rj.thepathofdaggers-第108部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　if　not　Rand's　plans　for　them。　What　else？　Maybe　nothing；　but　Rand　was　not　about　to　show　any　weakness　in　front　of　that　pair。　The　dizziness　faded　quickly；　the　twinned　sight　a　little　more　slowly；　as　it　always　did；　these　last　few　weeks；　and　he　pleted　the　weave；　then；　without　waiting；　dug　in　his　heels　and　rode　through　the　opening　that　unfolded　before　him。
　　　　　　　The　City　he　had　meant　was　Illian；　though　the　gateway　opened　to　the　north　of　that　city。　Despite　Weiramon's　supposed　concerns；　he　hardly　went　unprotected　and　alone。　Nearly　three　thousand　men　rode　through　that　tall　square　hole　in　the　air；　into　rolling　meadowland　not　far　from　the　broad　muddy　road　that　led　down　to　the　Causeway　of　the　Northern　Star。　Even　when　every　lord　had　only　been　allowed　a　handful　of　armsmen　…　to　men　accustomed　to　leading　a　thousand　if　not　thousands；　a　hundred　or　so　were　a　handful　…　they　added　up。　Tairens　and　Cairhienin　and　Illianers；　Defenders　of　the　Stone　under　Tihera　and　panions　under　Marcolin；　Asha'man　heeling　Gedwyn。　The　Asha'man　who　had　e　with　him；　anyway。　Dashiva　and　Flinn　and　the　rest　kept　their　horses　close　behind　Rand。　All　but　Narishma。　Narishma　had　not　e　back　yet。　The　man　knew　where　to　find　him；　but　Rand　did　not　like　it。
　　　　　　　Each　kind　kept　to　themselves　as　much　as　possible。　Gueyam　and　Maraconn　and　Arae　rode　with　Weiramon；　all　eyeing　Rand　more　than　where　they　were　going；　and　Gregorin　Panar　with　three　others　of　the　Council　of　Nine；　leaning　in　their　saddles　to　speak　softly　and　uneasily　among　themselves。　Semaradrid；　with　a　knot　of　tight…faced　Cairhienin　lords　behind　him；　watched　Rand　almost　as　closely　as　the　Tairens　did。　Rand　had　chosen　those　who　came　with　him　as　carefully　as　those　he　sent　away；　not　always　for　the　reasons　others　might　have　used。
　　　　　　　Had　there　been　any　onlookers；　it　would　have　been　a　brave　display；　with　all　their　bright　banners　and　pennants；　and　small　con　rising　from　some　of　the　Cairhienin's　backs。　Bright　and　brave　and　very　dangerous。　Some　had　plotted　against　him；　and　he　had　learned　that　Semaradrid's　House　Maravin　had　old　alliances　with　House　Riatin；　which　stood　in　open　rebellion　against　him　in　Cairhien。　Semaradrid　did　not　deny　the　connection；　but　he　had　not　mentioned　it　before　Rand　heard；　either。　The　Council　of　Nine　were　just　too　new　to　him　to　risk　leaving　them　all　behind。　And　Weiramon　was　a　fool。　Left　to　his　own　devices；　he　might　well　try　to　gain　the　Lord　Dragon's　favor　by　marching　an　army　against　the　Seanchan；　or　Murandy；　or　the　Light　alone　knew　who　or　where。　Too　stupid　to　leave　behind；　too　powerful　to　shove　aside；　so　he　rode　with　Rand　and　thought　himself　honored。　It　was　almost　a　pity　he　was　not　stupid　enough　to　do　something　that　would　get　him　executed。
　　　　　　　Behind　came　the　servants　and　carts　…　no　one　understood　why　Rand　had　sent　all　of　the　wagons　with　the　others；　and　he　was　not　about　to　explain；　who　owned　the　next　pair　of　ears　that　would　hear？　…　and　then　the　long　strings　of　spare　mounts　led　by　horse　handlers；　and　straggling　files　of　men　in　battered　breastplates　that　did　not　quite　fit　or　leather　jerkins　sewn　with　rusty　steel　discs；　carrying　bows　or　crossbows　or　spears；　and　even　a　few　pikes；　more　of　the　fellows　who　had　obeyed　〃Lord　Brend's〃　summons　and　decided　against　going　home　unarmed。　Their　leader　was　the　runny…nosed　man　Rand　had　spoken　to　on　the　edge　of　the　woods；　Eagan　Padros　by　name　and　much　brighter　than　he　looked。　It　was　difficult　for　a　moner　to　rise　very　far；　most　places；　but　Rand　had　marked　Padros　out。　The　fellow　gathered　his　men　off　to　one　side；　but　the　whole　lot　of　them　milled　about；　elbowing　one　another　aside　for　a　better　view　southward。
　　　　　　　The　Causeway　of　the　Northern　Star　stretched　arrow…straight　through　the　miles　of　brown　marsh　that　surrounded　Illian；　a　wide　road　of　hard…packed　dirt　broken　by　flat　stone　bridges。　A　wind　from　the　south　carried　sea　salt　and　a　hint　of　tanneries。　Illian　was　a　sprawling　city；　easily　as　large　as　Caemlyn　or　Cairhien。　Brightly　colored　roof　tiles　and　hundreds　of　thrusting　towers；　gleaming　in　the　sun；　were　just　visible　across　that　sea　of　grass　where　long…legged　cranes　waded　and　flocks　of　white　birds　flew　low　uttering　shrill　cries。　Illian　had　never　needed　walls。　Not　that　walls　would　have　done　the　City　any　good　against　him。
　　　　　　　There　was　considerable　disappointment　that　he　did　not　mean　to　enter　Illian；　though　no　one　spoke　a　plaint；　at　least　not　where　he　could　hear。　Still；　there　were　plenty　of　glum　faces　and　sour　mutters　as　hasty　camps　began　going　up。　Like　most　of　the　great　cities；　Illian　had　a　name　for　exotic　mystery；　free…handed　tapsters；　and　willing　women。　At　least　among　men　who　had　never　been　there；　even　when　it　was　their　own　capital。　Ignorance　always　inflated　a　city's　reputation　for　such　things。　As　it　was；　only　Morr　galloped　off　across　the　causeway。　Men　straightened　from　hammering　tent　pegs　or　setting　picket　lines　for　the　horses；　and　followed　him　with　jealous　eyes。　Nobles　watched　curiously；　while　trying　to　pretend　they　were　not。
　　　　　　　The　Asha'man　with　Gedwyn　paid　Morr　no　mind　as　they　made　their　own　camp；　which　consisted　of　a　pitch…black　tent　for　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　and　a　space　where　damp　brown　grass　and　mud　were　squeezed　flat　and　dry；　for　the　rest　to　sleep　wrapped　in　their　cloaks。　That　was　done　with　the　Power；　of　course；　they　did　everything　with　the　Power；　not　even　bothering　to　build　cook　fires。　A　few　in　the　other　camps　stared　at　them；　wide…eyed；　as　the　tent　seemed　to　spring　up　of　its　own　accord　and　hampers　floated　away　from　packsaddles；　but　most　looked　anywhere　else　at　all　once　they　realized　what　was　going　on。　Two　or　three　of　the　black…coated　Soldiers　appeared　to　be　talking　to　themselves。
　　　　　　　Flinn　and　the　others　did　not　join　Gedwyn's　lot　…　they　had　a　pair　of　tents　that　went　up　not　far　from　Rand's　…　but　Dashiva　wandered　over　to　where　the　〃Storm　Leader〃　and　the　〃Attack　Leader〃　were　standing　at　their　ease；　and　occasionally　issuing　a　sharp　order。　A　few　words；　and　he　wandered　back　shaking　his　head　and　muttering　angrily　under　his　breath。　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　were　not　a　friendly　pair。　As　well　they　were　not。
　　　　　　　Rand　took　to　his　tent　as　soon　as　it　was　pitched；　and　sprawled　fully　clothed　on　his　cot；　staring　at　the　sloped　ceiling。　There　were　bees　embroidered　on　the　inside　as　well；　on　a　false　roof　made　of　silk。　Hopwil　brought　a　steaming　pewter　mug　of　mulled　wine　…　Rand　had　left　his　servants　behind　…　but　the　wine　grew　cold　on　his　writing　table。　His　mind　worked　feverishly。　Two　or　three　more　days；　and　the　Seanchan　would　have　been　dealt　a　blow　that　knocked　them　on　their　heels。　Then　it　was　back　to　Cairhien　to　see　how　negotiations　with　the　Sea　Folk　had　gone；　to　learn　what　Cadsuane　was　after　…　he　owed　her　a　debt；　but　she　was　after　something！　…　maybe　to　put　a　final　end　to　what　remained　of　the　rebellion　there。　Had　Caraline　Damodred　and　Darlin　Sisnera　slipped　away　in　the　confusion？　The　High　Lord　Darlin　in　his　hands　might　finish　the　rebellion　in　Tear；　as　well。　Andor。　If　Mat　and　Elayne　were　in　Murandy；　the　way　it　appeared；　it　would　be　weeks　more　at　best　before　Elayne　could　claim　the　Lion　Throne。　Once　that　happened；　he　would　have　to　stay　clear　of　Caemlyn。　But　he　had　to　talk　to　Nynaeve。　Could　he　cleanse　saidin？　It　might　work。　It　might　destroy　the　world；　too。　Lews　Therin　gibbered　at　him　in　stark　terror。　Light；　where　was　Narishma？
　　　　　　　A　cemaros　storm　swept　in；　all　the　fiercer　this　near　the　sea。　Rain　beat　his　tent　like　a　drum。　Lightning　flashes　filled　the　entrance　with　blue…white　light；　and　thunder　rumbled；　the　sound　like　mountains　tumbling　across　the　land。
　　　　　　　Out　of　that；　Narishma　stepped　into　the　tent；　dripping　wet；　dark　hair　plastered　to　his　head。　His　orders　had　been　to　avoid　notice　at　all　cost。　No　flaunting　for　him。　His　sodden　coat　was　plain　brown；　and　his　dark　hair　was　tied　back；　not　braided。　Even　without　bells；　near　waist…length　hair　on　a　man　attracted　eyes。　He　wore　a　scowl；　too；　and　under　his　arm　he　carried　a　cylindrical　bundle　tied　with　cord；　fatter　than　a　man's　leg；　like　a　small　carpet。
　　　　　　　Springing　from　the　cot；　Rand　snatched　the　bundle　before　Narishma　could　proffer　it。　〃Did　anyone　see　you？〃　he　demanded。　〃What　took　you　so　long？　I　expected　you　last　night！〃
　　　　　　　〃It　took　a　while　to　figure　out　what　I　had　to　do；〃　Narishma　replied　in　a　flat　voice。　〃You　didn't　tell　me　everything