df.therunelords-第126章

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hers　still　rushed　up　the　hill；　unsure。
　Iome　looked　down　at　her　people；　raised　a　hand　for　them　to　halt。　Gaborn　suspected　that　her　mand　alone　would　not　have　stopped　the　mob；　if　Borenson　were　not　such　a　deadly　foe。　But　partly　from　fear；　partly　from　respect　for　their　Princess；　the　crowd　advanced　only　falteringly；　and　some　older　and　wiser　lords　near　the　front　spread　their　arms；　to　hold　the　more　hot…tempered　men　back。
　Borenson　glared　at　the　mob　in　contempt；　then　flourished　his　hammer；　pointing　at　Iome；　and　gazed　into　Gaborn's　eyes：　〃She　should　have　died　with　the　rest　of　them！　By　your　father's　own　orders！〃
　〃He　rescinded　that　order；〃　Gaborn　said　calmly；　using　all　his　training　in　the　control　of　Voice；　precisely　repeating　every　studied　inflection；　so　he　could　convey　to　Borenson　that　he　spoke　the　truth。
　Borenson's　mouth　fell　open　in　horror；　for　he　was　full　of　guilt；　and　Gaborn　now　laid　it　on　him　thicker。　Almost；　Gaborn　imagined　that　he　could　hear　the　sneers　that　would　be　cast　at　Borenson's　back　for　years：　〃Butcher。　Assassin。　Kingslayer！〃
　Yet　Gaborn　could　not　speak　anything　but　the　truth；　no　matter　how　horrible　it　might　be；　no　matter　how　it　might　destroy　his　friend。　〃My　father　rescinded　that　order；　when　I　presented　King　Sylvarresta　before　him。　He　hugged　the　man　as　a　friend　dearer　than　a　brother；　and　begged　forgiveness！〃
　Gaborn　pointed　down　with　his　spear　at　King　Sylvarresta　for　effect。
　If　he　had　thought　Borenson　gone　in　madness　before；　now　he　became　certain　of　it。
　〃Noooo！〃　Borenson　howled；　and　tears　filled　eyes；　eyes　that　now　gazed　past　Gaborn's　head；　at　some　private　torment。　〃Noooo！〃
　He　shook　his　head　violently。　He　could　not　bear　for　it　to　be　true；　could　not　live　with　it　being　true。
　Borenson　half…dropped　and　half…threw　his　warhammer　to　the　ground；　then　turned　in　his　saddle；　pulled　his　right　leg　over　and　stepped　off　his　horse　awkwardly；　as　if　he　were　walking　down　a　great　stair。
　〃No；　please；　no！〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head　from　side　to　side。　He　grabbed　his　helm；　pulled　it　off；　so　that　his　head　lay　bare。　He　bowed　to　the　ground；　neck　stretched；　and　as　he　walked　forward；　he　stammered　under　his　breath；　staring　at　the　ground。
　He　walked　in　a　strange　gaitback　bent；　head　low；　knees　almost　touching　the　ground　at　every　step。
　Gaborn　realized　that　Borenson　was　torn；　did　not　know　whether　to　approach　him　or　drop　to　his　knees。　He　was　trying　to　keep　his　head　bowed。
　〃My　lord；　my　lord；　ah；　ah；　take　me；　milord。　Take　me！〃　Borenson　said　as　he　crept　forward。
　A　young　man　dashed　up　with　a　hammer；　as　if　to　deal　the　death　blow　himself；　but　Gaborn　shouted　at　the　lad　to　stay　back。　The　mood　of　the　crowd　was　growing　uglier。　People　were　bloodthirsty。
　〃Take　you？〃　Gaborn　asked　Borenson。
　〃Take　me；〃　Borenson　begged。　〃Take　my　wit。　Take　it。　Please！　I　don't　want　to　know　anymore。　I　don't　want　to　see　anymore。　Take　my　wit！〃
　Gaborn　did　not　want　Borenson　to　bee　as　Sylvarresta　had　been；　did　not　want　to　see　those　eyes　that　had　laughed　so　often　grow　vacant。　Yet；　at　that　moment；　he　wondered　if　he'd　be　doing　the　man　a　kindness。
　Father　and　I　are　the　ones　who　took　him　to　the　brink　of　madness；　Gaborn　realized。　To　take　his　endowment　would　be　vilelike　a　king　who　taxes　the　poor　till　they　can　pay　no　more；　then　tells　himself　that　by　relieving　them　of　endowments　he　shows　generosity。
　I　have　violated　him；　Gaborn　realized。　I　have　violated　his　Domain　Invisible；　taken　his　free　will。　Borenson　had　always　tried　to　be　a　good　soldier。　Now　he　will　never　see　himself　as　good　again。
　〃No；〃　Gaborn　said　softly。　〃I　will　not　take　your　wit。〃　Yet　even　as　he　said　the　words；　he　wondered　at　his　own　reasons。　Borenson　was　a　great　warrior；　the　best　fighter　in　Mystarria。　To　take　wit　from　him　would　have　been　wasteful；　like　a　farmer　killing　a　fine　horse　in　order　to　fill　his　belly　when　a　chicken　would　have　served　as　well。　Do　I　deny　him　this　because　it　is　merely　pragmatic？　Gaborn　wondered。
　〃Please；〃　Borenson　shouted　again。　He　hobbled　next　to　Gaborn　now；　not　more　than　an　arm's　length　away。　His　whole　head　shook；　and　his　hands　trembled　as　he　pulled　at　his　own　hair。　He　dared　not　look　up；　but　kept　his　eyes　at　Gaborn's　feet。　〃Pleaseyou；　ah；　you　don't　understand！　Myrrima　was　in　that　castle！〃　he　pointed　to　Longmont　and　wailed；　〃Myrrima　came。　Take　mymy　metabolism　then。　Let　me　know　nothing　until　this　war　is　over！〃
　Gaborn　shrank　back　a　step　in　horror；　wondering。　〃Are　you　certain？〃　he　asked　trying　to　sound　calm；　trying　to　sound　reasonable　when　all　reason　left　him。　Gaborn　had　felt　other　deathshis　father's；　Chemoise's　father's；　even　King　Sylvarresta's。　But　he　had　not　felt　Myrrima's。　〃Have　you　seen　her？　Have　you　seen　her　body？〃
　〃She　rode　from　Bannisferre　yesterday；　to　be　here　in　the　battle；　with　me。　She　was　in　the　castle。〃　Borenson's　voice　broke；　and　he　fell　to　his　knees　and　sobbed。
　Gaborn　had　felt　so　right　when　he　matched　Borenson　and　Myrrima。　He'd　thought　he　felt　another　Power　guide　him；　the　powers　of　the　earth　coursing　through　him。　Surely　he　had　not　felt　impressed　to　match　them　so　that　they　could　meet　so　tragic　an　end？
　〃No；〃　Gaborn　said　more　firmly；　deciding。　He　would　not　take　Borenson's　endowment；　even　if　the　guilt　did　promise　to　destroy　him。　Kingdoms　were　at　stake。　He　could　not　afford　such　mercy；　no　matter　how　it　rankled　him。
　Borenson　dropped　to　his　knees；　put　both　hands　palm…forward　on　the　ground。　It　was　the　traditional　stance　of　prisoners　in　war　who　offered　themselves　for　beheading。　He　cried；　〃If　you　will　not　take　my　endowment；　then　take　my　head！〃
　〃I　will　not　kill　you；〃　Gaborn　answered。　〃If　you　give　your　life　to　me；　I　will　take　itglad　for　the　bargain。　I　choose　you。　Serve　me。　Help　me　defeat　Raj　Ahten！〃
　Borenson　shook　his　head　and　began　to　sob；　great　racking　sobs　that　left　him　breathless。　Gaborn　had　never　seen　anything　like　that　from　the　warrior；　felt　stunned　to　learn　the　man　was　capable　of　experiencing　such　pain。
　Gaborn　put　his　hands　on　Borenson's　shoulders；　signaling　for　him　to　rise；　but　Borenson　only　knelt；　weeping。　〃Milady？〃　someone　called。
　Down　in　the　fields　below　Gaborn；　utter　silence　reigned。　Groverman　and　a　hundred　other　knights　now　drew　near；　aghast。　Staring　at　Borenson　in　horror。　Wondering　what　they　should　do。　Some　knight　had　called　Iome；　but　she　only　held　her　father's　head；　rocking　it；　almost　oblivious　of　her　surroundings。
　After　a　long　moment；　Iome　looked　up。　Her　eyes　filled　with　tears。　She　bent　to　kiss　her　father　goodbye；　on　the　forehead。
　Her　father　had　not　even　known　her　at　the　last；　Gaborn　realized。　He'd　forgotten　her　existence；　or　did　not　recognize　her；　robbed　of　glamour。　That　seemed　perhaps　the　worst　blow　of　all。
　Iome　straightened；　looked　downhill　at　her　knights。　〃Leave　us；〃　she　said　in　the　firmest　voice　she　could　muster。
　There　was　a　long；　unfortable　silence。　Someone　coughed。　Duke　Groverman　watched　her　with　unblinking　eyes。　〃My　Queen。。。〃
　〃There's　nothing　you　can　do。　There's　nothing　anyone　can　do！〃　Iome　said。　Gaborn　knew　she　spoke　not　of　the　murder；　not　of　the　demands　of　justice；　but　of　everythingRaj　Ahten；　this　whole　senseless　war。　Most　of　all；　she　spoke　of　death。
　〃These　men。。。this　is　murder；〃　Groverman　insisted。　〃House　Orden　should　pay　for　this　insult！〃　By　ancient　law；　a　lord　was　responsible　for　the　behavior　of　his　vassals；　just　as　a　farmer　was　responsible　for　damage　done　by　his　cow。　By　law；　Gaborn　was　as　guilty　of　murder　as　Borenson。
　〃Gaborn's　father　lies　dead　with　two　thousand　of　his　best　knights；〃　Iome　answered。　〃What　more　do　you　want　of　House　Orden？〃
　〃He's　not　the　killerit's　the　knight　at　his　feet　we　want！　This　is　a　matter　of　honor！〃　some　knight　shouted；　after　having　decided　all　on　his　own　that　Gaborn　was　innocent。　Gaborn　did　not　recognize　the　fellow's　device；　two　crows　and　an　oak　tree　over　the　Sylvarresta　boar。
　Iome　said；　〃You　say　honor　is　at　stake？　The　knight　at　Gaborn's　feet；　Sir　Borenson；　saved　my　life　yesterday；　and　the　life　of　my　father。　He　slew　an　Invincible　outside　Longmont　for　us。　And　he　matched　wits　with　Raj　Ahten　and　helped　drive　the　knave　from　our　kingdom〃
　〃It's　murder！〃　the　knight　shouted；　shaking　his　axe。　But　Groverman　reached　out　a　hand；　silencing　the　fellow。
　〃You　say；〃　Iome　stammered；　〃it's　a　matter　of　honor；　and　perhaps　it　is。　King　Orden；　my　father's　best　friend；　first　ordered　our　dea