srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第57章

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　〃You　don't　understand；〃　Covenant　responded　vaguely。　〃I'm　afraid　of　heights。〃　With　a　look　of　rigid　trepidation；　he　forced　his　hands　to　the　rungs　of　the　ladder。
　Bannor　took　a　position　close　behind　Covenant；　making　himself　responsible　for　the　ur…Lord's　safety。　Soon　they　had　climbed　to　the　level　of　the　first　branches。
　Troy　moved　easily　up　into　the　Tree　after　them。　The　smooth；　strong　wood　of　the　rungs　made　him　feel　that　he　could　not　miss　his　grip；　it　almost　seemed　to　lift　him　upward；　as　if　Revelwood　were　eager　for　him。　In　moments；　he　was　high　up　the　trunk；　stepping　away　from　the　ladder　onto　one　of　the　main　boughs　of　the　city。　The　shapers　of　Revelwood　had　grown　the　banyan　so　that　the　upper　surfaces　of　the　branches　were　flat；　and　the　level　stretch　down　which　Troy　walked　was　wide　enough　for　three　or　four　people　to　stand　safely　abreast。　As　he　moved；　he　waved　greetings　to　the　people　he　knew…most　of　the　Sword　Lorewardens；　and　a　few　students　whose　families　lived　in　Lord's　Keep。
　The　procession　of　the　Lords　crossed　an　intersection
　where　several　limbs　came　together；　and　passed　beyond　it　toward　one　of　the　outer　trunks。　Formed　in　this　trunk　was　a　large　hall；　and　when　Troy　entered　it　he　found　that　the　room　had　been　set　for　a　banquet。　The　chamber　was　brilliant　with　lillianrill　torches；　long　tables　with　carpets　of　moss　between　them　covered　the　floor；　and　students　of　all　ages　bustled　around；　carrying　trays　laden　with　steaming　bowls　and　flagons。
　There　Troy　was　joined　by　Drinishok；　Sword…Elder　of　the　Lorewardens；　and　the　Warmark's　first　battleteacher。　Except　for　his　grizzled　eyebrows；　Drinishok　did　not　look　like　a　warrior；　his　thin；　spidery　limbs　and　fingers　did　not　seem　sturdy　enough　to　handle　either　a　sword　or　a　bow。　But　three　Lords　and　three…quarters　of　Troy's　Warward　had　trained　under　the　old　Sword　Elder；　and　his　tanned　forearms　were　laced　with　many　white　battle　scars。　Troy　greeted　his　mentor　warmly；　and　after　standing　together　in　the　Land's　customary　thanks　for　food；　they　sat　down　to　the　feast。
　The　fare　of　Revelwood　was　simple　but　excellent　it　made　up　in　convivial　gusto　what　it　lacked　in　plexity…and　all　the　Lords　and　Lorewardens　were　bountifully　supplied　with　meats；　rice；　cheeses；　bread；　fruit；　and　springwine。　Warmed　by　the　glow　of　Revelwood's　wele；　the　High　Lord's　pany　ate　with　enthusiasm；　talking　and　joking　all　the　while　with　their　hosts　and　the　busy　students。　Then；　when　the　eating　was　done；　High　Lord　Elena　presided　over　an　entertainment　which　the　students　had　prepared。　Champions　of　the　Sword　gave　demonstrations　of　gymnastics　and　blade　work；　and　the　apprentices　of　the　Staff　told　an　intricate　tale　which　they　had　distilled　from　the　ancient　Giantish　story　of　Bahgoon　the　Unbearable　and　Thelma　Twofist　who　tamed　him。　Troy　had　never　heard　it　before；　and　it　delighted　him。
　He　was　reluctant　to　lose　this　pleased　and　fortable　mood；　so　when　the　Lords　left　the　hall　with　the　Lorewardens　to　speak　with　them　concerning　the　tidings　which　Runnik　had　brought　from　Sarangrave　Flat；　Troy　did　not　acpany　them。　Instead；　he　accepted　Drinishok's　invitation；　and　went　to　spend　the　night　in　the　old　Sword…Elder's　home。
　High　in　one　of　the　outer　trees；　in　a　chamber　woven　of　leaves　and　branches；　he　and　Drinishok　sat　up　for　a　long　time；　drinking　springwine　and　discussing　the　war。　Drinishok　was　excited　by　the　prospect　of　the　battle；　and　he　avowed　that　only　Revelwood's　need　for　a　strong　defense　kept　him　from　marching　with　the　Warward。　As　always；　he　showed　a　swift　grasp　of　Troy's　ideas；　and　when　the　Warmark　finally　went　to　bed　the　only　immediate　blot　on　his　private　satisfaction　was　the　mystery　of　Trell。
　The　breeze　in　the　branches　lulled　him　into　a　fine　sleep；　and　he　awoke　early　the　next　morning　feeling　eager　for　the　new　day。　He　was　amused　but　not　surprised　to　find　that　his　host　was　up　and　away　before　him；　he　knew　the　rigorous　schedule　of　the　Loresraat。　He　bathed　and　dressed；　pulled　his　high　boots　over　his　black　leggings；　and　carefully　adjusted　his　headband　and　his　sunglasses。　After　a　quick　breakfast；　he　spent　a　few　moments　polishing　his　breastplate　and　his　gleaming　ebony　sword。　When　he　was　properly　appareled　as　the　Warmark　of　the　Lords'　Warward；　he　left　Drinishok's　chambers；　moved　to　the　central　tree；　and　started　up　it　toward　the　lookout　of　Revelwood。
　On　a　small　platform　in　the　uppermost　branches　of　the　Tree；　he　joined　the　two　students　on　watch　duty。　While　he　exchanged　pleasantries　with　them；　he　breathed　the　crisp　autumn　air　and　studied　the　whole　length　and　breadth　of　the　Valley　of　Two　Rivers。　In　the　west；　he　could　see　the　snow　crests　of　the　mountains。　He　was　not　being　cautious；　looking　for　danger。　He　loved　the　fertile　hills　of　Trothgard；　and　he　wanted　to　fix　them　in　his　mind　so　that　he　would　never　forget　them。　If　something　were　to　strike　him　down　during　the　ing　war；　he　wanted　to　be　sure　to　the　very　end；　death　or　blindness；　that　he　had　in　fact　seen　this　place。
　He　was　still　in　the　lookout　when　he　heard　the　signal　for　the　gathering　of　the　Loresraat。
　At　once；　he　took　leave　of　the　two　students；　and　started　down　the　Tree。　Shortly；　he　reached　the　wide；　roofless　bowl　of　the　gathering　place。　High　in　the　city；　on　a　frame　of　four　heavy　boughs　radiating　from　the　central　trunk；　the　shapers　of　Revelwood　had　woven
　an　immense　net　of　banyan　roots　and　hung　it　around　the　central　trunk。　It　formed　a　wide　basin　supported　by　the　four　boughs　and　anchored　by　the　roots　themselves　in　each　of　the　six　outer　trees。　The　result　was　the　viane；　a　meeting　place　large　enough　for　half　the　population　of　the　city。　People　sat　on　the　roots　and　dangled　their　feet　through　the　gaps　of　the　net。
　These　gaps　were　rarely　larger　than　a　foot　square；　but　they　made　the　viane　；an　uneasy　experience　for　novices。　However；　the　people　of　Revelwood　moved　and　even　ran　lightly　over　the　net。　Warmark　Troy；　with　a　blind　man's　alert；　careful　feet；　was　able　to　walk　confidently　away　from　the　central　trunk　to　join　Drinishok　and　the　other　Sword　Lorewardens　where　they　stood　partway　up　one　side　of　the　bowl。
　Lord　Amatin　was　already　there；　talking　intently　with　a　cluster　of　Staff　Lorewardens　and　advanced　students。　Most　of　the　Bloodguard　were　stationed　around　the　edge　of　the　net；　and　past　them　came　a　steady　flow　of　Revelwood's　inhabitants。　As　Troy　joined　Drinishok；　he　caught　sight　of　Lord　Mhoram　moving　across　the　bowl　toward　Amatin。　If　the　viane　caused　Mhoram　any　anxiety；　he　did　not　show　it；　he　strode　boldly　from　root　to　root　with　his　staff　held　in　the　crook　of　his　arm。
　Soon　High　Lord　Elena　arrived　in　the　pany　of　the　Staff…Elder；　Asuraka。　Troy　was　taken　slightly　aback；　he　had　expected　her　to　be　with　Corimini；　the　Eldest　of　the　Loresraat。　But　when　Corimini　entered　the　bowl；　he　brought　with　him　ur…Lord　Covenant。　Troy　saw　what　had　happened。　The　Loresraat　ranked　Covenant　above　Elena；　and　so　the　highest　honor　of　Revelwood's　hospitality；　the　invitation　of　the　Eldest；　had　gone　to　the　Unbeliever。　This　nettled　Troy；　he　did　not　like　to　see　the　High　Lord　slighted　in　favor　of　Covenant。　But　he　consoled　himself　by　watching　the　sick　look　with　which　Covenant　regarded　the　net　and　fall　below　it。
　Shortly　all　the　Lorewardens　were　in　their　places。　The　sides　of　the　viane；　and　the　branches　overhead；　thronged　with　the　people　of　Revelwood。　Covenant　clung　to　a　root　over　one　of　the　supporting　boughs；　and　Bar　or　crouched　protectively　near　him。
　The　Lords　and　Warmark　Troy　sat　in　a　fanned　group　with　the　Elder　Lorewardens；　facing　south；　and　Corimini　stood　before　them；　looking　out　over　the　assembly　with　a　dignified　mien。　When　all　the　people　were　still；　hushed　and　expectant；　he　began　the　…ceremonies　of　the　meeting。
　He　and　the　High　Lord　exchanged　traditional　salutations；　and　sang　to　each　other　the　ritual　invocations　which　they　considered　appropriate　to　the　purpose　of　the　meeting。　Their　stately　alternation　spun　a　mood　of　reverent　seriousness　over　the　viane；　wrapped　all　the　people　together　as　if　it　were　weaving　them　into　the　grim　and　wondrous　history　of　the　Land。　Under　the　influence　of　the　ceremonies；　Troy　was　almost　able　to　forget　that　half　of　what　was　said　and　sung　was　intended　to　honor'　the　white　gold　wielder。
　But　Covenant　did　not　look　as　if　he　were　being　honored。　He　sat　with　an　awkward　stiffness；　as　if　the　point　of　a　knife　were　press