rj.acrownofswords-第131部分

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　　　Caraline　Damodred　drew　herself　up　on　her　saddle；　face　cold　enough　to　shame　an　Aes　Sedai；　but　suddenly　auras　of　red　and　white　flashed　around　her　and　Darlin；　and　Min　knew。　The　colors　never　seemed　to　matter；　but　she　knew　that　they　would　marry　…　after　Caraline　had　led　him　a　merry　chase。　More；　to　her　eyes　a　crown　suddenly　appeared　on　Darlin's　head；　a　simple　golden　circlet　with　a　slightly　curved　sword　lying　on　its　side　above　his　brows。　The　king's　crown　he　would　wear　one　day；　though　of　what　country；　she　could　not　say。　Tear　had　High　Lords　instead　of　a　king。
　　　Image　and　auras　vanished　as　Darlin　pulled　his　horse　around　to　face　Caraline。　〃There's　no　game　to　be　found　today。　Toram　has　already　returned　to　camp。　I　suggest　we　do　the　same。〃　Those　blue　eyes　scanned　the　surrounding　trees　quickly。　〃It　seems　your　cousin　and　his　wife　have　lost　their　horses。　They　will　wander；　in　a　careless　moment；〃　he　added　to　Rand；　in　a　kindly　tone。　He　knew　very　well　they　had　no　horses。　〃But　I'm　sure　Rovair　and　Ines　will　give　up　their　mounts。　A　walk　in　the　air　will　do　them　good。〃
　　　The　stout　man　in　the　red…striped　coat　swung　down　from　his　tall　bay　immediately；　with　a　toadying　smile　for　Darlin　and　one　markedly　less　warm　if　just　as　greasy　for　Rand。　The　angry…faced　woman　was　a　moment　later　in　climbing　stiffly　from　her　silver…gray　mare。　She　did　not　look　pleased。
　　　Neither　was　Min。　〃You　mean　to　go　into　their　camp？〃　she　whispered　as　Rand　led　her　to　the　horses。　〃Are　you　mad？〃　she　added　before　thinking。
　　　〃Not　yet；〃　he　said　softly；　touching　her　nose　with　the　tip　of　one　finger。　〃Thanks　to　you；　I　know　that。〃　And　he　boosted　her　onto　the　mare；　then　climbed　into　the　bay's　saddle　and　heeled　the　animal　up　beside　Darlin。
　　　Heading　north　and　a　little　toward　the　west；　across　the　slope；　they　left　Rovair　and　Ines　standing　beneath　the　trees　frowning　at　one　another　sourly。　As　they　fell　in　behind　with　the　Cairhienin；　the　other　Tairens　shouted　laughing　wishes　that　the　pair　would　enjoy　the　walk。
　　　Min　would　have　ridden　alongside　Rand；　but　Caraline　put　a　hand　on　her　arm；　drawing　her　in　back　of　the　two　men。　〃I　want　to　see　what　he　does；〃　Caraline　said　quietly。　Which　one；　Min　wondered。　〃You　are　his　lover？〃　Caraline　asked。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Min　told　her　defiantly；　once　she　could　catch　a　breath。　Her　cheeks　felt　like　fire。　But　the　woman　only　nodded；　as　if　it　were　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　Maybe　it　was；　in　Cairhien。　Sometimes　she　realized　that　all　the　sophistication　she　had　picked　up　talking　to　worldly　people　was　about　as　thick　as　her　blouse。
　　　Rand　and　Darlin　rode　knee　to　knee　just　ahead；　the　younger　man　half　a　head　taller　than　the　older；　each　wrapped　in　pride　like　a　cloak。　But　talking；　just　the　same。　Listening　was　not　easy。　They　spoke　quietly；　and　the　dead　leaves　rustling　under　the　horses'　hooves；　fallen　branches　cracking；　often　was　enough　to　muffle　their　words。　The　cry　of　a　hawk　overhead　or　the　chattering　of　a　squirrel　in　a　tree　drowned　them。　Still；　it　was　possible　to　overhear　snatches。
　　　〃If　I　may　say　so；　Tomas；〃　Darlin　said　at　one　point；　as　they　headed　down　after　the　first　rise；　〃and　under　the　Light　I　offer　no　disrespect；　you　are　fortunate　in　having　a　beautiful　wife。　The　Light　willing；　I　will　have　one　as　beautiful　myself。〃
　　　〃Why　do　they　not　speak　of　something　important？〃　Caraline　muttered。
　　　Min　turned　her　head　to　hide　a　small　smile。　The　Lady　Caraline　did　not　look　half　as　displeased　as　she　sounded。　She　herself　had　never　cared　whether　anyone　thought　her　pretty　or　not。　Well；　until　she　met　Rand；　anyway。　Maybe　Darlin's　nose　was　not　all　that　long。
　　　〃I　would　have　let　him　take　Callandor　from　the　Stone；〃　Darlin　said　some　time　later；　as　they　climbed　a　sparsely　treed　slope；　〃but　I　could　not　stand　aside　when　he　brought　Aiel　invaders　into　Tear。〃
　　　〃I've　read　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon；〃　Rand　said；　leaning　forward　on　the　bay's　neck　and　urging　the　animal　on。　A　fine　glossy　appearance　the　horse　had；　but　no　more　bottom　than　his　owner；　Min　suspected。　〃The　Stone　had　to　fall　before　he　could　take　Callandor；〃　Rand　continued。　〃Other　Tairen　lords　follow　him；　so　I　hear。〃
　　　Darlin　snorted。　〃They　cringe　and　lick　his　boots！　I　could　have　followed；　if　that　was　what　he　wanted；　if。。。　〃　With　a　sigh；　he　shook　his　head。　〃Too　many　ifs；　Tomas。　There　is　a　saying　in　Tear。　'Any　quarrel　can　be　forgiven；　but　kings　never　forget。'　Tear　has　not　been　under　a　king　since　Artur　Hawkwing；　but　I　think　the　Dragon　Reborn　is　very　like　a　king。　No；　he　has　attainted　me　with　treason；　as　he　calls　it；　and　I　must　go　on　as　I　began。　The　Light　willing；　I　may　see　Tear　sovereign　on　its　own　land　once　more　before　I　die。〃
　　　It　had　to　be　ta'veren　work；　Min　knew。　The　man　would　never　have　spoken　this　way　to　someone　casually　met；　Caraline　Damodred's　supposed　cousin　or　not。　But　what　did　Rand　think？　She　could　hardly　wait　to　tell　him　about　the　crown。
　　　Topping　that　hill；　they　suddenly　came　on　a　knot　of　spearmen；　some　with　a　dented　breastplate　or　helmet；　most　without　either；　who　bowed　as　soon　they　saw　the　party。　To　left　and　right　through　the　trees；　Min　could　see　other　groups　of　sentries。　Below；　the　camp　lay　spread　out　in　what　seemed　a　permanent　haze　of　dust；　down　a　nearly　treeless　slope　and　across　the　hill…valley　and　up　the　next　hill。　Each　of　the　few　tents　was　large；　with　some　noble's　banner　hanging　limply　on　a　staff　above　the　peak。　Almost　as　many　horses　stood　tied　to　picket　lines　as　there　were　people；　and　thousands　of　men　and　a　handful　of　women　wandered　among　the　cookfires　and　wagons。　None　raised　a　cheer　as　their　leaders　rode　in。
　　　Min　studied　them　over　the　handkerchief　she　pressed　to　her　nose　against　the　dust；　not　caring　whether　Caraline　saw　what　she　was　doing。　Dispirited　faces　watched　them　pass；　and　grim　faces；　people　who　knew　they　were　in　a　trap。　Here　and　there　a　House's　con　stood　stiffly　above　some　man's　head；　yet　most　seemed　to　be　wearing　whatever　they　could　find；　bits　and　pieces　of　armor　that　often　neither　matched　nor　fitted　very　well。　A　good　many；　though；　men　too　tall　for　Cairhien；　wore　red　coats　under　their　battered　breastplates。　Min　eyed　a　nearly　obscured　white　lion　worked　on　a　filthy　red　sleeve。　Darlin　could　only　have　brought　a　few　people　with　him　on　a　longboat；　perhaps　no　more　than　his　hunting　party。　Caraline　looked　to　neither　side　as　they　rode　through　the　camp；　but　whenever　they　came　near　those　men　in　red　coats；　her　mouth　tightened。
　　　Darlin　dismounted　before　a　tremendous　tent；　the　largest　Min　had　ever　seen；　larger　than　any　she　had　ever　imagined；　a　great　red…striped　oval；　shining　in　the　sunlight　like　silk；　with　no　fewer　than　four　high　conical　peaks；　each　with　the　Rising　Sun　of　Cairhien　stirring　above　in　a　lazy　breeze；　gold　on　blue。　The　strumming　of　harps　drifted　out　amid　the　murmur　of　voices；　like　the　sounds　of　geese。　As　servants　took　away　the　horses；　Darlin　offered　his　arm　to　Caraline。　After　a　very　long　pause；　she　laid　her　fingers　lightly　on　his　wrist　with　no　expression　whatsoever；　letting　him　escort　her　inside。
　　　〃My　Lady　wife？〃　Rand　murmured　with　a　smile；　extending　his　arm。
　　　Min　sniffed　and　put　her　hand　atop　his。　She　would　rather　have　hit　him。　He　had　no　right　to　make　a　joke　of　that。　He　had　no　right　to　bring　her　here；　ta'veren　or　no　ta'veren。　He　could　be　killed　here；　burn　him！　But　did　he　care　if　she　spent　the　rest　of　her　life　weeping？　She　touched　one　of　the　striped　doorflaps　as　they　went　in；　and　shook　her　head　in　wonder。　It　was　silk。　A　silk　tent！
　　　No　sooner　were　they　inside　than　she　felt　Rand　stiffen。　Darlin's　shrunken　retinue　and　Caraline's　jostled　around　them　with　insincere　murmurs　of　apology。　Between　the　four　main　tentpoles；　long　trestle　tables　groaning　with　food　and　drink　stood　about　the　colorful　carpets　that　had　been　laid　for　a　floor；　and　there　were　people　everywhere；　Cairhienin　nobles　in　their　finery；　a　few　soldiers　with　the　fronts　of　their　heads　shaved　and　powdered；　plainly　men　of　high　rank　by　the　fine　cut　of　their　coats。　A　handful　of　bards　strolled　playing　through　the　crowd；　picked　out　as　much　by　a　loftier　air　than　any　noble　as　by　the　carved　and　gilded　harps　they　carried。　Yet　Min's　eyes　flew　as　if　pulled　to　the　sure　source　of　Rand's　worry；　three　Aes　Sedai　talking　together　in　shawls　fringed　green　and　brown　and　gray。　Images　and　colors　flashed　around　them；　but　not　a　thing　she　could　make　sense　of。　A　swirl　in　the　crowd　revealed　another；　a　fortably　round…faced　woman。　More　images；　more　flaring　colors；　but　all　Min　needed　was　the　red…fringed　shawl　looped　over　her　plump　arms。
　　　Rand　tucked　her　hand　under　his　arm　and　patted　it。　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Everything　is　going　well。〃　She　would　have　asked　him　what　they　were　doing　there；　but　she　was　afraid　he　would　tell　her。
　　　Darlin　and　Caraline　had　vanished　into　the　crowd　along　with　their　followers；　yet　as　a　bowing　serving　man　with　stripes　of　red；　green　and　white　on　his　dark　cuffs　offered　a　tray　of　silver　goblets　to　Rand　and　Min；　she　reappeared；　shaking　off　the　importunings　of　a　hatchet…faced　fellow　in　one　of　those　red　coats。　He　glared　at　her　back　as　she　took　a　goblet　of　punch　and　waved　the　servant　away；　and　Min's　breath　caught　at　the　aura　that　suddenly　flashed　around　him；　bruised　hues　so　dark　they　seemed　nearly　black。
　　　〃Don't　trust　that　man；　Lady　Caraline。〃　She　could　not　stop　herself。　〃He　will　murder　anyone　he　thinks　is　in　his　way；　he'll　kill　for　a　whim；　kill　anybody。〃　She　clamped　her　teeth　shut　before　saying　more。
　　　Caraline　glanced　over　her　shoulder　as　the　hatchet…faced　man　turned　away　abruptly。　〃I　could　believe　it　easily　of　Daved　Hanlon；〃　she　said　wryly。　〃His　White　Lions　fight　for　gold；　not　Cairhien；　and　loot　worse　than　the　Aiel。　Andor　became　too　hot　for　them；　it　seems。〃　That　with　an　arch　glance　at　Rand。　〃Toram　has　promised　him　a　great　deal　of　gold；　I　think；　and　estates　I　know。〃　She　tilted　her　eyes　up　to　Min。　〃Do　you　know　the　man；　Jaisi？〃
　　　Min　could　only　shake　her　head。　How　to　explain　what　she　did　know　about　Hanlon　now；　that　his　hands　would　be　red　with　more　rapes　and　murders　before　he　died？　If　she　had　known　when　or　who。。。　But　all　she　knew　was　that　he　would。　Anyway；　telling　about　a　viewing　never　changed　it；　what　she　saw　happened；　no　matter　who　she　warned。　Sometimes；　before　she　had　learned　better；　it　had　happened　because　she　warned。
　　　〃I've　heard　of　the　White　Lions；〃　Ra