df.therunelords-第128章

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。〃
　Iome　shook　her　head；　dumbfounded。　〃Is　it　safe　for　Gaborn　here？　He's　not　in　danger？〃
　〃As　it　stands；〃　Binnesman　said；　〃I　think　some　people　in　this　valley　pose　a　threat；　yes。〃
　〃You　must　go　warn　him　to　stay　away！〃　Iome　said。　She　realized　that　she'd　been　hoping　for　Gaborn　to　e　back　tonight；　that　she　could　not　stand　the　thought　of　being　away　from　him。　〃Tell　him。。。tell　him　we　cannot　see　each　other；　that　it's　dangerous。　Maybe　in　time。。。a　few　months。〃　Iome　found　herself　shaking　at　the　thought；　tormented。
　A　few　months　seemed　an　eternity。　Yet　in　another　month　or　two　the　snows　would　begin　to　fly　in　earnest。　Travel　between　their　kingdoms　would　bee　difficult。
　She　wouldn't　see　Gaborn　again　before　spring。　Five　months　or　six　at　the　soonest。
　Iome　nearly　collapsed　in　on　herself　at　the　thought。　Yet　it　would　be　best　for　both　of　them　to　take　this　slowly；　to　give　her　people　time　to　see。　No　other　prince　would　want　her；　no　one　would　take　a　wife　who　had　been　an　enemy's　Dedicate。
　Now　that　her　father　and　King　Orden　were　dead；　within　a　few　weeks　the　chronicles　of　their　deeds　would　begin　to　be　slowly　distributed　by　the　Days；　a　volume　here；　a　volume　there。　Perhaps　when　the　truth　came　out；　Iome's　people　would　think　better　of　Gaborn。
　Yet　another　problem　presented　itself。　Iome's　Maid　of　Honor；　Chemoise；　would　be　heavy　with　child　by　the　time　Iome　saw　Gaborn　again。　If　Iome's　people　disapproved　of　her　match　with　Orden；　how　would　Gaborn　s　people　feel　about　her？
　Ostensibly；　Gaborn　had　e　here　seeking　a　union　because　the　wealth　and　security　of　Heredon　were　to　have　been　a　boon　to　Mystarria。　But　Raj　Ahten　had　taken　the　wealth；　made　a　mockery　of　Heredon's　castles；　stolen　away　the　Princess's　beauty。
　Iome　had　nothing　to　offer　but　her　affection。　And　she　knew　that　affection　es　cheaply。
　She　still　hoped　that　Gaborn　might　love　her。　She　feared　that　she　deluded　herself　in　even　hoping　for　a　union　with　him。　It　seemed　foolish；　like　the　child's　fable　of　the　lazy　man　who　planned　to　get　rich　someday　by　discovering　that　rain　had　washed　dirt　off　a　pot　of　gold　that　lay　hidden　in　his　fields。
　Surely；　in　the　months　to　e；　Gaborn　would　e　to　see　that　she　had　nothing　to　offer；　would　reconsider。　Though　he　spoke　of　loving　her；　surely　he'd　see　that　love　was　not　reason　enough　to　unite　their　kingdoms。
　As　Iome　considered　these　things；　Binnesman　nodded　kindly；　worry　on　his　face；　lost　in　his　own　private　musings。　He　studied　her　from　under　bushy　brows。　〃So　you　want　me　to　warn　Gaborn　away。　Do　you　have　any　more　messages　for　him？〃
　〃None；〃　Iome　said。　〃Except。。。there　is　the　matter　of　Borenson。〃
　〃What　of　him？〃　Binnesman　asked。
　〃I。。。don't　know　what　to　do　about　him。　He　killed　my　father；　a　king。　Such　a　deed　cannot　go　unpunished。　Yet　his　guilt　is　almost　more　than　he　can　bear。　To　lay　further　punishment　upon　him　would　be　cruel。〃
　Binnesman　said；　〃There　was　a　time　when　knights　who　inadvertently　erred　were　given　a　second　chance。。。〃
　　
　Chapter　60
　A　TREASURE　FOUND
　　
　In　the　House　of　Understanding；　in　the　Room　of　the　Heart；　Gaborn　had　learned　that　there　are　dreams　and　memories　so　disturbing　the　mind　cannot　hold　them。
　As　Gaborn　rode　in　silence　on　the　road　south　to　Bredsfor　Manor；　he　caught　up　to　Borenson；　watched　his　knight's　face；　and　wondered　if　the　man　would　break。
　Time　and　time　again；　Borenson's　head　would　nod；　his　lips　quivering　as　if　he　were　about　to　say　something　unspeakable。　Yet　each　time　he　raised　his　head；　his　eyes　would　be　a　little　clearer；　a　little　brighter；　his　gaze　a　little　steadier。
　Gaborn　suspected　Borenson　would　forget　his　deeds；　given　a　week　or　a　month。　He　might　claim　that　some　other　knight　had　slaughtered　Sylvarresta；　or　that　the　good　king　had　died　in　battle　or　fallen　from　a　horse。
　Gaborn　hoped　Borenson　would　forget。　They　rode　in　silence。　Gaborn's　Days　coughed　from　time　to　time；　as　if　he　were　developing　a　cold。
　After　twenty　long　minutes　of　this；　Borenson　turned；　and　on　the　surface　his　manners　seemed　almost　carefree；　the　pain　had　retreated　so　deeply。　But　it　was　there；　lying　far　within。　〃Milord；　I　was　up　above　the　Duke's　lodge　a　bit　ago；　and　I　saw　the　tracks　of　a　reaver。　A　big　female。　May　I　have　your　leave　to　hunt　her　tonight？〃
　It　was　an　obvious　jest。　〃Not　without　me；〃　Gaborn　said；　musing。　〃Last　autumn；　I　came　to　the　Dunnwood　to　hunt　boars。　This　year　we　shall　hunt　reavers。　Perhaps　Groverman　will　ride　with　us。　What　think　you？〃
　〃Hah；　not　bloody　likely；〃　Borenson　spat。　〃Not　after　what　I've　done！〃
　Immediately；　Borenson's　eyes　looked　troubled　again；　and　Gaborn　sought　to　turn　his　thoughts。　〃Tell　you　what；　if　we　kill　a　reaver；　you　get　to　eat　the　ears；〃　Gaborn　jested。　To　eat　the　ears　of　the　first　boar　of　the　hunt　was　a　great　honor。　But　reavers　had　no　ears；　and　no　part　of　a　reaver　was　edible。　〃Or　at　least　I'll　cut　off　a　patch　of　hide　shaped　like　an　ear。〃
　〃Oh；　you　are　too　generous；　milord；〃　Borenson　chortled　like　some　peasant　woman　in　the　marketplace；　heaping　unearned　praise　on　a　noble。　〃Oh；　you're　so　gracious。　All　you　lords　are　so。。。er；　well；　lordly；　if　you　catch　my　meaning。〃
　〃Well；　uh；　thank　you；　dear　lady；〃　Gaborn　said；　affecting　a　stodgy　accent　much　like　that　of　the　Marquis　of　Ferecia；　a　noted　poser。　He　raised　his　nose　in　the　air；　just　as　the　Marquis　would；　then　used　the　full　powers　of　his　Voice　to　imitate　the　Marquis'　accent。　〃A　blessing　on　you　and　your　hovel　and　all　your　snot…nosed　prodigy；　dear　lady。　And　please　don't　e　any　nearer；　or　I　think　I　might　sneeze。〃
　Borenson　laughed　deeply　at　the　jest；　for　the　Marquis　often　sneezed　when　dirty　peasants　got　too　near　his　person。　His　threats　of　illness　kept　peasants　away；　so　that　the　Marquis　would　not　have　to　tolerate　the　scent　of　their　poverty。
　It　was　a　grim　sort　of　humor；　but　it　was　the　best　Gaborn　could　manage　at　the　moment；　and　it　eased　Borenson's　spirits　somewhat。　Gaborn　almost　hoped　that　someday　things　between　them　would　be　as　they　had　been　before。
　Two　weeks　ago；　Gaborn　had　ridden　into　Heredon　with　hardly　a　care。　Now　he　felt　the　weight　of　the　whole　world　landing　squarely　on　his　shoulders。　Deep　in　his　heart；　he　knew　nothing　could　ever　be　the　same。
　They　crossed　the　downs　for　several　miles；　riding　over　the　rolling　hills。
　The　clouds　began　to　break；　and　the　afternoon　sun　began　melting　the　snow。　A　mile　from　Longmont；　farmhouses　still　stood　along　the　road；　stone　cottages　whose　thatch　roofs　had　not　been　torched。　All　the　animals　were　gone　from　their　pens　and　the　fruit　had　been　harvested；　giving　the　place　an　eerie　sense　of　emptiness；　but　the　shelters　still　stood。
　Then　they　crossed　a　hill　and　saw　Bredsfor　Manor　nestled　in　a　cozy　vale；　a　long　building　of　gray　stone　with　two　wings　fanning　out。　Behind　it　lay　barns　and　dovecotes；　carriage　houses；　servants'　quarters；　and　walled　gardens。　A　circular　drive　curved　among　the　flower　beds　and　topiaries　before　the　manor；　A　deep　brook　cut　through　the　vale；　and　a　white　bridge　spanned　the　brook　farther　down　the　road。
　On　the　steps　of　the　manor　sat　a　woman　in　cloud…colored　silk；　her　dark　hair　cascading　over　her　left　shoulder。
　Myrrima　gazed　up　at　them；　stood　nervously。　Her　beauty　had　not　diminished　in　the　past　few　days。　Gaborn　had　almost　forgotten　how　lovely　she　looked；　how　inviting。
　Borenson　spurred　his　horse　and　charged　downhill；　shouting；　〃Howwhat　are　you　doing　here？〃
　In　a　moment　Borenson　leapt　from　his　horse；　and　Myrrima　melted　into　his　arms。
　Gaborn　halted　a　hundred　yards　off。
　Myrrima　laughed　and　hugged　Borenson；　weeping。　〃You　didn't　make　it　to　Longmont　in　time。　King　Orden　told　me　to　wait　here　for　you。　Oh；　I　was　so　afraid。　The　skies　went　black；　and　frightful　screams　shook　the　ground。
　Raj　Ahten's　army　passed　hereright　down　this　road；　so　I　hid；　but　they　were　in　such　a　hurrythey　never　slowed。。。〃
　Gaborn　turned　his　horse　around；　rode　back　over　the　hill；　followed　by　his　Days；　so　that　the　two　could　have　a　few　moments　of　privacy。　There　he　rested　beneath　an　elm　tree；　where　the　ground　was　free　of　the　slushy　melting　snow。　Part　of　him　felt　relieved。　He'd　believed；　somehow；　that　Myrrima　was　important　to　his　future；　that　she　would　play　a　major　role　in　the　wars　to　e；　and　he　felt　grateful　to　find　that　his　father　had　chosen　to　save　her；　to　send　her　out　of　harm's　way。
　Yet　at　the　same　time；　he　could　not　help　but　feel　somewhat　j