srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第43章

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　Manethrall　Rue　returned　the　gesture；　and　added　the　traditional　salute　of　farewell；　touching　the　heels　of　her　hands　to　her　forehead；　she　bent　forward　and　spread　her　arms　wide　as　if　baring　her　heart。　Together；　the　Lords　answered　her　bow。　Then　she　turned　and　started　up　toward　the　high　doors。　Covenant　went　with　her；　walking　at　her　side　awkwardly；　as　if　he　wanted　and　feared　to　take　her　arm。
　At　the　top　of　the　stairs；　they　stopped　and　faced　each　other。　Covenant　looked　at　her　with　emotions　that　seemed　to　make　the　bone　between　his　eyes　bulge。　He　had　to　strain　to　speak。　〃What　can　I…is　there　anything　I　can　do…to　make　you　Gay　again？〃
　〃You　are　young　and　I　am　old。　This　journey　has　taken　much　from　me。　I　have　few　summers　left。　There　is　nothing。〃
　〃My　time　has　a　different　speed。　Don't　covet　my　life。〃
　〃You　are　Covenant　Ringthane。　You　have　power。　How　should　I　not　covet？〃
　He　ducked　away　from　her　gaze；　and　after　a　short　pause　she　added；　〃The　Ranyhyn　still　await　your　mand。　Nothing　is　ended。　They　served　you　at　Mount　Thunder；　and　will　serve　you　again…until　you　release　them。〃　When　she　passed　through　the　doors　away　from　him；　he　was　left　staring　down　at　his　hands　as　if　their　emptiness　pained　him。
　But　after　a　moment　he　pulled　himself　up；　and　came　back　down　the　stairs　to　take　his　seat　again。
　For　a　time；　there　was　silence　in　the　Close。　The　gathered　people　watched　the　Lords；　and　the　Lords　sat　still；　bending　their　minds　in　toward　each　other　to　meld　their　purpose　and　strength。　This　had　a　calming　effect　on　the　assembly。　It　was　part　of　the　mystery　of　being　a　Lord；　and　all　the　people　of　the　Land；　Stonedownor　and　Woodhelvennin；　trusted　the　Lords。　As　long　as　the　Council　was　capable　of　melding　and　leadership；　Revelstone　would　not　be　without　hope。　Even　Warmark　Troy　gained　a　glimpse　of　encouragement　from　this　munion　he　could　not　share。
　At　last；　the　contact　broke　with　an　almost　audible　snap　from　Lord　Verement；　and　the　High　Lord　raised　her　head　to　the　assembly。　〃My　friends；　warriors；　servants　of　the　Land；〃　she　said；　〃now　is　the　time　of　decision。　Deliberation　and　preparation　are　at　an　end。　War　marches　toward　us；　and　we　must　meet　it。　In　this　matter；　the　chief　choice　of　action　is　upon　Warmark　Hile　Troy。　He　will　mand　the　Warward；　and
　we　will　support　it　with　our　best　strength；　as　the　need　of　the　Land　demands。
　〃But　one　matter　pels　us　first…this　Giant　named　Fleshharrower。　The　question　of　this　must　be　answered。〃
　Roughly；　Verement　said；　〃The　Stone　does　not　explain。　It　is　not　enough。　The　Giants　are　strong…yes；　strong　and　wise。　They　would　resist　the　Stone　or　evade　it。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　said　Loerya。　〃The　Seareach　Giants　understand　the　peril　of　the　Illearth　Stone。　It　is　easier　to　believe　that　they　have　left　the　Land　in　search　of　their　lost　Home。〃
　〃Without　the　Gildenlode？〃　Trevor　countered　unfortably。　〃That　is　unlikely。　And　it　is　not　it　is　not　what　Mhoram　saw。〃
　The　other　Lords　turned　to　Mhoram；　and　after　a　moment　he　said；　〃No；　it　is　not　what　I　have　seen。　Let　us　pray　that　I　have　seen　wrongly…or　wrongly　understood　what　I　have　seen。　But　for　good　or　ill；　this　matter　is　beyond　us　at　present。　We　know　that　Korik　and　the　Lords　Hyrim　and　Shetra　will　do　their　uttermost　for　the　Giants。　And　we　cannot　send　more　of　our　strength　to　Seareach　now；　to　ask　how　a　Giant　has　been　made　to　lead　Lord　Foul's　army。　It　is　in　my　heart　that　we　will　learn　that　answer　sooner　than　any　of　us　would　wish。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　the　High　Lord　sighed。　〃I　hear　you。　Then　let　us　now　divide　among　ourselves　the　burdens　of　this　war。〃　She　looked　around　the　Council；　measuring　each　member　against　the　responsibilities　which　lay　ahead。　Then　she　said；　〃Lord　Trevor…Lord　Loerya…to　you　I　mit　the　keeping　of　Revelstone。　It　will　be　your　task　to　care　for　the　people　made　homeless　by　this　war…to　lay　up　stores　and　strengthen　defenses　against　any　siege　that　may　e…to　fight　the　last　battle　of　the　Land　if　we　fail。　My　friends；　hear　me。　It　is　a　grim　burden　I　give　you。　Those　who　remain　here　may　in　the　end　require　more　strength　than　all　others…for　if　we　fall；　then　you　must　fight　to　the　last　without　surrender　or　despair。　You　will　be　in　a　strait　place　like　that　which　drove　High　Lord　Kevin　to　his　Desecration。　I　trust　you　to　resist。　The　Land　must　not　be　doomed　in　that　way　again。〃
　Troy　nodded　to　himself；　her　choice　was　a　good　one。　Lord　Loerya　would　fight　extravagantly；　and　yet　would　never　take　any　action　that　would　imperil　her　daughters。　And　Lord　Trevor　would　work　far　beyond　his　strength　in　the　…conviction　that　he　did　not　do　as　much　as　others　could。　They　accepted　the　High　Lord's　charge　quietly；　and　she　went　on　to　other　matters。
　〃After　the　defense　of　Revelstone；　our　…concern　must　be　for　the　Loresraat　and　Trothgard。　The　Loresraat　must　be　preserved。　And　Trothgard　must　be　held　for　as　long　as　may　be…as　a　sanctuary　for　the　homeless；　men　or　beasts…and　as　a　sign　that　in　no　way　do　we　bow　to　the　Despiser。　Within　the　Valley　of　Two　Rivers；　Trothgard　is　defensible；　though　it　will　not　be　easy。　Lord　Callindrill…Lord　Amatin…this　burden　I　place　upon　your　shoulders。　Preserve　Trothgard；　so　that　the　ancient　name　of　Kurash　Plenethor；　Stricken　Stone；　will　not　bee　the　new　name　of　our　promise　to　the　Land。〃
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　Warmark　Troy　interrupted　hesitantly。　〃That　leaves　just　you；　Mhoram；　and　Verement　to　go　with　me。　I　think　I'm　going　to　need　more　than　that。〃
　Elena　considered　for　a　moment。　Then　she　said；　〃Lord　Amatin；　will　you　accept　the　burden　of　Trothgard　alone？　Trevor　and　Loerya　will　give　you　all　possible　aid。〃
　〃We　fight　a　war；〃　Amatin　replied　simply。　〃It　is　bootless　to　protest　that　I　do　not　suffice。　I　must　learn　to　suffice。　The　Lorewardens　will　support　me。〃
　〃You　will　be　enough；〃　responded　the　High　Lord　with　a　smile。　〃Very　well。　Those　Lords　who　remain　Callindrill；　Verement；　Mhoram；　and　myself…will　march　with　the　Warward。　Two　other　matters；　and　then　the　Warmark　will　speak。　First　Mark　Morin。〃
　〃High　Lord。〃　Morin　stood　to　receive　her　requests。
　〃Morin；　you　are　the　First　Mark。　You　will　mand　the　Bloodguard　as　your　Vow　requires。　Please　assign　to　Warmark　Troy　every　Bloodguard　who　can　be　spared　from　the　defense　of　Revelstone。〃
　〃Yes；　High　Lord。　Two　hundred　will　join　the　Warmark's　mand。〃
　〃That　is　well。　Now　I　have　another　task　for　you。　Riders　must　be　sent　to　every　Stonedown　and　Woodhelven　in　the　Center　and　South　Plains；　and　in　the　hills　beyond。　All　the　people　who　may　live　in　the　Despiser's　path　must　be　warned；　and　offered　sanctuary　at　Trothgard　if　they　choose　to　leave　their　homes。　And　all　who　dwell　along　the　southward　march　of　the　Warward　must　be　asked　for　aid…food　for　the　warriors；　so　that　they　may　march　more　easily；　carrying　less。　Aliantha　alone　will　not　suffice　for　so　many。〃
　〃It　will　be　done。　The　Bloodguard　will　depart　before　moonset。〃
　Elena　nodded　her　approval。　〃No　thanks　can　repay　the　Bloodguard。　You　give　a　new　name　to　unflawed　service。　While　people　endure　in　the　Land；　you　will　be　remembered　for　faithfulness。〃
　Bowing　slightly；　the　First　Mark　sat　down。
　The　High　Lord　set　the　Staff　of　Law　on　the　table　before　her；　took　her　seat；　and　signed　to　Warmark　Troy。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　then　got　stiffly　to　his　feet。　He　was　still　groping；　juggling。　But　he　had　regained　a　grip　on　his　situation；　he　was　thinking　clearly　again。　Even　as　he　started　to　speak；　new　ideas　were　ing　into　focus。
　〃I'm　not　going　to　waste　time　apologizing　for　this　mess　I've　gotten　us　into。　I　built　my　strategy　on　the　idea　that　we　would　get　word　of　where　Foul　was　marching　in　fifteen　days。　Now　we're　five　days　short。　That's　all　there　is　to　it。
　〃Most　of　you　know　generally　what　I　had　in　mind。　As　far　as　I　can　learn；　the　Old　Lords　had　two　problems　fighting　Foul　the　simple　attrition　of　doing　battle　all　the　way　from　Landsdrop；　and　the　terrain。　The　Center　Plains　favor　whichever　army　is　fresher　and　larger。　My　idea　was　to　let　Foul　get　halfway　here　on　his　own；　and　meet　him　at　the　west　end　of　the　Mithil　valley；　where　the　Mithil　River　forms　the　south　border　of　Andelain。　Then　we　would　retreat　southwest；　luring　Foul　after　us　across　to　Doom's　Retreat。　In　all　the　legends；　that's　the　place　armies　run　to　when　they're　routed。　But　in　fact　it's　a　hell　of　a　place　to　take　on　armies　that　are　bigger　and　faster　than　you　are。　The　terrain…that　bottleneck　between　the　mountains　gives　a　tremen