rj.acrownofswords-第28节

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Perrin　held　his　breath；　but　whatever　thoughts　Rand　had；　he　kept　on　the　road。　Nothing　mattered　more　than　Faile。　Nothing；　whether　or　not　Rand　saw　it　so。
　　　A　good　half…mile　short　of　the　gates；　they　rode　into　another　camp；　one　that　made　Perrin　frown。　It　was　big　enough　for　a　city　itself；　a　thick　band　of　ramshackle　brush　huts　and　rickety　tents　made　from　scraps；　on　burned…over　ground；　clinging　to　the　high　gray　walls　as　far　as　he　could　see。　This　had　been　called　Foregate　once；　warren　of　twisting　streets　and　alleys；　before　the　Shaido　burned　it。　Some　of　the　people　stared　in　silence　as　the　strange　party　passed；　at　an　Ogier；　and　Aiel　Maidens；　but　most　scuttled　about　their　business　with　wary；　sullen　faces　and　a　care　to　notice　nothing　that　was　not　right　in　front　of　them。　The　bright　colors　and　often　tattered　cast…off　finery　worn　by　Foregaters　mingled　with　the　somber　garb　more　usual　for　Cairhienin；　the　plain　dark　clothes　of　villagers　and　farmers。　The　Foregaters　had　been　in　the　city　when　Perrin　left；　along　with　thousands　of　refugees　from　deeper　inside　the　country。　Many　of　those　faces　bore　bruises　and　worse；　cuts　and　slashes；　often　unbandaged。　Colavaere　must　have　put　them　out。　They　would　not　have　left　the　shelter　of　the　walls　on　their　own；　Foregaters　and　refugees　alike　feared　the　return　of　the　Shaido　the　way　a　man　who　had　been　seared　to　the　bone　feared　hot　iron。
　　　The　road　ran　straight　through　the　camp　to　the　Jangai　Gates；　three　tall　square　arches　flanked　by　towers。　Helmeted　men　lounged　up　on　the　battlements；　peering　down　through　the　gaps　in　the　stone　teeth。　Some　stared　off　toward　the　men　on　the　hilltop；　and　here　and　there　an　officer　with　a　con　held　a　looking　glass　to　his　eye。　Rand's　small　party　drew　inquiring　glances。　Men　ahorseback　and　Aiel　Maidens；　not　mon　panions。　Crossbows　showed　atop　the　serrated　wall；　but　no　one　raised　a　weapon。　The　iron…bound　gates　stood　open。　Perrin　held　his　breath。　He　wanted　very　much　to　gallop　for　the　Sun　Palace　and　Faile。
　　　Just　inside　the　gates　sat　a　squat　stone　guardhouse；　where　strangers　to　the　city　were　supposed　to　register　before　entering。　A　square…faced　Cairhienin　officer　watched　them　pass　with　a　disgruntled　frown；　eyeing　the　Maidens　uneasily。　He　just　stood　there；　watching。
　　　〃As　I　told　you；〃　Dobraine　said　once　they　were　by　the　guardhouse。　〃Colavaere　gave　free　access　to　the　city　for　Coronation　Festival。　Not　even　someone　under　order　of　arrest　can　be　denied　or　detained。　It　is　tradition。〃　He　sounded　relieved；　though。　Min　sighed　audibly；　and　Loial　let　out　a　breath　that　could　have　been　heard　two　streets　over。　Perrin's　chest　was　still　too　tight　for　sighing。　Swallow　was　inside　Cairhien。　Now；　if　he　could　only　get　her　to　the　Royal　Palace。
　　　Up　close；　Cairhien　carried　out　what　it　had　promised　from　afar。　The　highest　of　the　hills　lay　inside　the　walls；　but　terraced　and　faced　with　stone　till　they　no　longer　seemed　hills　at　all。　Broad；　crowded　streets　met　at　right　angles。　In　this　city；　even　the　alleys　made　a　grid。　The　streets　rose　and　fell　reluctantly　with　the　hills；　often　simply　cutting　through。　From　shops　to　palaces；　the　buildings　were　all　stark　squares　and　severe　rectangles；　even　the　great　buttressed　towers；　each　wrapped　in　scaffolding　on　a　hilltop；　the　once…fabled　topless　towers　of　Cairhien；　still　being　rebuilt　after　burning　in　the　Aiel　War。　The　city　seemed　harder　than　stone；　a　bruising　place；　and　shadows　stretching　across　everything　heightened　the　effect。　Loial's　tufted　ears　twitched　almost　without　stopping；　a　worried　frown　creased　his　forehead；　and　his　dangling　eyebrows　brushed　his　cheek。
　　　There　were　few　signs　of　Coronation　Festival；　or　High　Chasaline。　Perrin　had　no　notion　what　the　Festival　might　entail；　but　in　the　Two　Rivers；　the　Day　of　Reflection　was　a　time　of　merriment　and　forgetting　the　bleakness　of　winter。　Here；　a　near　hush　hung　in　the　air；　despite　the　number　of　people。　Anywhere　else；　Perrin　might　have　thought　it　the　unnatural　heat　dragging　people's　spirits　down；　but　except　for　Foregaters；　Cairhienin　were　a　sober；　austere　lot。　On　the　surface；　at　least；　what　lay　underneath；　he　would　as　soon　not　think　about。　The　hawkers　and　cart…peddlers　he　remembered　were　gone　from　the　streets；　the　musicians　and　tumblers　and　puppet　shows。　Those　people　would　be　in　the　ragtag　camp　outside　the　walls。　A　few　closed；　dark…painted　sedan　chairs　threaded　through　the　quiet　throngs；　some　with　House　banners　a　little　larger　than　con　standing　stiffly　above。　They　moved　as　slowly　as　the　ox…carts　with　goad…wielding　drivers　walking　alongside；　axles　squealing　in　the　stillness。　Outlanders　stood　out；　no　matter　how　little　color　they　wore；　because　few　except　outlanders　rode。　The　almost　inevitably　shorter　natives　looked　like　pale…faced　crows　in　their　dark　garb。　Aiel　stood　out　too；　of　course。　Whether　one　alone　or　ten　together；　they　walked　in　clearings　through　the　crowds；　eyes　darted　away　and　space　just　opened　up　around　them　wherever　they　went。
　　　Aiel　faces　turned　toward　the　party　as　it　made　its　slow　way　through　the　crowds。　Even　if　not　all　recognized　Rand　in　his　green　coat；　they　knew　who　a　tall　wetlander　escorted　by　Maidens　must　be。　Those　faces　sent　a　chill　down　Perrin's　spine：　considering。　They　made　him　thankful　Rand　had　left　all　of　the　Aes　Sedai　behind。　Aside　from　the　Aiel；　the　Dragon　Reborn　moved　through　a　river　of　unconcern　that　parted　for　the　Maidens　and　closed　in　again　behind　the　Asha'man。
　　　The　Royal　Palace　of　Cairhien；　the　Sun　Palace；　the　Palace　of　the　Rising　Sun　in　Splendor　…　Cairhienin　were　great　ones　for　names；　each　more　extravagant　than　the　last　…　stood　atop　the　highest　hill　in　the　city；　a　dark　mass　of　square　stone　with　stepped　towers　looming　over　everything。　The　street；　the　Way　of　the　Crown；　became　a　long　broad　ramp　rising　toward　the　palace；　and　Perrin　drew　a　deep　breath　as　they　started　up。　Faile　was　up　there。　She　had　to　be；　and　safe。　Whatever　else；　she　had　to　be　safe。　He　touched　the　knot　holding　Swallow's　reins　to　a　ring　on　his　pommel；　stroked　the　axe　at　his　waist。　The　horses'　shod　hooves　rang　loudly　on　the　paving　stones。　The　Maidens　made　no　sound　at　all。
　　　The　guards　on　the　great；　open　bronze　gates　watched　their　slow　approach　and　exchanged　glances。　They　were　colorful　for　Cairhienin　soldiers；　ten　men　with　the　Rising　Sun　in　gold　on　their　dark　breastplates　and　scarves　in　House　Saighan's　colors　tied　below　the　heads　of　their　halberds。　Perrin　could　have　written　out　their　thoughts。　Thirteen　men　on　horseback；　but　in　no　hurry；　and　only　two　wearing　armor；　one　in　Mayener　red。　Any　trouble　would　e　from　Caraline　Damodred　and　Toram　Riatin；　and　Mayeners　had　no　place　in　that。　And　there　was　a　woman；　and　an　Ogier。　Surely　they　intended　no　trouble。　Still；　three　dozen　or　so　Maidens　trotting　ahead　of　the　horses　hardly　looked　as　though　they　were　ing　for　tea。　For　an　instant　all　hung　balanced。　Then　a　Maiden　veiled　herself。　The　guards　jerked　as　if　goosed；　and　one　slanted　his　halberd　and　darted　for　the　gates。　Two　steps　he　took；　and　stopped；　rigid　as　a　statue。　Every　guard　stood　stiff；　nothing　moved　but　their　heads。
　　　〃Good〃　Rand　murmured。　〃Now　tie　off　the　flows　and　leave　them　for　later。〃
　　　Perrin　shrugged　unfortably。　The　Asha'man　had　spread　out　behind；　taking　up　most　of　the　width　of　the　ramp；　they　must　be　using　the　Power。　Very　likely　the　eight　of　them　could　tear　the　whole　palace　apart。　Maybe　Rand　could　have　by　himself。　But　if　those　towers　began　spewing　crossbow　bolts；　they　would　die　with　everyone　else；　caught　in　the　open　on　this　ramp　that　no　longer　seemed　so　wide。
　　　Nobody　sped　up。　Any　eyes　at　the　tall　narrow　windows　of　the　palace；　on　the　colonnaded　walks　high　above；　must　see　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary。　Sulin　flashed　Maiden　hand…talk；　and　the　one　who　had　veiled　lowered　the　black　cloth　hurriedly；　face　flushing。　A　slow　walk；　up　the　stone　ramp。　Some　of　the　guards'　helmeted　heads　shook　wildly；　eyes　rolling；　one　seemed　to　have　fainted；　slumping　upright　with　his　chin　on　his　chest。　Their　mouths　strained；　open；　but　no　sound　came　out。　Perrin　tried　not　to　think　about　what　had　gagged　them。　A　slow　walk；　through　the　open　bronze　gates；　into　the　main　courtyard。
　　　There　were　no　soldiers　here。　The　stone　balconies　around　the　courtyard　stood　empty。　Liveried　servants　rushed　out　with　downcast　eyes　to　take　the　horses'　reins　and　hold　stirrups。　Stripes　of　red　and　yellow　and　silver　ran　down　the　sleeves　of　otherwise　dark　coats　and　dresses；　and　each　had　the　Rising　Sun　small　oh　the　left　breast。　That　was　more　color　than　Perrin　had　seen　on　a　Cairhienin　servant　before。　They　could　not　see　the　guards　outside；　and　likely　would　have　done　little　different　if　they　had。　In　Cairhien；　servants　played　their　own　version　of　Daes　Dae'mar；　the　Game　of　Houses；　but　they　pretended　to　ignore　the　doings　of　those　above　them。　Taking　too　much　notice　of　what　happened　among　your　betters　…　or　at　least；　being　seen　to　take　notice　…　might　mean　being　caught　up　in　it。　In　Cairhien；　maybe　in　most　lands；　ordinary　folk　could　be　crushed　unnoticed　where　the　mighty　walked。
　　　A　blocky　woman　led　Stepper　and　Swallow　away　without　really　looking　at　him。　Swallow　was　inside　the　Sun　Palace；　and　it　made　no　difference。　He　still　did　not　know　whether　Faile　was　alive　or　dead。　A　fool　boy's　fool　fancy。
　　　Shifting　his　axe　at　his　hip；　he　followed　Rand　up　the　broad　gray　stairs　at　the　far　end　o