tw.togreenangeltower2-第141部分

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pose　we　have　evened　our　debt。〃
　　　　　　　The　Sitha　did　not　respond。　The　immortal's　face　was；　as　usual；　unrevealing；　but　something　in　his　posture　suggested　he　was　troubled。
　　　　　　　〃The　people　have　suffered　so　under　Elias　that　they　may　not　trust　Miriamele；〃　Isgrimnur　said。　〃It's　foolish；　I　know；　but　there　it　is。　If　Josua　had　lived；　they　might　have　weled　him　with　open　arms。　The　barons　know　the　prince　resisted　Elias　ever　since　he　began　to　go　bad；　that　he　suffered　terribly　and　fought　his　way　back　from　exile。　But　Josua　is　dead。〃
　　　　　　　〃Miriamele　did　all　those　things；　too！〃　Simon　cried　angrily。　〃This　is　nonsense！〃
〃We　know；　Simon；〃　said　Tiamak。　〃I　traveled　with　her　a　long　way。　Many　of　us　know　of　her　bravery。〃
〃Yes；　I　know　it；　too；〃　Isgrimnur　growled；　his　own　irritation　flaring。　〃But　what　is　true　does　not　matter　here。　She　fled　Naglimund　before　the　siege　started　and　she　did　not　reach　Sesuad'ra　until　after　Fengbald　had　been　defeated。　Then　she　vanished　again；　and　wound　up　in　the　Hayholt　with　her　father　at　the　very　ending。〃　He　grimaced。　〃And　there　are　tales；　doubtless　spread　by　that　whoreson　Aspitis　Preves；　that　she　was　his　doxy　while　he　served　Pryrates。　Rumors　are　flying。〃
〃But　some　of　those　things　are　true　of　me；　too。　Am　I　a　traitor？〃
〃Miriamele　is　not　a　traitor。　God　knows…and　I　know。〃　
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　glared　at　him。　〃But　after　what　her　father　has　done；　she　may　not　be　trusted。　The　people　want　someone　on　the　throne　they　can　trust。〃
　　　　　　　〃Madness！〃　Simon　slapped　his　hands　against　his　thighs；　then　turned　to　the　Sithi。　He　seemed　ready　to　burst。　〃What　do　you　two　think　of　this？〃　he　demanded。
　　　　　　　〃We　do　not　concern　ourselves　in　these　kind　of　mortal　affairs；〃　Jiriki　said　a　little　stiffly。
〃You　are　our　friend；　Seoman；〃　Aditu　added。　〃Whatever　we　can　do　for　you　to　help　you　in　this　time；　we　will。　However；　we　also　have　only　respect　for　Miriamele；　though　we　know　her　but　little。〃
Simon　turned　to　the　troll。　〃Binabik？〃　
　　　　　　　The　little　man　shrugged。　〃I　cannot　say。　Isgrimnur　and　the　rest　of　you　must　be　making　decisions　to　settle　it　yourselves。　You　and　Miriamele　are　both　my　friends。　If　you　are　wishing　advice　later；　Simon；　we　will　take　Qantaqa　off　for　walking　and　we　will　speak。〃
　　　　　　　〃Speak　about　what？　People　telling　lies　about　Miriamele？〃
Isgrimnur　cleared　his　throat。　〃He　means　he　will　talk　to　you　about　accepting　the　crown　of　Erkynland。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　turned　back　to　stare　at　the　duke。　This　time；　for　all　his　newfound　maturity；　the　young　man　could　not　hide　any　of　his　feelings。　〃You　are　。。。　you　are　offering　me　the　throne？〃　he　asked　derisively；　incredulously。　〃This　is　madness！　Me？　A　kitchen　boy！〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　could　not　help　smiling。　〃You　are　much　more　than　a　kitchen　boy。　Your　deeds　are　already　filling　up　songs　and　stories　everywhere　between　here　and　Nabban。　Wait　until　the　Battle　in　the　Tower　is　added　to　the　tally。〃
〃Aedon　preserve　me；〃　Simon　said　in　disgust。
　　　　　　　〃But　there　are　more　important　things。〃　The　duke　grew　serious。　〃You　are　well…liked　and　well…known。　Not　only　did　you　battle　a　dragon；　you　fought　bravely　for　Sesuad'ra　and　Josua；　and　people　remember　that。　And　now　we　can　tell　them　that　you　have　the　blood　of　Saint　Eahlstan　Fiskerne；　one　of　the　most　beloved　men　ever　to　hold　a　throne。　In　fact；　it　if　weren't　true；　I　would　be　tempted　to　make　it　up。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　it　doesn't　mean　anything？〃　Simon　exploded。　〃Don't　you　think　I've　thought　about　it？　I've　been　doing　nothing　but　thinking　since　the　moment　I　realized。　I　am　a　scullion　who　was　taught　by　a　very　wise；　very　kind　man。　I　have　been　lucky　in　my　friends。　I　have　been　caught　up　in　terrible　things；　I　did　what　I　had　to；　and　I　lived　through　it。　None　of　that　has　anything　to　do　with　who　my　great…great…however…many…greats…grandfather　was！〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　waited　a　few　moments　after　Simon　finished；　letting　some　of　the　youth's　anger　pass。　〃But　don't　you　see；〃　the　duke　said　gently；　〃it　doesn't　matter　whether　it　changes　anything　or　not。　As　I　said；　I　don't　think　it　really　matters　much　if　it's　true　or　not。　Dror's　red　mallet；　Simon；　Prester　John's　story　was　a　myth…a　lie！　I've　had　to　struggle　with　that　discovery　myself　in　the　last　few　days。　But　does　it　make　him　any　less　a　king？　People　need　to　believe　something　whether　you　want　them　to　or　not。　If　you　don't　give　them　things　to　believe；　they　will　make　things　up。
　　　　　　　〃Right　now　they　are　frightened　of　the　future。　Most　of　the　world　we　know　is　in　a　shambles；　Simon。　And　the　survivors　are　wary　of　Miriamele　because　of　who　she　is　and　because　of　uncertainty　about　what　she's　done…and　because　she's　a　young　woman；　to　speak　bluntly。　The　barons　want　a　man；　someone　strong　but　not　too　strong；　and　they　want　no　civil　wars　over　a　reigning　queen's　choice　of　husbands。〃　Isgrimnur　reached　out　to　touch　Simon's　arm；　but　decided　against　it　and　drew　his　hand　back。　〃Listen　to　me。　The　people　who　followed　Josua　love　you；　Simon；　almost　as　much　as　they　loved　the　prince。　More　in　some　ways；　perhaps。　You　know　and　I　know　that　what　blood　flows　in　you　makes　no　difference…it's　all　red。　But　your　people　need　to　believe　in　something；　and　they　are　cold　and　hurting　and　homeless。〃
Simon　stared　at　him。　Isgrimnur　could　not　help　feeling　the　force　of　the　young　man's　rage。　He　had　grown　indeed。　He　would　be　a　formidable　man…no；　he　was　so　already。
　　　　　　　〃And　for　such　tricks　you　would　have　me　betray　Miriamele？〃　Simon　demanded。
〃Not　betray；〃　Isgrimnur　said。　〃I　will　give　you　a　few　days　to　think　about　it；　then　I　will　go　and　put　it　to　her　myself。　We　will　bury　our　dead　tomorrow；　and　the　people　will　see　us　all　together。　That　will　be　enough　for　now。〃　The　duke　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　not　going　to　lie　to　her；　Simon…that's　not　my　way…but　I　wanted　you　to　have　a　chance　to　hear　me　first。〃　He　suddenly　felt　immensely　sorry　for　the　young　man。
He　probably　thought　he　would　have　a　chance　to　lick　his　wounds　in　peace…and　he's　got　plenty　of　them。　We　all　do。　
　　　　　　　〃Think　about　it；　Simon。　We　need　you…all　of　us。　It　will　be　hard　enough　for　me　to　pull　my　own　dukedom　together；　not　to　mention　what　will　happen　to　young　Varellan；　orphaned　in　Nabban；　and　whoever　still　remains　in　Hernystir。　We　need　at　least　the　appearance　of　the　High　King's　Ward　again；　and　someone　the　people　trust　sitting　on　the　throne　at　the　Hayholt。〃
He　rose　from　the　low　stair；　trying　not　to　show　how　much　his　back　hurt；　bowed　stiffly　to　Simon…which　in　itself　was　an　odd　sensation…and　stumped　away　across　the　throne　room；　leaving　the　rest　of　the　circle　in　silence。　He　could　feel　Simon's　eyes　on　his　back。
　　　　　　　God　help　me；　Isgrimnur　thought　as　he　emerged　into　the　twilight。　I　need　a　rest。　A　long　rest。

　　　　　　　He　looked　up　from　the　fire　at　the　sound　of　footsteps。　〃Binabik？〃
　　　　　　　She　moved　forward　into　the　light。　Despite　the　cool　spring　night　and　the　patches　of　still　unmelted　snow；　her　feet　were　bare。　Her　cloak　fluttered　in　the　breeze　that　swept　down　the　hillside　from　the　Hayholt。
〃I　couldn't　sleep；〃　she　said。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　Simon　hesitated。　He　had　not　expected　anyone；　least　of　all　her。　After　the　day…long　memorial　for　Josua；　Camaris；　Isorn；　and　the　other　dead；　Binabik　had　gone　off　to　spend　the　evening　with　Strangyeard　and　Tiamak；　leaving　Simon　alone　to　sit　before　his　tent　and　think。　Her　arrival　seemed　a　thing　he　might　have　dreamed　while　staring　into　the　campfire。
〃Miriamele。〃　He　clambered　awkwardly　to　his　feet。　〃Princess。　Sit　down；　please。〃　He　gestured　to　a　stone　near
the　fire。
　　　　　　　She　sat；　drawing　her　cloak　close　around　her。　〃Are　you　well？〃　she　asked　at　last。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　。　。　。〃　He　paused。　〃I　don't　know。　Things　are　strange。〃
She　nodded。　〃It's　hard　to　believe　it's　finished。　It's　hard　to　believe　they're　all　gone　forever。〃
He　moved　unfortably；　not　certain　if　she　spoke　of　friends　or　enemies。　〃There　are　still　lots　of　things　to　be　done。　People　are　scattered；　the　world　has　been　turned　upside…down。　。　。　。〃　Simon　waved　his　hand　vaguely。　〃There's　lots　to　do。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　leaned　forward；　stretching　her　hands　toward　the　fire。　Simon　watched　the　light　play　across　her　delicate　features　and　felt　his　heart　clutch　hopelessly。　All　the　royal　blood　in　the　world　might　run　in　his　veins；　rivers　of　it；　but　it　did　not　matter　if　she　did　not　care　for　him。　During　all　of　today's　rites　for　the　fallen；　she　had　not　once　met　his　eyes。　Even　their　friendship　seemed　to　have　faded。
　　　　　　　It　would　serve　her　right　if　I　let　them　force　me　to　take　the　throne。　He　turned　away　to　stare　at　the　flames；　feeling　low　and　mean…spirited。　But　it　is　hers　by　right。　She　was　Prester　John's　granddaughter。　What　difference　did　it　make　that　some　ancestor　of　Simon's　had　been　king　two　centuries　ago？
　　　　　　　〃I　killed　him；　Simon；〃　she　said　abruptly。　〃I　traveled　all　that　way　to　speak　to　him；　to　try　to　let　him　know　I　understood　。。。　but　instead　I　killed　him。〃　There　was　devastation　in　her　words。　〃Killed　him！〃
　　　　　　　Simon　searched　frantically　for　something　to　say。　〃You　saved　us　all；　Miriamele。〃
〃He　was　a　good　man；　Simon。　Loud　and　short…tempered；　perhaps；　but　he　was　。　。　。　before　my　mother　。　；　；〃　She　blinked　her　eyes　rapidly。　〃My　own　father！〃
　　　　　　　〃You　had　no　other　choice。〃　Simon　ached　to　see　her　in　such　pain。　'There　was　nothing　else　you　could　have　done；　Miri。　You　saved　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　knew　me　at　the　end。　May　God　help　me；　Simon；　I　think　he　wanted　me　to　do　it。　I　looked　at　him　。。。　and　he　was　so　unhappy。　He　was　in　so　much　pain！〃　She　rubbed　at　her　face　with　her　cloak。　〃I　will　not　cry；〃　she　said　harshly。　〃I　am　so　weary　of　crying！〃
　　　　　　　The　wind　grew　stronger；　sighing　through　the　grass。
〃And　sweet　Uncle　Josua！〃　she　said；　more　quietly　now；　but　with　a　core　of　urgency。　〃Gone；　like　everyone　else。　Gone。　All　my　family　gone。　And　poor；　tormented　Camaris。　Ah；　God。　What　kind　of　a　world　is　this？〃　Her　shoulders　were　heaving。　Simon　reached　out　and　awkwardly　took　her　hand。　She　did　not　try　to　pull　away；　as　he　felt　sure　she　would。　Instead；　they　sat　in　silence　except　for　the　crackling　of　the　fire。　〃And　C…Cadrach；　too；〃　she　murmured　at　last。　〃Oh；　Merciful　Elysia；　in　some　ways　he　is　the　worst。　He　wanted　only　to　die；　but　he　waited　for　me　。。。　for　us。　He　stayed；　despite　all　that　had　happened；　despite　all　the　terrible　things　I　said　to　him。〃　She　lowered　her　head；　staring　at　the　ground。　Her　voice　was　painfully　raw。　〃In　his　way；　he　loved　me。　That　was　cruel　of　him；　wasn't　it？〃
　　　　　　　Simon　shook　his　head。　There　was　noth