rz.nineprincesinamber-第22部分

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　Then　there　was　the　card　for　Amber　itself。　I　could　take　myself　there　with　it　and　try　an　assassination；　but　I　figured　the　odds　were　about　a　million　to　one　against　my　living　to　effect　it。
　I　was　willing　to　die　fighting；　but　it　was　senseless　for　all　these　men　to　go　down　with　me。　Perhaps　my　blood　was　tainted；　despite　my　power　over　the　Pattern。　A　true　prince　of　Amber　should　have　had　no　such　qualms。　I　decided　then　that　my　centuries　on　the　Shadow　Earth　had　changed　me；　softened　me　perhaps；　had　done　something　to　me　which　made　me　unlike　my　brothers。
　I　decided　to　surrender　the　fleet　and　then　transport　myself　to　Amber　and　challenge　Eric　to　a　final　duel。　He'd　be　foolish　to　accept。　But　what　the　hell　…　I　had　nothing　else　left　to　do。
　I　turned　to　make　my　wishes　known　to　my　officers；　and　the　power　fell　upon　me；　and　I　was　stricken　speechless。
　I　felt　the　contact　and　I　finally　managed　to　mutter　〃Who？〃　through　clenched　teeth。　There　was　no　reply；　but　a　twisting　thing　bored　slowly　within　my　mind　and　I　wrestled　with　it　there。
　After　a　time　when　he　saw　that　I　could　not　be　broken　without　a　long　struggle；　I　heard　Eric's　voice　upon　the　wind：
　〃How　goes　the　world　with　thee；　brother？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Poorly；〃　I　said　or　thought；　and　he　chuckled；　though　his　voice　seemed　strained　by　the　efforts　of　our　striving。
　〃Too　bad；〃　he　told　me。　〃Had　you　e　back　and　supported　me；　I　would　have　done　well　by　you。　Now；　of　course；　it　is　too　late。　Now；　I　will　only　rejoice　when　I　have　broken　both　you　and　Bleys。〃
　I　did　not　reply　at　once；　but　fought　him　with　all　the　power　I　possessed。　He　withdrew　slightly　before　it；　but　he　succeeded　in　holding　me　where　I　stood。
　If　either　of　us　dared　divert　his　attention　for　an　Instant；　we　could　e　into　physical　contact　or　one　of　us　get　the　upper　hand　on　the　mental　plane。　I　could　see　him　now；　clearly；　in　his　chambers　in　the　palace。　Whichever　of　us　made　such　a　move；　though；　he　would　fall　beneath　the　other's　control。
　So　we　glared　at　each　other　and　struggled　internally。　Well；　he　had　solved　one　of　my　problems；　by　attacking　me　first。　He　held　my　Trump　in　his　left　hand　and　his　brows　were　furrowed。　I　sought　for　an　edge；　but　couldn't　find　one。　People　were　talking　to　me　but　I　couldn't　hear　their　words　as　I　stood　there　backed　against　the　rail。
　What　time　was　it？
　All　sense　of　time　had　departed　since　the　beginning　of　the　struggle。　Could　two　hours　have　passed？　Was　that　it？　I　couldn't　be　sure。
　〃I　feel　your　troubled　thought；〃　said　Eric。　〃Yes；　I　am　coordinated　with　Caine。　He　contacted　me　after　your　parley。　I　can　hold　you　thus　while　your　fleet　is　demolished　around　you　and　sent　down　to　Rebma　to　rot。　The　fishes　will　eat　your　men。〃
　〃Wait；〃　I　said。　〃They　are　guiltless。　Bleys　and　I　have　misled　them；　and　they　think　we　are　in　the　right。　Their　deaths　would　serve　no　purpose。　I　was　preparing　to　surrender　the　fleet。〃
　〃Then　you　should　not　have　taken　so　long；〃　he　replied；　〃for　now　it　is　too　late。　I　cannot　call　Caine　to　countermand　my　orders；　without　releasing　you；　and　the　moment　I　release　you　I　will　fall　beneath　your　mental　domination　or　suffer　physical　assault。　Our　minds　are　too　proximate。〃
　〃Supposing　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　won't　do　this　thing？〃
　〃Any　man　would　be　forsworn　to　gain　a　kingdom；〃　said　Eric。
　〃Can't　you　read　the　thought？　Can't　you　feel　it　within　my　mind？　I'll　keep　my　word！〃
　〃I　feel　there　is　a　strange　passion　for　these　men　you　have　duped；　and　I　know　not　what　may　have　caused　such　a　bond；　but　no。　You　know　it　yourself。　Even　if　you　are　sincere　at　this　moment　…　as　you　well　may　be　…　the　temptation　will　be　too　great　the　instant　the　opportunity　occurs。　You　know　it　yourself。　I　can't　risk　it。〃
　And　I　knew　it。　Amber　burned　too　strongly　in　the　blood　of　us。
　〃Your　swordsmanship　has　increased　remarkably；〃　he　mented。　〃I　see　that　your　exile　has　done　you　some　good　in　that　respect。　You　are　closer　to　being　my　equal　now　than　anyone　save　Benedict；　who　may　well　be　dead。〃
　〃Don't　flatter　yourself；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　I　can　take　you　now。　In　fact　…　〃
　〃Don't　bother。　I　won't　duel　with　you　at　this　late　date；〃　and　he　smiled；　reading　my　thought；　which　burned　all　too　clearly。　〃I　more　than　half　wish　you　had　stood　by　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　could　have　used　you　more　than　any　of　the　others。　Julian　I　spit　upon。　Caine　is　a　coward。　Gerard　is　strong；　but　stupid。〃
　I　decided　to　put　in　the　only　good　word　I　might。
　〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃I　conned　Random　into　ing　here　with　me。　He　wasn't　hot　on　the　idea。　I　think　he　would　have　supported　you；　had　you　asked　him。〃
　〃That　bastard！〃　he　said。　〃I　wouldn't　trust　him　to　empty　chamber　pots。　One　day　I'd　find　a　piranha　in　mine。　No　thanks。　I　might　have　pardoned　him；　save　for　your　present　remendation。　You'd　like　me　to　clasp　him　to　my　bosom　and　call　him　brother　now；　wouldn't　you？　Oh　no！　You　leap　too　quickly　to　his　defense。　It　reveals　his　true　attitude；　of　which　he　has　doubtless　made　you　aware。　Let　us　forget　Random　in　the　courts　of　clemency。〃
　I　smelled　smoke　then　and　heard　the　sounds　of　metal　on　metal。　That　would　mean　that　Caine　had　e　upon　us　and　was　doing　his　job。
　〃Good；〃　said　Eric；　catching　it　from　my　mind。
　〃Stop　them！　Please！　My　men　don't　have　a　chance　against　that　many！〃
　〃Not　even　were　you　to　yield　…　〃　and　he　bit　it　off　and　cursed。　I　caught　the　thought；　then。　He　could　have　asked　me　to　yield　in　return　for　their　lives；　and　then　let　Caine　continue　with　the　slaughter。　He　would　have　liked　to　have　done　that；　but　he'd　let　those　first　words　slip　out　in　the　heat　of　his　passion。
　I　chuckled　at　his　irritation。
　〃I'll　have　you　soon；　anyhow；〃　he　said。　〃As　soon　as　they　take　the　flagship。〃
　〃Until　then；〃　I　said；　〃try　this！〃　And　I　hit　him　with　everything　I　had；　boring　into　his　mind；　hurting　him　with　my　hatred。　I　felt　his　pain　and　it　drove　me　harder。　For　all　the　years　of　exile　I'd　spent；　I　lashed　at　him；　seeking　at　least　this　payment。　For　his　putting　me　through　the　plague；　I　beat　at　the　barriers　of　his　sanity；　seeking　this　vengeance。　For　the　auto　accident；　for　which　I　knew　he　had　been　responsible；　I　struck　at　him；　seeking　some　measure　of　anguish　in　return　for　my　hurt。
　His　control　began　to　slip　and　my　frenzy　increased。　I　bore　down　upon　him　and　his　hold　upon　me　began　to　slacken。
　Finally；　〃You　devil！〃　he　cried；　and　moved　his　hand　to　cover　the　card　that　he　held。
　The　contact　was　broken；　and　I　stood　there　shaking。
　I　had　done　it。　I　had　bested　him　in　a　contest　of　wills。　No　longer　would　I　fear　my　tyrant　brother　in　any　form　of　single　bat。　I　was　stronger　than　he。
　I　sucked　in　several　deep　breaths　and　stood　erect；　ready　for　the　moment　the　coldness　of　a　new　mental　attack　occurred。　I　knew　that　it　wouldn't；　though；　not　from　Eric。　I　sense　that　he　feared　my　fury。
　I　looked　about　me　and　there　was　fighting。　There　was　already　blood　on　the　decks。　A　ship　had　e　alongside　us　and　we　were　being　boarded。　Another　vessel　was　attempting　the　same　maneuver　on　the　opposite　side。　A　bolt　whistled　by　my　head。
　I　drew　my　blade　and　leaped　into　the　fray。
　I　don't　know　how　many　I　slew　that　day。　I　lost　count　somewhere　after　number　twelve　or　thirteen。　It　was　more　than　twice　that；　on　that　engagement　alone；　though。　The　strength　with　which　a　prince　of　Amber　is　naturally　endowed；　which　had　allowed　me　to　lift　a　Mercedes；　served　me　that　day；　so　that　I　could　raise　a　man　with　one　hand　and　hurl　him　over　the　rail。
　We　slew　everyone　aboard　both　boarding　ships　and　opened　their　hatches　and　sent　them　down　to　Rebma　where　Random　would　be　amused　by　the　carnage。　My　crew　had　been　cut　in　half　in　the　battle；　and　I　had　suffered　innumerable　nicks　and　scratches　but　nothing　serious。　We　went　to　the　aid　of　a　sister　vessel　and　knocked　off　another　of　Caine's　raiders。
　The　survivors　of　the　rescued　vessel　came　aboard　the　flagship　and　I　had　a　full　crew　once　more。
　〃Blood！〃　I　called　out。　〃Give　me　blood　and　vengeance　this　day；　my　warriors；　and　you　will　be　remembered　in　Amber　forever！〃
　And　as　a　man；　they　raised　their　weapons　and　cried　out；　〃Blood！〃　And　gallons　…　no；　rivers　…　of　it　were　let　that　day。　We　destroyed　two　more　of　Caine's　raiders；　replenishing　our　numbers　from　those　of　the　survivors　of　our　own　fleet。　As　we　headed　toward　a　sixth；　I　climbed　the　mainmast　and　tried　to　take　a　quick　count。
　We　looked　to　be　outnumbered　three　to　one。　There　seemed　to　be　between　forty…five　and　fifty…five　remaining　of　my　fleet。
　We　took　the　sixth；　and　we　didn't　have　to　look　for　the　seventh　and　the　eighth。　They　came　to　us。　We　took　them　too；　but　I　received　several　wounds　in　the　fighting　that　again　left　me　with　half　a　crew。　My　left　shoulder　and　my　right　thigh　had　been　cut　deeply；　and　a　slash　along　my　right　hip　was　hurting。
　As　we　sent　those　ships　to　the　bottom；　two　more　moved　toward　us；
　We　fled　and　gained　an　ally　in　one　of　my　own　ships　which　had　been　victorious　in　its　own　recent　battle。　We　bined　crews　once　more；　this　time　transferring　the　standard　to　the　other　vessel；　which　had　been　less　damaged　than　my　own；　which　had　begun　shipping　water　badly　and　was　beginning　to　list　to　starboard。
　We　were　allowed　no　breathing　space；　as　another　vessel　neared　and　the　men　attempted　to　board。
　My　men　were　tired；　and　I　was　getting　that　way。　Fortunately　the　other　crew　wasn't　in　such　great　shape　either。　Before　the　second　of　Caine's　vessels　came　to　its　aid；　we　had　overwhelmed　it；　boarded；　and　transferred　the　standard　again。　That　ship　had　been　in　even　better　shape。
　We　took　the　next　and　I　was　left　with　a　good　ship；　forty　men；　and　gasping。
　There　was　no　one　in　sight　to　e　to　our　aid　now。　All　of　my　surviving　ships　were　engaged　by　at　least　one　of　Caine's。　A　raider　was　heading　toward　us　and　we　fled。
　We　gained　perhaps　twenty　minutes　this　way。　I　tried　to　sail　into　Shadow；　but　it's　a　hard；　slow　thing　that　near　to　Amber。　It's　much　easier　to　get　this　close　than　it　is　to　depart；　because　Amber　is　the　center；　the　nexus。　If　I'd　had　another　ten　minutes；　I　could　have　made　it。
　I　didn't；　though。
　As　the　vessel　hove　nearer；　I　saw　another　one　off　in　the　distance　turning　in　our　direction。　It　bore　the　black　and　green　standard　beneath　Eric's　colors　and　the　white　unicorn。　It　was　Caine's　ship。　He　wanted　to　be　there　for　the　kill。
　We　took　the　first　one　and　didn't　even　have　time　to　open　its　hatches　before　Caine　was　upon　us。　I　was　left　standing　on　the　bloody　deck；　with　a　dozen　men　about　me；　and　Caine　moved　to　the　bow　of　his