am happy to hear your approval. What of Princess Suldrun? She has allowed me no conspicuous favor."

"She is somewhat fanciful. I will have a word with her. Tomorrow you and she shall take your betrothal vows in a ceremonial rite, and nuptials will follow in due course."

"This is a joyful prospect, for myself and, so I hope, the Princess Suldrun as well."

Late in the afternoon the royal carriage returned to Haidion, with King Casmir, Queen Sollace and Princess Suldrun. Riding on horseback beside were Carfilhiot and young Prince Ca.s.sander.

King Casmir spoke to Suldrun in a ponderous voice: "Today I have conferred with Duke Carfilhiot, and he declares himself enamored of you. The match is advantageous and I agreed to your betrothal."

Suldrun stared aghast, her worst apprehensions realized. Finally she found her tongue. "Sir, can you not believe me? I want no marriage now, least of all to Carfilhiot! He does not suit me at all!"

King Casmir brought the full impact of his round-eyed blue gaze to bear on Suldrun. "This is niminy-piminy petulance; I will not hear of it. Carfilhiot is a n.o.ble and handsome man! Your qualms are over-nice. Tomorrow at noon you will pledge troth with Carfilhiot. In three months you shall marry. There is no more to be said."

Suldrun subsided into the cushions. The carriage rumbled along the road, swaying on springs of layered hornbeam. Poplars beside the road pa.s.sed in front of the sun. Through tears Suldrun watched lights and shadows playing across her father's face. In a soft broken voice she essayed a final plea: "Father, do not force this marriage on me!"

King Casmir listened stolidly, and turning his face away, made no reply.

In anguish Suldrun looked to her mother for support, but saw only waxen dislike. Queen Sollace said tartly: "You are marriageable, as anyone with eyes can see. It is time you were away from Haidion. With your vapors and vagaries you have brought us no joy."

King Casmir spoke. "As a princess of Lyonesse you know neither toil nor care. You dress in soft silk and enjoy luxuries beyond the hopes of ordinary women. As a princess of Lyonesse you also must bend to the dictates of policy, even as I. The marriage will proceed. Have done with this petty diffidence and approach Duke Carfilhiot with amiability. I will hear no more on the subject."

Upon arrival at Haidion, Suldrun went directly to her chambers. An hour later, Lady Desdea found her staring into the fire.

"Come now," said Lady Desdea. "Moping causes the flesh to sag and yellows the skin. Be of good cheer then! The king desires your presence at the evening meal, in an hour's time."

"1 prefer not to go."

"Still, you must! The king has given his order. So hey nonny no! To supper we shall go. You shall wear the dark green velvet which becomes you so that every other woman looks a dead fish. Were I younger I would gnash my teeth for jealousy. I cannot understand why you sulk."

"I have no taste for Duke Carfilhiot."

"Tush. In marriage all things alter. You may come to dote on him; then you will laugh to think of your foolish whims. Now then-off with your clothes! Heigh ho! Think how it will be when Duke Carfilhiot gives the command! Sosia! Where is that flibbet of a maid? Sosia! Brush the princess's hair, a hundred strokes to either side. Tonight it must glisten like a river of gold!"

At the supper Suldrun tried to achieve an impersonal manner. She tasted a morsel of stewed pigeon; she drank half a gla.s.s of pale wine. When remarks were addressed to her she responded politely, but clearly her thoughts were elsewhere. Once, looking up, she met Carfilhiot's gaze, and for a moment stared into his lambent eyes like a fascinated bird.

She shifted her gaze and broodingly studied her plate. Carfilhiot was undeniably gallant, brave and handsome: Why then her antipathy? She knew her instincts to be accurate. Carfilhiot was involuted; his mind teemed with strange rancors and peculiar inclinations. Words entered her mind as if from another source: For Carfilhiot beauty was not to be cherished and loved, but something to be plundered and hurt.

The ladies left for the queen's drawing-room; Suldrun quickly ran off to her own chambers.

Early in the morning a brief rain swept in from the sea, to wash the greenery and settle the dust. By midmorning the sun shone through broken clouds, and sent hurrying shadows across the city. Lady Desdea arrayed Suldrun in a white gown with a white surcoat, embroidered in pink, yellow and green; and a small white cap inside a golden diadem studded with garnets.

On the terrace, four precious rugs had been laid end to end, from Haidion's ponderous main entrance to a table draped with heavy white linen. Antique silver vases four feet tall overflowed with white roses; the table supported the sacred chalice of the Lyonesse kings: a silver vessel a foot tall, carved with characters no longer intelligible to Lyonesse.

As the sun rose toward noon, dignitaries began to appear, wearing ceremonial robes and ancient emblems.

At noon Queen Sollace arrived. She was escorted by King Casmir to her throne. Behind came Duke Carfilhiot, escorted bv Duke Tandre of Sondbehar.

A moment pa.s.sed. King Casmir looked toward the door, where the Princess Suldrun should now be appearing, on the arm of her aunt, the Lady Desdea. Instead, he glimpsed only a flutter of agitated motion. Presently he noted the beckoning arm of Lady Desdea.

King Casmir rose from the throne and strode back to the palace where Lady Desdea stood gesturing in confusion and bewilderment.

King Casmir looked around the foyer, then turned back to Lady Desdea. "Where is Princess Suldrun? Why do you cause this undignified delay?"

Lady Desdea blurted an explanation: "She was ready! She stood there beautiful as an angel. I led the way downstairs; she followed. I went along the gallery, and 1 had a strange feeling! I stopped and turned to look, and she stood there, pale as a lily. She called out something, but I could not quite hear; I think she said: 'I cannot! No, I cannot!' And then she was gone, out the side door and away up under the arcade! I called after her, to no avail. She would not look back!"

King Casmir turned and walked out on the terrace. He halted, looked around the half-circle of questioning faces. He spoke in a harsh monotone. "I beg the indulgence of those now a.s.sembled. The Princess Suldrun has suffered indisposition. The ceremony will not proceed. A collation has been laid out; please partake as you wish."

King Casmir turned and reentered the palace, Lady Desdea stood to the side, hair in disorder, arms hanging like ropes.

King Casmir inspected her for five seconds, then stalked from the palace. Up the arcade, under Zoltra Bright Star's Wall, through the timber gate and down into the old garden, he strode. Here Suldrun sat, on a fallen column, elbows on knees and chin in her hands.

King Casmir halted twenty feet behind her. Slowly Suldrun looked around, eyes wide, mouth drooping.

King Casmir said: "You have come to this place in defiance of my command."

Suldrun nodded. "1 did so: yes."

"You have marred the dignity of Duke Carfilhiot in a manner which can know no mitigation."

Suldrun's mouth moved, but no words came. King Casmir spoke on.

"For frivolous whim you have come here rather than in dutiful obedience to the place required by my command. Therefore, remain in this place, both night and day, until the great hurt you have done me is a.s.suaged, or until you are dead. If you depart either boldly or by stealth, you shall be slave to whomever first lays claim to you, be he knight or peasant, loon or vagabond; no matter! You shall be his thing."

King Casmir turned, climbed the path, pa.s.sed through the gate which closed hard behind him.

Suldrun turned slowly, face blank and almost serene. She looked out to sea, where rays of sunlight shot through gaps in the clouds and down at the water.

King Casmir found a silent group awaiting him on the terrace. He looked this way and that. "Where is Duke Carfilhiot?"

Duke Tandre of Sondbehar came forward. "Sire, upon your departure he waited one minute. Then he called for his horse, and with his company he rode from Haidion."

"What said he?" cried King Casmir. "Gave he no notice of any kind?"

Duke Tandre responded, "Sire, he spoke no word."

King Casmir cast one terrible glance around the terrace, then turned and walked on long strides back into the palace Haidion.

King Casmir brooded for a week, then uttered an angry expletive and set himself to the composition of a letter. The final version read: For The Notice Of The n.o.ble Duke Faude Carfilhiot At Tintzin Fyral His Castle.

n.o.ble Sir: With difficulty I write these words, in reference to an incident which has given me great embarra.s.sment. I can not properly apologize, since I am as much victim of the circ.u.mstances as yourself-perhaps even more. You suffered an affront which understandably caused you exasperation. Still, there is no doubt but what a dignity such as yours is proof against the vapours of a captious and silly maiden. On the other hand, I have lost the privilege of uniting our houses through a marital link. Despite all, I can convey my sorrow that this event occurred at Haidion and so, in this measure, marred my hospitality. I trust that in the generous breadth of your tolerance you will continue to look upon me as your friend and ally in mutual endeavors of the future.

With my best regards, I am Casmir, Lyonesse, the King.

An envoy carried the letter to Tintzin Fyral. In due course he returned with a response.