tw.togreenangeltower2-第13部分

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　　　　　　　Eolair　nodded；　then　bowed　toward　Likimeya；　who　lowered　her　chin　briefly　in　acknowledgment。　None　of　the　other　Sithi　gave　him　much　more　attention　than　a　flick　of　feline　eyes。　〃We　will　be　there　soon；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　〃A　few　days；〃　agreed　Jiriki。　〃We　Zida'ya　are　not　used　to　fighting　against　a　castle　held　by　enemies…I　do　not　think　we　have　done　it　since　the　last　evil　days　back　in　Venyha　Do'sae。　Are　there　any　among　your　folk　who　know　Josua's　stronghold　well；　or　about　such　fighting？　We　have　many　questions。〃
〃Siege　warfare？〃　said　Eolair　uncertainly。　He　had　thought　that　the　frighteningly　petent　Sithi　would　have　prepared　for　this　long　before。　〃There　are　a　few　of　my　men　who　have　fought　as　mercenaries　in　the　Southern　Islands　and　the　Lakeland　wars；　but　not　many。　Hernystir　itself　has　been　peaceful　during　most　of　our　lifetimes。　As　to　Naglimund　。。。　I　suppose　that　I　know　it　best　of　any　Hernystirman　still　living。　I　have　spent　much　time　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃e　and　sit　with　us。〃　Jiriki　gestured　to　an　open　place　near　Chekai'so。
Black…haired　Kuroyi　said　something　in　the　liquid　Sithi　tongue　as　Eolair　seated　himself　on　the　ground。　Jiriki　showed　a　hint　of　a　smile。　〃Kuroyi　says　that　surely　the　Norns　will　e　out　and　fight　us　before　the　walls。　He　believes　that　the　Hikeda'ya　would　never　hide　behind　stone　laid　by　mortals　when　the　Zida'ya　have　e　to　resolve　things　at　last。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　nothing　of　the　。。。　of　those　we　call　Norns；〃　Eolair　said　carefully。　〃But　I　cannot　imagine　that　if　their　purpose　is　as　deadly　earnest　as　it　seems；　they　will　give　up　the　advantage　of　a　stronghold　like　Naglimund。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　believe　you　are　correct；〃　said　Jiriki。　〃But　it　is　hard　to　convince　many　of　my　people　that。　It　is　hard　enough　for　most　of　us　to　believe　that　we　go　to　war　with　the　Hikeda'ya；　let　alone　that　they　might　hide　within　a　fortress　and　drop　stones　on　us　as　mortal　armies　do。〃　He　said　something　in　the　Sithi　speech　to　Kuroyi；　who　replied　briefly；　then　fell　silent；　his　eyes　cold　as　bronze　plates。　Jiriki　next　turned　to　the　others。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　impolite　for　us　to　speak　in　a　language　Count　Eolair　does　not　know。　If　anyone　does　not　feel　fortable　speaking　Hernystiri　or　Westerling；　I　will　be　happy　to　render　your　words　for　the　count's　understanding。〃
　　　　　　　〃Mortal　tongues　and　mortal　strategies。　We　will　all　have　to　learn；〃　Likimeya　said　abruptly。　〃It　is　a　different　age。　If　the　rules　of　mortals　now　make　the　world　spin；　then　we　must　learn　those　rules。〃
　　　　　　　〃Or　decide　whether　it　is　possible　to　live　in　such　a　world。〃　Zinjadu's　voice　was　deep　yet　strangely　uninflected；　as　though　she　had　learned　Westerling　without　ever　having　heard　it　spoken。　〃Perhaps　we　should　let　the　Hikeda'ya　have　this　world　of　mortals　that　they　seem　to　desire。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Hikeda'ya　would　destroy　the　mortals　even　more　readily　than　they　would　destroy　us；〃　Jiriki　said　calmly。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　one　thing；〃　spoke　up　Yizashi　Grayspear；　〃to　fulfill　an　ancient　debt；　as　we　have　just　done　at　M'yin　Azoshai。　Besides；　those　were　mortals　we　routed；　and　the　descendants　of　bloody　Fingil's　ship…men　besides。　It　is　another　thing　to　go　to　war　with　other　Gardenborn　to　aid　mortals　to　whom　we　owe　no　such　debt…including　those　who　hunted　us　long　after　we　lost　Asu'a。　This　Josua's　father　was　our　enemy！〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　does　the　hatred　never　end？〃　Jiriki　replied　with　surprising　heat。　〃Mortals　have　short　lives。　These　are　not　the　ones　who　warred　on　our　scattered　folk。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　the　lives　of　mortals　are　short；〃　said　Yizashi　dispassionately。　〃But　their　hatreds　run　deep；　and　are　passed　from　parents　to　children。〃
　　　　　　　Eolair　was　beginning　to　feel　distinctly　unfortable　but　did　not　think　the　time　was　right　for　him　to　speak　up。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　possible　that　you　forget；　noble　Yizashi；〃　said　Jiriki；　〃that　it　was　the　Hikeda'ya　themselves　who　brought　this　war　to　us。　It　was　they　who　invaded　the　sanctity　of　the　Yasira。　It　was　truly　Utuk'ku's　hand…not　that　of　the　mortal　catspaw　who　wielded　the　dagger…which　slew　First　Grandmother。〃
　　　　　　　Yizashi　did　not　reply。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　little　point　in　this；〃　Likimeya　said。　Eolair　could　not　help　noticing　how　the　depths　of　Likimeya's　eyes　cast　the　light　back；　glowing　orange　as　the　stare　of　a　torchlit　wolf。　〃Yizashi；　I　asked　you　and　these　others；　the　House　of　Contemplation；　the　House　of　Gathering；　all　the　houses；　to　honor　your　debts　to　the　Grove。　You　agreed。　And　we　are　set　upon　our　course　because　we　need　to　thwart　Utuk'ku　Seyt…Hamakha's　plans；　not　just　repay　an　old　debt　or　avenge　Amerasu's　murder。〃
　　　　　　　Black…browed　Kuroyi　spoke　up。　〃The　mortals　have　a　saying；　I　am　told。〃　His　voice　was　measured　and　eerily　musical；　his　Hernystiri　somehow　over…precise。　〃　'The　enemy　of　my　enemy　is　my　friend　。。。　for　a　little　while。'　Silvermask　and　her　kin　have　chosen　one　set　of　mortals　to　be　their　allies；　so　we　will　choose　those　mortals'　enemies　to　be　our　allies。　Utuk'ku　and　her　minions　have　also　broken　the　Pact　of　Sesuad'ra。　I　find　no　shame　in　fighting　beside　Sudhoda'ya　until　the　issue　is　settled。〃　He　raised　his　hand　as　though　to　ward　off　questions；　but　the　circle　was　pletely　still。　〃No　one　has　said　I　must　love　these　mortal　allies：　I　do　not；　and　feel　sure　that　I　will　not；　whatever　happens。　And　if　I　live　until　these　days　end；　I　will　return　to　my　high　house　in　hidden　Anvi'janya；　for　I　have　long　been　surfeited　with　the　pany　of　others；　whether　mortal　or　Gardenborn；　But　until　then；　I　will　do　as　I　have　promised　to　Likimeya。〃
　　　　　　　There　was　a　long　pause　after　Kuroyi　had　finished。　The　Sithi　again　sat　in　silence；　but　Eolair　had　the　feeling　that　some　issue　was　in　the　air；　some　tension　that　sought　resolution。　When　the　quiet　had　gone　on　so　long　that　he　was　beginning　to　wonder　again　whether　he　should　leave；　Likimeya　lifted　her　hands　and　spread　them　flat　in　the　air　before　her。
　　　　　　　〃So；〃　she　said。　〃Now　we　must　think　about　this　Naglimund。　We　must　consider　what　we　will　do　if　the　Hikeda'ya　do　not　e　out　to　fight。〃
　　　　　　　The　Sithi　began　to　discuss　the　uping　siege　as　though　there　had　been　no　dispute　over　the　honorability　of　fighting　beside　mortals。　Eolair　was　puzzled　but　impressed　by　their　civility。　Each　person　was　allowed　to　speak　as　long　as　he　wished　and　no　one　interrupted。　Whatever　dissension　there　had　been…and　although　Eolair　found　the　immortals　difficult　to　faThorn；　he　had　no　doubt　there　had　been　true　disagreement…now　seemed　vanished：　the　debate　over　Naglimund；　although　spirited；　was　calm　and　ap…
parently　free　of　resentment。
　　　　　　　Perhaps　when　you　live　so　long；　Eolair　thought；　you　learn　to　exist　by　such　rules…learn　you　must　exist　by　such　rules。　Forever　is　a　long　time　to　carry　grudges；　after　all。
　　　　　　　More　at　ease　now；　he　entered　the　discussion…hesitantly　at　first；　but　when　he　saw　that　his　opinion　was　to　be　given　due　weight　he　spoke　openly　and　confidently　about　Naglimund；　a　place　he　knew　almost　as　well　as　he　knew　the　Taig　in　Hernysadharc。　He　had　been　there　many　times：　Eolair　had　often　found　that　Josua's　was　a　useful　ear　for　introducing　things　into　the　court　of　his　father；　King　John　Presbyter。　The　prince　was　one　of　the　few　people　the　Count　of　Nad　Mullach　knew　who　would　listen　to　an　idea　on　its　own　merits；　then　support　it　if　he　found　it　good；　regardless　of　whether　it　benefited　him。
　　　　　　　They　talked　long；　eventually　the　fire　burned　down　to　glowing　coals。　Likimeya　produced　one　of　the　crystal　globes　from　her　cloak　and　set　it　on　the　ground　before　her　where　it　gradually　grew　bright；　soon　it　cast　its　cool　lunar　glow　all　around　the　circle。

　　　　　　　Eolair　met　Isorn　on　his　way　back　from　the　council　of　the　Sithi。
　　　　　　　〃Ho；　Count；〃　the　young　Rimmersman　said。　〃Out　for　a　stroll？　I　have　a　skin　of　wine　here…from　your　own　Nad　Mullach　cellars；　I　think。　Let's　find　Ule　and　share　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Gladly。　1　have　had　a　strange　evening。　Our　allies　。。。　Isorn；　they　are　like　nothing　and　no　one　I　have　ever　seen。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　are　the　Old　Ones；　and　heathen　on　top　of　it；〃　Isorn　said　blithely；　then　laughed。　〃Apologies；　Count。　I　sometimes　forget　that　you　Hernystiri　are　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Also　heathens？〃　Eolair　smiled　faintly。　〃No　offense　was　taken。　I　have　grown　used　to　being　the　outsider；　the　odd　one；　during　my　years　in　Aedonite　courts。　But　I　have　never　felt　so　much　the　odd　man　as　I　did　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Sithi　may　be　different　from　us；　Eolair；　but　they