df.therunelords-第72章

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　Gaborn's　face　paled。　Certainly　the　boy　had　seen　this　danger。　Certainly　he　knew　the　stakes　in　this　battle。　But　no；　Borenson　realized；　the　boy　was　too　innocent。　Gaborn　promised；　〃I　wouldn't　let　that　happen。〃
　Borenson　rolled　his　eyes；　clenched　his　teeth。
　〃Nor　would　I；〃　Iome　answered　from　where　her　horse　stood　beside　the　stream。　〃I'd　rather　kill　myself　than　see　another　e　to　harm　on　my　account。〃
　Borenson　had　tried　to　keep　his　voice　down　so　she　would　not　hear；　but　of　course　his　voice　had　been　rising　in　anger。　He　considered。　At　this　moment；　King　Orden　was　racing　to　Longmont　with　fifteen　hundred　warriors。　Messages　had　been　sent　to　other　castles；　calling　for　aid。　Perhaps　three　or　four　thousand　might　meet　at　Longmont　before　dawn。
　But　Raj　Ahten　would　stand　at　the　head　of　a　massive　army；　once　his　reinforcements　arrived　from　the　South。
　King　Orden　had　to　get　those　forcibles；　and　once　he　had　them；　he'd　have　to　hole　up　in　Castle　Longmont。　No　castle　in　this　realm　could　better　withstand　a　siege。
　Desperate　times　call　for　desperate　measures。　In　all　likelihood；　Raj　Ahten　had　so　many　endowments　from　his　people　in　the　South　that　if　Borenson　killed　Sylvarresta　and　Iome；　it　would　gain　no　benefit　for　King　Orden。　That　is　what　Gaborn　believed。
　On　the　other　hand；　times　were　uncertain。　Orden　and　other　kings　had　sent　assassins　south。　Perhaps　even　traitors　in　Raj　Ahten's　own　lands　would　see　his　absence　as　a　perfect　time　to　bid　for　power。　One　could　not　discount　the　possibility　that　at　any　given　moment；　the　endowments　Raj　Ahten　had　gained　here　in　Heredon　would　bee　vital　to　him。
　No；　Borenson　needed　to　kill　these　vectors。　He　sighed。　With　a　heavy　heart；　he　pulled　his　war　axe。　Urged　his　mount　forward。
　Gaborn　caught　the　horse　by　the　reins。　〃Stay　away　from　them；〃　he　growled　in　a　tone　Borenson　had　never　before　heard　from　the　Prince。
　〃I　have　a　duty；〃　Borenson　said；　regretfully。　He　did　not　want　to　do　it；　but　he'd　argued　the　point　so　convincingly　that　now　he　saw　he　must。
　〃And　I'm　obligated　to　protect　Iome　and　her　father；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃as　one　Oath…Bound　Lord　to　another。〃
　〃Oath…Bound　Lord？〃　Borenson　gasped。　〃No！　You　fool！〃　Now　he　saw　it。　Gaborn　had　been　distant　these　past　two　weeks　as　they　journeyed　into　Heredon。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　he'd　been　secretive。　〃It's　true；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I　spoke　the　oath　to　Iome。〃　〃Who　witnessed？〃　Borenson　asked　the　first　question　that　came　to　mind；　〃Iome；　and　her　Maids　of　Honor。〃　Borenson　wondered　if　news　of　this　oath　could　be　covered。　Perhaps　by　killing　the　witnesses；　he　could　undo　the　damage。　〃And　her　Days。〃
　Borenson　set　his　axe　across　the　pommel　of　his　saddle；　looked　hard　at　King　Sylvarresta。　Who　knew　how　far　this　news　had　spread？　From　Iome's　maids　to　the　King's　counselor；　to　all　Heredon。　He　couldn't　hide　what　Gaborn　had　done。
　Gaborn　had　a　fierceness　in　his　eyes。　What　pluck！　The　little　ass！　Borenson　thought。　He　plans　to　fight　me。　He'd　really　fight　me　over　this？
　Yet　he　knew　it　was　true。　To　give　the　Oath　of　Protection　was　a　serious　matter；　a　sacred　matter。
　Borenson　didn't　dare　raise　his　hand　against　the　Prince。　It　was　treason。　Even　if　he　carried　out　Orden's　mands　in　every　other　matter；　he　could　be　executed　for　striking　the　Prince。
　Gaborn　had　been　watching　Borenson's　eyes；　and　now　he　ventured；　〃If　you　will　not　allow　me　to　rescind　my　father's　order；　then　I　mand　you　thus：　Wait　to　carry　it　out。　Wait　until　we　reach　Longmont；　and　I've　spoken　to　my　father。〃
　Gaborn　might　well　reach　the　castle　before　Borenson。　There；　the　King　would　be　able　to　settle　this　tangled　matter。
　Borenson　closed　his　eyes　and　hung　his　head　in　sign　of　acquiescence。　〃As　you　mand；　milord；〃　he　said。　Yet　a　horrible　sense　of　guilt　assailed。　He'd　been　ordered　to　kill　the　Dedicates　at　Castle　Sylvarresta；　and　if　he　slew　the　King　and　Iome　now；　he　would　thus　spare　other　lives；　he　would　spare　all　those　who　were　vectored　through　these　two。
　Yet　to　kill　Sylvarresta　would　be　cruel。　Borenson　did　not　want　to　murder　a　friend；　regardless　of　the　cost。　And　he　dared　not　raise　a　weapon　against　his　own　Prince。
　Bits　of　arguments　rushed　at　Borenson；　fragmented。　He　looked　up　at　King
　Sylvarresta；　who　had　stopped　moaning　in　fear；　just　as　a　jay　went　flying　over　the　King's　head　in　a　streak　of　blue。
　But　if　I　do　not　murder　these　two　now；　how　many　others　must　I　kill　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep？　How　many　endowments　has　Sylvarresta　taken？　Are　the　lives　of　these　two　worth　more　than　the　lives　of　their　Dedicates？
　What　harm　has　any　of　them　done？　Not　one　man　in　the　keep　would　willingly　toss　a　rotten　apple　at　one　of　our　people。　Yet　by　their　very　existence；　they　lend　power　to　Raj　Ahten。
　Borenson　clenched　his　teeth；　lost　in　thought。　Tears　began　to　water　his　eyes。
　You　will　make　me　kill　everyone　vectored　through　these　two；　Borenson　realized。　That　was　his　only　choice。　He　loved　his　Prince；　had　always　served　faithfully。
　I'll　do　it；　Borenson　thought；　though　I　hate　myself　forever　after。　I'll　do　it　for　you。
　No！　some　deep　part　of　his　mind　shouted。
　Borenson　opened　his　eyes；　stared　hard　at　Gaborn。
　Gaborn　let　go　the　reins　of　Borenson's　mount；　stood　testily；　as　if　he　was　still　ready　to　try　to　pull　Borenson　from　the　saddle　if　the　need　arose。
　〃Take　them　in　peace；　milord；〃　Borenson　said；　trying　to　hide　the　sadness　in　his　voice。　Immediately　Gaborn　relaxed。
　〃I'll　need　a　weapon；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃Can　I　borrow　one　of　yours？〃　Other　than　the　black　spear　in　Torin's　throat；　nothing　was　handy。
　The　warhorse　Borenson　rode　had　a　horseman's　hammer　sheathed　from　its　previous　owner。　It　was　an　inelegant　weapon。　Borenson　knew　that　Gaborn　preferred　a　saber；　for　he　liked　to　slash　and　thrust　quickly。　But　the　hammer　had　its　strengths：　against　an　armored　opponent；　one　could　easily　chop　through　chain　mail　or　pierce　a　helm。　The　saber　was　as　likely　to　snap　in　such　a　battle　as　to　pierce　a　man's　armor。
　Borenson　pulled　the　hammer；　tossed　it　to　Gaborn。　He　did　not　rest　easy　with　his　decisions。　Even　now；　he　barely　restrained　himself　from　attacking　Sylvarresta。　I　am　not　death；　Borenson　told　himself。　I　am　not　death。　It　is　not　my　duty　to　fight　my　Prince；　to　kill　kings。
　〃Hurry　to　Longmont；〃　Borenson　said　at　last　with　a　sigh。　〃I　smell　a　storm　ing。　It　will　hide　your　scent；　make　you　harder　to　track。　Take　the　main　road　south　at　first；　but　don't　follow　it　all　the　waythe　Hayworth　bridge　is　burned。　Go　instead　through　the　forest　until　you　reach　Ardamom's　Ridge；　then　cut　straight　south　to　the　Boar's　Ford。　Do　you　know　where　it　is？〃
　Gaborn　shook　his　head。　Of　course　he　did　not　know。
　〃I　know；〃　Iome　said。　Borenson　studied　her。　Cool；　confident；　despite　her　ugliness。　The　Princess　now　showed　no　fear。　At　least　she　knew　how　to　sit　a　horse。
　Borenson　urged　his　warhorse　forward　a　step；　pulled　the　longspear　from　poor　Torin's　neck；　snapped　it　off；　and　threw　the　bladed　end　to　the　Princess。　She　caught　it　in　one　hand。
　〃Won't　you　escort　us？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　Doesn't　he　understand　what　I　must　do？　Borenson　wondered。　Borenson　had　not　yet　confided　that　he　planned　to　slay　every　Dedicate　in　the　castle。
　No；　Borenson　decided。　Gaborn　didn't　know　what　he　planned。　The　lad　was　that　innocent。　Indeed；　if　the　Prince　had　even　the　slightest　notion　what　Borenson　intended；　Gaborn　would　try　to　stop　him。
　Yet　Borenson　couldn't　allow　that。　I'll　do　this　alone；　he　thought。　I'll　take　this　evil　upon　me；　stain　my　hands　with　blood　so　that　you　don't　have　to。
　〃I've　other　duties；〃　Borenson　said；　shaking　his　head。　He　soothed　the　Prince　with　a　lie。　〃I'll　shadow　Raj　Ahten's　army；　make　certain　he　doesn't　strike　some　unexpected　target。〃
　To　tell　the　truth；　part　of　him　wanted　to　escort　Gaborn；　to　see　him　safe　through　the　woods。　He　knew　the　Prince　would　need　help。　But　Borenson　did　not　trust　himself　to　lead　Gaborn　for　even　an　hour。　At　any　moment；　he　might　feel　the　need　to　turn　on　Gaborn；　to　kill　good　King　Sylvarresta。
　〃If　it　will　make　it　easier　for　you；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃when　I　reach　Longmont；　I'll　tell　my　father　that　I　never　saw　you　in　the　woods。　He　does　not　need　to　know。〃
　Borenson　nodded；　numb。
　
　Chapter　23
　THE　HUNT　BEGINS
　　
　Raj　Ahten　stood　above　his　dead　Invincible；　fists　clenched。　Downhill；　his　army　marched　for　Longmont；　archers　running　the　winding　road；　their　colored　tunics　making　them　look　like