书斋小说网

第 13 章（第1页）

ChapterThirteen—TheMountainHunt

Bythethirdm，Suyuanhadalreadyacceptedthatthepetitionwouldsoonbeover。Shesatbehtheshadeofalargetreeduringbreakfast，quietlypeelinganewhileAyaoplainedabouthersorelegsfromthepreviousdaysactivities。Aroundthem，theatmospherewasmuchlivelierthanusual。Thefinalpetitionwastobeheldinthemountainforest，whereeachpartitwouldhavetoretrievearedfeatherplacedsomewherealongthemountaintrailaurnbeforesuhefirstpersontoreturnwiththefeatherwouldbedeclaredthewinner。SuyuanlistenedwhileAyaoexplaiherules，thencalmlyplacedanotherpieceeintohermouth。"SoallIodoisebacklast。"Ayaostaredather。

Ashadowsuddenlyfellacrosstheirtable。"PrincessSuyuan。"Suyuanlookedupandfoundayoungmanstandingbeforeher。HeworethedarkridingclothesofaYouniswarrior，hislonghairtiedhighbehindhishead。Uhearrogantprinceswhospentmostoftheirtimeboasting，hecarriedhimselfquietly。ItwasTarkan，thesonofoneoftheKhansyoungerbrothersandSuyuansdistantcousin。Hehadgrownupwithinthesamepalace，butbecauseSuyuamostofhertimeintheOrchidCourtyard，theyrarelyspoke。"CousinTarkan，"Suyuaedpolitely。Tarkansmiledandplacedasmallwoodenbowloffruitbesideher。"Youhaveenmuch。"Suyuanlookedatthebowl，thenathim。"Imeating。""Youreeatingane。""Itsstillfood。"Tarkansighedbeforesittingacrossfromher。"Youvealwaysbeenstubborn。"

Ayaoimmediatelybecameiedinherbreakfast。SuyuannoticedthefaintinTarkanseyesandgavehimasmallsmile。"Youdontoworryaboutme。Illsurvive。"Tarkanssmilefadedslightly。"Iknowyouwill。Immoreworriedaboutthepetition。"BeforeSuyuancouldanswer，anothervoicecamefrombehindthem。"Ifshewantstodoanything，perhapsyoushouldlether。"Themanfromtheriverhadarrived。Hewasdressedsimplyagain，buttherewassomethingabouthimthatmadepeoplenaturallymoveasidewhenhewalkedpast。Hisname，Suyuanlearned，wasKhasar，ayoungprincefromthevisitingKharundelegatiooppedbesidetheirtableandlookedatTarkan。Thetwomenexgedabriefglahatcarriedfarmoretensionthantheirpoliteexpressionssuggested。Tarkanleanedback。"Andwhywouldyoucarewhethershewins?"KhasarseyesshiftedtowardSuyuan。"Idont。"Suyuanraisedaneyebrow。"Thenwhyareyouhere?"Khasarpaused。Forperhapsthefirsttimesincemeetinghim，heseemeduofindanimmediateanswer。"Iassingby。"

Ayaonearlylaughed。Tarkanlookedunimpressed。"Thediningareaisiherdire。"Khasarglahim。"ThenImusthavetakenawrongturn。"Suyuanloweredherheadtohidehersmile。Thesetwomenwerestrange。Onehadknownherforyearsbutrarelyapproachedher，whiletheotherhadsavedherlifeattheriverandnowseemedtoappearwherevershewent。Shedecideditwassafertotrateonhere。

Soon，thefinalpetitionbegan。Thepartitsgatheredatthefootofthemountainwhilewarriorsexplaiherules。Themountaintrailwassteepinplaces，withthicktreesctheslopesandnarrowpathswindiweenrocks。Eapetitorreceivedasmallclothpoudwasinstructedtofindtheredfeatherhiddensomewherebeyondthefirstridge。Theycouldtakeanyroutetheywished，buttheyhadtoreturnbeforesu。"Remember，"oneoftheeldersannounced，"themountaindoesnotcarewhoyouare。Watchyourfooting。"Thesignalsounded，andthepetitorsrushedintotheforest。

Suyuanwaitedthenshewalked。Ayao，whohadbeenassigoapanytheattendantsratherthanpete，watchedherdisappearbetweerees。"Shellprobablyebackaftereveryoneelse，"shemuttered。"Thatstheplan，"Tarkanrepliedfromnearby。Hisgazeremainedfixedontheforestentrance。Khasarstoodseveralstepsaway，equallyquiet。Thetwomenseemedtosharethesameuneasiness，althoughhersaidanything。Meanwhile，Suyuantinueddeeperintothemountain。Shehadnoiionoffindingthefeatherquickly。Infact，shedeliberatelychoseanarrowtrailthatseemedtoleadnowhere。Thefurthershewent，however，thequieterthemountainbecame。

Suyuanfollowedthetrailaroundthehillside，carefullysteppingoverexposedrootsandloosestones。Herbodywasalreadybeginningtoprotestfromtheclimb，andadullachehadsettledbehiemples。Sheleanedagainstatreeforamomenttocatchherbreathbeforetinuing。Thentheearthbehherfootsuddenlyshifted。Suyuanseyeswidened。Shegrabbedforabranch，butthebrittlewoodsnappedbehherhand，sendingherdowntheslope。Shetumbledthroughtheundergrowthbeforefinallyingtoastopatthebottomofthehill。Forseveralmoments，shesimplylaythere，dazedandstrugglingtocatchherbreath。Heranklehurtbadlyenoughthatstandingwasdifficult，andthecoldseemedtoseepstraightthroughherclothes。

Backatthestartingpoint，thepetitraduallybegaurning。Onebyone，horsesappearedalongthetrail，followedbyriderscarryingtheirredfeathersproudly。Tarkanhadalreadyreturnedwithhisprizewhenhelookedtowardthemountainagain。"WhereisSuyuan?"Ayaosheartsank。ShehadexpectedSuyuantodeliberatelylose，butnottodisappearentirely。Tarkanimmediatelyhandedhisfeathertooneoftheattendantsandmountedhishorse。"Whichtraildidshetake?"Ayaopoiowardthenorthernslope。Beforeshecouldsayanythingelse，Khasarwasalreadyapproag。Hisexpressionhadlostitsusualamusement。"Thenorthernslope?"Tarkanasked。"Thatswhereshewent?"Ayaohetwomenexgedalook。herwaitedforpermission。

"Takethehorses，"Tarkanorderedthewarrior。"Weregoingin。"

Khasarmountedhishorseandlookedtowardthemountain。"Wellsplitup。"

Tarkanshookhishead。"No。Ifshefallssomewhereinthenorthernslope，seargseparatelywillwastetime。"Foroneithermanargued。Ayaowatchedthemdisappearbetweereesbeforeturningaroundandrunningtowardthepalace。Therewasnowaytwopeoplecouldsearchtheentiremountainbeforenightfall。SomeoneoinformtheKhan。

Meanwhile，Suyuanhadmaopullherselfawayfromthebottomoftheslope。Shecouldntroperly，sosheusedafallenbranchtosteadyherselfandsearchedforshelter。Thetemperaturewasdroppingquickly。Herfingerswerebeingnumb，andherbreathcameoutinpaleclouds。Sheknewshecouldntremainexposedonthemountaiilsomeonefouhensheheardafaintsound，awhimper。Suyuanfolloweditbehaclusteroftreesandfoundalargegraywolflyingmotionlessbesideahollowintheearth。Itwasclearthattheanimalhadbeenthereforsometime。Besideit，atinypuptrembled，pressingitselfagainstthewarmththatwasnolohere。Suyuanstoppedforamoment，shesimplylookedatthem。

"Yourealooo?"

Thepupgaveaweaklittlesound。

Suyuancroucheddowethepaininherleg。Shecarefullyliftedtheshiveringcreatureintoherarms。Itwasfrighteninglycold。Shelookedaroundandtherewasnowhereelsetogo。Thewindwasgrowingstronger，andthelightbetweereeswasfading。Suyuanpulledthepupbehhercloakandsatbesidethefallenwolf，usingtheanimalsbodyasabarrieragainstthewind。Shetuckedthelittlecreatureagainstherchestandcurledherselfaroundit。"Justfortonight，"shewhispered。

Hereyelidsgrewheavier，Sheknewpeoplewouldbeseargforher。Atleast，shehopedtheywere。Butasthemountainbecamedarkerandcolder，Suyuancouldnolongerhearthedistantsoundsofthepalacesoshesimplyheldthetremblingpupcloserandwaitedform。Faraboveher，tworiderswerestillsearg。

TarkancalledherilhisvoicebecamehoarsewhileKhasarsearchedeverytrailhecouldfind，hisexpressiongrowingdarkerwitheverypassinghour。Atthepalacegates，Ayaofinallyarrivedbreathless，desperatelybeggingtheguardstoletherseetheKhanbutherpleadingwasdenied，noonecareonlyAyaowasleftg。