jr.shapechangers-第38章

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　〃No。。。　oh。　Finn！　Not　Mujharat〃
　He　stood。　〃Duncan　sent　me　for　you。　Council　is　calling　all　into
　clan　pavilion。〃　He　put　out　a　hand　to　help　her　up。　〃We　go　to　war；　meijha。〃
　Silently　she　took　his　hand　and　rose；　shaking　out　her　green　skirts。　She　looked　at　Finn　tor　more　information；　apprehensive；　but　he　said　nothing　else。　He　merely　led　her　to　the　Council　pavilion；　a　huge　black　tent　painted　with　every　/ir…symbol　imaginable。
　Duncan　sat　before　the　fire　cairn　on　a　spotted　pelt；　watching　his　clan　file　into　the　black　interior　in　pensive　silence。　At　his　right　lay　an　ocher…colored　rug。　and　it　was　to　this　Finn　took　Alix。　The　heaviness　of　the　silence　fell　on　her　like　a　cloak。　She　sat　down　on　the　rug；　watching　Duncan's　face　closely。　Finn　sat　beside　her。
　Duncan　waited　until　the　pavilion　was　filled；　ringed　with　dark　faces　and　yellow　eyes。　Then　he　looked　to　the　shar　tahl；　seated　across　from　him；　and　nodded　to　himself。　Slowly　be　got　to　his　feet。
　〃Vychan；　in　Mujhara；　has　sent　his　lir　to　us。　The　message　is　one　we　have　expected　these　past　months。　Tynstar　has　led　his　Biliai　sorcerers　into　Mujhara；　and　they　have　taken　me　city。〃
　Alix；　sickened　with　fear；　swallowed　against　the　foreboding　in　her　soul。　The　others；　she　saw；　waited　mutely　for　Duncan's　words。
　〃The　western　borders　fell　three　months　ago。　Keough　of　Atvia　fights　for　Bellam；　marching　toward　Mujhara　where　the　Ihlini　await　them。　Only　Homana…Mujhar　has　not　fallen。〃
　Alix　closed　her　eyes　and　conjured　J&e　Great　Hall　with　all　its　candle　racks　and　rich　tapestries。
　And　Shame。。。
　〃If　Homana…Mujhar　falls；　Homana　herself　falls。　We；　as　me　descendants　of　the　Cheysuli　who　built　both　palace　and　city；　cannot　allow　it　to　happen。〃
　Finn　shifted。　〃So　you　will　send　us　into　the　Mujhar's　city；　rujho；　and　have　us　fight　two　enemies。〃
　Duncan　shot　him　a　sharp　glance。　〃Two？〃
　〃Aye；〃　he　said　briefly。　〃Do　you　forget　Shaine？　He　will　set　his　guardsmen　against　us；　when　he　would　dp　better　to　use　mem　against　the　Ihlini。〃
　Duncan's　mourn　was　a　thin　line。　〃I　do　not　forget　Shaine；　rujho。　But　I　will　set　aside　our　personal　conflicts　to　save　Homana。〃
　〃Shaine　will　not。〃
　〃Then　we　will　give　him　no　choice。〃　Duncan　looked　slowly　and　deliberately　around　the　pavilion；　marking　each　attentive　face。　〃All　of　us　cannot　go。　We　must　leave　warriors　to　defend　the　Keep。　But　I　have　need　of　strong　men　willing　to　go　into　the　city　and　fight　me　Ihlini　with　any　method　at　hand。　We　are　not　many。
　Any　force　we　send　will　have　to　be　selectively　efficient。　Open　warfare　will　result　in　too　high　a　death　toll。　We　must　answer　the　Ihlini　wilh　stealth　of　our　own。〃　His　eyes　returned　to　Finn。　〃I　send　the　best　and　the　strongest。　And　some　will　be　lost。〃
　Finn　smiled　crookedly。　〃Well；　rujho；　you　say　nothing　I　do　not　already　know。　It　is　ever　so；　I　think。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　go；　of　course。〃
　Other　warriors　echoed　Finn's　words；　mitting　themselves　to　a　war　the　Mujhar　would　not　wele　mem　to。　Alix；　listening　blankly　to　them；　realized　why　Duncan　had　wanted　to　remain　solitary。　He　had　known　all　along　me　Cheysuli　would　risk　their　few　numbers　to　save　their　ancestral　home。
　It　is　tahlmorra；　she　whispered　within　her　mind。　Ever　tahlmorra。
　Alix　walked　back　to　the　pavilion　alone；　lost　within　fears　and　worries。　In　her　time　with　Duncan　she　had　learned　of　his　strength　of　will；　determination　and　selfless　dedication　to　serving　die　prophecy。　Nothing　would　deter　him　from　leading　his　warriors　into　Mujhara。　She　knew　better　man　to　ask　him　to　remain　in　safety　with　her；　and　though　she　wished　he　did　not　have　to　involve　himself　so　deeply；　she　also　knew　he　would　lessen　him…self　in　her　eyes　if　be　did　choose　to　stay。　Duncan　was；　perhaps；　less　aggressive　than　Finn　in　his　desire　to　fight；　but　his　pride　ran　just　as　deep。
　The　fire　cairn　had　burned　itself　to　ash；　so　Alix　spent　her　time　rekindling　it　for　warmth　and　illumination。　The　pavilion　was　her　security　now；　as　much　as　Torrin's　croft　had　been。　Even　the　tapestry　meant　much　to　her；　for　Duncan　had　carefully　explained　each　runic　device　and　the　designs　stitched　within　me　patterning　of　rich　blue　yarns。　The　tapestry　contained　much　of　Cheysuli　lore；　highlighting　the　strengths　and　traditions　of　the　race。　She　wondered；　as　she　knelt　by　the　fire；　if　more　history　would　be　added　with　die　warriors'　return　to　（he　city。
　Duncan　came　in　softly；　easing　aside　tee　doorftap。　Alix；　seeing　the　quietude　in　his　eyes；　met　him　with　a　measure　of　her　own　solemnity。
　〃Duncan；〃　she　began　softly；　〃how　soon　do　you　leave　for　Mujhara？〃
　He　went　to　his　weapons　chest　and　took　out　his　war　bow；　a　pact　instrument　of　death　similar　to　his　plain　hunting　bow。　But　this　was　dyed　black；　polished；　inlaid　with　gold　and　tiger…eye。　The　string　also　was　black；　humming　tautly　as　he　strung　toe　bow　and　tested　it。
　He　dug　his　black　arrows　out　of　me　chest　and　sat　down　cross…legged；　beginning　the　laborious　examination　of　each　one。
　arrows　were　fletched　with　yellow　feathers；　and　the　obsidian　Is　gleamed。
　；；　Alix　waited　silently；　patiently；　and　finally　he　answered　her。
　…　*hithe　morning。〃
　。　〃So　soon。。。〃
　〃War　does　not　wait　for　men；　cheysula。〃
　Carefully　she　smoothed　her　green　skirts　over　her　thighs　as　she　knelt　upon　the　spotted　pelt。　〃Duncan；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　wish　to　go。〃
　He　meticulously　inspected　me　fletching　of　each　arrow。　*　'Go？〃
　〃To　Mujhara。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃I　will　be　safe。〃
　〃It　is　no　place　for　you；　small　one。〃
　〃Please；〃　she　said　clearly；　not　begging。　〃I　could　not　bear　to　remain　here；　waiting　out　each　day　without　knowing。〃
　〃I　have　said　no。〃
　〃I　would　not　hinder　you。　I　too　can　assume　fir…shape。　I　would
　be　no　trouble；〃
　He　studied　her　impassively　a　moment；　half　his　attention　on　his
　Xnows。　Then　he　smiled。　〃You　are　ever　trouble；　Alix。〃
　〃Duncan！〃
　　〃I　will　not　risk　you。〃
　〃You　risk　yourself。〃
　He　set　down　one　arrow　and　picked　up　another。　〃The　Cheysuli；〃　　said　slowly；　〃have　ever　risked　themselves。　For　Homana；　it　is　worth　it。〃
　〃But　for　Saaine？〃
　　〃The　Mujhar　if　Homana。　Shaioe　has　held　these　lands　safely　lor　more　than　forty　years；　Alix。　Our　race　has　not　benefited　from　ten；　perhaps；　but　all　else　have。　If　he　requires　help　to　hold　the　land　now；　we　must　give　it　to　him。〃　His　eyes　dropped。　〃And　we　〃amst　think　of　the　one　who　will　succeed　him。〃
　Alix　took　a　trembling　breath。　〃Let　me　give　my　aid　as　well。
　Shaine　is　my　grandsire。　…。　and　Carillon　my　cousin。〃
　He　set　the　arrow　aside　and　clasped　his　hands　loosely　in　his　hp。　Alix　found　herself　avoiding　his　eyes；　focusing　instead　on　me　heavy　gold　banding　his　bared；　bronzed　arms。　She　saw　me　embossed；　incised　hawk…shape　of　his　Ur　and　the　runic　designs　worked　into　（he　gleaming　metal　on　either　side　of　me　hawk。　When　she　could　look　at　his　face　again；　she　saw　pride　and　warmth　in　his　eyes。
　〃Cheysula；〃　he　said　gently；　〃1　know　your　determination。　I
　am　thankful　for　it。　But　I　will　not　have　you　risking　yourself；
　especially　for　the　man　who　cast　you　out　at　birth　and　then　again　so　many　years　later。〃
　〃Yet　you　risk　yourself；〃　she　repeated　hollowly；　sensing　defeat。
　He　sighed　minutely。　〃It　is　a　warrior's　place；　cheysuta；　and　a　clan…leader's　tahlmorra。　Do　not　deny　me　it。〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　She　reached　for　the　bow　and　picked　it　up；　caressing　me　smooth　patina　and　gleaming　ornamentation。　She　slid　careful　fingers　down　the　taut　bowstring；　testing　its　tension　and　vibrancy。　〃Will　you　be　careful？〃　she　asked　in　a　low　voice。
　〃I　am　usually　little　else；　as　Finn　often　tells　me。〃
　〃Very　careful？〃
　He　smiled　wryly。　〃I　will　be　very　careful。〃
　Alix　gently　set　the　bow　in　front　of　him。　〃Well；　I　would　not　want　your　first　son　born　without　a　father。〃
　He　was　silent。　Alix；　eyes　downcast　in　a　submissive　position　unfamiliar　to　her；　waited　for　his　astonishment　and　joy。
　But　Duncan　reached　out　and　grabbed　her　shoulders；　jerking　her　upright　onto　her　knees。　He　glared　at　her　wrathfully。
　〃And　you　would　risk　that　by　ing　to　an　embattled　city？〃
　〃Duncan＋〃
　〃You　are　a　fool；　Alix！〃　He　released　her　abruptly。
　She　stared　at　him　open…mouthed　as　he　rose　stiffly　and　stalked　from　her；　halting　at　the　open　doorflap　to　stare　out。
　〃I　thought　you　would　be　pleased；〃　she　told　his　rigid　back。
　He　turned　on　her。　〃Pleased？　You　beg　to　go　to　war　and　men　tell　me　you　have　conceived？　Do　you　wish　to　lose　this　c