df.therunelords-第70部分

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　〃Ah；　but　you　were　in　a　place　of　great　earth　power；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃You　do　have　the　gift；　though　you　do　not　know　how　to　use　it。　Study　it　out　in　your　mind。　Practice　it。　It　will　e　to　you；　in　time。〃
　Gaborn　wondered。　Wizards　often　said　that　they　needed　to　〃study　things　out。〃
　〃Yet　you　have　a　greater　duty　now；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃As　Erden　Geboren　chose　his　loyal　men　to　fight　at　his　side；　you　must　also　begin　to　choose　your　followers。　It　is　an　awesome　responsibility。　Those　you　choose　will　be　bound　to　you。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Gaborn　said。　He　had　heard　the　legends；　how　Erden　Geboren　would　choose　those　to　fight　at　his　side；　and　always　he　knew　their　hearts；　knew　when　they　faced　danger；　so　that　forever　after；　they　never　fought　alone。
　〃You　must　begin　to　choose。。。〃　Binnesman　mused；　looking　off　over　the　dark　fields。
　Gaborn　studied　the　old　man；　wondering。　〃You　never　needed　the　gift　of　Earth　Sight；　did　you？　Other　Earth　Wardens　may　serve　the　field　mice　and　the　snakesbut　Earth　manded　you　to　serve　man。。。in　the　dark　time　to　e。〃
　Binnesman　stiffened；　glanced　at　Gaborn。　〃I　beg　you　never　speak　that　thought　aloud。　Raj　Ahten　is　not　the　only　lord　who　would　seek　my　life　if　he　guessed　at　what　you　know。〃
　〃Never；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I　will　never　tell。〃
　〃Perhaps　my　old　master　was　right；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Perhaps　I　do　not。　serve　the　Earth　well。。。〃
　Gaborn　knew　that　he　thought　of　the　loss　of　his　wylde。　〃Is　it　lost　to　us；　destroyed？〃
　〃It　is　of　the　earth。　A　mere　fall　will　not　kill　it。　Yet；　I。。。I　worry　for　this　creature。　It　will　have　e　naked　from　the　earth。　It　knows　nothing；　will　be　lost　without　me　to　teach　and　nourish　it。。。And　it　is　more　powerful　than　anyone　knows。　The　blood　of　the　Earth　flows　in　its　veins。〃
　Gaborn　asked。　〃Dangerous？　What　can　it　do？〃
　〃It　is　a　focus　for　my　power；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Just　as　water　wizards　draw　power　from　the　sea；　or　as　flameweavers　draw　it　from　fire；　I　draw　strength　from　the　earth。　But　some　earth　contains　more　elemental　force　than　others。　For　decades　I　have　scoured　the　ground　for　just　the　right　soils；　just　the　right　stones。　Then　I　called　my　wylde　from　them。〃
　〃So。。。it　is　nothing　more　than　dirt　and　stones？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃No；〃　Binnesman　said；　〃it　is　more　than　that。　I　cannot　control　it；　it　is　as　alive　as　you　or　I。　The　wylde　chose　its　shape　from　my　mind。　I　tried　to　envision　a　warrior　to　fight　the　reavers；　a　green　knight　like　the　one　who　served　your　forefathers。　Yet　even　in　that；　I　could　not　control　it。〃
　〃We　will　have　to　send　word；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃ask　people　to　help　us　search　for　it。〃
　Binnesman　smiled　weakly；　pulled　a　blade　of　wheat　from　the　ground　and　chewed　at　its　succulent　end。
　〃So　Raj　Ahten　is　lost　to　us；〃　Binnesman　mused。　〃I'd　hoped　for　better。〃
　Leading　her　own　mount　out　back；　Iome　found　Gaborn　and　the　wizard　beside　a　trough；　feeding　the　horses；　which　ate　as　only　force　horses　can；　chewing　so　rapidly　she　feared　for　them。
　Iome　left　Gaborn　and　Binnesman　to　tend　the　beasts　while　she　took　her　father　to　the　creek　and　washed　him　in　the　clear　water。　He　had　soiled　himself　near　the　Seven　Stones；　and　she'd　never　had　time　to　care　for　him。
　When　at　last　Gaborn　came　to　her；　leaving　the　horses　in　Binnesman's　able　care；　Iome　had　her　father　dried　and　in　fresh　clothes；　and　he　lay　at　the　edge　of　the　orchard；　using　a　tree　root　for　a　pillow；　snoring　contentedly。
　It　seemed　an　unmon；　yet　peaceful　sight。　Iome's　father　was　a　Runelord；　with　several　endowments　of　stamina；　and　others　of　brawn。　Only　once　in　her　life　had　she　known　him　to　sleep；　and　then　only　for　half　an　hour。　Yet　she　wondered　if　from　time　to　time　he　might　have　slept　beside　her　mother。　Certainly；　Iome　knew；　at　times　he'd　lain　beside　her　mother　as　he　pondered　the　kingdom's　problems；　long　into　the　night。
　But　sleep？　Almost　never。
　The　long　day　must　have　worn　her　father　out。
　Gaborn　took　a　seat　beside　Iome；　both　of　them　leaning　their　backs　against　the　same　tree。　He　took　a　plum　from　the　pile　near　her　hand；　and　ate。
　Clouds　were　beginning　to　scud　in　again；　darkening　the　sky；　and　the　wind　gusted　from　the　south。　It　was　like　that　in　Heredon　in　the　fall。　Weak　fronts　of　cloud　passed　overhead　in　bursts；　with　storms　that　rarely　lasted　more　than　an　hour　or　three。
　Binnesman　brought　the　mounts　down　to　the　stream。　The　horses　all　quenched　their　thirst；　then　stopped　drinking　at　Binnesman's　mand。　Afterward；　some　grazed　in　the　short　grass　at　the　edge　of　the　stream；　most　just　slept　on　their　feet。
　Yet　Raj　Ahten's　great　mount　stood　by　the　water；　restless；　matching　Binnesman's　mood。　After　a　few　moments；　Binnesman　said；　〃I　must　leave　you　now；　but　I　will　meet　you　at　Longmont。　Ride　fast；　and　there　is　little　on　this　earth　that　you　need　fear。〃
　〃I　am　not　worried；〃　Gaborn　answered。　Binnesman's　uncertain　look　suggested　that　he　disagreed；　that　he　felt　Gaborn　should　be　concerned。　Yet　Gaborn　had　spoken　courageously　only　to　ease　the　wizard's　mind。
　Binnesman　mounted　the　big　warhorse　that　had　belonged　to　Raj　Ahten。　〃Try　to　get　some　rest。　You　can　only　let　the　animals　sleep　for　an　hour　or　two。　By　midnight；　Raj　Ahten　will　be　free　to　e　after　you　againthough　I　shall　lay　a　spell　to　protect　you。〃
　Whispering　some　words；　Binnesman　pulled　a　sprig　of　some　herb　from　the　pocket　of　his　robe。　He　rode　forward；　dropped　it　on　Gaborn's　lap。　Parsley。
　He　said；　〃Keep　it。　It　will　absorb　your　scent；　hide　it　from　Raj　Ahten　and　his　soldiers。　And　before　you　leave　here；　Gaborn；　pluck　a　single　hair　from　your　head　and　tie　it　in　seven　knots。　Should　Raj　Ahten　chase　you　then；　he'll　find　himself　wandering　in　circles。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Iome　and　Gaborn　said。　Binnesman　turned　his　great　steed　and　galloped　off　in　the　dark；　heading　south。
　Iome　felt　tired；　dreadfully　tired。　She　glanced　around　for　a　soft　spot　of　ground　to　lay　her　head　on。　Gaborn　reached　out；　took　her　shoulder；　guided　her　toward　him；　so　she　could　rest　her　head　in　his　lap。　It　was　a　surprising　gesture。　Intimate。
　She　lay　there；　closed　her　eyes；　and　listened　to　him　eat　a　plum。　His　stomach　made　surprising　noises；　and　she　couldn't　quite　feel　fortable。
　Gaborn　reached　down；　gently　stroked　her　chin；　her　hair。　She'd　have　thought　his　touch　would　feel。。。reassuring；　right。　But　it　didn't。
　Instead　it　made　her　nervous。　Partly；　she　feared　rejection。　Though　he'd　said　he　loved　her；　she　did　not　believe　he　could　love　her　deeply。
　She　was　too　ugly。　Of　all　who　are　ugly　on　the　earth；　she　thought；　I　am　among　the　worst。　A　frightened　corner　of　her　mind　whispered　to　her；　And　you　deserve　to　be　ugly。
　It　was　the　endowment；　of　course。　Iome　could　never　remember　having　felt　this　way　before。　So　devoid　of　worth。　Raj　Ahten's　rune　of　power　pulled　at　her。
　Yet　when　Gaborn　looked　at　her　or　touched　her；　it　seemed　that　some　part　of　the　spell　was　broken　for　a　moment。　She　felt　worthy。　She　felt　that　he；　alone　of　all　men；　might　actually　love　her。　And　she　feared　to　lose　him。　It　was　a　terrible　fear。　For　it　seemed　so　reasonable。
　Another　thing　made　her　uneasy。　She'd　never　been　alone　with　a　man。　Now　she　was　alone　with　Gaborn。　She'd　always　had　Chemoise　by　her　side；　and　a　Days　watching　her。　But　now　here　she　sat　with　a　prince；　and　her　father　slept；　and　it　made　her　feel　profoundly　unfortable。　Aroused。
　It　was　not　Gaborn's　touch；　she　knew；　that　made　her　feel　this　way。　It　was　the　draw　of　his　magic。　She　could　feel　the　creative　desires　in　her　stirring；　like　an　animal　burrowing　into　her　skull。　She'd　felt　this　when　she　was　near　Binnesman；　but　never　so　powerfully。　Besides；　Binnesman　was　an　older　man；　and　none　too　pleasing　to　look　at。
　Gaborn　was　different；　someone　who　dared　say　he　loved　her。
　She　wanted　to　sleep。　She　had　no　endowments　of　brawn　or　metabolism；　only　a　single　endowment　of　stamina　she'd　gotten　shortly　after　birth。　So　though　she　had　fair　endurance；　she　needed　rest　almost　as　much　as　any　other　person。
　But　now　she　had　Gaborn's　electrifying　touch　to　contend　with。　This　is　innocent；　she　told　herself　as　he　stroked　her　cheek。　Merely　the　touch　of　a　friend。
　Yet　she　craved　his　touch　so；　wanted　him　to　move　his　hand　down　farther；　along　her　throat。　She　dared　not　admit　even　to　herself　that　she　wanted　him　to　touch　her　deeper。
　She　took　hold　of　Gaborn's　hand；　so　that　he'd　stop　stroking　her　chin。
　He　responded　by　taking　her　hand；　kissing　it　softly；　letting　it　rest　between　his　lips。　Gently；　so　gently　it　took　her　breath　away。
　Iome　opened　her　eyes　to　mere　slits；　looked　up。　The　darkness　had　fallen　so　pletely；　it　was　as　if　the　two　of　them　lay　hidden　beneath　a　blanket。
　There　are　trees　between　us　and　the　house；　Iome　thought。　The　woman　there　can't　see　us；　doesn't　know　who　we　are。
　The　thought　made　her　heart　pound　fiercely。　Certainly；　Gaborn　must　have　felt　her　heart　pound；　must　have　seen　how　she　fought　to　keep　from　drawing　a　ragged　breath。
　He　placed　his　hand　beside　her　face；　began　stroking　her　cheek　again；　Iome's　back　arched　slightly　at　his　touch。
　You　can't　want　me；　she　thought。　You　can't　want　me。　My　face　is　a　horror。　The　veins　in　my　hand　stand　out　like　blue　worms。　〃I　wish　I　were　still　beautiful；〃　she　whispered　breathlessly。
　Gaborn　smiled。　〃You　are。〃
　He　leaned　down　and　kissed　her；　full　on　the　lips。　His　moist　kiss　smelled　of　plums。　The　touch　of　his　lips　made　her　dizzy；　he　took　the　back　of　her　head　in　his　hand；　pulled　her　up　and　kissed　her　fervently。
　Iome　grabbed　him　round　the　shoulders；　scooted　up　until　she　sat　in　his　lap；　and　felt　him　trembling　softly　with　desire。　In　that　moment；　she　knew　he　believed　it：　he　believed　she　was　beautiful　despite　the　fact　that　Raj　Ahten　had　taken　her　glamour；　felt　she　was　beautiful　though　her　father's　kingdom　lay　in　ruins；　felt　she　was　beautiful　and　wanted　her　as　much　as　she　wanted　him。
　Gaborn　held　some　strange　power　over　her。　She　wished　he　would　kiss　her　roughly。　He　nuzzled　her　cheek　and　chin。　Iome　raised　her　neck　for　him；　so　he　might　kiss　the　hollow　of　her　neck。　He　did。
　Wanton。　I　feel　wanton；　Iome　realized。　All　her　life；　she'd　been　watched；　had　been　handled　so　that　she　would　remain　proper　and　free　of　desire。
　Now；　for　the　first　time；　she　found　herself　alone　with　a　man；　a　man　whom　she　suddenly　realized　she　loved　fiercely。
　She'd　always　kept　such　a　tight　rein　on　her　emotions；　she'd　never　have　believed　she　could　have　felt　so　wanton。　It's　only　his　magic；　she　told　herself；　that　makes　me　feel　so。
　Gaborn's　lips　strayed　over　the　hollow　o