srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第35部分

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n　to　his　Desecration。　I　trust　you　to　resist。　The　Land　must　not　be　doomed　in　that　way　again。〃
　Troy　nodded　to　himself；　her　choice　was　a　good　one。　Lord　Loerya　would　fight　extravagantly；　and　yet　would　never　take　any　action　that　would　imperil　her　daughters。　And　Lord　Trevor　would　work　far　beyond　his　strength　in　the　…conviction　that　he　did　not　do　as　much　as　others　could。　They　accepted　the　High　Lord's　charge　quietly；　and　she　went　on　to　other　matters。
　〃After　the　defense　of　Revelstone；　our　…concern　must　be　for　the　Loresraat　and　Trothgard。　The　Loresraat　must　be　preserved。　And　Trothgard　must　be　held　for　as　long　as　may　be…as　a　sanctuary　for　the　homeless；　men　or　beasts…and　as　a　sign　that　in　no　way　do　we　bow　to　the　Despiser。　Within　the　Valley　of　Two　Rivers；　Trothgard　is　defensible；　though　it　will　not　be　easy。　Lord　Callindrill…Lord　Amatin…this　burden　I　place　upon　your　shoulders。　Preserve　Trothgard；　so　that　the　ancient　name　of　Kurash　Plenethor；　Stricken　Stone；　will　not　bee　the　new　name　of　our　promise　to　the　Land。〃
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　Warmark　Troy　interrupted　hesitantly。　〃That　leaves　just　you；　Mhoram；　and　Verement　to　go　with　me。　I　think　I'm　going　to　need　more　than　that。〃
　Elena　considered　for　a　moment。　Then　she　said；　〃Lord　Amatin；　will　you　accept　the　burden　of　Trothgard　alone？　Trevor　and　Loerya　will　give　you　all　possible　aid。〃
　〃We　fight　a　war；〃　Amatin　replied　simply。　〃It　is　bootless　to　protest　that　I　do　not　suffice。　I　must　learn　to　suffice。　The　Lorewardens　will　support　me。〃
　〃You　will　be　enough；〃　responded　the　High　Lord　with　a　smile。　〃Very　well。　Those　Lords　who　remain　Callindrill；　Verement；　Mhoram；　and　myself…will　march　with　the　Warward。　Two　other　matters；　and　then　the　Warmark　will　speak。　First　Mark　Morin。〃
　〃High　Lord。〃　Morin　stood　to　receive　her　requests。
　〃Morin；　you　are　the　First　Mark。　You　will　mand　the　Bloodguard　as　your　Vow　requires。　Please　assign　to　Warmark　Troy　every　Bloodguard　who　can　be　spared　from　the　defense　of　Revelstone。〃
　〃Yes；　High　Lord。　Two　hundred　will　join　the　Warmark's　mand。〃
　〃That　is　well。　Now　I　have　another　task　for　you。　Riders　must　be　sent　to　every　Stonedown　and　Woodhelven　in　the　Center　and　South　Plains；　and　in　the　hills　beyond。　All　the　people　who　may　live　in　the　Despiser's　path　must　be　warned；　and　offered　sanctuary　at　Trothgard　if　they　choose　to　leave　their　homes。　And　all　who　dwell　along　the　southward　march　of　the　Warward　must　be　asked　for　aid…food　for　the　warriors；　so　that　they　may　march　more　easily；　carrying　less。　Aliantha　alone　will　not　suffice　for　so　many。〃
　〃It　will　be　done。　The　Bloodguard　will　depart　before　moonset。〃
　Elena　nodded　her　approval。　〃No　thanks　can　repay　the　Bloodguard。　You　give　a　new　name　to　unflawed　service。　While　people　endure　in　the　Land；　you　will　be　remembered　for　faithfulness。〃
　Bowing　slightly；　the　First　Mark　sat　down。
　The　High　Lord　set　the　Staff　of　Law　on　the　table　before　her；　took　her　seat；　and　signed　to　Warmark　Troy。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　then　got　stiffly　to　his　feet。　He　was　still　groping；　juggling。　But　he　had　regained　a　grip　on　his　situation；　he　was　thinking　clearly　again。　Even　as　he　started　to　speak；　new　ideas　were　ing　into　focus。
　〃I'm　not　going　to　waste　time　apologizing　for　this　mess　I've　gotten　us　into。　I　built　my　strategy　on　the　idea　that　we　would　get　word　of　where　Foul　was　marching　in　fifteen　days。　Now　we're　five　days　short。　That's　all　there　is　to　it。
　〃Most　of　you　know　generally　what　I　had　in　mind。　As　far　as　I　can　learn；　the　Old　Lords　had　two　problems　fighting　Foul　the　simple　attrition　of　doing　battle　all　the　way　from　Landsdrop；　and　the　terrain。　The　Center　Plains　favor　whichever　army　is　fresher　and　larger。　My　idea　was　to　let　Foul　get　halfway　here　on　his　own；　and　meet　him　at　the　west　end　of　the　Mithil　valley；　where　the　Mithil　River　forms　the　south　border　of　Andelain。　Then　we　would　retreat　southwest；　luring　Foul　after　us　across　to　Doom's　Retreat。　In　all　the　legends；　that's　the　place　armies　run　to　when　they're　routed。　But　in　fact　it's　a　hell　of　a　place　to　take　on　armies　that　are　bigger　and　faster　than　you　are。　The　terrain…that　bottleneck　between　the　mountains　gives　a　tremendous　advantage　to　the　side　that　gets　there　first…if　it　gets　there　in　time　to　dig　in　before　the　enemy　arrives。
　〃Well；　it　was　a　nice　idea。　Now　we're　in　a　different　war。　We're　five　days　short。　Foul　will　be　through　the　Mithil　valley　ten　days　from　now。　And　he'll　turn　north；　forcing　us　to　fight　him　wherever　he　wants　in　the　Center　Plains。　If　we　have　to　retreat　at　all；　we'll　end　up　in　Trothgard。〃
　He　paused　for　a　moment；　half　expecting　groans　of　dismay。　But　most　of　the　people　simply　watched　him　closely；　and　several　of　the　Lords　had　confidence　in　their　eyes。　Their　trust　touched　him。　He　had　to　swallow　down　a　sudden　lump　in　his　throat　before　he　could　continue。
　〃There's　one　way　we　can　still　do　it。　It's　going　to　be　hell…but　it's　just　about　possible。〃
　Then　for　an　instant　he　faltered。　Hell　was　a　mild　word　for　what　his　warriors　would　have　to　endure。　How　could　he　ask　them　to　do　it；　when　he　was　to　blame　for　the　miscalculation　which　made　it　necessary？　How…？
　But　Elena　was　watching　him　steadily。　From　the　beginning；　she　had　supported　his　desire　to　mand　the　Warward。　And　now　he　was　the　Warmark。　He；　Hile　Troy。　In　a　tone　of　anger　at　the　extremity　of　what　he　was　asking；　he　said；　〃Here　it　is。　First。　We　have　nine　days。　I　absolutely　guarantee　that　Foul　will　hit　the　western　end　of　the　Mithil　valley　by　the　end　of　the　ninth　day　from　now。　That's　one　of　the　things　not　having　any　eyes　is　good　for。　I　can　measure　things　like　this。　All　right？　Nine　days。　We've　got　to　get　there　before　that　and　block　the　valley。
　〃Morin；　your　two　hundred　Bloodguard　have　got　to　leave　tonight。　Callindrill；　you　go　with　them。　On　Ranyhyn　you　can　get　there　in　seven　days。　You've　got　to　stop　Foul　right　there。
　〃Borillar；　how　many　of　those　big　rafts　have　you　got　in　the　lake？〃
　Surprised；　Hearthrall　Borillar　answered；　‘Three；
　Warmark。〃
　〃How　many　warriors　and　horses　can　they　carry？〃
　Borillar　glanced　helplessly　over　at　Quaan。　The　Hiltmark　replied；　〃Each　raft　will　carry　two　Eoman　and　their　Warhafts　forty…two　warriors　and　horses。　But　the　crowding　will　be　dangerous。〃
　〃If　you　ride　a　raft　as　far　as　Andelain；　how　fast　can　you　get　those　Eoman　to　the　Mithil　valley？〃
　〃If　there　is　no　mishap…in　ten　days。　Four　days　may　be　saved　through　the　use　of　rafts。〃
　〃All　right。　We　have　twelve　horse…mounted　Eoward　…two　hundred　forty　Eoman。　Borillar；　I　need　one　hundred　twenty　of　those　rafts。　Quaan；　you're　in　mand　of　this。　You've　got　to　get　all　twelve　mounted　Eoward…　and　Verement…down　to　the　Mithil　valley　as　fast　as　possible…to　help　Callindrill　and　the　Bloodguard　keep　Foul　from　ing　through。　You've　got　to　buy　us　the　time　we　need。　Get　on　it。〃
　Hiltmark　Quaan　spoke　a　word　to　the　Hafts；　and　twelve　of　them　jumped　up　to　form　ranks　behind　him　as　he　hastened　out　of　the　Close。　Borillar　looked　at　the　High　Lord　with　an　expression　of　indecision；　but　she　nodded　to　him。　Rubbing　his　hands　nervously　as　if　to　warm　them；　he　left　the　chamber；　taking　all　the　lillianrill　with　him。
　〃Second；〃　Troy　said。　〃The　rest　of　the　Warward　will　march　straight　south　from　here　to　Doom's　Retreat。　That's　something　less　than　three　hundred　leagues。〃　He　called　the　remaining　Hafts　to　their　feet；　and　addressed　them　directly。　〃I　think　you　should　explain　this　to　your　mands。　We've　got　to　get　to　Doom's　Retreat　in　twenty…eight　days。　And　that's　only　enough　if　the　Hiltmark　can　do　everything　I've　got　in　mind　for　him。　Tell　your　Eoward…ten　leagues　a　day。　That's　going　to　be　the　easy　part　of　this　war。〃
　In　the　back　of　his　mind；　he　was　thinking；　Ten　leagues　a　day　for　twenty…eight　days。　Good　God！　Half　of　them　will　be　dead　before　we　reach　the　South　Plains。
　For　a　moment；　he　studied　the　Hafts；　trying　to　judge　their　mettle。　Then　he　said；　〃First　Haft　Amorine。〃
　The　First　Haft　stepped　forward；　and　responded；
　〃Warmark。〃　She　was　a　short；　broad；　dour　woman　with　blunt　features　which　appeared　to　have　been　molded　in　a　clay　too　hard　and　dry　for　detailed　handiwork。　But　she　was　a　seasoned　veteran　of　the　Warward…one　of　the　few　survivors　of　the　Eoman　which　Quaan　had　manded　on　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law。
　〃Ready　the　Warward。　We　march　at　dawn。　Pay　special　attention　to　the　packs。　Make　them　as　light　as　possible。　Use　all　the　rest　of　the　horses　for　cartage　if　you　have　to。　If　we　don't　make　it　to　Doom's　Retreat　in　time；　Revelstone　won't　have　any　use　for　the　last　few　hundred　horses。　Get　started。〃
　First　Haft　Amorine　gave　a　stern　mand　to　the　Hafts。　Saluting　the　Lords　together；　they　moved　out　of　the　Close　behind　her。
　Troy　watched　until　they　were　gone；　and　the　doors　were　shut　after　them。　Then　he　turned　to　the　High　Lord。　With　an　effort；　he　forced　himself　to　say；　〃You　know　I've　never　manded　a　war　before。　In　fact；　I've　never　manded　anything。　All　I　know　is　theory　just　mental　exercises。　You're　putting　a　lot　of　faith　in　me。〃
　If　she　felt　the　importance　of　what　he　said；　she　gave　no　sign。　〃Do　not　fear；　Warmark；〃　she　replied　firmly。　〃We　see　your　value　to　the　Land。　You　have　given　us　no　cause　to　doubt　the　rightness　of　your　mand。〃
　A　rush　of　gratitude　took　Troy's　voice　away　from　him。　He　saluted　her；　then　sat　down　and　braced　his　arms　on　the　table　to　keep　himself　from　trembling。
　A　moment　later；　High　Lord　Elena　said　to　the　remaining　assembly；　〃Ah；　my　friends；　there　is　much　to　be　done；　and　the　night　will　be　all　too　short　for　our　need。　This　is　not　the　time　for　long　talk　or　exhortation。　Let　us　all　go　about　our　work　at　once。　I　will　speak　to　the　Keep；　and　to　the　Warward；　at　dawn。
　〃Hearthrall　Tohrm。〃
　〃High　Lord；〃　Tohrm　responded　with　alacrity。
　〃I　think　that　there　are　ways　in　which　you　may　make　the　rafts　more　stable；　safer　for　horses。　Please　do　so。　And　send　any　of　your　people　who　may　be　spared　to　assist　Hearthrall　Borillar　in　the　building。
　〃My　friends；　this　war　is　upon　us。　Give　your　best　strength　to　the　Land　now。　If　mortal　flesh　may　do　it；　we　must　prevail。〃　She　drew　herself　erect；　and　flourished　the　Staff。　〃Be　of　good　heart。　I　am　Elena　daughter　of　Lena；　High　Lord　by　the　choice　of　the　Council；　and　wielder　of　the　Staff　of　Law。　My　will　mands。　I　speak　in　the　presence　of　Revelstone　itself。〃　Bowing　to　the　assembly；　she　swept　from　the　Close　through　one　of　the　private　doors；　followed　variously　by　the　other　Lords。
　The　chamber　em