df.therunelords-第45章

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　Gaborn　glanced　downriver；　wondering　at　the　scouts'　reaction。　The　man　in　splint　mail　could　see　the　ferrin　now；　a　dozen　of　them；　sauntering　around　the　foundations　of　the　mill。　Reason　dictated　that　if　Gaborn　were　near；　the　ferrin　would　have　scattered。
　After　a　moment's　hesitation；　the　scout　in　splint　mail　waved　his　broadsword　toward　both　banks；　while　he　shouted　orders　to　his　men。　With　the　thundering　of　the　waterwheel　in　his　ears；　Gaborn　could　not　hear　the　orders。
　But　presently；　all　six　hunters　hurried　back　uphill　into　the　trees；　angling　south。　They　would　search　the　woods；　downstream。
　When　Gaborn　felt　sure　they　were　gone；　and　that　no　prying　eyes　watched　his　direction；　he　carried　Rowan　uphill。
　　
　Chapter　12
　OFFERS
　　
　Chemoise　Solette　felt　dazed。　Watching　her　best　friend；　Iome；　lose　her　glamour　horrified　Chemoise　to　the　core　of　her　soul。
　When　Raj　Ahten　finished　with　the　Princess；　he　turned　and　gazed　into　Chemoise's　eyes。　His　nostrils　flared　as　he　judged　her。
　〃You　are　a　beautiful　young　creature；〃　Raj　Ahten　whispered。　〃Serve　me。〃
　Chemoise　could　not　hide　the　revulsion　she　felt　at　those　words。　Iome　sill　lay　on　the　floor；　dazed；　barely　conscious。　Chemoise's　father　still　lay　in　the　wagon　down　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep。
　She　said　nothing　in　response。　Raj　Ahten　smiled　weakly。
　Raj　Ahten　could　take　no　endowment　from　a　woman　who　hated　him　so　intensely；　and　his　Voice　would　not　sway　Chemoise。　But　he　could　take　other　things。　He　let　his　gaze　drift　down　to　her　waist；　as　if　she　stood　naked　before　him。　〃Put　this　one　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　for　now。　Let　her　care　for　her　king　and　her　princess。〃
　A　chill　of　horror　crept　over　Chemoise；　and　she　dared　hope　that　while　she　was　in　the　keep；　Raj　Ahten　would　forget　her。
　So　a　guard　took　Chemoise's　elbow；　pulled　her　down　the　narrow　stairs　out　of　the　Great　Hall　and　up　the　street　to　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　and　thrust　her　through　the　portcullis。　There　he　spoke　a　few　words　in　Indhopalese　to　the　guards　who'd　just　been　posted。　The　guards　smiled　with　knowing　grins。
　Chemoise　ran　back　to　her　father；　who　had　been　dragged　into　the　Dedicates'　Hall；　and　now　lay　on　a　clean　pallet。
　The　sight　of　him　felt　painful；　for　his　wound　ran　deep　and　had　festered　so　many　years。
　Chemoise's　father；　Eremon　Vottania　Solette；　was　a　Knight　Equitable；　sworn　to　bring　down　the　Wolf　Lord　Raj　Ahten。　It　was　an　oath　he　had　not　taken　lightly　seven　years　ago；　the　day　he　disavowed　himself　from　Sylvarresta's　service　to　ride　through　the　spring…green　fields　for　the　far　kingdom　of　Aven。
　It　was　an　oath　that　had　cost　him　everything。　Chemoise　remembered　how　tall　he'd　sat　in　the　saddle；　how　proud　she'd　been。　He'd　been　a　great　warrior；　had　seemed　invincible　to　a　nine…year…old　girl。
　Now　his　clothing　smelled　of　moldy　straw　and　sour　sweat。　His　muscles　clenched　uselessly；　his　chin　shoved　against　his　chest。　She　got　a　rag　and　some　water；　began　to　clean　him。　He　cried　out　in　pain　as　she　rubbed　his　ankle。　She　studied　it；　found　both　legs　horribly　scarred。　The　skin　around　his　ankles　was　red；　hair　rubbed　away。
　Raj　Ahten　had　kept　her　father　in　chains　these　past　six　years。　Such　treatment　for　Dedicates　was　unheard　of。　After　years　of　such　abuse；　she　felt　amazed　that　he　even　remained　alive。　Here　in　the　North；　Dedicates　were　pampered；　honored；　treated　with　affection。　It　was　rumored　that　Raj　Ahten　had　begun　taking　slaves　to　feed　his　need　for　Dedicates。
　While　Chemoise　waited　for　the　cooks　to　bring　broth　from　the　kitchens；　she　merely　held　his　hand；　kissing　it　over　and　over。　He　stared　up　at　her　with　haunted　eyes；　unable　to　blink。
　Chemoise　heard　a　scream　from　the　King's　Keep；　someone　giving　endowments。　To　take　her　mind　from　the　noise；　she　began　whispering。　〃Oh；　Father；　I'm　so　glad　you're　here。　I've　waited　so　long　for　this。〃
　His　eyes　crinkled　in　a　sad　smile；　and　he　breathed　heavily。
　She　didn't　know　how　to　tell　him　she　was　carrying　a　child。　She　wanted　him　to　be　happy；　to　believe　that　all　was　well　in　her　life。　She　did　not　want　to　admit　how　she'd　dishonored　the　princess。　She　hoped　her　father　would　never　need　to　know　the　truth；　that　grand　illusions　might　give　him　some　peace。
　〃Father；　I'm　married　now；〃　she　whispered；　〃to　Sergeant　Dreys；　of　the　palace　guard。　He　was　only　a　boy　when　you　left。　Do　you　remember　him？〃
　Her　father　twisted　his　head　to　the　side；　half　of　a　shake。　〃He's　a　good　man；　very　kind。　The　King　has　granted　him　lands　here　near　town。〃　Chemoise　wondered　if　she　was　spreading　it　on　too　heavily。　Sergeants　seldom　got　landed。　〃We　live　there　with　his　mother　and　sisters。　We're　going　to　have　a　child；　he　and　I。　It's　growing　inside　me。〃
　She　could　not　tell　him　the　truth；　tell　how　the　father　had　died　at　the　hands　of　Raj　Ahten；　tell　how　she'd　gone　to　call　his　ghost　to　the　place　where　she'd　made　love　to　him　so　many　nights；　bringing　dishonor　to　her　family　and　to　her　princess。　She　dared　not　tell　how　Dreys'　wight　had　e　to　her　that　evening；　a　cold　shade　that　now　lodged　within　her。
　Yet　that　night；　when　she　had　felt　the　first　fluttering　movements　of　the　babe　within　her；　it　had　seemed　a　miracle。
　Chemoise　took　her　father's　hand；　which　seemed　clenched　in　a　permanent　fist；　and　smoothed　out　his　fingers；　opened　it；　after　years　of　its　having　lain　useless。　Her　father　squeezed　her　hand；　a　sign　of　affection　and　thanksgiving；　but　he　squeezed　so　hard。　With　several　endowments　of　strength；　he　had　a　grip　like　a　vise。
　At　first；　Chemoise　tried　to　ignore　it。　But　it　grew　too　strong。　She　whispered；　〃Father；　don't　squeeze　so　hard。〃
　His　hand　tightened　in　fear；　and　he　tried　to　pull　his　arm　away；　to　loosen　his　grip。　But　those　who　gave　endowments　of　grace　could　not　relax；　could　not　easily　let　their　muscles　stretch。　He　clenched　her　hand　more　painfully；　so　that　Chemoise　bit　her　lip。　〃Please。。。〃　she　begged；　wondering　if　somehow　her　father　knew　that　she'd　lied；　was　trying　to　punish　her。
　Eremon　Solette　grimaced　in　apology；　struggled　with　all　his　might　to　relax；　to　stretch　his　muscles；　release　Chemoise。　For　a　minute；　he　only　managed　to　hold　her　tighter；　then　Chemoise　felt　his　grip　soften。
　The　cooks　had　still　not　brought　the　broth　around　for　those　who'd　given　endowments　of　metabolism。　Chemoise's　father　would　not　be　able　to　eat　anything　more　solid。　The　smooth　muscles　of　his　stomach　would　not　contract　properly。
　〃Father；〃　Chemoise　cried；　〃I've　waited　so　long。　I　wanted　you　so　long。。。I　wish　you　could　speak；　I　wish　you　could　tell　me　what　happened。〃
　Eremon　Vottania　Solette　had　been　captured　at　Aven；　at　Raj　Ahten's　winter　palace　by　the　sea。　He'd　scaled　the　white　tower　where　gauzy　lavender　curtains　fluttered　in　the　wind；　and　found　himself　in　a　room　thick　with　jasmine　incense；　where　many　dark…haired　women　slept　on　cushions；　naked　but　for　thin　veils　to　cover　their　flesh。　Raj　Ahten's　harem。
　A　brass　water　pipe　lay　on　a　sandalwood　table；　with　eight　mouthpieces　wriggling　from　it　like　the　tentacles　of　an　octopus。　The　balls　of　rolled　greenish…black　opium　in　the　pipe's　bowl　had　all　burned　to　ash。　For　one　moment；　he　permitted　himself　to　stand；　admiring　the　beauties　at　his　feet。
　Coals　glowed　in　golden　braziers　around　the　beds；　keeping　the　room　pleasantly　warm。　The　sweet　musk　of　the　women　would　have　made　this　room　smell　of　paradise；　if　not　for　the　bitter　tang　of　opium。
　In　an　adjoining　room；　he　had　heard　a　woman's　deranged　squealing　laughter；　the　sounds　of　cavorting。　He　suddenly　had　the　wild　hope　he　might　take　Raj　Ahten　while　the　Runelord　lay　naked；　his　attention　diverted。
　But　as　he　stood；　quietly　unsheathing　his　long　dagger；　all　dressed　in　black；　his　back　against　the　wall；　a　maiden　woke；　saw　him　behind　the　gauzy　curtains；　hiding。
　Eremon　had　tried　to　silence　her；　had　leapt　to　plunge　the　knife　into　her　throat；　but　not　before　she　screamed。
　A　eunuch　guard　of　little　note　leapt　from　an　alcove；　suddenly　wakened；　and　clubbed　Eremon　with　a　staff。
　The　eunuch's　name　was　Salim　al　Daub；　a　heavy　man　with　the　roundness　and　womanly　voice　mon　to　eunuchs；　and　the　soft　brown　eyes　of　a　doe。
　As　a　reward　for　capturing　an　assassin；　Raj　Ahten　presented　Salim　with　a　great　gift。　He　offered　Salim　an　endowment　of　grace；　from　Eremon　himself。
　Eremon　had　thought　he　would　rather　die　than　grant　an　endowment　to　Raj　Ahten's　guard；　but　Eremon　held　two　secret　hopes。　The　first