rj.thegreathunt-第144节

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　　　　　　　〃Whitecloaks？〃　Ingtar　exclaimed；　frowning。　〃Here？　Well；　if　they　do　not　trouble　us；　we　will　not　trouble　them。　Perhaps　if　the　Seanchan　are　occupied　with　them；　it　will　help　us　reach　the　Horn。〃　His　eyes　fell　on　Verin；　still　seated　by　the　fire。　〃I　suppose　you　will　tell　me　I　should　have　listened　to　you；　Aes　Sedai。　The　man　did　go　to　Falme。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Wheel　weaves　as　the　Wheel　wills；〃　Verin　said　placidly。　〃With　ta'veren；　what　happens　is　what　was　meant　to　happen。　It　may　be　the　Pattern　demanded　these　extra　days。　The　Pattern　puts　everything　in　its　place　precisely；　and　when　we　try　to　alter　it；　especially　if　ta'veren　are　involved；　the　weaving　changes　to　put　us　back　into　the　Pattern　as　we　were　meant　to　be。〃　There　was　an　uneasy　silence　that　she　did　not　seem　to　notice；　she　sketched　on　idly　with　the　stick。　〃Now；　however；　I　think　perhaps　we　should　make　plans。　The　Pattern　has　brought　us　to　Falme　at　last。　The　Horn　of　Valere　has　been　taken　to　Falme。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　squatted　across　the　fire　from　her。　〃When　enough　people　say　the　same　thing；　I　tend　to　believe　it；　and　the　local　people　say　the　Seanchan　do　not　seem　to　care　who　es　or　goes　in　Falme。　I　will　take　Hurin　and　a　few　others　into　the　town。　Once　he　follows　Fain's　trail　to　the　Horn　。。。　well；　then　we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。〃
　　　　　　　With　her　foot；　Verin　scrubbed　out　a　wheel　she　had　drawn　in　the　dirt。　In　its　place　she　drew　two　short　lines　that　touched　at　one　end。　〃Ingtar　and　Hurin。　And　Mat；　as　he　can　sense　the　dagger　if　he　es　close　enough。　You　do　want　to　go；　don't　you；　Mat？〃
　　　　　　　Mat　appeared　torn；　but　he　gave　a　jerky　nod。　〃I　have　to；　don't　I？　I　have　to　find　that　dagger。〃
　　　　　　　A　third　line　made　a　bird　track。　Verin　looked　sideways　at　Rand。
　　　　　　　〃I'll　go；〃　he　said。　〃That　is　why　I　came。〃　An　odd　light　appeared　in　the　Aes　Sedai's　eyes；　a　knowing　glimmer　that　made　him　uneasy。　〃To　help　Mat　find　the　dagger；〃　he　said　sharply；　〃and　Ingtar　find　the　Horn。〃　And　Fain；　he　added　to　himself。　I　have　to　find　Fain　if　it　isn't　already　too　late。
　　　　　　　Verin　scratched　a　fourth　line；　turning　the　bird　track　to　a　lopsided　star。　〃And　who　else？〃　she　said　softly。　She　held　the　stick　poised。
　　　　　　　〃Me；〃　Perrin　said；　a　hair　before　Loial　chimed　in　with；　〃I　think　I　would　like　to　go；　too；〃　and　Uno　and　the　other　Shienarans　all　began　clamoring　to　join。
　　　　　　　〃Perrin　spoke　first；〃　Verin　said；　as　if　that　settled　it。　She　added　a　fifth　line　and　drew　a　circle　around　all　five。　The　hair　on　Rand's　neck　stirred；　it　was　the　same　wheel　she　had　rubbed　out　in　the　first　place。　〃Five　ride　forth；〃　she　murmured。
　　　　　　　〃I　really　would　like　to　see　Falme；〃　Loial　said。　〃I've　never　seen　the　Aryth　Ocean。　Besides；　I　can　carry　the　chest；　if　the　Horn　is　still　in　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃You'd　better　include　me　at　least；　my　Lord；〃　Uno　said。　〃You　and　Lord　Rand　will　need　another　sword　at　your　backs　if　those　bloody　Seanchan　try　to　stop　you。〃　The　rest　of　the　soldiers　rumbled　the　same　sentiment。
　　　　　　　〃Do　not　be　silly；〃　Verin　said　sharply。　Her　stare　silenced　them　all。　〃All　of　you　cannot　go。　No　matter　how　uncaring　the　Seanchan　are　about　strangers；　they　will　surely　take　notice　of　twenty　soldiers；　and　you　look　like　nothing　else　even　without　armor。　And　one　or　two　of　you　will　make　no　difference。　Five　is　few　enough　to　enter　without　attracting　attention；　and　it　is　fitting　that　three　of　them　should　be　the　three　ta'veren　among　us。　No；　Loial；　you　must　stay　behind；　too。　There　are　no　Ogier　on　Toman　Head。　You　would　attract　as　many　eyes　as　all　the　rest　put　together。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　about　you？〃　Rand　asked。
　　　　　　　Verin　shook　her　head。　〃You　forget　the　damane。〃　Her　mouth　twisted　around　the　word　in　distaste。　〃The　only　way　I　could　help　you　would　be　if　I　channeled　the　Power；　and　that　would　be　no　help　at　all　if　I　brought　those　down　on　you。　Even　if　they　were　not　close　enough　to　see；　one　might　well　feel　a　woman　…　or　a　man；　for　that　matter　…　channeling；　if　care　was　not　taken　to　keep　the　Power　channeled　small。〃　She　did　not　look　at　Rand；　to　him；　she　seemed　ostentatious　in　not　doing　so；　and　Mat　and　Perrin　were　suddenly　intent　on　their　own　feet。
　　　　　　　〃A　man；〃　Ingtar　snorted。　〃Verin　Sedai；　why　add　problems？　We　have　enough　already　without　supposing　men　channeling。　But　it　would　be　well　if　you　were　there。　If　we　have　need　of　you　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　you　five　must　go　alone。〃　Her　foot　scrubbed　across　the　wheel　drawn　in　the　dirt；　partially　obliterating　it。　She　studied　each　of　them　in　turn；　intent　and　frowning。　〃Five　will　ride　forth。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　it　seemed　that　Ingtar　would　ask　again；　but　meeting　her　level　gaze；　he　shrugged　and　turned　to　Hurin。　〃How　long　to　reach　Falme？〃
　　　　　　　The　sniffer　scratched　his　head。　〃If　we　left　now　and　rode　through　the　night；　we　could　be　there　by　sunrise　tomorrow　morning。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　that　is　what　we　will　do。　I'll　waste　no　more　time。　All　of　you　saddle　your　horses。　Uno；　I　warn　you　to　bring　the　others　along　behind　us；　but　keep　out　of　sight；　and　do　not　let　anyone　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　peered　at　the　sketched　wheel　as　Ingtar　went　on　with　his　instructions。　It　was　a　broken　wheel；　now；　with　only　four　spokes。　For　some　reason　that　made　him　shiver。　He　realized　Verin　was　watching　him；　dark　eyes　bright　and　intent　like　a　bird's。　It　took　an　effort　to　pull　his　gaze　away　and　begin　getting　his　things　together。
　　　　　　　You're　letting　fancies　take　you；　he　told　himself　irritably。　She　can't　do　anything　if　she　isn't　there。


Chapter　45
（Heron…Mark　Sword　Hilt）
Blademaster

　　　　　　　The　rising　sun　pushed　its　crimson　edge　above　the　horizon　and　sent　long　shadows　down　the　cobblestone　streets　of　Falme　toward　the　harbor。　A　sea　breeze　bent　the　smoke　of　breakfast　cook　fires　inland　from　the　chimneys。　Only　the　early　risers　were　already　out　of　doors；　their　breath　making　steam　in　the　morning　cold。　pared　to　the　crowds　that　would　fill　the　streets　in　another　hour；　the　town　seemed　nearly　empty。
　　　　　　　Sitting　on　an　upended　barrel　in　front　of　a　still…closed　ironmonger's　shop；　Nynaeve　warmed　her　hands　under　her　arms　and　surveyed　her　army。　Min　sat　on　a　doorstep　across　the　way；　swathed　in　her　Seanchan　cloak　and　eating　a　wrinkled　plum；　and　Elayne　in　her　fleece　coat　huddled　at　the　edge　of　an　alley　just　down　the　street　from　her。　A　large　sack；　pilfered　from　the　docks；　lay　neatly　folded　beside　Min。　My　army；　Nynaeve　thought　grimly。　But　there　isn't　anybody　else。
　　　　　　　She　caught　sight　of　a　sul'dam　and　a　damane　climbing　the　street；　a　yellow…haired　woman　wearing　the　bracelet　and　a　dark　woman　the　collar；　both　yawning　sleepily。　The　few　Falmen　sharing　the　street　with　them　averted　their　eyes　and　gave　them　a　wide　berth。　As　far　as　she　could　see　down　toward　the　harbor；　there　was　not　another　Seanchan。　She　did　not　turn　her　head　the　other　way。　Instead；　she　stretched　and　shrugged　as　if　working　cold　shoulders　before　settling　back　as　she　had　been。
　　　　　　　Min　tossed　her　half…eaten　plum　aside；　glanced　casually　up　the　street；　and　leaned　back　on　the　doorpost。　The　way　was　clear　there；　too；　or　she　would　have　put　her　hands　on　her　knees。　Min　had　started　rubbing　her　hands　nervously；　and　Nynaeve　realized　that　Elayne　was　now　bouncing　eagerly　on　her　toes。
　　　　　　　If　they　give　us　away；　I'll　thump　both　their　heads。　But　she　knew　if　they　were　discovered；　it　would　be　the　Seanchan　who　would　say　what　happened　to　all　three　of　them。　She　was　all　too　aware　that　she　had　no　real　notion　of　whether　what　she　planned　would　work　or　not。　It　could　easily　be　her　own　failure　that　would　give　them　away。　Once　again　she　resolved　that　if　anything　went　wrong；　she　would　somehow　pull　attention　to　herself　while　Min　and　Elayne　escaped。　She　had　told　them　to　run　if　anything　went　wrong；　and　let　them　think　she　would　run；　too。　What　she　would　do　then；　she　did　not　know。　Except　I　won't　let　them　take　me　alive。　Please；　Light；　not　that。
　　　　　　　Sul'dam　and　damane　came　up　the　street　until　they　were　bracketed　by　the　three　waiting　women。　A　dozen　Falmen　walked　wide　of　the　linked　pair。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　gathered　all　of　her　anger。　Leashed　Ones　and　Leash　Holders。　They　had　put　their　filthy　collar　on　Egwene's　neck；　and　they　would　put　it　on　hers；　and　Elayne's；　if　they　could。　She　had　made　Min　tell　her　how　sul'dam　enforced　their　will。　She　was　sure　Min　had　kept　some　back；　the　worst；　but　what　she　told　was　enough　to　heat　Nynaeve　to　white…hot　fury。　In　an　instant　a　white　blossom　on　a　black；　thorny　branch　had　opened　to　light；　to　saidar；　and　the　One　Power　filled　her。　She　knew　there　was　a　glow　around　her；　for　those　who　could　see　it。　The　pale…skinned　sul'dam　gave　a　start；　and　the　dark　damane's　mouth　fell　open；　but　Nynaeve　gave　them　no　chance。　It　was　only　a　trickle　of　the　Power　that　she　channeled；　but　she　cracked　it；　a　whip　snapping　a　dust　mote　out　of　the　air。
　　　　　　　The　silver　collar　sprang　open　and　clattered　to　the　cobblestones。　Nynaeve　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　even　as　she　leaped　to　her　feet。
　　　　　　　The　sul'dam　stared　at　the　fallen　collar　as　if　at　a　poisonous　snake。　The　damane　put　a　shaking　hand　to　her　throat；　but　before　the　woman　in　the　lightning…marked　dress　had　time　to　move；　the　damane　turned　and　punched　her　in　the　face；　the　sul'dam's　knees　buckled；　and　she　almost　fell。
　　　　　　　〃Good　for　you！〃　Elayne　shouted。　She　was　already　running　forward；　too；　and　so　was　Min。
　　　　　　　Before　any　of　them　reached　the　two　women；　the　damane　took　one　startled　look　around；　then　ran　as　hard　as　she　could。