df.therunelords-第28章

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ven　if　Gaborn　takes　this　oath　as　an　act　of　love　for　mankind；　is　it　not　sheer　folly？　Does　Gaborn　love　his　honor　more　than　the　lives　of　his　people？
　〃I　hate　you　for　that〃　was　all　that　Iome　could　answer。
　At　that　instant；　a　heavy　beating　of　drums　rose　from　the　valley　floor。　The　sun　was　dipping　below　the　horizon。　Two　Frowth　giants　at　the　wood's　edge　pounded　on　heavy　copper　drums；　and　a　dozen　dappled　gray　horses　spurred　out　from　the　gloom　under　the　trees。　Their　riders　all　wore　black　chain　mail　beneath　yellow　surcoats；　with　the　red　wolves　of　Raj　Ahten　upon　their　chests。　The　foremost　rider　carried　a　green　triangular　pennant　on　a　long'　spear；　a　request　for　a　parlay。
　The　others　in　the　guard　all　bore　axes　and　shields　the　color　of　copperan　honor　guard；　with　the　emblem　of　the　sword　beneath　the　star　of　Indhopal　upon　their　shields。
　That　is；　all　bore　the　same　uniform　but　oneUpon　the　last　horse　in　the　group；　in　his　black　chain　armor；　his　high　helm　with　white　snow　owl's　wings　sweeping　wide；　Lord　Raj　Ahten　rode　himself；　shield　on　one　arm；　a　horseman's　long…handled　warhammer　in　the　other。
　Where　he　rode；　it　was　as　if　light　shone　from　him；　as　if　he　were　one　star　in　a　black　and　empty　night；　or　one　lowly　signal　boat　with　its　pyres　lit　upon　the　water。
　Iome　could　not　take　her　eyes　from　him。　Even　at　this　distance；　his　glamour　struck　her　breathless。　She　could　not　distinguish　his　featuresfor　at　such　a　distance；　he　was　nothing　more　than　a　tiny　stick　figure。　Yet　she　had　the　impression　of　great　beauty；　even　from　here。　And　she　knew　that　to　look　upon　his　face　would　be　dangerous。
　Iome　admired　his　helm；　with　its　sweeping　white　wings。　In　her　bedroom　she　kept　two　ancient　helms　of　the　toth。　What　a　fine　addition　it　would　make　to　my　collection；　she　thought；　with　Raj　Ahten's　skull　smiling　out　at　me。
　Behind　Raj　Ahten's　forces　came　a　more　mon　brown　mare；　the　Wolf　Lord's　Days；　struggling　to　catch　up。　Iome　wondered　what　secrets　he　could　tell。。。
　Down　by　the　gates；　her　father's　soldiers　began　shouting　at　one　another　in　warning：　〃Beware　the　face！　Beware　the　face！〃
　She　looked　at　her　own　men　on　the　walls；　saw　many　of　them　fumbling　with　their　arms。　Captain　Derrow；　who　had　many　endowments　of　strength；　ran　along　the　parapet　with　a　steel　great　bow　that　no　other　man　in　the　kingdom　could　draw；　hoping　to　send　a　few　darts　into　Raj　Ahten。
　As　if　in　answer　to　her　soldiers'　warnings；　a　swirling　cloud　of　golden　light　formed　above　Raj　Ahten；　a　whirlwind　of　embers　that　descended；　drawing　the　eyes　of　many　to　his　features。
　It　was　some　flameweavers'　trick；　Iome　realized。　Raj　Ahten　wanted　her　people　to　look　at　him。
　Iome　did　not　fear　Raj　Ahten's　visage　from　so　far　away。　She　doubted　that　from　here　his　glamour　could　muddy　her　judgment。
　Raj　Ahten　hurried　toward　the　city　gates。　His　warriors'　horses　issued　forth　in　formation；　rippling　over　the　fields　like　a　gale；　for　these　were　no　mon　beasts。　They　were　force　stallions。　Herd　leaders；　that　like　their　masters　were　transformed　by　the　Runelords'　art。　The　sight　of　them；　shooting　over　the　darkening　fields　like　cormorants　skimming　the　sea；　filled　Iome's　heart　with　wonder。　She'd　never　seen　such　fine　force　horses　gallop　in　unison。　She'd　never　seen　anything　so　magnificent。
　Prince　Orden　ran　to　the　top　of　the　stairs；　shouted　down　into　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　〃King　Sylvarresta；　you　are　needed。　Raj　Ahten　seeks　a　parlay。〃
　Iome's　father　cursed；　began　pulling　on　his　armor。　It　clattered　as　he　dressed。
　Behind　Raj　Ahten；　beside　the　deserted　farms　that　dotted　the　edge　of　the　woods；　Raj　Ahten's　troops　began　to　emerge　from　the　gloom。　Five　flame…weavers；　so　close　to　being　one　with　the　elements　that　they　could　no　longer　wear　clothes；　shone　like　blazing　beacons；　clad　in　twisting　tongues　of　green　fire。　The　dry　grasses　at　their　feet　burst　aflame。
　As　warriors　moved　out　of　the　shadowed　woods；　the　light　blazing　from　the　flameweavers　suddenly　reflected　on　polished　armor；　glinted　from　swords。
　Among　the　thousands　of　warriors　who　began　to　advance；　stranger　things　than　flameweavers　could　he　seen。
　The　shaggy　Frowth　giants；　twenty　feet　tall　at　the　brow；　lumbered　forward　clumsily　in　their　chain　mail；　clutching　huge　ironbound　staves。　They　struggled　to　keep　from　crushing　Raj　Ahten's　swordsmen　in　their　advance。
　War　dogs　kept　pace　with　the　giants；　huge　beasts；　mastiffs　with　runes　branded　into　them。
　Bowmen　by　the　score。
　And　at　the　edge　of　the　forest；　black　shadows　flickered。　Furred　creatures　with　dark　manes　hissed　and　growled；　loping　forward　in　a　crouched　gait　on　clawed　knuckles；　each　bearing　an　enormous　spear。　〃Nomen！〃　someone　shouted。　〃Nomen　from　beyond　Inkarra！〃
　Nomen　to　scale　the　walls；　scampering　up　the　stone　like　monkeys。　Nomen　with　their　sharp　teeth　and　red　eyes。
　Iome　had　never　seen　onealive。　Only　once　had　she　seen　an　ancient；　shedding　pelt。　They　were　the　stuff　of　legend。
　Nomen。　No　wonder　Raj　Ahten's　army　traveled　by　day　only　through　the　woods；　attacked　only　at　night。
　It　was　all　show　of　course。　Raj　Ahten　appearing　in　his　glory　with　all　his　entourage。　The　power　of　his　army　was　astonishing；　his　wealth　enormous。
　You　see　me？　he　was　saying。　You　Northerners　squat　here　in　your　barren　kingdom；　never　knowing　how　impoverished　you　are。　Behold　the　Wolf　Lord　of　the　South。　Behold　my　wealth。
　But　Iome's　people　were　ready　for　battle。　She　saw　boys　and　old　men　shifting　on　the　castle　walls；　gripping　the　hafts　of　their　spears　tighter；　reaching　over　to　make　sure　that　the　arrows　placed　beside　them　lay　just　so。　Her　people　would　put　up　a　battle。　Perhaps　a　battle　that　would　be　sung　about　in　years　to　e。
　Just　then；　Iome's　father　finished　dressing；　grabbed　his　weapons；　and　came　bounding　up　the　steps　of　the　tower　behind　her。　His　Days；　an　elderly　scholar　with　white　hair；　hobbled　behind　as　fast　as　possible。
　Iome　was　not　prepared　for　the　change　in　her　father。　In　the　past　few　hours；　he'd　taken　sixty　endowments　from　his　people；　had　grown　much　in　power。　He　leapt　up　six　stairs　at　a　time；　even　while　bearing　his　arms；　wearing　full　armor。　He　moved　like　a　panther。
　When　he　reached　the　top　of　the　tower；　the　Frowth　giants　quit　drumming；　and　Raj　Ahten's　army　halted。　The　untrained　nomen　growled　and　hissed　in　the　distance；　as　if　eager　to　do　battle。
　Lord　Raj　Ahten　himself　gave　a　shout；　reigning　in　his　stallion；　and　such　was　the　power　of　his　callfor　he　bore　endowments　of　Voice　from　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　peoplethat　his　words　carried　clearly　even　this　high　on　the　citadel；　even　blowing　on　the　wind。　He　sounded　kindly　and　pleasant；　belying　the　threat　inherent　in　his　deeds。
　〃King　Sylvarresta；　people　of　Heredon；〃　Raj　Ahten　called；　his　voice　as　fair　as　the　tinkling　of　a　bell；　as　resonant　as　a　woodwind。　〃Let　us　be　friendsnot　batants。　I　bear　you　no　malice。　Look　at　my　army〃　He　spread　his　arms　wide。　〃You　cannot　defeat　it。　Look　at　me。　I　am　not　your　enemy。　Surely　you　will　not　force　me　to　squat　here　in　the　cold　tonight；　while　you　dine　beside　your　hearths？　Throw　open　your　gates。　I　will　be　your　lord；　and　you　will　be　my　people。〃
　His　voice　sounded　so　pleasant；　so　brimming　with　reason　and　gentleness；　that　had　she　been　on　the　walls；　Iome　would　have　found　it　hard　to　resist。
　Indeed；　in　that　moment；　she　heard　the　gears　to　the　main　portcullis　grind；　and　the　drawbridge　began　to　lower。
　Iome's　heart　pounded。　She　leaned　forward；　shouting　〃No！〃　astonished　that　some　of　her　fool　subjects；　overwhelmed　by　a　monster's　glamour　and　Voice；　were　doing　his　bidding。
　Beside　her；　King　Sylvarresta　also　shouted；　ordering　his　men　to　raise　the　bridge。　But　they　were　far　from　the　gates；　so　high　up。　The　sound　of　Orden's　shout　was　muffled　by　the　visor　on　his　helm。　He　pulled　it　up　to　call　more　clearly。
　In　keeping　with　her　own　feelings　of　anger；　down　at　the　gates；　Captain　Derrow　let　a　bolt　loose　at　the　Wolf　Lord。　Derrow's　bolt　flew　with　incredible　speed；　a　blur　of　black　iron　that　would　have　driven　through　any　other　man's　armor。
　But　the　speed　and　strength　of　Raj　Ahten　outmatched　him。　The　Runelord　simply　reached　up　and　caught　the　bolt　in　midair。
　Such　speed。　Raj　Ahten　had　done　the　unthinkable；　taking　so　many　endowments　of　metabolism。　Even　from　here；　she　saw　that　he　must　move　five　or　six　times　as　fast　as　a　mon　man。　Living　at　such　speed；　he'd　age　and　die　in　a　matter　of　years。　But　b