rj.thepathofdaggers-第2章

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ould　channel。　Or　maybe　the　same　one。　She　might　have　known　how　to　go　about　their　purpose　and　survive。
　　　　　　　As　expected；　the　first　pair　of　those　Ethenielle　had　e　to　meet　was　waiting；　each　with　two　attendants。　Paitar　Nachiman　had　many　more　creases　in　his　long　face　than　the　stunningly　handsome　older　man　she　had　admired　as　a　girl；　not　to　mention　too　little　hair　and　most　of　that　gray。　Fortunately　he　had　relinquished　the　Arafellin　fashion　for　braids　and　wore　his　hair　cut　short。　But　he　sat　his　saddle　straight…backed；　his　shoulders　needed　no　padding　in　that　embroidered　green　silk　coat；　and　she　knew　he　still　could　wield　the　sword　at　his　hip　with　vigor　and　skill。　Easar　Togita；　square…faced　and　his　scalp　shaved　except　for　a　white　topknot；　his　plain　coat　the　color　of　old　bronze；　was　a　head　shorter　than　the　King　of　Arafel；　and　slighter；　yet　he　made　Paitar　look　almost　soft。　Easar　of　Shienar　did　not　scowl　…　if　anything；　a　touch　of　sadness　seemed　permanent　in　his　eyes　…　but　he　might　have　been　made　from　the　same　metal　as　the　long　sword　on　his　back。　She　trusted　both　men　…　and　hoped　their　familial　connections　helped　secure　that　trust。　Alliances　by　marriage　had　always　bound　the　Borderlands　together　as　much　as　their　war　against　the　Blight　did；　and　she　had　a　daughter　wed　to　Easar's　third　son　and　a　son　to　Paitar's　favorite　granddaughter；　as　well　as　a　brother　and　two　sisters　married　into　their　Houses。
　　　　　　　Their　panions　appeared　as　different　as　their　kings。　As　always；　Ishigari　Terasian　looked　just　risen　from　a　stupor　after　a　drunken　feast；　as　fat　a　man　as　she　had　ever　seen　in　a　saddle；　his　fine　red　coat　was　rumpled；　his　eyes　bleary；　his　cheeks　unshaven。　By　contrast；　Kyril　Shianri；　tall　and　lean；　and　nearly　as　elegant　as　Baldhere　despite　the　dust　and　sweat　on　his　face；　with　silver　bells　on　his　boot　tops　and　gloves　as　well　as　fastened　to　his　braids；　he　wore　his　usual　expression　of　dissatisfaction　and　had　a　way　of　always　peering　coolly　down　his　prominent　nose　at　anyone　but　Paitar。　Shianri　really　was　a　fool　in　many　ways　…　Arafellin　kings　rarely　made　much　pretense　of　listening　to　councilors；　relying　instead　on　their　queens　…　but　he　was　more　than　he　appeared　at　a　glance。　Agelmar　Jagad　could　have　been　a　larger　version　of　Easar；　a　simple；　plainly　garbed　man　of　steel　and　stone　with　more　weapons　hung　about　him　than　Baldhere　carried；　sudden　death　waiting　to　be　unleashed；　while　Alesune　Chulin　was　as　slim　as　Serailla　was　stout；　as　pretty　as　Serailla　was　plain；　and　as　fiery　as　Serailla　was　calm。　Alesune　seemed　born　to　her　fine；　blue　silks。　It　was　well　to　remember　that　judging　Serailla　by　her　surface　was　a　mistake；　too。
　　　　　　　〃Peace　and　the　Light　favor　you；　Ethenielle　of　Kandor；〃　Easar　said　gruffly　as　Ethenielle　reined　in　before　them；　and　at　the　same　time　Paitar　intoned；　〃The　Light　embrace　you；　Ethenielle　of　Kandor。〃　Paitar　still　had　a　voice　to　make　women's　hearts　beat　faster。　And　a　wife　who　knew　he　was　hers　to　his　bootsoles；　Ethenielle　doubted　that　Menuki　had　ever　had　a　jealous　moment　in　her　life；　or　cause　for　one。
　　　　　　　She　made　her　own　greetings　just　as　short；　ending　with　a　direct　〃I　hope　you've　e　this　far　without　detection。〃
　　　　　　　Easar　snorted　and　leaned　on　his　cantle；　eyeing　her　grimly。　A　hard　man；　but　eleven　years　widowed　and　still　mourning。　He　had　written　poetry　for　his　wife。　There　was　always　more　than　the　surface。　〃If　we've　been　seen；　Ethenielle；〃　he　grumbled；　〃then　we　might　as　well　turn　back　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　speak　of　turning　back　already？〃　Between　his　tone　and　a　flip　of　his　tasseled　reins；　Shianri　managed　to　bine　disdain　with　barely　enough　civility　to　forestall　a　challenge。　Even　so；　Agelmar　studied　him　coldly；　shifting　in　his　saddle　slightly；　a　man　recalling　where　each　of　his　weapons　was　placed。　Old　allies　in　many　battles　along　the　Blight；　but　those　new　suspicions　swirled。
　　　　　　　Alesune　made　her　mount　dance；　a　gray　mare　as　tall　as　a　war…horse。　The　thin　white　streaks　in　her　long　black　hair　suddenly　seemed　crests　on　a　helmet；　and　her　eyes　made　it　easy　to　forget　that　Shienaran　women　neither　trained　with　weapons　nor　fought　duels。　Her　title　was　simply　shatayan　of　the　royal　household；　yet　whoever　believed　any　shatayan's　influence　stopped　at　ordering　the　cooks　and　maids　and　victualers　made　a　grave　error。　〃Foolhardiness　is　not　courage；　Lord　Shianri。　We　leave　the　Blight　all　but　unguarded；　and　if　we　fail；　maybe　even　if　we　succeed；　some　of　us　could　find　our　heads　on　spikes。　Perhaps　all　of　us　will。　The　White　Tower　may　well　see　to　it　if　this　al'Thor　does　not。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Blight　seems　almost　asleep；〃　Terasian　muttered；　whiskers　rasping　as　he　rubbed　his　fleshy　chin。　〃I've　never　seen　it　so　quiet。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Shadow　never　sleeps；〃　Jagad　put　in　quietly；　and　Terasian　nodded　as　if　that；　too；　was　something　to　consider。　Agelmar　was　the　best　general　of　them　all；　one　of　the　best　to　be　found　anywhere；　but　Terasian's　place　at　Paitar's　right　hand　had　not　e　because　he　was　a　good　drinking　panion。
　　　　　　　〃What　I've　left　behind　can　guard　the　Blight　short　of　the　Trolloc　Wars　ing　again；〃　Ethenielle　said　in　a　firm　voice。　〃I　trust　you've　all　done　as　well。　It　hardly　matters；　though。　Does　anyone　believe　we　truly　can　turn　back　now？〃　She　made　that　last　question　dry；　expecting　no　answer；　but　she　received　one。
　　　　　　　〃Turn　back？〃　a　young　woman's　high　voice　demanded　behind　her。　Tenobia　of　Saldaea　galloped　into　the　gathering；　drawing　her　white　gelding　up　so　that　he　reared　flamboyantly。　Thick　lines　of　pearls　marched　down　the　dark　gray　sleeves　of　her　narrow…skirted　riding　habit；　while　red…and…gold　embroidery　swirled　thickly　to　emphasize　the　narrowness　of　her　waist　and　the　roundness　of　her　bosom。　Tall　for　a　woman；　she　managed　to　be　pretty　if　not　beautiful　despite　a　nose　that　was　overbold　at　best。　Large　tilted　eyes　of　a　dark　deep　blue　certainly　helped；　but　so　did　a　confidence　in　herself　so　strong　that　she　seemed　to　glow　with　it。　As　expected；　the　Queen　of　Saldaea　was　acpanied　only　by　Kalyan　Ramsin；　one　of　her　numerous　uncles；　a　scarred　and　grizzled　man　with　the　face　of　an　eagle　and　thick　mustaches　that　curved　down　around　his　mouth。　Tenobia　Kazadi　tolerated　the　counsel　of　soldiers；　but　no　one　else。　〃I　will　not　turn　back；〃　she　went　on　fiercely；　〃whatever　the　rest　of　you　do。　I　sent　my　dear　Uncle　Davram　to　bring　me　the　head　of　the　false　Dragon　Mazrim　Taim；　and　now　he　and　Taim　both　follow　this　al'Thor；　if　I　can　believe　half　what　I　hear。　I　have　close　to　fifty　thousand　men　behind　me；　and　whatever　you　decide；　I　will　not　turn　back　until　my　uncle　and　al'Thor　learn　exactly　who　rules　Saldaea。〃
　　　　　　　Ethenielle　exchanged　glances　with　Serailla　and　Baldhere　while　Paitar　and　Easar　began　telling　Tenobia　that　they　also　meant　to　keep　on。　Serailla　gave　her　head　the　smallest　shake；　made　the　slightest　shrug。　Baldhere　rolled　his　eyes　openly。　Ethenielle　had　not　exactly　hoped　Tenobia　might　decide　at　the　last　to　stay　away；　but　the　girl　would　surely　make　difficulties。
　　　　　　　Saldaeans　were　a　strange　lot　…　Ethenielle　had　often　wondered　how　her　sister　Einone　managed　so　well　married　to　yet　another　of　Tenobia's　uncles　…　yet　Tenobia　carried　that　strangeness　to　extremes。　You　expected　showiness　from　any　Saldaean；　but　Tenobia　took　delight　in　shocking　Domani　and　making　Altarans　seem　drab。　Saldaean　tempers　were　legendary；　hers　was　wildfire　in　a　high　wind；　and　you　could　never　tell　what　would　provide　the　spark。　Ethenielle　did　not　even　want　to　think　of　the　difficulty　in　getting　the　woman　to　listen　to　reason　when　she　did　not　want　to；　only　Davram　Bashere　had　ever　been　able　to　do　that。　And　then　there　was　the　question　of　marriage。
　　　　　　　Tenobia　was　still　young；　though　years　past　the　age　she　should　have　wed　…　marriage　was　a　duty　for　any　member　of　a　ruling　House；　the　more　so　for　a　ruler；　alliances　had　to　be　made；　an　heir　provided　…　yet　Ethenielle　had　never　considered　the　girl　for　any　of　her　own　sons。　Tenobia's　requirements　for　a　husband　were　on　a　level　with　everything　else　about　her。　He　must　be　able　to　face　and　slay　a　dozen　Myrddraal　at　once。　While　playing　the　harp　and　posing　poetry。　He　must　be　able　to　confound　scholars　while　riding　a　horse　down　a　sheer　cliff。　Or　perhaps　up　it。　Of　course　he　would　have　to　defer　to　her　…　she　was　a　queen；　after　all　…　except　that　sometimes　Tenobia　would　expect　him　to　ignore　whatever　she　said　and　toss