jr.shapechangers-第13部分

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　Duncan　smiled　oddly。　〃You　had　best　recall　the　maker　of　that　blade；　my　lord。〃
　Finn's　teem　showed　in　a　feral　smile。　〃A　Cheysuli　blade　ever　knows　its　first　master。〃
　Alix　looked　again　at　the　runes　on　the　sword；　transfixed　by　their　alien　shapes　and　the　implications　of　them。
　Carillon　held　his　ground。　〃You　do　not　even　use　swords　yourselves；　shapechanger！〃
　Finn　shrugged。　〃We　prefer　to　give　men　a　close　death。　A　sword　does　not　serve　us。　We　fight　with　knives。〃　He　paused；　glancing　at　Alix。　〃Knives。。。　and　fir…shape。〃
　〃Then　what　of　your　bows？〃　Carillon　snapped。
　〃They　were　for　hunting；　originally；〃　Duncan　said　lightly。
　〃Then　the　Mujhars　of　Homana　began　requiring　our　services　in
　war；　and　we　learned　to　use　them　against　men。〃　His　yellow　eyes
　were　implacable。　〃When　the　qu'mahlin　began；　we　used　them
　against　those　we　once　served；〃
　Finn　moved　forward；　so　close　to　Carillon　the　tip　of　the　broad…sword　rested　against　his　throat。　〃Use　it；〃　he　taunted　in　a　whisper。　〃Use　it；　princeling。　Strike　home；　if　you　can。〃
　Carillon　did　not　move；　as　if　puzzled　by　the　invitation。　Alix；　sickened　by　the　tensions；　bit　at　her　bottom　lip。
　Finn　smiled　and　put　his　hand　on　the　blade。　His　browned　fingers　rested　lightly　on　the　finely　honed　edges。　〃Tell　me；　my　lord；　whom　Hale's　sword　will　answer。　The　heir　of　the　man　who　began　the　qu'mahlin；　or　Hale's　only　blood…son？〃
　〃Finn；〃　Duncan　said　softly。　Alix　thought　he　sounded　re…proachful。
　Her　fingers　twined　themselves　into　the　folds　of　her　yellow　skirts；　scraping　against　the　rough　woolen　fabric。　She　knew　she　would　see　Finn　die；　even　with　his　hand　on　the　blade　the　warrior　could　never　keep　Carillon　from　striking　him　down。　She　owed　no　kindness　to　Finn；　who　had　stolen　her　so　rudely；　but　neither　did　she　wish　to　see　him　struck　down　before　her　eyes。　The　sour　taste　of　fear　filled　her　mouth。
　〃Carillon。。。〃　she　begged。　She　swallowed　back　me　constriction　in　her　throat。　〃Do　you　begin　your　uncle's　work　already？〃
　〃As　I　can；〃　he　said　grimly。
　Finn's　fingers　on　me　blade　shifted　slightly。　Alix　thought　he
　would　drop　me　hand　and　move　into　a　defensive　posture；　but　he
　did　not。　Before　she　could　cry　out　he　twisted　the　sword　aside　with　only　a　hand。　His　own　knife　flashed　as　he　stepped　into　Carillon。
　〃No！〃　she　cried；　lunging　forward。
　Duncan's　hand　came　down　on　her　arm　and　jerked　her　back。　She　tried　to　pull　free　and　could　not；　then　stood　still　as　she　saw　the　Cheysuli　blade　against　Carillon's　throat。　The　broadsword　was　in　his　right　hand；　but　she　realized　the　weapon　was　too　bulky　to　draw　back　and　strike　with　in　close　quarters；　particularly　with　Finn　so　close。
　〃Do　you　see；　lordling；　what　it　is　for　a　man　to　face　a　Cheysuli　in　battle？〃　Finn　asked　gently。　〃I　do　not　doubt　you　have　been　trained　within　the　walls　of　your　fine　palace；　but　you　have　not　faced　a　Cheysuli。　Until　that　is　done　you　have　not　learned　at　all。〃
　Carillon's　teeth　clenched　as　they　shut　with　a　click。　The　muscles　of　his　jaw　rolled；　altering　the　line　of　his　face；　but　he　said　nothing　at　all。　Nor　did　he　flinch　before　the　knife　at　his　throat。
　Finn　slid　a　bright　glance　at　Alix。　〃Will　you　beg　me　for　his
　life；　meijha
　〃I　will　not；〃　she　said　clearly。　〃But　if　you　slay　him　here；　I　myself　will　see　to　yow　death。〃
　His　eyebrows　shot　up　in　mock　astonishment。　Then　he　grinned　into　Carillon's　still　face。　〃Well；　princeling；　you　have　women　to　argue　for　you。　Perhaps　I　should　respect　that。〃　He　shrugged　and　stepped　away；　returning　the　knife　to　his　belt。　〃But　she　is　Cheysuli；　and　my　rujholla；　and　I　will　not　risk　it。〃
　Duncan　bent　and　picked　up　the　scarlet　reins　Carillon　had　dropped。　He　held　them　out。　Silently　the　prince　slid　his　sword　home　in　its　silver…laced　leather　sheath　and　took　them。
　〃Finn　will　escort　you　to　Mujhara。〃
　Carillon　looked　only　at　Alix。　〃I　will　e　back　for　you。〃
　〃Carillon。。。〃
　〃I　will　e　back　for　you。〃
　Alix　nodded　and　hugged　herself；　hunching　her　shoulders
　defensively。　She　knew　he　could　not　win　her　freedom　without
　sacrificing　himself；　which　would　give　her　no　freedom　at　all…　The
　Cheysuli　had　disarmed　both　of　them…
　Carillon　turned　away　from　her　and　mounted　the　big　chestnut。
　From　the　horse's　great　height　he　looked　down　on　them　all。
　〃You　are　foolish；〃　he　said　stiffly；　〃to　free　me　without　requiring　gold。〃
　Fmn　laughed。　〃You　seek　to　instruct　us　at　the　risk　of　your　own　welfare？〃
　〃It　is　only　that　I　do　not　understand。〃
　Duncan　smiled。　〃The　Cheysuli　do　not　require　gold；　my　lord；
　save　to　fashion　the　fir…tokens　and　the　ornaments　our　women
　wear。　We　desire　only　to　end　this　war　the　Mujhar　wages　against
　us；　and　the　chance　to　live　as　we　once　did。　Freely；　without
　fearing　our　children　will　be　slain　because　of　their　yellow　eyes；〃
　〃If　you　had　not　sought　to　throw　down　Homanan　rule〃
　Duncan　interrupted　sharply。　〃We　did　not。　We　have　ever　served　the　blood　of　me　Mujhars。　Hale；　in　taking　Lindir　from　her　rehem；　freed　her　of　a　marriage　she　did　not　desire。　In　doing　that　he　performed　the　service　to　which　he　bound　himself　he　served　the　Mujhar's　blood。〃　He　smiled　slightly。　〃It　was　not　what　Shaine　expected　of　his　service；　perhaps；　for　Hale　was　his　man。　It　was　only　he　wanted　Lindir　more。〃
　〃Your　jehana　was　a　willful　woman；〃　Finn　said　to　Alix；　deliberately　distinct　as　if　to　hammer　the　point　home。　〃Do　you　echo　her？〃
　She　brought　her　head　up　haughtily；　defying　him。　〃Were　/　within　Homana…Mujhar；　I　would　not　leave　it　to　go　into　the　forests　with　a　Cheysuli　warrior。　Do　not　judge　me　by　my　mother。〃
　Finn　grinned；　triumphant。　〃If　I　have　at　last　got　you　to　admit　to　your　blood；　meijha。　I　will　judge　you　by　anything。〃
　Before　she　could　retort　he　famed　and　faded　into　the　trees。　Alix　glared　after　him。　men　scowled　as　he　returned　a　moment　later　on　his　dun…colored　horse。
　Duncan　moved　to　Carillon's　horse；　looking　up　at　me　prince。　〃I　would　send　greetings　to　Shaine　the　Mujhar；　did　I　think　he　would　accept　them。　We　do　not　desire　this　war。〃
　Carillon　smiled　mirthlessly。　〃I　think　the　Mujhar　has　made　his　desires　clear；　shapechanger。〃
　Duncan　put　a　hand　on　the　warhorses　burnished　shoulder　idly。　〃If　you　seek　to　continue　the　qu'mahlin；　my　lord；　you　are　not　the　man　I　believe　you　arc。　The　prophecy　has　said。〃　He　smiled　and　stepped　away；　using　the　spread…fingered　gesture。　〃Tahlmorra。　Carillon。〃
　〃I　renounce　your　prophecy；〃　the　prince　said　flatly。
　The　clan…leader　reached　out　and　caught　Alix's　arm。　drawing　her　close。　〃If　you　do　that；　my　lord；　you　renounce　her。〃
　Alix　shivered　once　under　his　hand。　〃Let　me　go　with　Carillon。〃
　〃No。〃
　Finn　moved　his　horse　alongside　the　chestnut　and　smiled　sardonically　at　the　prince。　〃Waste　no　more　time。　I　would　not　wish　the　Mujhar　angrier　than　he　must　be。　e；　princeling。　We　ride。〃
　He　brought　his　hand　down　on　the　chestnut's　wide　rump　and　sent　him　lunging　forward。　Finn　crowded　his　mount　behind　so　that　Carillon　could　not　wheel　back；　and　the　last　Alix　saw　of　the　prince　was　his　tawny…dark　head　ducking　a　low　branch。
　She　made　an　involuntary　movement　to　follow　and　again　Duncan's　hand　held　her　back。　After　a　moment　he　released　her。
　〃It　is　not　so　bad；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃You　have　much　to　leam；　but　it　will　e　quickly　enough　when　you　have　accepted　your　blood。〃
　Alix　drew　a　shaky　breath　and　stared　hard　at　him。　〃I　will　not　claim　you　a　liar；　shapechanger；　but　neither　will　I　submit　to　your　rule。　If　I　accept　this　as　your　tahlmorra；　I　do　it　on　my　own　terms。〃
　A　tall　warrior　smiled　at　her。　〃A　Cheysuli　could　do　it　no　other　way。〃
　Alix　scowled　at　him。　Mutinously；　she　followed　him　through　the　trees　to　his　waiting　horse。
　Chapter　Seven
　Alix　was　so　weary　by　me　time　the　evening　fell　she　let　Duncan　lead　her　to　his　fire　and　push　her　down　onto　a　thick　tawny　pelt　without　saying　a　word。　A　crofter's　daughter　spent　little　time　on　horseback；　her　muscles　ached　and　her　legs　had　raw　sores　rubbed　on　them。　She　huddled　on　the　pelt　numbly　and　pulled　her　tattered　skirts　around　her　bare　feet　as　best　she　could。　When　Duncan　put　a　bowl　of　hot　stew　into　her　hands　she　thanked　him　shakily　and　began　to　spoon　it　into　her　mouth…He　sat　down　on　another　pelt　across　from　her　and　picked　up　the　bow　Carillon　had　praised。　Silently　he　began　to　rub　it　with　an　oiled　cloth；　eyes　on　his　work。
　Alix　sipped　at　the　cup　of　honey　brew　he　had　given　h