rz.nineprincesinamber-第13部分

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　I　knew　she　would　say　that；　and　I　was　glad。　I　was　afraid；　but　I　was　glad。
　We　walked　all　that　night。　We　avoided　three　parties　of　armed　troops；　and　in　the　morning　we　slept　in　a　cave。
　
　
　Chapter　5
　
　We　spent　two　evenings　making　our　way　to　the　pink　and　sable　sands　of　the　great　sea。　It　was　on　the　morning　of　the　third　day　that　we　arrived　at　the　beach；　having　successfully　avoided　a　small　party　the　sundown　before。　We　were　loath　to　step　out　into　the　open　until　we　had　located　the　precise　spot；　Faiella…bionin；　the　Stairway　to　Rebma；　and　could　cross　quickly　to　it。
　The　rising　sun　cast　billions　of　bright　shards　into　the　foaming　swell　of　the　waters；　and　our　eyes　were　dazzled　by　their　dance　so　that　we　could　not　see　beneath　the　surface。　We　had　lived　on　fruit　and　water　for　two　days　and　I　was　ravenously　hungry；　but　I　forgot　this　as　I　regarded　the　wide；　sloping　tiger　beach　with　its　sudden　twists　and　rises　of　coral；　orange；　pink；　and　red；　and　its　abrupt　caches　of　shells；　driftwood；　and　small　polished　stones；　and　the　sea　beyond：　rising　and　falling；　splashing　softly；　all　gold　and　blue　and　royal　purple；　and　casting　forth　its　life…song　breezes　like　benedictions　beneath　dawn's　violet　skies。
　The　mountain　that　faces　the　dawn；　Kolvir；　which　has　held　Amber　like　a　mother　her　child　for　all　of　time；　stood　perhaps　twenty　miles　to　our　left；　the　north；　and　the　sun　covered　her　with　gold　and　made　rainbow　the　veil　above　the　city。　Random　looked　upon　it　and　gnashed　his　teeth；　then　looked　away。　Maybe　I　did；　too。
　Deirdre　touched　my　hand；　gestured　with　her　head；　and　began　to　walk　toward　the　north；　parallel　to　the　shore。　Random　and　I　followed。　She　had　apparently　spotted　some　landmark。
　We'd　advanced　perhaps　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　when　it　seemed　that　the　earth　shook　lightly。
　〃Hoofbeats！〃　hissed　Random。
　〃Look！〃　said　Deirdre；　and　her　head　was　tilted　back　and　she　was　pointing　upward。
　My　eyes　followed　the　gesture。
　Overhead　a　hawk　circled。
　〃How　much　farther　is　it？〃　I　asked。
　〃That　cairn　of　stones；〃　she　said；　and　I　saw　it　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　away；　about　eight　feet　in　height；　builded　of　head…sized；　gray　stones；　worn　by　the　wind；　the　sand；　the　water；　standing　in　the　shape　of　a　truncated　pyramid。
　The　hoofbeats　came　louder；　and　then　there　were　the　notes　of　a　horn；　not　Julian's　call；　though。
　〃Run！〃　said　Random；　and　we　did。
　After　perhaps　twenty…five　paces；　the　hawk　descended。　It　swooped　at　Random；　but　he　had　his　blade　out　and　took　a　cut　at　it。　Then　it　turned　its　attention　to　Deirdre。
　I　snatched　my　own　blade　from　its　sheath　and　tried　a　cut。　Feathers　flew。　It　rose　and　dropped　again；　and　this　time　my　blade　bit　something　hard　…　and　I　think　it　fell；　but　I　couldn't　tell　for　sure；　because　I　wasn't　about　to　stop　and　look　back。　The　sound　of　hoofbeats　was　quite　steady　now；　and　loud；　and　the　horn　notes　were　near　at　hand。
　We　reached　the　cairn　and　Deirdre　turned　at　right　angles　to　it　and　headed　straight　toward　the　sea。
　I　was　not　about　to　argue　with　someone　who　seemed　to　know　what　she　was　doing。　I　followed；　and　from　the　corner　of　my　eye　I　saw　the　horsemen。
　They　were　still　off　in　the　distance；　but　they　were　thundering　along　the　beach；　dogs　barking　and　horns　blowing；　and　Random　and　I　ran　like　hell　and　waded　out　into　the　surf　after　our　sister。
　We　were　up　to　our　waists　when　Random　said；　〃It's　death　if　I　stay　and　death　if　I　go　on。〃
　〃One　is　imminent。〃　I　said；　〃and　the　other　may　be　open　to　negotiation。　Let's　move！〃
　We　did。　We　were　on　some　sort　of　rocky　surface　which　descended　into　the　sea。　I　didn't　know　how　we　would　breathe　while　we　walked　it；　but　Deirdre　didn't　seem　worried　about　it；　so　I　tried　not　to　be。
　But　I　was。
　When　the　water　swirled　and　swished　about　our　heads；　I　was　very　worried。　Deirdre　walked　straight　ahead；　though；　descending；　and　I　followed；　and　Random　followed。　Each　few　feet　there　was　a　drop。　We　were　descending　an　enormous　staircase；　and　it　was　named　Faiella…bionin；　I　knew。
　One　more　step　would　bring　the　water　above　my　head；　but　Deirdre　had　already　dropped　below　the　water　line。
　So　I　drew　a　deep　breath　and　took　the　plunge。
　There　were　more　steps　and　I　kept　following　them。　I　wondered　why　my　body　was　not　naturally　buoyed　above　them；　for　I　continued　to　remain　erect　and　each　step　bore　me　downward　as　though　on　a　natural　staircase；　though　my　movements　were　somewhat　slowed。　I　began　wondering　what　I'd　do　when　I　could　hold　my　breath　no　longer。
　There　were　bubbles　about　Random's　head；　and　Deirdre's。　I　tried　to　observe　what　they　were　doing；　but　I　couldn't　figure　it。　Their　breasts　seemed　to　be　rising　and　falling　in　a　normal　manner。
　When　we　were　about　ten　feet　beneath　the　surface；　Random　glanced　at　me　from　where　he　moved　at　my　left　side；　and　I　heard　his　voice。　It　was　as　though　I　had　my　ear　pressed　against　the　bottom　of　a　bathtub　and　each　of　his　words　came　as　the　sound　of　someone　kicking　upon　the　side。
　They　were　clear；　though：
　〃I　don't　think　they'll　persuade　the　dogs　to　follow；　even　if　the　horses　do；〃　he　said。
　〃How　are　you　managing　to　breathe？〃　I　tried　saying；　and　I　heard　my　own　words　distantly。
　〃Relax；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃If　you're　holding　your　breath；　let　it　out　and　don't　worry。　You'll　be　able　to　breathe　so　long　as　you　don't　venture　off　the　stairway。〃
　〃How　can　that　be？〃　I　asked。
　〃If　we　make　it；　you'll　know；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　had　a　ringing　quality　to　it；　through　the　cold　and　passing　green。
　We　were　about　twenty　feet　beneath　the　surface　by　then；　and　I　exhaled　a　small　amount　of　air　and　tried　inhaling　for　perhaps　a　second。
　There　was　nothing　disturbing　about　the　sensation；　so　I　protracted　it。　There　were　more　bubbles；　but　beyond　that　I　felt　nothing　unfortable　in　the　transition。
　There　was　no　sense　of　increasing　pressure　during　the　next　ten　feet　or　so；　and　I　could　see　the　staircase　on　which　we　moved　as　though　through　a　greenish　fog。　Down；　down；　down　it　led。　Straight。　Direct。　And　there　was　some　kind　of　light　ing　from　below　us。
　〃If　we　can　make　it　through　the　archway；　we'll　be　safe；〃　said　my　sister。
　〃You'll　be　safe；〃　Random　corrected；　and　I　wondered　what　he　had　done　to　be　despised　in　the　place　called　Rebma。
　〃If　they　ride　horses　which　have　never　made　the　journey　before；　then　they'll　have　to　follow　on　foot；〃　said　Random。　〃In　that　case；　we'll　make　it。〃
　〃So　they　might　not　follow　…　if　that　is　the　case；〃　said　Deirdre。
　We　hurried。
　By　the　time　we　were　perhaps　fifty　feet　below　the　surface；　the　waters　grew　quite　dark　and　chill。　But　the　glow　before　us　and　below　us　increased；　and　after　another　ten　steps；　I　could　make　out　the　source。
　There　was　a　pillar　rising　to　the　right。　At　its　top　was　something　globe…like　and　glowing。　Perhaps　fifteen　steps　lower；　another　such　formation　occurred　to　the　left。　Beyond　that；　it　seemed　there　was　another　one　on　the　right；　and　so　on。
　When　we　entered　the　vicinity　of　the　thing；　the　waters　grew　warmer　and　the　stairway　itself　became　clear：　it　was　white；　shot　through　with　pink　and　green；　and　resembled　marble　but　was　not　slippery　despite　the　water。　It　was　perhaps　fifty　feet　in　width；　and　there　was　a　wide　banister　of　the　same　substance　on　either　side。
　Fishes　swam　past　us　as　we　walked　it。　When　I　looked　back　over　my　shoulder；　there　seemed　to　be　no　sign　of　pursuit。
　It　became　brighter。　We　entered　the　vicinity　of　the　first　light；　and　it　wasn't　a　globe　on　the　top　of　a　pillar。　My　mind　must　have　added　that　touch　to　the　phenomenon；　to　try　to　rationalize　it　at　least　a　bit。　It　appeared　to　be　a　flame；　about　two　feet　in　height；　dancing　there；　as　atop　a　huge　torch。　I　decided　to　ask　about　it　later；　and　saved　my　…　if　you'll　excuse　the　expression　…　breath；　for　the　rapid　descent　we　were　making。
　After　we　had　entered　the　alley　of　light　and　had　passed　six　more　of　the　torches；　Random　said；　〃They're　after　us；〃　and　I　looked　back　again　and　saw　distant　figures　descending；　four　of　them　on　horseback。
　It　is　a　strange　feeling　to　laugh　under　water　and　hear　yourself。
　〃Let　them；〃　I　said；　and　I　touched　the　hilt　of　my　blade；　〃for　now　we　have　made　it　this　far；　I　feel　a　power　upon　me！〃
　We　hurried　though；　and　off　to　our　left　and　to　our　right　the　water　grew　black　as　ink。　Only　the　stairway　was　illuminated；　in　our　mad　flight　down　it；　and　distantly　I　saw　what　appeared　to　be　a　mighty　arch。
　Deirdre　was　leaping　down　the　stairs　two　at　a　time；　and　there　came　a　vibration　now；　from　the　staccato　beat　of　the　horses'　hooves　behind　us。
　The　band　of　armed　men　…　filling　the　way　from　banister　to　banister　…　was　far　behind　and　above。　But　the　four　horsemen　had　gained　on　us。　We　followed　Deirdre　as　she　rushed　downward；　and　my　hand　stayed　upon　my　blade。
　Three；　four；　five。　We　passed　that　many　lights　before　I　looked　back　again　and　saw　that　the　horsemen　were　perhaps　fifty　feet　above　us。　The　footmen　were　now　almost　out　of　sight。　The　archway　loomed　ahead；　perhaps　two　hundred　feet　distant。　Big；　shining　like　alabaster；　and　carved　with　Tritons；　sea　nymphs；　mermaids；　and　dolphins；　it　was。　And　there　seemed　to　be　people　on　the　other　side　of　it。
　〃They　must　wonder　why　we　have　e　there；〃　said　Random。
　〃It　will　be　an　academic　point　if　we　don't　make　it；〃　I　replied；　hurrying；　as　another　glance　revealed　that　the　horsemen　had　gained　ten　feet　on　us。
　I　drew　my　blade　then；　and　it　flashed　in　the　torchlight。　Random　followed　suit。
　After　another　twenty　steps　or　so；　the　vibrations　were　terrible　within　the　green　and　we　turned；　so　as　not　to　be　cut　down　as　we　ran。
　They　were　almost　upon　us。　The　gates　lay　a　hundred　feet　to　our　back；　and　it　might　have　been　a　hundred　miles；　unless　we　could　take　the　four　horsemen。
　I　crouched；　as　the　man　who　was　headed　toward　me　swung　his　blade。　There　was　another　rider　to　his　right　and　slightly　to　his　rear；　so　naturally　I　moved　to　his　left；　near　to　the　rail。　This　required　that　he　strike　cross…body；　as　he　held　his　blade　in　his　right　hand。
　When　he　struck；　I　parried　in　quarte　and　riposted。
　He　was　leaning　far　forward　in　the　saddle；　and　the　point　of　my　blade　entered　his　neck　on　the　right　side。
　A　great　billow　of　blood；　like　crimson　smoke；　arose　and　swirled　within　the　greenish　light。　Crazily；　I　wished　Van　Gogh　were　there　to　see　it。
　The　horse　continued　past；　and　I　leaped　at　the　second　rider　from　the　rear。
　He　turned　to　parry　the　stroke；　succeeded。　But　the　force　of　his　speed　through　the　wate