tw.thestoneoffarewell-第126部分

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　　〃And　you　are　sure　he　will　not　pursue　you？〃　the　prince　asked。
　　Hotvig　shook　his　head。　〃As　I　told　you　last　night；　the　March…thane　has　lost　face　because　of　you。　Anyway；　our　clans　often　split　into　smaller　clan…families。　It　is　our　right　as　people　of　the　Free　Thrithings。　The　last　thing　Fikolmij　can　do　now　is　to　try　to　keep　us　few　from　leaving　the　greater　clan。　That　would　prove　beyond　doubt　that　he　is　losing　his　hold　on　the　reins。〃
　　When　they　had　all　gathered　around　the　fire　after　their　encounter　in　the　dark；　Hotvig　had　explained　how　Fikolmij's　treatment　of　his　daughter　and　Prince　Josua　had　caused　much　disgruntled　talk　around　the　wagons　of　the　Stallion　Clan。　Fikolmy　had　never　been　a　popular　leader；　but　he　had　been　respected　as　a　powerful　fighter　and　clever　strategist。　To　see　him　so　bedeviled　by　the　mere　presence　of　stone…dwellers；　to　the　point　where　he　would　lend　aid　to　Fengbald　and　others　of　the　High　King's　men　without　consulting　his　clan　chiefs；　had　made　many　wonder　out　loud　whether　Fikolmij　was　still　capable　of　lording　it　as　March…thane　of　all　of　the　High　Thrithings。
　　When　Earl　Fengbald　had　arrived　with　his　fifty　or　so　armored　men；　swaggering　into　the　wagon　camp　like　conquerors；　Hotvig　and　some　of　the　other　randwarders　had　brought　the　men　of　their　own　clan…families　to　Fikolmij's　wagon。　The　March…thanc　had　wished　to　set　the　Erkynlanders　quickly　on　the　trail　of　Josua's　party；　but　Hotvig　and　the　others　had　stood　against　their　leader。
　　〃No　stone…dwellers　go　armed　across　the　Stallion　Clan's　fields　without　a　gathering　of　chiefs　to　say　they　can；〃　Hotvig　had　cried；　and　his　fellows　had　echoed　him。　Fikolmij　had　fumed　and　threatened；　but　the　laws　of　the　Free　Thrithings　were　the　only　immutable　things　in　the　clan…folk's　nomadic　existence。　The　argument　had　ended　with　Hotvig　and　the　other　randwarders　telling　Earl　Fengbald…〃a　foolish；　dangerous　man　who　likes　himself　well；〃　as　Hotvag　described　him…that　the　only　way　the　High　King's　men　could　pursue　Josua　was　to　go　around　the　Stallion　Clan's　territory。　Fengbald；　outnumbered　by　ten　to　one　or　more；　had　no　choice　but　to　ride　away；　taking　the　shortest　route　back　off　the　High　Thrithings。　The　Earl　of　Falshire　had　made　many　angry　threats　before　departing；　promising　that　the　grasslanders'　long　days　of　freedom　were　over；　that　High　King　Ehas　would　e　soon　and　knock　the　wheels　off　their　wagons　once　and　for　all。
　　Unsurprisingly；　this　public　thwarting　of　Fikolmij's　authority　brought　on　a　terrible　argument　that　several　times　almost　erupted　into　deadly　bloodshed。　The　disputing　ceased　only　when　Hotvig　and　several　other　randwarders　took　their　families　and　followed　Josua；　leaving　Fikolmy　behind　to　curse　and　lick　his　wounds；　his　strength　as　March…thane　weakened　but　by　no　means　ended。
　　〃No；　he　will　not　follow　us；〃　Hotvig　repeated。　〃That　would　say　to　all　the　clans　that　mighty　Fikolmij　cannot　survive　the　loss　of　our　few　wagons；　and　that　the　stone…dwellers　and　their　feuds　are　more　important　to　the　March…thane　of　all　the　High　Thrithings　than　his　own　people。　Now；　we　clan　exiles　will　live　near　you　for　a　while　at　your　Farewell　Stone　and　talk　among　ourselves　about　what　we　will　do。　〃
　　〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　grateful　I　am　for　your　help；〃　Josua　said　sol…　emnly。　〃You　have　saved　our　lives。　If　Fengbald　and　his　soldiers　had　caught　us；　we　would　be　going　back　to　the　Hayholt　in　chains。　Then　there　would　be　no　one　to　stop　my　brother。〃
　　Hotvig　looked　at　him　keenly。　〃You　may　think　so；　but　you　do　not　know　the　strength　of　the　Free　Thrithings　if　you　think　we　would　be　so　easily　overe。〃　He　hefted　his　long　spear。　〃Already　the　men　of　the　Meadow　Thrithings　are　making　things　very　difficult　for　the　stone…dwellers　of　Nabban。〃
　　Father　Strangyeard；　who　had　been　listening　carefully；　made　a　worried　face。　〃The　king　is　not　the　only　one　we　fear；　Hotvig。〃
　　The　Thrithings…man　nodded。　〃So　you　told　me。　And　I　would　hear　more；　but　now　I　must　go　back　for　the　rest　of　my　people。　If　your　destination　is　as　close　as　the　woman　says；〃　he　indicated　Geloe　with　careful　respect；　〃then　look　for　us　before　sunset　tomorrow。　The　wagons　can　go　no　faster。〃
　　〃But　do　not　delay；〃　the　wise　woman　said。　〃I　did　not　speak　lightly　when　I　said　we　must　make　haste　ahead　of　this　storm。〃
　　〃No　one　can　ride　like　grasslander　horsemen；〃　Hotvig　said　sternly。　〃And　our　wagon…teams　are　not　much　slower。　We　will　be　with　you　before　tomorrow's　night。〃　He　laughed；　again　showing　his　missing　tooth。　〃Leave　it　to　city　folk　to　find　stone　in　the　middle　of　the　meadowlands；　then　want　to　make　their　home　there。　Still；〃　he　said　to　the　prince；　〃I　knew　when　you　killed　Utvart　that　things　would　never　be　the　same　for　anyone。　My　father　taught　me　to　trust　my　hand　and　my　heart。〃　He　grinned。　〃My　luck；　too。　I　bet　one　of　my　foals　on　you；　Josua；　in　your　fighting　with　Utvart。　My　friends　were　ashamed　to　best　me　so　easily；　but　they　took　my　wager；〃　He　laughed　loudly。　〃You　won　four　good　horses　for　me！〃　He　turned　his　mount　toward　the　south；　waving。　〃Soon　we　will　meet　again！〃
　　〃And　no　arrows　this　time；〃　cried　Deornoth。　
　　〃Go　safely；〃　Josua　called　as　Hotvig　and　his　men　spurred　away　across　the　green　lands。
　　
　　Heartened　by　the　encounter　with　the　Thrithings…folk；　the　travelers　rode　cheerfully　through　the　morning　despite　the　threatening　skies。　When　they　stopped　briefly　to　take　their　midday　meal　and　water　the　horses；　Sangfugol　even　convinced　Father　Strangyeard　to　sing　with　him。　The　priest's　surprisingly　sweet　voice　blended　well　with　the　harper's；　and　if　Father　Strangyeard　did　not　quite　understand　what　〃The　Ballad　of　Round…Heeled　Moirah〃　was　about；　his　enjoyment　was　the　greater　for　it；　and　for　the　laughing　praise　given　to　him　after。
　　When　they　were　in　the　saddle　once　more；　Deornoth　found　himself　ridmg　beside　Geloe；　who　cradled　Leieth　before　her　on　the　saddle。　She　rode　flawlessly；　as　one　of　long　experience；　Deornoth　found　himself　wondering　once　more　what　the　wise　woman's　strange　history　might　be。　She　was　also　still　wearing　the　spare　clothing　he　had　brought　out　of　the　wagon…camp；　as　if　she　had　e　to　that　fateful　copse　of　trees　naked。　After　thinking　for　a　while　about　why　that　might　be；　and　remembering　the　clawed　thing　that　had　struck　at　him　in　darkness；　Deornoth　decided　that　there　were　some　things　about　which　a　God…fearing　knight　should　not　inquire。
　　〃Forgive　me；　Valada　Geloe；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　look　very　grim。　Is　there　something　important　you　have　not　told　us　yet？〃　He　indicated　Sangfugol　and　Strangyeard；　laughing　with　Duchess　Gutrun　as　they　rode。　〃Are　we　singing　in　the　lich…yard；　as　the　old　saying　goes？〃
　　Geloe　continued　to　watch　the　sky。　From　her　lap；　Leieth　looked　at　him　as　though　he　were　an　interesting　rock。　〃I　fear　many　things；　Sir　Deornoth；〃　Geloe　said　at　last。　〃The　problem　with　being　a　'wise　woman'　is　that　sometimes　you　know　just　enough　to　be　truly　afraid；　while　still　not　having　any　better　answers　than　might　the　youngest　child。　I　fear　this　ing　storm。　The　one　who　is　our　true　enemy…I　will　not　say　his　name　here　in　this　land；　not　in　the　open…is　reaching　the　summit　of　his　power。　We　have　already　seen　in　this　cold　summer　how　his　pride　and　anger　speak　m　the　winds　and　clouds。　Now；　black　weather　is　swirling　out　of　the　north。　I　am　sure　it　is　his　storm；　if　I　am　right；　it　will　bring　woe　to　those　who　resist　him。〃
　　Deornoth　found　himself　following　her　gaze。　Suddenly；　the　ominous　clouds　seemed　an　inky　hand　stretching　across　the　sky　from　the　north；　blindly　but　patiently　searching。　The　idea　of　waiting　for　that　hand　to　find　them　sent　a　poisonous　dread　twisting　through　him；　so　that　he　had　to　look　down　at　his　saddle　for　a　moment　before　he　could　lift　his　eyes　to　Geloe's　yellow　stare。
　　〃I　understand；〃　he　said。
　　
　　Sunlight　bled　fitfully　through　chinks　in　the　clouds。　The　wind　turned；　blowing　into　their　faces；　heavy　and　moist。　As　they　followed　the　line　of　the　valley；　a　broad　bend　in　the　Stefflod　revealed　for　the　first　time　the　old　forest；　the　Aldheorte。　The　great　wood　was　much　nearer　than　Deornoth　would　have　guessed…the　party's　return　on　horseback　had　been　far　swifter　than　their　straggling　march　out…across　the　Thrithings。　Because　of　their　descent　into　the　river　valley；　the　forest　now　stood　on　the　heights　above　them；　a　solid　line　of　vegetation　like　dark　cliffs　along　the　valley's　northern　rim。
　　〃It　is　not　far　now；〃　Geloe　said。
　　They　rode　on　through　the　afternoon　as　the　curtained　sun　slid　down　the　sky；　glowing　behind　the　gray　murk。　Another　turn　in　the　river's　course　brought　them　around　a　cluster　of　shallow　hills。　They　stopped　short。　〃Merciful　Aedon；〃　Deornoth　breathed　to　himself。　〃Sesuad'ra；〃　Geloe　said。　〃There　stands　the　Stone　of　Farewell。〃　〃That's　no　stone；〃　Sangfugol　said　disbelievingly。　〃That's　a　mountain！〃　A　great　hill　rose　from　the　valley　floor　before　them。　Unlike　its　low；　rounded　neighbors；　Sesuad'ra　thrust　up　from　the　meadows　like　the　head　of　a　buried　giant；　bearded　with　trees；　crowned　with　angular　stones　that　stood　along　the　ridgeline。　Beyond　the　spiky　stones　some　shimmering　whiteness　lay　along　the　hill's　very　peak。　An　immense；　upward…straining　slab　of　weathered　rock　and　clinging　brush；　Sesuad'ra　loomed　some　five　hundred　cubits　above　the　river。　The　uneven　sunlight　washed　across　the　hill　in　wavering　bands；　so　that　the　entire　mass　almost　seemed　to　turn　and　watch　them　as　they　rode　slowly　down　the　watercourse。
　　〃It　is　much　like　Thisterborg；　near　the　Hayholt；〃　Josua　said　wonderingly。　〃That's　no　stone；〃　Sangfugol　repeated　stubbornly；　shaking　his　head。　Geloe　laughed　harshly。　〃It　is　all　stone。　Sesuad'ra　is　a　part　of　the　very　bones　of　the　earth；　thrust　free　of　her　body　in　the　pain　of　the　Days　of　Fire；　but　still　reaching　down　into　the　very　center　of　the　world。〃
　　Father　Strangyeard　was　eyeing　the　massive　hill　nervously。　〃And　we　are　going　to。。。　are　going　to。。。　stay　there？　Live　there？〃　The　witch　woman　smiled。　〃We　have　permission。〃
　　As　they　neared；　it　became　apparent　that　the　Stone　was　not　so　sheer　as　distance　made　it　seem。　A　path；　a　lighter　streak　through　the　choking　trees　and　brush；　snaked　its　way　around　the　base　of　the　hill；　then　appeared　again　farther　up；　spiraling　summitward　around　the　circumference　of　the　rock　until　it　disappeared　near　the　crest。
　　〃How　can　trees　live　on　such　a　stone；　let　alone　thrive？〃　Deornoth　asked。　〃Can　they　grow　in　the　very　rock？〃
　　〃Sesuad'ra　h