kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第6部分

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st　floor　temporarily　covered　the　battle　sounds　as　the　knights　peeled　off　to　either　side　and　fanned　out　in　perfect　parade　ground　formation；　Ewan　and　one　of　the　senior　knights　each　taking　a　wing。　Kelson　urged　his　bay　forward　at　the　trot；　sword　at　the　ready；　he　and　his　escort　marking　the　center　of　a　deepening　crescent　intended　to　engulf　attackers　and　defenders　alike。　Ahead；　through　the　trees；　he　began　to　see　the　signs　of　battle。
〃Yield；　in　the　king's　name！〃　he　heard　Ewan　cry；　as　the　royal　knights　burst　upon　the　skirmish。　〃Hold；　in　the　name　of　Kelson　of　Gwynedd！〃


CHAPTER　TWO
They　all　hold　swords；　being　expert　in　war：　every　man　hath　his　sword　upon　his　thigh。
Song　of　Solomon　3：8

Kelson's　first　impression；　as　he　and　his　warband　burst　into　the　clearing；　was　one　of　brawl　rather　than　battle。　Though　most　of　the　Trurill　men　were　armed　with　swords　or　the　short　horse…spears　favored　by　bordermen；　their　opponents　seemed　limited　to　cudgels；　quarterstaffs；　and　the　occasional　dirk。　Nor　did　the　Trurill　men　appear　inclined　to　overpress　their　advantage。　Even　as　the　Haldane　ring　tightened。　Kelson　saw　a　Trurill　retainer　grab　his　opponent's　plaid　and　yank　him　off　his　pony；　cracking　him　across　the　back　of　the　head　with　the　pommel　of　his　sword　when　he　just　as　easily　could　have　killed　him。　Several　of　both　sides　lay　unmoving　or　groaning　feebly　on　the　ground；　but　few　seemed　seriously　injured。
Trurill　livery　and　leathers　swirled　and　surged　chaotically　around　Border　tartans　strange　and　familiar；　loose　ponies　and　an　occasional　terrified　highland　sheep　creating　additional　hazards　for　the　few　men　who　continued　to　fight　from　the　ground。　The　ponies'　whinnying　and　the　frantic　bleating　of　the　sheep　made　vocal　counterpart　to　the　grunts　and　exclamations　of　the　struggling　men。
The　confrontation　was　quickly　over。　With　shouts　of　〃A　Haldane！〃　the　royal　knights　closed；　shouldering　their　greathorses　deftly　between　the　smaller；　lighter　border　mounts　to　break　up　individual　skirmishes；　flat…blading　recalcitrants　who　tried　to　keep　on　fighting；　and　sometimes　bowling　over　horses　and　surprised　riders　of　both　sides。　Kelson　and　the　rest　of　the　royal　party　held　back　as　a　reserve；　but　their　help　was　never　necessary。　The　closest　Kelson　came　to　action　was　the　startled　leap　his　horse　made　when　one　of　the　sheep　suddenly　bolted　between　its　front　legs。
Soon　the　brigands　began　dropping　their　weapons　and　raising　their　arms　in　surrender。　With　a　shout；　the　Trurill　men　rallied　to　surround　them。　As　Kelson's　warband　pulled　back　to　sit　their　horses　quietly　at　the　perimeter　of　the　clearing；　still　encircling　captors　as　well　as　prisoners；　the　Trurill　men　began　ordering　the　prisoners　to　dismount　and　to　bind　them；　a　few　starting　to　see　to　the　injured。　Ewan；　scanning　his　own　mand　for　injuries　and　seeing　none；　kneed　his　charger　to　Kelson's　side　and　saluted　with　upraised　gauntlet。
〃Well；　that　was　a　pleasant　enough　romp。　Sire；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　nodding　toward　the　borderers。　〃You　there　…　　Trurill　Sergeant'〃　he　called　in　a　louder　voice。　〃Attend　us　at　once！〃
At　his　mand；　one　of　the　older；　better　armored　Trurill　men　glanced　back　at　him；　then　broke　away　from　the　rest　of　his　band　and　rode　slowly　toward　the　royal　party；　eying　the　Haldane　standard　with　something　akin　to　suspicion。　He　gave　perfunctory　salute　with　his　sword　as　he　reined　in　before　them；　glancing　first　at　Kelson　and　Conall；　then　at　Ewan。
〃You　are　well　e；　sir；〃　the　man　said；　sheathing　his　sword。　〃By　your　plaid；　I　make　you　a　highland　man。　Would　you　be　The　Claibourne；　then？〃
But　before　Ewan　could　reply；　the　man　glanced　less　certainly　between　Kelson　and　Conall　once　again。　〃And　you；　my　lords　…　I　thank　you　for　your　assistance。　We　see　few　Haldanes　this　far　west。〃
And　doubtless　wish　to　see　fewer　still。　Kelson　thought　sourly；　as　he　also　sheathed　his　sword　and　removed　his　helmet。
He　supposed　he　should　not　be　annoyed　that　the　man　did　not　recognize　him。　Other　than　his　own　brief　foray　into　Culdi　two　years　before　for　the　ill…fated　wedding　of　Kevin　McLain　and　Morgan's　sister　Bronwyn；　Kelson　doubted　any　other　Haldane　had　penetrated　this　deep　into　the　western　borderlands　for　several　years　before　his　father's　death。　His　progress　of　the　summer　just　past　had　been　confined　primarily　to　Meara　itself；　and　the　flatlands　of　Kierney　and　Cassan。　And　even　were　bordermen　not　notorious　for　their　indifference　to　lowland　titles　of　nobility；　how　could　a　mere　border　sergeant　be　expected　to　know　his　king　by　sight？
〃I　am　Kelson；〃　he　said　patiently；　pushing　back　a　sweat…stained　arming　cap　from　damp　black　hair　and　handing　off　his　helmet　to　a　waiting　squire。　〃It　appears　that　the　presence　of　this　particular　Haldane　was　rather　timely。　You　are　…　？〃
The　man　dipped　his　head　in　dutiful　if　chilly　respect。
〃Gendon；　my　Lord　King；　in　service　to　the　Baron　of　Trurill。〃
Kelson　favored　the　man　with　the　same　sort　of　cool；　impersonal　nod　which　he　himself　had　received；　then　scooped　damp　tendrils　of　hair　from　his　face　with　the　back　of　one　mailed　gauntlet　as　he　glanced　over　the　prisoners　being　secured　by　Gendon's　men。　How　to　unbend　the　man？
〃Gendon；　eh？〃　he　said　neutrally。　〃Tell　me；　Master　Gendon；　what　brought　about　this　little　set　to？　Actually；　I'm　not　sure　you　needed　our　help　at　all。　They　weren't　very　well　armed。〃
〃They're　outlaws；　my　lord；〃　came　the　surprised　reply；　as　if　that　explained　everything。　〃They　raid　across　the　borders　for　livestock　…　sometimes　even　women　and　children。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Well；　we　try　to　stop　it；　of　course；　my　lord；〃　the　man　went　on　a　little　defensively。　〃The　baron　posts　a　regular　patrol；　as　is　his　duty；　but　a　man　can　slip　off　into　these　hills　with　half　a　dozen　sheep　and　never　be　seen　again。　The　young　Laird　MacArdry　says　this　particular　lot　have　been　plaguing　Transha　as　well。〃
〃The　young　laird　…　you　mean　Dhugal；　the　chief's　son？〃　Kelson　asked；　his　more　personal　interest　suddenly　piqued。
Gendon　raised　one　eyebrow　in　surprise。　〃You　know　young　Dhugal；　my　lord？〃
〃You　might　say　that；〃　Kelson　replied　with　a　grin。　〃I　don't　suppose　you've　seen　him　lately？〃
〃Lately？　Aye；　my　lord。　Every　blessed　day。〃
But　as　Gendon　gestured　toward　his　men　and　twisted　in　his　saddle　to　look；　clearly　taken　aback　at　this　lowland　king's　apparent　recognition　of　highland　relationships；　Kelson　had　already　spotted　the　object　of　his　inquiry：　a　slight；　ramrod…straight　rider　wrapped　in　a　grey；　black；　and　yellow　plaid　which　only　partially　hid　the　russet　leather　of　a　neat　Connaiti　brigandine。　He　was　talking　to　a　Trurill　man　balancing　on　one　leg　beside　his　horse；　gesturing　for　someone　else　to　e　and　assist　the　man。　A　mail　coif　partially　obscured　the　hair　which　would　have　made　a　beacon　of　his　presence　out　of　war　harness；　but　the　shaggy　brown…and…white　spotted　border　horse　he　rode　was　well　known　to　Kelson；　though　its　markings　were　mon　enough　not　to　be　remarked　during　the　heat　of　battle　…　　doubtless　the　reason　Kelson　had　not　noticed　them　earlier。
The　MacArdry　heir　became　aware　of　the　royal　scrutiny　at　about　the　same　moment　Kelson　first　saw　him。　One　look　at　the　riders　sitting　beneath　the　royal　standard　was　enough　to　make　him　break　away　and　urge　his　mount　into　a　trot　toward　the　king；　grinning　hugely。
〃Dhugal　MacArdry；　what　the　devil　is　that？〃　Kelson　shouted；　pointing　a　gauntleted　finger　at　the　other's　steed　and　grinning　almost　as　widely　as　he。　〃Surely；　'tis　no　horse　that　looks　so　strange！〃
The　young　MacArdry　drew　rein　and　almost　flung　him　self　from　the　saddle；　pushing　his　coif　back　from　bright　copper…bronze　hair　as　he　thumped　to　both　knees　before　the　king's　horse。
〃Why；　'tis　the　beast　who　threw　Your　Grace　the　first　half…dozen　times　you　tried　to　ride　her！〃　Dhugal　replied。　His　sword　hung　from　a　baldric　over　his　left　shoulder；　rigged　to　be　drawn　from　the　left；　but　he　half…drew　it　with　his　right　hand　and　offered　the　pommel　in　salute；　face　glowing　with　pride。
〃Wele　to　the　borders　…　my　King！　It's　been　too　many　years。〃
〃Aye；　and　I　shall　trounce　you　for　a　knave　if　you　don't　get　off　your　knees　at　once！〃　Kelson　said　happily；　signalling　the　other　to　rise。　〃I　was　your　brother　before　I　was　your　king。　Conall；　look　how　he's　grown！　Ewan；　you　remember　my　foster　brother；　don't　you？〃
〃Aye；　Sire　…　and　the　mischief　with　which　both　of　you　used　to　terrorize　my　pages'　school！　'Tis　good　to　see　y