rj.thepathofdaggers-第59部分

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hair　to　boots。　She　did　not　blink　at　sight　of　his　eyes；　although　nearly　everyone　did。
　　　　　　　〃Majesty；〃　Berelain　pronounced　in　a　formal　voice　as　soon　as　Perrin　entered；　〃may　I　present　Lord　Perrin　Aybara　of　the　Two　Rivers；　in　Andor；　the　personal　friend　and　emissary　of　the　Dragon　Reborn。〃　The　long…nosed　woman　nodded　carefully；　coolly；　and　Berelain　went　on　with　scarcely　a　pause。　〃Lord　Aybara；　give　greetings　and　wele　to　Alliandre　Maritha　Kigarin；　Queen　of　Ghealdan；　Blessed　of　the　Light；　Defender　of　Garen's　Wall；　who　is　pleased　to　receive　you　in　person。〃　Gallenne；　standing　near　the　tent　wall；　adjusted　his　eyepatch　and　raised　his　winecup　to　Perrin　with　a　smile　of　triumph。
　　　　　　　For　some　reason　Faile　shot　Berelain　a　hard　look。　Perrin's　mouth　nearly　dropped　open。　Alliandre　herself？　He　wondered　whether　he　should　kneel；　then　settled　for　a　bow　after　too　long　a　pause。　Light！　He　had　no　notion　how　to　deal　with　a　queen。　Especially　one　who　turned　up　out　of　the　blue　with　no　escort；　without　a　jewel　in　sight。　Her　dark　green　riding　dress　was　plain　wool；　lacking　a　single　stitch　of　embroidery。
　　　　　　　〃After　the　recent　news；〃　Alliandre　said；　〃I　thought　I　should　e　to　you；　Lord　Aybara。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　her　face　smooth；　her　eyes　aloof。　And　observant；　or　he　was　a　Taren　Ferry　man。　Best　to　step　warily　till　he　knew　how　the　path　lay。　〃You　may　not　have　heard；〃　she　continued；　〃but　four　days　ago　Illian　fell　to　the　Dragon　Reborn；　blessed　be　his　name　in　the　Light。　He　has　taken　the　Laurel　Crown；　though　I　understand　it　is　now　called　the　Crown　of　Swords。〃
　　　　　　　Faile；　taking　a　cup　from　Maighdin's　tray；　whispered　under　her　breath；　〃And　seven　days　gone；　the　Seanchan　took　Ebou　Dar。〃　Even　Maighdin　did　not　notice。
　　　　　　　If　Perrin　had　not　already　taken　hold　of　himself；　he　truly　would　have　gaped。　Why　did　Faile　tell　him　this　way　instead　of　waiting　for　it　to　e　from　the　woman　who　must　have　told　her？　In　a　voice　that　everyone　could　hear；　he　repeated　her　words。　A　hard　voice；　but　that　was　the　only　way　to　keep　it　from　shaking。　Ebou　Dar；　too？　Light！　And　seven　days　ago？　The　day　Grady　and　the　others　had　seen　the　One　Power　in　the　sky。　Coincidence；　maybe。　But　would　he　rather　it　had　been　the　Forsaken？
　　　　　　　Annoura　frowned　over　her　cup；　pursing　her　lips；　before　he　finished　speaking；　and　Berelain　gave　him　a　startled　look　that　vanished　quickly。　They　knew　he　had　not　known　about　Ebou　Dar　when　they　rode　into　Bethal。
　　　　　　　Alliandre　merely　nodded；　every　bit　as　self…possessed　as　the　Gray。　〃You　seem　remarkably　well　informed；〃　she　said；　ing　closer　to　him。　〃I　doubt　the　first　rumors　are　reaching　Jehannah　with　the　river　trade；　yet。　I　myself　learned　of　it　only　a　few　days　ago。　Several　of　the　merchants　keep　me　abreast　of　events。　I　believe；〃　she　added　dryly；　〃that　they　hope　I　can　intercede　for　them　with　the　Prophet　of　the　Lord　Dragon；　if　such　bees　necessary。〃
　　　　　　　At　last　he　could　pick　out　her　scent；　and　his　opinion　of　her　changed；　though　not　for　the　worse。　Outwardly；　the　Queen　was　all　cool　reserve；　but　uncertainty　shot　through　with　fear　filled　the　smell　of　her。　He　did　not　believe　he　could　have　held　his　face　so　calm　had　he　felt　that。
　　　　　　　〃Always　best　to　know　as　much　as　you　can；〃　he　told　her；　half　distracted。　Burn　me；　he　thought；　I　have　to　let　Rand　know　about　this！
　　　　　　　〃In　Saldaea　we　find　merchants　useful　for　information；　too；〃　Faile　said。　Implying　that　was　how　Perrin　knew　about　Ebou　Dar。　〃They　seem　to　learn　what　happened　a　thousand　miles　off　weeks　before　the　rumors　begin。〃
　　　　　　　She　did　not　look　at　Perrin；　but　he　knew　she　spoke　to　him　as　much　as　Alliandre。　Rand　knew；　she　was　saying。　And　anyway；　there　was　no　way　to　get　word　to　him　in　secret。　Could　Faile　really　want　him　to。。。？　No；　it　was　unthinkable。　Blinking；　he　realized　he　had　missed　something　Alliandre　had　said。　〃Your　pardon；　Alliandre；〃　he　said　politely。　〃I　was　thinking　about　Rand　…　the　Dragon　Reborn。〃　Of　course　it　was　unthinkable！
　　　　　　　Everyone　stared　at　him；　even　Lini　and　Maighdin　and　Breane。　Annoura's　eyes　had　gone　wide；　and　Gallenne's　mouth　hung　open。　Then　it　hit　him。　He　had　just　called　the　Queen　by　name。　He　took　a　cup　from　Maighdin's　tray；　and　she　rose　from　her　curtsy　so　quickly　that　she　nearly　knocked　it　from　his　hand。　Waving　her　away　absently；　he　wiped　his　damp　hand　on　his　coat。　He　had　to　concentrate　here；　not　let　his　mind　wander　in　nine　directions。　No　matter　what　Elyas　thought　he　knew；　Faile　would　never。。。　No！　Concentrate！
　　　　　　　Alliandre　recovered　her　equilibrium　quickly。　In　truth；　she　had　appeared　the　least　surprised　of　anyone；　and　her　scent　never　wavered。　〃I　was　saying　that　ing　to　you　in　secret　seemed　the　wisest　course；　Lord　Aybara；〃　she　said　in　that　cool　voice。　〃Lord　Telabin　believes　I　am　keeping　private　in　his　gardens；　which　I　left　by　a　seldom…used　gate。　Passing　out　of　the　city；　I　was　Annoura　Sedai's　maid。〃　Brushing　fingertips　across　one　skirt　of　her　riding　dress；　she　gave　a　small　laugh。　Even　that　about　her　was　cool；　so　at　odds　with　what　his　nose　told　him。　〃A　number　of　my　own　soldiers　saw　me；　but　with　the　hood　of　my　cloak　pulled　up；　none　knew　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Times　being　what　they　are；　that　probably　was　wisest；〃　Perrin　said　carefully。　〃But　you　will　have　to　e　into　the　open　sooner　or　later。　One　way　or　another。〃　Polite　and　to　the　point；　that　was　the　thing。　A　queen　would　not　want　to　waste　time　with　a　man　who　blathered。　And　he　did　not　want　to　disappoint　Faile　by　acting　the　hayfoot　again。　〃Why　e　at　all？　All　you　had　to　do　was　send　a　letter；　or　just　tell　Berelain　your　answer。　Will　you　declare　for　Rand　or　not？　Either　way；　have　no　fear　about　getting　back　to　Bethal　safely。〃　A　good　point；　that。　Whatever　else　frightened　her；　being　here　alone　must。
　　　　　　　Faile　was　watching　him；　pretending　not　to；　sipping　her　punch　and　directing　her　smiles　at　Alliandre；　but　he　caught　the　quick　nickers　of　her　eyes　in　his　direction。　Berelain　made　no　pretense；　watching　quite　openly；　eyes　slightly　narrowed　and　never　leaving　his　face。　Annoura　was　just　as　intent；　just　as　thoughtful。　Did　they　all　believe　he　was　going　to　trip　over　his　own　tongue　again？
　　　　　　　Instead　of　answering　the　important　question；　Alliandre　said；　〃The　First　told　me　a　great　deal　about　you；　Lord　Aybara；　and　about　the　Lord　Dragon　Reborn；　blessed　be　his　name　in　the　Light。〃　That　last　sounded　by　rote；　an　addition　she　no　longer　had　to　think　about。　〃I　cannot　see　him　before　I　make　my　decision；　so　I　wished　to　see　you；　to　take　a　measure　of　you。　It's　possible　to　tell　much　about　a　man　by　those　he　chooses　to　speak　for　him。〃　Tilting　her　face　down　toward　the　cup　in　her　hands；　she　peered　at　him　through　her　lashes。　From　Berelain；　that　would　have　been　flirtatious；　but　Alliandre　was　cautiously　watching　a　wolf　sure　as　he　was　standing　in　front　of　her。　〃I　also　saw　your　banners；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃The　First　did　not　mention　them。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　scowled　before　he　could　stop　himself。　Berelain　had　told　her　a　great　deal　about　him？　What　had　she　said？　〃The　banners　are　meant　to　be　seen。〃　Anger　put　a　roughness　in　his　voice　that　required　some　effort　to　force　down。　Now；　Berelain　was　a　woman　who　needed　shouting　at。　〃Believe　me；　there　are　no　plans　to　set　up　Manetheren　again。〃　There；　his　tone　was　as　cool　as　Alliandre's。　〃What　is　your　decision？　Rand　can　have　ten　thousand　soldiers；　a　hundred　thousand；　here　in　the　blink　of　an　eye；　or　near　enough。〃　And　he　might　have　to。　The　Seanchan　in　Amador　and　Ebou　Dar？　Light；　how　many　were　they？
　　　　　　　Alliandre　sipped　delicately　at　her　wine…punch　before　speaking；　and　again　she　dodged　the　question。　〃There　are　a　thousand　rumors；　as　you　must　know；　and　even　the　wildest　is　believable　when　the　Dragon　is　Reborn；　strangers　appear　claiming　to　be　Artur　Hawkwing's　armies　returned；　and　the　Tower　itself　is　broken　by　rebellion。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　matter　for　Aes　Sedai；〃　Annoura　said　sharply。　〃It　concerns　no　one　else。〃　Berelain　flashed　an　exasperated　look　at　her；　which　she　affected　not　to　notice。
　　　　　　　Alliandre　flinched　and　turned　her　shoulder　to　the　sister。　Queen　or　not；　no　one　wanted　to　hear　that　tone　from　an　Aes　Sedai。　〃The　world　is　turned　upside　down；　Lord　Aybara。　Why；　I've　even　had　reports　of　Aiel　sacking　a　village　right　here　in　Ghealdan。〃　Abruptly　Perrin　realized　there　was　more　here　than　anxiety　over　offending　Aes　Sedai。　Alliandre　watched　him；　waiting。　But　for　what？　Reassurance？
　　　　　　　〃The