df.therunelords-第85节

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n　a　small　breeze；　rustling；　and　Borenson　called　for　long　minutes；　〃O　wizard　of　the　water；　lover　of　the　sea；　O　wizard　of　the　water；　hear　my　plea。〃
　But　the　surface　of　the　pool　remained　unperturbed；　and　he　saw　nothing　in　the　shining　pool　but　water　striders　that　skated　over　its　flat　surface　and　a　few　brown　newts　that　floated　beneath；　watching　him　from　golden　eyes。
　In　despair；　he　began　to　wonder　if　the　wizard　had　died　long　ago；　and　people　still　sweetened　the　pools　in　hopes　that　someday　another　might　e。　Or　if　this　was　a　haunted　place；　and　the　local　girls　threw　roses　in　the　water　to　placate　someone　who　had　drowned。
　After　long　minutes　of　sitting　on　the　willow　root；　and　calling　with　no　results；　Borenson　closed　his　eyes；　just　smelling　the　sweet　water；　thinking　of　home；　of　Mystarria；　of　the　peaceful　healing　waters　in　the　pools　of　Derra　where　madmen　might　go　to　bathe；　and　have　their　troubling　thoughts　and　memories　washed　from　them。
　As　he　lay　thinking　of　that　place；　he　realized　that　a　cold　root　was　brushing　his　ankle；　and　thought　to　move　his　foot；　when　suddenly　the　root　wrapped　round　his　foot；　squeezed　tenderly。
　He　looked　down。　At　the　water's　edge；　just　beneath　the　waves；　was　a　girl　of　ten；　skin　as　pale　blue　and　flawless　as　ceramics；　hair　of　silver。　She　stared　up　at　him　from　beneath　the　water　with　eyes　as　wide　and　green　as　all　the　seas；　and　her　eyes　were　unblinking；　pletely　motionless。　Only　the　crimson　gill　slits　at　her　throat　pulsed　slightly　as　she　breathed。
　She　withdrew　her　hand　from　his　foot；　instead　reached　underwater　and　grasped　at　the　willow　roots。
　An　undine。　Too　young　to　be　of　great　power。
　〃I　brought　you　a　pear；　sweet　one；　if　you　will　have　it；〃　Borenson　said。
　The　undine　did　not　answer；　only　stared　up　at　him　and　through　him　with　soulless　eyes。
　I　killed　girls　your　age　last　night；　Borenson　wanted　to　tell　her；　wanted　to　cry。
　I　know；　her　eyes　said。
　I　will　never　have　peace；　Borenson　whispered　wordlessly。
　I　could　give　you　peace；　the　undine's　eyes　said。
　But　Borenson　knew　she　lied；　that　she'd　pull　him　down　into　the　waves；　give　him　love；　and　that　while　she　loved　him；　he　could　survive　beneath　the　pools。　But　in　time　she'd　forget　about　him；　and　he　would　drown。　She　could　give　him　only　a　brief　few　days　of　pleasure　before　death。
　I　wish　that；　like　you；　I　could　be　one　with　the　water；　and　know　peace；　Borenson　thought。　He　remembered　the　great　seas　of　home；　the　white　breakers　rolling　over　a　green　as　deep　as　aged　copper。
　The　undine's　eyes　went　wide　at　his　memories　of　the　sea；　and　a　smile　formed　on　her　lips；　as　if　grateful　for　the　vision。
　Then　he　took　one　of　his　golden　pears；　reached　down　to　the　water；　gave　it　to　the　undine。
　She　reached　for　it　with　a　wet；　slender　blue　hand；　with　long　nails　of　silver；　but　then　grasped　his　wrist　and　pulled　herself　up　enough　so　that　she　could　kiss　his　lips。
　The　move　was　unexpected；　quick　as　a　fish　jumping　for　a　fly；　and　Borenson　felt　her　lips　brush　his　for　only　a　moment。
　He　placed　the　pear　in　her　hand　and　left；　and　for　a　long　hour　afterward　he　could　not　quite　remember　what　pain　had　brought　him　to　that　pool；　with　roses　of　red　and　white　bobbing　among　the　golden　leaves。
　He　managed　to　find　his　mount；　then　rode　at　leisure；　letting　the　horse　graze　as　it　walked；　soon　enough　he　reached　the　little　meadow　outside　Bannisferre　where　Myrrima's　cottage　lay　among　the　wild　daisies。
　Blue　smoke　curled　up　from　a　cooking　fire；　and　one　of　Myrrima's　ugly　sistersInette；　he　recalled　her　namestood　feeding　grain　to　the　scrawny　black　chickens　at　the　front　door。
　As　he　rode　up；　Inette　looked　up　at　him；　a　smile　on　her　ruined　face。　The　smile　quickly　faded。　〃You　all　right？〃
　〃No；〃　Borenson　said。　〃Where's　Myrrima？〃
　〃A　messenger　came　through　town；〃　Inette　said。　〃Troops　are　gathering。　Lord　Orden　is　at　Longmont。　SheMyrrima　left　last　night。　Many　of　the　boys　from　town　have　gone　to　fight。〃
　All　the　ease　of　heart　he'd　felt　for　the　past　hour　now　drained　from　him。　〃To　Longmont！〃　Borenson　shouted。　〃Why？〃
　〃She　wants　to　be　with　you！〃　Inette　answered。
　〃Thisthis　won't　be　a　picnic　or　a　day　at　the　fair！〃　Borenson　shouted。
　〃She　knows；〃　Inette　whispered。　〃Butyou're　betrothed。　If　you　live　through　it；　she　wants　to　live　with　you。　And　if　you　don't。。。〃
　Borenson　hung　his　head；　thinking　furiously。　Sixty　miles。　Nearly　sixty　miles　to　Longmont。　She　could　not　have　walked　there　in　a　night；　even　in　a　pair　of　nights。
　〃Did　she　travel　afoot？〃
　Inette　shook　her　head　numbly。　〃Some　boys　from　town　went。　In　a　wagon。。。〃
　Too　late。　Too　late。　Borenson　spun　his　horse；　raced　to　catch　her。
　　
　Chapter　35
　BETWEEN　STRONG　ARMS
　　
　Gaborn　heard　Iome　cry　out　as　he　rode　toward　Longmont。　Her　cry　was　so　startling　that　at　first　he　feared　that　she'd　been　shot　with　an　arrow。　For　hours　now　they　had　been　traveling；　stopping　every　few　minutes　to　switch　horses；　and　Iome　had　not　made　a　single　plaint。　He　slowed　and　turned　in　his　saddle　to　look　back。
　He　saw　at　first　that　King　Sylvarresta　sat　in　his　saddle；　head　nodding。　The　King　clutched　the　pom　of　his　saddle　with　both　hands。　He　wept　softly；　breathing　in　gasps。　Tears　streamed　from　his　eyes。
　Iome；　too　was　hunched。　〃Gaborn；　stop。　We've　got　to　stop！〃　she　cried；　taking　the　reins　of　her　father's　horse。
　〃What's　wrong？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃Gaagh；〃　King　Sylvarresta　said。
　〃Our　Dedicates　are　dying；〃　Iome　said。　〃He。。。I　don't　know　if　my　father　has　the　strength　to　go　on。〃
　Gaborn　felt　an　overwhelming　sadness　envelop　him。　〃Borenson。　I　should　have　guessed。〃　He　felt　dazed。　〃I　am　so　sorry；　Iome。〃
　He　rode　up　next　to　the　King；　took　the　King's　jaw　in　his　hand。　〃Can　you　ride？　Can　you　stay　on　the　horse？　You　have　to　ride！　Hold　on！〃
　Gaborn　pushed　the　King's　hands　firmly　to　the　pommel　of　the　saddle。　〃Hold！　Like　this！〃
　King　Sylvarresta　looked　into　Gaborn's　face；　clutched　the　pommel。
　〃Do　you　have　strength　to　ride？〃　Gaborn　asked　Iome。
　She　nodded　grimly　in　the　dark。
　Gaborn　let　the　horses　canter　lightly；　kept　a　close　watch　on　his　charges。
　King　Sylvarresta　was　gazing　up　at　the　stars　as　they　rode；　or　watching　the　lights　of　a　town　as　they　passed。
　Five　miles　later；　they　rounded　a　corner；　and　King　Sylvarresta　went　flying　off　his　horse。　He　landed　on　his　hip；　slid　in　the　mud　and　grass　at　the　side　of　the　road。　Then　just　lay；　sobbing。
　Gaborn　went　and　whispered　soft　words　to　him；　helped　King　Sylvarresta　back　on　his　horse；　then　Gaborn　rode　behind；　cradling　King　Sylvarresta　between　strong　arms。
　　
　Chapter　36
　THE　SERPENT　RING
　　
　Through　the　long　night；　King　Orden　waited　impatiently　for　sign　of　his　son。　It　was　hard；　this　waiting；　the　hardest　thing　he'd　ever　done。
　Orden's　men　carried　all　two　hundred　thousand　arrows　from　the　armory　to　their　perches　along　the　castle's　battlements。　On　the　wall…walk　beneath　the　west　tower；　they　set　a　great　bonfire；　a　message　of　distress；　in　an　effort　to　call　aid　from　any　who　might　see　its　light　or　smoke。　Near　that　fire；　his　men　set　great　cauldrons　of　oil　to　boil；　so　that　the　putrid　scent　of　them　filled　the　castle。
　Orden　manded　five　men　to　go　north　three　miles；　to　set　a　similar　fire　on　the　peak　of　Tor　Loman；　so　everyone　within　twenty　leagues　might　see　it。　Duke　Groverman　had　not　heeded　Orden's　petitions。　Perhaps　sight　of　the　battle　pyres　would　shame　him　into　it。
　Just　before　dawn；　two　thousand　knights　arrived　from　Groverman；　explaining　their　delay。　Groverman　had　heard　of　the　fall　of　Longmont；　and　thought　to　retake　it；　but　had　sent　word　to　Sylvarresta。　Apparently　his　messengers　never　made　it　to　the　King　alive。　After　a　day　of　waiting；　he'd　sent　a　hundred　scouts　on　force　horses　to　Sylvarresta　and　learned　that　the　castle　had　fallen。
　Orden　wondered　which　road　the　scouts　had　taken；　thought　it　odd　that　his　men　hadn't　spotted　them。　Which　meant　that　the　knights　had　taken　trails　through　the　forest。
　Then　the　scouts　had　returned　with　the　ill　news　of　Sylvarresta's　defeat；　and　Groverman　waited　still　for　reinforcements　from　distant　castles。
　The　knights　Groverman　sent　were　good　men；　solid　warriors。　But　despite　his　best　efforts；　Orden　did　not　feel　prepared。　He　suspected　this　battle　would　bring　trials　he　couldn't　prepare　for。
　The　Earl　of　Dreis　gave　King　Orden　no　fort。　The　man　was　inpetent。　He　had　been　in　the　castle　for　less　than　an　hour　before　he　tried　to　assume　mand。　One　of　his　first　tasks　had　been　to　order　the　artillerymen　to　push　the　catapults　back　into　the　shelter　of　the　towers；　foiling　all　the　work　the　artillerymen　had　done　setting　the　ranges。
　Orden　found　the　Earl　lounging　in　the　Duke's　old　quarters；　letting　a　body　servant　massage　his　feet　while　he　sipped　warm　tea。
　〃Why　have　you　ordered　the　artillery　stored？〃　Orden　asked。
　The　Duke　seemed　to　struggle　to　decide　whether　to　affect　an　imperious　tone　or　bee　defensive。　〃A　stratagem；　my　dear　fellow；　a　stratagem。　You　see；　I　realized　that　if　we　keep　them　hidden　until　the　heat　of　battle；　we　can　whisk　them　out　suddenly；　and　the　sight　of　them　will　dismay　Raj　Ahten's　forces！〃
　King　Orden　did　not　know　whether　to　laugh　or　weep　at　such　stupidity。　〃Raj　Ahten　has　seen　many　catapults；〃　he　said　simply。　〃He　has　taken　a　hundred　castles　by　force。　His　men　will　not　be　dismayed　at　the　sight　of　these。〃
　〃Yes；　but〃
　〃Indeed；　Raj　Ahten　has　seen　these　catapults；　for　he　came　here　not　a　fortnight　ago。　H