rj.acrownofswords-第23部分

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〃There　may　be　as　many　as　ten　or　more；　Car'a'carn。　We　avoid　them；　of　course；　especially　since。。。　〃　Back　to　Sorilea　and　breathiness。　〃You　did　not　want　to　hear　about　the　wetlanders；　Sorilea。　Only　our　own　tents。　You　said　so。〃　To　Rand；　her　back　straightening。　〃Most　of　them　stay　beneath　the　roof　of　Arilyn　Dhulaine；　Car'a'carn；　and　seldom　leave　it。〃　To　Sorilea；　hunching。　〃Sorilea；　you　know　I　would　have　told　you　everything。　You　cut　me　short。〃　As　she　realized　how　many　were　watching；　and　how　many　beginning　to　smile；　among　the　Wise　Ones　anyway；　Feraighin's　eyes　grew　wild；　and　her　cheeks　reddened。　Her　head　swung　between　Rand　and　Sorilea；　and　her　mouth　worked　but　no　sound　came　out。　Some　of　the　Wise　Ones　began　laughing　behind　their　hands；　Edarra　did　not　bother　with　a　hand。　Rhuarc　threw　back　his　head　and　roared。
　　　Perrin　certainly　did　not　feel　like　laughing。　An　Aiel　could　find　something　funny　in　having　a　sword　stuck　through　him。　Aes　Sedai　on　top　of　everything　else。　Light！　He　cut　straight　through　to　what　was　important。　〃Feraighin？　My　wife；　Faile；　is　she　well？〃
　　　She　gave　him　a　half…distracted　stare；　then　visibly　pulled　together　the　tatters　of　her　poise。　〃I　think　Faile　Aybara　is　well；　Sei'cair；〃　she　said　with　cool　posure。　Or　almost。　She　tried　to　sneak　glances　at　Sorilea　from　the　corner　of　her　eye。　Sorilea　was　not　amused；　or　anything　close　to　it；　arms　folded；　she　gave　Feraighin　a　perusal　that　made　the　one　she　had　given　Kiruna　seem　mild。
　　　Amys　put　a　hand　on　Sorilea's　arm。　〃She　is　not　at　fault；〃　the　younger　woman　murmured；　too　softly　to　reach　any　ears　but　the　leathery　Wise　One's　and　Perrin's。　Sorilea　hesitated；　then　nodded；　the　flaying　glare　faded　to　her　usual　cantankerousness。　Amys　was　the　only　one　Perrin　had　seen　able　to　do　that；　the　only　one　Sorilea　did　not　trample　down　when　she　got　in　her　way。　Well；　she　did　not　trample　Rhuarc；　but　with　him　it　was　more　a　boulder　ignoring　a　thunderstorm；　Amys　could　make　it　stop　raining。
　　　Perrin　wanted　more　of　Feraighin　…　she　thought　Faile　was　well？　…　but　before　he　could　open　his　mouth；　Kiruna　bulled　in　with　her　usual　tact。
　　　〃Now；　listen　to　me　carefully；〃　she　told　Rand；　gesturing　emphatically　under　his　nose。　〃I　called　the　situation　delicate。　It　is　not。　The　situation　is　plex　beyond　your　imagining；　so　fragile　a　breath　could　shatter　it。　Bera　and　I　will　acpany　you　to　the　city。　Yes；　yes；　Alanna；　and　you；　as　well。〃　She　waved　away　the　slender　Aes　Sedai　impatiently。　Perrin　thought　she　was　trying　that　looming　trick。　She　did　seem　to　be　peering　down　her　nose　at　Rand；　though　tall　as　she　was；　he　stood　head　and　shoulders　taller。　〃You　must　let　yourself　be　guided　by　us。　One　wrong　move；　one　wrong　word；　and　you　may　deliver　to　Cairhien　the　same　disaster　you　gave　Tarabon　and　Arad　Doman。　Worse；　you　can　do　incalculable　damage　to　matters　about　which　you　know　almost　nothing。〃
　　　Perrin　winced。　The　whole　speech　could　not　have　been　better　designed　to　inflame　Rand。　But　Rand　simply　listened　till　she　was　done；　then　turned　to　Sorilea。　〃Take　the　Aes　Sedai　to　the　tents。　All　of　them；　for　now。　Make　sure　everyone　knows　they're　Aes　Sedai。　Let　it　be　seen　that　they　hop　when　you　say　toad。　Since　you　hop　when　the　Car'a'carn　says　it；　that　should　convince　everybody　I'm　not　wearing　an　Aes　Sedai　leash。〃
　　　Kiruna's　face；　grew　bright　red；　she　smelled　of　outrage　and　indignation　so　strongly　that　Perrin's　nose　itched。　Bera　tried　to　calm　her；　without　much　success；　while　shooting　you…ignorant…young…lout　looks　at　Rand；　and　Alanna　bit　her　lip　in　an　effort　not　to　smile。　Going　by　the　odors　drifting　from　Sorilea　and　the　others；　Alanna　had　no　reason　to　be　pleased。
　　　Sorilea　gave　Rand　a　slash　of　smile。　〃Perhaps；　Car'a'carn；〃　she　said　dryly。　Perrin　doubted　that　she　hopped　for　anyone。　〃Perhaps　it　will。〃　She　did　not　sound　convinced。
　　　With　another　shake　of　his　head；　Rand　stalked　off　with　Min；　shadowed　by　the　Maidens　and　issuing　orders　as　to　who　was　to　go　with　him　and　who　with　the　Wise　Ones。　Rhuarc　began　ordering　the　siswai'aman。　Alanna　followed　Rand　with　her　eyes。　Perrin　wished　he　knew　what　was　going　on　there。　Sorilea　and　the　others　watched　Rand；　too；　and　they　smelled　anything　but　gentle。
　　　Feraighin　was　standing　alone；　he　realized。　Now　was　his　chance。　But　when　he　tried　to　catch　her　up；　Sorilea　and　Amys　and　the　rest　of　the　〃council〃　surrounded　her；　neatly　shouldering　him　away。　They　moved　some　distance　before　they　began　showering　her　with　questions；　the　sharp　looks　directed　at　Kiruna　and　the　other　two　sisters　leaving　no　doubt　they　would　tolerate　no　further　eavesdropping。　Kiruna　appeared　to　be　considering　it；　glowering　till　it　seemed　a　wonder　her　dark　hair　was　not　standing　on　end。　Bera　was　speaking　to　her　firmly；　and　without　trying　Perrin　heard　〃sensible〃　and　〃patience；〃　〃cautious〃　and　〃foolish。〃　Which　applied　to　whom　was　not　evident。
　　　〃There　will　be　fighting　when　we　reach　the　city。〃　Aram　sounded　eager。
　　　〃Of　course　not；〃　Loial　said　stoutly。　His　ears　twitched；　and　he　peered　unfortably　at　his　axe。　〃There　won't　be；　will　there；　Perrin？〃
　　　Perrin　shook　his　head。　He　did　not　know。　If　only　the　other　Wise　Ones　would　leave　Feraighin　alone；　just　for　a　few　moments。　What　did　they　have　to　talk　about　that　was　so　important？
　　　〃Women；〃　Gaul　muttered；　〃are　stranger　than　drunken　wetlanders。〃
　　　〃What？〃　Perrin　said　absently。　What　would　happen　should　he　simply　push　through　the　circle　of　Wise　Ones？
　　　As　if　she　had　read　his　mind　Edarra　gave　him　a　pointed　frown。　So　did　some　of　the　others；　sometimes　it　did　seem　women　could　read　men's　minds。　Well。。。
　　　〃I　said　women　are　strange；　Perrin　Aybara。　Chiad　told　me　she　would　not　lay　a　bridal　wreath　at　my　feet；　she　actually　told　me。〃　The　Aielman　sounded　scandalized。　〃She　said　she　would　take　me　for　a　lover；　her　and　Bain；　but　no　more。〃　Another　time　that　would　have　shocked　Perrin；　though　he　had　heard　it　before；　Aiel　were　incredibly。。。　free。。。　about　such　things。　〃As　if　I　am　not　good　enough　for　a　husband。〃　Gaul　snorted　angrily。　〃I　do　not　like　Bain；　but　I　would　marry　her　to　make　Chiad　happy。　If　Chiad　will　not　make　a　bridal　wreath；　she　should　stop　trying　to　entice　me。　If　I　cannot　catch　her　interest　well　enough　for　her　to　marry　me；　she　should　let　me　go。〃
　　　Perrin　frowned　at　him。　The　green…eyed　Aielman　was　taller　than　Rand；　nearly　a　head　taller　than　he。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　　　〃Chiad；　of　course。　Have　you　not　been　listening？　She　avoids　me；　but　every　time　I　see　her；　she　pauses　long　enough　to　make　sure　I　have　seen　her。　I　do　not　know　how　you　wetlanders　do　it；　but　with　us；　that　is　one　of　the　ways　a　woman　uses。　When　you　least　expect　her；　she　is　in　your　eyes；　then　gone。　I　did　not　even　know　she　was　with　the　Maidens　until　this　morning。〃
　　　〃You　mean　she's　here？〃　Perrin　whispered。　That　icicle　was　back；　now　a　blade；　hollowing　him　out。　〃And　Bain？　Here；　too？〃
　　　Gaul　shrugged。　〃One　is　seldom　far　from　the　other。　But　it　is　Chiad's　interest　I　want；　not　Bain's。〃
　　　〃Burn　their　bloody　interest！〃　Perrin　shouted。　The　Wise　Ones　turned　to　look　at　him。　In　fact；　people　all　over　the　hillside　did。　Kiruna　and　Bera　were　staring；　faces　entirely　too　thoughtful。　With　an　effort　he　managed　to　lower　his　voice。　He　could　do　nothing　about　the　intensity；　though。　〃They　were　supposed　to　be　protecting　her！　She's　in　the　city；　in　the　Royal　Palace；　with　Colavaere　…　with　Colavaere！　…　and　they　were　supposed　to　be　protecting　her。〃
　　　Scratching　his　head；　Gaul　looked　at　Loial。　〃Is　this　wetlander　humor？　Faile　Aybara　is　out　of　short　skirts。〃
　　　〃I　know　she's　not　a　child！〃　Perrin　drew　a　deep　breath。　It　was　very　hard　keeping　a　level　tone　with　his　belly　full　of　acid。　〃Loial；　will　you　explain　to　this。。。　to　Gaul；　that　our　women　don't　run　around　with　spears；　that　Colavaere　wouldn't　offer　to　fight　Faile；　she'd　just　order　somebody　to　cut　her　throat　or　throw　her　off　a　wall　or。。。　〃　The　images　were　too　much。　He　was　going　to　empty　his　stomach　in　a　moment。
　　　Loial　patted　him　awkwardly　on　the　shoulder。　〃Perrin；　I　know　you're　worried。　I　know　how　I'd　feel　if　I　thought　anything　happened　to　Erith。〃　The　tufts　on　his　ears　quivered。　He　was　a　fine　one　to　talk；　he　would　run　as　hard　as　he　could　to　avoid　his　mother　and　the　young　Ogier　woman　she　had　chosen　for　him。　〃Ah。　Well。　Perrin；　Faile　is　waiting　for　you；　safe　and　sound。　I　know　it。　And　you　know　she　can　care　for　herself。　Why；　she　could　care　for　herself　and　you　and　me；　and　Gaul；　as　well。〃　His　booming　laugh　sounded　forced；　and　it　quickly　faded　to　grave　seriousness。　〃Perrin。。。　Perrin；　you　know　you　can't　always　be　there　to　protect　Faile；　however　much　you　want　to。　You　are　ta'veren；　the　Pattern　spun　you　out　for　a　purpose；　and　it　will　use　you　for　that　purpose。〃
　　　〃Burn　the　Pattern；〃　Perrin　growled。　〃It　can　all　burn；　if　it　keeps　her　safe。〃　Loial's　ears　went　rigid　with　shock；　and　even　Gaul　looked　taken　aback。
　　　What　does　that　make　me？　Perrin　thought。　He　had　been　scornful　of　those　who　scribbled　and　scrabbled　for　their　own　ends；　ignoring　the　Last　Battle　and　the　Dark　One's　shadow　creeping　over　the　world。　How　was　he　different　from　them？
　　　Rand　reined　the　black　in　beside　him。　〃Are　you　ing？〃
　　　〃I'm　ing；〃　Perrin　said　bleakly。　He　had　no　answer　for　his　own　questions；　but　he　knew　one　thing。　To　him；　Faile　was　the　world。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　4　
（Rising　Sun）　
Into　Cairhien　
　　　
　　　Perrin　would　have　set　a　harder　pace　than　Rand　did；　though　he　knew　the　horses　could　not　have　stood　it　long。　Half　the　time　they　rode　at　a　trot；　the　other　half　ran　alongside　their　animals。　Rand　seemed　unaware　of　anyone　else；　except　that　he　always　had　a　hand　for　Min　if　she　stumbled。　For　the　rest；　he　was　lost　in　some　other　world；　blinking　in　surprise　when　he　noticed　Perrin；　or　Loial。　Truth　to　tell；　nobody　was　any　better。　Dobraine's　men　and　Havien's　stared　straight　ahead；　chewing　their　own　worries　over　what　they　would　find。　The　Two　Rivers　men　had　soaked　in　Perrin's　dark　mood。　They　liked　Faile　…　truth　be　told；　some　worshipped　her　…　and　if　she　had　been　hurt　in　any　way。。。　Even　Aram's　eagerness　grew　bleak　once　he　realized　that　Faile　might　be　in　danger。　Every　man　focused　on　the　leagues　before　them；　toward　the　city　ahead。　Except　for　the　Asha'man；　anyway；　close　behind　Rand　like　a　cluster　of　ravens；　they　studied　the　country　the　column　crossed；　still　wary　of　an　ambush。　Dashiva　slumped　in　his　saddle　like