rj.thepathofdaggers-第45节

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ough。
　　　　　　　The　wind　gusted　for　a　moment；　rustling　leaves　on　the　trees；　rustling　dead　leaves　on　the　ground；　and　Faile　wished　she　had　Perrin's　ears。　His　nose　and　eyes；　too。　It　did　not　matter　if　anyone　saw　her　here　with　her　retainers；　but　eavesdroppers　would　be　something　else。　〃You've　done　very　well；　Selande。　All　of　you　have。〃　Perrin　knew　the　dangers　here；　as　real　as　any　farther　south；　he　knew；　but　like　most　men；　he　thought　with　his　heart　as　often　as　his　head。　A　wife　had　to　be　practical；　to　keep　her　husband　out　of　trouble。　That　had　been　her　mother's　very　first　piece　of　advice　on　married　life。　〃At　first　light；　you　will　return　to　Bethal；　and　if　you　receive　word　from　me；　this　is　what　you　will　do。。。　〃
　　　　　　　Even　Selande's　eyes　widened　in　shock　as　she　went　on；　but　no　one　murmured　the　slightest　protest。　Faile　would　have　been　surprised　if　anyone　had。　Her　instructions　were　to　the　point。　There　would　be　some　danger；　but　under　the　circumstances；　not　nearly　what　might　have　been。
　　　　　　　〃Are　there　any　questions？〃　she　said　finally。　〃Does　everyone　understand？〃
　　　　　　　With　one　voice；　Cha　Faile　answered。　〃We　live　to　serve　our　Lady　Faile。〃　And　that　meant　they　would　serve　her　beloved　wolf；　whether　he　wanted　them　to　or　not。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Maighdin　shifted　in　her　blankets　on　the　hard　ground；　sleep　eluding　her。　That　was　her　name；　now；　a　new　name　for　a　new　life。　Maighdin；　for　her　mother；　and　Dorlain；　for　a　family　on　an　estate　that　had　been　hers。　A　new　life　for　an　old　life　gone；　but　ties　of　the　heart　could　not　be　cut。　And　now。。。　Now。。。
　　　　　　　A　faint　crackle　of　dead　leaves　brought　her　head　up；　and　she　watched　a　dim　shape　pass　through　the　trees。　The　Lady　Faile；　returning　to　her　tent　from　wherever　she　had　gone。　A　pleasant　young　woman；　kindhearted　and　well　spoken。　Whatever　her　husband's　stock；　she　almost　certainly　was　nobly　born。　But　young。　Inexperienced。　That　might　be　a　help。
　　　　　　　Maighdin　let　her　head　fall　back　on　the　cloak　she　had　wadded　up　for　a　pillow。　Light；　what　was　she　doing　here？　Taking　service　as　a　lady's　maid！　No。　She　would　hold　on　to　her　confidence　in　herself；　at　least。　She　could　still　find　that。　She　could。　If　she　dug　deeply。　Her　breath　caught　at　the　sound　of　footsteps　close　by。
　　　　　　　Tallanvor　knelt　gracefully　at　her　side。　He　was　shirtless；　moonlight　gleaming　on　the　smooth　muscles　of　his　chest　and　shoulders；　his　face　in　shadows。　A　slight　breeze　ruffled　his　hair。　〃What　madness　is　this？〃　he　asked　softly。　〃Entering　service？　What　are　you　up　to？　And　don't　tell　me　that　nonsense　about　making　a　new　life；　I　don't　believe　it。　No　one　does。〃
　　　　　　　She　tried　to　turn　away；　but　he　laid　a　hand　on　her　shoulder。　He　exerted　no　pressure；　yet　it　stopped　her　as　surely　as　a　halter。　Light；　please　let　her　not　tremble。　The　Light　did　not　listen；　but　at　least　she　managed　to　keep　her　voice　steady。　〃If　you　haven't　noticed；　I　must　make　my　way　in　the　world；　now。　Better　as　a　lady's　maid　than　a　tavern　maid。　You　may　feel　free　to　go　on　alone　if　service　here　doesn't　suit。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　didn't　abdicate　your　wits　or　your　pride　when　you　gave　up　the　throne；〃　he　muttered。　Burn　Lini　for　revealing　that！　〃If　you　mean　to　pretend　that　you　did；　I　suggest　you　avoid　letting　Lini　get　you　alone。〃　The　man　chuckled　at　her！　He　chuckled；　oh；　so　richly！　〃She　wants　a　word　with　Maighdin；　and　I　suspect　she　won't　be　as　gentle　with　Maighdin　as　she　was　with　Morgase。〃
　　　　　　　Angrily　she　sat　up；　brushing　his　hand　away。　〃Are　you　blind；　and　deaf　as　well？　The　Dragon　Reborn　has　plans　for　Elayne！　Light；　I　wouldn't　like　it　if　he　simply　knew　her　name！　It　must　be　more　than　chance　that　brought　me　to　one　of　his　henchmen；　Tallanvor。　It　has　to　be！〃
　　　　　　　〃Burn　me；　I　knew　it　must　be　that。　I　hoped　I　was　wrong；　but。。。　〃　He　sounded　as　angry　as　she。　He　had　no　right　to　be　angry！　〃Elayne　is　safe　in　the　White　Tower；　the　Amyrlin　Seat　won't　let　her　anywhere　near　a　man　who　can　channel；　even　if　he　is　the　Dragon　Reborn　…　especially　if　he　is！　…　and　Maighdin　Dorlain　can　do　nothing　about　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　the　Dragon　Reborn；　or　the　Lion　Throne。　All　she　can　do　is　get　her　neck　snapped；　or　her　throat　cut；　or　…！〃
　　　　　　　〃Maighdin　Dorlain　can　watch！〃　she　broke　in；　at　least　partly　to　stop　that　awful　litany。　〃She　can　listen！　She　can。。。！〃　Irritably；　she　trailed　off。　What　could　she　do？　Suddenly　she　realized　she　was　sitting　there　in　a　thin　shift　and　hurriedly　folded　her　blankets　around　her。　The　night　actually　seemed　a　little　cool。　Or　maybe　the　goose　bumps　on　her　skin　were　from　Tallanvor's　unseen　eyes　on　her。　The　thought　roused　a　flush　in　her　cheeks　she　hoped　he　could　not　see。　Luckily；　it　put　a　heat　in　her　voice；　too。　She　was　not　a　girl；　to　go　blushing　because　a　man　looked　at　her！　〃I　will　do　what　I　can；　whatever　that　is。　The　chance　will　e　to　learn　something　or　do　something　that　will　help　Elayne；　and　I　will　take　it！〃
　　　　　　　〃A　dangerous　decision；〃　he　told　her　calmly。　She　wished　she　could　make　out　his　face　in　the　darkness。　Only　to　read　his　expression；　of　course。　〃You　heard　him　threaten　to　hang　anyone　who　looked　at　him　the　wrong　way。　I　can　believe　it；　in　a　man　with　those　eyes。　Like　a　beast。　I　was　surprised　he　let　that　fellow　go；　I　thought　he'd　rip　his　throat　out！　If　he　discovers　who　you　are；　who　you　used　to　be。。。　Balwer　might　betray　you。　He　never　really　explained　why　he　helped　us　escape　Amador。　Maybe　he　thought　Queen　Morgase　would　give　him　a　new　position。　Now　he　knows　there's　no　chance　of　that；　and　he　might　want　to　curry　favor　with　his　new　master　and　mistress。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　afraid　of　Lord　Perrin　Goldeneyes？〃　she　demanded　contemptuously。　Light；　the　man　frightened　her！　Those　eyes　belonged　on　a　wolf。　〃Balwer　knows　enough　to　hold　his　tongue。　Anything　he　says　will　reflect　on　him；　he　came　with　me；　after　all。　If　you're　afraid；　then　ride　on！〃
　　　　　　　〃You　always　fling　that　in　my　face；〃　he　sighed；　settling　back　on　his　heels。　She　could　not　see　his　eyes；　but　she　could　feel　them。　〃Ride　on　if　you　wish；　you　say。　Once；　there　was　a　soldier　loved　a　queen　from　afar；　knowing　it　was　hopeless；　knowing　he　could　never　dare　speak。　Now　the　queen　is　gone；　and　only　a　woman　remains；　and　I　hope。　I　burn　with　hope！　If　you　want　me　to　leave；　Maighdin；　say　it。　One　word。　'Go！'　A　simple　word。〃
　　　　　　　She　opened　her　mouth。　A　simple　word；　she　thought。　Light；　it's　only　one　word！　Why　can't　I　say　it！　Light；　please！　For　the　second　time　that　night；　the　Light　failed　to　hear。　She　sat　there　huddled　in　her　blankets　like　a　fool；　her　mouth　open；　her　face　growing　hotter　and　hotter。
　　　　　　　If　he　had　chuckled　again；　she　would　have　put　her　belt　knife　in　him。　If　he　had　laughed；　or　given　any　sign　of　triumph。。。　Instead；　he　leaned　forward　and　gently　kissed　her　eyes。　She　made　a　sound　deep　in　her　throat；　she　could　not　seem　to　move。　Wide…eyed；　she　watched　him　stand。　He　loomed　in　the　moonlight。　She　was　a　queen　…　she　had　been　a　queen　…　used　to　mand；　used　to　hard　decisions　in　hard　times；　but　right　then　the　pounding　of　her　heart　drummed　thought　from　her　head。
　　　　　　　〃Had　you　said　'go；'〃　he　told　her；　〃I'd　have　buried　hope；　but　I　could　never　leave　you。〃
　　　　　　　Not　until　he　was　back　in　his　own　blankets　could　she　make　herself　lie　down　and　draw　hers　around　her。　She　breathed　as　if　she　had　been　running。　The　night　was　cool；　she　was　shivering；　not　trembling。　Tallanvor　was　too　young。　Too　young！　Worse；　he　was　right。　Burn　him　for　that！　A　lady's　maid　could　do　nothing　to　affect　events；　and　if　the　Dragon　Reborn's　wolf…eyed　killer　learned　that　he　had　Morgase　of　Andor　in　his　hands；　she　could　be　used　against　Elayne　instead　of　helping　her。　He　had　no　right　to　be　right　when　she　wanted　him　to　be　wrong！　The　illogic　of　that　thought　infuriated　her。　There　was　a　chance　she　might　do　some　good！　There　had　to　be！
　　　　　　　In　the　back　of　her　head；　a　small　voice　laughed。　You　can't　forget　that　you're　Morgase　Trakand；　it　told　her　scornfully；　and　even　after　she's　abdicated　her　throne；　Queen　Morgase　can't　stop　trying　her　hand　in　the　affairs　of　the　mighty；　no　matter　how　much　ruin　she's　made　of　it　so　far。　And　she　can't　tell　a　man　to　go　away；　either；　because　she　can't　stop　thinking　how　strong　his　hands　are；　and　how　his　lips　curve　when　he　smiles；　and　…
　　　　　　　Furious；　she　pulled　the　blanket　over　her　head；　trying　to　shut　out　the　voice。　She　was　not　staying　because　she　could　not　walk　away　from　power。　As　for　Tallanvor。。。　She　would　set　him　firmly　in　his　place。　This　time　she　would！　But。。。　What　was　his　place；　with　a　woman　who　was　no　longer　a　queen？　She　tried　to　put　him　out　of　her　mind　and　tried　to　ignore　that　mocking　voice　that　would　not　be　quiet；　yet　when　sleep　finally　came；　she　could　still　feel　the　pressure　of　his　lips　on　her　eyelids。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　9　
（Serpent　and　Wheel）　
Tangles　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Perrin　woke　before　first　light　as　usual；　and　as　usual；　Faile　was　already　up　and　about。　She　could　make　a　mouse　seem　noisy　when　she　wanted　to；　and　he　suspected　that　if　he　woke　an　hour　after　lying　down；　she　would　still　manage　to　be　up　first。　The　doorflaps　were　tied　back；　the　side　panels　raised　a　little　at　the　bottom；　and　a　stir　of　air　rose　through　the　venthole　in　the　peak；　enough　to　create　an　illusion　of　coolness。　Perrin　actually　shivered　while　searching　for　his　shirt　and　breeches。　Well；　it　was　supposed　to　be　winter；　even　if　the　weather　did　not　know　it。
　　　　　　　He　dressed　in　the　dark　and　scrubbed　his　teeth　with　salt；　needing　no　lamps；