df.therunelords-第53节
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〃Thank you；〃 Iome said； reaching out to touch him in gratitude。 The captain shrank back from her touch。
Iome called out to Chemoise； to her Days。 〃Quickly； we need bearers to carry these littersand some charnel robes。〃
Chemoise ran into the kitchens； brought out some of the deaf and mute bakers； the butcher and his apprentice； kitchen helpers with no sense of smell。 In a few moments； two dozen people came to help bear the litters。
The butcher trundled over to the Dedicates' Hall； came out with an armload of black cotton charnel robes； with their deep hoods and long sleeves。
Each pallbearer donned a charnel robe； so that the ghosts in the tombs would know they had not e as grave robbers； and at the hem of each robe was a silver bell whose tinkling would drive off any malicious spirits。
When they had finished； they went to the litters and began carrying the dead to the portcullis。 Iome took the front right handle of her mother's litter； as was her place。
When they were ready； the Taifan captain and his sergeant put their backs to work； raising the portcullis quickly； and shooed them all from the keep with a warning。 〃Be back； twenty minutes。 No more！〃
It would not be enough time； Iome knew； to set the bodies in place； sing the soothing funerary lullabies to the dead； yet she nodded yes； just to put the captain's mind at ease。
Then she began lugging the bodies to the back of the Dedicates' Keep； to a wooded hollow； the King's tombs。
Iome had never done such heavy labor； so she had not gone two hundred feet past the gate； round the corner of Feet Street； when she found herself； heart pounding； moist with sweat； begging the others to stop。
It was nearly noon。 As she waited in the bright sunlight； the smell of ash cloying the air； a dirty young hunchback in a deep…hooded robe darted out from the shadows beneath a market's awning。
Immediately she knew it was Binnesman。 She could feel the earth power emanating from him； and she wondered what had brought him back； wondered why the wizard sought her。
The hunchback sidled up to Iome； forcing her back a step。 〃Let ol' Aleson give you a hand with that； lass；〃 he whispered； pulling back his hood a bit； and he reached for the right front pole to the litter。
It wasn't Binnesman at all。 Iome felt astonished to recognize Gaborn's face beneath a liberal coat of grime。 Her heart pounded。 Something was afoot。 For some reason； Gaborn had not made it outside the castle gates and needed her help。 And； somehow； Gaborn had grown in the past few hours； had grown in the Earth Powers。
Iome pulled her hood closer to hide her face。 For a moment； she felt once again as if all her pride and courage would leach from her。 The spell woven into Raj Ahten's forcibles still sought to drain her self…esteem。
Over and over again； she whispered in her mind a litany： This； I deny you。 This I deny you。
Yet she could not bear the thought that Gaborn might recognize her。 She let him take the litter； then Iome walked beside him as the pallbearers cut through an alley； down the narrow streets that led to the tombs。
The tombs of House Sylvarresta consisted of hundreds of small stone mausoleums； all painted white as bone； rising among a sheltered grove of cherry trees。 Many of the mausoleums were designed to look like miniature palaces； with absurdly tall pinnacles； and statues of the dead kings and queens standing at the gates of each tiny palace。 Others of the mausoleums； those reserved for trusted retainers and guards； were simply stone buildings。
When they reached the shelter of the grove； Gaborn and the others set down their burdens。 Gaborn whispered to Iome； 〃I am Gaborn Val Orden； Prince of Mystarria。 I'm sorry to impose upon you； but I've been hiding all night； and I need information。 Can you tell me how House Sylvarresta fares？〃
With a start； Iome realized that Gaborn didn't recognize hernot with her beauty gone； her skin rough as bark。 Behind her； Iome's Days had her face and historian's robes covered beneath the charnel robes； just another anonymous pallbearer。
Iome did not want Gaborn to know who she was。 She could not stand the thought of being ugly in his sight。 Yet another fear also struck her heart； for she saw a more pelling reason to keep her identity hidden： Gaborn might feel the need to kill her。 She was； after all； a Dedicate to an enemy king。
Iome spoke with a low； frightened； voice； hoping to disguise it。 〃Do you not even know whose corpse you carry？ The Queen is dead。 But the King lives。 He has given his wit to Raj Ahten。〃
Gaborn grasped Iome's arm。 〃What of the Princess？〃
〃She is well。 She was given a choiceto die； or to live and serve her people as regent。 She was forced to give an endowment； also。〃
Gaborn asked； 〃What has she given？〃 He held his breath； his face full of horror。
Iome considered speaking the truth； revealing her identity； but she could not。 〃She has given her sight。〃
Gaborn fell silent。 Abruptly he lifted the litter； signaling an end to the break； and began walking between the tombs again； thoughtful。 Iome led Gaborn and the pallbearers to her parents' tomb； which was of classic design。 Nine marble spires rose from the tiny palace atop it； outside its door stood statues of King Sylvarresta and his wife； images carved in white marble shortly after their wedding eighteen years before。 Iome signaled for the bearers to also bring Cleas into the tomb。 As a faithful guard； it was only right that she be interred beside her queen。
As they entered the shadowy tomb； Iome smelled death and roses。 Dozens of skeletons of faithful guards lay in the tomb； bones gray and moldering。 But last night； someone had brought bright red rose petals and strewn them across the floor of the tomb； to alleviate the smell。
Gaborn bore Queen Sylvarresta to her sarcophagus； in the sanctum at the back of the tomb。 It was a red sandstone box； with her image and name chiseled into its lid。 The roof above the sanctum was a slab of sheer marble； so thin that light broke through it； shining down onto the sarcophagus beneath。
Here in this deep corner； air breathed into the tomb from tiny slits in the stonework； so that the smell of death did not reach。
It took a great deal of effort for Gaborn and two bakers to slide the lid of the sarcophagus back； exposing the empty casket。 Then they lifted the queen into place； and were about to set the lid on the box when Iome begged them to stop； to let her look for a while。
Pallbearers carried Cleas to a stone shelf； pushed back the bones of some loyal guard from a decade past； and laid Cleas in his place。
They did not have Cleas' armor and weapons to bury with her； so a baker took a warhammer from a nearby corpse； laid it across Cleas' chest； wrapped her hands around its handle。
Gaborn stood a minute in the dim light； studying the moldy skeletons； many of them still in armor； bearing weapons on their chests。 Though the room was small； only forty feet long and twenty wide； five tiers of stone shelves were cut into the walls。 Some guards had been entombed here for over twenty years。 Bones from knuckles and toes littered the floor； borne there by rats。
Gaborn looked as if he would ask a question。
〃You may speak freely here；〃 Iome told him； still kneeling beside her mother's casket。 〃These pallbearers are all deaf or mute； sworn to the service of House Sylvarresta。 No one here will betray you。〃
〃You bury your dead with their weapons here in House Sylvarresta？〃 Gaborn asked。
Iome nodded。
He seemed delighted； looked as if he would rob a corpse。 〃In Mystarria； we bequeath fine weapons and armor to the living； so it can be put to good use。〃
〃Mystarria does not have so many smiths to keep employed；〃 Iome said dryly。
Gaborn asked； 〃Then no one will mind if I borrow a weapon？ Mine was destroyed。〃
〃Who can say what offends the dead？〃
Gaborn did not immediately take a weapon。 Instead； he paced nervously。 〃So；〃 he breathed at last； 〃she is in the Dedicates' Keep？〃
Iome hesitated to answer。 Gaborn had not said who 〃she〃 was。 Apparently he was distraught。 〃The Princess came to the keep this morning； and washed her father and fed him。 Raj Ahten's guard put her there for safekeeping during the attack。 But she may leave at any time。 I think she still occupies her room in the King's Keep； with servants to attend her。〃
Gaborn bit his lip； quickened his step； thinking furiously。 〃Can you get a message to her for me？〃
〃It should not be hard；〃 Iome answered。
〃Tell her that House Orden is sworn to protect her。 Tell her that I will kill Raj Ahten； that she will look upon my face again someday； no longer a Dedicate。〃
〃Don't。。。please don't try；〃 Iome said； choking back a sob。 Her voice cracked； and she feared Gaborn would hear it； see through her disguise。
〃Try what？〃 Gaborn asked。
〃To kill Raj Ahten；〃 she said deeply。 〃Queen Sylvarresta clawed him with poisoned fingernails； yet he withstood the venom。 It is said that the wound of a sword thrust through his heart heals before the blade is withdrawn。〃
〃There must be a way to kill him；〃 Gaborn said。
〃You will be forced to kill House Sylvarresta； for both the King and his daughter are Dedicates to Raj Ahten。 Lord Sylvarresta
