df.therunelords-第68节
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Iome stared at Gaborn in fascination。 She hadn't noticed that her mount had lost a shoe； but now stared down into the water； saw that her mount favored its left front hoof。
〃You have a devious mind； even for an Orden；〃 she told Gaborn。 She meant it as a pliment； but feared it came out sounding like an insult。
He seemed to take no offense。 〃Battles such as ours are seldom won with arms；〃 he said。 〃They're won on a broken hoof or a rider's fall。〃 He looked down at his warhammer； resting across the pommel of his saddle like a rider's crop。 Then added huskily； 〃If our pursuers catch us； I'll turn to fight； try to let you escape。 But I tell you； I don't have either the weapons or the endowments to beat Raj Ahten's men。〃
She understood。 She desperately wanted to change the subject。 〃Where are you heading？〃
〃Heading？〃 he asked。 〃To Boar's Ford； then to Longmont。〃
She studied his eyes； half…hidden beneath his overlarge helm； to see if he lied or was merely mad。 〃Boar's Ford is southeast。 You've been heading northwest most of the past two hours。〃
〃I have？〃 he asked； startled。
〃You have；〃 she said。 〃I thought perhaps you were trying to deceive even Borenson。 Are you afraid to take us to Longmont？ Are you trying to protect me from your father？〃
Iome felt frightened。 She was suspicious of Borenson； had not trusted the way he looked at her。 He'd wanted to kill her； felt it was his duty。 She feared he would attack her Dedicates； though Gaborn did not seem to worry about it。 And when Borenson had said that he needed to watch Raj Ahten's troops； Iome had felt obligated to accept his explanation。 Still； a worm of doubt burrowed in her skull。
〃Protect you from my father？〃 Gaborn asked； sounding only half…surprised at the accusation。 〃No。〃
Iome did not know how to phrase her next question； but she spoke softly。 〃He will want us dead。 He will see it as a necessity。 He'll kill my father； and if he can't kill the woman that serves as my vector to Raj Ahten； he will want to kill me。 Is that why you turn away from the path south？〃
She wondered if he so feared that road south； that without thought； without even knowing； he turned from it。 Certainly； if King Orden felt it necessary to kill Sylvarresta； Gaborn would not dissuade him。 The Prince would not be able to save her。
〃No；〃 he said quite honestly； frowning； perplexed。 Then he sat up straight； said； 〃Do you hear that？〃
Iome listened； held her breath。 She expected to hear the baying of war dogs； or cries of pursuit； but she could hear nothing。 Only wind on the ridge above them； suddenly gusting through yellow birch leaves。
〃I hear nothing；〃 Iome admitted。 〃Your ears must be stronger than mine。〃
〃Nolisten； up there in the trees！ Can you hear it？〃 He pointed to the ridge above them； to the north and west。
The wind suddenly stilled； the leaves quit twisting。 Iome strained to hear somethingthe snap of a twig； the sound of stealthy steps。 But she discerned nothing。
Gaborn suddenly stood up in his stirrups； taller in the saddle； gazing into the trees。
〃What did you hear？〃 Iome whispered。
〃A voice； in the trees；〃 Gaborn said。 〃It whispered。〃
〃What？〃 Iome urged her horse forward； studying the copse he spoke of； trying to see it from a different angle。 But she could see nothingonly the white bark of trees； the green and golden leaves fluttering； and the shadows deeper within the grove。 〃What did it say？〃
〃I've heard it three times today。 At first I thought it called my name； but this time I heard it clearly。 It called 'Erden； Erden Geboren。' 〃
A chill ran down Iome's back。
〃We're too far west；〃 she hissed。 〃There are wights here。 They're speaking to you。 We should go south； now； before it gets dark。〃 Darkness would not e for another three hours； but they had e too close to the Westwood。
〃No！〃 Gaborn said； and he turned to Iome。 He had a faraway look in his eyes； as one half…asleep。 〃If it is a spirit； it wishes us no harm！〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 Iome whispered fiercely； 〃but it is not worth the risk！〃 She feared the wights； her father's assurances aside。
Gaborn gazed back at Iome； as if for a moment he'd forgotten she stood there。 On the hill； the birch leaves shivered again。 Iome looked toward the grove。 The skies were drizzling； a slight gray rain that fell evenly； making it hard to see deeply into the grove。
〃There； it es again！〃 Gaborn shouted。 〃Do you not hear it？〃
〃I hear nothing；〃 Iome admitted。
Gaborn's eyes suddenly blazed。 〃I see it！ I see now！〃 he whispered urgently。 〃 'Erden Geboren'that is the old tongue for 'Earthborn。' The woods are angry with Raj Ahten。 He has abused them。 But I am Earthborn。 They wish to protect me。〃
〃How do you know？〃 Iome asked。 By claiming to be Earthborn； Gaborn was perhaps saying more than he knew。 Erden Geboren was the last great king of Rofehavan when it had all been one nation。 He had gifted these woods to his warden； Heredon Sylvarresta； after his brilliant service in the great wars against the reavers and the wizards of Toth。 In time Iome's own forefathers had bee called kingsand they were kings in their own right； but lesser kings than those who came from the loins of Geboren。 Over the sixteen centuries since those days； Geboren's blood had spread widely among the nobility of Rofehavan； until it would be difficult to say who was most closely linked to the last great king。
But with the union of the houses of Val and Orden； Gaborn could certainly contend for that honorif he dared。 By calling himself 〃Earth…born；〃 was Gaborn suddenly claiming these woods； this kingdom； as his own？
〃I am certain；〃 Gaborn answered。 〃These spiritsif spirits they bewish us no harm。〃
〃No； that's not what I want to know；〃 Iome said。 〃How can you be certain you are Earthborn？〃
〃Binnesman named me that；〃 Gaborn said easily； 〃in his garden。 Earth asked me to swear an oath to protect it； and then Binnesman sprinkled me with soil and pronounced me Earthborn。〃
Iome's jaw dropped。 She'd known Binnesman all her life。 The old herbalist had once told her that the Earth Wardens used to grant blessings upon new kings； anointing them with the dust of the earth they were sworn to protect。 But this ceremony had not been performed for hundreds of years。 According to Binnesman； Earth had 〃withdrawn such blessing〃 from current rulers。
She recalled now Binnesman's words in her father's keep； as Raj Ahten questioned the old wizard。 〃The new King of the Earth is ing。〃 She'd thought Binnesman spoke of King Orden； for he'd been the one to enter her father's realm on the day the stones spoke。 Now she saw that it was not the old king whom Earth proclaimed： it was Gaborn； who would bee king。。。
Yet Raj Ahten believed Mendellas Orden was the king his pyromancers envisioned in the flames。 Mendellas Orden was the king he feared； the one he rode to Longmont to destroy。
Suddenly Iome felt so faint that she needed to dismount before she fell from her horse； for she had a premonition； a fear Mendellas Orden would meet Raj Ahten at Longmont； and that no power on earth could save King Orden in that battle。
She slid from her saddle； stood a moment in the stream； letting cold water wash her ankles。 She tried to think。 She feared going to Longmont； for she knew that King Orden would want her dead。 Yet she feared not going； for if Binnesman was right； then the only way Orden might be saved was if Gaborn was there to save him。
By going to Longmont； she might well trade her life； and her father's； for King Orden'sa man whom she'd always disliked。 Yet even if she did not like the man； did not trust him； she couldn't let him die。
Nor could she sacrifice her own father for Orden's sake。
Her father sat now on his horse； staring dumbly into the stream； oblivious of all that was said around him。 Raindrops spattered him； and he glanced this way and that； trying to discern what had hit him。 Hopeless。 Hopelessly lost to her。
Gaborn gazed down at Iome； as if worried at her health； and she realized he was oblivious of her dilemma。 Gaborn hailed from Mystarria； from a kingdom near the ocean； where water wizards congregated。 He had no knowledge of the lore of Earth Wardens。 He had no idea that he'd been anointed to be King of the Earth。 He had no idea that Raj Ahten feared him； would kill him； if only Raj Ahten knew Gaborn's identity。
Wind gusted on the hill again； Gaborn listened as if to a distant voice。 A few minutes ago； she'd wondered if Gaborn was mad。 Now she realized that something marvelous was happening。 The trees spoke to him； called him； for purposes neither he nor she understood。
〃What should we do now； milord！。〃 Iome asked。 She had never called any man but her father by that title； never submitted to another king。 If Gaborn recognized the sudden shift in their relationship； he did not signal it。
〃We should go west；〃 he whispered。 〃Toward the heart of the woods。 Deeper。〃
〃Not south？〃 Iome asked。 〃Your father could be in dangermore danger than he knows。 We might help him。〃
Gaborn smiled at her words。 〃You worry for my father？〃 he said。 〃I love you for that； Princess Sylvarresta。〃 Though he said the words lightly； she could not mistake the tone of his voice。 He indeed felt grateful； and he loved her。
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