rj.thegreathunt-第98节

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low　beard；　who　fought　with　his　left　hand。　Sounds　almost　like　Child　Wuan；　my　Lord　Captain。〃
　　　　　　　〃Questioners！〃　Bornhald　spat。　Earwin　and　Wuan　were　among　those　he　had　had　to　hand　over　to　the　Questioners'　mand。　He　had　seen　Questioner　tactics　before；　but　this　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　been　faced　with　children's　bodies。
　　　　　　　〃If　my　Lord　Captain　says　so。〃　Muadh　made　it　sound　like　fervent　agreement。
　　　　　　　〃Cut　them　down；〃　Bornhald　said　wearily。　〃Cut　them　down；　and　make　sure　the　villagers　know　there　will　be　no　more　killing。〃　Unless　some　fool　decides　to　be　brave　because　his　woman　is　watching；　and　I　have　to　make　an　example。　He　dismounted；　eyeing　the　prisoners　again；　as　Muadh　hurried　off　calling　for　ladders　and　knives。　He　had　more　to　think　about　than　Questioners'　overzealousness；　he　wished　he　could　stop　thinking　about　Questioners　altogether。
　　　　　　　〃They　do　not　put　up　much　fight；　my　Lord　Captain；〃　Byar　said；　〃either　these　Taraboners　or　what　is　left　of　the　Domani。　They　snap　like　cornered　rats；　but　run　as　soon　as　anything　snaps　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃Let　us　see　how　we　do　against　the　invaders；　Byar；　before　we　look　down　on　these　men；　yes？〃　The　prisoners'　faces　bore　a　defeated　look　that　had　been　there　before　his　men　came。　〃Have　Muadh　pick　one　out　for　me。〃　Muadh's　face　was　enough　to　soften　most　men's　resolve　by　itself。　〃An　officer；　preferably。　One　who　looks　intelligent　enough　to　tell　what　he　has　seen　without　embroidery；　but　young　enough　not　to　have　yet　grown　a　full　backbone。　Tell　Muadh　to　be　not　too　gentle　about　it；　yes？　Make　the　fellow　believe　that　I　mean　to　see　worse　happen　to　him　than　he　ever　dreamed　of；　unless　he　convinces　me　otherwise。〃　He　tossed　his　reins　to　one　of　the　Children　and　strode　into　the　inn。
　　　　　　　The　innkeeper　was　there；　for　a　wonder；　an　obsequious；　sweating　man；　his　dirty　shirt　straining　over　his　belly　until　the　embroidered　red　scrollwork　seemed　ready　to　pop　off。　Bornhald　waved　the　man　away；　he　was　vaguely　aware　of　a　woman　and　some　children　huddling　in　a　doorway；　until　the　fat　innkeeper　shepherded　them　out。
　　　　　　　Bornhald　pulled　off　his　gauntlets　and　sat　at　one　of　the　tables。　He　knew　too　little　about　the　invaders；　the　strangers。　That　was　what　almost　everyone　called　them；　those　who　did　not　just　babble　about　Artur　Hawkwing。　He　knew　they　called　themselves　the　Seanchan；　and　Hailene。　He　had　enough　of　the　Old　Tongue　to　know　the　latter　meant　Those　Who　e　Before；　or　the　Forerunners。　They　also　called　themselves　Rhyagelle；　Those　Who　e　Home；　and　spoke　of　Corenne；　the　Return。　It　was　almost　enough　to　make　him　believe　the　tales　of　Artur　Hawkwing's　armies　e　back。　No　one　knew　where　the　Seanchan　had　e　from；　other　than　that　they　had　landed　in　ships。　Bornhald's　requests　for　information　from　the　Sea　Folk　had　been　met　with　silence。　Amador　did　not　hold　the　Atha'an　Miere　in　good　favor；　and　the　attitude　was　returned　with　interest。　All　he　knew　of　the　Seanchan　he　had　heard　from　men　like　those　outside。　Broken；　beaten　rabble　who　spoke；　wide…eyed　and　sweating；　of　men　who　came　into　battle　riding　monsters　as　often　as　horses；　who　fought　with　monsters　by　their　sides；　and　brought　Aes　Sedai　to　rend　the　earth　under　their　enemies'　feet。
　　　　　　　A　sound　of　boots　in　the　doorway　made　him　put　on　a　wolfish　grin；　but　Byar　was　not　acpanied　by　Muadh。　The　Child　of　the　Light　who　stood　beside　him；　back　braced　and　helmet　in　the　crook　of　his　arm；　was　Jeral；　who　Bornhald　expected　to　be　a　hundred　miles　away。　Over　his　armor；　the　young　man　wore　a　cloak　of　Domani　cut；　trimmed　with　blue；　not　the　white　cloak　of　the　Children。
　　　　　　　〃Muadh　is　talking　to　a　young　fellow　now；　my　Lord　Captain；〃　Byar　said。　〃Child　Jeral　has　just　ridden　in　with　a　message。〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald　waved　for　Jeral　to　begin。
　　　　　　　The　young　man　did　not　unbend。　〃The　pliments　of　Jaichim　Carridin；〃　he　started；　looking　straight　ahead；　〃who　guides　the　Hand　of　the　Light　in　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　no　need　of　the　Questioner's　pliments；〃　Bornhald　growled；　and　saw　the　young　man's　startled　look。　Jeral　was　young；　yet。　For　that　matter；　Byar　looked　unfortable；　as　well。　〃You　will　give　me　his　message；　yes？　Not　word　for　word；　unless　I　ask　it。　Simply　tell　me　what　he　wants。〃
　　　　　　　The　Child；　set　to　recite；　swallowed　before　he　began。　〃My　Lord　Captain；　he　…　he　says　you　are　moving　too　many　men　too　close　to　Toman　Head。　He　says　the　Darkfriends　on　Almoth　Plain　must　be　rooted　out；　and　you　are　…　forgive　me；　Lord　Captain　…　you　are　to　turn　back　at　once　and　ride　toward　the　heart　of　the　plain。〃　He　stood　stiffly；　waiting。
　　　　　　　Bornhald　studied　him。　The　dust　of　the　plain　stained　Jeral's　face　as　well　as　his　cloak　and　his　boots。　〃Go　and　get　yourself　something　to　eat；〃　Bornhald　told　him。　〃There　should　be　wash　water　in　one　of　these　houses；　if　you　wish　it。　Return　to　me　in　an　hour。　I　will　have　messages　for　you　to　carry。〃　He　waved　the　young　man　out。
　　　　　　　〃The　Questioners　may　be　right；　my　Lord　Captain；〃　Byar　said　when　Jeral　was　gone。　〃There　are　many　villages　scattered　on　the　plain；　and　the　Darkfriends　…　〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald's　hand　slapping　the　table　cut　him　off。　〃What　Darkfriends？　I　have　seen　nothing　in　any　village　he　has　ordered　taken　except　farmers　and　craftsmen　worried　that　we　will　burn　their　livelihoods；　and　a　few　old　women　who　tend　the　sick。〃　Byar's　face　was　a　study　in　lack　of　expression；　he　was　always　readier　than　Bornhald　to　see　Darkfriends。　〃And　children；　Byar？　Do　children　here　bee　Darkfriends？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　sins　of　the　mother　are　visited　to　the　fifth　generation；〃　Byar　quoted；　〃and　the　sins　of　the　father　to　the　tenth。〃　But　he　looked　uneasy。　Even　Byar　had　never　killed　a　child。
　　　　　　　〃Has　it　never　occurred　to　you；　Byar；　to　wonder　why　Carridin　has　taken　away　our　banners；　and　the　cloaks　of　the　men　the　Questioners　lead？　Even　the　Questioners　themselves　have　put　off　the　white。　This　suggests　something；　yes？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　must　have　his　reasons；　Lord　Captain；〃　Byar　said　slowly。　〃The　Questioners　always　have　reasons；　even　when　they　do　not　tell　the　rest　of　us。〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald　reminded　himself　that　Byar　was　a　good　soldier。　〃Children　to　the　north　wear　Taraboner　cloaks；　Byar；　and　those　to　the　south　Domani。　I　do　not　like　what　this　suggests　to　me。　There　are　Darkfriends　here；　but　they　are　in　Falme；　not　on　the　plain。　When　Jeral　rides；　he　will　not　ride　alone。　Messages　will　go　to　every　group　of　the　Children　I　know　how　to　find。　I　mean　to　take　the　legion　onto　Toman　Head；　Byar；　and　see　what　the　true　Darkfriends；　these　Seanchan；　are　up　to。〃
　　　　　　　Byar　looked　troubled；　but　before　he　could　speak；　Muadh　appeared　with　one　of　the　prisoners。　The　sweating　young　man　in　a　battered；　ornate　breastplate　shot　frightened　looks　at　Muadh's　hideous　face。
　　　　　　　Bornhald　drew　his　dagger　and　began　trimming　his　nails。　He　had　never　understood　why　that　made　some　men　nervous；　but　he　used　it　just　the　same。　Even　his　grandfatherly　smile　made　the　prisoner's　dirty　face　pale。　〃Now；　young　man；　you　will　tell　me　everything　you　know　about　these　strangers；　yes？　If　you　need　to　think　on　what　to　say；　I　will　send　you　back　out　with　Child　Muadh　to　consider　it。〃
　　　　　　　The　prisoner　darted　a　wide…eyed　look　at　Muadh。　Then　words　began　to　pour　out　of　him。
　
　　　　　　　The　long　swells　of　the　Aryth　Ocean　made　Spray　roll；　but　Domon's　spread　feet　balanced　him　as　he　held　the　long　tube　of　the　looking　glass　to　his　eye　and　studied　the　large　vessel　that　pursued　them。　Pursued；　and　was　slowly　overtaking。　The　wind　where　Spray　ran　was　not　the　best　or　the　strongest；　but　where　the　other　ship　smashed　the　swells　into　mountains　of　foam　with　its　bluff　bow；　it　could　not　have　blown　better。　The　coastline　of　Toman　Head　loomed　to　the　east；　dark　cliffs　and　narrow　strips　of　sand。　He　had　not　cared　to　take　Spray　too　far　out；　and　now　he　feared　he　might　pay　for　it。
　　　　　　　〃Strangers；　Captain？〃　Yarin　had　the　sound　of　sweat　in　his　voice。　〃Is　it　a　strangers'　ship？〃
　　　　　　　Domon　lowered　the　looking　glass；　but　his　eye　still　seemed　filled　by　that　tall；　square…looking　ship　with　its　odd　ribbed　sails。　〃Seanchan；〃　he　said；　and　heard　Yarin　groan。　He　drummed　his　thick　fingers　on　the　rail；　then　told　the　helmsman；　〃Take　her　closer　in。　That　ship　will　no　dare　enter　the　shallow　waters　Spray　can　sail。〃
　　　　　　　Yarin　shouted　mands；　and　crewmen　ran　to　haul　in　booms　as　the　helmsman　put　the　tiller　over；　pointing　the　bow　more　toward　the　shoreline。　Spray　moved　more　slowly；　heading　so　far　into　the　wind；　but　Domon　was　sure　he　could　reach　shoal　waters　before　the　other　vessel　came　up　on　him。　Did　her　holds　be　full；　she　could　still　take　shallower　water　than　ever　that　great　hull　can。
　　　　　　　His　ship　rode　a　little　higher　in　the　water　than　she　had　on　sailing　from　Tanchico。　A　third　of　the　cargo　of　fireworks　he　had　taken　on　there　was　gone；　sold　in　the　fishing　villages　on　Toman　Head；　but　with　the　silver　that　flowed　for　the　fireworks　had　e　disturbing　reports。　The　people　spoke　of　visits　from　the　tall；　boxy　ships　of　the　invaders。　When　Seanchan　ships　anchored　off　the　coast；　the　villagers　who　drew　up　to　defend　their　homes　were　rent　by　lightning　from　the　sky　while　small　boats　were　still　ferrying　the　invaders　ashore；　and　the　earth　erupted　in　fire　under　their　feet。　Domon　had　thought　he　was　hearing　nonsense　until　he　was　shown　the　blackened　ground；　and　he　had　seen　it　in　too　many　villages　to　doubt　any　longer。　Monsters　fought　beside　the　Seanchan　soldiers；　not　that　there　was　ever　mu