df.therunelords-第54章

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　Gaborn　did　not　fear　being　spotted。　He　and　Rowan　were　dressed　like　moners；　anonymous　inhabitants　of　the　castle。
　Rowan　led　Gaborn　up　a　fog…shrouded　street；　until　they　reached　an　old　shack；　a　sort　of　hermitage　on　the　steep　side　of　the　hill；　near　where　the　wizard's　garden　had　stood。　Grapevines　climbed　the　back　wall　of　the　shack。　It　would　take　only　a　minor　freeze　to　bring　out　the　sweetness　in　the　grapes。
　Gaborn　and　Rowan　filled　their　stomachs；　unsure　what　other　food　they　might　get　that　day。　At　the　sound　of　coughing　within　the　hermitage；　Gaborn　got　up；　prepared　to　leave。　Someone　began　thumping　inside　the　cottage；　hobbling　on　a　cane。　It　was　but　a　matter　of　time　before　the　occupant　came　outside　and　discovered　them。
　Gaborn　pulled　Rowan　to　her　feet　just　as　hunting　horns　sounded　over　the　fields　south　of　the　castle。
　This　blare　of　horns　was　followed　immediately　by　grunts　and　shrieks。　Gaborn　climbed　a　little　higher　up　the　hill　to　look　over　the　Outer　Wall；　to　the　mist…shrouded　fields。　The　river　lay　to　the　east；　with　fields　beyond　it。　The　trees　of　the　Dunnwood　sat　on　a　hill　across　the　valley　to　the　south。
　At　the　edge　of　the　wood　on　the　south　hill；　Gaborn　suddenly　spotted　movement　in　the　fog：　the　glint　of　steel　armor；　peaked　helmslances　raised　in　the　air。　Horsemen　rode　at　the　edge　of　the　woods；　cantering　through　the　fog。
　Before　them　raced　a　thousand　nomen；　black　shadows　who　lumbered　over　the　ground　on　all　fours；　shrieking　and　howling　in　terror。　The　nomen　fled　toward　the　castle；　half…blinded　by　daylight。
　There；　Gaborn　saw　a　rider　wearing　the　midnight…blue　livery　of　House　Orden；　with　the　emblem　of　the　green　knight。
　He　could　not　fathom　ithis　father　attacking　the　castle。
　No！　he　wanted　to　shout。
　It　was　a　suicide　charge。　His　father　had　brought　a　few　men　as　a　retinue。　They　had　e　as　a　light　escortmere　decorationnot　prepared　for　war！　They　had　no　siege　engines；　no　wizards　or　ballistas。
　As　Gaborn　realized　all　this；　he　knew　it　hardly　mattered。　His　father　believed　that　Gaborn　was　in　Castle　Sylvarresta　and　that　the　castle　had　fallen。　His　father　would　do　whatever　he　thought　necessary　to　win　back　his　son。
　That　recognition　filled　Gaborn　with　guilt　and　horror；　the　thought　that　his　stubbornness；　his　stupidity；　had　suddenly　put　so　many　people's　lives　in　jeopardy。
　Though　his　father's　soldiers　had　e　as　〃mere　decoration；〃　they　did　not　fight　like　decorations。　The　horses　plunged　downhill；　churning　the　fog；　their　horsemen's　axes　were　raised　high　overhead。　Gaborn　saw　nomen　running；　naked；　fleeing　the　knights'　axes。　They　shrieked　in　horror；　their　yellow　fangs　gaping　wide。　Some　nomen　turned；　set　their　spear　butts　in　the　mud。
　His　father's　knights　surged　forward　on　armored　horses；　lances　shattering；　axes　falling；　blood　and　mud　and　fur　filling　the　air；　along　with　the　howls　of　nomen；　the　screams　of　the　dying。
　Hoofbeats　thundered　from　the　south。　Hundreds　of　voices　rose　in　a　shout；　the　battle　cry　of　〃Orden！　Brave　Orden！〃
　In　answer；　a　tremendous　roar　came　from　the　east。　A　contingent　of　Frowth　giants　rushed　over　the　fields　on　the　far　side　of　the　river；　making　toward　the　Dunnwood　from　the　eastern　fieldseighty　giants　lumbering　like　moving　hills　in　the　fog。
　Shouts　arose　from　guards　on　the　castle　walls；　the　blare　of　horns　as　Raj　Ahten's　soldiers　were　called　to　battle；　roused　from　their　beds。　Gaborn　feared　Raj　Ahten　would　send　his　own　knights　riding　onto　the　battlefield。　House　Orden　had　at　most　a　contingent　of　two　thousand　men；　unless　his　father　had　managed　to　summon　reinforcements　from　one　of　Sylvarresta's　minor　keeps。
　Almost　as　quickly　as　that　fear　of　Raj　Ahten's　counterattack　arose；　it　was　assuaged。　Gaborn　heard　shouts　at　the　southern　gates；　the　clanking　of　gears　as　Raj　Ahten's　troops　hurried　to　raise　the　drawbridge。　The　fog　in　the　valley　was　so　thick；　Gaborn　could　not　see　if　any　nomen　made　it　over　the　bridge。
　Raj　Ahten　could　not　counterattack　now。　He　could　not　be　certain　what　size　force　House　Orden　had　brought。　If　he　attacked；　he　might　find　himself　ambushed　by　a　force　so　large　he　could　never　withstand　it。　It　was；　after　all；　a　mon　tactic　to　try　to　lure　a　castle's　defenders　out　by　feigning　an　inadequate　force。
　A　contrary　wind　blew　from　the　east；　and　the　fog　suddenly　thickened。　Gaborn　could　see　nothing　more　of　the　battle。　Even　the　giants　disappeared　in　the　mist。
　Yet　he　heard　horses　neigh　in　terror；　the　battle　cries　of　House　Orden。　On　the　hill　across　the　valley；　horns　soundedtwo　short　blasts；　one　long。　An　order　to　regroup。
　〃e　on！〃　Gaborn　told　Rowan；　and　he　took　her　hand。　Together　they　raced　up　the　streets；　uphill　toward　the　King's　Keep。
　The　city　was　in　chaos。　Raj　Ahten's　troops　were　throwing　on　armor；　rushing　to　man　the　city　walls。
　As　Gaborn　and　Rowan　ran　to　the　King's　Gate；　the　soldiers　were　lowering　the　portcullis　leading　into　the　business　district。　They　ordered　Gaborn　back。
　Five　hundred　of　Raj　Ahten's　troops　rushed　down　from　the　King's　Keep；　trying　to　reach　the　Outer　Walls。　A　small　herd　of　startled　cattle　dashed　this　way　and　that　before　them；　seeking　escape。
　In　the　confusion；　Gaborn　and　Rowan　shouldered　their　bales　of　spices；　raced　through　the　portcullis　into　the　market。
　The　market　district　was　undefended。　Raj　Ahten's　men　had　not　yet　formed　a　plan　for　resisting　attack。　None　of　his　soldiers　had　been　posted　to　specific　turrets。　Watching　the　walls；　Gaborn　saw　dozens　of　soldiers　rush　to　the　catapults；　others　manning　the　towers　at　each　corner　of　the　castlebut　Raj　Ahten's　troops　spread　themselves　thin。　Some　rushed　for　the　Outer　Wall；　others　tried　to　nail　down　defenses　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep。
　Practically　no　one　manned　the　second　wall　of　the　city's　defenses；　the　King's　Wall。
　From　the　plain　belowmingled　with　the　screams　of　nomen；　the　neighing　of　horses　as　they　died；　the　roars　of　giantsthe　knights　of　House　Orden　broke　into　song；　their　deep　voices　celebrating　the　glory　of　war。
　Gaborn's　father　had　always　insisted　that　each　of　his　personal　guard　have　three　endowments　of　Voice；　so　that　orders　could　be　easily　shouted　across　the　battlefields。　Their　death　song　erupted　from　the　fog；　shook　the　very　stones　of　Castle　Sylvarresta；　reverberated　from　hill　to　hill。　It　was　a　song　to　strike　terror　in　the　hearts　of　foe：
　〃Bring　your　honor；　swing　your　sword；
　You　mighty　men　of　Orden。　
　Reap　your　foes　in　fields　of　gore；
　You　bloody　men　of　Orden！〃
　There　were　the　sounds　of　horses　neighing　and　dyingso　many　horses。　Gaborn　did　not　understand　why　the　horses　screamed　until　he　realized　that　Raj　Ahten's　horses　were　still　tethered　on　the　far　hill。　His　father's　troops　were　slaughtering　the　Wolf　Lord's　mounts。
　Gaborn　and　Rowan　stopped　on　the　cobbled　street；　a　hundred　yards　beneath　the　King's　Keep；　and　stood　gazing　over　the　fog…covered　greens；　trying　to　see　the　battle。　Gaborn　was　suddenly　aware　of　several　men　rushing　past。
　He　turned　just　as　a　burly　soldier　pushed　him　aside；　shouting；　〃Out　of　the　way！〃
　And　there；　racing　past　in　black　scale　mail；　the　white　owl's　wings　sweeping　wide　from　his　black　helm；　came　Raj　Ahten　with　his　personal　guard；　counselors；　and　Days。　Three　weary　flameweavers　ran　at　his　side。
　Gaborn　almost　reached　to　draw　his　sword；　to　strike　at　the　Wolf　Lord；　but　knew　it　would　be　foolish。　He　turned　away；　the　blood　in　his　face　rising　in　anger。
　Raj　Ahten　ran　past　Gaborn　at　arm's　length；　issuing　orders　to　his　guard　in　Indhopalese：　〃Ready　your　men　and　horses！　You　flameweaversto　the　walls。　Send　lines　of　fire　from　here　to　the　woods；　so　that　we　can　see　into　that　fog。　I'll　lead　the　counterattack！　Damn　that　insolent　Orden！〃
　〃It　is　an　unnatural　fog；〃　his　flameweaver　worried。　〃A　water　wizard's　fog。〃
　〃Rahjim；　don't　tell　me　you　fear　some　young　water　wizard　who　hasn't　even　grown　his　gills　yet？〃　Raj　Ahten　scoffed。　〃I　expect　more　from　you。　This　fog　will　work　against　Orden　as　much　as　work　for　him。〃
　The　wizard　shook　his　head　woefully。　〃Some　Power　fights　us！　I　feel　it！〃
　Gaborn　could　have　reached　out　and　touched　the　Wolf　Lord；　could　have　lopped　off　his　head；　yet　had　done　nothing。
　The　enormity　of　the　lost　opportunity　weighed　on　Gaborn。　As　Raj　Ahten　and　his　troops　hurried　down　Market　Street；　Gaborn　fumbled　to　draw　his　sword。
　〃No！〃　Rowan　hissed；　grabbing　his　wrist；　pressing　the　blade　back　into　its　sheath。
　S