srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第49部分

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　High　in　Revelwood；　a　strident　voice　cried；　〃Hail　to　the　High　Lord　and　the　Staff　of　Law！〃　And　all　the　people　in　the　Tree　and　on　the　ground　answered；　〃Hail！　Hail　to　the　High　Lord！〃
　Elena　bowed　deeply　to　Revelwood；　spreading　her　arms　wide　in　the　traditional　gesture　of　farewell。　Then　she　turned　Myrha　toward　the　riders；　and　spoke　to　Lord　Mhoram。
　〃Now；　Mhoram；　my　most　trusted　friend；　you　must　depart。　You　and　Warmark　Hile　Troy　must　rejoin　the　Warward；　to　guide　it　into　war。　I　have　decided。　I　will　leave　you　now；　and　follow　Amok　to　the　Seventh　Ward　of　Kevin's　Lore。〃
　In　spite　of　himself；　Troy　groaned；　and　clutched　at　Mehryl's　mane　as　if　to　keep　himself　from　falling。　But　the　High　Lord　took　no　notice　of　him。　Instead；　she　said　to　Mhoram；　〃You　know　that　I　do　not　do　this　to　evade　the　burden　of　war。　But　you　also　know　that　you　are　the　more　experienced　and　ready　in　battle。　And　you　know　that　the　oute　of　the　war　may　allow　us　no　second　opportunity　to　discover　this　Ward。　Yet　the　Ward　may　enable　a　victory　which　would　otherwise　be　taken　from　us。　I　cannot　choose　otherwise。〃
　Lord　Mhoram　gazed　at　her　intently　for　a　time。　When　he　finally　spoke；　his　voice　was　thick　with　suppressed　appeals。　〃Beware；　High　Lord。　Even　the　Seventh　Ward　is　not　enough。〃
　Elena　met　him　squarely；　but　her　own　gaze　appeared　unfocused。　The　other　dimension　of　her　sight　was　so　pronounced　that　she　did　not　seem　to　see　him　at　all。　〃Perhaps　it　was　not　enough　for　Kevin　Landwaster；〃　she　replied　softly；　〃but　it　will　suffice　for　me。〃
　〃No！〃　Mhoram　protested。　〃The　danger　is　too　great。　Either　this　power　did　not　meet　Kevin's　need　in　any　way；　or　its　peril　was　so　great　that　he　feared　to　use　it。　Do　not　take　this　risk。〃
　〃Have　you　seen　it？〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　speak　from　vision？〃
　With　an　effort；　Mhoram　forced　himself　to　say；　〃I　have　not　seen　it。　But　I　feel　it　in　my　heart。　There　will
　be　death　because　of　it。　People　will　be　slain。〃My　friend；　you　are　too　careful　of　all　risks　but　your
　own。　If　you　held　the　Staff　of　Law　in　my　place；　you　would　follow　Amok　to　the　ends　of　the　Earth。　And　people　will　still　be　slain。　Mhoram；　ask　your　heart…do　you　truly　believe　that　the　future　of　the　Land　can　be　won　in　war？　It　was　not　so　for　Kevin。　I　must　not　lose　any　chance　which　may　teach　me　another　way　to　resist　the　Despiser。〃
　Mhoram　bowed　his　head；　too　moved　to　make　any　answer。　In　the　silence；　they　melded　their　thoughts；　and　after　a　moment　the　strain　in　his　face　eased。　When　he　looked　up　again；　he　directed　his　gaze　explicitly　toward　Covenant　and　Troy。　Softly；　he　said；　〃Then…if　you　must　go…please　do　not　go　alone。　Take　someone　with　you…someone　who　may　be　of　service。〃
　For　one　wild　instant；　Troy　thought　that　the　High　Lord　was　going　to　ask　him　to　go　with　her。　Despite　his　responsibilities　to　the　Warward；　his　lips　were　already　forming　his　answer…Yes…when　she　said；　〃That　is　my　desire。　Ur…Lord　Covenant；　will　you　acpany　me？　I　wish　to　share。　this　quest　with　you。〃
　Awkwardly；　as　if　her　request　embarrassed　him；　Covenant　said；　〃Do　you　really　think　I'm　going　to　be　of　service？〃
　A　gentle　smile　touched　Elena's　lips。　〃Nevertheless。〃
　He　stared　into　the　expanse　of　her　eyes　for　a　moment。　Then；　abruptly；　he　looked　away　and　shrugged。　〃Yes。　I'll　e。〃
　Troy　hardly　heard　the　things　that　were　said　next　the　last　formal　speeches　by　Elena　and　Corimini；　the　Loresraat's　brief　song　of　encouragement；　the　exchange　of　farewells。　When　the　High　Lord　said　a　final　word　to　him；　he　could　barely　bring　himself　to　bow　in　answer。　With　his　Yes　frozen　on　his　lips；　he　watched　the　end　of　the　ceremonies；　and　saw　Elena　and　Covenant　ride　away　together　westward；　acpanied　only　by　Bannor　and　First　Mark　Morin。　He　felt　paralyzed　in
　the　act　of　falling…crying；　I'm　going　to　lose　you！　Lord　Mhoram　came　close　to　him；　and　spoke。　But　he　did　not　move　until　he　realized　through　his　distress　that　Trell　had　not　followed　Covenant　and　the　High　Lord。
　Suddenly；　his　restraint　broke。　He　spun　urgently　toward　Trell；　turned　in　time　to　see　the　Gravelingas　yank　his　heavy　fists　out　of　his　hair；　snatch　up　the　reins　of　his　horse；　and　start　away　at　a　gallop　toward　the　ford　of　the　Llurallin　north　of　Revelwood。
　Troy　went　after　him。　Mehryl　flashed　under　the　Tree；　and　caught　up　with　Trell　in　the　sunlight　beyond　the　city。　Troy　ordered　the　Gravelingas　to　stop；　but　Trell　ignored　him。　At　once；　the　Warmark　told　Mehryl　to　halt　Trell's　mount。　Mehryl　gave　one　short；　manding　whinny；　and　the　horse　stopped　so　sharply　that　Trell　almost　lost　his　seat。
　When　the　Gravelingas　forced　his　head　up　to　meet　Troy；　his　eyes　ran　with　tears；　and　he　panted　as　if　he　were　being　slowly　suffocated。　But　Troy　had　no　more　time　to　spare　for　considerateness。　〃What're　you　doing？〃　he　rasped。　〃Where're　you　going？〃
　〃Revelstone；〃　croaked　Trell。　〃There　is　nothing　for　me　here。〃
　〃So？　We're　going　south…don't　you　know　that？　You　live　in　the　South　Plains；　don't　you？　Don't　you　want　to　help　defend　your　home？〃　This　was　not　what　Troy　wanted　to　ask；　but　he　had　not　found　the　words　for　his　real　question。
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　cannot　go　back。　She　is　there…I　cannot　bear　it。　After　this！〃
　As　Trell　panted　his　answer；　Lord　Mhoram　rode　up　to　them。　At　once；　he　started　to　speak；　but　Troy　cut　him　off　with　a　savage　gesture。　〃She？〃　the　Warmark　demanded。　〃Who？　Your　daughter？〃　When　Trell　nodded　dumbly；　Troy　said；　〃Wait　a　minute。　Wait　a　minute。〃　Things　he　did　not　know　buffeted　him；　he　had　to　find　answers。　〃I　don't　understand。　Why　don't　you　go　back　home…to　your　daughter？　She's　going　to　need　you。〃
　〃Melenkurion！〃　Trell　gasped。　〃I　cannot！　How　could
　I　look　into　her　face…answer　questions…after　this？　Do　not　torment　me！〃
　〃Warmark！〃　Mhoram's　voice　was　hard　and　dangerous…a　warning；　almost　a　threat。　〃Let　him　be。　Nothing　that　he　can　say　will　help　you。〃
　〃No！〃　Troy　retorted。　〃I've　got　to　know。　Trell；　listen　to　me。　I　have　got　to　know。　Believe　me；　I　understand　how　you　feel　about　him。〃
　Trell　no　longer　seemed　to　hear　Troy。　〃She　chose！〃　he　panted；　〃chose！〃　He　heaved　the　words　between　his　clenched　teeth　as　if　they　were　about　to　burst　him。　〃She　chose　him…him！〃
　〃Trell；　answer　me。　What　were　you　doing　out　there　yesterday？…at　that　grave？　Trell！〃
　The　word　grave　penetrated　Trell's　passion。　Abruptly；　he　wrapped　his　arms　around　his　chest；　hunched　forward。　Through　his　tears；　he　glared　at　Troy。　〃You　are　a　fool！〃　he　hissed。　〃Blind！　She　wasted　her　life。〃
　〃Wasted？〃　Troy　gaped。　〃Wasted？〃　It's　the　student　who　summoned　you。　Was　Covenant　right？
　〃Perhaps；〃　Lord　Mhoram　said　grimly。　This　time
　his　tone　pelled　Troy's　attention。　Troy　stared　at
　Mhoram　with　a　gaze　thick　with　dread。　〃He　has
　abundant　reason　to　visit　that　grave；〃　the　Lord　went
　on。　〃Atiaran　Trell…mate　is　buried　there。　She　died　in
　the　act　which　summoned　you　to　the　Land。　She　gave　her
　life　in　an　effort　to　regain　ur…Lord　Covenant　but　she
　failed　of　her　purpose。　Your　presence　here　is　the　out
　e　of　her　Peace…less　grief　and　her　hunger　for
　retribution。〃
　Mhoram's　explanation　exceeded　the　limit　of　Trell's　endurance。　Pain　convulsed　his　features。　He　struck　his　horse　a　fierce　blow　with　his　heels；　and　it　sprang　at　once　into　a　frightened　gallop　toward　the　Llurallin　ford。　But　Troy　did　not　even　see　him　go。　The　Warmark　turned　sharply；　and　found　that　he　could　still　discern　Elena；　Covenant；　and　the　two　Bloodguard　riding　westward　out　of　the　Valley。　Amok　was　already　with　them；　walking　jauntily　at　the　High　Lord's　side。
　Atiaran　Trell…mate？　Trell…mate？　She　was　his　wife？　He　knew　of　Atiaran…he　had　heard　too　much　talk　about　Covenant　not　to　know　that　she　was　the　woman
　who　had　guided　the　Unbeliever　from　Mithil　Stonedown　to　Andelain　and　the　Soulsease　River。　But　he　had　not　known　that　Trell　was　her　husband。　That　had　been　kept　from　him。
　Then　he　went　a　step　further。　Covenant　had　raped　Trell's　daughter…Atiaran's　daughter…the　daughter　of　the　woman　who…！
　〃Covenant！　You　bastard！〃　Troy　howled。　〃What　have　you　done？〃　But　he　knew　that　the　travelers　could　not　hear　him　across　the　distance；　the　noise　of　the　two　rivers　obliterated　distant　shouts。　A　stiff　gust　of　helplessness　knocked　down　his　protest；　so　that　his　voice　cracked　and　stumbled　into　silence。
　It　was　no　wonder　that　Trell　could　not　return　home；　face　his　daughter。　How　could　he　tell　her　that　the　High　Lord　had　chosen　friendship　rather　than　retribution　for　the　man　who　had　raped　her？　Troy　did　not　understand　how　she　could　do　such　a　thing　to　Trell。
　Another　moment　passed　before　he　grasped　the　rest　of　what　Mhoram　had　said。　She　died　in　the　act　Atiaran　was　his　summoner；　not　some　young　ignorant　or　inspired　student。　That；　too；　had　been　kept　from　him。　He　was　the　result　and　consequence　of　her　unanswerable　pain。
　It　isn't　you…　Was　Covenant　right？　Were　all　his　plans　only　so　much　despair　work；　set　in　motion　by　the　extravagance　of　Atiaran's　death？
　〃Warmark。〃　Lord　Mhoram's　tone　was　stern。　〃That　was　not　well　done。　Trell's　hurt　is　great　enough。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Troy　gritted　over　the　aching　of　his　heart。　〃But　why　didn't　you　tell　me？　You　knew　about　all　this。〃
　〃The　Council　decided　together　to　withhold　this　knowledge　from　you。　We　saw　only　harm　in　the　sharing　of　it。　We　wished　to　spare　you　pain。　And　we　hoped　that　you　would　learn　to　trust　ur…Lord　Covenant。〃
　〃You　were　dreaming；〃　Troy　groaned。　〃That　bastard　thinks　this　whole　thing　is　some　kind　of　mental　game。　All　that　Unbelieving　is　just　a　bluff。　He　thinks　he　can　get　away　with　anything。　You　can't　trust　him。〃　Grimly；　he　pushed　the　argument　to　its　conclusion。　〃And　you　can't　trust　meor　you　would　have　told　me　all　this
　before。　She　was　trying　to　summon　him。　As　far　as　you　know；　I'm　just　a　surrogate。〃　He　tried　to　sound　lucid；　but　his　voice　shook。
　〃You　misunderstand　me；〃　Mhoram　said　carefully。
　〃No；　I　don't　misunderstand。〃　He　could　feel　deadly　forces　at　work　around　himchoosing；　manipulating；　determining。　He　had　to　clench　himself　to　articulate；　〃Mhoram；　something　terrible　is　going　to　happen　to　her。〃
　He　looked　at　the　Lord；　then　turned　away；　he　could　not　bear　the　passion　in　Mhoram's　gaze。　Patting　Mehryl's　neck；　he　sent　the　Ranyhyn　trotting　around　the　east　side　of　Revelwood。　He　avoided　the　waiting　Lorewardens；　avoided　having　to　bid　them　farewell。　Gesturing　roughly　for　the　Bloodguard　and　Lord　Mhoram　to　follow　‘him；　he　rode　straight　away　from　Revelwood　toward　the　south　ford。
　He　was　looking　forward　to　this