rj.theshadowrising-第176章

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　　　　　　　〃Ah；　yes。　It　will　be　no　problem　to　find　the　clothes　to　fit　both　of　you。　And　the　hair　…　you　have　such　lovely　hair；　so　long　…　it　will　be　the　work　of　no　time　to　put　it　up。〃　She　fingered　her　own　deep　golden　braids。
　　　　　　　Thom's　and　Juilin's　faces　made　Elayne　smile。　They　might　have　been　ready　for　arguments；　they　had　no　defense　against　being　ignored。　Her　head　was　actually　feeling　a　little　better；　Nynaeve's　vile　mixture　seemed　to　be　working。　As　Nynaeve　and　Rendra　discussed　costs　and　cut　and　fabric　…　Rendra　wanted　to　duplicate　her　clinging　dress；　pale　green　today；　Nynaeve　was　opposed；　but　seemed　to　be　wavering　…　Elayne　took　a　spoon　of　porridge　to　wash　the　taste　from　her　mouth。　It　reminded　her　that　she　was　hungry。
　　　　　　　There　was　one　problem　none　of　them　had　mentioned　yet；　one　that　Thom　and　Juilin　did　not　know。　If　the　Black　Ajah　was　in　Tanchico；　then　so　was　whatever　it　was　that　endangered　Rand。　Something　able　to　bind　him　with　his　own　Power。　Finding　Liandrin　and　the　others　was　not　enough。　They　had　to　find　that；　too。　Suddenly　her　newfound　appetite　was　pletely　gone。


Chapter　40
（Horned　Skull）
Hunter　of　Trollocs

　　　　　　　Remnants　of　the　early…morning　rain　still　dripped　from　the　leaves　of　the　apple　trees；　and　a　purple　finch　hopped　along　a　limb　where　fruit　was　forming　that　would　not　be　harvested　this　year。　The　sun　was　well　up；　but　hidden　behind　thick　gray　clouds。　Seated　cross…legged　on　the　ground；　Perrin　unconsciously　tested　his　bowstring；　the　tightly　wrapped；　waxed　cords　had　a　tendency　to　go　slack　in　wet　weather。　The　storm　Verin　had　called　up　to　hide　them　from　pursuit　the　night　of　the　rescue　had　surprised　even　her　with　its　ferocity；　and　beating　rains　had　e　three　more　times　in　the　six　days　since。　He　believed　it　was　six　days。　He　had　not　really　thought　since　that　night；　only　drifted　as　events　took　him；　reacting　to　what　presented　itself。　The　flat　of　his　axe　blade　dug　into　his　side；　but　he　hardly　noticed。
　　　　　　　Low；　grassy　mounds　marked　generations　of　Aybaras　buried　here。　The　oldest　among　the　carved　wooden　headpieces；　cracked　and　barely　legible；　bore　dates　nearly　three　hundred　years　old；　over　graves　indistinguishable　from　undisturbed　ground。　It　was　the　mounds　smoothed　by　rains　but　barely　covered　by　grass　that　stabbed　him。　Generations　of　Aybaras　buried　here；　but　surely　never　fourteen　at　one　time。　Aunt　Neain　over　by　Uncle　Carlin's　older　grave；　with　their　two　children　beside　her。　Great　Aunt　Ealsin　in　the　row　with　Uncle　Eward　and　Aunt　Magde　and　their　three　children；　the　long　row　with　his　mother　and　his　father。　Adora　and　Deselle　and　little　Pact。　A　long　row　of　mounds　with　bare；　wet　earth　still　showing　through　the　grass。　He　counted　the　arrows　remaining　in　his　quiver　by　touch。　Seventeen。　Too　many　had　been　damaged；　worth　recovering　only　for　the　steel　arrowheads。　No　time　to　make　his　own；　he　would　have　to　see　the　fletcher　in　Emond's　Field　soon。　Buel　Dowtry　made　good　arrows；　even　better　than　Tam。
　　　　　　　A　faint　rustle　behind　his　back　made　him　sniff　the　air。　〃What　is　it；　Dannil？〃　he　said　without　looking　around。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　catch　of　breath；　a　moment　of　startled　surprise；　before　Dannil　Lewin　said；　〃The　Lady　is　here；　Perrin。〃　None　of　them　had　gotten　used　to　him　knowing　who　was　who　before　he　saw　them；　or　in　the　dark；　but　he　no　longer　really　cared　what　they　found　strange。
　　　　　　　He　frowned　over　his　shoulder。　Dannil　looked　leaner　than　he　had；　farmers　could　only　feed　so　many　at　once；　and　food　had　been　feast　or　famine　as　the　hunting　went。　Mostly　famine。　〃The　Lady？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Lady　Faile。　And　Lord　Luc；　too。　They　came　from　Emond's　Field。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　rose　smoothly；　taking　long　strides　that　made　Dannil　hurry　to　keep　up。　He　managed　not　to　look　at　the　house。　The　charred　timbers　and　sooty　chimneys　that　had　been　the　house　where　he　grew　up。　He　did　scan　the　trees　for　his　lookouts；　those　nearest　the　farm。　Close　to　the　Waterwood　as　it　was；　the　land　held　plenty　of　tall　oak　and　hemlock；　and　good…sized　ash　and　bay。　Thick　foliage　hid　the　lads　well　…　drab　farm　clothes　made　for　good　hiding　…　so　even　he　had　difficulty　picking　them　out。　He　would　have　to　talk　with　those　farther　out；　they　were　supposed　to　see　that　no　one　came　close　without　a　warning。　Even　Faile　and　this　Luc。
　　　　　　　The　camp；　in　a　large　thicket　where　he　had　once　pretended　to　be　in　a　far　wilderness；　was　a　rough　place　among　the　undergrowth；　with　blankets　strung　between　trees　to　make　shelters；　and　more　scattered　on　the　ground　between　the　small　cook　fires。　The　branches　dripped　here；　too。　Most　of　the　nearly　fifty　men　in　the　camp；　all　young；　were　unshaven；　either　in　imitation　of　Perrin　or　because　it　was　unpleasant　shaving　in　cold　water。　They　were　good　hunters　…　he　had　sent　home　any　who　were　not　…　but　unaccustomed　to　more　than　a　night　or　two　outdoors　at　a　time。　And　not　used　to　what　he　had　them　doing；　either。
　　　　　　　Right　then　they　were　standing　around　gaping　at　Faile　and　Luc；　and　only　four　or　five　had　longbow　in　hand。　The　rest　of　the　bows　lay　with　the　bedding；　and　the　quivers；　too；　more　often　than　not。　Luc　stood　idly　flipping　the　reins　of　a　tall　black　stallion；　the　very　pose　of　indolent；　red…coated　arrogance；　cold　blue　eyes　ignoring　the　men　around　him。　The　man's　smell　stood　out　among　the　others；　cold　and　separate；　too；　almost　as　if　he　had　nothing　in　mon　with　the　men　around　him；　not　even　humanity。
　　　　　　　Faile　came　hurrying　to　meet　Perrin　with　a　smile；　her　narrow　divided　skirts　making　a　soft　whisk…whisk　as　gray　silk　brushed　silk。　She　smelled　faintly　of　sweet　herbal　soap；　and　of　herself。　〃Master　Luhhan　said　we　might　find　you　here。〃
　　　　　　　He　meant　to　demand　what　she　was　doing　there；　but　found　himself　putting　his　arms　around　her　and　saying　into　her　hair；　〃It's　good　to　see　you。　I　have　missed　you。〃
　　　　　　　She　pushed　back　enough　to　look　up　at　him。　〃You　look　tired。〃
　　　　　　　He　ignored　that；　he　had　no　time　to　be　tired。　〃You　got　everyone　safely　to　Emond's　Field？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　are　at　the　Winespring　Inn。〃　She　grinned　suddenly。　〃Master　al'Vere　found　an　old　halberd　and　says　if　the　Whitecloaks　want　them；　they　will　have　to　go　through　him。　Everyone's　in　the　village　now；　Perrin。　Verin　and　Alanna；　the　Warders。　Pretending　to　be　someone　else；　of　course。　And　Loial。　He　certainly　created　a　sensation。　Even　more　than　Bain　and　Chiad。〃　The　grin　faded　into　a　frown。　〃He　asked　me　to　deliver　a　message　to　you。　Alanna　vanished　twice　without　a　word；　once　alone。　Loial　said　Ihvon　seemed　surprised　to　find　her　gone。　He　said　I　wasn't　to　let　anyone　else　know。〃　She　studied　his　face。　〃What　does　it　mean；　Perrin？〃
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；　maybe。　Just　that　I　can't　be　sure　I　can　trust　her。　Verin　warned　me　against　her；　but　can　I　trust　Verin？　You　say　Bain　and　Chiad　are　in　Emond's　Field？　I　suppose　that　means　he　knows　about　them。〃　He　jerked　his　head　toward　Luc。　A　few　of　the　men　had　approached　him；　asking　diffident　questions；　and　he　was　answering　with　a　condescending　smile。
　　　　　　　〃They　came　with　us；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃They　are　scouting　around　your　camp　now。　I　do　not　think　they　have　a　very　high　opinion　of　your　sentries。　Perrin；　why　don't　you　want　Luc　to　know　about　the　Aiel？〃
　　　　　　　〃I've　talked　to　a　number　of　people　who　were　burned　out。〃　Luc　was　too　far　to　overhear；　but　he　held　his　voice　low。　〃Counting　Flann　Lewin's　place；　Luc　was　at　five　on　the　day　they　were　attacked；　or　the　day　before。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perrin；　the　man's　an　arrogant　fool　in　some　ways　…　I　hear　he's　hinted　at　a　claim　to　one　of　the　Borderland　thrones；　for　all　he　told　us　he's　from　Murandy　…　but　you　cannot　really　believe　he　is　a　Darkfriend。　He　gave　some　very　good　advice　in　Emond's　Field。　When　I　said　everyone　was　there；　I　meant　everyone。〃　She　shook　her　dark　head　wonderingly。　〃Hundreds　and　hundreds　of　people　have　e　in　from　north　and　south；　from　every　direction；　with　their　cattle　and　their　sheep；　all　talking　of　Perrin　Goldeneyes's　warnings。　Your　little　village　is　preparing　to　defend　itself　if　need　be；　and　Luc　has　been　everywhere　the　last　days。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perrin　who？〃　he　gasped；　wincing。　Trying　to　change　the　subject；　he　said；　〃From　the　south？　But　this　is　as　far　south　as　I've　gone。　I　haven't　talked　to　a　farmer　more　than　a　mile　below　the　Winespring　Water。〃
　　　　　　　Faile　tugged　at　his　beard　with　a　laugh。　〃News　spreads；　my　fine　general。　I　think　half　of　them　expect　you　to　form　them　into　an　army　and　chase