tw.thestoneoffarewell-第88部分
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cidity。 Lastly； she turned her gaze on Utvart。 The tall man scowled fiercely； not at all fortable under her scrutiny。 〃I think there is still one favor I can do for you； March…thane Fikolmij。〃
〃I need no。。。〃。
〃Quiet！〃 Geloe shouted。 The March…thane fell silent； balling his fists； his reddened eyes bulging。 〃You are about to break your own laws；〃 she said。 〃The laws of the High Thrithings。 I will help you avoid that。〃
〃What madness are you speaking； devil…woman？！〃 he raged。 〃I am the lord of the clans！〃
〃The clan councils honor no man as March…thane who breaks their old laws；〃 she replied。 〃I know this。 I know many things。〃
With a sweep of his arm； Fikolmij sent a bowl flying from atop his stool to clatter against the wagon's far wall。 〃What law？ Tell me what law or I will throttle you even though you burn me to ashes！〃
〃The laws of bride…price and betrothal。〃 Geloe pointed at Josua。 〃You would kill this man； but he is her betrothed。 If another…〃 she indicated brooding Utvart； 〃…wishes to have her； he must fight for her。 Is that not true； Thane？〃
Fikolmij smiled； a great rancid grin that spread across his face like a stain。 〃You have outsmarted yourself； meddler。 They are not betrothed。 Josua admitted that from his own lips。 I would break no law to kill him。 Utvart stands ready to pay the bride…price。〃
Geloe looked at him intently。 〃They are not married and Josua has not asked her。 This is true。 But have you forgotten your own customs； Fikolmij of the Stallion…Clan？ There are other forms of betrothal。〃
He spat。 〃None but fathering。。。〃he broke off； forehead wrinkling m a sudden thought。 〃A child？〃
Geloe said nothing。
Vorzheva did not look up。 Her face was hidden by her dark hair； but her hand； which had stroked the prince's bloodied cheek； froze like a snake…startled rabbit。
〃It is true；〃 she said finally。
Josua's face was a plicated puzzle of emotions； made even harder to read by the elaborate tracing of bruises and weals。 〃You。。。 ？ How long have you known。。。 ？ You said nothing 。。。〃
〃I have known since just before Naglimund fell；〃 Vorzheva said。 〃I feared to tell you。〃
Josua watched the tears cutting new tracks along her dusty cheeks。 He lifted his hand to touch her arm briefly before allowing it to drop back into his lap； then looked from Vorzheva up to Geloe。 The witch woman held his eye for a long moment； some municated thought seemed to pass between them。
〃By the Four…Footed；〃 Fikolmij growled at last； bemused。 〃A child…betrothal； is it？ If it's even his； that is。〃
〃It is his； you pig！〃 Vorzheva said fiercely。 〃It could be no one else's。〃
Utvart stepped forward； boot buckles chinking。 His swordpoint thumped down into the floor boards； sinking half an inch into the wood。 〃A challenge； then；〃 he said。 〃To the death we fight。〃 He looked to Geloe and his expression became cautious。 〃Vorzheva； the March…thane's daughter； she is spoils。〃 Turning back to the prince； he tugged his sword free。 The great curved glade came loose as lightly as a feather。 〃A challenge。〃 Josua's eyes were hard as he spoke through torn lips。 〃God hears。〃
Deornoth stared down at his prince's battered features。 〃In the morning！？〃 he cried； loud enough to draw a scowl from one of the guards。 The Thrithings…men； bundled in heavy woolen cloaks against the chill； did not look pleased with their assignment in the windy bull run。 〃Why do they not just kill you cleanly？〃
〃It is a chance；〃 Joshua said； then surrendered to a fit of coughing。 〃What chance？〃 Deornoth said bitterly。 〃That a one…handed man who has been beaten bloody can get up in the morning and outfight a giant？ Merciful Aedon； if I could only get my hands on that snake Fikolmij。。。〃
Josua's only reply was to spit bloodily into the mud。
〃The prince is correct；〃 Geloe said。 〃It is a chance。 Anything is better than nothing。〃
The witch woman had returned to the bull run to tend the prince。 The guards had stepped back quickly to let her pass： something of her nature had traveled through the camp in swift whispers。 Fikolmij's daughter had not e with her。 Vorzheva had been locked in her father's wagon； tears of sorrow and anger still damp on her face。
〃But you had him at a disadvantage；〃 Deornoth said to the witchwoman。 〃Why did you not strike then？ Why did you let him send guards？〃
Geloe's yellow eyes glittered in the torchlight。 〃I had no advantage at all。 I told you once。 Sir Deornoth； I cannot make warlike magic。 I escaped this stockade； yes； but other than that it was all bluff。 Now； if you will be silent about what you do not know； I will put my true skills to their proper use。〃 She returned her attention to the prince。
How did she escape the stockade？ Deornoth could not help wondering。 One moment Geloe had been wandering in the shadows at the far end of the bull run； the next she had been gone。
He shook his head。 It was useless to argue； and he had been little else but useless of late。 He touched Josua's thin arm。 〃If I may be of any help； my prince； only ask。〃 He dropped to his knees； then looked briefly to the witch woman。 〃I apologize for my unthinking words； Valada Geloe。〃
She grunted an acknowledgment。 Deornoth rose and walked away。
The rest of the starveling band was seated by the other fire。 The Thrithings…men； being not entirely without mercy； had given them brush and twigs with which to build it。 They were not merciless； Deornoth thought； but not stupid； either： such poor fuel would provide heat…barely… but could not be used as a weapon； as could a flaming brand。 The thought of weapons set him to musing as he seated himself between Sangfugol and Father Strangyeard。
〃This is a foul way to end things；〃 he said。 〃You have heard what has happened to Josua？〃
Strangyeard swung his slender hands。 〃They are untutored barbarians； these grasslanders。 Mother Elysia； I know all men are equal in God's eyes； but this is atrocious！ I mean to say； even ignorance is not an excuse for such。。。〃He trailed off fretfully。
Sangfugol sat up； wincing at the pain in his leg。 Anyone who knew him would have been astonished： the harper； previously meticulous in grooming and dress almost to the point of edy； was as ragged； soiled； and burr…covered as a haystack vagabond。 〃And if Josua dies？〃 he said quietly。 〃He is my master and I love him； I suppose； but if he dies…what happens to us？〃
〃If we are lucky； we will be little better than slaves；〃 Deornoth said； hearing his own words as if from another's lips。 He felt quite hollow。 How had things e to such a point？ A year earlier the world had been as regular as supper bread。 〃If we are unlucky。。。〃 he continued； but did not finish his thought…nor did he need to。
〃It will be worse on the women；〃 Sangfugol whispered； looking over to Duchess Gutrun； who held sleeping Leieth on her lap。 〃These men are ungodly brutes。 Have you seen the scars they give themselves？〃
〃Isorn；〃 Deornoth called suddenly。 〃e here； if you please。〃
Duke Isgrimnur's son crawled around the meager fire to sit near them。 〃I think；〃 Deornoth said； 〃that we must prepare ourselves to do something tomorrow when Josua is made to fight。〃
Strangyeard looked up； worried。 〃But we are so few。。。 half a dozen in the midst of thousands。〃
Isorn nodded； a grim little smile showing on his wide face。 〃At least we can choose the way we die。 I will not let them have my mother。〃 The smile vanished。 〃By Usires； I swear I would kill her first。〃
Sangfugol looked around as if hoping they would reveal their joke。 〃But we have no weapons！〃 he whispered urgently。〃Are you mad？ Perhaps we might live if we do nothing； but if we make trouble we will certainly die。〃
Deornoth shook his head。 〃No； harper。 If we do not fight； we will certainly be less than men； whether they kill us or not。 We will be less than dogs； who at least rip the bear's guts as he kills them。〃 His gaze traveled from face to face。 〃Sangfugol。〃 he said at last； 〃we must plan。 Why don't you sing a song against the chance of any of these cow…herders wondering why we are gathered or what we speak of。〃
〃A song？ What do you mean？〃
〃A song。 A long； boring song about the virtues of quiet surrender。 If it es to an end and we are still talking； begin again。〃
The harper was plainly agitated。 〃I know no tune like that！〃
〃Then make one up； Song…bird；〃 Isorn laughed。 〃We have been too long without music； anyway。 If we die tomorrow； we should live tonight。〃
〃Make it a part of your plans； if you will；〃 Sangfugol said； 〃that I would prefer not to die at all。〃 He sat up straighter and began to hum tunelessly； searching for words。 〃I am frightened；〃 he said at last。
〃So are we；〃 Deornoth replied。 〃Sing。〃
Fikolmij swaggered into the bull run soon after dawn touched the gray sky。 The March…thane of the High Thrithings wore a heavy embroidered wool cloak and a rugged gold stallion on a chain around his neck。 He seemed to be m an expansive mood。
〃So the reckoning es；〃 he laughed； then spat upon the ground。 His wrists were weighty with metal bracelets。 〃Do you feel fit； Josua Lackhand？〃
〃I have felt fitter；〃 Josua said； tugging on his boot。 〃Do you have my sword？〃
Fikolmij waved； Hotvig stepped forward bearing Naidel in its sheath。 The young Thrithings…man watched the prince curiously as Josua drew the sword belt around his hips； managing adroitly despite his missing hand。 When it was buckled； Josua drew Naidel out； holding the slender blade up to catch the morning light。 Hotvig stepped back respectfully。 〃May I have a whetstone？〃 Josua asked。 〃The edge is dull。〃
The March…thane chuckled and produced his own kit from a pouch on his wide belt。 〃Sharpen it； stone…dweller； sharpen it。 We want only the best sport； as you have at your city tournaments。 But this will not be quite the same as your castle…games； will it？〃
Josua shrugged； smearing a thin film of oil along Naidel's cutting surface。 〃I have never cared much for those； either。〃
Fikolmij's eyes narrowed。 〃You seem very fit indeed； after the lesson I gave you last night。 Has this witch cast some spell on you？ That would be dishonorable。〃
Joshua shrugged again to show how lit
