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other's arm。 As the canopy moved slowly inside； she and Llewell following under its splendor； the white roses on her hair seemed to glow with a light of their own； lending her an almost Deryni nimbus in Kelson's Sight。
O God； she wears peace like a mantle！ he thought； watching her approach him； eyes demurely downcast。 He hardly even saw the tight…lipped Llewell； or Richenda and the other attendants following behind。
Please； Lord； let it be peace between the two of us； as well as our lands。 I don't want to have to kill her people。 I don't want to have to kill anyone else。 I want to create life； not death。 Please； Lord。。。。
Then she and Llewell were genuflecting at the foot of the altar steps； mounting the steps to stand beside him； Llewell scowling between them。 Flanked by Arilan and Duncan； Cardiel waited for the canopy to move into position； setting apart the place where the marriage rite would be performed。 Morgan and Dhugal remained just outside the canopy； Richenda and the other attendants ranged to the other side； as Cardiel read from the Mass book； addressing the pale； attentive king。
〃Kelsonus； Rex Gwyneddis； vis accipere Sidanam hie praesentem； in tuam legitimam uxoremjuxta ritum sanc…tae Matris Ecclesiae？〃
Kelson； King of Gwynedd； wilt thou take Sidana； here present； to thy lawful wife according to our Holy Mother； the Church？
〃Volo；〃 Kelson breathed； not daring to glance in her direction。 I will。
Bowing gravely； Cardiel turned his attention to the bride； asking her the same question。
〃Sidana； Princepessa Mearae； vis accipere Kelsonum； hie praesentem； in tuum legitimum maritum juxta ritum sanctae Matris Ecclesiae？〃
Holding his breath。 Kelson allowed his glance to flick just slightly to his left； past the tight…jawed Llewell to his bride。 Part of her glossy hair fell like a curtain over her right cheek； so that he could not see her eyes； but after only a slight hesitation her lips parted。
〃Volo；〃 she whispered。
Kelson could almost hear Llewell's mental moan of despair； but he forced himself not to read it further。 The boy was bred to duty； even as Kelson was。 What purpose； for Kelson to disturb the calm which should be his own as he exchanged this sacrament of marriage with his future queen？
〃Who giveth this woman in marriage？〃 Cardiel asked。
Woodenly； Llewell placed his sister's right hand in the archbishop's； only allowing himself a cold glance in Kelson's direction as he stepped back a pace。 As Cardiel joined Sidana's cold； slightly clammy hand to her bridegroom's； Kelson permitted himself a tiny sigh of relief。
〃Repeat after me；〃 Cardiel said。 〃I； Kelson； take thee； Sidana。。。〃
〃I； Kelson； take thee； Sidana；〃 Kelson said steadily。
〃To my lawful wife。。。〃
〃To my lawful wife。。。〃
His eyes were riveted on her face as he repeated the ancient formula； not daring to use his Deryni abilities for fear of what he might read there； but increasingly hopeful at the warmth he thought he sensed。 Only as he finished did she raise her eyes to his for just an instant … and what passed between them then was like a flash of summer lightning； bright and hot； surging into every nerve and sinew。
The dark eyes were quickly lowered … had she felt it； too？ … but the sensation lingered as she repeated her own part of the vows； her voice as cool and still as the sacred well at Candor Rhea； the ripples of her words stirring hope and even gentle promise of what might be。 Kelson kept her hand in his when she had done； and she did not flinch or try to pull away as they looked back to Cardiel for the blessing of the ring。
But it was Duncan's hand that produced it； and Arilan's that blessed it； sprinkling it with holy water and then passing it through incense smoke with a special prayer。 An artisan of Arilan's acquaintance had wrought it of Cassani gold … a Deryni craftsman of Camberian Council connections； the bishop had confided to Kelson alone； in a rare moment of candor about that particular aspect of his own life。 On a flat； oval facet pared from the curve along the top； the man had etched a delicate Gwynedd lion； the eyes set with tiny rubies … fitting token to seal a new queen to her lord and land。 Kelson's hand was trembling only a little as he recited the words after Duncan； slipping the ring briefly over the tips of thumb； forefinger； and middle finger before ending with her ring finger。
〃In nomine Patris； et Filii； et Spiritus Sancti； Amen。〃
Cardiel joined their inside hands then； binding them ritually with the stole from Duncan's neck； all three bishops laying their hands on the joined ones as Cardiel pronounced his confirmation of the marriage vows：
〃Ego conjungo vos in matrimonium： In nomine Patris； et Filii； et Spiritis Sancti。〃
In that holy moment； lulled by the great 〃'Amen〃 chanted and embellished by the choir； no thought of danger entered Kelson's mind。 Head bowed and eyes closed； hand locked to his bride's； he was too intent on savoring the fullness of his new estate to sense Llewell's heartsick shift from thought to deadly action。
Only as Sidana gasped and was half jerked from his grasp did he bee aware … far too late to prevent it！ Far too late for anyone to prevent it！ With his hand tangled in the stole binding him to Sidana； he could not whirl in time to stop Llewell … or the deadly little knife the Mearan prince inexplicably produced from somewhere。 The lightning flash this time was bright…honed steel glinting in the candlelight； dyed by a pluming shower of crimson as Llewell slashed it across his sister's throat in a single desperate stroke。
It seemed to Kelson that everyone but Llewell was encased in thick honey； moving far too slowly to do anything but gape in horror at Llewell's ghastly act。 Even the blood fountaining from the victim's mortal wound seemed to hang suspended in space； Sidana's lips frozen in a silent O； the light in the brown eyes already fading as Kelson's scream echoed in the cathedral； both physical and psychic：
〃Nonononononononono。。。！〃
Then all at once； everyone was moving。 Shouts of outrage and dismay ripped the silence as Dhugal and the knights who had held the canopy swarmed over Llewell and dragged him to the floor； trying to avoid his knife … trying to keep him from turning it on himself。 Kelson； stunned almost past function by the senseless horror of the act； caught the sinking Sidana to his breast and eased her to the floor； one futile hand clamped to the awful wound in her throat even as his eyes sought Morgan and Duncan and his mind screamed for them to save her。
Blood gushed from her throat as they crowded around her； drenching the blue of her gown and pooling in the hair spread under her head like a cloak； staining the white roses。 Duncan's white surplice turned red almost in the blink of an eye； his and Morgan's hands slick with her blood as they tried to staunch her wound。
〃Don't kill him！〃 Arilan manded； as Dhugal and the knights finally brought Llewell under control and yanked him to his feet； battered and bruised。 〃That satisfaction is for another！〃
Still Morgan and Duncan fought to save the mortally wounded princess。 Kelson staring numbly at the blood； Cardiel finally summoning the initiative to begin shepherding horrified witnesses out of the choir； Arilan assisting。 The two Deryni continued their feverish efforts for yet a few more minutes； until finally Morgan looked up at Kelson and shook his head； bloody hands lifted in a vanquished； futile gesture。 Duncan murmured a silent prayer for Sidana's soul； making the sign of the Cross over her bloody forehead； then sighed and also raised his eyes to Kelson's。 His once white surplice was drenched with her blood； his hands red with it； and he could only look up at Kelson helplessly； unable to offer any solace。
〃Kelson； we tried；〃 he whispered。 〃God help us； how we tried！ But it happened so fast … she lost so much blood； so quickly。。。。〃
Before Kelson could respond； Morgan's glance flicked to the panting； triumphant Llewell； bloody himself from his rough handling； standing on wide…spraddled legs in the midst of the hard…eyed knights； Dhugal with the bloody dagger in his hand。 In a single motion； Morgan was on his feet and seizing Llewell by the throat of his tunic； wrenching him downward； grey eyes as cold and brittle as an ice…filled sea。
〃On your knees before your king； Mearan excrement！〃 he muttered between clenched teeth。 〃What kind of animal would slay his own sister on her wedding day？〃
〃Morgan； don't kill him！〃 Kelson snapped； turning a colorless face toward the two of them and raising a hand to stay Cardiel's alarm。 〃It's clear what he's done。 I want to know why。〃 He turned the full intensity of his Haldane gaze on the captive prince； though he did not move from his crouched position beside his bride。
〃I'm waiting for an answer； Llewell。 Why Sidana？ Why didn't you go for me？ You had the chance。〃
The cords of Llewell's neck were knotted with tension； but he did not flinch from Kelson's stare。
〃Kill a Deryni？〃 He spat contemptuously and glared at Morgan and Duncan。 〃They would have stopped me； somehow。 And even if they hadn't； and I'd killed you； it wouldn't have saved Sidana from a Haldane marriage。 He would have been king after you；〃 he jerked his chin toward the shocked Nigel； standing directly behind Kelson； 〃and he has three greedy little sons。 I didn't want my sister besmirched by Haldane hands。〃
Kelson started to rise at that； anger beginning to smoulder away the grief； but Duncan grapped his sleeve and stopped him。
〃Kelson； no！〃
〃If you don't intend to kill him； then give me the pleasure！〃 Morgan muttered； a stilleto appearing in his hand as he twisted Llewell's collar tighter and glanced beseechingly at the king。
〃No！〃 Cardiel interjected。 More boldly than Kelson had ever seen him； the archbishop grabbed Morgan's wrist and put himself between the prisoner and the king。 〃Let there be no more bloodshed in this house of God！ Couldn't you have let it be； Llewell？〃 he added； shaking his head in pity as Morgan released the Mearan's throat and put away his blade。 〃She would have been Queen of Gwynedd as well as Meara。 It could have ended almost a century of bloodshed。 Do you realize what you've done？〃
〃I've given my brother back the chance to take his crown；〃 Llewell said doggedly。 〃With another Meara…Haldane alliance； his claim always would have been in doubt。 Let the King of Gwynedd find another queen。 My sister was meant for a better mate。 She is with the angels now。〃
〃And you shall see her nevermore；〃 Arilan said quietly； joining Cardiel。 〃There's a special place in hell reserved for murderers； Llewell。〃
Llewell only shook his head。 〃Hell will be wele； if I've saved my sister from what you had planned for her； Bishop。 Better she die than be queen to a curst Deryni king。〃
〃I wish you well of it； then；〃 Kelson said in the stunned silence。 〃But curst or not； I was prepared to love and honor your Sidana … and I think she meant to try； at least； to love and honor me。〃
Llewell spat。 〃She never loved you！〃
Kelson only shook his head sadly as Morgan； with cool efficiency； snatched the bloody stole that had bound the couple's hands and bade one of the knights to gag Llewell with it。
〃You may be right； Llewell；〃 the king whispered。 〃You may； indeed； be right。 But she was my queen； if only for a little while； and she shall be honored as a queen； at least in her final sleep。〃
He glanced at Morgan； blinking back the tears； then lowered his eyes。
〃Take that … person out of here； Alaric。 I don't want to see him again until after my queen has been laid to rest。 I'll sit in judgment then。 There can be no doubt of the oute； but even Llewell shall receive the full benefit of the law。〃
〃It shall be done； my prince；〃 Morgan murmured； signalling the knights to carry out the order。
〃And now； if you don't mind；〃 the king continued in a failing voice； 〃I'd like to be alone with her for a few nynutes。 Uncle； take the rest of the family out as well； please。〃
Soon only Morgan； Duncan； and Dhugal remained in the blood…spattered choir with the grieving king； Nigel and his family lingering in sight but out of earshot near a side door； reluctant to leave pletely。 Meraude and Richenda wept quietly in one another's arms； and even the three royal cousins looked subdued： Conall genu