rj.acrownofswords-第31部分

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ndant　to　throw　the　two　of　us　together。　'Faile；　Berelain；　e　lace　my　gown。'　'Faile；　Berelain；　e　hold　the　mirror　for　the　hairdresser。'　'Faile；　Berelain；　e　wash　my　back。'　So　she　could　amuse　herself　waiting　for　us　to　claw　one　another's　eyes　out！　That　is　what　I　have　put　up　with！　For　you；　you　hairy…eared　…！〃
　　　His　back　thumped　against　the　wall。　And　something　snapped　inside　him。　He　had　been　frightened　spitless　for　her；　terrified；　ready　to　face　down　Rand　or　the　Dark　One　himself。　And　he　had　done　nothing；　had　never　encouraged　Berelain；　had　done　everything　in　his　wits　to　chase　the　woman　away。　For　which　his　thanks　was　this。
　　　Gently　he　took　her　by　the　shoulders　and　lifted　her　until　those　big　tilted　eyes　were　level　with　his。　〃You　listen　to　me；〃　he　said　calmly。　He　tried　to　make　his　voice　calm；　at　least；　it　came　out　more　of　a　growl　in　his　throat。　〃How　dare　you　speak　to　me　like　that？　How　dare　you？　I　worried　myself　near　to　death　for　fear　you'd　been　hurt。　I　love　you；　and　nobody　else　but　you。　I　want　no　other　woman　but　you。　Do　you　hear　me？　Do　you？〃　Crushing　her　to　his　chest；　he　held　her；　wanting　to　never　let　her　go。　Light；　he　had　been　so　afraid。　He　shook　even　now；　for　what　might　have　been。　〃If　anything　happened　to　you；　I'd　die；　Faile。　I　would　lie　down　on　your　grave　and　die！　Do　you　think　I　don't　know　how　Colavaere　found　out　who　you　are？　You　made　sure　she　found　out。〃　Spying；　she　had　told　him　once；　was　a　woman's　work。　〃Light；　woman；　you　could　have　ended　like　Maire。　Colavaere　knows　you're　my　wife。　My　wife。　Perrin　Aybara；　Rand　al'Thor's　friend。　Did　it　ever　occur　to　you　she　might　be　suspicious？　She　could　have。。。　Light；　Faile；　she　could　have。。。　〃
　　　Abruptly　he　realized　what　he　was　doing。　She　was　making　sounds　against　his　chest；　but　no　words　he　could　recognize。　He　wondered　that　he　did　not　hear　her　ribs　creaking。　Berating　himself　for　an　oaf；　he　let　her　go；　arms　springing　apart；　but　before　he　could　apologize；　her　fingers　clutched　his　beard。
　　　〃So　you　love　me？〃　she　said　softly。　Very　softly。　Very　warmly。　She　was　smiling；　too。　〃A　woman　likes　to　hear　that　said　the　right　way。〃　She　had　dropped　the　fan；　and　her　free　hand　drew　fingernails　down　his　cheek；　not　far　from　hard　enough　to　draw　blood；　but　her　throaty　laugh　held　heat；　and　the　smoldering　in　her　eyes　was　as　far　from　anger　as　possible。　〃A　good　thing　you　didn't　say　you　never　looked　at　another　woman；　or　I　would　think　you　had　gone　blind。〃
　　　He　was　too　stunned　for　words；　too　stunned　even　to　gape。　Rand　understood　women；　Mat　understood　women；　but　Perrin　knew　he　never　would。　She　was　always　as　much　kingfisher　as　falcon；　changing　direction　faster　than　he　could　think；　yet　this。。。　That　thorny　scent　was　gone　pletely；　and　in　its　place　was　another　smell　of　her　he　knew　well。　A　smell　that　was　her；　pure　and　strong　and　clean。　Add　that　to　her　eyes；　and　any　moment　she　was　going　to　say　something　about　farmgirls　at　harvest。　They　were　notorious；　apparently；　Saldaean　farmgirls。
　　　〃As　for　you　lying　down　on　my　grave；〃　she　went　on；　〃if　you　do；　my　soul　will　haunt　yours；　I　promise　you。　You　will　mourn　me　a　decent　time；　and　then　you'll　find　yourself　another　wife。　Someone　I'd　approve　of；　I　hope。〃　With　a　soft　laugh；　she　stroked　his　beard。　〃You　really　aren't　fit　to　take　care　of　yourself；　you　know。　I　want　your　promise。〃
　　　Best　not　to　crack　his　teeth　on　that。　Say　he　would　not；　and　this　wonderful　mood　might　be　swallowed　in　a　firestorm。　Quicksilver　was　not　in　it；　really。　Say　he　would。。。　By　the　smell　of　her；　every　word　was　the　Light's　pure　truth；　but　he　would　believe　that　when　horses　roosted　in　trees。　He　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　need　to　bathe。　I　haven't　seen　soap　in　I　don't　know　how　long。　I　must　smell　like　an　old　barn。〃
　　　Leaning　against　his　chest；　she　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃You　smell　wonderful。　Like　you。〃　Her　hands　moved　on　his　shoulders。　〃I　feel　as　…　〃　The　door　banged　open。
　　　〃Perrin；　Berelain　isn't　…　I'm　sorry。　Forgive　me。〃　Rand　stood　shifting　his　feet；　not　at　all　like　the　Dragon　Reborn。　There　were　Maidens　in　the　hallway　outside。　Min　put　her　head　around　the　doorframe；　took　one　look；　grinned　at　Perrin　and　ducked　back　out　of　sight。
　　　Faile　stepped　away　so　smoothly；　so　stately；　that　no　one　would　ever　have　guessed　what　she　had　been　saying　a　moment　before。　Or　what　she　had　been　about　to　say。　There　were　spots　of　color　in　her　cheeks；　though；　bright　and　hot。　〃So　kind　of　you；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　she　said　coolly；　〃to　drop　in　so　unexpectedly。　I　apologize　for　not　hearing　your　knock。〃　Maybe　those　blushes　were　as　much　anger　as　embarrassment。
　　　It　was　Rand's　turn　to　blush；　and　scrub　a　hand　through　his　hair。　〃Berelain　isn't　in　the　palace。　She's　spending　the　night　on　that　Sea　Folk　ship　anchored　in　the　river；　of　all　things。　Annoura　didn't　tell　me　till　I　was　nearly　to　Berelain's　apartments。〃
　　　Perrin　tried　very　hard　not　to　wince。　Why　did　he　have　to　keep　saying　the　woman's　name？　〃You　wanted　to　talk　to　me　about　something　else；　Rand？〃　He　hoped　he　had　not　put　too　much　emphasis　in　that；　yet　he　hoped　Rand　caught　it。　He　did　not　look　at　Faile；　but　he　tested　the　air　gingerly。　No　jealousy；　not　yet。　A　good　deal　of　anger；　however。
　　　For　a　moment　Rand　stared　at　him；　looked　through　him。　Listening　to　something　else。　Perrin　folded　his　arms　to　stop　from　shuddering。
　　　〃I　need　to　know；〃　Rand　said　finally。　〃Are　you　still　unwilling　to　mand　the　army　against　Illian？　I　have　to　know　now。〃
　　　〃I'm　no　general；〃　Perrin　said　raggedly。　There　would　be　battles　in　Illian。　Images　flashed　in　his　head。　Men　all　around　him；　and　the　axe　in　his　hands　spinning；　hewing　his　way　through。　Always　more　men；　however　many　he　cut　down；　in　endless　ranks。　And　in　his　heart；　a　seed　growing。　He　could　not　face　that　again。　He　would　not。　〃Besides；　I　thought　I　was　supposed　to　stay　close　to　you。〃　That　was　what　Min　had　said；　from　one　of　her　viewings。　Twice　Perrin　had　to　be　there；　or　Rand　would　go　down　to　disaster。　Once　had　been　Dumai's　Wells；　maybe；　but　there　was　still　another　to　e。
　　　〃We　all　must　take　risks。〃　Rand's　voice　was　very　quiet。　And　very　hard。　Min　peered　around　the　doorframe　again；　looking　as　if　she　wanted　to　e　to　him；　but　she　glanced　at　Faile　and　stayed　outside。
　　　〃Rand；　the　Aes　Sedai。。。　〃　A　smart　man　would　let　this　lie；　probably。　He　had　never　claimed　to　be　particularly　smart；　though。　〃The　Wise　Ones　are　ready　to　skin　them　alive；　or　near　enough。　You　can't　let　them　be　harmed；　Rand。〃　In　the　corridor；　Sulin　turned　to　study　him　through　the　doorway。
　　　The　man　he　thought　he　knew　laughed；　a　wheezing　sound。　〃We　all　have　to　take　risks；〃　he　repeated。
　　　〃I　won't　let　them　be　hurt；　Rand。〃
　　　Cold　blue　eyes　met　his　gaze。　〃You　won't　let　it？〃
　　　〃I　won't；〃　Perrin　told　him　levelly。　He　did　not　flinch　from　that　stare；　either。　〃They　are　prisoners；　and　no　threat。　They're　women。〃
　　　〃They　are　Aes　Sedai。〃　Rand's　voice　was　so　like　Aram's　back　at　Dumai's　Wells　that　it　nearly　took　Perrin's　breath。
　　　〃Rand　…　〃
　　　〃I　do　what　I　have　to　do；　Perrin。〃　For　a　moment　he　was　the　old　Rand；　not　liking　what　was　happening。　For　a　moment　he　looked　tired　to　death。　A　moment　only。　Then　he　was　the　new　Rand　again；　hard　enough　to　mark　steel。　〃I　won't　harm　any　Aes　Sedai　who　doesn't　deserve　it；　Perrin。　I　can't　promise　more。　Since　you　don't　want　the　army；　I　can　use　you　elsewhere。　Just　as　well；　really。　I　wish　I　could　let　you　rest　longer　than　a　day　or　two；　but　I　can't。　There's　no　time。　No　time；　and　we　must　do　what　we　must。　Forgive　me　for　interrupting　you。〃　He　sketched　a　bow；　one　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　〃Faile。〃
　　　Perrin　tried　to　catch　his　arm；　but　he　was　out　of　the　room；　the　door　closing　behind　him；　before　Perrin　could　move。　Rand　was　not　really　Rand　anymore；　it　seemed。　A　day　or　two？　Where　in　the　Light　did　Rand　mean　him　to　go；　if　not　to　the　army　gathering　down　on　the　Plains　of　Maredo？
　　　〃My　husband；〃　Faile　breathed；　〃you　have　the　courage　of　three　men。　And　the　sense　of　a　child　on　leading　strings。　Why　is　it　that　as　a　man's　courage　goes　up；　his　sense　goes　down？〃
　　　Perrin　grunted　indignantly。　He　refrained　from　mentioning　women　who　set　themselves　to　spy　on　people　who　had　mitted　murders　and　almost　certainly　knew　they　were　spying。　Women　always　talked　about　how　logical　they　were　pared　to　men；　but　for　himself；　he　had　seen　precious　little　of　it。
　　　〃Well；　perhaps　I　don't　really　want　the　answer　even　if　you　know　it。〃　Stretching　with　her　arms　over　her　head；　she　gave　a　throaty　laugh。　〃Besides；　I　don't　mean　to　let　him　spoil　the　mood。　I　still　feel　as　forward　as　a　farmgirl　at　…　Why　are　you　laughing？　Stop　laughing　at　me；　Perrin　t'Bashere　Aybara！　Stop　it；　I　say；　you　uncouth　oaf！　If　you　don't　…　〃
　　　The　only　way　to　put　an　end　to　it　was　to　kiss　her。　In　her　arms　he　forgot　Rand　and　Aes　Sedai　and　battles。　Where　Faile　was；　was　home。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　7　
（Lion　Rampant）　
Pitfalls　and　Tripwires　
　　　
　　　Rand　felt　the　Dragon　Scepter　in　his　hand；　felt　every　line　of　the　carved　Dragons　against　his　heron…branded　palm　as　clearly　as　if　he　were　running　his　fingers　over　them；　yet　it　seemed　someone　else's　hand。　If　a　blade　cut　it　off；　he　would　feel　the　pain　…　and　keep　going。　It　would　be　another's　pain。
　　　He　floated　in　the　Void；　surrounded　by　emptiness　beyond　knowing；　and　saidin　filled　him；　trying　to　grind　him　to　dust　beneath　steel…shattering　cold　and　heat　where　stone　would　flash　to　flame；　carrying　the　Dark　One's　taint　on　its　flow；　forcing　corruption　into　his　bones。　Into　his　soul；　he　feared　sometimes。　It　did　not　make　him　feel　so　sick　to　his　stomach　as　it　once　had。　He　feared　that　even　more。　And　larded　through　that　torrent　of　fire；　ice　and　filth　…　life。　That　was　the　best　word。　Saidin　tried　to　destroy　him。　Saidin　filled　him　to　overflowing　with　vitality。　It　threatened　to　bury　him；　and　it　enticed　him。　The　war　for　survival；　the　struggle　to　avoid　being　consumed；　magnified　the　joy　of　pure　life。　So　sweet　even　with　the　foulness。　What　would　it　be　like；　clean？　Beyond　imagining。　He　wanted　to　draw　more；　draw　all　there　was。
　　　There　lay　the　deadly　seduction。　One　slip；　and　the　ability　to　channel　would　be　seared　out　of　him　forever。　One　slip　and　his　mind　was　gone；　if　he　was　not　simply　destroyed　on　the　spot；　and　maybe　everything　around　him　too。　It　was　not　madness；　focusing　on　the　fight　for　existence；　it　was　like　highwalking　blindfolded　over　a　pit　full　of　sharpened　stakes；　basking　i