rj.thepathofdaggers-第107部分

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nize　as　Lews　Therin's。　Sometimes　it　was　blurred；　yet　vaguely　familiar；　and　Lews　Therin　seemed　startled　by　it；　too。　That　was　an　indication　how　far　the　man's　madness　went。　Or　maybe　his　own。
　　　　　　　Not　yet；　Rand　thought。　I　can't　afford　to　go　mad　yet。
　　　　　　　When；　then？　Lews　Therin　whispered　before　Rand　could　mute　him　again。
　　　　　　　With　the　arrival　of　Gedwyn　and　the　Asha'man；　his　plan　to　sweep　the　Seanchan　westward　got　under　way。　Got　under　way；　and　crept　forward　as　slowly　as　a　man　laboring　along　one　of　those　mired　roads。　He　shifted　his　own　camp　at　once；　making　no　effort　to　hide　his　movements。　There　was　little　point　to　straining　for　secrecy。　Word　traveled　slowly　by　pigeon；　and　far　slower　by　courier；　once　the　cemaros　came；　yet　he　had　no　doubts　he　was　watched；　by　the　White　Tower；　by　the　Forsaken；　by　anyone　who　saw　gain　or　loss　in　where　the　Dragon　Reborn　went　and　could　afford　to　slip　coin　to　a　soldier。　Maybe　even　by　the　Seanchan。　If　he　could　scout　them；　why　not　they　him？　But　not　even　the　Asha'man　knew　why　he　was　moving。
　　　　　　　While　Rand　was　idly　watching　men　fold　his　tent　onto　a　high…wheeled　cart；　Weiramon　appeared　on　one　of　his　many　horses；　a　prancing　white　gelding　of　the　finest　Tairen　bloodstock。　The　rain　had　cleared；　though　gray　clouds　still　veiled　the　noonday　sun　and　the　air　felt　as　if　you　could　squeeze　water　out　of　it　with　your　hands。　The　Dragon　Banner　and　the　Banner　of　Light　hung　limp　and　sodden　on　their　tall　staffs。
　　　　　　　Tairen　Defenders　had　replaced　the　panions；　and　as　Weiramon　rode　through　their　mounted　ring；　he　frowned　at　Rodrivar　Tihera；　a　lean　fellow；　dark　even　for　a　Tairen；　with　a　short　beard　trimmed　to　a　very　sharp　point。　A　very　minor　noble　who　had　had　to　rise　through　his　abilities；　Tihera　was　punctilious　in　the　extreme。　The　fat　white　plumes　bobbing　on　his　rimmed　helmet　added　embellishment　to　the　elaborate　bow　he　gave　Weiramon。　The　High　Lord's　frown　deepened。
　　　　　　　There　was　no　need　for　the　Captain　of　the　Stone　to　be　personally　in　charge　of　Rand's　bodyguard；　but　he　frequently　was；　just　as　Marcolin　often　manded　the　panions　himself。　An　often　bitter　rivalry　had　grown　up　between　Defenders　and　panions；　centering　on　who　should　guard　Rand。　The　Tairens　claimed　the　right　because　he　had　ruled　longer　in　Tear；　the　Illianers　because　he　was；　after　all；　King　of　Illian。　Perhaps　Weiramon　had　heard　some　of　the　mutters　among　the　Defenders　that　it　was　time　Tear　had　a　king　of　its　own；　and　who　better　than　the　man　who　had　taken　the　Stone？　Weiramon　more　than　agreed　with　the　need；　but　not　with　the　choice　of　who　should　wear　the　crown。　He　was　not　the　only　one。
　　　　　　　The　man　smoothed　his　features　as　soon　as　he　saw　Rand　looking；　and　swung　down　from　his　gold…tooled　saddle　to　offer　a　bow　that　made　Tihera's　seem　simple。　Iron…spined　as　he　was；　he　could　puff　up　and　strut　in　his　sleep。　Though　he　did　grimace　slightly　at　putting　his　polished　boot　into　the　mud。　He　wore　a　rain　cape；　to　keep　the　mist　off　his　fine　clothes；　but　even　that　was　encrusted　with　gold　embroidery　and　had　a　collar　of　sapphires。　For　all　of　Rand's　coat　of　deep　green　silk；　with　golden　bees　climbing　the　sleeves　and　lapels；　anyone　might　have　been　forgiven　for　thinking　the　Crown　of　Swords　belonged　on　the　other's　head；　not　his。
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Dragon；〃　Weiramon　intoned。　〃I　cannot　express　how　happy　I　am　to　see　you　guarded　by　Tairens；　my　Lord　Dragon。　Surely　the　world　would　weep　if　anything　untoward　happened。〃　He　was　too　intelligent　to　e　out　and　call　the　panions　untrustworthy。　By　a　hair；　he　was。
　　　　　　　〃Sooner　or　later　it　would；〃　Rand　said　dryly。　After　a　good　part　of　it　finished　celebrating。　〃I　know　how　hard　you'd　cry；　Weiramon。〃
　　　　　　　The　fellow　actually　preened；　stroking　the　point　of　his　gray…streaked　beard。　He　heard　what　he　wanted　to　hear。　〃Yes；　my　Lord　Dragon；　you　can　be　assured　of　my　constancy。　Which　is　why　I'm　concerned　by　the　orders　your　man　brought　me　this　morning。〃　That　was　Adley；　many　of　the　nobles　thought　pretending　the　Asha'man　were　merely　Rand's　servants　would　somehow　make　them　less　dangerous。　〃Wise　of　you　to　send　away　most　of　the　Cairhienin。　And　the　Illianers；　of　course；　that　goes　without　saying。　I　can　even　understand　why　you　limit　Gueyam　and　the　others。〃　Weiramon's　boots　squelched　in　the　mud　as　he　stepped　nearer；　and　his　voice　took　on　a　confiding　tone。　〃I　do　believe　some　of　them　…　I　wouldn't　say　plotted　against　you；　but　I　think　perhaps　their　loyalty　has　not　always　been　without　question。　As　mine　is。　Without　question。〃　His　voice　shifted　again；　to　strong　and　confident；　a　man　concerned　only　with　the　needs　of　the　one　he　served。　The　one　who　surely　would　make　him　the　first　King　of　Tear。　〃Allow　me　to　bring　all　of　my　armsmen；　my　Lord　Dragon。　With　them；　and　the　Defenders；　I　can　assure　the　honor　of　the　Lord　of　the　Morning；　and　his　safety。〃
　　　　　　　In　all　of　the　individual　camps　across　the　heath；　wagons　and　carts　were　being　loaded；　horses　saddled。　Most　tents　were　already　down。　The　High　Lady　Rosana　was　riding　north；　her　banner　heading　a　column　large　enough　to　raise　havoc　among　the　bandits　and　at　least　give　the　Shaido　pause。　But　not　enough　to　plant　notions　in　her　head；　especially　not　when　half　were　Gueyam's　and　Maraconn's　retainers　mixed　with　Defenders　of　the　Stone。　Much　the　same　applied　to　Spiron　Narettin；　riding　eastward　over　the　tall　ridge　with　as　many　panions　and　men　sworn　to　others　of　the　Council　of　Nine　as　his　own　liegemen；　not　to　mention　a　hundred　more　tailing　behind　on　foot；　some　of　the　fellows　who　had　surrendered　in　the　woods　beyond　that　ridge　the　day　before。　A　surprising　number　had　chosen　to　follow　the　Dragon　Reborn；　but　Rand　did　not　trust　them　enough　to　leave　them　together。　Tolmeran　was　just　starting　south　with　the　same　kind　of　blend；　and　others　would　be　marching　off　as　soon　as　they　had　their　carts　and　wagons　loaded。　Each　in　a　different　direction；　and　none　able　to　trust　the　men　at　their　backs　far　enough　for　them　to　do　more　than　follow　the　orders　Rand　had　given。　Bringing　peace　to　Illian　was　an　important　task；　yet　every　last　lord　and　lady　regretted　being　sent　away　from　the　Dragon　Reborn；　plainly　wondering　whether　it　meant　they　had　slipped　in　his　trust。　Though　a　few　might　have　considered　why　he　chose　to　keep　those　he　did　under　his　eye。　Rosana　had　certainly　looked　thoughtful。
　　　　　　　〃Your　concern　touches　me；〃　Rand　told　Weiramon；　〃but　how　many　bodyguards　does　one　man　need？　I'm　not　off　to　start　a　war。〃　A　fine　point；　perhaps；　yet　this　war　was　well　under　way。　It　had　begun　at　Falme；　if　not　before。　〃Get　your　people　ready。〃
　　　　　　　How　many　have　died　for　my　pride？　Lews　Therin　moaned。　How　many　have　died　for　my　mistakes？
　　　　　　　〃May　I　at　least　ask　where　we　are　going？〃　Weiramon's　question；　not　quite　exasperated；　came　right　atop　the　voice　in　Rand's　head。
　　　　　　　〃The　City；〃　Rand　snapped。　He　did　not　know　how　many　had　died　for　his　mistakes；　but　none　for　his　pride。　He　was　sure　of　that。
　　　　　　　Weiramon　opened　his　mouth；　plainly　confused　as　to　whether　he　meant　Tear　or　Illian；　or　maybe　even　Cairhien；　but　Rand　gestured　him　away　with　the　Dragon　Scepter；　a　sharp　stabbing　motion　that　made　the　green…and…white　tassel　swing。　He　half　wished　he　could　stab　Lews　Therin　with　it。　〃I　don't　intend　to　sit　here　all　day；　Weiramon！　Go　to　your　men！〃
　　　　　　　Less　than　an　hour　later　he　took　hold　of　the　True　Source　and　prepared　to　make　a　gateway　for　Traveling。　He　had　to　fight　the　dizziness　that　gripped　him　lately　whenever　he　seized　or　loosed　the　Power；　he　did　not　quite　sway　in　Tai'daishar's　saddle。　What　with　the　molten　filth　floating　on　saidin；　the　frozen　slime；　touching　the　Source　came　close　to　emptying　his　stomach。　Seeing　double；　even　for　only　a　few　moments；　made　weaving　flows　difficult　if　not　impossible；　and　he　could　have　told　Dashiva　or　Flinn　or　one　of　the　others　to　do　it；　but　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　were　holding　their　horses'　reins　in　front　of　a　dozen　or　so　black…coated　Soldiers；　all　who　had　not　been　out　to　search。　Just　standing　there　patiently。　And　watching　Rand。　Rochaid；　no　more　than　a　hand　shorter　than　Rand　and　maybe　two　years　younger；　was　also　full　Asha'man；　and　his　coat；　too；　was　silk。　A　small　smile　played　on　his　face；　as　if　he　knew　things　others　did　not　and　was　amused。　What　did　he　know？　About　the　Seanchan；　surely；　if　not　Rand's　plans　for　them。　What　else？　Maybe　nothing；　but　Rand　was　not　about　to　show　any　weakness