df.therunelords-第60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！


llow　enough　to　cross。〃
　〃Well；　that's　where　they'd　naturally　go；　isn't　it？〃　Hark　asked。
　〃They're　strangers　to　this　land；〃　Orden　said。　〃Their　spies　may　only　have　marked　bridges　on　their　maps。〃
　〃You　have　a　surprise　in　mind？〃　Hark　asked。　Orden　nodded。　〃Then　I'll　tell　them。〃
　On　that　note　the　innkeeper　went　back　to　work。　Soon　after；　the　rain　let　up；　and　King　Orden　took　his　leave　of　the　inn；　ready　to　set　back　out　on　the　march。
　He　checked　to　make　certain　that　the　bridge　at　Hayworth　was　down；　its　huge　beams　and　planks　all　safely　stored；　then　let　his　men　and　horses　finish　their　own　brief　meal。
　His　captains　had　purchased　grain　for　the　horses；　and　kegs　of　ale　were　opened　for　his　troops。　Though　his　men　lost　an　hour　in　their　ride；　they　felt　much　invigorated　afterward。
　So　they　set　out　on　the　road；　much　renewed；　racing　all　the　faster　for　Longmont。
　They　proceeded　through　the　Durkin　Hills　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon；　marching　near　the　mountains　to　reach　Longmont　before　sunset。
　Castle　Longmont　sat　on　a　steep；　narrow　hill　among　some　downs；　and　had　a　cheery　little　town　to　its　south　and　west。　It　was　not　huge；　as　castles　go；　but　the　walls　rose　incredibly　high。　The　machicolations　atop　the　walls　were　sturdily　wrought。　Archers　could　shoot　through　the　machicolations　or　drop　oil　or　stones　on　attackers　from　any　part　of　the　wall　with　little　fear　of　reprisal。
　The　stonework　on　the　walls　was　phenomenal。　Many　stones　weighed　twelve　to　fourteen　tons；　yet　the　stones　fit　together　so　cleanly；　a　man　was　hard…pressed　to　find　a　fingerhold。
　Many　considered　Longmont　unscalable。　No　one　had　ever　achieved　a　successful　escalade　of　the　outer　walls。　The　castle　had　fallen　once；　five　hundred　years　earlier；　when　sappers　managed　to　dig　beneath　the　west　wall；　so　that　it　collapsed。
　Other　than　that；　the　castle　had　never　been　taken。
　So　as　the　troops　neared　Longmont；　King　Orden　found　himself　longing　for　its　safety。　He　felt　unprepared　for　the　scene　of　destruction　before　him。
　The　village　at　the　base　of　the　castle　had　been　destroyedhundreds　of　homes；　barns；　and　warehouses；　all　burned　to　their　foundation　stones。　Smoke　curled　up　from　some　of　the　houses。　No　cattle　or　sheep　grazed　the　fields。　Not　an　animal　was　in　sight。
　The　gray　banners　of　Longmont　rose　on　pennants　on　the　castle　towers；　and　had　been　draped　over　the　castle　walls。　But　the　banners　were　all　ripped　and　torn。　Some　few　dozen　soldiers　manned　the　outer　walls。
　Orden　had　expected　to　find　the　village　as　it　had　been　when　last　he　saw　it。　He　wondered　if　some　great　battle　had　been　fought　here；　unbeknownst　to　him。
　Then　he　realized　what　had　befallen　this　land。　The　soldiers　of　Longmont　had　burned　the　town　to　its　foundations　and　had　brought　in　all　the　herds；　expecting　a　siege　by　Raj　Ahten's　occupying　forces　on　the　morrow。　By　burning　the　city；　they　robbed　the　occupying　forces　of　decent　shelter。　Here　in　these　hills；　with　winter　ing　on；　shelter　would　be　a　valuable　modity。
　As　Orden's　little　army　rode　to　the　castle　gates；　he　saw　relief　on　the　faces　of　the　soldiers　stationed　on　the　walls。　Someone　sounded　a　war　horn；　a　short　riff　played　only　when　friendly　reinforcements　were　spotted。
　The　drawbridge　came　down。
　As　King　Orden　rode　through　the　gates；　men　cheered　from　the　castlebut　so　few　voices。
　He　was　not　prepared　for　the　sight　that　befell　him：　all　along　the　walls　inside　the　keep　lay　dead　bodies　and　wounded　townsfolk　sitting　in　the　open。　Many　wore　armorshields　and　helms　robbed　from　Raj　Ahten's　defeated　troops。　Blood　smeared　the　stonework　along　the　outer　wall…walks。　Windows　were　broken。　Axes；　arrows；　and　spears　sat　stuck　in　the　beams　of　buildings。　A　tower　to　a　lordly　manor　had　burned。
　There；　outside　the　Duke's　Keep；　the　Duke　himself　hung　from　a　window　by　his　own　guts；　just　as　Duchess　Emmadine　Ot　Laren　had　described。
　Everywhere　was　sign　of　battle；　few　signs　of　survivors。
　Five　thousand　people　had　lived　here。　Five　thousand　men；　women；　and　children　who　fought　with　tooth　and　dagger　to　dislodge　Raj　Ahten's　men。
　They'd　had　no　soldiers　with　heavy　endowments　and　years　of　training。　They'd　had　no　great　weapons。　They　had；　perhaps；　only　an　element　of　surprise；　and　their　great　hearts。
　They'd　won　the　day；　barely。　Then　the　families　had　fled；　fearing　retribution　from　Raj　Ahten。
　King　Orden　had　anticipated　that　four　or　five　thousand　people　would　occupy　this　castle　and　town；　people　he　could　use　to　aid　in　his　defense；　people　he　could　tap　for　endowments。
　Chickens　and　geese　roosted　on　rooftops　inside　the　keep。　Some　swine　rooted　just　inside　the　bailey。
　Weak　cheers　greeted　Orden；　but　they　soon　faded。　One　man　called　down　from　atop　the　Dedicates'　Keep。
　〃King　Orden；　what　news　have　you　of　Sylvarresta？〃
　Orden　looked　up。　The　man　was　dressed　in　a　captain's　smart　attire。　This　would　be　Captain　Cedrick　Tempest；　the　Duchess's　aide…de…camp；　in　temporary　charge　of　the　castle's　defenses。
　〃Castle　Sylvarresta　has　fallen；　and　Raj　Ahten's　men　hold　it。〃
　Cold　horror　showed　in　Captain　Tempest's　face。　Obviously　the　man　hoped　for　better　news。　He　could　not　have　had　more　than　a　hundred　men。　He　could　not　really　defend　this　castle；　merely　hold　down　the　fort　in　hope　that　Sylvarresta　would　send　aid。
　〃Take　heart；　men　of　Sylvarresta；〃　Orden　called；　his　Voice　making　his　words　ring　from　the　walls。　〃Sylvarresta　has　a　kingdom　still；　and　we　shall　win　it　back　for　him！〃
　The　guards　on　the　walls　cheered；　〃Orden！　Orden！　Orden！〃
　Orden　turned　to　the　man　riding　next　to　him；　Captain　Stroecker；　and　whispered；　〃Captain；　go　alone；　south　to　the　Bredsfor　Manor；　and　check　the　turnip　garden。　Look　for　sign　of　fresh　digging。　You　should　find　some　forcibles　buried　there。　If　you　do；　bring　me　twenty　forcibles　with　the　runes　of　metabolism；　then　cover　the　rest。　Hide　them　well。〃
　King　Orden　smiled　and　waved　to　the　ragged　defenders　of　Longmont。　It　would　not　do　to　bring　all　the　forcibles　back　here　in　the　castlenot　when　Raj　Ahten　might　attack；　tear　the　castle　apart　in　his　search　for　them。
　To　the　best　of　his　knowledge；　only　three　people　alive　knew　where　those　forcibles　lay　hiddenhimself；　Borenson；　and　now　Captain　Stroecker。
　King　Orden　wanted　to　make　certain　it　stayed　that　way。
　　
　Chapter　25
　WHISPERS
　　
　Iome　had　been　in　the　Dunnwood　for　only　an　hour　when　she　first　heard　the　war　dogs　bay；　a　haunting　sound　that　floated　up　like　mist　from　the　valley　floor　behind　them。
　Wet　splashes　of　rain　had　just　begun　to　fall；　and　distant　thunder　shook　the　mountains。　Contrary　winds；　blowing　every　which　way；　made　it　so　that　one　moment　the　baying　of　the　dogs　came　clear；　then　softened；　then　blew　back　to　them。
　Here；　on　a　rocky；　barren　ridge；　the　sound　seemed　far　away；　miles　distant。　Yet　Iome　knew　the　distance　was　deceiving。　War　dogs　with　endowments　of　brawn　and　metabolism　could　run　miles　in　a　matter　of　moments。　The　horses　were　already　growing　tired。
　〃Do　you　hear　them？〃　Iome　shouted　to　Gaborn。　〃They're　not　far　behind！〃
　Gaborn　glanced　back　as　his　mount　leapt　through　some　tall　heather　and　plunged　now　into　the　deep　woods。　Gaborn's　face　was　pale；　he　frowned　in　concentration。　〃I　hear；〃　he　said。　〃Hurry。〃
　Hurry　they　did。　Gaborn　gripped　his　horseman's　hammer；　and　instead　of　weaving　among　trees；　he　urged　his　mount　forward　and　struck　down　branches　so　that　Iome　and　her　father　did　not　have　to　dodge　them。
　Iome　feared　this　was　a　fool's　race。　Her　father　didn't　know　where　he　was；　didn't　know　he　stood　in　danger。　He　simply　stared　up；　watching　rain　drop　toward　him。　Oblivious。
　Her　father　didn't　recall　how　to　sit　a　horse；　yet　the　men　chasing　them　would　be　master　horsemen。
　Gaborn　responded　to　the　danger　by　pushing　them　faster。　When　they　cleared　the　large　stand　of　pine；　he　raced　his　mount　down　a　saddleback　ridge；　into　deeper　woods；　heading　west。
　The　sound　of　hooves　pounding；　the　straining　lungs　of　the　horses'　breathing；　was　all　swallowed　by　great　dark　trees；　trees　taller　than　any　Iome　recalled　ever　seeing　in　the　Dunnwood。
　Here；　the　force　horses　ran　with　renewed　speed。　Gaborn　gave　them　their　heads；　so　that　the　beasts　nearly　flew　down　the　canyon；　into　deepening　gloom。　Overhead；　the　skies　boomed　with　the　sound　of　thunder。　The　upper　boughs　of　the　pine　trees　swayed　in　the　wind；　and　the　trees　creaked　down　to　their　roots；　but　no　rain　pounded　in　these　woods。　To　be　sure；　fat　droplets　sometimes　wove　through　the　pine　boughs；　but　not　many。
　Because　the　horses　raced　so　fast　through　these　woods；　Iome　did　not　mind　that　Gaborn　followed　the　canyon；　deeper　and　deeper；　so　that　they　twisted　around　the　roots　of　a　mountain　and　found　themselves　heading　northwest；　circling　back；　somewhat；　toward　Castle　Sylvarresta。
　But　no；　she　decided　after　a　bitnot　toward　the　castle；　deeper　to　the　west；　toward　the　Westwood。　Toward　the　Seven　Standing　Stones　in　the　heart　of　the　wood。
　The　thought　unsettled　her。　No　one　ever　went　to　the　Seven　Stones　and　livedat　least　no　one　had　seen　them　in　the　past　several　generations。　Her　father　had　told　Iome　that　she　need　not　fear　the　spirits　that　haunted　the　woods　there　among　the　stones。　〃Erden　Geboren　gave　us　these　woods　while　he　yet　lived；　and　made　us　rulers　of　this　land；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　a　friend　to　the　duskins；　and　so　we　are　their　friends。〃
　But　even　her　father　avoided　the　stones。　Some　said　that　the　line　of　Sylvarresta　had　grown　weak　over　generations。　Others　said　the　spirits　of　the　duskins　no　longer　remembered　their　oaths；　and　would　not　protect　those　who　sought　the　stones。
　Iome　considered　these　things　for　an　hour　as　Gaborn　raced　west；　through　woods　growing　more　dark　and　hoary　by　the　minute；　until　at　last　they　reached　a　certain　level　hilltop；　and　under　the　dark　oaks　she　could　see　small　holes　all　around；　down　in　the　forest　floor；　and　from　the　holes　she　could　hear　distant　cries　and　armor　clanking；　the　whinny　of　horses；　and　the　sounds　of　ancient　battles。
　She　knew　this　place：　the　Killing　Field　of　Alnor。　The　holes　were　places　where　wights　hid　from　the　daylight。　She　shouted；　〃Gaborn；　Gaborn：　Turn　south！〃
　He　looked　back　at　her；　his　eyes　were　unfocused；　like　one　lost　in　a　dream。　She　pointed　south；　shouted；　〃That　way！〃
　To　her　relief；　Gaborn　turned　south；　spurred　his　horse　up　a　long　hill。　In　five　minutes　they　reached　the　top　of　a　mountain；　came　back　out　into　a　low　wood　of　birch　and　oak；　where　the　sun　shone　brightly。　But　with　these　trees；　t