df.therunelords-第69部分

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e。　He　indeed　felt　grateful；　and　he　loved　her。
　The　thought　made　her　shiver；　made　her　want　him　more　than　she'd　ever　wanted　a　man。　Iome　had　always　been　sensitive　to　magics；　knew　that　her　desire　for　Gaborn　was　born　of　the　earth　powers　growing　in　him。　He　was　not　handsome；　she　had　to　tell　herself。　Not　really　more　handsome　than　any　other　man。
　Yet　she　felt　drawn　to　him。
　How　could　he　love　me？　she　wondered。　How　could　he　love　this　face？　It　was　like　a　wall　between　them；　this　loss　of　glamour；　her　loss　of　self…respect　and　hope。　Yet　when　he　spoke　to　her；　when　Gaborn　assured　her　that　he　loved　her；　she　felt　warm　all　over。　She　dared　hope。
　Gaborn　frowned　in　thought；　said　softly。　〃No；　we　shouldn't　go　south。　We　need　to　follow　our　own　trackwest。　I　feel　the　spirits　drawing　me。　My　father　is　going　to　Longmont；　where　castle　walls　will　enfold　him。　Bone　of　the　earth。　The　earth　powers　can　preserve　him。　He's　safer　there　than　we　are　here。〃
　With　that；　he　urged　his　horse　forward；　reached　down　a　hand　to　help　lift　Iome　to　her　saddle。
　On　the　wind　came　the　sound　of　war　dogs　baying　in　the　far　hills。
　
　Chapter　26
　A　GIFT
　　
　For　long　hours　they　raced；　leaping　over　wind…fallen　aspens；　climbing　up　and　down　the　hills。　Iome　let　Gaborn　lead　the　way；　half　in　wonder　at　the　trails　he　chose。
　Time　became　a　blurall　the　trees　losing　definition；　time　losing　focus。
　At　one　point；　Gaborn　pointed　out　that　Iome's　father　seemed　to　be　riding　better。　As　if　some　portion　of　his　memories　had　opened；　and　he　recognized　once　again　how　to　sit　light　in　a　saddle。
　Iome　wasn't　so　sure。　Gaborn　stopped　the　horses　in　a　stream；　and　her　father　watched　a　fly　buzz　around　his　head　as　Gaborn　asked　time　and　again；　〃Can　you　ride？　If　I　cut　your　hands　loose　from　the　saddle；　will　you　hold　on？〃
　King　Sylvarresta　made　no　answer。　Instead；　he　looked　up　into　the　sky　and　began　squinting　at　the　sun；　making　a　noise　like；　〃Gaaaagh。　Gaaaaagh。〃
　Gaborn　turned　to　Iome。　〃He　could　be　saying　yes。〃
　But　when　Iome　looked　into　her　father's　eyes；　she　saw　no　light　in　them。　He　wasn't　answering；　just　making　senseless　noise。
　Gaborn　pulled　out　a　knife；　reached　down；　and　slit　the　ropes　that　held　King　Sylvarresta's　hands　to　the　pommel　of　the　saddle。
　King　Sylvarresta　seemed　mesmerized　by　the　knife；　tried　to　grab　it。
　〃Don't　touch　the　blade；〃　Gaborn　said。　Her　father　grabbed　it　anyway；　cut　himself；　and　just　stared　at　his　bleeding　hand　in　wonder。　It　was　a　small　cut。
　〃Hold　on　to　the　pommel　of　the　saddle；〃　Gaborn　told　King　Sylvarresta；　then　wrapped　the　King's　hand　around　the　pommel。　〃Keep　holding　on。〃
　〃Do　you　think　it　will　work？〃　Iome　asked。
　〃I　don't　know。　He's　holding　it　tight　enough　now。　He　might　stay　on　the　horse。〃
　Iome　felt　torn　between　the　desire　to　have　her　father　safely　tied　to　the　saddle；　and　the　desire　to　let　him　be　free；　unencumbered。
　〃I'll　watch　him；〃　Iome　said。　They　let　the　horses　forage　for　sweet　grass　alongside　a　hill　for　a　few　moments。　Distant　thunder　was　snarling　over　the　mountains；　and　Iome　became　lost　in　thought。　A　thin　rain　began　to　fall。　A　golden　butterfly　flew　near　her　father's　mount；　and　caught　his　eye。　He　watched　after　it　a　moment；　held　out　a　hand　toward　it　as　it　flew　off　into　the　shadowed　woods。
　Moments　later；　they　headed　into　the　forest；　into　the　deep　gloom。　The　trees　gave　shelter　from　the　brief　rain　showers。　For　another　hour　they　rode；　as　the　darkness　deepened；　until　they　reached　some　old　trail　in　a　burn。
　There；　as　they　rode；　another　monarch　butterfly　flew　up　out　of　some　weeds。　Iome's　father　reached　for　it；　called　out。
　〃Halt！〃　Iome　shouted；　leaping　from　her　saddle。　She　ran　to　her　father；　who　sat　askew；　listening　to　his　force　horse　breathe；　lamely　reaching　a　hand　out。
　〃Bu…er…fly！〃　he　shouted；　grasping　at　the　golden　monarch　that　flashed　ahead；　as　if　racing　the　horses。　〃Bu…er…fly！　Bu…er…fly！〃　Tears　streamed　from　her　father's　eyes；　tears　of　joy。　If　there　was　any　pain　behind　those　tears；　any　recognition　of　what　he'd　lost；　Iome　could　not　see　it。　These　were　tears　of　discovery。
　Iome's　heart　pounded。　She　grabbed　her　father's　face；　tried　to　pull　him　close。　She'd　hoped　he　would　regain　some　wit；　enough　to　talk。　Now　he　had　it。　If　he　knew　one　word；　he　could　learn　more。　He'd　experienced　his　〃wakening〃that　moment　when　the　connection　between　a　new　Dedicate　and　his　lord　became　firm；　when　the　bounds　of　an　endowment　solidified。
　In　time；　her　father　might　learn　her　name；　might　know　she　loved　him　desperately。　In　time　he　might　learn　to　control　his　bowels；　feed　himself。
　But　for　the　moment；　as　she　tried　to　pull　him　close；　he　saw　her　ruined　face；　cried　out　in　terror；　and　drew　away。
　King　Sylvarresta　was　strong；　so　much　stronger　than　her。　With　his　endowments；　he　easily　tore　from　her　grasp；　and　pushed　her　so　hard　that　she　feared　he'd　broken　her　collarbone。
　It　did　not　matter。　The　pain　did　not　diminish　her　joy。　Gaborn　rode　back　to　them；　leaned　over　on　his　mount；　and　took　King　Sylvarresta's　hand。　〃Here　now；　milord；　don't　be　afraid；〃　he　soothed。　He　pulled　the　King's　hand　toward　Iome；　put　the　King's　palm　on　the　back　of　her　hand；　let　him　pet　it。　〃See？　She's　nice。　This　is　Iome；　your　beautiful　daughter。〃
　〃Iome；〃　Iome　said。　〃Remember？　Do　you　remember　me？〃
　But　if　the　King　remembered　her；　he　did　not　show　it。　His　wide　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　He　stroked　her　hand；　but　for　the　moment　he　could　give　her　nothing　more。
　〃Iome；〃　Gaborn　whispered；　〃you　need　to　get　back　on　your　horse。　I　know　you　can't　hear　them；　but　mastiffs　are　howling　in　the　woods　behind　us。　We　don't　have　time　to　waste。〃
　Iome's　heart　pounded　so　hard　she　feared　it　would　stop。　Darkness　could　not　be　far　away。　The　rain　had　momentarily　halted。
　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　and　leapt　on　her　horse。　In　the　distance；　war　dogs　began　to　bay；　and　nearby　some　lone　wolf　raised　its　voice　in　answer。
　
　Chapter　27
　THE　UNFAVORED
　　
　In　the　shadows　of　the　birches；　Jureem　gazed　down　as　his　master's　Invincibles　took　a　moment　to　rest；　throwing　themselves　on　the　ground。　Beyond　this　ridge；　the　mountains　wrinkled　and　folded　like　crumpled　metal；　and　trees　grew　huge。　Gaborn　was　fleeing　into　the　darkest　heart　of　the　Dunnwood。
　Yet　Jureem　knew　enough　to　fear　this　region；　as　did　the　Invincibles。　Maps　showed　the　Westwood　only　as　a　blank；　and　at　its　center　was　a　crude　sketch　of　the　Seven　Standing　Stones　of　the　Dunnwood。　In　Indhopal；　it　was　said　that　the　universe　was　a　great　tortoise。　On　the　tortoise's　back　sat　the　Seven　Stones；　and　on　the　stones　rested　the　world。　A　silly　legend；　Jureem　knew；　but　intriguing。　For　ancient　tomes　said　that　millennia　ago；　the　duskins；　the　Lords　of　the　Underworld；　had　erected　the　Seven　Stones　to　〃uphold　the　world。〃
　The　Invincibles　searched　the　ground　under　the　birches　for　sign　of　Gaborn。　Somehow；　the　Prince's　scent　eluded　them；　and　now　the　mastiffs　stood　yapping　stupidly；　noses　high；　trying　to　catch　the　scent。
　It　should　not　have　happened。　Young　Prince　Orden　had　three　people　a　horse。　Their　scent　should　have　been　thick　in　the　air；　the　prints　of　the　horses'　hooves　deep　in　the　ground。　Yet　even　Raj　Ahten　could　not　smell　the　boy；　and　the　earth　was　so　dry　and　stony　that　it　could　not　hold　a　print。
　Most　of　Raj　Ahten's　men　were　already　unhorsed。　Twelve　horses　dead；　several　dogs　dead；　too。　The　men　who　ran　afoot　should　have　been　able　to　keep　up　with　Gaborn；　but　plained；　〃This　ground　is　too　hard。　We　can't　walk　on　it。〃
　An　Invincible　sat　on　a　log；　pulled　off　a　boot。　Jureem　saw　the　black　bruises　on　his　sole；　horrible　blisters　on　his　heels　and　toes。　These　rough　hills　had　killed　most　of　the　horses　and　dogs。　They'd　kill　men；　too。　So　far；　Jureem　was　lucky　enough　to　retain　a　mount；　though　his　butt　hurt　so　badly　he　dared　not　climb　off　his　horse　for　fear　he'd　never　get　back　on。　Even　worse；　he　feared　that　at　any　moment　his　own　horse　would　die。　Not　able　to　run　with　these　men；　he　would　be　abandoned　here　in　the　woods。
　〃How　does　he　do　it？〃　Raj　Ahten　wondered　aloud。　They'd　followed　Gaborn　for　six　hours；　astonished　at　how　the　Prince　eluded　them。　Each　time；　it　had　been　in　a　stand　of　birches。　Each　time；　they'd　lost　Gaborn's　scent　pletely；　had　to　circle　the　trees　until　he　reached　pine。　Yet　it　was　getting　harder　and　harder　to　find　the　Prince's　trail。
　〃Binnesman；〃　Jureem　said。　〃Binnesman　has　put　some　Earth　Warden's　spell　on　the　Prince；　hiding　him。〃　Gaborn　was　leading　them　all　somewhere　they　did　not　want　to　go。
　One　of　Raj　Ahten's　captains；　Salim　al　Daub；　spoke　with　a　soft；　womanly　voice。　〃O　Light　of　the　Earth；〃　he　said　solemnly；　〃perhaps　we　had　better　relinquish　this　fruitless　chase。　The　horses　are　dying。　Your　horse　will　die。〃
　Raj　Ahten's　magnificent　horse　did　show　signs　of　fatigue；　but　Jureem　hardly　imagined　it　would　die。
　〃Besides；〃　Salim　said；　〃this　is　not　natural。　The　ground　everywhere　we　walk　is　harder　than　stone；　yet　the　Prince's　horse　runs　over　it　like　the　wind。　Leaves　fall　in　his　path；　hiding　his　trail。　Even　you　cannot　smell　him　anymore。　We　are　too　near　the　heart　of　the　haunted　wood。　Can't　you　hear　it？〃
　Raj　Ahten　fell　silent；　and　his　beautiful　face　went　impassive　as　he　listened。　He　had　endowments　of　hearing　from　hundreds　of　men；　he　turned　his　ear　to　the　woods；　closed　his　eyes。
　Jureem　imagined　that　his　master　could　hear　his　men　rustling　about；　the　beats　of　their　hearts；　the　drawing　of　their　breaths；