rj.thepathofdaggers-第94部分

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　below；　a　rolling　wooded　valley　over　a　league　in　length　and　nearly　as　wide。　All　was　still　down　there。　As　quiet　as　the　Void　he　floated　in。　Quiet　for　the　moment；　anyway。　Here　and　there　plumes　of　smoke　rose　from　where　two　or　three　trees　in　a　clump　burned　like　torches。　Only　the　general　wet　stopped　them　turning　the　valley　into　a　conflagration。
　　　　　　　Flinn　and　Dashiva　were　the　only　Asha'man　still　with　him。　All　the　rest　were　down　in　the　valley。　The　pair　stood　a　little　way　from　him　at　the　edge　of　the　trees；　holding　their　horses　by　the　reins　and　staring　at　the　forest　below。　Well；　Flinn　stared；　as　intently　as　Rand　himself。　Dashiva　glanced　occasionally；　twisting　his　mouth；　sometimes　muttering　to　himself　in　a　way　that　made　Flinn　shift　his　feet　and　eye　him　sideways。　The　Power　filled　both　men；　nearly　to　overflowing；　but　for　a　change；　Lews　Therin　said　nothing。　The　man　seemed　increasingly　to　have　gone　back　into　hiding　over　the　last　few　days。
　　　　　　　In　the　sky　there　was　actually　sunlight；　and　the　scattered　clouds　were　gray。　It　was　five　days　since　Rand　had　brought　his　small　army　to　Altara；　five　days　since　he　had　seen　his　first　Seanchan　dead。　He　had　seen　quite　a　few　since。　Thought　slid　across　the　surface　of　the　Void。　He　could　feel　the　heron　branded　into　his　palm　pressing　against　the　Dragon　Scepter　through　his　glove。　Silent。　There　were　none　of　the　flying　creatures　to　be　seen。　Three　of　those　had　died；　slashed　from　the　sky　by　lightning；　before　their　riders　learned　to　stay　clear。　Bashere　was　fascinated　by　the　creatures。　Quiet。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　it　is　finished；　my　Lord　Dragon。〃　Ailil's　voice　was　calm　and　cool；　but　she　patted　her　mare's　neck；　though　the　animal　did　not　need　soothing。　She　eyed　Flinn　and　Dashiva　sideways　and　straightened；　unwilling　to　reveal　a　shred　of　unease　in　front　of　them。
　　　　　　　Rand　found　himself　humming　and　stopped　abruptly。　That　was　Lews　Therin's　habit；　looking　at　a　pretty　woman；　not　his。　Not　his！　Light；　if　he　started　taking　on　the　fellow's　mannerisms；　and　when　he　was　not　there；　at　that。。。！
　　　　　　　Abruptly；　hollow　thunder　boomed　up　the　valley。　Fire　fountained　out　of　the　trees　a　good　two　miles　away　or　more；　then　again；　and　again；　again。　Lightning　streaked　down　into　the　forest　not　far　from　where　the　tall　flames　had　bloomed；　single　slashes　like　jagged　blue…white　lances。　A　flurry　of　lightning　bolts　and　fire；　and　all　was　still　again。　No　trees　had　caught　fire；　this　time。
　　　　　　　Some　of　that　had　been　saidin。　Some　of　it。
　　　　　　　Shouts　rose；　dim　and　distant；　from　another　part　of　the　valley；　he　thought。　Too　far　for　even　his　saidin…enhanced　ears　to　hear　the　crash　of　steel。　Despite　everything；　not　all　of　the　fighting　was　being　done　by　Asha'man　and　Dedicated　and　Soldiers。
　　　　　　　Anaiyella　let　out　a　long　breath　she　must　have　been　holding　since　the　exchange　with　the　Power　began。　Men　fighting　with　steel　did　not　disturb　her。　Then　she　patted　her　mount's　neck。　The　gelding　had　only　flickered　an　ear。　Rand　had　noticed　that　about　women。　Quite　often；　when　a　woman　was　agitated；　she　tried　to　soothe　others　whether　they　required　soothing　or　not。　A　horse　would　do。　Where　was　Lews　Therin？
　　　　　　　Irritably　he　leaned　forward　to　study　the　forest　canopy　again。　A　good　many　of　those　trees　were　evergreens　…　oak　and　pine　and　leatherleaf　…　and　despite　the　late　drought；　they　made　an　effective　screen；　even　to　his　intensified　vision。　As　if　idly；　he　touched　the　narrow　bundle　under　his　stirrup　leather。　He　could　take　a　hand。　And　strike　blindly。　He　could　ride　down　into　the　woods。　And　be　able　to　see　ten　paces　at　most。　Down　there；　he　would　be　little　more　effective　than　one　of　the　Soldiers。
　　　　　　　A　gateway　opened　among　the　trees　a　little　way　along　the　ridge；　silvery　slash　widening　into　a　hole　that　showed　different　trees　and　thick　winter　brown　underbrush。　A　copper…skinned　Soldier　with　a　thin　mustache　on　his　upper　lip　and　a　small　pearl　in　his　ear　exited　afoot　and　let　the　gateway　vanish。　He　was　shoving　a　sul'dam　ahead　of　him　with　her　wrists　tied　behind　her；　a　handsome　woman　except　for　the　purple　knot　on　the　side　of　her　head。　That　seemed　to　go　along　with　her　scowl；　though；　as　well　as　it　did　with　her　rumpled；　leaf…stained　dress。　She　sneered　over　her　shoulder　at　the　Soldier　while　he　pushed　her　along　the　ridgetop　to　Rand；　and　then　she　sneered　up　at　Rand。
　　　　　　　The　Soldier　stiffened；　saluting　smartly。　〃Soldier　Arlen　Nalaam；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　he　barked；　staring　straight　at　Rand's　saddle。　〃My　Lord　Dragon's　orders　were　to　bring　any　women　captured　to　him。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　nodded。　It　was　only　to　give　him　the　appearance　of　doing　something；　inspecting　prisoners　to　be　sure　they　were　what　any　idiot　could　see　they　were。　〃Take　her　back　to　the　carts；　Soldier　Nalaam；　then　return　to　the　fighting。〃　He　almost　ground　his　teeth　saying　that。　Return　to　the　fighting。　While　Rand　al'Thor；　Dragon　Reborn　and　King　of　Illian；　sat　his　horse　and　watched　treetops！
　　　　　　　Nalaam　saluted　again　before　pushing　away　the　woman　ahead　of　him；　but　he　was　not　slow　about　it。　She　kept　peering　over　her　shoulder　again；　yet　not　at　the　Soldier　this　time。　At　Rand。　With　wide…eyed；　openmouthed　astonishment。　For　some　reason；　Nalaam　did　not　pull　her　to　a　halt　until　he　reached　the　spot　where　he　had　e　out。　All　that　was　necessary　was　to　go　far　enough　to　avoid　injuring　the　horses。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Rand　demanded　as　saidin　filled　the　man。
　　　　　　　Nalaam　half　turned　back　to　him；　hesitating　briefly。　〃It　seems　easier；　here；　if　I　use　a　place　I've　already　made　a　gateway；　my　Lord　Dragon。　Saidin。。。　Saidin　feels。。。　strange。。。　to　me　here。〃　His　prisoner　turned　to　frown　at　him。
　　　　　　　After　a　moment；　Rand　gestured　him　to　go　ahead。　Flinn　pretended　to　be　interested　in　his　horse's　saddle　girth；　but　the　balding　old　man　smiled　faintly。　Smugly。　Dashiva。。。　giggled。　Flinn　had　been　the　first　to　mention　an　odd　feel　to　saidin　in　this　valley。　Of　course；　Narishma　and　Hopwil　had　heard　him；　and　Morr　added　his　tales　of　the　〃strangeness〃　around　Ebou　Dar。　Small　wonder　everyone　was　claiming　to　feel　something　now；　though　not　a　one　could　say　what。　Saidin　just　felt。。。　peculiar。　Light；　with　the　taint　thick　on　the　male　half　of　the　Source；　what　else　would　it　feel？　Rand　hoped　they　were　not　all　ing　down　with　his　new　sickness。
　　　　　　　Nalaam's　gateway　opened；　and　vanished　behind　him　and　his　prisoner。　Rand　let　himself　really　feel　saidin。　Life　and　corruption　mingled；　ice　to　make　winter's　heart　seem　warm；　and　fire　to　make　a　forge's　flames　cold；　death；　waiting　for　him　to　slip。　Wanting　him　to　slip。　It　did　not　feel　any　different。　Did　it？　He　scowled　at　where　Nalaam　had　disappeared。　Nalaam　and　the　woman。
　　　　　　　She　was　the　fourth　sul'dam　taken　this　afternoon。　That　made　twenty…three　sul'dam　prisoners　with　the　carts。　And　two　damane；　each　still　in　her　silvery　leash　and　collar；　carried　on　separate　carts；　in　those　collars；　they　could　not　walk　three　steps　before　being　more　violently　sick　than　Rand　did　seizing　the　Source。　He　was　not　sure　the　sisters　with　Mat　would　be　pleased　to　receive　them　after　all。　The　first　damane；　three　days　before；　he　had　not　thought　of　as　a　prisoner。　A　slender　woman　with　pale　yellow　hair　and　big　blue　eyes；　she　was　a　Seanchan　captive　to　be　freed。　He　thought。　But　when　he　forced　a　sul'dam　to　remove　the　woman's　collar；　her　a'dam；　she　screamed　for　the　sul'dam　to　help　her　and　immediately　began　lashing　out　with　the　Power。　She　had　even　offered　her　neck　for　the　sul'dam　to　replace　the　thing！　Nine　Defenders　and　a　Soldier　died　before　she　could　be　shielded。　Gedwyn　would　have　killed　her　on　the　spot　had　Rand　not　stopped　it。　The　Defenders；　nearly　as　unfortable　around　women　who　could　channel　as　others　were　around　men　who　could　…　the　Defenders　still　wanted　her　dead。　They　had　taken　casualties　in　the　fighting　these　past　days；　but　having　men　killed　by　a　prisoner　seemed　to　offend　them。
　　　　　　　There　had　been　more　casualties　than　Rand　had　expected。　Thirty…one　Defenders　dead；　and　forty…six　panions。　More　than　two　hundred　among　the　Legionmen　and　the　noble's　armsmen。　Seven　Soldiers　and　a　Dedicated；　men　Rand　had　never　met　before　they　answered　his　summons　to　Illian。　Too　many；　considering　that　all　except　the　gravest　injury　could　be　Healed；　if　a　man　could　only　hang　on　until　there　was　time。　But　he　was　driving　the　Seanchan　west。　Driving　them　hard。
　　　　　　　More　shouting　rose　somewhere　far　off　down　in　the　valley。　Fire　blossomed　a　good　three　miles　to　the　west；　and　lightning　struck；　toppling　trees。　Trees　and　stone　erupted　from　a　mountainside　farther　on；　strange　fountains　marching　along　the　slope。　The　roaring　booms　swallowed　shouts。　The　Seanchan　were　retreating。
　　　　　　　〃Get　down　there；〃　Rand　told　Flinn　and　Dashiva。　〃Both　of　you。　Find　Gedwyn　and　tell　him　I　said　push！　Push！〃
　　　　　　　Dashiva　grimaced　at　the　forest　below；　then　began　awkwardly　tugging　his　horse　along　the　ridge。　The　man　was　ungainly　with　horses；　riding　or　leading。　He　nearly　tripped　over　his　sword！
　　　　　　　Flinn　looked　up　at　Rand　worriedly。　〃You　mean　to　stay　here　alone；　my　Lord　Dragon？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　hardly　alone；〃　Rand　said　dryly；　glancing　at　Ailil　and　Anaiyella。　They　had　ridden　back　to　their　armsmen；　almost　two　hundred　lancers　waiting　just　short　of　where　the　ridge　began　to　slope　down　to　the　east。　At　their　head；　Denharad　frowned　through　the　face…bars　of　his　helmet。　He　had　mand　of　both　lots；　now；　and　if　his　concern　was　for　Ailil　and　Anaiyella；　his　fellows　still　made　a　show　fit　to　keep　away　most　attackers。　Besides；　Weiramon　had　the　northern　end　of　this　ridge　secured　so　a　fly　could　not　pass；　he　claimed；　and　Bashere　held　the　south。　Without　boasting；　Bashere　just　erected　a　wall　of　lances　without　talking　about　it。　And　the　Seanchan　were　retreating。　〃And　I'm　hardly　helpless；　anyway；　Flinn。〃
　　　　　　　Flinn　actually　looked　doubtful　and　scratched　his　fringe　of　white　hair　before　saluting　and　leading　his　horse　toward　where　Dashiva's　gateway　was　already　winking　out。　Limping　along；　Flinn　shook　his　head；　muttering　to　himself　fit　for　Dashiva。　Rand　wanted　to　snarl。　He　could　not　go　mad；　and　neither　could　they。
　　　　　　　Flinn's　gateway　vanished；　and　Rand　returned　to　his　study　of　the　treetops。　It　was　quiet　again。　Time　stretched　in　stillness。　This　notion　of　taking　the　outposts　in　the　mountains　had　been　a　bad　one；　he　was　willing　to　admit　that；　now。　In　this　terrain；　you　could　be　half　a　mile　from　an　army　without　knowing。　In　those　tangled　woods　down　there；　you　could　b