fs.thethirdbookofswords-第29节

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hope　they　can　…　then　my　army　will　at　best　melt　away。　At　worst　it'll　join　Vilkata　and　augment　his　strength；　which　is　already　greater　than　yours　and　mine　bined。
　〃You；　of　course；　will　applaud　my　fall　and　my　destruction　…　but　not　for　very　long。〃
　The　Knight；　his　aspect　one　of　unaltered　grimness；　nodded。　〃So；　Queen　of　Yambu；　what　do　you　propose？〃
　〃No　more　than　what　you　must　have　already　guessed；　Sir　Andrew。　An　alliance；　of　course；　between　us　two。〃　Yambu　turned　her　head　slightly；　her　noble　bearing　at　the　moment　could　almost　turn　the　fallen　log　into　a　throne。　〃Tell　him；　good　Dame；　if　you　love　him　…　an　alliance　with　me　now　represents　his　only　chance。〃
　Neither　Sir　Andrew　nor　his　enchantress　gave　an　immediate　answer。　But　the　Knight　looked　so　black　that；　had　he　spoken；　Denis　thought　the　conference　would　have　ended　on　the　instant。
　Dame　Voldi　asked　the　Queen；　〃Suppose　we　should　join　forces　against　Vilkata　…　what　then？　How　do　you　propose　to　fight　the　Mindsword；　with　our　help　or　without　it？〃
　It　was　the　Baron　who　replied。　〃To　begin　with；　we　mean　to　avoid　battle　with　Vilkata's　troops　unless　we're　sure　he's　not　on　the　scene　himself　…　he'll　never　turn　the　Mindsword　over　to　a　subordinate；　you　may　be　sure　of　that。　Your　people　and　ours　will　exchange　intelligence　regarding　the　Dark　King's　movements。　Yes；　it'll　still　be　damned　difficult　even　if　we're　allied；　but　if　we're　still　fighting　each　other　at　the　same　time；　it's　going　to　be　impossible。〃
　Yoldi　had　another　question。　〃Supposing　for　a　moment　that　such　an　alliance　could　be　made　to　work；　even　temporarily　…　what　do　you　intend　doing　with　the　Mindsword；　after　the　Dark　King　has　somehow　been　defeated？〃
　Yambu　smiled　with　what　looked　like　genuine　amusement。　It　made　her　face　more　attractive　than　before。　〃Why；　I　would　leave　that　up　to　you。〃
　〃You'd　turn　the　Mindsword　over　to　us？〃　Yoldi　asked　the　question　blankly。
　The　Queen　paused　very　briefly。　〃Why　not？　I　can　agree　to　that；　because　I　think　that　your　good　Knight　there　is　one　of　the　few　men　in　the　world　who'd　never　use　it。〃
　〃And　what　of　my　people　who　are　now　your　slaves；　my　lands　that　you　have　seized？〃　This　was　from　Sir　Andrew。　He　had　now　mastered　his　obvious　anger；　and　was　almost　calm；　as　if　he　were　only　discussing　some　theoretical　possibility。
　〃Why；　those　are　yours　again；　of　course；　as　soon　as　you　and　I　can　reach　agreement。　As　soon　after　that　as　I　rejoin　my　own　people；　I'll　send　word　by　flying　beasts　to　all　my　garrison　manders　there；　to　begin　an　evacuation　at　once。〃
　〃And　in　return　for　that；　what　do　you　want　of　me？〃
　〃First；　of　course；　immediate　cessation　of　hostilities　against　my　forces；　everywhere。　And　then　your　full　support　against　the　Dark　King；　until　he　is　brought　down。　Or　until　he　crushes　both　of　us。〃　The　Queen　paused；　giving　an　almost　friendly　look　to　Sir　Andrew　and　his　surrounding　bodyguard。　She　added：　〃You　really　have　no　choice；　you　know。〃
　There　was　a　long　pause；　during　which　Sir　Andrew　studied　the　Queen　even　more　carefully　than　before。　At　last　he　said；　〃Tell　me　something。〃
　〃If　I　can。〃
　〃Did　you　in　fact　sell　your　own　daughter　into　Red　Temple　slavery？〃
　Denis　saw　a　shadow；　he　thought　of　something　more　plex　than　simple　anger；　cross　the　Queen's　face。　Her　voice　when　she　replied　was　much　less　hearty。　〃Ah；〃　she　said。　〃Ah；　and　if　I　tell　you　the　truth　of　that；　will　you　believe　me？〃
　〃Why　not？　Apparently　you　expect　us　to　believe　your　proposal　to　give　us　the　Mindsword　…　perhaps　at　this　moment　you　even　believe　that　yourself。　Still；　I　would　like　to　hear　whatever　you　wish　to　say　about　your　daughter。〃
　This　time　the　pause　was　short。　Then；　with　a　sudden　movement；　the　Silver　Queen　got　up　from　her　seat　on　the　dead　tree。
　〃Amintor　and　I　will　walk　apart　a　little　now；　while　you　discuss　my　offer。　Naturally　you　will　want　to　talk　to　your　close　advisers　before　giving　me　an　answer。　I　trust　they　are　all　here。　Unfortunately　…　or　perhaps　fortunately　…　there　isn't　time　for　diplomacy　as　usually　conducted。　But　I'll　wait；　while　you　have　your　discussion。〃
　And　the　two　visitors　from　Yambu　did　indeed　walk　apart；　Baron　Amintor　apparently　pointing　out　some　curiosities　of　the　swamp　flora　to　the　Queen；　as　if　neither　of　them　had　anything　more　important　than　wild　plants　on　mind。
　Sir　Andrew　and　several　others　were　huddled　together；　and　Denis　could　imagine　what　they　were　saying：　About　Vilkata　and　the　Mindsword；　it　must　be　true；　for　now　we've　heard　it　twice。　But　an　alliance？　With　Yambu？
　But；　thought　Denis；　the　Queen　was　right。　He　has　no　real　choice　but　to　accept。
　Chapter　9
　Kristin；　crowned　only　hours　ago　in　hurried　but　joyful　ceremony　as　Princess　Regnant　of　the　Lands　of　Tasavalta；　was　alone　in　one　of　the　royal　palace's　smaller　semipublic　rooms；　sitting　on　one　of　her　smaller　thrones。　She　had　chosen　to　sit　on　this　throne　at　this　moment　because　she　was　tired　…　exhausted　might　have　been　putting　it　mildly　…　and　the　throne　was　the　most　convenient　place　in　the　room　to　sit。　There　were　no　other　chairs。　She　could　willingly　have　opted　for　the　floor；　but　the　fit　of　her　coronation　gown；　which　had　been　her　sister's；　and　today　had　been　pressed　into　service　hurriedly；　argued　against　that。
　She　was　waiting　for　her　lover　Mark　to　be　brought　to　her。　There　were　certain　things　that　had　to　be　said　to　him；　and　only　she　could　say　them；　and　only　when　the　two　of　them　were　alone。　And　her　impending　collapse　into　exhaustion　had　to　be　postponed　until　after　they　had　been　said。
　The　room　was　quiet　now；　except　for　the　distant　continuing　sounds　of　celebration　from　outside。　But　if　Kristin　thought　about　it；　she　could　remember　other　days　in　this　room。　Bright　days　of　loud　voices　and　free　laughter；　in　the　time　when　her　older　sister　had　been　alive　and　ruling　Tasavalta。　And　days　from　an　earlier　time　still；　when　Kristin　had　been　only　a　small　girl；　and　there　were　two　girls　in　this　room　with　their　father；　a　living　King；　who　joked　with　them　about　this　throne　。。。
　Across　the　room　in　present　time　a　small　door　was　opening；　quietly　and　discreetly。　Her　Uncle　Karel；　master　of　magic　and　teacher　of　magicians；　looked　in；　saw　she　was　alone；　and　gave　her　an　almost　imperceptible　nod　of　approval。　Karel　was　enormously　fat　and　somewhat　jolly　in　appearance；　red　cheeks　glowing　as　usual　above　gray　whiskers；　as　if　he　had　just　e　in　from　an　invigorating　winter　walk。　As　far　as　Kristin　could　tell　he　had　not　changed　in　the　slightest　from　those　bright　days　of　her　own　girlhood。　Today　of　course　he　was　decked　out；　like　herself；　in　full　ceremonial　garb；　including　a　blue…green　garland　on　his　brow。
　He　reached　behind　him　now　to　pull　someone　forward。　It　was　Mark；　dressed　now　in　strange　borrowed　finery；　that　he　thrust　gently　into　the　room　where　Kristin　waited。
　Karel　said　to　her；　in　a　voice　that　somewhat　belied　his　jolly　face；　〃Highness；　it　will　look　bad　for　you　to　be　alone　for　very　long　with　this。。。〃
　She　stood　up；　snapped　to　her　feet　as　if　brought　there　by　a　spring；　weary　muscles　energized　by　outrage；　by　the　tension　of　all　that　had　happened　to　her　today。　〃Uncle　Karel；　I　have　been　alone　with　him　for　a　month　already。　Thank　the　gods！　For　before　that　I　was　alone　with　Vilkata's　torturers；　and　you　were　not　there　to　bring　me　out。〃
　That　was　unfair　and　Kristin　knew　it；　her　voice　softened　a　little。　〃There　are　important　matters　that　I　must　convey　to　this　man。　Before　I　dispatch　him　on　a　mission　that　will　take　him　out　of　Tasavalta。〃
　Her　uncle　had　winced　at　the　jab　about　Vilkata's　torturers；　but　his　relief　at　her　last　words　was　evident。　He　bowed　himself　out　silently；　closing　the　door　behind　him。
　Mark　heard　the　same　words　from　Kristin　with　muted　shock；　but　no　real　surprise。　It　was　hours　now　since　he　had　opened　his　mouth　to　say　a　word　of　his　own　to　anyone。　Many　had　spoken　to　him；　but　for　the　most　part　only　to　give　him　directions：　Bathe　here；　wait　there；　put　this　on　and　see　if　it　fits。　Here　is　food；　here　is　drink；　here　is　a　razor。　Stand　here；　wait。　Now　e　this　way。　He　had　been　fed；　cleaned　up；　draped　with　robes　and　what　he　supposed　were　honors；　then　shunted　aside　and　left　to　watch　from　an　inconspicuous　place　during　the　coronation　ceremony。
　Now　he　marveled　to　himself：　it　was　less　than　a　day　ago　…　hardly　more　than　half　a　day　…　that　this　girl　and　I　were　riding　alone　as　lovers；　on　the　edge　of　the　wilderness；　both　of　us　still　in　rags。　I　could　have　stopped　my　mount　then；　and　stopped　hers　…　yes；　even　in　sight　of　that　first　flagpole　bearing　blue　and　green　…　and　got　down　from　my　saddle；　and　pulled　her　down　from　hers；　and　lain　with　her　on　the　ground　in　our　rags；　or　out　of　them；　and　she　would　have　loved　it；　weled　it。　And　now。。。
　This　audience　chamber；　in　which　Mark　now　found　himself　alone　with　Kristin；　was；　like　the　rest　of　the　palace　…　like　the　whole　domain　of　Tasavalta；　perhaps　…　a　larger　and　somehow　more　important　place　than　it　had　appeared　at　first　impression。　It　was　a　sunlit；　cheerful　room；　beautiful　in　a　high　vertical　way。　The　air　moving　in　through　the　open　windows　smelled　of　flowers；　of　perpetual　spring；　drifting　in　with　the　scents　of　spring　came　the　music　of　the　dance　that　was　still　going　on　far　below　the　windows；　part　of　the　coronation　celebration。　The　dance　and　the　music；　like　the　rest　of　the　day；　had　bee　to　Mark　something　like　a　show　to　which　he　need　only　listen；　and　watch。　As　if　none　of　it　had　anything；