rj.theshadowrising-第223节

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the　leg　gave　way；　and　she　just　as　coolly　severed　the　Trolloc's　spine　at　the　base　of　its　neck。　Another　Trolloc　lifted　Bode　Cauthon　into　the　air　by　her　braid；　mouth　wide　in　a　terrified　scream；　she　sank　her　wood…axe　into　its　mailed　shoulder　just　as　her　sister；　Eldrin；　thrust　her　boar　spear　through　its　chest　and　gray…braided　Neysa　Ayellin　drove　a　thick　butchering　knife　in　as　well。
　　　　　　　All　up　and　down　the　line；　as　far　as　Perrin　could　see；　the　women　were　there。　Their　numbers　were　the　only　reason　the　line　still　held；　almost　driven　back　against　the　houses。　Women　among　the　men；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　some　no　more　than　girls；　but　then；　some　of　those　〃men〃　had　never　shaved　yet。　Some　never　would。　Where　were　the　Whitecloaks？　The　children！　If　the　women　were　here；　there　was　no　one　to　get　the　children　out。　Where　are　the　bloody　Whitecloaks？　If　they　came　now；　at　least　they　might　buy　another　few　minutes。　A　few　minutes　to　get　the　children　away。
　　　　　　　A　boy；　the　same　dark…haired　runner　who　had　e　for　him　the　night　before；　seized　his　arm　as　he　turned　to　search　for　the　panions。　The　panions　had　to　try　to　cut　a　way　out　for　the　children。　He　would　send　them；　and　do　what　he　could　here。　〃Lord　Perrin！〃　the　boy　shouted　at　him　through　the　deafening　din。　〃Lord　Perrin！〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　tried　to　shake　him　off；　then　snatched　him　up　kicking　under　one　arm；　he　belonged　with　the　other　children。　Split　up；　in　tight　ranks　stretching　from　house　to　house；　Ban　and　Tell　and　the　other　panions　were　shooting　from　their　saddles；　over　the　heads　of　the　men　and　women。　Wil　had　driven　the　banner's　staff　into　the　ground　so　he　could　work　his　bow；　too。　Somehow；　Tell　had　managed　to　catch　up　Stepper；　the　dun's　reins　were　tied　to　Tell's　saddle。　The　boy　could　go　on　Stepper's　back。
　　　　　　　〃Lord　Perrin！　Please　listen！　Master　al'Thor　says　somebody's　attacking　the　Trollocs！　Lord　Perrin！〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　was　halfway　to　Tell；　hobbling　on　his　bruised　leg；　when　it　penetrated。　He　stuffed　the　axe　haft　through　his　belt　to　hoist　the　boy　up　in　front　of　his　face　by　the　shoulders。　〃Attacking　them？　Who？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know；　Lord　Perrin。　Master　al'Thor　said　to　tell　you　he　thought　he　heard　somebody　shouting　'Deven　Ride。'　〃
　　　　　　　Aram　grabbed　Perrin's　arm；　wordlessly　pointing　with　his　bloody　sword。　Perrin　turned　in　time　to　see　a　hail　of　arrows　plunge　into　the　Trollocs。　From　the　north。　Another　flight　was　already　rising　toward　the　top　of　its　arc。
　　　　　　　〃Go　back　to　the　other　children；〃　he　said；　setting　the　boy　down。　He　had　to　be　up　where　he　could　see。　〃Go！　You　did　well；　boy！〃　he　added　as　he　ran　awkwardly　for　Stepper。　The　little　fellow　scampered　back　into　the　village　grinning。　Every　step　sent　a　jolt　of　pain　up　Perrin's　leg；　maybe　the　thing　was　broken。　He　had　no　time　to　worry　about　that。
　　　　　　　Seizing　the　reins　Tell　tossed　him；　he　hauled　himself　up　into　his　saddle。　And　wondered　if　he　was　seeing　what　he　wanted　to　see　instead　of　what　was　really　there。
　　　　　　　Beneath　a　red…eagle　banner　at　the　edge　of　where　the　fields　had　been　stood　long　rows　of　men　in　farmer's　clothes；　shooting　their　bows　methodically。　And　beside　the　banner；　Faile　sat　Swallow's　saddle；　Bain　at　her　stirrup。　It　had　to　be　Bain　behind　that　black　veil；　and　he　could　see　Faile's　face　clearly。　She　looked　excited；　fearful；　terrified　and　exuberant。　She　looked　beautiful。
　　　　　　　Myrddraal　were　trying　to　turn　some　of　the　Trollocs　around；　trying　to　lead　a　charge　against　the　Watch　Hill　men；　but　it　was　useless。　Even　Trollocs　who　did　turn　went　down　before　they　covered　fifty　strides。　A　Fade　and　its　horse　fell；　not　to　arrows；　but　to　panicked　Trolloc　hands　and　spears。　It　was　the　Trollocs　moving　back　now；　then　running　in　a　frenzy；　fleeing　shots　from　both　sides　once　the　Emond's　Field　men　had　room　to　lift　bows；　too；　Trollocs　falling；　Myrddraal　going　down。　It　was　a　slaughter；　but　Perrin　hardly　saw。　Faile。
　　　　　　　The　same　boy　appeared　at　his　stirrup。　〃Lord　Perrin！〃　he　shouted。　To　be　heard　above　cheering　now；　men　and　women　shouting　for　joy　and　relief　as　the　last　Trollocs　who　had　not　made　it　out　of　bow　range　fell。　Not　many　had；　Perrin　believed；　but　he　was　barely　able　to　think。　Faile。　The　boy　tugged　at　his　breeches'　leg。　〃Lord　Perrin！　Master　al'Thor　said　to　tell　you　the　Trollocs　are　breaking！　And　they　are　shouting　'Deven　Ride'！　The　men；　I　mean。　I　heard　them！〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　bent　to　ruffle　the　boy's　curly　hair。　〃What's　your　name；　lad？〃
　　　　　　　〃Jaim　Aybara；　Lord　Perrin。　I'm　your　cousin；　I　think。　Sort　of；　anyway。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　squeezed　his　eyes　shut　for　a　moment　to　keep　the　tears　in。　Even　when　he　opened　them　his　hand　still　trembled　on　the　lad's　head。　〃Well；　Cousin　Jaim；　you　tell　your　children　about　today。　You　tell　your　grandchildren；　your　grandchildren's　children。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　going　to　have　any；〃　Jaim　said　stoutly。　〃Girls　are　horrible。　They　laugh　at　you；　and　they　don't　like　to　do　anything　worth　doing；　and　you　never　understand　what　they're　saying。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　one　day　you'll　find　out　they're　the　opposite　of　horrible。　Some　of　it　won't　change；　but　that　will。〃　Faile。
　　　　　　　Jaim　looked　doubtful；　but　then　he　brightened；　a　wide　grin　spreading　across　his　face。　〃Wait　till　I　tell　Had　Lord　Perrin　called　me　cousin！〃　And　he　darted　away　to　tell　Had；　who　would　have　children；　too；　and　all　the　other　boys　who　would；　one　day。　The　sun　stood　straight　overhead。　An　hour；　maybe。　It　had　all　taken　no　more　than　an　hour。　It　felt　like　a　lifetime。
　　　　　　　Stepper　moved　forward；　and　he　realized　he　must　have　dug　his　heels　in。　Cheering　people　made　way　for　the　dun；　and　he　hardly　heard　them。　There　were　great　gaps　where　Trollocs　had　broken　down　the　stakes　with　sheer　weight　of　numbers。　He　rode　through　one　over　a　mound　of　dead　Trollocs　and　never　noticed。　Dead　Trollocs　bristling　with　arrows　carpeted　the　open　ground；　and　here　and　there　a　pincushioned　Fade　flailed　and　thrashed。　He　saw　none　of　it。　He　had　eyes　for　only　one　thing。　Faile。
　　　　　　　She　started　out　from　the　Watch　Hill　men；　pausing　to　stop　Bain　from　following；　and　rode　to　meet　him。　She　rode　so　gracefully；　as　if　the　black　mare　were　part　of　her；　slimly　erect；　guiding　Swallow　more　with　her　knees　than　the　reins　held　so　casually　in　one　hand。　The　red　marriage　ribbon　still　twined　through　her　hair；　the　ends　dangling　past　her　shoulders。　He　must　find　her　flowers。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　those　tilted　eyes　studied　him；　her　mouth。。。　Surely　she　could　not　be　uncertain；　but　she　smelled　it。　〃I　said　I　would　go；〃　she　said　finally；　holding　her　head　high。　Swallow　danced　sideways；　neck　arched；　and　Faile　mastered　the　mare　without　seeming　to　noticed　〃I　did　not　say　how　far。　You　cannot　say　I　did。〃
　　　　　　　He　could　not　say　anything。　She　was　so　beautiful。　He　just　wanted　to　look　at　her；　to　see　her；　beautiful；　alive；　with　him。　Her　scent　was　clean　sweat　with　just　the　slightest　hint　of　herbal　soap。　He　was　not　sure　whether　he　wanted　to　laugh　or　cry。　Maybe　both。　He　wanted　to　pull　all　the　smell　of　her　into　his　lungs。
　　　　　　　Frowning；　she　went　on。　〃They　were　ready；　Perrin。　Truly；　they　were。　I　barely　had　to　say　anything　to　convince　them　to　e。　The　Trollocs　had　hardly　bothered　them　at　all；　but　they　could　see　the　smoke。　We　traveled　hard；　Bain　and　I；　and　reached　Watch　Hill　well　before　first　light；　and　we　started　back　as　soon　as　the　sun　rose。〃　Her　frown　became　a　wide　smile；　eager　and　proud。　Such　a　beautiful　smile。　Her　dark　eyes　sparkled。　〃They　followed　me；　Perrin。　They　followed　me！　Even　Tenobia　has　never　led　men　in　battle。　She　wanted　to　once；　when　I　was　eight；　but　Father　had　a　talk　with　her　alone　in　her　chambers；　and　when　he　rode　off　to　the　Blight　she　stayed　behind。〃　With　a　rueful　grin；　she　added；　〃I　think　you　and　he　use　the　same　methods　sometimes。　Tenobia　exiled　him；　but　she　was　only　sixteen；　and　the　Council　of　Lords　managed　to　change　her　mind　after　a　few　weeks。　She　will　be　blue　with　envy　when　I　tell　her。〃　Again　she　paused；　this　time　drawing　a　deep　breath　and　planting　a　fist　on　her　hip。　〃Aren't　you　going　to　say　anything？〃　she　demanded　impatiently。　〃Are　you　just　going　to　sit　there　like　a　hairy　lump？　I　did　not　say　I　would　leave　the　Two　Rivers。　You　said　that；　not　I。　You've　no　right　to　be　angry　because　I　did　not　do　what　I　never　promised！　And　you　trying　to　send　me　away　because　you　thought　you　were　going　to　die！　I　came　back　to　…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　love　you。〃　It　was　all　he　could　say；　but　strangely　it　seemed　to　be　enough。　No　sooner　were　the　words　out　of　his　mouth　than　she　reined　Swallow　close　enough　to　throw　an　arm　around　him　and　press　her　face　against　his　chest；　she　seemed　to　be　trying　to　squeeze　him　in　two。　He　stroked　her　dark　hair　gently；　just　feeling　the　silkiness　of　it；　just　feeling　her。
　　　　　　　〃I　was　so　afraid　I　would　be　too　late；〃　she　said　into　his　coat。　〃The　Watch　Hill　men　marched　as　fast　as　they　could；　but　when　we　arrived；　and　I　saw　the　Trollocs　fighting　right　in　among　the　houses；　so　many　of　them；　as　if　the　village　were　being　buried　in　an　avalanche；　and　I　couldn't　see　you。。。〃　She　drew　a　shivering　breath　and　let　it　out　slowly。　When　she　spoke　again；　her　voice　was　calmer。　Just。　〃Did　the　men　from　Deven　Ride　e？〃
　　　　　　　He　gave　a　start；　and　his　hand　stopped　stroking。　〃Yes；　they　did。　How　did　you　know？　。Did　you　arrange　that；　too？〃　She　began　shaking；　it　took　him　a　moment　to　know　she　was　laughing。
　　　　　　　〃No；　my　heart；　though　I　would　have　if　I　could。　When　that　man　came　with　his　message　…　'We　are　i