rj.eyeoftheworld-第31节

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　　　　　　　The　two　Coplins　took　a　step　back；　and　Cenn　Buie　edged　away　from　them。　Bili　Congar　dived　into　the　crowd。　〃Not　that；〃　Darl　said　quickly。　〃We　never　said　that；　Bran　。。。　ah；　Mayor。　〃
　　　　　　　Bran　nodded。　〃Then　perhaps　I　heard　you　threatening　to　harm　guests　in　my　inn？〃
　　　　　　　〃She's　an　Aes　Sedai；〃　Hari　began　angrily；　but　his　words　cut　off　as　Haral　Luhhan　moved。
　　　　　　　The　blacksmith　simply　stretched；　thrusting　thick　arms　over　his　head；　tightening　massive　fists　until　his　knuckles　cracked；　but　Hari　looked　at　the　burly　man　as　if　one　of　those　fists　had　been　shaken　under　his　nose。　Haral　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest。　〃Your　pardon；　Hari。　I　did　not　mean　to　cut　you　off。　You　were　saying？〃
　　　　　　　But　Hari；　shoulders　hunched　as　though　he　were　trying　to　draw　into　himself　and　disappear；　seemed　to　have　nothing　more　to　say。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　surprised　at　you　people；〃　Bran　rumbled。　〃Paet　al'Caar；　your　boy's　leg　was　broken　last　night；　but　I　saw　him　walking　on　it　today　…　because　of　her。　Eward　Candwin；　you　were　lying　on　your　belly　with　a　gash　down　your　back　like　a　fish　for　cleaning；　till　she　laid　hands　on　you。　Now　it　looks　as　if　it　happened　a　month　ago；　and　unless　I　misdoubt　there'll　barely　be　a　scar。　And　you；　Cenn。〃　The　thatcher　started　to　fade　back　into　the　crowd；　but　stopped；　held　unfortably　by　Bran's　gaze。　〃I'd　be　shocked　to　see　any　man　on　the　Village　Council　here；　Cenn；　but　you　most　of　all。　Your　arm　would　still　be　hanging　useless　at　your　side；　a　mass　of　burns　and　bruises；　if　not　for　her。　If　you　have　no　gratitude；　have　you　no　shame？〃
　　　　　　　Cenn　half　lifted　his　right　hand；　then　looked　away　from　it　angrily。　〃I　cannot　deny　what　she　did；〃　he　muttered；　and　he　did　sound　ashamed。　〃She　helped　me；　and　others；〃　he　went　on　in　a　pleading　tone；　〃but　she's　an　Aes　Sedai；　Bran。　If　those　Trollocs　didn't　e　because　of　her；　why　did　they　e？　We　want　no　part　of　Aes　Sedai　in　the　Two　Rivers。　Let　them　keep　their　troubles　away　from　us。〃
　　　　　　　A　few　men；　safely　back　in　the　crowd；　shouted　then。　〃We　want　no　Aes　Sedai　troubles！〃　〃Send　her　away！〃　〃Drive　her　out！〃　〃Why　did　they　e　if　not　because　of　her？〃
　　　　　　　A　scowl　grew　on　Bran's　face；　but　before　he　could　speak　Moiraine　suddenly　whirled　her　vine…carved　staff　above　her　head；　spinning　it　with　both　hands。　Rand's　gasp　echoed　that　of　the　villagers；　for　a　hissing　white　flame　flared　from　each　end　of　the　staff；　standing　straight　out　like　spearpoints　despite　the　rod's　whirling。　Even　Bran　and　Haral　edged　away　from　her。　She　snapped　her　arms　down　straight　out　before　her；　the　staff　parallel　to　the　ground；　but　the　pale　fire　still　jetted　out；　brighter　than　the　torches。　Men　shied　away；　held　up　hands　to　shield　their　eyes　from　the　pain　of　that　brilliance。
　　　　　　　〃Is　this　what　Aemon's　blood　has　e　to？〃　The　Aes　Sedai's　voice　was　not　loud；　but　it　overwhelmed　every　other　sound。　〃Little　people　squabbling　for　the　right　to　hide　like　rabbits？　You　have　forgotten　who　you　were；　forgotten　what　you　were；　but　I　had　hoped　some　small　part　was　left；　some　memory　in　blood　and　bone。　Some　shred　to　steel　you　for　the　long　night　ing。〃
　　　　　　　No　one　spoke。　The　two　Coplins　looked　as　if　they　never　wanted　to　open　their　mouths　again。
　　　　　　　Bran　said；　〃Forgotten　who　we　were？　We　are　who　we　always　have　been。　Honest　farmers　and　shepherds　and　craftsmen。　Two　Rivers　folk。　〃
　　　　　　　〃To　the　south；〃　Moiraine　said；　〃lies　the　river　you　call　the　White　River；　but　far　to　the　east　of　here　men　call　it　still　by　its　rightful　name。　Manetherendrelle。　In　the　Old　Tongue；　Waters　of　the　Mountain　Home。　Sparkling　waters　that　once　coursed　through　a　land　of　bravery　and　beauty。　Two　thousand　years　ago　Manetherendrelle　flowed　by　the　walls　of　a　mountain　city　so　lovely　to　behold　that　Ogier　stonemasons　came　to　stare　in　wonder。　Farms　and　villages　covered　this　region；　and　that　you　call　the　Forest　of　Shadows；　as　well；　and　beyond。　But　all　of　those　folk　thought　of　themselves　as　the　people　of　the　Mountain　Home；　the　people　of　Manetheren。
　　　　　　　〃Their　King　was　Aemon　al　Caar　al　Thorin；　Aemon　son　of　Caar　son　of　Thorin；　and　Eldrene　ay　Ellan　ay　Carlan　was　his　Queen。　Aemon；　a　man　so　fearless　that　the　greatest　pliment　for　courage　any　could　give；　even　among　his　enemies；　was　to　say　a　man　had　Aemon's　heart。　Eldrene；　so　beautiful　that　it　was　said　the　flowers　bloomed　to　make　her　smile。　Bravery　and　beauty　and　wisdom　and　a　love　that　death　could　not　sunder。　Weep；　if　you　have　a　heart；　for　the　loss　of　them；　for　the　loss　of　even　their　memory。　Weep；　for　the　loss　of　their　blood。〃
　　　　　　　She　fell　silent　then；　but　no　one　spoke。　Rand　was　as　bound　as　the　others　in　the　spell　she　had　created。　When　she　spoke　again；　he　drank　it　in；　and　so　did　the　rest。
　　　　　　　〃For　nearly　two　centuries　the　Trolloc　Wars　had　ravaged　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　world；　and　wherever　battles　raged；　the　Red　Eagle　banner　of　Manetheren　was　in　the　forefront。　The　men　of　Manetheren　were　a　thorn　to　the　Dark　One's　foot　and　a　bramble　to　his　hand。　Sing　of　Manetheren；　that　would　never　bend　knee　to　the　Shadow。　Sing　of　Manetheren；　the　sword　that　could　not　be　broken。
　　　　　　　〃They　were　far　away；　the　men　of　Manetheren；　on　the　Field　of　Bekkar；　called　the　Field　of　Blood；　when　news　came　that　a　Trolloc　army　was　moving　against　their　home。　Too　far　to　do　else　but　wait　to　hear　of　their　land's　death；　for　the　forces　of　the　Dark　One　meant　to　make　an　end　of　them。　Kill　the　mighty　oak　by　hacking　away　its　roots。　Too　far　to　do　else　but　mourn。　But　they　were　the　men　of　the　Mountain　Home。
　　　　　　　〃Without　hesitation；　without　thought　for　the　distance　they　must　travel；　they　marched　from　the　very　field　of　victory；　still　covered　in　dust　and　sweat　and　blood。　Day　and　night　they　marched；　for　they　had　seen　the　horror　a　Trolloc　army　left　behind　it；　and　no　man　of　them　could　sleep　while　such　a　danger　threatened　Manetheren。　They　moved　as　if　their　feet　had　wings；　marching　further　and　faster　than　friends　hoped　or　enemies　feared　they　could。　At　any　other　day　that　march　alone　would　have　inspired　songs。　When　the　Dark　One's　armies　swooped　down　upon　the　lands　of　Manetheren；　the　men　of　the　Mountain　Home　stood　before　it；　with　their　backs　to　the　Tarendrelle。〃
　　　　　　　Some　villager　raised　a　small　cheer　then；　but　Moiraine　kept　on　as　if　she　had　not　heard。　〃The　host　that　faced　the　men　of　Manetheren　was　enough　to　daunt　the　bravest　heart。　Ravens　blackened　the　sky；　Trollocs　blackened　the　land。　Trollocs　and　their　human　allies。　Trollocs　and　Darkfriends　in　tens　of　tens　of　thousands；　and　Dreadlords　to　mand。　At　night　their　cookfires　outnumbered　the　stars；　and　dawn　revealed　the　banner　of　Ba'alzamon　at　their　head。　Ba'alzamon；　Heart　of　the　Dark。　An　ancient　name　for　the　Father　of　Lies。　The　Dark　One　could　not　have　been　free　of　his　prison　at　Shayol　Ghul；　for　if　he　had　been；　not　all　the　forces　of　humankind　together　could　have　stood　against　him；　but　there　was　power　there。　Dreadlords；　and　some　evil　that　made　that　light…destroying　banner　seem　no　more　than　right　and　sent　a　chill　into　the　souls　of　the　men　who　faced　it。
　　　　　　　〃Yet；　they　knew　what　they　must　do。　Their　homeland　lay　just　across　the　river。　They　must　keep　that　host；　and　the　power　with　it；　from　the　Mountain　Home。　Aemon　had　sent　out　messengers。　Aid　was　promised　if　they　could　hold　for　but　three　days　at　the　Tarendrelle。　Hold　for　three　days　against　odds　that　should　overwhelm　them　in　the　first　hour。　Yet　somehow；　through　bloody　assault　and　desperate　defense；　they　held　through　an　hour；　and　the　second　hour；　and　the　third。　For　three　days　they　fought；　and　though　the　land　became　a　butcher's　yard；　no　crossing　of　the　Tarendrelle　did　they　yield。　By　the　third　night　no　help　had　e；　and　no　messengers；　and　they　fought　on　alone。　For　six　days。　For　nine。　And　on　the　tenth　day　Aemon　knew　the　bitter　taste　of　betrayal。　No　help　was　ing；　and　they　could　hold　the　river　crossings　no　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　did　they　do？〃　Hari　demanded。　Torchfires　flickered　in　the　chill　night　breeze；　but　no　one　made　a　move　to　draw　a　cloak　tighter。
　　　　　　　〃Aemon　crossed　the　Tarendrelle；〃　Moiraine　told　them；　〃destroying　the　bridges　behind　him。　And　he　sent　word　throughout　his　land　for　the　people　to　flee；　for　he　knew　the　powers　with　the　Trolloc　horde　would　find　a　way　to　bring　it　across　the　river。　Even　as　the　word　went　out；　the　Trolloc　crossing　began；　and　the　soldiers　of　Manetheren　took　up　the　fight　again；　to　buy　with　their　lives　what　hours　they　could　for　their　people　to　escape。　From　the　city　of　Manetheren；　Eldrene　organized　the　flight　of　her　people　into　the　deepest　forests　and　the　fastness　of　the　mountains。
　　　　　　　〃But　some　did　not　flee。　First　in　a　trickle；　then　a　river；　then　a　flood；　men　went；　not　to　safety；　but　to　join　the　army　fighting　for　their　land。　Shepherds　with　bows；　and　farmers　with　pitchforks；　and　woodsmen　with　axes。　Women　went；　too；　shouldering　what　weapons　they　could　find　and　marching　side　by　side　with　their　men。　No　one　made　that　journey　who　did　not　know　they　would　never　return。　But　it　was　their　land。　It　had　been　their　fathers'；　and　it　would　be　their　children's；　and　they　went　to　pay　the　price　of　it。　Not　a　step　of　ground　was　given　up　until　it　was　soaked　in　blood；　but　at　the　last　the　army　of　Manetheren　was　driven　back；　back　to　here；　to　this　place　you　now　call　Emond's　Field。　And　here　the　Trolloc　hordes　surrounded　them。〃
　　　　　　　Her　voice　held　the　sound　of　cold　tears。　〃Trolloc　dead　and　the　corpses　of　human　renegades　pi