srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第51节

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disguised　as　cooks。　Half　have　deserted　me；　and　the　rest　will　not　work。　They　swing　knives　and　refuse　to　leave　the　corners　where　they　hide。''
　　　　〃Then　we　must　restore　their　courage。〃　Despite　the　scare　Trell　had　given　him；　Mhoram　found　that　he　could　smile　more　easily。　He　looked　at　the　Lords　and　Hirebrands。　〃Do　you　not　feel　it？〃
　　　　Amatin　nodded　with　tears　in　her　eyes。　Trevor　grinned。
　　　　A　change　was　taking　place　under　their　feet。
　　　　It　was　a　small　change；　almost　subliminal。　Yet　soon　even　the　Hire…brands　could　feel　it。　Without　either　heat　or　light；　it　warmed　and　lit　their　hearts。
　　　　On　a　barely　palpable　level；　the　rock　of　Revelstone　was　remembering　that　it　was　obdurate　granite；　not　susceptible　sandstone。
　　　　Mhoram　knew　that　this　change　could　not　be　felt　everywhere　in　the　Keep…that　all　the　strength　of　the　rhadhamaerl　would　never　suffice　to　throw　back　the　lurid　dread　of　Satansfist's　attack。　But　the　Gravelingases　had　made　a　start。　Now　anyone　who　felt　the　alteration　would　know　that　resistance　was　still　possible。
　　　　He　let　his　panions　taste　the　granite　for　a　moment。　Then　he　began　the　second　part　of　his　defense。　He　asked　Hearthrall　Borillar　for　all　the　healing　wood　essence…the　rillinlure…he　could　provide；　and　sent　the　other　Hirebrands　to　help　the　chief　cook　begin　working　again。　〃Cook　and　do　not　stop；〃　he　manded。　〃The　other　refectories　are　paralyzed。　All　who　seek　food　must　find　it　here。〃
　　　　Borillar　was　doubtful。　〃Our　stores　of　rillinlure　will　be　swiftly　consumed　in　such　quantities　of　food。　None　will　remain　for　the　future　of　this　siege。〃
　　　　〃That　is　as　it　must　be。　Our　error　has　been　to　conserve　and　portion　our　strength　against　future　perils。　If　we　fail　to　endure　this　assault；　we　will　have　no　future。''　When　Borillar　still　hesitated；　Mhoram　went　on：　〃Do　not　fear；　Hearthrall。　Satansfist　himself　must　rest　after　such　an　exertion　of　power。〃
　　　　After　a　moment；　Borillar　recognized　the　wisdom　of　the　High　Lord's　decision。　He　left　to　obey；　and　Mhoram　turned　to　the　other　Lords。　〃My　friends；　to　us　falls　another　task。　We　must　bring　the　people　here　so　that　they　may　eat　and　be　restored。〃
　　　　〃Send　the　Warward；''　said　Loerya。　Her　pain　at　being　away　from　her　daughters　was　plainly　visible　in　her　face。
　　　　〃No。　Fear　will　cause　some　to　resist　with　violence。　We　must　call　them；　make　them　wish　to　e。　We　must　put　aside　our　own　apprehension；　and　send　a　call　like　a　melding　through　the　Keep；　so　that　the　people　will　choose　to　answer。〃
　　　　〃Who　will　defend　Revelstone…while　we　work　here　？''　Trevor　asked。
　　　　〃The　peril　is　here。　We　must　not　waste　our　strength　on　useless　watching。　While　this　attack　continues；　there　will　be　no　other。　e。　Join　your　power　to　mine。　We；　the　Lords；　cannot　permit　the　Keep　to　be　thus　broken　in　spirit。〃
　　　　As　he　spoke；　he　drew　a　fire　bright　and　luminescent　from　his　staff。　Tuning　it　to　the　ambience　of　the　stone；　he　set　it　against　one　wall　so　that　it　ran　through　the　rock　like　courage；　urging　all　the　people　within　its　range　to　lift　up　their　heads　and　e　to　the　refectory。
　　　　At　his　back；　he　felt　Amatin；　Trevor；　then　Loerya　following　his　example。　Their　Lords…fire　joined　his；　their　minds　bent　to　the　same　task。　With　their　help；　he　pushed　dread　away；　shared　his　own　indomitable　conviction；　so　that　the　appeal　which　radiated　from　them　into　Revelstone　carried　no　flaw　or　dross　of　fear。
　　　　Soon　people　began　to　answer。　Hollow…eyed　like　the　victims　of　nightmares；　they　entered　the　refectory…accepted　steaming　trays　from　the　chief　cook　and　the　Hirebrands…sat　at　the　tables　and　began　to　eat。　And　when　they　had　eaten；　they　found　themselves　ushered　to　a　nearby　hall；　where　the　Lorewardens　enjoined　them　to　sing　boldly　in　the　face　of　defeat：
　　　　Berek！　Earthfriend！…help　and　weal；　Battle…aid　against　the　foe！
　　　　Earth　gives　and　answers　Power's　peal；
　　　　Ringing；　Earthfriend！　help　and　heal！　Clean　the　Land　from　bloody　death　and　woe！
　　　　More　and　more　people　came；　drawn　by　the　music；　and　the　Lords；　and　the　reaffirmation　of　Revelstone's　granite。　Supporting　each　other；　carrying　their　children；　dragging　their　friends；　they　fought　their　fear　and　came　because　the　deepest　impulses　of　their　hearts　responded　to　food；　music；　rillinlure；　rock…to　the　Lords　and　the　life　of　Revelstone。
　　　　After　the　first　influx；　the　Lords　took　turns　resting　so　that　fatigue　would　not　make　their　efforts　waver。　When　the　rillinlure　gave　out；　the　Hirebrands　provided　special　fires　for　the　returning　cooks；　and　joined　their　own　lore　to　the　call　of　the　Lords。　Quaan's　warriors　gave　up　all　pretense　of　guarding　the　walls；　and　came　to　help　the　cooks…clearing　tables；　cleaning　pots　and　trays；　carrying　supplies　from　the　storerooms。
　　　　Now　the　city　had　found　a　way　to　resist　the　dread；　and　it　was　determined　to　prevail。　In　all；　less　than　half　of　Revelstone's　people　responded。　But　they　were　enough。　They　kept　Lord's　Keep　alive　when　the　very　air　they　breathed　reeked　of　malice。
　　　　For　four　days　and　four　nights；　High　Lord　Mhoram　did　not　leave　his　post。　He　rested　and　ate　to　sustain　himself；　but　he　stayed　at　his　station　by　the　refectory　wall。　After　a　time；　he　hardly　saw　or　heard　the　people　moving　around　him。　He　concentrated　on　the　stone；　wrought　himself　to　the　pitch　of　Revelstone；　to　the　pulse　of　its　existence　and　the　battle　for　possession　of　its　life　rock。　He　saw　as　clearly　as　if　he　were　standing　on　the　watchtower　that　Satansfist's　livid　power　oozed　close　to　the　outer　walls　and　then　halted…　hung　poised　while　the　Keep　struggled　against　it。　He　heard　the　muffled　groaning　of　the　rock　as　it　fought　to　remember　itself。　He　felt　the　exhaustion　of　the　Gravelingases。　All　these　things　he　took　into　himself；　and　against　the　Despiser's　wrong　he　placed　his　unbreaking　will。
　　　　And　he　won。
　　　　Shortly　before　dawn　on　the　fifth　day；　the　onslaught　broke　like　a　tidal　wave　collapsing　out　to　sea　under　its　own　weight。　For　a　long　stunned　moment；　Mhoram　felt　jubilation　running　through　the　rock　under　his　feet　and　could　not　understand　it。　Around　him；　people　gaped　as　if　the　sudden　release　of　pressure　astounded　them。　Then；　swept　together　by　a　mon　impulse；　he　and　everyone　else　dashed　toward　the　outer　battlements　to　look　at　the　siege。
　　　　The　ground　below　them　steamed　and　quivered　like　wounded　flesh；　but　the　malevolence　which　had　stricken　it　was　gone。　Satansfist's　army　lay　prostrate　from　overexertion　in　its　encampments。　The　Giant…Raver　himself　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　　　　Over　all　its　walls　from　end　to　end；　Revelstone　erupted　in　the　exultation　of　victory。　Weak；　hoarse；　ragged；　starving　voices　cheered；　wept；　shouted　raucous　defiance　as　if　the　siege　had　been　beaten。　Mhoram　found　his　own　vision　blurred　with　relief。　When　he　turned　to　go　back　into　the　Keep；　he　discovered　Loerya　behind　him；　weeping　happily　and　trying　to　hug　all　three　of　her　daughters　at　once。　At　her　side；　Trevor　crowed；　and　tossed　one　of　the　girls　giggling　into　the　air。
　　　　〃Rest　now；　Mhoram；〃　Loerya　said　through　her　joy。　〃Leave　the　Keep　to　us。　We　know　what　must　be　done。〃
　　　　High　Lord　Mhoram　nodded　his　mute　gratitude　and　went　wearily　away　to　his　bed。
　　　　Yet　even　then　he　did　not　relax　until　he　had　felt　the　Warward　resume　its　defensive　stance…felt　search　parties　hunting　through　the　Keep　for　the　most　blighted　survivors　of　the　assault…felt　order　slowly　reform　the　city　like　a　mammoth　being　struggling　out　of　chaos。　Only　then　did　he　let　himself　flow　with　the　slow　pulse　of　the　gut…rock　and　lose　his　burdens　in　sleep…secure　in　the　confidence　of　stone。
　　　　By　the　time　he　awoke　the　next　morning；　Lord's　Keep　had　been　returned　as　much　as　possible　to　battle…readiness。　Warmark　Quaan　brought　a　tray　of　breakfast　to　him　in　his　private　quarters；　and　reported　the　news　of　the　city　to　him　while　he　ate。
　　　　Thanks　to　its　training；　and　to　exceptional　service　by　some　of　the　Hafts　and　Warhafts；　the　Warward　had　survived　essentially　unscathed。　The　Gravelingases　were　exhausted；　but　well。　The　Lorewardens　and　Hirebrands　had　suffered　only　chance　injuries　from　panic…stricken　friends。　But　the　people　who　had　not　answered　the　Lords'　summons　had　not　fared　so　well。　Search　parties　had　found　several　score　dead；　especially　in　ground…level　apartments　near　the　outer　walls。　Most　of　these　people　had　died　of　thirst；　but　some　were　murdered　by　their　fear…mad　friends　and　neighbors。　And　of　the　hundreds　of　other　survivors；　four…　or　fivescore　appeared　irreparably　insane。
　　　　After　the　search　had　ended；　Lord　Loerya　had　taken　to　the　Healers　all　those　who　were　physically　and　mentally　damaged；　as　well　as　those　who　seemed　to　remember　having　mitted　murder。　She　was　assisting　the　Healers　now。　In　other　ways；　Revelstone　was　swiftly　recovering。　The　Keep　was　intact。
　　　　Mhoram　listened　in　silence；　then　waited　for　the　old　Warmark　to　continue。　But　Quaan　fell　studiously　silent；　and　the　High　Lord　was　forced　to　ask；　〃What　of　the　Raver's　army？〃

　　　　Quaan　spat　in　sudden　vehemence。　〃They　have　not　moved。〃
　　　　It　was　true。　Satansfist's　hordes　had　retreated　to　their　encampment　and　fallen　into　stasis　as　if　the　force　which　animated　them　had　been　withdrawn。
　　　　In　the　days　that　followed；　they　remained　essentially　still。　They　moved　enough　to　perform　the　bare　functions　of　their　camp。　They　received　dark　supply　wains　from　the　south　and　east。　From　time　to　time；　an　indefinite　flicker　of　power　ran　among　th