jr.shapechangers-第36部分

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I　will　even　prove　it　to　you。〃
　She　moved　as　if　to　get　up。　Duncan；　rising　rapidly　from　his
　cross…legged　position　as　he　dropped　this　tools；　reached　her　bed
　and　stood　over　her。　〃You　go　nowhere；　cheysula。　until　you　are
　*I　am　better。〃
　〃Better　than　you　are　now。〃　He　grinned；　〃it　will　not　be　long；　I　think。〃
　She　settled　back　against　the　furs。　〃I　am　not　lying。　Ask；　Cai。
　He　and　Stem　taught　me　bow　to　do　it。〃
　Duncan　dropped　to　his　knees　beside　her。　〃Is　this　true？　Alix；　you　are　unique　enough　that　you　converse　with　the　lir。　Can　you　truly　assume　Jir…shape　as　well？〃
　〃Aye；〃　she　said　softly。
　He　sank　back　OB　his　heels。　〃But　this　has　not　been　done　for　centuries。　Our　history　says　once　all　Cheysuli　could　assume　any　fir…shape；　but　since　before　my　grandsire's　time　this　was　only　done　by　men。　And　then　only　when　bonded　by　a　single　Ur。　It　was　the　Firstborn　who　had　the　old　abilities。〃
　〃Those　who　made　me　prophecy。〃
　〃Aye；〃　he　said　absently；　eyes　clouded　with　thought。　〃The　Firstborn　took　any　fir…shape　at　will；　and　conversed　with　them　all。　But　their　blood　has　been　gone　from　us　for　a　long　time。〃　He　looked　at　her　sharply。　〃Unless；　somehow；　you　have　a　measure　of　it。〃　Duncan　got　to　his　feet　rapidly；　startling　her。　〃I　will　be　back。〃
　Alix　stared　after　him；　baffled　by　his　sudden　withdrawal；　but　she　assumed　he　knew　what　be　was　doing。　She　pulled　the　blanket　higher　around　her　shoulders　and　snuggled　down　against　me　pallet；　drowsily　content。　But　part　of　her　was　still　amazed　at　roe　new　course　her　life　had　taken。
　Duncan　returned　with　a　Cheysuli　Alix　did　not　know；　a　much　older　man　whose　hair　was　pure　white　and　held　back　by　a　slender　bronze　fillet。　Alix；　struggling　to　sit　upright　again；　saw　be　did　not　wear　the　leather　of　me　warriors；　instead　he　clothed　himself　in　a　fine　white　wool　robe。　clasped　with　a　leather　belt　mounted　with　bronze　platelets。　Like　Raissa。　he　wore　silver　bells　at　his　belt　dial　seat　a　shiver　of　sound　through　the　pavilion　whenever　he　moved。
　Alix　sent　a　puzzled　glance　at　Duncan；　who　gestured　with　all　deference　for　the　man　to　seat　himself　on　a　brown　bear　pelt　placed　before　the　small　fire　caim。　The　man　did　so　with　great　dignity；　carefully　settling　brittle　bones　into　a　fortable　position。　He　put　a　rolled　deerskin　on　me　pelt　before　him　and　waited。
　Duncan　sat　down　at　Aim's　side。　〃This　is　me　shar　tahi。　He　keeps　me　rituals　and　traditions　for　the　clan；　and　passes　me　history　down　to　each　generation。　Each　child　born　learns　his　ancestors　and　what　has　gone　before　from　this　man。　You　have　e　late　to　your　clan；　but　you　are　here　now；　and　he　will　tell　you　what　you　must　know。〃　He　smiled　faintly。　〃He　may　also　nave　the　answer　to　my　question。〃
　The　shar　tahl　nodded　to　her；　then　untied　the　rolled　deerskin。　&
　soft　and　supple；　bleached　white　as　snow；　and　as　it　unrolled　re　him　Alix　saw　the　runic　symbols　and　lines　twisting　on　the　　of　the　pavilion　like　a　snake。　He　tapped　me　deerskin　with　a　rted　finger。
　**Your　birthline；〃　be　said。　〃You　are　here　as　surely　as　your
　Xturn；　and　his　jehan　before　him。〃　The　finger　moved。　**AH　the　wy　back　to　the　Firstborn。〃
　〃But　what　does　it　mean？**　she　asked　softly。　His　finger　moved　off　the　main　line　of　runes　and　traced　a　BCond　line；　like　the　branch　of　a　tree。　Alix　followed　the　move…lent　until　it　stopped。　The　finger　tapped　again。　〃There。〃
　〃Where？〃　she　asked。
　He　looked　at　her　sternly　from　rheumy　yellow　eyes。　〃There。　be　answer　lies　there。〃
　She　looked　helplessly　at　Duncan。　He　maintained　his　solemn　tan…leader　demeanor；　though　she　had　e　to　know　he　had　ashes　of　Finn…like　irreverence。　He　simply　kept　it　quieter。　〃If　you　know　so　little　of　your　clan；　you　had　best　e　to　me　w　instruction。〃　the　shar　tahl　intoned。
　Alix　nodded　meekly。　〃I　will　leam。〃
　The　shar　tahl　touched　a　red　symbol　gone　dark　with　age。　〃It　is
　ere　in　the　birthline。　Five　generations　ago　the　Mujhar　took　a
　Cheysuli　mei　jha；　whose　clan　was　so　pure　it　could　name　mem…
　bers　of　the　Firstborn　as　direct　ancestors。　AU　could　assume　fir…
　ahape。　even　the　women。〃　His　thin　shoulders　stiffened。　〃That
　dan　has　since　been　destroyed　by　roe　qu'mahlin。〃
　Alix　ignored　his　controlled　bitterness；　counting　back　in　her
　head。　Then　she　shot　the　shar　tahi　a　startled　glance。　〃Shame's
　　great…great　grandsire？〃
　〃The　woman　who　was　mei　jha　to　a　Mujhar　bore　trim　a
　daughter。　She　was　raised　at　Homana…Mujhar　and　wed　to　a　for…
　cagn　princeling；　from　Erinn…　Shaine　the　Mujhar　first　took　an
　X'Erinnish　princess　to　wife；　and　so　the　blood　came　back。〃
　I…　〃Then　I　am　Cheysuli　on　both　sides。〃　Alix　sat　upright。　〃There
　is　Cheysuli　blood　in　Shaine！'*
　〃it　has　been　thinned；〃　the　shar　tahl　said　firmly。　〃Marriage；　with　foreigners　has　overe　any　Cheysuli　traits　left。'*　He　pushed。　a　wisp　of　white　hair　from　this　brow。　〃it　is　roe　women　who　have　　done　this。　It　is　in　their　blood。　EUinda　bore　Lindir；　who　has　gifted；　you　with　the　Old　Blood　long　lost　to　us　all。〃
　Duncan　touched　her　shoulder　and　pressed　her　down　upon　the
　　fitts。　〃Perhaps　Lindir；　unknowing；　had　her　own　tahlmorra。　Per
　　haps　Hale　did　not　forsake　his　face　for　a　Homanan　princess；　but
　followed　what　the　gods　have　set　for　us。〃　He　smiled。　〃If　Lindir　has　passed　this　gift　to　you；　you　can　bring　it　back　into　our　dan。〃
　She　sank　back。　〃I　do　not　understand。〃
　The　shor　tohl；　surprising　her；　smiled。　〃It　is　time　you　learned　me　prophecy。　If　you　will　be　silent；　I　will　tell　it　to　you。〃
　She　felt　Duncan's　silent　amusement　and　shot　him　a　grimace　of　resentment。　But　she　settled　herself　upon　the　pallet　and　nodded　at　the　old　man。
　〃I　am　more　than　ready。〃
　He　sat　upright　before　her；　aged　yellow　eyes　taking　on　me　brightness　of　youth　and　wisdom。　〃Once；　centuries　ago；　Homana　was　a　Cheysuli　place。　This　land　was　gifted　to　us　by　the　Firstborn；　who　were　sired　by　the　old　gods。　Do　you　hear　me？〃
　〃1　hear；〃　she　said　softly。
　〃The　Cheysuli　ruled　Homana。　it　was　they　who　built　Mujhara　and　the　palace　of　Homana…Mujhar。　It　was　die　Cheysuli　who　held　sovereignty　over　all　men。〃
　〃But　the　Mujhars　are　Homanan！〃
　He　fixed　her　with　a　stem　glare。　〃If　you　will　hear　me；　you　must　listen。〃
　She　subsided；　chastened。
　〃Mujhar　itself　is　a　Cneysuli　word。　So　is　Homana。　This　was　our　place　long　before　it　came　into　the　hands　of　the　Homanans。〃
　Alix　nodded　reluctantly　as　he　looked　at　her。　A　feint　smile　curved　his　creased　lips。
　〃The　mlini　rose　up　in　Solinde　and　began　to　move　against　us。　The　Cheysuli　were　forced　to　use　their　own　arts　to　defend　the　land。　The　Homanans；　ever　doubtful　of　such　sorcery；　began　to　fear。
　〃Within　a　hundred　years　the　fear　fumed　to　hatred；　the　hatred　to　violence。　The　Cheysuli　could　not　convince　the　Homaoans　of　meir　foolishness。　We　gave　up　the　throne　to　them　so　they　might　know　peace　and　security；　and　took　up　the　bond　of　service　to　die　Homanan　Mujhars。　Nearly　four　centuries　ago。〃
　Alix　groped　with　the　knowledge；　unable　to　absorb　it　all。
　Finally　she　nodded　to　him；　silently　bidding　him　continue。
　〃Until　Hale　took　Lindir　away；　the　Mujhar　had　ever　kept　Cheysuli　advisors　and　councilors；　and　warriors　who　protected　this　land　in　battle。　A　Cheysuli　liege　man　dedicated　his　life　to　die　Mujhar。　Such　was　Hole's　service。〃
　〃And　Shaine　ended　it；〃　she　whispered。
　〃He　began　me　qu'mohUn。〃　The　sfwrtohi's　face　tightened。　〃Even　that　was　spoken　of　in　the　prophecy；　but　we　chose　to　ignore　it。　We　could　not　believe　me　Homanans　would　ever　biro　on　us。　We　were　foolish；　and　we　have　paid　the　price。〃
　〃What　is　the　prophecy？〃
　The　bitterness　vanished；　replaced　with　pride　and　great　dignity。　One　day　a　man　of　all　Mood　will　unite　four　warring　realms　and　two　races　bearing　the　gifts　of　the　old　gods。〃　　Alix　stared　at　him。　〃Who？〃
　I　〃The　prophecy　does　not　name　a　name。　It　only　shows　us　the
　l^way；　so　we　may　follow　it　and　prepare　Homana　for　the　proper
　＇Wan。　But　it　seems　we　grow　closer　to　me　path。〃
　　〃How　do　we　follow　it？〃　she　asked　softly。
　I…　〃We　have　the　Old　Blood　in　our　clan　again；　because　of　you。
　p　The　Prophecy　speaks　of　a　Cheysuli　Mujhar　ascending　the　throne
　1　of　Homana　again　after　four　centuries。　It　is　nearly　time。〃
　I　〃But　Carillon　will　be　Mujhar；〃　Alix　said。
　F　〃Aye。　It　is　his　tohlmorra　to　prepare　the　way　for　the　prophecy's
　proper　path。〃
　'i　〃Carillon？〃　she　asked　incredulously。　〃But　he　distrusts　all
　fc　Ch