cacb.thefarkingdoms-第19部分

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　And　there　was　nothing　more　except　Tepon；　the　tent　that　suddenly　blossomed　around　us；　and　we　were　alone；　and　her　body；　and　firelight。
　I　woke　some　time　after　dawn。　I　was　naked　except　for　my　cloak　wrapped　around　my　waist。　There　was　an　inquisitive　goat　staring　at　me　from　less　than　a　foot　away。　I　lay　on　rocky　ground　in　the　flaring　sunlight。　Tepon's　head　was　pillowed　on　my　stomach。　The　great　drum　of　the　night　before　was　now　in　my　head。
　And　I　was　destined　for　the　Far　Kingdoms。
　
　CHAPTER　FIVE
　The　Evocators
　MY　SISTER　TRAMPED　in　from　the　exercise　yard；　undid　her　cuirass；　and　dumped　it　on　the　floor。　〃If　you　love　me；　brother；　dear；〃　Rali　groaned；　〃fetch　a　drink　before　I　perish。〃　I　hastened　to　the　fireside　where　I　had　set　a　strong；　spiced　punch　to　brew。　I　lifted　the　iron　jug　from　the　ashes　with　tongs　and　poured　out　a　steaming；　aromatic　goblet。　It　was　my　sister's　favorite　drink。　She　grinned　as　I　handed　it　to　her。　〃Such　a　devoted　brother；〃　she　said。　〃Unselfish；　as　well。　Anticipating　his　sister's　smallest　whim；　with　no　thought　of　any　reward。〃　She　took　a　long　drink。
　〃Don't　tease　me；　Rali；〃　I　begged。　〃I've　barely　slept　since　our　talk　last　week。〃
　〃Oh；　please　don't　plain　to　me　about　your　sleeping　habits；〃　she　said　with　a　laugh。　〃You've　probably　slipped　another　love　potion　to　some　doxy　and　she's　been　ferreting　about　your　bed　all　this　time。〃　My　sister　crossed　the　room　on　those　fine；　long　legs　of　hers；　kicked　off　her　sandals；　and　settled　on　the　couch。　〃e　rub　my　feet；〃　she　manded；　〃and　by　and　by；　I　shall　tell　all。〃
　I　rushed　to　do　her　bidding；　anxious　to　learn　on　which　side　of　the　ledger　my　sister　was　going　to　write　her　name。　If　she　was　opposed；　there　was　little　chance　my　father　would　agree　to　Janos'　scheme　to　seek　the　Far　Kingdoms。　If　her　vote　was　yes；　and　she　further　agreed　to　smooth　the　way　with　our　father；　there　was　a　small　chance　he　might　bless　the　plan　and　fund　my　maiden　expedition。
　Rali　sighed　as　I　coaxed　the　knots　from　her　tired　feet；　and　took　another　drink。　〃This　soft　life　will　be　the　death　of　me；〃　she　said。　〃Every　day　is　the　same。　Up　at　daybreak　to　drill　and　train　my　women。　Administrative　work　until　dusk；　and　then　I　share　a　drink　and　a　roasted　joint　or　two　with　Otara。　By　day's　end　I'm　so　weary　with　boredom；　it's　a　small　miracle　if　I　have　energy　enough　to　give　Otara　a　tumble。　A　situation　she　has　been　quick　to　deplore　of　late。〃
　Otara　was　her　lover　of　many　years。　She　was　a　small；　motherly　woman　of　delicate　beauty　who　doted　on　my　sister　and　would　fight　to　the　death　to　keep　her　from　harm。　Not　that　Rali　was　likely　to　require　help。　She　was　tall；　with　long；　cabled　muscles　and　narrow　hips。　Rah'　was　some　ten　years　my　senior　and　in　her　fighting　prime。　Swift　as　a　direwolf　in　an　attack　and　twice　as　deadly。　She　was　equally　skilled　with　sword；　javelin；　and　her　strong；　ram's　horn　bow。　But　no　one　would　ever　mistake　her　for　a　man；　nor　did　she　ape　men　in　her　manners。　Rali　had　a　pleasing　form　and　was　willowy　and　delicate　in　her　movements；　although　soldier　plain　in　her　talk。　When　I　was　small　and　still　allowed　in　her　bathchamber；　I　remember　how　struck　I　was　at　the　smooth；　milky　color　of　her　skin　where　the　drill…field　sun　did　not　touch。　Where　my　hair　was　fiery　red；　hers　was　the　color　of　pale　straw；　and　her　eyes　were　as　clear　and　blue　as　the　seas。
　〃What　I　need　is　a　good　fight　to　get　the　blood　up；〃　Rali　continued；　as　I　rubbed　at　her　sore　feet　〃Or　at　least　a　hard　march　with　some　purpose；　other　than　training。　An　enemy　to　cow。　A　city　to　besiege。〃　She　raised　the　cup　to　her　full　lips　and　drank　more。　〃But　I　haven't　much　hope　such　a　thing　will　soon　e　to　pass；〃　she　said。　〃The　Magistrates　are　fearful　of　letting　us　march　very　far　from　Orissa。　I　think　they　believe　a　barbarian　horde　would　be　conjured　up　to　ravage　the　city　in　our　absence。〃
　Rali　was　a　captain　in　the　Maranon　Guard。　In　those　times　it　was　posed　of　five　hundred　warrior　women；　women　who　had　taken　a　vow　to　Maranonia；　the　favored　female　deity　of　war。　They　forswore　marriage；　motherhood；　or　any　of　the　〃normal〃　functions　of　women　in　our　culture。　The　guardswomen　were　highly　trained　and　devoted　to　the　defense　of　Orissa。　Few　were　man　haters；　although　all　preferred　other　women　as　sexual　partners。
　〃May　I　fetch　you　another　cup　of　punch？〃　I　asked。　〃Or　something　to　eat？　I　could　tote　your　bathwater；　if　you　wish。　Or　any　other　errand　suitable　for　a　brother　bent　on　groveling　for　his　sister's　favor。　A　sister　as　beautiful　as　she　is　wise。　As　soldierly　as　she　is　tender。　As…〃
　〃Stop　before　I　throw　up；〃　my　sister　laughed。　〃All　right；　Amalric。　You　win。〃
　I　changed　my　foot　rubbing　into　a　light　stroke。　〃Oh；　speak　to　me；　sibyl；〃　I　intoned。　〃Tell　me　what　is　in　thy　heart。〃　Rali　was　stricken　by　a　fit　of　giggles。　Not　from　my　cleverness　so　much　as　my　skilled　tickling　of　her　feet。　I　had　found　her　weak　place　when　I　was　a　small　child　and　she　was　a　green　recruit。
　My　sister　was　one　of　the　few　people　I　had　ever　felt　pletely　at　ease　with。　There　was　no　secret　I　would　not　confess　to　her；　no　sin　she　would　not　forgive。　But　she　never　took　advantage　of　this　trust　by　prying。　I　valued　her　advice　above　all　others。　It　was　for　this　reason；　I　suppose；　I　had　stayed　away　from　her　during　those　months　I　was　afflicted　with　Melina。　I　was　too　much　in　rut　to　want　to　hear　good　sense。　But　when　I　had　finally　e　to　her；　Rali's　words　were　similar　to　Janos'。　She　told　me　to　tote　the　incident　up　to　experience。　〃I'm　not　saying　to　go　forth　and　sin　no　more；〃　she'd　said。　〃But　I　am　saying；　next　time　you　might　try　sinning　less　expensively　。。。　and　publicly。〃　Then　she'd　fixed　me　with　those　clear　blue　eyes　and　asked　what　I　intended　to　do　next。　〃It　is　time　I　sought　my　Finding；〃　I　had　answered；　〃and　join　our　father　in　the　business。〃
　〃Noble　words；　dear　brother；〃　she'd　responded。　〃But　I　wonder　if　that　is　really　what　you　want　to　do。　I've　suspected　for　some　time　your　recent　behavior　might　have　a　deeper　cause　than　youthful　folly。　Perhaps　you　don't　view　the　prospect　of　a　trader's　life　with　joy。〃　I　realized　once　again　how　perceptive　my　soldier　sister　was。　Perhaps　I　was　fighting　a　stodgy　future；　to　be　forced　into　the　pany　of　men　who　cared　only　for　money。
　〃You　see　it　exactly；〃　I　had　cried。　〃If　I　am　to　be　a　merchantman　like　our　father；　I　want　to　do　much　more　than　just　take　over　the　family　business。　I　want　to　make　my　own　mark　and　be　more　than　the　son　of　a　rich　man；　living　off　our　father's　youthful　deeds。〃
　〃How　do　you　plan　to　acplish　this？　Or；　have　you　given　this　thought？〃　she'd　asked。
　I　told　her　about　the　Far　Kingdoms　and　my　desire　to　make　them　the　object　of　my　Finding。　And　I　told　her　of　Janos。　She'd　listened　closely；　offering　no　opinion　until　I　was　done。　Then　she'd　said；　〃I　won't　say　nay。　And　I　won't　say　yea。　In　fact；　I　will　offer　no　view　at　all　at　this　time。　However　。。。　What　I　will　do　is　to　ask　about。　And　when　I　have　learned　more；　especially　more　of　your　new　friend；　Janos　Greycloak；　I　will　give　you　my　decision。〃
　Now　it　was　time　for　the　decision　she'd　promised。　Although　I　joked　and　tickled；　I　awaited　the　oute　in　agony。　My　sister　pulled　her　feet　away　and　sat　straighter　in　the　couch。　〃Fetch　me　another　drink；　please；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　will　tell　you　what　I　have　learned。〃　In　a　moment　she　had　her　wish；　and　I　sat　there；　barely　able　to　breathe。
　〃You　will　forgive　me；　dear　Amalric；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　went　at　this　in　an　unkindly　fashion。　Rather　than　investigating　the　worthiness　of　your　Finding　to　start　with；　I　first　sought　evidence　your　Mend　is　a　scoundrel。〃　A　raised　hand　stopped　my　protest。　〃You　must　admit；　your　pany　of　late　has　been　questionable　young　men　as　well　as　women。　For　all　I　knew；　Janos　Greycloak　was　just　a　new；　best　friend。〃　I　bowed　my　head；　admitting　the　truth。
　〃To　begin　with；〃　she　said；　〃I　had　a　few　quiet　words　with　some　of　my　acquaintances　in　the　Magistrates'　Own　Guard。　My　conclusion　is　Janos　is　not　only　an　excellent　soldier；　but　a　skilled　leader　and　organizer。〃　My　breath　whooshed　in　relief。　〃Don't　be　so　quick；〃　Rali　warned。　〃All　is　not　lightness。　Captain　Greycloak；　it　seems；　is　also　a　man　who　has　earned　his　share　of　enemies　during　his　short　time　in　the　Guard。　But　I　think　most　of　it　is　because　of　jealousy。　Also　his　confident　manner　would　anger　many　of　those　rich　whoresons　who　lead　their　soldiery　from　a　favorite　tavern。〃
　I　broke　in。　〃There