rj.thepathofdaggers-第66部分

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Hall；　yet　he　had　made　plain　a　dozen　times　in　the　past　weeks　that　whatever　the　Hall　thought　…　and　he　was　not　blind　enough　to　have　missed　that！　…　she　was　the　Amyrlin；　and　he　followed　the　Amyrlin。　Oh；　he　had　never　said　so　right　out；　but　with　carefully　worded　hints　that　left　no　doubts。　Expecting　more　would　have　been　expecting　too　much。　There　were　nearly　as　many　undercurrents　in　the　camp　as　there　were　Aes　Sedai；　some　strong　enough　to　pull　him　down。　Several　strong　enough　to　mire　her　deeper　than　she　was；　if　the　Hall　learned　of　this　meeting。　She　trusted　him　further　than　anyone　except　Siuan　and　Leane；　or　Elayne　and　Nynaeve；　maybe　further　than　any　of　the　sisters　who　had　sworn　fealty　to　her　in　secret；　and　she　wished　she　had　the　courage　to　trust　him　more。　The　ball　of　white　light　cast　weak；　fitful　shadows。
　　　　　　　〃You　have　news；　Lord　Bryne？〃　she　asked；　stifling　hope。　She　could　think　of　a　dozen　possible　messages　that　might　bring　him　in　the　night；　each　with　its　own　set　of　pitfalls　and　snares。　Had　Rand　decided　to　add　more　crowns　to　that　of　Illian；　or　the　Seanchan　somehow　captured　still　another　city；　or　the　Band　of　the　Red　Hand　suddenly　moved　on　its　own　instead　of　shadowing　the　Aes　Sedai；　or。。。
　　　　　　　〃An　army　lies　north　of　us；　Mother；〃　he　replied　calmly。　His　leather…gauntleted　hands　rested　lightly　atop　his　long　sword　hilt。　An　army　to　the　north；　a　little　more　snow；　all　the　same。　〃Andorans；　mainly；　but　with　a　goodly　number　of　Murandians。　My　deep　scouts　brought　the　news　less　than　an　hour　ago。　Pelivar　leads；　and　Arathelle　is　with　him；　the　High　Seats　of　two　of　the　strongest　Houses　in　Andor；　and　they've　brought　twenty　more　at　least。　They're　pushing　south　hard；　it　seems。　If　you　keep　on　as　you　are；　which　I　advise　against；　we　should　meet　head…on　in　two　days；　three　at　the　outside。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　kept　her　face　smooth；　suppressing　her　relief。　What　she　had　been　hoping　for；　waiting　for；　what　she　had　begun　to　fear　might　never　e。　Surprisingly；　it　was　Siuan　who　gasped；　and　clapped　a　mittened　hand　over　her　mouth　too　late。　Bryne　cocked　at　eyebrow　at　her；　but　she　recovered　quickly；　putting　on　Aes　Sedai　serenity　so　thick　you　almost　forgot　her　youthful　face。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　have　qualms　at　fighting　your　fellow　Andorans？〃　she　demanded。　〃Speak　up；　man。　I'm　not　your　washwoman　here。〃　Well；　there　was　a　small　crack　in　that　serenity。
　　　　　　　〃As　you　mand；　Siuan　Sedai。〃　Bryne's　tone　held　no　scrap　of　mockery；　yet　Siuan's　mouth　began　to　tighten；　her　outward　coolness　evaporating　fast。　He　made　her　a　small　bow；　workmanlike　but　acceptable。　〃I　will　fight　whoever　the　Mother　wishes　me　to　fight；　of　course。〃　Even　here；　he　would　not　be　more　forthing。　Men　learned　caution　around　Aes　Sedai。　So　did　women。　Egwene　thought　caution　had　bee　a　second　skin　for　her。
　　　　　　　〃And　if　we　don't　keep　on？〃　she　said。　So　much　planning；　just　her　and　Siuan　and　sometimes　Leane；　and　now　she　still　had　to　feel　out　each　step　as　carefully　as　on　those　icy　paths　outside。　〃If　we　stop　here？〃
　　　　　　　He　did　not　hesitate。　〃If　you　have　a　way　to　bring　them　around　without　fighting；　all　well　and　good；　but　some　time　tomorrow　they'll　reach　an　excellent　position　to　defend；　one　flank　held　by　the　River　Armahn；　the　other　by　a　large　peat　bog；　and　small　streams　in　front　to　break　up　attacks。　Pelivar　will　settle　in　there　to　wait；　he　knows　the　work。　Arathelle　will　have　her　part　if　there's　talking；　but　she'll　leave　the　pikes　and　swords　to　him。　We　can't　reach　it　ahead　of　him；　and　anyway；　the　terrain　is　no　use　to　us　there；　with　him　to　the　north。　If　you　mean　to　fight；　I　advise　making　for　that　ridge　we　crossed　two　days　back。　We　can　reach　it　in　good　order　ahead　of　them　if　we　start　at　dawn；　and　Pelivar　would　think　twice　about　ing　at　us　there　if　he　had　three　times　the　numbers　he　does。〃
　　　　　　　Wriggling　near…frozen　toes　inside　her　stockings；　Egwene　let　out　an　annoyed　sigh。　There　was　a　difference　between　not　letting　cold　touch　you　and　not　feeling　it。　Picking　her　way　carefully；　not　letting　herself　be　distracted　by　the　chill；　she　asked；　〃Will　they　talk；　offered　the　chance？〃
　　　　　　　〃Probably；　Mother。　The　Murandians　hardly　count；　they're　just　there　for　whatever　advantage　they　can　wring　out　of　the　situation；　same　as　their　countrymen　under　me。　It's　Pelivar　and　Arathelle　who　matter。　If　I　had　to　wager；　I'd　say　they　only　mean　to　keep　you　out　of　Andor。〃　He　shook　his　head　grimly。　〃But　they'll　fight　if　they　have　to；　if　they　must；　maybe　even　if　it　means　facing　Aes　Sedai　instead　of　just　soldiers。　I　expect　they've　heard　the　same　tales　we　have　about　that　battle　out　east　somewhere。〃
　　　　　　　〃Fish　guts！〃　Siuan　growled。　So　much　for　calm。　〃Half…baked　rumors　and　raw　gossip　are　no　proof　there　was　any　battle；　you　lummox；　and　if　there　was；　sisters　wouldn't　have　gotten　themselves　mixed　up　in　it！〃　The　man　truly　was　an　occasion　of　sin　for　her。
　　　　　　　Strangely；　Bryne　smiled。　He　often　did　when　Siuan　showed　her　temper。　Anywhere　else；　on　anyone　else；　Egwene　would　have　called　the　smile　fond。　〃Better　for　us　if　they　believe；〃　he　told　Siuan　mildly。　Her　face　darkened　so；　you　might　have　thought　he　had　sneered　at　her。
　　　　　　　Why　did　a　normally　sensible　woman　let　Bryne　get　under　her　skin？　Whatever　the　reason；　Egwene　had　no　time　for　it　tonight。　〃Siuan；　I　see　someone　forgot　to　take　away　the　mulled　wine。　It　can't　have　soured　in　this　weather。　Warm　it　for　us；　please。〃　She　did　not　like　setting　the　other　woman　down　in　front　of　Bryne；　but　she　had　to　be　reined　in；　and　this　seemed　the　gentlest　way　to　do　it。　Really；　they　should　not　have　left　the　silver　pitcher　on　her　table。
　　　　　　　Siuan　did　not　quite　flinch；　but　from　her　stricken　expression；　quickly　smoothed　over；　you　would　never　have　believed　she　washed　the　man's　smallclothes。　Without　ment　she　channeled　slightly　to　reheat　the　wine　in　the　silver　pitcher；　quickly　filled　two　clean　worked…silver　cups；　and　handed　the　first　to　Egwene。　She　kept　the　second；　staring　at　Lord　Bryne　as　she　sipped　and　leaving　him　to　pour　for　himself。
　　　　　　　Warming　her　mittened　fingers　on　her　own　cup；　Egwene　felt　a　flash　of　irritation。　Maybe　it　was　part　of　Siuan's　long…delayed　reaction　to　the　death　of　her　Warder。　She　still　became　weepy　for　no　visible　reason　now　and　then；　though　she　tried　to　hide　it。　Egwene　put　the　matter　out　of　her　head。　Tonight；　that　was　an　anthill　beside　mountains。
　　　　　　　〃I　want　to　avoid　a　battle　if　I　can；　Lord　Bryne。　The　army　is　for　Tar　Valon；　not　fighting　a　war　here。　Send　to　arrange　a　meeting　as　soon　as　possible　for　the　Amyrlin　Seat　with　Lord　Pelivar　and　Lady　Arathelle　and　anyone　else　you　think　you　should　be　present。　Not　here。　Our　ragged　camp　won't　impress　them　very　much。　As　soon　as　possible；　mind。　I　wouldn't　object　to　tomorrow；　if　it　could　be　set。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　sooner　than　I　can　manage；　Mother；〃　he　said　mildly。　〃If　I　send　riders　out　as　soon　as　I　return　to　camp；　I　doubt　they　can　be　back　with　an　answer　much　before　tomorrow　night。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　I　suggest　you　return　quickly。〃　Light；　but　her　hands　and　feet　felt　cold。　And　the　pit　of　her　stomach；　too。　But　her　voice　kept　its　calm。　〃And　I　want　you　to　keep　that　meeting；　and　the　existence　of　their　army；　from　the　Hall　as　long　as　possible。〃
　　　　　　　This　time；　she　was　asking　him　to　take　as　great　a　risk　as　she　did。　Gareth　Bryne　was　one　of　the　best　generals　living；　but　the　Hall　chafed　that　he　did　not　run　the　army　to　suit　them。　They　had　been　grateful　for　his　name　in　the　beginning；　for　it　helped　draw　soldiers　to　their　cause。　Now　the　army　had　more　than　thirty　thousand　armed　men；　with　more　ing　even　since　the　snows　had　started；　and　they　thought　that　maybe　they　did　not　need　Lord　Gareth　Bryne　any　longer。　And　of　course；　there　were　those　who　believed　they　never　had　needed　him。　They　would　not　simply　send　him　away　for　this。　If　the　Hall　chose　to　act；　he　might　well　go　to　the　headsman　for　treason。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　blink；　and　he　did　not　ask　questions。　Perhaps　he　knew　she　would　not　give　answers。　Or　maybe　he　thought　he　knew　them。　〃There　isn't　much　traffic　between　my　camp　and　yours；　but　too　many　men　know　already　to　keep　a　secret　long。　I　will　do　what　I　can；　though。〃
　　　　　　　As　simple　as　that。　The　first　step　down　a　road　that　would　see　her　on　the　Amyrlin　Seat　in　Tar　Valon；　or　else　deliver　her　firmly　into　the　grasp　of　the　Hall；　with　nothing　left　to　decide　except　whether　it　was　Romanda　or　Lelaine　who　told　her　what　to　do。　Somehow；　such　a　pivotal　moment　should　have　been　acpanied　by　fanfares　of　trumpets；　or　at　the　least；　thunder　in　the　sky。　It　was　always　that　way　in　stories。
　　　　　　　Egwene　let　the　ball　of　light　vanish；　but　as　Bryne　turned　to　leave；　she　caught　his　arm。　It　was　like　catching　a　thick　tree　branch　through　his　coat。　〃A　thing　I　have　been　meaning　to　ask　you；　Lord　Bryne。　You　can't　want　to　take　men　worn　down　by　marching　right　into　a　siege　of　Tar　Valon。　How　long　would　you　want　to　rest　them　before　you　began？〃
　　　　　　　For　the　first　time；　he　paused；　and　she　wished　she　still　had　the　light　to　see　his　face。　She　thought　he　frowned。　〃Even　leaving　people　in　the　pay　of　the　Tower　out　of　it；〃　he　said　at　last；　slowly；　〃news　of　an　army　flies　as　fast　as　a　falcon。　Elaida　will　know　to　the　day　when　we'll　arrive；　and　she　won't　give　us　an　hour。　You　know　she's　increasing　the　Tower　Guard？　To　fifty　thousand　men；　apparently。　But　a　month；　if　I　could；　to　rest　and　recover。　Ten　days　would　do；　but　a　month　would　be　better。〃
　　　　　　　She　nodded；　releasing　him。　That　casual　question　about　the　Tower　Guard　hurt。　He　was　aware　that　the　Hall　and　the　Ajahs　told　her　what　they　wanted　her　to　know　and　no　more。　〃I　suppose　you're　right；〃　she　said　evenly。　〃There'll　be　no　time　for　rest　once　we　reach　Tar　Valon。　Send　your　fastest　riders。　There　won't　be　any　difficulty；　will　there？　Pelivar　and　Arathelle　will　hear　them　out？〃　She　did　not　feign　the　touch　of　anxiety。　More　than　her　plans　might　be　ruined　if　they　had　to　fight　now。
　　　　　　　Bryne's　tone　did　not　alter　a　whit　that　she　could　tell；　but　somehow；　he　sounded　soothing。　〃So　long　as　there　is　light　enough　for　them　to　see　the　white　feathers；　they'll　recognize　a　truce　and　listen。　I'd　better　go；　Mother。　It's　a　long　way　and　hard　riding；　even　for　men　with　extra　horses。〃
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　the　tentflap　fell　behind　him；　Egwene　let　out　a　long　breath。　Her　shoulders　were　tight；　and　she　expected　her　head　to　start　aching　any　moment。　Bryne　usually　made　her　feel　relaxed；　absorbing　his　sureness。　Tonight；　she　had　had　to　manipulate　him；　and　she　thought