rj.theshadowrising-第138章

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r　as　any。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Verin　said；　joining　them；　〃it　is　a　lure。〃　Tomas　still　hung　back　a　little；　dark　eyes　searching　the　country　they　rode　through　as　relentlessly　as　any　Aiel's。　The　Warder　was　watching　the　sky；　too；　there　was　always　the　chance　of　a　raven。　Barely　pausing；　Verin's　gaze　brushed　across　Perrin　to　the　two　older　men。　〃News　of　continued　trouble；　news　of　Trollocs；　will　draw　eyes　to　the　Two　Rivers。　Andor　will　surely　send　soldiers；　and　perhaps　other　lands　as　well；　for　Trollocs　this　far　south。　That　is　if　the　Children　are　allowing　any　news　out；　of　course。　I　surmise　Queen　Morgase's　Guards　would　be　little　happier　to　find　so　many　Whitecloaks　than　they　would　to　find　Trollocs。〃
　　　　　　　〃War；〃　Abell　muttered。　〃What　we　have　is　bad　enough；　but　you　are　talking　war。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　might　be　so；〃　Verin　said　placently。　〃It　might　be。〃　Frowning　in　a　preoccupied　manner；　she　dug　a　steel…nibbed　pen　and　a　small　cloth…bound　book　from　her　pouch；　and　opened　a　little　leather　case　at　her　belt　that　held　an　ink　bottle　and　sandshaker。　Wiping　the　pen　absentmindedly　on　her　sleeve；　she　began　jotting　in　the　book　despite　the　awkwardness　of　writing　while　riding。　She　seemed　pletely　oblivious　of　any　unease　she　might　have　caused。　Perhaps　she　really　was。
　　　　　　　Master　Cauthon　kept　murmuring　〃War；〃　wonderingly；　under　his　breath；　and　Faile　put　a　forting　hand　on　Perrin's　arm；　her　eyes　sad。
　　　　　　　Master　al'Thor　only　grunted；　he　had　been　in　a　war；　so　Perrin　had　heard；　though　not　where　or　how；　exactly。　Just　somewhere　outside　the　Two　Rivers；　where　he　had　gone　as　a　young　man；　returning　years　later　with　a　wife　and　a　child；　Rand。　Few　Two　Rivers　folk　ever　left。　Perrin　doubted　if　any　of　them　really　knew　what　a　war　was；　except　by　what　they　heard　from　peddlers；　or　merchants　and　their　guards　and　wagon　drivers。　He　knew；　though。　He　had　seen　war；　on　Toman　Head。　Abell　was　right。　What　they　had　was　bad　enough；　but　it　did　not　e　near　war。
　　　　　　　He　held　his　peace。　Maybe　Verin　was　right。　And　maybe　she　just　wanted　to　stop　them　speculating。　If　Trollocs　harrying　the　Two　Rivers　were　bait　for　a　trap；　it　had　to　be　a　trap　for　Rand；　and　the　Aes　Sedai　had　to　know　it。　That　was　one　of　the　problems　with　Aes　Sedai；　they　could　hand　you　〃if's　and　〃might〃s　until　you　were　sure　they　had　told　you　flat　out　what　they　had　only　suggested。　Well；　if　the　Trollocs　…　or　whoever　sent　them；　rather；　one　of　the　Forsaken；　maybe？　…　thought　to　trap；　Rand；　they　would　have　to　settle　for　Perrin　instead　…　a　simple　blacksmith　instead　of　the　Dragon　Reborn　…　and　he　did　not　mean　to　walk　into　any　traps。
　　　　　　　They　rode　on　silently　through　the　morning。　In　this　region　farms　were　scattered；　with　sometimes　a　mile　or　more　between。　Every　last　one　lay　abandoned；　fields　choked　with　weeds；　barn　doors　swinging　in　any　errant　breeze。　Only　one　had　been　burned；　and　of　that　nothing　stood　except　the　chimneys；　soot…black　fingers　rising　from　ashes。　The　people　who　had　died　there　…　Ayellins；　cousins　of　those　who　lived　in　Emond's　Field　…　had　been　buried　near　the　pear　trees　beyond　the　house。　Those　few　who　had　been　found。　Abell　had　to　be　pressed　to　talk　about　it；　and　Tam　would　not。　They　seemed　to　think　it　would　upset　him。　He　knew　what　Trollocs　ate。　Anything　that　was　meat。　He　stroked　his　axe　absently　until　Faile　took　his　hand。　For　some　reason　she　was　the　one　who　seemed　disturbed。　He　had　thought　she　knew　more　of　Trollocs　than　that。
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　managed　to　stay　out　of　sight　even　between　copses；　except　when　they　wanted　to　be　seen。　When　Tam　began　angling　eastward；　Gaul　and　the　two　Maidens　shifted　with　them。
　　　　　　　As　Master　Cauthon　had　predicted；　the　al'Seen　farm　came　in　sight　with　the　sun　still　shy　of　its　full　height。　There　was　not　another　farm　in　view；　though　a　few　widely　separated　gray　plumes　of　chimney　smoke　rose　both　north　and　east。　Why　were　they　hanging　on；　isolated　like　this？　If　Trollocs　came；　their　only　hope　was　Whitecloaks　chancing　to　be　near　at　the　same　time。
　　　　　　　While　the　rambling　farmhouse　was　still　small　in　the　distance；　Tam　reined　in　and　waved　the　Aiel　to　join　them；　suggesting　they　find　a　place　to　wait　until　the　rest　of　them　left　the　farm。　〃They　won't　talk　about　Abell　or　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　three　will　set　tongues　wagging　with　the　best　will　in　the　world。〃
　　　　　　　That　was　putting　it　mildly；　with　their　odd　clothes　and　their　spears；　and　two　of　them　women。　A　rabbit　apiece　dangled　beside　their　quivers；　though　Perrin　could　not　see　how　they　had　found　time　to　hunt　while　keeping　ahead　of　the　horses。　They　seemed　less　tired　than　the　horses；　for　that　matter。
　　　　　　　〃Well　enough；〃　Gaul　said。　〃I　will　find　a　place　to　eat　my　own　meal；　and　watch　for　your　going。〃　He　turned　and　loped　away　immediately。　Bain　and　Chiad　exchanged　glances。　After　a　moment　Chiad　shrugged；　and　they　followed。
　　　　　　　〃Aren't　they　together？〃　Mat's　father　asked；　scratching　his　head。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　a　long　story；〃　Perrin　said。　It　was　better　than　telling　him　Chiad　and　Gaul　might　decide　to　kill　each　other　over　a　feud。　He　hoped　the　water　oath　held。　He　had　to　remember　to　ask　Gaul　what　a　water　oath　was。
　　　　　　　The　al'Seen　farm　was　just　about　as　big　as　farms　went　in　the　Two　Rivers；　with　three　tall　barns　and　five　tabac　curing　sheds。　The　stone…walled　cote；　full　of　black…faced　sheep；　spread　as　wide　as　some　pastures；　and　rail…fenced　yards　kept　white…spotted　milk　cows　separate　from　black　beef　cattle。　Pigs　grunted　contentedly　in　their　wallow；　chickens　wandered　everywhere；　and　there　were　white　geese　on　a　good…sized　pond。
　　　　　　　The　first　odd　thing　Perrin　noticed　was　the　boys　on　the　thatched　roofs　of　the　house　and　barns；　eight　or　nine　of　them；　with　bows　and　quivers。　They　shouted　down　as　soon　as　they　saw　the　riders；　and　women　hustled　children　inside　before　shading　their　eyes　to　see　who　was　ing。　Men　gathered　in　the　farmyard；　some　with　bows；　others　with　pitchforks　and　bushhooks　held　like　weapons。　Too　many　people。　Far　too　many；　even　for　a　farm　as　big　as　this。　He　looked　a　question　at　Master　al'Thor。
　　　　　　　〃Jac　took　in　his　cousin　Wit's　people；〃　Tam　explained；　〃because　Wit's　farm　was　too　close　to　the　Westwood。　And　Flann　Lewin's　people　after　their　farm　was　attacked。　Whitecloaks　drove　the　Trollocs　off　before　more　than　his　barns　were　burned；　but　Flann　decided　it　was　time　to　go。　Jac　is　a　good　man。〃
　　　　　　　As　they　rode　into　the　farmyard；　and　Tam　and　Abell　were　recognized；　men　and　women　crowded　around　with　smiles　and　a　babble　of　wele　while　they　dismounted。　Seeing　that；　children　burst　out　of　the　house；　followed　by　the　women　who　had　been　minding　them　and　others；　fresh　from　the　kitchen；　wiping　hands　on　aprons。　Every　generation　was　represented；　from　white…haired　Astelle　al'Seen；　bent…backed　but　using　her　stick　to　thump　people　out　of　her　way　more　than　to　walk　with；　down　to　a　swaddled　infant　in　the　arms　of　a　more　than　stout　young　woman　with　a　bright　smile。
　　　　　　　Perrin　looked　past　the　stout；　smiling　woman；　then　his　head　whipped　back。　When　he　had　left　the　Two　Rivers；　Laila　Dearn　had　been　a　slim　girl　who　could　dance　any　three　boys　into　the　ground。　Only　the　smile　and　the　eyes　were　the　same。　He　shivered。　There　had　been　a　time　when　he　had　dreamed　of　marrying　Laila；　and　she　had　returned　the　feeling　somewhat。　The　truth　was；　she　had　held　on　to　it　longer　than　he　had。　Luckily；　she　was　too　entranced　with　her　baby　and　the　even　wider　fellow　by　her　side　to　pay　much　attention　to　him。　Perrin　recognized　the　man　with　her；　too。　Natley　Lewin。　So　Laila　was　a　Lewin　now。　Odd。　Nat　never　could　dance。　Thanking　the　Light　for　his　escape；　Perrin　looked　around　for　Faile。
　　　　　　　He　found　her　idly　flipping　Swallow's　reins　while　the　mare　nuzzled　her　shoulder。　She　was　too　busy　smiling　admiringly　at　Wil　al'Seen；　a　cousin　from　Deven　Ride　way；　to　notice　her　horse；　though；　and　Wil　was　smiling　back。　A　good…looking　boy；　Wil。　Well；　he　was　a　year　older　than　Perrin；　but　too　good…looking　not　to　appear　boyish。　When　Wil　came　down　to　Emond's　Field　for　dances；　the　girls　all　used　to　stare　at　him　and　sigh。　Just　the　way　Faile　was　now。　True；　she　was　not　sighing；　but　her　smile　was　decidedly　approving。
　　　　　　　Perrin　went　over　and　put　an　arm　around　her；　resting　his　other　hand　on　his　axe。　〃How　are　you；　Wil？〃　he　asked；　smiling　for　all　he　was　worth。　No　point　in　letting　Faile　think　he　was　jealous。　Not　that　he　was。
　　　　　　　〃Fine；　Perrin。〃　Wil's　eyes　slid