df.therunelords-第73部分

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oltsmore　than　Orden　would　have　imagined。　The　arrows　were　bound　into　bundles　of　a　hundred。　A　quick　guess　told　Orden　that　at　least　two　hundred　thousand　arrows　lay　there；　most　newly　fletched　with　gray　goose　feathersas　if　the　Duke　had　been　vigorously　preparing　for　the　end　of　the　world。
　The　Duke's　armor　and　that　of　his　horse　were　gone；　taken　by　one　of　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles；　no　doubt。　Still；　Raj　Ahten's　men　had　left　a　princely　long　swordfine　Heredon　spring　steel；　honed　to　a　razor's　edge。
　Orden　studied　its　hilt。　The　name　of　Stroehorn　was　branded　into　it；　an　artificer　of　exceptional　skill　some　fifty　years　pasta　veritable　Maker。
　The　Indhopalese；　who'd　never　worn　anything　but　leather　mail　in　battle　till　fifty　years　ago；　didn't　value　Northern　armor　or　swords。　In　the　desert；　heavy　ring　mail　or　plate　was　too　hot　to　fight　in。　So　men　there　had　worn　lacquered　leather　armor；　and　instead　of　the　heavy　blades　of　the　North　fought　with　curved　scimitars。　The　curved　blades　maximized　the　cutting　edge　of　the　sword；　so　that　a　single　strike　could　slice　through　a　man's　body。　Against　lightly　armored　opponents；　curved　scimitars　proved　to　be　elegant；　graceful　weapons。　But　when　a　scimitar's　edge　met　ring　mail；　the　blade　quickly　dulled　or　bent。
　For　fighting　a　man　in　ring；　one　needed　a　thick　Northern　blade；　with　its　straight　edge　and　hard　steel。　These　could　pierce　armor　with　a　lunge；　or　could　chop　through　small　rings。
　Seeing　this　fine　sword　abandoned　here　in　the　armory　gave　Orden　hope。　Raj　Ahten　marshaled　a　great　number　of　troops。　He　might　terrify；　but　he　fought　in　an　unfamiliar　clime；　with　inferior　Southern　steel。　How　would　his　desert　troops　fare　e　winter？
　Eight　hundred　years　ago；　the　kings　of　Indhopal　had　sent　gifts　of　spices；　ointments；　and　silk；　along　with　pet　peacocks　and　tigers；　to　Orden's　ancestors；　in　hopes　of　opening　trade。　In　return；　Orden's　forefather　sent　back　a　gift　of　horses；　gold；　fine　furs；　and　wool；　along　with　Northern　spices。
　The　kings　of　Indhopal　spurned　the　gifts。　The　furs　and　wool　seemed　overburdensome　in　warm　lands；　the　spices　unsatisfactory。　The　horseswhich　they　thought　of　inferior　qualitywere　fit　only　for　use　as　draft　animals。
　But　they　loved　the　gold；　enough　to　send　the　caravans。
　So　Orden　had　to　wonder　how　the　Indhopalese　would　acclimate。　Perhaps　they'd　not　learn　the　value　of　wool　or　fur　until　half　of　them　froze。　Perhaps　they'd　spurn　mounts　bred　for　Northern　mountains；　just　as　they　spurned　Northern　steel。
　Last　of　all；　Orden　inspected　the　treasury。　The　Duke　had　stocked　it　with　a　surprising　amount　of　gold　blanks；　used　for　striking　coin。　King　Orden　studied　the　stampswhich　bore　Sylvarresta's　image　on　the　front　and　the　Seven　Stones　on　the　back。
　It　seemed　odd　that　the　Duke　should　be　striking　coins。　A　balancing　scale　sat　on　the　floor；　and　Orden　took　a　golden　coin　from　his　own　pocket；　placed　it　on　one　pan　of　the　scale；　then　placed　the　Duke's　blank　on　the　other　pan　of　the　scale。
　The　blank　was　light。　Whether　it　had　been　shaved　too　small；　or　whether　it　was　light　because　the　gold　had　been　mixed　with　zinc　or　tin；　King　Orden　could　not　tell。
　But　it　was　clear　that　the　Duke　of　Longmont　had　been　a　counterfeiter　before　he'd　turned　traitor。　〃Scurvy…infested　dog！〃　Orden　muttered。
　〃Milord？〃　one　of　his　captains　asked。
　〃Go　cut　down　the　carcass　of　the　Duke　of　Longmont。　Cut　through　the　intestines　that　keep　him　hanging　from　the　keep；　then　fling　the　corpse　into　the　moat。〃
　〃Milord？〃　the　captain　asked。　It　seemed　a　singularly　disrespectful　way　to　treat　the　dead。
　〃Do　it！〃　Orden　said。　〃The　man　doesn't　deserve　another　night　of　royal　hospitality。〃
　〃Yes；　milord；〃　the　captain　answered；　rushing　off。
　After　touring　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　Orden　decided　not　to　tour　the　others　in　the　castle。　The　manors　for　the　Duke　and　his　lords　seemed　paltry。　Orden　saw　no　sense　in　guarding　them。
　Besides；　it　would　be　better　to　concentrate　his　men　on　the　outer　walls。　Longmont　was　so　narrow　that　an　archer　on　the　east　wall　could　shoot　the　hundred　yards　to　the　west　wall；　which　meant　that　if　enemy　soldiers　managed　to　breach　one　wall；　numerous　defenders　could　still　fire　on　them。
　Fifteen　hundred　men；　maybe　sixteen　hundred。　That　was　all　King　Orden　had　at　the　moment。　He'd　sent　messengers　to　Groverman　and　Dreis；　hoped　for　reinforcements。　Perhaps　Borenson　would　return　with　most　of　his　army　intact。
　But　they　would　have　to　get　here　soon。　Reinforcements　that　did　not　arrive　before　dawn　would　not　get　in。
　King　Orden　had　finished　inspecting　the　Dedicates'　Keep　when　Captain　Cedrick　Tempest；　the　Duchess's　aide…de…camp；　came　to　meet　him；　followed　by　a　Days；　a　plump　woman　of　middle　age。　Captain　Tempest　was　a　stout　man；　with　thick　curly　brown　hair　cropped　close。　He　carried　his　helm　in　hand；　a　sign　of　respect；　but　did　not　bow　on　meeting　King　Orden。　For　a　flicker　of　a　second；　Orden　felt　slighted；　then　realized　this　man　was　acting　lord　of　the　castle。　As　such；　by　right；　he　did　not　need　to　bow。
　Instead；　Tempest　reached　out　to　shake　hands　at　the　wrist；　as　an　equal。　〃Your　Highness；　we　are　happy　to　receive　you；　and　offer　you　and　your　men　such　forts　as　we　can。　But　I　fear　there　may　be　a　battle　soon。　Raj　Ahten　has　an　army　advancing　from　the　south。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Orden　said。　〃We'd　like　to　fight　beside　you。　I've　sent　to　Groverman　and　Dreis；　begging　reinforcements；　but　I　suspect　they'll　hesitate　to　honor　a　request　from　a　foreign　king。〃
　〃The　Duchess　also　sent　for　reinforcements；〃　Tempest　said。　〃We　should　soon　see　what　it　gains　us。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Orden　said；　watching　the　man's　eyes。
　This　was　the　worst　news。　If　no　help　had　e　yet；　it　meant　Dreis　and　Groverman；　on　hearing　of　the　invasion；　had　chosen　to　fortify　their　own　positions　rather　than　send　aid。　One　could　hardly　blame　them。
　After　a　moment　Orden　asked；　〃May　we　speak　privately？〃
　Tempest　nodded　discreetly；　together　they　walked　into　the　Duke's　Keep；　climbed　a　flight　of　stairs。　Orden's　men　waited　outside。　Only　Orden's　and　his　son's　Days　followed　him　into　the　room；　with　the　matronly　Days　who　followed　Tempest　at　their　heels。
　In　the　great　room；　blood　still　smeared　the　floors　from　a　fierce　battle。　Wood　chairs　lay　in　splinters；　a　gore…covered　axe　lay　on　the　floor；　along　with　a　pair　of　long　daggers。
　The　Duchess's　battle　had　e　down　to　knife　work　in　here。
　A　pair　of　red　hounds　looked　up　curiously　as　Orden　entered；　thumped　their　tails　in　greeting。　They'd　been　sleeping　before　the　cold　fireplace。
　King　Orden　got　a　torch；　lit　it；　placed　it　under　the　kindling　in　the　fireplace。　Then　he　took　a　seat　by　the　fire；　ten　feet　from　Tempest's　own　chair。
　Tempest　looked　to　be　in　his　early　fifties；　though　it　was　impossible　to　tell。　A　man　with　endowments　of　metabolism　would　age　fast。　But　Mendellas　could　often　guess　a　warrior's　age　by　looking　in　his　eyes。　Even　with　endowments　of　metabolism；　some　men　maintained　a　look　of　innocence；　a　look　of　inexperience。　A　man's　eyes　stayed　younglike　his　teeth　and　his　mind　and　his　heartthough　his　skin　might　bee　spotted　and　wrinkled。
　But　Tempest's　brown　eyes　looked　full　of　pain；　battle；　and　fatigue。　Orden　could　tell　nothing　by　gazing　into　them。　Tempest's　eyes　looked　a　thousand　years　old。
　The　King　decided　to　lead　to　his　subject　tactfully。　〃I'm　curious　to　know　what　happened。　Raj　Ahten　obviously　garrisoned　soldiers　heregood　force　soldiers。　How　is　it　that　the　Duchess　defeated　them？〃
　Captain　Tempest　said；　〃Imust　base　my　report　on　hearsay。　I　myself　was　forced　to　give　an　endowment；　and　so　was　housed　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep　when　the　revolt　took　place。〃
　〃You　say　Raj　Ahten　'forced'　you　to　give　an　endowment？〃
　A　strange　look　came　over　Captain　Tempest；　one　of　revulsion　mingled　with　worship。　〃You　must　understand；　I　gave　myself　willingly。　When　Raj　Ahten　asked　for　my　endowment；　his　words　seemed　to　be　daggers　that　pierced　me。　When　I　looked　at　his　face；　it　seemed　more　beautiful　than　a　rose　or　the　sun　rising　over　a　mountain　lake。　He　seemed　beauty　itself；　everything　else　I've　ever　thought　noble　or　beautiful　seemed　a　dim　forgery。
　〃But　after　I　gave　the　endowment；　after　his　men　dragged　my　body　down　to　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　I　felt　as　if　I　awoke　from　a　dream。　I　realized　what　I'd　lost；　how　I'd　been　used。〃
　〃I　see；〃　King　Orden　said；　wondering　idly　how　many　endowments　of　glamour　and　Voice　Raj　Ahten　had；　that　he　could　gain　such　power　over　men。　〃So；　what　happened　here？　How　did　the　Duchess　manage　this　coup？〃
　〃I　am　not　certain；　for　I　was　weak　as　a　pup　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　and　could　not　stay　awake。　I　heard　only　snatches　of　reports。
　〃As　I　understand；　the　Duke　apparently　got　paid　to　let　Raj　Ahten　pass　through　the　Dunnwood。　But　he　dared　not　let　his　wife　know　of　the　payment；　and　so　kept　it　hidden　in　his　private　apartments；　not　daring　to　show　it。
　〃After　his　death；　when　the　Duchess　realized　that　he　must　have　been　paid　for　his　treason；　she　searched　his　private　apartments　and　found　some　hundred　forcibles。〃
　〃I　see；〃　King　Orden　said。　〃So　she　used　the　forcibles　to　furnish　some　assassins？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Tempest　answered。　〃When　Raj　Ahten　entered　the　city；　not　all　our　guard　was　in　the　keep。　Four　young　soldiers　were　in　the　wilds；　investigating　a　report　that　a　woodcutter　in　Greenton　had　spotted　a　reaver〃
　〃Have　you　had　many　reports　of　reavers　hereabouts？〃　Orden　asked；　for　this　was　important　news。
　〃No；　but　last　spring　we　tracked　a　trio　in　the　Dunnwood。〃
　Orden　thought。　〃How　large　were　the　tracks？〃
　〃Twenty　to　thirty　inches　long。〃
　〃Four…toed；　or　three…toed　tracks？〃
　〃Two　were　three…toed。　The　largest　was　four…toed。〃
　Orden　licked　his　lips；　found　his　mouth　suddenly　dry。　〃You　knew　what　that　meant；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Yes；　Your　Highness；〃　Captain　Tempest　said。　〃We　had　a　mating　triad。〃
　〃And　you　did　not　kill　them？　You　didn't　find　them？〃
　〃Sylvarresta　knew　of　it。　He　sent　hunters　after　them。〃
　No　doubt　Sylvarresta　would　have　told　Orden　of　the　reavers。　We　might　have　hunted　more　than　boars　this　year；　Orden　thought。　Yet　this　news　bothered　him；　for　he'd　heard　other　troubling　reports　of　reavers　moving　through　the　mountains　along　the　borders　of　Mystarriawar　bands　of　nines　and　eighty…ones。　Not　since　his　great…grandfather's　day　had　he　heard　so　many　reports。　And　on　his　journey　north；　while　traveling　through　Fleeds；　Queen　Herin　the　Red　mentioned　problems　with　reavers　killing　her　horses。　But　Orden　had　not　expected　the　depr