df.therunelords-第63节

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。　He　stood；　unable　to　strike。
　〃You've　done　my　people　a　great　service　this　day；〃　she　said；　〃dislodging　Raj　Ahten　from　Castle　Sylvarresta。〃
　A　thin　hope　rose　in　Borenson。　It　seemed　barely　possible　that　she　did　not　serve　as　a　vector　for　Raj　Ahten；　that　she'd　given　her　endowment　only；　and　therefore　did　not　pose　a　major　threat　to　Mystarria。　This　would　give　him　some　reason　to　spare　her。
　Borenson　took　the　horse's　reins；　heart　pounding。　The　stallion　did　not　fight　or　shy　from　his　foreign　armor。　It　whipped　its　plaited　tail；　knocking　flies　from　its　rump。
　〃Thank　you；　Princess；〃　Borenson　said　with　a　heavy　heart。　I'm　under　orders　to　kill　you；　he　wanted　to　say。　I　wish　I'd　never　seen　you。　But　he　had　to　wonder　at　Gaborn's　plan。　Perhaps　the　Prince　had　a　reason　for　bringing　out　the　King　and　Iome；　some　reason　Borenson　didn't　fathom。
　〃I　heard　more　horns　in　the　woods；〃　Iome　said。　〃Where　are　your　men？　I　would　like　to　thank　them。〃
　Borenson　turned　away；　〃They　rode　ahead　an　hour　ago。　We're　alone　here。〃　It　was　not　time　to　talk。　He　retrieved　his　weapons　from　his　dead　horse；　strapped　them　to　the　enemy's　warhorse；　mounted　up。
　They　raced　through　the　blackened　woods　down　to　the　road；　then　followed　it；　thundering　over　one　burned　hill　after　another　until　they　nearly　reached　some　living　trees；　with　their　promise　of　shelter。
　By　a　burbling　brook　at　the　edge　of　the　woods；　Gaborn　called　a　stop。　Even　a　force　horse　with　runes　of　power　branded　on　its　neck　and　breast　needed　to　catch　its　wind　and　get　a　drink。
　Besides；　in　the　green　grass　at　the　edge　of　the　stream　lay　a　soldier　of　House　Orden。　A　black　noman's　spear　protruded　through　the　soldier's　bloody　neck。　A　gruesome　reminder　that　although　the　small　group　would　soon　enter　the　woods；　they'd　still　be　in　danger。
　True；　Borenson　and　his　men　had　hunted　nomen　all　morning；　had　scattered　this　band。　But　nomen　were　crafty　nocturnal　hunters；　and　usually　fought　in　small　bands。　So　some　bands　would　be　here　in　the　woods；　hiding　under　the　shadows；　hunting。
　Gaborn　dismounted　as　the　horses　drank；　checked　the　soldier's　body。　He　flipped　open　the　man's　visor。
　〃Ah；　poor　Torin；〃　Borenson　grunted。　He'd　been　a　good　soldier；　had　a　fine　talent　with　the　morning　star。
　Torin　wore　the　normal　dress　of　a　Mystarrian　warrior；　black　ring　mail　over　a　sheepskin　jerkin。　A　dark…blue　surcoat　over　the　mail　bore　the　emblem　of　Mystarria；　the　green　knighta　man's　face　with　oak　leaves　in　its　hair　and　beard。　Gaborn　traced　the　outline　of　the　green　knight　on　Torin's　surcoat。
　〃Beautiful　colors；〃　Gaborn　whispered。　〃The　most　beautiful　a　man　could　wear。〃　Gaborn　began　stripping　Torin。　〃This　is　the　second　corpse　I've　had　to　rob　today；〃　Gaborn　grumbled　as　if　displeased　at　the　prospect。
　〃So；　milord；　you'll　bring　a　new　dignity　to　the　profession；〃　Borenson　said；　not　wanting　to　discuss　the　problem　facing　him。　He　eyed　Iome；　saw　terror　in　her　posture。
　She　knew　what　he　had　to　do。　Even　she　knew。
　Yet　Gaborn　seemed　oblivious。　Was　Gaborn　mad？　Or　just　immature？　What　made　him　think　he　could　escape　Raj　Ahten　with　a　woman　and　an　idiot　in　his　charge？　Fine　horses　are　nothing　if　you　can't　ride　themand　obviously　Sylvarresta　could　not　ride。
　〃Where's　my　father？〃　Gaborn　asked；　stripping　the　corpse。　
　〃Can't　you　guess？〃　Borenson　said；　unprepared　for　the　question。　〃Right　now；　I'd　say　he's　fifty　miles　from　Longmont；　hoping　to　reach　it　near　dark。　Raj　Ahten　has　forty　thousand　forcibles　there；　buried　among　the　turnips　behind　Bredsfor　Manor。　You　know　where　the　manor　is？〃　Gaborn　shook　his　head　no。
　〃On　the　road　three　miles　south　of　the　castle；〃　Borenson　said；　〃a　gray　building　with　a　lead　roof　and　two　wings。　We　intercepted　a　message　from　the　Duchess　Laren　that　says　Raj　Ahten　expects　an　army　to　reach　Longmont　within　a　day　or　two。　Your　father　hopes　to　beat　them　to　the　treasure。〃
　〃Raj　Ahten　knows　this？〃　Gaborn　asked；　just　as　he　got　the　ring　mail　untied　from　the　body。　〃That's　why　he's　abandoning　Castle　Sylvarresta？　To　reclaim　the　forcibles？〃
　Gaborn　obviously　thought　this　foolhardy。　He　angrily　unstrapped　the　dead　man's　jerkin。　Borenson　wondered　what　occupied　the　Prince's　mind。　Did　he　not　see　that　Sylvarresta　must　be　slain？　What　was　the　boy　thinking？　〃Your　father　hoped　to　convince　the　Wolf　Lord　that　Longmont　was　conquered　days　ago；〃　Borenson　explained；　〃and　that　he's　been　taking　endowments　day　and　night　ever　since。〃
　〃A　desperate　bluff；〃　Gaborn　said；　inspecting　the　sheepskin　jerkin；　looking　close　to　see　if　it　harbored　fleas　or　lice。　But　if　Torin　had　suffered　from　fleas　in　life；　they'd　all　hopped　away　as　soon　as　the　body　cooled。
　Gaborn　put　on　the　jerkin；　pulled　on　the　ring　mail　and　the　surcoatall　just　a　bit　too　large　for　him。　A　small　shield　lay　by　Torin's　right　handa　target　of　wood；　covered　with　a　thin　layer　of　brass；　then　painted　dark　blue。　The　lower　edge　of　the　shield　was　filed；　so　that　if　one　slashed　with　that　edge；　it　could　slice　a　man's　throat　like　a　knife。　Usually　only　a　man　with　an　endowment　of　metabolism　kept　such　a　small　shield。　Thrust　quickly；　it　doubled　as　a　weapon。　Gaborn　took　the　shield。
　〃What　of　Raj　Ahten？〃　Borenson　asked。　〃I　can　see　that　he　is　on　the　move；　but　will　he　go　to　Longmont？〃
　Gaborn　said；　〃As　Father　hoped；　he'll　march　within　the　hour。〃
　Borenson　nodded。　The　sun　shone　in　his　blue　eyes；　he　smiled。　It　was　not　a　smile　of　relief。　It　was　a　hard　smile；　his　battle　smile。　〃Tell　me；〃　Borenson　half…whispered；　〃where　are　you　taking　them？〃　He　nodded　at　Iome；　her　idiot　father。
　Gaborn　said。　〃Longmont。　I　took　the　best　horses　in　the　King's　stables。　We　can　reach　the　castle　by　nightfall。〃
　Perhaps；　if　your　charges　knew　how　to　ride；　Borenson　wanted　to　say。　Borenson　licked　his　lips；　whispered；　〃It's　a　long　journey；　and　hard。　Perhaps　you'd　best　leave　Sylvarresta　here；　milord。〃　He　spoke　as　if　it　were　a　friendly　suggestion；　tried　to　hide　the　hard　edge　to　his　voice。
　〃After　all　the　trouble　I　went　through　to　get　them　from　Raj　Ahten？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃Don't　play　the　fool　with　me；〃　Borenson　spoke；　voice　rising　in　anger。　His　face　felt　hot；　his　whole　body　coiled。　〃Sylvarresta　has　long　been　our　friend；　but　now　he　serves　the　Wolf　Lord。　How　many　endowments　of　wit　does　Sylvarresta　vector　to　Raj　Ahten？　How　many　endowments　of　glamour　does　the　Princess　vector？〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I'll　not　kill　friends。〃
　Borenson　held　a　moment；　trying　to　contain　the　rage　building　in　him。　Can　even　a　prince　afford　such　generosity？　he　wanted　to　shout。　Yet　he　dared　not　give　that　insult。　He　reasoned　instead。　〃They're　friends　no　longer。　They　serve　Raj　Ahten。〃
　Gaborn　said；　〃They　may　serve　as　vectors；　but　they　chose　to　live；　so　that　by　living；　they　can　serve　their　own　people。〃
　〃By　letting　Raj　Ahten　destroy　Mystarria？　Don't　delude　yourself。　They　serve　your　enemy；　milord。　Your　enemy；　and　your　father's　and　Mystarria'sand　my　enemies！　It　is　a　passive　servicetruebut　they　serve　him　no　less　than　if　they　were　warriors。〃
　Oh；　how　Borenson　sometimes　envied　themthe　Dedicates　who　lived　like　fat　cattle　on　their　lord's　wealth；　pampered。
　Certainly　Gaborn　must　see　that　Borenson　served　his　lord　no　less　fully；　gave　his　all；　night　and　day。　Borenson　sweated　and　bled　and　suffered。　He'd　taken　an　endowment　of　metabolism；　so　that　he　aged　two　years　for　every　other　man's　one。　Though　he　was　but　twenty　years　old　chronologically；　little　older　than　Gaborn；　the　hair　on　his　head　was　falling　out；　and　streaks　of　gray　bled　into　his　beard。　For　him；　life　rushed　past　as　if　he　were　adrift　on　a　boat；　watching　the　shore　forever　slipping　by；　unable　to　grasp　anything；　unable　to　hold　on　to　anything。
　Meanwhile；　people　admired　Dedicates　for　their　〃sacrifice。〃　Borenson's　own　father　had　given　an　endowment　of　metabolism　to　one　of　the　King's　soldiers　before　Borenson　was　born；　and　had　thus　lain　in　an　enchanted　slumber　these　past　twenty　years。　It　seemed　to　Borenson　a　cheat；　the　way　his　father　stayed　young；　the　way　he　suffered　nothing　while　the　man　he　endowed　grew　old　and　faded。　What　did　his　father　sacrifice？
　No；　it　was　men　like　Borenson　who　suffered　most　for　their　lords；　not　some　damned　Dedicate；　afraid　to　live　his　life。
　〃You　must　kill　them；〃　Borenson　urged。
　〃I　cannot；〃　Gaborn　answered。
　〃Then；　by　all　the　awful　Powers；　you'll　make　me　do　it！〃　Borenson　growled。　He　reached　to　pull　his　axe　from　its　sheath；　glanced　toward　King　Sylvarresta。　Iome　had　heard　the　scrape　of　the　axe　handle　against　leather；　jerked　at　the　sound；　staring　at　Borenson。
　〃Hold；〃　Gaborn　said　softly。　〃I　order　you。　They　are　under　my　protection。　My　sworn　protection。〃
　A　gust　of　wind　sent　ash　skittering　across　the　ground。
　〃And　I'm　under　order　to　kill　Raj　Ahten's　Dedicates。〃
　〃I　countermand　that　order；〃　Gaborn　said　firmly。
　〃You　can't！〃　Borenson　said；　tensing。　〃They're　your　father's　orders；　and　yours　cannot　supersede　his！　Your　father　has　given　an　ordera　hard　one　that　no　man　could　envy。　But　I　must　carry　it　out。　I　will　serve　King　Orden；　even　if　you　will　not！〃
　Borenson　did　not　want　to　argue。　He　loved　Gaborn　as　a　brother。　But　Borenson　could　not　see　how　he　could　ever　be　faithful　to　House　Orden　if　the　Prince　and　the　King　did　not　agree　on　this　issue。
　In　the　distance；　toward　Castle　Sylvarresta；　the　high　call　of　Southern　battle　trumpets　soundedRaj　Ahten　marshaling　his　troops。　Borenson's　heart　pounded。　His　men　were　supp