sheritepper.necromancer nine-第1节

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　I　had　decided　to　change　myself　into　a　Dragon　and　go　looking　for　my　mother　despite　all　argument　to　the　contrary。
　Himaggery　the　Wizard　and　old　Windlow　the　Seer　were　determined　otherwise。　They　had　been　after　me　for　almost　a　year；　ever　since　the　great　battle　at　Bannerwell。　Having　seen　what　I　did　there；　they　had　decided　that　my　〃Talent〃　could　not　be　wasted；　and　between　them　they　had　thought　of　at　least　a　dozen　things　they　wanted　done　with　it。　I；　on　the　other　hand；　simply　wanted　to　forget　the　whole　thing。　I　wanted　to　forget　I　had　bee　the　owner…can　I　say　〃owner〃　？…of　the　Gamesmen　of　Barish；　forget　I　had　ever　called　upon　the　terrible　Talents　of　those　Gamesmen。　I'd　only　done　it　to　save　my　life；　or　so　I　told　myself；　and　I　wanted　to　forget　about　it。
　Himaggery　and　Windlow　wouldn't　let　me。
　We　were　in　one　of　the　shining　rooms　at　the　Bright　Demesne；　a　room　full　of　the　fragrance　of　blossoms　and　ubiquitous　wisps　of　mist。　Old　Windlow　was　looking　at　me　pathetically；　eyes　three…quarters　buried　in　delicate　wrinkles　and　mouth　turned　down　in　that　expression　of　sweet　reproach。　Gamelords！　One　would　think　he　was　my　mother。　No。　My　own　mother　would　not　have　been　guilty　of　that　expression；　not　that　wildly　eccentric　person。　Himaggery　was　as　bad；　stalking　the　floor　as　he　often　did；　hands　rooting　his　hair　up　into　devil's　horns；　spiky　with　irritation。
　〃I　don't　understand　you；　boy；〃　he　said　in　that　plaintive　thunder　of　his。　〃We're　at　the　edge　of　a　new　age。　Change　rushes　upon　us。　Great　things　are　about　to　happen；　Justice　is　to　be　had　at　last。　We　invite　you　to　help；　to　participate；　to　plan　with　us。　You　won't。　You　go　hide　in　the　orchards。　You　mope　and　slope　about　like　some　halfwitted　pawn　of　a　groom；　and　then　when　I　twit　you　a　bit　for　behaving　like　a　perennial　adolescent；　you　merely　say　you　will　change　into　a　Dragon　and　go　off　to　find　Mavin　Manyshaped。　Why？　We　need　you。　Why　won't　you　help　us？〃
　I　readied　my　answers　for　the　tenth　time。　I　behave　as　an　adolescent；　I　would　say；　because　I　am　one…barely　sixteen　and　puzzled　over　things　which　would　puzzle　men　twice　my　age。　I　mope　because　I　am　apprehensive。　I　hide　in　orchards　because　I　am　tired　of　argument。　I　got　ready　to　say　these　things。
　〃And　why；〃　he　thundered　at　me　unexpectedly；　〃go　as　a　Dragon？〃
　The　question　caught　me　totally　by　surprise。　〃I　thought　it　would　be　rather　fun；〃　I　said；　weakly。
　〃Fun！〃　He　shrugged　this　away　as　the　trifle　it　was。
　〃Well；　all　right；〃　I　answered　with　some　heat。　〃Then　it　would　be　quick。　And　likely　no　one　would　bother　me。〃
　〃Wrong　on　both　counts；〃　he　said。　〃You　go　flying　off　across　the　purlieus　and　demesnes　as　a　Dragon；　and　every　stripling　Firedrake　or　baby　Armiger　able　to　get　three　man…heights　off　the　ground　will　be　challenging　you　to　Games　of　Two。　You'll　spend　more　time　dueling　than　looking　for　Mavin　Manyshaped；　and　from　what　your　thalan；　Mertyn；　tells　me；　she　will　take　a　good　bit　of　finding。〃　He　made　a　gesture　of　frustrated　annoyance；　oddly　passionate。
　〃You　have　others；〃　I　muttered。　〃You　have　thousands　of　followers　here。　Armigers　ready　to　fly　through　the　air　on　your　missions。　Elators　ready　to　flick　themselves　across　the　lands　if　you　raise　an　eyebrow　at　them。　Demons　ready　to　Read　the　thoughts　of　any　who　e　within　leagues　of　the　Bright　Demesne。　You　don't　need　me。　Can't　you　let　one　young　person　find　out　something　about　himself　before　you　eat　him　up　in　your　plots　　　　　
　Windlow　said；　〃If　you　were　just　any　young　person；　we'd　let　you　alone；　my　boy。　You　aren't　just　any　young　person。　You　know　that。　Himaggery　knows　it。　I　know　it。　Isn't　that　right？〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　I　said；　trying　not　to　sound　merely　contentious。
　〃You　should　care。　You　have　a　Talent　such　as　any　in　the　world　might　envy。　Talents；　I　should　say。　Why；　there's　almost　nothing　you　can't　do；　or　cause；　or　bring　into　being　　　　
　〃I　can't；〃　I　shouted　at　them。　〃Himaggery；　Windlow；　I　can't。　It　isn't　me　who　does　all　those　things。〃
　I　pulled　the　pouch　from　my　belt　and　emptied　it　upon　the　table　between　us；　the　tiny　carved　Gamesmen　rolling　out　onto　the　oiled　wood　in　clattering　profusion。　I　set　two　of　them　upon　their　bases；　the　taller　ones；　a　black　Necromancer　and　a　white　Queen；　Dorn　and　Trandilar。　They　sat　there；　like　stone　or　wood；　giving　no　hint　of　the　powers　and　wonders　which　would　e　from　them　if　I　gripped　them　in　my　hand。　〃I　tried　to　give　them　to　you　once；　Himaggery。　Remember？　You　wouldn't　take　them。　You　said；　'No；　Peter；　they　came　to　you。　They　belong　to　you；　Peter。'　Well；　they're　mine；　Himaggery；　but　they　aren't　mine。　I　wish　you'd　understand。〃
　〃Explain　it　to　me；〃　he　said；　blank　faced。
　I　tried。　〃When　I　first　took　the　figure　of　Dora　into　my　hand；　there　in　the　caves　under　Bannerwell；　Dora　came　into　my　mind。　He　was。。；　is　an　old　man；　Himaggery。　Very　wise。　Very　powerful。　His　mind　has　sharp　edges；　he　has　seen　strange　things；　and　his　mind　echoes　with　them…resonates　to　them。　He　can　do　strange；　very　marvelous　things。　It　is　he　who　does　them。　I　am　only　a　kind　of。　。
　〃Host；〃　suggested　Windlow。　〃Housing？　Vehicle？〃
　I　laughed　without　humor。　They　knew　so　much　but　understood　so　little。　〃Perhaps。　Later；　I　took　Queen　Trandilar；　Mistress　of　Beguilement。　First　of　all　the　Rulers。　Younger　than　Dorn；　but　still；　far　older　than　I　am。　She　had　lived。　。　。　fully。　She　had　understanding　I　did　not　of。　。　。　erotic　things。　She　does　wonderful　things；　too；　but　it　is　she　who　does　them。〃　I　pointed　to　the　other　Gamesmen　on　the　table。　〃There　are　nine　other　types　there。　Dealpas；　eidolon　of　Healers。　Sorah；　mightiest　of　Seers。　Shattnir；　most　powerful　of　Sorcerers。　I　suppose　I　could　take　them　all　into　myself；　bee　a　kind　of。。。　inn；　hotel　for　them。　If　that　is　all　I　am　to　be。　Ever。〃
　Windlow　was　looking　out　the　winDorn；　his　face　sad。　He　began　to　chant；　a　child's　rhyme；　one　used　for　jump　rope。　〃Night…dark；　dust…old；　bony　Dora；　grave…cold；　Flesh…queen；　love…star；　lust…pale；　Trandilar；　Shifted；　fetched；　sent…far；　trickiest　is　Thandbar。〃　He　turned　to　Himaggery　and　shook　his　head　slowly；　side　to　side。　〃Let　the　boy　alone；〃　he　said。
　Himaggery　met　the　stare；　held　it；　finally　flushed　and　looked　away。　〃Very　well；　old　man。　I　have　said　everything！　can　say。　If　Peter　will　not；　he　will　not。　Better　he　do　as　he　will；　if　that　will　content　him。〃
　Windlow　tottered　over　to　me　and　patted　my　shoulder。　He　had　to　reach　up　to　do　it。　I　had　been　growing　rather　a　lot。　〃It　may　be　you　will　make　these　Talents　your　own　someday；　boy。　It　may　be　you　cannot　wield　a　Talent　well　unless　it　is　your　own。　In　time；　you　may　make　Dorn's　Talent　yours；　and　Trandilar's　as　well。〃
　I　did　not　think　that　likely；　but　did　not　say　so。
　Himaggery　said；　〃When　you　go；　keep　your　ears　open。　Perhaps　you　can　learn　something　about　the　disappearances　which　will　help　us。〃
　〃What　disappearances？〃　I　asked　guardedly。
　〃The　ones　we　have　been　discussing　for　a　season；〃　he　said。　〃The　disappearances　which　have　been　happening　for　decades　now。　A　vanishment　of　Wizards。　Disappearances　of　Kings。　They　go；　as　into　nothing。　No　one　knows　how；　or　where；　or　why。　Among　those　who　go；　too　many　were　our　allies。〃
　〃You're　trying　to　make　me　curious；〃　I　accused。　〃Trying　to　make　me　stay。〃
　He　flushed　angrily。　〃Of　course　I　want　you　to　stay；　boy。　I've　begged　you。　Of　course　I　wish　you　were　curious　enough　to　offer　your　help。　But　if　you　won't；　you　won't。　If　Windlow　says　not　to　badger　you；　I　won't。　Go　find　your　mother。　Though　why　you　should　want　to　do　so　is　beyond　me　and　his　voice　faded　away　under　Windlow's　quelling　glare。
　I　gathered　the　Gamesmen；　the　taller　ones　no　longer　than　my　littlest　finger；　delicate　as　lace；　incorruptible　as　stone。　I　could　have　told　him　why　I　wanted　to　find　Mavin；　but　I　chose　not　to。　I　had　seen　her　only　once　since　infancy；　only　once；　under　conditions　of　terror　and　high　drama。　She　had　said　nothing　personal　to　me；　and　yet　there　was　something　in　her　manner；　in　her　strangeness；　which　was　attractive　to　me。　As　though；　perhaps；　she　had　answers　to　questions。　But　it　was　all　equivocal；　flimsy。　There　were　no　hard　reasons　which　Himaggery　would　accept。
　〃Let　it　be　only　that　I　have　a　need；〃　I　whispered。　〃A　need　which　is　Peter's；　not　Darn's；　not　Trandilar's。　I　have　a　Talent　which　is　mine；　also；　inherited　from　her。　I　am　the　son　of　Mavin　Manyshaped；　and　I　want　to　see　her。　Leave　it　at　that。〃
　〃So　be　it；　boy。　So　I　will　leave　it。〃
　He　was　as　good　as　his　word。　He　said　not　another　word　to　me　about　staying。　He　took　time　from　his　meetings　and　plottings　to　pick　horses　for　me　from　his　own　stables　and　to　see　I　was　well　outfitted　for　the　trip　north　to　Schooltown。　If　I　was　to　find　Mavin；　the　search　would　begin　with　Mertyn；　her　brother；　my　thalan。　Once　Himaggery　had　taken　care　of　these　details；　he　ignored　me。　Perversely；　this　annoyed　me。　It　was　obvious　that　no　one　was　going　to　blow　trumpets　for　me　when　I　left；　and　this　hurt　my　feelings。　As　I　had　done　since　I　was　four　or　five　years　old；　I　went　down　to　the　kitchens　to　plain　to　Brother　Chance。
　〃Well；　boy；　you　didn't　expect　a　testimony　dinner；　did　you？　Those　are　both　wise…old　heads；　and　they　wouldn't　call　attention　to　you　wandering　off。　Too　dangerous　for　you；　and　they　know　it。''
　This　shamed　me。　They　had　been　thinking　of　me　after　all。　I　changed　the　subject。　〃I　thought　of　going　as　a　Dragon。〃　　　　
　〃Fool　thing　to　do；〃　Chance　mented。　〃Can't　think　of　anything　more　gomerous　than　that。　Wh