jr.shapechangers-第49章

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　〃Would　you　say　that　to　Carillon；　whom　you　have　freed　from　captivity？〃
　〃fou　freed　him。〃
　〃But　had　you　not　defied　me　to　begin　with；　I　would　not　have　gone　to　the　Atvian　encampment　at　all。　It　was　Mujhara　I　was　bound　for。〃
　Alix　sighed；　trying　to　deal　with　two　fears。　〃Do　you　send　me
　back；　then？　Do　you　forbid　me　to　go　with　you　to　the　city；　and
　make　me　wait　at　the　Keepi〃
　He　laughed　softly。　〃Why　can　you　not　be　as　other　women？　Why　must　you　put　on　men's　garb＋my　own；　I　have　seen＋and　act　the　part　of　a　warrior？〃
　She　scowled。　〃How　can　I　say？　I　am　myself。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　have　seen　that。　It　is　not　entirely　unpleasing；　in　its　place。　As　for　Mujhara；　you　will　have　to　e　with　us。　I　will　not　have　you　take　fir…shape　again；　and　I　will　not　have　you　return　to　the　Keep　alone。　I　can　spare　no　men　to　take　you。〃　He　shrugged；　sighing。　〃So　you　will　e。〃
　Alix　said　nothing　for　a　long　moment。　Then　she　clenched　her　hands　against　his　ribs。　〃I　cannot　say　if　I　am　pleased　or　not。　I　would　not　be　happy　at　the　Keep；　waiting　in　fear；　but　neither　will　I　be　happy　to　see　you　risk　yourself　for　Shaine's　city。〃
　He　smoothed　back　her　hair。　〃It　is　not　Shaine's　city；　small　one。　Once　it　was　Cheysuli。　We　have　only　to　win　back　what　was　ours。〃
　She　turned　her　face　up　to　his。　〃Duncan＋had　the　Cheysuli　not　given　up　the　throne　to　Homanans＋could　you　have　been　Mujhar？〃
　He　smiled。　〃I　am　clan…leader；　cheysula。　It　is　enough。〃
　Something　turned　in　her　heart。　〃But　you　have　lost　so　much。。。〃
　His　eyes　were　very　clear　in　the　moonlight　as　he　looked　into　her　face。　'*I　have　lost　something；　perhaps；　but　I　have　found　even　more。〃
　〃Duncan〃
　〃Hush；　cheysula。　It　is　time　you　let　our　child　rest。〃
　She　sighed　and　felt　her　left　hand　clasped　firmly　in　his　as　he　led　her　back　to　the　tiny　camp。
　I　am　not　the　proper　sort　of　woman　for　this　man。。。　she
　thought　in　aching　regret；
　Cai；　hidden　in　the　darkness；　sent　her　his　warm　reassurance。
　Liren。。。　you　are　the　only　woman/or　this　man。
　Alix　drew　closer　to　Duncan　and　hoped　the　hawk　was　nght。
　BOOK　IV
　〃The　Warrior〃
　Chapter　One
　〃I　will　not　subject　myself　to　Cheysuli　sorcery；〃　Carillon　said　firmly　in　the　morning。
　He　sat　upright　against　his　log；　hands　folded　over　the　scab…barded　sword　Finn　had　returned　to　him。　The　Cheysuli　warriors　faced　him　silently；　yet　disapproving　even　in　their　silence。
　Alix　saw　defiant　determination　in　the　prince's　battered　face。
　〃Carillon；〃　she　reproved　softly。
　His　eyes　flickered　as　he　looked　at　her；　standing　at　Duncan's　side。　〃Alix；　such　sorcery　is　evil。　I　cannot　deny　your　own　measure　of　it；　but　I　know　you。　You　would　never　seek　to　bring　down　Homana's　heir。〃
　〃Nor　would　we；〃　Duncan　said　flatly。　He　sighed。　〃You　would　not　believe　it；　perhaps；　but　the　Cheysuli　never　meant　to　give　up　their　proper　place　next　to　the　Homanan　Mujhars。　Until　Hale　left；　Cheysuli　warriors　ever　served　Homanan　kings。　We　seek　no　quarrel　with　you。〃
　Finn　stood　apart　from　the　others；　smiling　crookedly　in　his　familiar　mocking　manner。　〃You　seek　the　quarrel；　I　think。〃
　Carillon's　mouth　tightened。　〃I　seek　only　to　get　to　MuJhara　and　free　my　city　from　the　Dilini　demons。　And　Bellam　of　Solinde。〃　His　fingers　were　bone…white　as　he　clenched　them　on　the　sword。
　〃You　will　not　get　there　without　our　aid；〃　Finn　said　curtly。　〃Yet　last　night　you　were　willing　enough　to　let　us　use　our　gifts　on　the　enemy。〃
　〃Using　your　magic　to　release　your　liege　lord　is　one　thing；〃　Carillon　retorted。　〃Subverting　my　will　with　it　is　entirely　another。〃
　Finn　laughed　scornfully。　〃See　how　quickly　he　calls　himself　our　lord！　Only　months　ago　you　lay　in　our　hands；　princeling；　and　did　our　bidding。　Could　we　not　have　forced　sorcery　on　you　then　if　we　wished　it？　Or　is　it　that　you　lift　yourself　higher；　now；　because　Fergus　of　Homana　is　slain？〃
　〃Rujho；〃　Duncan　said　quietly。
　Carillon's　eyes　were　hard　as　stone　as　he　shook　his　head。　〃Let
　him　speak。　I　have　learned　much　of　men　because　of　this　war；　and
　I　find　there　are　times　a　man　must　consider　himself　first。　Long
　have　I　allowed　the　Mujhar　to　manipulate　me；　but　no　longer。　My
　father　is　slain　by　Atvian　hands　and　it　is　my　place　to　do　what　he
　would。〃　Carillon　smiled　slowly；　without　humor。　〃You　may　not　like　it；　shapechanger；　but　I　will　be　lord　of　Homana　one　day。　You　had　better　accustom　yourself　to　it。〃
　Color　surged　into　Finn's　face　as　he　stiffened。　The　yellow　blaze　in　his　eyes　gave　away　the　depths　of　the　rage　he　felt；　and　Alix　grinned　delightedly。　She　caught　his　eyes　on　her　and　did　not　hide　her　reaction；　which　only　angered　him　further。　Finn　turned　and　walked　away　from　the　clustered　warriors。
　Duncan；　legs　spread　and　arms　folded；　smiled　ironically　down　on　Carillon。　〃My　lord　prince；　you　may　well　be　our　liege　lord。　But　it　remains：　you　cannot　ride　into　Mujhara　in　this　fashion。　You　would　not　last　the　journey。〃
　Carillon　placed　one　hand　flat　against　the　ground　and　pushed　himself　upright；　tensing　his　body　with　the　effort　it　took。　Alix　stifled　the　movement　she　longed　to　make　to　help　him；　knowing　to　do　so　would　diminish　tite　impact　of　his　rising。　He　stood　taller　than　most　of　them；　though　the　Cheysuli　were　a　tall　race；　and　his　broad　shoulders　stretched　against　the　leather…and…mail　he　wore。　Only　his　eyes　gave　away　the　immensity　of　effort　it　took　for　him　to　remain　standing　erectly　before　them。
　〃If　I　cannot　ride　into　my　own　city；　I　have　no　business　attempting　to　free　her　from　the　Ihlini　terror。〃
　〃Carillon；〃　she　said　softly；　〃it　will　not　hurt。　It　will　only　strengthen　you。〃
　His　eyes　burned　into　hers　as　he　stretched　out　his　left　hand。　The　stiff　sleeve　of　his　fighting　leathers　and　mail　drew　back　on　his　arm；　baring　the　ridged　purple　weak　still　weeping　fluid　from　the　shackle…wounds。
　〃I　care　little　if　it　hurts；　Alix。　Have　I　not　learned　to　deal　with　pain？〃
　Duncan's　hand　pressed　against　her　shoulder　as　if　bidding　her　into　silence。　Alix　longed　to　answer　Carillon's　bitterness　but　refrained。　As　she　listened　to　Duncan　she　realized　nothing　she　said　could　change　Carillon's　mind。　But　Duncan's　words　might。
　〃Homana　lies　in　her　death　struggle；〃　he　said　clearly。　〃I　believe　you　realize　that。　It　is　a　harsh　thing　to　prehend；　when　you　are　prince　of　a　land　and　must　someday　ascend　the　throne；　but　it　is　something　you　must　deal　with。　The　Cheysuli　denied　the　truth　of　the　prophecy　once；　Carillon；　and　suffered　because　of　it。　If　you　deny　it；　you　also　will　suffer。〃
　〃I　am　not　Cheysuli；〃　Carillon　said　sharply。　〃A　shapechanger　prophecy　cannot　foretell　what　will　bee　of　a　Homanan。　I　have　no　place　in　it。〃
　〃You　cannot　know；〃　Duncan　said　softly。　〃Nor　can　any　man。
　You　must　allow　things　their　own　path　if　you　are　to　survive。　This
　prophecy　has　foretold　what　will　bee　of　you；　my　lord；　even　though　you　be　Homanan。　I　believe　you　are　the　Mujhar　it　speaks　of＋the　one　who　wilt　end　the　qu'mahlin　and　restore　our　race　to　peace　and　our　homeland。〃　Duncan　sighed　as　Carillon's　face　expressed　patent　disbelief。　〃We　cannot　turn　the　flow　of　die　prophecy。　But　we　can　withstand　the　dark　arts　of　Ihlini　interference。〃
　〃You　cannot　tell　me　what　has　happened　was　meant'。〃　the　prince　snapped。　〃My　father's　death？〃
　〃A　man　must　die　before　his　son　is　fully　a　man；〃　Duncan　said　gently。　〃And　the　throne　of　Homana　must　once　again　fall　into　Cheysuli　hands。〃
　Alix　saw　bitterness　and　resentment　wash　color　from　Carillon's　face。　〃Cheysuli　hands？〃　he　asked　ominously。　〃You　say　Homana's　throne　will　be　in　shapechanger　hands？〃
　She　stepped　from　Duncan　and　stood　between　them；　fearing　little　would　be　settled　over　such　an　emotional　score。　Gently　she　touched　Carillon's　hand　as　it　clung　to　the　sword。
　*'I　have　learned　once　this　land　was　Cheysuli；〃　she　said　softly。　〃before　ever　the　Homanans　came。　It　was　the　Cheysuli　who　gave　the　throne　to　your　ancestors。　Duncan　does　not　mean　he　will　deny　your　right　to　it。　It　is　only　that　you　must　have　it　before　it　goes　again　to　a　Cheysuli　Mujhar。〃　Alix　took　a　careful　breath。　〃Carillon；　can　we　not　be　one　race　instead　of　two？〃
　〃You　will　rule　in　Mujhara；　my　lord；〃　Duncan　said　calmly；　〃but　only　if　we　get　you　there。〃
　Carillon　said　nothing。　It　was　Alix　who　smiled　into　his　face　and　insisted　gently。　〃I　will　not　let　them　harm　you。　I　promise。〃
　His　free　hand　slid　up　to　her　face　and　cupped　it　gently。　〃Then　I　leave　my　fate　in　your