But standing behind the pulpit and filling the choir loft was another group that T'fyrr and Nightingale turned to face_as many of Father Ruthvere's fellow Churchmen as could be gathered together here at such short notice. T'fyrr had not had a chance to look them over before he stepped up to make his speech, but now he saw that among the grey, black, and brown robes, there were two men dressed in the red robes of Justiciars, two men and a woman in the deeper burgundy of Justiciar Mages, and one iron-faced individual in the white and purple robes of a Bishop.
His hackles rose for just a moment at that_but a heartbeat later, he smoothed them down. While the face of this man might be implacable, his eyes were warm and full of approval. He had heard T'fyrr out, and he seemed to like what he heard.
He knows the truth when he hears it. He is hard and cannot be shaken, but he is no fanatic. He knows reason; he does not let fear blind him. And he is no one's tool or fool.
It was this man who approached them first, while Nightingale swallowed and groped for T'fyrr's hand. He clasped it, reassuringly. The Bishop's eyes flickered down to their joined hands as the motion caught his attention, then they returned to T'fyrr's face with no less warmth in them than before.
And he sees nothing wrong with a human and one who is not being together. That alone shows more of an open mind than I had dared to hope for.
"You are a remarkable speaker, musician," the old man said in a surprisingly powerful and musical voice. "Your command of rhetoric is astounding."
T'fyrr bowed a little, acknowledging the compliment. "It is not just rhetoric, my Lord Bishop," he said in reply. "Every word I spoke was the truth, all of it information gathered not only across this city, but across the Twenty Kingdoms."
"That is what makes it astounding," the Bishop said with a hint of a smile. "Rhetoric and the truth seldom walk side-by-side, much less hand-in-hand. And that was what I wished to ask you, for some of those rumors I had not heard in this city. So the poison spreads elsewhere?"
T'fyrr nodded, and the Bishop pursed his lips thoughtfully. "That seems to match some things that I have observed within the Church," he mused. "And_I believe I agree with you and your friends. There is a force moving to destroy our freedoms, a secular force, but one with fingers into all aspects of life, including the Church. Would you not agree, Ardis?" he called over his shoulder.
The woman in the robes of the Justiciar Mages stepped forward, regarding T'fyrr with eyes that were remarkably like that of a Haspur_clear, direct and uncompromising. "I would agree, my Lord Bishop," she said in a challenging voice as remarkable as the Bishops. "That, in fact, was why I was visiting my friend Ruthvere. His letters indicated to me that there were some of the same elements moving in Lyonarie as had been at work in Kingsford just before the fire that destroyed our city. I wanted to see if that was the case and do something to prevent a similar tragedy if I could."
A thread of excitement traced its way down T'fyrr's back, but it did not come from him but from Nightingale. She knew something about this woman_something important. He would have to ask her later_
But then the woman turned her eyes toward Nightingale and said, in a tone as gentle as her voice had been challenging before, "Please tell my good cousin Talaysen that I miss his company_and far more than his company, his wisdom and his gentle wit, and if his King can spare him for a month or two, I have need of both in Kingsford. It need not be soon, but it should be within a year or so."
Nightingale bowed her head in deepest respect_something T'fyrr had never seen her do before to anyone. "I shall, my Lady Priest," she replied. "I believe that I can send him word that will reach him before the month is out. I will tell him to direct his reply to you with all speed."
The Justiciar Mage smiled. "I had thought as much," she said, and turned back to the Bishop. "My noble lord, are you satisfied now that Ruthvere and I told you nothing less than the truth?"
"More than satisfied_I am in fact convinced that there is more amiss than even you guessed." He extended his hand to T'fyrr, who took it_a little confused, since he was not certain if he was to shake it or bow over it. The Bishop solved his quandary by simply clasping it firmly, with no sign that the alien feel of the talon disturbed him. "Sire T'fyrr, I thank you for your courage and your integrity_and your dedication. Rest assured that there are enough men and women of God in the Church to take the reins of the situation there and bring it under control. I wish that I could promise you help in the secular world as well, but I fear it will be all our forces can muster to cleanse our own house. At least you need not look for attack on one front."
He let go of T'fyrr's hand then, and turned toward the rest of the Priests. "My brothers and sisters_it is now our task to go and do just that. Let us be off."
With that, he strode through the group, which parted before him and formed up behind him, and led the way to the Priest's door at the rear of the choir loft. They were remarkably well organized and regimented; within moments they were all gone, with no milling about or confusion.
He glanced over at Nightingale. "What was that business with the woman all about?" he asked.
Nightingale shivered, but not from any sense of fear, more of a sense of awe, a reaction he had not expected a Priest to invoke in her.
"Lady Ardis is Master Wren's cousin," she said quietly. "Talaysen trusts her more than anyone else in the world, I think. I knew she was a Priest, but I didn't know she was a Justiciar Mage! They may be the strongest mages in the Twenty Kingdoms_and I know that they are the best schooled. Could you hear the power in her?"
Now that he thought about it, there had been a deep and resonant melody about her, though not of the kind he associated with Bardic Magic. Not precisely droning_more like the kind of chant that he recalled from Nightingale's healing magic. But stronger, richer, with multiple voices. He nodded.
"I've never heard anyone like that," Nightingale continued. "Never! With power like that, she doesn't need rank; in fact, high rank would only get in her way." Exultation crept into her voice. "And she's on our side! Oh, T'fyrr, this is the best thing that could have happened to us!"
Father Ruthvere turned his head toward them for a moment. "Between Ardis and the Lord Bishop, we do not need to worry about the Church aiding our enemy, I think," he said, his voice sounding more relaxed and confident than in the past several days. "As the Bishop said, this means one less front to guard; it means that I have leave to do whatever I can to help you, including offering you the sanctuary of the Church if you need it."
"And it means one less ally for our enemy," T'fyrr added. But Father Ruthvere was not finished.
"I do have another concern that Lady Ardis' presence reminded me of. There is one other thing I believe you have not made accounting for," he said, and worry entered his voice again. "Magic. Our enemy has not been able to silence you by direct attack, or by indirect. That leaves magic. Ardis and her companions cannot stay for they will be needed in Kingsford, and there are no Justiciar Mages in Lyonarie who can devote themselves to your protection."
Magic! That was one thing he had not counted on! He had witnessed so little magic in his life, and most of it was of the subtler sort, the kind that Nightingale used. "But what can they do?" he asked, puzzled. "Surely anything magical can be countered."