It AS StRANGE,    DIANORA t,    StILL MOVING t filtered do from tained- glass s of youtime into ties of adult life.

        Sipping from ernative. t so bee nuanced and difficult. t trutly t all s s s yet done.

        It ral question of    ao t today. Not in any daytime. ts beloo nigo by    knoears along o wake he m.

        Nigs, and t day, in a very public place.

        So so ce to tly, soberly dressed personage    his neck.

        "Greetings," sraig;t is rare i to spare a moment from o visit old friends.”

        Unfortunately Ro ruffle or discert as rying to get a rise out of     of treet in front of to the river galley.

        Noerly, ies, but unmistakably t her here.

        One of th she genuinely liked.

        "Not so muc; ;It is not for idle    to criticize tern and arduous tasks t sen    grey in our hair.”

        Dianora laug a trace of grey. S her gaze linger expressively on his dark locks.

        "Im a liar," Rroubled equanimity, leaning forward so only she could hear.

        "Its been a dead-quiet er. Not muco do at all. I could o visit but you kno court. My buttons pop when I bow.”

        Dianora laugo eous and friendly ever since, even orious one—in t tribute Sain    and a fair administrator.

        S ting four years ago. It    ts of Cself. It o judge from Rly ttle too    of poo be extracted.

        tongue agai Brandin teased .    al or a suggestion. ened    least as muc did anything else.

        "t t," so Rly, "but    at

        all in living in nort t I    to get rid of you. Its a dreadful place, everyone kno, but tunities and Id as soon a det man reaped tc are    here.”

        "taxing office?" ly.

        Sly but, sco discretio or surprise.

        ant later, urning by t an antenna, ed her.

        So s by time taff rapped t loudly, and Brandin came into ts, and tess of Adaon. Ro stand near by, dressed identically to t for his cap.

        truer measure of poy    attentioing course, truer measure, o enter unobtrusively and observe ened.

        al ten minutes, ing. No as collectively, t plummeted into obeisanot one person in till speaking by time ted staff of office proclaimed t raps on thunder.

        Brandin    from     fr very fast. It alill, ae everyto or from togetertwined, in him.

        o dEymon first, as aled and smiled at Solores.

        t Dianora. Braced as sried to be, sill could not quite master w o ouch—as Brandin was.

        And all this from a look across a very crowded room.

        Once, in bed, years before, so ask ion t roubled her.

        "Is t meet in a public place?”

        S knoo expect by ion. S    be flattered by tion, or at least amused. You could never be sure oo many different uclety. ions, especially revealing ones, ant to o try to use t to kindle e    he Island.

        urned on ard h level brows. he shook his head.

        "Not in any    I trol or ster of c ." S; all his women did.

        er a pause, carefully, " o you?”

        For a sed s sainty in    one could never be sure of suuc; s;too mud s oime, trut . te uanding in his

        clear eyes. ened o slide ainst    t it mig: betrayal and memory mixed riad o drink— too potent for mortals to taste.

        "Are you truly serious about t posting in Asoli?" R. Brandin    goo t    of th his lopsided smile, shambled in his wake.

        "I fess I    a t," tribute captain added.

        it Dianora forced s back to ten    to     a good t. For many reasons it    a good thing.

        Surned again to R;Im quite serious," s;But Im not sure if you    tion—even if it us    I t ters to you, Rhamanus?”

        It ly put tesy h a friend.

        he blinked, and fingered one of his s of office.

        "Is t    es doo?" antly. "Is t ?    a man not per of a neo serve his King?”

        urn to blink.

        "You s; ser a moment. "R; Silled ests ;Sometimes I riguing t goes on here.”

        Ssteps approac s o t of ;Sometimes I    is doing to me.”

        "S; asked Brandin of Ygrath.

        Smiling,    toucou. their lives were shaped by his rules.

        "My lord," surning and sketcation. S ive. "Do you find me more ical terrible man brought me here?”

        Brandins amused glance    from o R    as if ribute captain    , and     of telligeretco s, and t ts were.

        Siced, per    there was as much grey in his beard now as black.

        ing a deep    over tion. "I would o say so, yes.

        You ive in almost exactly tion as terrible man .”

        "So muc; Dianora protested. "My lord, !”

        Botted ionately.

        "t; ;is    for ty years at sea and to ts of ty.”

        "ell t; said Brandin, "we may o send you away somewil you are sleek as a seal again.”

        "My lord," said Rantly, "I am yours to and in all t; ense.

        Brandiered t and one c;I kno," ;I    I    court. At bots. Portly or sleek, R unmindful of you, hink.”

        Very s, and a dismissal for t. Brighdrew. Brandin walked a couple of paces away, Rhun shuffling along beside him.

        Dianora folloo. O of ears of a turo o see, suppressing a smile.

        " did you do? Offer h Asoli?”

        Dianora felt sigration. time. "No," sested, "is unfair. You are using magic.”

        t people c t eacher.

        "; Brandin murmured. "I    e it or drain myself on sometransparent.”

        "transparent!" she bridled.

        "Not you, my ical manipulator. But Roo serious too quickly    posting ion of significe currently available is north Asoli and so . . .”

        terail off. Laughter lingered in his eyes.

        "ould ; Dianora asked defiantly. It ing o d sened again.

        " do you t; he asked by way of reply.

        "I? t; Sed ed arc; of ture to ters?”

        "No," said Brandin nodding briskly, "is an intelligent observation. I so sult Solores, instead.”

        "If you get an intelligent observation out of ; Dianora said tartly, "I so the sea.”

        "All t; said Brandin mildly.

        "So," s;is an intelligent observation for Solores.”

        And at t    ening. Everyoo, sed, o receive discreet tributions from sources ot.

        "I saeresting on tain t; Brandin said,    subsiding.

        "Somete unusual.”

        ted to speak to    m; s it. Brandiure quiet, in case o tease    it.

        At t as to oed iando and tregea and t igana, came t marked turning of the year.

        No fires not already burning    anyed for at least t of triad temples . Men stayed    niger darkfall on t day whe Dead.

        tumn as regea, ryside, because so muc ers passing, to e.

        In Cual, different from anythe Palm.

        On tale old t Adaon and Eanna    e togets on t of Sangarios. t in t Eanna of ts ed tars of rehe dark.

        And tale old t nine monter—riad ed    same mountain.

        And o tal man to ars, ts he sun of day.

        And for ted its preeminence among ts destiny.

        Morian of Portals, o t to e to an island o e to anotrutars and moons, if not al of day.

        Every t t of time Ember Days, to t of San-garios, to pluck a blood-dark sprig of sonrai, toxig berries of tain, uorian    long among ts of t man doain ed Lord of Sangarios until t sucime.

        In ted doer on t of the Ember Days of fall.

        Not anymore. Not for a long time. Noo find    sort of , Dianora o Brandin once.

        laug find tual amusing. In fact, six years ago ted to run tual race.    again t. No small ac, really, for a man of rained for t knoo find more    Brandin    mase pride    botimes    up to t of Sangarios and down again.

        In tioo ask: " did you see, then?”

        S knoals seldom do knoi of her days.

        "Somet; Brandied. "I stripped th me.”

        "Of course," she murmured, giving him a sidelong glance.

        ;I    of trees ill very tain asly, some sejoias.”

        "eresting," she said.

        time    ifully.

        "I looked over to my rig; Brandin said, "and sa like a platform at the

        edge of trees. And sitting on ture. A woman, I would swear, and very nearly human.”

        "Very nearly?”

        S teasing anymore. itual arorian imes do kno a tance is happening.

        "ts    entirely    e I s srick of ligering trees. But s move, or copped to look at her.”

        And noly where she was.

        t creatures of er and    ba time as far as triad did almost, and from tion s hings as well and was suddenly afraid.

        " did you do?" she asked, as casually as she could.

        "I    sure o do. I spoke; s ansook a step torees. I    my open palms, but so be startled by t, or offended, and a moment later she fled.”

        "Did you follow?”

        "I    to, but by t up to me.”

        "Did ; soo quickly.

        Brandin gave ;I asked.    way, regardless. hy do you ask?”

        S;It would ; she lied.

        Brandin s;S,"     occurred to ;she reminded me of you.”

        "it ? Green skin and blue ; sting    instincts guide o urmoil s. "I talked to Scelto and Vencel es you so dramatically . . .”

        did not laug;Green    blue,"    absently. "And she did, Dianora,”

        ed, looking at ;S sucures?”

        "I do not," s;Iando ; S. S s    he had seen.

        Brandins good ill h him.

        " mountain tales do you ando?" antly.

        "Stories of    ree stumps a goats and virgins in t.”

        ;Are there any?”

        "Goats, yes," sraig;Feites are not an iive to city. Are you sending out a party to searcure?" A question so important sing his reply.

        "I t," Brandin said. "I suspect suc to be.”

        , ely true.

        "I    told a you," edly.

        t e over    t. But over and above everytidings. So be aloo t get t cime yet today; best to pusory as far back as so the edges of her mind.

        "t; s talking privately for some time.

        Arued.

        "In time," Brandin suddenly said, in a quite different tone, "you still    yet asked me o tell you, made it    question.”

        o familiar ground.

        "Very ; s;Do tell me. ers?”

        A glint of royal indignation nickered in t;You are presumptuous sometimes," ;I indulge you too muc, if you please, all to t and came doer of sonrai berries. I remely ied to see if any of tomorrows runners are up and down as quickly.”

        "ell," s;t o hem.”

        "Dianora, have done!”

        And t tone soo far. As al sucs s gaping at .

        S Brandin needed from ed o be eous and imperti. Sood o tant to erbalao Soloress soft, uioning, undemandiurn, balang dEymons ascetic exercise of politid gover.

        And all t around tar t Brandin arily exiled sun, removed from t khis alien peninsula by loss and grief and revenge decreed.

        S. S often stray across t    inviolate.    o be over sometly trivial as t e ientary on court and y—a bridle like a boy ed pride if seased about y to run up and doain in a m.

        At sucimes o say ain he Audience Chamber.

        Sive esan, at t of a tyrant. Sor, living an ongoing lie o kill tal blood.

        ed.

        And noing back o so arco bland un.

        "t; s ;You profess to be pleased, even touclessly agitated query about your mountain run. t t    you succeeded! A w you

        treat it lig . . . o    tell me, my lord, in all fairness, wruly, has honored you more?”

        For a long time    and s t    s, or er on tai began and ended in t were now searg her own.

        voice again, but tone so knoe of everyt    been said, and in spite of    not h fear now.

        "I could take you," said Brandin, King of Ygrat;on t no.”

        ter be. y.

        "Peronig; srying to keep one lig not really managing it, uo    response in o spark like t of a blaze. trembled in , and s        o self-trol.

        "Better tonig; s    t, in tate t and emissaries from home.

        S, looking iculating carefully: "After all my lord, at ye yt a his m.”

        An instant later, for time, t of Brandin of Ygrat. Not far away, Raneous glee.

        "Isolla of Ygrath!”

        time trumpets and a drum, as aff resounding as it struck t the Audience Chamber.

        Standing most of toime to observe tately progress of t musi in Ygrat of Co the King.

        "A ill," murmured Neso of Ygrat;and sy years old if shes a day.”

        Someo end up o    row.

        uous tone irritated    sried not to let it s possible robe of dark blue, belted at t s of grey,    unfas—alt cer today, Dianora t. took its cue in tters from Ygrath.

        Isolla ly, not iers. Brandin s made ten dangerous, sea voyage to .

        Several steps bee in its case as if it ifameasurable    a di Cous triple- layered cloak. t t off guard by this.

        Instinctively so er.

        Sime to see te a flickered across ant later t as vulgar loer for an Ygrathen.

        Still, Dianora sidered, t. a, suition,    to music. If Isolla    to sing a song of    . More t to explain    Isolla—and Ygratists—by serving as a bearer for her.

        tics of art, Dianora decided,    least as plex as t of provinces and nations.

        Isolla opped, as    fifteen steps from to wood.

        ly so perform triple obeisance. Very graciously—a mark of o    to bid o .

        For no reason sero name or explain Dianora turned from monarco t bearing te. a opped a furt on the marble floor.

        detracted from tableau ion of antly. ion on ts bro    he Audience Chamber.

        "You are most ; Brandin ;It oo long since we have seen you, or heard you play.”

        Dianora sament in te. S o open t did not look like an ordinary lute t— Afterainty: it ory of t made o see. tory, and t t Brandiain if t.

        One ma a fork in t a death.

        Eito    did.

        All eyes but    cover off te. Only Dianora sa it , in fact, a lute. And only sale of the riselka.

        "Die, Isolla of Ygat; a screamed    ahe crossbow he carried.

        itniion of a man    o cast a sorcerers sened singer.

        Exactly as ed to, Dianora realized.

        "Brandin, no!" s;Its you!”

        And seizing to the aisle.

        t, aimed meticulously to t of Isolla on a line for Brandins , buried itself instead in tupefied Neso. he shrieked in pain and shock.

        um drove Dianora stumbling to    of    t in the singers eyes.

        Surned a. tion, tred oo raerso stand; s Brandin.    eveive barrier around Isolla.

        all.

        to . Dianora e. Even e, from t s o faint, but th, as if in agony.

        "C; ;Freedom for C; before tally.

        time. tillness    absolute. No one dared to move. Dianora    t    eveed test attention drao them.

        On tableau. t to tend to ill afraid so be sick; s make op trembling. Isolla of Ygrat moved.

        S move, Dianora realized: Brandin ed Neso and epped back een very proper paces away.

        "a ool," Brandin said softly. "Cually noto do    t I am una, I    offer you not an easier deat tell me reaking orted features.

        Brandin lowered o move and speak.

        tred left ures. In its place    pride. Dianora    tioed to —if s expected to do so— mean?

        raig of an ans;I am dying," so Brandin. "t y years.”

        "I am sorry to ," said Brandin formally, esy so perfect it seemed a violation of ure. ;All of us die, Isolla. Some very young. Not all of us plot to tell me before I may grant you release from pain.”

        For t time Isolla seemed to    did s;You o    t you did.”

        "Exactly    t I did?”

        ;You exalted a dead che living one, and revenge above your wife.

        And more , a fra of a t, for any of tural vengeance for Stevan?”

        Dianoras    t    spoken in Cigimes. But wrolled as before.

        "I judged t I o . Dorotea I invited imes a year for t several years.”

        "Invited    s    yourself young. A t t impiety. But frat, did you? And Girald?    is your title, not his.

        does to a sais t reality? o die before you, Brandin, unless you are slain. And ural! It is all unnatural, and to be paid.”

        "t; ly. "A price for everyt expected to pay it in my o; t;Isolla, I must extend my years to do w I am o do.”

        "t," Isolla repeated, "and Girald pays and Dorotea. And Ygrath.”

        And tigana, Dianora t, no lorembling, her own ache e back like a wound in her.

        tigana pays too; in broken statues and fallen towers, in children slain and a name gone.

        Sched Brandins face. And Rhuns.

        "I ; t lengto t;I o say. I need only oell me    .

        Rigured h a random helplessness.

        "And o lose, "so be at odds in t; ,    bore.

        Sloood and spoke, rolled    eveo look at Rhun.

        "Very ; Brandin said. "And you, Isolla?    could to make you do thing.

        you really e me so much?”

        tated only for an instant. tly as before, s;I    love the Queen so much.”

        Brandin closed ;how so?”

        "In all t you forsook he bed of your wife.”

        In any normal, any ime tion to t.

        to be. Dianora    many people breato look doriumphen womans face.

        "Sed ; ed almost fully. "I could    I c to do so. S to    it ion. It    my sin lies in not o take shis peninsula.”

        So many different griefs and so be hin Dianora.

        Be ant ter s to use t rig only pity for tn tonigo kill er t after te the same.

        Freat many reasons.

        Brandin said, "I told me w I o know.”

        "ted alone," Isolla volunteered uedly. Sured at a, in t;ed Ygratethis far.”

        Brandin nodded. "t; ly. "I t t mig," he added gravely.

        t;You promised me an easy deat; Isolla said, raight.

        "I did," Brandin said. "I did promise you t." Dianora stopped breat Isolla    expression for ime.

        "You    ;    last, in a voice little above a w; you

        o make musie again.”

        t ly ture o dismiss a servant or a petitioner.

        Isollas    smas from anding too near; ttered tumbled backures ing in to a formless, oozing pulp.

        t backed aumbling, almost falling in its e, t a s clumsy the singer.

        orted corso. Someto undulate from tump of Isollas srail of glistening black slime. Beh horror.

        "Stevan!" serror, an overically lab Fool, clad exactly like ttle flew from h.

        "Music! Stevan! Music! Stevan!" Red obsessively, and iculation of t s up and doing brilliantly in treaming lig.    ing on to alks appeared to attacself like a bloodleeco his knee.

        "Music," R time, softly, ed clarity. t in a puddle of blood beside tilated corpse of to one side, e-and-gold carments    was broken.

        Dianora turo Brandin. tionless, standily as ,     t of eniac.

        "t; ly, almost to    screaming and tumult t filled took o step to the dais.

        iture tures immediately disappeared, but not tiful, crumpled figure of to be aloo    w had landed on her skin.

        People ripping and pusic e to quit t tling a di C to cover Isollas body. to move Ro do it;    seem to uand w was ill weeping, esquely screwed up like a    childs.

        Dianora moved a o    reaked    over t u as o be blood all over rol she looked around for help, any kind of help.

        "e, my lady," said a desperately needed voice t    me take you back to the saishan.”

        "Oo," s;Please. Please do t, Scelto.”

        tinder of tting it afire ion attempt from Ygraticipation.

        And it had very nearly succeeded.

        Scelto led Dianora doo ling protectiveness slammed ttering cro g and inuously o    robe. Srollably, uo speak.    t before it.

        In docile submission si tea ive. t, oer tually trembling stopped. Sill found it difficult to speak. ay in t    to leave it anyway.

        battered, numb. So be utterly incapable of marsanding, of se respoo ened.

        O only kept driving taff on t so impossible, so disabling, t sried, o block it out. S. through, again and again: she had saved his life.

        tigana    ao t of Brandin t the crossbow would have ended.

        erday. A place oains, by a river, on curving s the sea.

        e dream, a name in ernoon so bar t name from to lock it into a dream. Until all too, died.

        o deal ?    it meant? So kill Brandin of Ygrato end    lost tigana migead . . .

        tarted once more. Fussing and murmuring, Scelto built up t yet anot for . ears on ress. Someone knocked loudly oer and so driving to use before.

        Gradually, very slo t gently drifted do ternoon oo the saishan.

        So find t eadier. Scelto rusesting, but    o ttendants t ruck t aot since    his own manhood.

        S t ted oils soften    t afternoon.

        ters sendants o paioes. A soft sy rose. Far from the color of blood, far from anger rief.

        Later s ed t back to o    for the summons.

        From t so Scelto outside, to receive t came.

        A s time after old    Brandin    for Solores.

        Anger flamed    exploded like . . . like t anyte    caldron in . After tigana fell, after red rolled, c so burn a long time.

        tering, s like a lava flo moment s out eetore Adaon on tainside. So take an involuntary backep a an observation t mattered now.

        mattered, all t mattered, t soday, trampling into mud spattered blood ted ted    upstairs room iando.

        And iurn? Iurn, Brandi for Solores di Corte, leaving o spend tonight alone.

        Not, not a thing he should have done.

        It did not matter t even    of and le need onig or intelligence, for sparkle, for questions gestions. Or desire. , untle Save. t sly did not. tenderness, ter tonigand: it ely, after w had happened.

        But s from him.

        And so it came to be t, alone in    nigered by no one and by noto    came whe fires e finally died.

        S and t marked off triads of t before t hin her.

        t urn of trand of memory so block out from among all tigana    sruly    Ember Niging terribly far from wever ms her soul had found.

        e, Dianora lay as in an open spad alone, uo defley of t no oo keen—too icy keen a —to be allo any normal time.

        But ted on Brandin of Ygrat day, and s aeering t t portal of Morian, and tonig, a nigs and s could not be anytime, and it .    came to Dianora, terribly, oer anot memories of    away.

        oo young to figeen, Prince Valentin ernly norto     a of Eanna, hem.

        t er Stevaory. the weary men who

        and survived, and t be Brandins ing hey had lived in and loved.

        t knoerally true t    o learn in t follo greumor and tered in those who survived.

        t en, in he dying.

        Dianora and    ring idings of Sed Deisa. Even as tered ty itself, occupying treets and squares of tigana, tely colored Palace by to let slip    ao e ale, travel to h her.

        Sometimes s invisible t amid tyard t summer, ers    would acer.

        Dianora set o run t ss and apprentices    long after tru began. S even blame t of tices stayed hem.

        ice ed until tion    ed rebuilding started under Ygrato return toy. Or y in a city noe in a province of t name.

        In a    be opped using it in public places. too great: ting feeling i came raders and bankers from Corte    ty. It here was no name.

        Dianora could remember, y, t time se. t    t year.

        Sco a bitter maturity t first summer and fall, grieving for er lost, too soon gone, not knoe summer, urned fifteen in tice, ts; assembly of any kind    t year.    Dia-nora o do hem.

        too. Preternaturally grave er, and    into t. It o be abroad after nig somet driving    to reets, past t still smoldered on almost every er. It o catco puniseen in the season of war.

        t fall. ty deated in s response.

        Six o die. Dianora kne of t so very many people left in ty, ter from in s forever after.

        No more soldiers were killed.

        io go out at nigil sely, so so fall asleep. Somehough she had never said a word.

        been so t s a great deal of food t first er—most of t    fiscated—but Dianora did t so feed t t look t year. S in her mirror.

        t. It able t t sprang from the deep-sown seeds of Brandins vengeance.

        Dianora remembered being at an upstairs    began. Scio longer an apprentice, of course—ened early m across to te e side and accosted tc all.

        "; one of ted ;ere lost," he ribs.

        "; the soldier begged.

        Eyes carefully los leading from it.

        "ts no good!" t; good are street o me? I dont even knoo; ter; Dianora    w s.

        "Loe," tice muttered quickly, as    silent. ticed though.

        " toell me," the shoulder.

        "I just told you. Loe," titervened loudly. One of taggered and almost fell; o lift a o touch his head.

        , Dianora sarike t t blo errible silen t.

        "Loe," he words.

        Laug them go.

        For t m.

        te victims of t pany, rict beter of toood. None of temples of triad atuary t stood outside and wo hers work.

        A young, seductively graceful Morian, and a retake tars.

        taking roundabout routes in an attempt to avoid t ms, till found. ts to elude t.

        Dianora used to go to t same upstairs    t of t by cever , she pain among

        t t for t aled t as tething worse.

        It ernoon t time. A riad    of termato time Ember Days. to t,    to tamper riad a out to do an afternoons work.

        to tire of t.

        But t afternoon, just as tany of being lost a group of four mercs came trudging up tion born of s malice.

        "Stop!" s did, very abruptly. One obeyed Ygrate, w be from.

        "e ; ts to stand in front of the boys.

        A premonition of sometouent like a cold finger on her spine.

        traders reported t t hing.

        "Good," t;I ko me. ts are going to y and to you. If you    tell me    man y gold ygras.”

        It une. Even from . t o . Sed    moment e s .

        ed tears and opened ched.

        "You," said to tice—tarted ;your provi it was.”

        Se s, oblivious to t irrelevance, leaned forraining icipation. Dianora sa ion.

        t;None of t!" ;For your life, say t; Naddo, very clearly, said, "tigana.”

        And of course not one of ts could say back t for ty golden ygras or ty times so many. Dianora could read t, t fronting sorcery al.

        tled eacer. turo her.

        "No," ly before t;You . t —    to prove?”

        een, and mucoo too long over     it for o do so all     off to c    otreet and across topped d of men, sensing tension t aken shape.

        o clearly establisy.    e ed to turn ain bad alive, her

        back from ry shrough.

        Sco s. to bear ness and remember, kno suatter, if anyttered in to e.

        tip of it very carefully against . ternoon sunliged from it. It he square.

        tle desperately, "t . You royed us. Is it necessary to go on causing pain? Is it necessary?”

        een, Dianora prayed, gripping too young to fig allowed. Five his. Please.

        traders, as one man, stepped quickly out e. One of ted unfortably, as if regretting o. But there was really no choiow.

        tely fororn blue tunic a    broke and slid doaining the blue.

        "t; said tly. ty in o kill, Dianora realized.

        A ness, a memory, s to anco fists at ing tohe sky.

        And then she heard his cry.

        t not sullenly or diffidently, and not in sed in tanding before to a name burst forth from his soul.

        "tigana!"    all s: "tigana!" And t time, at t of ing, unredeemed defiance of t.

        "tIGANA!”

        t cry rang, along treets, up to tples, and far beyond all of tness of the air.

        And ts could not g to t , t ted stoill in street and square could    clearly, and clutc to t t spiraling cry.

        And t mud. It ten in t to do, but turned i, it urned out    dimly prehend.

        t him of course.

        its a and s of too—for being t of it. t disperse ting took place. tcural for so many people. t of t and t speak.

        tered tions. Croo form. In a fes everyone here were

        only faces beains at upstairs y save for ttling dust, blo. t had happened. Dianora could remember.

        So remain o run doo to let t. And at lengtated movements of a very old man. So Naddo and to . And t    a backoe    day.

        Sed t t did se- claains drao fall: in love, and for s, and terrible pride.

        nig-er and dreer    they could.

        Later, over dinner, Naddo told t same nig oo mug in , speaking to Dianora, for urned    Naddos first annou.

        to be made e urgency torn and s axes. If a young man, a young man suco o get aely    anding.    glang nervously over to wurned hem.

        here will you go, Dianora had asked him.

        Asoli, old     to t. o Corte ana did not go t t but did not turn; Naddo glanced over at .

        to Dianora. Plans to slip out from ty tonig it for some time,    been sure.    knoo do.    his m had made up his mind for him.

        Eanna lig. id time. te ime. Naddos left eye ely sernoon.

        Later, urned back again, still g.

        "Goodbye,"    stonily into t-room h.

        Seeing tly urn around. .

        Deliberately    and laid anothe fire.

        Naddo stared at    louro look at Dianora, failed to acremulous, tearful smile, and slipped out into the dark and away.

        Mucer,    as    and c to bed.    seemed to    a er.

        Sep loudly on t, to let    s    sound, which should have been

        the opening and closing of his bedroom door.

        It e. Sill for anot, surrounded and mastered by all t a dle. S to .

        anding in tside. And by t sears t    surcease doed face. o shake.

        S speak.

        " I say goodbye to ; srangled voice. " you make me say goodbye to ; S in    even he river.

        ac t once rait bust of and took    so    togetime. S have said how long.

        side. A bird sang, and anot from across tuary of nigunic over    ing like t of a captured forest creature. Souc. Bot. tside. And so.

        And so in all t darkness, dark over and about and close-gat and t a pitiful illicit ser in eacheir world.

        " are ; her whispered once.

        And time later errifying need, le in ; have we done?”

        And all ter, alone in t hidden memory came back, Dianora could remember her reply.

        "O; s; o us?”

        It lasted from t first nigo t o er at time, and Morian heir child.

        Dianora didnt feel like a goddess, and o eyes. S errified , and t    frig as muis misgave antly, even as tive joy: tness    or not allowed.

        o . t doairs; t—and woke—in o eache knowledge    in search of innoce.

        ill driven to go out some nigo y streets. Not as often as before, for ification for    after curfe spring. If    lay in    for her in Morians halls.

        S keep    times a need s sruly uand o explain. y    uars. er lig    as tigana again. ly doo could some in o had been before.

        , ed t even    to see to ted.    o be abroad i imes, Baerd told ening to the sea.

        By day    a strong mans job, o rebuild ted to rebuild. Rics from Corte—t enemies—o settle in ty, to buy up tial palaces very inexpensively, and to set about rest their own purposes.

        Baerd imes    if one pany of soldiers    o pick it up. It o solidate    Barbadior.

        Ihey had killed his son.

        S t to ask o deny    city at nigerrors and died ime t door closed beer dark—until s open again and step on tairs, and to o take and hold her in his arms.

        It    on into summer and t ended. It all ended, as     first time in darkness, listening to trees outside.

        er t e by c falling on tops. S ermingling of relief and guilt and need. o her room.

        e to bed. Instead, o t in by truck tinder and lit    up and looked at e, s even by dleliged.

        "I ; Baerd said quietly. "I sahere.”

        S    it o end.

        Sinctive question. "Did anyone else see her?”

        he shook his head.

        t eac eady er. And in t sileruto ime. "You aying for me, in any case," satement. No reproac. he had seen a riselka.

        ;You knew?”

        "Yes," she lied.

        "Im sorry,"     s to ually    she would give him.

        "Dont be sorry," sill, ruly, I uand." truly, s tering in small circles to the ground.

        "t; ed. It was an enormous, frighing, she knew.

        "S clear,"    on early. "t I o go a; So be strong en enougo hinking. And will you leave me now?

        S;I kno ; S;; My love, s not aloud, only inside, in .

        "Ive t about t,"    up straigaking strengto t hing she had.

        "Im going to look for t; he said.

        ", Alessan? e dont even know if ; se of herself.

        "t; Baerd said. "t s of Eanna, and t t aigana, it h Alessan.”

        "een years old," s stop .

        Baerd, where did our childhood go?

        By dlelig t;I dont tters," ;t going to be a quick or an easy t    ever be do all. een wime es.”

        "So ; she said.

        "And so ; Baerd ec;O ; No one else but . Stupidly it    nearly broke rol.

        S;I dont kno; sly. "Look after mot if Im careful." Sri look and moved to quell it. "You are not to    it, Baerd. Listen to me: you    seen a riselka! ill you fige to clear rubble in ty for t of your days? No one    be as . I may," silting ly, "try to to che same dream as you.”

        It astonis sually said t very nigh had been made clear, even as Baerds forked away from her.

        Lonely and cold in t    nig lingered once sion. Sly refused any of trise on t t, t , as if botime for tears had passed.

        "If t; Baerd said, " again. I hink of you ead every day of my life. I love you, Dianora.”

        "And I you," so ;I t your pat; t was all so say.

        After    in t room    t nigil the hard kernel of her own plan had been formed.

        t    er, to t of gs hey

        carried, and t so o . h Brandin.

        And so it    to Dianora t Ember Nighe saishan.

        t, sil t dead fire.

        t same long-ago year, born of memory, of guilt, of ts t came erribly exposed on t of all nigerion. A decision, after so many years. A course of a so take. o take,    follow.

        S t came far more from . Someurers tending to a di Cried to kill a tyrant and free his home. ho had done so knowing he would die and how he would die.

        Even n ts and oes and ankles and legs. t carefully, even tenderly, solicitously guarding t of , so t after t—trap ake    to to die in t of his people.

        S a . Srivial artist angling for assion at court.

        Not anymore. Yesterday afternoon o        o torturers and tion t could no more be buried t tonig unsered as she was and so awake.

        , t came knifing er    make her?

        did it make of t long-ago quest a sixteen-year-old girl        a    by the sea and gone in search of his Prince.

        S beloo rove one more time to sc to begin t successful, journey back to    room on th.

        t nig t nig y, teness of w she Audience Chamber.

        A to deal , Dianora began to sense, as if from a very great distance, s sloreat from turning, and turning back, to t y burning, a palace set aflame.

        No fort t anye reminder of who she was and why she was here.

        And lying very still in darkness on an Ember Nigry doors and    told over softly to elling verse: One man sees a riselka

        here.

        them shall die.

        three men see a riselka one is blessed, one forks, one shall die.

        One woman sees a riselka o her.

        them shall bear a child.

        three women see a riselka one is blessed, one is clear, one shall bear a child.

        In to . In t    should have begun and ended long ago.

        triad kneer, o    and elusive    all e rig of orutain: so be made clear along ting pato betrayal t seemed to    clear pat be offered her.

        In the m she would begin.

        Until t at home so many years ago, and she could remember.
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