Jorian de Courcy's execution.

[derynifanatic64]

Or it could have been an ordinary, sympathetic human witness to Jorian's execution.  Someone so ordinary that they could yell out "Thou art a priest forever" and no one would ever be the wiser.  The entire crowd was shocked into silence and just stood there watching Jorian's body burn.  That alone could have kept anyone from finding out who did it.

[BalanceTheEnergies]

I also highly doubt Duncan would have been present: when Jorian was executed in September 1104, Duncan was only 12 years old, so he would have been home in Cassan or Kierney as a page to his father, not yet even at university in Grecotha.  And of course, the Church authorities had no idea he was Deryni.

Hmm. I seem to recall reading somewhere that Jorian was executed on Candlemas (2 February) which was also Duncan's birthday (his 14th, I thought). On that basis, and with his ill-starred marriage to Maryse the following year (during which time he said himself had been planning to be a priest for some time), I considered he might've been there. Also, exposure of a Deryni priest seemed to be a remarkable event, so it would draw people, as well as prompt clerical authorities to insist people attend and witness the execution (which was the reason for Morgan's attendance). Call it a balance of probabilities that Duncan also might've been present.

[Alkari]

Codex 2 says that Jorian was executed on 11 November 1104 (Martinmass).   Denis Arilan was ordained on Candlemass (2 February 1105).

There would have been no reason for the Duke of Cassan or his family to be at Jorian's execution, and I would think Jared and Duncan's Deryni mother Vera would have taken great care to make sure that they and their son did not have to be anywhere near it.  Morgan was a different matter:  he was Brion's squire and was there as an example, as 'the King's pet Deryni' because his Deryni identity was known.

Duncan may have been thinking of the priesthood as young as 12, but his handfasting to Maryse didn't take place until two years later, in March 1107, when Duncan had just turned 15.   Dhugal was born in January 1108, making him just over a year younger than Kelson, who was born on 14 November 1106.

[BalanceTheEnergies]

Thank you for the correction. I haven't got my own copy of the Codex.

[Alkari]

I haven't got my own copy of the Codex.

I weakened a while ago and got a copy when I saw it on sale and it just 'looked' at me from the shelf!  Version 3 is planned, once KK finishes the third volume of the Childe Morgan trilogy, so that will be really good.