Questing Knight(科幻战争)- 第3部分

‘Do　not　speak　of　my　family；　Sangasse　dog；’　said　Calard。
‘I　will　forgive　that　this　once；　Garamont；　for　you　speak　in　rashness　and　ignorance。　But　I　warn　you；　do
not　fling　your　baseless　insults　and　accusations　in　my　direction　again　or　I　will　not　be　so　tolerant。　I　would
not　wish　such　a　fate　as　your　family　has　suffered　on　any　noble　son　of　Bastonne；　even　you；　but　my　patience
can　be　pushed　only　so　far。’
‘I　saw　men　garbed　in　the　regalia　of　Sangasse　patrolling　Garamont　lands；’　said　Calard　in　an　even
voice；　regathering　some　control　of　his　temper。　‘And　I　know　that　your　men　have　camped　in　the　ruin　of　my
castle。　What　explanation　do　you　offer　for　this？’
‘I　would　not　have　an　empty；　unguarded　land　bordering　my　own；’　said　Maloric。　‘Without　a　standing
military　force；　Garamont　would　be　a　breeding　ground　for　miscreants　and　outcasts；　a　haven　for　bandits
and　worse。　I　am　merely　ensuring　the　protection　of　my　own　lands　by　sending　patrols　into　your　homeland。　I
have　annexed　a　portion　of　Garamont　lands　to　pay　for　this　additional　militia；　in　lieu　of　recompense　–　for
whom　should　I　claim　recompense　from？　As　I　said；　I　thought　you　dead。’
‘And　what　of　my　nephew　and　heir；　Orlando？　What　has　become　of　him？’
Before　Maloric　could　answer；　a　side　door　to　the　chamber　opened　and　a　lady　swept　into　the　room；
trailed　by　handmaidens。　Rose…scented　perfume　wafted　into　the　room　in　her　wake。
‘You　know　my　wife；　Josephine；’　said　Maloric。
‘Your　wife？’　said　Calard　in　shock。
The　last　time　he　had　seen　the　Lady　Josephine　had　been　in　the　halls　of　Garamont。　She　was　Baron
Montcadas’s　niece；　and　Calard　had　thought　of　her　often　during　his　long　absence。　On　dark　and　lonely
nights　he　had　harboured　romantic　notions　of　marrying　her　on　his　return　to　Bretonnia；　were　she　unwed。
The　old　Baron　Montcadas；　who　had　always　been　more　of　a　father　than　his　own　had　ever　been；　had
hoped　to　see　the　two　of　them　wed　years　earlier；　and　had　Calard　not　taken　up　the　quest　he　believed　they
might　have　done。　He　had　known　her　to　be　a　warm…hearted　and　beautiful　young　woman；　born　of　a
wealthy　and　respectable　noble　family；　and　he　had　always　found　her　company　engaging。
‘Calard；　we　thought　you　were　dead！’　said　Josephine；　rushing　across　to　him。　She　hugged　him　tightly；
tears　in　her　gentle　eyes。
‘You　married　Maloric？’　said　Calard。
‘He　is　a　good　man；　Calard；’　said　Josephine；　softly；　‘and　a　dutiful　father。’
‘You。。。　You　have　children？’　said　Calard；　stepping　awkwardly　away　from　her　embrace。
‘You　have　been　gone　a　long　time；　Calard；’　she　said。　There　were　dirty　smudges　on　her　silk　dress；　and
Calard　was　suddenly　conscious　of　his　travel…worn　appearance。
‘I’m　sorry；’　he　said；　but　she　waved　away　his　apology。
‘It　is　nothing。’
‘Say　you；’　said　Maloric；　standing　and　moving　to　Josephine’s　side。　‘I　am　the　one　who　pays　for　these
dresses。　She　has　expensive　taste；’　he　said　to　Calard　as　he　embraced　his　wife。
Calard　turned　away；　his　mind　reeling。　He　helped　himself　to　a　goblet　of　wine　and　downed　it　in　one
draught。
When　he　turned　back　around；　his　face　was　an　unreadable　mask。
‘Have　you　heard　from　Bertelis？’　asked　Josephine。
‘No；’　said　Calard。　‘I　hoped　that　you　might　have？’
Josephine　shook　her　head　sadly。
The　last　time　Calard　had　seen　his　half…brother　had　been　in　Lyonesse；　just　months　before　he　had　taken

up　the　quest；　and　he　still　carried　the　guilt　over　the　last　words　they　had　exchanged。　Calard　had　just
witnessed　the　death　of　Elisabet；　a　noblewoman　he　had　once　loved。　While　he　could　see　now　that　it　had
been　an　accident；　at　the　time　all　he　had　seen　was　that　she　had　died　at　his　brother’s　hand。　Blinded　by　grief；
he　had　spoken　angrily；　and　his　words　haunted　him　still；　six　years　on。
‘You　are　my　brother　no　longer；’　he　had　said。　Calard　had　had　many　nights　to　regret　those　words；　but
he　feared　that　he　would　never　have　the　opportunity　to　atone　for　them。　Bertelis　and　he　had　parted　ways
soon　after。
‘What　happened　to　my　home？’　said　Calard；　dragging　himself　back　to　the　present。　‘Where　is
Orlando？　Where　is　Montcadas？’
Fresh　tears　welled　in　Josephine’s　eyes　and　Maloric’s　expression　darkened。
‘I’m　sorry；　Calard；’　Josephine　said。
CALARD　STARED　AT　the　empty　plate　in　front　of　him。　Despite　its　quality　and　his　hunger；　the　food　had
been　like　ash　in　his　mouth。
‘It　was　ablaze　by　the　time　my　knights　and　I　arrived；’　said　Maloric。　‘There　was　nothing　to　be　done。　It
burned　solidly　for　two　days；　and　it　was　a　week　before　the　embers　cooled。’
‘The　goddess　must　have　been　looking　over　me；’　said　Josephine。　‘Only　my　two　handmaidens；　a
stableboy　and　I　escaped。’
‘How　she　didn’t　break　a　leg　leaping　from　her　window；　I’ll　never　know；’　said　Maloric。
‘How　could　two　knights　have　killed　them　all？’　asked　Calard。　‘Fifteen　of　my　vassal　knights；　as　well　as
what；　forty　men…at…arms？　Fifty？　It　is　inconceivable。　No　two　men　could　do　that。’
‘They　were　no　men；’　said　Josephine。　‘Of　that　I　am　certain。　They　were　daemons　in　knights’　bodies。’
‘You　saw　them；　you　said？’　said　Calard。
‘Only　from　afar。　I　was　in　my　chambers　preparing　for　bed　when　I　heard　them　arrive　at　the　castle
gates。　It　was　late。　I　heard　the　voices　of　your　knights　welcome　these　newcomers；　as　if　they　knew　them。
Their　voices　were　raised；　not　in　alarm　but　in　surprise；　joy　even。　At　first　I　thought　maybe　it　was　you；
Calard；　returning　home；　but　I　was　mistaken。　The　screams　started　soon　after　that。’
Calard　leaned　forward；　focused　completely　on　Josephine’s　words。　Her　face　was　pale　and　drawn；
and　her　eyes　misted　over　as　she　took　herself　back　to　that　fateful　night　five　years　earlier。
‘I　know　this　is　hard；’　said　Calard。　Josephine　composed　herself　before　continuing。
‘I　left　my　room　and　was　coming　down　the　stairs。　There　were　bodies　everywhere。　The　screams　were
deafening。　I　could　see　one　of　them　clearly　through　the　open　doors　of　the　main　hall。　He　–　it　–　was　covered
in　blood；　from　head　to　toe；　and　it　moved　faster　than　any　man　should。　I　ran　to　Orlando’s　room；　but　one　of
the　monsters　had　already　been　there。’　She　sobbed；　and　took　a　moment　to　contain　herself　before
continuing。　‘He　looked　as　though　he　was　sleeping。　His　eyes　were　closed；　but　there　was　so　much　blood。。。
The　baron　was　there　too。　He　died　with　a　sword　in　his　hand；　blind　as　he　was；　the　brave　old　fool。　I　ran　to
my　room；　and　barricaded　the　door。　I　stayed　there　until　I　smelled　smoke。　The　floor　started　to　get　hot。
When　the　heat　became　unbearable　I　leapt　from　my　window。’
‘The　knight　you　saw；’　said　Calard。　‘Did　you　see　his　heraldry？’
‘No；’　said　Josephine。　‘But　the　devil　was　garbed　in　white。’
‘Dressed　in　white。。。’　breathed　Calard。　The　vision　that　had　been　plaguing　him　for　months　sprang
unbidden　into　his　mind。　The　images　were　confusing；　their　meaning　unclear；　but　he　recalled　again　a　shield
of　white　lying　discarded　on　the　ground；　splattered　with　blood。　Bones　and　a　skull；　bleached　white　in　the
sun；　were　visible　in　the　dead　grass。　A　breeze　picked　up　and　black　petals　filled　the　air。　Several　flowers
settled　on　the　shield　face；　and　only　now　did　Calard　recognise　them　for　what　they　were。

‘This　knight。　His　shield　bore　a　black　fleur…de…lys；　didn’t　it？’
‘It　is　possible；’　said　Josephine；　frowning；　‘but　I　could　not　be　sure。’
‘I　am　certain；’　said　Calard。　‘The　Lady　sent　me　a　vision　of　black　lilies　falling　upon　a　shield　of　white。
She　was　telling　me　who　did　this。’
The　lily　was　sacred　to　the　Lady；　and　had　been　since　the　founding　of　Bretonnia。　The　tri…petalled
symbol　of　the　fleur…de…lys　was　a　stylistic　representation　of　the　sacred　flower；　and　while　it　had　always
been　a　sign　of　purity；　the　symbol　had　also　been　traditionally　worn　by　the　nobles　of　a　house　that　was　once
proud　and　honourable；　but　had　long　fallen　to　darkness。
‘The　goddess　has　shown　me　who　has　brought　this　ruination　on　my　house　that　I　might　seek
vengeance；’　said　Calard；　his　eyes　gleaming　with　conviction。
‘If　you　say　so；’　said　Maloric；　putting　his　arm　around　his　wife’s　shoulders。
‘My　path　is　clear；’　said　Calard；　standing。　‘I　must　leave。’
‘Leave？’　said　Josephine；　half…rising。　‘What　are　you　talking　about？’
‘If　he　wishes　to　chase　foolish　dreams；　let　him　go；’　said　Maloric；　placing　a　hand　on　his　wife’s　arm。
‘But　go　where？’
‘The　knight　that　you　saw；’　said　Calard。　‘I　know　who　he　is。’
‘Who？’　said　Josephine。
‘A　black　fleur…de…lys　against　a　white　field。　That　is　the　heraldry　of　Merovech　of　Arlons。’
‘The　knight　that　defeated　your　brother　at　the　tournament　in　Lyonesse；’　said　Maloric。　‘Am　I　right？’
‘You　are。’
‘Arlons？’　said　Josephine。　‘Where　is　that？　I　am　not　familiar　with　the　name。’
‘I　am　not　surprised；’　said　Maloric；　‘for　it　is　a　cursed　place。　It　lies　within　the　borders　of　Mousillon。’
‘Mousillon；’　breathed　Josephine；　her　eyes　widening　in　horror。
‘And　that　is　where　I　go；’　said　Calard。
III
MOUSILLON　；　REALM　OF　the　Damned。
Chlod　stared　ahead　with　wide；　unblinking　eyes　as　the　barge　made　steady　progress　across　the　black
waters　of　the　River　Grismarie。　His　gaze　was　locked　in　the　near　distance；　where　a　solid　wall　of　fog　rose
up；　linking　the　icy　black　water　with　the　overcast　sky；　concealing　the　shores　of　Mousillon。　The　peasant
shivered。
‘It　is　like　the　edge　of　the　world；’　said　Chlod。　‘And　we　are　sailing　straight　towards　it。’
‘No