rj.thepathofdaggers-第40节

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eemed　to　keep　a　very　short　leash。
　　　　　　　Nevarin　looked　back　over　her　shoulder　at　him；　another　of　those　dark　stares　he　had　been　getting　from　her　and　Edarra　since　sending　his　warning；　his　threat；　by　the　stubble…cheeked　fellow。　Perrin　exhaled　in　exasperation。　He　did　not　have　to　worry　about　his　pelt　unless　the　Wise　Ones　decided　they　wanted　it。　Too　many　personalities。　Too　many　goals。
　　　　　　　Maighdin　rode　at　Faile's　side；　seemingly　paying　no　attention　to　what　they　passed；　but　he　would　not　have　wagered　a　split　copper　on　it。　Her　eyes　had　widened　a　hair　at　sight　of　the　Mayener　sentries。　She　knew　what　red　breastplates　and　helmets　like　rimmed　pots　meant；　as　surely　as　she　had　recognized　an　Aes　Sedai　face。　Most　people　would　not　have　known　either；　especially　not　folk　dressed　as　she　was。　She　was　a　mystery；　this　Maighdin。　For　some　reason；　she　seemed　vaguely　familiar。
　　　　　　　Lini　and　Tallanvor　…　that　was　what　he　had　heard　Maighdin　call　the　fellow　who　had　ridden　after　her；　〃young〃　Tallanvor；　though　there　could　not　have　been　more　than　four　or　five　years　between　them　if　that　…　stayed　as　close　behind　Maighdin　as　possible；　with　Aram　in　the　way　trying　to　heel　Perrin。　So　did　a　little　stick　of　a　fellow　with　a　pursed　mouth；　called　Balwer；　who　seemed　to　pay　less　heed　to　their　surroundings　than　Maighdin　pretended。　Even　so；　Perrin　thought　Balwer　saw　more　than　she　did。　He　could　not　say　why；　precisely；　but　the　few　times　he　had　caught　the　bony　little　man's　scent；　he　had　been　minded　of　a　wolf　testing　the　air。　Strangely；　there　was　no　fear　in　Balwer；　only　quickly　suppressed　ridges　of　irritation　shot　through　with　the　quivery　smell　of　impatience。　The　remainder　of　Maighdin's　panions　trailed　along　well　back。　The　third　woman；　Breane；　was　whispering　fiercely　to　a　hulking　fellow　who　kept　his　eyes　down　and　sometimes　nodded　silently；　sometimes　shook　his　head。　A　shoulder…striker　and　street　tough　if　ever　there　was　one；　but　the　short　woman　had　an　edge　of　toughness　about　her；　too。　The　last　man　sheltered　behind　those　two；　a　stout　man　with　a　battered　straw　hat　pulled　low　to　hide　his　face。　On　him；　the　sword　the　men　all　wore　looked　as　strange　as　it　did　on　Balwer。
　　　　　　　The　third　part　of　the　camp；　spread　out　among　the　trees　just　around　the　curve　of　the　hill　from　the　Mayeners；　covered　as　much　ground　as　the　Winged　Guards'　though　it　held　far　fewer　people。　Here；　the　horses　were　picketed　well　away　from　the　cook　fires；　so　the　unblemished　smell　of　dinner　filled　the　air。　Roasting　goat；　this　time；　and　hard　turnips　the　farmers　probably　had　intended　to　feed　to　their　pigs　even　with　times　as　hard　as　they　were。　Close　on　to　three　hundred　Two　Rivers　men　who　had　followed　Perrin　away　from　home　were　tending　meat　on　spits；　mending　clothes；　checking　over　arrows　and　bows；　all　scattered　in　haphazard　clumps　of　five　or　six　friends　around　a　fire。　Nearly　every　one　of　them　waved　and　shouted　greetings；　though　there　was　too　much　of　〃Lord　Perrin〃　and　〃Perrin　Goldeneyes〃　to　suit　him。　Faile　had　a　right　to　the　titles　they　gave　her。
　　　　　　　Grady　and　Neald；　unsweating　in　their　night…black　coats；　did　not　cheer；　standing　beside　the　cook　fire　they　had　built　a　little　away　from　everyone　else；　they　merely　looked　at　him。　Expectant　looks；　he　thought。　Expecting　what？　That　was　the　question　he　always　asked　himself　about　them。　The　Asha'man　made　him　uneasy；　more　than　Aes　Sedai　or　Wise　Ones。　Women　channeling　the　Power　was　natural；　if　not　exactly　anything　a　man　could　be　fortable　around。　Plain…faced　Grady　appeared　a　farmer　despite　his　coat　and　sword；　and　Neald　a　popinjay　with　his　curled　mustaches；　yet　Perrin　could　not　forget　what　they　were；　what　they　had　done　at　Dumai's　Wells。　But　then；　he　had　been　there；　too。　The　Light　help　him；　he　had。　Pulling　his　hand　from　the　axe　at　his　belt；　he　dismounted。
　　　　　　　Servants；　men　and　women　from　Lord　Dobraine's　estates　in　Cairhien；　came　running　from　the　lines　where　the　horses　were　picketed；　to　take　their　mounts。　None　stood　taller　than　Perrin's　shoulder；　country…clad　folk；　forever　bowing　and　curtsying　obsequiously。　Faile　said　he　just　upset　them　when　he　tried　to　make　them　stop；　or　at　least　not　to　bob　around　him　so　often；　in　truth；　that　was　how　they　smelled　when　he　did；　and　they　always　went　back　to　bobbing　in　an　hour　or　two。　Others；　nearly　as　many　as　the　Two　Rivers　men；　were　working　with　the　horses　or　around　the　long　rows　of　high…wheeled　carts　that　hauled　all　their　supplies。　A　few　were　darting　in　and　out　of　a　large　red…and…white　tent。
　　　　　　　As　usual；　that　tent　made　Perrin　grunt　gloomily。　Berelain　had　a　larger　one　back　in　the　Mayener　part　of　the　camp；　plus　one　for　her　two　maids　and　another　for　the　pair　of　thief…catchers　she　had　insisted　on　bringing。　Annoura　had　a　tent　of　her　own；　and　Gallenne　as　well；　but　only　he　and　Faile　possessed　one　here。　For　himself；　he　would　have　slept　under　the　sky　like　the　other　men　from　home。　They　had　nothing　over　them　at　night　but　a　blanket。　There　was　certainly　no　fear　of　rain。　The　Cairhienin　servants　bedded　down　beneath　the　carts。　He　could　not　ask　Faile　to　do　that；　though；　not　when　Berelain　had　a　tent。　If　only　he　could　have　left　Berelain　in　Cairhien。　But　then　he　would　have　had　to　send　Faile　into　Bethal。
　　　　　　　A　pair　of　banners　on　tall；　fresh…cut　poles　in　the　middle　of　a　clear　space　near　the　tent　soured　his　mood　further。　The　breeze　had　picked　up　a　trifle；　though　it　was　still　too　warm；　he　thought　he　heard　that　thunder　again；　faint　in　the　west。　The　flags　unfolded　in　slow　waves；　collapsed　of　their　own　weight；　rippled　open　again。　His　crimson…bordered　Red　Wolfhead　and　the　Red　Eagle　of　long…dead　Manetheren；　out　in　the　open　again　despite　his　orders。　Perhaps　he　had　stopped　trying　to　hide；　after　a　fashion；　but　what　was　now　Ghealdan　had　been　part　of　Manetheren；　Alliandre　would　not　be　soothed　by　hearing　of　that　banner！　He　managed　a　pleasant　face　and　a　smile　for　the　stocky　little　woman　who　curtsied　deeply　and　took　Stepper　away；　but　it　was　a　near　thing。　Lords　were　supposed　to　be　obeyed；　and　if　he　was　supposed　to　be　a　lord；　well；　he　seemed　to　be　making　a　poor　job　of　it。
　　　　　　　Fists　on　her　hips；　Maighdin　stood　studying　those　rippling　flags　as　her　horse　was　taken　off　with　the　rest。　Surprisingly；　Breane　had　both　their　bundles；　held　awkwardly；　she　wore　a　petulant　scowl；　directed　at　the　other　woman。　〃I　have　heard　about　banners　like　those；〃　Maighdin　said　suddenly。　And　angrily；　there　was　no　anger　in　her　voice；　and　her　face　was　smooth　as　ice；　but　her　fury　filled　Perrin's　nose。　〃They　were　raised　by　men　in　Andor；　in　the　Two　Rivers；　who　rebelled　against　their　lawful　ruler。　Aybara　is　a　Two　Rivers　name；　I　think。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　don't　know　much　about　lawful　rulers　in　the　Two　Rivers；　Mistress　Maighdin；〃　he　growled。　He　was　going　to　skin　whoever　had　put　them　up　this　time。　If　stories　about　rebellion　had　spread　this　far。。。　He　faced　too　many　plications　already　without　adding　more。　〃I　suppose　Morgase　was　a　good　queen；　but　we　had　to　fend　for　ourselves；　and　we　did。〃　Abruptly　he　knew　who　she　minded　him　of。　Elayne。　Not　that　it　meant　anything；　he　had　seen　men　a　thousand　miles　from　the　Two　Rivers　who　could　have　belonged　to　families　he　knew　back　home。　Still；　she　had　to　have　some　reason　for　anger。　Her　accent　could　be　Andoran。　〃Things　aren't　as　bad　in　Andor　as　you　might　have　heard；〃　he　told　her。　〃Caemlyn　was　quiet；　last　I　was　there；　and　Rand　…　the　Dragon　Reborn　…　means　to　put　Morgase's　daughter　Elayne　on　the　Lion　Throne。〃
　　　　　　　Far　from　being　mollified；　Maighdin　rounded　on　him；　blue　eyes　blazing。　〃He　intends　to　put　her　on　the　throne？　No　man　puts　a　queen　on　the　Lion　Throne！　Elayne　will　claim　the　throne　of　Andor　by　her　right！〃
　　　　　　　Scratching　his　head；　Perrin　wished　Faile　would　stop　watching　the　woman　so　calmly　and　say　something。　But　all　she　did　was　tuck　her　riding　gloves　behind　her　belt。　Before　he　could　think　of　what　to　say；　Lini　darted　in；　seizing　Maighdin's　arm　and　giving　her　a　shake　fit　to　rattle　her　teeth。
　　　　　　　〃You　apologize！〃　the　old　woman　barked。　〃This　man　saved　your　life；　Maighdin；　and　you　forget　yourself；　a　simple　country　woman　speaking　so　to　a　lord！　Remember　who　you　are；　and　don't　let　your　tongue　land　you　in　hotter　water！　If　this　young　lord　was　at　odds　with　Morgase；　well；　everyone　knows　she's　dead；　and　it's　none　of　your　affair　in　any　event！　Now　apologize　before　he　grows　angry！〃
　　　　　　　Maighdin　stared　at　Lini；　her　mouth　working；　even　more　startled　than　Perrin。　Again　she　surprised　him；　though。　Instead　of　erupting　at　the　white…haired　woman；　she　slowly　drew　herself　up；　shoulders　squared；　and　looked　him　in　the　eye。　〃Lini　is　entirely　right。　I　have　no　right　to　speak　to　you　so；　Lord　Aybara。　I　apologize。　Humbly。　And　I　ask　your　pardon。〃　Humble？　Her　jaw　was　stubborn；　her　tone　proud　enough　for　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　her　scent　said　she　was　ready　to　chew　a　hole　in　something。
　　　　　　　〃You　have　it；〃　Perrin　said　hastily。　Which　did　not　seem　to　placate　her　one　bit。　She　smiled；　and　maybe　she　intended　gratitude；　but　he　could　hear　her　teeth　grinding。　Were　women　all　crazy？
　　　　　　　〃They　are　hot　and　dirty；　husband；〃　Faile　said；　putting　a　hand　in　at　last；　〃and　the　last　few　hours　have　been　trying　for　them；　I　know。　Aram　can　show　the　men　where　to　clean　themselves。　I　will　take　the　women　with　me。　I'll　have　damp　cloths　brought　to　wash　your　hands　and　faces；〃　she　told　Maighdin　and　Lini。　Gathering　up　Breane　with　a　gesture；　she　began　herd