tw.togreenangeltower2-第109部分

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We　have　siege　engines；　if　you　know　what　those　are。　We　can　knock　the　gates　down　eventually；　or　maybe　even　burrow　under　the　walls。　But　the　Hayholt　was　built　stronger　than　anything　in　Osten　Ard；　and　it　won't　happen　fast。　In　the　meantime；　your　Conqueror　Star　is　right　overhead。〃
Likimeya；　who　Isgrimnur　supposed　was　the　queen　of　the　Sithi；　though　no　one　seemed　to　call　her　by　that　title；　turned　her　faintly　serpentine　gaze　on　him。　It　was　all　the　Rimmersman　could　do　to　meet　her　stare。
　　　　　　　This　one　chills　my　blood。　And　I　thought　Aditu　was　strange。
〃You　are　correct；　mortal。　If　our　understanding；　and　the　lore　of　your　Scrollbearers　is　true；　we　have　very　little　time。〃　She　turned　to　Josua。　〃We　brought　down　Naglimund's　walls　in　days…but　that　did　not　stop　the　Hikeda'ya　from　doing　what　they　wished；　or　at　least　we　do　not　think　it　did。　We　cannot　afford　to　make　that　mistake　here。〃
Prince　Josua　lowered　his　head；　thinking。　〃But　what　else　can　we　do？　As　Isgrimnur　pointed　out　to　me　last　night；　we　cannot　fly　over　the　walls。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　are　other　ways　into　the　castle　you　call　the　Hayholt；〃　said　Likimeya。　The　tall；　black…haired　Sitha　beside　her　nodded。　〃We　could　not　send　an　army　in　through　those　passages；　nor　would　we　wish　to；　but　we　can；　and　should；　send　a　sufficient　force。　Ineluki　has　a　hand　in　all　this；　he　or　your　mortal　enemies　have　doubtless　made　sure　that　these　ways　are　guarded。　But　if　we　keep　our　foes'　attention　on　what　happens　out　here　before　the　walls；　we　might　succeed　in　getting　a　small　troop　inside。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　'other　ways'　do　you　mean？〃　Josua　asked；　frowning。
〃Tunnels；〃　said　Camaris　suddenly。　〃Ways　in　and　out。　John　knew　them。　There　is　one　on　the　cliffside　below　the　Sea　Gate。〃　The　old　man　had　a　slightly　wild　look；　as　though　any　moment　he　might　begin　raving　again。
Likimeya　nodded。　The　strings　of　polished　stones　braided　into　her　hair　clinked。　〃Just　so…although　I　think　we　can　choose　a　better　entrance　than　the　caves　along　the　cliff。　Do　not　forget。　Prince　Josua：　Asu'a　was　ours　once；　and　many　of　us　were　alive　when　it　was　still　the　great　house　of　the　Zida'ya。　We　know　its　hidden　paths。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　sword。〃　Camaris　rubbed　his　hand　back　and　forth　across　Thorn's　pommel。　〃It　wants　to　go　inside。　It　has　been　。　。　。〃　He　broke　off　and　fell　silent。　He　had　been　strangely　subdued　through　the　entire　day；　but　Isgrimnur　could　not　help　noticing　that　he　seemed　less　daunted　by　the　Sithi　than　any　of　the　other　mortals　assembled　in　Likimeya's　tent。　Even　Tiamak　and　Strangyeard；　students　of　old　lore；　sat　wide…eyed　and　silent　except　when　forced　into　stammering　speech。
　　　　　　　Outside；　the　wind　grew　louder。
〃That　is　another；　and　perhaps　the　most　important；　mystery；〃　said　Jiriki。　〃Your　brother　has　one　Great　Sword；　Prince　Josua。　This　mortal　knight；　Sir　Camaris；　has　another。　Where　is　the　third？〃
　　　　　　　Josua　shook　his　head。　〃As　I　told　you；　it　is　gone　from　my　father's　barrow。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　how　will　they　serve　us　if　we　bring　them　all　together？〃　Jiriki　finished。　〃Still；　it　seems　that　Camaris　must　be　one　of　those　we　send　beneath　the　walls。　We　cannot　afford　the　chance　that　we　would　gain　the　other　two　swords　and　have　this　black　blade　left　outside。〃　He　steepled　his　long　fingers。　〃I　regret　more　than　ever　the　fact　that　Eolair　and　I　could　not　find　the　Tinukeda'ya　of　Mezutu'a…those　you　call　dwarrows。　They　know　more　of　sword…lore　and　forging　than　anyone；　and　they　certainly　made　Minneyar。　There　is　doubtless　much　they　could　have　told　us。〃
〃Send　in　Camaris？　Through　some　underground　caverns？〃　Josua　seemed　more　than　dubious…there　was　an　edge　almost　of　despair　to　his　words。　〃We　face　perhaps　the　greatest　battle　that　Osten　Ard　has　seen…certainly；　it　seems；　one　of　the　most　important…and　you　say　that　we　should　send　away　our　greatest　warrior？〃　As　Josua　looked　over　to　the　old　knight；　Isgrimnur　saw　again　the　disfort　he　had　sensed　earlier。　What　had　Camaris　told　him？
　　　　　　　〃But　surely　you　can　see　the　sense　of　what　my　brother　says；　Prince　Josua。〃　Aditu　had　been　almost　deferentially　silent　through　the　afternoon。　〃If　all　the　signs；　if　all　the　dreams　and　rumors　and　whispered　lore　are　true；　then　it　is　the　Great　Swords　that　will　thwart　Ineluki's　plan；　not　men…or　even　immortals…battling　before　the　gates　of　the　castle。　That　has　been　the　wisdom　by　which　you　have　planned　everything。〃
〃So　because　Thorn　belongs　to　Camaris；　he　and　he　alone　can　take　it　inside？　And　not　through　the　gate　or　over　the　walls　with　the　army　behind　him；　but　like　a　sneak　thief？〃
　　　　　　　〃Thorn　does　not　belong　to　me。〃　Camaris　seemed　to　be　struggling　just　to　speak　slowly　and　rationally。　〃Methinks　it　is　the　other　way　around。　Merciful　Aedon；　let　me　go；　Josua。　I　doubt　I　can　wait　much　longer　before　this　thing　drives　me　mad。〃
　　　　　　　Josua　looked　at　the　old　knight　for　a　long　time；　something　unspoken　passed　between　them。　〃Perhaps　there　is　sense　in　what　you　all　say；〃　the　prince　admitted　at　last。　〃But　it　will　be　a　hard　thing　to　lose　Camaris。。。。〃　He　paused。　'To　lose　him　for　the　ing　battle。　It　will　be　hard　on　the　men。　They　feel　invincible　when　they　follow　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　they　should　not　know　that　he　is　gone；〃　Aditu　said。
　　　　　　　Josua　turned；　startled。　〃What？　How　would　we　hide　such　a　thing？〃
〃I　think　my　sister　has　spoken　wisely；〃　said　Jiriki。　〃If　we　hope　to　have　a　chance　to　send　Sir　Camaris　into　your　brother's　castle…and　he　will　not　be　alone；　Josua；　there　will　be　Zida'ya　with　him　who　know　those　places…but　we　do　not　wish　to　blow　a　trumpet　and　announce　that　we　have　done　that；　we　must　make　it　seem　that　Camaris　is　still　here；　even　once　the　full　siege　has　begun。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　siege？　But　if　our　only　hope　is　the　swords　and　our　true　stroke　is　this　pany　that　we　send　in　through　your　secret　ways；　what　point　is　there　in　throwing　away　the　lives　of　others？〃　the　prince　demanded　angrily。　〃Are　you　saying　we　should　sacrifice　men　in　a　bloody　siege　that　we　already　know；　is　starting　too　late　to　achieve　success？〃
Likimeya　leaned　forward。　〃We　must　sacrifice　men　and　Zida'ya　both。〃　Isgrimnur　caught　a　flicker　in　her　amber　stare　that　seemed　almost　like　regret；　or　pain；　but　he　dismissed　it。　He　could　not　believe　one　so　stern；　so　alien；　felt　anything　but　cool　necessity。　〃Otherwise；　we　announce　to　our　enemies　that　we　have　other　hopes。　We　shout　to　them　that　we　are　waiting　for　some　other　stratagem　to　take　effect。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃　Isgrimnur　could　see　that　Josua　was　truly　agonized。　〃Any　sensible　war…leader　knows　it　is　better　practice　to　starve　out　a　foe　than　to　waste　men's　lives　on　thick　stone　walls。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　camped　beside　the　Zida'ya。　Those　who　are　even　now　watching　from　behind　those　stone　walls　have　made　pact　with　Ineluki。　Some　may　even　be　our　kin；　the　Hikeda'ya。　They　will　know　that　the　Dawn　Children　see　the　red　star　in　the　sky　overhead。　The　Conqueror　Star；　as　you　call　it；　tells　us　that　we　have　only　a　few　days　at　most；　that　whatever　your　mortal　sorcerer　plans　to　do　on　Ineluki's　behalf　must　happen　soon。　If　we　appear　to　ignore　that　fact；　we　will　fool　no　one。　We　must　launch　the　siege　immediately；　and　your　people　and　ours　must　fight　as　though　we　have　no　other　hope。　And　who　knows？　Perhaps
we　do　not。　Not　all　tales　end　happily；　Prince　Josua。　We　Gardenborn　know　that　all　too　well。〃
Josua　turned　to　Isgrimnur　as　if　for　support。　〃So　we　send　our　finest　warrior；　who　is　also　our　greatest　inspiration；　down　into　the　earth。　And　we　throw　away　the　lives　of　our　fighting　men　on　a　siege　that　we　know　cannot　succeed。　Duke　Isgrimnur；　have　I　gone　mad？　Is　this　all　that　is　left　to　us？〃
The　Rimmersman　shrugged　helplessly。　It　was　dreadful　to　watch　Josua's　honest　torment。　〃What　the　Sithi…folk　say　makes　sense。　I'm　sorry；　Josua。　It　galls　me；　too。〃　
　　　　　　　The　prince　lifted　his　hand　in　a　gesture　of　resignation。　〃Then　I　will　do　as　you　all　say。　Since　my　brother　took　the　throne；　I　have　been　faced　with　horror　after　horror。　It　seems；　as　one　of　my　teachers　once　told　me；　that　God　shapes　us　with　a　hammer　of　pain　on　an　anvil　of　duty。　I　cannot　imagine　what　shape　we　will　be　when　He　is　finished。〃　He　sat　back；　waving　to　the　others　to　continue。　〃Make　certain　only　that　Camaris　is　well…defended。　He　carries　the　one　thing　we　have　that　we　did　not　already　possess　when　my　brother　and　the　Storm　King　broke　Naglimund…and　we　have　lost　much　else　since　then。〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　looked　at　the　old　knight。　Camaris　was　lost　in　thought；　his　eyes　fixed　on　nothing　visible；　his　lips　moving。

　　　　　　　The　king　was　lurking　in　the　passageway　above　the　entrance　to　the　forge。　The　soldiers；　already　nervous；　startled　when　they　saw　the　cloaked　shape　lurch　forward　out　of　the　shadows。　One　of　them　even　went　so　far　as　to　draw　his　sword　before　Pryrates　barked　at　him　to　put　up；　Elias；　though；　seemed　oblivious　to　what　would　normally　be　a　fatal　error　for　a　young　guardsman。
　　　　　　　〃Pryrates；〃　the　king　rasped。　〃I　have　been　searching　and　searching。　Where　is　my　cupbearer？　My　throat　is　so　dry。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　help　you；　Majesty。〃　The　priest　turned　his　coal…black　stare　on　the　gawking　soldiers；　who　quickly　shifted　their　eyes　sideways　or　down　to　their　own　chests。　〃The　captain　will　take　these　men　back　to　the　walls。　We　are　finished　here。〃　He　waved　them　away　with　a　flapping　red　sleeve。
When　the　noise　of　their　footfalls　grew　faint　in　the　corridor；　Pryrates　gently　took　the　king's　arm　so　that　Elias　could　lean　on　him。　The　king's　staring　face　was　parchment…white；　and　he　licked　at　his　lips　constantly。　
　　　　　　　〃Did　you　say　you　had　seen　my　cupbearer？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　take　care　of　you。　Majesty。　I　think　we　will　not　see　Hengfisk　again。〃
〃Has　he　。。。　has　he　run　away　to　。。。　them？〃　Elias　cocked　his　head　as　though　treachery　might　have　a　sound。　'They　are　all　around　the　walls。　You　must　know。　I　can　feel　them。　My　brother；　and　those　bright…eyed　creatures　。。。〃　He　pawed　at　his　mouth。　〃You　said　they　would　be　destroyed；　Pryrates。　You　said　all　that　resisted　me　would　be　destroyed。〃
〃And　so　they　will　be；　my　king。〃　The　priest　induced　Elias　to　walk　down　the　hallway；　heading　him　through　the　maze　of　corridors　toward　the　residences。　They　passed　an　open　window　where　snow　blew　in　and　melted　into　puddles　on　the　floor：　outside；　Green　Angel　Tower　loomed　against　the　swirling　storm　clouds。　〃You　yourself　will　destroy　them　and　usher　in　the　Golden　Age。〃　
　　　　　　　〃And　then　the　pain　will　go　away；〃　Elias　wheezed。　〃I　would　not　hate　Josua　so　if　he　had　not　brought　me　such　pain。　If　he　h