srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第41章

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　Lord　Verement　stiffened　angrily；　but　Elena　controlled　him　with　a　glance；　and　said；　still　softly　and　carefully；　to　Rue；　〃In　what　way　betrayed？〃
　〃Ah；　the　Ramen　do　not　forget。　In　tales　preserved　in　Manhome　from　the　age　of　mighty　Kelenbhrabanal；　we　know　Fangthane；　and　the　wars　of　the　Old　Lords。　Always；　when　Fangthane　built　his　armies　in　the　Lower　Land；　the　Old　Lords　came　to　the　ancient　battleground　north　of　the　Plains　of　Ra　and　the　Roamsedge　River；　and　fought　at　Landsdrop；　to　forbid　Fangthane　from　the　Upper　Land。　So　the　Ranyhyn　were　preserved；　for　the　enemy　could　not　turn　his　teeth　to　the　Plains　of　Ra　while　fighting　the　Lords。　And　in　recognition；　the　Ramen　left　their　hills　to　fight　with　the　Lords。
　〃But　you…！　Fangthane　marches；　and　your　army　is　here。　The　Plains　of　Ra　are　left　without　defense　or　help。〃
　〃That　was　my　idea。〃　His　impatience　made　Troy　sound　sharper　than　he　intended。
　〃For　what　reason？〃　A　dangerous　challenge　pulsed　in　her　quiet　tone。
　〃I　think　they　were　good　reasons；〃　he　responded。　Impelled　by　an　inner　need　to　reassure　himself　that　he　had　not　been　wrong；　he　spoke　swiftly。　〃Think　about　it。　You're　right…every　time　in　the　past　that　Foul　has　built　up　an　army；　the　Lords　have　gone　to　fight　him　at　Landsdrop。　And　every　time；　they've　lost。　They've　been　pushed　back。　There　are　too　many　different　ways　up　from　the　Lower　Land。　And　the　Lords　have　been　too　far　from　their　supplies　and　support。　Sure；　they　put　up　a　good　fight…and　that　takes　some　of　the　pressure　off　the　Plains　of　Ra　because　Foul　is　occupied　elsewhere。　But　the　Lords　lose。　Whole　Eoward　get　hacked　to　pieces；　and　the　Warward　has　to　retreat　on　the　run　just　to　stay　alive　long　enough　to　regroup　and　fight　the　same　fight　all　over　again；　farther　west…closer　to　Revelstone。
　〃And　that's　not　all。　This　time；　Foul　might　be　building　his　army　farther　north…in　Sarangrave　Flat　north　of　the　Defiles　Course。　He's　never　done　that　before。　But　back　then　the　Giants　always　kept　the　north　Sarangrave　clear。　This　time〃…he　winced　at　the　thought　of　the　Giants…〃this　time　it's　different。　If　we　marched　an　army　down　to　you　while　Foul　was　on　his　way　north　of　Mount　Thunder　toward　Revelstone；　we'd　be　helpless　to　stop　him　from　attacking　the　Keep。　Revelstone　might　fall。　So　I　made　the　decision。　We　wait　here。
　〃Don't　get　me　wrong…we're　not　abandoning　you。　The　fact　is；　I　don't　think　you're　in　that　much　danger。　Look；　suppose　Foul　has　an　army　of　fifty　thousand　or　even　a　hundred　thousand。　How　long　is　it　going　to　take　him　to　conquer　the　Plains　of　Ra？〃
　〃He　will　not；〃　Rue　breathed　between　her　teeth。
　The　Warmark　nodded。　〃And　even　if　he　does；　it'll　take　him　years。　You're　too　good　at　hunting…he　can't　beat　you　on　your　own　ground。　You　and　the　Ranyhyn　will　run　circles　around　his　troops；　and　every　time　they　turn　their　backs；　you'll　throttle　a　few　score　of　them。　Even　if　he　outnumbers　you　fifty　to　one；　you'll　just　send　the　Ranyhyn　into　the　mountains；　and　keep　chipping　away　at　him　for　God　knows　how　long。　He'll　need　years　to　do　it。　Even　assuming　we　are　not　attacking　his　rear。　No；　until　he's　got　the　Lords　beaten；　he　can't　afford　to　tackle　you。　That's　why　I've　been　thinking　all　along　that　he　would　e　north。〃
　He　stopped；　and　faced　Rue　squarely　with　his　argument。　The　recital　of　his　reasoning　calmed　him；　he　knew　that　his　logic　was　sound。　And　the　Manethrall　was　forced　to　acknowledge　it。　After　considering　his　explanation　for　a　time；　she　sighed；　〃Ah；　very　well。　I　see　your　reasons。　But　I　do　not　like　such　ideas。　You　juggle　risk　for　the　Ranyhyn　too　freely。〃
　Tiredly；　she　turned　back　toward　Elena。　〃Hear　me；　High　Lord；〃　she　said　in　a　gray；　empty　voice。　〃I　will　speak　my　message；　for　I　am　weary　and　must　rest；　e　what　may。
　〃I　have　journeyed　here　from　the　Shattered　Hills　which　surround　and　defend　Foul's　Creche。　I　left　that　maimed　place　when　I　saw　a　great　army　issuing　from　the　Hills。　It　marched　as　straight　as　the　eye　sees　toward　Landsdrop　and　the　Fall　of　the　River　Landrider。　It　was　an　army　dire　and　numberless…I　could　not　guess　its　size；　and　did　not　wait　to　count。　With　the　four　Cords　in　my　watch；　I　fled　so　that　I　might　keep　my　word　to　the　Lords。〃
　The　south　way；　Troy　breathed　to　himself。　At　once；　his　brain　took　hold　of　the　information；　concrete　images　of　the　Spoiled　Plains　and　Landsdrop　filled　his　mind。　He　began　to　calculate　Lord　Foul's　progress。
　〃But　some　enemy　knew　my　purpose。　We　were　pursued。　A　black　wind　came　upon　us；　and　from　it　fearsome；　abominable　creatures　fell　like　birds　of　prey。　My　Cords　were　lost　so　that　I　might　escape…yet　I　was　driven　far　from　my　way；　north　into　the　mange　of　the　Sarangrave。
　〃I　knew　that　the　peril　was　great。　Yet　I　knew　that　there　was　no　waiting　army　of　friends　or　Lords　on　the　Upper　Land　to　help　the　Ranyhyn。　A　shadow　came　over　my　heart。　Almost　I　turned　aside　from　my　purpose；　and　left　the　Lords　to　a　fate　of　their　own　devising。　But　I　contended　with　the　Sarangrave；　so　that　the　lives　of　my　Cords　would　not　have　been　lost　in　vain。
　〃Over　the　ancient　battleground；　through　the　rich　joy　of　Andelain；　then　across　a　stern　plain　south　of　a　great　forest　like　unto　Morinmoss；　but　darker　and　more　slumberous…thus　I　made　my　way；　so　that　your　idea　might　have　its　chance。　That　is　my　message。　Ask　what　questions　you　will；　and　then　release　me；　for　I　must　rest。〃
　With　quiet　dignity；　the　High　Lord　arose；　holding　the　Staff　of　Law　before　her。　〃Manethrall　Rue；　the　Land　is　measureless　in　your　debt。　You　have　paid　a　grim　price　to　bring　your　word　to　us；　and　we　will　do　our　uttermost　to　honor　that　cost。　Please　hear　me。　We　could　not　turn　away　from　the　Ranyhyn　and　their　Ramen。　To　do　so；　we　would　cease　to　be　what　we　are。　Only　one　belief　has　kept　us　from　your　side。　It　is　in　our　hearts　that　this　is　the　final　war　against　Fangthane。　If　we　fall；　there　will　be　none　left　to　fight　again。　And　we　have　not　the　strength　of　the　Old　Lords。　What　force　we　have　we　must　use　cunningly。　Please　do　not　harden　your　heart　against　us。　We　will　pay　many　prices　to　match　your　own。〃　Holding　the　Staff　at　the　level　of　her　eyes；　she　bent　forward　in　a　Ramen　bow。
　A　faint　smile　flickered　across　Rue's　lips…amusement　at　Elena's　approximation　of　the　fluid　Ramen　salute…and　she　returned　it　to　show　how　it　should　be　done。　〃It　is　also　said　among　the　Ramen　that　the　Lords　are　courteous。　Now　I　know　it。　Ask　your　questions。　I　will　answer　as　I　can。〃
　The　High　Lord　reseated　herself。　Troy　was　eager　to　speak；　but　she　did　not　give　him　permission。　To　Manethrall　Rue　she　said；　〃One　question　is　first　in　my　heart。　What　of　Andelain？　Our　scouts　report　no　evil　there；　but　they　have　not　your　eyes。　Are　the　Hills　free　of　wrong？〃
　A　surge　of　frustration　bunched　the　muscles　of　Troy's　shoulders。　He　was　eager；　urgent；　to　begin　probing　the　Manethrall。　But　he　recognized　the　tact　of　Elena's　inquiry。　The　Andelainian　Hills　rode　through　Ramen　legend　like　an　image　of　paradise；　it　would　ease　Rue's　heart　to　speak　of　them。
　In　response；　her　grim　bitterness　relaxed　for　a　moment。　Her　eyes　filled　with　tears　that　ran　down　over　the　slight　smile　on　her　lips。　〃The　Hills　are　free；〃　she　said　simply。
　A　glad　murmur　ran　through　the　Close；　and　several　of　the　Lords　nodded　in　satisfaction。　This　was　not　something　about　which　a　Manethrall　could　be　mistaken。　The　High　Lord　sighed　her　gratitude。　When　she　freed　the　Warmark　to　begin　his　questions；　she　did　so　with　a　look　that　urged　him　to　be　gentle。
　〃All　right；〃　Troy　said；　rising　to　his　feet。　His　heart　labored　with　anxiety；　but　he　ignored　it。　〃I　understand　that　you　don't　know　the　size　of　Foul's　army。　I　accept　that。　But　I've　got　to　know　how　much　head　start　he　has。　Exactly　how　many　days　ago　did　you　see　his　army　leave　the　Shattered　Hills？〃
　The　Manethrall　did　not　need　to　count　back。　She　replied　promptly；　〃Twenty　days〃
　For　an　instant；　the　Warmark　regarded　her　eyelessly　from　behind　his　sunglasses；　stunned　into　silence。　Then　he　whispered；　〃Twenty　days？〃　His　brain　reeled。　〃Twenty？〃　With　a　violence　that　wrenched　his　heart；　his　image　of　the　Despiser's　army　surged　forward　thirty…five　leagues…five　days。　He　had　counted　on　receiving　word　of　Lord　Foul's　movements　in　fifteen　days。　He　had　studied　the　Ramen；　he　knew　to　a　league　how　far　a　Manethrall　could　travel　in　a　day。　〃Oh；　my　God。〃　Rue　should　have　been　able　to　reach　Revelstone　in　fifteen　days。
　He　was　five　days　short。　Five