rj.acrownofswords-第14节

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　just　their　way。〃　Burn　Gaul　and　burn　his　explanations；　he　thought。　They　could　cover　them　with　something！
　　　〃Perrin　Goldeneyes；〃　said　a　woman's　voice；　〃Carahuin　sends　to　know　whether　you　wish　water。〃　Aram's　face　went　purple；　and　he　jerked　himself　around　in　his　squat；　presenting　his　back　to　her。
　　　〃No；　thank　you。〃　Perrin　did　not　need　to　look　up　to　know　it　was　the　golden…haired　Shaido　woman。　He　kept　peering　off　at　nothing　in　another　direction。　Aiel　had　a　peculiar　sense　of　humor；　and　Maidens　of　the　Spear　…　Carahuin　was　a　Maiden　…　had　the　most　peculiar。　They　had　quickly　seen　how　the　wetlanders　reacted　to　the　Shaido　…　they　would　have　needed　to　be　blind　not　to　…　and　suddenly　gai'shain　were　being　sent　to　wetlanders　left　and　right；　and　Aiel　all　but　rolling　on　the　ground　at　the　blushes　and　stammers　and　even　the　shouting。　He　was　sure　that　Carahuin　and　her　friends　were　watching　now。　This　was　at　least　the　tenth　time　one　of　the　gai'shain　women　had　been　sent　to　ask　him　whether　he　wanted　water　or　had　a　spare　whetstone　or　some　such　bloody　fool　thing。
　　　Abruptly　a　thought　struck　him。　The　Mayeners　were　seldom　bothered　this　way。　A　handful　of　Cairhienin　plainly　enjoyed　looking；　if　not　so　openly　as　the　Mayeners；　and　some　of　the　older　Two　Rivers　men；　who　should　have　known　better。　The　point　was；　none　of　them　had　had　a　second　spurious　message　that　he　knew　of。　Those　who　reacted　the　most　on　the　other　hand。。。　Cairhienin；　who　had　shouted　the　loudest　about　indecency；　and　two　or　three　of　the　younger　Two　Rivers　men；　who　stammered　and　blushed　so　hard　they　looked　ready　to　melt；　had　been　pestered　until　they　fled　the　wagons　entirely。。。
　　　With　an　effort　Perrin　looked　up　at　the　gai'shain's　face。　At　her　eyes。　Focus　on　her　eyes；　he　thought　frantically。　They　were　green；　and　large；　and　not　at　all　meek。　Her　scent　was　pure　fury。　〃Thank　Carahuin　for　me；　and　tell　her　you　could　oil　my　spare　saddle；　if　she　doesn't　mind。　And　I　don't　have　a　clean　shirt。　If　she　wouldn't　mind　you　doing　some　laundry？〃
　　　〃She　will　not　mind；〃　the　woman　said　in　a　tight　voice；　then　turned　and　trotted　off。
　　　Perrin　whipped　his　eyes　away；　though　the　image　did　stay　in　his　head。　Light；　Aram　was　right！　But　with　luck；　he　might　just　have　stopped　any　more　visitations。　He　would　have　to　point　this　out　to　Aram；　and　the　Two　Rivers　men。　Maybe　the　Cairhienin　would　listen　too。
　　　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　them；　Lord　Perrin？〃　Still　looking　away；　Aram　no　longer　spoke　of　gai'shain。
　　　〃That　is　Rand's　to　decide；〃　Perrin　said　slowly；　satisfaction　fading。　It　might　be　odd　to　think　of　people　wandering　about　naked　as　a　small　problem；　but　this　was　definitely　a　bigger。　And　one　he　had　been　avoiding　as　hard　as　he　had　what　lay　to　the　north。
　　　On　the　far　side　of　the　wagon　circle；　nearly　two　dozen　women　sat　on　the　ground。　All　well…dressed　for　travel；　many　wore　silk；　most　with　light　linen　dustcloaks；　but　not　a　bead　of　sweat　showed　on　any　face。　Three　appeared　young　enough　that　he　might　have　asked　them　for　a　dance　before　he　married　Faile。
　　　If　they　weren't　Aes　Sedai；　anyway；　he　thought　wryly。　Once　he　had　danced　with　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　nearly　swallowed　his　tongue　when　he　realized　who　he　swung　about。　And　she　had　been　a　friend；　if　that　word　applied　to　Aes　Sedai。　How　new　does　an　Aes　Sedai　have　to　be　for　me　to　put　an　age　to　her？　The　others　looked　ageless；　of　course；　maybe　in　their　twenties；　maybe　their　forties；　changing　from　one　glance　to　the　next；　always　uncertain。　That　was　what　their　faces　said；　though　several　showed　gray　in　their　hair。　You　just　could　not　tell　with　Aes　Sedai。　About　anything。
　　　〃At　least　those　are　no　danger　anymore；〃　Aram　said；　jerking　his　head　toward　three　of　the　sisters　a　little　apart　from　the　rest。
　　　One　wept；　face　on　her　knees；　the　other　two　stared　haggardly　at　nothing；　one　of　them　plucking　aimlessly　at　her　skirt。　They　had　been　much　the　same　since　yesterday；　at　least　none　was　screaming　any　longer。　If　Perrin　had　the　straight　of　it；　which　he　was　not　sure　he　did；　they　had　been　stilled　somehow　when　Rand　broke　free。　They　would　never　channel　the　One　Power　again。　To　Aes　Sedai；　it　was　probably　better　to　be　dead。
　　　He　would　have　expected　the　other　Aes　Sedai　to　fort　them；　care　for　them　somehow；　but　most　ignored　the　three　entirely；　although　a　little　too　studied　in　looking　anywhere　and　everywhere　else。　For　that　matter；　the　stilled　Aes　Sedai　refused　to　acknowledge　the　rest；　either。　In　the　beginning；　at　least；　a　few　of　the　other　sisters　had　approached；　each　by　herself；　calm　to　the　eye　yet　smelling　sharply　of　aversion　and　reluctance；　but　they　got　nothing　for　their　pains；　not　word　or　glance。　None　had　gone　near　this　morning。
　　　Perrin　shook　his　head。　The　Aes　Sedai　seemed　to　do　a　lot　of　ignoring　of　what　they　did　not　want　to　admit。　For　instance；　the　black…coated　men　standing　over　them。　There　was　an　Asha'man　for　each　sister；　even　the　three　who　had　been　stilled；　and　they　never　seemed　to　blink。　For　their　part；　the　Aes　Sedai　looked　past　the　Asha'man；　or　through　them；　they　might　as　well　not　have　existed。
　　　It　was　quite　a　trick。　He　could　not　make　himself　disregard　the　Asha'man；　and　he　was　not　under　their　guard。　They　ranged　from　fuzz…cheeked　boys　to　gray…haired；　balding　gansers；　and　it　was　not　their　grim；　high…collared　black　coats　or　the　sword　each　wore　at　his　hip　that　made　them　dangerous。　Every　Asha'man　could　channel；　and　somehow　they　were　keeping　the　Aes　Sedai　from　channeling。　Men　who　could　wield　the　One　Power；　a　thing　of　nightmares。　Rand　could；　of　course；　but　he　was　Rand；　and　the　Dragon　Reborn　besides。　These　fellows　made　Perrin's　hackles　rise。
　　　The　captive　Aes　Sedai's　surviving　Warders　sat　some　distance　off；　under　their　own　guard。　Thirty　or　so　of　Lord　Dobraine's　armsmen　in　bell…shaped　Cairhienin　helmets　and　as　many　Mayener　Winged　Guards　in　red　breastplates；　each　sharp…eyed　as　if　guarding　leopards。　A　good　attitude；　under　the　circumstances。　More　Warders　than　there　were　Aes　Sedai；　a　number　of　the　prisoners　were　Green　Ajah；　apparently。　More　guards　than　Warders；　a　good　many　more；　and　maybe　few　enough　at　that。
　　　〃The　Light　send　we　don't　see　any　more　grief　from　that　lot；〃　Perrin　muttered。　Twice　during　the　night　the　Warders　had　tried　to　break　free。　In　truth；　those　outbreaks　had　been　suppressed　more　by　the　Asha'man　than　by　the　Cairhienin　or　Mayeners；　and　they　had　not　been　gentle。　None　of　the　Warders　had　been　killed；　but　at　least　a　dozen　nursed　broken　bones　none　of　the　sisters　had　yet　been　allowed　to　Heal。
　　　〃If　the　Lord　Dragon　cannot　make　the　decision；〃　Aram　said　quietly；　〃maybe　it　should　be　made　by　somebody　else。　To　protect　him。〃
　　　Perrin　gave　him　a　sidelong　look。　〃What　decision？　The　sisters　told　them　not　to　make　another　attempt；　and　they'll　obey　their　Aes　Sedai。〃　Broken　bones　or　no；　unarmed　as　they　were；　hands　tied　behind　their　backs；　the　Warders　still　looked　like　a　wolfpack　awaiting　the　lead　wolf's　mand　to　attack。　None　would　rest　easy　until　his　Aes　Sedai　was　free；　maybe　until　all　of　the　sisters　were　free。　Aes　Sedai　and　Warders：　a　stack　of　well…aged　oak；　ready　for　a　flame。　But　even　Warders　and　Aes　Sedai　had　proved　no　match　for　Asha'man。
　　　〃I　did　not　mean　the　Warders。〃　Aram　hesitated；　then　shuffled　closer　to　Perrin　and　lowered　his　voice　further；　to　a　hoarse　whisper。　〃The　Aes　Sedai　kidnapped　the　Lord　Dragon。　He　can't　trust　them；　not　ever；　but　he　won't　do　what　he　has　to；　either。　If　they　died　before　he　knew　it　…　〃
　　　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　Perrin　almost　choked　as　he　sat　bolt　upright。　Not　for　the　first　time；　he　wondered　whether　there　was　any　Tinker　left　in　the　other　man。　〃They're　helpless；　Aram！　Helpless　women！〃
　　　〃They　are　Aes　Sedai。〃　Dark　eyes　met　Perrin's　golden　stare　levelly。　〃They　cannot　be　trusted；　and　they　cannot　be　turned　loose。　How　long　can　Aes　Sedai　be　held　against　their　will？　They've　been　doing　what　they　do　far　longer　than　the　Asha'man。　They　must　know　more。　They're　a　danger　to　the　Lord　Dragon；　and　to　you；　Lord　Perrin。　I　have　seen　them　look　at　you。〃
　　　Across　the　wagon　circle；　the　sisters　were　talking　among　themselves　in　whispers　even　Perrin　could　not　hear；　mouths　held　close　to　ears。　Now　and　again　one　did　look　at　him　and　Aram。　At　him；　not　Aram。　He　had　caught　a　double　handful　of　names。　Nesune　Bihara。　Erian　Boroleos　and　Katerine　Alruddin。　Coiren　Saeldain；　Sarene　Nemdahl　and　Elza　Penfell。　Janine　Pavlara；　Beldeine　Nyram；　Marith　Riven。　Those　last　were　the　young　sisters；　but　young　or　ageless；　they　watched　him　with　faces　so　serene　it　seemed　they　had　the　upper　hand　despite　the　Asha'man。　Defeating　Aes　Sedai　was　not　easy；　making　them　admit　defeat　lay　on　the　far　side　of　impossible。
　　　He　forced　his　hands　to　unknot　and　rest　on　his　knees；　giving　an　appearance　of　calm　he　was　nowhere　near　feeling。　They　knew　he　was　ta'veren；　one　of　those　few　the　Pattern　would　shape　itself　around　for　a　time。　Worse；　they　knew　he　was　tied　to　Rand　in　some　way　nobody　understood；　least　of　all　himself　or　Rand。　Or　Mat；　Mat　was　in　that　tangle；　too；　another　ta'veren；　though　neither　of　them　as　strongly　as　Rand。　Given　half　a　chance　those　women　would　have　him　…　and　Mat　…　inside　the　White　Tower　as　fast　as　they　would　Rand；　tethered　like　goats　until　the　lion　came。　And　they　had　kidnapped　Rand；　mistreated　him。　Aram　was　right　about　one　thing；　they　could　not　be　trusted。　But　what　Aram　sug