df.therunelords-第129章

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e　her；　to　send　her　out　of　harm's　way。
　Yet　at　the　same　time；　he　could　not　help　but　feel　somewhat　jealous　of　whatever　happiness　she　and　Borenson　might　have。
　Iome　had　been　so　horribly　scarred　by　her　encounter　with　Raj　Ahten；　so　shattered。　The　manner　of　her　father's　death　was　sure　to　divide　them。　Gaborn　did　not　know　if　she　would　ever　want　to　speak　to　him　again。
　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　to　forget　her；　he　mused。　Yet　her　happiness　mattered　to　him。　Gaborn　still　felt　numb；　his　breathing　came　ragged；　and　he　trembled。
　Both　of　them　bore　wounds　from　this　war；　and　these　deep　cuts　were　just　the　beginning。
　But　we　cannot　give　in　to　pain；　Gaborn　thought。　It　is　a　Runelord's　duty　to　place　himself　between　his　vassals　and　danger；　to　take　the　enemy's　blows；　so　that　fragile　people　do　not　have　to　suffer。
　Though　Gaborn　felt　hurt　beyond　telling；　he　did　not　weep；　and　he　did　not　let　himself　mourn　his　loss。　Just　as；　he　vowed；　he'd　never　let　himself　flinch　in　the　face　of　danger。
　Yet　he　feared　that　this　day；　these　deeds；　would　haunt　his　dreams。
　Gaborn's　Days　stood　behind　him；　under　the　elm。　Gaborn　said；　〃I　missed　you；　Days。　I'd　not　have　thought　it；　but　I　missed　your　presence。〃
　〃As　I　missed　you；　Your　Lordship。　I　see　you　have　had　a　little　adventure。〃
　It　was　the　Days'　way　of　asking　Gaborn　to　fill　in　the　blanks　in　his　knowledge。　It　occurred　to　Gaborn　that　the　Days　did　not　really　know　how　many　things　had　happened　to　him；　how　he'd　given　himself　to　the　Earth；　or　how　he'd　read　the　Emir　of　Tuulistan's　book；　or　how　he'd　fallen　in　love。
　〃Days；　tell　me；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃in　ancient　times；　the　men　and　women　of　your　order　were　called　the　'Guardians　of　Dream。'　Is　that　not　right？〃
　〃Long　ago；　in　the　South；　yes；〃　the　Days　answered。
　〃Why　is　that　so？〃
　〃Let　me　ask　you　another　question；　Your　Lordship。　When　you　dream；　do　you　sometimes　find　yourself　wandering　through　familiar　lands；　to　places　unconnected？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃There　is　a　path　behind　my　father's　palace　in　Mystarria；　and　in　my　dreams；　when　I　ride　my　horse　behind　it；　I　sometimes　find　myself　in　the　fields　behind　the　Room　of　the　Heart；　which　is　at　least　forty　miles　from　the　palace；　or　I　ride　through　those　fields　and　find　myself　by　a　pond　in　the　Dunnwood。　Is　this　significant？〃
　〃It　is　only　the　sign　of　an　organized　mind；　trying　to　make　sense　out　of　the　world；〃　his　Days　answered。
　〃Then　how　does　this　answer　my　question？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃In　your　dreams；　there　are　paths　you　fear　to　tread；〃　the　Days　answered。　〃Your　mind　shies　from　the　memory；　but　they　too　are　part　of　the　landscape　of　dream。　Do　you　remember　them；　also？〃
　Gaborn　did。　As　the　Days　spoke；　he　remembered　a　time　many　years　ago；　when　he'd　been　traveling　with　his　father　in　the　mountains；　and　his　father　had　wanted　him　to　ride　up　a　trail　through　a　steep；　narrow　ravine　of　black　stone；　where　cobwebs　hung　between　the　rock。　〃I　remember。〃
　His　Days　looked　at　Gaborn　with　slitted　eyes；　nodded　slightly。　〃Good；　then　you　are　a　man　of　courage；　for　only　men　of　courage　remember　that　place。　Someday　soon；　you　will　find　yourself　riding　through　your　dreams。　When　you　do；　take　that　trail；　and　see　where　it　leads　you。　Perhaps　then　you　will　have　the　answer　to　your　question。〃
　Gaborn　gazed　at　the　Days；　wondering。　It　was　a　trick；　he　knew；　to　tell　someone　what　to　do　in　their　dreams。　The　mind　would　do　as　instructed；　fulfill　the　mand。
　〃You　want　to　know　what　happened　to　me　over　the　past　three　days；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃Would　it　be　selfish；　if　I　kept　that　knowledge　to　myself？〃
　〃A　man　who　fancies　himself　to　be　the　servant　of　all；　should　never　give　in　to　a　selfish　desire；〃　the　Days　answered。
　Gaborn　smiled。　〃After　I　left　you；〃　he　said；　and　he　told　the　tale　in　full；　though　he　never　mentioned　the　Emir's　book。
　For　a　long　hour　Gaborn　related　his　tale；　and　as　he　did　so；　he　considered　his　new　responsibilities。　By　now；　his　father's　Dedicates　had　regained　their　endowments；　and　so　the　people　of　Mystarria　would　know　that　their　king　was　dead。　People　would　be　frantic　for　news。　Already；　little　boys　riding　their　graaks　would　be　on　their　way　to　Castle　Sylvarresta。　Gaborn　would　need　to　go　there；　send　letters　home。　Plan　his　war。
　Myrrima　herself　walked　over　the　hill　to　disturb　his　worrying；　her　hips　moving　like　boiling　waves　beneath　her　gray　silk。
　She　did　something　no　woman　had　ever　done　to　him。
　She　came　to　him；　put　a　hand　over　his　in　sympathy；　and　just　stroked　it；　staring　deep　into　his　face。　Few　women　had　ever　dared　touch　him　so　familiarly。
　〃Milord；〃　she　whispered；　〃I。。。Your　father　was　a　good　man。　As　deeply　as　he　loved；　so　shall　he　be　missed。　I　will　always。。。revere　his　memory。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃He　deserved　that。〃
　Myrrima　pulled　at　Gaborn's　hand；　and　said；　〃e　down　to　the　manor；　into　the　garden。　It　is　a　beautiful　garden。　It　will　ease　your　spirits　while　Borenson　and　I　fix　dinner。　Grapes　hang　on　the　vines；　and　vegetables　are　in　the　field。　I　found　hams　in　the　smokehouse。〃
　Gaborn　had　not　eaten　since　last　night。　He　nodded　wearily；　took　her　hand；　led　his　horse　down　to　the　manor。　Behind　them；　his　Days　rode　in　silence。
　The　garden　behind　the　manor　was　everything　Myrrima　had　promised。　The　snow　had　nearly　all　melted；　leaving　the　garden　wet；　fresh。　Rock　walls　covered　with　rose　and　wisteria　enclosed　the　garden；　herbs　and　pleasant　flowers　grew　all　about。
　A　wide　brook　meandered　through　the　lawn。　In　its　deep；　rocky　pools；　fat　trout　sunned　themselves　and　snapped　at　bees　that　buzzed　through　the　flowers　beside　the　water。
　Gaborn　walked　among　the　herbs　for　a　long　hour；　examining　plants。　It　was　not　as　marvelous　as　Binnesman's　garden　had　been；　nowhere　near　as　sprawling　and　wild　and　diverse。　Gaborn　had　a　little　knowledge　of　herb　lore；　as　much　as　most　princes　learned。　So　as　Gaborn　wandered　about；　he　could　not　help　but　find　things　he'd　need：　dogbane　growing　on　a　trellis　on　the　south　wall　of　the　manor；　a　bit　of　shepherd's　purse　for　stanching　wounds；　nightcap　poppy　to　help　him　sleep。　There　were　so　many　herbs；　and　Gaborn　did　not　know　what　to　do　with　them。
　He　was　so　involved　in　harvesting　the　root　of　mallow　to　treat　burns；　that　at　first　he　did　not　notice　when　Binnesman　arrived　just　before　dinner。
　〃Hello；〃　Binnesman　said　at　Gaborn's　back；　startling　him。　〃So；　you　gather　herbs　now？〃
　Gaborn　nodded；　afraid　that　to　a　master　herbalist　such　as　Binnesman；　his　efforts　would　seem　feeble。　Gaborn　knelt　near　the　aromatic；　serrated　leaves　by　the　ground；　and　suddenly　felt　unsure；　wondered　if　these　rose…pink　petals　really　were　mallow；　or　if　he'd　been　mistaken。
　Binnesman　only　nodded　kindly；　and　smiled；　then　knelt　beside　Gaborn　and　helped　him　dig。　〃The　root　of　mallow　is　best　for　burns　when　it　is　still　fresh；〃　he　said；　〃though　vendors　hawk　it　dried。　It　is　the　cooling　sap　that　you　need；　not　some　desiccated　twig。　But　a　dried　mallow　root；　once　soaked　in　water；　can　still　give　some　relief。〃
　Gaborn　stopped　digging；　but　Binnesman　urged　him　to　keep　on。　〃Look　to　the　tops　of　the　roots；　the　thickest　parts。　It's　good　that　you　do　this；　learn　which　parts　to　use。〃
　He　pulled　at　the　mallow；　then　broke　off　its　purplish…brown　root　for　Gaborn　to　see。　The　sap　oozed　onto　Binnesman's　fingers；　and　the　old　wizard　touched　the　cool　stuff　to　Gaborn's　forehead。　〃See？〃
　〃Yes；　I　see；〃　Gaborn　answered。
　There　was　an　unfortable　silence　between　them；　and　the　wizard　stared　into　Gaborn's　eyes。　Gaborn　could　see　flecks　of　green　in　the　old　man's　skin；　but　his　robes　had　gone　a　ruddy　flame；　the　color　of　maple　leaves　in　autumn。
　〃You　think　I　have　some　great　powers；〃　Binnesman　said；　〃but　it　is　only　the　power　that　es　from　serving　the　Earth。〃
　〃No；　your　herbs　are　far　more　potent　than　any　I've　seen　in　Mystarria；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Would　you　like　to　know　the　secret　of　it？〃　the　wizard　asked。
　Gaborn　nodded　dumbly；　hardly　daring　believe　the　wizard　would　tell　him。
　〃Plant　the　seeds　yourself；　My　King；〃　Binnesman　said；　〃in　soil　fertilized　and　turned　by　your　own　hands。　Water　them　with　your　own　sweat。　Serve　themfulfill　their　every　needand　they'll　serve　you　fully　in　return。　Few　men；　even　among　the　wise；　understand　the　great　power　one　can　gain　from　service。〃
　〃There　is　nothing　more？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃My　plants　grew　to　serve　the　people　of　this　land。　You　saw　how　I　dunged　them　with　human　waste。　I　used　du