df.therunelords-第24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！


ster　facilitators　excelled　at　processing　certain　kinds　of　endowments。　Hyde　was　an　excellent　man　for　taking　endowments　of　hearing　and　smellendowments　her　father　considered　most　valuable　in　a　forest　kingdom。　But　his　work　on　major　endowmentson　taking　stamina　and　metabolism　in　particularsuffered　in　parison。　At　least；　unlike　some　facilitators；　he　did　not　spend　a　fortune　in　blood　metal　to　do　research　on　dogs　or　horses。
　Finally　Binnesman　found　something　in　his　pocket。　He　pulled　out　a　fresh　camphor　leaf；　bruised　it　between　his　fingers；　and　set　each　half　beneath　Dewynne's　nostrils。　The　sweat　on　her　upper　lip　held　the　leaf　in　place。
　Reaching　in　the　same　pocket；　he　pulled　out　petals　of　lavender；　several　brown　seeds；　and　other　herbs；　applying　them　to　Dewynne's　sweaty　body；　placing　some　under　her　lips。　It　was　a　marvel　to　behold。　The　old　magician　had　only　two　pockets；　each　filled　with　a　tangled　glut　of　his　loose　herbs；　yet　he　didn't　bother　even　looking　in　those　pockets；　just　seemed　to　recognize　by　touch　the　herbs　he　wanted。
　Iome　glanced　over　to　another　cot。　The　butcher's　apprentice；　a　husky　boy　named　Orrin；　lay　ready　to　offer　his　lord　an　endowment　of　brawn。　The　sight　of　him；　so　full　of　courage　and　love　and　youthful　strength；　nearly　broke　her　heart。　If　he　gave　an　endowment　now；　he　might　spend　the　rest　of　his　days　unable　to　rise　from　his　cot。　It　did　not　seem　fair　to　take　his　life　when　it　had　hardly　begun。
　Yet　the　boy　faced　no　greater　dangers　than　she。　If　Raj　Ahten　conquered　Heredon；　this　boy's　fate　could　be　better　than　hers；　she　imagined。　If　her　father　were　killed；　the　boy's　endowment　of　brawn　would　return　to　him。　Unable　to　ever　give　another　endowment；　the　boy　would　be　free　to　practice　his　craft　in　peace。　Meanwhile；　if　Raj　Ahten　defeated　House　Sylvarresta；　what　would　await　Iome？　Torture？　Death？
　No；　the　butcher's　boy　knows　what　he's　doing；　Iome　told　herself。　He　makes　a　wise　choice；　perhaps　the　best　choice　available　to　him。　By　giving　endowments　to　his　king　now；　he　might　only　have　to　lose　a　day　in　such　dear　service。
　Binnesman　muttered；　〃So　little　time；〃　began　smearing　Dewynne　with　healing　soils；　touching　them　to　her　lips。　The　woman　began　panting；　as　if　every　breath　were　a　great　labor；　and　Binnesman　helped　her　by　pushing　down　on　her　chest。
　〃What　can　I　do？〃　Iome　begged；　frightened　that　the　matron　would　die　here；　acplishing　nothing。
　〃Just。。。please；　stay　out　of　my　way；〃　Binnesman　said　in　a　tone　seldom　spoken　to　Runelords。　〃Ah；　I　almost　forgot。　A　young　man　wants　to　see　youup　there。　The　Prince　of　Mystarria。〃
　Iome　glanced　up　the　keep's　wall。　A　stone　staircase　led　to　the　south　tower；　where　siege　engines　were　poised　to　strike　over　the　town。
　Up　there；　at　the　top　of　the　tower；　she　could　see　her　Maid　of　Honor；　Chemoise；　waving　to　her　urgently。　A　watchman　in　black　livery　paced　behind　her。
　〃I've　no　time　for　such　foolishness；〃　Iome　said。
　〃Go　to　him；〃　her　father　manded　from　fifty　feet　away。　He'd　used　his　Voice；　speaking　so　that　it　sounded　as　if　he　confided　in　her　ear。　Even　here　in　the　courtyard；　with　all　the　noise　and　motion；　he'd　heard　her　whispered　ment。　〃You　know　how　long　I've　wanted　to　unite　our　two　families。〃
　So；　he'd　e　to　offer　a　betrothal。　Iome　was　of　the　proper　age；　though　she'd　had　no　worthy　suitors。　The　sons　of　a　couple　minor　lords　wanted　her；　but　none　had　holdings　to　equal　her　father's。
　But　would　Prince　Orden　propose　now？　Now；　when　the　kingdom　was　under　attack？　No；　he'll　offer　no　proposal；　only　extend　apologies；　Iome　realized。
　A　waste　of　precious　time。　〃I'm　too　busy；〃　Iome　said。　〃There's　too　much　to　do。〃
　Her　father　stared　at　her；　his　gray　eyes　full　of　sadness。　How　handsome　he　was。　〃You've　been　working　for　hours。　You　need　rest。　Take　it　now。　Go　speak　to　him；　for　an　hour。〃
　She　wanted　to　argue；　but　looked　in　her　father's　eyes；　which　said；　Speak　to　him　now。　Nothing　you　do　can　make　a　difference　in　the　fight　to　e。
　
　Chapter　8
　LESS　THAN　AN　HOUR
　　
　An　hour　is　not　enough　time　to　fall　in　love；　but　an　hour　is　all　they　had　that　cool　autumn　afternoon。
　In　better　times；　Iome　would　have　felt　grateful　even　for　that　slight　allotment　of　time　in　which　to　meet　a　suitor　alone。　Over　the　past　winter　her　father　had　told　her　much　about　Gaborn；　praised　him　highly；　hoping　that　when　this　day　came；　she'd　accept　him　willingly。
　Under　normal　circumstances；　Iome　would　have　hoped　for　love。　She　would　have　prepared　her　heart　for　it；　nurtured　it。
　But　on　this　day；　when　her　father's　kingdom　was　about　to　topple；　meeting　the　son　of　King　Orden　served　no　purpose　other　than　to　satisfy　a　morbid　curiosity。
　Would　she　have　loved　him？　If　so；　then　this　meeting　would　acplish　nothing　more　than　to　chain　her　with　a　painful　reminder　of　what　might　have　been。
　More　likely　she'd　have　despised　him。　He　was；　after　all；　an　Orden。　Still；　being　wed　to　a　man　she　despised　would　have　seemed　a　minor　inconvenience　pared　with　what　she　feared　lay　ahead。　Right　now；　she　was　acutely　aware　that　her　people　owed　Gaborn　a　debt　for　his　service；　and　though　she　wanted　nothing　to　do　with　him；　she　decided　to　treat　him　cordially；　make　the　best　of　it。
　As　Iome　climbed　the　stone　stairway　to　meet　Gaborn；　her　Days　close　behind；　feet　whispering　across　the　ancient　stone；　Chemoise　descended；　met　her　halfway。
　〃He's　been　waiting　for　you；〃　Chemoise　said；　smiling　stiffly。　Yet　there　was　a　certain　excitement　shining　in　the　girl's　eyes。　Perhaps　Chemoise　hoped　that　Iome　would　find　love；　was　reminded　too　much　of　the　lover　she　herself　had　lost　a　day　past。　Chemoise　had　been　Iome's　playmate。　Iome　knew　the　girl's　every　slightest　gesture。　As　Iome　glanced　up；　Chemoise's　features　softened　and　her　eyes　shone。　She　obviously　approved　of　the　prince。
　Iome　forced　a　smile。　Of　all　the　times　to　see　such　excitement　in　the　girl's　eyes；　today　seemed　most　inappropriate。　Chemoise　had　walked　in　a　fog　for　the　past　day。　Shocked　by　her　lover's　death；　planning　for　her　unborn　child；　forgetting　to　eat　if　Iome　did　not　beg　her　to　do　so。
　Right　now　it　seemed　as　if　Chemoise　didn't　recognize　that　a　war　brewed。　Part　of　her　mind　seemed　to　sleep。　Perhaps　she　really　doesn't　see；　Iome　realized。　Chemoise　could　be　so　innocent。　Once；　Sergeant　Dreys　had　teased　her；　saying；　〃Chemoise；　believes　sword　fighting　is　much　like　carving　a　duck；　the　only　difference　being　that　you　don't　eat　your　foe　after　you　slice　him　up。〃
　Chemoise　took　Iome's　hands；　urged　her　up　the　steps；　until　they　stood　in　the　sunlight。　After　the　coolness　of　the　shadowed　keep；　the　warmth　of　the　sunlight　felt　good。
　When　she　reached　the　top；　Chemoise　waved　toward　the　prince　in　introduction。　〃Princess　Iome　Sylvarresta；　may　I　have　the　honor　to　present　Prince　Gaborn　Val　Orden。〃
　Iome　did　not　look　at　the　Prince。　Instead　she　looked　out　over　the　battlements。　Chemoise　scurried　to　the　far　side　of　the　tower；　some　forty　paces　off；　to　give　Iome　and　the　Prince　some　privacy。
　To　Iome's　surprise；　the　young　soldiers　who　manned　the　catapults　followed　Chemoise；　affording　even　more　privacy。　Iome　glanced　down　at　the　catapults；　noted　the　metal　shot　in　the　weapons'　baskets。　These　catapults　had　never　fired　on　invaders　before。　The　only　time　she'd　seen　them　used　was　on　feast　days；　when　her　father　fired　loaves　of　bread；　sausages；　and　tangerines　out　over　the　castle　walls　to　the　peasants。
　Iome's　Days　stayed　only　a　dozen　paces　away。　She　said；　〃Prince　Sylvarresta；　your　Days　is　currently　in　your　father's　pany。　I　will　act　as　recorder　in　his　stead；　for　this　portion　of　your　chronicles。〃
　The　Prince　said　nothing　to　the　Days；　though　Iome　heard　his　cloak　rustle；　as　if　he　nodded。
　Iome　still　did　not　look　in　the　Prince's　direction。　Instead　she　hurried　to　the　far　side　of　the　tower；　sat　on　a　merlon；　and　gazed　out　over　the　autumn　fields　at　her　father's　kingdom。
　Iome　found　herself　trembling　slightly。　She　did　not　want　to　face　Gaborn；　dared　not　face　him。　He　was；　after　all；　a　Runelord；　the　son　of　a　very　powerful　Runelord；　and　would　likely　be　handsome　beyond　telling。　She　did　not　want　appearances　to　spoil　her　perceptions　of　him。　So　she　looked　away；　beyond　the　castle　walls。
　Still；　when　Gaborn　gave　a　sigh　of　appreciation　for　her　beauty；　it　drew　a　tight　smile　from　Iome's　lips。　She　felt　certain　he　had　seen　finer　women　in　the　South。
　A　slight　wind　stirred；　a　breeze　that　carried　th