df.therunelords-第105部分

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　〃I　would　not　worry　about　her　people；　only　about　her。　Do　you　think　she　wants　you　to　leave　her　alone？　Do　you　think　she　doesn't　love　you？〃
　〃She　loves　me；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Then　go　to　her；　soon。　If　she　grieves；　then　grieve　with　her。　Sharing　our　pain　makes　our　wounds　heal　faster。〃
　〃I。。。it　wouldn't　be　a　good　idea。　Not　now。　Not　so　soonafter。〃
　〃I　spoke　with　her　not　an　hour　ago；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃She　asked　for　you。　She　wants　to　see　you　on　some　urgent　matter；　tonightsoon。〃
　Gaborn　studied　the　wizard's　face；　wondering。　It　seemed　madness　to　go　to　her　now；　considering　how　her　people　felt　about　him。　Yet　if　Iome　had　asked　for　him；　perhaps　she　had　good　reason。　Perhaps；　he　thought；　they　had　treaties　to　discuss。　She　would　need　money　to　repair　her　castle。　House　Sylvarresta　knight　need　loans；　armies。。。
　He　would　give　whatever　she　asked；　of　course。
　〃All　right；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I'll　see　her。〃
　〃At　sunset；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Don't　let　her　be　alone　after　sunset。〃
　Binnesman's　words　encouraged　Gaborn。　What　good　was　it　to　have　a　wizard　as　your　counselor；　he　reasoned；　if　you　did　not　listen　to　his　wisdom？
　　
　Chapter　61
　PEACE
　　
　Gaborn　did　not　leave　the　manor　before　sunset。　He　took　time　to　warm　some　water　in　the　kitchens；　to　bathe　and　rub　his　hair　with　lavender；　to　scrub　his　armor　with　the　soft　leaves　of　lamb's　ear；　so　that　he'd　present　himself　well。
　By　evening　the　clouds　blew　out　of　the　region　altogether；　and　warmer　air　now　suffused　the　night；　almost　as　if　it　were　any　other　afternoon　in　late　summer。　The　scents　of　grass　and　oak　grew　strong　in　the　air。
　Borenson　and　Myrrima　stayed　behind　at　the　manor。
　Only　the　wizard　Binnesman　and　Gaborn's　Days　rode　with　him　to　Longmont。　There；　thousands　of　people　worked　in　the　twilight；　salvaging　supplies　from　the　castle；　cleaning　the　dead。　More　warriors　arrived　from　farther　northeight　thousand　knights　and　men…at…arms　from　Castle　Derry；　headed　by　Duke　Mardon；　arriving　unexpectedly　at　the　summons　of　Groverman。
　Gaborn　reached　camp；　and　was　escorted　to　Iome　by　a　guard　who　seemed　friendly　enough。
　Custom　in　Heredon　dictated　that　the　dead　be　interred　before　sunset　on　the　day　of　their　death；　but　so　many　lords　and　knights　were　swelling　in　from　the　hills　around　Longmont；　setting　up　tents；　that　King　Sylvarresta　could　not　be　buried。　King　Orden；　too；　had　not　been　interred；　and　whether　this　was　done　as　an　honor；　so　that　the　kings　might　be　buried　together；　or　because　the　people　did　not　want　to　bury　a　foreign　king　on　their　soil；　Gaborn　did　not　know。
　But　too　many　people　wanted　to　view　the　bodies；　to　pay　their　last　respects。
　Gaborn　found　Iome　still　mourning　her　father。　The　bodies　had　been　cleaned　and　laid　out　on　fine　blankets　over　beds　of　paving　stones。　The　Earl　of　Dreis　lay　near　their　feet；　in　a　place　of　honor。
　Upon　seeing　the　dead；　the　wounds　on　Gaborn's　heart　felt　all　fresh　and　new。　He　went　to　Iome；　sat　beside　her；　and　took　her　hand。　She　clenched　his　fingers　tightly；　as　if　her　very　life　depended　on　his　touch。
　She　sat　with　her　head　lowered；　eyes　forward。　Gaborn　did　not　know　if　she　was　only　deep　within　herself；　fighting　her　pain；　or　if　she　kept　her　face　down　simply　to　hide　it；　for　now　she　was　no　more　lovely　than　any　other　maid。
　For　a　long　half…hour　they　sat　while　the　soldiers　of　Sylvarresta　came　to　pay　their　last　respects；　talking　to　one　another　in　hushed　whispers。　Many　a　proud　soldier　shot　Gaborn　a　disapproving　scowl　on　seeing　how　he　touched　Iome　so　familiarly；　but　Gaborn　defied　them。
　He　feared　Raj　Ahten　had　won　a　small　victory　here；　had　succeeded　in　driving　a　wedge　between　two　nations　that　had　long　been　friends。　Vainly；　he　wondered　how　he　could　ever　heal　that　wound。
　All　along　the　downs；　for　a　mile　around；　campfires　began　to　spring　up　for　the　night。　A　soldier　came　with　two　large　torches；　and　planned　to　set　one　at　the　heads；　the　other　at　the　feet　of　the　two　kings；　but　Binnesman　warned　the　man　away。
　〃They　died　fighting　flameweavers；〃　he　said。　〃It　would　be　inappropriate　to　put　flames　so　close　to　them　now。　There　is　starlight　enough　tonight　to　see　by。〃
　Indeed；　the　sky　was　alive　with　stars；　just　as　campfires　lit　the　valley。
　Gaborn　had　thought　it　an　odd　sentiment　on　Binnesman's　part。　Perhaps　he　feared　the　flames　as　much　as　he　loved　the　earth。　Even　now；　on　the　cool　of　the　evening；　he　walked　barefoot；　keeping　himself　in　contact　with　the　source　of　his　power。
　Yet　almost　as　soon　as　the　torches　were　withdrawn；　Iome　tensed；　as　if　every　muscle　in　her　body　spasmed。
　She　leapt　to　her　feet　and　raised　her　hands　high　over　her　eyes；　gazing　up　to　the　surrounding　hills；　and　shouted；　〃They　e！　They　e！　Beware！〃
　Gaborn　wondered　if　Iome　had　lost　too　much　sleep　over　the　past　few　days；　wondered　if　she　dreamed　now　with　her　eyes　open。　For　she　was　gazing　all　about；　at　the　line　of　trees　on　the　western　hills；　her　eyes　shining　with　a　fierce　wonder。
　Gaborn　could　see　nothing。　Yet　Iome　began　shouting　and　grabbing　at　Gaborn　as　if　something　horrible　and　wonderful　were　happening。
　Then　the　wizard　Binnesman　leapt　away　from　the　bodies　of　the　dead　kings；　shouting；　〃Hold！　Hold！　Everyone　get　back！　No　one　move；　on　your　peril！〃
　All　over　the　camp；　for　hundreds　of　yards；　people　looked　up　toward　the　campfire　at　their　mad　princess；　at　the　shouting　of　the　wizard；　worry　etched　on　their　brows。
　Binnesman　took　Iome　by　one　shoulder；　holding　her　close；　and　whispered　in　satisfaction；　〃Indeed；　they　do　e。〃
　Then；　distantly；　distantly；　Gaborn　heard　something：　the　sound　of　a　wind　moving　through　the　trees；　sweeping　toward　them　from　the　forest　northwest　of　the　castle。　It　was　an　odd　sound；　an　eerie　sound　that　rose　and　fell；　like　the　baying　of　wolves；　or　like　the　song　of　the　night　wind　playing　through　the　chimneys　of　his　father's　winter　palace。　Only　there　was　a　fierceness；　an　immediacy　to　the　windsong　he　had　heard　only　once　before。
　Gaborn　gazed　to　the　west；　and　it　seemed　that　a　chill　breeze　touched　him。　But　it　was　an　invisible　wind；　one　that　moved　without　swaying　branches　or　bending　grass　in　its　wake。
　Not　a　wind；　Gaborn　decided；　but　the　sounds　of　many　dainty　feet；　rustling　the　leaves　and　grass。　And　from　the　woods；　mingled　with　that　odd　windsong；　came　the　faint　sounds　of　hunting　horns；　and　the　yapping　of　dogs；　and　the　shouts　of　men。
　On　the　far　hills；　pale　gray　lights　began　playing　under　the　trees　as　mounted　riders　appeared　by　the　thousands。　The　gray　lights　shone　dimly。　The　colors　of　the　riders'　livery　was　mutedas　if　Gaborn　watched　them　through　a　smoked　glass。
　Yet　he　could　make　out　the　details　of　their　livery　and　devices：　ancient　lords　of　Heredon　rode　those　horses；　with　their　ladies　and　their　dogs　and　their　retainers　and　squires；　all　dressed　for　a　great　hunt；　carrying　pig　spears。　And　more　than　lords　rode　with　them；　for　Gaborn　could　see　moners　and　children　in　that　retinue；　madmen　and　fools；　scholars　and　dotards　and　dreamers；　maids　and　ladies；　farmers　by　the　drab　score；　pages　and　smiths　and　weavers　and　horsemen　and　wizardsa　whole　rollicking　nation。
　The　strange　howling　in　the　woods　was　that　of　ghostly　laughter；　for　all　were　laughing　gaily；　as　if　in　celebration。
　The　spirits　of　the　Dunnwood　rode　their　mounts　to　a　halt；　just　under　the　trees　on　the　western　hills；　and　stood；　staring　expectantly　toward　Gaborn　and　Iome。
　Gaborn　recognized　some　of　the　men　thereCaptain　Derrow　and　Captain　Ault；　Rowan　and　other　men　and　women　from　Castle　Sylvarresta；　most　of　whom　remained　nameless　to　him。
　At　their　head　rode　a　great　king　Gaborn　recognized　only　from　his　device；　for　on　his　golden　shield　he　bore　the　ancient　emblem　of　the　green　knight。
　It　was　Erden　Geboren。
　Tens　and　tens　of　thousands　of　other　lords　and　ladies　and　peasants　rode　with　him　or　followed　after；　a　great　horde　that　covered　the　hills　and　downs。　The　ghost　king　raised　a　great　hunting　horn　to　his　lips　with　both　hands；　and　blew。
　Its　deep　call　echoed　over　the　hills；　silencing　everyone　who　still　spoke　throughout　all　the　mortal　camp。　He　blew　it　plaintively　twice　more；　in　short　riffs。
　It　was　the　call　that　King　Sylvarresta　had　blown　last　year　at　the　beginning　of　his　hunt；　an　invitation　for　all　riders　to　mount　their　horses。
　At　Gaborn's　side；　a　cold　wind　stirred；　a　chill　that　smote　him　to　the　bone；　so　powerful　and　frightening　was　it。
　Fear　gripped　him；　made　him　terrified　to　blink　or　twitch。　To　do　so　would　surely　kill　him；　Gaborn　felt。　So　he　stood；　frozen；　until　he　recalled　his　father's　words。　〃No　prince　of　Mystarria　need　fear　the　spirits　of　the　Dunnwood。〃
　He　looked　from　the　corner　of　his　eye　to　see　the　ghost　of　King　Sylvarresta　rise　from　the　corpse　there　on　its　pallet。　Sylvarresta　bent　at　the　waist；　sitting　up；　and　gazed　longingly　across　the　field；　to　the　men　of　the　great　hunt。
　Then　he　reached　over　and　shook　King　Orden's　shoulders；　rousing　him　as　if　from　a　deep　slumber；　so　that　he；　too；　awoke。
　The　kings　rose　together　and　seemed　to　call　across　the　valley。　Though　their　lips　moved；　they　spoke　no　words　that　Gaborn　could　hear；　yet　a　strange　moaning　issued　over　the　downs。
　Across　the　far　valley　came　a　quick　response。　Two　ladies　rode　out　of　that　distant　crowd；　emerging　fifty　yards　from　the　edge　of　the　wood；　each　of　them　leading　a　saddled　horse。
　Gaborn　recognized　them。　One　woman　was　the　Queen　Venetta　Sylvarresta；　and　the　other　was　Gaborn's　own　mother。
　They　smiled　radiantly；　and　seemed　to　be　talking　as　if　neither　had　a　care　in　the　world。　Grand。　Happy。
　King　Sylvarresta　and　King　Orden　took　each　other's　hands　and　walked　casually　down　the　field　as　they　used　to　when　they　were　but　young　men。　Sylvarresta　seemed　to　be　telling　a　long　joke；　and　Orden　laughed　at　him　heartily；　shaking　his　head。　Their　voices　carried　on　the　wind　as　an　odd　twitter；　the　words　escaping　Gaborn。
　They　moved　with　deceptive　swiftness；　these　ghosts；　like　deer　leaping　through　the　grass。　In　but　a　handful　of　steps；　King　Orden　and　King　Sylvarresta　both　met　their　wives；　and　kissed　them　in　greeting；　then　mounted　their　own　steeds。
　All　across　the　fields；　other　knights　rose　to　join　the　hunt。　Men　from　the　fallen　castle。　Chemoise's　father　appeared　at　the　base　of　the　oak；　hurried　across　the　fields　to　the　great　throng。
　As　the　knights　and　kings　all　joined　the　great　hunt；　the　wraiths　behind　them　all　turned　away；　began　riding　back　into　the　Dunnwood；　the　hounds　baying　distantly；　faint　sounds　of　la