rj.thepathofdaggers-第126部分

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ty　in　Miraj's　eyes。　What　could　make　Kennar　Miraj　anxious？　〃I　think　we　will　be　depending　on　you　sul'dam　to　the　south。〃　Now；　why　would　that　make　the　blood　drain　from　her　face？
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Bashere　stood　just　inside　the　edge　of　the　trees；　frowning　through　his　helmet's　face…bars　at　what　he　saw。　His　bay　nuzzled　his　shoulder。　He　held　his　cloak　close　against　the　wind。　More　to　avoid　any　motion　that　would　draw　eyes　than　for　the　cold；　though　that　chilled　his　flesh。　It　would　have　been　a　spring　breeze　back　in　Saldaea；　but　months　in　the　southlands　had　softened　him。　Shining　bright　between　gray　clouds　that　sailed　along　quickly；　the　sun　still　lay　a　little　short　of　midday。　And　ahead　of　him。　Just　because　you　began　a　battle　facing　west　did　not　mean　you　ended　it　that　way。　Before　him　lay　a　broad　pasture　where　flocks　of　black…and…white　goats　cropped　at　the　brown　grass　in　desultory　fashion　just　as　if　there　was　no　battle　raging　all　around　them。　Not　that　there　was　any　sign　of　it　here。　For　the　moment。　A　man　could　get　himself　cut　to　doll　rags　crossing　that　meadow。　And　in　the　trees；　whether　forest　or　olive　groves　or　thickets；　you　did　not　always　see　the　enemy　before　you　were　on　top　of　him；　scouts　or　no　scouts。
　　　　　　　〃If　we're　going　to　cross；〃　Gueyam　muttered；　rubbing　a　wide　hand　over　his　bald　head；　〃we　should　cross。　Light's　truth；　we're　wasting　time。〃　Amondrid　snapped　his　mouth　shut；　likely；　the　moon…faced　Cairhienin　had　been　about　to　say　much　the　same　thing。　He　would　agree　with　a　Tairen　when　horses　climbed　trees。
　　　　　　　Jeordwyn　Semaris　snorted。　The　man　should　have　grown　a　beard　to　hide　that　narrow　jaw。　It　made　his　head　look　like　a　forester's　splitting　wedge。　〃I　do　say　go　around；〃　he　muttered。　〃I've　lost　enough　men　to　those　Light…cursed　damane；　and。。。　〃　He　trailed　off　with　an　uneasy　glance　toward　Rochaid。
　　　　　　　The　young　Asha'man　stood　by　himself；　mouth　tight；　fingering　that　Dragon　pin　on　his　collar。　Maybe　wondering　whether　it　was　worth　it；　by　the　look　of　him。　There　was　no　knowing　air　about　the　boy　now；　only　frowning　worry。
　　　　　　　Leading　Quick　by　the　reins；　Bashere　strode　to　the　Asha'man　and　drew　him　farther　aside　in　the　trees。　Pushed　him　farther　aside。　Rochaid　scowled；　going　reluctantly。　The　man　was　tall　enough　to　loom　over　Bashere；　but　Bashere　was　having　none　of　it。
　　　　　　　〃Can　I　count　on　your　people　next　time？〃　Bashere　demanded；　jerking　a　mustache　in　irritation。　〃No　delays？〃　Rochaid　and　his　fellows　seemed　to　have　grown　slower　and　slower　responding　when　they　found　themselves　opposite　damane。
　　　　　　　〃I　know　what　I'm　about；　Bashere；〃　Rochaid　snarled。　〃Aren't　we　killing　enough　of　them　for　you？　As　far　as　I　can　see；　we're　about　done！〃
　　　　　　　Bashere　nodded　slowly。　Not　in　agreement　with　the　last。　There　were　plenty　of　enemy　soldiers　left；　almost　anywhere　you　looked　hard　enough。　But　a　good　many　were　dead。　He　had　patterned　his　movements　on　what　he　had　studied　of　the　Trolloc　Wars；　when　the　forces　of　the　Light　seldom　came　anywhere　near　the　numbers　they　had　to　face。　Slash　at　the　flanks；　and　run。　Slash　at　the　rear；　and　run。　Slash；　and　run；　and　when　the　enemy　chased　after；　turn　on　the　ground　you　had　chosen　beforehand；　where　the　legionmen　lay　waiting　with　their　crossbows；　turn　and　cut　at　him　until　it　was　time　to　run　again。　Or　until　he　broke。　Already　today　he　had　broken　Taraboners；　Amadicians；　Altarans　and　these　Seanchan　in　their　strange　armor。　He　had　seen　more　enemy　dead　than　in　any　fight　since　the　Blood　Snow。　But　if　he　had　Asha'man；　the　other　side　had　those　damane。　A　good　third　of　his　Saldaeans　lay　dead　along　the　miles　behind。　Nearly　half　his　force　was　dead；　all　told；　and　there　were　still　more　Seanchan　out　there　with　their　cursed　women；　and　Taraboners；　and　Amadicians　and　Altarans。　They　just　kept　ing；　more　appearing　as　soon　as　he　finished　the　last。　And　the　Asha'man　were　growing。。。　hesitant。
　　　　　　　Swinging　into　Quick's　saddle；　he　rode　back　to　Jeordwyn　and　the　others。　〃We　go　around；〃　he　ordered；　ignoring　Jeordwyn's　nods　as　much　as　he　did　Gueyam　and　Amondrid's　scowls。　〃Triple　scouts　out。　I　mean　to　push　hard；　but　I　don't　want　to　trip　over　a　damane。〃　No　one　laughed。
　　　　　　　Rochaid　had　gathered　the　other　five　Asha'man　around　him；　one　with　a　silver　sword　pinned　to　his　collar；　the　others　without。　There　had　been　two　more　with　bare　collars　when　they　started　out　that　morning；　but　if　Asha'man　knew　how　to　kill；　so　did　damane。　Waving　his　arms　angrily；　Rochaid　appeared　to　be　arguing　with　them。　His　face　was　red；　theirs　blank　and　stubborn。　Bashere　just　hoped　Rochaid　could　keep　all　of　them　from　deserting。　Today　had　been　costly　enough　without　adding　that　sort　of　man　wandering　about　loose。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　A　light　rain　fell。　Rand　scowled　at　the　thick　black　clouds　gathering　the　sky；　already　beginning　to　obscure　a　pale　sun　halfway　down　to　the　far　horizon。　Light　rain　now；　but　it　would　thicken　like　those　clouds！　Irritably　he　returned　to　studying　the　land　ahead　of　him。　The　Crown　of　Swords　pricked　his　temples。　With　the　Power　in　him；　the　land　was　clear　as　a　map　despite　the　weather。　Clear　enough；　anyway。　Hills　sinking　away；　some　covered　with　thickets　or　olive　trees；　others　bare　grass　or　just　stone　and　weeds。　He　thought　he　saw　movement　at　the　edge　of　a　copse；　then　again　among　the　rows　of　an　olive　orchard　on　another　hill　a　mile　from　the　copse。　Thinking　was　not　enough。　Dead　men　lay　across　the　miles　behind；　dead　enemies。　Dead　women；　too；　he　knew；　but　he　had　stayed　away　from　anywhere　sul'dam　and　damane　had　died；　refused　to　see　their　faces。　Most　thought　it　was　hatred　for　those　who　killed　so　many　of　his　followers。
　　　　　　　Tai'daishar　frisked　a　few　steps　on　the　hilltop　before　Rand　settled　him　with　a　firm　hand　and　the　pressure　of　his　knees。　A　fine　thing　if　a　sul'dam　spotted　his　movement。　The　few　trees　around　him　were　not　enough　to　hide　much。　Vaguely；　he　realized　he　did　not　recognize　a　one　of　them。　Tai'daishar　tossed　his　head。　Rand　tucked　the　Dragon　Scepter　into　his　saddlebags；　just　the　carved　butt…end　sticking　out；　to　free　both　hands　in　case　the　gelding　was　not　satisfied。　He　could　have　taken　weariness　from　the　horse　with　saidin；　but　he　knew　no　way　to　make　it　obey　with　the　Power。
　　　　　　　He　could　not　see　how　the　gelding　retained　enough　energy。　Saidin　filled　him；　bubbled　in　him；　but　his　distantly　felt　body　wanted　to　sag　with　weariness。　Part　of　that　was　the　sheer　amount　of　the　Power　he　had　handled　today。　Part　was　the　strain　of　fighting　saidin　to　make　it　do　what　he　wanted。　Always；　saidin　had　to　be　conquered；　forced；　but　never　before　like　today。　The　half…healed；　never…healing　wounds　in　his　left　side　were　agony；　the　older　an　auger　trying　to　drill　through　the　Void；　the　newer　a　blaze　of　raw　flame。
　　　　　　　〃It　was　an　accident；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　Adley　said　suddenly。　〃I　swear　it　was！〃
　　　　　　　〃Shut　up　and　watch！〃　Rand　told　him　harshly。　Adley's　eyes　sank　to　his　hands　on　his　own　reins　for　a　moment；　then　he　raked　damp　hair　out　of　his　face　and　jerked　his　head　up　obediently。
　　　　　　　Today；　here；　controlling　saidin　was　harder　than　ever；　but　letting　it　slip　anytime；　anywhere；　could　kill　you。　Adley　had　let　it　slip；　and　men　had　died　in　uncontrolled　bursts　of　fire；　not　just　the　Amadicians　he　had　been　aiming　at；　but　near　thirty　of　Ailil's　armsmen　and　almost　as　many　of　Anaiyella's。
　　　　　　　Except　for　his　slip；　Adley　would　have　been　with　Morr；　with　the　panions　in　the　woods　half　a　mile　to　the　south。　Narishma　and　Hopwil　were　with　the　Defenders；　to　the　north。　Rand　wanted　Adley　under　his　eye。　Had　any　other　〃accidents〃　happened；　out　of　his　sight？　He　could　not　watch　everyone；　all　the　time。　Flinn's　face　was　grim　as　day…old　death；　and　Dashiva；　far　from　looking　vague；　seemed　on　the　point　of　sweating　with　concentration。　He　still　muttered　to　himself　under　his　breath；　so　low　Rand　could　not　hear　even　with　the　Power　in　him；　but　the　man　mopped　rain　from　his　face　continually　with　a　sodden　lace…edged　linen　handkerchief　that　had　grown　more　than　grimy　as　the　day　wore　on。　Rand　did　not　think　they　had　slipped。　In　any　case；　neither　they　nor　Adley　held　the　Power　now。　Nor　would　until　he　instructed　them　to　seize　it。
　　　　　　　〃Is　it　done？〃　Anaiyella　asked　behind　him。
　　　　　　　Heedless　of　who　might　be　watching　out　there；　Rand　wheeled　Tai'daishar　around　to　face　her。　The　Tairen　woman　started　back　in　her　saddle；　the　hood　of　her　richly　elaborate　rain　c