rj.acrownofswords-第57节

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gnity　be　hanged。　Varilin　and　Takima　glared　at　one　another　like　two　maidservants　supporting　their　mistresses；　a　long…legged　wading　bird　in　a　scowling　match　with　a　wren。　The　whole　lot　of　them　seemed　to　have　forgotten　Egwene　entirely。
　　　Siuan　came　running　up　in　a　broad　straw　hat；　leading　a　fat　dun　mare　with　white…stockinged　hind　legs；　and　skidded　to　a　halt　when　she　saw　the　warded　gathering。　One　of　the　grooms　was　with　her；　a　lanky　fellow　in　a　long；　frayed　vest　and　a　patched　shirt；　holding　the　reins　of　a　tall　roan。　The　wards　were　invisible　to　him；　but　saidar　did　not　hide　the　faces。　His　eyes　went　very　wide；　and　he　began　licking　his　lips。　For　that　matter；　passersby　walked　wide　around　the　tent　and　pretended　to　see　nothing；　Aes　Sedai；　Warders　and　servants　alike。　Bryne　alone　frowned　and　studied　them　as　though　wondering　what　was　hidden　from　his　ears。　Myrelle　was　retying　her　saddlebags；　plainly　on　the　point　of　leaving。
　　　〃When　you　have　decided　what　I　should　say；〃　Egwene　announced；　〃then　I　can　decide　what　to　do。〃　They　really　had　forgotten　her。　All　four　stared　at　her　in　amazement　as　she　walked　between　Romanda　and　Lelaine　and　out　through　the　doubled　wards。　There　was　nothing　to　feel　as　she　brushed　by　the　weave；　of　course；　they　had　never　been　made　to　stop　anything　as　solid　as　a　human　body。
　　　When　she　scrambled　onto　the　roan；　Myrelle　drew　a　deep　breath　and　emulated　her　in　resignation。　The　wards　had　vanished；　though　the　glow　still　enveloped　the　two　Sitters；　each　more　the　image　of　frustration　than　the　other　as　they　stood　watching。　Hurriedly　Egwene　donned　the　thin　linen　dust…cloak　that　had　been　draped　in　front　of　her　gelding's　saddle；　and　the　riding　gloves　that　were　tucked　into　a　small　pocket　in　the　cloak。　A　wide…brimmed　hat　hung　from　the　saddle's　high　pommel；　deep　blue　to　match　her　dress；　with　a　spray　of　white　plumes　pinned　slanting　across　the　front　that　shouted　of　Chesa's　hand。　Heat　she　could　ignore；　but　the　glare　of　the　sun　was　another　matter。　Removing　plumes　and　pin；　she　tucked　them　into　the　saddlebags；　put　the　hat　on　her　head　and　tied　the　ribbons　beneath　her　chin。
　　　〃Shall　we　go；　Mother？〃　Bryne　asked。　He　was　already　mounted；　the　helmet　that　had　been　hanging　from　his　saddle　now　obscuring　his　face　behind　steel　bars。　It　looked　quite　natural　on　him；　as　though　he　had　been　born　for　armor。
　　　She　nodded。　There　was　no　attempt　to　stop　them。　Lelaine　would　not　stoop　to　shouting　halt　in　public；　of　course；　but　Romanda。。。　Egwene　felt　a　sense　of　relief　as　they　rode　away；　yet　her　head　seemed　to　be　splitting。　What　was　she　to　do　about　Delana？　What　could　she　do？
　　　The　main　road　in　this　area；　a　wide　stretch　of　dirt　packed　so　hard　nothing　could　raise　dust　from　it；　ran　through　the　army's　camp　and　along　the　gap　between　that　and　the　Aes　Sedai's。　Bryne　angled　across　it；　through　the　rest　of　the　army　on　the　other　side。
　　　Although　the　army　camp　held　thirty　times　or　more　as　many　people　as　the　Aes　Sedai　camp；　there　seemed　to　be　few　more　tents　than　for　the　sisters　and　those　who　served　them；　all　scattered　out　across　the　flats　and　up　the　hillsides。　Most　of　the　soldiers　slept　in　the　open。　But　then；　it　was　hard　to　remember　the　last　time　rain　had　fallen；　and　there　certainly　was　not　a　cloud　to　be　seen。　Strangely；　there　were　more　women　than　in　the　sisters'　camp；　though　they　seemed　fewer　at　first　glance；　among　so　many　men。　Cooks　tended　kettles　and　laundresses　attacked　great　heaps　of　clothing；　while　some　worked　with　the　horses　or　wagons。　A　fair　number　appeared　to　be　wives；　at　least；　they　sat　about　knitting　or　darning　dresses　or　shirts　or　stirring　small　cookpots。　Armorers　had　set　up　almost　anywhere　she　looked；　hammers　making　steel　ring　on　their　anvils；　and　fletchers　adding　arrows　to　bundles　by　their　feet；　and　farriers　checking　horses。　Wagons　of　every　sort　and　size　stood　everywhere；　hundreds；　perhaps　thousands；　the　army　seemed　to　scoop　up　every　one　it　found　along　its　path。　Most　of　the　foragers　were　already　out；　but　a　few　high…wheeled　carts　and　lumbering　wagons　still　trundled　away　in　search　of　farms　and　villages。　Here　and　there　soldiers　raised　a　cheer　as　they　rode　by。　〃Lord　Bryne！〃　and　〃The　Bull！　The　Bull！〃　That　was　his　sigil。　Nothing　about　Aes　Sedai　or　the　Amyrlin　Seat。
　　　Egwene　twisted　around　in　her　saddle　to　make　sure　Myrelle　was　still　close　behind。　She　was；　letting　her　horse　follow　on　its　own；　a　far…off；　slightly　sickly　expression　on　her　face。　Siuan　had　taken　a　position　at　the　rear；　shepherd　to　their　lone　sheep。　Then　again；　she　might　just　have　been　afraid　to　urge　her　mount　ahead。　The　dun　was　positively　a　butterball；　but　Siuan　would　probably　treat　a　pony　like　a　warhorse。
　　　Egwene　felt　a　stab　of　irritation　at　her　own　animal。　His　name　was　Daishar；　Glory；　in　the　Old　Tongue。　She　would　much　rather　be　riding　Bela；　a　shaggy　little　mare　not　much　slimmer　than　Siuan's　dun　that　she　had　ridden　out　of　the　Two　Rivers。　Sometimes　she　thought　she　must　look　a　doll；　perched　atop　a　gelding　that　could　be　taken　for　a　warhorse；　but　the　Amyrlin　had　to　have　a　proper　mount。　No　shaggy　cart　horses。　Even　if　this　rule　was　of　her　own　making；　she　felt　as　confined　as　a　novice。
　　　Turning　in　the　saddle；　she　said；　〃Do　you　expect　any　opposition　ahead；　Lord　Bryne？〃
　　　He　glanced　at　her　sideways。　She　had　asked　the　same　once　before　leaving　Salidar　and　twice　while　crossing　Altara。　Not　enough　to　rouse　suspicions；　she　thought。
　　　〃Murandy　is　like　Altara；　Mother。　Neighbor　too　busy　scheming　against　neighbor；　or　outright　fighting　him；　to　band　together　for　anything　short　of　a　war；　and　not　to　any　great　degree　then。〃　His　tone　was　very　dry。　He　had　been　Captain…General　of　the　Queen's　Guards　in　Andor；　with　years　of　border　skirmishes　against　the　Murandians　behind　him。　〃Andor　will　be　another　matter；　I　fear。　I　am　not　looking　forward　to　that。〃　He　turned　another　way；　climbing　a　gentle　slope　to　avoid　three　wagons　rumbling　over　rocks　in　the　same　direction。
　　　Egwene　tried　not　to　grimace。　Andor。　Before；　he　had　just　said　no。　These　were　the　tail　end　of　the　Cumbar　Hills；　somewhat　south　of　Lugard；　the　capital　of　Murandy。　Even　if　they　were　lucky；　the　border　of　Andor　lay　at　least　ten　days　ahead。
　　　〃And　when　we　reach　Tar　Valon；　Lord　Bryne。　How　do　you　plan　to　take　the　city？〃
　　　〃No　one　has　asked　me　that　yet；　Mother。〃　She　had　only　thought　his　voice　was　dry　before；　now　it　was　dry。　〃By　the　time　we　reach　Tar　Valon；　the　Light　willing；　I'll　have　two　or　three　times　as　many　men　as　I　do　now。〃　Egwene　winced　at　the　idea　of　paying　so　many　soldiers；　he　did　not　seem　to　notice。　〃With　that；　I　will　lay　siege。　The　hardest　part　will　be　finding　ships；　and　sinking　them　to　block　Northharbor　and　Southharbor。　The　harbors　are　as　much　the　key　as　holding　the　bridge　towns；　Mother。　Tar　Valon　is　larger　than　Cairhien　and　Caemlyn　together。　Once　food　stops　going　in。。。　〃　He　shrugged。　〃Most　of　soldiering　is　waiting；　when　it　isn't　marching。〃
　　　〃And　if　you　don't　have　that　many　soldiers？〃　She　had　never　thought　of　all　those　people　going　hungry；　women　and　children。　She　had　never　really　thought　of　anyone　being　involved　except　the　Aes　Sedai；　and　the　soldiers。　How　could　she　have　been　so　foolish？　She　had　seen　the　results　of　war　in　Cairhien。　Bryne　seemed　to　take　it　so　lightly。　But　then；　he　was　a　soldier；　privation　and　death　must　be　everyday　to　soldiers。　〃What　if　you　only　have。。。　say。。。　what　you　do　now？〃
　　　〃Siege？〃　Apparently　some　of　what　they　had　been　saying　had　finally　broken　into　whatever　Myrelle　was　thinking。　She　booted　the　sorrel　forward；　making　a　number　of　men　jump　aside；　some　falling　on　their　faces。　A　few　opened　their　mouths　angrily；　then　saw　her　ageless　features　and　shut　their　jaws　again；　glowering。　They　might　as　well　not　have　existed　for　all　of　her。　〃Artur　Hawkwing　besieged　Tar　Valon　for　twenty　years　and　failed。〃　Abruptly　she　realized　ears　were　about　and　lowered　her　voice；　but　it　was　still　acid。　〃Do　you　expect　us　to　wait　twenty　years？〃
　　　That　acid　washed　over　Gareth　Bryne　without　leaving　a　stain。　〃Would　you　prefer　a　direct　assault　right　off；　Myrelle　Sedai？〃　He　could　have　been　asking　whether　she　wanted　her　tea　sweet　or　bitter。　〃Several　of　Hawkwing's　generals　tried；　and　their　men　were　slaughtered。　No　army　has　ever　managed　to　breach　Tar　Valon's　walls。〃
　　　That　was　not　strictly　true；　Egwene　knew。　In　the　Trolloc　Wars；　an　army　of　Dreadlord…led　Trollocs　had　actually　plundered　and　burned　a　part　of　the　White　Tower　itself。　At　the　end　of　the　War　of　the　Second　Dragon；　an　army　trying　to　rescue　Guaire　Amalasan　before　he　was　gentled　had　reached　the　Tower；　too。　Myrelle　could　not　know；　though；　much　less　Bryne。　Access　to　those　secret　histories；　hidden　deep　in　the　Tower　library；　was　set　out　in　a　law　that　was　itself　secret；　and　revealing　the　existence　of　either　records　or　law　was　treason。　Siuan　said　if　you　read　between　the　lines；　you　found　hints　of　things　that　had　not　been　recorded　even　there。　Aes　Sedai　were　very　good　at　hiding　truth　when　they　thought　it　necessary；　even　from　themselves。
　　　〃With　a　hundred　thousand　or　what　I　have　now；〃　Bryne　continued；　〃I　will　be　the　first。　If　I　can　block　the　harbors。　Hawkwing's　generals　never　managed　that。　The　Aes　Sedai　always　raised　those　iron　chains　in　time　to　stop　the　ships　getting　into　the　harbor　mouth　and　sank　them　before　they　could　be　placed　to　hinder　trade。　Food　and　supplies　got　in。　I