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n hell for your sin！〃
Dhugal's jaw dropped in very real misgiving； but he knew he had already made his decision as he laid his palm on the cross in Istelyn's hand： his first obedience was to God and the king； and that obedience superseded all other oaths which he might be required to make under duress。
〃Swear that you will take no action to disrupt tomorrow's proceedings；〃 Istelyn said softly； at Loris' impatient buffet of his imprisoned wrist。
The words were precisely what Caitrin had specified； and Dhugal thought he could still give his oath in good conscience。 Perhaps Istelyn had even recognized that the wording left room for interpretation。 But before Dhugal could bend to kiss the cross in confirmation； Loris' free hand clamped around their joined ones； pressing the metal of the cross cruelly into their flesh。
〃Swear also that you will make no attempt to escape；〃 Loris demanded。 〃Give me your parole； and you shall be accorded all the honor due your rank。〃
〃I swear it；〃 Dhugal murmured； dragging the words reluctantly from the depths of his soul as he raised frightened eyes to the rebel archbishop's。
〃Say the actual words of the oath；〃 Loris insisted。
Dhugal squirmed inside； but he had no choice but to obey。
〃I give my parole that I shall not attempt to escape；〃 he said steadily。
〃And that I shall do nothing to disrupt the proceedings 。。。〃 Loris prompted。
〃And that I shall do nothing to disrupt the proceedings；〃 Dhugal repeated。
〃So help me God。。。。〃
〃So help me God。〃
〃And may my soul bum in hell if I keep not this solemn oath … say it！〃 Loris ordered。
Chilled despite his intentions； Dhugal turned genuinely frightened eyes on Caitrin in appeal； but the woman only smiled and nodded。
〃And … and may my soul burn in hell if I keep not this solemn oath；〃 he managed to choke out。
〃Now kiss the cross；〃 Loris said； releasing his cruel grip。
Blindly Dhugal obeyed； adding his own fervent prayer that God would forgive him for taking the oath in vain。 He was shaking with the exertion the act had cost him as he stood； but Caitrin looked pleased and even Loris seemed satisfied。 Istelyn's expression revealed nothing as he put the cross back around his neck； meeting Loris' gaze defiantly as archbishop and then pretender turned their attention on him instead of Dhugal。
〃And what of you。 Bishop？〃 Caitrin said softly。 〃I am not so naive as to think you can be won as easily as my young nephew； but you shall be present at Judhael's consecration tomorrow。 Whether you attend in the honor due your station is up to you。〃
Istelyn bowed his head。 〃I will not be a party to any of this。 Lady。 I do not recognize the authority of this man whose escape you apparently have fostered … and you are foolish to think that the king will do nothing while you usurp his authority in his own lands。〃
〃Meara is mine； not Kelson's；〃 Caitrin answered。
〃It is a part of Gwynedd； and was lawfully joined to it generations ago；〃 Istelyn said stubbornly。 〃If you stand with this renegade priest； you join in treason against your lawful Lord。〃
〃History will decide whether it is treason；〃 Loris retorted； 〃just as history will decide whether your decision was wise。 You may have overnight to reconsider your position … but you will witness Father Judhael's consecration tomorrow； even if you must be drugged and bound to your throne half…conscious。 Do not make the mistake of thinking this an empty threat。 It can and will be done。〃
〃Then； the legitimacy of what you are doing does matter； doesn't it； Loris？〃 Istelyn turned his gaze on Caitrin。 〃My lady； I pray you to reconsider what you are about to do。 It still is not too late to reverse what you have begun and beg the king's pardon。 Loris is a fugitive； and will be dealt with； but you have mitted no grave offenses if you back off now。〃
Outraged； Loris lifted a hand to strike him； but Sicard blocked his wrist at Caitrin's quick signal。
〃We shall take your advice under consideration； Bishop；〃 Caitrin said smoothly； 〃as we hope you shall take ours。 Archbishop Loris； we have more to discuss in private； I think。〃 She glanced at the silent and wide…eyed Dhugal as Sicard moved to open the door。 〃Nephew； if you value the life of this foolish priest； you would do well to try to convince him of the error of his stand。 You shall dine with us this evening and report your progress。〃
She turned and swept through the open doorway after Sicard even as the astonished Dhugal made a hasty bow。 Loris cast Istelyn one lingering； venomous glance； a more calculating one in Dhugal's direction； then followed。 Dhugal exhaled softly as soon as the bolts had snicked shut on the other side； glancing uneasily at the now…shaking Istelyn。
〃So that's my Aunt Caitrin；〃 he murmured。
Istelyn shot him a look of undiluted disgust and turned away； making his way blindly to the prie…dieu to collapse with his head cradled on his folded arms。 After a moment Dhugal followed； kneeling awkwardly on the bare stone beside him。
〃Please don't be angry with me。 Excellency；〃 he whispered； trying to will the bishop to raise his head。 〃You don't think I really mean to do anything that would help Loris； do you？〃
Istelyn's whisper could barely be heard from behind his folded forearms。
〃You swore an oath； Dhugal … in terrible terms。 Do you mean to be forsworn？〃
〃I … I had no choice。〃
Istelyn looked up coldly。 〃You had a choice： the same choice that I did。 And you gave him your word。〃
Dhugal swallowed painfully。 His ribs were aching again from the pounding of his heart。
〃I gave the king my word；〃 he murmured。 〃And if it costs me my soul； I'll keep my word … to him。〃 He folded his hands carefully； interlacing the fingers； and pressed them tightly clasped to his chin。
〃But I can't escape to warn him if I'm too closely guarded；〃 he went on very softly。 〃Maybe I can't escape anyway … but at least I have to try。 And if I'm going to try； I owe it to him to give myself the best possible chance of succeeding。〃
〃Even at the cost of breaking your sacred oath？〃 Istelyn asked。
〃Whatever the cost；〃 Dhugal whispered。
He could not convince Istelyn that the wisest course lay in pretending to cooperate with their captors； however。 He tried until a servant came to fetch him for dinner； but the bishop maintained his stand： to allow the appearance of cooperation was as damaging as actually capitulating to the 。enemy。 Istelyn would not be moved。
〃But they mean to have you there。 Excellency … probably even if they have to prop up your dead body on its throne！〃 Dhugal had said at last。 〃You can't help the king if you're dead！〃
〃Perhaps。 But I will die knowing that I was true to my office and my God。 Loris will never have that satisfaction。〃
Dhugal thought about what Istelyn had said as he followed the servant into the bishop's great hall； his spirits temporarily dampened by the heavy weight of duty； but he had all he could do to keep his wits about him once he sat down to supper。 They put him at the far end of the high table with a man…at…arms to watch as well as serve him； and he knew that many others watched for errors as well。
Increasingly conscious of the dangerous charade he played； he kept his peace and did his best to stay wide…eyed and awed…looking in the presence of the Mearan Court。 No one seemed to remember that he had been fostered to a finer court in Rhemuth； but if anyone had； Dhugal planned to shrug it off as time ill spent for a border…man。 In fact； he had not been at court for several years； so it took little effort to slip into the more relaxed border manners mon in his father's hall： loud and boisterous； hearty in appetite and more uninhibited in behavior than would have been seemly in Rhemuth。
Once he got into his role； however； maintaining it was easy。 He was soon introduced to his cousins； Ithel and Llewell； both about his age； and the stunningly beautiful Sidana。
〃I don't suppose you see many ladies to pare with this in Transha；〃 Prince Ithel said proudly； pouring his sister another cup of ale。 〃Meara will be the center of the civilized world when we're done … you'll see。〃
He was just drunk enough to mistake Dhugal's nervous laughter for awe； Sidana also joining in the mirth。
Only Llewell kept himself aloof； staring furtively at Dhugal when he thought Dhugal didn't notice and brooding over his cup。 Ruthlessly Dhugal set about to win all their confidence； drawing out the taciturn Llewell； hearing accounts of the princes' martial exploits with feigned awe； and eventually joining in the goodnatured teasing which Sidana endured from her older brothers。 He was nearly one of them by the time dinner was over。
One of the children； however … not one of the men。 Over stronger wine； after the ladies had retired； a possibly intoxicated Sicard drew his stool close beside Dhugal's and began sounding him out about old Caulay's politics； hinting that once Caulay was gone； Meara was in a position to better Dhugal's lot considerably。
Dhugal suspected his uncle was far more sober than he seemed。 He hid his true feelings well； however； even pretending pleased interest in Sicard's offer of a dukedom when the secession was acplished。 He gathered that he gave the right answers。 He drank with Sicard and his sons for another hour； somehow managing to consume far less than they thought he did。 Ithel； a tipsy Llewell； and the watchful and still sober man…at…arms walked him to his room when the reveling was done； the two princes singing him a noisy salute as future Duke of Transha before giving him a playful buffet through the doorway of his room。
Istelyn was still cold to him； however。 Dhugal found him on his knees in the little oratory； but the bishop would not look at him after an initial； disdainful sweep of him from head to toe； turning a contemptuous back on him after that。 Nor could Dhugal elicit any verbal response。
He crept under the sleeping furs on his pallet feeling like a snake； tears streaming silently down his cheeks until he at last slipped into uneasy sleep。 His dreams edged almost immediately into nightmares：
Judgment Day。 Naked and afraid； he cowered at the foot of the great golden Throne of Heaven as a wrathful Istelyn raised one hand toward the Light in mute appeal； stabbing accusingly at Dhugal with the other。 Hosts of weeping angels bore the supine form of Kelson before the throne； his body bleeding from a dozen wounds。
Frantic； Dhugal tried to explain。 Kelson could not be dead； and Dhugal certainly was not to blame。 But the king suddenly lifted his head and raised one gory hand to also point in Dhugal's direction； the flesh melting from the bones as Dhugal watched in horror； the eyes but empty sockets in a masklike skull。
The nightmare wrenched Dhugal out of sleep。 Gasping for breath； he woke in a cold sweat； terrified that it was real； that he had already killed his brother and his king。
But the room was dark； Istelyn no longer kneeling in the oratory but wrapped in his sleeping furs on the other side of the room； his back to Dhugal； only a dark blur in the dim light of dying fire。 It had only been a dream after all。
Dhugal's head pounded from the wine； however； even after the terror of the dream had passed； and he slept no more。 Nursing his apprehensions and his hangover； he searched his conscience all through the rest of the night； hands clasped to his lips in intermittent prayer。 The hours seemed to crawl until grey dawn at last streaked the sky and he could rise to wash and dress； a much sobered young man。
The object of Dhugal's prayers also saw the dawn that morning； a day's hard ride south of Ratharkin。 Letting his horse blow at the top of a high pass。 Kelson hunched down in his fur…lined cloak and gnawed on a lump of tough brown journey bread； glancing aside as Morgan drew rein beside him。 They had been riding this leg of the journey since midnight； and planned no further pause until they reached Ratharkin。 The rain had given way to a light snow during the night； with promise of more to e。 Behind them； stretching back along the trail by twos； the hundred knights of their escort adjusted girths and bridle buckles and took advantage of the brief stop to eat or sleep or relieve themselves。 Conall dozed on his horse behind and to Kelson's left； nodding in the saddle。
〃He has to be alive；〃 Kelson mu