cacb.thefarkingdoms-第7部分

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　〃Oh；　my　dear；　dear　Amalric；〃　she　said　when　she　spied　me。　Her　face　was　so　dazzling　when　she　greeted　me；　I　thought　perhaps　I　had　been　a　fool　to　think　I　needed　a　potion。　〃I　have　been　so　bored；〃　she　said；　sprawling　across　a　mighty　bed　that　seemed　to　have　been　built　to　pillow　a　legion。　〃I　am　sick　of　potbellied　old　men　with　skinny　legs。〃
　I　plumped　down。　She　was　dressed　only　in　a　rough；　carelessly　draped　half　robe。　She　was　direct　from　her　tub　and　looked　like　a　fresh…scrubbed　milkmaid　with　knowing　eyes。　As　she　raised　her　head　to　pillow　it　on　an　arm；　the　robe　fell　open。　I　saw　the　flash　of　a　tender　breast；　pink…tipped　nipple；　and　as　she　lazily　tugged　the　robe　closed；　the　vee　of　softness　between　her　thighs；　the　paradise　I　so　longed　for　that　I　was　willing　to　risk　all。
　〃Then　let　me　take　you　away　from　all　this；　Melina　my　love；〃　I　said；　in　false　lightness。
　〃You　would　make　me　your　wife？〃　she　said。　Her　voice　was　mocking。　But　only　a　little。
　Now　I　was　all　seriousness。　〃I　would　pledge　anything　to　make　it　so；〃　I　said　fervently。
　〃I　don't　think　you'd　wele　a　hetaera　as　the　mother　of　your　children；〃　she　laughed。
　〃Then　you　don't　know　me；　Melina；〃　I　answered。　〃For　I　love　you　more　than　any　man　has　a　right　to　love。　I　fear　the　gods　will　grow　jealous　if　they　realize　just　how　great　my　feelings　are　for　you。〃
　Melina　sighed。　〃You　are　very　sweet　and　very　kind；〃　she　said。　〃But　you　will　e　to　your　senses　some　day；　and　find　some　deserving　woman　of　your　own　class。〃
　〃Never；〃　I　said；　as　hotly　earnest　as　only　the　very　young　can　be。　〃Besides；〃　Melina　said；　〃you　are　too　young　to　afford　me。　Now；　don't　pout。　Because　you　know　what　I　am　saying　is　true。〃　She　patted　my　hand。　〃Please　don't　spoil　these　few　hours　we　have　together。　My　back　is　so　tired　and　I　need　those　strong　young　hands　of　yours　to　soothe　it。〃　Melina　gave　me　a　naughty　wink。　〃And　。。。　afterward　。。。　if　there's　time　。。。　Who　knows？　Possibly　this　will　be　the　night　I　learn　if　you　are　truly　a　redheaded　man。〃
　My　heart　sank。　Despite　the　tease；　actually　because　of　the　tease；　I　understood　for　the　first　time　that　night　would　never　e。　I　know　now　that　I　did　intrigue；　possibly　even　arouse　her。　Curiosity　is　a　powerful　aphrodisiac；　and　Melina　was　honestly　wondering　about　the　exotic　color　of　my　hair。　I　know　it　also　excited　her　to　have　such　a　young　man　a　willing　slave　to　her　slightest　whim；　sexual　or　otherwise。　But　it　would　never　go　beyond　that。　She　would　take　me　for　everything　I　owned；　including　my　honor。　Then　she'd　cast　me　aside。
　I　forced　cheer。　〃First；　I　have　a　small　gift　for　you；〃　I　said。　Melina　squealed。　〃Oh；　how　lovely。　I　do　hope　it's　unusual。　Please。　Please。　Let　me　see。〃　I　drew　the　bottle　out　of　my　pocket。　Her　face　fell。　〃What's　that？'
　〃Oh；　this　is　nothing。　Just　some　old　brandy　from　my　father's　cellar。　I　thought　we　might　sample　it。。。　and　then　I　can　show　you　my　gift。　It　is　a　very　rare　thing　。。。　I　promise。〃
　Melina　became　excited　again；　acting　like　a　girl。　She　sat　up　in　the　bed；　legs　so　carelessly　crossed　I　almost　lost　my　nerve。　I　fetched　two　goblets　from　the　tray　and　poured。　Melina　took　a　goblet　from　my　hand。　She　sniffed　at　it；　curling　those　exquisite　nostrils。　〃Mmmm。　Delicious；〃　she　said。　She　drank　it　down　in　one　swallow。　Then　she　lounged　back　on　her　pillows；　flinging　those　perfect　legs　wide；　as　if　by　accident。　〃Now；　show　me　my　present；〃　she　said。
　〃Do　you　want　more　brandy？〃　I　asked。
　〃No。　That's　enough。　There's　nothing　more　disgusting　than　a　hetaera　who　enslaves　herself　to　drink。〃
　〃How　do　you　feel？〃　I　asked；　anxious。
　〃I　feel　fine。　Why　do　you　ask？〃　Her　voice　was　sharp；　irritated。
　〃Oh　。。。　nothing。〃　What　in　the　name　of　the　gods　had　gone　wrong？　Had　the　back…street　witch　defrauded　me？　Then　I　remembered　I　was　supposed　to　chant　the　rhyme　the　witch　had　given　me。　But　in　my　anxiety；　the　words　had　fled　my　memory。
　〃Well？　Where　is　that　present　you　promised？〃　Melina　pressed。
　My　memory　returned。　〃My　heart　is　thy　heart；〃　I　intoned；　mimicking　the　deep　drone　of　an　Evocator's　voice。　〃My　image　fills　thine　eyes。　In　darkest　night；　I　am　the　candle　to　light　thy　womb。〃
　Melina　frowned。　〃What　prattling　is　that？　Some　silly　love　doggerel　from　the　taverns？〃
　Before　I　could　stumble　a　lie　for　an　answer；　Melina　gasped。　Those　green　eyes　were　staring　at　me。　Her　pupils　were　wide　and　possessed。　She　licked　her　lips。　〃Butala；　praise　thy　name；〃　Melina　moaned。　〃Amalric；　you　are　so　handsome　and　young　you　make　my　heart　break。　I'll　warrant　you　can　pleasure　a　woman　like　a　great　stallion。　Plunging　and　plunging　all　the　night　long。〃
　〃Uh　。。。　uh　。。。　uh；〃　was　my　eloquent　response。
　〃Oh；　by　the　gods　。。。　take　me　now！　Take　me！〃　She　flung　off　the　robe　and　hurled　herself　into　my　arms；　ripping　at　my　clothes　with　sharp…nailed　fingers。　〃I'll　do　anything　to　please　you；〃　she　groaned。　〃Take　me。　Any　way　you　want　it。　My　lover。　My　handsome；　redheaded　Amalric　man。〃
　Passion　gripped　me　as　if　I　had　swallowed　the　potion；　as　well。　I　ripped　away　my　clothing　and　flung　it　carelessly　to　the　floor。　A　small　voice　tried　to　shame　me；　but　a　cock　has　no　honor；　so　I　swatted　the　voice　away　like　a　river　gnat。　Melina　sprawled　back；　lust　flush　coursing　up　her　chest　and　reddening　her　slender　throat；　legs　splayed　wantonly；　the　shaved　slit　of　pleasure　begging　my　entrance。
　〃Oh；　quickly　。。。　quickly；　please；〃　she　groaned；　grinding　her　hips　as　if　she　had　gone　mad　under　the　moon。
　I　fell　on　her　like　a　victorious　soldier；　grasping　the　soft　white　mound　of　her　bottom；　then　thrust　into　the　hot；　silky　place　I　had　dreamed　of　for　so　long。　Imagining　myself　that　stallion　she'd　spoken　of；　I　reared　back　to　thrust　again。　A　bellow　of　pure；　hot　rage　rang　from　behind　me。　〃Get　off　her；　you　son　of　a　lizard　bitch！〃
　Hands　encircled　my　throat；　and　with　a　heave；　I　was　torn　from　the　gates　of　paradise　and　flung　across　the　room。　Even　in　the　throes　of　interrupted　passion；　my　gymnast　training　took　over　in　midflight。　I　twisted　as　I　hit　the　floor　and　sprang　to　my　feet。　I　stood；　chest　heaving；　in　shameful　nakedness；　red　pubic　hair　finally　answering　Melina's　question；　but　hardly　in　the　manner　I　had　dreamed。
　〃Don't　hurt　him；　Leego；〃　Melina　begged。　The　Procurer　stood　there；　dirk　drawn；　pale　lips　a　rictus　through　the　spider　mask。
　〃I　love　him　so；〃　Melina　continued。　〃Don't　let　him　leave。　I　must　be　with　him。　Always　with　him。〃
　Leego's　answer　was　a　shout。　I　heard　many　footsteps　running　for　the　room。　He　came　toward　me。　I　didn't　fear　him。　I　was　more　　than　enough　man　to　make　him　eat　that　dirk。　But　I　was　in　the　wrong；　an　enemy　trespassing　in　another　man's　bedchamber　with　a　woman　I　had　no　right　to。　There　is　only　one　thing　for　any　man　to　do；　when　he　finds　himself　in　this　situation。　In　one　quick　motion；　I　scooped　my　clothes　and　sheathed　rapier　from　the　floor；　then　ran　for　the　window。
　I　plunged　through　head　first；　Leego's　voice　ringing。　〃You'll　pay　for　this；　Amalric　Antero。　You'll　pay。〃
　Fear　jogged　memory　as　I　sailed　through　that　window。　It　was　at　least　sixty　feet　to　the　hard；　crippling　ground。　Just　in　time　I　snagged　out　with　a　hand　and　caught　a　sewer　pipe。　Momentum　carried　me　in　an　arc；　and　I　slammed　against　the　tenement　wall。　In　some　insane　instinct　of　modesty；　I　kept　my　grip　on　my　clothes。　For　a　heart…thumping　instant；　I　struggled　to　hang　by　the　pipe　with　only　one　hand。　I　steadied　myself；　slung　my　clothes　and　rapier　over　a　naked　shoulder；　got　a　good　grip　on　the　pipe；　and　slid　for　the　ground。　I　remembered　to　kick　away　at　the　last　minute；　and　I　landed　a　few　slimed　inches　away　from　the　soil　pit　the　sewer　pipe　emptied　into。　Inside　the　tenement　I　heard　thundering　boot　heels　ing　down　the　stairs。　A　big　lizard　lunged　out　of　the　darkness。　I　kicked　it；　and　it　hissed；　perhaps　mistaking　my　naked　form　for　that　of　an　odd　pig　on　two　feet。　I　sprinted　away　into　the　night。　Before　long　the　sound　of　the　voices　and　pursuing　footsteps　faded　away。
　I　PADDED　INTO　the　tavern　in　bare　feet；　belting　my　rapier　about　my　filth　spattered　finery。　My　mind　was　swirling　with　guilt　and　confusion。　I　badly　needed　to　get　my　bearings　before　I　slunk　home　like　the　cur　I　had　proven　myself　to　be。　I　barely　noticed　the　few　dangerous…looking　men　whose　eyes　glittered　when　they　spied　me。　I　also　saw　a　few　soldiers　in　crisp　uniforms；　lolling　in　their　seats。　The　tavernkeep；　a　small；　ratlike　man；　eyed　me　suspiciously。　〃Wine；　my　g