rj.thepathofdaggers-第111节

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oily　smile　with　only　a　trace　of　mocking　condescension。　〃I've　been　thinking　about　you；　Bertome；〃　he　said　heartily。　〃A　pity　al'Thor　strangled　your　cousin。　With　his　own　hands；　I　hear。　Frankly；　I　was　surprised　you　came　when　he　called。　I've　seen　him　watching　you。　I　fear　he　plans　something　more。。。　interesting。。。　for　you　than　thrashing　your　heels　on　the　floor　while　his　fingers　tighten　on　your　throat。〃
　　　　　　　Bertome　suppressed　a　sigh；　and　not　only　at　the　fool's　clumsiness。　A　good　many　thought　to　manipulate　him　with　Colavaere's　death。　She　had　been　his　favorite　cousin；　but　ambitious　beyond　reason。　Saighan　had　good　claims　to　the　Sun　Throne；　yet　she　could　not　have　held　it　against　the　strength　of　Riatin　or　Damodred　either　one；　let　alone　both　together；　not　without　the　open　blessings　of　the　White　Tower　or　the　Dragon　Reborn。　Still；　she　had　been　his　favorite。　What　did　Weiramon　want？　Certainly　not　what　it　seemed　on　the　surface。　Even　this　Tairen　oaf　was　not　that　simple。
　　　　　　　Before　he　could　frame　any　response；　a　horseman　came　galloping　toward　them　through　the　trees　ahead。　A　Cairhienin；　and　as　he　reined　to　a　sudden　halt　in　front　of　them；　that　made　his　horse　sit　back　on　its　haunches；　Bertome　recognized　one　of　his　own　armsmen；　a　gap…toothed　fellow　with　seamed　scars　on　both　cheeks。　Doile；　he　thought。　From　the　Colchaine　estates。
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Bertome；〃　the　fellow　panted；　bowing　hastily。　〃There　are　two　thousand　Taraboners　hard　on　my　heels。　And　women　with　them！　With　lightning　on　their　dresses！〃
　　　　　　　〃Hard　on　his　heels；〃　Weiramon　murmured　disparagingly。　〃We'll　see　what　my　man　has　to　say　when　he　gets　back。　I　certainly　don't　see　any　…！〃
　　　　　　　Sudden　whoops　in　the　near　distance　ahead　cut　him　off；　and　the　thunder　of　hooves；　and　then　quickly　galloping　lancers　appeared；　a　flowing　tide　spreading　through　the　trees。　Straight　toward　Bertome　and　the　others。
　　　　　　　Weiramon　laughed。　〃Kill　whoever　you　wish；　wherever　you　wish；　Gedwyn；〃　he　said；　drawing　sword　with　a　flourish。　〃I　use　the　methods　I　use；　and　that's　that！〃　Racing　back　toward　his　armsmen；　he　waved　the　blade　over　his　head　shouting；　〃Saniago！　Saniago　and　glory！〃　It　was　no　surprise　he　did　not　add　a　shout　for　his　country　to　those　for　his　House　and　his　greatest　love。
　　　　　　　Spurring　in　the　same　direction；　Bertome　raised　his　own　voice。　〃Saighan　and　Cairhien！〃　No　need　for　sword　waving　yet。　〃Saighan　and　Cairhien！〃　What　had　the　man　been　after？
　　　　　　　Thunder　rumbled；　and　Bertome　looked　to　the　sky；　perplexed。　There　were　few　more　clouds　than　earlier。　No；　Doile　…　Dalyn？　…　had　mentioned　those　women。　And　then　he　forgot　all　about　whatever　the　fool　Tairen　wanted　as　steel…veiled　Taraboners　poured　over　the　wooded　hills　toward　him；　the　earth　blooming　fire　and　the　sky　raining　lightning　ahead　of　them。
　　　　　　　〃Saighan　and　Cairhien！〃　he　shouted。
　　　　　　　The　wind　rose。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Horsemen　clashed　amid　thick　trees　and　heavy　underbrush；　where　shadows　hung　heavily。　The　light　seemed　to　be　failing；　the　clouds　thickening　overhead；　but　it　was　hard　to　say　with　the　dense　forest　canopy　for　a　roof。　Booming　roars　half…drowned　the　ring　of　steel　on　steel；　the　shouts　of　men；　the　screams　of　horses。　Sometimes　the　ground　shook。　Sometimes　the　enemy　raised　shouts。
　　　　　　　〃Den　Lushenos！　Den　Lushenos　and　the　Bees！〃
　　　　　　　〃Annallin！　Rally　to　Annallin！〃
　　　　　　　〃Haellin！　Haellin！　For　the　High　Lord　Sunamon！〃
　　　　　　　The　last　was　the　only　cry　Varek　understood　in　the　least；　though　he　suspected　any　of　the　locals　who　named　themselves　High　Lords　or　Ladies　might　not　be　offered　the　chance　to　swear　the　Oath。
　　　　　　　He　jerked　his　sword　free　from　where　he　had　jammed　it　into　his　opponent's　armpit；　just　above　the　breastplate；　and　let　the　pale　little　man　topple。　A　dangerous　fighter；　until　he　made　the　mistake　of　raising　his　blade　too　high。　The　man's　bay　crashed　off　through　the　undergrowth；　and　Varek　spared　a　moment　for　regret。　The　animal　looked　better　than　the　white…footed　dun　he　was　forced　to　ride。　A　moment　only；　and　then　he　was　peering　through　the　close…set　trees；　where　it　seemed　vines　dangled　from　half　the　branches　and　bunches　of　some　gray；　feathery　plant　from　nearly　all。
　　　　　　　Sounds　of　battle　rose　from　every　direction；　but　at　first　he　could　see　nothing　that　moved。　Then　a　dozen　Altaran　lancers　appeared　at　fifty　paces；　walking　their　horses　and　peering　about　carefully；　though　the　way　they　talked　loudly　among　themselves　more　than　justified　the　red　slashes　crisscrossing　their　breastplates。　Varek　gathered　his　reins；　meaning　to　take　them　in。　An　escort；　even　this　undisciplined　rabble；　might　be　the　difference　between　the　urgent　message　he　carried　reaching　Banner…General　Chianmai　and　not。
　　　　　　　Black　streaks　flashed　from　among　the　trees；　emptying　Altaran　saddles。　Their　horses　dashed　in　every　direction　as　the　riders　fell；　and　then　there　were　only　a　dozen　corpses　sprawled　on　the　damp　carpet　of　dead　leaves；　at　least　one　crossbow　bolt　jutting　from　every　man。　Nothing　moved。　Varek　shivered　in　spite　of　himself。　Those　foot　in　blue　coats　had　seemed　easy　at　first；　with　no　pikes　to　stand　behind；　but　they　never　came　into　the　open；　hiding　behind　trees；　in　dips　in　the　ground。　They　were　not　the　worst。　He　had　been　sure　after　the　frantic　retreat　to　the　ships　at　Falme　that　he　had　seen　the　worse　he　ever　could　see；　the　Ever　Victorious　Army　in　a　rout。　Not　half　an　hour　gone；　though；　he　had　seen　a　hundred　Taraboners　face　one　lone　man　in　a　black　coat。　A　hundred　lancers　against　one；　and　the　Taraboners　had　been　ripped　to　shreds。　Literally　ripped　to　shreds；　men　and　horses　simply　exploding　as　fast　he　could　count；　the　slaughter　had　continued　after　the　Taraboners　turned　to　flee；　went　on　so　long　as　one　of　them　remained　in　sight。　Perhaps　it　was　really　no　worse　than　having　the　ground　erupt　beneath　your　feet；　but　at　least　damane　usually　left　enough　of　you　to　be　buried。
　　　　　　　He　had　been　told　by　the　last　man　he　managed　to　speak　to　in　these　woods；　a　grizzled　veteran　from　home　leading　a　hundred　Amadician　pikes；　that　Chianmai　was　in　this　direction。　Ahead；　he　spotted　riderless　horses　tied　to　trees；　and　men　afoot。　Maybe　they　could　give　him　further　direction。　And　he　would　give　them　the　lash　of　his　tongue　for　standing　about　while　a　battle　raged。
　　　　　　　When　he　rode　in　among　them；　he　forgot　tongue…lashings。　He　had　found　what　he　was　looking　for；　but　not　at　all　what　he　wanted　to　find。　A　dozen　badly　burned　corpses　lay　in　a　row。　One；　his　honey…brown　face　untouched；　was　recognizably　Chianmai。　The　men　on　their　feet　were　all　Taraboners；　Amadicians；　Altarans。　Some　of　them　were　injured；　too。　The　only　Seanchan　was　a　tight…faced　sul'dam　soothing　a　weeping　damane。
　　　　　　　〃What　happened　here？〃　Varek　demanded。　He　did　not　think　it　was　like　these　Asha'man　to　leave　survivors。　Maybe　the　sul'dam　had　fought　him　off。
　　　　　　　〃Madness；　my　lord。〃　A　hulking　Taraboner　shrugged　away　the　man　who　was　spreading　ointment　down　his　seared　left　arm。　The　sleeve　appeared　to　have　been　burned　away　clear　to　the　fellow's　breastplate；　yet　despite　his　burns；　he　did　not　grimace。　His　veil　of　steel　mail　hung　by　a　corner　from　his　red…plumed　conical　helmet；　baring　a　hard　face　with　thick　gray　mustaches　that　nearly　hid　his　mouth；　and　his　eyes　were　insultingly　direct。　〃A　group　of　Illianers；　they　fell　on　us　without　warning。　At　first；　all　went　well。　They　had　none　of　the　blackcoats　with　them。　Lord　Chianmai；　he　led　us　bravely；　and　the。。。　the　woman。。。　channeled　lightnings。　Then；　just　as　the　Illianers　broke；　the　lightnings；　they　fell　among　us；　too。〃　He　cut　off　with　a　significant　look　at　the　sul'dam。
　　　　　　　She　was　on　her　feet　in　an　instant；　shaking　her　free　fist　and　striding　as　far　toward　the　Taraboner　as　the　leash　attached　to　her　other　wrist　would　allow。　Her　damane　lay　in　a　weeping　heap。　〃I　will　not　hear　this　dog's　words　against　my　Zakai！　She　is　a　good　damane！　A　good　damane！〃
　　　　　　　Varek　made　soothing　gestures　to　the　woman。　He　had　seen　sul'dam　make　their　charges　howl　for　misdeeds；　and　a　few　who　crippled　the　recalcitrant；　but　most　would　bristle　even　at　one　of　the　Blood　who　cast　aspersions　on　a　favorite。　This　Taraboner　was　not　of　the　Blood；　and　by　the　look　of　the　quivering　sul'dam；　she　was　ready　to　do　murder。　Had　the　man　voiced　his　ridiculous；　unspoken　charge；　Varek　thought　she　might　have　killed　him　on　the　spot。
　　　　　　　〃Prayers　for　the　dead　must　wait；〃　Varek　said　bluntly。　What　he　was　about　to　do　would　end　with　him　in　the　hands　of　the　Seekers；　if　he　failed；　but　there　was　not　a　Seanchan　left　standing　here　except　the　sul'dam。　〃I　am　assuming　mand。　We　will　disengage　and　turn　south。〃
　　　　　　　〃Disengage！〃　the　heavy…shouldered　Taraboner　barked。　〃It　will　take　us　days　to　disengage！　The　Illianers；　they　fight　like　badgers　backed　into　a　corner；　the　Cairhienin　like　ferrets　in　a　box。　The　Tairens；　they　are　not　so　hard　as　I　have　heard；　but　there　are　maybe　a　dozen　of　these　Asha'man；　yes？　I　do　not　even　know　where　three…quarters　of　my　men　are；　in　this　jolly…bag！〃　Emboldened　by　his　example；　the　others　began　giving　protest；　too。
　　　　　　　Varek　ignored　them。　And　forbore　asking　what　a　〃jolly…bag〃　was；　looking　at　the　tangled　forest　all　around；　listening　to　the　clash　of　battle；　the　booms　of　explosions　and　lightnings；　he　could　imagine。　〃You　will　gather　your　men　and　begin　pulling　back；〃　he　said　loudly；　cutting　through　their　chatter。　〃Not　too　fast；　you　will　act　in　unison。〃