frame so fragile he looked almost ethereal, dressed in the habit of the Brotherhood of the
Seneschal. ―I have found Brother Francis.‖
―Brother,‖ Borneheld said jovially as they joined them. ―I hope you can remember the
Nuptial Service. I have a marriage I wish to transact.‖
Brother Francis smiled at Borneheld and Faraday and nodded his head. ―It has been many
years, my Lord, but it is a Service that all brothers hope they will be called upon to perform one
day. I am honoured that I should be asked to join the lives of the Lady Faraday of Skarabost and
Duke Borneheld of Ichtar.‖ Gautier had obviously briefed him on the way up the stairs from the
kitchen.
Borneheld turned to Jorge, Roland and Magariz. ―My Lords, I would be honoured if you
would witness my marriage.‖
They inclined their heads graciously, although each was growing just a trifle impatient to
return to the more desperate dealings of war.
―Faraday?‖ Borneheld turned back to her. ―Are you ready?‖
―Yes,‖ Faraday said simply. She did not trust her voice for any more. Axis, forgive me,
she prayed silently. Please understand what I am about to do. For an instant she let herself recall what it had been like folded in his arms, but then she thrust the thought from her. I must never
think of that again, she told herself firmly. Never.
―My Lords and Lady,‖ the Brother said, and then slipped smoothly into the words of the
Nuptial Service. Faraday felt as if she were in someone else‘s dream, watching proceedings from
a great distance. Ah, she thought to herself, neither Axis nor myself are our own people any
longer. The Prophecy of the Destroyer demands a cruel price from those who must serve it.
Abruptly she realised that the Brother had fallen silent and that now Borneheld was
holding her hand and speaking.
―I, Borneheld, Duke of Ichtar, do stand by my promise of marriage to thee, Lady Faraday
of Skarabost, and in front of these witnesses I do promise to honour you, to remain loyal to you,
and to pledge to you my respect, my possessions, and my body for as long as we both shall live.
To this I do freely consent and will. You have my pledge of marriage, Faraday, and to this may
Artor bear holy witness.‖
He stopped and Faraday realised with a start that he was waiting for her vows. She had to
clear her throat before she repeated the vows.
Brother Francis still had a few words of the Nuptial Service to utter, but Borneheld had
enveloped Faraday in a powerful embrace. Neither heard him impart the blessing of Artor upon
them and pronounce them husband and wife. Jorge looked at the pair, musing over the events of
the past hour. He wondered if Faraday had been as sure as he had first believed. The girl had
hesitated slightly before she spoke the holy vows and even now she appeared a little too rigid in
Borneheld‘s embrace for a woman who had risked death to join her lover. Well, if she had
doubts, then it was now too late. They were as legally and as tightly married as could be. Only
death would sever that bond now. So he had witnessed. So he would attest.
―Listen to me,‖ Yr said very quietly, ―no matter what he does to you physically, he can
never touch your soul—not if you refuse to let him. Do you understand what I am saying?‖
Faraday nodded, her stomach tight. For weeks she had avoided thinking past the marriage
ceremony itself; avoided thinking of the duties of a wife to a husband. Yr stood behind her
unlacing her silk gown. Poor sweet girl. Borneheld was the last person who should induct her
into the arts of love. Yet…it was necessary. She and Jack had fought long and hard to get
Faraday to this point. Thank the Prophecy that they had reached Gorkenfort before Axis.
―Artor, girl, have you not finished with my Lady yet?‖ snapped Borneheld, standing by
the fire of their bedchamber.
―In a moment, my Lord,‖ Yr said softly as she touched the pale skin of Faraday‘s back,
trying to give her some reassurance. But Faraday was too rigid to respond even to the Sentinel‘s
touch.
As Borneheld continued to shift impatiently behind them, Yr swiftly unlaced Faraday‘s
gown and helped her slip into a robe. She met Faraday‘s huge and apprehensive eyes for an
instant, tried to impart some reassurance with her own eyes, then turned and walked for the door.
In the pale grey light of dawn Faraday eased her aching body as far away from that of her
husband‘s as she could, praying that her careful movements would not awaken him again.
Despite her best efforts tears finally forced themselves past her eyelashes. She knew that
Borneheld had not meant to be unkind, but his own fierce desire for her had made him
unwittingly impatient and thoughtless. She had tried her best to please him, but her lack of
knowledge had confused Borneheld, and his love-making had turned out to be every bit as
clumsy and unpleasant as his conversation.
She had wanted to think of Axis, had wanted to use the memory of his arms about her as
a talisman against the reality of Borneheld. But Borneheld‘s presence was too powerful and his
demands on her body too great for her to be able to retain any image of Axis in her mind at all.
But Borneheld had been pleased, and for that Faraday was grateful. Then she frowned.
When it had finally been over, Borneheld had patted her belly hopefully. ―Perhaps I have planted
a son there tonight,‖ he had panted, then had rolled over and immediately gone to sleep.
No, Faraday thought, her own hands on her belly now. No. I married him to serve the
Prophecy but I will not bear him a child. I do not have to give that much. ―Mother, hear me,‖ she
whispered, ―let me remain barren. I will conceive no child of his.‖ For a moment the heavy ruby
ring pinched on her finger and she twisted it to relieve the pressure. It was every bit as heavy and
uncomfortable as Borneheld was. ―Grant this my wish.‖
―Faraday?‖ Borneheld‘s voice whispered sleepily. ―Is that you? Are you awake?‖
Faraday heard him turn over towards her and bit her lip to stop herself from tensing when
she felt his hand fumbling at her breast.
―Come now, my dear. Your husband needs you.‖
42
RE-ACQUAINTANCES
In the end Faraday had well over a week before Axis arrived in which to accustom
herself to marriage and to ensure that Borneheld continued to believe that she loved and wanted
him. She learned to accept Borneheld‘s nightly demands upon her body, asking him to show her
what she could do to please him. Very reluctantly, Faraday had to admit to herself that if it
hadn‘t been for her love for Axis, if it hadn‘t been for those brief moments under the stars at the
Ancient Barrows, she might have come to tolerate her marriage to Borneheld. In his own way,
Borneheld wanted to please her. If his efforts at love-making were sometimes brusque and
uncompromising, then those were qualities admirable in the soldier if not the lover—and
Borneheld had never pretended to be anything else than what he was.
Borneheld had no use for Faraday during most of the day, locked as he was in discussions
with his military commanders or occupied with leading patrols into the northern wastes. He did
like her to come and watch him at weapon training in the mornings, though, and there Faraday
made complimentary remarks as she watched him swing his heavily muscled body, bared to the
waist, through sundry complicated manoeuvres with sword and staff. He was a powerful man, as
Faraday now knew in more intimate detail, but sometimes as she watched him her mind drifted
to another man she had once watched at weapon practice early in the frosty mornings on the
Plains of Tare.
On the fourth day of the first week of Snow-month she slowly paced the parapets of the
walls of Gorkenfort, wearing a heavy cloak hugged tight over her black silk gown, the hood
drawn far over her face as she gazed over the town of Gorkentown towards the road that led
south. She never admitted what she was looking for walking along the parapets. Whenever
anyone asked, she simply said that she was whiling away the lonely hours while Borneheld was
otherwise occupied. Today Timozel walked by her side, although Borneheld increasingly gave him responsibilities about the fort. Pity, Faraday idly thought as she nodded at one of the watch,
that Timozel‘s duties did not also extend to taking her place in Borneheld‘s bed. Her mouth
curled in a private grin at the thought. Today Yr had also joined them for the fresh air, and