rz.thegunsofavalon-第42部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nce　and　volume。　We　moved　through　a　constant　twilight。
　When　we　came　to　a　safe…seeming　place　later　that　afternoon　…　a　place　within　five　miles　of　the　northern　skirts　of　Amber　…　I　halted　us　again；　for　rest　and　a　final　meal。　We　had　to　scream　at　one　another　in　order　to　be　heard；　so　I　could　not　address　the　men。　I　simply　passed　the　word　along　concerning　our　proximity　and　the　need　for　readiness。
　I　took　my　rations　with　me　and　scouted　on　ahead　while　the　others　rested。　About　a　mile　farther　along；　I　mounted　a　steep　upturn；　pausing　when　I　achieved　its　crest。　There　was　a　battle　of　some　sort　in　progress　on　the　slopes　ahead。
　I　kept　out　of　sight　and　observed。　A　force　out　of　Amber　was　engaged　with　a　larger　body　of　attackers　which　must　have　either　preceded　us　up　the　slope　or　arrived　by　different　means。　I　suspected　the　latter；　inasmuch　as　we　had　seen　no　signs　of　recent　passage。　The　engagement　explained　our　own　good　fortune　in　not　encountering　defensive　patrols　on　the　way　up。
　I　moved　nearer。　While　the　attackers　could　have　e　up　by　one　of　the　two　other　routes；　I　saw　additional　evidence　that　this　need　not　have　been　the　case。　They　were　still　arriving；　and　it　was　a　most　fearsome　sight；　for　they　were　airborne。
　They　swept　in　from　the　west　like　great　gusts　of　windblown　leaves。　The　aerial　movement　I　had　witnessed　from　the　distance　had　been　of　greater　variety　than　the　belligerent　bird　life。　The　attackers　came　in　on　winged；　two…legged；　dragon…like　creatures；　the　closest　parallel　with　which　I　was　familiar　being　a　heraldic　beast；　the　wyvern。　I　had　never　seen　a　non…decorative　wyvern　before；　but　then　I　had　never　felt　any　great　desire　to　go　looking　for　one。
　Among　the　defenders　were　numerous　archers；　who　took　a　deadly　toll　of　these　in　flight。　Sheets　of　pure　hell　erupted　among　them　also；　as　the　lightnings　flashed　and　flared；　sending　them　like　cinders　toward　the　ground。　But　still　they　came　on；　landing；　so　that　both　man　and　beast　could　attack　those　entrenched。　I　looked　for　and　located　the　pulsating　glow　given　off　by　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　when　it　has　been　tuned　to　operate。　It　came　from　the　midst　of　the　largest　body　of　defenders；　dug　in　near　the　base　of　a　high　cliff。
　I　stared　and　studied；　focusing　on　the　wearer　of　the　gem。　Yes；　there　could　be　no　doubt。　It　was　Eric。
　On　my　belly　now；　I　crawled　even　farther。　I　saw　the　leader　of　the　nearest　party　of　defenders　behead　a　landing　wyvern　with　a　single　sword　stroke。　With　his　left　hand；　he　seized　the　harness　of　its　rider　and　hurled　him　over　thirty　feet；　out　beyond　the　lip…like　brink　of　the　place。　As　he　turned　then　to　shout　an　order；　I　saw　that　it　was　Gerard。　He　appeared　to　be　leading　a　flanking　assault　on　a　mass　of　the　attackers　who　were　assailing　the　forces　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff。　On　its　far　side；　a　similar　body　of　troops　was　doing　likewise。　Another　of　my　brothers？
　I　wondered　how　long　the　battle　had　been　in　progress；　both　in　the　valley　and　here　above。　Quite　a　while；　I　guessed；　considering　the　duration　of　the　unnatural　storm。
　I　moved　to　the　right；　turning　my　attention　to　the　west。　The　battle　in　the　valley　continued　unabated。　From　this　distance；　it　was　impossible　to　tell　who　was　who；　let　alone　who　was　winning。　I　could　see；　though；　that　no　new　forces　were　arriving　from　out　of　the　west　to　supplement　the　attackers。
　I　was　perplexed　as　to　my　own　best　course　of　action。　Clearly；　I　could　not　attack　Eric　when　he　was　engaged　in　anything　this　crucial　to　the　defense　of　Amber　herself。　Waiting　to　pick　up　the　pieces　afterward　might　be　wisest。　However；　I　could　already　feel　the　rat　teeth　of　doubt　at　work　on　that　idea。
　Even　without　reinforcements　for　the　attackers；　the　oute　of　the　encounter　was　by　no　means　clear…cut。　The　invaders　were　strong；　numerous。　I　had　no　idea　as　to　what　Eric　might　have　in　reserve。　At　that　moment；　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　gauge　whether　war　bonds　for　Amber　would　be　a　good　investment。　If　Eric　lost；　it　would　then　be　necessary　for　me　to　take　on　the　invaders　myself；　after　much　of　Amber's　manpower　had　been　wasted。
　If　I　were　to　move　in　now　with　automatic　weapons；　there　was　little　doubt　in　my　mind　that　we　would　crush　the　wyvern…riders　quickly。　For　that　matter；　one　or　more　of　my　brothers　had　to　be　down　in　the　valley。　A　gateway　for　some　of　my　troops　could　be　set　up　by　means　of　the　Trumps。　It　would　surprise　whatever　was　down　there　for　Amber　suddenly　to　e　up　with　riflemen。
　I　returned　my　attention　to　the　conflict　nearer　at　hand。　No；　it　was　not　going　well。　I　speculated　as　to　the　results　of　my　intervening。　Eric　would　certainly　be　in　no　position　to　turn　on　me。　Besides　any　sympathy　that　might　be　mine　for　what　he　had　put　me　through；　I　would　be　responsible　for　pulling　his　nuts　out　of　the　fire。　While　he　would　be　grateful　for　the　relief；　he　would　not　be　too　happy　over　the　general　sentiment　this　would　arouse。　No；　indeed。　I　would　be　back　in　Amber　with　a　very　deadly　personal　bodyguard　and　a　lot　of　goodwill　going　for　me。　An　intriguing　thought。　It　would　provide　a　far　smoother　route　to　my　objective　than　the　brutal　frontal　assault　culminating　in　regicide　that　I　had　had　in　mind。
　Yes。
　I　felt　myself　smiling。　I　was　about　to　bee　a　hero。
　I　must　grant　myself　a　small　measure　of　grace；　however。　Given　the　choice　only　between　Amber　with　Eric　on　the　throne　and　Amber　fallen；　there　is　no　question　but　that　my　decision　would　have　been　the　same；　to　attack。　Things　were　not　going　well　enough　to　be　certain；　and　while　it　would　work　to　my　advantage　to　save　the　day；　my　own　advantage　was　not；　ultimately；　essential。　I　could　not　hate　thee；　Eric；　so　much；　loved　I　not　Amber　more。
　I　withdrew　and　hurried　back　down　the　slope；　flashes　of　lightning　hurling　my　shadow　in　every　which　direction。
　I　halted　at　the　periphery　of　my　encampment。　At　its　farther　edge；　Ganelon　stood　in　shouting　converse　with　a　lone　horseman；　and　I　recognized　the　horse。
　I　advanced；　and　at　a　sign　from　its　rider　the　horse　moved　forward；　winding　its　way　among　the　troops；　heading　in　my　direction。　Ganelon　shook　his　head　and　followed。
　The　rider　was　Dara。　As　soon　as　she　was　within　earshot；　I　shouted　at　her。
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？〃
　She　dismounted；　smiling；　and　stood　before　me。
　〃I　wanted　to　e　to　Amber；〃　she　said。　〃So　I　did。〃
　〃How　did　you　get　here？〃
　〃I　followed　Grandpa；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　easier　to　follow　someone　through　Shadow；　I　discovered；　than　to　do　it　yourself。〃
　〃Benedict　is　here？〃　She　nodded。
　〃Down　below。　He　is　directing　the　forces　in　the　valley。　Julian　is　there；　too。〃
　Ganelon　came　up　and　stood　near。
　〃She　said　that　she　followed　us　up　here；〃　he　shouted。　〃She　has　been　behind　us　for　a　couple　days。〃
　〃Is　that　true？〃　I　asked。
　She　nodded　again；　still　smiling。　〃It　was　not　hard　to　do。〃
　〃But　why　did　you　do　it？〃
　〃To　get　into　Amber；　of　course？　I　want　to　walk　the　Pattern！　That　is　where　you　are　going；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Of　course　it　is。　But　there　happens　to　be　a　war　in　the　way！〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃
　〃Win　it；　of　course！〃
　〃Good。　I'll　wait。〃
　I　cursed　for　a　few　moments　to　give　myself　time　to　think；　then；　〃Where　were　you　when　Benedict　returned？〃　I　asked。
　The　smile　went　away。
　〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　out　riding　after　you　left；　and　I　stayed　away　the　entire　day。　I　wanted　to　be　alone　to　think。　When　I　returned　in　the　evening；　he　was　not　there。　I　rode　again　the　following　day。　I　traveled　quite　a　distance；　and　when　it　grew　dark　I　decided　to　camp　out。　I　do　that　often。　The　next　afternoon；　as　I　was　returning　home；　I　came　to　the　top　of　a　hill　and　saw　him　passing　below；　heading　to　the　east。　I　decided　to　follow　him。　The　way　led　through　Shadow；　I　understand　that　now　…　and　you　were　right　about　it　being　easier　to　follow。　I　do　not　know　how　long　it　took。　Time　got　all　mixed　up。　He　came　here；　and　I　recognized　it　from　the　picture　on　one　of　the　cards。　He　met　with　Julian　in　a　wood　to　the　north；　and　they　returned　together　to　that　battle　below。〃　She　gestured　toward　the　valley。　〃I　remained　in　the　forest　for　several　days；　not　knowing　what　to　do。　I　was　afraid　of　getting　lost　if　I　tried　to　backtrack。　Then　I　saw　your　force　climbing　the　mountains。　I　saw　you　and　I　saw　Ganelon　at　their　head。　I　knew　that　Amber　lay　that　way；　and　I　followed。　I　waited　until　now　to　approach；　because　I　wanted　you　to　be　too　near　to　Amber　to　send　me　ba