rj.acrownofswords-第33章

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　　　For　himself；　he　did　not　care　whether　they　mangled　ji'e'toh　to　mincemeat。　〃Where　is　my　wife？〃　he　demanded。　〃Where　is　Faile？〃　The　young　fools　exchanged　guarded　looks。　Guarded！
　　　〃She　is　in　the　Grand　Hall　of　the　Sun；〃　Selande　said　slowly。　〃She　…　she　is　one　of　Queen　…　of　Colavaere's　lady　attendants。〃
　　　〃Put　your　eyes　back　in　your　head；　Perrin；〃　Min　whispered。　〃She　must　have　a　good　reason。　You　know　she　must。〃
　　　Shrugging　inside　his　coat；　Perrin　tried　to　gather　himself。　One　of　Colavaere's　attendants？　Whatever　her　reason；　it　must　be　good。　That　much　he　was　sure　of。　But　what　could　it　be？
　　　Selande　and　the　others　were　passing　those　guarded　looks　about　again。　One　of　the　men；　a　young　fellow　with　a　pointed　nose；　whispered　fierce　and　low；　〃We　swore　not　to　tell　anyone！　Not　anyone！　On　water　oath！〃
　　　Before　Perrin　could　demand　to　be　told　Rand　spoke。　〃Selande；　lead　the　way　to　the　Grand　Hall。　There　will　be　no　blades。　I　am　here　to　see　justice　done；　to　all　who　deserve　it。〃
　　　Something　in　his　voice　made　Perrin's　hackles　rise。　A　hardness　grim　as　a　hammer's　face。　Faile　did　have　a　good　reason。　She　had　to。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　5　
（Dragon）　
A　Broken　Crown　
　　　
　　　Wide　and　tall　as　the　corridors　were；　they　felt　close；　and　dim　despite　tall　gilded　stand…lamps　with　mirrors　on　every　branch；　lit　wherever　daylight　could　not　penetrate。　Tapestries　hung　few　and　far　between　on　the　walls；　scenes　of　hunt　or　battle　with　people　and　animals　arranged　more　precisely　than　ever　nature　had。　Scattered　niches　held　bowls　and　vases　and　now　and　then　a　small　statue；　in　gold　or　silver　or　alabaster；　but　even　the　statues　seemed　to　emphasize　that　they　were　stone　or　metal；　as　if　the　sculptors　had　tried　to　banish　curves。
　　　The　city's　hush　was　magnified　here。　The　sound　of　their　boots　on　the　floor　tiles　echoed；　a　hollow　foreboding　march；　and　Perrin　did　not　think　it　was　so　to　his　ears　alone。　Loial's　quivered　at　every　other　step；　and　he　peered　down　crossing　corridors　as　though　wondering　what　might　leap　out。　Min　held　herself　stiffly　and　took　ginger　steps；　grimacing　ruefully　when　she　glanced　at　Rand；　she　seemed　to　make　an　effort　not　to　walk　closer　to　him；　and　not　particularly　pleased　with　herself　over　it。　The　young　Cairhienin　started　off　swaggering　like　peacocks；　but　that　arrogance　faded　as　the　drumming　of　their　heels　reverberated。　Even　the　Maidens　felt　it；　Sulin　was　the　only　one　whose　hand　did　not　sometimes　rise　toward　the　veil　hanging　down　her　chest。
　　　There　were　servants　everywhere；　of　course；　pale；　narrow…faced　men　and　women　in　dark　coats　and　dresses　with　the　Rising　Sun　on　the　left　breast　and　sleeves　striped　in　Colavaere's　colors。　Some　gaped　in　recognition　as　Rand　passed　by；　a　handful　dropped　to　their　knees；　heads　bowed。　Most　went　on　about　their　tasks　after　a　small　pause　for　deep　bow　or　curtsy。　It　was　just　as　in　the　courtyard。　Show　proper　respect　to　your　betters；　whoever　they　are；　obey　them　and　otherwise　ignore　what　they　do；　and　perhaps　you　will　not　be　entangled　in　it。　It　was　a　way　of　thinking　that　set　Perrin's　teeth　on　edge。　Nobody　should　have　to　live　that　way。
　　　Two　fellows　in　Colavaere's　livery；　standing　before　the　gilt…covered　doors　to　the　Grand　Hall　of　the　Sun；　frowned　at　sight　of　the　Maidens；　and　maybe　at　the　young　Cairhienin。　Older　folk　usually　looked　askance　at　the　younglings'　carrying　on　every　bit　as　much　as　the　Aiel　did。　More　than　one　parent　had　tried　to　put　an　end　to　it；　had　ordered　sons　or　daughters　to　give　over；　instructed　armsmen　and　servants　to　chase　off　others'　like…minded　sons　and　daughters　like　mon　vagrants　or　street　ruffians。　Perrin　would　not　have　been　surprised　if　these　doormen　slanted　their　gilded　staffs　to　stop　Selande　and　her　friends　from　going　through　the　open　doorways；　nobility　or　not；　and　perhaps　even　the　Maidens。　Few　Cairhienin　still　dared　call　Aiel　savages；　not　where　they　could　be　heard；　but　most　thought　it。　The　pair　gathered　themselves；　drew　deep　breaths　…　and　saw　Rand　over　the　Maidens'　heads。　Their　eyes　nearly　popped　out　of　their　faces。　Each　man　glanced　sideways　at　the　other；　and　then　they　were　on　their　knees。　One　stared　fixedly　at　the　floor；　the　other　squeezed　his　eyes　shut；　and　Perrin　heard　him　praying　under　his　breath。
　　　〃So　am　I　loved；〃　Rand　said　softly。　He　hardly　sounded　himself。　Min　touched　his　arm；　her　face　pained。　Rand　patted　her　hand　without　looking　at　her；　and　for　some　reason　that　seemed　to　pain　her　even　more。
　　　The　Grand　Hall　of　the　Sun　was　immense；　with　an　angle…vaulted　ceiling　a　full　fifty　paces　high　at　its　peak　and　great　golden　lamps　hung　on　gilded　chains　thick　enough　to　move　the　gates　of　a　fortress。　It　was　immense；　and　it　was　full；　people　crowding　among　massive　square　columns　of　blue…black　veined　marble　that　stood　in　two　rows　to　either　side　of　the　center　aisle。　The　folk　at　the　rear　noticed　the　newers　first。　In　long　coats　and　short；　some　in　bright　colors　or　embroidered；　some　travel…worn；　they　stared　curiously。　Intently。　The　few　women　in　the　back　of　the　hall　wore　riding　dresses　and　had　faces　as　hard　as　the　men；　gazes　as　direct。
　　　Hunters　for　the　Horn；　Perrin　thought。　Dobraine　had　said　that　every　noble　who　could　be　there　would；　and　most　Hunters　were　nobly　born；　or　claimed　to　be。　Whether　or　not　they　recognized　Rand；　they　sensed　something；　hands　feeling　for　swords　and　daggers　that　were　not　there　this　evening。　More　Hunters　than　not　sought　adventure　and　a　place　in　the　histories　along　with　the　Horn　of　Valere。　Even　if　they　did　not　know　the　Dragon　Reborn；　they　knew　danger　when　they　saw　it。
　　　The　others　in　the　Grand　Hall　were　less　attuned　to　danger；　or　rather；　more　to　intrigues　and　plots　than　to　open　hazard。　Perrin　was　a　third　of　the　way　down　the　long　center　aisle；　close　on　Rand's　heels；　before　gasps　ran　through　the　chamber　like　a　wind。　Pale　Cairhienin　lords　with　colorful　slashes　across　the　chests　of　their　dark　silk　coats；　some　with　the　front　of　their　heads　shaved　and　powdered；　Cairhienin　ladies　with　stripes　on　their　dark　high…necked　gowns　and　lace　falls　covering　their　hands；　their　hair　in　intricate　towers　that　often　added　a　good　foot　of　height。　Tairen　High　Lords　and　Lords　of　the　Land　with　oiled　beards　trimmed　to　points；　in　velvet　hats　and　coats　of　red　and　blue　and　every　color；　with　puffy；　satin…striped　sleeves；　Tairen　ladies　in　even　more　colorful　gowns；　with　wide　lace　ruffs　and　close　caps　studded　with　pearls　and　moonstones；　firedrops　and　rubies。　They　knew　Perrin；　and　they　knew　Dobraine　and　even　Havien　and　Min；　but　most　importantly；　they　knew　Rand。　A　ripple　of　knowing　that　kept　pace　up　the　Hall　with　him。　Eyes　widening；　jaws　dropping；　they　went　so　stiff　Perrin　almost　thought　the　Asha'man　had　bound　them　like　the　guards　outside　the　palace。　The　chamber　was　a　sea　of　sweet　perfumes；　and　beneath　that　undercurrents　of　salty　sweat；　but　through　it　oozed　fear；　a　quivering　sort　of　smell。
　　　His　attention　was　all　on　the　far　end　of　the　Hall；　though；　on　the　deep　blue　marble　dais　where　the　Sun　Throne　stood；　shining　like　its　namesake　with　gilt；　the　wavy…rayed　Rising　Sun　huge　atop　the　high　back。　Colavaere　rose　slowly；　peering　down　the　aisle　over　Rand's　head。　Her　nearly　black　dress　bore　not　a　single　stripe　of　nobility；　but　the　great　mass　of　curls　rising　above　her　head　had　to　have　been　dressed　around　the　crown　she　wore；　the　Rising　Sun　in　gold　and　yellow　diamonds。　Seven　young　women　flanked　the　Sun　Throne　in　dark…bodiced　gowns　with　lace　snugged　under　their　chins　and　skirts　striped　vertically　in　Colavaere's　yellow　and　red　and　silver。　It　seemed　that　Cairhienin　fashion　was　different　for　the　Queen；　and　for　the　Queen's　attendants。
　　　A　flicker　of　motion　behind　the　throne　picked　out　an　eighth　woman；　hidden；　but　Perrin　cared　about　neither　Colavaere　nor　anyone　else　except　the　woman　to　her　immediate　right。　Faile。　Her　slightly　tilted　eyes　fastened　on　him；　dark　liquid　moons；　yet　not　a　line　altered　of　her　coolly　decorous　expression。　If　anything；　her　face　grew　tighter。　His　nose　strained　for　the　scent　of　her；　but　the　perfume　was　too　strong；　and　the　fear。　She　had　a　reason　for　being　there　on　the　dais；　a　good　reason。　She　did。
　　　Rand　touched　Sulin's　sleeve。　〃Wait　here；〃　he　said。　Scowling；　the　scar　on　her　leathery　face　standing　out　as　white　as　her　hair；　she　scanned　his　face；　then　nodded　with　obvious　relucta