rj.thegreathunt-第107部分

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moved　with　a　grace　that　suggested　she　knew　how　to　use　the　weapons　she　carried。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　women　became　aware　of　the　other　humans；　they　seemed　as　startled　at　being　startled　as　they　did　at　the　sight　of　Rand　and　the　others；　but　they　moved　like　lightning。　The　youngest　one　shouted；　〃Shienarans！〃　and　turned　to　set　the　bowl　carefully　behind　her。　The　other　two　quickly　lifted　brown　cloths　from　around　their　shoulders；　wrapping　them　around　their　heads　instead。　The　older　women　were　raising　black　veils　across　their　faces；　hiding　everything　but　their　eyes；　and　the　youngest　straightened　to　imitate　them。　Crouching　low；　they　advanced　at　a　deliberate　pace；　shields　held　forward　with　their　clusters　of　spears；　except　for　the　one　each　woman　held　ready　in　her　other　hand。
　　　　　　　Ingtar's　sword　came　out　of　its　sheath。　〃Stand　clear；　Aes　Sedai。　Erith；　stand　clear。〃　Hurin　snatched　out　his　sword…breaker；　wavered　between　cudgel　and　sword　for　his　other　hand；　after　another　glance　at　the　Aiel's　spears；　he　chose　the　sword。
　　　　　　　〃You　must　not；〃　the　Ogier　girl　protested。　Wringing　her　hands；　she　turned　from　Ingtar　to　the　Aiel　and　back。　〃You　must　not。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　realized　the　heron…mark　blade　was　in　his　hands。　Perrin　had　his　axe　half　out　of　the　loop　at　his　belt　and　was　hesitating；　shaking　his　head。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　two　crazy？〃　Mat　demanded。　His　bow　still　slanted　across　his　back。　〃I　don't　care　if　they　are　Aiel；　they're　women。〃
　　　　　　　〃Stop　this！〃　Verin　demanded。　〃Stop　this　immediately！〃　The　Aiel　never　broke　stride；　and　the　Aes　Sedai　clenched　her　fists　in　frustration。
　　　　　　　Mat　moved　back　to　put　a　foot　in　his　stirrup。　〃I'm　leaving；〃　he　announced。　〃You　hear　me？　I'm　not　staying　to　let　them　stick　those　things　in　me；　and　I　am　not　going　to　shoot　a　woman！〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Pact！〃　Loial　was　shouting。　〃Remember　the　Pact！〃　It　had　no　more　effect　than　the　continued　pleas　from　Verin　and　Erith。
　　　　　　　Rand　noticed　that　both　the　Aes　Sedai　and　the　Ogier　girl　were　keeping　well　out　of　the　Aiel's　way。　He　wondered　if　Mat　had　the　right　idea。　He　was　not　sure　he　could　hurt　a　woman　even　if　she　was　trying　to　kill　him。　What　decided　him　was　the　thought　that　even　if　he　did　manage　to　reach　Red's　saddle；　the　Aiel　were　now　no　more　than　thirty　paces　away。　He　suspected　those　short　spears　could　be　thrown　that　far。　As　the　women　came　closer；　still　crouching；　spears　ready；　he　stopped　worrying　about　not　hurting　them　and　began　worrying　about　how　to　stop　them　from　hurting　him。
　　　　　　　Nervously；　he　sought　the　void；　and　it　came。　And　the　distant　thought　floated　outside　it　that　it　was　only　the　void。　The　glow　of　saidin　was　not　there。　The　emptiness　was　more　empty　than　he　ever　remembered；　vaster；　like　a　hunger　great　enough　to　consume　him。　A　hunger　for　more；　there　was　supposed　to　be　something　more。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　an　Ogier　strode　in　between　the　two　groups；　his　narrow　beard　quivering。　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？　Put　up　your　weapons。〃　He　sounded　scandalized。　〃For　you〃　…　his　glare　took　in　Ingtar　and　Hurin；　Rand　and　Perrin；　and　did　not　spare　Mat　for　all　his　empty　hands　…　〃there　is　some　excuse；　but　for　you　…　〃　He　rounded　on　the　Aiel　women；　who　had　stopped　their　advance。　〃Have　you　forgotten　the　Pact？〃
　　　　　　　The　women　uncovered　their　heads　and　faces　so　hastily　that　it　seemed　they　were　trying　to　pretend　they　had　never　been　covered。　The　girl's　face　was　bright　red；　and　the　other　women　looked　abashed。　One　of　the　older　women；　the　one　with　the　reddish　hair；　said；　〃Forgive　us；　Treebrother。　We　remember　the　Pact；　and　we　would　not　have　bared　steel；　but　we　are　in　the　land　of　the　Treekillers；　where　every　hand　is　against　us；　and　we　saw　armed　men。〃　Her　eyes　were　gray；　Rand　saw；　like　his　own。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　in　a　stedding；　Rhian；〃　the　Ogier　said　gently。　〃Everyone　is　safe　in　the　stedding；　little　sister。　There　is　no　fighting　here；　and　no　hand　raised　against　another。〃　She　nodded；　ashamed；　and　the　Ogier　looked　at　Ingtar　and　the　others。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　sheathed　his　sword；　and　Rand　did　the　same；　though　not　so　quickly　as　Hurin；　who　looked　almost　as　embarrassed　as　the　Aiel。　Perrin　had　never　gotten　his　axe　all　the　way　out。　As　he　took　hand　from　hilt；　Rand　let　the　void　go；　too；　and　shivered。　The　void　went；　but　it　left　behind　a　slowly　fading　echo　of　the　emptiness　all　through　him；　and　a　desire　for　something　to　fill　it。
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　turned　to　Verin　and　bowed。　〃Aes　Sedai；　I　am　Juin；　son　of　Lacel　son　of　Laud。　I　have　e　to　take　you　to　the　Elders。　They　would　know　why　an　Aes　Sedai　es　among　us；　with　armed　men　and　one　of　our　own　youths。〃　Loial　hunched　his　shoulders　as　if　trying　to　disappear。
　　　　　　　Verin　gave　the　Aiel　a　regretful　look；　as　if　she　wanted　to　talk　with　them；　then　motioned　Juin　to　lead；　and　he　took　her　away　without　another　word　or　even　the　first　look　at　Loial。
　　　　　　　For　a　few　moments；　Rand　and　the　others　stood　facing　the　three　Aiel　women　uneasily。　At　least；　Rand　knew　he　was　uneasy。　Ingtar　seemed　steady　as　a　stone；　with　no　more　expression　than　one。　The　Aiel　might　have　unveiled　their　faces；　but　they　still　had　spears　in　their　hands；　and　they　studied　the　four　men　as　though　trying　to　see　inside　them。　Rand　in　particular　received　increasingly　angry　looks。　He　heard　the　youngest　woman　mutter；　〃He　is　wearing　a　sword；〃　in　tones　of　mingled　horror　and　contempt。　Then　the　three　were　leaving；　stopping　to　retrieve　the　wooden　bowl　and　looking　over　their　shoulders　at　Rand　and　the　others　until　they　vanished　among　the　trees。
　　　　　　　〃Maidens　of　the　Spear；〃　Ingtar　muttered。　〃I　never　thought　they'd　stop　once　they　veiled　their　faces。　Certainly　not　for　a　few　words。〃　He　looked　at　Rand　and　his　two　friends。　〃You　should　see　a　charge　by　Red　Shields；　or　Stone　Dogs。　As　easy　to　stop　as　an　avalanche。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　would　not　break　the　Pact　once　it　was　recalled　to　them；〃　Erith　said；　smiling。　〃They　came　for　sung　wood。〃　A　note　of　pride　entered　her　voice。　〃We　have　two　Treesingers　in　Stedding　Tsofu。　They　are　rare；　now。　I　have　heard　that　Stedding　Shangtai　has　a　young　Treesinger　who　is　very　talented；　but　we　have　two。〃　Loial　blushed；　but　she　did　not　appear　to　notice。　〃If　you　will　e　with　me；　I　will　show　you　where　you　may　wait　until　the　Elders　have　spoken。〃
　　　　　　　As　they　followed　her；　Perrin　murmured；　〃Sung　wood；　my　left　foot。　Those　Aiel　are　searching　for　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。〃
　　　　　　　And　Mat　added　dryly；　〃They're　looking　for　you；　Rand。〃
　　　　　　　〃For　me！　That　is　crazy。　What　makes　you　think　…　〃
　　　　　　　He　cut　off　as　Erith　showed　them　down　the　steps　of　a　wildflower…covered　house　apparently　set　aside　for　human　guests。　The　rooms　were　twenty　paces　from　stone　wall　to　stone　wall；　with　painted　ceilings　a　good　two　spans　above　the　floor；　but　the　Ogier　had　done　their　best　making　something　that　would　be　fortable　for　humans。　Even　so；　the　furniture　was　a　little　too　large　for　fort；　the　chairs　tall　enough　to　lift　a　man's　heels　off　the　floor；　the　table　higher　than　Rand's　waist。　Hurin；　at　least；　could　have　walked　erect　into　the　stone　fireplace；　which　seemed　to　have　been　worn　by　water　rather　than　made　by　hands。　Erith　eyed　Loial　doubtfully；　but　he　waved　away　her　concern　and　pulled　one　of　the　chairs　into　the　corner　least　easily　seen　from　the　door。
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　the　Ogier　girl　left；　Rand　got　Mat　and　Perrin　over　to　one　side。　〃What　do　you　mean　they're　looking　for　me？　Why？　For　what　reason？　They　looked　right　at　me；　and　went　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　looked　at　you；〃　Mat　said　with　a　grin；　〃like　you　hadn't　bathed　in　a　month；　and　had　doused　yourself　with　sheepdip　besides。〃　His　grin　faded。　〃But　they　could　be　looking　for　you。　We　met　another　Aiel。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　listened　in　growing　amazement　to　their　tale　of　the　meeting　in　Kinslayer's　Dagger。　Mat　told　most　of　it；　with　Perrin　putting　in　a　correcting　word　now　and　again　when　he　embellished　too　much。　Mat　made　a　great　show　of　how　dangerous　the　Aielman　had　been；　and　how　close　the　meeting　had　e　to　a　fight。
　　　　　　　〃And　since　you're　the　only　Aiel　we　know；〃　he　finished；　〃well；　it　could　be　you。　Ingtar　says　Aiel　never　live　outside　the　Waste；　so　you　must　be　the　only　one。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　think　that's　funny；　Mat；〃　Rand　growled。　〃I　am　not　an　Aiel。〃　The　Amyrlin　said　you　are。　Ingtar　thinks　you　are。　Tam　said　。。。　He　was　sick；　fevered。　They　had　severed　the　roots　he　had　thought　he　had；　the　Aes　Sedai　and　Tam　between　them；　though　Tam　had　been　too　sick　to　know　what　he　was　saying。　They　had　cut　him　loose　to　tumble　before　the　wind；　then　offered　him　something　new　to　hold　on　to。　False　Dragon。　Aiel。　He　could　not　claim　those　for　roots。　He　would　not。　〃Maybe　I　don't　belong　to　anyone。　But　the　Two　Rivers　is　the　only　home　I　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　didn't　mean　anything；〃　Mat　protested。　〃It's　just　。。。　Burn　me；　Ingtar　says　you　are。　Masema　says　you　are。　Urien　could　have　been　your　cousin；　and　if　Rhian　put　on　a　dress　and　said　she　was　your　aunt；　you'd　believe　it　yourself。　Oh；　all　right。　Don't　look　at　me　like　that；　Perrin。　If　he　wants　to　say　he　isn't；　all　right。　What　difference　does　it　make；　anyway？〃　Perrin　shook　his　head。
　　　　　　　Ogier　girls　brought　water　and　towels　for　washing　faces　and　hands；　and　cheese　and　fruit　and　wine；　with　pewter　goblets　a　little　too　large　to　be　fortable　in　the　hand。　Other　Ogier　women　came；　too；　their　dresses　all　embroidered。　One　by　one　they　appeared；　a　dozen　of　them　all　told；　to　ask　if　the　humans　were　fortable；　if　they　needed　anything。　Each　turned　her　attentions　to　Loial　just　before　she　left。　He　gave　his　answers　respectfully　but　in　as　few　words　as　Rand　had　ever　heard　him　use；　standing　with　an　Ogier…sized；　wood…bound　book　clutched　to　his　chest　like　a　shield；　and　when　they　went；　he　huddled　in　his　chair　with　the　book　held　up　in　front　of　his　face。　The　books　in　the　house　were　one　thing　not　sized　for　humans。
　　　　　　　〃Just　smell　this　air；　Lord　Rand；〃　Hurin　said；　filling　his　lungs　with　a　smile。　His　feet　dangled　from　one　of　the　chairs　at　the　table；　he　swung　them　like　a　boy。　〃I　never　thought　most　places　smelled　bad；　but　this　。。。　Lord　Rand；　I　don't　think　there's　ever　been　any　killing　here。　Not　even　any　hurting；　except　by　accident。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　stedding　are　supposed　to　be　safe　for　everyone；〃　Rand　said。　He　was　watching　Loial。　〃That's　what　the　stories　say；　anyway。〃　He　swallowed　a　last　bit　of　white　cheese　and　went　over　to　the　Ogier。　Mat　followed　with　a　goblet　in　his　hand。　〃What's　the　matter；　Loial？〃　Rand　said。　〃You've　been　as　nervous　as　a　cat　in　a　dogyard　ever　since　we　came　here。〃