fs.thethirdbookofswords-第28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！


perfect　one。
　Bathing　together　soon　led　to　other　activities；　self…limiting　in　duration；　there　was　presently　a　pause　for　more　varied　conversation。
　Mark　asked　her；　〃How　did　you　e　to　be　a　prisoner　there？〃
　Kristin's　blue…green　eyes　looked　off　into　the　distance。　〃A　group　of　us　were　traveling；　through　country　we　thought　was　reasonably　safe。〃　She　shrugged。　〃We　were　attacked　by　a　patrol　of　the　Dark　King's　army。　What　happened　to　the　others　in　our　party　I　do　not　know；　I　suppose　they　were　all　killed。　The　enemy　had　a　magician　with　them。　We　had　a　contest；　naturally；　and　he　proved　too　strong　for　me。　Except　that　I　was　able　to　…　to　hide　myself；　in　a　fashion。　I　knew　little　of　what　was　happening　to　me；　and　my　captors　were　able　to　tell　little　about　me。　They　brought　me　back　to　their　main　encampment。　What　would　have　happened　to　me　next。。。〃
　Mark　put　out　a　hand。　〃It　won't　happen　now。　You're　safe。〃
　〃Thanks　to　you。　But　how　did　you　e　to　be　there？〃
　He　explained　his　mission　in　broad　terms；　first　as　a　diplomatic　messenger　for　Sir　Andrew；　then　on　his　own　after　his　strange　encounter　with　Draffut。　That　was　a　well…nigh　incredible　tale；　he　realized；　but　Kristin　watched　him　closely　as　he　spoke　and　he　thought　that　she　believed　him。　If　she　had　ever　heard　of　Mark；　the　despoiler　of　the　Blue　Temple；　she　did　not　appear　to　connect　that　person　with　the　man　before　her。　He　sometimes　thought；　hearing　his　own　name　in　the　song　of　some　passing　stranger；　that　he　was　famous。　But　actually　the　name　was　mon　enough。　And　fortunately　for　his　chances　of　avoiding　the　Blue　Temple　assassins；　his　face　was　not　famous　at　all。
　Before　they　left　the　stream；　he　tried　to　study　his　own　face　in　the　quietest　available　pool。　〃How　do　I　look？〃　His　fingers　searched　his　forehead。
　〃There's　a　scar。　No　more　than　that。　A　simple　scar；　you'll　still　be　handsome。〃　She　kissed　it　for　him。
　He　sat　back。　〃So；　as　you　see；　I　was　on　my　way　to　Tasavalta　anyway。　As　a　courier。〃
　〃How　convenient。〃　She　kissed　him　again。
　〃Yes。　What　is　the　Princess　like？〃
　〃A　few　years；　older　than　I　am。〃　Kristin　paused。　〃I　can　hardly　claim　to　know　her。〃
　〃I　suppose　not。　We'd　better　get　moving。〃
　They　were　dressed；　in　washed　garments；　and　packed　and　back　on　their　animals　heading　east；　before　Mark　resumed　the　conversation。　〃I　don't　know　Tasavaltan　customs　at　all　well。　Should　I　be　asking　you　who　your　parents　are？　I　mean；　what　is　the　customary　way　of　taking　a　wife　in　your　land？　Who　else　must　I　talk　to　about　it；　if　anyone？〃
　〃My　parents　are　both　dead。〃
　〃Sorry。〃
　〃It　was　long　ago。　Yes；　there　will　be　people　we　have　to　see。　Old　Karel　first；　I　suppose。　He's　my　uncle；　and　also　my　teacher　in　magic。　A　rather　well…known　wizard。　You　may　have　heard　of　him？〃
　〃No。　But　I've　known　other　magicians；　they　don't　frighten　me　especially。　We'll　see　your　Uncle　Karel。。。　by　the　way；　will　you　marry　me？〃
　Kristin　appeared　vaguely　disappointed。　〃You　know　I　will。　But　I　am　glad　you　thought　to　ask。〃
　〃Ah　yes。〃　And　again　there　was　an　interval　in　which　no　thoughtful　planning　could　be　acplished。
　The　interval　over；　Mark　said；　〃I　gather　you're　not　exactly　looking　forward　to　seeing　your　old　uncle。　He　was　intent　on　consecrating　you　as　a　sorceress；　is　that　it？〃
　〃Partly。〃
　He　felt　somewhat　relieved；　he　could　have　imagined　worse。　〃Well；　not　all　the　women　who　are　good　at　magic　are　virgins；　I　can　assure　you　of　that。〃　He　paused。　〃I　mean。。。〃
　They　cautiously　approached　and　entered　a　deserted　house；　and　then　another；　and　helped　themselves　to　a　few　items　of　clothing　the　inhabitants　had　not　bothered　to　take　with　them　when　they　fled。　Mark　wondered　whether　to　leave　payment；　and　decided　not　…　the　arrival　of　Vilkata's　looters　seemed　likely　to　occur　before　the　return　of　the　proper　owners。　Feeling　a　shade　more　civilized；　they　rode　on。
　It　struck　Mark　that　Kristin　was　resisting　making　plans　for　their　own　future。　She　loved　him；　they　were　going　to　marry；　that　much　was　certain　between　them。　But　she　was　reluctant　to　go　into　details　at　all。　A　sense　of　mystery；　of　something　withheld；　persisted。　Mark　put　it　down　to　exhaustion。　Though　Woundhealer　had　restored　them　marvelously；　still　the　journey　was　hard　and　their　food　meagre。
　Yet　it　was　happy；　despite　continued　difficulties　and　periods　of　fear。　And　as　they　left　the　last　fringes　of　the　area　already　devastated　by　Vilkata's　army；　their　own　foraging　became　correspondingly　easier。　Farms　and　houses　were　even　fewer　now；　this　was　a　region　sparsely　inhabited　in　the　best　of　times。
　Mark　tried　to　count　up　the　days　of　their　journey。　Watching　the　phases　of　the　Moon；　he　decided　it　was　now　almost　a　month　since　he　had　approached　and　entered　Vilkata's　camp。
　At　last　there　came　the　day　when　they　rode　into　sight　of　a　banner　of　blue　and　green；　raised　on　a　tall　rustic　pole。　The　Tasavaltan　flagpole　stood　atop　a　crag　that　overlooked　the　road；　just　where　the　road　entered　the　first　pass　of　mountain　foothills。　Kristin　shed　tears　at　sight　of　the　flag；　Mark　had　to　look　at　her　closely　to　be　sure　that　they　were　tears　of　joy。
　She　assured　Mark　that　what　he　had　been　told　of　Tasavalta　was　correct；　that　although　it　was　not　a　huge　land　it　was　certainly　spectacular。　In　any　event　he　could　now　begin　to　see　that　for　himself。　Kristin　explained　the　topography　in　a　general　way：　there　were　two　main　mountain　ranges；　one　right　along　the　coastline　to　the　east；　the　other　a　few　kilometers　inland；　just　inside　the　first　long　line　of　sheltered　valleys。　Both　these　ranges　were　really　southern　extensions　of　the　Ludus　Mountains；　now　many　kilometers　to　the　north。
　〃I　grew　up　in　sight　of　the　Ludus；〃　Mark　said。　〃We　could　see　them　on　a　clear　day；　anyway；　from　home。〃
　Despite　the　southern　latitude　they　had　now　reached；　here　in　late　summer　there　were　still　traces　of　ice　and　snow　visible　upon　the　highest　Tasavaltan　peaks　ahead。　The　coast　was　deeply　cut　with　fjords　here；　and　cold　ocean　currents　kept　this　almost　tropic　land　in　a　state　of　perpetual　spring。
　Mark　and　Kristin　pushed　on；　urging　their　tired　riding　beasts　past　that　first　frontier　marking。　Mark　kept　glancing　at　his　panion。　She　was　more　often　silent　now；　and　looked　more　worried　the　farther　they　went。
　He　asked　Kristin　suddenly；　〃Still　worried　about　what　your　teacher　in　the　white　arts　is　going　to　say？〃　〃That's　not　it。　Or　not　altogether。〃
　Still　the　secrecy；　and　it　annoyed　him。　〃What；　then？〃
　But　she　would　not　give　him　what　he　considered　a　straight　answer；　and　his　annoyance　grew。　Something　about　her　family；　he　supposed。　What　they　were　going　to　say　when　she　brought　home　an　almost　penniless　foreign　soldier　as　a　prospective　husband。　Mark　was　sure　by　now　that　Kristin's　family　were　no　peasants。　Well；　the　two　of　them　had　been　traveling　alone　together　for　a　month。　If　her　people　were　like　most　of　the　well…to…do　families　that　Mark　had　known；　that　would　be　a　powerful　inducement　for　them　to　give　their　consent。　In　any　case　he　was　going　to　marry　her；　he　would　entertain　no　doubt　of　that；　and　he　kept　reassuring　himself　that　she　showed　no　hesitation　on　that　point　either。
　She　might；　he　sometimes　thought；　be　withholding　information　about　some　plication　or　obstacle。　If　she　feared　he　might　be　influenced　by　anything　like　that　…　well；　she　didn't　yet　know　him　as　well　as　she　was　going　to。
　Once　they　had　passed　that　first　flagpole　marking　the　frontier；　the　road　immediately　improved。　It　also　began　a　steeper　climb；　sometimes　requiring　long　winding　switchbacks。　For　the　first　time　on　this　journey　Mark　could　glimpse　the　sea；　chewing　at　the　feet　of　the　coastal　mountains。　It　was　deep　blue　in　the　distance；　then　the　color　of　Kristin's　eyes；　then　as　it　met　land　frothed　into　white。　Now；　on　either　side　of　the　road；　there　were　meadows；　presently　being　harvested　of　hay　by　industrious…looking　peasants　who　were　not　shy　about　exchanging　waves　at　a　distance　with　shabbily　dressed　wayfaring　strangers。　The　lifesaving　cloak　of　Vilkata's　colors　had　long　since　been　rolled　up　into　a　tight　black　bundle　and　lodged　behind　Mark's　saddle。
　Now　Kristin　pointed　ahead；　to　where　the　sunspark　of　a　heliograph　could　be　seen　winking　intermittently　from　the　top　of　a　small　mountain。　〃That　may　be　some　message　about　us。　In　times　like　these；　the　lookouts　tend　to　take　notice　of　every　traveler。〃
　〃Do　you　know　the　code？〃
　〃Yes　…　but　that's　not　aim