tw.thestoneoffarewell- 第67节

　　
　　Sisqinanamook　and　her　folk　gathered　around　as　Simon　and　his　panions　brought　out　their　saddled　mounts。　The　Qanuc　men　and　women　seemed　torn　between　the　ceremonies　of　leavetakmg　and　the　fascination　inspired　by　the　horses；　whose　legs　were　longer　than　the　herders　and　huntresses　were　tall。　The　horses　shuffled　nervously　at　first　as　the　little　people　stroked　and　patted　them；　but　the　trolls　seemed　to　have　learned　more　than　a　little　in　their　generations　of　sheepherding；　the　horses　soon　gentled；　pluming　the　frosty　air　with　their　breath　as　the　Qanuc　admired　them。
　　At　last　Sisqi　waved　for　order；　then　spoke　rapidly　to　Simon　and　Sludig　m　the　language　of　the　Trollfells。　Binabik　smiled　and　said：　〃Sisqinanamook　bids　you　farewell　on　behalf　of　the　Mintahoq　Qanuc　and　our　Herder　and　Huntress。　She　says　that　the　Qanuc　people　have　seen　many　new　things　in　late　days；　and　though　the　world　is　changing　for　worse；　not　all　the　changes　are　being　for　bad。〃　He　nodded　to　Sisqi　and　she　spoke　again；　now　fixing　her　eyes　on　Sludig。
　　〃Good…bye；　Rimmersman；〃　Binabik　translated。　〃You　are　the　kindest　Croohok　she　has　ever　heard　about；　and　none　of　the　folk　who　stand　here　are　now　afraid　of　you　any　more。　Tell　your　Herder　and　Huntress…〃　he　grinned；　perhaps　imagining　Duke　Isgrimnur　answering　to　either　title；　〃…that　the　Qanuc　are　being　a　brave　folk；　too；　but　also　a　just　folk　who　do　not　like　pointless　fighting。〃
　　Sludig　nodded　〃I　will。〃
　　Sisqi　turned　her　attention　to　Simon。　〃And　you；　Snowlock；　do　not　be　afraid。　She　will　tell　any　of　the　Qanuc　back　on　Mintahoq　who　wonder　at　the　story　of　your　dragon…lashing　about　the　bravery　she　has　been　able　to　witness。　Any　others　here　will　be　doing　the　same。〃　He　listened　carefully　for　a　moment；　then　grinned。　〃She　also　urges　you　for　being　careful　of　her　intended…who　is　me…and　for　using　your　bravery　to　keep　him　safe。　This　she　is　asking　in　the　name　of　new　friendship。〃
　　Simon　was　touched。　〃Tell　her；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that　I　will　protect　her　intended…who　is　also　my　friend…to　death　and　beyond。〃
　　As　Binabik　relayed　his　words；　Sisqi　stared　at　Simon；　her　eyes　intent　and　serious。　When　the　troll　had　finished；　Sisqi　bowed　her　head　toward　them；　stiff　and　prideful。　Simon　and　Sludig　did　the　same。　The　other　Qanuc　pressed　forward；　touching　those　who　were　about　to　leave　as　though　to　send　something　with　them。　Simon　found　himself　surrounded　by　small；　black…haired　heads；　and　again　had　to　remind　himself　that　the　trolls　were　not　children；　but　mortal　men　and　women　who　loved　and　fought　and　died　just　as　bravely　and　seriously　as　any　knight　of　Erkynland。　Callused　fingers　squeezed　his　hand　and　many　things　that　sounded　kind　were　said　to　him　in　words　he　could　not　understand。
　　Sisqi　and　Binabik　had　wandered　off　from　the　others；　back　toward　the　sleeping　cave。　When　they　got　there；　Sisqi　ducked　m；　emerging　a　moment　later　with　a　long　spear　in　her　hands；　its　shaft　busy　with　carvings。
　　〃Here；〃　she　said。　〃You　will　need　this　where　you　are　going；　beloved；　and　it　will　be　longer　than　nine　times　nine　days　before　you　return。　Take　it。　I　know　we　will　be　together　once　more…if　the　gods　are　kind。〃
　　〃Even　if　they　are　not。〃　Binabik　tried　to　smile；　but　could　not。　He　took　the　spear　from　her　and　rested　it　against　the　facing　of　the　cave。　〃When　we　meet　again；　may　it　be　granted　that　it　is　beneath　no　shadow。　I　will　hold　you　in　my　heart；　Sisqi。〃
　　〃Hold　me　against　you　now；〃　she　said　quietly；　and　they　stepped　forward　into　each　other's　arms。　〃Blue　Mud　Lake　is　cold　this　year。〃
　　〃I　will　be　back　。。。〃　Binabik　began。
　　〃No　more　talk。　Our　time　is　short。〃
　　Their　faces　came　together；　vanishing　as　their　hoods　touched　each　other；　and　they　stood　that　way　for　a　long　time。　They　were　both　trembling。
　　
　　
　　PART　TWO
　　
　　Storm's　Hand
　　
　　11
　　Bones　of　the　Earth
　　
　　IT　was　often　said　that　of　all　the　lands　of　men　in　Osten　Ard；　secrets　ran　deepest　in　Hernystir。　Not　that　the　land　itself　was　hidden；　like　the　fabled　Trollfells　lurking　beyond　the　icy　fence　of　the　White　Waste；　or　the　land　of　the　Wrannamen；　shrouded　in　treacherous　swamps。　The　secrets　Hernystir　kept　were　hidden　in　the　hearts　of　its　people；　or　below　its　sunny　meadows；　deep　in　the　earth。
　　Of　all　mortal　men；　the　Hernystiri　once　had　known　and　loved　the　Sithi　best。　They　learned　much　from　them…although　the　things　they　had　learned　were　now　mentioned　only　in　old　ballads。　They　had　also　traded　with　the　Sithi；　bringing　back　to　their　own　grassy　country　articles　of　workmanship　beyond　anything　the　finest　smiths　and　craftsmen　of　Imperial　Nabban　could　produce。　In　return；　the　Hernystirmen　offered　their　immortal　allies　the　fruits　of　the　earth…nightblack　malachite；　ilenite　and　bright　opal；　sapphire；　cinnabar；　and　soft；　shiny　gold…all　painstakingly　mined　from　the　thousand　tunnels　of　the　Grianspog　Mountains。
　　The　Sithi　were　gone　now；　vanished　absolutely　from　the　earth　as　far　as　most　men　knew　or　cared。　Some　of　the　Hernystiri　knew　better。　It　had　been　centuries　since　the　Fair　Ones　had　fled　their　castle　Asu'a；　deserting　the　last　of　the　Nine　Cities　accessible　to　mortal　man。　Most　mortals　had　forgotten　the　Sithi　entirely；　or　saw　them　only　through　the　distorting　veil　of　old　stories。　But　among　the　Hernystiri；　an　open…hearted　and　yet　secretive　folk；　there　were　still　a　few　who　looked　at　the　dark　holes　that　pitted　the　Grianspog　and　remembered。
　　
　　
　　Eolair　was　not　particularly　fond　of　caves。　His　childhood　had　been　spent　upon　the　grasslands　in　the　meadows　of　western　Hernystir；　at　the　conjoining　of　the　Inniscrich　and　the　Cuimnhe　rivers。　As　Count　of　Nad　Mullach；　he　had　ruled　over　that　territory；　later；　in　service　to　his　king；　Lluth　ubh…Llythmn；　he　had　traveled　to　all　the　great　cities　and　courts　of　Osten　Ard；　carrying　out　Hernystir's　wishes　beneath　the　lights　of　countless　lamps　and　the　skies　of　every　nation。
　　Thus；　although　his　bravery　was　questioned　by　no　one；　and　though　his　oath　to　King　Lluth　meant　he　would　follow　Lluth's　daughter　Maegwin　to　the　fires　of　perdition　if　that　were　his　duty；　he　was　not　altogether　pleased　to　find　himself　and　his　people　living　deep　in　the　rock　of　the　mighty　Grianspog。　
　　〃Bagba　bite　me！〃　Eolair　cursed。　A　drop　of　burning　pitch　had　fallen　on　his　sleeve；　scorching　his　arm　through　the　thin　cloth　in　the　time　it　took　him　to　put　it　out。　The　torch　was　guttering　and　would　not　last　much　longer。　He　considered　lighting　the　second；　but　that　would　mean　it　was　time　to　turn　back；　he　was　not　ready　to　do　that。　He　briefly　weighed　the　risks　of　finding　himself　stuck　without　light　in　an　unfamiliar　tunnel　deep　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　then　cursed　again；　quietly。　If　he　had　not　been　such　a　hasty　idiot；　he　might　have　remembered　to　bring　his　flints　with　him。　Eolair　did　not　like　making　that　sort　of　mistake。　Too　many　errors　of　such　an　obvious　sort　and　one's　luck　would　at　last　run　out。
　　His　sleeve　extinguished；　he　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　forking　of　the　tunnel；　squinting　at　the　floor　in　the　vain　hope　of　seeing　something　that　would　help　him　decide　which　way　to　go。　Seeing　nothing；　he　hissed　in　exasperation。
　　〃Maegwin！〃　he　called；　and　heard　his　voice　go　rolling　out　into　darkness；　echoing　down　the　tunnels。　〃My　lady；　are　you　there？〃
　　The　echoes　died。　Eolair　stood　in　silence　with　a　dying　torch　and　wondered　what　to　do。
　　It　was　painfully　evident　that　Maegwin　knew　her　way　about　this　underground　maze　far　better　than　he　did；　so　perhaps　his　concern　was　misplaced。　Surely　there　were　no　bears　or　other　animals　dwelling　this　far　in　the　depths；　or　they　would　have　made　themselves　apparent　by　now。　The　tattered　remainder　of　Hernysadharc's　citizens　had　already　spent　a　fortnight　in　the　mountain　deeps；　building　a　new　home　for　an　unhomed　people　among　the　bones　of　the　earth。　But　there　were　other　things　to　fear　down　here　beside　wild　beasts；　Eolair　could　not　so　lightly　dismiss　danger。　Strange　creatures　walked　in　the　heights　of　the　mountains；　and　there　had　been　mysterious　deaths　and　disappearances　all　across　the　face　of　the　land　long　before　Skali　of　Kaldskryke's　army　came　at　King　Elias'　bidding　to　put　down　the　rebellious　Hernystirmen。
　　Other；　more　prosaic　dangers　might　await　as　well：　Maegwin　could　fall　and　break　a　leg；　or　tumble　into　an　underground　river　or　lake。　Or　she　might　overestimate　h