rj.acrownofswords-第145节

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　Caraline；　slight；　pale　men　and　women　in　dark　clothes　with　stripes　of　color　sometimes　to　below　the　waist。　All　with　crossbows。　Servants　afoot　came　after；　laboring　and　panting　with　the　heat；　the　men　who　would　dress　and　carry　any　downed　game。　It　hardly　seemed　to　matter　that　none　had　more　than　a　skinning　knife　at　his　belt。　Min　swallowed；　and　unconsciously　began　patting　her　cheeks　with　her　handkerchief　a　little　more　vigorously。　If　even　one　person　recognized　Rand　before　he　knew　it。。。
　　　Lady　Caraline　did　not　hesitate。　〃Not　spies；　Darlin；〃　she　said；　turning　her　horse　to　face　the　Tairen　newers。　The　High　Lord　Darlin　Sisnera！　All　that　was　needed　now　was　Lord　Toram　Riatin。　Min　wished　Rand's　ta'veren　tugging　at　the　Pattern　could　be　just　a　little　less　plete。　〃A　cousin　and　his　wife；〃　Caraline　went　on；　〃e　from　Andor　to　see　me。　May　I　present　Tomas　Trakand　…　from　a　minor　branch　of　the　House　…　and　his　wife　Jaisi。〃　Min　almost　glared　at　her；　the　only　Jaisi　she　had　ever　known　had　been　a　dusty　prune　before　she　was　twenty；　and　sour　and　bad…tempered　to　boot。
　　　Darlin's　gaze　swept　over　Rand　again；　lingered　a　moment　on　Min。　He　lowered　his　crossbow　and　bowed　his　head　just　a　hair；　a　High　Lord　of　Tear　to　a　minor　noble。　〃You　are　wele；　Lord　Tomas。　It　takes　a　brave　man　to　join　us　in　our　present　circumstances。　Al'Thor　may　loose　the　savages　on　us　any　day。〃　The　Lady　Caraline　gave　him　an　exasperated　look　that　he　made　a　show　of　not　seeing。
　　　He　noted　that　Rand's　return　bow　was　no　more　than　his；　however；　noted；　and　frowned。　A　darkly　handsome　woman　in　his　retinue　muttered　angrily　under　her　breath　…　she　had　a　long　hard　face；　well…practiced　in　anger　…　and　a　stout　fellow；　scowling　and　sweating　in　a　red…striped　coat　of　pale　green；　heeled　his　horse　forward　a　few　steps　as　if　thinking　to　ride　Rand　down。
　　　〃The　Wheel　weaves　as　the　Wheel　wills；〃　Rand　said　coolly；　as　though　he　noticed　nothing。　The　Dragon　Reborn　to。。。　The　Dragon　Reborn　to　just　about　anybody；　was　what　it　was。　Arrogance　on　a　mountaintop。　〃Not　much　happens　as　we　expect。　For　instance；　I　heard　you　were　in　Tear；　in　Haddon　Mirk。〃
　　　Min　wished　she　dared　speak　up；　dared　say　something　to　soothe　him。　She　settled　for　stroking　his　arm。　Casually。　A　wife　…　now　there　was　a　word　that　suddenly　sounded　fine　…　a　wife　idly　patting　her　husband。　Another　fine　word。　Light；　it　was　hard　being　fair！　It　was　hardly　fair；　having　to　be　fair。
　　　〃The　High　Lord　Darlin　is　but　lately　e　by　longboat　with　a　few　of　his　close　friends；　Tomas。〃　Caraline's　throaty　tone　never　changed；　but　her　gelding　suddenly　pranced；　no　doubt　at　a　sharp　heel；　and　under　cover　of　regaining　control　she　turned　her　back　to　Darlin　and　shot　Rand　a　brief　warning　frown。　〃Do　not　trouble　the　High　Lord；　Tomas。〃
　　　〃I　do　not　mind；　Caraline；〃　Darlin　said；　slinging　his　crossbow　from　his　saddle　by　a　loop。　He　rode　a　little　closer　and　rested　an　arm　on　his　tall　saddlebow。　〃A　man　should　know　what　he　is　stepping　into。　You　may　have　heard　the　tales　about　al'Thor　going　to　the　Tower；　Tomas。　I　came　because　Aes　Sedai　approached　me　months　ago　with　suggestions　that　might　happen；　and　your　cousin　informed　me　she　had　received　the　same。　We　thought　we　might　put　her　on　the　Sun　Throne　before　Colavaere　could　take　it。　Well；　al'Thor　is　no　fool；　never　believe　he　is。　Myself；　I　think　he　played　the　Tower　like　a　harp。　Colavaere　is　hanged；　he　sits　secure　behind　Cairhien's　walls　…　without　an　Aes　Sedai　halter；　I'll　wager；　no　matter　what　rumor　says　…　and　until　we　find　some　way　to　extricate　ourselves；　we　sit　in　his　hand；　waiting　for　him　to　make　a　fist。〃
　　　〃A　ship　brought　you；〃　Rand　said　simply。　〃A　ship　could　take　you　away。〃　Abruptly　Min　realized　he　was　gently　patting　her　hand　on　his　arm。　Trying　to　soothe　her！
　　　Startlingly；　Darlin　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。　A　great　many　women　would　forget　his　nose　for　those　eyes　and　that　laugh。　〃So　it　would；　Tomas；　but　I've　asked　your　cousin　to　marry　me。　She　will　not　say　yes　or　no；　but　a　man　cannot　abandon　even　a　possible　wife　to　the　mercies　of　the　Aiel；　and　she　will　not　leave。〃
　　　Caraline　Damodred　drew　herself　up　on　her　saddle；　face　cold　enough　to　shame　an　Aes　Sedai；　but　suddenly　auras　of　red　and　white　flashed　around　her　and　Darlin；　and　Min　knew。　The　colors　never　seemed　to　matter；　but　she　knew　that　they　would　marry　…　after　Caraline　had　led　him　a　merry　chase。　More；　to　her　eyes　a　crown　suddenly　appeared　on　Darlin's　head；　a　simple　golden　circlet　with　a　slightly　curved　sword　lying　on　its　side　above　his　brows。　The　king's　crown　he　would　wear　one　day；　though　of　what　country；　she　could　not　say。　Tear　had　High　Lords　instead　of　a　king。
　　　Image　and　auras　vanished　as　Darlin　pulled　his　horse　around　to　face　Caraline。　〃There's　no　game　to　be　found　today。　Toram　has　already　returned　to　camp。　I　suggest　we　do　the　same。〃　Those　blue　eyes　scanned　the　surrounding　trees　quickly。　〃It　seems　your　cousin　and　his　wife　have　lost　their　horses。　They　will　wander；　in　a　careless　moment；〃　he　added　to　Rand；　in　a　kindly　tone。　He　knew　very　well　they　had　no　horses。　〃But　I'm　sure　Rovair　and　Ines　will　give　up　their　mounts。　A　walk　in　the　air　will　do　them　good。〃
　　　The　stout　man　in　the　red…striped　coat　swung　down　from　his　tall　bay　immediately；　with　a　toadying　smile　for　Darlin　and　one　markedly　less　warm　if　just　as　greasy　for　Rand。　The　angry…faced　woman　was　a　moment　later　in　climbing　stiffly　from　her　silver…gray　mare。　She　did　not　look　pleased。
　　　Neither　was　Min。　〃You　mean　to　go　into　their　camp？〃　she　whispered　as　Rand　led　her　to　the　horses。　〃Are　you　mad？〃　she　added　before　thinking。
　　　〃Not　yet；〃　he　said　softly；　touching　her　nose　with　the　tip　of　one　finger。　〃Thanks　to　you；　I　know　that。〃　And　he　boosted　her　onto　the　mare；　then　climbed　into　the　bay's　saddle　and　heeled　the　animal　up　beside　Darlin。
　　　Heading　north　and　a　little　toward　the　west；　across　the　slope；　they　left　Rovair　and　Ines　standing　beneath　the　trees　frowning　at　one　another　sourly。　As　they　fell　in　behind　with　the　Cairhienin；　the　other　Tairens　shouted　laughing　wishes　that　the　pair　would　enjoy　the　walk。
　　　Min　would　have　ridden　alongside　Rand；　but　Caraline　put　a　hand　on　her　arm；　drawing　her　in　back　of　the　two　men。　〃I　want　to　see　what　he　does；〃　Caraline　said　quietly。　Which　one；　Min　wondered。　〃You　are　his　lover？〃　Caraline　asked。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Min　told　her　defiantly；　once　she　could　catch　a　breath。　Her　cheeks　felt　like　fire。　But　the　woman　only　nodded；　as　if　it　were　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　Maybe　it　was；　in　Cairhien。　Sometimes　she　realized　that　all　the　sophistication　she　had　picked　up　talking　to　worldly　people　was　about　as　thick　as　her　blouse。
　　　Rand　and　Darlin　rode　knee　to　knee　just　ahead；　the　younger　man　half　a　head　taller　than　the　older；　each　wrapped　in　pride　like　a　cloak。　But　talking；　just　the　same。　Listening　was　not　easy。　They　spoke　quietly；　and　the　dead　leaves　rustling　under　the　horses'　hooves；　fallen　branches　cracking；　often　was　enough　to　muffle　their　words。　The　cry　of　a　hawk　overhead　or　the　chattering　of　a　squirrel　in　a　tree　drowned　them。　Still；　it　was　possible　to　overhear　snatches。
　　　〃If　I　may　say　so；　Tomas；〃　Darlin　said　at　one　point；　as　they　headed　down　after　the　first　rise；　〃and　under　the　Light　I　offer　no　disrespect；　you　are　fortunate　in　having　a　beautiful　wife。　The　Light　willing；　I　will　have　one　as　beautiful　myself。〃
　　　〃Why　do　they　not　speak　of　something　important？〃　Caraline　muttered。
　　　Min　turned　her　head　to　hide　a　small　smile。　The　Lady　Caraline　did　not　look　half　as　displeased　as　she　sounded。　She　herself　had　never　cared　whether　anyone　thought　her　pretty　or　not。　Well；　until　she　met　Rand；　anyway。　Maybe　Darlin's　nose　was　not　all　that　long。
　　　〃I　would　have　let　him　take　Callandor　from　the　Stone；〃　Darlin　said　some　time　later；　as　they　climbed　a　sparsely　treed　slope；　〃but　I　could　not　stand　aside　when　he　brought　Aiel　invaders　into　Tear。〃
　　　〃I've　read　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon；〃　Rand　said；　leaning　forward　on　the　bay's　neck　and　urging　the　animal　on。　A　fine　glossy　appearance　the　horse　had；　but　no　more　bottom　than　his　owner；　Min　suspected。　〃The　Stone　had　to　fall　before　he　could　take　Callandor；〃　Rand　continued。　〃Other　Tairen　lords　follow　him；　so　I　hear。〃
　　　Darlin　snorted。　〃They　cringe　and　lick　his　boots！　I　could　have　followed；　if　that　was　what　he　wanted；　if。。。　〃　With　a　sigh；　he　shook　his　head。　〃Too　many　ifs；　Tomas。　There　is　a　saying　in　Tear。　'Any　quarrel　can　be　forgiven；　but　kings　never　forget。'　Tear　has　not　been　under　a　king　since　Artur　Hawkwing；　but　I　think　the　Dragon　Reborn　is　very　like　a　king。　No；　he　has　attainted　me　with　treason；　as　he　calls　it；　and　I　must　go　on　as　I　began。　The　Light　willing；　I　may　see　Tear　sovereign　on　its　own　land　once　more　before　I　die。〃
　　　It　had　to　be　ta'veren　work；　Min　knew。　The　man　would　never　have　spoken　this　way　to　someone　casually　met；　Caraline　Damodred's　supposed　cousin　or　not。　But　what　did　Rand　think？　She　could　hardly　wait　to　tell　him　about　the　crown。
　　　Topping　that　hill；　they　suddenly　came　on　a　knot　of　spearmen；　some　with　a　dented　breastplate　or　helmet；　most　without　either；　who　bowed　as　soon　they　saw　the　party。　To　left　and　right　through　the　trees；　Min　could　see　other　groups　of　sentries。　Below；　the　camp　lay　spread　out　in　what　seemed　a　permanent　haze　of　dust；　down　a　nearly　treeless　slope　and　across　the　hill…valley　and　up　the