rj.thepathofdaggers-第40章
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e homes of well…to…do merchants。 He could not make out the scarlet banner hanging limply atop the tallest tower of the largest palace； the only flag in sight； but he knew who it belonged to。 Alliandre Maritha Kigarin； Queen of Ghealdan； far from her capital in Jehannah。
The town gates stood open； with a good twenty guards at each； yet no one came out； and the roads he could see were empty except for a lone rider galloping hard toward Bethal from the north。 The soldiers were on edge； some shifting pikes or bows at sight of the horseman as though he waved a blood…dripping sword。 More soldiers on watch crowded the wall towers or marched the walls between。 Plenty of nocked arrows up there； too； and raised crossbows。 Plenty of fear。
A storm had swept over this part of Ghealdan。 It still did。 The Prophet's bands created chaos； bandits took advantage； and Whitecloaks raiding across the border from Amadicia might easily strike this far。 A few scattered columns of smoke farther south probably marked burning farms； Whitecloak work or the Prophet's。 Bandits seldom bothered with burning； and the other two left little for them in any case。 Adding to the jumble； rumor in every village he had passed the last few days said that Amador had fallen； to the Prophet or Taraboners or Aes Sedai； depending on who told the tale。 Some claimed Pedron Niall himself was dead in the fighting to defend the city。 All in all； reason enough for a queen to be concerned for her own safety。 Or the soldiers could be down there because of him。 Despite his best efforts； his passage south had hardly gone unnoticed。
He scratched his beard； considering。 A pity the wolves in the surrounding hills could not tell him anything； but they seldom paid heed to men's doings except to stay clear of them。 And since Dumai's Wells he had not felt right in asking any more of them than he absolutely had to。 It might be best after all if he rode in alone； with just a few of the Two Rivers men。
He often thought Faile could read his mind； usually when he least wanted her to； and she proved it now； heeling her night…black mare Swallow close to his dun。 Her narrow…skirted riding dress was nearly as dark as the mare； yet she seemed to be taking the heat better than he。 She smelled faintly of herbal soap and clean perspiration； of herself。 Of determination。 Her tilted eyes were very determined； and with her bold nose； she was very much her namesake falcon。
〃I would not like to see holes in that fine blue coat； husband；〃 she said softly； for his ears alone； 〃and those fellows look as if they might just shoot at a group of strange men before asking who they are。 Besides； how will you reach Alliandre without announcing your name to the world？ This must be done quietly； remember。〃 She did not say that she should be the one to go； that the gate guards would take a woman alone for a refugee from the troubles； that she could reach the Queen using her mother's name without exciting too much ment； but she did not need to。 He had had all that and more from her every night since entering Ghealdan。 He was here in part because of Alliandre's cautious letter to Rand； offering。。。 Support？ Allegiance？ Her desire for secrecy had been paramount； in any case。
Perrin doubted that even Aram； sitting his leggy gray a few paces behind them； could have heard a word Faile said； yet before she finished speaking； Berelain brought her white mare up on his other side； sweat glistening on her cheeks。 She also smelled determined； through a cloud of rose perfume。 To him； it seemed a cloud。 For a wonder； her green riding dress showed no more flesh than it had to。
Berelain's two panions stayed back； though Annoura； her Aes Sedai advisor； studied him with an unreadable expression from beneath her cap of thin shoulder…long beaded braids。 Not him and the two women at his sides； him in particular。 No sweat there。 He wished he were close enough to smell the beak…nosed Gray sister； unlike the other Aes Sedai； she had made no promises to anyone。 For whatever those promises were worth。 Lord Gallenne； mander of Berelain's Winged Guards； was seemingly busy examining Bethal through a looking glass raised to his one eye； and fiddling with his reins in a way Perrin had e to know meant that he was deep in calculations。 Probably how to take Bethal by force； Gallenne always saw the worst possibility first。
〃I still think I should be the one to approach Alliandre；〃 Berelain said。 This； too； Perrin had heard every day。 〃It is why I came； after all。〃 That was one of the reasons。 〃Annoura will be granted an audience at once； and take me in with none the wiser save Alliandre。〃 A second wonder。 There had not been a hint of flirtation in her voice。 She seemed to be paying as much attention to smoothing her red leather gloves as to him。
Which one？ The trouble was； he did not want to choose either。
Seonid； the second Aes Sedai who had e to the ridgeline； stood beside her bay gelding a little way off； near a tall drought…withered blackwood； looking not at Bethal but the sky。 The two pale…eyed Wise Ones with her made a sharp contrast； faces sun…dark to her pale plexion； fair…haired to her dark； tall to her short； not to mention their dark skirts and white blouses contrasting to her fine blue wool。 Necklaces and bracelets of gold and silver and ivory draped Edarra and Nevarin； while Seonid wore only her Great Serpent ring。 They were young to her ageless。 The Wise Ones matched the Green sister for self…possession； though； and they were studying the sky； too。
〃Do you see something？〃 Perrin asked； putting off the decision。
〃We see the sky； Perrin Aybara；〃 Edarra said calmly； her jewelry making a soft clatter as she adjusted the dark shawl looped over her elbows。 The heat seemed to touch the Aiel as little as it did the Aes Sedai。 〃If we saw more； we would tell you。〃 He hoped they would。 He thought they would。 At least； if it was something they believed Grady and Neald might see； too。 The two Asha'man would not keep it secret。 He wished they were there instead of back in the camp。
More than half a week ago； now； a lace of the One Power streaking high across the sky had created quite a stir among the Aes Sedai and Wise Ones。 And with Grady and Neald。 Which fact had made a bigger stir still； as close to panic as any Aes Sedai was likely to e。 Asha'man； Aes Sedai and Wise Ones all claimed they could still feel the Power faintly in the air long after that bar of lace vanished； but nobody knew what it meant。 Neald said it made him think of wind； though he could not tell why。 No one would voice more of an opinion than that； yet if both the male and female halves of the Power were visible； it had to be the Forsaken at work； and on a huge scale。 Wondering what they were up to had kept Perrin awake late most nights since。
In spite of himself； he glanced to the sky。 And saw nothing； of course； except a pair of pigeons。 Abruptly a hawk plummeted into his sight； and one of the pigeons was gone in a spray of feathers。 The other winged on frantically toward Bethal。
〃Have you reached a decision； Perrin Aybara？〃 Nevarin asked； a touch sharply。 The green…eyed Wise One appeared even younger than Edarra； perhaps no older than he was； and she did not quite have the blue…eyed woman's serenity。 Her shawl slid down her arms as she planted hands on hips； and he half expected her to shake a finger at him。 Or a fist。 She reminded him of Nynaeve； though they surely looked nothing alike。 Nevarin would have made Nynaeve look plump。 〃What use our advice if you will not listen？〃 she demanded。 〃What use？〃
Faile and Berelain sat straight in their saddles； both as proud as they could be； both smelling expectant and uncertain at the same time。 And irritated at being uncertain； neither liked that one speck。 Seonid was too far to send her scent； but pressed lips gave her mood well enough。 Edarra's mand not to speak unless spoken to infuriated her。 Still； she certainly wanted him to take the Wise Ones' counsel； she stared at him intently； as though the pressure of her eyes could push him the way they wanted him to go。 In truth； he wanted to choose her； yet he hesitated。 How
