srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第45章

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　But　he　had　no　choice。　He　had　either　to　go　ahead　or　to　abandon　his　mand；　leave　the　war　in　Quaan's　worthy　but　unimaginative　hands。　So　in　spite　of　his　anxiety　he　did　not　hesitate。　He　intended　to　show　all　the　Land　that　he　was　the　Warmark　for　good　reason。
　Time　was　urgent。　The　Warward　had　to　begin　its　southward　march　as　soon　as　possible。　So　he　trusted　Mehryl　to　carry　him　through　his　inward　fog。　Letting　the　Ranyhyn　pick　their　way；　he　hastened　toward　the　blue　lake　where　the　rafts　were　being　built。
　Before　he　rounded　the　last　wide　foothill；　he　moved　among　scattered　ranks　of　warriors　holding　horses。　Men　and　women　saluted　him　as　he　passed；　but　he　could　recognize　none　of　them。　He　held　up　his　right　hand　in　blank　acknowledgment；　and　rode　down　the　thronged　road　without　speaking。　If　his　strategy　failed；　these　warriors…and　the　two　hundred　Bloodguard　who　had　already　followed　Lord　Callindrill　toward　the　Mithil　valley…would　be　the　first　to　pay　for　his　mistake。
　He　found　the　edge　of　the　lake　by　the　roar　of　the　Falls　and　the　working　sounds　of　the　raft　builders；　and　slipped　immediately　off　Mehryl's　back。　The　first　shadowy　figure　that　came　near　him　he　sent　in　search　of　Hiltmark　Quaan。　Moments　later；　Quaan's　solid　form　appeared　out　of　the　fog；　acpanied　by　a　lean　man　carrying　a　staff…Lord　Verement。　Troy　spoke　directly　to　the　Hiltmark。　He　felt　uneasy　about　giving　orders　to　a　Lord。
　〃How　many　rafts　are　ready？〃
　〃Three　and　twenty　are　now　in　the　water；〃　Quaan　replied。　〃Five　yet　lack　the　rhadhamaerl　rudders；　but　that　task　will　be　acplished　by　sunrise。〃
　〃And　the　rest？〃
　〃Hearthrall　Borillar　and　the　raft　builders　promise　that　all　one　hundred　twenty　will　be　plete　by　dawn　tomorrow。〃
　〃Damn！　Another　day　gone。　Well；　you　can't　wait　for　them。　Lord　Callindrill　is　going　to　need　help　faster　than　that。〃　He　calculated　swiftly；　then　went　on：　〃Send　the　rafts　downriver　in　groups　of　twenty…two　Eoman　at　a　time。　If　there's　any　trouble；　I　want　them　to　be　able　to　defend　themselves。　You　go　first。　And…Lord　Verement；　will　you　go　with　Quaan？〃
　Verement　answered　with　a　sharp　nod。
　〃Good。　Now；　Quaan。　Get　your　group　going　right　away。　Put　whomever　you　want　in　mand　of　the　other　Eoward…tell　them　to　follow　you　in　turn　just　as　soon　as　another　twenty　rafts　are　ready　to　go。　Have　the　warriors　who　are　going　last　try　to　help　the　raft　builders…speed　this　job　up。〃
　His　private　fog　was　clearing　now　as　the　sun　started　to　rise。　Quaan's　ago…lined　bulwark　of　a　face　drifted　into　better　focus；　and　Troy　fell　silent　for　a　moment；　half　dismayed　by　what　he　was　asking　his　friend　to　do。　Then　he　shook　his　head　roughly；　forced　himself　to　continue。
　〃Quaan；　you've　got　the　worst　job　in　this　whole　damn　business。　You　and　those　Bloodguard　with　Callindrill。　You　have　got　to　make　this　plan　of　mine　work。〃
　〃If　it　can　be　done；　we　will　do　it。〃　Quaan　spoke　steadily；　almost　easily；　but　his　experience　with　grim；　desperate　undertakings　gave　his　statement　conviction。
　Troy　went　on　hurriedly；　〃You've　got　to　hold　Foul's　army　in　that　valley。　Even　after　you　get　your　whole　force　there；　you're　going　to　be　outnumbered　ten　to　；one。　You've　got　to　hold　Foul　back；　and　still　keep　enough　of　your　force　alive　to　lead　him　down　to　Doom's　Retreat。〃
　〃I　understand。〃
　〃No；　you　don't。　I　haven't　told　you　the　worst　of　it　yet。　You　have　got　to　hold　Foul　back　for　eight　days。〃
　〃Eight？〃　Verement　snapped。　〃You　jest！〃
　Controlling　himself　sternly；　Troy　said；　〃Figure　it　out　for　yourself。　We've　got　to　march　all　the　way　to　Doom's　Retreat。　We　need　that　much　time　just　to　get　there。　Eight　days　will　hardly　give　us　time　to　get　in　position。〃
　〃You　ask　much；〃　Quaan　said　slowly。
　〃You're　the　man　who　can　do　it；〃　Troy　replied。　〃And　the　truth　is；　the　warriors'll　follow　you　better　in　a　situation　like　that　than　they　would　'　me。　You'll　have　two　Lords　working　with　you；　plus　all　the　Bloodguard　Callindrill　has　left。　There's　nobody　who　can　take　your　place。〃
　Quaan　met　this　in　silence。　Despite　the　square　set　of　his　shoulders；　he　appeared　to　be　hesitating。　Troy　leaned　close　to　him；　whispered　intently　through　the　noise　of　Furl　Falls；　〃Hiltmark；　if　you　acplish　what　I　ask；　I　swear　that　I　will　win　this　war。〃
　〃Swear？〃　Verement　cut　in　again。　〃Does　the　Despiser　know　that　you　bind　him　with　your　oaths？〃
　Troy　ignored　the　Lord。　〃I　mean　it。　If　you　get　that　chance　for　me；　I　won't　waste　it。〃
　A　low；　war…ready　grin　touched　Quaan's　lips。　〃I　hear　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　felt　the　dour　hand　of　your　skill　when　you　won　the　mand　of　the　Warward　from　me。
　Warmark；　you　will　be　given　your　eight　days　if　they　lie　within　the　reach　of　human　thew　and　will。〃
　〃Good！〃　Quaan's　promise　gave　Troy　an　obscure　feeling　of　relief；　as　if　he　were　no　longer　alone　on　his　narrow　limb。　〃Now。　When　you　engage　Foul　in　the　Mithil　valley；　what　you've　got　to　do　is　force　him　southward。　Push　him　down　into　the　southern　hills　the　farther　the　better。　Hold　the　valley　closed　until　he　has　enough　of　his　army　in　the　hills　to　attack　you　from　that　side。　Then　run　like　hell　straight　toward　Doom's　Retreat。〃
　〃That　will　be　costly。〃
　〃Not　as　costly　as　letting　that　army　go　north　when　we're　in　the　south。〃　Quaan　nodded　grimly；　and　Troy　went　on；　〃And　not　as　costly　as　letting　Foul　get　to　the　Retreat　ahead　of　us。　Whatever　else　happens；　we've　got　to　avoid　that。　If　you　can't　hold　him　back　eight　days'　worth；　you'll　have　to　figure　out　where　we　are；　and　lead　him　to　us　instead　of　to　the　Retreat。　We'll　try　to　pull　him　the　last　way　south　ourselves。〃
　Quaan　nodded　again；　and　the　lines　of　his　face　clenched。　To　relax　him；　Troy　said　dryly；　〃Of　course；　it　would　be　better　if　you　just　defeated　him　yourself；　and　saved　us　the　trouble。〃
　The　Hiltmark　started　to　reply；　but　Lord　Verement　interrupted　him。　〃If　that　is　your　desire；　you　should　choose　someone　other　than　an　old　warrior　and　a　Ranyhyn…less　Lord　to　do　your　bidding。〃
　Troy　was　about　to　respond　when　he　heard　hooves　ing　toward　him　from　the　direction　of　Revelstone。　Now　the　sun　had　started　to　rise…light　danced　on　the　blue　water　pouring　over　the　top　of　the　Falls…and　the　fog　over　his　vision　had　begun　to　fade。　When　he　turned；　he　made　out　the　Bloodguard　Ruel　riding　toward　him。
　Ruel　stopped　his　Ranyhyn　with　a　touch　of　his　hand；　and　said　without　dismounting；　〃Warmark；　the　Warward　is　ready。　High　Lord　Elena　awaits　you。〃
　〃On　my　way；〃　Troy　answered；　and　swung　back　to　Quaan。　For　a　moment；　the　Hiltmark's　gaze　replied　firmly　to　his。　Torn　between　affection　and　resolve；　he　muttered；　〃By　God；　I　will　earn　what　you　do　for　me。〃　Springing　onto　Mehryl's　back；　he　started　away。
　He　moved　so　suddenly　that　he　almost　ran　into　Manethrall　Rue。　She　had　been　standing　a　short　distance　away；　regarding　Mehryl　as　if　she　expected　to　find　that　Troy　had　injured　the　Ranyhyn。　Unintentionally　he　urged　his　mount　straight　toward　her。　But　she　stepped　aside　just　as　he　halted　the　Ranyhyn。
　Her　presence　surprised　him。　He　acknowledged　her；　then　waited　for　her　to　speak。　He　felt　that　she　deserved　any　courtesy　he　could　give　her。
　While　she　stroked　Mehryl's　nose　with　loving　hands；　she　said　as　if　she　were　explaining　something；　〃I　have　done　my　part　in　your　war。　I　will　do　no　more。　I　am　old；　and　need　rest。　I　will　ride　your　rafts　to　Andelain；　and　from　there　make　my　own　way　homeward。〃
　〃Very　well。〃　He　could　not　deny　her　permission　to　ride　a　raft；　but　he　sensed　that　this　was　only　a　preparation　for　what　she　meant　to　say。
　After　a　heavy　pause；　she　went　on：　〃I　will　have　no　further　use　for　this。〃　With　a　brusque　movement；　she　twitched　the　fighting　cord　from　her　hair；　hesitated；　then　handed　it　to　Troy。　Softly；　she　said；　〃Let　there　be　peace　between　us。〃
　Because　he　could　think　of　no　fit　response；　he　accepted　the　cord。　But　it　gave　him　a　pang；　as　if　he　were　not　worthy　of　it。　He　tucked　it　into　his　belt；　and　with　his　hands　free；　he　gave　the　Manethrall　his　best　approximation　of　a　Ramen　bow。
　She　bowed　in　turn；　gestured　for　him　to　move　on。　But　as　he　started　away；　she　called　after　him；　〃Tell　Covenant　Ringthane　that　he　must　defeat　Fangthane。　The　Ranyhyn　have　reared　to　him。　They　require　him。　He　must　not　let　them　fall。〃　Then　she　was　gone；　out　of　sight　in　the　mist。
　The　thought　of　Covenant　gave　him　a　bitter　taste　in　his　mouth；　but　he　forced　it　down。　With　Ruel　at　his　side；　he　left　Quaan　shouting　orders；　and　urged　Mehryl