df.therunelords-第4部分

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eet。　〃Forgive　me；　Prince　OrdenI；　uhdid　not　see　your　resemblance　to　your　father！〃
　Myrrima　lurched　back　three　paces；　as　if　wishing　she　could　run　blindly　away；　for　she　now　knew　that　he　was　not　the　son　of　some　poor　baron　who　called　a　pile　of　rocks　his　fortress；　but　that　he　came　from　Mystarria　itself。
　〃You　know　my　father？〃　Gaborn　asked；　rising　and　stepping　forward。　He　took　her　hand　once　again；　trying　to　reassure　her　that　no　offense　had　been　taken。
　〃Ionce　he　rode　through　town；　on　his　way　to　the　hunt；〃　Myrrima　said。　〃I　was　but　a　girl。　I　can't　forget　his　face。〃
　〃He　has　always　liked　Heredon；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Yes。。。yes；　he　es　often　enough；〃　Myrrima　said；　clearly　disfited。　〃Ipardon　me　if　I　troubled　you；　my　lord。　I　did　not　mean　to　be　presumptuous。　Oh。。。〃
　Myrrima　turned　and　began　to　run。
　〃Stop；〃　Gaborn　said；　letting　just　a　little　of　the　power　of　his　Voice　take　her。
　She　stopped　as　if　she'd　been　struck　by　a　fist；　turned　to　face　him。　As　did　several　other　people　nearby。
　Unprepared　for　the　mand；　they　obeyed　as　if　it　had　e　from　their　own　minds。　When　they　saw　that　they　were　not　the　object　of　his　attention；　some　stared　at　him　curiously　while　a　few　started　away；　unnerved　by　the　appearance　of　a　Runelord　in　their　midst。
　Suddenly；　Borenson　hovered　at　Gaborn's　back；　with　the　Days。
　〃Thank　you　for　stopping；　Myrrima；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃You　may　someday　be　my　king；〃　she　answered；　as　if　she'd　reasoned　out　her　response。
　〃Do　you　think　so？〃　Gaborn　said。　〃Do　you　think　Iome　will　have　me？〃
　The　question　startled　her。　Gaborn　continued。　〃Please；　tell　me。　You　are　a　perceptive　woman；　and　beautiful。　You　would　do　well　at　court。　I　value　your　opinion。〃
　Gaborn　held　his　breath；　waiting　for　her　frank　assessment。　She　couldn't　know　how　important　her　answer　was　to　him。　Gaborn　needed　this　alliance。　He　needed　Heredon's　strong　people；　its　impregnable　fortresses；　its　wide…open　lands；　ready　to　till。　True；　his　own　Mystarria　was　a　rich　land…ripe；　its　markets　sprawling　and　crowdedbut　after　years　of　struggle　the　Wolf　Lord　Raj　Ahten　had　finally　conquered　the　Indhopalese　Kingdoms；　and　Gaborn　knew　that　Raj　Ahten　would　not　stop　there。　By　spring；　he　would　either　invade　the　barbarian　realms　of　Inkarra　or　he　would　turn　north　to　the　kingdoms　in　Rofehavan。
　In　reality；　it　didn't　matter　where　the　Wolf　Lord　attacked　next。　In　the　wars　to　e；　Gaborn　knew　he'd　never　be　able　to　adequately　defend　his　people　in　Mystarria。　He　needed　this　land。
　Even　though　Heredon　had　not　seen　a　major　war　in　four　hundred　years；　the　realm's　great　battlements　remained　intact。　Even　the　fortress　at　lowly　Tor　Ingel；　set　among　the　cliffs；　could　be　defended　better　than　most　of　Gaborn's　estates　in　Mystarria。　Gaborn　needed　Heredon。　He　needed　Iome's　hand　in　marriage。
　More　important；　though　he　dared　not　admit　it　to　anyone；　something　deep　inside　told　him　that　he　needed　Iome　herself。　An　odd　pulsion　drew　him　here；　against　all　mon　sense。　As　if　invisible　fiery　threads　were　connected　to　his　heart　and　mind。　Sometimes　at　night　he'd　lie　awake；　feeling　the　tug；　an　odd　glowing　sensation　that　spread　outward　from　the　center　of　his　chest；　as　if　a　warm　stone　lay　there。　Those　threads　seemed　to　pull　him　toward　Iome。　He'd　fought　the　urge　to　seek　her　hand　for　a　year　now；　until　he　could　fight　no　more。
　Myrrima　studied　Gaborn　once　again　with　her　marvelous　frankness。　Then　laughed　easily。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Iome　will　not　have　you。〃
　There　had　been　no　hesitancy　in　her　answer。　She　had　said　it　simply；　as　if　she'd　seen　the　truth　of　it。　Then　she　smiled　at　him　seductively。　But　I　want　you；　her　smile　said。
　〃You　sound　certain。〃　Gaborn　tried　to　seem　casual。　〃Is　it　merely　my　clothes？　I　did　bring　more　suitable　attire。〃
　〃You　may　be　from　the　most　powerful　kingdom　in　Rofehavan；　but。。。how　shall　I　put　this？　Your　politics　are　suspect。〃
　It　was　a　kind　way　to　accuse　him　of　being　immoral。　Gaborn　had　feared　Such　an　accusation。
　〃Because　my　father　is　a　pragmatist？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃Some　think　him　pragmatic；　some　think　him。。。too　acquisitive。〃　Gaborn　grinned。　〃King　Sylvarresta　thinks　him　pragmatic。。。but　his　daughter　thinks　my　father　is　greedy？　She　said　this？〃
　Myrrima　smiled　and　nodded　secretively。　〃I've　heard　rumors　that　she　said　as　much　at　the　midwinter　feast。〃
　Gaborn　was　often　amazed　at　how　much　the　moners　knew　or　surmised　about　the　ings　and　goings　and　doings　of　lords。　Things　that　he'd　often　thought　were　court　secrets　would　be　openly　discussed　at　some　inn　a　hundred　leagues　distant。　Myrrima　seemed　sure　of　her　sources。
　〃So　she　will　reject　my　petition；　because　of　my　father。〃
　〃It　has　been　said　in　Heredon　that　Prince　Orden　is　'much　like　his　father。'　〃
　〃Too　much　like　his　father？〃　Gaborn　asked。　A　quote　from　Princess　Sylvarresta？　Probably　spoken　to　quell　any　rumors　of　a　possible　match。　It　was　true　that　Gaborn　had　his　father's　look　about　him。　But　Gaborn　was　not　his　father。　Nor　was　his　father；　Gaborn　believed；　as　〃acquisitive〃　as　Iome　accused　him　of　being。
　Myrrima　had　the　good　taste　to　say　no　more。　She　pulled　her　hand　free　of　his。
　〃She　will　marry　me；〃　Gaborn　said。　He　felt　confident　he　could　sway　the　princess。
　Myrrima　raised　a　brow。　〃How　could　you　imagine　so？　Because　it　would　be　pragmatic　to　ally　herself　with　the　wealthiest　kingdom　in　Rofehavan？〃　She　laughed　musically；　amused。　Under　normal　circumstances；　if　a　peasant　had　laughed　him　to　scorn；　Gaborn　would　have　bristled。　He　found　himself　laughing　with　her。
　Myrrima　flashed　a　fetching　smile。　〃Perhaps；　milord；　when　you　leave　Heredon；　you　will　not　leave　empty…handed。〃
　One　last　invitation。　Princess　Sylvarresta　will　not　have　you；　but　I　would。
　〃It　would　be　foolhardy　to　give　up　the　chase　before　the　hunt　has　begun；　don't　you　think？〃　Gaborn　said。　〃In　Understanding's　House；　in　the　Room　of　the　Heart；　Hearthmaster　Ibirmarle　used　to　say　'Fools　define　themselves　by　what　they　are。　Wise　men　define　themselves　by　what　they　shall　be。'　〃
　Myrrima　rejoined；　〃Then　I　fear；　my　pragmatic　prince；　that　you　shall　die　old　and　lonely；　deluded　into　believing　you　will　someday　marry　Iome　Sylvarresta。　Good　day。〃
　She　turned　to　leave；　but　Gaborn　could　not　quite　let　her　go。　In　the　Room　of　the　Heart；　he'd　also　learned　that　sometimes　it　is　best　to　act　on　impulse；　that　the　part　of　the　mind　which　dreams　will　often　speak　to　us；　manding　us　to　act　in　ways　that　we　do　not　understand。　When　Gaborn　had　told　her　that　he　thought　she　would　do　well　in　court；　he　had　meant　it。　He　wanted　her　in　his　courtnot　as　his　wife；　not　even　as　a　mistress。　But　intuitively　he　felt　her　to　be　an　ally。　Had　she　not　called　him　〃milord〃？　She　could　as　easily　have　called　him　〃Your　Lordship。〃　No；　she　felt　a　bond　to　him；　too。
　〃Wait；　milady；〃　Gaborn　said。　Once　again　Myrrima　turned。　She　had　caught　his　tone。　With　the　word　〃milady；〃　he　sought　to　make　his　claim　on　her。　She　knew　what　he　expected：　total　devotion。　Her　life。　As　a　Runelord；　Gaborn　had　been　raised　to　demand　as　much　from　his　own　vassals；　yet　he　felt　hesitant　to　ask　as　much　from　this　foreign　woman。
　〃Yes；　milord？〃
　〃At　home；〃　Prince　Orden　said；　〃you　have　two　ugly　sisters　to　care　for？　And　a　witless　brother？〃
　〃You　are　perceptive；　milord；〃　Myrrima　said。　〃But　the　witless　one　is　my　mother；　not　a　brother。〃　Lines　of　pain　showed　in　her　face。　It　was　a　terrible　burden　she　held。　A　terrible　price　for　magic。　It　was　hard　enough　to　take　an　endowment　of　brawn　or　wit　or　glamour　from　another；　to　assume　the　financial　responsibilities　for　that　person。　But　it　became　more　painful　still　when　that　person　was　a　beloved　friend　or　relative。　Myrrima's　family　must　have　lived　in　horrible　poverty；　hopeless　poverty；　in　order　for　them　to　have　felt　pelled　to　try　such　a　thingto　gift　one　woman　with　the　beauty　of　three；　the　cleverness　of　two；　and　then　seek　to　marry　her　to　some　rich　man　who　could　save　them　all　from　despair。
　〃However　did　you　get　the　money　for　the　forcibles？〃　Gaborn　asked。　The　magical　irons　that　could　drain　the　attributes　of　one　person　and　endow　them　on　another　were　tremendously　expensive。
　〃My　mother　had　a　small　inheritanceand　we　labored；　the　four　of　us；〃　Myrrima　said。　He　heard　tightness　in　her　voice。　Perhaps　once；　a　week　or　two　ago；　when　she'd　newly　bee　beautiful；　she'd　have　sobbed　when　speaking　of　this。
　〃You　sold　flowers　as　a　child？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　Myrrima　smiled。　〃The　meadow　behind　our　house　provided　little　else　to　sustain　us。〃
　Gaborn　reached　to　his　money　pouch；　pulled　out　a　gold　coin。　One　side　showed　the　head　of　King　Sylvarresta；　the　other　showed　the　Seven　Standing　Stones　of　the　Dunnwood；　which　legend　said　held　up　the　earth。　He　was　unfamiliar　with　the　local　currency；　but　knew　the　coin　was　large　enough　to　take　care　of　her　small　family　for　a　few　months。　He　took　her　hand；　slipping　it　into　her　palm。
　〃I。。。have　done　nothing　for　this；〃　she　said；　searching　his　eyes。　Perhaps　she　feared　an　indecent　proposal。　Some　lords　took　mistresses。　Gaborn　would　never　do　so。
　〃Certainly　you　have；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃You　smiled；　and　thus　lightened　my　heart。　Accept　this　gift；　please。　You　will　find　your　merchant　prince　someday；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃and　of　all　the　prizes　he　may　ever　discover　here　in　the　markets　of　Bannisferre；　I　suspect　that　you　will　be　the　most　treasured。〃
　She　held　the　coin　in　awe。　People　never　expected　one　as　young　as　Gaborn　to　speak　with　such　grace；　yet　it　came　easily　after　years　of　train