tw.togreenangeltower2-第12节

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n　to　aid　mortals　to　whom　we　owe　no　such　debt…including　those　who　hunted　us　long　after　we　lost　Asu'a。　This　Josua's　father　was　our　enemy！〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　does　the　hatred　never　end？〃　Jiriki　replied　with　surprising　heat。　〃Mortals　have　short　lives。　These　are　not　the　ones　who　warred　on　our　scattered　folk。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　the　lives　of　mortals　are　short；〃　said　Yizashi　dispassionately。　〃But　their　hatreds　run　deep；　and　are　passed　from　parents　to　children。〃
　　　　　　　Eolair　was　beginning　to　feel　distinctly　unfortable　but　did　not　think　the　time　was　right　for　him　to　speak　up。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　possible　that　you　forget；　noble　Yizashi；〃　said　Jiriki；　〃that　it　was　the　Hikeda'ya　themselves　who　brought　this　war　to　us。　It　was　they　who　invaded　the　sanctity　of　the　Yasira。　It　was　truly　Utuk'ku's　hand…not　that　of　the　mortal　catspaw　who　wielded　the　dagger…which　slew　First　Grandmother。〃
　　　　　　　Yizashi　did　not　reply。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　little　point　in　this；〃　Likimeya　said。　Eolair　could　not　help　noticing　how　the　depths　of　Likimeya's　eyes　cast　the　light　back；　glowing　orange　as　the　stare　of　a　torchlit　wolf。　〃Yizashi；　I　asked　you　and　these　others；　the　House　of　Contemplation；　the　House　of　Gathering；　all　the　houses；　to　honor　your　debts　to　the　Grove。　You　agreed。　And　we　are　set　upon　our　course　because　we　need　to　thwart　Utuk'ku　Seyt…Hamakha's　plans；　not　just　repay　an　old　debt　or　avenge　Amerasu's　murder。〃
　　　　　　　Black…browed　Kuroyi　spoke　up。　〃The　mortals　have　a　saying；　I　am　told。〃　His　voice　was　measured　and　eerily　musical；　his　Hernystiri　somehow　over…precise。　〃　'The　enemy　of　my　enemy　is　my　friend　。。。　for　a　little　while。'　Silvermask　and　her　kin　have　chosen　one　set　of　mortals　to　be　their　allies；　so　we　will　choose　those　mortals'　enemies　to　be　our　allies。　Utuk'ku　and　her　minions　have　also　broken　the　Pact　of　Sesuad'ra。　I　find　no　shame　in　fighting　beside　Sudhoda'ya　until　the　issue　is　settled。〃　He　raised　his　hand　as　though　to　ward　off　questions；　but　the　circle　was　pletely　still。　〃No　one　has　said　I　must　love　these　mortal　allies：　I　do　not；　and　feel　sure　that　I　will　not；　whatever　happens。　And　if　I　live　until　these　days　end；　I　will　return　to　my　high　house　in　hidden　Anvi'janya；　for　I　have　long　been　surfeited　with　the　pany　of　others；　whether　mortal　or　Gardenborn；　But　until　then；　I　will　do　as　I　have　promised　to　Likimeya。〃
　　　　　　　There　was　a　long　pause　after　Kuroyi　had　finished。　The　Sithi　again　sat　in　silence；　but　Eolair　had　the　feeling　that　some　issue　was　in　the　air；　some　tension　that　sought　resolution。　When　the　quiet　had　gone　on　so　long　that　he　was　beginning　to　wonder　again　whether　he　should　leave；　Likimeya　lifted　her　hands　and　spread　them　flat　in　the　air　before　her。
　　　　　　　〃So；〃　she　said。　〃Now　we　must　think　about　this　Naglimund。　We　must　consider　what　we　will　do　if　the　Hikeda'ya　do　not　e　out　to　fight。〃
　　　　　　　The　Sithi　began　to　discuss　the　uping　siege　as　though　there　had　been　no　dispute　over　the　honorability　of　fighting　beside　mortals。　Eolair　was　puzzled　but　impressed　by　their　civility。　Each　person　was　allowed　to　speak　as　long　as　he　wished　and　no　one　interrupted。　Whatever　dissension　there　had　been…and　although　Eolair　found　the　immortals　difficult　to　faThorn；　he　had　no　doubt　there　had　been　true　disagreement…now　seemed　vanished：　the　debate　over　Naglimund；　although　spirited；　was　calm　and　ap…
parently　free　of　resentment。
　　　　　　　Perhaps　when　you　live　so　long；　Eolair　thought；　you　learn　to　exist　by　such　rules…learn　you　must　exist　by　such　rules。　Forever　is　a　long　time　to　carry　grudges；　after　all。
　　　　　　　More　at　ease　now；　he　entered　the　discussion…hesitantly　at　first；　but　when　he　saw　that　his　opinion　was　to　be　given　due　weight　he　spoke　openly　and　confidently　about　Naglimund；　a　place　he　knew　almost　as　well　as　he　knew　the　Taig　in　Hernysadharc。　He　had　been　there　many　times：　Eolair　had　often　found　that　Josua's　was　a　useful　ear　for　introducing　things　into　the　court　of　his　father；　King　John　Presbyter。　The　prince　was　one　of　the　few　people　the　Count　of　Nad　Mullach　knew　who　would　listen　to　an　idea　on　its　own　merits；　then　support　it　if　he　found　it　good；　regardless　of　whether　it　benefited　him。
　　　　　　　They　talked　long；　eventually　the　fire　burned　down　to　glowing　coals。　Likimeya　produced　one　of　the　crystal　globes　from　her　cloak　and　set　it　on　the　ground　before　her　where　it　gradually　grew　bright；　soon　it　cast　its　cool　lunar　glow　all　around　the　circle。

　　　　　　　Eolair　met　Isorn　on　his　way　back　from　the　council　of　the　Sithi。
　　　　　　　〃Ho；　Count；〃　the　young　Rimmersman　said。　〃Out　for　a　stroll？　I　have　a　skin　of　wine　here…from　your　own　Nad　Mullach　cellars；　I　think。　Let's　find　Ule　and　share　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Gladly。　1　have　had　a　strange　evening。　Our　allies　。。。　Isorn；　they　are　like　nothing　and　no　one　I　have　ever　seen。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　are　the　Old　Ones；　and　heathen　on　top　of　it；〃　Isorn　said　blithely；　then　laughed。　〃Apologies；　Count。　I　sometimes　forget　that　you　Hernystiri　are　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Also　heathens？〃　Eolair　smiled　faintly。　〃No　offense　was　taken。　I　have　grown　used　to　being　the　outsider；　the　odd　one；　during　my　years　in　Aedonite　courts。　But　I　have　never　felt　so　much　the　odd　man　as　I　did　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Sithi　may　be　different　from　us；　Eolair；　but　they　are　bold　as　thunder。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　and　clever。　I　did　not　understand　all　that　was　spoken　of　tonight；　but　I　think　that　we　have　neither　of　us　ever　seen　a　battle　like　the　one　that　will　take　place　at　Naglimund。〃
　　　　　　　Isorn　lifted　an　eyebrow；　intrigued。　〃That　is　something　to　save　and　tell　over　that　wine；　but　I　am　glad　to　hear　it。　If　we　live；　we　will　have　stories　to　amaze　our　grandchildren。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　we　live；〃　Eolair　said。
　　　　　　　〃e；　let　us　walk　a　little　faster。〃　Isorn's　voice　was　light。　〃I　am　getting　thirsty。〃

　　　　　　　They　rode　across　the　Inniscrich　the　next　day。　The　battlefield　where　Skali　had　triumphed　and　King　Lluth　had　received　his　death…wound　was　still　partially　blanketed　in　snow；　but　that　snow　was　full　of　irregular　hummocks；　and　here　and　there　a　bit　of　rusted　metal　or　a　weathered　spearhaft　stuck　up　through　the　shrouding　white。　Although　many　prayers　and　curses　were　quietly　spoken；　none　of　the　Hernystiri　had　any　great　interest　in　lingering　at　the　site　where　they　had　been　so　soundly　defeated　and　so　many　of　their　people　had　died；　and　for　the　Sithi　it　had　no　significance　at　all；　so　the　great　pany　passed　by　swiftly　as　they　rode　north　along　the　river。
The　Baraillean　marked　the　boundary　between　Hernystir　and　Erkynland：　the　people　of　Utanyeat　on　the　river's　eastern　side　called　it　the　Greenwade。　These　days；　there　were　few　living　near　either　bank；　although　there　were　still　fish　to　catch。　The　weather　might　have　grown　warmer；　but　Eolair　could　see　that　the　land　was　almost　lifeless。　Those　few　survivors　of　the　various　struggles　who　still　scratched　out　their　lives　here　on　the　southern　edge　of　the　Frostmarch　now　fled　before　the　approaching　army　of　Sithi　and　men；　unable　to　imagine　any　good　that　yet　one　more　troop　of　armored　invaders　might　bring。
　　　　　　　At　last；　a　week's　journeying　north　of　Nad　Mullach…　even　when　they　were　not　in　full　charge　the　Sithi　moved　swiftly…the　host　crossed　the　river　and　moved　into　Utanyeat；　the　westernmost　tip　of　Erkynland。　Here　the　land　seemed　to　grow　more　gray。　The　thick　morning　mists　that　had　blanketed　the　ground　during　the　ride　across　Hernystir　no　longer　dispersed　with　the　sun's　ascension；　so　that　the　army　rode　from　dawn　to　dusk　in　a　cold；　damp　haze；　like　souls　in　some　cloudy　afterlife。　In　fact；　a　deathly　palt　seemed　to　hang　over　all　the　plains。　The　air　was　cold　and　seemed　to　reach　directly　into　the　bones　of　Eolair　and　his　fellows。　But　for　the　wind　and　the　muffled　hoofbeats　of　their　own　horses；　the　wide　countryside　was　silent；　devoid　even　of　birdsong。　At　night；　as　the　count　huddied　with　Maegwin　and　Isorn　before　the　fire；　a　heavy　stillness　lay　over　everything。　It　felt；　Isorn　remarked　one　night；　as　though　they　were　passing　through　a　vast　graveyard。　
　　　　　　　As　each　day　brought　them　deeper　into　this　colorless；　cheerless　country；　Isorn's　Rimmersmen　prayed　and　made　the　Tree…sign　frequently；　and　argued　almost　to　bloodletting　over　insignificant　things。　Eotair's　Hernystiri　were　no　less　affected。　Even　the　Sithi　seemed　more　reserved　than　usual。　The　ever…present　mists　and　forbidding　silence　made　all　endeavor　seem　shallow　and　pointless。
　　　　　　　Eolair　found　himself　hoping　that　there　would　be　some　sign　of　their　foes　soon。　The　sense　of　foreboding　that　hung　over　these　empty　lands　was　a　more　insidious　enemy；　the　count　felt　sure；　than　anything　posed　of　flesh　and　blood　could　ever　be。　Even　the　frighteningly　alien　Norns　were　preferable　to　this　journey　through　the　netherworld。
　　　　　　　〃I　feel　something；〃　said　Isorn。　〃Something　pricks　at　my　neck。〃
　　　　　　　Eolair　nodded；　then　realized　the　duke's　son　probably　could　not　see　him　through　the　mist；　although　he　rode　only　a　short　distance　away。　〃I　feel　it；　too。〃
　　　　　　　They　were　nine　days　out　of　Nad　Mullach。　Either　the　weather　had　again　gone　bad；　or　in　this　small　part　of　the　world　the　winter　had　never　abated。　The　ground　was　carpeted　in　snow；　and　great　uneven　drifts　lay　humped　on　either　side　as　they　rode　up　the　low　hill。　The　failing　sun　was　somewhere　out　of　sight；　the　afternoon　so　gray　there　might　never　have　been　such　a　thing　as　a　sun　at　all。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　clatter　of　armor　and　a　flurry　of　words　in　the　liquid　Sithi　speech　f