rj.thegreathunt-第131章

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he　turmoil　after　the　High　King's　death。　He　knew　how　to　open　the　chest；　but　that　secret　died　with　him　in　the　War　of　the　Hundred　Years；　that　rent　Artur　Hawkwing's　empire；　so　that　all　we　who　followed　him　knew　was　that　the　Horn　lay　within　and　we　must　keep　it　safe　until　the　High　King's　blood　returned。〃
　　　　　　　〃Almost　could　I　believe　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Believe；　High　Lord。　Once　you　sound　the　Horn　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　not　ruin　what　convincing　you　have　managed　to　do。　I　shall　not　sound　the　Horn　of　Valere。　When　I　return　to　Seanchan；　I　shall　present　it　to　the　Empress　as　the　chiefest　of　my　trophies。　Perhaps　the　Empress　will　sound　it　herself。〃
　　　　　　　〃But；　High　Lord；〃　Fain　protested；　〃you　must　…　〃　He　found　himself　lying　on　his　side；　his　head　ringing。　Only　when　his　eyes　cleared　did　he　see　the　man　with　the　pale　braid　rubbing　his　knuckles　and　realize　what　had　happened。
　　　　　　　〃Some　words；〃　the　fellow　said　softly；　〃are　never　used　to　the　High　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　Fain　decided　how　the　man　was　going　to　die。
　　　　　　　Turak　looked　from　Fain　to　the　Horn　as　placidly　as　if　he　had　seen　nothing。　〃Perhaps　I　will　give　you　to　the　Empress　along　with　the　Horn　of　Valere。　She　might　find　you　amusing；　a　man　who　claims　his　family　held　true　where　all　others　broke　their　oaths　or　forgot　them。〃
　　　　　　　Fain　hid　his　sudden　elation　in　the　act　of　climbing　back　to　his　feet。　He　had　not　even　known　of　the　existence　of　an　Empress　until　Turak　mentioned　her；　but　access　to　a　ruler　again　。。。　that　opened　new　paths；　new　plans。　Access　to　a　ruler　with　the　might　of　the　Seanchan　beneath　her　and　the　Horn　of　Valere　in　her　hands。　Much　better　than　making　this　Turak　a　Great　King；　He　could　wait　for　some　parts　of　his　plan。　Softly。　Mustn't　let　him　know　how　much　you　want　it。　After　so　long；　a　little　more　patience　will　not　hurt。　〃As　the　High　Lord　wishes；〃　he　said；　trying　to　sound　like　a　man　who　only　wanted　to　serve。
　　　　　　　〃You　seem　almost　eager；〃　Turak　said；　and　Fain　barely　suppressed　a　wince。　〃I　will　tell　you　why　I　will　not　sound　the　Horn　of　Valere；　or　even　keep　it；　and　perhaps　that　will　cure　your　eagerness。　I　do　not　wish　a　gift　of　mine　to　offend　the　Empress　by　his　actions；　if　your　eagerness　cannot　be　cured；　it　will　never　be　satisfied；　for　you　will　never　leave　these　shores。　Do　you　know　that　whoever　blows　the　Horn　of　Valere　is　linked　to　it　thereafter？　That　so　long　as　he　or　she　lives；　it　is　no　more　than　a　horn　to　any　other？〃　He　did　not　sound　as　if　he　expected　answers；　and　in　any　case；　he　did　not　pause　for　them。　〃I　stand　twelfth　in　line　of　succession　to　the　Crystal　Throne。　If　I　kept　the　Horn　of　Valere；　all　between　myself　and　the　throne　would　think　I　meant　to　be　first　hereafter；　and　while　the　Empress；　of　course；　wishes　that　we　contend　with　one　another　so　that　the　strongest　and　most　cunning　will　follow　her；　she　currently　favors　her　second　daughter；　and　she　would　not　look　well　on　any　threat　to　Tuon。　If　I　sounded　it；　even　if　I　then　laid　this　land　at　her　feet；　and　every　woman　in　the　White　Tower　leashed；　the　Empress；　may　she　live　forever；　would　surely　believe　I　meant　to　be　more　than　merely　her　heir。〃
　　　　　　　Fain　stopped　himself　short　of　suggesting　how　possible　that　would　be　with　the　aid　of　the　Horn。　Something　in　the　High　Lord's　voice　suggested　…　as　hard　as　Fain　found　it　to　believe　…　that　he　actually　meant　his　wish　for　her　to　live　forever。　I　must　be　patient。　A　worm　in　the　root。
　　　　　　　〃The　Empress's　Listeners　may　be　anywhere；〃　Turak　continued。　〃They　may　be　anyone。　Huan　was　born　and　raised　in　the　House　of　Aladon；　and　his　family　for　eleven　generations　before　him；　yet　even　he　could　be　a　Listener。〃　The　man　with　the　braid　half　made　a　protesting　gesture；　before　jerking　himself　back　to　stillness。　〃Even　a　high　lord　or　a　high　lady　can　find　their　deepest　secrets　known　to　Listeners；　can　wake　to　find　themselves　already　handed　over　to　the　Seekers　for　Truth。　Truth　is　always　difficult　to　find；　but　the　Seekers　spare　no　pain　in　their　search；　and　they　will　search　as　long　as　they　think　there　is　need。　They　make　great　efforts　not　to　allow　a　high　lord　or　high　lady　to　die　in　their　care；　of　course；　for　no　man's　hand　may　slay　one　in　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。　Tro