rj.acrownofswords-第14部分

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never　he　looked　at　them。　Two　dozen　Aes　Sedai。　Two　dozen　women　who　might　not　know　how　to　defend　themselves　without　the　Power。
　　　For　a　bit　he　studied　the　Asha'man　guards；　every　one　wearing　a　face　like　grim　death。　Except　the　three　overseeing　the　stilled　women。　They　tried　to　appear　as　somber　as　the　rest；　but　under　the　attempt　lay　something　else。　Satisfaction；　maybe。　If　only　he　was　close　enough　to　catch　a　scent　of　them。　Any　Aes　Sedai　was　a　threat　to　the　Asha'man。　Perhaps　the　reverse　was　true；　too。　Perhaps　they　would　only　still　them。　From　the　little　he　had　picked　up；　stilling　an　Aes　Sedai　amounted　to　a　killing　that　just　took　a　few　years　for　the　corpse　to　lie　down。
　　　Whatever　the　case；　he　decided　reluctantly；　he　had　to　leave　the　Asha'man　to　Rand。　They　spoke　only　to　each　other　and　the　prisoners；　and　Perrin　doubted　they　would　listen　to　anyone　but　Rand。　The　question　was；　what　would　Rand　say？　And　what　could　Perrin　do　if　he　said　the　wrong　thing？
　　　Putting　that　problem　aside；　he　scratched　his　beard　with　one　finger。　The　Cairhienin　were　too　nervous　about　Aes　Sedai　to　consider　harming　them；　and　the　Mayeners　too　respectful；　but　he　would　keep　an　eye　on　them　anyway。　Who　would　have　thought　Jondyn　would　go　as　far　as　he　had？　Among　the　Cairhienin　or　Mayeners；　he　possessed　some　influence；　though　it　would　surely　vanish　if　they　once　thought。　He　was　really　just　a　blacksmith；　after　all。　That　left　the　Aiel。　Perrin　sighed。　He　was　not　certain　how　much　influence　even　Rand　truly　had　with　the　Aiel。
　　　It　was　difficult　picking　out　individual　scents　with　so　many　people　around；　but　he　had　grown　used　to　telling　as　much　by　smells　as　by　what　his　eyes　told　him。　The　siswai'aman　who　came　close　enough　smelled　calm　but　alert；　a　smooth；　strong　scent。　They　hardly　appeared　to　notice　the　Aes　Sedai。　The　Maidens'　aromas　were　spiky　with　suppressed　fury　and　grew　spikier　when　they　looked　at　the　prisoners。　And　the　Wise　Ones。。。
　　　Every　Wise　One　who　had　e　here　from　Cairhien　was　able　to　channel；　though　none　had　the　ageless　face。　He　supposed　they　used　the　One　Power　too　seldom。　Still；　smooth…cheeked　like　Edarra　or　as　leathery…faced　as　white…haired　Sorilea；　they　carried　themselves　with　a　self…possession　easily　matching　the　Aes　Sedai's。　Graceful　women　for　the　most　part；　most　of　them　tall；　as　nearly　all　Aiel　were；　they　seemed　to　ignore　the　sisters　pletely。
　　　Sorilea's　eyes　passed　across　the　prisoners　without　pausing；　and　she　went　right　on　talking　softly　to　Edarra　and　another　Wise　One；　a　lean；　yellow…haired　woman　he　did　not　know　by　name。　If　only　he　could　make　out　what　they　were　saying。　They　walked　by；　not　a　line　changing　on　those　three　unruffled　faces；　but　their　scents　were　another　matter。　When　Sorilea's　gaze　swept　over　the　Aes　Sedai；　the　smell　of　her　went　cold　and　distant；　grim　and　purposeful；　and　as　she　spoke　to　the　other　two；　their　scents　changed　to　match　hers。
　　　〃A　fine　bloody　stew；〃　he　growled。
　　　〃Trouble？〃　Aram　asked；　sitting　up　straighter　on　his　heels；　right　hand　poised　to　dart　for　the　wolfhead…pommeled　sword　hilt　jutting　above　his　shoulder。　He　had　bee　very　good　with　that　sword　in　a　very　short　time；　and　he　was　never　loath　to　use　it。
　　　〃There's　no　trouble；　Aram。〃　That　was　not　quite　a　lie。　Jolted　out　of　his　glum　brooding；　Perrin　really　looked　at　the　others　for　the　first　time。　At　all　of　them　together。　He　did　not　like　what　he　saw；　and　the　Aes　Sedai　were　only　part。
　　　Cairhienin　and　Mayeners　watched　Aiel　suspiciously；　which　was　no　more　than　the　Aiel's　return　suspicion；　especially　toward　the　Cairhienin。　No　real　surprise　there。　Aiel　did　have　a　certain　reputation；　after　all；　for　being　none　too　friendly　to　anyone　born　this　side　of　the　Spine　of　the　World；　Cairhienin　least　of　all。　Simple　truth　was；　Aiel　and　Cairhienin　hated　each　other　about　as　hard　as　it　was　possible　to　hate。　Neither　side　had　really　put　their　enmity　aside　…　the　best　that　could　be　said　was　that　it　was　on　a　loose　leash　…　yet　up　to　now　he　had　been　convinced　they　would　hold　it　in。　For　Rand's　sake　if　no　other　reason。　A　mood　hung　in　the　camp；　though；　a　tension　that　had　wound　everyone　tight。　Rand　was　free　now；　and　temporary　alliances　were　just　that；　after　all；　temporary。　Aiel　hefted　their　spears　when　they　looked　at　the　Cairhienin；　and　the　Cairhienin　grimly　fingered　their　swords。　So　did　the　Mayeners；　they　had　no　quarrel　with　the　Aiel；　had　never　fought　them　except　for　the　Aiel　War　when　everybody　had；　but　if　it　came　to　a　fight；　there　was　little　doubt　which　side　they　would　be　on。　The　Two　Rivers　men；　too；　probably。
　　　The　dark　mood　had　settled　deepest　into　the　Asha'man　and　the　Wise　Ones；　though。　The　black…coated　men　paid　no　more　heed　to　the　Maidens　and　the　siswai'aman　than　to　Cairhienin　or　Mayeners　or　Two　Rivers　men；　but　they　studied　the　Wise　Ones　with　faces　almost　as　dark　as　those　they　directed　at　the　Aes　Sedai。　Very　likely　they　made　small　distinction　between　one　woman　who　could　wield　the　Power　and　another。　Any　could　be　an　enemy　and　dangerous；　thirteen　together　were　deadly　dangerous；　and　there　were　better　than　ninety　Wise　Ones　in　the　camp　or　nearby。　Fewer　than　half　the　number　of　Asha'man；　but　still　enough　to　do　damage　if　they　chose。　Women　who　could　channel；　yet　they　seemed　to　follow　Rand；　they　seemed　to　follow　Rand；　yet　they　were　women　who　could　channel。
　　　The　Wise　Ones　looked　at　the　Asha'man　only　a　trifle　less　coldly　than　they　did　the　Aes　Sedai。　The　Asha'man　were　men　who　could　channel；　but　they　followed　Rand；　they　followed　Rand；　but。。。　Rand　was　a　special　case。　According　to　Gaul；　his　channeling　was　not　mentioned　in　the　prophecies　about　their　Car'a'carn；　but　the　Aiel　seemed　to　pretend　that　inconvenient　fact　did　not　exist。　The　Asha'man　were　not　in　those　prophecies　at　all；　though。　It　must　be　like　discovering　you　had　a　pride　of　rabid　lions　fighting　on　your　side。　How　long　would　they　remain　loyal？　Maybe　it　would　be　better　to　put　them　down　now。
　　　His　head　fell　back　against　the　wagon　wheel；　eyes　closed；　and　his　chest　heaved　in　silent；　mirthless　laughter。　Think　of　the　good　things　on　High　Chasaline。　Burn　me；　he　thought　wryly；　I　should　have　gone　with　Rand。　No；　it　was　best　to　know；　and　better　soon　than　late。　But　what　in　the　Light　was　he　to　do？　If　the　Aiel　and　the　Cairhienin　and　Mayeners　turned　on　one　another；　or　worse；　the　Asha'man　and　the　Wise　Ones。。。　A　barrel　full　of　snakes；　and　the　only　way　to　find　out　which　were　vipers　was　to　stick　your　hand　in。　Light；　I　wish　I　was　home；　with　Faile；　and　a　forge　to　work；　and　nobody　calling　me　bloody　lord。
　　　〃Your　horse；　Lord　Perrin。　You　didn't　say　whether　you　wanted　Stepper　or　Stayer；　so　I　saddled　…　〃　At　Perrin's　golden…eyed　glare；　Kenly　Maerin　shied　back　into　the　dun　stallion　he　was　leading。
　　　Perrin　made　a　soothing　gesture。　Not　Kenly's　fault。　What　could　not　be　mended　had　to　be　endured。　〃Easy；　lad。　You　did　right。　Stepper　will　do　just　fine。　You　chose　well。〃　He　hated　speaking　to　Kenly　that　way。　Short　and　stocky；　Kenly　was　barely　old　enough　to　marry　or　leave　home　…　and　certainly　not　old　enough　for　the　patchy　beard　he　was　trying　to　cultivate　in　imitation　of　Perrin　…　yet　he　had　fought　Trollocs　at　Emond's　Field　and　done　well　yesterday。　But　he　grinned　broadly　at　praise　from　Lord　Perrin　bloody　Goldeneyes。
　　　Rising；　Perrin　took　his　axe　from　where　he　had　propped　it　under　the　wagon；　out　of　sight　and　for　a　little　while　out　of　mind；　and　thrust　the　haft　through　the　loop　on　his　belt。　A　heavy　half…moon　blade　balanced　by　a　thick　curving　spike；　a　thing　made　for　no　other　purpose　than　killing。　The　axe　haft　felt　too　familiar　to　his　hands　for　fort。　Did　he　even　remember　what　a　good　forge…hammer　felt　like？　There　were　other　things　besides　〃Lord　Perrin〃　that　it　might　be　too　late　to　change。　A　friend　had　once　told　him　to　keep　the　axe　until　he　began　to　like　using　it。　The　thought　made　him　shiver　in　spite　of　the　heat。
　　　He　swung　into　Stepper's　saddle；　shadowed　by　Aram　with　the　gray；　and　sat　facing　south；　into　the　wagon　circle。　At　least　half　again　as　tall　as　even　the　tallest　of　the　Aiel；　Loial　was　just　stepping　carefully　over　crossed　wagon　tongues。　With　the　size　of　him；　he　did　look　as　though　he　might　break　one　of　the　heavy　wooden　shafts　with　a　heedless　step。　As　usual；　the　Ogier　had　a　book　in　his　hand；　a　thick　finger　marking　his　place；　and　the　capacious　pockets　of　his　long　coat　bulged　with　more。　He　had　spent　the　morning　in　a　tiny　clump　of　trees　he　called　restful　and　shady；　but　whatever　the　shade　among　those　trees；　the　heat　was　affecting　him；　too。　He　looked　tired；　and　his　coat　was　undone；　his　shirt　unlaced；　and　his　boots　rolled　down　below　his　knees。　Or　maybe　it　was　more　than　the　heat。　Just　inside　the　wagons　Loial　paused；　peering　at　the　Aes　Sedai　and　the　Asha'man；　and　his　tufted　ears　quivered　uneasily。　Eyes　big　as　teacups　rolled　toward　the　Wise　Ones；　and　his　ears　vibrated　again。　Ogier　were　sensitive　to　the　mood　of　a　place。
　　　When　he　saw　Perrin；　Loial　came　striding　across　the　camp。　Sitting　his　saddle；　Perrin　was　two　or　three　hands　shorter　than　Loial　standing。　〃Perrin；〃　Loial　whispered；　〃this　is　all　wrong。　It　isn't　right；　and　it　is　dangerous　besides。〃　For　an　Ogier　it　was　a　whisper。　He　sounded　like　a　bumblebee　the　size　of　a　mastiff。　Some　of　the　Aes　Sedai　turned　their　heads。
　　　〃Could　you　speak　a　little　louder？〃　Perrin　said　almost　under　his　breath。　〃I　think　somebody　in　Andor　didn't　hear。　In　the　west　of　Andor。〃
　　　Loial　looked　startled；　then　grimaced；　long　eyebrows　brushing　his　cheeks。　〃I　do　know　how　to　whisper；　you　know。〃　This　time　it　was　unlikely　anyone　could　hear　clearly　more　than　three　paces　away　or　so。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do；　Perrin？　It　is　wrong　holding　Aes　Sedai　against　their　will；　wrong　and　wrongheaded；　too。　I　have　said　that　before；　and　I　will　again。　And　that　isn't　even　the　worst。　The　feel　here。。。　One　spark；　and　this　place　will　erupt　like　a　wagonload　of　fireworks。　Does　Rand　know　about　this？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Perrin　said　to　both　questions；　and　after　a　moment　the　Ogier　nodded　reluctantly。
　　　〃Someone　has　to　know；　Perrin。　Someone　has　to　do　something。〃　Loial　looked　north；　over　the　wagons　behind　Perrin；　and　Perrin　knew　there　was　no　putting　it　off　longer。
　　　Unwillingly　he　turned　Stepper。　He　would　rather　have　worried　over　Aes　Sedai　and　Asha'man　and　Wise　Ones　till　his　hair　fell　out；　but　what　had　to　be　done；　had　to　be　done。　Think　of　the　good　on　High　Chasaline