rj.theshadowrising-第87部分

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　　　　　　　He　was　farther　into　the　columns　than　a　single　step　could　account　for；　and　closer　to　Muradin　than　he　had　been。　The　Aiel's　fixed　stare　had　bee　a　dire　frown。
　　　　　　　Gritty　dust　crunched　under　Rand's　boots　as　he　stepped　forward。
　
　　　　　　　His　name　was　Rhodric；　and　he　was　nearly　twenty。　The　sun　was　a　golden　blister　in　the　sky；　but　he　kept　his　veil　up　and　his　eyes　alert。　His　spears　were　ready　…　one　in　his　right　hand；　three　held　with　his　small　bullhide　buckler　…　and　he　was　ready。　Jeordam　was　down　on　the　brown　grass　flat　to　the　south　of　the　hills；　where　most　of　the　bushes　were　puny　and　withered。　The　old　man's　hair　was　white；　like　that　thing　called　snow　the　old　ones　talked　of；　but　his　eyes　were　sharp；　and　watching　the　welldiggers　haul　up　filled　waterbags　would　not　occupy　all　of　his　attention。
　　　　　　　Mountains　rose　to　the　north　and　east；　the　northern　range　tall　and　sharp　and　white…tipped　but　dwarfed　by　the　eastern　monsters。　Those　looked　as　if　the　world　was　trying　to　touch　the　heavens；　and　perhaps　did。　Maybe　that　white　was　snow？　He　would　not　find　out。　Faced　with　this；　the　Jenn　must　decide　to　turn　east。　They　had　trailed　north　along　that　mountainous　wall　for　long　months；　painfully　dragging　their　wagons　behind　them；　trying　to　deny　the　Aiel　that　followed　them。　At　least　there　had　been　water　when　they　crossed　a　river；　even　if　not　much。　It　had　been　years　since　Rhodric　had　seen　a　river　he　could　not　wade　across；　most　were　only　cracked　dry　day　away　from　the　mountains。　He　hoped　the　rains　would　e　again；　and　make　things　green　once　more。　He　remembered　when　the　world　was　green。
　　　　　　　He　heard　the　horses　before　he　saw　them；　three　men　riding　across　the　brown　hills　in　long　leather　shirts　sewn　all　over　with　metal　discs；　two　with　lances。　He　knew　the　one　on　the　lead；　Garam；　son　of　the　chief　of　the　town　just　out　of　sight　back　the　way　they　came　and　not　much　older　than　himself。　They　were　blind；　these　townsmen。　They　did　not　see　the　Aiel　who　stirred　after　they　passed；　then　settled　back　to　near　invisibility　in　the　sere　land。　Rhodric　lowered　his　veil；　there　would　be　no　killing　unless　the　riders　began　it。　He　did　not　regret　it　…　not　exactly　…　but　he　could　not　make　himself　trust　men　who　lived　in　houses　and　towns。　There　had　been　too　many　battles　with　that　kind。　The　stories　said　it　had　always　been　so。
　　　　　　　Garam　drew　rein；　raising　his　right　hand　in　salute。　He　was　a　slight　dark…eyed　man；　like　his　two　followers；　but　all　three　looked　tough　and　petent。　〃Ho；　Rhodric。　Have　your　people　finished　filling　their　waterskins；　yet？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　see　you；　Garam。〃　He　kept　his　voice　level　and　expressionless。　It　made　him　uneasy；　seeing　men　on　horses；　even　more　so　than　their　carrying　swords。　The　Aiel　had　pack　animals；　but　there　was　something　unnatural　about　sitting　atop　a　horse。　A　man's　legs　were　good　enough。　〃We　are　close。　Does　your　father　withdraw　his　permission　for　us　to　take　water　on　his　lands？〃　No　other　town　had　ever　given　permission　before。　Water　had　to　be　fought　for　if　men　were　near；　just　like　everything　else；　and　if　there　was　water；　then　men　were　near。　It　would　not　be　easy　to　take　these　three　by　himself。　He　shifted　his　feet　in　readiness　to　dance；　and　likely　die。
　　　　　　　〃He　does　not；〃　Garam　said。　He　had　not　even　noticed　Rhodric's　shift。　〃We　have　a　strong　spring　in　the　town；　and　my　father　says　that　when　you　go；　we　will　have　the　new　wells　you　have　dug　until　we　go　ourselves。　But　your　grandfather　seemed　to　want　to　know　if　the　others　started　to　move；　and　they　have。〃　He　leaned　an　elbow　on　the　front　of　his　saddle。　〃Tell　me；　Rhodric；　are　they　truly　the　same　people　as　yourselves？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　are　the　Jenn　Aiel；　we；　the　Aiel。　We　are　the　same；　yet　not。　I　cannot　explain　it　further；　Garam。〃　He　did　not　really　understand　it　himself。
　　　　　　　〃Which　way　do　they　move？〃　Jeordam　asked。
　　　　　　　Rhodric　bowed　to　his　greatfather　calmly；　he　had　heard　a　footfall；　the　sound　of　a　soft　boot；　and　had　known　it　for　an　Aiel's。　The　townsmen　had　not　noticed　Jeordam's　approach；　though；　and　they　jerked　their　reins　in　surprise。　Only　Garam's　upflung　hand　stopped　the　other　two　from　lowering　their　lances。　Rhodric　and　his　greatfather　waited。
　　　　　　　〃East；〃　Garam　said　when　he　had　his　horse　under　control　again。　〃Across　the　Spine　of　the　World。〃　He　gestured　to　the　mountains　that　stabbed　the　sky。
　　　　　　　Rhodric　winced；　but　Jeordam　said　coolly；　〃What　lies　on　the　other　side？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　end　of　the　world；　for　all　I　know；〃　Garam　replied。　〃I　am　not　sure　there　is　a　way　across。〃　He　hesitated。　〃The　Jenn　have　Aes　Sedai　with　them。　Dozens；　I　have　heard。　Does　it　not　make　you　uneasy　traveling　close　to　Aes　Sedai？　I　have　heard　the　world　was　different　once；　but　they　destroyed　it。〃
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai　made　Rhodric　very　nervous；　though　he　kept　his　face　blank。　They　were　only　four；　not　dozens；　but　enough　to　make　him　remember　stories　that　the　Aiel　had　failed　the　Aes　Sedai　in　some　way　that　no　one　knew。　The　Aes　Sedai　must　know；　they　had　seldom　left　the　Jenn's　wagons　in　the　year　since　their　arrival；　but　when　they　did；　they　looked　at　the　Aiel　with　sad　eyes。　Rhodric　was　not　the　only　one　who　tried　to　avoid　them。
　　　　　　　〃We　guard　the　Jenn；〃　Jeordam　said。　〃It　is　they　who　travel　with　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　Garam　nodded　as　if　that　made　a　difference；　then　leaned　forward　again；　lowering　his　voice。　〃My　father　has　an　Aes　Sedai　advisor；　though　he　tries　to　keep　it　from　the　town。　She　says　we　must　leave　these　hills　and　move　east。　She　says　the　dry　rivers　will　run　again；　and　we　will　build　a　great　city　beside　one。　She　says　many　things。　I　hear　the　Aes　Sedai　plan　to　build　a　city　…　they　have　found　Ogier　to　build　it　for　them。　Ogier！〃　He　shook　his　head；　pulling　himself　from　legends　back　to　reality。　〃Do　you　think　they　mean　to　rule　the　world　once　more？　The　Aes　Sedai？　I　think　we　should　kill　them　before　they　can　destroy　us　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　must　do　as　you　think　best。〃　Jeordam's　voice　gave　no　hint　of　his　own　thoughts。　〃I　must　ready　my　people　to　cross　those　mountains。〃
　　　　　　　The　dark…haired　man　straightened　in　his　saddle；　plainly　disappointed。　Rhodric　suspected　he　had　wanted　Aiel　help　in　killing　Aes　Sedai。　〃The　Spine　of　the　World；〃　Garam　said　brusquely。　〃It　has　another　name。　Some　call　it　the　Dragonwall。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　fitting　name；〃　Jeordam　replied。
　　　　　　　Rhodric　stared　at　the　towering　mountains　in　the　distance。　A　fitting　name　for　Aiel。　Their　own　secret　name；　told　to　no　one；　was　People　of　the　Dragon。　He　did　not　know　why；　only　that　it　was　not　spoken　aloud　except　when　you　received　your　spears。　What　lay　beyond　this　Dragonwall？　At　least　there　would　be　people　to　fight。　There　always　were。　In　the　whole　world　there　were　only　Aiel；　Jenn；　and　enemies。　Only　that。　Aiel；　Jenn；　and　enemies。
　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Rand　drew　a　deep　breath　that　rasped　as　if　he　had　not　breathed　for　hours。　Eye…splitting　rings　of　light　ran　up　the　columns　around　him。　The　words　still　echoed　in　his　mind。　Aiel；　Jenn；　and　enemies；　that　was　the　world。　They　had　not　been　in　the　Waste；　certainly。　He　had　seen　…　lived　…　a　time　before　the　Aiel　came　to　their　Three…fold　Land。
　　　　　　　He　was　nearer　still　to　Muradin。　The　Aiel's　eyes　shifted　uneasily；　and　he　seemed　to　struggle　against　taking　another　step。
　　　　　　　Rand　moved　forward。
　
　　　　　　　Squatting　easily　on　the　white…cloaked　hillside；　Jeordam　ignored　the　cold　as　he　watched　five　people　tramp　toward　him。　Three　cloaked　men；　two　women　in　bulky　dresses；　making　hard　work　of　the　snow。　Winter　should　have　been　over　long　since；　according　to　the　old　ones；　but　then　they　told　stories　of　the　seasons　changing　from　what　they　had　always　been。　They　claimed　the　earth　used　to　shake；　too；　and　mountains　rose　or　sank　like　the　water　in　a　summer　pond　when　you　threw　a　rock　in。　Jeordam　did　not　believe　it。　He　was　eighteen；　born　in　the　tents；　and　this　was　the　only　life　he　had　ever　known。　The　snow；　the　tents；　and　the　duty　to　protect。
　　　　　　　He　lowered　his　veil　and　stood　slowly；　leaning　on　his　long　spear　so　as　not　to　frighten　the　wagon　folk；　but　they　stopped　abruptly　anyway；　staring　at　the　spear；　at　the　bow　slung　across　his　back　and　the　quiver　at　his　waist。　None　appeared　any　older　than　himself。　〃You　have　need　of　us；　Jenn？〃　he　called。
　　　　　　　〃You　name　us　that　to　mock　us；〃　a　tall；　sharp…nosed　fellow　shouted　back；　〃but　it　is　true。　We　are　the　only　true　Aiel。　You　have　given　up　the　Way。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　a　lie！〃　Jeordam　snapped。　〃I　have　never　held　a　sword！〃　He　drew　a　deep　breath　to　calm　himself。　He　had　not　been　put　out　here　to　grow　angry　with　Jenn。　〃If　you　are　lost；　your　wagons　are　that　way。〃　He　pointed　southward　with　his　spear。
　　　　　　　One　woman　placed　a　hand　on　sharp…nose's　arm　and　spoke　quietly。　The　others　nodded；　and　finally　sharp…nose　did；　too；　if　reluctantly。　She　was　pretty；　with　yellow　wisps　of　hair　escaping　the　dark　shawl　wrapped　around　her　head。　Facing　Jeordam；　she　said；　〃We　are　not　lost。〃　She　peered　at　him　suddenly；　seeming　to　see　him　for　the　first　time；　and　tightened　her　shawl　around　her。
　　　　　　　He　nodded；　he　had　not　thought　they　were。　The　Jenn　usually　managed　to　avoid　anyone　from　the　tents　even　when　they　needed　help。　The　few　who　did　not　came　only　in　desperation；　for　the　help　they　could　not　find　elsewhere。　〃Follow　me。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　a　mile　across　the　hills　to　his　father's　tents；　low　shapes　partially　covered　by　the　last　snowfall；　clinging　to　the　slopes。　His　own　people　watched　the　new　arrivals　cautiously；　but　did　not　stop　what　they　were　doing；　whether　cooking　or　tending　weapons　or　tossing　snowballs　with　a　child。　He　was　proud　of　his　sept；　nearly　two　hundred　people；　largest　of　the　ten　camps　scattered　north　of　the　wagons。　The　Jenn　did　not　seem　much　impressed；　though。　It　irritated　him　that　there　were　so　many　more　Jenn　than　Aiel。
　　　　　　　Lewin　came　out　of　his　tent；　a　tall；　graying　man　with　a　hard　face；　Lewin　never　smiled；　they　said；　and　Jeordam　had　certainly　never　seen　it。　Maybe　he　had　before　Jeordam's　mother　died　of　a　fever；　but　Jeordam　did　not　believe　it。
　　　　　　　The　yellow…haired　woman　…　her　name　was　Morin　…　told　a　story　much　as　Jeordam　had　expected。　The　Jenn　had　traded　with　a　village；　a　place　with　a　log　wall；　and　then　men　from　the　village　had　e　in　the　night；　taking　back　what　had　been　traded　for；　taking　more。　The　Jenn　always　thought　they　could　trust　people　who　lived　in　houses；　always　thought　the　Way　would　protect　them。　The　dead　were　listed　…　fathers；　a　mother；　first…brothers。　The　captives　…　firs