ggk.asongforarbonne-第107节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　Ranald　actually　made　it。　Landed；　almost　neatly；　behind　Ademar；　swinging　a　leg　across　the　horse's　rump。　He　was　already　grappling　at　his　waist　for　the　knife　that　would　kill　the　king　when　the　crossbow　dart　caught　him　above　the　collarbone　and　buried　itself　in　his　throat。
　　The　half…drawn　dagger　fell　from　splayed　ringers　and　a　moment　later　Ranald　de　Garsenc　slid　slowly　to　the　ground　to　lie　beside　it　in　the　winter　grass。　Blood　was　pulsing　from　his　neck；　bright　red　in　the　sunlight。
　　Above　him；　controlling　his　horse　with　an　effort；　Ademar　of　Gorhaut　looked　down　upon　him；　and　then　at　the　man　who　had　fired　that　small；　hidden　crossbow。
　　〃You　interfered　in　a　challenge；〃　said　the　king　of　Gorhaut。　His　voice　was　thin；　disbelieving。　He　was　visibly　shaken。
　　〃Would　you　prefer　to　be　dead　right　now？〃　asked　Galbert　de　Garsenc；　High　Elder　of　Gorhaut。　He　didn't　even　look　at　the　body　of　his　son。　Ademar　made　no　reply。　There　was　no　growing　tumult　now　to　the　north　of　them。
　　〃Watch　him；〃　Blaise　said　to　no　one　in　particular；　and　slid　from　his　horse。　Ignoring　Ademar　pletely；　he　knelt　beside　his　brother。　He　heard　footsteps　behind　him　but　did　not　turn。　Ranald's　eyes　were　closed；　he　was　still　alive；　but　only　just。　With　all　the　care　in　the　world　Blaise　shifted　him　a　little；　so　he　could　lay　his　brother's　head　in　his　lap。　Blood　from　the　wound　had　already　soaked　the　ground；　now　it　began　to　seep　into　his　clothing。
　　From　above　and　behind　he　heard　his　father　say　to　the　king　of　Gorhaut；　〃I　have　not　e　this　close　to　be　balked　by　a　drunkard's　folly　or　your　own　carelessness。〃
　　Ranald　opened　his　eyes　then；　and　Blaise　saw　that　his　brother　was　aware　of　him。　A　faint；　genuine　smile；　crossed　Ranald's　face。
　　〃It　would　have　worked；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　only　tried　it　as　a　jest。〃
　　〃Spare　your　strength；〃　Blaise　murmured。
　　Ranald　shook　his　head　slightly。　〃No　point；〃　he　managed　to　say。　〃I　can　feel　poison。　There　is　syvaren　on　the　dart。〃
　　Of　course。　Of　course　there　was。　This　time　it　was　Blaise　who　closed　his　eyes；　feeling　grief　and　a　terrible；　ancient　rage　threatening　to　overwhelm　him。　He　fought　desperately　for　control；　and　when　he　opened　his　eyes　again　saw　that　Ranald's　gaze　had　moved　away　now；　to　someone　beyond　Blaise。
　　〃I　have　no　right　to　ask　for　anything；〃　he　heard　his　brother　whisper。　Blaise　looked　over　his　shoulder　then　and　saw　Rosala　standing　there；　tall　and　grave。
　　〃I　know　you　do　not；〃　she　agreed　quietly；　adhering；　even　at　the　last；　to　her　own　inner　laws。　〃But　I　have　the　right　to　grant　what　I　wish。〃　She　hesitated；　and　Blaise　thought　she　would　kneel　but　she　did　not。　She　said；　very　calmly；　〃It　was　bravely　done　at　the　end；　Ranald。〃
　　There　was　a　silence。　Far　off；　Blaise　heard　noises　that　sounded　like　men　fighting。　He　ought　to　turn；　he　knew；　this　mattered　so　much；　but　he　could　not。
　　Ranald　said；　〃Guard　him　if　you　can。　Cadar；　I　mean。〃　And　then；　so　softly　it　was　difficult　to　hear；　〃It　is　a　fine　name。〃　It　was　in　that　moment　that　Blaise　thought　he　felt　his　heart　beginning　to　break；　hearing　the　unspoken　thing；　the　lost　lifetime　of　sorrow　beneath　those　words。
　　And　Rosala　seemed　to　hear　it　too；　for　she　did　kneel　then；　neatly；　in　the　blood…soaked　grass　beside　her　husband。　She　did　not　reach　out　to　touch　him；　but　Blaise　heard　her　say；　in　that　same　grave；　calm　voice；　〃Cadar　Ranald　de　Garsenc　now。　You　have　earned　as　much。　If　it　pleases　you；　my　lord。〃
　　Through　a　blurring　of　tears　Blaise　saw　his　older　brother　smile　then　for　the　last　time　and　heard　him　say；　no　more　than　a　breath　now；　〃It　pleases　me；　my　lady。〃
　　He　seemed　to　be　gripping　both　of　Ranald's　hands…he　couldn't　actually　remember　taking　them…and　he　was　almost　certain　he　felt　a　pressure　then；　the　strong　fingers　squeezing　his　for　a　moment；　before　they　went　slack。
　　Blaise　looked　down　at　his　dead　brother；　feeling　the　cold　wind　passing　over　the　two　of　them。　He　slipped　one　hand　free　after　a　time　and　closed　Ranald's　eyes。　He　had　seen　a　great　many　dead　men。　Sometimes　their　faces　seemed　to　bee　calm　and　peaceful　when　life　passed　out　of　them　and　they　began　their　second　journey　to　the　god。　Ranald　looked　as　he　always　had；　though；　perhaps　when　it　was　someone　you　knew　well　the　forting　illusions　of　grace　were　harder　to　find。
　　He　hadn't　actually　said　farewell；　he　realized。　He　hadn't　said　anything。　Spare　your　strength；　had　been　his　only　words。　Fatuous；　really；　to　a　man　with　a　dart　in　his　neck　and　syvaren　running　cold　through　him。　Perhaps　the　touching；　their　hands　holding　each　other；　perhaps　that　would　have　been　enough。　It　would　have　to　be；　there　was　never　going　to　be　more。
　　He　made　himself　look　up。　Ademar；　still　visibly　shaken　by　what　had　happened；　was　on　his　horse　above　them。　Blaise　said　nothing　to　him　at　all。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　that　his　father　was　still　holding　the　tiny；　lethal　crossbow　he　had　brought　hidden　to　this　place。　The　ancient　rules　of　such　things；　the　rituals　and　laws　of　parleys　or　challenges；　would　mean　nothing　to　Galbert。　Blaise　had　always　known　that。　Ademar　hadn't；　it　seemed。
　　The　king　of　Gorhaut　would　be　wondering　how　he　was　going　to　hold　up　his　head　among　the　nations　now…even　before　his　own　people…after　being　so　shamefully　rescued　in　the　midst　of　a　formal　challenge。　It　would　probably　make　sense　to　taunt　him；　to　unsettle　him　further；　but　Blaise　had　no　heart　for　that　at　all。　In　fact；　at　another　time；　another　place　in　the　world；　he　might　even　have　been　able　to　feel　sorry　for　Ademar；　who　would　only　now　perhaps　be　discovering　the　degree　to　which　even　he　was　simply　another　instrument　of　Galbert　de　Garsenc's　designs。
　　He　seemed　to　be　looking　down　at　his　brother　again；　as　if　trying　to　memorize　Ranald's　features；　so　like　and　yet　unlike　his　own。　〃You　had　best　get　up；〃　he　heard　Rosala　say；　as　if　from　a　distance。　She　herself　had　risen　again。　He　looked　up　at　her。　She　had　never　appeared　to　him　to　so　much　resemble　one　of　the　spear…maidens　of　Corannos；　straight…backed　and　proud；　a　figure　from　a　chapel　frieze；　her　face　seeming　as　if　sculptured　in　stone。　Her　level　gaze　met　his。　〃He　died　as　a　man　with　mourning；〃　said　Rosala　de　Savaric　de　Garsenc；　〃but　it　seems　that　this　battle　has　begun。〃
　　It　seemed　that　it　had。
　　He　slipped　his　hands　under　Ranald's　head　and　lifted　it　so　he　could　slide　himself　free；　then　he　laid　his　brother　down　again　on　the　grass。　Rising；　he　looked　at　Ademar　and　said　formally；　over　the　growing　clamour　to　the　north；　〃As　his　brother　I　lay　claim　to　this　body。　Do　you　challenge　me　for　it？〃
　　Ademar　shook　his　head。　〃Believe　me；　I　do　not　want　it。〃
　　Blaise　nodded。　〃Very　well。〃　He　felt　very　calm　now；　almost　eerily　so。　A　kind　of　numbness　was　setting　in。　〃I　will　look　for　you　at　sunset　if　we　are　both　alive。〃
　　Ademar's　eyes　flicked　over　to　where　Ranald　lay　but　then　came　back　to　meet　Blaise's。　He　had　never　been　a　coward；　whatever　else　might　be　said　of　him。　〃I　shall　not　be　hard　to　find；〃　he　said；　and　wheeled　his　horse　north　towards　the　battlefield。
　　Only　then　did　Blaise　turn　to　his　father。
　　Galbert；　watching　the　others　leave；　seemed　to　have　been　waiting　for　him。　The　large；　smooth　features　were　a　little　flushed　perhaps；　but　otherwise　unruffled。　Blaise　said；　choosing　his　words　with　care；　〃I　will　not　be　the　man　that　kills　you；　for　I　would　not　want　a　father…slaying　marked　against　my　soul；　but　there　is　a　journey　to　the　god　that　awaits　you；　whether　it　es　today　or　soon　or　late　and　Corannos　will　know　how　to　judge　you　for　this　deed。〃　He　paused。　〃And　so　will　Rian；　for　a　parley　and　a　challenge　breached；　for　a　son's　murder　here。〃
　　Galbert　gave　a　bark　of　laughter　and　opened　his　mouth　to　reply。
　　〃Be　gone　from　this　place；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair　before　the　High　Elder　could　speak。　〃I　have　never　slain　a　man　in　the　presence　of　heralds　in　my　life；　but　I　could　do　so　now。〃
　　〃What？〃　said　Galbert　mockingly。　〃And　face　the　same　judgment　as　me？〃　And　saying　so　he　turned　his　horse　and　began　riding　away。　The　nearest　panies　of　the　armies　were　now　engaging　each　other；　banners　whipped　by　the　wind；　in　that　valley　north　of　Talair。
　　Blaise　looked　over　his　dead　brother　on　the　ground；　and　then　back　to　his　father　riding　north；　a　huge；　bulky　man；　yet　easy　and　even　graceful　in　the　saddle。　There　was　something　deeply　unreal　about　the　two　images　for　him；　as　if　his　mind　were　somehow　refusing　to　accept　this　conjunction。　But　there　were　men　battling　now　and　he　reached　out　towards　that　single　hard　truth；　the　urgency　of　it；　as　a　pathway　out　of　the　numbness　that　seemed　to　be　trying　to　claim　him。
　　He　heard　a　grating　sound　behind　him　and　turned　to　see　two　boats　being　pulled　up　on　the　stony　strand。　The　women　began　boarding　them。　In　one　of　the　boats　he　recognized；　without　surprise；　the　tall；　slender　young　priestess　he　had　met　beside　this　lake　when　he　first　came　here。　There　had　been　dead　men　on　the　ground　then；　too；　he　remembered。　She　looked　at　him；　but　only　briefly　and　without　expression；　then　she　reached　out　a　hand　to　the　countess　and　helped　her　into　the　boat。
　　The　other　women　were　quickly　on　board　and　the　boats　were　pushed　back　out　into　the　choppy　water。　Sails　were　run　up　that　the　north　wind　might　take　them　away。　As　he　watched；　hesitating　beside　that　stony　strand；　Blaise　saw　Ariane　turn　back　to　look　for　him；　her　dark　hair　blown　out　behind　her　by　the　wind。　Their　gla