tw.togreenangeltower2-第83节

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　　　　　　　〃This　is　what　your　master　Pryrates　will　never　under…　stand；〃　Elias　continued。　〃Loyalty。　Loyalty　to　a　person；　or　loyalty　to　a　cause。　Do　you　think　he　cares　what　happens　to　you？　Of　course　you　don't…even　a　peasant　lad　like　you　is　not　so　thick。　It　would　be　hard　to　spend　a　moment　in　the　alchemist's　pany　without　knowing　his　only　loyalty　is　to　himself。　And　that　is　where　he　does　not　understand　me。　He　only　serves　me　because　I　have　power：　if　he　could　wield　the　power　himself；　he　would　happily　slit　my　throat。〃　Elias　laughed。　〃Or　he　would　try；　in　any　case。　I　wish　he　would　try。　But　I　have　a　greater　loyalty；　to　my　father　and　to　the　kingdom　he　built；　and　I　would　suffer　any　pain　for　it。〃　His　voice　broke　suddenly；　for　a　moment；　Simon　felt　sure　the　king　would　weep。　〃I　have　suffered。　God　Himself　knows　that　I　have。　Suffered　like　the　damned　souls　roasting　in　Hell。　I　have　not　slept。。。　have　not　slept　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Again　the　king　fell　silent。　Made　wary　by　the　last　such　pause；　Simon　did　not　move；　despite　the　dull　throbbing　of　his　knees　pressed　against　the　hard　stone　floor。
　　　　　　　When　he　spoke　again；　Elias'　voice　had　lost　some　of　its　harshness；　he　sounded　almost　like　an　ordinary　man。　〃Look　you；　boy；　how　many　years　do　you　have？　Fifteen？　Twenty？　If　Hylissa　had　lived；　she　might　have　borne　me　a　son　like　you。　She　was　beautiful　。。。　shy　as　a　young　colt；　but　beautiful。　We　never　had　a　son。　That　was　the　problem；　you　know。　He　might　have　been　your　age　now。　Then　none　of　this　would　have　happened。〃　He　pulled　Simon　closer；　then；　horribly；　he　rested　a　cold　hand　atop　Simon's　head　as　though　performing　some　ritual　blessing。　Sorrow's　double…guarded　hilt　was　only　a　few　inches　away　from　Simon's　arm。　There　was　something　dreadful　about　the　sword；　and　the　idea　that　it　might　touch　his　flesh　made　Simon　want　to　pull　away　screaming；　but　he　was　even　more　terrified　by　what　might　happen　if　he　woke　the　king　from　this　strange　speaking　dream。　He　held　his　arm　rigid；　and　did　not　move　even　as　Elias　began　slowly　to　stroke　his　hair；　though　it　sent　chills　down　his　neck。
　　　　　　　〃A　son。　That　is　what　I　needed。　One　that　I　could　have　raised　as　my　father　raised　me；　a　son　that　could　understand　what　was　needed。　Daughters　。。。〃　He　paused　and　took　several　rasping　breaths。　〃I　had　a　daughter。　Once。　But　a　daughter　is　not　the　same。　You　must　hope　that　the　man　she　marries　will　understand；　will　have　the　right　blood；　for　he　will　be　the　one　who　rules。　And　what　man　who　is　not　his　own　flesh　and　blood　can　a　father　trust　to　inherit　the　world？　Still；　I　would　have　tried。　I　would　have　tried。。。　but　she　would　not　have　it。　Damned；　insolent　child！〃　His　voice　rose。　〃I　gave　her　everything…I　gave　her　life；　curse　her！　But　she　ran　away！　And　everything　fell　to　ashes。　Where　was　my　son？　Where　was　he？〃
　　　　　　　The　king's　hand　tightened　in　Simon's　hair　until　it　seemed　he　must　tear　it　loose　from　the　scalp。　Simon　bit　his　lip　to　keep　silent；　frightened　again　by　the　turn　Elias'　madness　had　taken。　The　voice　from　the　shadows　of　the　chair　was　growing　louder。　〃Where　have　you　been？　I　waited　until　I　could　not　wait　any　longer。　Then　I　had　to　make　my　own　arrangements。　A　king　cannot　wait；　you　see。　Where　were　you？　A　king　cannot　wait。　Otherwise　things　begin　to　fall　apart。　Things　fall　apart；　and　everything　my　father　gave　me　would　be　lost。〃　His　voice　rose　to　a　shout。　〃Lost！〃　Elias　leaned　forward　until　his　face　was　only　a　handbreadth　from　Simon's。　〃Lost！〃　he　hissed；　staring。　His　face　was　glossy　with　sweat。　〃Because　you　did　not　e！〃
A　rabbit　in　the　fox's　jaw；　Simon　waited；　heart　hammering。　When　the　king's　hand　loosened　in　his　hair　he　ducked　his　head；　waiting　for　the　blow　to　fall。
　　　　　　　〃But　Pryrates　came　to　me；〃　Elias　whispered。　〃He　had　failed　me　in　his　first　task；　but　he　came　to　me　with　words；　words　like　smoke。　There　was　a　way　to　make　things　right。〃　He　snorted。　〃I　knew　that　he　only　wanted　power。　Don't　you　see；　that　is　what　a　king　does；　my　son。　He　uses　those　who　seek　to　use　him。　That　is　the　way　of　it。　That　is　what　my　father　taught　me；　so　listen　well。　I　have　used　him　as　he　has　used　me。　But　now　his　little　plan　is　unraveling　and　he　thinks　to　hide　it　from　me。　But　I　have　my　own　ways　of　knowing；　do　you　see？　And　I　need　no　spies；　no　peasant　boys　skulking　about。　Even　did　I　not　hear　the　voices　that　howl　through　the　sleepless　nights；　still　the　king　is　no　fool。　What　is　this　trip　to　Wentmouth；　that　Pryrates　should　go　there　yet　again　even　as　the　red　star　is　rising？　What　is　at　Wentmouth　but　a　hill　and　a　harbor　flame？　What　is　to　be　done　there　that　has　not　been　done　already？　He　says　it　is　part　of　the　great　design；　but　I　do　not　believe　him。　I　do　not　believe　him。〃
　　　　　　　Elias　was　panting　now；　hunched　over　with　his　shoulders　moving　as　though　he　tried　to　swallow　and　could　not。　Simon　leaned　away；　but　his　arm　was　still　firmly　prisoned。　He　thought　that　if　he　flung　himself　backward　as　hard　as　he　could　he　might　break　free；　but　the　idea　of　what　would　happen　if　he　failed…if　he　only　brought　the　king's　attention　back　to　where　he　was　and　what　he　was　doing…was　enough　to　make　him　stay　shivering　on　his　knees　beside　the　chair。　Then　the　king's　next　words　pushed　thought　of　escape　from　his　mind。
　　　　　　　〃I　should　have　known　that　there　was　something　wrong　when　he　told　me　about　the　swords；〃　the　king　grated。　〃I　am　no　fool；　to　be　frightened　with　such　kitchen　tales；　but　that　sword　of　my　father's…it　burned　me！　Like　it　was　cursed。　And　then　I　was　given　。。。　the　other　one。〃　Although　it　hung　at　his　hip　only　a　few　scant　inches　away；　the　king　did　not　look　at　Sorrow；　but　instead　turned　his　haunted　stare　up　toward　the　ceiling。　〃It　has　。。。　changed　me。　Pryrates　says　it　is　for　the　best。　Said　that　I　will　not　gain　what　he　promised　me　unless　the　bargain　is　kept。　But　it　is　inside　me　like　my　own　blood　now；　this　sorcerous　thing。　It　sings　to　me　all　through　the　night　hours。　Even　in　the　daytime　it　is　like　a　demon　crouched　beside　me。　Cursed　blade！〃
　　　　　　　Simon　waited　for　the　king　to　say　more；　but　Elias　had　fallen　into　another　rough…breathing　silence；　his　head　still　tilted　back。　At　last；　when　it　seemed　that　the　king　had　truly　fallen　asleep；　or　had　forgotten　entirely　what　he　had　been　saying；　Simon　nerved　himself　to　speak。
　　　　　　　〃A…and　your　f…f…father's　sword？　Where　is　it？〃
　　　　　　　Elias　lowered　his　gaze。　〃It　is　in　his　grave。〃　His　eyes　held　Simon's　for　a　moment；　then　the　muscles　of　his　jaw　tightened　and　his　teeth　appeared　in　a　mirthless　grin。　〃And　what　is　it　to　you；　spy？　Why　does　Pryrates　wish　to　know　about　that　sword？　I　have　heard　it　spoken　of　in　the　night。　I　have　heard　much。〃　His　hand　reached　up　and　the　fingers　wrapped　around　Simon's　face　like　bands　of　steel。　Elias　coughed　harshly　and　wheezed　for　breath；　but　his　clutch　did　not　loosen。　〃Your　master　would　have　been　proud　of　you　if　you　had　escaped　to　tell　him。　The　sword；　is　it？　The　sword？　Is　that　part　of　his　plan；　to　use　my　father's　sword　against　me？〃　The　king's　face　was　streaming　sweat。　His　eyes　seemed　entirely　black；　holes　into　a　skull　full　of　twittering　darkness。　〃What　does　your　master　plan？〃　He　heaved　in　another　difficult　breath。　〃T…t…tell　me！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　anything！〃　cried　Simon。　〃I　swear！〃
　　　　　　　Elias　was　shaken　by　a　wracking　cough。　He　slid　back　in　the　chair；　letting　go　of　his　prisoner's　face；　Simon　could　feel　the　icy　burn　where　the　fingers　had　been。　The　hand　on　his　wrist　tightened　as　the　king　coughed　again　and　gasped　for　breath。
　　　　　　　〃God　curse　it；〃　Elias　panted；　〃Go　find　my　cupbearer。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　froze　like　a　startled　mouse。　
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　hear　me？〃　The　king〃　let　go　of　Simon's　wrist　and　waved　at　him　angrily。　〃Get　the　monk。　Tell　him　to　bring　my　cup。〃　He　sucked　in　another　draught　of　air。　〃Find　my　cupbearer。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　pushed　himself　back　along　the　stone　until　he　was　out　of　the　king's　reach。　Elias　was　sunken　in　shadow　once　more；　but　his　cold　presence　was　still　strong。　Simon's　arm　throbbed　where　the　king　had　squeezed　it；　but　the　pain　was　as　nothing　next　to　the　heartbreaking　possibility　of　escape。　He　struggled　to　his　feet；　and　doing　so；　knocked　over　a　stack　of　books；　when　they　thumped　to　the　floor　Simon　cringed；　but　Elias　did　not　move。
　　　　　　　〃Get　him；〃　the　king　growled。
　　　　　　　Simon　moved　slowly　toward　the　door；　certain　that　at　any　moment　he　would　hear　the　king　lurch　to　his　feet　behind　him。　He　reached　the　landing；　out　of　sight　of　the　chair；　then；　within　a　moment；　he　was　on　the　stairway。　He　did　not　even　grab　for　his　torch；　though　it　was　within　arm's　reach；　but　hurried　down　the　stairs　in　darkness；　his　feet　as　surefooted　as　if　he　walked　a　meadow　in　sunlight。　He　was　free！　Beyond　all　hope；　he　was　free！　Free！
　　　　　　　On　the　stairs　just　above　the　first　landing　a　small；　dark…haired　woman　stood。　He　had　a　momentary　glimpse　of　her　yellowish　eyes　as　she　stepped　out　of　his　way。　Silent；　she　watched　him　pass。
　　　　　　　He　hit　the　tower's　outside　doors　at　a　rush　and　burst　through　into　the　foggy；　moonlit　Inner　Bailey；　feeling　as　though　he　could　suddenly　sprout　wings　and　mount　up　into　the　clouded　sky。　He　had　only　taken　two　steps　before　the　cat…silent；　black…cloaked　figures　were　upon　him。　They　caught　him　as　firmly　as　the　king　had；　holding　both　his　arms　pinioned。　The　white　faces　stared　at　him　dispassionately。　The　Norns　did　not　seem　at　all　surprised　to　have　captured　an　unfamiliar　mortal　on　the　steps　of　Hjeldin's　Tower。

　　　　　　　As　Rachel　shrank　back　in　alarm；　t