rj.eyeoftheworld-第23章

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；　the　animal。　The　pale　light　of　the　moon　glittered　from　spearheads　and　axe　blades。　Rand　never　even　considered　that　they　might　be　villagers　ing　to　help。　He　knew　what　they　were。　He　could　feel　it；　like　grit　scraping　his　bones；　even　before　they　drew　close　enough　for　moonlight　to　reveal　the　hooded　cloak　swathing　the　horseman；　a　cloak　that　hung　undisturbed　by　the　wind。　All　of　the　shapes　appeared　black　in　the　night；　and　the　horse's　hooves　made　the　same　sounds　that　any　other's　would；　but　Rand　knew　this　horse　from　any　other。
　　　　　　　Behind　the　dark　rider　came　nightmare　forms　with　horns　and　muzzles　and　beaks；　Trollocs　in　a　double　file；　all　in　step；　boots　and　hooves　striking　the　ground　at　the　same　instant　as　if　obeying　a　single　mind。　Rand　counted　twenty　as　they　ran　past。　He　wondered　what　kind　of　man　would　dare　turn　his　back　on　so　many　Trollocs。　Or　on　one；　for　that　matter。
　　　　　　　The　trotting　column　disappeared　westward；　thumping　footfalls　fading　into　the　darkness；　but　Rand　remained　where　he　was；　not　moving　a　muscle　except　to　breathe。　Something　told　him　to　be　certain；　absolutely　certain；　they　were　gone　before　he　moved。　At　long　last　he　drew　a　deep　breath　and　began　to　straighten。
　　　　　　　This　time　the　horse　made　no　sound　at　all。　In　eerie　silence　the　dark　rider　returned；　his　shadowy　mount　stopping　every　few　steps　as　it　walked　slowly　back　down　the　road。　The　wind　gusted　higher；　moaning　through　the　trees；　the　horseman's　cloak　lay　still　as　death。　Whenever　the　horse　halted；　that　hooded　head　swung　from　side　to　side　as　the　rider　peered　into　the　forest；　searching。　Exactly　opposite　Rand　the　horse　stopped　again；　the　shadowed　opening　of　the　hood　turning　toward　where　he　crouched　above　his　father。
　　　　　　　Rand's　hand　tightened　convulsively　on　the　sword　hilt。　He　felt　the　gaze；　just　as　he　had　that　morning；　and　shivered　again　from　the　hatred　even　if　he　could　not　see　it。　That　shrouded　man　hated　everyone　and　everything；　everything　that　lived。　Despite　the　cold　wind；　sweat　beaded　on　Rand's　face。
　　　　　　　Then　the　horse　was　moving　on；　a　few　soundless　steps　and　stop；　until　all　Rand　could　see　was　a　barely　distinguishable　blur　in　the　night　far　down　the　road。　It　could　have　been　anything；　but　he　had　not　taken　his　eyes　off　it　for　a　second。　If　he　lost　it；　he　was　afraid　the　next　time　he　saw　the　black…cloaked　rider　might　be　when　that　silent　horse　was　on　top　of　him。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　shadow　was　rushing　back；　passing　him　in　a　silent　gallop。　The　rider　looked　only　ahead　of　him　as　he　sped　westward　into　the　night；　toward　the　Mountains　of　Mist。　Toward　the　farm。
　　　　　　　Rand　sagged；　gulping　air　and　scrubbing　cold　sweat　off　his　face　with　his　sleeve。　He　did　not　care　any　more　about　why　the　Trollocs　had　e。　If　he　never　found　out　why；　that　would　be　fine；　just　as　long　as　it　was　all　ended。
　　　　　　　With　a　shake　he　gathered　himself；　hastily　checking　his　father。　Tam　was　still　murmuring；　but　so　softly　Rand　could　not　make　out　the　words。　He　tried　to　give　him　a　drink；　but　the　water　spilled　over　his　father's　chin。　Tam　coughed　and　choked　on　the　trickle　that　made　it　into　his　mouth；　then　began　muttering　again　as　if　there　had　not　been　any　interruption。
　　　　　　　Rand　splashed　a　little　more　water　on　the　cloth　on　Tam's　forehead；　pushed　the　waterbag　back　on　the　litter；　and　scrambled　between　the　shafts　again。
　　　　　　　He　started　out　as　if　he　had　had　a　good　night's　sleep；　but　the　new　strength　did　not　last　long。　Fear　masked　his　tiredness　in　the　beginning；　but　though　the　fear　remained；　the　mask　melted　away　quickly。　Soon　he　was　back　to　stumbling　forward；　trying　to　ignore　hunger　and　aching　muscles。　He　concentrated　on　putting　one　foot　in　front　of　the　other　without　tripping。　
　　　　　　　In　his　mind　he　pictured　Emond's　Field；　shutters　thrown　back　and　the　houses　lit　for　Winternight；　people　shouting　greetings　as　they　passed　back　and　forth　on　their　visits；　fiddles　filling　the　streets　with　〃Jaem's　Folly〃　and　〃Heron　on　the　Wing。〃　Haral　Luhhan　would　have　one　too　many　brandies　and　start　singing　〃The　Wind　in　the　Barley〃　in　a　voice　like　a　bullfrog　…　he　always　did　…　until　his　wife　managed　to　shush　him；　and　Cenn　Buie　would　decide　to　prove　he　could　still　dance　as　well　as　ever；　and　Mat　would　have　something　planned　that　would　not　quite　happen　the　way　he　intended；　and　everybody　would　know　he　was　responsible　even　if　no　one　could　prove　it。　He　could　almost　smile　thinking　about　now　it　would　be。
　　　　　　　After　a　time　Tam　spoke　up　again。
　　　　　　　〃Avendesora。　It's　said　it　makes　no　seed；　but　they　brought　a　cutting　to　Cairhien；　a　sapling。　A　royal　gift　of　wonder　for　the　King。〃　Though　he　sounded　angry；　he　was　barely　loud　enough　for　Rand　to　understand。　Anyone　who　could　hear　him　would　be　able　to　hear　the　litter　scraping　across　the　ground；　too。　Rand　kept　on；　only　half　listening。　〃They　never　make　peace。　Never。　But　they　brought　a　sapling；　as　a　sign　of　peace。　A　hundred　years　it　grew。　A　hundred　years　of　peace　with　those　who　make　no　peace　with　strangers。　Why　did　he　cut　it　down？　Why？　Blood　was　the　price　for　Avendoraldera。　Blood　the　price　for　Laman's　pride。〃　He　faded　off　into　muttering　once　more。
　　　　　　　Tiredly　Rand　wondered　what　fever…dream　Tam　could　be　having　now。　Avendesora。　The　Tree　of　Life　was　supposed　to　have　all　sorts　of　miraculous　qualities；　but　none　of　the　stories　mentioned　any　sapling；　or　any　〃they。〃　There　was　only　the　one；　and　that　belonged　to　the　Green　Man。
　　　　　　　Only　that　morning　he　might　have　felt　foolish　at　musing　over　the　Green　Man　and　the　Tree　of　Life。　They　were　only　stories。　Are　they？　Trollocs　were　just　stories　this　morning。　Maybe　all　the　stories　were　as　real　as　the　news　the　peddlers　and　merchants　brought；　all　the　gleeman's　tales　and　all　the　stories　told　at　night　in　front　of　the　fireplace。　Next　he　might　actually　meet　the　Green　Man；　or　an　Ogier　giant；　or　a　wild；　black…veiled　Aielman。
　　　　　　　Tam　was　talking　again；　he　realized；　sometimes　only　murmuring；　sometimes　loud　enough　to　understand。　From　time　to　time　he　stopped　to　pant　for　breath；　then　went　on　as　if　he　thought　he　had　been　speaking　the　whole　time。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　battles　are　always　hot；　even　in　the　snow。　Sweat　heat。　Blood　heat。　Only　death　is　cool。　Slope　of　the　mountain　。。。　only　place　didn't　stink　of　death。　Had　to　get　away　from　smell　of　it　。。。　sight　of　it　。。。　heard　a　baby　cry。　Their　women　fight　alongside　the　men；　sometimes；　but　why　they　had　let　her　e；　I　don't　。。。　gave　birth　there　alone；　before　she　died　of　her　wounds　。。。　covered　the　child　with　her　cloak；　but　the　wind　。。。　blown　the　cloak　away　。。。　child；　blue　with　the　cold。　Should　have　been　dead；　too　。。。　crying　there。　Crying　in　the　snow。　I　couldn't　just　leave　a　child　。。。　no　children　of　our　own　。。。　always　knew　you　wanted　children。　I　knew　you'd　take　it　to　your　heart；　Kari。　Yes；　lass。　Rand　is　a　good　name。　A　good　name。〃
　　　　　　　Suddenly　Rand's　legs　lost　the　little　strength　they　had。　Stumbling；　he　fell　to　his　knees。　Tam　moaned　with　the　jolt；　and　the　strip　of　blanket　cut　into　Rand's　shoulders；　but　he　was　not　aware　of　either。　If　a　Trolloc　had　leaped　up　in　front　of　him　right　then；　he　would　just　have　stared　at　it。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　Tam；　who　had　sunk　back　into　wordless　murmur。　Fever…dreams；　he　thought　dully。　Fevers　always　brought　bad　dreams；　and　this　was　a　night　for　nightmares　even　without　a　fever。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　my　father；〃　he　said　aloud；　stretching　back　a　hand　to　touch　Tam；　〃and　I　am　…　〃　The　fever　was　worse。　Much　worse。
　　　　　　　Grimly　he　struggled　to　his　feet。　Tam　murmured　something；　but　Rand　refused　to　listen　to　any　more。　Throwing　his　weight　against　the　improvised　harness　he　tried　to　put　all　of　his　mind　into　taking　one　leaden　step　after　another；　into　reaching　the　safety　of　Emond's　Field。　But　he　could　not　stop　the　echo　in　the　back　of　his　mind。　He's　my　father。　It　was　just　a　fever…dream。　He's　my　father。　It　was　just　a　fever…dream。　Light；　who　am　I？
　
Chapter　7
Out　of　the　Woods
　
　　　　　　　Gray　first　light　came　while　Rand　still　trudged　through　the　forest。　At　first　he　did　not　really　see。　When　he　finally　did；　he　stared　at　the　fading　darkness　in　surprise。　No　matter　what　his　eyes　told　him；　he　could　hardly　believe　he　had　spent　all　night　trying　to　travel　the　distance　from　the　farm　to　Emond's　Field。　Of　course；　the　Quarry　Road　by　day；　rocks　and　all；　was　a　far　cry　from　the　woods　by　night。　On　the　other　hand；　it　seemed　days　since　he　had　seen　the