df.therunelords-第38章

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to　submit　to　domination。
　Others　said　that　one　had　a　duty　to　live　in　the　hope　of　serving　one's　People　another　day。　Iome's　father　vacillated　on　this　point。　Since　two　days　past；　when　he'd　lost　two　endowments　of　wit；　the　King　had　bee　suddenly　cautious；　fearful　of　what　he'd　forgotten；　afraid　to　make　mistakes。
　King　Sylvarresta　looked　down　at　Iome；　tenderly。　〃Life；〃　he　whispered；　'is　so　sweet。　Don't　you　think？〃
　Iome　nodded。
　The　King　said　softly；　〃Life。。。Iome；　is　strange　and　beautiful；　full　of　wonders；　even　in　the　darkest　hours。　I　have　always　believed　that。　One　must　choose　life；　if　one　can。　Let　us　live；　in　the　hope　of　serving　our　people。〃
　Iome　trembled；　fearing　that　he'd　made　the　wrong　choice；　fearing　that　the　death　of　her　and　her　father　would　better　serve　her　people。
　King　Sylvarresta　whispered　to　Auk；　〃Open　the　gate。　And　bring　us　some　lanterns。　We'll　need　some　light。〃
　The　burly　captain　nodded　grimly。　From　his　eyes；　Iome　knew　Ault　would　rather　die　than　watch　Sylvarresta　lose　his　kingdom。　He　did　not　agree　with　the　King's　decision。
　Ault　saluted；　touching　the　haft　of　his　pike　to　the　bill　of　his　iron　cap。　You　will　always　be　my　lord；　the　gesture　said。
　King　Sylvarresta　gave　him　a　curt　nod。　The　guards　unbarred　the　gates；　each　took　a　handle；　pushing　them　outward。
　Raj　Ahten　sat　on　his　gray　stallion　with　white　speckles　on　its　rump。　His　guards　surrounded　him。　His　Days；　a　tall；　imperious　man　with　graying　temples；　waited　at　his　back。　The　Wolf　Lord's　horses　were　large；　noble　beasts；　Iome　had　heard　of　the　breed　but　had　never　seen　one　before。　They　were　called　imperial　horses；　brought　from　the　almost　legendary　realm　of　the　toth；　across　the　Caroll　Sea。
　Raj　Ahten　himself　looked　regal；　his　black　mail　covering　his　body　like　glistening　scales；　the　wide　owl's　wings　on　his　helm　drawing　the　eye　to　his　face。　He　stared　impassively　at　the　King；　at　Iome。
　His　face　was　neither　old　nor　young；　neither　quite　male　nor　female；　as　was　the　case　with　those　who'd　taken　many　endowments　of　glamour　from　persons　of　both　sexes。　Yet　he　was　beautiful；　so　cruelly　beautiful　that　Iome's　heart　ached　to　look　into　his　black　eyes。　His　was　a　face　to　worship；　a　face　to　die　for。　His　head　weaved　from　side　to　side；　minutely；　as　will　happen　with　those　who　have　many　endowments　of　metabolism。
　〃Sylvarresta；〃　he　said　from　his　horse；　omitting　any　title；　〃is　it　not　customary　to　bow　to　your　lord？〃
　The　power　of　Raj　Ahten's　Voice　was　so　great　that　Iome　felt　almost　as　if　her　legs　had　been　kicked　out　from　under　her。　She　could　not　control　herself；　and　fell　down　to　give　her　oblations；　though　a　voice　in　the　back　of　her　head　whispered；　Kill　him；　before　he　kills　you。
　Iome's　father　fell　to　one　knee；　too；　and　cried　out。　〃Pardon　me；　my　lord。　Wele；　to　Castle　Sylvarresta。〃
　〃It　is　now　called　Castle　Ahten；〃　Raj　Ahten　corrected。
　Behind　Iome；　there　was　a　clanking　of　metal　as　the　keep's　guards　brought　a　gleaming　lantern　from　the　guardroom。
　Raj　Ahten　stared　at　them　a　moment；　firelight　reflecting　from　his　eyes；　then　dismounted　his　horse；　jumping　lightly　to　the　ground。　He　walked　up　to　Sylvarresta。
　He　was　a　tall　man；　this　Wolf　Lord；　half　a　head　taller　than　Iome's　father；　and　she　had　always　thought　her　father　to　be　a　big　man。
　In　that　moment；　Iome　felt　terrified。　She　didn't　know　what　to　expect。　Raj　Ahten　could　sweep　out　his　short　sword　in　a　blur；　decapitate　them　both。　She　wouldn't　even　have　time　to　flinch。
　One　could　not　anticipate　this　man。　He'd　conquered　all　the　Southern　kingdoms　around　Indhopal　in　the　past　few　years；　growing　in　power　at　a　tremendous　speed。　He　could　be　magnanimous　in　his　kindness；　inhuman　in　his　cruelty。
　It　was　said　that　when　the　Sultan　of　Aven　got　cornered　in　his　winter　palace　at　Shemnarvalla；　Raj　Ahten　responded　by　capturing　his　wives　and　children　at　their　summer　home；　and　threatened　to　catapult　the　Sultan's　sons　over　the　palace　walls。　The　Sultan　responded　by　standing　on　the　castle　walls；　grasping　his　groin；　and　calling　out；　〃Go　ahead；　I　have　a　hammer　and　anvils　to　make　better　sons！〃　The　Sultan　had　many　sons；　and　it　was　said　that　on　that　night；　as　each　was　set　aflame；　the　cries　were　horrifying；　for　Raj　Ahten　waited　until　the　child's　cries　died　before　he　sent　the　flaming　body　over　the　castle　walls。　Though　the　Sultan　would　not　surrender；　his　own　guards　could　not　bear　to　hear　the　cries；　and　so　his　men　opened　the　gates。　When　Raj　Ahten　entered；　he　took　the　Sultan；　determined　to　make　an　example　of　him。　What　happened　next；　Iome　could　not　say。　Such　things　were　never　discussed　in　civilized　countries。
　But　it　was　known　that　Raj　Ahten　sat　in　judgment　on　the　kings　he　conquered　before　his　wars　were　ever　begun。　He　knew　which　he　would　butcher；　which　he　would　enslave；　which　he　would　make　regents。
　Iome's　heart　pounded。　Her　father　was　an　Oath…Bound　Lord；　a　man　of　decency　and　honor。　In　her　opinion；　he　was　the　most　passionate　ruler　in　all　the　realms　of　Rofehavan。
　And　Raj　Ahten　was　the　blackest　usurper　to　walk　the　earth　in　eight　hundred　years。　He　dealt　with　no　king　as　an　equal；　considered　the　world　his　vassals。　The　two　could　not　share　the　throne　to　Heredon。
　Raj　Ahten　pulled　the　horseman's　warhammer　from　the　sheath　at　his　back。　It　was　a　long…handled　thing；　almost　as　tall　as　he。
　He　planted　its　crossbars　in　the　cobblestones　at　his　feet；　then　clasped　his　hands　on　its　hilt；　leaned　his　chin　on　one　knuckle；　and　smiled　playfully。
　〃We　have　things　between　us；　you　and　I；　Sylvarresta；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃Differences　of　opinion。〃
　He　nodded　toward　the　street　behind　him。　〃Are　these　your　men？〃
　The　huge　wain　Iome　had　seen　clanking　across　the　fields　now　pulled　up　between　the　graystone　shops。　In　the　wagon　were　mensoldiers　all；　one　could　tell　by　their　grim　faces。　As　they　neared　the　lantern；　in　horror　Iome　recognized　some　of　themCorporal　Deliphon；　Swordmaster　Skallery。　Faces　she'd　not　seen　in　years。
　Behind　Iome；　Chemoise　gasped；　cried　out　and　ran　forward。　Her　own　father；　Eremon　Vottania　Solette；　lay　in　the　very　front　of　the　wagon；　a　ruined　man　who　did　not　blink。　His　back　arched　cruelly；　and　his　hands　clutched　in　useless　fists。　He　grimaced　in　pain；　all　his　muscles　were　stiff　and　unyielding　as　rigor　mortis。　Iome　followed　Chemoise　a　few　steps；　but　dared　not　go　nearer　to　Raj　Ahten。
　Yet　even　from　thirty　feet；　she　could　smell　the　stink　and　dirt　on　the　men。　Many　had　eyes　that　stared　vacantly；　stupid。　Some　had　jaws　slack；　from　weariness。　Each　soldier　had　been　drained　of　one　of　the　〃greater〃　endowmentswit；　brawn；　grace；　metabolism；　or　staminaand　thus　made　harmless。
　As　Chemoise　clutched　her　father　to　her　breast　and　cried；　Ault　drew　close　with　a　flickering　torch。　In　the　wavering　light；　the　faces　in　the　wagon　seemed　pale　and　horrible。
　〃Most　of　those　were　once　my　men；〃　King　Sylvarresta　admitted　warily。　〃But　I　released　them　from　service。　They　are　free　soldiers；　Knights　Equitable。　I　am　not　their　lord。〃
　It　was　a　dubious　denial。　Though　all　the　men　in　the　wagon　were　Knights　Equitable；　knights　who　were　sworn　by　oath　to　destroy　all　Wolf　Lords　like　Raj　Ahten；　and　though　such　an　oath　was　considered　to　override　any　other　oath　of　fealty　to　a　single　lord；　the　truth　was　that　Iome's　father　served　as　patron　to　these　knightshe'd　supplied　them　with　the　money　and　arms　needed　to　fulfill　their　quest　to　destroy　Raj　Ahten。　For　him　to　deny　responsibility　for　their　actions　was　like　an　archer　refusing　to　take　the　blame　for　damage　done　by　an　arrow　once　it　had　left　his　bow。
　Raj　Ahten　did　not　accept　the　King's　excuse。　A　grimace　of　pain　crossed　Raj　Ahten's　face；　and　he　looked　away　for　a　moment。　Iome　felt　her　heart　lurch　as　she　saw　tears　glisten　in　Raj　Ahten's　eyes。　〃You　have　done　me　a　great　wrong；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃Your　assassins　killed　my　Dedicates；　slaughtered　my　own　nephew；　and　executed　some　I　considered　to　be　dear　friends；　good　servants。〃
　The　tone　of　his　voice　filled　Iome　with　guilt；　overwhelming　guilt。　She　felt　like　a　child　caught　tormenting　a　kitten。
　It　pained　her　all　the　more　because　Iome　saw　that　Raj　Ahten's　sorrow　seemed　to　be　genuine。　Raj　Ahten　had　loved　his　Dedicates。
　No；　something　in　the　back　of　her　mind　said；　you　must　not　believe　that。
　He　wants　you　to　believe　that。　It　is　only　a　trick；　a　practiced　use　of　Voice。　He　loves　only　the　power　his　people　give。　Yet　she　found　it