ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第51部分

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st　of　the　others　seemed　to　find　it　killingly　funny。
　　By　the　time　Lain　Nunez　gave　the　order　to　ride…the　horses　had　been　brought　up　the　moment　the　two　scouts　left…Alvar　was　in　a　mood　to　do　injury　to　someone。　It　did　cross　his　mind；　as　they　galloped　north　in　the　wintry　sunlight；　that　he　was　about　to　kill　Jaddites　in　an　Asharite　cause。　He　tried　not　to　let　that　bother　him。　He　was　a　mercenary；　after　all。
　　
　　Nino　was　wearing　good　armor。　One　arrow　hit　his　chest　and　was　turned　away；　another　grazed　his　unprotected　calf；　drawing　blood。　Then　his　horse；　moving　too　quickly；　trod　on　emptiness　and　fell　into　a　pit。
　　It　screamed　as　it　impaled　itself　upon　the　forest　of　stakes　below。　The　screaming　of　a　horse　is　a　terrible　sound。　Nino　di　Carrera；　lithe　and　desperate；　hurled　himself　from　the　saddle　even　as　the　horse　was　falling。　He　grabbed　for　the　near　wall　of　the　pit；　clutched；　held；　and　hauled　himself　out。　Just　in　time　to　be　nearly　trampled　by　the　mount　of　one　of　his　men；　veering　frantically　around　the　death　pit。
　　He　took　a　kick　in　the　ribs　and　sprawled　on　the　frozen　ground。　He　saw　another　horse　ing　and　rolled；　agonizingly；　away　from　flailing　hooves。　He　fought　for　air。　The　breath　had　been　knocked　out　of　him　and　his　ears　were　ringing；　but　Nino　found　that　all　limbs　were　intact。　Gasping；　wheezing；　he　could　move。　He　scrambled　to　his　feet；　only　to　discover　that　he'd　lost　his　sword　in　the　pit。　There　was　a　dead　man　beside　him　with　an　arrow　in　his　throat。　Nino　seized　the　soldier's　blade；　ignoring　the　pain　in　his　ribs；　and　looked　around　for　someone　to　kill。
　　No　shortage　of　candidates。　Outlaws　were　pouring　down　from　the　slopes　on　either　side　of　the　defile。　At　least　thirty　of　Nino's　men…probably　more…were　down；　dead　or　crippled　by　the　spear　trap　and　the　volley　of　arrows。　That　still　left　a　good　number　of　Horsemen；　though；　and　these　were　Asharite　bandits　opposing　them；　offal；　dogs；　food　for　dogs。
　　Holding　a　hand　to　his　side；　Nino　roared　his　defiance。　His　men　heard　him　and　cheered。　He　looked　around　for　Edrique。　Saw　him　battling　three　men；　fighting　to　maneuver　his　horse　in　the　narrow　space。　Even　as　Nino　watched；　one　of　the　bandits　ducked　in　under　the　legs　of　Edrique's　mount　and　stabbed　upwards。　A　peasant's　way　to　fight；　knifing　horses　from　below。　It　worked；　though。　Edrique's　stallion　reared　up　on　its　hind　legs；　screaming　in　pain　as　the　man　with　the　short　sword　scrambled　away。
　　Nino　saw　his　second…in…mand　beginning　to　slide　in　the　saddle。　He　was　already　sprinting　towards　him。　The　second　outlaw；　waiting　for　Edrique　to　fall；　never　knew　what　killed　him。　Nino's　swinging　sword；　white　rage　driving　it；　hewed　the　man's　unhelmed　head　from　his　shoulders。　It　landed　in　the　grass　a　distance　away　and　rolled　like　a　ball。　The　blood　that　fountained　from　the　headless　torso　spattered　them　all。
　　Nino　roared　in　triumph。　Edrique　swung　his　feet　free　of　the　stirrups　to　fall　free　of　the　maimed　horse。　He　was　up　on　his　feet　instantly。　The　two　men　exchanged　a　fierce　glance　then　fought　together；　side　by　side　in　that　dark　defile；　two　of　Jad's　holy　warriors　against　legions　of　the　infidels。
　　Against　bandits；　really；　and　as　he　swung　his　sword　again　and　again　and　strove　to　carve　a　space　to　advance；　Nino　abruptly　reclaimed　the　thought　he　had　found　and　then　lost　earlier。
　　It　chilled　him；　even　amid　the　clotted；　sweating　chaos　of　battle：　whoever　his　outriders　had　seen　ing　up　south　of　the　valley　couldn't　have　been　part　of　this　ambush。　It　was　so　obvious。　Where　had　his　mind　been？　No　one　laid　a　death　trap　like　this　and　then　split　his　forces。
　　Struggling　for　understanding　again；　Nino　tried　to　get　some　sense　of　what　was　happening；　but　the　narrow　ground　between　the　steep　slopes　meant　that　the　fighting　was　desperately　close；　hand…to…hand；　fists　and　knives　and　shoulders　as　much　as　swords。　No　chance　to　step　back　and　evaluate　anything。　They　were　spared　the　arrows　now。　With　their　own　men　entangled　with　the　Jaddites；　the　bandits　could　not　shoot。
　　The　mules！　Nino　suddenly　remembered　the　gold。　If　they　lost　that　there　was　no　point　to　anything　else。　He　hammered　his　metal…clad　forearm　into　a　bandit's　face　and　felt　bones　crunch　with　the　blow。　With　a　moment's　respite　he　looked　quickly　around　and　spotted　a　cluster　of　his　men　ringing　the　gold。　Two　of　the　mules　were　down：　the　cowards　had　shot　at　the　animals　again。
　　〃Over　there！〃　he　shouted　to　Edrique；　gesturing。　〃Fight　over　that　way！〃
　　Edrique　nodded　his　head　and　turned。　Then　he　fell。　Someone　jerked　a　sword　out　from　his　ribs。
　　In　the　space　where　his　second…in…mand　had　stood　a　moment　before；　a　brave；　petent；　living　man；　Nino　saw　an　apparition。
　　The　man　who　had　killed　Edrique　had　to　be　at　least　sixty　years　old。　He　was　built　like　an　ox；　though；　massive　and　thick…muscled；　broad…shouldered；　heavy…browed；　a　huge；　ugly　head。　He　was　dripping　with　blood。　His　long；　snarled　white　beard　was　dyed　and　clotted　with　it；　blood　streamed　from　his　bald　head　and　had　soaked　the　dun…colored　clothing　and　leather　armor　he　wore。　The　man；　eyes　wild　with　battle　lust；　levelled　his　red　sword　at　Nino。
　　〃Surrender　or　you　will　die！〃　he　roared　in　crude　Esperanan。　〃We　grant　ransoming　if　you　yield！〃
　　Nino　glanced　past　the　outlaw。　Saw　the　ring　of　his　men　still　holding　around　the　mules。　Many　dead；　but　more　of　their　foes　fallen　in　front　of　them…and　his　pany　were　soldiers；　the　best　Jalona　had。　The　old　man　was　bluffing；　taking　Nino　for　a　coward　and　a　fool。
　　〃Jad　rot　you！〃　Nino　screamed；　his　throat　scraped　raw。　He　cut　viciously　on　the　backhand　against　the　other　man's　blade　and　drove　the　blood…soaked　figure　back　a　step　with　the　sheer　force　of　his　rage。　Another　outlaw　rushed　up　on　Nino's　left；　Nino　twisted　under　his　too…high　sword　stroke　and　swept　his　own　blade　back　across　and　down。　He　felt　it　bite　into　flesh。　A　red　joy　filled　him。　His　victim　made　a　sloppy；　wet　sound　and　fell　to　the　frosted　earth。
　　The　white…bearded　outlaw　froze　for　a　moment；　screaming　a　name；　and　Nino　used　that　hesitation　to　ram　straight　into　him　and　then　past；　as　the　man　gave　way；　to　where　most　of　his　remaining　men　were　ferociously　defending　the　gold。　He　stumbled　into　their　ranks；　greeted　with　glad；　fierce　cries；　and　he　turned；　snarling；　to　fight　again。
　　Surrender？　To　these？　To　be　ransomed　by　the　king　from　Asharite　bandits；　with　the　parias　lost？　There　were　worse　things　than　dying；　far　worse　things。
　　
　　This　is　not　war　as　I　dreamed　it；　Alvar　was　thinking。
　　He　was　remembering　the　farm；　childhood；　an　eager　boy；　a　soldier's　only　son；　with　a　wooden　sword　always　by　his　bed　at　night。　Images　of　glory　and　heroism　dancing　beyond　the　window　in　the　starry　dark　after　the　candles　had　been　blown　out。　A　long　time　ago。
　　They　were　waiting　in　pale　cold　sunlight　at　the　north　end　of　the　valley。
　　Kill　anyone　who　es　out；　Lain　Nunez　had　said。　Only　two　men　had。　They　had　been　battling　each　other；　grappled　together；　grunting　and　snorting　like　animals。　Their　bat　had　carried　them　right　out　of　the　defile；　tumbling　and　rolling；　fingers　clawing　at　each　other's　eyes。　Ludus　and　Martin；　efficient　and　precise；　had　moved　their　horses　over　and　dispatched　both　men　with　arrows。　The　two　bodies　lay　now；　still　intertwined；　on　the　frosted　grass。
　　There　was　nothing　remotely　heroic　or　even　particularly　dangerous　about　what　they　were　doing。　Even　the　night　sweep　into　the　burning　hamlet　of　Orvilla　last　summer　had　had　more　intensity；　more　of　a　sense　of　real　warfare；　than　this　edgy　waiting　while　other　men　killed　each　other　out　of　sight　in　the　dark　space　north　of　them。　Alvar　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　a　sound　and　saw　the　Captain　riding　up；　with　Jehane　and　ibn　Khairan。　Jehane　looked　anxious；　he　thought。　The　two　men　appeared　calm；　unconcerned。　Neither　spared　a　glance　for　the　two　dead　men　on　the　grass。　They　cantered　their　horses　up　to　Lain　Nunez。
　　〃It　goes　well？〃　Rodrigo　asked。
　　Lain；　predictably；　spat　before　answering。　〃They　are　killing　each　other　for　us；　if　that　is　what　you　mean。〃
　　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　grinned　at　the　tone。　Rodrigo　offered　a　level　glance　at　his　second…in…mand。　〃You　know　what　this　is　about。　We've　had　our　real　battles　and　we'll　have　them　again。　We're　trying　to　achieve　something　here。〃
　　Lain　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　then　shut　it　firmly。　The　expression　in　the　Captain's　face　was　not　conducive　to　argument。
　　Rodrigo　turned　to　Martin。　〃Take　a　quick　look。　I　need　the　numbers　in　there。　We　don't　want　the　Jalonans　to　win；　of　course。　If　they　are；　we'll　have　to　move　in；　after　all。〃
　　Alvar；　vainly　trying　to　follow；　was　made　edgy　again　by　his　ignorance。　Lain　might　know　what　was　going　on；　but　no　one　else　did。　Was　it　always　this　way　in　war？　Didn't　you　usually　know　that　your　enemy　was　ahead　of　you　and　your　task　was　to　be　braver　and　stronger？　To　kill　before　you　were　killed？　He'd　a　feeling　Lain　felt　the　same　way。
　　〃He's　already　been　in　there；〃　Lain　said　sourly。　〃I　do　know　what　I'm　doing。　It　is　balanced；　about　thirty　of　each　left。　The　outlaws　will　break　soon。〃
　　〃Then　we　have　to　go　in。〃
　　It　was　ibn　Khairan　who　spoke；　looking　at　Rodrigo。　〃The　Jalonans　are　good。　You　said　they　would　be。〃　He　glanced　at　Lain。　〃You　get　your　battle；　after　all。〃
　　Jehane；　beside　him；　still　looked　worried。　It　was　difficult　to　relate　her　expression　to　the　intoxicated　words　Alvar　had　heard　her　crying　from　among　the　trees。
　　〃Your　orders；　Captain？〃　Lain　was　staring　at　Rodrigo。　His　tone　was　formal。
　　For　the　first　time　Rodrigo　Belmonte　looked　unhappy；　as　if　he'd　rather　have　heard　different　tidings　from　the　defile。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　though；　and　drew　his　sword。
　　〃Not　much　choice；　though　this　won't　be　pretty。　We've　wasted　our　time　if　Di　Carrera　fights　free　or　the　outlaws　break。〃
　　He　lifted　his　voice　then；　so　fifty　men　could　hear　him。　〃We're　going　in。　Our　task　is　exact：　we　are　joining　the　bandits。　Not　a　man　of　the　Jalonans　leaves　that　defile。　No　ransom。　Once　they　see　us　and　know　we　are　here　we　have　no　choice　about　that。　If　even　one　of　them　makes　it　back　to　Eschalou　and　reports　our　presence　this　has　all　been　for　nothing　and　worse　than　that。　If　it　helps　at　all；　remember　what　they　did　at　Cabriz　in　the　War　of　Three　Kings。〃
　　Alvar　did　remember　that。　Everyone　in　Valledo　did。　He　had　been　a　bewildered　child；　watching　his　father　weep　when　tidings　came　to　the　farm。　King　Bermudo　had　besieged