rj.thepathofdaggers-第92部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wayed　and　rubbed　at　his　potato　nose。　The　Legionmen　kept　apart；　but　they　had　taken　in　the　〃volunteers〃　who　had　followed　Padros　to　the　Banner　of　Light。　That　lot　seemed　more　eager　than　anyone　since　learning　how　Padros　died。　Blue…coated　Legionmen　were　showing　them　how　to　change　direction　without　falling　apart　like　a　gaggle　of　geese。
　　　　　　　Flinn　was　among　the　wounded　with　Adley　and　Morr　and　Hopwil。　Narishma　could　Heal　little　more　than　minor　cuts；　no　better　than　Rand；　and　Dashiva　not　even　that。　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　stood　talking　well　apart　from　anyone　else；　holding　their　horses　by　the　reins　atop　the　hill　in　the　middle　of　the　valley。　The　hill　where　they　had　expected　to　catch　the　Seanchan　by　surprise　when　they　rushed　out　of　gateways　surrounding　it。　Near　fifty　dead；　and　more　to　e；　but　it　would　have　been　above　two　hundred　without　Flinn　and　the　rest　who　could　manage　Healing　to　one　degree　or　another。　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　had　not　wanted　to　dirty　their　hands　and　grimaced　when　Rand　drove　them　to　it。　One　of　the　dead　was　a　Soldier；　and　another　Soldier；　a　round…faced　Cairhienin；　sat　slumped　beside　a　fire　with　a　dazed　look　that　Rand　hoped　came　from　being　tossed　through　the　air　by　the　ground　erupting　almost　under　his　feet。
　　　　　　　Down　there　on　the　furrowed　flats；　Ailil　was　conferring　with　her　Lance…captain；　a　pale　little　man　called　Denharad。　Their　horses　stood　nearly　touching；　and　occasionally　they　looked　up　the　mountain　toward　Rand。　What　were　they　scheming？
　　　　　　　〃We'll　do　better　next　time；〃　Bashere　murmured。　He　ran　his　gaze　around　the　valley；　then　shook　his　head。　〃The　worst　mistake　is　to　make　the　same　one　twice；　and　we　won't。〃
　　　　　　　Weiramon　heard　him　and　repeated　the　same　thing；　but　using　twenty　times　the　words；　and　flowery　enough　for　a　garden　in　spring。　Without　admitting　that　there　had　been　any　mistakes；　certainly　not　on　his　part。　He　avoided　Rand's　mistakes　with　equal　adroitness。
　　　　　　　Rand　nodded；　his　mouth　tight。　Next　time　they　would　do　better。　They　had　to；　unless　he　wanted　to　leave　half　his　men　buried　in　these　mountains。　Right　then；　he　was　wondering　what　to　do　with　the　prisoners。
　　　　　　　Most　of　those　who　escaped　death　on　the　mountainside　had　managed　to　withdraw　through　the　trees　that　remained　standing。　With　amazingly　good　order　considering；　Bashere　claimed；　yet　they　were　unlikely　to　be　much　threat　now。　Not　unless　they　had　the　damane　with　them。　But　a　hundred　or　so　men　sat　huddled　on　the　ground；　stripped　of　weapons　and　armor；　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　two　dozen　mounted　panions　and　Defenders。　Taraboners；　for　the　most　part；　they　had　not　fought　like　men　driven　to　it　by　conquerors。　A　fair　number　held　their　heads　up；　and　jeered　at　their　guards。　Gedwyn　had　wanted　to　kill　them；　after　putting　them　to　the　question。　Weiramon　did　not　care　whether　they　had　their　throats　slit；　but　he　considered　torture　a　waste　of　time。　None　would　know　anything　useful；　he　maintained；　there　was　not　a　one　nobly　born。
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　Bashere。　Weiramon　was　still　going　on　sonorously。　〃。。。　sweep　these　mountains　clean　for　you；　my　Lord　Dragon。　We'll　trample　them　beneath　our　hooves；　and。。。　〃　Anaiyella　was　nodding　grim　approval。
　　　　　　　〃Six　up；　and　half　a　dozen　down；〃　Bashere　said　softly。　He　scraped　mud　from　one　of　his　thick　mustaches　with　a　fingernail。　〃Or　as　some　of　my　tenants　say；　what　you　gain　on　the　swings；　you　lose　on　the　roundabouts。〃　What　in　the　Light　was　a　roundabout？　A　great　help　that　was！
　　　　　　　And　then　one　of　Bashere's　patrols　made　matters　worse。
　　　　　　　The　six　men　came　prodding　a　prisoner　along　the　slope　ahead　of　their　horses　with　the　butts　of　their　lances。　She　was　a　black…haired　woman　in　a　torn　and　dirty　dark　blue　dress；　with　red　panels　on　the　breast　and　skirts　bearing　forked　lightning。　Her　face　was　dirty；　too；　and　tear…streaked。　She　stumbled　and　half…fell；　but　the　prodding　was　more　gesture　than　actual　touching。　She　glared　scornfully　at　her　captors；　even　spitting　once。　She　sneered　at　Rand；　too。
　　　　　　　〃Did　you　hurt　her？〃　he　demanded。　A　strange　question；　perhaps；　about　an　enemy　after　what　had　happened　in　this　valley。　About　a　sul'dam。　But　it　popped　out。
　　　　　　　〃Not　us；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　the　gruff…faced　patrol　leader　said。　〃We　found　her　like　this。〃　Scratching　his　chin　through　a　black　flowing　beard；　he　eyed　Bashere　as　if　for　support。　〃She　claims　we　killed　her　Gille。　A　pet　dog；　or　cat；　or　some　such；　the　way　she　carries　on。　Her　name's　Nerith。　We　got　that　much　out　of　her。〃　The　woman　turned　and　snarled　at　him　again。
　　　　　　　Rand　sighed。　Not　a　pet　dog。　No！　That　name　did　not　belong　on　the　list！　But　he　could　hear　the　litany　of　names　reciting　itself　in　his　head；　and　〃Gille　the　damane〃　was　there。　Lews　Therin　moaned　for　his　Ilyena。　Her　name　also　was　on　the　list。　Rand　thought　it　had　a　right。
　　　　　　　〃This　is　a　Seanchan　Aes　Sedai？〃　Anaiyella　asked　suddenly；　leaning　over　the　pommel　of　her　saddle　to　peer　hard　at　Nerith。　Nerith　spat　at　her；　as　well；　eyes　widening　in　outrage。　Rand　explained　the　little　he　knew　of　sul'dam；　that　they　controlled　women　who　could　channel　with　the　aide　of　a　leash…and…collar　ter'angreal　but　could　not　themselves　channel；　and　to　his　surprise；　the　dainty　simpering　High　Lady　said　coldly；　〃If　my　Lord　Dragon　feels　constrained；　I'll　hang　her　for　him。〃　Nerith　spat　at　her　again！　Contemptuously；　this　time。　No　shortfall　of　courage　there。
　　　　　　　〃No！〃　Rand　growled。　Light；　the　things　people　would　do　to　get　on　his　good　side！　Or　maybe　Anaiyella　had　been　closer　to　her　Master　of　the　Horse　that　was　considered　proper。　The　man　had　been　stout　and　balding　…　and　a　moner；　that　counted　heavily　with　Tairens　…　but　women　did　have　strange　tastes　in　men。　He　knew　that　for　a　pure　fact。
　　　　　　　〃As　soon　as　we're　ready　to　move　again；〃　he　told　Bashere；　〃turn　the　men　down　there　loose。〃　Taking　prisoners　along　when　he　launched　his　next　attack　was　out　of　the　question；　and　leaving　a　hundred　men　…　a　hundred　now；　more　later；　for　sure　…　leaving　them　to　follow　with　the　supply　carts　risked　fifty　kinds　of　mischief。　They　could　cause　no　trouble　left　behind。　Even　the　fellows　who　had　gotten　away　on　horseback　could　not　carry　a　warning　faster　than　he　could　Travel。
　　　　　　　Bashere　shrugged　faintly；　he　thought　it　might　be　so；　but　then　again　there　was　always　the　odd　chance。　Strange　things　happened　even　without　a　ta'veren　around。
　　　　　　　Weiramon　and　Anaiyella　opened　their　mouths　almost　together；　faces　set　in　protest；　but　Rand　pressed　on。　〃I've　spoken；　and　it's　done！　We'll　keep　the　woman；　though。　And　any　more　women　we　capture。〃
　　　　　　　〃Burn　my　soul；〃　Weiramon　exclaimed。　〃Why？〃　The　man　appeared　dumbfounded；　and　for　that　matter；　Bashere　gave　a　startled　jerk　of　his　head。　Anaiyella's　mouth　twisted　in　contempt　before　she　managed　to　turn　it　to　a　simpering　smile　for　the　Lord　Dragon。　Plainly；　she　thought　him　too　soft　to　send　a　woman　off　with　the　others。　They　would　have　hard　walking　in　this　terrain；　not　to　mention　short　rations。　And　the　weather　was　not　weather　to　turn　a　woman　out　in。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　enough　Aes　Sedai　against　me　without　sending　sul'dam　back　to　their　trade；〃　he　told　them。　The　Light　knew　that　was　true！　They　nodded；　if　Weiramon　was　slow　about　it；　Bashere　looked　relieved；　Anaiyella　disappointed。　But　what　to　do　with　the　woman；　and　any　more　he　captured？　He　did　not　intend　to　turn　the　Black　Tower　into　a　prison。　The　Aiel　could　hold　them。　Except　that　the　Wise　Ones　might　slit　their　throats　the　moment　his　back　was　turned。　What　about　the　sisters　that　Mat　was　taking　to　Caemlyn　with　Elayne；　though？　〃When　this　is　done；　I'll　hand　her　over　to　some　Aes　Sedai　I　choose。〃　They　might　see　it　as　a　gesture　of　goodwill；　a　little　honey　to　sweeten　their　having　to　accept　his　protection。
　　　　　　　No　sooner　were　the　words　out　of　his　mouth　than　Nerith's　face　went　dead　white　and　she　screamed　at　the　top　of　her　lungs。　Howling　without　cease；　she　flung　herself　down　the　slope；　scrabbling　over　downed　trees；　falling　and　scrambling　back　up。
　　　　　　　〃Bloody　…！　Catch　her！〃　Rand　snapped；　and　the　Saldaean　patrol　leaped　after　the　woman；　jumping　their　mounts　across　the　tree…littered　slope　careless　of　broken　legs　and　necks。　Still　wailing；　she　dodged　and　darted　among　the　horses　with　even　less　care。
　　　　　　　In　the　mouth　of　the　easternmost　pass；　a　gateway　opened　in　a　flash　of　silver　light。　A　black…coated　Soldier　pulled　his　horse　through；　jumped　to　the　saddle　as　the　gateway　winked　out　and　put　his　mount　to　a　gallop；　toward　the　hilltop　where　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　waited。　Rand　watched　impassively。　In　his　head；　Lews　Therin　snarled　of　killing；　killing　all　the　Asha'man　before　it　was　too　late。
　　　　　　　By　the　time　the　three　of　them　started　up　the　slope　toward　Rand；　four　of　the　Saldaeans　had　Nerith　down　on　the　ground；　binding　her　hand　and　foot。　It　took　four；　the　way　she　thrashed　and　bit　at　them；　and　an　amused　Bashere　was　offering　odds　on　whether　she　might　not　overe　them　instead。　Anaiyella　muttered　something　about　cracking　the　woman's　head。　Did　she　mean　cracking　it　open？　Rand　frowned　at　her。
　　　　　　　The　Soldier　between　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　glanced　at　Nerith　uneasily　as　they　rode　past。　Rand　vaguely　remembered　seeing　him　at　the　Black　Tower；　the　day　he　first　handed　out　the　silver　Swords；　and　gave　Taim　the　very　first　Dragon　pin。　He　was　a　young　man；　Varil　Nensen　by　name；　still　wearing　a　transparent　veil　to　cover　his　thick　mustaches。　He　had　not　hesitated　when　he　found　himself　facing　his　countrymen；　though。　Allegiance　was　to　the　Black　Tower　and　the　Dragon　Reborn；　now；　so　Taim　always　said。　The　second　part　of　that　always　sounded　an　afterthought。
　　　　　　　〃You　may　have　the　honor　of　making　your　report　to　the　Dragon　Reborn；　Soldier　Nensen；〃　Gedwyn　said。　Wryly。
　　　　　　　Nensen　sat　up　straight　in　his　saddle。　〃My　Lord　Dragon！〃　he　barked；　slapping　fist　to　chest。　〃There's　more　of　them　about　thirty　miles　west；　my　Lord　Dragon。〃　Thirty　miles　was　as　far　as　Rand　had　told　the　scouts　to　go　before　returning。　What　good　if　one　Soldier　found　Seanchan　while　the　rest　kept　moving　ever　farther　west？　〃Maybe　half　what　were　here；〃　Nensen　went　on。　〃And。。。　〃　His　dark　eyes　flickered　toward　Nerith　again。　She　was　tied；　now；　the　Saldaeans　struggling　to　get　her　over　a　horse。　〃And　I　saw　no　sign　of　women；　my　Lord　Dragon。〃
　　　　　　　Bashere　squinted　at　the　sky。　Dark　clouds　lay　in　a　blanket　from　mountain　peak　to　mountain　peak；　but　the　sun　should　still　be　high。　〃Time　to　feed　the　men　before　the　rest　return；〃　he　said；　noddin