rj.acrownofswords-第17部分

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　　　What　a　relief　that　he　would　not　have　to　ride　down　into　that　shambles　after　all；　but　he　needed　to　warn　Rand　about　all　the　tangled　enmities　he　had　seen　this　morning。　What　would　he　do　if　Rand　did　not　listen？　Rand　had　changed　since　leaving　the　Two　Rivers；　most　of　all　since　being　kidnapped　by　Coiren　and　that　lot。　No。　He　had　to　be　sane。
　　　When　Rand　and　Min　entered　the　wagon　circle；　most　of　the　procession　remained　outside；　though　they　hardly　came　alone；　but　with　quite　an　assembly　in　its　own　right。
　　　Taim　shadowed　Rand；　of　course；　dark　and　slightly　hook…nosed　and　what　Perrin　supposed　most　women　would　consider　good…looking。　A　number　of　the　Maidens　had　certainly　given　him　second　looks；　and　third；　they　were　forward　about　that　sort　of　thing。　As　Taim　stepped　inside；　he　glanced　to　Gedwyn；　who　shook　his　head　just　a　hair。　A　grimace　flashed　across　Taim's　face；　gone　as　soon　as　it　appeared。
　　　Nandera　and　Sulin　were　right　at　Rand's　heels；　equally　of　course；　and　Perrin　wondered　they　did　not　bring　twenty　more　Maidens。　They　hardly　seemed　to　let　Rand　bathe　without　Maidens　guarding　the　tub；　that　Perrin　could　see。　He　did　not　understand　why　Rand　put　up　with　it。　Each　had　her　shoufa　draped　around　her　shoulders；　baring　short　hair　cut　with　a　tail　at　the　back。　Nandera　was　a　sinewy　woman；　hair　more　gray　than　yellow；　but　her　tough　features　managed　to　be　handsome　if　not　beautiful。　Sulin　…　wiry；　scarred；　leathery　and　white…haired　…　made　Nandera　look　pretty　and　almost　soft。　They　glanced　at　the　Asha'man；　too；　without　exactly　seeming　to；　then　scanned　both　groups　of　Aes　Sedai　just　as　circumspectly。　Nandera's　fingers　flashed　Maiden　handtalk。　Not　for　the　first　time；　Perrin　wished　he　could　understand　it；　but　a　Maiden　would　give　up　the　spear　to　marry　a　toad　before　teaching　their　handtalk　to　a　man。　A　Maiden　Perrin　had　not　noticed；　sitting　on　her　heels　against　a　wagon　a　few　paces　from　Gedwyn；　answered　the　same　way；　and　so　did　another　who　until　that　moment　had　been　playing　at　cat's　cradle　with　a　spear…sister　near　the　prisoners。
　　　Amys　brought　the　Wise　Ones　in　and　took　them　aside　to　confer　with　Sorilea　and　a　few　of　the　others　who　had　stayed　inside　the　wagons。　Despite　a　face　too　young　for　her　waist…long　white　hair；　Amys　was　an　important　woman；　second　among　the　Wise　Ones　to　Sorilea。　They　used　no　One　Power　tricks　to　shield　their　talk；　but　seven　or　eight　Maidens　immediately　encircled　them　and　began　singing　softly　to　themselves。　Some　sat；　some　stood；　some　squatted　on　their　heels；　each　by　herself；　and　all　happenstance。　If　you　were　a　fool。
　　　It　seemed　to　Perrin　that　he　sighed　a　great　deal　since　he　became　mixed　up　with　Aes　Sedai　and　Wise　Ones。　Maidens；　too。　Women　in　general　just　seemed　to　give　him　fits　of　late。
　　　Dobraine　and　Havien；　leading　their　horses　and　minus　their　soldiers；　brought　up　the　rear。　Havien　had　finally　seen　a　battle；　Perrin　wondered　whether　he　would　be　so　eager　to　see　the　next。　About　the　same　age　as　Perrin；　he　did　not　look　as　young　today　as　the　day　before　yesterday。　Dobraine；　with　the　front　of　his　long；　mostly　gray　hair　shaved　in　the　style　of　Cairhienin　soldiers；　definitely　was　not　young；　and　yesterday　definitely　had　not　been　his　first　battle；　yet　the　truth　was；　he　looked　older　too；　and　worried。　So　did　Havien。　Their　eyes　sought　out　Perrin。
　　　Another　time；　he　would　have　waited　to　see　what　they　wanted　to　talk　about；　but　now　he　slipped　from　his　saddle；　tossed　Stepper's　reins　to　Aram；　and　went　to　Rand。　Others　were　there　ahead　of　him。　Only　Sulin　and　Nandera　held　their　silence。
　　　Kiruna　and　Bera　had　moved　the　moment　Rand　stepped　inside　the　wagons；　and　as　Perrin　approached；　Kiruna　was　saying　grandly　to　Rand；　〃You　refused　Healing　yesterday；　but　anyone　can　see　you　are　still　in　pain；　even　if　Alanna　was　not　ready　to　leap　out　of　her　…　〃　She　cut　off　as　Bera　touched　her　arm；　but　she　picked　up　again　almost　without　pause。　〃Perhaps　you　are　ready　to　be　Healed　now？〃　That　had　the　sound　of　〃Perhaps　you　have　e　to　your　fool　senses？〃
　　　〃The　matter　of　the　Aes　Sedai　must　be　settled　without　any　more　delay；　Car'a'carn；〃　Amys　said　formally；　right　atop　Kiruna。
　　　〃They　should　be　given　into　our　care；　Rand　al'Thor；〃　Sorilea　added　at　the　same　time　that　Taim　spoke。
　　　〃The　Aes　Sedai　problem　does　need　to　be　settled；　my　Lord　Dragon。　My　Asha'man　know　how　to　handle　them。　They　could　be　held　at　the　Black　Tower　easily。〃　Dark；　slightly　tilted　eyes　flickered　toward　Kiruna　and　Bera；　and　Perrin　realized　with　a　shock　that　Taim　meant　all　the　Aes　Sedai；　not　just　those　who　were　prisoners　now。　For　that　matter；　though　Amys　and　Sorilea　frowned　at　Taim；　the　looks　they　directed　at　the　two　Aes　Sedai　meant　the　same。
　　　Kiruna　smiled　at　Taim；　at　the　Wise　Ones；　a　thin　smile　to　fit　her　lips。　It　was　maybe　a　fraction　harder　when　directed　at　the　man　in　the　black　coat；　but　she　seemed　not　to　realize　his　intent　yet。　It　was　enough　that　he　was　who　he　was。　What　he　was。　〃Under　the　circumstances；〃　she　said　coolly；　〃I　am　certain　that　Coiren　Sedai　and　the　others　will　give　me　their　parole。　You　have　no　more　need　to　worry　…　〃
　　　The　others　spoke　all　at　once。
　　　〃These　women　have　no　honor；〃　Amys　said　contemptuously；　and　this　time　it　was　clear　she　included　all　of　them。　〃How　could　their　parole　mean　anything？　They　…　〃
　　　〃They　are　da'tsang；〃　Sorilea　said　in　a　grim　voice；　as　though　pronouncing　sentence；　and　Bera　frowned　at　her。　Perrin　thought　that　was　something　in　the　Old　Tongue　…　again；　the　word　seemed　almost　something　he　should　recognize　…　but　he　did　not　know　why　it　should　make　the　Aes　Sedai　scowl。　Or　why　Sulin　should　suddenly　nod　agreement　with　the　Wise　One；　who　went　on　like　a　boulder　rumbling　downhill。　〃They　deserve　no　better　than　any　other　…　〃
　　　〃My　Lord　Dragon；〃　Taim　said；　as　if　belaboring　the　obvious；　〃surely　you　want　the　Aes　Sedai；　all　of　them；　in　charge　of　those　you　trust；　those　you　know　can　deal　with　them；　and　who　better　…？〃
　　　〃Enough！〃　Rand　shouted。
　　　They　fell　silent　as　one；　but　their　reactions　were　very　different。　Taim's　features　went　blank；　though　he　smelled　of　fury。　Amys　and　Sorilea　exchanged　glances　and　adjusted　their　shawls　in　near　unison；　their　scents　were　identical；　too；　and　matched　their　faces　in　pure　determination。　They　wanted　what　they　wanted　and　intended　to　have　it；　Car'a'carn　or　no。　Looks　passed　between　Kiruna　and　Bera；　as　well；　speaking　such　volumes　that　Perrin　wished　he　could　read　them　the　way　his　nose　read　scent。　His　eyes　saw　two　serene　Aes　Sedai；　in　mand　of　themselves　and　anything　else　they　wished　to　be　in　mand　of；　his　nose　smelled　two　women　who　were　anxious；　and　more　than　a　little　afraid。　Of　Taim；　he　was　sure。　They　still　seemed　to　think　they　could　deal　with　Rand；　one　way　or　another；　and　with　the　Wise　Ones；　but　Taim　and　the　Asha'man　put　the　fear　of　the　Light　into　them。
　　　Min　tugged　at　Rand's　shirtsleeve　…　she　had　been　studying　everybody　at　once；　and　the　scent　of　her　was　almost　as　worried　as　the　sisters。　He　patted　her　hand　while　glaring　hard　at　everyone　else。　Including　Perrin；　when　he　opened　his　mouth。　Everybody　in　the　camp　was　watching；　from　the　Two　Rivers　men　to　the　Aes　Sedai　prisoners；　though　only　a　few　Aiel　stood　close　enough　to　hear　anything。　People　might　watch　Rand；　but　they　tended　to　stay　clear　of　him；　too；　if　they　could。
　　　〃The　Wise　Ones　will　take　charge　of　the　prisoners；〃　Rand　said　at　last；　and　Sorilea　suddenly　smelled　so　satisfied　that　Perrin　knuckled　his　nose　vigorously。　Taim　shook　his　head　in　exasperation；　but　Rand　rounded　on　him　before　he　could　speak。　He　had　tucked　a　thumb　behind　the　buckle　of　his　sword　belt；　a　Dragon　etched　and　gilded；　and　his　knuckles　were　white　from　gripping　it；　his　other　hand　worked　on　the　dark　boarhide　of　his　sword　hilt。　〃The　Asha'man　are　supposed　to　train　…　and　recruit　…　not　stand　guard。　Especially　on　Aes　Sedai。〃　Perrin's　hackles　stirred　as　he　realized　what　aroma　wafted　from　Rand　when　he　looked　at　Taim。　Hatred；　touched　with　fear。　Light；　he　had　to　be　sane。
　　　Taim　gave　a　short；　reluctant　nod。　〃As　you　mand；　my　Lord　Dragon。〃　Min　glanced　uneasily　at　the　black…coated　man　and　moved　closer　to　Rand。
　　　Kiruna　smelled　of　relief；　but　with　one　last　glance　at　Bera；　she　drew　herself　up　in　stubborn　certainty。　〃These　Aiel　women　are　quite　worthy　…　some　might　have　done　well；　had　they　e　to　the　Tower　…　but　you　cannot　simply　hand　Aes　Sedai　over　to　them。　It　is　unthinkable！　Bera　Sedai　and　I　will　…　〃
　　　Rand　raised　a　hand；　and　her　words　stopped　in　their　tracks。　Maybe　it　was　his　stare；　like　blue…gray　stone。　Or　maybe　it　was　what　showed　clearly　through　his　torn　sleeve；　one　of　the　red…and…gold　Dragons　that　wound　around　his　forearms。　The　Dragon　glittered　in　the　sunlight。　〃Did　you　swear　fealty　to　me？〃　Kiruna's　eyes　popped　as　though　something　had　struck　her　in　the　pit　of　her　stomach。
　　　After　a　moment；　she　nodded；　however　unwillingly。　She　looked　as　disbelieving　now　as　she　had　the　day　before；　when　she　knelt　down　there　by　the　wells　at　battle's　end　and　swore　beneath　the　Light　and　by　her　hope　of　salvation　and　rebirth　to　obey　the　Dragon　Reborn　and　serve　him　until　the　Last　Battle　had　e　and　gone。　Perrin　understood　her　shock。　Even　without　the　Three　Oaths；　had　she　denied　it；　he　would　have　doubted　his　own　memories。　Nine　Aes　Sedai　on　their　knees；　faces　aghast　at　the　words　ing　out　of　their　mouths；　reeking　of　disbelief。　Right　now　Bera's　mouth　was　puckered　up　as　though　she　had　bitten　a　bad　plum。
　　　An　Aielman　joined　the　small　group；　a　tall　man　about　the　same　height　as　Rand；　with　a　weathered　face　and　touches　of　gray　in　his　dark　red　hair；　who　nodded　to　Perrin　and　touched　Amys'　hand　lightly。　She　might　have　pressed　his　hand　for　a　moment　in　return。　Rhuarc　was　her　husband；　but　that　was　about　as　much　affection　as　Aiel　displayed　in　front　of　others。　He　was　also　clan　chief　of　the　Taardad　Aiel　…　he　and　Gaul　were　the　only　two　men　who　did　not　wear　the　siswai'aman　headband　…　and　since　last　night　he　and　a　thousand　spears　had　been　out　scouting　in　force。
　　　A　blind　man　in　another　country　could　have　sensed　the　temper　around　Rand；　and　Rhuarc　was　no　fool。　〃Is　this　the　right　moment；　Rand　al'Thor？〃　When　Rand　motioned　him　to　speak；　he　went　on。　〃The　Shaido　dogs　are　still　fleeing　east　as　fast　as　they　can　run。　I　saw　men　with　green　coats　on　horses　to　the　north；　but　they　avoided　us；　and　you　said　to　let　them　go　unless　they　gave　trouble。　I　think　th