tw.thestoneoffarewell-第91部分

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like　a　wounded　bird。　Geloe；　who　had　not　moved　through　all　the　furor；　shifted　her　yellow　eyes　back　to　Josua。
　　〃e；　Utvart；〃　the　prince　said　haltingly；　his　smile　a　bitter　slash　of　white　across　a　bloody　mask。　〃Forget　them。　We　are　not　finished。〃
　　Fikolmij；　who　stood　close　by；　champing　with　his　open　mouth　as　though　at　a　bit；　started　to　say　something。　He　never　had　the　chance。
　　Utvart　leaped　forward；　battering　at　Josua's　guard。　The　moment's　respite　had　not　returned　Josua's　strength：　he　fell　backward　unsteadily　before　the　Thrithings…man's　attack；　fending　off　the　curved　blade　only　by　the　slimmest　of　margins。　　At　last　a　swinging　blow　slid　past；　nicking　Josua's　chest；　then　the　following　attack　landed　the　flat　of　Utvart's　blade　on　Josua's　elbow；　springing　Naidel　from　his　grasp。　The　prince　scuttled　after　it；　but　as　his　fingers　closed　on　the　bloody　hilt　his　feet　slipped　from　beneath　him　and　he　sprawled　on　the　trampled　turf。
　　Seeing　his　advantage；　Utvart　lunged　forward。　Josua　was　able　to　lift　his　sword　and　turn　the　stroke　downward；　but　his　awkward　position　as　he　rose　from　the　ground　allowed　Utvart　to　grapple　him　in　a　hugely…muscled　arm　and　begin　to　pull　the　prince　in　toward　the　cutting　edge　of　the　curved　sword。　Josua　brought　up　his　knee　and　right　arm　to　try　to　hold　his　attacker　at　bay；　then　managed　to　raise　his　other　arm；　keeping　his　blade　locked　against　Utvart's　guard；　but　the　stronger　Thrithings…man　pushed　his　sword　up　slowly　against　the　prince's　stiffened　wrist；　forcing　Naidel　back　as　the　crescent　blade　rose　toward　Josua's　throat。　The　prince's　lips　skinned　back　in　a　grimace　of　ultimate　exertion　and　sinews　knotted　along　his　slender　arm。　For　a　moment；　his　supreme　effort　halted　the　rising　blade。　The　two　men　stood　grappling　chest　to　chest。　Sensing　the　prince's　flagging　strength；　Utvart　tightened　his　grip　around　his　smaller　foe　and　smiled；　drawing　Josua　toward　him　in　a　movement　almost　ritually　slow。　Despite　the　agonized　play　of　the　prince's　muscles；　the　long　edge　of　the　curved　blade　continued　inexorably　upward；　ing　lovingly　to　rest　against　the　side　of　Josua's　throat。
　　The　crowd　stopped　shouting。　Somewhere　overhead　a　crane　threw　out　its　clattering　call；　then　silence　swept　back　over　the　field。
　　〃Now；　〃　the　Thrithings…man　exulted；　breaking　his　long　silence；　〃Utvart　kills　you。〃
　　Josua　suddenly　ceased　resisting　and　flung　himself　forward　into　his　enemy's　grasp；　snapping　his　head　to　one　side。　The　curved　blade　slid　along　the　outside　of　his　neck；　slicing　the　flesh　deeply；　but　in　that　fractional　instant　of　freedom　the　prince　drove　a　knee　into　Utvart's　groin。
　　As　Utvart　grunted　in　painful　surprise；　Josua　hooked　a　foot　around　the　Thrithings…man's　calf　and　pushed　against　him。　Utvart　could　not　find　his　balance　and　tumbled　backward。　Josua　fell　with　him；　the　Thrithings…man's　blade　flailing　past　his　shoulder。　When　Utvart　struck　the　ground　with　a　hiss　of　released　breath；　Naidel　snaked　free。　A　moment　later　its　point　slid　beneath　the　Thrithings…man's　chin　and　was　hammered　upward　a　hand's…width　or　more；　through　the　jaw　and　into　the　braincase。
　　Josua　rolled　himself　free　of　Utvart's　spastic　clutch　and　struggled　to　his　feet；　dripping　scarlet。　He　stood　for　a　moment；　legs　shaking；　arms　dangling　limp　and　helpless；　and　stared　at　the　body　on　the　ground　before　him。
　　〃Tall　man；〃　he　gasped；　〃it　is　。。。　you　。　。　。　who　talks　too　much。〃
　　A　moment　later　his　eyes　rolled　up　beneath　his　lids　and　he　fell　heavily　across　the　Thrithings…man's　chest。　They　lay　together；　their　blood　mingling；　and　across　the　entire　grasslands　it　seemed　that　nothing　spoke　or　moved　for　a　long　time。　Then　the　shouting　began。
　　
　　PART　THREE
　　
　　Stormy　Heart
　　
　　18
　　The　Lost　Garden
　　
　　AFTER　a　long　sojourn　in　soundless　velvet　emptiness；　Simon　returned　at　last　to　the　dim　borderlands　between　sleep　and　waking。　He　came　to　awareness　in　darkness；　on　the　edge　of　dream；　and　realized　that　once　again　a　voice　was　speaking　within　his　thoughts；　as　on　the　nightmarish　flight　out　of　Skodi's　abbey。　Some　door　had　been　opened　inside　him　now　it　seemed　that　anything　might　enter。
　　But　this　uninvited　guest　was　not　the　taunting　flame…thing；　the　Storm　King's　minion。　The　new　voice　was　as　different　from　that　ghastly　other　as　the　quick　from　the　dead。　The　new　voice　did　not　mock　or　threaten…in　fact；　it　did　not　even　seem　to　be　speaking　to　Simon　at　all。
　　It　was　a　womanly　voice；　musical　yet　strong；　shining　in　Simon's　lightless　dream　like　a　beacon。　Though　its　words　were　sorrowful；　it　brought　him　a　strange　sense　of　fort。　Even　though　Simon　knew　that　he　slept；　and　was　sure　that　it　would　only　be　the　work　of　an　instant　to　wake　into　the　real　world；　the　voice　captivated　him　so　that　he　did　not　wish　to　awaken　just　yet。　Remembering　the　wise；　beautiful　face　he　had　seen　in　Jiriki's　mirror；　he　was　content　to　hover　on　the　edge　of　wakefulness　and　listen；　for　this　was　the　same　voice；　the　same　person。　Somehow；　when　that　door　into　Simon　had　been　opened；　it　was　the　mirror…woman　who　had　e　through。　Simon　was　infinitely　thankful　for　that。　He　remembered　a　little　of　what　the　Red　Hand　had　promised　him；　and　even　in　the　shelter　of　sleep　he　felt　frost　upon　his　heart。　
　　〃Beloved　Hakatri；　my　beautiful　son；〃　the　woman's　voice　said；　〃how　I　miss　you。　I　know　you　are　beyond　hearing　or　beyond　replying；　but　I　cannot　help　speaking　as　though　you　were　before　me。　Too　many　times　have　the　People　danced　the　year's　end　since　you　went　into　the　West。　Hearts　grow　cold；　and　the　world　grows　colder　still。〃
　　　Simon　realized　that　even　though　the　voice　sang　through　his　dream；　these　words　were　not　meant　for　his　ears。　He　felt　like　a　beggar　child　spying　on　a　rich　and　powerful　family　through　a　crack　in　a　wall。　But　just　as　the　wealthy　family　might　have　sorrows　a　beggar　could　not　understand…miseries　unrelated　to　hunger　or　cold　or　physical　pain…so　the　voice　in　Simon's　dream；　for　all　its　majesty；　seemed　weighted　with　quiet　anguish。
　　〃In　some　ways；　it　seems　only　the　turning　of　a　handful　of　moon…faces　since　the　Two　Families　left　Venyha　Do'sae；　the　land　of　our　birth　across　the　Great　Sea　Ah；　Hakatri；　if　only　you　could　have　seen　our　boats　as　they　swept　across　the　fierce　waves！　Of　silverwood　they　were　crafted；　with　sails　of　bright　cloth；　brave　and　beautiful　as　flying　fish。　As　a　child　I　rode　in　the　bow　as　the　waves　parted；　and　I　was　surrounded　by　a　cloud　of　scintillant；　sparkling　seafoam！　Then；　when　our　boats　touched　the　soil　of　this　land；　we　cried。　We　had　escaped　the　shadow　of　Unbeing　and　won　our　way　to　freedom。
　　〃But　instead；　Hakatri；　we　found　that　we　had　not　truly　escaped　shadow　at　all；　but　only　replaced　one　sort　with　another…and　this　shadow　was　growing　inside　us。
　　〃Of　course；　it　was　long　before　we　realized　it。　The　new　shadow　grew　slowly；　first　in　our　hearts；　then　in　our　eyes　and　hands；　but　now　the　evil　it　caused　has　bee　greater　than　anyone　could　have　suspected。　It　is　stretching　across　all　this　land　that　we　loved；　the　land　to　which　we　hastened　long　ago　as　to　the　arms　of　a　lover…or　as　a　son　to　the　arms　of　his　mother。
　　〃Our　new　land　has　bee　as　shadowed　as　the　old　one；　Hakatri；　and　that　is　our　fault。　But　now　your　brother；　who　was　ruined　by　that　shadow；　has　himself　bee　an　even　more　terrible　darkness。　He　casts　a　pall　over　all　he　once　loved。
　　　〃Oh；　by　the　Garden　that　is　Vanished；　it　is　hard　to　lose　your　sons！〃　Something　else　was　now　peting　for　his　attention；　but　Simon　could　only　lie　helplessly；　unwilling　or　unable　to　awaken。　It　seemed　that　some…　where　outside　of　this　dream…that…was…not…a…dream；　his　name　was　being　called。　Did　he　have　friends　or　family　who　searched　for　him？　It　did　not　matter。　He　could　not　break　away　from　the　woman。　Her　terrible　sadness　twisted　within　him　like　a　sharpened　stick　or　a　bit　of　broken　pot　it　would　be　cruel　to　leave　her　alone　with　her　sorrow。　At　last　the　voices　that　faintly　called　for　him　vanished。
　　The　woman's　presence　remained。　It　seemed　that　she　wept。　Simon　did　not　know　her；　and　could　not　guess　to　whom　she　spoke；　but　he　wept　with　her。
　　
　　
　　Guthwulf　was　feeling　confused　and　irritated。　As　he　sat　polishing　his　shield　he　tried　to　listen　to　the　report　of　his　castellain；　who　had　just　ridden　down　from　Guthwulf　s　hold　in　Utanyeat。　He　was　not　having　much　luck　with　either　chore。
　　The　earl　spat　citril　juice　into　the　floor　rushes。　〃Say　it　again；　man；　you　are　making　no　serse　at　all。〃
　　The　castellain；　a　round…bellied；　ferret…eyed　fellow；　firmly　repressed　a　sigh　of　weariness…Guthwulf　was　not　the　kind　of　master　before　whom　one　displayed　imperfect　patience…and　started　in　again　on　his　explanation。
　　〃It　is　simply　this；　Lord：　your　holdings　in　Utanyeat　are　nearly　empty。　Wulfholt　is　deserted　but　for　a　few　servants。　Almost　all　the　peasants　have　left。　There　will　be　no　one　to　bring　in　the　oats　or　barley；　and　harvest　can　wait　little　more　than　a　fortnight。〃
　　〃My　serfs　have　left！〃　Guthwulf　stared　distractedly　at　the　boar　and　silver　spears　that　sparkled　on　his　black　shield；　the　spearheads　picked　out　in　mother…of…pearl。　He　had　loved　that　coat　of　arms；　once；　loved　it　as　he　would　a　child。　〃How　do　they　dare　leave？　Who　but　me　has　fed　the　ugly　louts　all　these　years？　Well；　hire　others　for　harvest；　but　do　not　let　those　who　fled　e　back　again。　Not　ever。〃
　　Now　the　castellain　did　make　the　smallest　noise　of　despair。　〃My　lord；　Earl　Guthwulf；　I　fear　you　have　not　been　listening　to　me。　There　are　not　enough　free　folk　left　in　Utanyeat　to　hire。　The　barons；　your　liege　men；　have　their　own　problems　and　few　workers　to　spare　Fields　everywhere　in　eastern　and　northern　Erkynland　are　going　to　seed　unharvested。　Skali　of　Kaldskryke's　army　across　the　river　in　Hernystir　has　cut　a　swath　through　all　the　border　towns　near　Utanyeat；　and　will　probably　cross　the　river　soon；　having　exhausted　Lluth's　country。〃
　　〃Lluth　is　dead；　I　am　told；〃　Guthwulf　said　slowly。　He　himself　had　been　in　King　Lluth's　house；　the　Taig。　His　blood　had　flowed　hot　in　his　veins　as　he　insulted　the　sheep…herder　king　in　the　midst　of　Lluth's　own　court。　That　had　been　a　few　scant　months　ago。　Why　did　he　feel　so　terrible　now；　so　unmanned？　〃Why　are　all　these　villains　running　away　from　their　rightful　homes？〃
　　The　castellain　looked　at　him　queerly；　as　though　Guthwulf　had　suddenly　asked　which　direction　was　up。　〃Why？　Because　of　the　wars　and　looting　on　their　border；