rj.acrownofswords-第33节

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　　　Red　lace　described　a　fluttering　hitch。　What　she　did　with　the　fan　seemed　almost　unconscious。　〃You　both　saw。〃　The　relief　in　her　voice　…　and　in　her　scent　…　was　so　strong　that　Perrin　stared。
　　　〃What　did　you　think；　Faile？　Why　would　Rand　lie；　especially　when　everyone　would　know　in　a　day？〃
　　　Instead　of　answering　immediately；　she　frowned　down　at　Colavaere。　〃Is　she　still　under？　Not　that　it　matters；　I　suppose。　She　knows　more　than　I　would　say　here。　Everything　we　worked　so　hard　to　keep　hidden。　She　let　that　slip　to　Maire；　too。　She　knows　too　much。〃
　　　Dobraine　thumbed　one　of　Colavaere's　eyes　open　none　too　gently。　〃As　if　hit　with　a　mace。　A　pity　she　did　not　break　her　neck　on　the　steps。　But　she　will　go　to　her　exile　and　learn　to　live　as　a　farmer。〃　A　brief；　jaggedy；　vexed　smell　wafted　from　Faile。
　　　Abruptly　it　hit　Perrin　what　his　wife　had　been　proposing　so　obliquely；　what　Dobraine　had　rejected　just　as　indirectly。　Every　hair　on　his　body　tried　to　stand。　From　the　start　he　had　known　that　he　had　married　a　very　dangerous　woman。　Just　not　how　dangerous。　Aram　was　peering　at　Colavaere；　his　lips　pursed　in　dark　thought；　the　man　would　do　anything　for　Faile。
　　　〃I　don't　think　Rand　would　like　it　if　anything　prevented　her　reaching　that　farm；〃　Perrin　said　firmly；　eyeing　Aram　and　Faile　in　turn。　〃I　wouldn't　like　it；　either。〃　He　felt　rather　proud　of　himself。　That　was　talking　around　the　point　as　well　as　any　of　them。
　　　Aram　bowed　his　head　briefly　…　he　understood　…　but　Faile　tried　to　look　innocent　above　her　gently　fluttering　fan；　with　no　notion　what　he　was　talking　about。　Suddenly　he　realized　not　all　the　fear　scent　came　from　the　people　still　milling　at　the　door。　A　thin；　quivering　thread　of　it　wafted　from　her。　Fear　under　control；　yet　it　was　there。
　　　〃What's　the　matter；　Faile？　Light；　you'd　think　Coiren　and　that　lot　had　won　instead　of。。。　〃　Her　face　did　not　change；　but　the　thread　grew　thicker。　〃Is　that　why　you　didn't　say　anything　at　first？〃　he　asked　softly。　〃Were　you　afraid　we　had　e　back　as　puppets；　and　them　pulling　the　strings？〃
　　　She　eyed　the　rapidly　diminishing　crowd　across　the　Grand　Hall。　The　nearest　of　them　was　a　long　way；　and　all　making　a　good　deal　of　noise；　but　she　lowered　her　voice　even　so。　〃Aes　Sedai　can　do　that　sort　of　thing；　I've　heard。　My　husband；　no　one　knows　more　than　I　that　even　Aes　Sedai　would　find　hard　times　trying　to　make　you　dance　for　a　puppet；　much　harder　than　a　man　who's　just　the　Dragon　Reborn；　but　when　you　walked　in　here；　I　was　more　afraid　than　at　any　time　since　you　left。〃　Amusement　trickled　through　in　the　first　of　that；　like　tiny　bubbles　in　his　nose；　and　warm　fondness；　and　love；　the　smell　of　her；　clear　and　pure　and　strong；　but　all　of　those　faded　by　the　end；　leaving　that　thin　trembling　thread。
　　　〃Light；　Faile；　it's　true。　Every　word　Rand　said。　You　heard　Dobraine；　and　Aram。〃　She　smiled；　and　nodded；　and　worked　her　fan。　That　thread　still　quivered　in　his　nostrils；　though。　Blood　and　ashes；　what　does　it　take　to　convince　her？　〃Would　it　help　if　he　had　Verin　dance　the　sa'sara？　She　will；　if　he　tells　her　to。〃　He　meant　it　for　a　joke。　All　he　knew　of　the　sa'sara　was　that　it　was　scandalous　…　and　that　Faile　had　once　admitted　knowing　how　to　dance　it；　though　recently　she　sidestepped　and　all　but　denied　it。　He　meant　it　for　a　joke；　but　she　closed　her　fan　and　tapped　it　on　her　wrist。　He　knew　that　one：　I　am　giving　your　suggestion　serious　thought。
　　　〃I　don't　know　what　would　be　enough；　Perrin。〃　She　shivered　slightly。　〃Is　there　anything　an　Aes　Sedai　would　not　do；　or　put　up　with；　if　the　White　Tower　told　her　to？　I　have　studied　my　history；　and　I　was　taught　to　read　between　the　lines。　Mashera　Donavelle　bore　seven　children　for　a　man　she　loathed；　whatever　the　stories　say；　and　Isebaille　Tobanyi　delivered　the　brothers　she　loved　to　their　enemies　and　the　throne　of　Arad　Doman　with　them；　and　Jestian　Redhill。。。　〃　She　shivered　again；　not　so　slightly。
　　　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　murmured；　wrapping　her　in　his　arms。　He　had　studied　several　books　of　history　himself；　but　he　had　never　seen　those　names。　The　daughter　of　a　lord　received　a　different　education　from　a　blacksmith's　apprentice。　〃It　really　is　true。〃　Dobraine　averted　his　eyes；　and　so　did　Aram；　though　with　a　pleased　grin。
　　　She　resisted　at　first；　but　not　very　hard。　He　could　never　be　sure　when　she　would　avoid　a　public　embrace　and　when　wele　it；　only　that　if　she　did　not　want　one；　she　made　it　clear　in　no　uncertain　terms；　with　or　without　words。　This　time　she　snuggled　her　face　into　his　chest　and　hugged　him　back；　squeezing　harder。
　　　〃If　any　Aes　Sedai　ever　harms　you；〃　she　whispered；　〃I　will　kill　her。〃　He　believed　her。　〃You　belong　to　me；　Perrin　t'　Bashere　Aybara。　To　me。〃　He　believed　that；　too。　As　her　hug　grew　fiercer；　so　did　the　thorny　scent　of　jealousy。　He　almost　chuckled。　It　seemed　the　right　to　put　a　knife　in　him　was　reserved　to　her。　He　would　have　chuckled；　except　that　filament　of　fear　remained。　That；　and　what　she　had　said　about　Maire。　He　could　not　smell　himself；　but　he　knew　what　was　there。　Fear。　Old　fear；　and　new　fear；　for　the　next　time。
　　　The　last　of　the　nobles　forced　their　way　from　the　Grand　Hall；　without　anyone　being　trampled。　Sending　Aram　off　to　tell　Dannil　to　bring　the　Two　Rivers　men　into　the　city　…　and　wondering　how　he　was　going　to　feed　them　…　Perrin　offered　Faile　his　arm　and　led　her　out；　leaving　Dobraine　with　Colavaere；　who　was　finally　showing　signs　of　awakening。　He　had　no　wish　to　be　around　when　she　woke；　and　Faile；　with　her　hand　on　his　wrist；　seemed　not　to　either。　They　walked　quickly；　eager　to　reach　their　rooms；　if　not　necessarily　for　the　same　reasons。
　　　The　nobles　apparently　had　not　stopped　their　flight　once　they　were　out　of　the　Grand　Hall。　The　corridors　were　empty　except　for　servants　who　kept　their　eyes　down　at　a　silent　rush；　but　before　they　had　gone　very　far；　Perrin　caught　the　sound　of　footsteps　and　realized　they　were　being　followed。　It　seemed　unlikely　that　Colavaere　had　any　open　supporters　still；　but　if　there　were　any；　they　might　think　to　strike　at　Rand　through　his　friend；　walking　alone　with　his　wife　while　the　Dragon　Reborn　was　elsewhere。
　　　Only；　when　Perrin　spun　about；　hand　to　his　axe；　he　stared　instead　of　drawing　the　weapon。　It　was　Selande　and　her　friends　from　the　entry　hall；　with　eight　or　nine　new　faces。　They　gave　a　start　when　he　turned；　and　exchanged　abashed　glances。　Some　were　Tairens；　including　a　woman　who　stood　taller　than　all　but　one　of　the　Cairhienin　men。　She　wore　a　man's　coat　and　tight　breeches；　just　like　Selande　and　the　rest　of　the　women；　with　a　sword　on　her　hip。　He　had　not　heard　that　this　nonsense　had　spread　to　the　Tairens。
　　　〃Why　are　you　following　us？〃　he　demanded。　〃If　you　try　to　make　me　any　of　your　wool…head　trouble；　I　vow　I'll　kick　the　lot　of　you　from　here　to　Bel　Tine！〃　He　had　had　problems　before　with　these　idiots；　or　some　just　like　them；　anyway。　All　they　thought　about　was　their　honor；　and　fighting　duels；　and　taking　one　another　gai'shain。　That　last　really　set　the　Aiel's　teeth　on　edge。
　　　〃Attend　my　husband　and　obey；〃　Faile　put　in　sharply。　〃He　is　not　a　man　to　be　trifled　with。〃　Gawking　stares　vanished；　and　they　backed　away；　bowing；　peting　over　flourishes。　They　were　still　at　it　when　they　vanished　around　a　turn。
　　　〃Bloody　young　buffoons；〃　Perrin　muttered；　offering　Faile　his　wrist　again。
　　　〃My　husband　is　wise　in　his　years；〃　she　murmured。　Her　tone　was　utterly　serious；　her　smell　was　something　else　again。
　　　Perrin　managed　not　to　snort。　True；　a　few　of　them　might　be　a　year　or　two　older　than　he；　but　they　all　were　like　children　with　their　playing　at　Aiel。　Now；　with　Faile　in　a　good　mood；　seemed　as　good　a　time　as　any　to　begin　what　they　had　to　talk　about。　What　he　had　to　talk　about。　〃Faile；　how　did　you　e　to　be　one　of　Colavaere's　attendants？〃
　　　〃The　servants；　Perrin。〃　She　spoke　softly；　nobody　two　steps　away　could　have　heard　a　word。　She　knew　all　about　his　hearing；　and　the　wolves。　That　was　nothing　a　man　could　keep　from　his　wife。　Her　fan　touched　her　ear；　admonishing　caution　in　speech。　〃Too　many　people　forget　servants　are　there；　but　servants　listen　too。　In　Cairhien；　they　listen　far　too　much。〃
　　　None　of　the　liveried　people　he　saw　were　doing　any　listening。　The　few　who　did　not　duck　down　side　corridors　when　they　saw　him　and　Faile　went　by　at　a　near　run；　gazes　on　the　floor　and　gathered　in　on　themselves。　Any　sort　of　news　spread　quickly　in　Cairhien。　Events　in　the　Grand　Hall　would　have　flown。　The　word　was　in　the　streets　by　now；　probably　on　its　way　out　of　the　city　already。　Without　any　doubt　there　were　eyes…and…ears　in　Cairhien　for　the　Aes　Sedai；　and　the　Whitecloaks；　and　likely　more　thrones　than　not。
　　　In　that　hushed　voice；　she　went　on　despite　her　caution　to　him。　〃Colavaere　could　not　be　fast　enough　to　take　me　in；　once　she　learned　who　I　am。　My　father's　name　impressed　her　as　much　as　my　cousin's。〃　She　finished　with　a　little　nod；　as　if　she　had　answered　everything。
　　　It　was　a　good　enough　answer。　Almost。　Her　father　was　Davram；　High　Seat　of　House　Bashere；　Lord　of　Bashere；　Tyr　and　Sidona；　Guardian　of　the　Blightborder；　Defender　of　the　Heartland；　and　Marshal…General　to　Queen　Tenobia　of　Saldaea。　Faile's　cousin　was　Tenobia　herself。　More　than　reason　for　Colavaere　to　leap　at　Faile　for　one　of　her　attendants。　But　he　had　had　time　to　mull　things　over　now；　and　he　pr