df.therunelords-第108章

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　Thus　Castle　Groverman　had　grown　to　be　an　important　fortress；　for　this　was　the　Dedicates'　Keep　for　the　horses　that　supplied　Sylvarresta's　messengers　and　soldiers。
　But　this　late　in　the　fall；　it　was　also　a　busy　center　for　merce。　The　local　vassals　and　villeins　herded　cattle　in　for　the　fall　slaughter。　Tomorrow　was　the　first　day　of　Hostenfest；　a　time　of　celebration　before　the　last　of　the　fall　labors。　A　week　from　today；　when　the　feasting　ended；　the　fatted　beeves　would　be　driven　all　across　Heredon　for　slaughter　on　Tolfest；　in　the　twenty…fifth　day　of　the　Month　of　Leaves；　before　the　winter　snows　set　in。
　With　the　beef　came　horsemen；　driving　in　the　summer's　foals。　The　fields　around　Castle　Groverman　had　thus　bee　a　maze　of　stockyards　and　tents。
　On　seeing　it；　Iome's　heart　sank。
　She'd　been　outraged　to　learn　that　Duke　Groverman　refused　aid　to　Longmont。　It　had　seemed　a　small　and　evil　gesture；　not　in　keeping　with　the　graciousness　and　courage　expected　from　the　lords　of　Heredon。
　But　now　Iome　saw　that　Groverman　might　not　go　to　Longmont；　with　good　reason。　Outside　the　castle；　people　and　animals　crowded　the　groundsthe　horsemen　and　cattlemen；　merchants　for　the　festival；　refugees　from　Longmont；　plus　some　refugees　who'd　left　their　own　unprotected　villages。
　The　refugees　from　Longmont　broke　tome's　heart。　They　huddled　on　the　banks　of　Wind　Riverwomen；　babes；　men。　For　most　of　them；　only　blankets　slung　over　poles　would　shelter　them　from　the　snows　this　winter。　Groverman　had　generously　allowed　the　refugees　to　camp　near　the　castle　walls；　protected　from　the　winds　that　swept　these　plains。
　Still；　it　looked　as　if　a　town　of　rags　had　sprung　up　by　the　river；　a　town　inhabited　by　ragged　people。　Silver…haired　men　puttered　aimlessly；　as　if　only　waiting　for　winter　so　they　could　freeze。　Women　wrapped　their　babes　in　thick　woolen　blankets　and　kept　them　tucked　under　their　arms；　having　nothing　better　than　their　bodies　and　cloth　to　warm　the　children。
　From　the　sounds　of　coughing　as　she　passed　through　this　crowd；　it　looked　as　if　plagues　would　soon　sweep　the　camp。
　Iome　estimated　that　between　refugees；　the　inhabitants　of　Castle　Groverman；　and　those　who　had　e　for　the　fair；　some　thirty　thousand　people　had　gathered。　A　vast　throng；　not　easily　protected。
　And　Groverman's　walls；　for　some　reason；　were　not　as　thick　with　knights　as　Iome　would　have　expected。　So　Groverman　must　be　exerting　all　his　influence　to　care　for　his　people。
　All　this　Iome　saw　as　she　rode　past　corrals　filled　with　red　cattle；　through　the　broad　streets。　Everyone　stared　at　Gaborn　as　he　entered　the　city。　Groverman　was　not　used　to　entertaining　soldiers　who　wore　the　livery　of　the　green　knight。　The　trio　of　Days　who　rode　behind　signaled　that　this　was　an　important　procession；　regardless　of　how　ragged　Iome　and　her　father　looked。
　At　the　castle　gate；　four　guards　stopped　them。　〃You　have　another　message　for　milord？〃　one　guard　asked　Gaborn；　ignoring　Iome　and　her　father。
　〃Yes；〃　Gaborn　said　softly；　〃please　tell　His　Lordship　that　Prince　Gaborn　Val　Orden　begs　his　audience；　and　that　he　has　e　in　pany　with　King　Jas　Laren　Sylvarresta；　and　the　Princess　Iome。〃
　The　guards　gaped　at　the　news；　stood　staring　at　Iome's　mud…stained　robes。　King　Sylvarresta　did　not　look　kingly；　not　with　his　endowments　stripped。　In　fact；　Iome　imagined　she　and　her　father　were　the　saddest…looking　pair　on　the　road。
　So　Iome　tried　to　sit　all　the　more　proudly；　high　in　the　saddle。　It　cost　her　dearly；　for　she　could　ill　bear　the　stares　of　the　guards。
　Behold　the　horror　of　your　princess；　a　sad　voice　whispered　in　her　mind。　She　desired　to　cringe　and　hide　her　face；　as　some　Dedicates　did　after　giving　glamour。　Yet　Iome　steeled　herself　for　the　guards'　inspection；　still　fighting　the　power　of　the　rune　Raj　Ahten's　men　had　branded　into　her　flesh。
　The　guards　studied　the　three　Days　who　rode；　as　if　to　verify　his　claim。　Two　men　bumped　into　each　other　in　their　rush　to　fetch　Duke　Groverman。
　The　Duke　hurried　into　the　broad　courtyard　of　his　estate；　his　richly　embroidered　robes　flapping　in　the　wind。　Azurite　and　pearls　were　bound　into　the　leather　trim　of　his　ocher　cloak。　His　Days　hurried　behind。
　〃Here　now！　What's　this？　What's　going　on？〃　Groverman　cried；　pulling　his　cloak　tighter　about　his　neck。　The　morning　was　growing　cold；　gray　clouds　raced　in　from　the　south。
　He　stopped　a　dozen　yards　off；　gawking　back　and　forth　between　Gaborn；　Iome；　and　the　King。
　〃Good　morning；　sir；〃　Iome　said　softly；　without　dismounting；　proffering　her　hand　so　that　he　could　kiss　her　ring。　〃Though　it　has　been　but　four　months　since　last　you　visited　Castle　Sylvarresta；　I　fear　much　about　my　appearance　has　changed。〃
　It　was　understatement；　of　course。　As　for　her　father；　he　looked　but　a　shadow　of　his　former　self。　Stripped　of　glamour；　his　face　seemed　a　worn　mockery　of　the　handsome　figure　he　had　cut。　Shorn　of　his　brawn；　he　slumped　wearily　in　his　saddle。　Without　wit；　Lord　Sylvarresta　gaped　about　stupidly；　enamored　of　the　cattle。
　〃Princess　Iome？〃　Groverman　asked；　as　if　unconvinced。
　〃Yes。〃
　Groverman　stepped　forward；　took　her　hand；　and　unashamedly　sniffed　it。
　Groverman　was　an　odd　man。　Some　might　have　called　him　a　Wolf　Lord；　for　he'd　taken　endowments　from　dogs；　but　unlike　men　who　took　such　endowments　only　to　satisfy　a　rapacious　hunger　for　power；　Groverman　had　once　argued　with　Iome's　father　long　into　the　night；　suggesting　that　it　was　more　morally　correct　to　take　endowments　from　animals　than　from　men。　〃Which　is　more　benevolent；　to　garner　fifty　endowments　of　scent　from　a　man；　or　to　take　one　endowment　of　scent　from　a　tracking　dog？〃
　So　Duke　Groverman　had　several　endowments　from　dogs；　yet　he　was　a　kind　leader；　well…liked　by　his　people。
　He　had　a　narrow　face；　and　dark…blue；　close…set　eyes。　He　looked　nothing　like　King　Sylvarresta。　No　one　who　saw　them　together　would　have　ventured　that　the　Duke　hailed　from　the　same　family。
　Satisfied　with　her　scent；　the　Duke　kissed　her　ring。　〃Wele；　wele　to　my　home。〃　With　a　wave　of　his　hand；　Duke　Groverman　bid　Iome　dismount；　e　into　the　courtyard。
　〃We　have　urgent　matters　to　discuss；〃　Gaborn　said；　as　if　to　get　to　the　point。　He　was　in　such　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　his　father；　he　did　not　even　want　to　dismount。
　〃Assuredly；〃　Groverman　said；　still　waving　Iome　toward　his　palace。
　〃We　are　in　a　hurry；〃　Iome　said。　Almost；　she　wanted　to　shout　at　Groverman　that　she　had　no　time　for　formalities；　that　he　needed　to　call　his　warriors；　send　them　to　battle。
　Iome　suspected　Groverman　would　resist　her　will；　would　try　to　dissuade　her　or　placate　her　with　lesser　offers　of　aid。　She　did　not　want　to　listen　to　his　caviling　and　his　dodges。
　〃We　must　speak　immediately；〃　Gaborn　said。
　The　Duke　caught　Gaborn's　tone；　glanced　up　with　a　hurt　look。　〃Milady；　does　Prince　Orden　speak　for　you　and　the　King？〃
　〃Yes；　he　does；〃　Iome　said。　〃He's　my　friend；　and　our　ally。〃
　〃What　would　you　have　of　me？〃　Groverman　asked。　〃You　have　only　to　name　it。〃　His　tone　was　so　submissive；　his　manner　so　meek；　that；　almost；　Iome　thought　he　feigned　it。　Yet　when　she　looked　into　the　Duke's　eyes；　she　saw　only　submission。
　Iome　came　to　the　point；　〃Longmont　will　soon　be　under　attack。　King　Orden　is　there；　with　Dreis　and　others。　How　dare　you　refuse　him　aid！〃
　Groverman　opened　his　hands　wide；　as　if　stunned。　〃Refuse　him　aid？　Refuse　aid？　What　more　can　I　do？　I've　sent　the　best　knights　I　could；　having　them　ride　as　soon　as　they　were　ableover　two　thousand　men。　I've　sent　word　to　Cowforth　and　Emmit　and　Donyeis　and　Jonnickand　they'll　converge　here　before　noon。　As　I　wrote　in　my　message；　I　can　promise　another　five　thousand　men　by　nightfall！〃
　〃But。。。〃　Iome　said；　〃Orden　told　us　you　refused　aid。〃
　〃On　my　honor；　he　is　mistaken！　I　never！〃　Groverman　shouted。　〃If　women　were　squires　and　beeves　were　mounted　knights；　I'd　march　within　the　hour　with　an　army　of　a　quarter　million。　But　I　never　denied　him　aid！〃
　Then　she　wondered。　There　had　been　too　many　knights　on　Longmot's　walls。　She'd　thought　they'd　e　from　Dreis；　or　that　Orden　had　gathered　them　in　his　travels。
　Gaborn　touched　Iome's　elbow。　〃My　father　has　played　us　for　fools。　I　see　it　now。　I　should　have　recognized　what　I　felt。　My　father　has　always　said　that　even　the　wisest　man's　plots　are　only　as　good　as　his　information。　He's　fooled　us；　just　as　he　seeks　to　fool　Raj　Ahten。