df.therunelords-第13章

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both　survived。
　So　it　was　odd　to　watch　a　Days　guzzle　wine。　It　was　an　extraordinarily　selfish　act。
　Gaborn　tasted　his　own　wine。　Addleberry　wine　was　not　truly　made　with　any　kind　of　berry；　only　with　sweet　grapes　that　were　treated　with　herbssuch　as　vervain；　evening　primrose；　and　elderflowerthat　stimulated　thought　and　reduced　the　detrimental　effects　of　alcohol。　It　tasted　spicier；　less　sweet　than　mon　wine；　and　the　cost　tended　to　be　prohibitive。　Its　name　was　a　jest：　ironically；　addleberry　wine　did　not　dull　the　wits；　but　instead　stimulated　them。　If　one　were　to　be　intoxicated；　Gaborn　reasoned；　it　was　best　to　be　intoxicated　on　insight。
　Here　in　the　inn；　with　the　pleasant　smells　of　cooking　bread　and　pork；　Gaborn　felt　a　little　more　at　ease。　He　took　a　couple　of　sips　of　wine；　found　it　surprisingly　good；　but　not　as　addictive　as　the　vintage　Days　guzzled。
　Yet　Gaborn　still　worried。　Outside；　an　hour　earlier；　he'd　felt　an　odd　rush　of　power。　Outside；　he'd　just　married　off　his　bodyguard；　and　he'd　congratulated　himself　on　doing　so。　But　inside　the　hostel；　it　seemed。。。so　peculiar。　An　impulsive；　childish　thing　to　do。
　Though　he'd　someday　be　sovereign　over　one　of　the　world's　great　realms；　under　normal　circumstances　he'd　never　have　dared　use　his　position　to　act　as　a　matchmaker。
　Gaborn　wondered。　He　was　shouldered　with　the　responsibility　of　being　a　king。　But　what　kind　of　king　would　he　make；　if　he　did　such　foolish　things？
　In　the　House　of　Understanding；　in　the　Room　of　the　Heart；　Hearthmaster　Ibirmarle　had　once　said；　〃Not　even　a　Runelord　can　rule　affairs　of　the　heart。　Only　a　fool　would　try。〃
　Yet　Gaborn　had　convinced　Borenson　to　take　a　wife。
　What　if　he　ends　up　hating　her？　Gaborn　wondered。　Will　he　resent　what　I've　done？
　It　was　such　a　muddling　thought。　And　what　of　Myrrima？　Would　she　love　Borenson？
　The　Days　began　drinking　his　second　mug　of　wine；　downed　it　in　a　few　gulps　despite　his　attempts　at　restraint。
　〃I　did　a　good　thing；　didn't　I？〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I　mean；　Borenson　is　a　good　man；　isn't　he？　He'll　love　her。〃
　The　Days　smiled　a　tight…lipped　smile；　watching　Gaborn　from　slitted　eyes。　〃There　is　a　saying　among　our　kind：　Good　deeds　portend　good　fortune。〃
　Gaborn　considered　the　words　〃our　kind。〃　Though　the　Days　were　human；　they　considered　themselves　as　creatures　apart。　Perhaps　they　were　right。
　Their　service　to　the　Time　Lords　required　great　sacrifices。　They　forsook　home　and　family；　loyalties　to　any　king。　Instead；　these　mysterious　men　and　women　simply　studied　the　great　lords；　wrote　the　chronicles；　published　the　deeds　of　a　man's　life　when　he　died；　and　in　all　other　ways　remained　aloof　from　mon　politics。
　Yet　Gaborn　did　not　entirely　trust　these　watchers；　with　their　secretive　smiles。　They　only　feigned　aloofness　in　the　affairs　of　men；　of　that　Gaborn　felt　certain。　Every　Runelord　was　followed　by　a　Days　who　recorded　his　words　and　deeds。　Sometimes；　when　two　Days　met；　they　reported　to　one　another　in　coded　phrases。　Gaborn's　ancestors　had　been　studying　the　Days　for　generations；　trying　to　break　their　codes。
　But　how　aloof　were　they　really？　Gaborn　suspected　that　the　Days　had　sometimes　betrayed　secrets　to　enemy　kings。　Certain　battles　could　only　have　been　won　on　the　advice　of　informersinformers　who　were　probably　Days。　Yet　if　as　a　group　the　Days　took　sides　in　wars　between　nations；　neither　Gaborn　nor　anyone　else　had　ever　been　able　to　determine　where　the　Days　placed　their　allegiance。
　No　discernible　battle　lines　were　drawn。　Evil　kings　prospered　from　Days'　spying　as　often　as　did　good。　And　no　king　could　escape　them。　Some　kings　had　tried　ridding　themselves　of　the　Days；　either　through　assassination　or　banishment。　But　such　kings　never　reigned　for　another　season。　As　a　group；　the　Days　were　too　powerful。　Any　king　who　dared　strike　down　one　Days　would　discover　just　how　much　information　a　Days'　partner　could　divulge。　Distressing　information　would　be　revealed　to　enemy　kings；　fortunes　would　be　ruined；　peasants　would　revolt。
　No　one　could　defy　the　Days。　Nor　did　Gaborn　feel　certain　that　any　man　should　want　to　do　so。　An　old　adage　went；　〃A　man　who　will　not　bear　scrutiny　cannot　bear　a　crown。〃　It　was　said　that　those　words　were　given　by　the　Glories　themselves；　when　the　Days　were　first　partnered　to　the　kings。　〃A　Runelord　should　be　a　servant　to　man；〃　the　Glories　had　said。
　So　Gaborn's　title　came　with　a　price。　He　would　never　be　free　of　this　man；　never　be　alone。　Though　he　might　rule　a　kingdom；　some　things　were　right…fully　denied　even　to　Gaborn。
　Lost　in　thought；　Gaborn　wondered　once　again　about　Borenson。　The　man　was　a　soldier；　and　soldiers　did　not　necessarily　make　good　lords；　for　they　were　trained　to　solve　every　problem　through　use　of　force。　Gaborn's　father　preferred　to　sell　titles　to　merchants；　who　were　trained　to　barter　for　what　they　wanted。　Gaborn　suddenly　realized　that　the　Days　had　never　fully　answered　him；　had　avoided　the　question。
　〃I　said；　'Borenson　is　a　good　man；　isn't　he？'　〃
　The　Days　looked　up；　his　head　nodding　just　a　bit。　The　disciple　was　well　on　his　way　to　being　solidly　drunk。　He　poured　more　wine。　〃Not　nearly　so　good　as　you；　Your　Lordship。　But　he'll　make　her　happy　enough；　I'd　wager。〃
　Your　Lordship。　Not　my　lord。
　〃But　he's　a　good　man；　isn't　he？〃　Gaborn　asked　a　third　time；　suddenly　angry　at　the　Days'　evasion。
　The　Days　looked　away；　started　to　mumble　something。
　Gaborn　struck　the　table　hard　enough　so　the　wine　bottles　jumped　and　the　mugs　clanked。　He　shouted；　〃Answer　me！〃
　The　Days　gaped　in　surprise。　He　knew　to　take　warning。　Fists　would　soon　fly。　Gaborn　had　endowments　of　brawn　from　three　men。　His　blow　could　kill　a　moner。
　〃Hahwhat　does　it　matter；　Your　Lordship？〃　the　Days　averred；　struggling　to　clear　his　muddled　thoughts。　〃You've　never　worried　about　his　goodness　before。　You've　never　questioned　his　moral　fiber。〃
　The　Days　took　another　swig　of　wine；　seemed　to　want　more；　but　thought　better　of　it　and　carefully　set　the　mug　aside。
　Why　am　I　questioning　Borenson's　moral　character？　Gaborn　wondered；　and　the　answers　flowed　to　him：　Because　you　were　drinking　addleberry　wine　and　noticed　how　Days　tried　to　evade　the　question。　Because　Myrrima　said　that　Princess　Iome　doubts　your　own　goodness；　and　now　you　are　worrying　at　what　others　think。　Because。。。because　you　know　that　any　lout　can　win　a　parcel　of　land；　but　it　takes　a　special　kind　of　king　to　win　the　hearts　of　his　people。
　Gaborn　hoped　to　win　the　hearts　of　Iome　and　her　people。　But　he　dared　not　reveal　details　of　his　plan　to　Daysor　to　anyone。　If　Gaborn's　father；　King　Orden；　learned　what　Gaborn　planned；　the　King　might　try　to　stop　him。
　The　wine　was　having　its　way　with　Gaborn　now；　bringing　the　world　into　focus。　But　Gaborn　would　not　be　sidetracked　from　his　questioning　by　other　observations。　〃Answer　my　question；　Days！　What　do　you　think　of　Borenson　？〃
　The　Days　put　both　hands　on　the　table；　screwed　up　his　courage。　〃As　you　wish；　Your　Lordship：　I　once　asked　Borenson　what　his　favorite　animal　is；　and　he　told　me　he　'admires　dogs。'　I　asked　him　why；　and　he　answered：　'I　love　to　hear　them　snarl。　I　love　the　way　they　greet　strangers　with　senseless　aggression。'　〃
　Gaborn　laughed。　It　was　the　kind　of　perfect　thing　Borenson　would　say。　The　man　was　a　terror　in　battle。
　The　Days　seemed　relieved　by　Gaborn's　good　humor。　He　leaned　forward　conspiratorially。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Your　Lordship；　I　think　Borenson　admires　another　attribute　in　dogs。　One　he　did　not　name。〃
　〃Which　is？〃
　〃Loyalty。〃
　Gaborn　laughed　harder。　〃So；　Borenson　is　a　dog？〃
　〃No。　He　only　aspires　to　be　one。　If　I　may　be　so　bold；　I　fear　he　has　all　of　dog's　finest　virtues　but　loyalty。〃
　〃So　you　don't　believe　he　is　a　good　man？〃
　〃He's　an　assassin。　A　butcher；　Your　Lordship。　That　is　why　he　is　captain　of　your　guard。〃
　This　angered　Gaborn。　The　Days　was　wrong。　The　historian　smiled　drunkenly；　took　another　swig　to　fortify　his　courage。
　The　Days　continued；　〃In　fact；　none　of　your　friends　are　very　good　people；　Your　Lordship。　You　don't　value　virtue　in　your　friends。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Gaborn　asked。　He'd　always　thought　his　friends　had　an　acceptable　level　of　virtue。
　〃It　is　simple；　Your　Lordship；〃　the　Days　said。　〃Some　men　pick　their　friends　based　on　looks；　others　on　wealth　or　political　station；　others　on　mon　interests。　Some　choose　friends　based　on　their　virtue。