rj.thegreathunt-第117部分

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　whose　veins　flows　the　blood　of　Artur　Hawkwing。　If　the　Empress　must　order　such　a　death；　the　unfortunate　one　is　placed　alive　in　a　silken　bag；　and　that　bag　hung　over　the　side　of　the　Tower　of　the　Ravens　and　left　there　until　it　rots　away。　No　such　care　would　be　taken　for　one　such　as　you。　At　the　Court　of　the　Nine　Moons；　in　Seandar；　one　such　as　you　could　be　given　to　the　Seekers　for　a　shift　of　your　eye；　for　a　misspoken　word；　for　a　whim。　Are　you　still　eager？〃
　　　　　　　Fain　managed　a　tremble　in　his　knees。　〃I　wish　only　to　serve　and　advise；　High　Lord。　I　know　much　that　may　be　useful。〃　This　court　of　Seandar　sounded　a　place　where　his　plans　and　skills　would　find　fertile　soil。
　　　　　　　〃Until　I　sail　back　to　Seanchan；　you　will　amuse　me　with　your　tales　of　your　family　and　its　tradition。　It　is　a　relief　to　find　a　second　man　in　this　Light…forsaken　land　who　can　amuse　me；　even　if　you　both　tell　lies；　as　I　suspect。　You　may　leave　me。〃　No　other　word　was　spoken；　but　the　girl　with　the　nearly　white　hair　and　the　almost…transparent　robe　appeared　on　quick　feet　to　kneel　with　downcast　head　beside　the　High　Lord；　offering　a　single　steaming　cup　on　a　lacquered　tray。
　　　　　　　〃High　Lord；〃　Fain　said。　The　man　with　the　braid；　Huan；　took　hold　of　his　arm；　but　he　pulled　loose。　Huan's　mouth　tightened　angrily　as　Fain　made　his　deepest　bow　yet。　I　will　kill　him　slowly；　yes。　〃High　Lord；　there　are　those　who　follow　me。　They　mean　to　take　the　Horn　of　Valere。　Darkfriends　and　worse；　High　Lord；　and　they　cannot　be　more　than　a　day　or　two　behind　me。〃
　　　　　　　Turak　took　a　sip　of　black　liquid　from　the　thin　cup　balanced　on　longnailed　fingertips。　〃Few　Darkfriends　remain　in　Seanchan。　Those　who　survive　the　Seekers　for　Truth　meet　the　axe　of　the　headsman。　It　might　be　amusing　to　meet　a　Darkfriend。〃
　　　　　　　〃High　Lord；　they　are　dangerous。　They　have　Trollocs　with　them。　They　are　led　by　one　who　calls　himself　Rand　al'Thor。　A　young　man；　but　vile　in　the　Shadow　beyond　belief；　with　a　lying；　devious　tongue。　In　many　places　he　has　claimed　to　be　many　things；　but　always　the　Trollocs　e　when　he　is　there；　High　Lord。　Always　the　Trollocs　e　。。。　and　kill。〃
　　　　　　　〃Trollocs；〃　Turak　mused。　〃There　were　no　Trollocs　in　Seanchan。　But　the　Armies　of　the　Night　had　other　allies。　Other　things。　I　have　often　wondered　if　a　grolm　could　kill　a　Trolloc。　I　will　have　watch　kept　for　your　Trollocs　and　your　Darkfriends；　if　they　are　not　another　lie。　This　land　wearies　me　with　boredom。〃　He　sighed　and　inhaled　the　fumes　from　his　cup。
　　　　　　　Fain　let　the　grimacing　Huan　pull　him　out　of　the　room；　hardly　even　listening　to　the　snarled　lecture　on　what　would　happen　if　he　ever　again　failed　to　leave　Lord　Turak's　presence　when　given　permission　to　do　so。　He　barely　noticed　when　he　was　pushed　into　the　street　with　a　coin　and　instructions　to　return　on　the　morrow。　Rand　al'Thor　was　his；　now。　I　will　see　him　dead　at　last。　And　then　the　world　will　pay　for　what　was　done　to　me。
　　　　　　　Giggling　under　his　breath；　he　led　his　horses　down　into　the　town　in　search　of　an　inn。
　
Chapter　35
（Leafy　Tree）
Stedding　Tsofu

　　　　　　　The　river　hills　on　which　the　city　of　Cairhien　stood　gave　way　to　flatter　lands　and　forests　when　Rand　and　the　others　had　ridden　half　a　day；　the　Shienarans　still　with　their　armor　on　the　packhorses。　There　were　no　roads　where　they　went；　only　a　scattering　of　cart　tracks；　and　few　farms　or　villages。　Verin　pressed　for　speed；　and　Ingtar　…　grumbling　constantly　that　they　were　letting　themselves　be　tricked；　that　Fain　would　never　have　told　them　where　he　was　really　going；　yet　grumbling　at　the　same　time　about　riding　in　the　opposite　direction　from　Toman　Head；　as　if　part　of　him　believed　and　Toman　Head　were　not　months　away　except　by　the　way　they　took　…　Ingtar　obliged　her。　The　Gray　Owl　banner　flew　on　the　wind　of　their　passage。
　　　　　　　Rand　rode　with　grim　determination；　avoiding　conversation　with　Verin。　He　had　this　thing　to　do　…　this　duty；　Ingtar　would　have　called　it　…　and　then　he　could　be　free　of　Aes　Sedai　once　and　for　all。　Perrin　seemed　to　share　something　of　his　mood；　staring　straight　ahead　at　nothing　as　they　rode。　When　they　finally　stopped　for　the　night　at　the　edge　of　a　forest；　with　full　dark　almost　on　them；　Perrin　asked　Loial　questions　about　the　stedding。　Trollocs　would　not　enter　a　stedding；　would　wolves？　Loial　replied　shortly　that　it　was　only　creatures　of　the　Shadow　that　were　reluctant　to　enter　stedding。　And　Aes　Sedai；　of　course；　since　they　could　not　touch　the　True　Source　inside　a　stedding；　or　channel　the　One　Power。　The　Ogier　himself　appeared　the　most　reluctant　of　all　to　go　to　Stedding　Tsofu。　Mat　was　the　only　one　who　seemed　eager；　almost　desperately　so。　His　skin　looked　as　if　he　had　not　seen　the　sun　in　a　year；　and　his　cheeks　had　begun　to　go　hollow；　though　he　said　he　felt　ready　to　run　a　footrace。　Verin　put　her　hands　on　him　for　Healing　before　he　rolled　into　his　blankets；　and　again　before　they　mounted　their　horses　in　the　morning；　but　it　made　no　difference　in　how　he　looked。　Even　Hurin　frowned　when　he　looked　at　Mat。
　　　　　　　The　sun　stood　high　on　the　second　day　when　Verin　suddenly　sat　up　straight　in　her　saddle　and　looked　around。　Beside　her；　Ingtar　gave　a　start。
　　　　　　　Rand　could　not　see　anything　different　about　the　forest　now　surrounding　them。　The　undergrowth　was　not　too　thick；　they　had　found　an　easy　way　under　the　canopy　of　oak　and　hickory；　blackgum　and　beech；　pierced　here　and　there　by　a　tall　pine　or　leatherleaf；　or　the　white　slash　of　a　paperbark。　But　as　he　followed　them；　he　suddenly　felt　a　chill　pass　through　him；　as　though　he　had　leaped　into　a　Waterwood　pond　in　winter。　It　flashed　through　him　and　was　gone；　leaving　behind　a　feeling　of　refreshment。　And　there　was　a　dull　and　distant　sense　of　loss；　too；　though　he　could　not　imagine　of　what。
　　　　　　　Every　rider；　as　he　reached　that　point；　gave　a　jerk　or　made　some　exclamation。　Hurin's　mouth　dropped　open；　and　Uno　whispered；　〃Bloody；　flaming　。。。〃　Then　he　shook　his　head　as　if　he　could　not　think　of　anything　else　to　say。　There　was　a　look　of　recognition　in　Perrin's　yellow　eyes。
　　　　　　　Loial　took　a　deep；　slow　breath　and　let　it　out。　〃It　feels　。。。　good　。。。　to　be　back　in　a　stedding；〃
　　　　　　　Frowning；　Rand　looked　around。　He　had　expected　a　stedding　to　be　somehow　different；　but　except　for　that　one　chill；　the　forest　was　the　same　as　what　they　had　been　riding　through　all　day。　There　was　the　sudden　sense　of　being　rested；　of　course。　Then　an　Ogier　stepped　out　from　behind　an　oak。
　　　　　　　She　was　shorter　than　Loial　…　which　meant　she　stood　head　and　shoulders　taller　than　Rand　…　but　with　the　same　broad　nose　and　big　eyes；　the　same　wide　mouth　and　tufted　ears。　Her　eyebrows　were　not　so　long　as　Loial's；　though；　and　her　features　seemed　delicate　beside　his；　the　tufts　on　her　ears　finer。　She　wore　a　long　green　dress　and　a　green　cloak　embroidered　with　flowers；　and　carried　a　bunch　of　silverbell　blossoms　as　if　she　had　been　gathering　them。　She　looked　at　them　calmly；　waiting。
　　　　　　　Loial　scrambled　down　from　his　tall　horse　and　bowed　hastily。　Rand　and　the　others　did　the　same；　if　not　so　quickly　as　Loial；　even　Verin　inclined　her　head。　Loial　gave　their　names　formally；　but　he　did　not　mention　the　name　of　his　stedding。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　the　Ogier　girl　…　Rand　was　sure　she　was　no　older　than　Loial　…　studied　them；　then　smiled。　〃Be　wele　to　Stedding　Tsofu。〃　Her　voice　was　a　lighter　version　of　Loial's；　too；　the　softer　rumble　of　a　smaller　bumblebee。　〃I　am　Erith；　daughter　of　Iva　daughter　of　Alar。　Be　wele。　We　have　had　so　few　human　visitors　since　the　stonemasons　left　Cairhien；　and　now　so　many　at　once。　Why；　we　even　had　some　of　the　Traveling　People；　though；　of　course；　they　left　when　the。。。　Oh；　I　talk　too　much。　I　will　take　you　to　the　Elders。　Only　。。。〃　She　searched　among　them　for　the　one　in　charge；　and　settled　finally　on　Verin。　〃Aes　Sedai；　you　have　so　many　men　with　you；　and　armed。　Could　you　please　leave　some　of　them　Outside？　Forgive　me；　but　it　is　always　unsettling　to　have　very　many　armed　humans　in　the　stedding　at　once。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course；　Erith；〃　Verin　said。　〃Ingtar；　will　you　see　to　it？〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　gave　orders　to　Uno；　and　so　it　was　that　he　and　Hurin　were　the　only　Shienarans　to　follow　Erith　deeper　into　the　stedding。
　　　　　　　Leading　his　horse　like　the　others；　Rand　looked　up　as　Loial　came　closer；　with　many　glances　at　Erith　up　ahead　with　Verin　and　Ingtar。　Hurin　walked　midway　between；　staring　around　in　amazement；　though　Rand　was　not　sure　at　what　exactly。　Loial　bent　to　speak　quietly。　〃Is　she　not　beautiful；　Rand？　And　her　voice　sings。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　snickered；　but　when　Loial　looked　at　him　questioningly；　he　said；　〃Very　pretty；　Loial。　A　little　tall　for　my　taste；　you　understand；　but　very　pretty；　I'm　sure。〃
　　　　　　　Loial　frowned　uncertainly；　but　nodded。　〃Yes；　she　is。〃　His　expression　lightened。　〃It　does　feel　good　to　be　back　in　a　stedding。　Not　that　the　Longing　was　taking　me；　you　understand。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Longing？〃　Perrin　said。　〃I　do　not　understand；　Loial。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　Ogier　are　bound　to　the　stedding；　Perrin。　It　is　said　that　before　the　Breaking　of　the　World；　we　could　go　where　we　wished　for　as　long　as　we　wished；　like　you　humans；　but　that　changed　with　the　Breaking。　Ogier　were　scattered　like　every　other　people；　and　they　could　not　find　any　of　the　stedding　again。　Everything　was　moved；　everything　changed。　Mountains；　rivers；　even　the　seas。〃
　　　　　　　〃Everybody　knows　about　the　Breaking；〃　Mat　said　impatiently。　〃What　doe