rj.thepathofdaggers-第103部分

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ooms；　the　kitchens；　and　most　of　the　halls。　Nynaeve　muttered　half　the　night　about　the　indecency　of　making　a　woman　sleep　apart　from　her　husband；　and　for　the　other　half；　her　elbows　seemed　to　wake　Elayne　every　time　she　dropped　off。　Birgitte　flatly　refused　to　change　places；　and　she　could　not　ask　Aviendha　to　endure　the　woman's　sharp　prodding；　so　she　did　not　get　a　great　deal　of　sleep。
　　　　　　　Elayne　was　still　groggy　when　they　prepared　to　depart　the　next　morning；　with　the　rising　sun　a　molten　ball　of　gold。　The　manor　had　few　animals　to　spare　unless　she　stripped　the　estates　bare；　so　while　she　rode　a　black　gelding　named　Fireheart；　and　Aviendha　and　Birgitte　had　new　mounts；　those　who　had　been　afoot　when　they　fled　the　Kin's　farm　remained　afoot。　That　included　most　of　the　Kinswomen　themselves；　the　servants　leading　the　pack　animals；　and　the　twenty…odd　women　who　plainly　were　beyond　regretting　their　visit　to　the　Kin's　farm　in　hopes　of　peace　and　contemplation。　The　Warders　rode　ahead　to　scout　the　way　across　rolling　hills　covered　in　drought…starved　forest；　and　the　rest　of　them　stretched　out　in　a　most　peculiar　snake；　with　Nynaeve　and　herself　and　the　other　sisters　at　the　head。　And　Aviendha；　of　course。
　　　　　　　It　was　hardly　a　group　that　could　escape　notice；　so　many　women　traveling　with　so　few　men　for　guards；　not　to　mention　twenty　dark　Windfinders；　awkward　on　their　horses　and　as　bright　as　exotically　plumaged　birds；　and　nine　Aes　Sedai；　six　of　them　recognizably　so　to　anyone　who　knew　what　to　look　for。　Though　one　did　ride　with　a　leather　sack　over　her　head；　of　course。　As　if　that　would　not　attract　eyes　by　itself。　Elayne　had　hoped　to　reach　Caemlyn　unnoticed；　but　that　no　longer　seemed　possible。　Still；　there　was　no　reason　that　anyone　would　suspect　that　the　Daughter…Heir；　Elayne　Trakand　herself；　was　one　of　this　group。　In　the　beginning；　she　thought　that　the　greatest　difficulty　they　might　face　would　be　someone　who　opposed　her　claims　learning　of　her　presence；　sending　armed　men　to　try　taking　her　into　custody　until　the　succession　was　settled。
　　　　　　　In　truth；　she　expected　the　first　trouble　to　e　from　the　footsore　craftswomen　and　nobles；　proud　women　all；　and　none　used　to　tramping　dusty　hills。　Especially　since　Merilille's　maid　had　her　own　plump　mare　to　ride。　The　few　farm　wives　among　them　did　not　seem　to　mind　too　much；　but　nearly　half　their　number　were　women　who　possessed　lands　and　manors　and　palaces；　and　most　of　the　rest　could　have　afforded　to　buy　an　estate　if　not　two　or　three。　They　included　two　goldsmiths；　three　weavers　who　owned　over　four　hundred　looms　between　them；　a　woman　whose　manufactories　produced　a　tenth　of　all　the　lacquerware　Ebou　Dar　produced；　and　a　banker。　They　walked；　their　possessions　strapped　to　their　backs；　while　their　horses　bore　packsaddles　laden　with　food。　There　was　real　need。　Every　last　coin　in　everyone's　purse　had　been　pooled　together　and　given　into　Nynaeve's　tightfisted　keeping；　but　all　might　not　be　sufficient　to　buy　food；　fodder　and　lodgings　for　so　large　a　party　all　the　way　to　Caemlyn。　They　did　not　seem　to　understand。　They　plained　loudly　and　incessantly　through　the　first　day's　march。　Loudest　of　all　was　a　slim　lady　with　a　thin　scar　on　one　cheek；　a　stern…faced　woman　named　Malien；　who　was　nearly　bent　double　under　the　weight　of　a　huge　bundle　containing　a　dozen　or　more　dresses　and　all　the　changes　that　went　with　them。
　　　　　　　When　they　made　camp　that　first　night；　with　their　cook　fires　glowing　in　the　twilight　and　everyone　full　of　beans　and　bread　if　not　entirely　satisfied　with　them；　Malien　gathered　the　noblewomen　around　her；　their　silks　more　than　travel…stained。　The　craftswomen　joined　in；　too；　and　the　banker；　and　the　farmers　stood　close。　Before　Malien　could　say　a　word；　Reanne　strode　into　the　group。　Her　face　full　of　smile　lines；　in　plain　brown　woolens　with　her　skirts　sewn　up　on　the　left　to　expose　bright　layered　petticoats；　she　might　have　been　one　of　the　farm　women。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　wish　to　go　home；〃　she　announced　in　that　surprisingly　high　voice；　〃you　may　do　so　at　any　time。　I　regret　that　we　must　keep　your　horses；　though。　You　will　be　paid　for　them　as　soon　as　can　be　arranged。　If　you　choose　to　remain；　please　remember　that　the　rules　of　the　farm　still　apply。〃　A　number　of　the　women　around　her　gaped。　Malien　was　not　alone　in　opening　her　mouth　angrily。
　　　　　　　Alise　just　seemed　to　appear　at　Reanne's　side；　fists　planted　on　her　hips。　She　was　not　smiling　now。　〃I　said　the　last　ten　to　be　ready　would　do　the　washing　up；〃　she　told　them　firmly。　And　she　named　them　off；　Jillien；　a　plump　goldsmith；　Naiselle；　the　cool…eyed　banker；　and　all　eight　of　the　nobles。　They　stood　staring　at　her　until　she　clapped　her　hands　and　said；　〃Don't　make　me　invoke　the　rule　on　failure　to　do　your　share　of　the　chores。〃
　　　　　　　Malien；　wide…eyed　and　muttering　in　disbelief；　was　the　last　to　dart　off　and　begin　gathering　dirty　bowls；　but　the　next　morning　she　pared　her　bundle　down；　leaving　lace…trimmed　silk　dresses　and　shifts　to　be　trampled　on　the　hillside　as　they　departed。　Elayne　continued　to　expect　an　explosion；　but　Reanne　kept　a　firm　hand　on　them；　Alise　kept　a　firmer；　and　if　Malien　and　the　others　glared　and　muttered　over　the　grease　stains　that　grew　on　their　clothes　day　by　day；　Reanne　had　only　to　speak　a　few　words　to　send　them　to　their　work。　Alise　only　had　to　clap　her　hands。
　　　　　　　If　the　rest　of　the　journey　could　have　gone　as　smoothly；　Elayne　would　have　been　willing　to　join　those　women　in　their　greasy　labors。　Long　before　reaching　Caemlyn；　she　knew　that　for　a　fact。
　　　　　　　Once　they　reached　the　first　narrow　dusty　road；　little　more　than　cart　track；　farms　began　to　appear；　thatched　stone　houses　and　barns　clinging　to　the　hillsides　or　nestled　in　hollows。　From　then　on；　whether　the　land　was　hilly　or　flat；　forested　or　cleared；　they　rarely　spent　many　hours　beyond　sight　of　a　farm　or　a　village。　At　each　of　those；　while　the　local　folk　goggled　at　the　very　strange　strangers；　Elayne　tried　to　learn　how　much　support　House　Trakand　had；　and　what　concerned　the　people　most。　Addressing　those　concerns　would　be　important　in　making　her　claim　to　the　throne　strong　enough　to　stand；　as　important　as　the　backing　of　other　Houses。　She　heard　a　great　deal；　if　not　always　what　she　wished　to　hear。　Andorans　claimed　the　right　to　speak　their　minds　to　the　Queen　herself；　they　were　hardly　shy　with　a　young　noblewoman；　no　matter　how　peculiar　her　traveling　panions。
　　　　　　　In　a　village　called　Damelien；　where　three　mills　sat　beside　a　small　river　shrunken　to　leave　their　tall　waterwheels　dry；　the　square…jawed　innkeeper　at　The　Golden　Sheaves　allowed　as　how　he　thought　Morgase　had　been　a　good　queen；　the　best　that　could　be；　the　best　that　ever　was。　〃Her　daughter　might've　been　a　good　ruler；　too；　I　suppose；〃　he　muttered；　thumbing　his　chin。　〃Pity　the　Dragon　Reborn　killed　them。　I　suppose　he　had　to　…　the　Prophecies　or　some　such　…　but　he　had　no　call　to　dry　up　the　rivers；　now　did　he？　How　much　grain　did　you　say　your　horses　need；　my　lady？　It's　dreadful　dear；　mind。〃
　　　　　　　A　hard…faced　woman；　in　a　worn　brown　dress　that　hung　on　her　as　if　she　had　lost　weight；　surveyed　a　field　surrounded　by　a　low　stone　wall；　where　the　hot　wind　sent　sheets　of　dust　marching　into　the　woods。　The　other　farms　around　Buryhill　looked　as　bad　or　worse。　〃That　Dragon　Reborn's　got　no　right　to　do　this　to　us；　now　has　he？　I　ask　you！〃　She　spat　and　frowned　up　at　Elayne　in　her　saddle。　〃The　throne？　Oh；　Dyelin's　as　good　as　any；　now　Morgase　and　her　girl　are　dead。　Some　around　here　still　speak　up　for　Naean　or　Elenia；　but　I'm　for　Dyelin。　Any　lookout；　Caemlyn's　a　long　way　off。　I've　got　crops　to　worry　about。　If　I　ever　make　another　crop。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　it's　true；　my　lady；　so　it　is；　Elayne's　alive；〃　a　gnarled　old　carpenter　told　her　in　Forel　Market。　He　was　bald　as　a　leather　egg；　his　fingers　twisted　with　age；　but　the　work　standing　among　the　shavings　and　sawdust　that　littered　his　shop　looked　as　fine　as　any　Elayne　had　seen。　She　was　the　only　person　in　the　shop　besides　him。　From　the　look　of　the　village；　half　the　residents　had　left。　〃The　Dragon　Reborn　is　having　her　brought　to　Caemlyn　so　he　can　put　the　Rose　Crown　on　her　head　himself；〃　he　allowed。　〃The　news　is　all　over。　'Tisn't　right；　if　you　ask　me。　He's　one　of　them　black…eyed　Aielmen；　I　hear。　We　ought　to　march　on　Caemlyn　and　drive　him　and　all　them　Aiel　back　where　they　e　from。　Then　Elay