fs.thethirdbookofswords-第22章
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Round one thick arm in its blue…green sleeve； Rostov like the other soldiers was wearing a band of mourning white。 There was one decoration on his barrel chest … Mark had no idea of what it represented。 The General was as tall as Mark； and gave Mark the impression of being stronger； though he was twice Mark's age。 Rostov's curly black hair was heavily seasoned with gray； and his black face marked on the right cheek by an old sword…slash。 A gray beard that looked like steel fiber raggedly trimmed sprouted from cheeks and chin。 His facial expression； thought Mark； would have been quite hard enough even without a steel beard。
Kristin was now ing through the crowd； and Mark from only two yards away saw how the General greeted her。 He did not kneel … that appeared to be quite optional for anyone … but his eyes lit up with relief and joy； and he bowed and kissed her hand fervently。
She clung to his hand with both of hers。 〃Rostov； they tell me that Parliament has been divided over the succession？ That they have nearly e to blows？〃
〃They have e very nearly to civil war； Highness。〃 The General's voice was suitably gravelly and deep。 〃But； thank the gods； all that is over now。 All factions can agree on you。 It was only the thought that you were missing； too。。。 thank all the gods you're here。〃
〃I am here。 And well。〃 And at last her eyes turned in Mark's direction。
Now Mark and Rostov were being introduced。 The General glowered at him； Mark thought； that was the way of generals everywhere； he had observed； when looking at someone of insignificance who had got in the way。 Still Rostov was quick to express his own and his army's formal thanks。
A hundred people were speaking now； but one soft voice at Mark's elbow caught his full attention。 It was a woman's； and it said： 〃They told me that your name was Mark。 And so I hurried here to see。〃
Mark recognized his mother's voice； before he turned to see her face。
Chapter 8
The scar on Denis's arm； the last trace of the wound that had been healed by the Sword of Mercy； looked faint and old already。 He thought that the second touch of Woundhealer in the hand of Aphrodite had reached his heart； for there were times when he had the feeling of scar tissue forming there as well。 The vision of the goddess as she had appeared to him at night on the river…island was with him still。 He still felt pity for her whenever he thought of what had happened； and then； each time； fear at what might happen to a man who dared feel pity for divinity。
His emotions whipsawn by his encounter with Aphrodite； Denis sometimes felt as if years had passed in the few days since his departure from Tashigang。 In the days that followed； he went on paddling his canoe into the north and east。 He toyed no more with the idea of absconding with the remaining Sword； he was still in awe and shock from that demonstration of its powers； and he wanted nothing but to be honorably and safely rid of it。
With that objective in mind； he tried his best to keep his attention concentrated upon practical affairs。 It was necessary now to watch for a second set of landmarks； these to tell him where to leave this river and make the small necessary portage。 The markers were specially blazed trees； in the midst of a considerable forest through which the little river now ran。 Denis paddled upstream through the forest for a full day； looking for them。 The stream he was now following grew ever younger and smaller and more lively as he got further from the Corgo； and was here overhung from both banks by great branches。
On the night that Denis left Tashigang； Ben had told him that if he saw any wild…looking people after he had e this far； they were probably Sir Andrew's。 The Kind Knight's folk would escort a courier the rest of the way； or at least put him on the right track； once he had convinced them he was bona fide。
。。。 and the Goddess of Love had told him； Denis； that she loved him。 Even in the midst of trying to make plans he kept ing back to that； ing back to it in a glow of secret and guilty pride； guilty because he knew that it was undeserved。 Was ever mortal man so blessed？
Much good had such a blessing done him。 Pride came only fitfully。 In general he felt scarred and numb。
He did manage to keep his mind on the job； and spot his required landmarks。 The blazed trees were not very conspicuous； and it was a good thing that he had been keeping an alert eye open。 Once he had found the proper place； he had to beach his canoe on the right bank； then drag it through a trackless thicket … this route was apparently not much used … and next up a clear slope； over ground fortunately too soft to damage the canoe。 This brought him into a low pass leading through a line of hills that the stream had now been paralleling for some time。
After dragging his canoe for half a kilometer； lifting and carrying it when absolutely necessary； Denis reached the maximum slight elevation afforded by the pass。 From this vantage point he could look ahead； over the treetops of another forest； and see in the distance the beginnings of the Great Swamp； different kinds of trees rearing up out of an ominous flatness。 During the last four years that largely uncharted morass had swallowed up the larger portions of a couple of small armies； to the great disfiture of the Dark King and the Silver Queen respectively。 And neither monarch was any closer now than four years ago to their goal of slaughtering Sir Andrew and the impertinent fugitives of his own small military force。
The stream that Denis had to find now was not hard to locate。 It was running in the only place nearby that it very well could run； just beyond the line of hills in the bottom of the adjoining gentle valley。 After resting a little while on its bank； he launched his canoe again； and resumed paddling； once more going upstream。 In this waterway the current was slower； and Denis made correspondingly better time。 But this was a more winding stream； taking him back and forth on wide curves through the forest； he was going to have to paddle farther just to get from here to there。
Denis spent an entire day paddling up this stream before he was challenged。 This happened at just about the point where he could see that he was entering some portion of the Great Swamp itself。
His challengers were three in number； a man and two women； one of them standing on each bank of the narrow stream and one on an overhanging bough。 All three looked quite tough and capable。 Their weapons did not menace but they were certainly held ready。 Against this display Denis lifted his own hands； empty； in a sign of peace。
He said； 〃I need to see Sir Andrew； as quickly as I can。 I e from a man named Ben； and I have here a cargo that Sir Andrew needs。〃
The three who had stopped him spoke quickly among themselves； and two of them promptly became Denis's escort。 They made no ment on the fact of his empty…looking boat； as contrasted with his claim of valuable cargo。。。 They did take from him his only visible weapon； a short knife。 Then the man got into the rear seat of Denis's canoe； and took over the paddling； while one of the women oared another small craft along behind。 As they glided deeper into the swamp； under the twisted limbs of giant trees festooned with exotic parasite…plants； Denis saw a small arboreal creature； of a type strange to him； headed in the same direction。 It was brachiating itself along through the upper branches at a pace that soon overtook and passed the boats。 He surmised it was some species of half…intelligent messenger。
Presently； after about a kilometer of paddling； Denis was delivered to a camouflaged mand post； a half…walled structure made of logs and shirt…sized tree fronds； where he repeated his terse message to an officer。 Again he was sent on； deeper into the swamp； this time with a different and larger escort。
This leg of the escorted journey took longer。 It occupied a fair portion of the remaining daylight hours； and ended with Denis's canoe grounding on the shore of what appeared to be a sizable island of firm land that reared up out of the swamp。 There were people on this island already。 He estimated a score of them or more； many of them conspicuously wearing Sir Andrew's orange and black。 A few tents had been set up； but the place did not have the worn look of a permanent encampment。
The people who were already gathered here appeared to be waiting for something。 They were not； as it turned out； anticipating Denis's arrival； which in itself did not cause much of a stir。 His canoe was beached for him； and he was at once conducted a short distance inland； toward one particular knot of people who were engaged in some serious discussion。 Taking the chance to look about him from the slightly higher vantage point of this firm ground； Denis realized that this was no true island at all； or else it was a much larger island than he had first assumed。 From here he could see a double track； what looked like a regular road； though a poor one； approaching through the trees to end in the small clearing where the knot of people were conversing。
The focus of that group's attention was one man； heavily built； gray…haired； and wearing clothing that might once have been fine。 This man was standing with his back to Denis； but the black hilt of a Sword visible at his side convinced Denis that this must be Sir Andrew himself； who was known to hold Shieldbreaker。
Sir Andrew turned。 The face of the man known as the Kind Knight showed more age than his strong body did。 He was holding a book in his left hand； and had been gesturing with it to make some point； when Denis's arrival interrupted the discussion。
Standing at Sir Andrew's right hand was a woman； not young but certainly still attractive。 There was much gray now in the lady's black hair； but Denis thought that in youth her face must have been extremely beautiful。 He had no idea what her name might be； but at first glance he was certain she was a sorceress。 Certain details of her dress gave that indication； but the impression was created chiefly by an impalpable sense of magic that hung about her。 Denis could feel that magical aura； and he did not consider himself a sensitive。
Two pairs of brown eyes； the lady's younger and quicker than Sir Andrew's； studied the new arrival。 Names were formally exchanged。
〃And where；〃 asked the Knight then； in his slow； strong voice； 〃is this cargo that you say you have for me？〃
〃In the canoe； sir。 There's a false bottom。〃
〃And what is the cargo？ Speak freely； I have no secrets from any here。〃
Denis glanced around。 〃A Sword； sir。 One of the famous Twelve； I mean。 Sent from the man called Ben； in Tashigang。 There were two Swords； but something happened to me on the way。〃
〃I can see that；〃 the enchantress murmured。 Her eyes were narrowed as she studied Denis。 〃Show me this remaining Sword。〃
They moved quickly to the waiting beached canoe。 At Denis's direction the concealing board was pried up once more。 Dame Yoldi； the graying sorceress； supervised this operation carefully； and gave the exposed cargo a close inspection before she would allow Sir Andrew to approach it。
She also questioned Denis first。 〃You say that two Swords were sent； and one lost on the way？〃
〃Yes Ma'a
