tw.togreenangeltower2-第103部分

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　　　　　　　〃Send　for　me　when　you　want　me。〃　Isgrimnur　backed　out　of　the　room。　Josua　did　not　look　up　or　speak；　but　continued　to　watch　the　lamp　as　though　it　were　the　only　thing　that　might　lead　him　out　of　ultimate　darkness。

　　　　　　　〃I　am　trying　to　understand。〃　Miriamele's　head　ached。　〃Tell　me　again　about　the　swords。〃
　　　　　　　She　had　been　with　the　dwarrows　for　several　days；　as　far　as　she　could　tell：　it　was　hard　to　know　for　certain　here　in　the　rocky　fastness　below　the　Hayholt。　The　shy　earth…dwellers　had　continued　to　treat　her　well；　but　still　refused　to　free　her；　Miriamele　had　argued；　pleaded…even　raged　for　a　long　hour；　demanding　to　be　released；　threatening；　cursing。　As　her　anger　spent　itself；　the　dwarrows　had　murmured　among　themselves　worriedly。　They　seemed　so　shocked　and　unsettled　by　her　fury　that　she　had　almost　felt　ashamed　of　herself；　but　the　embarrassment　passed　as　quickly　as　the　anger。
　　　　　　　After　all；　she　had　decided；　I　did　not　ask　to　be　brought　here。　They　say　their　reasons　are　good…then　let　their　reasons　make　them　feel　better。　I　shouldn　't　have　to。
　　　　　　　She　was　convinced　of；　if　not　reconciled　to；　the　reasons　for　her　captivity。　The　dwarrows　seemed　to　sleep　very　little　if　at　all；　and　only　a　few　of　them　at　a　time　ever　left　the　wide　cavern。　Whether　they　were　telling　her　the　entire　truth　or　not；　she　did　not　doubt　that　there　was　something　out　there　that　frightened　the　slender；　wide…eyed　creatures　very　badly。
　　　　　　　〃The　swords；〃　said　Yis…fidri。　〃Very　well；　I　will　try　better　to　explain。　You　saw　that　we　knew　the　arrow；　even　though　we　did　not　make　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。〃　They　had　certainly　seemed　to　know　something　significant　was　in　the　saddlebags；　although　it　was　possible　they　could　have　made　up　the　story　on　the　spot　after　finding　it。
　　　　　　　〃We　did　not　make　the　arrow；　but　it　was　crafted　by　one　who　learned　from　us。　The　three　Great　Swords　are　of　our　making；　and　we　are　bound　to　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　made　the　three　swords？〃　This　was　what　had　confused　her。　It　did　not　match　what　she　had　been　told。　〃I　knew　that　your　people　made　Minneyar　for　King　Elvrit　of　Rimmsersgard…but　not　that　they　forged　the　other　two　as　well。　Jarnauga　said　that　the　sword　Sorrow　was　made　by　Ineluki　himself。〃
〃Speak　not　his　name！〃　Several　of　the　other　dwarrows　looked　up　and　chimed　a　few　unsettled　words　which　Yis…fidri　answered　before　turning　back　to　Miriamele。　〃Speak　not　his　name。　He　is　closer　than　he　has　been　in　centuries。　Do　not　call　his　attention！〃
　　　　　　　It's　like　being　in　a　whole　cave　full　of　Strangyeards；　thought　Miriamele。　They　seem　afraid　of　everything。　Still；　Binabik　had　said　much　the　same　thing。　〃Very　well。　I　won't　say　。。。　his　name。　But　that　story　is　not　what　I　was　told。　A　learned　man　said　that　。。。　he　。。。　made　it　himself　in　the　forges　of　Asu'a。〃
　　　　　　　The　dwarrow　sighed。　〃Indeed。　We　were　the　smiths　of　Asu'a…or　at　least　some　of　our　people　were　。。。　some　who　had　not　fled　our　Zida'ya　masters；　but　who　were　still　Navigator's　Children　for　all　that；　still　as　like　to　us　as　two　chunks　of　ore　from　the　same　vein。　They　all　died　when　the　castle　fell。〃　Yis…fidri　chanted　a　brief　lament　in　the　dwarrow　tongue；　his　wife　Yis…hadra　echoed　him。　〃He　used　the　Hammer　that　Shapes　to　forge　it…our　Hammer…　and　the　Words　of　Making　that　we　taught　to　him。　It　might　as　well　have　been　our　own　High　Smith's　hand　that　crafted　it。　In　that　terrible　instant；　wheresoever　we　were；　scattered　across　the　world's　face。。。　we　felt　Sorrow's　making。　The　pain　of　it　is　with　us　still。〃　He　fell　silent　for　a　long　time。　'That　the　Zida'ya　allowed　such　a　thing。〃　he　said　at　last；　〃is　one　of　the　reasons　we　have　turned　away　from　them。　We　were　so　sorely　diminished　by　that　one　act　that　we　have　ever　since　been　crippled。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　Thorn？〃
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　nodded　his　heavy　head。　〃The　mortal　smiths　of　Nabban　tried　to　work　the　star…stone。　They　could　not。　Certain　of　our　people　were　sought　out　and　brought　secretly　to　the　Imperator's　palace。　These　kin　of　ours　were　thought　by　most　mortals　to　be　only　strange　folk　who　watched　the　oceans　and　kept　the　ships　safe　from　harm；　but　a　small　number　knew　that　the　old　lore　of　Making　and　Shaping　ran　deep　in　all　the　Tinukeda'ya；　even　those　who　had　chosen　to　remain　with　the　sea。〃
　　　　　　　〃Tinukeda'ya？〃　It　took　a　moment　to　sink　in。　〃But　that's　what　Gan　Itai　。。。　those　are　Niskies！〃
〃We　are　all　Ocean　Children；〃　said　the　dwarrow　gravely。　〃Some　decided　to　stay　near　the　sea　which　forever　separates　us　from　the　Garden　of　our　birth。　Others　chose　more　hidden　and　secretive　ways；　like　the　earth's　dark　places　and　the　task　of　shaping　stone。　You　see；　unlike　our　cousins　the　Zida'ya　and　Hikeda'ya；　we　Children　of　the　Navigator　can　shape　ourselves　just　as　we　shape　other　things。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　was　dumbfounded。　〃You're　。。。　you　and　the　Niskies　are　the　same？〃　Now　she　understood　the　phantom　of　recognition　that　had　troubled　her　upon　first　seeing　Yis…fidri。　There　was　something　in　his　bones；　in　his　way　of　moving；　that　reminded　her　of　Gan　Itai。　But　they　looked　so　different！
　　　　　　　〃We　are　not　the　same　any　more。　The　act　of　shaping　ourselves　takes　generations；　and　it　changes　more　than　just　our　outward　seeming。　But　much　does　not　change。　The　Dawn　Children　and　Cloud　Children　are　our　cousins…but　the　sea…watchers　are　our　sisters　and　brothers。〃　
　　　　　　　Miriamele　sat　back；　trying　to　grasp　what　she　had　been　told。　〃So　you　and　the　Niskies　are　the　same。　And　Niskies　forged　Thorn。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃You　are　saying；　then；　that　you　can　feel　all　the　Great　Swords…even　more　strongly　than　you　felt　the　White　Arrow？〃　A　sudden　thought　came　to　her。　〃Then　you　must　know　where　Bright…Nail　is…the　sword　that　was　called　Minneyar！〃
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　smiled　sadly。　〃Yes；　although　your　King　John　hung　it　with　many　prayers　and　relics　and　other　mortal　magicks；　perhaps　in　the　hope　of　concealing　its　true　nature。　But　you　know　your　own　arms　and　hands。　Princess　Miriamele；　do　you　not？　Would　you　know　them　any　the　less　if　they　were　still　joined　to　you；　but　were　clothed　in　some　other　mortal's　jacket　and　gloves？〃
　　　　　　　It　was　strange　to　think　of　her　magnificent　grandfather　working　so　hard　to　hide　Bright…Nail's　heritage。　Was　he　ashamed　of　owning　such　a　weapon？　Why？　〃If　you　know　these　swords　so　well；　can　you　tell　me　where　Bright…Nail　is　now？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot　say；　'it　is　such　and　such　a　place；'　no。　But　it　is　somewhere　near。　Somewhere　within　a　few　thousand　paces。〃
　　　　　　　So　it　was　either　in　the　castle　or　the　under…castle；　Miriamele　decided。　That　didn't　help　much；　but　at　least　her　father　had　not　had　it　thrown　in　the　ocean　or　carried　off　to　Nascadu。　〃Did　you　e　here　because　you　knew　the　swords　were　here？〃
〃No。　We　were　fleeing　other　things；　routed　from　our　city　in　the　north。　We　knew　already　that　two　of　the　swords　were　here；　but　that　meant　little　to　us　at　that　time：　we　fled　away　through　our　tunnels　and　they　led　us　here。　It　was　only　as　we　drew　close　to　Asu'a　that　we　came　to　understand　that　other　forces　were　also　at　work。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　so　now　you're　caught　between　the　two　and　don't　know　which　way　to　run。〃　She　said　it　with　more　than　a　little　disapproval；　but　knew　even　so　that　what　the　dwarrows　faced　was　much　like　her　own　situation。　She；　too；　was　driven　by　things　bigger　than　herself。　She　had　fled　her　father；　trying　to　put　the　entire　world　between　the　two　of　them。　Now　she　had　risked　her　life　and　the　lives　of　her　friends　to　e　back　and　find　him；　but　feared　what　might　happen　if　she　succeeded。　Miriamele　pushed　the　useless　thoughts　away。　〃Forgive　me；　Yis…fidri。　I'm　tired　of　sitting　for　so　long；　that's　all。〃
　　　　　　　It　had　been　good　to　rest　the　first　day；　despite　her　anger　over　her　imprisonment；　but　now　she　was　aching　to　be　on　her　way；　to　move；　to　do　something；　whatever　that　might　be。　Otherwise；　she　was　trapped　with　her　thoughts。　They　made　painful　pany。
　　　　　　　〃We　are　truly　sorry；　Miriamele。　You　may　walk　as　much　as　you　wish　here。　We　have　tried　to　give　you　all　that　you　need。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　fortunate　for　them　that　she　had　the　packs　that　held　the　remaining　provisions；　she　reflected。　If　she　had　been　forced　to　subsist　on　the　dwarrows'　food…fungi　and　small；　unpleasant　burrowing　creatures…she　would　be　a　much　less　congenial　prisoner。　〃You　cannot　give　me　what　I　need　as　long　as　I　am　held　captive；〃　she　said。　〃Nothing　can　change　that；　no　matter　what　you　say。〃
〃It　is　too　perilous。〃
Miriamele　bit　back　an　angry　reply。　She　had　already　tried　that　approach。　She　needed　to　think。

　　　　　　　Yis…hadra　scraped　at　a　bit　of　the　cavern　wall　with　a　curved；　flat…ended　tool。　Miriamele　could　not　quite　tell　what　Yis…fidri's　wife　was　doing；　but　she　seemed　to　be　enjoying　it：　the　dwarrow　was　singing　quietly　beneath　her　breath。　The　more　Miriamele　listened；　the　more　the　song　fascinated　her。　It　was　scarcely　louder　than　a　whisper；　but　it　had　something　in　it　of　the　power　and　plexity　of　Gan　Itai's　kilpa…singing。　Yis…hadra　sang　in　rhythm　with　the　movement　of　her　long；　graceful　hands。　Music　and　movement　together　made　one　singular　thing。　Miriamele　sat　beside　her　for　some　time；　transfixed。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　building　something？〃　she　asked　during　a　lull　in　the　song。
The　dwarrow　looked　up。　A　smile　stretched　her　odd　face。　〃This　s'h'rosa　here…this　piece　of　stone　that　runs　through　the　other　stone　。。。〃　she　indicated　a　darker　streak；　barely　visible　in　the　glow　of　the　rose　crystal。　〃It　wishes　to　。。。　e　out。　To　be　seen。〃