tw.togreenangeltower2-第25部分

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kness；　as　it　was　Amerasu　Ship…Born's。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　not　speak　of　her！〃　Jiriki　cried。　〃Your　mouth　is　too　foul　to　hold　her　name；　Akhenabi！〃
　　　　　　　The　thing　on　the　wall　smiled；　a　folding　of　white。　〃Ah；　little　Jiriki。　I　have　heard　tales　of　you　and　your　adventuring…or　should　I　say　meddling。　You　should　have　e　to　live　in　the　north；　in　our　cold　land。　Then　you　would　have　grown　strong。　This　tolerance　for　mortals　is　a　terrible　weakness。　It　is　one　reason　why　your　family　has　grown　dissolute　while　mine　has　grown…ever　sterner；　ever　more　capable　of　doing　what　needs　to　be　done。〃　The　Norn　turned　and　lifted　his　head；　directing　his　words　now　to　Eolair　and　the　nervously　whispering　Hernystiri。　〃Mortal　men！　You　risk　more　than　your　lives　fighting　beside　these　immortals。　You　risk　your　souls　as　well！〃
　　　　　　　Eolair　could　hear　the　rustle　of　frightened　speech　behind　him。　He　spurred　his　horse　forward　a　few　paces　and　raised　his　sword。　〃Your　threats　arc　empty！〃　he　shouted。　〃Do　your　worst！　Our　souls　are　our　own！〃
　　　　　　　〃Count　Eolair！〃　Maegwin　called。　〃No！　It　is　Scadach；　the　Hole　in　Heaven！　Go　no　closer！〃
Akhenabi　leaned　down；　fixing　the　count　with　black…bead　eyes。　〃The　captain　of　the　mortals；　are　you？　So；　little　man；　if　you　do　not　fear　for　your　sake；　or　for　your　troop；　what　of　the　mortals　still　prisoned　within　these　walls？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　saying？！〃　Eolair　shouted。
The　creature　in　the　black　robe　turned　and　lifted　both　arms。　A　moment　later　two　more　figures　clambered　up　into　view　beside　him。　Although　they　also　wore　heavy　cloaks；　their　clumsy　movements　marked　them　as　something　other　than　the　spider…graceful　Norns。
〃Here　are　some　of　your　brethren！〃　trumpeted　Akhenabi。　〃They　are　our　guests。　Would　you　see　them　die　for　the　sake　of　your　immortal　allies　as　well？〃　The　two　figures　stood　silently；　slumped　and　hopeless。　The　faces　in　the　wind…lashed　hoods　were　clearly　those　of　men；　not　Gardenborn。
　　　　　　　Eolair　felt　himself　fill　with　helpless　rage。　〃Let　them　go！〃
The　Norn　laughed　again；　pleased。　〃Oh；　no；　little　mortal。　Our　guests　are　enjoying　themselves　too　much。　Would　you　like　to　see　them　show　their　joy？　Perhaps　they　will　dance。〃　He　lifted　his　hand　and　made　a　florid　gesture。　The　two　figures　began　slowly　to　revolve。　Horribly；　they　lifted　their　arms　in　a　parody　of　a　courtly　dance；　swaying　from　side　to　side；　stumbling　together　in　front　of　the　grinning　Norn。　They　locked　arms　for　a　moment；　teetering　precariously　along　the　edge　of　the　high　wall；　then　pulled　apart　and　resumed　their　solitary　posturing。
Through　the　tears　of　fury　that　misted　his　eyes；　Eolair　saw　Jiriki　spur　his　horse　a　few　ells　nearer　the　wall。　The　Sitha　lifted　a　bow；　then；　in　a　movement　so　swift　as　to　be　almost　invisible；　he　withdrew　an　arrow　from　the　quiver　on　his　saddle；　nocked　it；　and　drew　the　bow　until　it　trembled　in　a　wide　arc。　Atop　the　wall；　the　Nom　Akhenabi's　grin　widened。　He　made　a　wriggling　movement；　almost　a　shiver；　a　moment　later　he　had　disappeared；　leaving　only　the　two　shambling　shapes　in　hideous　lockstep。
　　　　　　　Jiriki　let　his　arrow　fly。　It　struck　one　of　the　two　dancers　in　the　foot；　jerking　back　the　leg　and　overbalancing　both　the　one　struck　and　the　one　to　whom　he　clung。　They　flailed　briefly　at　the　air；　then　toppled　off　the　wall；　dropping　twenty　ells　to　hit　with　a　terrible　smacking　noise　on　the　snow…covered　rocks　beneath。　Several　of　the　Hernystiri　shouted　and　groaned。
　　　　　　　〃Blood　of　Rhynn！〃　Eolair　screamed。　〃What　have　you　done？！〃
　　　　　　　Jiriki　rode　forward；　scanning　the　now　empty　wall　cautiously。　When　he　reached　the　huddled　bodies；　he　dismounted　and　kneeled；　then　waved　Eolair　forward。
　　　　　　　〃Why　did　you　do　that；　Jiriki？〃　the　count　demanded。　His　throat　felt　as　tight　as　if　someone's　fingers　were　curled　around　it。　'The　Norn　was　gone。〃　He　stared　down　at　the　twisted；　dark…robed　figures。　The　hands　and　fingers　protruding　from　their　robes　were　splayed　as　though　they　still　grabbed　at　a　safety　they　would　never　find。　〃Did　you　think　to　spare　them　torture？　What　if　we　drove　out　the　Norns…is　there　no　chance　we　could　rescue　them？〃
　　　　　　　Jiriki　said　nothing；　but　reached　down　with　surprising　gentleness　and　turned　over　the　nearest　of　the　bodies；　tugging　a　little　to　pull　it　free　of　the　partner　with　which　it　was　entwined。　He　folded　back　the　hood。
　　　　　　　〃Brynioch！〃　Eolair　choked。　〃Brynioch　of　the　Skies　preserve　us！〃
　　　　　　　The　face　had　no　eyes；　only　black　holes。　The　skin　was　waxy；　and　in　places　had　burst　from　the　force　of　the　fall；　but　it　was　clear　that　this　corpse　was　not　fresh。
　　　　　　　〃Whoever　he　was；　he　has　been　dead　since　Naglimund's　defeat；〃　Jiriki　said　softly。　〃I　do　not　think　there　are　any　living　prisoners　within　the　walls。〃
　　　　　　　Count　Eolair　felt　his　gorge　rising　and　turned　away。　〃But　they。。。　moved。。。　！〃
　　　　　　　〃One　of　the　Red　Hand　is　lord　here；〃　Jiriki　said。　〃That　is　now　confirmed；　for　no　others　have　the　strength　to　do　this。　Their　power　is　a　part　of　their　master's。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　why？〃　Eolair　said。　He　looked　at　the　humped　corpses；　then　turned　his　gaze　outward；　toward　the　massing　of　men　and　Sithi　in　the　snow。　〃Why　would　they　do　this？〃
　　　　　　　Jiriki　shook　his　head；　his　own　hair　as　white　and　fluttering　as　that　of　the　creature　that　had　mocked　them　from　the　wall。　〃I　cannot　say。　But　Naglimund　will　not　fall　without　a　full　tithing　of　horrors；　that　is　certain。〃
Eolair　looked　at　Maegwin　and　Isorn　waiting　fearfully　for　him　to　return。　〃And　there　is　no　turning　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　I　fear　the　final　days　have　begun；〃　said　Jiriki。　〃For　good　or　ill。〃

　　　　　　　Duke　Isgrimnur　knew　that　he　should　be　paying　close　attention　to　everything　that　was　going　on　around　him；　to　the　people　of　Metessa；　to　the　arrangements　and　manpower　in　the　baronial　hall。　Metessa　was　the　easternmost　of　Nabban's　major　outer　states；　and　might　be　the　place　where　Josua's　challenge　stood　or　fell。　Success　here　could　hinge　on　the　smallest　detail；　so　Isgrimnur　had　plenty　to　occupy　him…but　it　was　difficult　to　attend　to　his　duties　while　the　little　boy　followed　him　around　like　a　shadow。
　　　　　　　〃Here；〃　the　duke　said　after　he　had　almost　trod　upon　the　child　for　the　dozenth　time；　〃what　are　you　up　to？　Don't　you　have　somewhere　to　be？　Where's　your　mother？〃
　　　　　　　The　pale…haired；　thin…faced　little　boy　looked　up　at　him；　showing　no　fear　of　the　large；　bearded　stranger。　〃My　mother　told　me　to　stay　away　from　the　prince　and　you　other　knights。　I　did　not　agree。〃
The　child　was　unnervingly　well…spoken　for　his　years；　the　duke　reflected；　and　his　Westerling　was　almost　as　good　as　Isgrimnur's　own。　It　was　odd　to　see　how　Prester　John's　Warinsten　language　had　spread　so　thoroughly　in　only　a　couple　of　generations。　But　if　things　fell　apart；　as　they　seemed　to　be　doing；　would　not　the　mon　tongue；　like　everything　else；　soon　slip　away？　Empires　were　like　seawalls；　he　thought　sadly；　even　those　which　embodied　the　best　of　hopes。　The　tide　of　chaos　beat　at　them　and　beat　at　them；　and　as　soon　as　no　one　was　shoring　up　the　stones　any　more。。。
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　shook　his　head；　then　growled　at　the　youngling　a　little　more　sternly　than　he　intended。　〃Well；　if　your　mother　told　you　to　stay　away　from　the　knights；　what　are　you　doing　here？　This　is　men's　business　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　The　boy　deliberately　raised　himself　until　the　top　of　his　head　reached　the　duke's　bottom　rib。　〃I　will　be　a　man　some　day。　I　am　tired　of　living　with　the　women。　My　mother　is　afraid　I　will　run　away　to　fight　in　war；　but　that　is　just　what　I　will　do。〃
　　　　　　　There　was　something　so　unintentionally　ic　in　his　fierce　determination　that　Isgrimnur　smiled　despite　himself。　〃What's　your　name；　lad？〃
　　　　　　　〃Pasevalles；　Sir　Foreign　Knight。　My　father　is　Brindalles；　Baron　Seriddan's　brother。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　knight　is　not　the　only　thing　in　the　world　to　be。　And　war　is　not　a　game。　It　is　a　terrible　thing；　little　Pasevalles。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　boy　readily。　〃But　sometimes　there　is　no　choice；　my　father　says；　and　there　must　be　men　who　will　fight。〃
　　　　　　　The　duke　thought　of　Princess　Miriamele　in　the　ghant　nest；　and　of　his　own　beloved　wife　standing　with　an　ax　before　Elvritshalla；　ready　to　defend　it　to　her　death　before　Isorn　persuaded　her　at　last　to　let　it　go　and　flee　with　the　rest　of　the　family。　〃Women　also　fight。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　women　cannot　be　knights。　And　I　am　going　to　be　a　knight。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　I　suppose　since　I　am　not　your　father；　I　cannot　send　you　back　to　your　chambers。　And　I　certainly　can't　seem　to　be　rid　of　you。　You　might　as　well　e　with　me　and　tell　me　a　little　about　the　place。〃
　　　　　　　Pleased；　Pasevalles　bounced　up　and　down　a　few　times　like　a　puppy。　Then；　just　as　suddenly；　he　stopped　and　fixed　Isgrimnur　with　a　suspicious　glance。　〃Are　you　an　enemy？〃　he　asked　sharply。　〃Because　if　you　are；　Sir　Foreign　Knight；　I　cannot　show　you　things　that　might　hurt　my　uncle。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur's　grin　was　sour。　〃In　these　days；　young　fellow；　it's　hard　to　say　who　is　enemy　to　who。　But　I　can　promise　you　that　my　liege…lord　Prince　Josua　intends　no　harm　to　any　who　live　in　Metessa。〃
　　　　　　　Pasevalles　considered　this　for　a　moment。　〃I　will　trust　you；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃I　think　you　tell　the　truth。　But　if　you　do　not；　then　you　are　no　knight；　who　would　lie　to　a　young　child。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur's　grin　widened。　Young　child！　This　nuumtkin　could　give　Count　Eolair　lessons　in　politicking。　'Tell　me　nothing　that　would　help　your　uncle's　enemies；　and　I　will　try　not　to　as