rj.acrownofswords-第117节

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　not　quite　look　at　Karldin。
　　　〃You　don't　mean　that；　Perrin。〃　Loial　sounded　shocked；　he　seemed　to　trust　everyone。　〃You　cannot。　e　with　me；　you　and　Faile。〃
　　　〃We'll　meet　again；　one　day；〃　Perrin　told　him　gently；　and　hurried　past　before　he　had　to　say　more。　He　did　not　like　lying；　especially　not　to　a　friend。
　　　In　the　north　stable　things　were　much　the　same　as　inside　the　palace。　Grooms　saw　him　walk　in；　and　dropped　dung　forks　and　curry　bs；　crowding　out　through　small　doors　at　the　back。　Rustles　in　the　loft　high　above　that　might　have　escaped　another's　ears　told　of　folk　hiding　there；　he　could　hear　anxious；　fearful　breaths。　He　brought　Stepper　out　of　a　green…streaked　marble　stall；　slipped　on　his　bridle　and　tied　the　dun　stallion　to　a　gilded　hitching　ring。　He　went　to　fetch　blanket　and　saddle　from　a　marble　tack　room　where　half　the　saddles　were　mounted　with　silver　or　gold。　The　stable　fit　very　well　in　a　palace；　with　tall　square　marble　columns　and　a　marble　floor；　even　under　the　straw　in　the　stalls。　He　rode　out　glad　to　see　the　back　of　grandeur。
　　　North　of　the　city　he　followed　the　road　he　had　e　down　so　desperately　with　Rand　just　a　few　days　before；　rode　until　folds　in　the　land　hid　Cairhien。　Then　he　turned　off　to　the　east；　where　a　fair　patch　of　forest　remained；　running　down　one　tall　hill　and　over　the　next；　taller　one。　Just　inside　the　trees；　Faile　booted　Swallow　to　meet　him；　Aram　heeling　her　like　a　hound　on　his　own　horse。　Aram's　face　brightened　at　the　sight　of　him；　though　that　was　not　saying　much；　he　merely　divided　his　faithful　hound　looks　between　him　and　Faile。
　　　〃Husband；〃　she　said。　Not　too　coolly；　but　razor…sharp　anger　and　spiky　jealousy　still　threaded　through　the　clean　scent　of　her　and　her　herbal　soap。　She　was　garbed　for　travel；　with　a　thin　dust…cloak　hanging　down　her　back　and　red　gloves　that　matched　the　boots　peeking　out　beneath　the　dark　narrow　riding　skirts　she　favored。　No　fewer　than　four　sheathed　daggers　were　tucked　behind　her　belt。
　　　Movement　behind　her　turned　into　Bain　and　Chiad。　And　Sulin；　with　a　dozen　more　Maidens。　Perrin's　eyebrows　rose。　He　wondered　what　Gaul　thought　of　that；　the　Aielman　had　said　he　was　looking　forward　to　getting　Bain　and　Chiad　alone。　Even　more　surprising　were　Faile's　other　panions。
　　　〃What　are　they　doing　here？〃　He　nodded　toward　a　small　cluster　who　held　their　horses　back。　He　recognized　Selande　and　Camaille　and　the　tall　Tairen　woman；　all　still　in　men's　clothes　and　wearing　swords。　The　blocky　fellow　in　a　fat…sleeved　coat　who　had　kept　his　beard　oiled　and　trimmed　to　a　point　despite　wearing　his　hair　tied　back　with　a　ribbon　also　looked　familiar。　The　other　two　men；　both　Cairhienin；　he　did　not　know；　but　he　could　guess；　by　their　youth　and　the　ribbon　tying　their　hair　if　nothing　else；　that　they　were　part　of　Selande's　〃society。〃
　　　〃I　took　Selande　and　a　few　of　her　friends　into　my　service。〃　Faile　spoke　lightly；　but　suddenly　she　gave　off　foggy　waves　of　caution。　〃They　would　have　gotten　themselves　into　trouble　in　the　city；　sooner　or　later。　They　need　someone　to　give　them　direction。　Think　of　them　as　charity。　I　won't　let　them　get　under　your　feet。〃
　　　Perrin　sighed　and　scratched　his　beard。　A　wise　man　did　not　tell　his　wife　to　her　face　that　she　was　hiding　things。　Especially　when　that　wife　was　Faile；　she　was　going　to　be　as　formidable　as　her　mother。　If　she　was　not　already。　Under　his　feet？　How　many　of　these。。。　puppies。。。　had　she　taken　on？　〃Is　everything　ready？　Pretty　soon　some　idiot　back　there　will　decide　he　can　curry　favor　by　bringing　Rand　my　head。　I'd　like　to　be　gone　before　that。〃　Aram　growled　in　his　throat。
　　　〃No　one　is　going　to　take　your　head；　husband。〃　Faile　showed　white　teeth；　and　went　on　in　a　whisper　she　knew　he　would　catch。　〃Except　perhaps　me。〃　In　a　normal　voice；　she　said；　〃All　is　ready。〃
　　　In　a　clear；　fairly　flat　hollow　beyond　the　trees；　the　Two　Rivers　men　stood　beside　their　horses；　a　column　of　twos　that　wound　out　of　sight　around　the　side　of　the　hill。　Perrin　sighed　again。　The　red　wolfhead　banner　and　the　Red　Eagle　of　Manetheren　stirred　slightly　in　a　hot　breeze　at　the　head　of　the　column。　Maybe　another　dozen　Maidens　squatted　on　their　heels　near　the　banners；　on　the　other　side；　Gaul　wore　as　close　to　a　sullen　expression　as　Perrin　had　ever　seen　on　an　Aiel。
　　　As　he　dismounted；　two　black…coated　men　came　to　him；　saluting　with　fist　pressed　to　heart。　〃Lord　Perrin；〃　Jur　Grady　said。　〃We've　been　here　since　last　night。　We　are　ready。〃
　　　Grady's　weathered　farmer's　face　made　Perrin　almost　fortable　with　him；　but　Fager　Neald　was　another　matter。　Maybe　ten　years　younger　than　Grady；　he　might　have　been　a　farmer　too　for　all　Perrin　knew；　but　he　affected　airs　and　graces；　and　wore　his　pitiful　mustache　waxed　to　a　semblance　of　points。　Where　Grady　was　one　of　the　Dedicated；　he　was　a　Soldier；　without　the　silver　sword　pinned　to　his　collar；　but　that　did　not　hold　him　back　from　speaking。　〃Lord　Perrin；　is　it　really　necessary　to　take　those　women　with　us？　They'll　be　nothing　but　trouble；　they　will；　the　whole　lot　of　them；　and　you　know　it　well。〃
　　　Some　of　the　women　he　was　talking　about　stood　not　far　from　the　Two　Rivers　men；　shawls　looped　over　their　arms。　Edarra　appeared　the　eldest　of　the　six　Wise　Ones　impassively　watching　the　two　women　Neald　had　nodded　to。　In　truth；　that　pair　worried　Perrin　as　well。　Seonid　Traighan；　all　coolness　and　reserve　in　green　silk；　had　been　haughtily　trying　to　ignore　the　Aiel　women　…　most　Cairhienin　who　were　not　pretending　to　be　Aiel　despised　them　…　but　when　she　saw　Perrin；　she　shifted　her　bay's　reins　to　the　other　hand　and　gave　Masuri　Sokawa　a　nudge　in　the　ribs。　Masuri　started　…　Browns　seemed　to　go　off　in　daydreams　fairly　often　…　stared　at　the　Green　sister　blankly；　then　directed　her　stare　at　Perrin。　This　one　was　more　the　sort　she　might　have　given　some　peculiar　and　perhaps　dangerous　animal；　one　she　intended　to　be　sure　of　before　she　was　done。　They　had　sworn　to　obey　Rand　al'Thor；　but　how　would　they　do　obeying　Perrin　Aybara？　Giving　orders　to　Aes　Sedai　seemed　unnatural。　But　better　than　the　other　way　around；　at　least。
　　　〃Everybody　es；〃　Perrin　said。　〃Let's　be　gone　before　we　are　seen。〃　Faile　sniffed。
　　　Grady　and　Neald　saluted　again　and　strode　out　to　the　middle　of　the　treeless　area。　Perrin　had　no　idea　which　of　them　did　what　was　necessary；　but　suddenly　the　now…familiar　silvery　vertical　flash　in　the　air　rotated　into　a　gateway　not　quite　tall　enough　to　ride　through。　Trees　showed　beyond　the　opening；　not　that　much　different　from　those　on　the　surrounding　hills。　Grady　strode　through　immediately；　but　even　so　he　was　nearly　knocked　down　by　Sulin　and　a　small　horde　of　veiled　Maidens。　They　seemed　to　have　taken　the　honor　of　being　first　through　a　gateway　for　themselves；　and　were　not　about　to　let　anyone　usurp　it。
　　　Foreseeing　a　hundred　problems　he　had　not　thought　of；　Perrin　led　Stepper　through　into　a　land　not　so　hilly。　There　was　no　clearing；　but　it　was　not　so　thickly　treed　as　the　hollow　back　in　Cairhien；　either。　The　scattered　trees　were　taller；　but　just　as　sere；　even　the　pines。　He　did　not　recognize　much　else　except　for　oak　and　leatherleaf。　The　air　seemed　a　little　hotter。
　　　Faile　followed　him；　but　when　he　turned　to　the　left；　she　took　Swallow　right。　Aram's　head　swung　worriedly　between　them　until　Perrin　nodded　toward　his　wife。　The　onetime　Tinker　hauled　his　gelding　after　her；　but　quick　as　he　was；　he　was　not　before　Bain　and　Chiad；　still　veiled；　and；　for　all　Perrin's　orders　that　the　Two　Rivers　men　were　to　be　next；　Selande　and　a　good　two　dozen　young　Cairhienin　and　Tairens　poured　out　of　the　gateway　drawing　their　horses　along。　Two　dozen！　Shaking　his　head；　Perrin　stopped　beside　Grady；　who　turned　this　way　and　that；　studying　the　sparse　woodland。
　　　Gaul　came　stalking　up　as　Dannil　finally　began　leading　the　Two　Rivers　men　out　at　a　run；　pulling　their　horses。　Those　bloody　banners　appeared　right　behind　Dannil；　going　up　as　soon　as　they　were　clear。　The　man　ought　to　shave　those　fool　mustaches。
　　　〃Women　are　beyond　any　belief；〃　Gaul　muttered。
　　　Perrin　opened　his　mouth　to　defend　Faile　before　he　realized　it　must　be　Bain　and　Chiad　the　man　was　glaring　at。　To　cover；　he　said；　〃Do　you　have　a　wife；　Grady？〃
　　　〃Sora；〃　Grady　answered　absently；　his　attention　still　on　the　surrounding　trees。　Perrin　would　have　wagered　he　held　the　Power　now；　for　sure。　Anyone　could　see　a　long　way　in　this；　pared　to　any　woods　back　home；　but　someone　could　still　sneak　up　on　you。　〃She's　missing　me；〃　Grady　went　on；　almost　to　himself。　〃You　learn　to　recognize　that　one　right　off。　I　wish　I　knew　why　her　knee　hurts；　though。〃
　　　〃Her　knee　hurts；〃　Perrin　said　flatly。　〃Right　this　minute；　it　hurts。〃
　　　Grady　seemed　to　realize　he　was　staring；　and　Gaul　was　too。　He　blinked；　but　went　right　back　to　his　study。　〃Forgive　me；　Lord　Perrin。　I　need　to　keep　a　watch。〃　For　a　long　moment　he　said　nothing；　then　began　slowly；　〃It's　something　a　fellow　named　Canler　worked　out。　The　M'Hael　doesn't　like　us　trying　to　figure　out　things　on　our　own；　but　once　it　was　done。。。　〃　His　slight　grimace　said　perhaps　Taim　had　not　been　all　that　easy　about　it　even　then。　〃We　think　maybe　it's　something　like　the　bond　between　Warders　and　Aes　Sedai。　Maybe　one　in　three　of　us　is　married；　anyway；　that's　how　many　wives　stayed　instead　of　running　off　when　they　learned　what　their　husbands　were。　This　way；　whe