"Beauty is a most peculiar attribute," Carfilhiot declared. "Who was the first poet? It was he who invented the concept of beauty."
King Casmir gave an indifferent shrug and drank from his purple glass goblet.
Carfilhiot continued, his voice easy and musicaclass="underline" "Our world is a place terrible and wonderful, where the passionate poet who yearns to realize the ideal of beauty is almost always frustrated."
Suldrun, her hands clasped together, studied her fingertips. Carfilhiot said, "It would seem that you have reservations?"
"Your ‘passionate poet' might well be a very tiresome companion."
Carfilhiot clapped his hand to his forehead in mock-outrage. "You are as heartless as Diana herself. Have you no sympathy for our passionate 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 ‘passionate 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 embarrassed 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 assure 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 passively stepped out of her clothes and into a wide marble basin, brimming 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 lustrous 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 massive 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 embarrassed 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?"