按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃May He bless you； too； Prince Josua。〃
The prince sighed。 〃And all the rest as well。 Did you know； Deornoth； that tomorrow is the first day of Anitul？ That means tomorrow is Hiafmansa。 There are many absent friends to whom our blessings should go this night…many who no doubt are far closer to the fearful face of darkness than we are。〃
Deornoth saw the shadow beside him move abruptly as the prince made the sign of the Tree。 They shared a long moment of silence before Josua spoke again。 〃May God bless us all and deliver us from evil。〃
The men were up with the darkling dawn； saddling the horses and packing the supplies gained when Josua had traded two of his new steeds for a quantity of food and clothing。 Since Leieth would ride with Duchess Gutrun； and Towser and Sangfugol would share a horse； four horses remained to carry goods。
When the mounts had been readied； the men returned to the bull run。 They found it surrounded by more than a few curious Thrithings…folk。
〃What； have you made some announcement？〃 Josua demanded crossly Vorzheva eyed him unbhnkingly。 She had donned the white bride…band once more。
〃Do you think my people would not notice you loading the horses？〃 she snapped。 〃Besides； what is the use of being married if it is done like thieves stealing by night？〃 She strutted away； the wide skirt of her wedding dress swirling。 A moment later she returned； leading the wide…eyed young girl who had been waiting on Fikolmij when Josua's folk had first e as prisoners to the wagon camp。 〃This is Hyara； my youngest sister；〃 Vorzheva explained。 〃She will be married someday； so I want her to see that it is not always frightful。〃
〃I will do my best to look like a nice person to marry；〃 Josua said； arching an eyebrow。 Hyara stared back at him； anxious as a startled fawn。
Vorzheva insisted that they be married beneath the open sky and before the eyes of her clanfolk。 The wedding party made its way out from beneath the roof of blankets。 Father Strangyeard mumbling fretfully as he tried to remember the important sections of the marriage ceremony…he had not； of course； been able to bring a Book of the Aedon from Naglimund； and had never performed a marriage before。 Of the principals； he was dearly the most nervous。 Young Hyara； sensing a kindred spirit； walked so close to him that she was almost between his feet； adding to the priest's disfiture。
It was not surprising to see a cheerful and curious crowd of Thrithings…folk assembled along the edges of the bull run…a crowd not greatly different in mood； Deornoth reflected； than that which had e to watch Josua be cut into slivers。 It was a little disconcerting to see among them the mother and sisters of he who had failed to slice Josua up； the late Utvart。 This group of women； dressed identically in dresses and scarves of dark mourning blue； stared balefully at the emerging stone…dwellers； their mouths pulled tight in uniform expressions of ill…regard。
If the attendance of Utvart's family was surprising； the appearance of Fikolmij on the scene was even more so。 The March…thane； who had taken his foul temper and virtually gone into hiding after Josua's victory； now came swaggering through the camp to the bull run； trailed by a handful of scarred randwarders。 Although the gray dawn was not an hour passed； Fikolmy's red…eyed stare had the look of drunkenness。
〃By the Grass…Thunderer！〃 he bellowed； 〃surely you did not think I would let my daughter and her horse…rich husband be wedded without ing to share their happiness！？〃 He slapped his broad belly and guf… fawed。 〃Go on！ Go on！ We are waiting to see how marriages are done in the mazes of the stone…dwellers！〃
At the sound of her father's roar； little Hyara took a step backward and looked wildly around； preparing to flee。 Deornoth reached out and gently took her elbow； holding it loosely until she gathered courage to move forward and stand at Vorzheva's side once more。 Hopelessly rattled； Father Strangyeard started the Mansa Connoyis…the Prayer of Joining… several times without success； each time losing his way after a few lines and stuttering to a halt like a millwheel whose ox was balking in the traces。 Each failed attempt drew more laughter from Fikolmij and his randwarders。 The archive…master's already pink face grew redder and redder。 At last； Josua leaned forward and whispered in his ear。
〃You are a Scrollbearer now； Father； as was your friend Jarnauga。〃 He spoke so quietly that none but Strangyeard could hear。 〃Surely a simple mansa is child's play for you； whatever the distractions。〃
〃One…eye speaks the marriage for One…hand！〃 Fikolmij shouted。 Strangyeard tugged self…consciously at his patch； then grimly nodded his head。 〃You。。。 you are right。 Prince Josua。 Forgive me。 Let us continue。〃
Speaking each word carefully； Strangyeard worked his way through the long ritual as though wading in high and treacherous waters。 The March…thane and his jibing cronies shouted louder and louder； but the priest would no longer be deterred。 At last； the crowd of watching Thrithings…folk became restive； tiring of Fikolmij's rudeness。 Every time another graceless jest echoed across the bull run； the murmur grew louder。
As Strangyeard neared the end of the prayer； Hotvig appeared on horseback out of the west。 He was windblown and disheveled； as though he had ridden fast in his return to the wagon…city。
The rider sat dazedly surveying the scene for a moment； then swung down from the saddle and trotted to his thane's side。 He spoke rapidly； then pointed back in the direction from which he had e。 Fikolmij nodded； grinning hugely； then turned and said something to the other randwarders which set them rocking with laughter。 A look of confusion came over Hotvig's face…confusion which soon turned to anger。 As Fikolmij and the others continued to chortle over the news he had brought； the young Thrithings…man strode to the fence around the bull run and waved for Isorn's attention。 Hotvig spoke into Isorn's ear； the Rimmerman's eyes widened。 When Father Strangyeard paused in his recital a few moments and bent to look for the bowl of water he had filled earlier and put by for this moment in the prayer； Isgrimnur's son pushed away from the fence and marched directly to Prince Josua's side。
〃Forgive me； Josua；〃 Isorn hissed； 〃but Hotvig says there are three score armored riders ing down on the wagon camp。 They are less than a league away and riding hard。 The leader's coat is a falcon in scarlet and silver。〃
Startled； Josua looked up。 〃Fengbald！ What is that whoreson doing here？！〃
〃Fengbald？〃 Deornoth echoed； astounded。 It seemed a name from another age。 〃Fengbald？〃
A rustle of wonder went through the crowd at this odd turn to the ceremony。
〃Josua；〃 Vorzheva said tightly； 〃how can you talk of these things now？〃
〃I am truly sorry； my lady； but we have little choice。〃 He turned to Strangyeard； who stood staring； his increasingly confident rhythms again disrupted。 〃Go on to the final part；〃 Josua directed him。
〃Wha。。。 what？〃
〃The final part； man。 e； then； hurry to it！ I won't have it said I left my lady unmarried against my promise； but if we s