jr.shapechangers-第35章

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nation。
　Suddenly　she　found　herself　trembling；　unable　to　feel　me　soft　furs　beneath　her　or　me　warmth　of　the　blood　still　spilling　from　her　shoulder。　Only　air　was　beneath　her；　and　when　she　tensed　against　ns　feather　touch　she　felt　the　earth　under　her　hands。　Her　fingers　curled　against　it；　clawing　into　its　softness。　It　enveloped　her　in　rich　gentleness；　entering　the　pores　of　her　skin。
　She　opened　her　mouth　to　scream　but　could　find　no　voice。　A　blurring　came　into　her　mind；　fogging　her　eyes；　stopping　her　ears。　She　sought　to　lift　a　trembling　hand　and　found　her　body　would　not　answer　her。
　Duncan's　hand　smoothed　hair　from　her　damp　forehead。　〃It　is　done；　small　one。　Rest　yourself。　I　promise　you　will　be　better。〃
　Her　eyes　cleared　slowly。　She　saw　him　by　her；　himself　again；　though　he　looked　weary。　〃Duncan。。。〃
　〃Hush；〃　he　said　softly；　running　a　gentle　hand　over　me　wounded　shoulder。　〃It　is　healed；　but　it　will　take　time　for　you　to　recover　your　strength。　The　earth　magic　does　not　give　back　everything。〃
　〃What　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　summoned　the　healing　touch　of　the　earth；　it　is　magic　mat
　resides　in　all　me　lands；　but　only　the　Cheysuli　may　summon　it〃
　〃I　will　miss　Council；〃　she　said。
　〃Aye。　It　will　take　time　for　your　strength　to　return。〃
　Her　eyes　closed。　〃It　is　better　so。　I　have　no　wish　to　see　you　ask
　for　Malina；〃
　〃Or　have　Finn　ask　for　you？〃
　Her　eyes　flew　open。　〃Duncan。。。　do　not　tease　me。　Not　about　this。〃
　〃I　do　not　tease；〃　he　said　gently。　〃And　I　should　not　long　prolong　this　for　either　of　us。〃　He　took　her　right　hand　and　laced　his　fingers　into　hers。　〃Finn　will　not　be　asking　for　your　clan…rights　this　night。　Or　ever。〃
　〃You　have　refused　him？〃
　〃There　is　another　warrior　who　takes　precedence　over　Finn。〃
　〃Another！〃　Her　fingers　stiffened。　〃DuBcan＋〃
　His　free　band　covered　her　mouth　again。　〃Listen　to　me；　small　one；　do　not　be　so　ready　to　fight　me　when　there　is　no　need。〃　He　smiled　at　her。　〃I　went　to　see　Malina　after　you　had　left。　I　had　every　intention　of　asking　for　her　clan…fights　this　night。　But　she　let　fall　me　truth　of　me　child。。。　mat　it　was　Borrs's。　and　she　knew　it。　She　said　nothing　because　she　did　not　wish　to　lose　me　to　you。〃　His　expression　was　wry。　〃I　had　not　thought　myself　the　gort　of　man　two　women　would　want　so　badly；　but　I　will　not　task　myself　over　it。　I　will　simply　accept　roe　wisdom　of　the　gods。〃
　Alix　grinned　at　him；　amused　by　his　masculine　assurance。　Her
　fingers　tightened　in　his。　〃If　you　will　not　have　Malina＋〃
　〃＋I　will　have　you。〃　He　bent　and　kissed　her　tenderly。　〃If　you　will　take　me。〃
　〃There　is　no　question；〃　she　whispered；　fighting　against　drowsiness。　〃None。〃
　He　put　something　in　her　hand；　curling　her　fingers　around　the　coolness　of　metal。　Alix　opened　her　eyes　and　stared　at　roe　thing。　it　was　a　curving　neck　torque　of　purest　gold；　beaten　into　hundreds　of　gleaming　facets…　At　the　lowest　point　stretched　the　fluted　wings　of　a　soaring　hawk；　and　in　its　talons　was　clasped　a　glowing　lump　of　dark　amber。
　〃it　is　Cheysuli　custom；〃　he　said。　〃The　warrior　offers　the　woman　a　torque；　to　signify　the　bond；　and　if　she　accepts　it　they　are　considered　wed。〃
　〃What　of　these　clan…rights　you　speak　of？〃
　Duncan　smiled。　〃I　will　ask　for　them　formally　in　Council；　but　it　would　not　hurt　anything　if　we　preceded　roe　formality　a　little。　If　you　are　willing。〃
　She　ran　a　trembling　finger　over　roe　gleaming　hawk；　down　to　the　amber。　〃I　must　ask　it；　Duncan。〃
　〃Then　ask。〃
　〃You　said　your　race　does　not　place　so　much　honor　on　fidelity。〃
　He　smiled。　〃1　thought　it　might　be　that。　Small　one；　you　need　fear　nothing。　While　it　is　true　the　Cheysuli　do　not　often　keep　themselves　to　one　woman；　it　does　not　mean　we　cannot。　I　respect　your　Homanan　ideals；　cheysula。　I　do　not　intend　to　give　you　reason　to　cast　me　out　of　your　heart。〃
　She　closed　her　eyes　to　hide　her　tears。　〃Duncan。。。　if　this　is　the　lahlmomt　you　spoke　of。。。　I　think　I　can　follow　it　faithfully。〃
　He　bent　and　kissed　her　brow。　〃Hush。　1　must　leave　you　now；　for　Council；　but　I　will　return。　Rest；　cheysula。〃
　She　wanted　to　keep　him　by　her　but　let　him　go。　When　he　had　left　her　Raissa　came　and　knelt；　covering　her　with　a　soft　blanket。
　〃Now　you　see　the　strength　in　him；　Alix。　For　all　Shaine's　qu'mahlin　changed　his　life；　it　has　made　him　a　warrior。〃
　She　feft　herself　drifting。　〃You　speak　as　if　you　have　known　him　longer　than　any。〃
　Raissa　smiled。　〃I　have。　I　bore　him。〃
　Alix's　eyes　snapped　open。　〃You　are　Duncan's　mother？〃
　〃And　Finn's。〃
　She　stared　at　me　woman　blankly。　〃You　did　not　say。。。〃　She　thought　it　over。　〃Nor　did　they。〃
　〃There　was　no　need。　But　have　I　not　proven　a　good　ear　for　you　to　rant　of　Finn's　arrogance　while　you　silently　longed　for　Duncan？〃
　Alix　closed　her　eyes。　〃You　shame　me；　lady。　I　have　said　things　no　mother　should　hear。〃
　Raissa　laughed。　〃I　know　all　of　Finn's　faults；　small　one。　And
　you　fool　yourself　if　you　think　Duncan　has　none。'*
　〃I　have　not　seen　any；〃　Alix　said　distinctly。
　The　woman　laughed　again　and　smoothed　back　her　shortened　hair。　〃Only　because　you　will　not　let　yourself。　Have　you　not　lost　most　of　your　hair　because　of　his　jealousy？〃
　Alix　smiled　through　her　exhaustion。　〃Perhaps　that　is　one　fault　lean　accept。〃
　〃Rest　now；　small　one；〃　Raissa　said　gently。　〃He　will　e　back　to　you。〃
　Alix　struggled　for　awareness　a　moment　longer。　〃I　am　Bale's　daughter；　lady。　How　can　you　show　kindness　to　the　daughter　of　me　man　who　left　you　for　another？〃
　〃It　does　not　matter；　Alix。　That　is　all　in　the　past。〃
　〃I　know　now　Finn　hates；〃　Alix　said　quietly。　〃I　would　not　have　you　hate　me　like　that。〃
　〃Hale　was　a　Cheysuli　warrior。　He　conducted　himself　accord…ing　to　his　lights；　b　is　the　custom　among　us；　Alix；　you　are　wele　in　my　pavilion。　If　I　can　have　Hale　back　through　you。　I　am　glad　of　it。〃
　〃Raissa＋〃
　〃Hush。　If　you　wish；　we　will　speak　of　this　another　time。
　Perhaps　mere　are　things　you　would　like　to　know　about　your
　jehan；'
　Alix　slid　farther　into　dreamless　sleep；　lost　within　me　realiza…tion　she　would　be　Duncan's　woman　after　all。
　But　she　also　wondered　at　the　magic　in　Lmdir's　soul　to　so　ensorcel　a　man。
　And　she　wondered　if　she　had　not　her　own　measure　of　it
　Two　days　later　she　was　installed　in　Duncan's　pavilion；　propped
　up　on　her　pallet　by　mounds　of　rolled　furs。　It　seemed　strange　to
　be　in　his　place；　knowing　it　was　now　hers　as　well；　but　as　he　Stood　lover　her　soticitously　she　knew　only　she　was　the　happiest　she　had　'。'ever　been。
　；　〃I　am　well；　Duncan；〃　she　said　softly。
　He　looked　down　at　her　sternly。　〃Then　tell　me　how　you　came　　by　an　arrow　wound。〃
　I'　Alix　laughed　at　him。　〃It　was　a　young　hunter。　EUasian；　I　must
　believe。〃
　I。　He　frowned　at　her。　〃Tell　me　why　a　hunter　would　shoot　you；　I…　rather　than　seek　other　things　with　you。〃
　；　She　looked　down　at　her　blanketed　legs；　wiggling　her　toes
　tbeneath　me　wool。　Finally　she　glanced　back　up。　〃Because；〃　she
　　gently；　〃he　thought　I　was　a　wolf。〃
　Duncan*s　brows　lifted。　〃I　hardly　see　bow　he　could　mistake
　。you　for　a　woy；　Alix。　Perhaps　he　saw　Storr；　and　simply　missed。〃
　I。　The　time　had　e　for　an　admission。　She　had　missed　Council；
　l。wfaen　she　would　have　shown　her　skill　to　them；　and　had　not　said
　1…cayming　to　Duncan　regarding　me　accident。　She　had　cradled　her
　knowledge　to　her　like　a　child；　keeping　it　secret　and　anticipating
　Xme　joy　in　telling　him。　Now　it　proved　more　difficult　man　she　had
　imagined。
　　〃He　did　not　miss；〃　she　said　finally；　fingering　the　healing
　I；　wound　in　her　shoulder。　〃He　mistook　me　for　a　wolf　because　I
　H3f　one。〃
　Duncan　made　a　skeptical　sound　and　sat　down　at　his　tow
　　woAtable；　picking　up　his　tools　and　a　gold　brooch　she　had
　watched　him　work　on　for　two　days。　The　ir…torque　rested　against
　　her　throat；　warmed　by　her　skin。
　〃You　do　not　believe　me？〃　she　asked。
　〃You　weave　me　a　tale；　cheysula；
　〃I　am　telling　you　the　truth。　Duncan。。。　I　can　do　more　than　apeak　with　the　tir。　I　take　ir…shape；　too。〃　a　for　a　moment　he　continued　to　work　on　me　brooch。　Then；　when　she　said　nothing　more；　he　looked　at　her　from　beneath　lowered　brows。
　〃Alix；　would　you　truly　have　me　believe＋〃
　〃You　had　better！〃　she　flung　at　him。　〃I　would　hardly　lie　about　somemmg　so　close　to　a　Cheysuli　warrior。　I　will　even　prove　it　to　you。〃
　She　moved　as　if　to　get　up。　Duncan；　rising　rapidly　from　his
　cross