rj.acrownofswords-第129部分

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s　place　then。　Rand　could　not　understand　why　one　of　them　had　not　at　least　tried　to　destroy　the　Sun　Palace　around　his　ears。
　　　Min　took　his　arm；　and　he　gave　a　start。
　　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃I　shouldn't　have　left　you。〃
　　　〃That's　all　right；〃　she　laughed。　〃Merana　is　already　setting　to　work。　I　think　she　means　to　get　you　Harine's　best　blouse；　and　maybe　her　second　best　as　well。　The　Wavemistress　looked　like　a　rabbit　caught　between　two　ferrets。〃
　　　Rand　nodded。　The　Sea　Folk　were　his；　or　as　good　as。　What　matter　whether　the　Horn　of　Valere　was　in　the　White　Tower？　He　was　ta'veren。　He　was　the　Dragon　Reborn；　and　the　Coramoor。　The　golden　sun　still　burned　well　short　of　its　noon　peak。　〃The　day　is　young　yet；　Min。〃　He　could　do　anything。　〃Would　you　like　to　see　me　settle　the　rebels？　A　thousand　crowns　to　a　kiss；　they're　mine　before　sunset。〃
　　　
　　　
Chapter　35　
（Dragon's　Fang）　
Into　the　Woods　
　　　
　　　Sitting　cross…legged　on　Rand's　bed；　Min　watched　him；　in　his　shirtsleeves；　rooting　through　the　coats　in　the　huge　ivory…inlaid　wardrobe。　How　could　he　sleep　in　this　room；　with　all　its　black；　heavy　furniture？　A　part　of　her　thought　absently　about　moving　everything　out；　replacing　it　with　some　carved　pieces　she　had　seen　in　Caemlyn；　lightly　touched　with　gilding；　and　pale　draperies　and　linens　that　he　would　find　less　oppressive。　Odd；　she　had　never　cared　one　way　or　another　about　furniture；　or　linens。　But　that　one　tapestry　of　a　battle；　of　a　lone　swordsman　surrounded　by　enemies　and　about　to　be　overwhelmed　…　that　definitely　had　to　go。　Mostly；　though；　she　just　watched　him。
　　　There　was　such　an　intent　look　in　his　morning…blue　eyes；　and　the　snowy　shirt　tightened　across　the　broad　of　his　back　when　he　turned　to　reach　deep　into　the　wardrobe's　interior。　He　had　very　good　legs；　and　marvelous　calves；　shown　off　well　in　dark　close…fitting　breeches；　with　his　boots　turned　down。　Sometimes　he　frowned；　bing　fingers　through　dark　reddish　hair；　no　amount　of　brushing　could　make　it　ruly；　it　always　curled　slightly　around　his　ears　and　on　the　nape　of　his　neck。　She　was　not　one　of　those　fool　women　who　tossed　their　brains　at　a　man's　feet　along　with　their　hearts。　It　was　just　that　sometimes；　near　him；　thinking　clearly　became　a　trifle　difficult。　That　was　all。
　　　Coat　after　embroidered　silk　coat　came　out　and　was　tossed　to　the　floor　atop　the　one　he　had　worn　to　the　Sea　Folk　ship。　Could　the　negotiations　still　be　going　half　so　well　without　his　ta'veren　presence？　If　only　she　had　a　really　useful　viewing　of　the　Sea　Folk。　As　always　to　her　eyes；　images　and　colorful　auras　flickered　around　him；　most　gone　too　quickly　to　make　out；　all　but　one　meaningless　to　her　at　the　moment。　That　one　viewing　came　and　went　a　hundred　times　a　day；　and　whenever　Mat　or　Perrin　were　present；　it　enpassed　them；　too；　and　sometimes　others。　A　vast　shadow　lurked　over　him；　swallowing　up　thousands　upon　thousands　of　tiny　lights　like　fireflies　that　hurled　themselves　into　it　in　an　attempt　to　fill　up　the　darkness。　Today；　there　seemed　to　be　countless　tens　of　thousands　of　fireflies；　but　the　shadow　seemed　larger；　too。　Somehow　that　viewing　represented　his　battle　with　the　Shadow；　but　he　almost　never　wanted　to　know　how　it　stood。　Not　that　she　could　really　say；　except　that　the　shadow　always　seemed　to　be　winning；　to　one　degree　or　another。　She　sighed　with　relief　to　see　the　image　go。
　　　A　tiny　stab　of　guilt　made　her　shift　her　seat　on　the　coverlet。　She　had　not　really　lied　when　he　asked　what　viewings　she　had　kept　back。　Not　really。　What　good　to　tell　him　he　would　almost　certainly　fail　without　a　woman　who　was　dead　and　gone？　He　became　bleak　too　easily　as　it　was。　She　had　to　keep　his　spirits　up；　make　him　remember　to　laugh。　Except。。。
　　　〃I　don't　think　this　is　a　good　idea；　Rand。〃　Saying　that　might　be　a　mistake。　Men　were　strange　creatures　in　so　many　ways；　one　minute　they　took　reasonable　advice；　and　the　next　did　just　the　opposite。　Deliberately　did　the　opposite；　it　seemed。　For　some　reason；　though；　she　felt。。。　protective。。。　toward　this　towering　man　who　could　probably　lift　her　with　either　hand。　And　that　without　his　channeling。
　　　〃It　is　a　wonderful　idea；〃　he　said；　tossing　down　a　blue　coat　with　silver　embroidery。　〃I'm　ta'veren；　and　today　it　seems　to　be　working　in　my　favor　for　a　change。〃　A　green　coat　with　gold　embroidery　went　to　the　floor。
　　　〃Wouldn't　you　rather　fort　me　again？〃
　　　He　stopped　dead；　staring　at　her　with　a　silver…worked　red　coat　hanging　forgotten　in　his　hands。　She　hoped　she　was　not　blushing。　forting。　Where　did　that　idea　ever　e　from？　she　wondered　silently。　The　aunts　who　had　raised　her　were　gentle；　kind　women；　but　they　had　strong　notions　of　proper　behavior。　They　had　disapproved　of　her　wearing　breeches；　disapproved　of　her　working　in　stables；　the　job　she　loved　best；　since　it　brought　her　into　contact　with　horses。　There　was　no　question　what　they　would　think　of　forting；　with　a　man　she　was　not　married　to。　If　they　ever　found　out；　they　would　ride　all　the　way　from　Baerlon　just　to　skin　her。　And　him；　too；　of　course。
　　　〃I。。。　need　to　keep　moving　while　I'm　sure　it　is　still　working；〃　he　said　slowly；　then　turned　quite　quickly　back　to　the　wardrobe。　〃This　will　do；〃　he　exclaimed；　pulling　out　a　plain　coat　of　green　wool。　〃I　didn't　know　this　was　in　there。〃
　　　It　was　the　coat　he　had　worn　ing　back　from　Dumai's　Wells；　and　she　could　see　his　hands　tremble　as　he　remembered。　Trying　to　be　casual；　she　got　up　and　went　to　put　her　arms　around　him；　crushing　the　coat　between　them　as　she　laid　her　head　against　his　chest。
　　　〃I　love　you〃　was　all　she　said。　Through　his　shirt　she　could　feel　the　round；　half…healed　scar　on　his　left　side。　She　could　recall　when　he　got　it　as　if　it　were　yesterday。　That　had　been　the　first　time　she　ever　held　him　in　her　arms；　while　he　lay　unconscious　and　near　death。
　　　His　hands　pressed　against　her　back；　squeezing　her　tight；　squeezing　the　breath　out　of　her；　but　then；　disappointingly；　they　fell　away。　She　thought　he　muttered　something　about　〃not　fair〃　under　his　breath。　Was　he　thinking　about　the　Sea　Folk　while　she　hugged　him？　He　should　be；　really。　Merana　was　a　Gray；　yet　it　was　said　the　Sea　Folk　could　make　a　Domani　sweat。　He　should　be；　but。。。　She　thought　about　kicking　his　ankle。　Gently　he　moved　her　away　and　began　pulling　on　the　coat。
　　　〃Rand；〃　she　said　firmly；　〃you　can't　be　sure　it　will　have　any　effect；　just　because　it　did　on　Harine。　If　you　being　ta'veren　always　affected　everything；　you'd　have　every　ruler　kneeling　at　your　feet　by　now；　and　the　Whitecloaks；　too。〃
　　　〃I'm　the　Dragon　Reborn；〃　he　replied　haughtily；　〃and　today　I　can　do　anything。〃　Scooping　up　his　sword　belt；　he　fastened　it　around　his　waist。　It　bore　a　plain　brass　buckle；　now。　The　gilded　Dragon　lay　atop　the　coverlet　on　the　bed。　Gloves　of　thin　black　leather　went　on　to　cover　the　golden…maned　heads　on　the　backs　of　his　hands　and　the　herons　branded　on　his　palms。　〃But　I　don't　look　like　him；　do　I？〃　He　spread　his　arms；　smiling。　〃They　won't　know　until　it's　too　late。〃
　　　She　almost　threw　up　her　hands。　〃You　don't　look　much　like　a　fool；　either。〃　And　let　him　take　that　how　he　would。　The　idiot　eyed　her　askance；　as　if　he　was　not　sure。　〃Rand；　as　soon　as　they　see　the　Aiel；　they　will　either　run　or　start　fighting。　If　you　won't　take　any　of　the　Aes　Sedai；　at　least　take　those　Asha'man。　One　arrow；　and　you're　dead；　whether　you're　the　Dragon　Reborn　or　a　goatherd！〃
　　　〃But　I　am　the　Dragon　Reborn；　Min；〃　he　said　seriously。　〃And　ta'veren。　We　are　going　alone；　just　you　and　me。　That　is；　if　you　still　want　to　e。〃
　　　〃You're　not　going　anywhere　without　me；　Rand　al'Thor。〃　She　stopped　herself　from　saying　he　would　trip　over　his　own　feet　if　he　did。　This　euphoria　was　almost　as　bad　as　the　dark　bleakness。　〃Nandera　won't　like　this。〃　She　did　not　know　exactly　what　went　on　between　him　and　the　Maidens　…　something　very　peculiar　indeed；　by　the　things　she　had　seen　…　but　any　hope　that　that　might　stop　him　guttered　out　when　he　grinned　like　a　small　boy　evading　his　mother。
　　　〃She　won't　know；　Min。〃　He　even　had　a　twinkle　in　his　eye！　〃I　do　this　all　the　time；　and　they　never　know。〃　He　held　out　a　gloved　hand；　expecting　her　to　jump　when　he　called。
　　　There　really　was　nothing　to　do　but　straighten　her　green　coat；　glance　into　the　stand…mirror　to　make　sure　of　her　hair　…　and　take　his　hand。　The　trouble　was；　she　was　ready　to　leap　if　he　crooked　a　finger；　she　just　wanted　to　make　sure　he　never　found　out。
　　　In　the　anteroom；　he　made　a　gateway　atop　the　golden　Rising　Sun　set　in　the　floor；　and　she　let　him　lead　her　through　onto　a　hilly　forest　floor　carpeted　with　dead　leaves。　A　bird　flashed　away；　flaring　red　wings。　A　squirrel　appeared　on　a　branch　and　chittered　at　them；　lashing　a　furry　white…tipped　tail。
　　　It　was　hardly　the　sort　of　woods　she　remembered　from　near　Baerlon；　there　were　not　many　real　forests　anywhere　close　to　the　city　of　Cairhien。　Most　of　the　trees　stood　four　or　five　or　even　ten　paces　apart；　tall　leatherleafs　and　pines；　taller　oaks　and　trees　she　did　not　know；　running　across　the　flat　she　and　Rand　stood　on　and　up　a　slope　that　began　only　a　few　spans　off。　Even　the　undergrowth　seemed　thinner　than　back　home；　the　bushes　and　vines　and　briars　spread　out　in　patches；　though　some　of　those　were　not　small。　Everything　was　brown　and　dry。　She　plucked　a　lace…edged　handkerchief　from　her　sleeve　and　dabbed　at　the　sweat　that　suddenly　seemed　to　pop　out　on　her　face。
　　　〃Which　way　do　we　go？〃　she　asked。　By　the　sun；　north　lay　over　the　slope；　the　direction　she　would　choose。　The　city　should　lie　about　seven　or　eight　miles　in　that　direction。　With　luck；　they　could　walk　all　the　way　back　without　encountering　anyone。　Or　better；　given　her　heeled　boots　and　the　terrain；　not　to　mention　the　heat；　Rand　could　decide　to　give　up　and　make　another　gateway　back　to　the　Sun　Palace。　The　palace　rooms　were　cool　pared　to　this。
　　　Before　he　could　answer；　crackling　brush　and　leaves　announced　someone　ing。　The　rider　who　appeared　on　a　long…legged　gray　gelding　with　bright…fringed　bridle　and　reins　was　a　Cairhienin　woman；　short　and　slender　in　a　dark　blue；　nearly　black；　silk　riding　dress；　horizontal　slashes　of　red　and　green　and　white　running　from　her　neck　to　below　her　knees。　The　sweat　on　her　face　could　not　diminish　her　pale　beauty；　or　make　her　eyes　less　than　large　dark　pools。　A　small　clear　green　stone　hung　on　her　forehead　from　a　fine　golden　ch