df.therunelords-第35部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s；　his　father　had　given　up　the　practice；　had　quit　taking　endowments　from　the　poor。　He'd　told　Gaborn；　〃I　was　wrong。　I'd　buy　endowments　still；　if　only　I　had　the　wisdom　to　judge　other's　motives。〃　But　the　poor　who　sought　to　sell　endowments　usually　had　many　reasons　for　doing　so：　even　the　most　craven　of　them　had　some　ennobling　love　of　family　and　kin　and　could　therefore　imagine　that　by　selling　an　endowment；　they　were　performing　an　act　of　self…sacrifice。　But　then　there　were　the　desperate　poor；　those　who　saw　no　other　way　to　escape　poverty　than　to　sell　themselves。　〃Purchase　my　hearing；〃　one　farmer　had　once　begged　Gaborn's　father　after　the　great　floods　four　years　past。　〃What　need　have　I　of　ears；　when　all　I　hear　are　the　cries　of　hungry　children？〃　The　world　was　full　of　despairing　creatures；　people　who　for　one　reason　or　another　had　given　up　on　life。　Gaborn's　father　had　not　purchased　the　farmer's　hearing。　Instead；　he'd　given　the　man　food　to　last　the　winter；　timber　and　workers　to　rebuild　his　home；　seed　to　plant　for　the　ing　spring。
　Hope。　He'd　given　the　man　hope。　Gaborn　wondered　what　Iome　would　think　of　his　father　if　she　knew　this　tale。　Perhaps　she'd　think　better　of　him。　He　hoped　that　she　would　live　to　hear　it。
　Gaborn　glanced　up　through　the　tree　trunks；　slashes　of　black　against　a　dark　background。　To　look　toward　the　city；　to　look　toward　the　castle　walls；　filled　him　with　despair。
　I　can　do　little　to　fight　Raj　Ahten；　he　considered。　It　was　true　that　he　might　be　able　to　hide　in　the　city；　perhaps　ambush　a　soldier　here　and　there。　But　how　long　could　he　last？　How　long　could　he　keep　it　up　before　he　was　caught？　Not　long。
　Yet　of　what　help　am　I　to　my　charges；　if　I　flee　now？　Gaborn　wondered。　He　should　have　done　more。　He　should　have　tried　to　save　Iome；　and　Binnesman。。。and　all　the　rest。
　True；　his　father　needed　to　know　that　Castle　Sylvarresta　had　fallen；　and　he　needed　to　know　the　manner　of　its　capture。
　And　the　lure　of　home　drew　Gaborn。　No　matter　how　much　he　admired　the　strength　of　people　in　Heredon；　the　stately　stone　buildings　with　their　ceilings　so　high；　so　cool　and　breezy；　the　pleasure　gardens　at　every　turn；　it　was　not　a　familiar　place。
　Gaborn　had　not　been　to　the　palace　much　for　eight　years；　had　spent　nearly　all　his　time　some　fifty　miles　from　home；　in　the　House　of　Understanding；　with　its　resolute　scholars　and　stark　dormitories。　He'd　looked　forward　to　going　home　after　this　trip。　For　years　now　he'd　longed　to　sleep　in　the　big；　cotton…filled　bed　he'd　enjoyed　as　a　child；　to　wake　to　the　feel　of　the　morning　wind　blowing　from　the　wheat　fields　through　his　lace　curtains。
　He'd　imagined　that　he'd　spend　his　winter　eating　decent　food；　studying　battle　tactics　with　his　father；　dueling　with　the　soldiers　in　the　guard。　Borenson　had　promised　to　introduce　Gaborn　to　some　of　the　finer　alehouses　in　Mystarria。　And　there　was　Iome；　whose　gentleness　among　her　people　had　seduced　him　as　no　other　could。　He'd　hoped　to　take　her　home。
　So　many　pleasures　he'd　imagined。
　Gaborn　wanted　to　go　home。　It　was　silly；　this　wish　to　be　taken　care　of；　to　live　without　cares；　as　if　he　were　a　child。
　Gaborn　remembered　being　a　child；　hunting　rabbits　in　the　hazelnut　orchard　with　his　old　red　hound。　He　remembered　days　when　his　father　had　taken　him　to　fish　for　trout　in　Dewflood　Stream；　where　the　weeping　willows　bent　low　over　the　water　and　green　inchworms　hung　from　the　willow　branches　on　silken　threads；　taunting　the　trout。　In　those　days；　life；　it　seemed；　was　an　endless　summer。
　But　Gaborn　could　not　return。
　He　despaired　at　the　thought　of　even　getting　away　from　Castle　Sylvarresta　alive。
　For　the　moment；　he　could　see　no　convincing　reason　to　leave　here。　Gaborn's　father　would　hear　of　the　castle's　fall　soon　enough。　Peasants　would　noise　the　tale　abroad。　King　Orden　was　on　his　way。　Perhaps　three　days。　He'd　hear　of　this　by　tomorrow。
　No；　Gaborn　did　not　need　to　warn　his　father；　could　not　leave　the　castle。　He　needed　to　get　Rowan　to　safety；　someplace　warm；　where　she　could　heal。　He　needed　to　help　Iome。　And　he'd　made　a　greater　mitment。
　He　had　made　a　vow　never　to　harm　the　earth。　It　should　be　an　easy　vow　to　keep；　he　thought；　for　he　wished　the　earth　no　harm。　Yet　as　he　considered；　he　wondered　at　the　intent　of　the　oath。　Right　now；　the　flameweavers　were　burning　Binnesman's　garden。　Was　Gaborn　bound　by　oath　to　fight　the　flameweavers；　to　stop　them？
　He　listened　deep　in　his　heart；　wondering；　seeking　to　feel　the　earth's　will　in　this　matter。
　The　fire　on　the　hill　suddenly　grew　brighter；　or　perhaps　the　firelight　was　now　also　reflecting　from　clouds　of　smoke　above。　The　smell　of　sweet　smoke　was　cloying。　Across　the　river；　a　noman　barked。　Gaborn　could　hear　others　growling。　It　was　said　that　nomen　feared　water。　Gaborn　hoped　they　feared　it　enough　that　they　would　not　swim　the　river　to　search　for　him。
　In　the　matter　of　the　garden；　Gaborn　felt　nothing。　No　urge　to　either　stop　the　burning　or　to　accept　it。　Certainly　if　Binnesman　had　wanted　to　fight　for　it；　he'd　have　done　so。
　Gaborn　silently　slogged　up　from　the　river；　went　to　Rowan；　who　still　crouched　among　the　willows。
　He　put　his　arm　around　her；　held　her；　wondering　what　to　do；　where　to　hide。　He　wished　the　earth　would　hide　him　now；　wished　for　some　deep　hole　to　crawl　into。　And　he　felt。。。a　Tightness　on　wishing　that；　felt　that　the　earth　would　protect　him　that　way。
　〃Rowan；　do　you　know　a　place　here　in　the　city　where　we　can　hide？　A　cellar；　a　pit？〃
　〃Hide？　Aren't　we　going　to　swim？〃
　〃The　water's　too　shallow　and　too　cold。　You　can't　swim　it。〃　Gaborn　licked　his　lips。　〃So　I'm　going　to　stay　and　fight　Raj　Ahten　as　best　I　can。　He　has　soldiers　and　Dedicates　here。　I　can　best　strike　a　blow　against　him　if　I　stay。〃
　Rowan　leaned　close；　seeking　to　warm　herself。　Her　teeth　chattered。　He　felt　the　tantalizing　softness　of　her　breasts　against　his　chest；　her　hair　blowing　against　his　cheek。　She　was　trembling；　perhaps　more　from　the　cold　than　from　fear。　She'd　gotten　wet　crawling　through　the　stream；　and　she　did　not　have　Gaborn's　stamina　to　help　her　weather　the　cold。
　〃You're　staying　because　you're　afraid　for　me；〃　she　whispered；　teeth　chattering。　〃But　I　can't　stay。　Raj　Ahten　will　demand　an　accounting。。。〃
　It　was　mon　for　a　new　king　to　take　an　accounting　of　all　his　people；　to　find　out　who　owed　money　to　the　kingdom。　Of　course；　Raj　Ahten's　facilitators　would　be　there；　looking　for　potential　Dedicates。　When　Raj　Ahten's　men　learned　that　Rowan　had　been　a　Dedicate　for　the　dead　queen；　they　would　probably　torment　her。
　〃Perhaps；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃We　can　worry　about　that　later。　But　now　we　need　to　hide。　So　tell　me　of　such　a　place：　a　hole。　A　place　where　the　scent　is　strong。〃
　〃The　spice　cellars？〃　Rowan　whispered。　〃Up　by　the　King's　stables。〃
　〃Cellars？〃　Gaborn　said；　sensing　that　this　was　the　place。　This　was　where　the　earth　would　lead　him。
　〃In　the　summer；　Binnesman　lays　up　herbs　for　sale；　and　at　the　festival　the　King　buys　others。　The　cellar　is　full　now；　with　many　boxes。　It's　up　the　hill；　above　the　stables。〃
　Gaborn　wondered。　They　wouldn't　have　to　go　far　into　the　city；　and　would　merely　be　doubling　back　on　their　own　trail；　confusing　the　scent。　〃What　about　guards？　Spices　are　valuable。〃
　Rowan　shook　her　head。　〃The　cook's　boy　sleeps　in　a　room　above　the　cellars。　But　hewell；　he's　been　known　to　nap　through　a　thunderstorm。〃
　Gaborn　picked　up　the　little　bundle　of　forcibles；　struggled　to　put　them　in　the　wide　pocket　of　his　robe。　The　cellars　seemed　to　be　the　kind　of　place　he　needed。　Someplace　secretive；　someplace　where　his　scent　would　be　covered。
　〃Let's　go；〃　he　said；　but　he　didn't　head　directly　back　uphill。　Instead；　he　picked　up　Rowan　in　his　arms；　carried　her　down　to　the　river；　and　began　creeping　upstream　in　the　shallows；　hunching　low；　trying　to　cover　his　scent。
　He　headed　upriver；　hugging　the　reeds。　Ahead　of　him；　the　waters　grew　fast。　A　millrace　split　off　from　the　river；　fed　into　the　moat。　The　banks　along　the　race　had　been　built　high；　so　that　when　Gaborn　reached　it；　he　was　able　to　wade　through　the　shallows　with　good　cover；　until　he　came　right　up　under　the　thundering　waterwheel；　splashing　and　grinding。　To　his　right　was　a　stone　wall；　dividing　the　millrace　from　the　main　course　of　the　river　and　its　broad　diversion　dam。　To　his　left　was　the　mill　house　and　a　steep　trail　up　to　the　castle。
　Gaborn　stopped。　He　could　go　forward　no　farther；　needed　now　to　climb　the　banks　of　the　millrace；　then　take　the　trail　up　through　the　trees；　to　the　castle　wall　again。
　He　turned；　began　climbing　the　bank　of　the　millrace。　The　grass　here　was　brown　and　dying；　tall　rye　stubble。
　Ahead　he　spotted　a　ferrin；　a　fierce　little　rat…faced　man　with　a　sharp　stick　to　use　as　a　spear；　outside　the　mill　house。　He　stood　guard　over　a　hole　in　the　foundation；　his　back　to　Gaborn。
　As　Gaborn　watched；　a　second　ferrin　scooted　out　from　the　hole；　carrying　a　small　cloth　by　its　ends。　They'd　stolen　flour　from　the　floor　of　the　mill；　probably　nothing　more　than　sweepings。　Yet　it　was　dangerous　business　for　a　ferrin。　Many　had　been　killed　for　less。
　Before　standing　in　plain　view　and　frightening　the　creatures；　Gaborn　searched　downstream　for　signs　of　pursuit；　his　eyes　just　level　with　the　tops　of　the　grass。
　Sure　enough；　six　shadows　moved　at　the　edge　of　the　water；　under　the　trees。　Men　with　swords　and　bows。　One　wore　splint　mail。　So　Raj　Ahten's　scouts　had　found　his　trail　again。
　Gaborn　clung　to　the　side　of　the　slope　of　the　millrace；　hidden　in　tall　grass。　He　watched　the　soldiers　for　two　long　minutes。　They'd　discovered　their　dead　rade；　followed　Gaborn's　and　Rowan's　scent　to　the　river's　edge。
　Several　men　were　looking　downstream。　Of　course　they　expected　him　to　go　downstream；　to　swim　past　the　giants；　into　the　relative　safety　of　the　Dunnwood。　It　seemed　the　only　sane　thing　for　Gaborn　to　do。　Now　that　he'd　fled　the　castle；　they　wouldn't　expect　him　to　sneak　back　in。
　If　they　pursued　him　into　the　Dunnwood；　they'd　find　his　scent　aplenty；　for　Gaborn　had　ridden　through　this　morning。
　But　the　fellow　in　splint　mail　was　staring　toward　the　mill；　squinting。　Gaborn　was　downwind　from　them。　He　didn't　think　the　man　could　smell　him。　Yet　perhaps　the　man　was　just　cautious。
　Or　perhaps　he'd　seen　the　ferrin　above　Gaborn；　spotted　movement。　The　ferrin　was　dark　brown　in　color；　standing　before　gray　stone。　Gaborn　wanted　it　to　move；　so　that　the　scout　below　would　see　the　creature