rz.nineprincesinamber-第24部分

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　The　gods　knew　how　long　this　gauntlet　of　death　might　be　drawn；　but　I　didn't　want　to　stick　around　and　find　out。
　I　gulped　air　and　dove　once　more。
　I　touched　bottom；　I　felt　my　way　among　rocks。
　I　moved　along　for　as　far　as　I　could；　then　headed　toward　the　right　bank；　exhaling　as　I　rose。
　I　burst　through　the　surface；　gasped；　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　down　again；　without　sticking　around　to　get　the　lay　of　the　land。
　I　swam　on　till　my　lungs　were　bursting；　and　surfaced　then。
　This　time　I　wasn't　quite　so　lucky。　I　took　an　arrow　through　my　biceps。　I　managed　to　dive　and　break　off　the　shaft　when　I　struck　bottom。　Then　I　pulled　out　the　head　and　continued　on　by　means　of　the　frog　kick　and　underbody　sculling　with　my　right　hand。　The　next　time　up　I'd　be　a　sitting　duck；　I　knew。
　So　I　forced　myself　on；　till　the　red　flashes　crossed　my　eyeballs　and　the　blackness　crept　into　my　head。　I　must　have　stayed　down　for　three　minutes。
　When　I　surfaced　this　time；　though；　nothing　happened；　and　I　trod　water　and　gasped。
　I　made　my　way　to　the　left　bank　and　grabbed　hold　of　the　trailing　undergrowth。
　I　looked　all　around　me。　We　were　running　short　on　trees　at　this　point；　and　the　fires　hadn't　gotten　this　far。　Both　banks　seemed　empty；　but　so　did　the　river。　Could　I　have　been　the　only　survivor？　It　didn't　seem　possible。　After　all；　there　had　been　so　many　of　us　when　the　last　march　began。
　I　was　half　dead　with　fatigue　and　my　entire　body　was　laced　with　aches　and　pains。　Every　inch　of　my　skin　seemed　to　have　been　burned；　but　the　waters　were　so　cold　that　I　was　shaking　and　probably　blue。　I'd　have　to　leave　the　river　soon；　if　I　wanted　to　live。　I　felt　that　I　could　manage　a　few　more　underwater　expeditions；　and　I　decided　to　chance　them　before　departing　from　the　sheltering　depths。
　Somehow　I　managed　four　more　laps；　and　I　felt　then　that　I　might　not　e　up　again　if　I　tried　a　fifth。　So　I　hung　onto　a　rock　and　caught　my　breath；　then　crawled　ashore。
　I　rolled　onto　my　back　and　looked　all　around。　I　didn't　recognize　the　locale。　The　fires　hadn't　reached　it　yet；　though。　There　was　a　thick　clump　of　bushes　off　to　my　right　and　I　crawled　toward　it；　crawled　into　it；　fell　flat　on　my　face　and　went　to　sleep。
　
　***
　
　When　I　awoke；　I　wished　I　hadn't。　Every　inch　of　me　ached；　and　I　was　sick。　I　lay　there　for　hours；　half　delirious；　and　finally　managed　to　stagger　back　to　the　river　for　a　long　drink　of　water。　Then　I　headed　back　for　the　thicket；　made　it；　and　slept　again。
　I　was　still　sore　when　consciousness　came　once　more；　but　a　little　bit　stronger。　I　walked　to　the　river　and　back；　and　by　means　of　my　icy　Trump　found　that　Bleys　was　still　alive。
　〃Where　are　you？〃　he　asked；　when　I　had　made　the　contact。
　〃Damned　if　I　know；〃　I　replied。　〃Lucky　to　be　anywhere　at　all。　Near　the　sea；　though。　I　can　hear　the　waves　and　I　know　the　smell。〃
　〃You're　near　the　river？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Which　bank？〃
　〃Left；　as　you'd　face　the　sea。　North。〃
　〃Then　stay　put；〃　he　told　me；　〃and　I'll　send　someone　after　you。　I'm　assembling　our　forces　now。　I've　already　got　over　two　thousand　together；　and　Julian　won't　e　near　us。　More　keep　straggling　in　every　minute。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said；　and　that　was　it。
　I　stayed　put。　I　slept　as　I　did　so。
　
　***
　
　I　heard　them　bashing　about　in　the　bushes　and　was　alert；　I　pushed　some　fronds　aside　and　peered　forth。
　It　was　three　of　the　big　red　guys。
　So　I　straightened　my　gear　and　brushed　all　my　garments；　ran　a　hand　through　my　hair；　stood　erect　and　swayed；　took　several　deep　breaths；　and　stepped　forth。
　〃I　am　here；〃　I　announced。
　Two　of　them　did　double…takes；　blades　in　their　hands；　as　I　said　it。
　But　they　recovered；　smiled；　paid　me　deference；　and　conducted　me　back　to　the　camp。　It　was　perhaps　two　miles　distant。　I　made　it　without　leaning。
　Bleys　appeared　and　said；　〃We've　got　over　three　thousand　now。〃　Then　he　called　for　a　medical　officer　to　take　care　of　me　again。
　We　were　undisturbed　all　through　the　night；　and　the　rest　of　our　troops　straggled　in　that　night　and　the　following　day。
　We　had　perhaps　five　thousand　by　then。　We　could　see　Amber　in　the　distance。
　We　slept　another　night　and　on　the　following　morning　we　set　forth。
　By　afternoon　we　had　made　maybe　fifteen　miles。　We　marched　along　the　beach；　and　there　was　no　sign　of　Julian　anywhere。
　The　feeling　of　pain　from　my　burns　began　to　subside。　My　thigh　was　healthy；　but　my　shoulder　and　arm　still　hurt　from　here　to　hell　and　back　again。
　We　marched　on；　and　soon　we　were　within　forty　miles　of　Amber。　The　weather　stayed　clement　and　all　of　the　wood　to　our　left　was　a　desolate；　blackened　ruin。　The　fire　had　destroyed　most　of　the　timber　in　the　valley；　so　for　once　there　was　a　thing　in　our　favor。　Julian　nor　anybody　else　could　ambush　us。　We'd　see　them　ing　a　mile　off。　We　made　another　ten　miles　ere　the　sun　fell　and　we　bivouacked　on　the　beach。
　The　next　day；　I　remembered　that　Eric's　coronation　was　near　at　hand　and　I　reminded　Bleys。　We　had　almost　lost　count　of　the　days；　but　realized　we　still　had　a　few　remaining。
　We　led　a　speed…march　till　noon；　then　rested。　By　then；　we　were　twenty…five　miles　away　from　the　foot　of　Kolvir。　By　twilight；　the　distance　was　ten。
　And　we　kept　on。　We　marched　till　midnight　and　we　bivouacked　once　again。　By　that　time；　I　was　beginning　to　feel　fairly　alive　once　more。　I　practiced　a　few　cuts　with　my　blade　and　could　almost　manage　them。　The　next　day；　I　felt　even　better。
　We　marched　until　we　came　to　the　foot　of　Kolvir；　where　we　were　met　by　all　of　Julian's　forces；　bined　with　many　from　Caine's　fleet　who　now　stood　as　foot　soldiers。
　Bleys　stood　there　and　called　things；　like　Robert　E。　Lee　at　Chancellorsville；　and　we　took　them。
　We　had　maybe　three　thousand　men　when　we　had　finished　off　everything　Julian　had　to　throw　against　us。　Julian；　of　course；　escaped。
　But　we　had　won。　There　was　celebration　that　night。　We　had　won。
　I　was　very　afraid　by　then；　and　I　made　my　fears　known　to　Bleys。　Three　thousand　men　against　Kolvir。
　I　had　lost　the　fleet；　and　Bleys　had　lost　over　ninety…eight　percent　of　his　foot　soldiers。　I　did　not　look　upon　these　as　rejoiceable　items。
　I　didn't　like　it。
　
　***
　
　But　the　next　day　we　began　the　ascent。　There　was　a　stairway；　allowing　for　the　men　to　go　two　abreast　along　it。　This　would　narrow　soon；　however；　forcing　us　to　go　single　file。
　We　made　it　a　hundred　yards　up　Kolvir；　then　two；　then　three。
　Then　the　storm　blew　in　from　the　sea；　and　we　held　tight　and　were　lashed　by　it。
　Afterward；　a　couple　of　hundred　men　were　missing。
　We　struggled　on　and　the　rains　came　down。　The　way　grew　steeper；　more　slippery。　A　quarter　of　the　way　up　Kolvir　we　met　with　a　column　of　armed　men　descending。　The　first　of　these　traded　blows　with　the　leaders　of　our　vanguard；　and　two　men　fell。　Two　steps　were　gained；　and　another　man　fell。
　This　went　on　for　over　an　hour；　and　by　then　we　were　about　a　third　of　the　way　up　and　our　line　was　wearing　back　toward　Bleys　and　myself。　It　was　good　that　our　big　red　warriors　were　stronger　than　Eric's　troops。　There　would　e　a　clash　of　arms；　a　cry；　and　a　man　would　be　brought　by。　Sometimes　he　would　be　red；　occasionally　furry；　but　more　often　he　wore　Eric's　colors。
　We　made　it　to　the　halfway　point；　fighting　for　every　step。　Once　we　reached　the　top；　there　would　be　the　broad　stair　of　which　the　one　to　Rebma　had　been　but　an　image。　It　would　lead　up　to　the　Great　Arch；　which　was　the　eastern　entranceway　to　Amber。
　Perhaps　fifty　of　our　vanguard　remained。　Then　forty；　thirty；　twenty；　a　dozen。。。
　We　were　about　two…thirds　of　the　way　up　by　then；　and　the　stair　zigged　and　zagged　its　way　back　and　forth　across　the　face　of　Kolvir。　The　eastern　stair　is　seldom　used。　It　is　almost　a　decoration。　Our　original　plans　had　been　to　cut　through　the　now　blackened　valley　and　then　circle；　climbing；　and　to　take　the　western　way　over　the　mountains　and　enter　Amber　from　behind。　The　fire　and　Julian　had　changed　all　this。　We'd　never　have　made　it　up　and　around。　It　was　now　a　frontal　assault　or　nothing。　And　it　wasn't　going　to　be　nothing。
　Three　more　of　Eric's　warriors　fell　and　we　gained　four　steps。　Then　our　front　man　made　the　long　descent　and　we　lost　one。
　The　breeze　was　sharp　and　cool　from　off　the　sea；　and　birds　were　collecting　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain。　The　sun　broke　through　the　clouds；　as　Eric　apparently　put　aside　his　weather　making　now　that　we　were　engaged　with　his　force。
　We　gained　six　steps　and　lost　another　man。
　It　was　strange　and　sad　and　wild。。。
　Bleys　stood　before　me；　and　soon　his　turn　would　e。　Then　mine；　should　he　perish。
　Six　of　the　vanguard　remained；
　Ten　steps。。。
　Then　five　remained。
　We　pushed　on；　slowly；　and　there　was　blood　on　every　step　for　as　far　back　as　I　could　see。　There's　a　moral　there；　somewhere。
　The　fifth　man　slew　four　before　he　fell　himself；　so　bringing　us　to　another　zig；　or　zag；　as　the　case　may　be。
　Onward　and　upward；　our　third　man　fighting　with　a　blade　in　either　hand。　It　was　good　that　he　fought　in　a　holy　war；　for　there　was　real　zeal　behind　each　blow。　He　took　three　before　he　died。
　The　next　wasn't　as　zealous；　or　as　good　with　his　blades。　He　fell　immediately；　and　then　there　were　two。
　Bleys　drew　his　long；　filigreed　blade；　and　its　edge　sparkled　in　the　sun。
　〃Soon；　brother；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　see　what　they　can　do　against　a　prince。〃
　〃Only　one；　I　hope。〃　I　replied；　and　he　chuckled。
　I'd　say　we　were　three…quarters　of　the　way　there　when　Bleys'　turn　finally　came。
　He　leaped　forward；　immediately　dislodging　the　first　man　to　face　him。　The　point　of　his　blade　found　the　throat　of　the　second；　and　the　flat　of　it　fell　alongside　the　head　of　the　third；　dislodging　him　also。　He　dueled　a　moment　with　the　fourth　and　dispatched　him。
　My　own　blade　was　in　my　hand；　ready；　as　I　watched　and　advanced。
　He　was　good；　even　better　than　I　remembered　him　to　be。　He　advanced　like　a　whirlwind；　and　his　blade　was　alive　with　light。　They　fell　before　it　…　how　they　fell；　my　friend！　Whatever　else　you　might　say　of　Bleys；　on　that　day　he　acquitted　himself　as　became　his　rank。　I　wondered　how　long　he　could　keep　going。
　He'd　a　dagger　in　his　left　hand；　which　he　used　with　brutal　efficiency　whenever　he　could　manage　a　corps　à　corps。　He　left　it　in　the　throat　of　his　eleventh　victim。
　I　could　see　no　end　to　the　column　which　opposed　us。　I　decided　that　it　must　stretch　all　the　way　to　the　landing　at　the　top。　I　hoped　my　turn　wouldn't　e。　I　almost