df.therunelords-第23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！


Ahten　seemed　too　much　to　hope。　His　reputation　was　that　terrifying。　〃King　Orden　is　a　pragmatic　man。　Will　he　even　e？　Surely　he　would　not　throw　his　life　away　to　protect　Castle　Sylvarresta？〃
　Gaborn　took　offense　at　her　tone。　〃He　may　be　pragmatic　about　some　things；　but　not　where　friendship　is　concerned。　Besides；　fighting　here　is　the　right　thing　to　do。〃
　Iome　considered。　〃I　see。。。Of　course；　why　should　your　father　fight　at　home；　watch　his　own　people　bleed　and　die；　watch　his　own　castle　walls　crumble；　when　he　could　make　as　good　a　defense　here？〃
　Gaborn　nearly　growled　in　answer；　〃For　twenty　years　my　father　has　traveled　here　for　Hostenfest。　Do　you　know　how　much　envy　that　has　aroused　elsewhere？　He　could　have　celebrated　at　homeor　elsewherebut　he　es　here！　My　father　may　visit　other　kings　for　political　reasons；　but　only　one　does　he　name　'friend。'　〃
　Iome　had　only　a　vague　idea　what　other　kings　thought　of　her　father。　None　of　it　seemed　good。　〃A　softhearted　fool；〃　they　called　him。　As　an　Oath…Bound　Lord；　he'd　sworn　never　to　take　endowments　from　his　own　people　unless　they　were　freely　given。　Her　father　could　have　bought　endowmentsmany　a　man　might　sell　the　use　of　his　eyes　or　voice。　But　Sylvarresta　would　not　lower　himself　to　purchasing　another's　attributes。　Of　course；　her　father　would　never　consider　strong…arming　or　blackmailing　men　for　endowments。　He　was　not　a　Wolf　Lord；　not　Raj　Ahten。
　But　Gaborn's　father　was　another　matter。　Orden　was　a　self…proclaimed　〃pragmatist〃　when　it　came　to　taking　endowmentsa　man　who　took　endowments　freely　offered　but　who；　as　a　younger　man；　had　also　engaged　in　the　dubious　act　of　purchasing　endowments。　He　seemed　to　Iome　to　verge　on　being　more　than　pragmatic。　He　seemed　morally　suspect。　He　was　too　successful　at　winning　the　trust　of　lesser　men；　he　purchased　endowments　far　too　cheaply　and　too　often；　both　for　himself　and　his　troops。　Indeed；　Gaborn's　father　was　said　to　personally　hold　over　a　hundred　endowments。
　Yet；　even　then；　Iome　knew　that　Gaborn's　father；　King　Orden；　was　no　Raj　Ahten。　He'd　never　〃forced　a　peasant's　gift；〃　collecting　some　poor　farmer's　brawn　in　lieu　of　back　taxes。　He'd　never　won　a　maiden's　love　and　then　asked　her　to　give　him　an　endowment　as　well　as　her　heart。
　〃Forgive　me；〃　Iome　said；　〃I　spoke　Orden　an　injustice。　I'm　overwrought。　He　has　been　a　good　friend；　and　a　decent　king　to　his　people。　Yet　I　have　a　nagging　fear　that　your　father　will　use　Heredon　as　a　shield。　And　when　we　buckle　under　Raj　Ahten's　blow；　he　will　toss　us　aside　and　flee　the　battlefield。　That　would　be　the　wise　thing　to　do。〃
　〃Then　you　don't　know　my　father；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃He　is　a　true　friend。〃　He　was　still　hurt；　yet　his　tone　carried　such　liquid　notes　of　sincerity　that　Iome　wondered　briefly　how　many　endowments　of　Voice　Gaborn　owned。　How　many　mutes　do　you　have　in　your　service？　she　almost　asked；　sure　it　must　be　a　dozen。
　〃Your　father　won't　throw　his　life　away　in　our　defense。　Surely　you　know　better。〃
　Gaborn　said　coldly；　〃He'll　do　what　he　must。〃
　〃I　wish　it　were　not　so；〃　Iome　whispered。　Almost　unwillingly　she　glanced　down　into　the　Dedicates'　Keep。　Against　the　far　wall　stood　one　of　her　father's　smelly　idiots；　a　woman　whose　mind　was　so　drained　of　wit　that　she　could　no　longer　control　her　own　bowels；　she　was　being　led　to　the　dining　hall　by　a　blind　man。　Together；　they　weaved　around　an　old　fellow　whose　metabolism　was　so　slowed　that　he　could　only　shuffle　from　one　room　to　another　in　the　course　of　a　dayand　he　was　lucky　to　move　at　all；　for　many　who　were　drained　of　metabolism　would　simply　fall　into　an　enchanted　sleep；　waking　only　when　the　lord　who　held　their　endowment　died。　The　sight　repulsed　her。
　As　Runelords；　Iome　and　her　family　were　heirs　to　great　boons　from　their　subjects；　but　at　a　horrifying　cost。
　〃Your　passion　does　you　credit；　Princess　Sylvarresta；　but　my　father　has　not　earned　your　disrespect。　Little　more　than　his　pragmatism　has　shielded　our　kingdoms　from　Raj　Ahten　this　past　dozen　years。〃
　〃That's　not　entirely　true；〃　Iome　objected。　〃My　father　has　sent　assassins　south　over　the　years。　Many　of　our　most　cunning　warriors　have　given　their　lives。　Others　are　held　captive。　Whatever　time　we've　bought；　we　bought　it　in　part　with　the　lifeblood　of　our　best　men。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Gaborn　said　in　a　flippant　tone　that　hinted　that　he　dismissed　her　father's　efforts。　She　knew　that　Gaborn's　father　had　been　preparing　for　this　war　for　decades；　had　struggled　harder　than　any　other　to　bring　down　Raj　Ahten。　She　also　realized　she'd　been　trying　to　goad　Gaborn　into　arguing；　but　he　didn't　have　his　father's　temper。　Iome　wanted　to　dislike　Gaborn；　to　tell　herself　that　under　no　circumstances　would　she　have　been　able　to　love　him。
　She　felt　tempted　to　look　at　him；　but　dared　not。　What　if　his　face　shone　like　the　sun？　What　if　he　was　handsome　beyond　all　telling？　Would　her　heart　flutter　within　her　ribs　like　a　moth　beating　its　wings　against　a　glass？
　Beyond　the　castle　walls；　it　was　growing　dark。　The　blush　of　firelight　under　the　deep　woods　reminded　Iome　of　glowing　embersred　flame　flickering　under　leaves　of　gold　and　scarlet。　Frowth　giants　moved　at　the　edge　of　the　trees。　In　the　gloaming；　one　could　almost　mistake　them　for　haycockstheir　golden　heads　and　backs　were　that　shaggy。
　〃Forgive　me　for　arguing；〃　Iome　said。　〃I'm　in　a　foul　mood。　You　don't　deserve　harsh　treatment。　I　suppose　that　if　we　want　to　fight；　we　could　always　go　down　to　the　battlefield　and　carve　up　a　few　of　Raj　Ahten's　troops。〃
　〃Surely　you　would　not　go　into　battle？〃　Gaborn　asked。　〃Promise　me　that！　Raj　Ahten's　swordsmen　are　not　moners。〃
　Iome　felt　tempted　to　laugh　at　the　idea　of　going　into　battle。　She　kept　a　small　poniard　strapped　to　her　leg；　under　her　skirt；　as　many　a　proper　lady　did；　and　she　knew　how　to　use　it。　But　she　was　no　swordswoman。　She　decided　to　bait　the　Prince　one　more　time。
　〃Why　not？〃　she　demanded；　only　half　in　jest。　〃Farmers　and　merchants　man　the　castle　walls！　Their　lives　mean　as　much　to　them　as　ours　do　to　us！　They　are　endowed　with　only　the　gifts　their　mothers　gave　them　at　birth。　Meanwhile；　I　have　endowments　of　wit　and　glamour　and　stamina　to　defend　me。　I　may　not　have　a　strong　sword　arm；　but　why　should　I　not　fight？〃
　She　expected　Gaborn　to　warn　her　how　dangerous　the　battle　would　be。　The　Frowth　giants　would　have　muscles　of　iron。　Raj　Ahten's　men　each　had　endowments　of　brawn；　grace；　metabolism；　and　stamina。　Moreover；　they　were　trained　to　war。
　Yet　now　Iome　realized　she　would　not　concede　to　mon　sense；　for　her　argument　was　just。　Her　vassals　valued　their　lives　as　much　as　she　valued　her　own。　She　might　be　able　to　save　one　of　them；　or　two　or　three。　She　would　help　defend　the　castle　walls。　Just　as　her　father　would。
　Yet　Gaborn's　answer　surprised　her：　〃I　don't　want　you　to　fight；　because　it　would　be　a　shame　to　mar　such　beauty。〃
　Iome　laughed；　clear　and　sweet；　like　the　call　of　a　whippoorwill　in　a　glade。　〃I　have　refused　to　look　at　you；〃　she　said；　〃for　fear　my　heart　would　overwhelm　my　mon　sense。　Perhaps　you　should　have　done　the　same。〃
　〃Truly；　you　are　beautiful；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃but　I'm　no　boy　to　be　made　dizzy　by　a　pretty　face。〃　That　use　of　Voice　again；　so　sensible。　〃No；　it　is　your　decency　that　I　find　beautiful。〃
　Then；　perhaps　sensing　the　darkness　about　to　descend；　Gaborn　said；　〃I　must　be　honest；　Princess　Sylvarresta。　There　are　other　princesses　I　could　ally　with；　in　other　kingdoms。　Haversind…by…the…Sea；　or　Internook。〃　He　gave　her　a　moment　to　think。　Both　kingdoms　were　as　large　as　Heredon；　as　wealthy；　and　perhaps　even　more　defensibleunless；　of　course；　you　feared　invasion　from　the　sea。　And　the　beauty　of　Princess　Arrooley　of　Internook　was　legendary；　even　here；　twelve　hundred　miles　away。　〃But　you　intrigued　me。〃
　〃I？　How　so？〃
　Gaborn　said　honestly；　〃A　few　years　ago；　I　had　an　argument　with　my　father。　He'd　arranged　to　purchase　grace　for　me　from　a　young　fisherman。　I　objected。　You've　seen　how　those　who　give　up　grace　often　cling　to　life　tenuously。　The　muscles　of　their　guts　cannot　stretch；　and　so　they　cannot　digest　food。　They　can　seldom　walk。　Even　to　attempt　speech　or　to　close　their　eyes　can　cause　pain。　I've　seen　how　they　waste　away；　until　they　die　after　a　year　or　so。　To　me　it　seems　that　of　all　the　traits　one　might　endow　to　another；　grace　would　be　hardest　to　lose。
　〃So　I　refused　the　endowment；　and　my　father　grew　angry。　I　said　it　was　wrong　to　persist　in　this　'shameful　economy；'　accepting　endowments　from　those　vassals　poor　enough　in　intellect　and　worldly　goods　to　count　themselves　fortunate　to　give　up　the　best　parts　of　themselves　for　our　benefit。
　〃My　father　laughed　and　said；　'You　sound　like　Iome　Sylvarresta。　She　called　me　a　glutton　when　last　I　ate　at　her　tablenot　a　glutton　for　food；　but　a　glutton　who　fed　on　the　misery　of　others！　Hah！　Imagine！'　〃　When　Gaborn　quoted　his　father；　he　sounded　exactly　like　the　King。　He　was　using　his　Voice　again。
　Iome　remembered　that　ment　well。　For　her　impertinence；　her　father　had　administered　a　firm　spanking　in　the　presence　of　King　Orden；　then　locked　her　in　her　room　for　a　day　without　food　or　water。　Iome　had　never　regretted　the　remark。
　Her　face　burned　with　embarrassment。　She'd　often　felt　torn　between　admiration　and　loathing　for　King　Orden。　In　ways；　he　cut　a　heroic　figure。　Mendellas　Draken　Orden　was　powerful；　a　stubborn　king；　and　it　was　rumored　that　he　fought　well　in　battle。　For　two　deca