kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第27部分

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Alexander　shook　his　head。　〃Nae　proof。　A　feelin'　is　all。　There's　sommat　else；　tho'：　At　least　one　o'　the　men　who　landed　was　a　priest。　He　blessed　th'　escort　before　they　rode　out。　Now；　why　would　a　priest　be　makin'　secret　rendezvous　with　rogue　knights？〃
Blearily　Dhugal　MacArdry　rubbed　sleep　from　his　eyes　and　glanced　at　his　father。　The　old　man　had　had　a　bad　night。　Any　physical　leadership　on　the　part　of　the　ailing　chief　had　been　out　of　the　question　for　some　time；　this　morning；　Caulay　was　barely　even　able　to　follow　the　conversation　…　and　knew　it。　As　an　almost　imperceptible　nod　passed　between　father　and　son；　Dhugal　stood；　tossing　off　tile　last　of　his　morning　ale。
〃I　think　we'd　best　find　out　why；〃　he　said；　wiping　the　back　of　a　linen…clad　forearm　across　his　mouth。　〃You　say　they're　headed　toward　Carcashale？〃
〃Aye　…　unless　they　turn　east　at　Colblaine；　which　I　doubt。〃
〃'Tis　Carcashale　for　us　as　well；　then。　Caball；　how　many　men　can　we　muster　in　time　to　head　them　off？〃
〃Mayhap　a　dozen；〃　his　father's　castellan　replied。　〃I　wish　I　could　give　ye　more；　but　two　patrols　are　out　already　…　　an'　many　hae　headed　to　their　ain　hames　for　th'　winter。　It's　a　bad　time　o'　year；　lad。〃
〃Aye；　but　there's　no　help　for　that。　We　must　ride　wi'　what　we　have。〃　Dhugal　sighed。　〃Tomais　and　Alexander；　I'll　ask　that　ye　join　us　…　an'　Ciard　as　well。　Will　ye　see　to　it；　Caball？〃
〃Aye；　Dhugal。〃
As　the　men　left　to　do　his　bidding；　leaving　only　the　clan　piper　and　Kinkellyan　the　bard　in　the　hall　with　the　old　chief　and　his　heir；　Dhugal　turned　back　to　his　father。　The　old　man's　eyes　were　troubled　beyond　his　physical　pain　as　he　reached　out　a　hand　to　clasp　Dhugal's。
〃This　does　n？？　sound　guid；　lad。　I　dinnae　like　it。　Th'　priests　an'　bishops　hae　been　at　Culdi　all　th'　past　month。　What　cause　has　another　priest　tae　e　in　secret　this　way？　An'　tae　e　by　sea　this　time　o'　year　…　〃
Tight…lipped；　Dhugal　nodded；　stripping　off　linen　and　kilts　to　don　riding　leathers　and　light　armor　which　his　gillie　brought。
〃Aye；　I　dinnae　like　it　either。　Da。　An'　the　king　would've　told　me　if　he'd　known　of　it。　This　smacks　of　treachery。　But　we've　no　choice　but　to　investigate。〃
〃Aye；　ye　have　not。　But　…　be　careful；　lad。　Th'　clan　needs　its　chief。〃
Dhugal　forced　a　grin　as　he　squeezed　the　old　man's　hand。
〃We'll　hear　no　more　o'　that。　Da。　The　clan　has　its　chief；　an'　will　for　many　a　year；　the　Lord　willing。　Besides；　I've　n？？　finished　my　apprenticeship　with　ye。〃
The　old　man　nodded　and　smiled　as　Dhugal　pulled　away　to　let　Ciard　finish　arming　him；　but　both　of　them　knew　it　was　a　charade。　Dhugal　pretended　to　adjust　a　strap　on　his　brigandine　while　Ciard　looped　a　sword　baldric　over　his　head　and　brooched　a　heavy；　furlined　cloak　at　his　throat。
Then　Dhugal　was　drawing　on　gauntlets　and　striding　out　of　the　hall；　raising　a　hand　in　final　farewell　as　he　went。　Minutes　later；　the　Transha　warband　rode　out　the　castle　gates　toward　Carcashale。
Two　hours　later；　Dhugal　and　his　men　sat　their　shaggy　border　ponies　stirrup　to　stirrup　across　the　mouth　of　Carcashale　pass　…　a　position　which　would　bring　the　approaching　foreigners　within　a　dozen　yards　of　the　Transha　line　before　they　were　even　aware　they　were　not　alone。　Dhugal　held　the　center　of　the　line；　Ciard　at　his　left　with　his　personal　standard　and　Caball　far　to　the　right　with　the　Transha　banner。　The　silks　were　almost　gaudy　against　the　grey　December　sky。
From　the　point　above；　the　signal　came。　As　Dhugal　drew　his　sword　and。raised　it；　steel　slithered　from　a　dozen　other　scabbards　in　answer。　He　shifted　the　leather…faced　targe　on　his　right　arm　and　collected　his　pony's　reins。　As　the　first　of　the　black…clad　intruders　rounded　the　curve　and　faltered　at　the　unexpected　array　awaiting　them；　Dhugal　kneed　his　mount　a　few　steps　forward。
〃Stand；　in　the　name　of　the　king；　and　state　your　business！〃　he　said；　letting　his　sword　rest　lightly　against　his　left　shoulder。　〃You　trespass　on　the　Earl　of　Transha's　lands。〃
But　the　men　ahead　were　not　inclined　to　parley。　Even　as　Dhugal　realized　that；　wheeling　his　pony　in　strategic　retreat；　they　were　spurring　their　larger　mounts　from　trot　to　gallop；　bunching　around　the　two　unarmored　men　in　their　midst　and　drawing　weapons　as　they　came。
Dhugal　signalled　his　men　to　scatter　as　he　fled；　trusting　that　the　quickness　of　their　border　ponies　and　intimate　knowledge　of　the　terrain　would　at　least　enable　them　to　escape。　The　charging　men　did　not　fan　out　in　general　pursuit；　however。　To　Dhugal's　astonishment　and　horror；　the　men　at　the　head　of　the　band　made　directly　for　him；　the　outriders　brushing　off　his　more　lightly　mounted　and　armed　men　with　devastating　results　while　the　leaders　drove　straight　toward　him。
〃MacArdry；　to　me！〃　he　cried。
His　men　tried　to　rally。　Ciard　got　separated　from　him　by　a　man　on　a　particularly　large　and　nasty　bay　which　kicked　and　tried　to　bite；　and　Tomais　darted　desperately　behind　to　take　his　place　and　shield　him。　But　the　strangers　cut　down　the　scout　with　hardly　a　wasted　effort　and　then　crashed　their　mounts　into　Dhugal's；　bowling　it　off　its　feet。　Dhugal　fell　hard。　He　lost　his　helmet；　but　somehow　he　still　had　his　sword　in　his　hand　as　he　scrambled　to　his　feet。　He　glanced　around　wildly　to　find　himself　totally　surrounded　by　the　enemy。
He　threw　away　his　targe。　Catching　at　the　reins　of　one　of　his　attackers　with　his　free　hand；　he　jerked　and　forced　the　animal　to　its　knees；　spilling　its　rider　even　as　he　blocked　another　man's　sword　blow。
But　his　astonishment　at　the　Trurill　badge　on　the　surcoat　beneath　the　fallen　man's　mantle　threw　him　off　stride；　and　before　he　could　collect　his　wits；　the　steel…shod　hoof　of　another　man's　horse　caught　him　in　the　thigh　with　near　bone…crushing　force。　Even　as　he　gasped　with　the　pain　of　it；　trying　not　to　fall　under　yet　another　horse's　hooves；　another　rider　kneed　him　in　the　chest；　knocking　the　wind　out　of　him　and　cracking　ribs。　Dimly　he　recognized　his　attacker　as　the　Trurill　sergeant　with　whom　he　had　ridden　only　a　fortnight　before。
〃Gendon！〃　he　gasped；　stunned。
Wheezing　desperately　for　air；　and　feeling　horribly　betrayed；　he　staggered　to　his　feet　and　managed　to　deliver　a　bloody　but　shallow　cut　to　the　arm　of　another　attacker；　but　already　injured；　he　was　too　slow　to　avoid　the　hooves　of　another　horse　which　tumbled　him　to　the　ground　…　or　the　sword　hilt　which　struck　his　temple　with　a　solid；　sickening　thump　as　the　Baron　of　Trurill　himself　grabbed　him　by　the　neck　of　his　brigandine　and　yanked　him　up　across　the　saddle。　He　tried　to　struggle　through　the　fog　of　pain　which　shrank　his　vision　to　a　narrow　tunnel；　but　his　fingers　uncurled　from　his　sword　hilt　and　let　it　fall　as　the　pain　pounded　with　every　heartbeat。
〃Pull　back；　or　I　kill　the　boy！〃　his　captor　bellowed；　jerking　him　up　straighter　in　the　saddle　before　him　and　laying　the　flat　of　his　sword　against　Dhugal's　throat。　〃Will　your　chief　thank　you　for　a　dead　heir？　I　swear；　I'll　kill　him！〃
Dhugal's　eyes　would　no　longer　focus；　and　he　could　feel　the　bitter　bile　burning　in　his　throat　as　waves　of　nausea　pulsated　with　the　pain。　Even　drawing　breath　sent　jagged　fire　lancing　through　his　chest；　and　his　slightest　attempt　to　struggle　only　made　his　captor's　arm　clamp　tighter　over　his　broken　ribs；　adding　to　the　agony。　Dimly　he　was　aware　of　the　sounds　of　battle　ceasing；　and　then　Caball's　voice；　breathless　and　desperate。
〃Yield　yer　prisoner；　sir；　in　th'　name　of　King　Kelson　of　Gwynedd！　Ye　have　attacked　th'　king's　just　representative　wi'out　cause。〃
〃A　heretic　king！〃　an　irate　voice　behind　Dhugal　shouted。　〃And　the　heretic　king　has　forfeited　his　rights　by　making　heretics　his　allies。　Stand　aside　and　let　us　pass；　or　the　boy　dies！〃
Weakly；　Dhugal　tried　again　to　struggle　despite　the　pain　it　cost　him。　He　could　not　think　clearly；　but　instinctively　he　sensed　that　to　allow　these　men　to　escape　was　a　thing　which　must　be　prevented　at　all　cost；　even　his　life。
〃No！〃　he　managed　to　cry　out。　〃Don't　let　them　…　〃
But　the　sword　hilt　crashed　into　his　head　again　before　he　could　finish；　and　he　felt　his　world　going　dark　around　him；　his　body　totally　refusing　to　obey　him　any　longer。　He　knew　more　pain　as　his　captor　pulled　him　higher　across　the　saddle　to　thrust　a　gauntleted　hand　through　the　back　of　his　belt；　and　he　heard　Clan　MacArdry's　warcry　as　they　tried　to　answer　his　mand。
But　then　consciousness　was　slipping　away　even　as　h