jr.shapechangers-第13部分

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　bird。　She　preferred　to　draw　Duncan　out。　〃And　if　you　are　slain；
　what　bees　of　the　Ur
　〃The　lir　returns　to　the　wild。　For　the　animal　the　broken　link　is　not　so　harsh。〃　He　smiled。　〃Creatures　have　ever　been　stronger　than　men。　Cai　would　gneve　for　a　while；　perhaps；　but　he　would　live。〃
　Do　not　dismiss　my　grief　so　lightly；　the　bird　chided。　Else　you　ridicule　our　bond。
　Duncan　laughed　silently　and　Alix；　surprised　by　his　response；　stared　at　him。　The　solemnity　she　had　learned　to　associate　with　him　was　not　as　habitual　as　she　had　assumed。
　After　a　moment　she　put　out　her　arms　and　stretched　them；　cracking　sinews。　〃What　truly　bees　of　you　if　the　lir　is　slain？〃　she　asked　lightly。
　Duncan　grew　very　still。　〃A　Cheysuli　without　a　lir；　as　I　said；　is　not　whole。　He　is　made　empty。　He　does　not　choose　to　live。〃
　She　froze；　staring　at　him。　〃Does　not　choose。。。〃
　〃There　is　a　death…ritual。〃
　Her　arms　dropped。　〃Death！〃
　Duncan　looked　again　into　the　trees；　eyes　on　Cai。　〃A　Cheysuli　forsakes　his　clan　and　goes　into　me　forests　to　seek　death　among　the　animals。　Weaponless　and　prepared。　However　it　es；　he　will　not　deny　that　death。〃　He　shrugged；　making　light　of　the　matter。　〃It　is　wele　enough；　to　a　lirless　man。〃
　Alix　swallowed　back　her　revulsion；　〃It　is　a　barbaric　thing。
　Barbaric！〃
　Duncan　was　impassive。　〃A　shadow　has　no　life。〃
　〃What　do　you　say？〃　she　snapped。
　He　sighed。　〃I　cannot　give　you　the　proper　words。　You　must
　accept　what　I　say。　A　lirless　man　is　no　man；　but　a　shadow。　And　a　Cheysuli　cannot　live　so。〃
　〃I　say　it　is　barbaric。〃
　〃If　it　pleases　you。〃
　〃What　else　must　I　think？〃
　He　leaned　forward　and　placed　more　wood　on　the　small　fire。　It　snapped　and　leaped　in　response；　highlighting　his　pale　eyes　into　a　bestial　glow。
　〃When　you　have　learned　more　of　your　clan；　you　will　think　differently。〃　Duncan　relaxed；　setting　the　bow　aside　as　he　studied　her　impassively。　Then　a　faint　flicker　of　curiosity　shone　in　his　eyes。　〃Would　you　wed　Carillon？〃
　Alix　stared　at　him。　〃Carillon！〃
　〃Aye。　I　have　seen　what　is　between　you。〃
　For　a　moment　she　could　find　no　proper　answer。　The　question　stunned　her；　both　for　its　audacity　and　the　implications。　In　all　her　dreams　of　a　tall　prince；　she　had　never　considered　marriage　with　him。　Somehow　the　thought　of　it；　and　the　regret　that　it　could　never　be；　hurt。
　〃No；〃　she　said　finally。　〃Carillon　would　never　take　me　to　wife。　He　is　meant　for　a　foreign　princess；　some　highborn　lady　from　Atvia；　perhaps；　or　Erinn。　Perhaps　even　Solinde　one　day；　if　this　war　between　the　realms　ends。〃
　〃Then　you　will　be　his　light　woman。　His　mei　jha。〃
　She　disliked　his　easy　assumption。　〃That　is　difficult　to　do　if　I　must　stay　with　this　clan　you　prate　about。〃
　Duncan　grinned；　suddenly　so　much　like　Finn　it　startled　her。　But　the　similarity　vanished　when　she　looked　closer；　for　there　were　none　of　Finn's　roguish　ways　about　Duncan。
　〃You　are　not　a　prisoner；　though　it　must　seem　so　to　you。　As　for　the　prince。。。　I　think　he　means　what　he　says。　He　will　e　back　for　you。〃　He　sighed；　losing　the　animation　in　his　face。　〃I　cannot　say　when；　but　he　will　do　it。〃
　〃I　will　wele　it；　shapechanger。〃
　Duncan　regarded　her　solemnly　a　moment。　〃Why　do　you　fear　us　so　much？　I　have　said　we　do　no　harm　to　our　own。〃
　Alix　looked　away　from　him。　〃/　have　said。　I　was　raised　to　fear　you；　and　to　acknowledge　me　sorcery　in　your　blood。　All　I　have　ever　known　is　that　the　Cheysuli　are　demons。。。　dangerous。〃　She　looked　back　at　him。　〃You　raid　crofts　and　steal　the　livestock。　People　are　injured。　If　that　is　no　harm；　you　have　a　strange　way　of　showing　your　peaceful　intentions。〃
　Duncan　smiled。　〃Aye；　it　would　seem　so。　But　do　not　forget
　。。。　Shaine　has　forced　us　to　this。　Before　we　lived　quietly　within
　the　forests；　hunting　when　we　would　and　having　no　need　to　raid
　for　our　food。　The　qu'mahlin　has　made　us　little　more　than　brigands；　like　those　who　ply　the　tracks　to　steal　from　honest　folk。　It　was　never　our　nature　we　are　warriors；　not　thieves　but　Shame　has　left　us　little　choice。〃
　〃Had　you　the　choice。。。　would　you　return　to　your　former　way　of　life？〃
　He　fingered　the　gold　hilt　of　the　long…knife　at　his　belt　absently；　eyes　gone　oddly　detached。　When　he　answered　Alix　heard　the　echos　of　prophecy　in　his　voice。　'
　〃We　will　never　regain　our　former　way　of　life。　We　are　meant　for　another　way。　The　old　gods　have　said。〃
　She　shivered；　shrinking　from　the　implications　of　his　words。　She　picked　up　the　wooden　cup；　intending　to　drink　to　cover　her　confusion；　saw　it　was　empty　and　set　it　down。
　〃You　will　be　Carillon's　light　woman？〃
　The　cup　fell　over　as　her　fingers　spasmed。　〃I　will　be　no　man's　
　light　woman。〃　I
　Duncan's　smile　was　crooked；　disbelieving。　〃I　have　been　led　
　to　believe　most　women　would　slay　for　a　chance　to　be　so　honored。〃　
　〃I　am　not　most　women；〃　she　retorted。　She　sighed；　picking　at　
　the　twigs　caught　in　her　tangled　braid。　〃I　cannot　conceive　of　it　
　ever　happening；　now；　so　there　is　no　need　for　me　to　consider　it。〃
　〃Then　you　give　him　up　so　easily？〃
　Alix　dropped　the　braid　and　stared　at　him　despondently；　forget…ting　he　was　her　enemy　and　thinking　only　of　the　sympathy　in　his　voice。
　〃I　cannot　say　what　I　will　do。　I　cannot　even　say　what　I　want！〃
　He　grunted。　〃Those　are　the　restraints　put　on　you　by　your　Homanan　upbringing。　Among　the　Cheysuli；　a　woman　takes　what　man　she　will。〃　A　fleeting　shadow　passed　across　his　face　as　he　frowned。　A　shrug　banished　me　expression。　〃A　woman　of　me　clan　may　refuse　one　man　and　take　another；　easily。〃
　〃My　father　did　not　bring　me　up　to　be　a　light　woman；〃　she　said　firmly。　〃One　day　I　will　wed　a　crofter；　like　my　father；　or　a　villager。〃　She　shrugged。　〃One　day。〃
　〃You　father　did　not　bring　you　up　at　all；〃　he　said　bluntly。
　Alix　opened　her　mouth　to　protest　yes；　he　most　certainly　did；　men　realized　Duncan　referred　to　Hale。　Once　again　she　recalled　the　astonishing　story　behind　her　own　birth＋if　she　would　accept　mat　story　as　troth。　But　she　could　not　tell　him　what　she　thought；　so　she　settled　for　the　familiar　litany　she　had　repeated　each　evening。
　〃Carillon　will　wed　a　princess。　Of　course。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　mocked。　〃If　he　lives　at　all；　he　will　wed　a　princess。〃
　〃Lives！〃
　Duncan　stretched　one　eyelid　and　rubbed　at　it。　〃The　Hilini　will　see　to　it　Carillon　does　not　live　to　wed。〃
　〃The　Ihlini！〃　Alix　stared　at　him；　horrified。　〃The　sorcerers　who　serve　the　dark　gods？　But　why？　What　do　they　care　for　Carillon？　Is　it　not　Bellam　who　dictates　what　Solinde　will　do？〃
　Duncan　picked　up　his　bow　and　studied　it；　then　began　to　oil　it　once　more。　His　voice；　deep　and　quiet；　took　on　an　instructive　tone。　〃Solinde　has　ever　been　a　strong　land；　but　her　kings　are　greedy。　They　arc　not　satisfied　with　Solinde；　they　also　want　Homana　in　vassalage。　Bellam　has　sought　to　achieve　that　all　his　life；　but　these　constant　skirmishes　at　the　borders　and　the　full　battles　that　slay　so　many　have　won　him　nothing。　He　seeks　to　gain　Homana　how　he　can；　now。〃
　〃By　turning　to　the　/A/t'm？〃
　〃Already　Solinde　is　much　stronger　than　before。　Bellam　seeks　the　unnatural　power　of　Tynstar；　who　rules　the　Ihlini　if　a　sor…cerer　can　be　said　to　rule　his　own　race。〃　He　bent　his　head　over　his　work。　〃Tynstar　is　the　might　behind　Solinde；　not　Bellam。〃
　〃Tynstar。。。〃　she　whispered。　For　a　moment　she　allowed　her　mind　to　recall　me　tales　she　had　heard　as　a　child；　when　her　mother＋despairing　of　winning　Alix's　attention　to　chores＋had　threatened　her　with　Dilini　retribution。
　Until　my　father　said　she　should　not；　for　to　speak　of　Tynstar　and　the　Ihlini　was　to　invite　his　power　over　you。　Alix　shuddered　once；　seeking　to　throw　off　the　specter。…but　Duncan　did　not　seem　to　notice。
　〃Tynstar；　called　the　Ihlini；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　the　most　powerful　of　all　those　who　serve　the　dark　gods　of　the　netherworld。　He　has　arts　at　his　mand　no　man　should　have；　and　he　uses　them　for　Bellam's　gain。　This　time　Homana　cannot　stand　against　her　enemies。〃
　Alix　sat　upright；　flushed　with　affrontedness　and　defiance。　〃Homana　has　never　fallen！　Not　in　all　the　years　the　kings　of　Solinde　have　sought　to　defeat　us。〃　She　thrust　her　chin　up；　〃My　father　said。〃
　Duncan　looked　across　the　fire　at　her；　showing　her　an　expres…
　sion　of　such　amused　tolerance　she　longed　to　throw　the　cup　at
　him。　〃And　in　all　these　years　the　Mujhars　of　Homana　had　the
　Cheysuli　by　their　sides。　We　used　our　own　god…gifts　to　defeat　the
　Solindish　troops。　Not　even　the　Ihlini　could　halt　us。〃　The　toler…
　ance　faded。　〃Twenty…five　years　ago　we　helped　Shaine　hold　his
　borders　against　Bellam；'　putting　down　a　massive　force　that　might
　have　destroyed　Homana。　The　peace　that　resulted　from　our　victory
　would　have　been　solidified　by　a　marriage　between　Lindir　and
　Bellam's　son；　Ellic；　When　that　was　broken；　so　was　the　peace。
　Now　Shaioe　slays　us；　and　Homana　will　fall　to　the　Dilini。〃
　〃Twenty…five　years。。。〃　she　echoed。
　〃Lindir　remained　hidden　with　Hale　for　eight　years　of　the　qu'mahlin；　fleeing　her　jehan's　wrath。　When　he　was　slain　she　returned；　and　bore　you　but　weeks　later。〃
　〃Well。。。　if　the　Ihlini　are　so　powerful；　how　is　it　you　have　withstood　them　before？〃
　〃That　is　a　thing　between　the　races。　I　cannot　say。〃　He　frowned　faintly。　〃The　Ihlini　have　no　real　power　before　us。　Oh；　they　have　recourse　to　some　of　their　illusions　and　simple　arts；　but　not　the　dark　magic。　But　we　also　suffer；　for　though