kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第5部分

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to　the　mountains　for　a　few　days　…　I　think　he　dislikes　being　cooped　up　at　court　even　more　than　you　do　…　and　I　thought　I'd　take　Conall　along；　as　well。　Maybe　a　little　patrol　work　will　teach　him　patience。　It's　a　courtesy　call；　Alaric　…　that's　all。　I　want　to　see　how　Brice　operates　when　he　isn't　expecting　me　to　see。〃
〃Do　as　you　wish；　then；〃　Morgan　muttered。　〃You　will；　anyway。　I　don't　know　why　I　bother　worrying。〃
Kelson　grinned；　a　boyish　quirk　of　a　smile　which　was　quite　at　odds　with　his　regal　attire　and　bearing。
〃I　think　you　do。　I　do；　if　you　don't。　And　the　day　you　stop　worrying　is　the　day　I'll　start。〃　He　touched　Morgan　lightly　on　the　shoulder。
〃Just　keep　our　wayward　bishops　in　line　for　me；　Alaric。　I'll　be　back　in　a　few　days。〃

By　the　following　afternoon。　Kelson　was　beginning　to　wonder　whether　he　had　truly　gotten　the　better　end　of　the　bargain。　He　had　expected　the　weather　to　hold　for　at　least　another　week；　but　as　he　and　his　warband　rode　west　along　the　river　toward　Trurill　…　a　full　two　dozen　knights　and　men…at…arms；　in　addition　to　squires　and　servants　…　the　air　grew　increasingly　still　and　oppressive。　An　annoying　drizzle　set　in　just　before　noon；　dampening　dispositions　as　well　as　armor　and　equipment。　Conall；　riding　beside　his　royal　cousin；　spent　nearly　all　of　their　brief　meal…break　plaining　about　the　weather；　but　at　least　the　more　important　grumbling　of　the　men　was　mostly　good…natured。　The　road　was　still　good；　the　rain　only　settling　the　dust　as　they　resumed　travel。　At　midafternoon　they　entered　an　area　of　sparse　forest；　where　the　drizzle　subsided　to　a　less　irritating　drip　as　it　filtered　through　the　trees。
They　heard　the　sound　of　fighting　long　before　they　came　upon　it。　The　shrill　whinnies　of　horses　in　distress　warned　them　first；　setting　their　own　blooded　warhorses　to　prancing　and　snorting　with　anticipation。　As　shouts　and　the　clash　of　steel　began　to　reach　them。　Duke　Ewan　signalled　a　halt　and　sent　two　advance　riders　spurring　on　ahead　to　investigate。　Kelson；　who　had　been　chatting　with　several　of'his　younger　knights　halfway　back　along　the　column；　eased　his　mount　forward　at　once；　tugging　distractedlyat　a　gauntlet　cuff。
〃Jodrell；　were　you　expecting　any　activity　along　here？〃　the　king　called　softly；　as　he　drew　rein　beside　their　guide。
The　young　Kierney　baron　only　shook　his　head；　still　poised　in　a　listening　attitude。　When　the　outriders　did　not　return　within　a　few　minutes。　Kelson　silently　signalled　Saer　de　Traheme　to　begin　stripping　the　waterproof　cover　off　the　Haldane　battle　standard。
〃What　are　we　waiting　for；　Ewan？〃　Conall　fretted；　standing　in　his　stirrups　to　peer　ahead　into　the　forest　gloom。　〃If　there's　trouble；　we　should　try　to　stop　it！〃
Old　Ewan；　sitting　his　horse　ahead　of　the　two　Haldanes　and　at　right　angles　to　them；　squeezed　his　eyes　to　calculating　slits　as　he　glanced　in　their　direction；　armored　hand　already　fingering　his　sword　hilt。　His　bushy　red　beard　protruded　beneath　his　helmet　quite　without　discipline　of　razor　or　scissors。
〃Their　trouble；　not　ours。　Your　Highness　…　unless；　of　course；　we　insist　upon　charging　into　things　without　knowing　what　we're　about。　Hush　ye；　now；　so　I　can　listen。〃
Still　the　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　continuing　sounds　of　the　distant　fighting　and　the　closer　noises　of　the　Haldane　greathorses　held　in　check；　bits　and　chains　jingling；　leather　creaking；　mail　clinking　softly　as　the　knights　strained　to　hear。　Kelson　surveyed　the　two　dozen　mounted　knights　settling　helmets　on　heads　and　taking　up　shields　behind　him；　then　shifted　his　attention　back　to　Ewan。
〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　whispered。
Ewan　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃I　dinnae　know　yet；　Sire。　We're　on　the　edge　of　Trurill　holdings；　eh；　Jodrell？　That　means　that　Trurill　levies　are　likely　on　one　side　of　whatever's　dusting　up。〃
The　border　baron　nodded。　〃Aye；　Your　Grace　…　though　it's　God's　good　guess　who's　on　the　other　side。　I'd　wait　for　Macaire　and　Robard；　if　I　were　you。　Sire。〃
〃I　fully　intend　to。〃
〃But；　can't　we　…　〃　Conall　began。
〃No；　we　can't；〃　Kelson　murmured；　giving　Conall　a　warning　look　as　he　twisted　to　take　the　shield　that　his　squire　had　brought　forward。　〃Jodrell；　check　the　men；　please。〃
Conall　started　to　object　again　as　Jodrell　reined　his　horse　out　of　line　and　headed　quietly　back　along　the　column；　but　another　sharp　look　from　Kelson　silenced　him。　The　prince；　only　a　few　months　younger　than　Kelson；　had　been　along　on　the　Cardosa　campaign　two　summers　before；　but　he　still　had　much　to　learn　about　strategy　and　the　art　of　mand。　It　was　a　mon　failing；　and　not　entirely　Conall's　fault；　for　though　Gwynedd　mon　law　declared　fourteen　to　be　the　legal　age　of　manhood；　in　fact　few　boys　were　actually　called　upon　to　function　as　adults　for　several　more　years。
Chivalric　custom　recognized　this；　even　if　the　law　did　not；　denying　the　knightly　accolade　to　those　under　eighteen　except　on　rare　occasions。　Even　Kelson；　who　could　have　made　himself　such　an　exception　as　king；　had　declined　to　be　knighted　until　his　eighteenth　birthday。　If　Conall　gained　sufficient　experience　in　the　ing　year；　his　knighting　might　be　moved　forward　a　few　months　to　coincide　with　Kelson's；　but　meanwhile；　he　remained　in　the　subordinate　rank　of　squire；　royal　though　he　was。
That　was　little　fort　to　Kelson　just　now；　weighing　Conall's　inexperience　against　the　possible　dangers　of　the　ing　skirmish。　He　could　not　help　remembering　Morgan's　warning　about　the　difference　of　fighting　styles　and　wondered　whether　the　Deryni　lord　could　have　known　he　was　foretelling　the　future。　Border　fighting　favored　quick；　lightly　mounted　and　armed　raiding　bands；　not　the　heavier　horses　and　armor　to　which　Conall　was　accustomed　and　with　which　the　warband　was　equipped。　Should　the　terrain　ahead　boast　closer　maneuvering　room　than　what　lay　immediately　around　them；　the　inexperienced　among　Kelson's　pany　might　find　themselves　at　the　disadvantage　despite　their　numbers　and　superior　armor。
Still；　Kelson　supposed　he　could　let　his　untried　cousin　at　least　think　he　was　performing　an　important　function；　while　still　keeping　him　relatively　safe　and　under　watchful　eyes。　As　he　adjusted　the　angle　of　his　helm　and　secured　the　chin　strap；　he　cast　a　stem　glance　at　the　impatient　Conall；　then　relented　and　nodded　to　Traheme。　Immediately；　Conall　was　kneeing　his　charger　between　the　two　of　them　and　reaching　out　for　the　royal　standard；　tight…jawed　but　triumphant　as　his　gloved　hand　locked　around　the　polished　staff。
〃No　heroics；　now；〃　Kelson　warned。
〃Don't　worry。〃
The　crimson　of　the　banner's　field　seemed　almost　subdued　against　the　deep　green　of　the　surrounding　forest；　but　the　golden　Haldane　lion　shimmered　like　a　living　thing　as　Conall　gave　the　silk　a　shake　and　set　the　butt　of　the　staff　in　his　stirrup　rest。　The　prince's　grin　was　infectious；　and　Ewan　and　Traheme　as　well　as　Kelson　found　themselves　smiling　in　response　as　muffled　hoofbeats　approached。　Kelson　cast　about　for　hidden　dangers　as　a　returning　scout　burst　through　the　trees　and　reined　his　horse　to　a　sliding　halt；　but　he　sensed　nothing　other　than　the　body　of　men　ahead。
〃Liveried　men…at…arms。　Sire　…　lightly　mounted；　against　what　appears　to　be　a　band　of　brigands；〃　the　man　reported。　〃Maybe　twenty　on　a　side；　but　none　of　them　are　particularly　well　armored。〃
〃Whose　livery？〃　Kelson　demanded。
〃Trurill；　Sire。　Two　swords　in　saltire　over　a　third　in　pale；　all　on　a　blue　field。〃
Kelson　glanced　at　Ewan；　who　nodded　confirmation。　〃Those'll　be　Brice's　lads；　right　enough。　Do　we　have　maneuvering　room；　son？〃
〃At　least　as　good　as　here。　Your　Grace。　Part　of　the　area　is　an　open　glade。　Robard　has　stayed　to　watch　they　don't　shift　while　we're　planning。〃
〃Well　done。〃　Kelson　drew　his　sword　and　glanced　back　at　his　waiting　men。　〃Very　well；　gentlemen；　I　think　it's　time　to　show　ourselves。　If　we　can　manage　without　bloodshed；　so　much　the　better。　Traheme；　I　want　you　on　Conall's　other　side。　Jodrell；　you　ride　on　my　right。　Ewan；　deploy　the　men。〃
With　an　economy　of　silent　hand　signals；　Ewan　gave　the　necessary　orders。　As　ever。　Kelson　was　impressed　with　the　efficiency　and　polish　which　came　with　more　than　thirty　years'　experience　as　a　field　mander。　The　jingle　of　harness　and　the　wet；　sucking　sound　of　the　horses'　hooves　on　the　moss…covered　forest　floor　temporarily　covered　the　battle　sounds　as　the　knights　peeled　off　to　either　side　and　fanned　o