df.therunelords-第87部分

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　of　his　ocher　cloak。　His　Days　hurried　behind。
　〃Here　now！　What's　this？　What's　going　on？〃　Groverman　cried；　pulling　his　cloak　tighter　about　his　neck。　The　morning　was　growing　cold；　gray　clouds　raced　in　from　the　south。
　He　stopped　a　dozen　yards　off；　gawking　back　and　forth　between　Gaborn；　Iome；　and　the　King。
　〃Good　morning；　sir；〃　Iome　said　softly；　without　dismounting；　proffering　her　hand　so　that　he　could　kiss　her　ring。　〃Though　it　has　been　but　four　months　since　last　you　visited　Castle　Sylvarresta；　I　fear　much　about　my　appearance　has　changed。〃
　It　was　understatement；　of　course。　As　for　her　father；　he　looked　but　a　shadow　of　his　former　self。　Stripped　of　glamour；　his　face　seemed　a　worn　mockery　of　the　handsome　figure　he　had　cut。　Shorn　of　his　brawn；　he　slumped　wearily　in　his　saddle。　Without　wit；　Lord　Sylvarresta　gaped　about　stupidly；　enamored　of　the　cattle。
　〃Princess　Iome？〃　Groverman　asked；　as　if　unconvinced。
　〃Yes。〃
　Groverman　stepped　forward；　took　her　hand；　and　unashamedly　sniffed　it。
　Groverman　was　an　odd　man。　Some　might　have　called　him　a　Wolf　Lord；　for　he'd　taken　endowments　from　dogs；　but　unlike　men　who　took　such　endowments　only　to　satisfy　a　rapacious　hunger　for　power；　Groverman　had　once　argued　with　Iome's　father　long　into　the　night；　suggesting　that　it　was　more　morally　correct　to　take　endowments　from　animals　than　from　men。　〃Which　is　more　benevolent；　to　garner　fifty　endowments　of　scent　from　a　man；　or　to　take　one　endowment　of　scent　from　a　tracking　dog？〃
　So　Duke　Groverman　had　several　endowments　from　dogs；　yet　he　was　a　kind　leader；　well…liked　by　his　people。
　He　had　a　narrow　face；　and　dark…blue；　close…set　eyes。　He　looked　nothing　like　King　Sylvarresta。　No　one　who　saw　them　together　would　have　ventured　that　the　Duke　hailed　from　the　same　family。
　Satisfied　with　her　scent；　the　Duke　kissed　her　ring。　〃Wele；　wele　to　my　home。〃　With　a　wave　of　his　hand；　Duke　Groverman　bid　Iome　dismount；　e　into　the　courtyard。
　〃We　have　urgent　matters　to　discuss；〃　Gaborn　said；　as　if　to　get　to　the　point。　He　was　in　such　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　his　father；　he　did　not　even　want　to　dismount。
　〃Assuredly；〃　Groverman　said；　still　waving　Iome　toward　his　palace。
　〃We　are　in　a　hurry；〃　Iome　said。　Almost；　she　wanted　to　shout　at　Groverman　that　she　had　no　time　for　formalities；　that　he　needed　to　call　his　warriors；　send　them　to　battle。
　Iome　suspected　Groverman　would　resist　her　will；　would　try　to　dissuade　her　or　placate　her　with　lesser　offers　of　aid。　She　did　not　want　to　listen　to　his　caviling　and　his　dodges。
　〃We　must　speak　immediately；〃　Gaborn　said。
　The　Duke　caught　Gaborn's　tone；　glanced　up　with　a　hurt　look。　〃Milady；　does　Prince　Orden　speak　for　you　and　the　King？〃
　〃Yes；　he　does；〃　Iome　said。　〃He's　my　friend；　and　our　ally。〃
　〃What　would　you　have　of　me？〃　Groverman　asked。　〃You　have　only　to　name　it。〃　His　tone　was　so　submissive；　his　manner　so　meek；　that；　almost；　Iome　thought　he　feigned　it。　Yet　when　she　looked　into　the　Duke's　eyes；　she　saw　only　submission。
　Iome　came　to　the　point；　〃Longmont　will　soon　be　under　attack。　King　Orden　is　there；　with　Dreis　and　others。　How　dare　you　refuse　him　aid！〃
　Groverman　opened　his　hands　wide；　as　if　stunned。　〃Refuse　him　aid？　Refuse　aid？　What　more　can　I　do？　I've　sent　the　best　knights　I　could；　having　them　ride　as　soon　as　they　were　ableover　two　thousand　men。　I've　sent　word　to　Cowforth　and　Emmit　and　Donyeis　and　Jonnickand　they'll　converge　here　before　noon。　As　I　wrote　in　my　message；　I　can　promise　another　five　thousand　men　by　nightfall！〃
　〃But。。。〃　Iome　said；　〃Orden　told　us　you　refused　aid。〃
　〃On　my　honor；　he　is　mistaken！　I　never！〃　Groverman　shouted。　〃If　women　were　squires　and　beeves　were　mounted　knights；　I'd　march　within　the　hour　with　an　army　of　a　quarter　million。　But　I　never　denied　him　aid！〃
　Then　she　wondered。　There　had　been　too　many　knights　on　Longmot's　walls。　She'd　thought　they'd　e　from　Dreis；　or　that　Orden　had　gathered　them　in　his　travels。
　Gaborn　touched　Iome's　elbow。　〃My　father　has　played　us　for　fools。　I　see　it　now。　I　should　have　recognized　what　I　felt。　My　father　has　always　said　that　even　the　wisest　man's　plots　are　only　as　good　as　his　information。　He's　fooled　us；　just　as　he　seeks　to　fool　Raj　Ahten。　He　knew　we　wouldn't　leave　Longmont；　so　long　as　we　trusted　in　reinforcements。　For　our　own　protection；　he　schemed　a　way　to　get　us　out　of　danger。〃
　Iome's　head　spun。　Orden　had　lied　with　such　seeming　sincerity；　had　made　her　so　furious　with　Groverman；　it　took　her　a　moment　to　reassess　the　situation。
　By　now；　if　her　estimates　were　right；　Raj　Ahten's　troops　should　be　reaching　Longmont。　Even　if　she　and　Gaborn　turned　now；　they'd　never　make　it　back　inside　Longmot's　gates。　And　a　hundred　thousand　men　should　join　Raj　Ahten　this　day。
　If　Groverman　waited　until　tonight　to　ride；　he'd　ride　too　late。　Yet　Iome　could　not　bear　to　sit　here　while　her　allies　fought　in　Longmont。　There　had　to　be　something　she　could　do。　Iome　tensed　in　her　saddle　as　a　plan　took　shape。
　〃Duke　Groverman；〃　she　asked；　〃how　many　shields　do　you　have；　at　this　very　moment？〃
　〃Ten　thousand　fighting　men；〃　Groverman　said。　〃But　they　are　only　moners。　My　finest　knights　are　in　Longmont。〃
　〃Not　menshields。　How　many　shields　do　you　have？〃
　〃Imaybe　I　could　scrounge　twelve　thousand；　if　we　raided　the　armories　of　nearby　estates。〃
　〃Do　so；〃　Iome　said；　〃and　get　all　the　lances　and　armor　and　mounts　you　canand　all　the　women　and　men　and　children　above　the　age　of　nine　who　can　rideand　all　the　cattle　and　horses　from　their　corrals。　We'll　make　every　blanket　from　your　refugees　into　a　pennant；　and　they　shall　fly　hoisted　on　rails　from　your　corrals。　Bring　all　the　war　horns　you　can　find。　And　do　so　quickly。　We　must　depart　no　later　than　two　hours　from　now。
　〃A　great　army　is　about　to　march　on　Longmont；　so　huge　an　army　that　even　Raj　Ahten　must　tremble！〃
　
　Chapter　46
　THE　CURSE
　　
　In　the　cold；　graying　skies　above　Longmont；　darkness　flashed　among　the　clouds　like　inverse　lightning。　Raj　Ahten's　three　remaining　flameweavers　were　in　their　battle…splendor　now；　clothed　only　in　brilliant　crimson　flames。　They　hunched　behind　a　battle　wall　of　piled　stonesa　stone　fence　left　by　a　farmer；　reallyand　hurled　flames　at　Castle　Longmont。　Each　of　the　flame…weavers　would　reach　up　to　the　sky　and　grasp　the　sunlight；　so　that　for　a　moment　the　whole　sky　would　darken；　and　then　strands　of　twisted　light　and　heat　would　plummet　into　their　hands　and　sit　glowing　like　small　suns；　just　before　the　flameweavers　hurled。
　It　did　little　good。　Castle　Longmont　was　made　of　ancient　stone。　Spells　had　been　woven　into　it　by　Earth　Wardens　over　the　ages。　The　balls　of　light　and　heat　would　sail　from　the　flameweavers'　hands；　expanding　in　size　as　they　moved　toward　the　castlefor　the　flameweavers　could　not　concentrate　their　power　at　this　distanceuntil　the　giant　glowing　balls　harmlessly　splashed　against　the　battlements。
　Yet　the　efforts　had　some　effect。　King　Orden's　warriors　had　been　forced　to　hide　behind　the　battlements；　seeking　cover；　and　one　flameweaver　had　hit　a　ballista　on　his　first　toss；　forcing　Orden's　artillerymen　to　withdraw　the　ballistas　and　catapults　into　the　towers。
　So；　for　the　moment；　the　battle　was　a　quiet　struggleflameweavers　hurling　fireballs　with　little　effect；　tiring　themselves；　giants　loading　the　catapults　to　send　stones　over　the　walls。
　Sometimes；　when　a　ball　of　flame　smashed　the　high　walls　just　below　the　machicolations；　the　inferno　would　send　a　blast　of　heat　upward　through　the　kill　holes；　where　archers　hid。　Then　Raj　Ahten　would　hear　a　gratifying　scream　as　a　soldier　felt　the　sharpness　of　his　teeth。　In　places；　bundles　of　arrows　had　burst　into　flame　like　kindling。
　Even　now；　Raj　Ahten　had　men　and　giants　gathering　fuel　to　build　a　huge　inferno。　Sunlight　often　served　adequately　as　a　source　of　energy　for　his　flameweavers；　but　the　afternoon　skies　were　going　gray；　and　the　weavers'　work　was　of　poorer　quality。　If　they　could　depend　on　a　more　immediate　source　of　energy；　their　balls　of　flame　would　be　tighterperhaps　small　enough；　even；　to　penetrate　the　archers'　slots　along　the　twin　towers。
　So　the　giants　hacked　down　great　oak　trees　and　pulled　fallen　logs　from　the　hills；　where　they　stacked　them　before　the　castle　like　a　great　dark　crown　made　of　writhing　limbs。　When　the　flameweavers　tapped　this　crown　for　fuel；　they　would　increase　their　powers　greatly。
　Half　an　hour　after　Binnesman　left　the　castle；　an　outrider　came　thundering　from　the　west　with　urgent　news。　He　raced　his　horse　through　camp　and　leapt　to　the　ground　at　Raj　Ahten's　feet。
　Ah；　Raj　Ahten　thought；　Vishtimnu's　army　has　finally　been　sighted。　In　Raj　Ahten's　state；　with　his　high　metabolism；　it　seemed　the　man　took　forever　to　speak。　Fortunately；　he　did　not　wait　for　permission。
　〃I　beg　pardon；　Great　King；〃　he　said；　head　bowed。　The　man's　eyes　were　wide　with　fear。　〃But　I　have　urgent　news。　I　was　placed　to　watch　at　Harm's　Gorge。　I　must　report　that　a　horseman　came　to　the　gorge　and　destroyed　the　bridge。　He　pointed　a　finger；　uttered　a　curse；　and　the　bridge　collapsed。〃
　〃What？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。　Could　the　Earth　Warden　be　seeking　to　cut　off　Raj　Ahten　from　his　reinforcements？　The　wizard　had　claimed　that　he　would　not　take　sides　in　this　battle；　and　Raj　Ahten　had　believed　him。　But　the　wizard　was　obviously　up　to　something。
　〃The　bridge　is　destroyed。　The　gorge　is　impassable；〃　the　scout　repeated。
　Raj　Ahten's　scouts　were　trained　to　treat　every　question；　even　rhetorical　questions；　as　queries。　They　reported　only　what　they　saw；　without　embellishment。
　〃Have　you　spotted　signs　of　Vishtimnu？〃
　〃No；　O　Great　Light。　I　saw　no　signsno　scouts；　no　clouds　of　dust　on　the　road。　The　forest　lies　quiet。〃
　Raj　Ahten　considered。　Just　because　his　scout　did　not　see　signs　of　reinforcements；　it　did　not　mean　that　Vishtimnu　was　not　ing。　It　could　well　be　that　the　wizard　had　his　own　means　of　detecting　them。　And　in　an　effort　to　delay　the　army　from　reaching　Longmont；　the　wizard　had　destroyed　the　bridge。　But　this　would　only　slow　Vishtimnu；　not　stop　him。　Vishtimnu's　armies　brought　great　wains　filled　with　food；　clothing；　and　weapons；　supplies　enough　to　last　the　whole　winter；　to　last　for　a　long　campaign。　The　wagons　would　not　be　able　to　pass　the　gorge；　would　have　to　go　around；　some　hundred　and　twenty　miles。
　This　would　slow　the　caravan　at　least　four　days；　probably　five　or　six。　It　would　slow　even　those　knights　mo