df.therunelords-第62章

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chers　were　there；　other　defenders　with　pike　and　sword。　And　on　the　wall…walks　behind　them　were　citizens　of　Castle　Sylvarrestacurious　boys；　eager　to　hear　his　message。　Some　farmers；　merchants；　and　tradesmen　stood　now　to　defend　the　walls　for　Raj　Ahten　as　vigorously　as　they　would　have　stood　to　defend　Sylvarresta　the　night　before。　Borenson　felt　acutely　aware　that　his　message　was　for　these　soldiers　and　townsmen　more　than　for　Raj　Ahten。　A　message　foretelling　doom　that　was　delivered　in　private　might　demoralize　a　single　leader。　The　same　message　delivered　before　an　army　could　subvert　an　entire　nation。
　〃Such　a　small　army；　to　be　trapped　so　far　from　home；〃　Borenson　said；　as　if　musing　to　himself。　Yet　he　threw　his　own　voice；　loud　enough　so　the　men　on　the　far　walls　could　hear。
　〃They　are　a　fine　army；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃Good　enough　for　the　likes　of　you。〃
　〃Indeed；〃　Borenson　countered。　〃I　do　mend　them。　Your　men　died　most　excellently　in　the　woods　this　morning。　They　fought　almost　as　well　as　expected。〃
　Raj　Ahten's　eyes　blazed。　Borenson　had　succeeded　in　angering　him。　This　is　maybe　not　the　smartest　thing　I've　ever　done；　Borenson　told　himself。
　〃Enough　of　this；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃Your　own　men　died　well；　too。　If　you　desire　a　contest　to　see　whose　men　die　best；　then　I　must　concede　that　your　men　will　win；　for　I　slaughtered　enough　of　them　today。　Now；　deliver　your　message。　Or　did　you　e　merely　to　try　my　patience？〃
　Borenson　raised　a　brow；　shrugged。　〃My　message　is　this。　Two　days　ago　King　Mendellas　Draken　Orden　took　the　castle　at　Longmont！〃
　He　waited　a　moment　for　this　news　to　sink　in；　then　added；　〃And　though　you　have　sent　occupying　forces　to　hold　that　piece　of　rock；　King　Orden　bids　me　to　let　you　know　that　your　reinforcements　have　been　slaughtered　to　the　man。〃
　This　news　shook　the　defenders　on　the　castle　walls。　Raj　Ahten's　men　were　gazing　at　one　another；　trying　to　consider　how　to　react。
　〃You　lie；〃　Raj　Ahten　said　evenly。
　〃You　accuse　me　of　lying？〃　Borenson　said；　using　his　own　gift　of　Voice　as　best　he　could；　trying　to　sound　righteous　and　indignant。　〃You　know　the　truth　of　it。　As　proof；　you　may　search　your　own　feelings。　This　morning　at　dawn；　King　Orden　put　to　death　all　in　Longmont　who　had　given　you　endowments。　You　felt　the　attack。　You　felt　his　retribution。　You　cannot　deny　it！
　〃And　now　I　shall　tell　you　how　it　was　done：　We　began　our　march　three　and　a　half　weeks　ago；〃　Borenson　said　honestly；　naming　the　time　since　he'd　left　Mystarria；　then　calculated　when　Raj　Ahten's　own　troops　would　have　set　march；　〃shortly　after　we　received　word　of　your　departure　from　the　South。
　〃At　the　time；　my　lord　King　Orden　sent　word　to　the　far　corners　of　Rofehavan；　setting　his　snare　for　a　pup　of　a　Wolf　Lord。　Now；　Raj　Ahten；　the　noose　has　your　neck；　and　shortly　you　shall　find　yourself　choking；　choking　on　your　greed！〃
　The　men　on　the　walls　began　talking；　looking　about　in　dismay；　and　Borenson　guessed　at　their　question。　〃You　wonder　how　my　lord　knew　that　you　would　attack　Heredon？〃　Borenson　shrugged。　〃My　lord　knows　many　things。　He　heard　of　your　plans　from　the　spies　who　serve　at　your　side。〃　Borenson　glanced　meaningfully　at　the　counselors　and　magicians　who　stood　beside　Raj　Ahten；　barely　suppressing　his　smile。　He　held　his　gaze　on　the　imperious…looking　Days　at　Raj　Ahten's　side。　Perhaps　Raj　Ahten　might　still　trust　these　men；　but　from　now　on；　Borenson　suspected　none　of　them　would　trust　each　other。
　Raj　Ahten　chuckled　at　Borenson's　ploy；　countered　with　words　that　struck　terror　in　Borenson's　heart。　〃So；　King　Orden　has　sent　you　to　get　word　of　his　son。　Don't　worry；　the　young　man　is　for　ransom。　What　does　Orden　propose　to　offer？〃
　Borenson　took　a　deep　breath；　glanced　at　the　castle　walls　in　desperation。　He'd　been　told　to　offer　a　ransom　for　a　nameless　friend；　so　that　Raj　Ahten　would　betray　the　names　of　those　he　held　captive。　But　Raj　Ahten　had　guessed　his　ploy。　Now；　Borenson　hoped　the　words　he　spoke　next　might　dishearten　the　Wolf　Lord　even　further。　〃I　was　told　to　offer　nothinguntil　I　have　inspected　the　Prince。〃
　Raj　Ahten　smiled　playfully。　〃If　King　Orden　cannot　keep　track　of　his　own　son；　I　shall　not　oblige　him。　Besides；　you　would　not　like　what　you　saw。〃
　Borenson　wondered。　This　game　was　being　plex；　more　plex　than　he　liked。　If　Raj　Ahten　really　had　Gaborn　prisoner；　then　he　should　not　have　hesitated　to　show　the　young　man。　Unless；　indeed；　he　had　killed　the　Prince。
　Yet；　if　Raj　Ahten　had　not　captured　the　Prince；　then　by　Borenson　admitting　that　he　needed　to　inspect　the　merchandise；　Borenson　had　revealed　to　the　Wolf　Lord　that　he；　too；　did　not　know　Gaborn's　whereabouts。
　Belatedly；　Borenson　realized　that　he　had　departed　from　the　script　King　Orden　had　written　for　him。　He　was　trying　too　hard　to　be　clever；　working　too　hard　to　go　his　lord　one　better。　By　doing　so；　he　might　well　have　jeopardized　his　whole　mission。
　His　face　burning　with　shame；　Borenson　turned　his　horse　around；　began　to　leave。　He　doubted　that　Raj　Ahten　would　let　him　go。　The　Wolf　Lord　had　to　be　terrified；　had　to　wonder　whether　King　Orden　had　captured　the　forcibles　in　Longmont。　Had　to　wonder　how　many　might　be　offered　in　ransom。
　〃Wait！〃　Raj　Ahten　called　at　Borenson's　back。
　Borenson　glanced　over　his　shoulder。
　〃What　will　you　offer　me；　if　I　show　you　the　Prince？〃
　Borenson　said　nothing；　for　at　the　moment　he　feared　to　speak；　so　he　just　urged　his　horse　to　walk　slowly　away。
　Borenson　rode　his　horse　a　hundred　yards；　fully　conscious　that　this　little　encounter　could　still　go　astray。　He　was　within　bowshot　of　the　castle；　and　Raj　Ahten's　wizards　manned　the　walls。　Raj　Ahten　would　not　let　him　escape　without　trying　to　wring　some　information　from　him。
　Yet　Borenson　asked　himself　once　again；　If　Raj　Ahten　has　the　Prince；　why　does　he　not　show　him？
　Borenson　turned　his　horse；　gazed　up　into　Raj　Ahten's　dark　eyes。　〃Gaborn　safely　reached　our　camp　last　night；〃　he　lied　bold…faced；　〃and　I　fear　that　I　can　no　longer　offer　any　ransom。　I　came　only　to　bring　that　message。〃
　Raj　Ahten　showed　no　emotion；　but　the　frightened；　self…consciously　determined　faces　of　his　counselors　spoke　volumes。　Borenson　felt　sure　he　had　guessed　correctly；　that　Raj　Ahten　did　not　have　the　Prince。　He　remembered　a　few　scouts　his　men　had　killed　last　night；　and　another　party　of　scouts　his　men　had　fought　deep　in　the　woods　an　hour　ago。　Why　else　would　so　many　of　Raj　Ahten's　troops　have　been　scouring　the　forest？
　〃However；〃　Borenson　continued；　〃House　Sylvarresta　is　an　old　and　valued　ally　to　my　lord。　I　can　offer　something　for　the　King's　family；　for　their　safe　return。〃
　〃What？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。
　Borenson　departed　further　from　the　script　Lord　Orden　had　posed　for　him。　〃A　hundred　forcibles　for　each　member　of　the　royal　family。〃
　Raj　Ahten　laughed　now；　laughed　with　relief　and　scorn。　Here　in　the　North；　where　blood　metal　had　been　so　scarce　the　past　ten　years；　three　hundred　forcibles　might　seem　a　princely　sum。　But　to　Raj　Ahten；　who　had　forty　thousand　forcibles　hidden　in　Longmont；　it　was　nothing。　Raj　Ahten　no　longer　believed　that　Orden　had　taken　Castle　Longmont；　just　as　Borenson　had　planned。
　〃Consider　the　offer　well；　before　you　laugh　me　to　scorn；〃　Borenson　said。　Now　it　was　time　to　put　the　Wolf　Lord　on　the　rack。　Borenson　said　confidently；　〃Lord　Orden　captured　forty　thousand　forcibles　in　Longmont；　and　for　the　past　two　days；　he　has　had　half　a　dozen　facilitators　putting　them　to　good　use。　Perhaps　to　a　man　as　rich　as　you；　the　loss　of　forty　thousand　forcibles　seems　a　small　thingbut　my　lord　will　not　up　his　offer　of　ransom　for　the　King　and　the　royal　family。　Of　what　use　to　him　are　such　people；　when　they　only　serve　you　as　Dedicates？　A　hundred　forcibles　for　each；　nothing　more！〃
　Borenson　watched　Raj　Ahten's　counselors　tremble　at　the　news；　felt　deeply　gratified；　though　Raj　Ahten　himself　stood　stoically；　the　blood　slowly　draining　from　his　face。
　〃You　lie；〃　Raj　Ahten　said；　betraying　no　fear。　〃You　do　not　have　the　Prince。　You　have　no　forcibles。　And　there　is　no　spy。　I　know　what　your　game　is；　messenger；　and　I　am　not　dismayed　by　your　ruse。　You。。。merely　annoy　me。〃
　By　use　of　the　Voice；　Raj　Ahten　sought　to　bolster　his　troops。　But　the　damage　had　already　been　done。　pared　to　the　harrowing　message　Borenson　had　delivered；　Raj　Ahten's　denial　sounded　hollow；　thrown　up　vainly　as　a　last　defense。
　And