rj.acrownofswords-第58节

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　harbor　mouth　and　sank　them　before　they　could　be　placed　to　hinder　trade。　Food　and　supplies　got　in。　It　will　e　to　your　assault　eventually；　but　not　until　the　city's　weakened；　if　I　have　my　way。〃　His　voice　was　still。。。　ordinary。　A　man　discussing　an　outing。　His　head　turned　toward　Myrelle；　and　though　his　tone　did　not　change；　the　intensity　in　his　eyes　was　evident　even　behind　his　faceguard。　〃And　you　all　agreed　I　would；　when　it　came　to　the　army。　I　won't　throw　men　away。〃
　　　Myrelle　opened　her　mouth；　then　closed　it　slowly。　Plainly　she　wanted　to　say　something　but　did　not　know　what。　They　had　given　their　word；　she　and　Sheriam　and　those　who　had　been　running　things　when　he　appeared　in　Salidar；　however　much　giving　it　galled。　However　much　the　Sitters　tried　to　get　round　it。　They　had　given　no　word。　Bryne　acted　as　though　they　had；　though；　and　so　far　he　had　managed　to　get　away　with　it。　So　far。
　　　Egwene　felt　ill。　She　had　seen　war。　Images　flashed　in　her　head；　men　fighting；　killing　their　way　through　the　streets　of　Tar　Valon；　dying。　Her　eyes　fell　on　a　square…jawed　fellow　chewing　his　tongue　while　he　sharpened　a　pikehead。　Would　he　die　in　those　streets？　The　grizzled；　balding　man　running　his　fingers　so　carefully　down　each　arrow　before　sliding　the　shaft　into　his　quiver？　And　there。　That　lad　swaggering　in　his　high　riding　boots。　He　looked　too　young　to　shave。　Light；　so　many　were　boys。　How　many　would　die？　For　her。　For　justice；　for　the　right；　for　the　world；　but　at　the　heart；　for　her。　Siuan　raised　her　hand；　but　did　not　plete　the　gesture。　Had　she　been　close　enough；　she　could　not　pat　the　Amyrlin　Seat　on　the　shoulder　where　everyone　could　see。
　　　Egwene　straightened　her　back。　〃Lord　Bryne；〃　she　said　in　a　tight　voice；　〃what　is　it　you　want　me　to　see？〃　She　thought　he　half…glanced　at　Myrelle　before　answering。
　　　〃Better　you　see　it　for　yourself；　Mother。〃
　　　Egwene　thought　her　head　might　break　open。　If　Siuan's　clues　led　to　anything　at　all；　she　might　just　skin　Myrelle。　If　they　did　not；　she　might　skin　Siuan。　And　she　might　throw　Gareth　Bryne　in　for　good　measure。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　12　
（Snakey　Square）　
A　Morning　of　Victory　
　　　
　　　The　crooked　hills　and　ridges　surrounding　the　camp　showed　every　sign　of　the　drought　and　unseasonable　heat。　The　unholy　heat　in　truth；　even　the　dullest　scullion　scrubbing　pots　saw　the　Dark　One's　touch　on　the　world。　The　true　forest　lay　behind　them　to　the　west；　but　twisted　oaks　grew　out　of　the　rocky　slopes；　sourgums　arid　pines　of　unfamiliar　shape；　and　trees　Egwene　had　no　names　for；　brown　and　yellow　and　bare…branched。　Not　winter…bare　or　brown。　Starved　for　moisture　and　coolness。　Dying；　if　the　weather　did　not　change　soon。　Beyond　the　last　of　the　soldiers　a　river　ran　off　south　and　west；　the　Reisendrelle；　twenty　paces　wide　and　flanked　on　either　side　by　hard…baked　mud　studded　with　stones。　Swirling　around　rocks　that　might　have　made　crossing　hazardous　in　other　days；　the　water　rose　short　of　the　horses'　knees　as　they　forded。　Egwene　felt　her　own　problems　dwindle　in　size。　Despite　her　head；　she　offered　a　small　prayer　for　Nynaeve　and　Elayne。　Their　search　was　as　important　as　anything　she　did。　More。　The　world　would　live　if　she　failed；　but　they　had　to　succeed。
　　　They　traveled　southward　at　an　easy　canter；　slowing　when　the　hillside　slant　of　the　land　grew　too　great　or　the　horses　had　to　climb　any　distance　through　trees　and　sparse　scrub；　but　keeping　to　the　lowland　as　much　as　possible　and　covering　ground　quickly。　Bryne's　big…nosed　gelding；　surefooted　and　strong；　hardly　seemed　to　mind　which　way　the　ground　tilted　or　whether　smooth　or　rough；　yet　Daishar　kept　pace　easily。　Sometimes　Siuan's　plump　animal　labored；　though　she　might　just　have　been　picking　up　her　rider's　anxiety。　No　amount　of　practice　could　make　Siuan　anything　but　a　terrible　rider；　nearly　throwing　her　arms　around　the　mare's　neck　climbing　upslope；　almost　falling　from　the　saddle　going　down；　awkward　as　a　duck　afoot　on　the　flats　and　not　far　from　wide…eyed　as　the　horse。　Myrelle　actually　regained　some　of　her　humor　watching　Siuan。　Her　own　white…footed　sorrel　picked　her　way　in　delicate　swoops　like　a　swallow；　and　Myrelle　rode　with　an　assurance　and　flare　that　made　Bryne　appear　stolid　and　workmanlike。
　　　Before　they　had　gone　very　far；　riders　appeared　atop　a　high　ridge　to　the　west；　perhaps　a　hundred　men　in　column；　the　rising　sun　glinting　off　breastplates　and　helmets　and　lance　points。　At　their　head　streamed　a　long　white　pennant　Egwene　could　not　make　out；　but　she　knew　it　bore　the　Red　Hand。　She　had　not　expected　to　see　them　so　close　to　the　Aes　Sedai　camp。
　　　〃Dragonsworn　animals；〃　Myrelle　muttered；　watching　the　horsemen　parallel　their　route。　Her　gloved　hands　tightened　on　her　reins　…　with　fury；　not　fear。
　　　〃The　Band　of　the　Red　Hand　puts　out　patrols；〃　Bryne　said　placidly。　With　a　glance　at　Egwene；　he　added；　〃Lord　Talmanes　seems　concerned　about　you；　Mother；　last　I　spoke　to　him。〃　He　put　no　more　emphasis　on　that　than　the　other。
　　　〃You've　spoken　with　him？〃　Every　vestige　of　Myrelle's　serenity　vanished。　The　anger　she　had　to　hold　in　with　Egwene；　she　could　safely　unleash　on　him。　She　all　but　shook　with　it。　〃That　is　very　close　to　treason；　Lord　Bryne。　It　might　well　be　treason！〃　Siuan　had　been　dividing　her　attention　between　her　horse　and　the　men　on　the　ridge；　and　she　did　not　look　at　Myrelle；　but　she　stiffened。　No　one　had　tied　the　Band　and　treason　together　before。
　　　They　rounded　a　bend　in　the　hill　valley。　A　farm　clung　to　a　hillside；　or　what　had　been　a　farm　once。　One　wall　of　the　small　stone　house　had　collapsed；　and　a　few　charred　timbers　stuck　up　beside　the　soot…coated　chimney　like　grimy　fingers。　The　roofless　barn　was　a　blackened　hollow　box　of　stone；　and　scattered　ash　marked　where　sheds　might　once　have　stood。　All　across　Altara　they　had　seen　as　bad　and　worse；　entire　villages　sometimes；　the　dead　lying　in　the　streets；　food　for　ravens　and　foxes　and　feral　dogs　that　fled　when　people　came　close。　Stories　of　anarchy　and　murder　in　Tarabon　and　Arad　Doman　suddenly　had　flesh　and　bones。　Many　men　seized　any　excuse　to　turn　bandit　or　settle　old　grudges　…　Egwene　hoped　fervently　it　was　so　…　but　the　name　on　every　survivor's　lips　was　Dragonsworn；　and　the　sisters　blamed　Rand　as　surely　as　if　he　had　carried　the　torches　himself。　They　would　use　him　still　if　they　could；　though；　control　him　if　they　found　a　way。　She　was　not　the　only　Aes　Sedai　to　believe　in　doing　what　she　must　even　when　she　had　to　hold　her　nose。
　　　Myrelle's　anger　affected　Bryne　as　little　as　rain　affected　a　boulder。　Egwene　had　a　sudden　image　of　storms　whirling　about　his　head　and　floodwaters　swirling　around　his　knees　while　he　just　kept　striding　ahead。　〃Myrelle　Sedai；〃　he　said　with　the　calm　she　should　have　shown；　〃when　ten　thousand　men　or　more　are　shadowing　my　backtrail；　I　want　to　know　what　their　intentions　are。　Especially　this　particular　ten　thousand　or　more。〃
　　　This　was　a　dangerous　topic。　However　happy　Egwene　was　that　they　were　past　questions　of　Talmanes'　concern　over　her；　she　should　have　been　grinding　her　teeth　that　he　had　mentioned　her　at　all；　but　she　was　so　startled　she　sat　bolt　upright　in　her　saddle。　〃Ten　thousand？　Are　you　sure？〃　The　Band　had　had　little　more　than　half　that　when　Mat　brought　it　to　Salidar　hunting　her　and　Elayne。
　　　Bryne　merely　shrugged。　〃I　gather　recruits　as　I　go；　and　so　does　he。　Not　as　many；　but　some　men　have　notions　about　serving　Aes　Sedai。〃　More　people　than　not　would　have　been　distinctly　uneasy；　saying　that　to　three　sisters；　he　said　it　with　a　wry　smile。　〃Besides；　it　seems　the　Band　has　a　certain　reputation　from　the　fighting　in　Cairhien。　The　tale　is；　Shen　an　Calhar　never　loses；　whatever　the　odds。〃　That　was　what　drove　men　to　join；　here　as　back　in　Altara；　the　thought　that　two　armies　must　mean　a　battle。　Trying　to　stand　aside　might　end　as　hard　as　choosing　the　wrong　side；　at　best　there　would　be　no　pickings　for　neutrals。　〃I've　had　a　few　deserters　to　my　ranks　from　Talmanes'　newlings。　Some　seem　to　think　the　Band's　luck　is　tied　up　in　Mat　Cauthon　and　can't　be　there　without　him。〃
　　　Something　close　to　a　sneer　twisted　Myrelle's　lips。　〃These　fool　Murandians'　fears　are　certainly　useful；　but　I　did　not　think　you　were　a　fool；　too。　Talmanes　follows　us　because　he　fears　we　might　turn　against　his　precious　Lord　Dragon；　but　if　he　truly　intended　to　attack；　don't　you　think　he　would　have　by　now？　These　Dragonsworn　can　be　dealt　with　once　more　important　matters　are　done。　municating　with　him；　however。。。！〃　Giving　herself　a　shake；　she　managed　to　regain　her　serenity。　On　the　surface；　at　least。　Her　tone　could　still　have　scorched　wood。　〃You　mark　me；　Lord　Bryne。。。　〃
　　　Egwene　let　Myrelle's　words　pass　her　by。　Bryne　had　looked　at　her　when　he　mentioned　Mat。　The　sisters　thought　they　knew　the　situation　with　the　Band；　and　Mat；　and　did　not　think　on　it　much；　but　Bryne　apparently　did。　Tilting　her　head　so　the　brim　of　her　hat　obscured　her　face；　she　studied　him　from　the　corner　of　her　eye。　He　was　oath…bound　to　build　the　army　and　lead　it　until　Elaida　was　brought　down；　but　why　had　he　sworn？　Surely　he　could　have　found　some　lesser　oath；　and　it　surely　would　have　been　accepted　by　sisters　who　only　thought　to　use　all　those　soldiers　as　a　Foolday　mask　to　frighten　Elaida。　Having　him　on　their　side　was　forting；　even　the　other　Aes　Sedai　seemed　to　feel　that。　Like　her　father；　he　was　the　sort