jr.shapechangers-第30部分

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ed　by　Tynstar's　mlini　and　troops　guided　by　Keough；　Lord　of　Atvia；　had　made　inroads　upon　the　Miyhar's　defense　of　Homana。
　And　I　said　fellam　could　never　take　this　land；　she　thought　hollowly。　/；　like　alt　the　others；　have　been　too　impressed　with　past　victories。
　She　sucked　idly　at　a　bleeding　finger　and　recalled　Duocan's　summing　up　of　the　threat　to　their　homeland。
　〃Homana　will　fall　if　Shaine　does　not　mit　himself　to　this　war；〃　he　had　said　one　evening；　staring　gloomily　into　the　flames　of　me　pavilion　fire　cairn。　〃He　recalls　the　victory　against　Bellaro　twenty…six　years　ago；　and　trusts　to　the　might　of　his　armies。　But　then　he　had　the　Cheysuli；　and　now　he　does　not。〃
　Alix　had　shifted　closer　to　him；　resting　one　hand　upon　his　thigh。　〃Surely　the　Mujhar　understands　this　Solindish　threat。　He　has　ruled　for　many　years；　and　won　many　battles。〃
　〃He　concerns　himself　more　with　the　qu'mahlin　man　the　Solindish　war。　I　begin　to　think　his　fanaticism　has　made　him　mad。〃　Duncan's　hand　idly　caressed　her　arm。　〃He　sends　his　brother；　Fergus；　into　the　field　as　manding　general；　keeping　himself　safe　within　the　walls　of　Homana…Mujhar。〃
　〃He　has　fought　before；〃　she　said　softly。　〃Perhaps　he　realizes　Fergus　is　a　better　soldier　now。〃
　Duncan　leaned　forward　and　placed　more　wood　upon　the　fire。　〃Perhaps。　But　perhaps　it　is　also　he　prefers　to　avoid　the　sacrifices　a　man　makes　in　war。　Shaine　is　not　one　who　wishes　to　sacrifice　anything。〃
　Alix　stared　at　me　brown　pelt　beneath　them　and　pushed　rigid　fingers　through　the　bear　fur。　〃To　send　your　heir　into　battle　is　a　sacrifice；〃　she　said　quietly；　trying　to　hide　from　Duncan　the　fear　it　brought。　〃He　has　sent　Carillon　to　fight。〃
　…　Duncan　was　not　fooled。　〃If　Carillon　is　to　be　Mujhar；　he　must　what　it　is　to　lead　men。　Shaine　has　trusted　to　this　own；il　too　tong；　be　has　neglected　Carillon's　education。〃　He　iced。　〃I　think　the　prince　could　make　a　good　Mujhar；　but　he　been　given　little　chance　to　leam　the　responsibilities。〃　Dun…slid　Alix　a　carefully　blank　glance。　〃It　is　no　wonder　he　took　speaking　soft　words　to　innocent　croft…girls　in　me　valley；　to　lile　away　his　time。〃
　AUx　flushed　deeply　and　withdrew　her　hand…　But　when　she　saw
　e　glint　in　his　eye　she　realized　he　only　teased；　and　laughed　at
　〃But　I　am　no　longer　so　innocent；　Duncan。　You　have　seen　to　at。〃
　He　shrugged；　purposefully　solemn。　〃Better　a　clan…leader；　I　link。　man　a　mere　warrior。〃
　〃Warrior。。。　what　warrior？〃
　〃Finn。〃
　〃You　beast！〃　she　cried；　striking　him　a　glancing　blow　on　me　toulder。　〃Why　must　you　remind　me　of　him？　Even　now　he　calls　ie　meijha　and　torments　me　by　suggesting　I　be　his　light　woman。〃
　Duncan　arched　his　brows。　〃He　seeks　only　to　irritate　you；　heysula。　Even　Finn　knows　better　than　to　seek　a　clan…leader's　Oman；　when　she　is　unwilling。〃　His　brows　lowered。　〃I　think。〃
　〃Finn　would　dare　anything；〃　Alix　said　daridy。
　He　smiled。　〃But　if　he　did　not；　small　one。　he　would　be　a　odious　rujholli　indeed。〃
　〃I　would　prefer　him　tedious。〃
　〃You；　I　mink；　would　prefer　him　slain。〃
　She　looked　at　him　sharply；　startled。　〃No；　Duncan！　Never。　I
　sh　death　on　no　man；　not　even　one　like　Shaine　who　would　have
　Cheysuli　slain。〃　She　recalled　the　guardsmen　killed　in　her
　half。　〃No。〃
　His　hand　was　gentle　on　her　head；　caressing　her　shorn　hair。　It　ad　grown；　but　sdll　barely　touched　her　shoulders。　〃I　know；　heysula；　I　only　tease。〃　He　signed　heavily　as　his　hand　fell　away。　〃But　if　we　join　this　war；　there　may　be　many　deaths。〃
　〃But　the　Mujhar　will　not　have　you　with　his　armies。　You　have　lid。〃
　〃In　time；　perhaps；　he　may　have　to。'*
　Alix。　hearing　me　weariness　of　reluctant　acceptance　in　his　tone；　aned　her　bead　against　his　bare　shoulder　and　tried　to　think　of　ther　things。
　Now；　as　she　took　up　the　black　boot　again；　she　wondered　how　'arillon　fared。
　She　had　not　lost　her　affection　for　me　prince；　even　though　she
　had　spent　nearly　three　months　with　die　clan　in　Bias。　Carillon　had　been　the　first　man　she　had　fastened　her　fancy　on；　though　it　bad　been　an　impossible　dream；　she　dreamed　it　with　great　joy。　Duncan　had　replaced　Carillon　in　her　dreams；　dominating　her　thoughts　and　desires；　but　she　did　not　forget　（he　first　one　she　had　loved。　That　love　had　been　childish；　immature　and　unfulfilled；　but　it　had　been　true。
　Alix　fingered　the　thick　black　fur　absently；　lost　within　her　thoughts。　Duncan　had　showed　her　what　it　was　to　be　a　woman；
　what　it　was　to　be　Cheysuli；　what　it　was　to　have　a　tahlmorra。　Already　her　roots　had　twined　themselves　around　his　own　so　deeply　she　knew　she　could　never　be　herself　again　without　him。　She　wondered　if　that　was　what　it　was　to　have　a　Ur。
　The　adjustment　had　not　been　easy。　Alix　missed　Ton…in　and　the　croft；　missed　me　green　valleys　she　had　ever　known。　At　times　she　awoke　in　the　night　sensing　an　odd　disorientation。　frightened　by　me　strange　man　at　her　side；　but　it　always　faded　when　full　awareness　came　back。　Then　she　would　press　herself　against　Duncan's　warmth；　seeking　fort　and　safety；　and　always　he　gave　it；　and　more。
　She　thought　again　of　Carillon。　She　had　heard　only　that　the　prince　was　in　the　field　with　his　father；　fighting　me　Solindish　and　Atvian　troops。　Duncan＋sensing　her　loyalty＋was　unusually　reti…cent　with　her　when　speaking　of　Carillon。　Finn　was　not。　He　taunted　his　brother　with　the　fact　the　prince　had　shared　a　place　in　Alix's　heart　first；　and　relished　giving　her　news　of　Carillon　if　only　to　tease　Duncan。　His　attitude　irritated　Alix；　but　it　was　a　way　of　getting　news。
　As　if　hearing　her　thoughts；　Finn　walked　up　to　her　and　sat　down　on　me　gray　pelt　spread　before　the　large　fire　cairn。　Alix　glared　at　him；　expecting　his　normal　mocking　manner；　but　she　saw　something　else　in　his　face。
　〃It　has　e；　Alix；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃What　do　you　say？〃　she　asked　in　dread。
　〃it　is　time　the　Cheysuli　defied　the　qu'mahlin　and　went　again　into　Mujhara。〃
　〃Mujhara！〃　She　stared　at　him；　shaken　by　his　somber　tone。
　〃But　the　Mujhar。。。〃
　Fian　smoothed　the　nap　of　the　pelt　absently；　staring　at　his　hand。　〃Shame　will　be　too　occupied　with　real　sorcerers　to　waste　much　time　on　us。〃　His　eyes　lifted　to　hers。　〃The　Dilini　have　broken　into　the　city。〃
　〃No。。。　oh。　Finn！　Not　Mujharat〃
　He　stood。　〃Duncan　sent　me　for　you。　Council　is　calling　all　into
　clan　pavilion。〃　He　put　out　a　hand　to　help　her　up。　〃We　go　to　war；　meijha。〃
　Silently　she　took　his　hand　and　rose；　shaking　out　her　green　skirts。　She　looked　at　Finn　tor　more　information；　apprehensive；　but　he　said　nothing　else。　He　merely　led　her　to　the　Council　pavilion；　a　huge　black　tent　painted　with　every　/ir…symbol　imaginable。
　Duncan　sat　before　the　fire　cairn　on　a　spotted　pelt；　watching　his　clan　file　into　the　black　interior　in　pensive　silence。　At　his　right　lay　an　ocher…colored　rug。　and　it　was　to　this　Finn　took　Alix。　The　heaviness　of　the　silence　fell　on　her　like　a　cloak。　She　sat　down　on　the　rug；　watching　Duncan's　face　closely。　Finn　sat　beside　her。
　Duncan　waited　until　the　pavilion　was　filled；　ringed　with　dark　faces　and　yellow　eyes。　Then　he　looked　to　the　shar　tahl；　seated　across　from　him；　and　nodded　to　himself。　Slowly　be　got　to　his　feet。
　〃Vychan；　in　Mujhara；　has　sent　his　lir　to　us。　The　message　is　one　we　have　expected　these　past　months。　Tynstar　has　led　his　Biliai　sorcerers　into　Mujhara；　and　they　have　taken　me　city。〃
　Alix；　sickened　with　fear；　swallowed　against　the　foreboding　in　her　soul。　The　others；　she　saw；　waited　mutely　for　Duncan's　words。
　〃The　western　borders　fell　three　months　ago。　Keough　of　Atvia　fights　for　Bellam；　marching　toward　Mujhara　where　the　Ihlini　await　them。　Only　Homana…Mujhar　has　not　fallen。〃
　Alix　closed　her　eyes　and　conjured　J&e　Great　Hall　with　all　its　candle　racks　and　rich　tapestries。
　And　Shame。。。
　〃If　Homana…Mujhar　falls；　Homana　herself　falls。　We；　as　me　descendants　of　the　Cheysuli　who　built　both　palace　and　city；　cannot　allow　it　to　happen。〃
　Finn　shifted。　〃So　you　will　send　us　into　the　Mujhar's　city；　rujho；　and　have　us　fight　two　enemies。〃
　Duncan　shot　him　a　sharp　glance。　〃Two？〃
　〃Aye；〃　he　said　briefly。　〃Do　you　forget　Shaine？　He　will　set　his　guardsmen　against　us；　when　he　would　dp　better　to　use　mem　against　the　Ihlini。〃
　Duncan's　mourn　was　a　thin　line。　〃I　do　not　forget　Shaine；　rujho。　But　I　will　set　aside　our　personal　conflicts　to　save　Homana。〃
　〃Shaine　will　not。〃
　〃Then　we　will　give　him　no　choice。〃　Duncan　looked　slowly　and　deliberately　around　the　pavilion；　marking　each　attentive　face。　〃All　of　us　cannot　go。　We　must　leave　warriors　to　defend　the　Keep。　But　I　have　need　of　strong　men　willing　to　go　into　the　city　and　fight　me　Ihlini　with　any　method　at　hand。　We　are　not　many。
　Any　force　we　send　will　have　to　be　selectively　efficient。　Open　warfare　will　result　in　too　high　a　death　toll。　We　must　answer　the　Ihlini　wilh　stealth　of　our　own。〃　His　eyes　returned　to　Finn。　〃I　send　the　best　and　the　strongest。　And　some　will　be　lost。〃
　Finn　smiled　crookedly。　〃Well；　rujho；　you　say　nothing　I　do　not　already　know。　It　is　ever　so；　I　think。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　go；　of　course。〃
　Other　warriors　echoed　Finn's　words；　mitting　themselves　to　a　war　the　Mujhar　would　not　wele　mem　to。　Alix；　listening　blankly　to　them；　realized　why　Duncan　had　wanted　to　remain　solitary。　He　had　known　all　along　me　Cheysuli　would　risk　their　few　numbers　to　save　their　ancestral　home。
　It　is　tahlmorra；　she　whispered　within　her　mind。　Ever　tahlmorra。
　Alix　walked　back　to　the　pavilion　alone；　lost　within　fears　and　worries。　In　her　time　with　Duncan　she　had　learned　of　his　strength　of　will；　determination　and　selfless　dedication　to　serving　die　prophecy。　Nothing　would　deter　him　from　leading　his　warriors　into　Mujhara。　She　knew　better　man　to　ask　him　to　remain　in　safety　with　her；　and　though　she　wished　he　did　not　have　to　involve　himself　so　deeply；　she　also　knew　he　would　lessen　him…self　in　her　eyes　if　be　did　choose　to　stay。　Duncan　was；　perhaps；　less　aggressive　than　Finn　in　his　desire　to　fight；　but　his　pride　ran　just　as　deep。
　The　fire　cairn　had　burned　itself　to　ash；　so　Alix　spent　her　time　rekindling　it　for　warmth　and　illumination。　The　pavilion　was　her　security　now；　as　much　as　Torrin's　croft　had　been。　Even　the　tapestry　meant　much　to　her；　for　Duncan　had　carefully　explained　each　runic　device　and　the　designs　stitched　within　me　patterning　of　rich　blue　yarns。　The　tapestry　contained　much　of　Cheysuli　lore；　highlighting　the　strengths　and　traditions　of　the　race。　She　wondered；　as　she　knelt　by　the　fire