rj.thepathofdaggers-第123部分

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　　　　　　　〃It　might　be　simpler；〃　Berelain　said；　heeling　her　too…showy　white　mare　up　on　Alliandre's　other　side。　Without　Perrin　about　for　her　to　try　to　impress；　her　dark　blue　riding　dress　was　cut　quite　modestly；　with　a　neck　up　under　her　chin。　She　still　shivered。　〃Masema　dislikes　Aes　Sedai；　and　the　Seanchan　keep　women　who　can　channel　as　prisoners。〃
　　　　　　　Faile　clicked　her　tongue　in　vexation。　Dire　news　indeed；　if　true。　And　she　could　only　hope　Parelean　and　the　others　retained　enough　of　their　wits　to　at　least　pretend　they　had　simply　overheard　talk　by　chance。　Even　so；　she　had　to　be　sure；　and　quickly。　Perrin　might　already　have　reached　Masema。　〃What　proof　do　you　have；　Parelean？〃
　　　　　　　〃We　talked　to　three　farmers　who　saw　a　large　flying　creature　land　four　nights　ago；　my　Lady。　It　brought　a　woman　who　was　taken　to　Masema　and　remained　with　him　for　three　hours。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　were　able　to　trace　her　all　the　way　to　where　Masema　stays　in　Abila；〃　Lacile　added。
　　　　　　　〃The　three　men　all　thought　the　creature　was　Shadowspawn；〃　Arrela　put　in；　〃but　they　seemed　fairly　reliable。〃　For　her　to　say　any　man　not　of　Cha　Faile　was　fairly　reliable　was　the　same　as　anyone　else　saying　they　thought　he　was　honest　as　a　bell。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　I　must　ride　into　Abila；〃　Faile　said；　gathering　Swallow's　reins。　〃Alliandre；　take　Maighdin　and　Berelain　with　you。〃　Any　other　time；　the　tightening　of　Berelain's　lips　over　that　would　have　been　amusing。　〃Parelean；　Arrela　and　Lacile　will　acpany　me　…　〃　A　man　screamed；　and　everyone　jerked。
　　　　　　　Fifty　paces　away；　one　of　Alliandre's　green…coated　soldiers　was　toppling　from　his　saddle；　and　a　moment　later；　a　Winged　Guard　fell　with　an　arrow　standing　out　from　his　throat。　Aiel　appeared　among　the　trees；　veiled　and　wielding　bows　as　they　ran。　More　soldiers　fell。　Bain　and　Chiad　were　on　their　feet；　dark　veils　hiding　their　faces　to　the　eyes；　their　spears　were　thrust　through　the　straps　of　the　bow　cases　on　their　back；　and　they　worked　their　bows　smoothly；　but　they　cast　glances　toward　Faile；　too。　There　were　Aiel　all　around；　hundreds　it　seemed；　a　great　noose　closing　in。　Mounted　soldiers　lowered　lances；　pulling　back　in　their　own　circle　around　Faile　and　the　others；　but　gaps　appeared　immediately　as　Aiel　arrows　struck　home。
　　　　　　　〃Someone　must　get　this　news　of　Masema　to　Lord　Perrin；〃　Faile　told　Parelean　and　the　two　women。　〃One　of　you　must　reach　him！　Ride　like　fire！〃　Her　sweeping　gaze　took　in　Alliandre　and　Maighdin。　And　Berelain；　too。　〃All　of　you；　ride　like　fire；　or　die　here！〃　Barely　waiting　for　their　nods；　she　suited　actions　to　words；　and　dug　her　heels　into　Swallow's　flanks；　bursting　through　the　useless　ring　of　soldiers。　〃Ride！〃　she　shouted。　Someone　had　to　get　the　news　to　Perrin。　〃Ride！〃
　　　　　　　Leaning　low　on　Swallow's　neck；　she　urged　the　black　mare　for　speed。　Fleet　hooves　splashed　snow　as　Swallow　ran；　light　as　her　namesake。　For　a　hundred　strides；　Faile　thought　she　might　break　free。　And　then　Swallow　screamed　and　stumbled；　pitching　forward　with　the　sharp　snap　of　a　breaking　leg。　Faile　flew　through　air　and　struck　hard；　most　of　the　breath　driven　out　of　her　as　she　plunged　facedown　into　the　snow。　Fighting　for　air；　she　struggled　to　her　feet　and　snatched　a　knife　from　her　belt。　Swallow　had　screamed　before　she　stumbled；　before　that　awful　crack。
　　　　　　　A　veiled　Aielman　loomed　up　before　her　as　if　out　of　the　air；　chopping　at　her　wrist　with　a　stiffened　hand。　Her　knife　dropped　from　suddenly　numb　fingers；　and　before　she　could　try　to　draw　another　with　her　left　hand；　the　man　was　on　her。
　　　　　　　She　fought；　kicking；　punching；　even　biting；　but　the　fellow　was　as　wide　as　Perrin　and　a　head　taller。　He　seemed　as　hard　as　Perrin；　too；　for　all　the　impression　she　made　on　him。　She　could　have　wept　with　frustration　at　the　humiliating　ease　with　which　he　handled　her；　first　rooting　out　all　of　her　knives　and　tucking　them　behind　his　belt；　then　using　one　of　her　own　blades　to　cut　her　clothes　away。　Almost　before　she　knew　it；　she　was　naked　in　the　snow；　her　elbows　bound　together　behind　her　back　with　one　of　her　stockings；　the　other　tied　about　her　neck　for　a　leash。
　　　　　　　She　had　no　choice　except　to　follow　him；　shivering　and　stumbling　through　the　snow。　Her　skin　pebbled　with　the　cold。　Light；　how　she　had　ever　thought　this　day　anything　less　than　icy？　Light；　if　only　someone　had　managed　to　escape　with　the　news　of　Masema！　To　carry　word　of　her　capture　to　Perrin；　of　course；　but　she　could　escape　somehow。　The　other　was　more　important。
　　　　　　　The　first　body　she　saw　was　Parelean；　sprawled　on　his　back　with　his　sword　in　one　outflung　hand　and　blood　all　over　his　fine　coat　with　the　satin…striped　sleeves。　There　were　plenty　of　corpses　after；　Winged　Guards　in　their　red　breastplates；　Alliandre's　soldiers　in　their　dark　green　helmets；　one　of　the　hawkers；　the　hooded　duckhawk　flapping　vainly　against　the　jesses　still　gripped　in　the　dead　man's　fist。　She　held　on　to　hope；　though。
　　　　　　　The　first　other　prisoners　she　saw；　kneeling　among　some　Aiel；　men　and　Maidens　with　their　veils　hanging　down　their　chests；　were　Bain　and　Chiad；　each　naked；　unbound　hands　on　her　knees。　Blood　ran　down　across　Bain's　face　and　matted　her　flame…red　hair。　Chiad's　left　cheek　was　purple　and　swollen；　and　her　gray　eyes　looked　slightly　glazed。　They　knelt　there；　straight…backed；　impassive；　and　unashamed；　but　as　the　big　Aielman　pushed　her　roughly　to　her　knees　beside　them；　they　roused　themselves。
　　　　　　　〃This　is　not　right；　Shaido；〃　Chiad　mumbled　angrily。
　　　　　　　〃She　does　not　follow　ji'e'toh；〃　Bain　barked。　〃You　cannot　make　her　gai'shain。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　gai'shain　will　be　quiet；〃　a　graying　Maiden　said　absently。　Bain　and　Chiad　gave　Faile　regretful　looks；　then　settled　back　to　their　calm　waiting。　Huddling；　trying　to　hide　her　nakedness　against　her　knees；　Faile　did　not　know　whether　to　weep　or　laugh。　The　two　women　she　would　have　chosen　to　help　her　escape　from　anywhere；　and　neither　would　raise　a　hand　to　try　because　of　ji'e'toh。
　　　　　　　〃I　say　again；　Efalin；〃　the　man　who　had　captured　her　muttered；　〃this　is　foolishness。　We　travel　at　a　crawl　in　this。。。　snow。〃　He　said　the　word　awkwardly。　〃There　are　too　many　armed　men；　here。　We　should　be　moving　east；　not　taking　more　gai'shain　to　slow　us　further。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sevanna　wants　more　gai'shain；　Rolan；〃　the　graying　Maiden　replied。　She　frowned；　though；　and　her　hard　gray　eyes　seemed　disapproving　for　a　moment。
　　　　　　　Shivering；　Faile　blinked　as　the　names　sank　in。　Light；　but　the　cold　was　making　her　wits　slow。　Sevanna。　Shaido。　They　were　in　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　as　far　from　here　as　was　possible　to　be　without　crossing　the　Spine　of　the　World！　Clearly　they　were　not；　though。　That　was　something　Perrin　should　know；　another　reason　for　her　to　escape　soon。　There　seemed　little　chance　of　that；　crouching　there　in　the　snow　and　wondering　which　bits　of　her　were　going　to　freeze　first。　The　Wheel　was　balancing　her　amusement　over　Berelain's　shivers　with　a　vengeance。　She　was　actually　looking　forward　to　the　thick　woolen　robes　that　gai'shain　wore。　Her　captors　made　no　move　to　depart；　though。　There　were　other　captives　to　be　brought　in。
　　　　　　　First　was　Maighdin；　stripped　bare　and　bound　as　Faile　was；　and　struggling　every　step　of　the　way。　Until　the　Maiden　who　was　pushing　her　along　abruptly　kicked　her　feet　out　from　under　her。　Maighdin　plunked　down　sitting　in　the　snow；　and　her　eyes　popped　so　wide　that　Faile　might　have　laughed　if　she　had　not　felt　sorry　for　the　woman。　Alliandre　came　next；　bent　nearly　double　in　an　effort　to　shield　herself；　and　then　Arrela；　who　seemed　half　paralyzed　by　her　nudity　and　was　almost　being　dragged　by　a　pair　of　Maidens。　Finally；　another　tall　Aielman　appeared　with　a　furiously　kicking　Lacile　tucked　under　one　arm　like　a　package。
　　　　　　　〃The　rest　are　dead　or　escaped；〃　the　man　said；　dropping　the　small　Cairhienin　woman　beside　Faile。　〃Sevanna　will　have　to　be　satisfied；　Efalin。　She　puts　too　much　store　in　taking　people　who　wear　silk。〃
　　　　　　　Faile　did　not　struggle　at　all　when　she　was　prodded　to　her　feet　and　set　to　laboring　through　the　snow　at　the　head　of　the　other　prisoners。　She　was　too　stunned　to　fight。　Parelean　dead；　Arrela　and　Lacile　captive；　and　Alliandre；　and　Maighdin。　Light；　someone　had　to　warn　Perrin　about　Masema。　Someone。　It　seemed　a　final　blow。　Here　she　was；　shivering　and　gritting　her　teeth　to　keep　them　from　chattering；　trying　her　best　to　pretend　that　she　was　not　stark　naked　and　bound；　on　her　way　to　an　uncertain　captivity。　All　of　that；　and　she　had　to　hope　that　that　slinking　cat　…　that　pouting　trull！　…　Berelain；　had　managed　to　escape　so　she　could　reach　Perrin。　Alongside　everything　else；　that　seemed　the　worst　of　all。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Egwene　walked　Daishar　along　the　column　of　initiates；　sisters　on　their　horses　among　the　wagons；　Accepted　and　novices　afoot　despite　the　snow。　The　sun　was　bright　in　a　sky　with　few　clouds；　but　mist　curled　from　her　gelding's　nostrils。　Sheriam　and　Siuan　rode　at　her　back；　talking　quietly　about　information　learned　from　Siuan's　eyes…and…ears。　Egwene　had　thought　the　fire…haired　woman　an　efficient　Keeper　once　she　learned　that　she　was　not　the　Amyrlin；　but　day　by　day；　Sheriam　seemed　to　grow　ever　more　assiduous　about　her　duties。　Chesa　followed　on　her　tubby　mare　in　case　the　Amyrlin　wanted　anything；　and　unlike　her；　she　was　muttering　again　about　Meri　and　Selame　both　running　away；　the　ungrateful　wretches；　leaving　her　to　do　the　work　of　three。　They　rode　slowly；　and　Egwene　very　carefully　did　not　look　toward　the　column。
　　　　　　　A　month　of　recruiting；　a　month　of　the　novice　book　being　open　to　all；　had　brought　in　startling　numbers；　a　flood　anxious　to　bee　Aes　Sedai；　women　of　every　age　some　from　hundreds　of　miles　away。　There　were　now　twice　as　many　novices　with　the　column　as　before。　Almost　a　thousand！　Most　by　far　would　never　wear　the　shawl；　yet　the　number　of　them　had　everyone　staring。　Some　might　cause　minor　problems；　and　one；　a　grandmother　named　Sharina　with　a　potential　above　even　that　of　Nynaeve；　certainly　had　everyone　startled；　but　it　was　not　the　sight　of　a　mother　and　daughter　squabbling　because　the　daughter　would　be　the　stronger　by　far　one　day　that　she　was　trying　to　avoid；　or　noblewomen　who　were　beginning　to　think　they　had　made　the　wrong　choice　asking　to　be　tested；　or　even　Sharina's　disturbingly　direct　looks。　The　gray…haired　woman　obeyed　every　rule　and　showed　every　proper　respect；　but　she　had　run　her　large　family　by　the　sheer　force　of　her　presence；　and