df.therunelords-第127章

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　〃You　say；〃　Iome　stammered；　〃it's　a　matter　of　honor；　and　perhaps　it　is。　King　Orden；　my　father's　best　friend；　first　ordered　our　deaths。
　〃And　who　among　you　is　to　say　he　is　not　right　in　this？　My　father　and　I　were　Dedicates　to　our　sworn　enemy。　Who　of　you　would　have　disobeyed　such　an　order；　were　our　roles　reversed？〃
　〃My　father　gave　endowments　to　Raj　Ahten；　thinking　it　a　small　thing；　just　as　I　did。　But　many　small　wrongs　can　make　a　very　great　evil。〃
　〃Is　it　murder　for　this　knight　to　slay　his　enemies；　to　follow　orders？　Or　is　it　honorable？〃
　Iome　arose　now；　hands　covered　in　blood；　tears　streamed　down　her　face。　She　argued　for　Borenson's　acquittal　with　her　whole　heart；　and　Gaborn　wondered　if　he'd　have　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　do　the　same　under　such　circumstances。
　For　his　part；　Borenson　just　glared　at　the　knights　blankly；　as　if　he　did　not　care　how　they　judged　him。　Kill　me；　his　eyes　said；　or　let　me　live。　Just　be　done　with　it。
　Groverman　and　his　men　neither　advanced　nor　retreated。　They　held　their　ground；　as　yet　undecided。
　Iome　bit　her　lip；　and　her　jaw　trembled　so　that　she　pierced　the　lip；　unnoticed。　Such　rage　and　hurt　shone　in　her　eyes。　She　couldn't　deal　with　this　any　longer；　couldn't　argue。　Her　people　were　angry；　she　felt　hurt　and　betrayed　to　the　core　of　her　soulto　lose　all　her　family　in　the　space　of　two　days。
　Gaborn　had　seen　the　aftermath　when　his　own　mother　was　slain；　and　now　his　father。　He　knew　how　desolate　Iome　must　feel；　knew　how　her　own　pain　must　outmatch　his　own。
　Iome　said　to　Gaborn　facetiously；　〃Milord　King　Orden；　Sir　Borensonafter　all　your　great　kindness　these　past　two　days；　I　bid　you　get　away　from　here；　lest　my　people　slay　you。　Ours　is　a　poor　land；　and　our　hospitality　suffers　for　it。　Get　out　of　here。　For　your　service；　I　grant　you　your　lives；　though　my　vassals　wish　me　to　be　more　penurious。〃
　She　spoke　in　a　tone　that　mocked　her　own　people；　but　Gaborn　knew　that　she　was　serious；　that　she　could　not　cope　any　longer。
　〃Go　on；〃　Gaborn　whispered　to　Borenson。　〃I'll　see　you　at　Bredsfor　Manor。〃　To　his　relief；　Borenson　stood　and　marched　to　his　horse；　executing　the　order　without　plaint。
　Gaborn　went　to　Iome；　pulled　off　his　right　gauntlet；　and　let　his　hand　rest　on　her　shoulder。　She　seemed　so　slight；　so　frail　beneath　the　thin　cotton　of　her　dress。　He　could　not　imagine　that　she'd　hold　up　under　the　pressure　she　now　felt。
　She　no　longer　looked　as　beautiful　as　the　first　star　of　evening。　She　no　longer　looked　wretched。　Her　only　glamour　now　was　her　own；　and　Gaborn　could　not　have　loved　her　any　more　than　he　did　at　this　moment；　could　not　have　longed　to　hold　her　any　more　than　he　did　right　now。
　〃I　love　you；　you　know；〃　he　said。　Iome　nodded　once；　only　slightly。　〃I　came　to　Heredon　to　ask　for　your　hand；　milady。　I　want　you　still。　I'd　have　you　for　my　wife。〃　He　did　not　say　it　to　confirm　his　feelings　to　Iome。　He　said　it　only　for　the　benefit　of　her　people；　so　that　they　would　know。
　In　the　crowd；　several　people　hissed　at　the　proposal。　Some　cried　aloud；　〃No！〃
　Gaborn　could　see　he　wasn't　in　favor　at　this　moment。　These　people　didn't　know　how　he　had　schemed　and　fought　for　their　freedom。　They'd　witnessed　only　this　last　craven　deed。　He　would　not　win　their　hearts　this　day；　though　he　hoped　to；　in　time。
　Iome　reached　up　and　stroked　his　hand；　but　offered　no　words　of　fort。
　Gaborn　walked　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　where　his　horse　pawed　the　snow　in　an　effort　to　graze　on　the　sweet　grass　beneath；　then　followed　Borenson　south。
　At　his　back；　Gaborn's　Days　broke　from　the　crowd；　following　in　his　shadow。
　　
　Chapter　59
　THE　HEALER
　　
　As　Iome　sat　over　the　body　of　her　father；　she　wondered　if　she　could　even　live　another　day。　It　seemed　that　her　energy；　her　will　to　struggle；　had　been　drawn　out　from　her　as　pletely　as　her　beauty　had　been　drawn　out　two　days　before。
　She　stood　over　her　father's　body；　wanting　desperately　to　sleep　or　to　scream。　The　cold　snow　melted；　penetrating　her　thin　boots；　just　as　the　stout　wind　penetrated　her　thin　dress。
　Her　people　were　a　cold　fort。　They　knew　they　needed　a　lord　to　protect　them；　but　Iome　had　no　wit　with　which　to　guide　them；　no　glamour　to　inspire　them　to　follow；　no　brawn　or　skill　in　battle。
　Without　my　glamour；　they　see　through　me；　Iome　thought。　They　see　that　I　am　a　sham；　a　nothing。　All　Runelords　are　nothing；　without　their　Dedicates　to　fill　them　with　power；　make　them　substantial。
　As　she　shivered　on　the　hill；　Iome　found　that　her　people　offered　her　nothing　now。　No　one　brought　her　a　shawl　or　offered　a　shoulder　to　lean　on。
　None　dared　approach　her。　Perhaps　they　believed　she　needed　time　to　suffer　alone。
　But　Iome　was　no　good　at　suffering　alone。
　She　felt　confused。　Gaborn　had　not　ordered　her　father's　death。　He'd　struggled　mightily　to　keep　her　father　alive。　Yet；　somehow；　she　felt　betrayed。　Perhaps　it　was　because　he　did　not　grow　irate　at　Borenson。
　Had　Gaborn　taken　the　man's　wit；　or　his　head；　Iome　would　have　thought　Gaborn　cruel　and　hard。　Yet　part　of　her　felt　Borenson　deserved　some　unnamable　punishment。
　To　her　surprise；　it　was　the　wizard　Binnesman　who　first　came　to　her；　after　an　hour；　and　wrapped　a　blanket　over　her。　The　wizard　huddled　beside　her；　handed　her　some　warm　tea。
　〃Idon't　want　anything；〃　Iome　said。　It　was　true。　Her　throat　felt　tight；　her　stomach　in　knots。　〃I　just　need　sleep。〃　She　was　too　weary　to　even　look　up　at　him。
　〃Sometimes　rest　is　as　good　as　sleep；〃　Binnesman　said；　and　he　stood　watching　her。　〃I　put　lemon　balm　and　linden　blossoms　in　the　tea；　along　with　a　bit　of　chamomile　and　honey。〃
　He　pressed　the　hot　mug　into　her　hands；　and　Iome　drank。　She'd　learned　long　ago　that　Binnesman　knew　her　needs　better　than　she　did；　that　he　could　soothe　a　heart　as　easily　as　he　could　soothe　wounds。
　The　tea　seemed　to　loosen　her　tight　muscles；　unknot　her。　She　closed　her　eyes；　leaned　her　head　back；　marveling　at　its　effect。　The　tea　made　her　feel　almost　as　if　she'd　just　been　wakened　from　bed　a　few　moments　ago。　Yet　she　felt　a　deepseated　weariness　even　the　tea　could　not　touch；　a　tiredness　and　ache　close　to　the　bones。
　〃Oh；　Binnesman；　what　should　I　do？〃　Iome　asked。
　〃You　must　be　strong；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Your　people　need　you　to　be　strong　for　them。〃
　〃I　don't　feel　strong。〃
　Binnesman　said　nothing　in　answer；　only　put　his　gnarled　arms　around　her　shoulders　and　held　her；　as　her　father　had　when　she　was　a　child　and　she'd　awakened　from　an　evil　dream。
　〃Gaborn　would　help　you　be　strong；　if　you　would　let　him；〃　Binnesman　offered。
　〃I　know；〃　Iome　said。
　Down　below　her；　most　of　the　knights　had　begun　to　set　a　camp　in　the　fields。　The　thin　snow　had　melted　now；　and　the　night　would　not　be　cold。　But　only　part　of　the　castle　looked　serviceable。　The　Duke's　barracks　and　one　of　the　manor　houses　still　stood；　though　they　had　cracks　in　them。　By　no　means　could　the　castle　house　the　thousands　here；　but　some　knights　had　brought　squires　and　tentsenough　so　everyone　would　have　shelter　for　the　night。
　Yet　as　the　people　put　up　tents；　Iome　caught　many　distrustful　glances；　heard　grumbled　ments。　〃What　are　the　people　down　there　saying　about　Gaborn？〃
　〃The　usual　things。。。〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Rumor…mongering。〃
　〃What　kinds　of　things？〃　Iome　demanded。
　〃They　feel　you　should　have　reacted　more　strongly　to　your　father's　death。〃
　〃He　died　when　Raj　Ahten　took　his　wit。　There　was　nothing　left　of　my　father。〃
　〃You　are　made　of　stern　stuff；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃But　had　you　cried　and　demanded　Borenson's　death；　perhaps　your　people　would　feel　more。。。relieved。〃
　〃Relieved？〃
　〃Some　people　suspect　that　Gaborn　ordered　your　father's　death。〃
　〃Gaborn？　How　could　they　suspect　that？〃　Iome　asked；　astonished。　She　looked　downhill。　An　old　woman　bearing　a　load　of　sticks　from　the　woods　glanced　at　Iome；　suspicion　deep　in　her　eyes。
　〃So　he　could　marry　you；　take　over　your　kingdom。　Some　people　think　that　the　fact　that　you　let　him　live　is　ample　proof　that　he　has　you　fooled；　and　that　now　you　are　about　to　swoon　into　his　foul　clutches。〃
　〃Who　would　say　such　things？　Who　would　even　think　such　things？〃　Iome　asked。
　〃Do　not　blame　them；〃　Binnesman　smiled　at　her。　〃It　is　only　natural。　They　have　been　deeply　hurt　these　past　few　days；　and　suspicion　es　easily。　Trust　es　much　harder；　and　it　takes　time。〃
　Iome　shook　her　head；　dumbfounded。　〃Is　it　safe　for　Gaborn　here？