Chapter 19: The Three-Day Reprieve （三日的缓刑）

　　The three days in Astranaar were a surreal interlude, a pocket of calm suspended between the terrors of the past and the anxieties of the future. For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, Leon slept in a real bed—a simple cot of woven vines and soft moss, but to him, it was a throne. He slept for an entire day, a deep, dreamless sleep that washed away the bone-deep weariness of their flight.

　　在阿斯特兰纳的这三天是一段超现实的插曲，是过去恐怖与未来焦虑之间的一片宁静的孤岛。在有生以来第一次，里昂睡在了一张真正的床上——一张用藤条和柔软苔藓编织的简易小床，但对他来说，这如同王座。他睡了整整一天，深沉无梦的睡眠洗去了逃亡带来的刻骨疲惫。

　　When he awoke, the world felt different. Sunlight, filtered through the leaves of the great tree that sheltered their guest lodge, dappled the floor. The air was warm and smelled of clean earth and blooming flowers. A simple meal of fresh fruit, nuts, and a sweet, nutty bread was left for them. There were no guards at their door, but Leon sensed they were being watched, their movements noted with a quiet, elven discretion.

　　当他醒来时，世界感觉不同了。阳光透过庇护他们客房的巨树叶子，在地板上投下斑驳的光影。空气温暖，带着洁净泥土和盛开鲜花的芬芳。一份简单的新鲜水果、坚果和一种香甜的坚果面包为他们备好。门口没有守卫，但里昂感觉到他们被注视着，他们的一举一动都被精灵们以安静、谨慎的方式记录着。

　　Iris adapted to this new environment with a quiet grace that Leon could only envy. She seemed to draw strength from the ancient magic of the place. She spent hours sitting by the central Moonwell of Astranaar, her eyes closed, as if in silent communion with the waters. The Sentinels who passed by would nod to her with a measure of respect, a recognition of her shared heritage, even if her presence was unconventional.

　　艾莉丝以一种里昂只能羡慕的安静优雅适应了这个新环境。她似乎从这个地方的古老魔法中汲取力量。她花了几个小时坐在阿斯特兰纳中心的月井旁，闭着眼睛，仿佛在与井水进行无声的交流。路过的哨兵会向她点头致意，带着几分尊重，这是对她共同血脉的认可，尽管她的出现不合常规。

　　Leon, however, felt like a fish out of water. He was acutely aware of his otherness. His human gait was too loud, his clothes too coarse, his very presence an anomaly in this city of graceful, long-lived beings. He tried to make himself small, to be unobtrusive. He explored the settlement with a cautious curiosity, marveling at the buildings grown from living trees, the glowing runes, the serene efficiency of the elves. But he always felt the weight of sidelong glances, the unspoken question: What is a human child doing here?

　　然而，里昂感觉自己像一条离水的鱼。他强烈地意识到自己的异类感。他人类的脚步声太响，衣服太粗糙，他本身的存在在这个优雅长寿生物的城镇里就是一个异常。他试图让自己显得渺小，不引人注目。他带着谨慎的好奇心探索着这个定居点，惊叹于从活树上长出的建筑、发光的符文、精灵们宁静而高效的作风。但他总能感觉到旁观的视线，那个无声的问题：一个人类孩子在这里做什么？

　　On the second day, emboldened by a full stomach and a sense of relative safety, Leon approached Iris as she sat by the Moonwell. "What do you think they'll decide?" he asked, his voice low. "In Darnassus?"

　　第二天，吃饱了肚子并有相对安全感壮胆，里昂在艾莉丝坐在月井旁时走近她。“你觉得她们会怎么决定？”他低声问道。“在达纳苏斯那边？”

　　Iris opened her eyes, her gaze thoughtful. "The Sisterhood is wise, but they are also bound by tradition. They will see my wandering as a foolish, childish act. They may order me to return to Teldrassil for... reflection." She said the last word with a hint of distaste. "But you... your case is without precedent. A human, alone, deep in kaldorei lands? They will be suspicious. They may see you as a spy, or a harbinger of human expansion."

　　艾莉丝睁开眼睛，目光若有所思。“姐妹会是智慧的，但她们也受传统束缚。她们会认为我的流浪是愚蠢、幼稚的行为。她们可能会命令我回泰达希尔去……反省。”她说最后一个词时带着一丝厌恶。“但是你……你的情况没有先例。一个人类，独自一人，深入卡多雷的土地？她们会怀疑。她们可能把你当作间谍，或者人类扩张的先兆。”

　　Leon's stomach clenched. "A spy? But I'm just a kid!"

　　Iris gave him a sad smile. "To them, you are a human first, a child second. The wars between our peoples are not so distant in their memories." She looked out over the glowing waters. "The best we can hope for is that they see the truth in our story. That they show mercy."

　　里昂的胃缩紧了。“间谍？可我只是个孩子！”

　　艾莉丝给了他一个悲伤的微笑。“对她们来说，你首先是人类，其次才是孩子。我们两族之间的战争在她们的记忆里并不遥远。”她望向发光的井水。“我们最多只能希望她们能看到我们故事中的真相。希望她们能展现仁慈。”

　　That afternoon, a young Sentinel brought them a small bundle of supplies—two new water skins, a larger pouch of waybread, and a small, sharp knife for Leon, a practical replacement for the one Maeva had given him, which he still carried like a talisman. The gesture was kind, but it felt like a preparation for a journey. The message was clear: their time in Astranaar was finite.

　　那天下午，一位年轻的哨兵给他们带来一小包补给——两个新水袋、一大包旅行面包，还有一把小巧锋利、给里昂的刀，是梅娃给他的那把刀的实用替代品（他仍将那把刀像护身符一样带着）。这个举动是善意的，但感觉像是为旅程做准备。信息很明确：他们在阿斯特兰纳的时间是有限的。

　　On the evening of the third day, as the sun set behind the western mountains, Priestess Arianne summoned them. She stood in the same hall where they had first told their story. Her expression was grave.

　　第三天傍晚，当太阳落在西山后面时，女祭司阿里安妮召见了他们。她站在他们最初讲述故事的那个大厅里。表情严肃。

　　"The word from Darnassus has come," she said without preamble. "The Sisterhood has deliberated." Her gaze fell on Iris first. "Iris Stargaze. You are to be escorted to the port of Auberdine. From there, a ship will take you back to Teldrassil. You will answer to the Circle of the Sisters there for your actions."

　　“达纳苏斯的消息来了，”她开门见山地说。“姐妹会已经商议过了。”她的目光首先落在艾莉丝身上。“艾莉丝·星瞳。你将被护送到奥伯丁港。从那里，一艘船将带你返回泰达希尔。你将在那里向姐妹会的议会解释你的行为。”

　　Iris bowed her head, accepting the judgment with a quiet dignity. There was no surprise in her eyes, only a deep resignation.

　　艾莉丝低下头，以安静的尊严接受了裁决。她眼中没有惊讶，只有深深的顺从。

　　Then Arianne turned to Leon. Her amber eyes held a complex mixture of pity and resolve. "Leon Baros of Goldshire. The path for you is less clear. You cannot go to Teldrassil. It is not permitted. But to send you back alone through the dangers of Silverpine and the Hillsbrad Foothills would be a death sentence." She paused, letting the weight of her words settle. "There is another way. A delegation of Theramore diplomats is due to pass through the Wetlands to the south in a fortnight. They travel under a flag of truce. You will be taken to the border and placed under their protection. They will see you returned to your people."

　　然后阿里安妮转向里昂。她琥珀色的眼睛里带着一种怜悯与决心的复杂混合。“闪金镇的里昂·巴洛斯。你的道路不那么清晰。你不能去泰达希尔。这是不允许的。但让你独自穿过银松森林和希尔斯布莱德丘陵的危险地带返回，无异于死刑判决。”她停顿了一下，让话语的分量沉淀。“还有另一条路。塞拉摩的外交代表团将于两周后途经南边的湿地。他们在休战旗下旅行。你将被带到边境，置于他们的保护之下。他们会把你送回你的族人那里。”

　　Leon's mind reeled. Theramore? That was Jaina Proudmoore's city, on the far side of the continent. It was a journey of weeks, if not months. And it meant... it meant separation from Iris.

　　里昂的脑子一片混乱。塞拉摩？那是吉安娜·普罗德摩尔的城市，在大陆的另一端。那是一段需要几周甚至几个月的旅程。而且这意味着……这意味着要和艾莉丝分开。

　　He looked at Iris. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with a sudden, sharp distress that mirrored the ache in his own heart. Their journey, their survival, had been built on their partnership. The thought of being parted was a different kind of fear, a cold, lonely dread.

　　他看着艾莉丝。她脸色苍白，眼睛因突然而尖锐的痛苦而睁大，这痛苦映照着他自己心中的痛楚。他们的旅程，他们的生存，都建立在他们的伙伴关系之上。想到分离是一种不同的恐惧，一种冰冷、孤独的恐惧。

　　"The decision is made," Priestess Arianne said, her tone final. "You leave at dawn. Iris with an escort to the west. Leon with guards to the south. May Elune's light guide your paths." She turned and left the hall, leaving them alone with the crushing weight of the impending goodbye.

　　“决定已经做出，”女祭司阿里安妮说，语气不容置疑。“你们黎明出发。艾莉丝由护卫队护送到西边。里昂由卫兵护送到南边。愿艾露恩之光指引你们的道路。”她转身离开大厅，留下他们独自面对即将到来的离别带来的沉重压力。