rj.eyeoftheworld-第27节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　Rand　shifted　uneasily；　wishing　she　would　not　look　at　him　like　that；　as　if　her　eyes　could　pierce　his　brain　and　read　what　lay　in　every　corner　of　it。　〃What　would　they　want　with　us？　We're　just　farmers；　shepherds。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　a　question　that　has　no　answer　in　the　Two　Rivers；〃　Moiraine　said　quietly；　〃but　the　answer　is　important。　Trollocs　where　they　have　not　been　seen　in　almost　two　thousand　years　tells　us　that　much。〃
　　　　　　　〃Lots　of　stories　tell　about　Trolloc　raids；〃　Rand　said　stubbornly。　〃We　just　never　had　one　here　before。　Warders　fight　Trollocs　all　the　time。〃
　　　　　　　Lan　snorted。　〃Boy；　I　expect　to　fight　Trollocs　along　the　Great　Blight；　but　not　here；　nearly　six　hundred　leagues　to　the　south。　That　was　as　hot　a　raid　last　night　as　I'd　expect　to　see　in　Shienar；　or　any　of　the　Borderlands。〃
　　　　　　　〃In　one　of　you；〃　Moiraine　said；　〃or　all　three；　there　is　something　the　Dark　One　fears。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　。。。　that's　impossible。〃　Rand　stumbled　to　the　window　and　stared　out　at　the　village；　at　the　people　working　among　the　ruins。　〃I　don't　care　what's　happened；　that　is　just　impossible。〃　Something　on　the　Green　caught　his　eye。　He　stared；　then　realized　it　was　the　blackened　stump　of　the　Spring　Pole。　A　fine　Bel　Tine；　with　a　peddler；　and　a　gleeman；　and　strangers。　He　shivered；　and　shook　his　head　violently。　〃No。　No；　I'm　a　shepherd。　The　Dark　One　can't　be　interested　in　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　took　a　great　deal　of　effort；〃　Lan　said　grimly；　〃to　bring　so　many　Trollocs　so　far　without　raising　a　hue　and　cry　from　the　Borderlands　to　Caemlyn　and　beyond。　I　wish　I　knew　how　they　did　it。　Do　you　really　believe　they　went　to　all　that　bother　just　to　burn　a　few　houses？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　will　be　back；〃　Moiraine　added。
　　　　　　　Rand　had　his　mouth　open　to　argue　with　Lan；　but　that　brought　him　up　short。　He　spun　to　face　her。　〃Back？　Can't　you　stop　them？　You　did　last　night；　and　you　were　surprised；　then。　Now　you　know　they　are　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Moiraine　replied。　〃I　could　send　to　Tar　Valon　for　some　of　my　sisters；　they　might　have　time　to　make　the　journey　before　we　need　them。　The　Myrddraal　knows　I　am　here；　too；　and　it　probably　will　not　attack　…　not　openly；　at　least　…　lacking　reinforcements；　more　Myrddraal　and　more　Trollocs。　With　enough　Aes　Sedai　and　enough　Warders；　the　Trollocs　can　be　beaten　off；　though　I　cannot　say　how　many　battles　it　will　take。〃
　　　　　　　A　vision　danced　in　his　head；　of　Emond's　Field　all　in　ashes。　All　the　farms　burned。　And　Watch　Hill；　and　Deven　Ride；　and　Taren　Ferry。　All　ashes　and　blood。　〃No；〃　he　said；　and　felt　a　wrenching　inside　as　if　he　had　lost　his　grip　on　something。　〃That's　why　I　have　to　leave；　isn't　it？　The　Trollocs　won't　e　back　if　I　am　not　here。〃　A　last　trace　of　obstinacy　made　him　add；　〃If　they　really　are　after　me。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine's　eyebrows　raised　as　if　she　were　surprised　that　he　was　not　convinced；　but　Lan　said；　〃Are　you　willing　to　bet　your　village　on　it；　sheepherder？　Your　whole　Two　Rivers？〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　stubbornness　faded。　〃No；〃　he　said　again；　and　felt　that　emptiness　inside　again；　too。　〃Perrin　and　Mat　have　to　go；　too；　don't　they？〃　Leaving　the　Two　Rivers。　Leaving　his　home　and　his　father。　At　least　Tam　would　get　better。　At　least　he　would　be　able　to　hear　him　say　all　that　on　the　Quarry　Road　had　been　nonsense。　〃We　could　go　to　Baerlon；　I　suppose；　or　even　Caemlyn。　I've　heard　there　are　more　people　in　Caemlyn　than　in　the　whole　Two　Rivers。　We'd　be　safe　there。〃　He　tried　out　a　laugh　that　sounded　hollow。　〃I　used　to　daydream　about　seeing　Caemlyn。　I　never　thought　it　would　e　about　like　this。〃
　　　　　　　There　was　a　long　silence；　then　Lan　said；　〃I　would　not　count　on　Caemlyn　for　safety。　If　the　Myrddraal　want　you　badly　enough；　they　will　find　a　way。　Walls　are　a　poor　bar　to　a　Halfman。　And　you　would　be　a　fool　not　to　believe　they　want　you　very　badly　indeed。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　thought　his　spirits　had　sunk　as　low　as　they　possibly　could；　but　at　that　they　slid　deeper。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　a　place　of　safety；〃　Moiraine　said　softly；　and　Rand's　ears　pricked　up　to　listen。　〃In　Tar　Valon　you　would　be　among　Aes　Sedai　and　Warders。　Even　during　the　Trolloc　Wars　the　forces　of　the　Dark　One　feared　to　attack　the　Shining　Walls。　The　one　attempt　was　their　greatest　defeat　until　the　very　end。　And　Tar　Valon　holds　all　the　knowledge　we　Aes　Sedai　have　gathered　since　the　Time　of　Madness。　Some　fragments　even　date　from　the　Age　of　Legends。　In　Tar　Valon；　if　anywhere；　you　will　be　able　to　learn　why　the　Myrddraal　want　you。　Why　the　Father　of　Lies　wants　you。　That　I　can　promise。〃
　　　　　　　A　journey　all　the　way　to　Tar　Valon　was　almost　beyond　thinking。　A　journey　to　a　place　where　he　would　be　surrounded　by　Aes　Sedai。　Of　course；　Moiraine　had　healed　Tam　…　or　it　looked　as　if　she　had；　at　least　…　but　there　were　all　those　stories。　It　was　unfortable　enough　to　be　in　a　room　with　one　Aes　Sedai；　but　to　be　in　a　city　full　of　them　。。。　And　she　still　had　not　demanded　her　price。　There　was　always　a　price；　so　the　stories　said。
　　　　　　　〃How　long　will　my　father　sleep？〃　he　asked　at　last。　〃I　。。。　I　have　to　tell　him。　He　shouldn't　just　wake　and　find　me　gone。〃　He　thought　he　heard　Lan　give　a　sigh　of　relief。　He　looked　at　the　Warder　curiously；　but　Lan's　face　was　as　expressionless　as　ever。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　unlikely　he　will　wake　before　we　depart；〃　Moiraine　said。　〃I　mean　to　go　soon　after　full　dark。　Even　a　single　day　of　delay　could　be　fatal。　It　will　be　best　if　you　leave　him　a　note。〃
　　　　　　　〃In　the　night？〃　Rand　said　doubtfully；　and　Lan　nodded。
　　　　　　　〃The　Halfman　will　discover　we　are　gone　soon　enough。　There　is　no　need　to　make　things　any　easier　for　it　than　we　must。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　fussed　with　his　father's　blankets。　It　was　a　very　long　way　to　Tar　Valon。　〃In　that　case　。。。　In　that　case；　I　had　better　go　find　Mat　and　Perrin。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　attend　to　that。〃　Moiraine　got　to　her　feet　briskly　and　donned　her　cloak　with　suddenly　restored　vigor。　She　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　he　tried　very　hard　not　to　flinch。　She　did　not　press　hard；　but　it　was　an　iron　grip　that　held　him　as　surely　as　a　forked　stick　held　a　snake。　〃It　will　be　best　if　we　keep　all　of　this　just　among　us。　Do　you　understand？　The　same　ones　who　put　the　Dragon's　Fang　on　the　inn　door　might　make　trouble　if　they　knew。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　understand。〃　He　drew　a　relieved　breath　when　she　took　her　hand　away。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　have　Mistress　al'Vere　bring　you　something　to　eat；〃　she　went　on　just　as　if　she　had　not　noticed　his　reaction。　〃Then　you　need　to　sleep。　It　will　be　a　hard　journey　tonight　even　if　you　are　rested。〃
　　　　　　　The　door　closed　behind　them；　and　Rand　stood　looking　down　at　Tam　…　looking　at　Tam；　but　seeing　nothing。　Not　until　that　very　minute　had　he　realized　that　Emond's　Field　was　a　part　of　him　as　much　as　he　was　a　part　of　it。　He　realized　it　now　because　he　knew　that　was　what　he　had　felt　tearing　loose。　He　was　apart　from　the　village；　now。　The　Shepherd　of　the　Night　wanted　him。　It　was　impossible　…　he　was　only　a　farmer　…　but　the　Trollocs　had　e；　and　Lan　was　right　about　one　thing。　He　could　not　risk　the　village　on　the　chance　Moiraine　was　wrong。　He　could　not　even　tell　anyone；　the　Coplins　really　would　make　trouble　about　something　like　that。　He　had　to　trust　an　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　wake　him；　now；〃　Mistress　al'Vere　said；　as　the　Mayor　shut　the　door　behind　his　wife　and　himself。　The　cloth…covered　tray　she　carried　gave　off　delicious；　warm　smells。　She　set　it　on　the　chest　against　the　wall；　then　firmly　moved　Rand　away　from　the　bed。
　　　　　　　〃Mistress　Moiraine　told　me　what　he　needs；〃　she　said　softly；　〃and　it　does　not　include　you　falling　on　top　of　him　from　exhaustion。　I've　brought　you　a　bite　to　eat。　Don't　let　it　get　cold；　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　call　her　that；〃　Bran　said　peevishly。　〃Moiraine　Sedai　is　proper。　She　might　get　mad。〃
　　　　　　　Mistress　al'Vere　gave　him　a　pat　on　the　cheek。　〃You　just　leave　me　to　worry　about　that。　She　and　I　had　a　long　talk。　And　keep　your　voice　down。　If　you　wake　Tam；　you'll　have　to　answer　to　me　and　Moiraine　Sedai。〃　She　put　an　emphasis　on　Moiraine's　title　that　made　Bran's　insistence　seem　foolish。　〃The　two　of　you　keep　out　of　my　way。〃　With　a　fond　smile　for　her　husband；　she　turned　to　the　bed　and　Tam。
　　　　　　　Master　al'Vere　gave　Rand　a　frustrated　look。　〃She's　an　Aes　Sedai。　Half　the　women　in　the　village　act　as　if　she　sits　in　the　Women's　Circle；　and　the　rest　as　if　she　were　a　Trolloc。　Not　a　one　of　them　seems　to　realize　you　have　to　be　careful　around　Aes　Sedai。　The　men　may　keep　looking　at　her　sideways；　but　at　least　they　aren't　doing　anything　that　might　provoke　her。〃
　　　　　　　Careful；　Rand　thought。　It　was　not　too　late　to　start　being　careful。　〃Master　al'Vere；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃do　you　know　how　many　farms　were　attacked？〃
　　　　　　　〃Only　two　that　I've　heard　of　so　far；　including　your　place。〃　The　Mayor　paused；　frowning；　then　shrugged。　〃It　doesn't　seem　enough；　with　what　happened　here。　I　should　be　glad　of　it；　but　。。。　Well；　we'll　probably　hear　of　more　before　the　day　is　out。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　sighed。　No　need　to　ask　which　farms。　〃Here　in　the　village；　did　they　。。。　I　mean；　was　there　anything　to　show　what　they　were　after？〃
　　　　　　　〃After；　boy？　I　don't　know　that　they　were　after　anything；　except　maybe　killing　us　all。　It　was　just　the　way　I　said。　The　dogs　barking；　and　Moiraine　Sedai　and　Lan　running　through　the　streets；　then　somebody　shouted　that　Master　Luhhan's　house　and　the　forge　were　on　fire。　Abell　Cauthon's　house　flared　up　…　odd　that；　it's　nearly　in　the　middle