rj.thepathofdaggers-第99节

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ore　…　that　Rand　did　not　let　him　utter。
　　　　　　　〃The　Saldaean　seems　to　believe　I　should　ride　on　the　right　flank；〃　Weiramon　muttered　disparagingly。　He　twisted　his　shoulders　as　though　the　right　flank　were　a　great　insult；　for　some　reason。　〃And　the　foot；　my　Lord　Dragon。　Really；　I　think　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　you　should　get　your　men　ready；〃　Rand　said　coldly。　Part　of　the　chill　was　the　effect　of　floating　in　emotionless　emptiness。　〃Or　you　won't　be　on　any　flank。〃　He　meant　that　he　would　leave　the　man　behind　if　he　was　not　ready　in　time。　Surely　such　a　fool　could　not　make　much　trouble　left　in　this　remote　spot　with　only　a　few　armsmen。　Rand　would　be　back　before　he　could　ride　to　anything　larger　than　a　village。
　　　　　　　Blood　drained　from　Weiramon's　face；　though。　〃As　my　Lord　Dragon　mands；〃　he　said；　briskly　for　him；　and　was　whirling　his　horse　away　before　the　words　were　well　out　of　his　mouth。　His　mount　was　a　tall　deep…chested　bay；　today。
　　　　　　　The　pale　Lady　Ailil　reined　to　a　stop　in　front　of　Rand；　acpanied　by　the　High　Lady　Anaiyella；　a　strange　pair　to　be　in　pany；　and　not　just　because　their　nations　hated　one　another。　Ailil　was　tall　for　a　Cairhienin　woman；　if　only　for　a　Cairhienin；　and　everything　about　her　was　dignity　and　precision；　from　the　arch　of　her　eyebrow　to　the　turn　of　her　red…gloved　wrist　to　the　way　her　pearl…collared　rain　cape　lay　spread　across　the　rump　of　her　smoke…gray　mare。　Unlike　Semaradrid　or　Marcolin；　Weiramon　or　Tihera；　she　did　not　so　much　as　blink　at　the　sight　of　raindrops　sliding　down　nothing　around　him。　Anaiyella　did　blink。　And　gasp。　And　titter　behind　her　hand。　Anaiyella　was　willowy　and　darkly　beautiful；　her　rain　cape　collared　with　rubies　and　embroidered　with　gold　besides；　but　there　any　resemblance　to　Ailil　ended。　Anaiyella　was　all　mincing　elegance　and　simpers。　When　she　bowed；　her　white　gelding　did；　too；　bending　its　forelegs。　The　prancing　animal　was　showy；　but　Rand　suspected　it　had　no　bottom。　Like　its　mistress。
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Dragon；〃　Ailil　said；　〃I　must　make　one　more　protest　against　my　inclusion　in　this。。。　expedition。〃　Her　voice　was　coolly　neutral；　if　not　exactly　unfriendly。　〃I　will　send　my　retainers　where　you　mand　and　when；　but　I　have　no　desire　at　all　to　be　in　the　thick　of　a　battle。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　no；〃　Anaiyella　added；　with　a　delicate　shudder。　Even　her　tone　simpered！　〃Nasty　things；　battles。　So　my　Master　of　the　Horse　says。　Surely　you　won't　really　make　us　go；　my　Lord　Dragon？　We've　heard　you　have　a　particular　care　for　women。　Haven't　we；　Ailil？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　was　so　astonished　that　the　Void　collapsed；　and　saidin　vanished。　Raindrops　began　to　trickle　through　his　hair　and　seep　through　his　coat；　but　for　a　moment；　clutching　his　saddle's　high　pommel　to　hold　himself　upright；　seeing　four　women　instead　of　two；　he　was　too　stunned　to　notice。　How　much　did　they　know？　They　had　heard？　How　many　people　knew？　How　did　anyone　know？　Light；　rumor　had　him　killing　Morgase；　Elayne；　Colavaere；　a　hundred　women　probably；　and　each　in　a　worse　way　than　the　last！　He　swallowed　against　the　urge　to　sick　up。　That　was　only　partly　saidin's　fault。　Burn　me；　how　many　spies　are　there　watching　me？　The　thought　was　a　growl。
　　　　　　　The　dead　watch；　Lews　Therin　whispered。　The　dead　never　close　their　eyes。　Rand　shivered。
　　　　　　　〃I　do　try　to　be　careful　of　women；〃　he　told　them　when　he　could　speak。　Faster　than　a　man；　and　for　half　the　reason。　〃That's　why　I　want　keep　you　close　the　next　few　days。　But　if　you　really　dislike　the　idea　so　much；　I　could　tell　off　one　of　the　Asha'man。　You'd　be　safe　at　the　Black　Tower。〃　Anaiyella　squeaked　prettily；　but　her　face　went　gray。
　　　　　　　〃Thank　you；　no；〃　Ailil　said　after　a　moment；　absolutely　calm。　〃I　suppose　I　had　best　confer　with　my　lance…captain　about　what　to　expect。〃　But　she　paused　in　turning　her　mare　away；　and　regarded　Rand　with　a　sidelong　look。　〃My　brother　Toram　is。。。　impetuous；　my　Lord　Dragon。　Even　rash。　I　am　not。〃
　　　　　　　Anaiyella　smiled　much　too　sweetly　at　Rand；　and　actually　wriggled　slightly　before　following；　but　once　she　faced　away　from　him；　she　dug　in　her　heels　and　worked　her　jewel…handled　quirt；　quickly　passing　the　other　woman。　That　white　gelding　showed　a　surprising　turn　of　speed。
　　　　　　　At　last　all　was　ready；　the　columns　formed；　snaking　back　over　the　low　hills。
　　　　　　　〃Begin；〃　Rand　told　Gedwyn；　who　wheeled　his　horse　and　began　barking　orders　to　his　men。　The　eight　Dedicated　rode　forward　and　dismounted　on　the　ground　they　had　memorized；　facing　the　mountains。　One　of　them　looked　familiar；　a　grizzled　fellow　whose　pointed　Tairen　beard　appeared　odd　on　his　wrinkled　countryman's　face。　Eight　vertical　lines　of　sharp　blue　light　turned　and　became　openings　that　showed　slightly　different　views　of　a　long；　sparsely　wooded　mountain　valley　rising　to　a　steep　pass。　In　Altara。　In　the　Venir　Mountains。
　　　　　　　Kill　them；　Lews　Therin　wept　pleadingly。　They're　too　dangerous　to　live！　Without　thought；　Rand　suppressed　the　voice。　Another　man　channeling　often　brought　that　reaction　from　Lews　Therin；　or　even　a　man　who　could。　He　no　longer　wondered　why。
　　　　　　　Rand　muttered　a　mand；　and　Flinn　blinked　in　surprise　before　hurrying　to　join　the　line　and　weave　a　ninth　gateway。　None　was　as　large　as　Rand　could　make；　but　any　would　pass　a　cart；　if　closely。　He　had　intended　to　do　that　himself；　but　he　did　not　want　to　chance　seizing　saidin　again　in　front　of　everyone。　He　noticed　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　watching　him；　wearing　identical　knowing　smiles。　And　Dashiva　as　well；　frowning；　lips　moving　as　he　talked　to　himself。　Was　it　his　imagination；　or　was　Narishma　eyeing　him　askance　too？　And　Adley？　Morr？
　　　　　　　Rand　shivered　before　he　could　stop　himself。　Mistrust　of　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　was　simple　sense；　but　was　he　ing　down　with　what　Nynaeve　had　called　the　dreads？　A　kind　of　madness；　a　crippling　dark　suspicion　of　everyone　and　everything？　There　had　been　a　Coplin；　Benly；　who　thought　everybody　was　scheming　against　him。　He　had　starved　to　death　when　Rand　was　a　boy；　refusing　to　eat　for　fear　of　poison。
　　　　　　　Ducking　low　on　Tai'daishar's　neck；　Rand　heeled　the　gelding　through　the　largest　gateway。　Flinn's；　as　it　happened；　but　he　would　have　ridden　through　one　made　by　Gedwyn　right　then。　He　was　the　first　onto　Altaran　soil。
　　　　　　　The　others　followed　quickly；　the　Asha'man　first　of　all。　Dashiva　stared　in　Rand's　direction；　frowning；　and　Narishma；　too；　but　Gedwyn　immediately　began　directing　his　Soldiers。　One　by　one；　they　rushed　forward；　opened　a　gateway　and　darted　through；　dragging　their　mounts　behind　them。　Ahead　up　the　valley；　bright　flashes　of　light　told　of　gateways　opening　and　closing。　The　Asha'man　could　Travel　short　distances　without　first　memorizing　the　ground　they　left　from；　and　cover　ground　far　faster　than　riding。　In　short　order；　only　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　remained；　aside　from　the　Dedicated　holding　the　gateways。　The　others　would　be　fanning　out　westward；　searching　for　Seanchan。　The　Saldaeans　were　through　from　Illian；　and　mounting。　Legionmen　spread　into　the　trees　at　a　trot；　crossbows　held　ready。　In　this　country；　they　could　move　as　fast　afoot　as　men　on　horseback。
　　　　　　　As　the　rest　of　the　army　began　emerging；　Rand　rode　up　the　valley　in　the　direction　the　Asha'man　had　gone。　Mountains　rose　high　behind　him；　a　wall　fronting　the　Deep；　but　west　the　peaks　ran　almost　to　Ebou　Dar。　He　quickened　the　gelding's　pace　to　a　canter。
　　　　　　　Bashere　caught　him　before　he　reached　the　pass。　The　man's　bay　was　small　…　most　of　the　Saldaeans　rode　small　horses　…　but　quick。　〃No　Seanchan　here；　it　seems；〃　he　said　almost　idly；　stroking　his　mustaches　with　a　knuckle。　〃But　there　could　have　been。　Tenobia's　likely　to　have　my　head　on　a　pike　soon　enough　for　following　a　live　Dragon　Reborn；　much　more　a　dead　one。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　scowled。　Maybe　he　could　take　Flinn；　to　watch　his　back；　and　Narishma；　and。。。　Flinn　had　saved　his　life；　the　man　had　to　be　true。　Men　could　change；　though。　And　Narishma？　Even　after。。。？　He　felt　cold　at　the　risk　he　had　taken。　Not　the　dreads。　Narishma　had　proved　true；　but　it　still　had　been　a　mad　risk。　As　mad　as　running　from　stares　he　was　not　even　sure　were　real；　running　to　where　he　had　no　notion　what　was　waiting。　Bashere　was　right；　but　Rand　did　not　want　to　talk　about　it　further。
　　　　　　　The　slopes　leading　up　into　the　pass　were　bare　stone　and　boulders　of　all　sizes；　but　among　the　natural　stone　lay　weathered　pieces　of　what　must　have　once　been　a　huge　statue。　Some　were　just　recognizable　as　worked　stone；　others　more　so。　A　beringed　hand　nearly　big　as　his　chest；　gripping　a　sword　hilt　with　a　broken　stub　of　blade　wider　than　his　hand。　A　great　head；　a　woman　with　cracks　across　her　face　and　a　crown　that　seemed　to　be　made　of　upthrusting　daggers；　some　still　whole。
　　　　　　　〃Who　do　you　think　she　was？〃　he　asked。　A　queen；　of　course。　Even　if　merchants　or　scholars　had　worn　crowns　in　some　distant　time；　only　rulers　and　generals　earned　statues。
　　　　　　　Bashere　twisted　in　his　saddle　to　study　the　head　before　speaking。　〃A　Queen　of　Shiota；　I'll　wager；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Not　older。　I　saw　a　statue　made　in　Eharon　once；　and　it　was　so　worn　you　couldn't　say　whether　it　was　man　or　woman。　A　conqueror；　or　they　wouldn't　have　shown　her　with　a　sword。　And　I　seem　to　recall　Shiota　gave　a　crown　like　that　to　rulers　who　expanded　the　borders。　Maybe　they　called　it　the　Crown　of　Swords；　eh？　A　Brown　sister　might　be　able　to　tell　you　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　isn't　important；〃　Rand　told　him　irritably。　They　did　lo