df.therunelords-第50部分

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hteous　and　indignant。　〃You　know　the　truth　of　it。　As　proof；　you　may　search　your　own　feelings。　This　morning　at　dawn；　King　Orden　put　to　death　all　in　Longmont　who　had　given　you　endowments。　You　felt　the　attack。　You　felt　his　retribution。　You　cannot　deny　it！
　〃And　now　I　shall　tell　you　how　it　was　done：　We　began　our　march　three　and　a　half　weeks　ago；〃　Borenson　said　honestly；　naming　the　time　since　he'd　left　Mystarria；　then　calculated　when　Raj　Ahten's　own　troops　would　have　set　march；　〃shortly　after　we　received　word　of　your　departure　from　the　South。
　〃At　the　time；　my　lord　King　Orden　sent　word　to　the　far　corners　of　Rofehavan；　setting　his　snare　for　a　pup　of　a　Wolf　Lord。　Now；　Raj　Ahten；　the　noose　has　your　neck；　and　shortly　you　shall　find　yourself　choking；　choking　on　your　greed！〃
　The　men　on　the　walls　began　talking；　looking　about　in　dismay；　and　Borenson　guessed　at　their　question。　〃You　wonder　how　my　lord　knew　that　you　would　attack　Heredon？〃　Borenson　shrugged。　〃My　lord　knows　many　things。　He　heard　of　your　plans　from　the　spies　who　serve　at　your　side。〃　Borenson　glanced　meaningfully　at　the　counselors　and　magicians　who　stood　beside　Raj　Ahten；　barely　suppressing　his　smile。　He　held　his　gaze　on　the　imperious…looking　Days　at　Raj　Ahten's　side。　Perhaps　Raj　Ahten　might　still　trust　these　men；　but　from　now　on；　Borenson　suspected　none　of　them　would　trust　each　other。
　Raj　Ahten　chuckled　at　Borenson's　ploy；　countered　with　words　that　struck　terror　in　Borenson's　heart。　〃So；　King　Orden　has　sent　you　to　get　word　of　his　son。　Don't　worry；　the　young　man　is　for　ransom。　What　does　Orden　propose　to　offer？〃
　Borenson　took　a　deep　breath；　glanced　at　the　castle　walls　in　desperation。　He'd　been　told　to　offer　a　ransom　for　a　nameless　friend；　so　that　Raj　Ahten　would　betray　the　names　of　those　he　held　captive。　But　Raj　Ahten　had　guessed　his　ploy。　Now；　Borenson　hoped　the　words　he　spoke　next　might　dishearten　the　Wolf　Lord　even　further。　〃I　was　told　to　offer　nothinguntil　I　have　inspected　the　Prince。〃
　Raj　Ahten　smiled　playfully。　〃If　King　Orden　cannot　keep　track　of　his　own　son；　I　shall　not　oblige　him。　Besides；　you　would　not　like　what　you　saw。〃
　Borenson　wondered。　This　game　was　being　plex；　more　plex　than　he　liked。　If　Raj　Ahten　really　had　Gaborn　prisoner；　then　he　should　not　have　hesitated　to　show　the　young　man。　Unless；　indeed；　he　had　killed　the　Prince。
　Yet；　if　Raj　Ahten　had　not　captured　the　Prince；　then　by　Borenson　admitting　that　he　needed　to　inspect　the　merchandise；　Borenson　had　revealed　to　the　Wolf　Lord　that　he；　too；　did　not　know　Gaborn's　whereabouts。
　Belatedly；　Borenson　realized　that　he　had　departed　from　the　script　King　Orden　had　written　for　him。　He　was　trying　too　hard　to　be　clever；　working　too　hard　to　go　his　lord　one　better。　By　doing　so；　he　might　well　have　jeopardized　his　whole　mission。
　His　face　burning　with　shame；　Borenson　turned　his　horse　around；　began　to　leave。　He　doubted　that　Raj　Ahten　would　let　him　go。　The　Wolf　Lord　had　to　be　terrified；　had　to　wonder　whether　King　Orden　had　captured　the　forcibles　in　Longmont。　Had　to　wonder　how　many　might　be　offered　in　ransom。
　〃Wait！〃　Raj　Ahten　called　at　Borenson's　back。
　Borenson　glanced　over　his　shoulder。
　〃What　will　you　offer　me；　if　I　show　you　the　Prince？〃
　Borenson　said　nothing；　for　at　the　moment　he　feared　to　speak；　so　he　just　urged　his　horse　to　walk　slowly　away。
　Borenson　rode　his　horse　a　hundred　yards；　fully　conscious　that　this　little　encounter　could　still　go　astray。　He　was　within　bowshot　of　the　castle；　and　Raj　Ahten's　wizards　manned　the　walls。　Raj　Ahten　would　not　let　him　escape　without　trying　to　wring　some　information　from　him。
　Yet　Borenson　asked　himself　once　again；　If　Raj　Ahten　has　the　Prince；　why　does　he　not　show　him？
　Borenson　turned　his　horse；　gazed　up　into　Raj　Ahten's　dark　eyes。　〃Gaborn　safely　reached　our　camp　last　night；〃　he　lied　bold…faced；　〃and　I　fear　that　I　can　no　longer　offer　any　ransom。　I　came　only　to　bring　that　message。〃
　Raj　Ahten　showed　no　emotion；　but　the　frightened；　self…consciously　determined　faces　of　his　counselors　spoke　volumes。　Borenson　felt　sure　he　had　guessed　correctly；　that　Raj　Ahten　did　not　have　the　Prince。　He　remembered　a　few　scouts　his　men　had　killed　last　night；　and　another　party　of　scouts　his　men　had　fought　deep　in　the　woods　an　hour　ago。　Why　else　would　so　many　of　Raj　Ahten's　troops　have　been　scouring　the　forest？
　〃However；〃　Borenson　continued；　〃House　Sylvarresta　is　an　old　and　valued　ally　to　my　lord。　I　can　offer　something　for　the　King's　family；　for　their　safe　return。〃
　〃What？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。
　Borenson　departed　further　from　the　script　Lord　Orden　had　posed　for　him。　〃A　hundred　forcibles　for　each　member　of　the　royal　family。〃
　Raj　Ahten　laughed　now；　laughed　with　relief　and　scorn。　Here　in　the　North；　where　blood　metal　had　been　so　scarce　the　past　ten　years；　three　hundred　forcibles　might　seem　a　princely　sum。　But　to　Raj　Ahten；　who　had　forty　thousand　forcibles　hidden　in　Longmont；　it　was　nothing。　Raj　Ahten　no　longer　believed　that　Orden　had　taken　Castle　Longmont；　just　as　Borenson　had　planned。
　〃Consider　the　offer　well；　before　you　laugh　me　to　scorn；〃　Borenson　said。　Now　it　was　time　to　put　the　Wolf　Lord　on　the　rack。　Borenson　said　confidently；　〃Lord　Orden　captured　forty　thousand　forcibles　in　Longmont；　and　for　the　past　two　days；　he　has　had　half　a　dozen　facilitators　putting　them　to　good　use。　Perhaps　to　a　man　as　rich　as　you；　the　loss　of　forty　thousand　forcibles　seems　a　small　thingbut　my　lord　will　not　up　his　offer　of　ransom　for　the　King　and　the　royal　family。　Of　what　use　to　him　are　such　people；　when　they　only　serve　you　as　Dedicates？　A　hundred　forcibles　for　each；　nothing　more！〃
　Borenson　watched　Raj　Ahten's　counselors　tremble　at　the　news；　felt　deeply　gratified；　though　Raj　Ahten　himself　stood　stoically；　the　blood　slowly　draining　from　his　face。
　〃You　lie；〃　Raj　Ahten　said；　betraying　no　fear。　〃You　do　not　have　the　Prince。　You　have　no　forcibles。　And　there　is　no　spy。　I　know　what　your　game　is；　messenger；　and　I　am　not　dismayed　by　your　ruse。　You。。。merely　annoy　me。〃
　By　use　of　the　Voice；　Raj　Ahten　sought　to　bolster　his　troops。　But　the　damage　had　already　been　done。　pared　to　the　harrowing　message　Borenson　had　delivered；　Raj　Ahten's　denial　sounded　hollow；　thrown　up　vainly　as　a　last　defense。
　And　yet；　and　yet　Borenson　feared　that　Raj　Ahten　did　see　through　him。　He　felt　a　nagging　worry。
　Borenson　spurred　his　horse　forward；　out　over　the　burned　grass　before　the　castle。　Here　and　there；　small　puffs　of　smoke　still　boiled　up　from　the　ground。　When　he　felt　safely　out　of　bow　range；　he　wheeled　about。
　〃Raj　Ahten；〃　he　cried；　〃my　lord　begs　you　to　meet　him　at　Longmont　if　you　dare。　Bring　with　you　any　fool　who　wishes　to　dieyour　five　thousand　against　his　fifty！　There；　he　swears；　he　will　grant　no　quarter；　and　he　will　whip　you　like　the　vicious　cur　that　you　are！〃
　He　raised　his　arm　in　signal；　and　out　across　the　hills；　his　men　began　to　blow　their　war　horns　in　the　woods；　the　short　staccato　blasts　that　manded　each　squadron　to　reform。
　King　Orden　had　sent　two　hundred　horns　on　this　expedition；　for　he　had　planned　to　have　his　men　sound　them　in　the　hills　when　his　son　had　secured　Iome's　hand。
　Yet　in　time　of　war；　such　horns　were　issued　only　to　each　captain　of　a　hundred。　Raj　Ahten　would　know　this；　and　Borenson　only　hoped　that　the　Wolf　Lord's　ears　were　keen　enough　to　discern　the　number　of　horns。
　It　would　be　well　if　Raj　Ahten　believed　that　Borenson's　eighty　surviving　men　were　eight　thousand。
　　
　Chapter　19
　SIFTING
　　
　Raj　Ahten's　most　devoted　counselor　Jureem　watched　through　slitted　eyes　as　his　master　stood　atop　the　burned　walls　of　Castle　Sylvarresta　while　Borenson　rode　away。　His　master's　face　glowed　with　beauty；　seemed　almost　translucent。　A　face　so　bright；　it　was　the　light　of　the　world。　Raj　Ahten　seemed　unperturbed　by　this　dire　news。
　Yet　Jureem　found　himself　trembling。　Though　his　master　denied　it；　he　knew　something　was　wrong。　Jureem　could　only　wonder；　for　his　master　seldom　confided　in　Jureem　anymore；　or　sought　his　advice。
　For　years　these　Northerners　had　been　a　thorn　in　his　master's　side；　sending　their　Knights　Equitable　to　assassinate　his　Dedicates。　Raj　Ahten's　own　beloved　sister　had　died　in　his　arms　from　a　wound　administered　by　a　Knight　Equitable。　Over　the　years　he　had　grown　to　detest　these　pale…skinned　Northerners；　until　now；　as　Raj　Ahten　took　their　endowments　and　plotted　ways　to　use　them；　he　seemed　to　feel　nothing　for　them。　No　remorse；　no　pity；　no　human　passion。　Now　this。
　At　the　moment；　Jureem　felt　painfully　distressed。　He　wanted　to　run　to　Longmont　and　learn　if　Borenson　spoke　the　truth。　He　wanted　to　shoot　Borenson　in　the　back。　He　wished　that　Borenson　had　never　spoken。　Furthermore；　Raj　Ahten's　flameweavers　had　seen　visions　of　a　king　in　their　fires；　a　king　who　could　destroy　him。　King　Orden。
　Now　the　wizard　Binnesman　had　gone　to　join　Raj　Ahten's　enemy；
　Jureem　held　his　hands　in　fists；　trying　not　to　let　others　see　how　they　shook。　He'd　thought　that　eliminating　House　Orden　would　be　easy。　Now　the　matter　seemed　more　plex。
　A　book　could　not　contain　words　enough　to　relay　the　schemes　that　his　master；　Raj　Ahten；　had　laid。　Jureem　only　understood　them　in　part。　By　tradition；　King　Orden　came　for　the　hunt　here　at　Castle　Sylvarresta；　bringing　a　couple　of　hundred　men　in　his　retinue。
　This　year；　his　son　was　of　an　age　that；　Raj　Ahten　decided；　the　Prince　too　would　have　e。　And　so　he'd　laid　his　trap；　besieging　Castle　Sylvarresta　with　a　few　men；　hoping　to　send　Orden　scurrying　south；　where　Raj　Ahten's　troops；　hiding　along　the　roads　leading　to　Mystarria；　would　slaughter　King　Orden　and　his　son。　If　the　King　did　not　run　south；　Raj　Ahten's　scouts　would　hunt　him　down　eventually。
　It　was　but　one　of　a　hundred　plots　set　in　motion。　This　very　day；　dozens　of　parties　of　assassins　would　strike　at　targets。　Armies　marched　against　fortresses　to　the　west　and　south。　In　other　places；　armies　would　simply　show　themselves；　then　disappear　into　some　forest　or　mountain　pass；　either　freezing　vital　forces　in　some　stronghold　or　drawing　them　away　from　intended　targets。
　Jureem　knew　that　the　heart　of　his　master's　plan　lay　here。　The　heart　of　his　plan　was　to　strike　down　both　Orden　and　Sylvarresta。
　Yet　dire　portents　now　warned　against　it。　The　pyromancer　had　seen　a　king　here；　a　king　who　could　destroy　the　Great　Light　of　Indhopal。
　Raj　Ahten　had　left　hims