df.therunelords-第22部分

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　Fair　words。　Iome　wondered　furiously。　King　Orden　always　brought　a　dozen　or　two　retainers　to　the　Great　Hall　for　dinner。　It　was　only　right　that　those　who　participated　in　the　hunt　share　in　the　prize　boar；　served　at　the　height　of　the　feast。　Iome　tried　to　recall　the　faces　of　those　men：　several　wore　the　scars　of　the　forcibles；　and　were　therefore　lesser　lords　in　their　own　right。　Prince　Gaborn　would　have　been　one　of　them。　And　he　would　be　young。
　Yet；　to　a　man；　Orden's　guards　and　retainers　were　older；　more　trusted　men。　Orden　was　wise　enough　to　know　that　the　best　fighters　were　seldom　spry　youths　bursting　with　enthusiasm　at　the　thought　of　swinging　a　battle…axe　or　sword。　No；　the　best　were　old；　masters　of　technique　and　strategy　who　often　stood　their　ground　in　a　battle；　seeming　to　hardly　move；　slashing　and　thrusting　with　deadly　economy。
　Orden　had　had　no　young　men　in　his　retinue。　Except。。。for　one　she　recalled：　a　shy　boy　who'd　sat　at　the　far　end　of　the　tablesa　handsome　boy　with　straight　hair　and　piercing　blue　eyes　that　twinkled　with　intelligence；　though　he　gaped　at　his　surroundings　like　some　moner。　Iome　had　thought　him　merely　a　trusted　body　servant；　perhaps　a　squire　in　training。
　Surely　that　mon　youth　could　not　have　been　a　prince　of　the　Runelords！　The　very　thought　left　her　unsettled；　made　her　heart　pound。　Iome　turned　to　look　at　Prince　Orden；　to　verify　her　suspicions。
　And　laughed。　He　stood；　a　plain　young　man　with　a　straight　back；　dark　hair；　and　those　clear　blue　eyes。　He'd　filled　out　in　a　year。　Iome　could　hardly　contain　her　surprise。　He　was。。。nothing　much　to　look　at。　He　had　no　more　than　one　or　two　endowments　of　glamour。
　Gaborn　smiled；　charmed　at　her　mirth。　〃Having　seen　me　now；　and　knowing　my　reasons　for　ing；〃　he　said；　〃had　I　asked　your　hand　in　marriage；　would　you　have　given　it？〃
　From　the　core　of　her　heart；　Iome　answered　sincerely；　〃No。〃
　Gaborn　stepped　back　as　if　she'd　slapped　him；　as　if　her　rejection　were　the　last　thing　he'd　expected。　〃How　so？〃
　〃You're　a　stranger。　What　do　I　know　of　you？　How　could　I　love　someone　I　don't　know？〃
　〃You　would　learn　my　heart；〃　Gaborn　answered。　〃Our　fathers　desire　a　political　union；　but　I　desired　a　union　of　like　minds　and　like　hearts。　You　will　find；　Lady　Sylvarresta；　that　you　and　I　are。。。one　in　many　matters。〃
　Iome　laughed　lightly。　〃Honestly；　Prince　Orden；　if　you　had　e　seeking　only　the　realm　of　Heredon；　perhaps　I　could　have　given　it　to　you。　But　you　would　have　asked　for　my　heart；　and　that　I　could　not　promise　to　a　stranger。〃
　〃As　I　feared；〃　Gabon　said　honestly。　〃Yet　you　and　I　are　strangers　only　by　accident。　Had　we　lived　nearer　one　another；　I　think　we　could　have　forged　a　love。　Could　I　not　persuade　you；　give　you　a　gift　that　might　change　your　mind？〃
　〃There's　nothing　I　desire；〃　Iome　said；　then　her　heart　pounded。　Raj　Ahten's　armies　stood　at　her　gate。　She　wanted　him　gone。　She　realized　she'd　spoken　too　quickly。
　〃There　is　something　you　desire；　though　you　don't　know　it；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃You　live　here；　tucked　away　in　your　castle　near　the　woods；　and　you　say　there　is　nothing　you　want。　Yet　certainly　you　must　be　afraid。　There　was　a　time　when　all　Runelords　were　like　your　father；　men　bound　by　oath　to　serve　their　fellows；　men　who　took　no　endowment　but　that　which　was　freely　given。
　〃Now；　here　we　are；　cornered。　Raj　Ahten　is　at　your　gates。　All　around　you；　the　kings　of　the　North　call　themselves　'pragmatists；'　and　have　given　themselves　to　the　pursuit　of　gain；　telling　themselves　that　in　the　end　they　will　not　bee　like　Raj　Ahten。
　〃You　see　the　fallacy　of　their　arguments。　You　saw　my　father's　weakness　when　you　were　little　more　than　a　child。　He　is　a　great　man；　but　he　has　vices；　as　do　we　all。　Perhaps　he　has　been　able　to　remain　good　in　part　because　people　like　you　sometimes　spoke　up；　sometimes　warned　him　to　beware　of　greed。
　〃And　so　I　have　a　gift　for　you；　Princess　Sylvarresta；　a　gift　I　give　freely；　asking　nothing　in　return。〃
　He　strode　forward；　took　her　hand。　Iome　imagined　that　he　would　place　something　in　her　palm；　a　precious　stone　or　a　love　poem。
　Instead；　Gaborn　took　her　hand　in　his；　and　she　felt　the　calluses　on　his　palm；　felt　the　warmth　of　his　hand。
　He　knelt　before　her　and　whispered　an　oath；　an　oath　so　ancient　that　few　now　understood　the　language　of　it；　an　oath　so　crippling　that　almost　no　Runelord　ever　dared　speak　it：
　〃This　oath　I　take　in　your　presence；　and　my　life　will　bear　witness　in　every　point：〃
　〃I；　a　Runelord；　swear　to　serve　as　your　protector。　I；　your　Runelord；　am　your　servant　above　all。　I　promise　now　that　I　will　never　take　an　endowment　by　force；　nor　by　deception。　Nor　will　I　purchase　such　from　those　in　need　of　wealth。　Instead；　if　any　man　stands　in　need　of　gold；　I　will　give　it　freely。　Only　those　who　would　join　me　as　I　battle　evil　may　serve　as　my　Dedicates。〃
　〃As　the　mist　rises　from　the　sea；　so　does　it　return。〃
　He　had　sworn　the　vow　of　the　Oath…Bound　Runelords；　an　oath　normally　spoken　to　vassals；　but　given　also　to　underlords　or　to　friendly　monarchs　that　one　intended　to　defend。　It　was　not　an　oath　spoken　lightly　to　one　person。　Rather；　it　was　a　covenant；　declaring　a　way　of　life。　The　very　thought　made　Iome　feel　faint。
　With　Raj　Ahten　battling　the　North；　the　House　of　Orden　would　need　all　its　strength。　For　Gaborn　to　speak　that　oath　now；　in　her　hearing；　wassuicidal。
　Iome　had　never　expected　such　greatness　of　heart　from　House　Orden。　To　live　the　oath　would　prove　hard　beyond　bearing。
　She'd　not　have　done　the　same。　She　was　too。。。pragmatic。
　Iome　stood　gaping　for　just　a　moment；　realizing　that　if　he　had　sworn　that　oath　to　her　under　fairer　skies；　she　would　have　thought　well　of　him。　But　to　speak　the　oath　now；　under　these　conditions。。。was　irresponsible。
　She　looked　to　her　Days；　to　see　the　girl's　reaction。　The　young　woman's　eyes　were　wide；　the　thinnest　show　of　surprise。
　Iome　looked　back　to　Gaborn's　face；　found　herself　wanting　to　memorize　it；　to　hold　this　moment　in　her　memory。
　An　hour　is　not　enough　time　to　fall　in　love；　but　an　hour　is　all　they　had　that　day。　Gaborn　had　won　her　heart　in　far　less　time；　and　shown　Iome　her　own　heart　more　clearly　in　the　process。　He　had　seen　that　she　loved　her　people；　and　it　was　true。　Yet　she　had　to　wonder：　Even　if　Gaborn　takes　this　oath　as　an　act　of　love　for　mankind；　is　it　not　sheer　folly？　Does　Gaborn　love　his　honor　more　than　the　lives　of　his　people？
　〃I　hate　you　for　that〃　was　all　that　Iome　could　answer。
　At　that　instant；　a　heavy　beating　of　drums　rose　from　the　valley　floor。　The　sun　was　dipping　below　the　horizon。　Two　Frowth　giants　at　the　wood's　edge　pounded　on　heavy　copper　drums；　and　a　dozen　dappled　gray　horses　spurred　out　from　the　gloom　under　the　trees。　Their　riders　all　wore　black　chain　mail　beneath　yellow　surcoats；　with　the　red　wolves　of　Raj　Ahten　upon　their　chests。　The　foremost　rider　carried　a　green　triangular　pennant　on　a　long'　spear；　a　request　for　a　parlay。
　The　others　in　the　guard　all　bore　axes　and　shields　the　color　of　copperan　honor　guard；　with　the　emblem　of　the　sword　beneath　the　star　of　Indhopal　upon　their　shields。
　That　is；　all　bore　the　same　uniform　but　oneUpon　the　last　horse　in　the　group；　in　his　black　chain　armor；　his　high　helm　with　white　snow　owl's　wings　sweeping　wide；　Lord　Raj　Ahten　rode　himself；　shield　on　one　arm；　a　horseman's　long…handled　warhammer　in　the　other。
　Where　he　rode；　it　was　as　if　light　shone　from　him；　as　if　he　were　one　star　in　a　black　and　empty　night；　or　one　lowly　signal　boat　with　its　pyres　lit　upon　the　water。
　Iome　could　not　take　her　eyes　from　him。　Even　at　this　distance；　his　glamour　struck　her　breathless。　She　could　not　distinguish　his　featuresfor　at　such　a　distance；　he　was　nothing　more　than　a　tiny　stick　figure。　Yet　she　had　the　impression　of　great　beauty；　even　from　here。　And　she　knew　that　to　look　upon　his　face　would　be　dangerous。
　Iome　admired　his　helm；　with　its　sweeping　white　wings。　In　her　bedroom　she　kept　two　ancient　helms　of　the　toth。　What　a　fine　addition　it　would　make　to　my　collection；　she　thought；　with　Raj　Ahten's　skull　smiling　out　at　me。
　Behind　Raj　Ahten's　forces　came　a　more　mon　brown　mare；　the　Wolf　Lord's　Days；　struggling　to　catch　up。　Iome　wondered　what　secrets　he　could　tell。。。
　Down　by　the　gates；　her　father's　soldiers　began　shouting　at　one　another　in　warning：　〃Beware　the　face！　Beware　the　face！〃
　She　looked　at　her　own　men　on　the　walls；　saw　many　of　them　fumbling　with　their　arms。　Captain　Derrow；　who　had　many　endowments　of　strength；　ran　along　the　parapet　with　a　steel　great　bow　that　no　other　man　in　the　kingdom　could　draw；　hoping　to　send　a　few　darts　into　Raj　Ahten。
　As　if　in　answer　to　her　soldiers'　warnings；　a　swirling　cloud　of　golden　light　formed　above　Raj　Ahten；　a　whirlwind　of　embers　that　descended；　drawing　the　eyes　of　many　to　his　features。
　It　was　some　flameweavers'　trick；　Iome　realized。　Raj　Ahten　wanted　her　people　to　look　at　him。
　Iome　did　not　fear　Raj　Ahten's　visage　from　so　far　away。　She　doubted　that　from　here　his　glamour　could　muddy　her　judgment。
　Raj　Ahten　hurried　toward　the　city　gates。　His　warriors'　horses　issued　forth　in　formation；　rippling　over　the　fields　like　a　gale；　for　these　were　no　mon　beasts。　They　were　force　stallions。　Herd　leaders；　that　like　their　masters　were　transformed　by　the　Runelords'　art。　The　sight　of　them；　shooting　over　the　darkening　fields　like　cormorants　skimming　the　sea；　filled　Iome's　heart　with　wonder。　She'd　never　seen　such　fine　force　horses　gallop　in　unison。　She'd　never　seen　anything　so　magnificent。
　Prince　Orden　ran　to　the　top　of　the　stairs；　shouted　down　into　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　〃King　Sylvarresta；　you　are　needed。　Raj　Ahten　seeks　a　parlay。〃
　Iome's　father　cursed；　began　pulling　on　his　armor。　It　clattered　as　he　dressed。
　Behind　Raj　Ahten；　beside　the　deserted　farms　that　dotted　the　edge　of　the　woods；　Raj　Ahten's　troops　began　to　emerge　from　the　gloom。　Five　flame…weavers；　so　close　to　being　one　with　the　elements　that　they　could　no　longer　wear　clothes；　shone　like　blazing　beacons；　clad　in　twisting　tongues　of　green　fire。　The　dry　grasses　at　their　feet　burst　aflame。
　As　warriors　moved　out　of　the　shadowed　woods；　the　light　blazing　from　the　flameweavers　suddenly　reflected　on　polished　armor；　glinted　from　swords。
　Among　the　thousands　of　warriors　who　began　to　advance；　stranger　things　than　flameweavers　could　he　seen。
　The　shaggy　Frowth　giants；　twenty　feet　tall　at　the　brow；　lumbered　forward　clumsily　in　t