rj.acrownofswords-第21节

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　　　〃One；〃　Rand　cut　in。　〃And　I　will　choose。〃　Taim　smiled；　spreading　his　hands　in　acquiescence；　but　the　scent　of　frustration　nearly　overwhelmed　anger。　Again　Rand　pointed　without　looking。　〃Him。〃　This　time；　he　seemed　surprised　to　find　he　was　pointing　directly　at　a　man　in　his　middle　years　sitting　atop　an　upturned　cask　on　the　other　side　of　the　wagon　circle；　paying　no　attention　to　the　gathering　around　Rand。　Instead；　elbow　on　his　knee　and　chin　propped　on　his　hand；　he　was　frowning　at　the　Aes　Sedai　prisoners。　The　sword　and　Dragon　glittered　on　the　high　collar　of　his　black　coat。　〃What　is　his　name；　Taim？〃
　　　〃Dashiva；〃　Taim　said　slowly；　studying　Rand。　He　smelled　even　more　surprised　than　Rand　did；　and　irritated；　too。　〃Corlan　Dashiva。　From　a　farm　in　the　Black　Hills。〃
　　　〃He　will　do；〃　Rand　said；　but　he　did　not　sound　sure　himself。
　　　〃Dashiva　is　gaining　his　strength　rapidly；　but　his　head　is　in　the　clouds　often　as　not。　Even　when　it　isn't；　he　is　not　always　entirely　there。　Maybe　he's　just　a　daydreamer；　and　maybe　the　taint　on　saidin　is　touching　his　brain　already。　Better　for　you　to　chose　Torval　or　Rochaid　or　…　〃
　　　Taim's　opposition　seemed　to　sweep　away　Rand's　uncertainty。　〃I　said　Dashiva　will　do。　Tell　him　he's　to　e　with　me；　then　turn　the　prisoners　over　to　the　Wise　Ones　and　go。　I　don't　intend　to　stand　here　all　day　arguing。　Perrin；　ready　everyone　to　move。　Find　me　when　they　are。〃　Without　another　word　he　strode　off；　Min　clinging　to　his　arm；　and　Nandera　and　Sulin　like　shadows。　Taim's　dark　eyes　glittered；　then　he　was　stalking　away　himself；　shouting　for　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid；　Torval　and　Kisman。　Black…coated　men　came　running。
　　　Perrin　grimaced。　With　everything　he　had　to　tell　Rand；　he　had　not　opened　his　mouth　once。　At　that；　maybe　it　would　e　better　away　from　the　Aes　Sedai　and　the　Wise　Ones。　And　Taim。
　　　Really　there　was　not　much　for　him　to　do。　He　was　supposed　to　be　in　charge　since　he　had　brought　the　rescue；　but　Rhuarc　knew　what　needed　doing　better　than　he　ever　would；　and　a　word　to　Dobraine　and　Havien　was　sufficient　for　the　Cairhienin　and　Mayeners。　They　still　wanted　to　say　something；　though　they　held　back　until　they　were　alone　and　Perrin　asked　what　it　was。
　　　Then　Havien　burst　out；　〃Lord　Perrin；　it's　the　Lord　Dragon。　All　that　searching　through　the　corpses　…　〃
　　　〃It　seemed　a　little。。。　excessive；〃　Dobraine　interrupted　smoothly。　〃We　worry　for　him；　as　you　can　understand。　A　great　deal　depends　on　him。〃　He　might　look　a　soldier；　and　he　was；　but　he　was　a　Cairhienin　lord；　too；　and　steeped　in　the　Game　of　Houses；　with　all　its　careful　talk；　like　any　other　Cairhienin。
　　　Perrin　was　not　steeped　in　the　Game　of　Houses。　〃He's　still　sane；〃　he　said　bluntly。　Dobraine　simply　nodded；　as　if　to　say　of　course；　shrugged　to　say　he　had　never　intended　to　question；　but　Havien　went　bright　red。　Watching　them　go　to　their　men；　Perrin　shook　his　head。　He　hoped　he　was　not　lying。
　　　Gathering　the　Two　Rivers　men；　he　told　them　to　saddle　their　horses　and　ignored　all　the　bowing；　most　of　which　looked　spur…of…the…moment。　Even　Faile　said　that　sometimes　Two　Rivers　people　carried　bowing　too　far；　she　said　they　were　still　working　out　how　to　behave　with　a　lord。　He　thought　about　shouting　〃I　am　not　a　lord〃　at　them；　but　he　had　done　that　before；　and　it　never　worked。
　　　When　all　the　others　rushed　for　their　animals；　Dannil　Lewin　and　Ban　al'Seen　remained　behind。　Cousins；　both　were　beanpoles　and　they　looked　much　alike；　except　that　Dannil　affected　mustaches　like　downturned　horns　in　the　Taraboner　style；　while　Ban　wore　narrow　lines　of　dark　hair；　in　the　fashion　of　Arad　Doman；　under　a　nose　like　a　pickaxe。　Refugees　had　brought　a　lot　of　new　things　into　the　Two　Rivers。
　　　〃Those　Asha'man　ing　with　us？〃　Dannil　asked。　When　Perrin　shook　his　head；　he　exhaled　so　hard　in　relief　that　his　thick　mustaches　stirred。
　　　〃What　about　the　Aes　Sedai？〃　Ban　said　anxiously。　〃They'll　go　free；　now；　won't　they？　I　mean；　Rand　is　free。　The　Lord　Dragon；　that　is。　They　can't　stay　prisoners；　not　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　〃You　two　just　have　everybody　ready　to　ride；〃　Perrin　said。　〃Leave　worrying　about　Aes　Sedai　to　Rand。〃　The　pair　even　winced　alike。　Two　fingers　rose　to　scratch　worriedly　at　mustaches；　and　Perrin　jerked　his　hand　away　from　his　chin。　A　man　looked　as　if　he　had　fleas　when　he　did　that。
　　　The　camp　was　abustle　in　no　time。　Everyone　had　been　expecting　to　move　soon；　yet　everyone　had　things　left　undone。　The　captive　Aes　Sedai's　servants　and　wagon　drivers　hurriedly　loaded　the　last　items　into　the　wagons　and　began　hitching　teams　with　a　jingle　of　harness。　Cairhienin　and　Mayeners　seemed　to　be　everywhere；　checking　saddles　and　bridles。　Unclothed　gai'shain　went　running　every　which　way；　though　there　did　not　seem　to　be　much　for　the　Aiel　to　ready。
　　　Flashes　of　light　outside　the　wagons　announced　the　departure　of　Taim　and　the　Asha'man。　That　made　Perrin　feel　better。　Of　the　nine　who　remained；　another　besides　Dashiva　was　in　his　middle　years；　a　stocky　fellow　with　a　farmer's　face；　and　one；　with　a　limp　and　a　fringe　of　white　hair；　might　easily　have　been　a　grandfather。　The　rest　were　younger；　some　little　more　than　boys；　yet　they　watched　all　the　hubbub　with　the　self…possession　of　men　who　had　seen　as　much　a　dozen　times。　They　did　keep　to　themselves；　though；　and　together　except　for　Dashiva；　who　stood　a　few　paces　apart　staring　at　nothing。　Remembering　Taim's　caution　about　the　fellow；　Perrin　hoped　he　was　daydreaming。
　　　He　found　Rand　seated　on　a　wooden　crate　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees。　Sulin　and　Nandera　squatted　easily　to　either　side　of　Rand；　both　studiously　avoiding　looking　at　the　sword　at　his　hip。　Holding　their　spears　and　bull…hide　bucklers　casually；　here　in　the　midst　of　people　loyal　to　Rand；　they　kept　a　watch　on　anything　that　moved　near　him。　Min　sat　on　the　ground　at　his　feet　with　her　legs　tucked　under；　smiling　up　at　him。
　　　〃I　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing；　Rand；〃　Perrin　said；　shifting　the　axe　haft　so　he　could　drop　to　his　heels。　No　one　was　close　enough　to　hear　except　for　Rand　and　Min　and　the　two　Maidens。　If　Sulin　or　Nandera　went　running　to　the　Wise　Ones；　so　be　it。　Without　more　preamble　he　launched　into　what　he　had　seen　so　far　this　morning。　What　he　had　smelled；　too；　though　he　did　not　say　that。　Rand　was　not　among　the　few　who　knew　about　him　and　wolves；　he　made　it　all　seem　what　he　had　seen　and　heard。　The　Asha'man　and　the　Wise　Ones。　The　Asha'man　and　the　Aes　Sedai。　The　Wise　Ones　and　the　Aes　Sedai。　The　whole　tangle　of　tinder　that　might　burst　into　flame　any　moment。　He　did　not　spare　the　Two　Rivers　men。　〃They're　worried；　Rand；　and　if　they　are　sweating；　you　can　be　sure　some　Cairhienin　is　thinking　about　doing　something。　Or　a　Tairen。　Maybe　just　helping　the　prisoners　escape；　maybe　something　worse。　Light；　I　could　see　Dannil　and　Ban　and　fifty　more　besides　helping　them　get　away；　if　they　knew　how。〃
　　　〃You　think　something　else　would　be　that　much　worse？〃　Rand　said　quietly；　and　Perrin's　skin　prickled。
　　　He　met　Rand's　gaze　directly。　〃A　thousand　times；〃　he　said　in　just　as　quiet　a　voice。　〃I　won't　be　part　of　murder。　If　you　will　be；　I'll　stand　in　your　way。〃　A　silence　stretched；　unblinking　blue…gray　eyes　meeting　unblinking　golden。
　　　Frowning　at　each　of　them　in　turn；　Min　made　an　exasperated　sound　in　her　throat。　〃You　two　woolheads！　Rand；　you　know　you'll　never　give　an　order　like　that；　or　let　anyone　else　give　it；　either。　Perrin；　you　know　he　won't。　Now　the　pair　of　you　stop　acting　like　two　strange　roosters　in　a　pen。〃
　　　Sulin　chuckled；　but　Perrin　wanted　to　ask　Min　how　certain　she　was；　although　that　was　not　a　question　he　could　voice　here。　Rand　scrubbed　his　fingers　through　his　hair；　then　shook　his　head；　for　all　the　world　like　a　man　disagreeing　with　somebody　who　was　not　there。　The　sort　of　voice　that　madmen　heard。
　　　〃It's　never　easy；　is　it？〃　Rand　said　after　a　time；　looking　sad。　〃The　bitter　truth　is；　I　can't　say　which　would　be　worse。　I　don't　have　any　good　choices。　They　saw　to　that　themselves。〃　His　face　was　despondent；　but　rage　boiled　in　his　scent。　〃Alive　or　dead；　they're　a　millstone　on　my　back；　and　either　way；　they　could　break　it。〃
　　　Perrin　followed　his　gaze　to　the　Aes　Sedai　prisoners。　They　were　on　their　feet　now；　and　all　together；　though　even　so　they　managed　to　put　a　little　distance　between　the　three　who　had　been　stilled　and　the　rest。　The　Wise　Ones　around　them　were　being　curt　with　their　orders；　by　the　gestures　they　made　and　the　tight　faces　on　the　sisters。　Maybe　the　Wise　Ones　were　better　than　Rand　keeping　them；　too。　If　only　he　could　be　sure。
　　　〃Did　you　see　anything；　Min？〃　Rand　said。
　　　Perrin　gave　a　start　and　directed　a　warning　glance　at　Sulin　and　Nandera；　but　Min　laughed　softly。　Leaning　against　Rand's　knee；　she　really　did　look　the　Min　he　knew；　for　the　first　time　since　finding　her　at　the　wells。　〃Perrin；　they　know　about　me。　The　Wise　Ones；　the　Maidens；　maybe　all　of　them。　And　they　don't　care。〃　She　had　a　talent　she　kept　hidden　much　as　he　did　the　wolves。　Sometimes　she　saw　images　and　auras　around　people；　and　sometimes　she　knew　what　they　meant。　〃You　can't　know　what　that's　like；　Perrin。　I　was　twelve　when　it　started；　and　I　didn't　know　to　make　a　secret　of　it。　Everybody　thought　I　was　just　making；　things　up。　Until　I　said　a　man　on　the　next　street　was　going　to　marry　a　woman　I　saw　him　with；　only　he　was　already　married。　When　he　ran　off　wi