tg.stone of tears-第10章

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　The　wizard　nodded　in　thought；　then　brightened。　‘By　the　way；　why　has　a　woman　as　lovely　as　you　not　found　herself　a　husband？’
　
　She　gave　him　a　sidelong　glance。　‘Three　have　asked。　As　each　was　on　bended　knee　before　me；　I　saw　a　vision　of　them　lying　with　another　woman。’
　
　Zedd　grinned。　‘Did　they　ask　why　you　said　no？’
　
　‘I　didn’t　say　no。　I　only　slapped　them　so　hard　it　made　their　heads　ring　like　a　bell。’
　
　Zedd　laughed　until　she　was　caught　up　in　it。　Trimack　came　at　last　to　a　halt　before　them。　mander　General　Trimack；　may　I　introduce　the　Lady　Bevinvier。’　Trimack　gave　a　smart　bow。　As　are　you；　as　am　I；　this　lady　is　one　who　is　at　the　task　of　keeping　harm　from　getting　a　glance　at　Lord　Rahl。　I　would　like　her　to　have　a　heavy　guard　at　all　times　while　she　is　in　the　palace。　Lord　Rahl　needs　her　help；　and　I　don’t　want　her　life　risked　again　as　it　was　today。’
　
　‘While　she　is　in　the　palace　she　will　be　as　safe　as　a　babe　in　her　mother’s　arms。　By　my　honor。’　He　turned　and　gave　a　coded　tap　to　his　shoulder。　A　good　two　dozen　men　of　the　First　File　came　at　a　dead　run；　freezing　to　a　halt　at　attention；　not　even　breathing　hard。　‘This　is　the　Lady　Bevinvier。　Every　one　of　your　lives　before　hers。’
　
　With　a　sharp　snap；　every　fist　came　to　an　armored　heart　as　one。　Two　of　them　took　Jebra’s　weight　from　Zedd。　She　kept　one　hand　tightly　closed　around　the　Stone。　The　purse　of　gold　bulged　in　a　pocket　of　her　long；　green　skirt。　It　was　covered　most　of　the　way　down　with　dried　blood。
　
　Zedd　addressed　the　men　holding　her　up。　‘She　will　need　suitable　quarters；　and　meals　brought　in。　Please　see　to　it　she　is　not　disturbed　by　anyone　but　me。’　He　looked　at　her　tired　blue　eyes　and　gently　touched　her　arm。　‘Rest　well；　child。　I　will　visit　you　in　the　morning。’
　
　She　smiled　weakly。　‘Thank　you；　Zedd。’　As　the　soldiers　helped　her　away；　the　wizard　turned　his　attention　to　Trimack。　‘There　is　a　woman　staying　in　the　palace；　a　Lady　Ordith　Condatith　de　Dackidvich。　Lord　Rahl　is　going　to　have　enough　trouble　without　her　kind　around。　I　want　her　out　of　here　before　the　day　is　finished。　If　she　refuses　to　leave；　offer　her　the　choice　of　a　carriage　or　a　noose。’
　
　Trimack　grinned　wickedly。　‘I　will　see　to　it　personally。’
　
　‘If　there　are　any　others　you　know　of　about　the　palace；　who　are　of　her　temperament；　feel　free　to　make　them　the　same　offer。　New　rule　brings　change。’　Zedd　couldn’t　see　auras；　but　he　was　sure　that　if　Jebra　had　been　standing　there；　she　would　have　seen　Trimack’s　brighten。
　
　‘Some　are　unfortable　with　change；　Wizard　Zorander。’　The　man　had　spoken　more　than　his　simple　words。　Are　there　any　above　you　in　mand　in　the　palace？　Other　than　Lord　Rahl？’
　
　Trimack　clasped　his　hands　behind　his　back　as　his　eyes　swept　the　hall。　There　is　one　named　Demmin　Nass；　mander　of　the　quads；　who　gave　orders　to　all　but　Darken　Rahl。’
　
　Zedd　let　out　a　heavy　breath　at　that　memory。　‘He　is　dead。’
　
　Trimack　nodded　with　what　might　have　been　relief。　‘Below　the　palace；　quartered　in　the　chambers　of　the　plateau；　there　are　perhaps　thirty　thousand　men　of　the　army。　Their　generals　outrank　me　in　the　field；　but　in　the　palace　the　word　of　the　mander　general　of　the　First　File　is　law。　Some　of　them　I　know　will　wele　the　change。　Some　will　not。’
　
　‘Richard　is　going　to　have　a　difficult　enough　time　being　the　magic　against　magic　…　underworld　magic　…　without　troubles　from　steel。　You　have　a　free　hand；　mander；　to　do　as　you　see　fit　to　protect　him。　Err　on　the　side　of　duty。’
　
　Trimack　grunted　acknowledgment；　then　went　on。　‘The　People’s　Palace；　one　roof　though　it　may　be；　is　a　city。　Thousands　live　here。　Merchants　and　supplies；　trains　of　wagons　to　lone　peddlers；　e　and　go　in　an　endless　stream　in　all　directions　except　to　the　east；　across　the　Azrith　Plains。　The　roads　in　are　the　arteries　that　feed　the　heart　of　D’Hara　…　the　People’s　Palace。
　
　The　inside　of　the　plateau　is　chambered　with　twice　the　number　of　rooms　of　the　palace　above　ground。　As　with　any　city　of　this　size；　the　motives　of　the　multitudes　ing　here　are　beyond　our　ability　to　judge　with　absolute　certainty。
　
　‘I　will　have　the　great　inner　doors　closed　and　seal　off　the　palace　above　ground。　It　is　something　that　has　not　been　done　in　a　few　hundred　years；　and　it　will　cause　worry　among　the　people　of　D’Hara；　but　I　would　risk　the　worried　talk。　The　only　way　to　the　palace　itself；　if　not　through　the　inside　entrances；　is　up　the　cliff　road　on　the　east　side。　I　will　keep　the　bridge　up。
　
　That　still　leaves　us　with　thousands　in　the　palace　proper。　Any　of　them　could　have　designs　not　to　our　liking。　Worse；　there　are　thousands　of　battle…tested　soldiers　in　the　belly　of　the　palace；　many　led　by　men　I　would　not　want　getting　a　glance　at　Lord　Rahl。　I　have　a　feeling　the　new　Lord　Rahl　is　not　the　kind　of　Rahl　they　are　used　to　dealing　with；　and　they　are　not　going　to　like　the　change。
　
　‘D’Hara　is　a　vast　empire；　the　supply　routes　long。　Perhaps　it　is　time　some　of　these　divisions　were　sent　out　to　see　to　the　safety　of　these　routes；　especially　the　ones　to　the　far　south；　near　the　wilds；　where　I　have　heard　rumor　there　is　unrest　and　trouble。　And　perhaps　from　the　ranks　of　the　ones　I　trust；　the　size　of　the　First　File　could　be　increased　threefold。’
　
　Zedd　studied　Trimack’s　face　as　the　man　continued　to　scan　the　hall。　‘I　am　no　soldier；　but　your　ideas　make　sense。　The　palace　must　be　made　as　secure　as　possible。　How　you　do　it　is　up　to　you。’
　
　‘I　will　give　you　a　list　then；　in　the　morning；　of　the　generals　to　be　trusted　and　those　to　worry　about。’
　
　‘Why　would　I　need　such　a　list？’
　
　Trimack’s　intense　gaze　was　steady。　‘Because　orders　such　as　these　must　e　from　one　with　the　gift。’
　
　Zedd　shook　his　head；　muttering；　‘Wizards　should　not　be　ruling　people。　It’s　not　right。’
　
　‘It　is　the　way　in　D’Hara。　Magic　and　steel。　I　want　to　protect　Lord　Rahl。　This　is　what　I　think　needs　to　be　done。’
　
　Zedd　stared　off　into　the　distance；　feeling　the　ache　of　exhaustion　in　his　bones。　‘Do　you　know；　Trimack；　that　I　have　fought　and　killed　wizards　who　wanted　to　take　it　upon　themselves　to　rule？’
　
　When　an　answer　didn’t　e；　Zedd　turned　back　to　the　officer。　Trimack　was　studying　him。　‘Given　the　choice；　Wizard　Zorander；　I　would　choose　to　serve　one　who　bears　mand　as　a　burden；　to　one　who　wears　the　mantle　as　a　right。’
　
　Zedd　sighed　and　nodded。　‘In　the　morning　then。　There　is　one　other　matter；　the　most　important　of　all：　I　want　the　Garden　of　Life　guarded。　That　is　where　the　screeling　first　attacked。　I　don’t　know　if　there　will　be　more。　There　is　a　door　up　there　that　will　have　to　be　fixed。　Put　a　ring　of　steel　around　the　garden。　Enough　men　that　they　have　room　only　to　swing　an　axe。　No　one；　no　one　at　all；　is　to　be　allowed　to　go　in　except　myself　or　Richard；　or　by　our　order。
　
　‘Anyone　attempting　to　go　into　that　room　is　to　be　viewed　as　harm　trying　to　get　a　look　at　Lord　Rahl。　Even　one　who　tells　you　he　is　there　only　to　pull　weeds。　And　you　can　bet　your　mother’s　honor　that　anything　trying　to　get　out　is　harm　trying　to　have　more　than　a　look。’
　
　Trimack　clapped　his　fist　to　his　armored　chest。　To　the　last　man；　Wizard　Zorander。’
　
　‘Good。　Lord　Rahl　may　need　what’s　in　that　room。　I　don’t　dare　to　move　those　things　for　the　time　being。　They　are　extremely　dangerous。　Take　very　seriously　the　guarding　of　that　room；　mander。　More　screelings　could　e。　Or　worse。’
　
　‘How　soon？’
　
　‘I　would　not　have　thought　we　would　have　seen　the　first　for　a　year　or　more。　At　least　months。　That　the　Keeper　could　have　loosed　one　of　his　assassins　so　soon　is　a　great　worry。　I　don’t　know　who　it　was　sent　for。　It’s　possible　it　was　simply　sent　to　kill　whoever　was　around。　The　Keeper　needs　no　reason　to　kill。　I　must　leave　the　palace　tomorrow　to　learn　what　I　can　before　we　are　surprised　again。’
　
　Trimack　pondered　this　with　troubled　eyes。　‘Do　you　know　when　Lord　Rahl　will　return？’
　
　Zedd　shook　his　head。　‘No。　I　thought　I　was　going　to　have　time　to　teach　him　some　of　what　he　must　know；　but　now　I　must　send　for　him　at　once　to　meet　me　in　Aydindril　and　see　if　we　can　discover　what　must　be　done。　He　is　in　great　danger　and　knows　nothing　of　it。　Events　have　outpaced　me。　I　have　no　idea　what　the　Keeper　is　going　to　do　next；　but　I　now　fear　ho