rj.thepathofdaggers-第37部分

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；　Berelain。　And　maybe　Lord　Gallenne。　Likely　they'll　take　him　for　Annoura's　Warder。〃
　　　　　　　Berelain　chortled　in　delight；　leaning　to　clasp　his　arm　with　both　hands。　She　did　not　leave　it　at　that；　of　course。　Her　fingers　squeezed　caressingly；　and　she　flashed　a　heated　smile　of　promise；　then　straightened　before　he　could　move；　her　face　suddenly　innocent　as　a　babe's。　Expressionless；　Faile　focused　on　pulling　her　gray　riding　gloves　snug。　By　her　scent；　she　had　not　noticed　Berelain's　smile。　She　hid　her　disappointment　well。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　sorry；　Faile；〃　he　said；　〃but　…　〃
　　　　　　　Outrage　flared　in　the　smell　of　her　like　thorns。　〃I　am　certain　you　have　matters　to　discuss　with　the　First　before　she　goes；　husband；〃　she　said　calmly。　Her　tilted　eyes　were　pure　serenity；　her　scent　sand　burrs。　〃Best　you　see　to　her　now。〃　Pulling　Swallow　around；　Faile　walked　the　mare　over　to　a　plainly　fuming　Seonid　and　the　tight…faced　Wise　Ones；　but　she　did　not　dismount　or　speak　to　them。　Instead　she　frowned　down　at　Bethal；　a　falcon　staring　from　her　eyrie。
　　　　　　　Perrin　realized　he　was　feeling　at　his　nose　and　pulled　his　hand　down。　There　was　no　blood；　of　course；　his　nose　only　felt　as　if　there　should　be。
　　　　　　　Berelain　needed　no　last…minute　instructions　…　the　First　of　Mayene　and　her　Gray　advisor　were　all　impatience　to　be　off；　all　certainty　they　knew　what　to　say　and　do　…　yet　Perrin　stressed　caution　anyway；　and　emphasized　that　Berelain　and　only　Berelain　was　to　speak　with　Alliandre。　Annoura　gave　him　one　of　those　cool　Aes　Sedai　looks　and　nodded。　Which　might　have　been　agreement　or　might　not；　he　doubted　he　could　get　more　out　of　her　with　a　pry…bar。　Berelain's　lips　curled　in　amusement；　though　she　agreed　with　everything　he　said。　Or　said　she　did。　He　suspected　she　would　say　anything　to　get　what　she　wanted；　and　those　smiles　in　all　the　wrong　places　bothered　him。　Gallenne　had　put　his　looking　glass　away；　but　he　was　still　playing　with　his　reins；　no　doubt　calculating　how　to　carve　a　way　out　of　Bethal　for　the　two　women。　Perrin　wanted　to　growl。
　　　　　　　He　watched　them　ride　down　to　the　road　with　worry。　The　message　Berelain　carried　was　simple。　Rand　understood　Alliandre's　caution；　but　if　she　wanted　his　protection　she　must　be　willing　to　announce　support　for　him　openly。　That　protection　would　e；　soldiers　and　Asha'man　to　make　it　plain　to　everyone；　and　even　Rand　himself　if　need　be；　once　she　agreed　to　make　the　announcement。　Berelain　had　no　reason　to　change　the　message　a　hair；　despite　her　smiles　…　he　thought　they　might　be　another　way　of　flirting　…　but　Annoura。。。　Aes　Sedai　did　what　they　did；　and　the　Light　alone　knew　why　half　the　time。　He　wished　he　knew　some　way　to　reach　Alliandre　without　using　a　sister　or　rousing　talk。　Or　risking　Faile。
　　　　　　　The　three　riders　reached　the　gates　with　Annoura　in　the　lead；　and　guards　quickly　raised　pikes；　lowered　bows　and　crossbows；　no　doubt　as　soon　as　she　named　herself　Aes　Sedai。　Not　many　people　had　the　nerve　to　challenge　that　particular　claim。　There　was　barely　a　pause　before　she　was　leading　the　way　into　the　town。　In　fact；　the　soldiers　seemed　eager　to　hurry　them　through；　out　of　sight　of　anyone　watching　from　the　hills。　Some　peered　at　the　distant　heights；　and　Perrin　did　not　need　to　smell　them　to　sense　their　unease　over　who　might　be　hidden　up　there；　who　might；　improbably；　have　recognized　a　sister。
　　　　　　　Turning　north；　toward　their　camp；　Perrin　led　the　way　along　the　ridge　until　they　were　out　of　sight　from　Bethal's　towers；　then　slanted　down　to　the　hard…packed　road。　Scattered　farms　lined　the　road；　thatch…roofed　houses　and　long　narrow　barns；　withered　pastures　and　stubbled　fields　and　high…walled　stone　goatpens；　but　there　was　little　livestock　to　be　seen　and　fewer　people。　Those　few　watched　the　riders　warily；　geese　watching　foxes；　stopping　chores　where　they　stood　until　the　horses　passed　on。　Aram　kept　as　close　an　eye　on　them　in　return；　sometimes　fingering　the　sword　hilt　rising　above　his　shoulder；　perhaps　wishing　to　find　more　than　farmfolk。　Despite　his　green…striped　coat；　little　Tinker　remained　in　him。
　　　　　　　Edarra　and　Nevarin　walked　beside　Stepper；　seemingly　out　for　a　stroll　yet　keeping　pace　easily　despite　their　bulky　skirts。　Seonid　heeled　them　on　her　gelding；　Furen　and　Teryl　at　her　own　back。　The　pale…cheeked　Green　pretended　that　she　simply　wanted　to　ride　a　careful　two　paces　behind　the　Wise　Ones；　but　the　men　scowled　openly。　Warders　often　had　a　greater　care　for　their　Aes　Sedai's　dignity　than　the　sister　did　herself；　and　Aes　Sedai　had　enough　for　queens。
　　　　　　　Faile　kept　Swallow　on　the　far　side　of　the　Aiel　women；　riding　in　silence；　apparently　studying　the　drought…scarred　landscape。　Slim　and　graceful；　she　made　Perrin　feel　a　little　clumsy　at　the　best　of　times。　She　was　quicksilver；　and　he　loved　it　in　her；　usually；　but。。。　A　slight　breath　of　air　had　begun　to　stir；　enough　to　keep　her　scent　mingled　with　the　rest。　He　knew　he　should　be　thinking　about　Alliandre　and　what　her　answer　would　be；　or　better　still；　the　Prophet　and　how　to　find　him　once　Alliandre　replied；　however　she　did；　but　he　could　not　find　room　in　his　head。
　　　　　　　He　had　expected　Faile　to　be　angry　when　he　chose　Berelain；　for　all　that　Rand　supposedly　had　sent　her　for　the　purpose。　Faile　knew　he　did　not　want　to　send　her　into　danger；　into　any　risk　of　danger；　a　fact　she　disliked　more　than　she　did　Berelain。　Yet　her　scent　had　been　soft　as　a　summer　morning　…　until　he　tried　to　apologize！　Well；　apologies　usually　stoked　her　anger　if　she　already　was　angry　…　except　when　they　melted　her　temper；　anyway　…　but　she　had　not　been　angry！　Without　Berelain；　everything　ran　smooth　as　silk　satin　between　them。　Most　of　the　time。　But　explanations　that　he　did　nothing　to　encourage　the　woman　…　far　from　it！　…　earned　only　a　curt　〃Of　course　you　don't！〃　in　tones　that　called　him　a　fool　for　bringing　it　up。　But　she　still　grew　angry　…　with　him！　…　every　time　Berelain　smiled　at　him　or　found　an　excuse　to　touch　him；　no　matter　how　brusquely　he　put　her　off；　and　the　Light　knew　he　did　that。　Short　of　tying　her　up；　he　did　not　know　what　more　he　could　do　to　discourage　her。　Ginger　attempts　to　find　out　from　Faile　what　he　was　doing　wrong　received　a　light　〃Why　do　you　think　you've　done　anything？〃　or　a　not…so…light　〃What　do　you　think　you've　done？〃　or　a　flat　〃I　do　not　want　to　talk　about　it。〃　He　was　doing　something　wrong；　but　he　could　not　puzzle　out　what！　He　had　to；　though。　Nothing　was　more　important　than　Faile。　Nothing！
　　　　　　　〃Lord　Perrin？〃
　　　　　　　Aram's　excited　voice　cut　into　his　brown　study。　〃Don't　call　me　that；〃　he　muttered；　following　the　direction　of　the　man's　pointing　finger；　to　yet　another　abandoned　farm　some　distance　ahead；　where　fire　had　taken　the　roof　from　house　and　barn。　Only　rough　stone　walls　stood。　An　abandoned　farm；　but　not　deserted。　Angry　shouts　rose　up　there。
　　　　　　　A　dozen　or　more　rough…clad　fellows　carrying　spears　and　pitchforks　were　trying　to　force　their　way　over　the　chest…high　stone　wall　of　a　goatpen；　while　a　handful　of　men　within　tried　to　keep　them　out。　Several　horses　ran　loose　inside；　frightened　at　the　noise　and　dodging　about；　and　there　were　three　women　mounted。　They　were　not　simply　waiting　to　see　how　it　would　all　turn　out；　though；　one　of　the　women　appeared　to　be　hurling　rocks；　and　even　as　he　looked；　another　dashed　close　to　the　wall　to　lash　out　with　a　long　cudgel　while　the　third　reared　her　horse；　and　a　tall　fellow　toppled　back　off　the　wall　to　get　clear　of　flashing　hooves。　But　there　were　too　many　attackers；　too　much　wall　to　defend。
　　　　　　　〃I　advise　you　to　ride　wide；〃　Seonid　said。　Edarra　and　Nevarin　turned　grim　stares　on　her；　but　she　plowed　on；　hurry　overwhelming　her　matter…of…fact　tone。　〃Those　are　surely　the　Prophet's　men；　and　killing　his　people　is　a　bad　way　to　begin。　Tens　of　thousands；　hundreds　of　thousands；　may　die　if　you　fail　with　him。　Is　it　worth　risking　that　to　save　a　handful？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　did　not　intend　to　kill　anyone　if　he　could　help　it；　but　he　did　not　intend　to　look　the　other　way　either。　He　wasted　no　time　in　explanations；　though。　〃Can　you　frighten　them？〃　he　asked　Edarra。　〃Just　frighten？〃　He　remembered　all　too　well　what　the　Wise　Ones　had　done　at　Dumai's　Wells。　And　the　Asha'man。　Maybe　as　well　Grady　and　Neald　were　not　there。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Edarra　replied；　studying　the　crowd　around　the　pen。　She　half…shook　her　head；　shrugged　a　fraction。　〃Perhaps。〃　That　would　have　to　be　good　enough。
　　　　　　　〃Aram；　Furen；　Teryl；〃　he　snapped；　〃with　me！〃　He　dug　in　his　heels；　and　as　Stepper　leaped　forward；　he　was　relieved　to　see　the　Warders　following　closely。　Four　men　charging　made　a　better　show　than　two。　He　kept　his　hands　on　the　reins；　away　from　his　axe。
　　　　　　　He　was　not　so　pleased　when　Faile　galloped　Swallow　up　alongside　him。　He　opened　his　mouth；　and　she　arched　an　eyebrow　at　him。　Her　black　hair　was　beautiful；　streaming　in　the　wind　of　their　rush。　She　was　beautiful。　An　arched　eyebrow；　no　more。　He　changed　what　he　had　been　about　to　say。　〃Guard　my　back；〃　he　told　her。　Smiling；　she　produced　a　dagger　from　somewhere。　With　all　the　blades　she　carried　hidden　away；　sometimes　he　wondered　how　he　missed　being　stabbed　just　trying　to　hug　her。
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　she　looked　ahead　again；　he　gestured　frantically　to　Aram；　trying　to　keep　the　motion　where　she　could　not　see。　Aram　nodded；　but　he　was　leaning　forward；　sword　bared；　ready　to　skewer　the　first　of　the　Prophet's　folk　he　reached。　Perrin　hoped　the　ma