df.therunelords-第22章

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ould　arrive　by　nightfall。〃
　A　look　of　concern　and　uncertainty　flashed　over　the　King's　face；　and　he　glanced　at　Captain　Ault；　saying；　〃Prepare　for　the　siegequickly。〃　Many　another　king　would　have　trusted　his　captains　to　see　to　the　details；　but　now　Sylvarresta　spoke。。。uncertainly；　it　seemed　to　Gaborn；　listing　odd　mands　as　if　for　Ault's　approval。　〃Send　a　detail　through　the　city　to　make　sure　our　roofs　are　fireproofed。　As　for　the　Southern　traders　camped　outsideI　fear　we　must　do　them　the　discourtesy　of　seizing　their　goods。　But　don't　engage　in　unnecessary　butchery。　Leave　them　mounts　to　ride　home；　and　enough　stores　so　that　they　don't　starve　on　the　trek。　Oh；　and　kill　the　elephants　outside　the　castle。　I　won't　have　them　battering　down　our　gates。〃
　〃Yes；　milord；〃　Ault　said；　his　face　clouded　with　concern。　Then　he　saluted　and　rushed　out。
　The　preparations　were　begun　hastily　enough；　and　in　that　moment；　several　counselors　took　leave　of　the　room。　Gaborn　felt　that　something　was　terribly　amiss。
　As　the　counselors　filed　out；　during　an　unfortable　silence；　King　Sylvarresta　studied　Gaborn　from　worried　gray　eyes。　〃I　owe　you　a　great　debt；　Prince　Orden。　We　suspected　something　like　this；　but　hoped　it　would　not　e　until　spring。　We　already　suffered　an　attack　by　Raj　Ahten　last　night。　Assassins　struck　at　our　Dedicates。　We　were　ready　for　them；　though；　so　the　damage　is　not　too　great。〃
　Suddenly；　Gaborn　understood；　Sylvarresta's　coldness；　his　uncertainty。　The　King　did　not　remember　him。
　Sylvarresta　said；　〃Well　met；　Prince　Orden！〃
　He　shouted　over　Gaborn's　shoulders；　〃Collin；　get　food　and　a　bath　for　Prince　Ordenand　clean　clothes。　We　can't　have　our　friends　wandering　about　in　bloody　rags。〃
　Gaborn　felt　thankful　for　the　embrace；　for　just　then　an　overwhelming　fear　struck　him　and　Gaborn　needed　support。　If　Sylvarresta　has　forgotten　my　face；　Gaborn　realized；　what　else　has　he　forgotten？　What　of　tactics　in　battle？　What　of　self…defense？
　Of　course；　that　was　why　the　King's　advisors　had　gathered；　to　pool　their　knowledge。　But　against　a　monster　like　Raj　Ahten；　would　their　resources　be　enough？
　
　Chapter　7
　PREPARATIONS
　　
　That　afternoon　Sylvarresta's　people　were　still　preparing　for　battle。　The　initial　hysteria　of　the　impending　attackthe　screaming　of　children　and　peasants；　the　mad　rush　as　the　elderly　and　infirm　fled　the　cityhad　all　passed。　Now　uneasy　farmers　and　soldiers　alike　manned　the　Outer　Wall；　and　had　thrown　up　hasty　barriers　to　serve　as　battlements　in　the　streets。　Not　in　four　hundred　years　had　so　many　people　gathered　on　the　wallsfor　many　who　would　not　fight　stood　watch　out　of　sheer　curiosity。
　Pigs；　cattle；　sheep；　and　chickens　scurried　through　the　alleys　and　greens；　frightened；　disoriented。　All　the　animals　in　the　countryside　had　been　herded　within　the　wallsto　feed　the　city's　inhabitants　during　siege；　while　at　the　same　time　denying　similar　succor　to　Raj　Ahten's　troops。
　In　the　brown　fields　outside　the　castle；　the　Southern　merchants　had　disbanded；　driven　off　with　their　bright　pavilions　and　little　else。
　Throughout　the　afternoon；　Raj　Ahten's　troops　began　massing　on　the　southern　hilltop　at　the　edge　of　the　forest；　consolidating　their　forces。　At　first；　only　the　Invincibles　showed　themselves；　knights　in　dark　splint　mail　or　plate；　wearing　tunics　of　gold　and　red。　Yet　they　kept　to　the　edge　of　the　forest；　hiding　their　numbers。　As　the　day　lengthened；　giants　and　war　dogs　also　joined　their　ranks。
　By　then；　the　city　was　effectively　under　siege。　No　one　would　dare　e　in　or　go　out；　though　the　Raj　Ahten's　siege　engines　had　not　yet　made　it　through　the　woods。　Instead；　the　Southern　soldiers　began　to　busy　themselves　by　cutting　trees　to　build　fortifications。
　Defenders　on　the　castle　walls　stood　readyarchers　and　pikemen；　spearmen　and　artillery。　King　Sylvarresta　had　sent　messengers　to　neighboring　castles；　calling　for　aid。
　But　while　the　rest　of　Castle　Sylvarresta　stood　poised　for　battle；　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　the　deepest　and　most　protected　heart　of　the　fortress；　preparations　for　battle　were　still　afoot。
　The　walls　of　the　Dedicates'　Keep　rang　with　pain　as　men　and　women　offered　up　endowments　to　their　lord。
　Two　hundred　of　Sylvarresta's　servants　and　vassals　had　gathered　to　offer　endowments。　While　Sylvarresta's　chief　facilitator；　Erin　Hyde；　worked　the　forcibles；　two　of　his　apprentices　walked　among　the　volunteers；　prodding　and　testing；　seeking　those　who　had　enough　brawn；　wit；　grace；　or　stamina　to　justify　the　rigor　and　cost　involved　in　taking　endowments。　For　if　a　lord　sought　strength；　he　got　it　best　from　those　who　had　it　in　abundance。
　A　counselor　worked　as　an　advisor　with　those　who　were　fortunate　enough　to　have　adequate　attributes。　He　helped　illiterate　peasants　fill　out　contracts　which　promised；　in　return　for　the　endowments；　Sylvarresta's　lifelong　protection　and　succor。
　Among　those　who　gathered　to　grant　endowments　lingered　the　well…wishers；　those　who　had　e　to　offer　fort　to　friends　or　kin　who　would　soon　be　horribly　maimed。
　Last　of　all；　throughout　the　courtyard；　were　those　who　had　long　ago　given　endowments　to　their　lord。　The　Dedicates'　Keep　harbored　some　fifteen　hundred　Dedicates；　most　of　them　ambulatory　enough　to　e　watch　the　dedicatory　ceremonies。
　Iome　knew　many　of　them　well；　for　she　often　helped　care　for　the　old　Dedicatesblind　Carrock；　one　of　her　servants　who　had　given　his　eyes；　the　drooler　Mordin；　once　a　bright　young　man；　who　had　given　his　wit。　The　deaf；　the　sickly；　the　ugly；　those　nearly　bedridden　from　weakness。　Hundreds　and　hundreds　of　othersan　army　of　shambling　people。
　In　the　very　center　of　this　throng；　in　the　keep's　bailey；　looking　as　fierce　as　the　sun；　as　regal　as　the　night　sky　with　all　its　stars；　Lord　Sylvarresta　himself　sat　on　a　gray　rock　among　the　sea　of　grass；　his　weapons　handy；　half　in　battle　armor；　his　chest　naked。
　Those　still　waiting　to　give　endowments　lay　on　low　cots；　waiting　for　Erin　Hyde　to　e　among　them　with　his　spells　and　his　forcibles。
　Among　those　who　had　just　given　endowments　wandered　Lord　Sylvarresta's　own　chief　physic　and　herbalist；　Binnesman。　He　was　short；　with　a　stooped　back；　green　robes；　and　hands　dirt…stained　from　his　labors。　He　wore　a　perpetual　smile　as　he　spoke　to　the　new　Dedicates；　offering　fort　here；　a　whiff　of　medicinal　aromas　there。
　Binnesman's　skill　was　much　wanted　along　the　castle　walls。　The　powers　of　his　herbs　were　legendary：　his　blended　teas　of　borage；　hyssop；　basil；　and　other　spices　could　give　a　warrior　courage　before　a　battle；　lend　energy　during　the　conflict；　and　aid　in　healing　wounds　after。
　But　despite　the　fact　that　he　was　needed　on　the　walls；　the　need　here　was　more　pressing；　for　the　granting　of　major　endowments　could　be　deadly。　A　great　brute　who　gave　strength　to　Lord　Sylvarresta　would　fall　down　afterward；　perhaps　so　weakened　that　for　a　moment　or　two　his　heart　could　not　beat。　One　who　had　offered　an　endowment　of　grace；　who'd　always　been　limber；　would　suddenly　convulse　into　spasms；　bee　rigid　as　a　board；　his　lungs　unable　to　relax　enough　to　let　him　draw　another　breath。
　For　the　moment；　Binnesman　could　not　go　to　the　walls。　He　needed　to　help　keep　alive　those　who'd　offered　endowments。　Sylvarresta　could　only　benefit　from　the　endowments　so　long　as　the　giver　still　lived。
　Iome　herself　lent　a　hand　in　the　preparations；　her　Days　watching　impassively　from　the　shadows　by　the　keep's　kitchens。　At　the　moment；　Iome　knelt　in　the　dusty　courtyard　above　a　cot　where　lay　the　matron　who　had　cared　for　her　since　childhood。　The　matron；　a　husky　woman　named　Dewynne；　sweated　profusely　from　nervousness；　despite　the　cool　evening。　The　high　walls　of　the　fortress　kept　everyone　in　shade。
　Iome's　father　spoke；　the　power　of　his　voice　cutting　across　the　courtyard：　〃Dewynne；　are　you　sure　you　can　do　this？〃
　Dewynne　smiled　at　him　weakly；　her　face　rigid　from　fear。　〃We　all　fight　as　we　can；〃　she　whispered。　Iome　could　hear　love　in　her　voice；　love　for　King　Sylvarresta。
　The　chief　facilitator；　Erin　Hyde；　stepped　between　Dewynne　and　the　King；　inspecting　a　forcible。　The　rod　looked　like　a　branding　iron　of　reddish　blood　metal。　It　was　a　foot　long；　with　a　rune　forged　in　a　one…inch　circle　at　one　end。　Hyde　gently　pressed　the　rune　to　Dewynne's　fleshy　arm。
　Hyde　began　his　incantation；　chanting　in　a　high　voice；　his　words　more　a　piping　birdlike　song　r