df.therunelords-第116部分

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！


　Yet　there　was　something　more　he　needed　to　do；　something　he　could　not　quite　grasp　or　voice。　Gaborn　was　so　new　in　his　powers。　He　didn't　know　his　own　measure；　his　own　responsibilities。
　Binnesman　said　something　then；　words　that　would　haunt　Gaborn　forever。　And　as　Binnesman　spoke　the　secret；　Gaborn　felt　his　mind　begin　to　unhinge：　〃Milord；　have　you　not　understood？　Choosing　a　man　for　the　Earth　is　not　enough。　The　powers　of　Earth　are　weakening；　while　Fire　grows　strong。　Each　person　you　seek　to　save；　Fire　will　only　seek　more　fully　to　destroy。　And　it　will　seek　to　destroy　you　above　all。〃
　Gaborn　gasped　and　his　heart　froze　at　the　recognition；　for　surely　he'd　felt　this　all　alongthis　secret　nagging　suspicion。　The　new　powers　he'd　felt　stirring　within　him　bore　a　tremendous　price。　By　choosing　to　love　someone；　by　seeking　to　save　a　person；　he　marked　the　person；　made　him　a　target。
　〃How　then？　How　can　I　do　anything？〃　Gaborn　asked。　〃What　does　it　benefit　a　man　to　be　chosen？〃
　〃In　time；　we　will　learn　to　use　your　powers；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃You　think　that　benefit　is　slight；　and　perhaps　that　is　so。　But　is　the　benefit　slight　to　a　man；　if　it　means　the　difference　between　life　and　death？〃
　As　Gaborn　considered；　he　recognized　that　he'd　done　some　things　right。　He'd　saved　Iome　when　Raj　Ahten　hunted　them。　He'd　managed　to　save　Borenson　at　Longmont。　He'd　drawn　Myrrima　here　for　reasons　he　did　not　yet　understand；　and　he　suddenly　felt　sure　to　the　marrow　of　his　bones　that　if　he'd　not　sent　Borenson　back　to　warn　Myrrima　of　the　invaders　in　the　woods；　the　whole　family　would　have　been　slaughtered。
　Without　the　aid　of　Gaborn's　fledgling　powers；　many　more　would　be　dead　now。
　Yes；　I've　done　something。　But　I　must　do　far；　far　more。
　〃What　will　you　now；　milord？〃　Binnesman　asked；　almost　as　if　divining　his　thoughts。
　〃What　would　you　advise？〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃You　are　the　king；　I　am　merely　a　servant；　and　no　counselor；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃The　earth　will　serve　you　in　ways　it　would　never　serve　me。　I　have　no　idea　what　you　should　do。〃
　Gaborn　considered。　〃There　are　forcibles　hidden　here　in　the　garden；〃　Gaborn　said　with　a　sigh。　〃I'll　dig　them　up。　Raj　Ahten　believes　I　already　have　them；　that　I've　already　used　them。　By　the　time　he　returns；　I　shall　have　done　it。　He　may　bee　the　Sum　of　All　Men；　but　I　shall　be　the　sum　of　all　his　nightmares。
　〃You　know　much　about　ancient　lore；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃Can　he　do　it？　Can　he　bee　the　Sum　of　All　Men？〃
　〃Not　of　all　men；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃He　craves　power；　the　guarantee　of　a　continued　existence。　I　do　not　know　much　of　the　Runelords'　arts；　but　I　know　this：　If　he　seeks　to　bee　the　Sum　of　All　Men；　perhaps　he　should　go　to　the　source；　learn　how　it　is　done。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃We　Earth　Wardens　live　a　long　time。　Lives　given　in　service　are　usually　long；　and　lives　given　in　service　to　the　land　can　be　longest　of　all。　Yet　when　I　was　young；　four　hundred　years　ago；　I　once　met　a　man　of　the　South。　I　met　him　at　an　old　inn　near　Danvers　Landing。　He　seemed　only　a　young　Runelord；　some　traveling　noble。　But　a　hundred　and　eighty　years　ago；　he　came　north　and　visited　Castle　Sylvarresta　for　the　summer。　At　least　I　believe　it　was　him。　There　had　been　trouble　that　year　to　the　north　with　reavers　and　with　robbers。　He　put　an　end　to　them　both。　Then　he　went　south　again。〃
　〃Daylan　Hammer？　You　are　telling　me　that　Daylan　Hammer　still　lives？　The　Sum　of　All　Men？　After　sixteen　hundred　years？〃
　〃I　am　telling　you　that　he　may　live；〃　Binnesman　said。　He　shook　his　head　thoughtfully。　〃I　could　be　mistaken。　I've　never　told　this　tale　to　anyone。　Perhaps　it　is　unwise　to　tell　you　now。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃He　did　not　seem　to　be　a　happy　man。　If　he　has　secrets；　they　should　remain　with　him。〃
　〃Is　happiness　everything？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃Yes；　ultimately　I　believe　it　is；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃It　should　be　the　goal　of　your　existence；　to　live　life　in　peace　and　joy。〃
　Gaborn　considered。　〃Am　I　wrong　to　fight　Raj　Ahten　using　his　own　tactics？　To　fight　him　at　all。〃
　〃To　fight　him　is　dangerous；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Not　just　dangerous　for　you；　dangerous　for　the　whole　world。　If　he　would　join　your　cause；　I　would　rejoice。　But　he　will　oppose　you；　and　it　is　not　for　me　to　say　whether　you　should　fight　him。　It　shall　be　your　task　to　gather　the　seeds　of　humanity。　You　must　decide　which　to　save；　which　to　toss　aside。
　〃You　have　already　begun　your　task。〃　He　waved　to　the　manor　house；　where　Borenson　and　Myrrima　cooked　in　the　dining　hall。
　Gaborn　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　his　task；　that　he　was　supposed　to　somehow　gauge　the　worth　of　men；　save　some；　discard　others。　This　would　have　to　bee　the　work　of　his　whole　soul；　his　every　waking　thought。　Yet　even　then；　he　had　no　guarantee　that　he　could　succeed。　〃What　of　Iome？〃
　〃A　good　woman；　I　think；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃She　is　very　much　in　touch　with　the　powers；　can　feel　their　most　subtle　influence；　better　than　youor　I。　She　would　be　an　asset。〃
　〃I　love　her；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Then　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　Binnesman　asked。
　〃Giving　her　time　alone；　to　grieve。　I　fear　that　if　she　accepts　me；　her　people　might　revolt。　They　will　not　want　me。〃
　〃I　would　not　worry　about　her　people；　only　about　her。　Do　you　think　she　wants　you　to　leave　her　alone？　Do　you　think　she　doesn't　love　you？〃
　〃She　loves　me；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Then　go　to　her；　soon。　If　she　grieves；　then　grieve　with　her。　Sharing　our　pain　makes　our　wounds　heal　faster。〃
　〃I。。。it　wouldn't　be　a　good　idea。　Not　now。　Not　so　soonafter。〃
　〃I　spoke　with　her　not　an　hour　ago；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃She　asked　for　you。　She　wants　to　see　you　on　some　urgent　matter；　tonightsoon。〃
　Gaborn　studied　the　wizard's　face；　wondering。　It　seemed　madness　to　go　to　her　now；　considering　how　her　people　felt　about　him。　Yet　if　Iome　had　asked　for　him；　perhaps　she　had　good　reason。　Perhaps；　he　thought；　they　had　treaties　to　discuss。　She　would　need　money　to　repair　her　castle。　House　Sylvarresta　knight　need　loans；　armies。。。
　He　would　give　whatever　she　asked；　of　course。
　〃All　right；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I'll　see　her。〃
　〃At　sunset；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Don't　let　her　be　alone　after　sunset。〃
　Binnesman's　words　encouraged　Gaborn。　What　good　was　it　to　have　a　wizard　as　your　counselor；　he　reasoned；　if　you　did　not　listen　to　his　wisdom？
　　
　Chapter　61
　PEACE
　　
　Gaborn　did　not　leave　the　manor　before　sunset。　He　took　time　to　warm　some　water　in　the　kitchens；　to　bathe　and　rub　his　hair　with　lavender；　to　scrub　his　armor　with　the　soft　leaves　of　lamb's　ear；　so　that　he'd　present　himself　well。
　By　evening　the　clouds　blew　out　of　the　region　altogether；　and　warmer　air　now　suffused　the　night；　almost　as　if　it　were　any　other　afternoon　in　late　summer。　The　scents　of　grass　and　oak　grew　strong　in　the　air。
　Borenson　and　Myrrima　stayed　behind　at　the　manor。
　Only　the　wizard　Binnesman　and　Gaborn's　Days　rode　with　him　to　Longmont。　There；　thousands　of　people　worked　in　the　twilight；　salvaging　supplies　from　the　castle；　cleaning　the　dead。　More　warriors　arrived　from　farther　northeight　thousand　knights　and　men…at…arms　from　Castle　Derry；　headed　by　Duke　Mardon；　arriving　unexpectedly　at　the　summons　of　Groverman。
　Gaborn　reached　camp；　and　was　escorted　to　Iome　by　a　guard　who　seemed　friendly　enough。
　Custom　in　Heredon　dictated　that　the　dead　be　interred　before　sunset　on　the　day　of　their　death；　but　so　many　lords　and　knights　were　swelling　in　from　the　hills　around　Longmont；　setting　up　tents；　that　King　Sylvarresta　could　not　be　buried。　King　Orden；　too；　had　not　been　interred；　and　whether　this　was　done　as　an　honor；　so　that　the　kings　might　be　buried　together；　or　because　the　people　did　not　want　to　bury　a　foreign　king　on　their　soil；　Gaborn　did　not　know。
　But　too　many　people　wanted　to　view　the　bodies；　to　pay　their　last　respects。
　Gaborn　found　Iome　still　mourning　her　father。　The　bodies　had　been　cleaned　and　laid　out　on　fine　blankets　over　beds　of　paving　stones。　The　Earl　of　Dreis　lay　near　their　feet；　in　a　place　of　honor。
　Upon　seeing　the　dead；　the　wounds　on　Gaborn's　heart　felt　all　fresh　and　new。　He　went　to　Iome；　sat　beside　her；　and　took　her　hand。　She　clenched　his　fingers　tightly；　as　if　her　very　life　depended　on　his　touch。
　She　sat　with　her　head　lowered；　eyes　forward。　Gaborn　did　not　know　if　she　was　only　deep　within　herself；　fighting　her　pain；　or　if　she　kept　her　face　down　simply　to　hide　it；　for　now　she　was　no　more　lovely　than　any　other　maid。
　For　a　long　half…hour　they　sat　while　the　soldiers　of　Sylvarresta　came　to　pay　their　last　respects；　talking　to　one　another　in　hushed　whispers。　Many　a　proud　soldier　shot　Gaborn　a　disapproving　scowl　on　seeing　how　he　touched　Iome　so　familiarly；　but　Gaborn　defied　them。
　He　feared　Raj　Ahten　had　won　a　small　victory　here；　had　succeeded　in　driving　a　wedge　between　two　nations　that　had　long　been　friends。　Vainly；　he　wondered　how　he　could　ever　heal　that　wound。
　All　along　the　downs；　for　a　mile　around；　campfires　began　to　spring　up　for　the　night。　A　soldier　came　with　two　large　torches；　and　planned　to　set　one　at　the　heads；　the　other　at　the　feet　of　the　two　kings；　but　Binnesman　warned　the　man　away。
　〃They　died　fighting　flameweavers；〃　he　said。　〃It　would　be　inappropriate　to　put　flames　so　close　to　them　now。　There　is　starlight　enough　tonight　to　see　by。〃
　Indeed；　the　sky　was　alive　with　stars；　just　as　campfires　lit　the　valley。
　Gaborn　had　thought　it　an　odd　sentiment　on　Binnesman's　part。　Pe