rj.acrownofswords-第127部分

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　that　looked　like　an　insect's　head；　black　and　gold　and　green；　with　three　long；　thin　green　plumes。　Two　more　armored　like　him　came　at　his　heels　wearing　their　helmets；　though　without　plumes；　their　armor　seemed　painted　rather　than　lacquered；　and　they　carried　crossbows　ready。　Still　more　stood　in　the　hall　outside；　with　gold…and…black　tasseled　spears。
　　　Tallanvor　and　Lamgwin　and　even　stout　Master　Gill　scrambled　to　their　feet；　placing　themselves　between　her　and　her　peculiar　visitors。　She　had　to　push　a　way　through。
　　　The　hook…nosed　man's　eyes　went　straight　to　her　before　she　could　demand　an　explanation。　〃You　are　Morgase；　Queen　of　Andor？〃　His　voice　was　harsh；　and　he　drawled　his　words　so　badly　she　barely　understood。
　　　He　stepped　on　her　reply。　〃You　will　e　with　me。　Alone；〃　he　added　as　Tallanvor；　and　Lamgwin；　and　Master　Gill　all　moved　forward。　The　crossbowmen　presented　their　weapons；　the　heavy　quarrels　looked　made　to　punch　holes　in　armor；　a　man　would　hardly　slow　one　down。
　　　〃I　have　no　objection　to　my　people　remaining　here　until　I　return；〃　she　said　a　good　more　calmly　than　she　felt。　Who　were　these　people？　She　was　familiar　with　the　accents　of　every　nation；　familiar　with　their　armor。　〃I　am　sure　you　will　see　to　my　safety　very　well；　Captain。。。？〃
　　　He　did　not　supply　a　name；　only　motioned　curtly　for　her　to　follow。　To　her　vast　relief；　Tallanvor　made　no　fuss　despite　his　hot　gaze。　To　her　vast　irritation；　Master　Gill　and　Lamgwin　looked　to　him　before　stepping　back。
　　　In　the　hallway；　the　soldiers　formed　around　her；　the　hook…nosed　officer　and　the　two　crossbowmen　in　the　lead。　A　guard　of　honor；　she　tried　to　tell　herself。　This　soon　after　a　battle；　wandering　around　unprotected　was　worse　than　foolish；　there　might　be　holdouts　who　would　seize　a　hostage；　or　kill　any　who　saw　them。　She　wished　she　believed　that。
　　　She　tried　questioning　the　officer；　but　he　never　spoke　a　word；　never　slackened　his　stride　or　turned　his　head；　and　she　stopped　trying。　None　of　the　soldiers　so　much　as　glanced　。at　her；　they　were　hard…eyed　men　of　the　kind　she　knew　from　her　own　Queen's　Guards；　men　who　had　seen　fighting　before；　more　than　once。　But　who　were　they？　Their　boots　struck　the　floorstones　as　one　in　an　ominous　drumbeat　emphasized　by　the　stark　Fortress　corridors。　There　was　little　color；　nothing　for　beauty　except　scattered　tapestries　showing　Whitecloaks　in　bloody　battle。
　　　She　realized　they　were　taking　her　toward　the　Lord　Captain　mander's　quarters；　and　a　queasiness　settled　in　the　pit　of　her　stomach。　She　had　grown　almost　pleasantly　accustomed　to　the　way　while　Pedron　Niall　lived；　she　had　e　to　dread　it　in　the　few　days　since　he　died　…　but　as　they　rounded　a　corner；　she　started　at　the　sight　of　some　two　dozen　archers　marching　behind　their　own　officer；　men　in　baggy　trousers　and　boiled　leather　breastplates　painted　in　horizontal　stripes　of　blue　and　black。　Each　man　wore　a　conical　steel　cap；　with　a　veil　of　gray　steel　mail　covering　his　face　to　the　eyes；　here　and　there　the　ends　of　mustaches　dangled　below　the　veils。　The　archers'　officer　bowed　to　the　one　leading　her　guard；　who　merely　raised　his　hand　in　reply。
　　　Taraboners。　She　had　not　seen　a　Taraboner　soldier　in　a　good　many　years；　but　those　men　were　Taraboners　in　spite　of　those　stripes；　or　she　would　eat　her　slippers。　Yet　that　made　no　sense。　Tarabon　was　chaos　e　to　life；　a　hundred…sided　civil　war　between　pretenders　to　the　throne　and　Dragonsworn。　Tarabon　could　never　have　launched　this　attack　on　Amador　itself。　Unless；　incredibly；　one　claimant　had　won　out　over　the　rest；　and　over　the　Dragonsworn；　and。。。　It　was　impossible；　and　it　did　not　explain　these　strangely　armored　soldiers；　or　that　winged　beast；　or。。。
　　　She　thought　she　had　seen　strangeness。　She　thought　she　had　known　queasiness。　Then　she　and　her　guard　turned　another　corner　and　encountered　two　women。
　　　One　was　slender；　short　as　any　Cairhienin　and　darker　than　any　Tairen；　in　a　blue　dress　that　stopped　well　short　of　her　ankles；　silver　lightning　forked　across　red　panels　on　her　breast　and　the　sides　of　her　wide；　divided　skirts。　The　other　woman；　in　drab　dark　gray；　stood　taller　than　most　men；　with　golden　hair　to　her　shoulders　that　had　been　brushed　till　it　glistened　and　frightened　green　eyes。　A　silver　leash　connected　a　silver　bracelet　on　the　shorter　woman's　wrist　to　a　necklace　worn　by　the　taller。
　　　They　stood　aside　for　Morgase's　guard；　and　when　the　hook…nosed　officer　murmured　〃Der'sul'dam〃　…　Morgase　thought　that　was　it；　his　slurred　accent　made　understanding　difficult　…　when　he　murmured　in　tones　nearly　but　not　quite　to　an　equal；　the　dark　woman　bowed　her　head　slightly；　twitched　at　the　leash；　and　the　golden…haired　woman　sank　to　the　floor；　folding　herself　with　her　head　on　her　knees　and　her　palms　flat　on　the　floorstones。　As　Morgase　and　her　guards　passed　by；　the　dark　woman　bent　to　pat　the　other　fondly　on　the　head；　as　she　might　a　dog；　and　worse；　the　kneeling　woman　looked　up　with　pleasure　and　gratitude。
　　　Morgase　made　the　necessary　effort　to　keep　walking；　to　keep　her　knees　from　folding；　to　keep　her　stomach　from　emptying　itself。　The　sheer　servility　was　bad　enough；　but　she　was　certain　the　woman　being　patted　on　the　head　could　channel。　Impossible！　She　walked　in　a　daze；　wondering　whether　this　could　be　a　dream；　a　nightmare。　Praying　that　it　was。　She　had　a　vague　awareness　of　stopping　for　more　soldiers；　these　in　red…and…black　armor；　then。。。
　　　Pedron　Nail's　audience　chamber　…　Valda's　now；　or　rather　whoever　had　taken　the　fortress　…　was　changed。　The　great　golden　sunburst　remained；　set　in　the　floor；　but　all　Niall's　captured　banners；　which　Valda　had　kept　as　if　they　were　his；　were　gone；　and　so　were　the　furnishings；　except　for　the　plainly　carved　high…backed　chair　Niall　and　then　Valda　had　used；　flanked　now　by　two　tall；　luridly　painted　screens。　One　showed　a　white…crested　black　bird　of　prey　with　a　cruel　beak；　its　white…tipped　wings　spread　wide；　the　other　a　black…spotted　yellow　cat　with　one　paw　on　a　dead；　deerlike　creature　half　its　size；　with　long；　straight　horns　and　white　stripes。
　　　There　were　a　number　of　people　in　the　room；　but　that　was　all　she　had　time　to　notice　before　a　sharp…faced　woman　in　blue　robes　stepped　forward；　one　side　of　her　head　shaved　and　the　remaining　hair　in　a　long　brown　braid　that　hung　in　front　of　her　right　shoulder。　Her　blue　eyes；　full　of　contempt；　could　have　done　for　the　eagle's　or　the　cat's。　〃You　are　in　the　presence　of　the　High　Lady　Suroth；　who　leads　Those　Who　e　Before；　and　succors　The　Return；〃　she　intoned　in　that　same　slurring　accent。
　　　Without　warning；　the　hook…nosed　officer　seized　the　back　of　Morgase's　neck　and　bore　her　down　prostrate　beside　him。　Stunned；　not　least　because　the　breath　was　knocked　out　of　her；　she　saw　him　kiss　the　floor。
　　　〃Release　her；　Elbar；〃　another　woman　drawled　angrily。　〃The　Queen　of　Andor　is　not　to　be　treated　so。〃
　　　The　man；　Elbar；　rose　as　far　as　his　knees；　head　bent。　〃I　abase　myself；　High　Lady。　I　beg　forgiveness。〃　His　voice　was　as　cold　and　flat　as　that　accent　allowed。
　　　〃I　have　small　forgiveness　for　this；　Elbar。〃　Morgase　looked　up。　Suroth　took　her　aback。　The　sides　of　her　head　were　shaved；　leaving　a　glossy　black　crest　across　the　top　of　her　head　and　a　mane　that　flowed　down　her　back。　〃Perhaps　when　you　are　punished。　Report　yourself　now。　Leave　me！　Go！〃　A　sweeping　gesture　flashed　fingernails　at　least　an　inch　long；　the　first　two　on　each　hand　a　glistening　blue。
　　　Elbar　bowed　on　his　knees；　then　rose　smoothly；　backing　away　through　the　door。　For　the　first　time　Morgase　realized　none　of　the　other　soldiers　had　followed　them　in。　She　realized　something　else；　as　well。　He　gave　her　one　final　glance　before　he　vanished；　and　instead　of　flickering　resentment　for　the　one　who　had　caused　his　punishment；　he。。。　considered。　There　would　be　no　punishment；　the　entire　exchange　had　been　arranged　beforehand。
　　　Suroth　swept　toward　Morgase；　carefully　holding　her　pale　blue　robe　to　keep　her　skirts　exposed；　snow…white；　with　hundreds　of　tiny　pleats。　Embroidered　vines　and　lush　red　and　yellow　flowers　spread　across　the　robe。　For　all　her　sweeping；　Morgase　noticed　the　woman　did　not　reach　her　until　she　had　regained　her　feet　on　her　own。
　　　〃You　are　unharmed？〃　Suroth　asked。　〃If　you　are　harmed；　I　will　double　his　punishment。〃
　　　Morgase　brushed　at　her