df.therunelords-第26节

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　With　a　shout；　as　if　in　celebration；　her　people　began　tossing　bows　and　weapons　over　castle　walls。　Swords　and　fouchards　clattered　on　the　stones　beside　the　moat；　along　with　helms　and　shields。　The　ballistas　on　the　south　wall　crashed　to　the　water；　raising　a　plume　of　spray。　From　here；　the　sound　of　her　people　cheering　was　almost　deafening；　as　if　Raj　Ahten　had　e　as　their　savior；　not　their　destroyer；　and　in　that　moment；　the　city　gates　opened　wide。
　Several　of　House　Sylvarresta's　most　loyal　soldiers　began　to　struggle；　hoping　to　close　the　gates。　Captain　Derrow　swung　his　steel　bow　as　a　weapon；　fending　off　townsmen。　A　few　warriors　with　great　heart　but　lesser　gifts　never　made　it　from　their　posts　at　the　walls。　As　soon　as　they　shouted　in　defiance；　those　standing　nearby　grabbed　them。　Brawls　broke　out。　Iome　saw　several　of　the　city　guards　get　tossed　over　the　walls　to　their　deaths。
　From　here；　Iome　could　not　see　the　beauty　of　Raj　Ahten's　face。　From　here；　surely　the　wind　diminished　the　sweetness　of　his　voice。
　From　here　on　the　castle　wall；　even　though　Iome　could　prehend　how　her　city　was　lost；　she　could　not　quite　believe　what　she　saw　with　her　own　eyes。
　She　was　stunned。　She　found　herself　shaken　more　than　she　could　have　imagined。
　The　drawbridge　came　down。　The　portcullis　lifted。　The　inner　gate　opened。
　Without　one　enemy　loss；　Castle　Sylvarresta　fell。
　Amid　cheers；　Raj　Ahten　rode　into　the　inner　court；　just　inside　the　great　wall；　while　Iome's　people　tossed　aside　the　carts　and　barrels　that　littered　the　area；　and　chickens　flew　up　out　of　the　Wolf　Lord's　path。
　How　could　I　have　been　so　blind？　Iome　wondered。　How　could　I　have　not　seen　the　danger？
　Only　moments　before；　Iome　had　hoped　that　her　father　and　King　Orden　would　be　able　to　withstand　Raj　Ahten。
　How　simpleminded　I　am。
　From　beside　her；　Iome's　father　shouted；　calling　across　the　distance；　calling　for　his　men　to　surrender。　He　did　not　want　to　watch　them　die。
　The　stiff　evening　wind　carried　away　his　words。
　In　shock；　Iome　glanced　at　her　father's　face；　saw　him　pale　and　shaken；　beaten；　beaten；　and　utterly　hopeless。
　My　father's　voice　is　as　dry　and　insubstantial　as　ash　blowing　in　the　wind；　Iome　thought。　He　is　nothing　before　Raj　Ahten。　We　are　all　nothing。　She'd　never　imagined　this。
　Raj　Ahten　leaned　forward　in　his　saddle；　moving　ever　so　lightly。　From　so　far　away；　his　face　was　no　larger　in　her　field　of　vision　than　a　sparkling　bit　of　quartz　sand　glittering　on　a　beach；　she　imagined　him　beautiful。　He　seemed　young。　He　seemed　fair。　He　wore　his　armor　more　lightly　than　another　man　might　wear　his　clothes；　and　Iome　watched　him　in　wonder。　It　was　rumored　that　he　had　endowments　of　brawn　from　thousands　of　men。　If　not　for　fear　of　breaking　his　bones；　he　could　leap　the　walls；　slice　through　an　armored　man　as　if　slicing　through　a　peach。
　In　battle　he　would　be　nearly　invincible。　With　his　endowments　of　witdrained　from　hundreds　of　sages　and　generalsno　swordsman　could　take　him　by　surprise。　His　endowments　of　metabolism　would　let　him　move　through　the　courtyard；　dodging　between　startled　guards；　an　unstoppable　blur。　With　enough　endowments　of　stamina；　he　could　withstand　almost　any　blow　in　battle。
　For　all　intents　and　purposes；　Raj　Ahten　was　no　longer　even　a　human。　He'd　bee　a　force　of　nature。
　One　intent　on　subduing　the　world。
　He　needed　no　army　to　back　him；　no　force　elephants　or　shaggy　Frowth　giants　to　batter　down　the　palace　gates。　No　nomen　to　scale　the　walls。　No　flameweavers　to　set　the　city's　roofs　aflame。
　They　were　all　minor　terrors；　distractions。　Like　the　ticks　that　infested　a　giant's　fur。
　〃We　can't　fight；〃　her　father　whispered。　〃Sweet　mercy；　we　can't　fight。〃
　Beside　her；　Gaborn's　breath　came　ragged；　and　he　moved　so　close　that　Iome　could　feel　the　warmth　of　him　beside　her　face。
　Iome　felt　disconnected　from　her　body　as　she　simply　watched　the　events　unfold　below。　People　were　running　to　the　courtyard；　trying　to　press　close　to　the　new　lord；　their　Lord；　who　would　destroy　them　all。
　Iome　feared　Raj　Ahten　as　she　feared　death；　yet　she　also　found　that　she　weled　him。　The　power　of　his　Voice　made　her　wele　him。
　Prince　Gaborn　Val　Orden　said　softly；　〃Your　people　don't　have　the　will　to　resist。　My　regrets　to　House　Sylvarrestato　your　father；　and　to　youfor　the　loss　of　your　kingdom。〃
　Thank　you；〃　Iome　said；　her　voice　weak；　far　away。
　Gaborn　turned　to　King　Sylvarresta。　〃My　lord；　is　there　anything　I　can…〃　Gaborn　was　looking　at　Iome。　Perhaps　he　hoped　to　take　her　from　here；　to　take　her　away。
　Iome's　father　turned　to　the　Prince；　still　in　shock。　〃Do？　You　are　but　a　boy？　What　could　you　possibly　do？〃
　Iome's　mind　raced。　She　wondered　if　Gaborn　could　help　her　escape。　But；　no；　she　couldn't　imagine　it。　Raj　Ahten　would　know　she　was　in　the　castle。　The　royals　were　marked。　If　Gaborn　tried　to　free　her；　Raj　Ahten　would　hunt　them　down。　The　most　Gaborn　might　acplish　would　be　to　save　himself。　Raj　Ahten　did　not　know　that　Prince　Orden　was　on　the　grounds。
　Apparently；　King　Sylvarresta　reached　the　same　conclusion。　〃If　you　can　make　it　from　the　castle；　give　my　regards　to　your　father。　Tell　him　I　regret　that　we　won't　hunt　together　again。　Perhaps　he　can　avenge　my　people。〃
　Her　father　reached　under　his　breastplate；　pulled　out　a　leather　pouch　that　held　a　small　book。　〃One　of　my　men　was　murdered　while　trying　to　bring　this　to　me。　It　contains　writings　from　the　Emir　of　Tuulistan。　Much　of　the　end　of　it　is　only　philosophical　ramblings　and　poetrybut　it　contains　some　accounts　of　Raj　Ahten's　battles。
　〃I　believe　the　Emir　wanted　me　to　learn　something　from　it；　but　I　have　yet　to　figure　out　what。　Will　you　see　that　it　gets　to　your　father？〃
　Gaborn　took　the　leather　pouch；　pocketed　it。
　〃Now；　Prince　Orden；　you　had　better　leave；　before　Raj　Ahten　learns　you're　here。　Considering　the　present　state　of　my　loyal　subjects；　it　won't　be　long　till　he　finds　out。〃
　〃Then　with　regrets；　I　take　my　leave。〃　Gaborn　bowed　to　the　King。
　To　Iome's　surprise；　Gaborn　stepped　forward；　kissed　her　cheek。　She　was　astonished　to　find　how　hard　her　heart　beat　in　response　to　his　touch。　Gaborn　stared　keenly　at　her；　whispered　in　a　fierce　tone；　〃Keep　heart。　Raj　Ahten　uses　people。　He　does　not　destroy　them。　I　am　your　protector。　I　will　return　for　you。〃
　He　turned　smartly　and　hurried　to　the　stairs；　running　so　softly　she　did　not　hear　his　feet　scuff　the　stone。　If　not　for　the　racing　of　her　heart　and　the　warmth　on　her　cheek　where　he'd　kissed　her；　she　almost　would　have　thought　she'd　imagined　him。
　Captain　Ault　stepped　in　behind　Gaborn　and　followed　him　down　into　the　bailey。
　How　will　he　escape；　she　wondered；　with　Raj　Ahten's　guards　watching　the　city？
　She　glanced　down　at　his　retreating　back；　at　his　blue　cloak　flapping；　as　Gaborn　made　his　way　through　the　throng　of　the　blind；　the　deaf；　the　idiots　and　other　crippled　Dedicates　of　House　Sylvarresta。　He　was　not　tall。　Perhaps　a　young　man　could　escape　the　castle　without　regard。
　How　odd；　she　considered；　her　thoughts　still　disjointed；　to　think　I　love　him。　She　almost　dared　hope　that　they　really　might　wed。
　But　of　course；　Prince　Orden　had　to　save　himself；　and　she　had　nothing　to　offer　him。　Dully；　she　realized　that　this　day　could　not　have　turned　out　any　other　way。
　Perhaps　we　are　both　more　pragmatic　than　we　want　to　believe；　she　wondered。
　〃Goodbye；　my　lord；〃　she　whispered　to　Gaborn's　retreating　form；　and　added　an　old　blessing　for　wayfarers。　〃May　the　Glories　guide　your　every　step。
　She　turned　back　to　look　down　on　Lord　Raj　Ahten；　grinning　and　waving　to　his　new　subjects。　His　dappled　gray　stallion　strode　proudly　through　the　cobbled　streets；　and　the　peasants　parted　for　him　easily；　their　cheers　being　steadily　more　deafening。　He'd　already　made　it　into　the　second　tier　of　the　city；　past　the　Market　Gate。　He　spurred　his　way　up　through　the　streets；　and　for　a　moment　was　hidden　from　Iome's　view。
　Suddenly　Chemoise　stood　at　Iome's　elbow。　Iome　swallowed　hard；　wondering　what　Raj　Ahten　would　do　to　her。　Would　she　be　put　to　death？　Be　tortured？　Disgraced？
　Or　would　he　leave　her　some　position；　let　her　father　reign　as　a　regent？　It　seemed　possible。
　One　could　only　hope。
　Down　below；　Raj　Ahten　suddenly　rounded　a　corner　and　was　now　only　two　hundred　yards　away。
　She　could　see　his　face　beneath　the　sweeping　white　wings　of　his　helmthe　clear　skin；　glossy　black　hair；　the　impassive　dark　eyes。　Handsome；　handsome。　As　perfectly　formed　as　if　he　were　sculpted　by　love　or　goodness。
　He　looked　up　at　Iome。　Because　she　was　beautiful　as　only　a　princess　of　the　Runelords　could　be；　Iome　was　growing　accustomed　to　the　occasional　rapacious　stares　of　men。　She　knew　how　sorely　her　appearance　could　arouse　a　man。
　Yet　of　all　the　predatory　gazes　she'd　ever　been　granted；　nothing　pared　to　what　she　saw　laid　bare　in　Raj　Ahten's　eyes。
　　
　Chapter　9
　THE　WIZARD'S　GARDEN
　　
　Gaborn　nearly　flew　down　the　stairs　of　the　Dedicates'　Tower；　making　his　way　through　the　crowded　courtyard；　past　the　smelly　idiots；　the　cripples。
　Captain　Ault　was　at　his　side；　and　he　said；　〃Young　sir；　please　go　into　the　Dedicates'　kitchens；　and　wait　until　I　send　someone　for　you。　The　sun　will　be　down　in　moments。　We　can　find　a　way　to　get　you　over　a　wall　after　nightfall。〃
　Gaborn　nodded。　〃Thank　you；　Sir　Ault。〃
　He'd　known　for　hours　that　he'd　have　to　make　his　escape　from　Castle　Sylvarresta；　but　had