df.therunelords-第82部分

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　Gaborn　felt。。。strangely　cognizant　of　their　presence；　embarrassed　by　it。　Still；　when　Iome　left；　he　went　to　his　father；　put　his　arms　around　the　man's　shoulders；　and　cried。
　〃Here　now；〃　his　father　whispered；　〃why　should　a　prince　weep？〃
　〃You're　sending　me　on　a　fruitless　mission；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I　can　feel　it。　Something。。。is　terribly　wrong。〃　He　did　not　know　how　to　speak　of　it；　but　he　felt　that　they　needed　to　discuss　thingswhat　should　happen　if　one　of　them　died。　They'd　spoken　of　this　possibility　many　times　over　the　years；　after　Gaborn's　mother　was　murdered；　other　times　since。　Yet　this　time；　Gaborn　felt　a　sense　of　inevitability。
　What　he　really　wanted；　what　he　needed；　was　to　say　goodbye。
　〃How　can　we　know　our　fight　is　fruitless？〃　his　father　asked。　〃I　can　detain　Raj　Ahten　until　you　return。
　〃I'll　put　mounted　knights　in　the　bailey；　ready　to　issue　from　the　castle　gate。　When　Groverman's　men　e　in；　I　want　you　to　have　them　sweep　in　from　the　north　side　of　the　hill。　It's　a　gentle　slope　down。　It　should　give　your　lancers　a　great　deal　of　benefit。　Then　my　knights　will　ride　out　to　your　side；　and　we'll　have　the　old　monster　in　a　vise
　〃But　you　must　promise　me　one　thing；　Gaborn。　You　will　let　me　fight　Raj　Ahten　personally。　I　will　be　the　serpent's　head。　I　alone　am　prepared　for　this　fight。〃
　〃Raj　Ahten　may　be　more　dangerous　than　you　know；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃He　seeks　to　bee　the　Sum　of　All　Men。　He　has　so　many　endowments　of　stamina；　you　cannot　kill　him　easily。　You　will　need　to　strike　for　the　head；　take　off　his　head。〃
　〃I　surmised　as　much；〃　King　Orden　said；　smiling　down　at　his　son。
　Gaborn　looked　into　his　father's　eyes；　felt　his　heart　lightened　a　bit。　The　castle　walls　were　growing　thick　with　men；　and　this　was　a　small　castle；　easily　defensible。　With　six　thousand　men　on　those　walls；　his　father　should　be　able　to　hold　this　castle　even　against　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles。
　His　father　wasn't　rushing　headlong　to　his　death。　He'd　fight　a　measured　battle。　Already　the　die　had　been　cast。　As　head　of　the　serpent　ring；　his　father　would　have　to　battle　Raj　Ahten。　In　his　heart；　Gaborn　knew　that　of　all　the　men　in　the　castle；　his　father　was　most　qualified　for　this　task。
　Yet　it　hurt；　it　hurt　terribly　to　know　what　might　e；　to　let　it　e　without　saying　goodbye。
　〃Where　is　Binnesman？〃　Gaborn　asked。　〃He　can　help　protect　you。〃
　〃Sylvarresta's　wizard？〃　Orden　asked。　〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea。〃
　〃He　said。。。he'd　meet　me　here。　He　called　a　wylde　from　the　earth　last　night；　and　hopes　to　bring　it　into　battle。　He　is　ing　to　Longmont。〃　Gaborn　felt　certain　that　Binnesman　would　e。
　Gaborn　hugged　his　father；　leaned　his　forehead　against　the　older　man's　cheek。　I've　been　anointed　to　bee　King　of　this　Earth；　Gaborn　thought。　It　was　said　that　Erden　Geboren　had　been　so　sensitive　to　the　earth　powers；　to　life；　that　when　one　of　his　chosen　friends　was　in　danger；　he　could　sense　that　man's　fear。　When　one　of　them　died；　he　sensed　the　loss　of　that　life。
　Right　now；　Gaborn　could　smell　danger　around　his　father；　and　as　he　leaned　against　his　father's　face；　he　probed　with　his　mind；　sensed　life　there；　like　a　lamp　struggling　to　stay　lit。　It　was　an　odd　sensation；　one　he'd　never　imagined　before；　and　Gaborn　wondered　if　he　only　imagined　it　now。
　Yet　Gaborn　had　ridden　all　last　night。　In　that　time；　he'd　seen　the　world　more　clearly　than　ever　before。　The　eyebright　still　affected　him；　long　after　he　thought　its　effects　would　diminish。　Perhaps　it　always　would　affect　him。
　It　was　but　one　change　in　him。　Something　more　wondrous　was　happening。　He　suspected　that　if　he　only　tried；　he　could　see　much　farther；　much　deeper　now。　He　could　use　the　Earth　Sight。　He　hugged　his　father　tight；　and　closed　his　eyes；　and　with　his　heart；　he　sought　to　peer　into　King　Orden。
　For　a　long　moment；　he　saw　nothing；　and　he　wondered　if　he　really　had　seen　into　Raj　Ahten's　heart　last　night。
　Then；　as　if　at　a　great　distance；　a　strange　collage　of　sights　and　smells　and　sounds　assaulted　Gaborn。　First　he　saw　the　sea；　the　blue　waves　of　the　ocean　rolling　proud　and　strong　under　clear　skies；　the　whitecaps　rolling　toward　shore。　Gaborn's　own　mother　and　sisters　and　even　himself　rode　in　those　waves；　bobbing　like　seals　in　the　water；　and　King　Sylvarresta　rode　those　waves；　too。　Yet　Gaborn's　mother　was　larger　than　all　the　rest；　as　if　she　were　a　great　walrus；　while　the　others　were　mere　harbor　seals。　Gaborn　tasted　fresh　pumpkin　bread　in　his　mouth；　all　covered　with　sunflower　seeds；　then　washed　it　down　with　apple　wine。　Distantly　he　heard　the　horns　of　the　hunt。　As　he　listened；　he　sensed　the　motion　of　a　horse　running　beneath　him；　then　his　chest　seemed　to　swell　wide　in　exultation　as　he　looked　out　over　the　rooftops　of　the　castle　in　Mystarria　and　heard　the　swell　of　people　chanting　〃Orden；　Orden；　Orden。〃
　A　tremendous　swelling　sensation　rose　in　Gaborn's　chest；　a　sense　of　love　and　warmth；　as　if　all　the　tender　feelings　he'd　ever　felt　rolled　into　one　great　burst。
　Gaborn　could　see　more　clearly　today　than　ever　before。　He　could　see　into　his　father's　heart；　and　these　were　the　things　his　father　loved：　the　sea；　his　family；　pumpkin　bread　and　apple　wine；　the　hunt；　and　to　please　his　people。
　At　this　insight；　Gaborn　pulled　back；　suddenly　feeling　guilty。　Why　am　I　doing　this？　he　wondered。　Looking　into　his　father's　soul　was　somehow　embarrassing；　an　act　of　voyeurism。
　Clearly；　Gaborn　recalled　his　duty；　remembered　the　tales　of　what　Erden　Geboren　had　done　when　choosing　warriors。　Gaborn　feared　for　his　father；　wished　to　do　all　that　he　could　to　protect　him　in　this；　his　darkest　hour。
　You　will　fight　today；　Gaborn　whispered　within　himself；　but　I　will　fight　beside　you。
　　　
　Chapter　41
　SELECTING　A　SACRIFICE
　　
　The　race　from　the　Seven　Stones　to　meet　up　with　his　army　was　long　and　hard；　even　for　Raj　Ahten。　A　Runelord　with　endowments　of　stamina　and　metabolism　can　run　faster　than　other　men；　and　far　longer；　but　it　requires　energy。　Even　a　Runelord　cannot　run　forever。
　So　it　was　that　Raj　Ahten　reached　his　army　well　before　dawn；　but　the　toll　was　heavy。　In　jogging　well　over　a　hundred　miles　in　armor；　with　no　food；　he　lost　some　twenty　pounds　of　fat。　The　sweat　stormed　off　him　in　waves；　so　that　even　though　he　stopped　frequently　to　drink　from　streams　and　puddles；　he'd　lost　another　ten　pounds　of　water。　The　pounding　to　his　kidneys　and　bones　left　him　weakened。　It　was　not　the　condition　he　would　have　chosen　to　fight　in。
　As　Raj　Ahten　traveled；　he　found　signs　that　his　army；　which　had　forged　ahead；　was　faltering。　Dozens　of　horses　had　fallen　by　the　roadside；　still　in　their　armor。　Another　dozen　foot　soldiers　had　succumbed　during　the　march。　He　found　Frowth　giants　and　mastiffs　lying　senseless　by　pools；　wheezing；　overheated　from　their　run。
　When　he　reached　his　troops；　he　did　not　mind　that　his　men　had　been　delayed　by　the　ruined　bridge　at　Hayworth；　for　the　delay　had　cost　them　but　four　hours。　Four　hours　he　spent　resting　and　eating　as　he　rode　the　remainder　of　the　way　to　Longmont。
　All　the　way；　he　worried。　Jureem's　betrayal　and　running　off　into　the　night；　the　portents　at　the　Seven　Stonesboth　weighed　on　him。　Yet　Raj　Ahten　discounted　them。　He　wanted　but　one　thing　from　Longmont：　his　forcibles。　Once　he　had　them；　he　would　have　time　to　consider　other　matters。
　His　men　made　such　good　time　that　he　called　a　halt　for　an　hour；　in　the　city　of　Martin　Cross；　so　his　men　could　rummage　through　the　houses　and　barns　for　food。
　Shortly　after　dawn；　thirty　miles　from　Longmont；　his　outriders　reported　that　a　contingent　of　several　hundred　knights　was　fleeing　before　their　army；　men　riding　under　a　dozen　banners。　Knights　Equitable　from　Castle　Dreis　and　estates　thereabouts。
　Raj　Ahten　felt　tempted　to　give　chase　in　earnest；　but　knew　that　his　men　were　now　ill　equipped　for　a　race。
　So　he　took　his　time　riding　to　Longmont；　resting　on　the　way。　At　ten　in　the　morning；　he　rounded　the　big　bend　in　the　hills　and　spotted　Castle　Longmont　on　its　promontory；　some　two　miles　distant。
　His　outriders　climbed　a　hill　to　get　a　clearer　view；　then　called　down　a　report。　〃General　Vishtimnu　hasn't　arrived　yet；　O　Great　Light。〃
　Raj　Ahten　did　not　worry。　With　over　six　thousand　men　and　giants；　he　could　hold　Longmont　until　reinforcements　arrived。　In　fact；　he　could　set　up　the　siege　engines　and　begin　pounding　the　castle　within　hours；　while　waiting　for　Vishtimnu's　advent。
　Orden　had　not　bothered　to　raise　Longmot's　hoardingstimber　frames　that　could　protect　the　castle's　roofs　from　missiles。　With　Raj　Ahten's　flame…weavers；　the　hoardings　would　have　simply　bee　fuel　for　a　grand　blaze。
　So　the　bombardment　would　begin　soon。　If　Raj　Ahten　had　to　wait　a　day　for　reinforcements；　his　men　could　begin　working　on　mantelets　and　shelters；　siege　towers　and　belfries。　There　were　plenty　of　stone　fences　around　that　could　be　dismantled；　either　to　help　fortify　entrenchments　or　to　hurl　as　missiles。　But　Raj　Ahten　did　not　want　to　try　to　build　a　city　here　at　the　foot　of　Longmont　while　waiting　out　some　elaborate　siege。　The　longer　he　camped　here；　regardless　of　what　fortifications　he　managed　to　erect；　the　longer　the　kings　of　Rofehavan　would　have　to　mount　a　counterattack。　No；　he'd　not　set　a　great　siege。
　Not　when　he　had　so　many　Invincibles；　so　many　weapons　magical　and　mundane　that　he　could　employ。
　Damn　your　meddling　ways；　King　Orden；　Raj　Ahten　thought。　I　will　roust　you　from　your　burrow　by　tomorrow　dawn！
　So　his　men　overturned　some　wagons　as　temporary　shelters　and　erected　Pavilions　on　the　hill　south　of　Longmont；　began　setting　the　siege。　Watchmen　were　posted　on　every　road　to　the　castle。　Three　thousand　archers　and　knights　took　positions　in　the　field。　Another　five　hundred　men　and　giants　went　under　the　trees　on　the　western　hills　to　cut　tall　pines　for　use　in　building　siege　ladders　and　battering　rams。
　Raj　Ahten　brought　his　spy　balloon　out；　tied　its　basket　to　a　stout　tree；　and　set　a　flameweaver　to　heating　the　air　for　it。
　Then　the　Wolf　Lord　let　the　remainder　of　his　men　eat　and　relax。　Raj　Ahten　himself　rested　in　the　shade　of　the　single　huge　oak　tree　on　the　hill；　thirty　feet　from　his　Dedicates'　wagon。　He　sat　on　pillows　covered　in　purple　silk；　and　ate　dates　and　rice　while　he　studied　Longmot's　defenses。
　He　counted　only　some　four　thousand　men　on　the　wallsa　haphazard　collection　of　nobles；　young　boys；　and　ruffians。　The　wizard　Binnesman　was　not　with　them。　Nor　did　Raj　Ahten　see　Jur