rj.acrownofswords-第13部分

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　　　If　they　weren't　Aes　Sedai；　anyway；　he　thought　wryly。　Once　he　had　danced　with　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　nearly　swallowed　his　tongue　when　he　realized　who　he　swung　about。　And　she　had　been　a　friend；　if　that　word　applied　to　Aes　Sedai。　How　new　does　an　Aes　Sedai　have　to　be　for　me　to　put　an　age　to　her？　The　others　looked　ageless；　of　course；　maybe　in　their　twenties；　maybe　their　forties；　changing　from　one　glance　to　the　next；　always　uncertain。　That　was　what　their　faces　said；　though　several　showed　gray　in　their　hair。　You　just　could　not　tell　with　Aes　Sedai。　About　anything。
　　　〃At　least　those　are　no　danger　anymore；〃　Aram　said；　jerking　his　head　toward　three　of　the　sisters　a　little　apart　from　the　rest。
　　　One　wept；　face　on　her　knees；　the　other　two　stared　haggardly　at　nothing；　one　of　them　plucking　aimlessly　at　her　skirt。　They　had　been　much　the　same　since　yesterday；　at　least　none　was　screaming　any　longer。　If　Perrin　had　the　straight　of　it；　which　he　was　not　sure　he　did；　they　had　been　stilled　somehow　when　Rand　broke　free。　They　would　never　channel　the　One　Power　again。　To　Aes　Sedai；　it　was　probably　better　to　be　dead。
　　　He　would　have　expected　the　other　Aes　Sedai　to　fort　them；　care　for　them　somehow；　but　most　ignored　the　three　entirely；　although　a　little　too　studied　in　looking　anywhere　and　everywhere　else。　For　that　matter；　the　stilled　Aes　Sedai　refused　to　acknowledge　the　rest；　either。　In　the　beginning；　at　least；　a　few　of　the　other　sisters　had　approached；　each　by　herself；　calm　to　the　eye　yet　smelling　sharply　of　aversion　and　reluctance；　but　they　got　nothing　for　their　pains；　not　word　or　glance。　None　had　gone　near　this　morning。
　　　Perrin　shook　his　head。　The　Aes　Sedai　seemed　to　do　a　lot　of　ignoring　of　what　they　did　not　want　to　admit。　For　instance；　the　black…coated　men　standing　over　them。　There　was　an　Asha'man　for　each　sister；　even　the　three　who　had　been　stilled；　and　they　never　seemed　to　blink。　For　their　part；　the　Aes　Sedai　looked　past　the　Asha'man；　or　through　them；　they　might　as　well　not　have　existed。
　　　It　was　quite　a　trick。　He　could　not　make　himself　disregard　the　Asha'man；　and　he　was　not　under　their　guard。　They　ranged　from　fuzz…cheeked　boys　to　gray…haired；　balding　gansers；　and　it　was　not　their　grim；　high…collared　black　coats　or　the　sword　each　wore　at　his　hip　that　made　them　dangerous。　Every　Asha'man　could　channel；　and　somehow　they　were　keeping　the　Aes　Sedai　from　channeling。　Men　who　could　wield　the　One　Power；　a　thing　of　nightmares。　Rand　could；　of　course；　but　he　was　Rand；　and　the　Dragon　Reborn　besides。　These　fellows　made　Perrin's　hackles　rise。
　　　The　captive　Aes　Sedai's　surviving　Warders　sat　some　distance　off；　under　their　own　guard。　Thirty　or　so　of　Lord　Dobraine's　armsmen　in　bell…shaped　Cairhienin　helmets　and　as　many　Mayener　Winged　Guards　in　red　breastplates；　each　sharp…eyed　as　if　guarding　leopards。　A　good　attitude；　under　the　circumstances。　More　Warders　than　there　were　Aes　Sedai；　a　number　of　the　prisoners　were　Green　Ajah；　apparently。　More　guards　than　Warders；　a　good　many　more；　and　maybe　few　enough　at　that。
　　　〃The　Light　send　we　don't　see　any　more　grief　from　that　lot；〃　Perrin　muttered。　Twice　during　the　night　the　Warders　had　tried　to　break　free。　In　truth；　those　outbreaks　had　been　suppressed　more　by　the　Asha'man　than　by　the　Cairhienin　or　Mayeners；　and　they　had　not　been　gentle。　None　of　the　Warders　had　been　killed；　but　at　least　a　dozen　nursed　broken　bones　none　of　the　sisters　had　yet　been　allowed　to　Heal。
　　　〃If　the　Lord　Dragon　cannot　make　the　decision；〃　Aram　said　quietly；　〃maybe　it　should　be　made　by　somebody　else。　To　protect　him。〃
　　　Perrin　gave　him　a　sidelong　look。　〃What　decision？　The　sisters　told　them　not　to　make　another　attempt；　and　they'll　obey　their　Aes　Sedai。〃　Broken　bones　or　no；　unarmed　as　they　were；　hands　tied　behind　their　backs；　the　Warders　still　looked　like　a　wolfpack　awaiting　the　lead　wolf's　mand　to　attack。　None　would　rest　easy　until　his　Aes　Sedai　was　free；　maybe　until　all　of　the　sisters　were　free。　Aes　Sedai　and　Warders：　a　stack　of　well…aged　oak；　ready　for　a　flame。　But　even　Warders　and　Aes　Sedai　had　proved　no　match　for　Asha'man。
　　　〃I　did　not　mean　the　Warders。〃　Aram　hesitated；　then　shuffled　closer　to　Perrin　and　lowered　his　voice　further；　to　a　hoarse　whisper。　〃The　Aes　Sedai　kidnapped　the　Lord　Dragon。　He　can't　trust　them；　not　ever；　but　he　won't　do　what　he　has　to；　either。　If　they　died　before　he　knew　it　…　〃
　　　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　Perrin　almost　choked　as　he　sat　bolt　upright。　Not　for　the　first　time；　he　wondered　whether　there　was　any　Tinker　left　in　the　other　man。　〃They're　helpless；　Aram！　Helpless　women！〃
　　　〃They　are　Aes　Sedai。〃　Dark　eyes　met　Perrin's　golden　stare　levelly。　〃They　cannot　be　trusted；　and　they　cannot　be　turned　loose。　How　long　can　Aes　Sedai　be　held　against　their　will？　They've　been　doing　what　they　do　far　longer　than　the　Asha'man。　They　must　know　more。　They're　a　danger　to　the　Lord　Dragon；　and　to　you；　Lord　Perrin。　I　have　seen　them　look　at　you。〃
　　　Across　the　wagon　circle；　the　sisters　were　talking　among　themselves　in　whispers　even　Perrin　could　not　hear；　mouths　held　close　to　ears。　Now　and　again　one　did　look　at　him　and　Aram。　At　him；　not　Aram。　He　had　caught　a　double　handful　of　names。　Nesune　Bihara。　Erian　Boroleos　and　Katerine　Alruddin。　Coiren　Saeldain；　Sarene　Nemdahl　and　Elza　Penfell。　Janine　Pavlara；　Beldeine　Nyram；　Marith　Riven。　Those　last　were　the　young　sisters；　but　young　or　ageless；　they　watched　him　with　faces　so　serene　it　seemed　they　had　the　upper　hand　despite　the　Asha'man。　Defeating　Aes　Sedai　was　not　easy；　making　them　admit　defeat　lay　on　the　far　side　of　impossible。
　　　He　forced　his　hands　to　unknot　and　rest　on　his　knees；　giving　an　appearance　of　calm　he　was　nowhere　near　feeling。　They　knew　he　was　ta'veren；　one　of　those　few　the　Pattern　would　shape　itself　around　for　a　time。　Worse；　they　knew　he　was　tied　to　Rand　in　some　way　nobody　understood；　least　of　all　himself　or　Rand。　Or　Mat；　Mat　was　in　that　tangle；　too；　another　ta'veren；　though　neither　of　them　as　strongly　as　Rand。　Given　half　a　chance　those　women　would　have　him　…　and　Mat　…　inside　the　White　Tower　as　fast　as　they　would　Rand；　tethered　like　goats　until　the　lion　came。　And　they　had　kidnapped　Rand；　mistreated　him。　Aram　was　right　about　one　thing；　they　could　not　be　trusted。　But　what　Aram　suggested　…　he　would　not　…　could　not！　…　countenance　such　a　thing。　The　thought　made　him　queasy。
　　　〃I'll　hear　no　more　of　that；〃　he　growled。　The　onetime　Tinker　opened　his　mouth；　but　Perrin　cut　him　off。　〃Not　a　word；　Aram；　do　you　hear　me？　Not　one　word！〃
　　　〃As　my　Lord　Perrin　mands；〃　Aram　murmured；　inclining　his　head。
　　　Perrin　wished　he　could　see　the　man's　face。　There　was　no　anger　in　the　smell　of　him；　no　resentment。　That　was　the　worst　of　it。　There　had　been　no　anger　scent　even　when　Aram　suggested　murder。
　　　A　pair　of　Two　Rivers　men　climbed　up　on　the　wheels　of　the　next　wagon；　peering　across　the　wagon　bed　and　down　the　hill　toward　the　north。　Each　wore　a　bristling　quiver　on　his　right　hip　and　a　stout；　long…bladed　knife；　almost　a　short…sword；　on　his　left。　A　good　three　hundred　men　from　home　had　followed　Perrin　here。　He　cursed　the　first　to　call　him　Lord　Perrin；　cursed　the　day　he　had　stopped　trying　to　quash　it。　Even　with　the　murmurs　and　noises　usual　in　a　camp　this　size；　he　had　no　trouble　hearing　the　pair。
　　　Tod　al'Caar；　a　year　younger　than　Perrin；　let　out　a　long　breath；　as　if　seeing　what　lay　below　for　the　first　time。　Perrin　could　almost　sense　the　lanky　man's　lantern　jaw　working。　Tod's　mother　had　willingly　let　him　go　only　for　the　honor　of　her　son　following　Perrin　Goldeneyes。　〃A　famous　victory；〃　Tod　said　finally。　〃That's　what　we　won。　Wasn't　it；　Jondyn？〃
　　　Grizzled　Jondyn　Barran；　gnarled　as　an　oak　root；　was　one　of　the　few　older　men　among　the　three　hundred。　A　better　bowshot　than　anyone　in　the　Two　Rivers　except　Master　al'Thor　and　a　better　hunter　than　anyone　at　all；　he　was　one　of　the　Two　Rivers'　less　distinguished　residents。　Jondyn　had　not　worked　a　day　more　than　he　had　to　since　he　was　old　enough　to　leave　his　father's　farm。　The　forests　and　the　hunt　were　all　he　cared　about；　that　and　drinking　too　much　at　feastdays。　Now　he　spat　loudly。　〃If　you　say　so；　boy。　Was　those　bloody　Asha'man　won　it；　anyway。　And　wele　to　it；　I　say。　Too　bad　they　don't　take　it　and　go　someplace　else　to　celebrate。〃
　　　〃They　aren't　so　bad；〃　Tod　protested。　〃I　wouldn't　mind　being　one　myself。〃　That　sounded　more　boast　and　bluff　than　truth。　Smelled　it；　too；　without　looking；　Perrin　was　sure　he　was　licking　his　lips。　Likely　Tod's　mother　had　used　tales　of　men　who　could　channel　to　frighten　him　not　so　many　years　ago。　〃I　mean　to　say；　Rand　…　that　is；　the　Lord　Dragon　…　it　still　sounds　odd；　doesn't　it；　Rand　al'Thor　being　the　Dragon　Reborn　and　all？〃　Tod　laughed；　a　short；　uneasy　sound。　〃Well；　he　can　channel；　and　it　doesn't　seem　so　…　he　doesn't　…　I　mean。。。　〃　He　swallowed　loudly。　〃Besides；　what　could　we　have　done　about　all　those　Aes　Sedai　without　them？〃　That　came　out　in　a　whisper。　He　smelled　afraid　now。　〃Jondyn；　what　are　we　going　to　do？　I　mean；　Aes　Sedai　prisoners？〃
　　　The　older　man　spat　again；　louder　than　before。　He　did　not　bother　to　lower　his　voice；　either。　Jondyn　always　said　what　he　thought　no　matter　who　heard；　another　reason　for　his　bad　repute。　〃Better　for　us　if　they'd　all　died　yesterday；　boy。　We'll　pay　for　that　before　it's　done。　Mark　me；　we'll　pay　large。〃
　　　Perrin　shut　out　the　rest；　no　easy　task　with　his　ears。　First　Aram；　and　now　Jondyn　and　Tod；　if　not　so　directly。　Burn　Jondyn！　No；　the　man　might　make　Mat　look　industrious；　but　if　he　spoke　it；　others　thought　it。　No　Two　Rivers　man　would　willingly　harm　a　woman；　but　who　else　wished　the　Aes　Sedai　prisoners　dead？　And　who　might　try　to　achieve　the　wish？
　　　He　scanned　the　wagon　circle　uneasily。　The　thought　that　he　might　have　to　protect　the　Aes　Sedai　prisoners　was　not　pleasant；　but　he　did　not　shirk　it。　He　had　little　fondness　for　any　Aes　Sedai；　least　of　all　for　these；　but　he　had　grown　up　in　the　unspoken　certainty　that　a　man　would　put　himself　at　risk　to　protect　a　woman　as　far　she　allowed；　whether　he　liked　her　or　even　knew　her　was　beside　the　point。　True；　an　Aes　Sedai　could　tie　any　man　she　chose　into　a　knot　nine　ways　from　next　feastday；　but　cut　off　from　the　Power；　they　became　like　anyone　else。　That　was　the　struggle　whenever　he　looked　at　them。　Two　dozen　Aes　Sedai。　Two　dozen　women　wh