rj.thepathofdaggers-第93部分

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　　　　　　　Bashere　squinted　at　the　sky。　Dark　clouds　lay　in　a　blanket　from　mountain　peak　to　mountain　peak；　but　the　sun　should　still　be　high。　〃Time　to　feed　the　men　before　the　rest　return；〃　he　said；　nodding　in　satisfaction。　Nerith　had　managed　to　sink　her　teeth　into　a　Saldaean's　wrist　and　was　hanging　on　like　a　badger。
　　　　　　　〃Feed　them　quick；〃　Rand　said　irritably。　Would　every　sul'dam　he　captured　be　as　difficult？　Very　likely。　Light；　what　if　they　took　a　damane？　〃I　don't　want　to　spend　all　winter　in　these　mountains。〃　Gille　the　damane。　He　could　not　erase　a　name　once　it　went　onto　that　list。
　　　　　　　The　dead　are　never　silent；　Lews　Therin　whispered。　The　dead　never　sleep。
　　　　　　　Rand　rode　down　toward　the　fires。　He　did　not　feel　like　eating。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　From　the　point　of　a　thrusting　shoulder　of　stone；　Furyk　Karede　carefully　studied　the　forested　mountains　rising　all　around　him；　sharp　peaks　like　dark　fangs。　His　horse；　a　tall　dappled　gelding；　stiffened　his　ears　as　though　catching　a　sound　he　had　missed；　but　otherwise　the　animal　was　still。　Every　so　often；　Karede　had　to　stop　and　wipe　the　lens　of　his　looking　glass。　A　light　rain　fell　from　a　gray　morning　sky。　His　helmet's　two　black　plumes　were　bent　over　instead　of　standing　straight；　and　water　ran　down　his　back。　A　light　rain　pared　to　yesterday；　anyway；　and　probably　pared　to　tomorrow。　Or　this　afternoon；　perhaps。　Thunder　rumbled　ominously　in　the　south。　Karede's　concern　had　nothing　to　do　with　weather；　though。
　　　　　　　Below　him；　the　last　of　twenty…three　hundred　men　snaked　through　the　winding　passes；　men　gathered　from　four　outposts。　Well…mounted；　reasonably　well…led；　yet　a　bare　two　hundred　were　Seanchan；　and　just　two　besides　himself　wore　the　red…and…green　of　the　Guard。　Most　of　the　remainder　were　Taraboners　…　he　knew　their　mettle　…　but　a　good　third　were　Amadicians　and　Altarans；　too　new　to　their　oaths　for　any　to　be　sure　how　they　would　stand　up。　Some　Altarans　and　Amadicians　had　switched　allegiance　two　or　three　times　already。　Tried　to；　anyway。　People　this　side　of　the　Aryth　Ocean　had　no　shame。　A　dozen　sul'dam　rode　near　the　front　of　the　column；　and　he　wished　all　twelve　had　leashed　damanes　walking　by　their　horses　instead　of　only　two。
　　　　　　　Fifty　paces　farther　on；　the　ten　men　of　the　spearhead　were　watching　the　slopes　above　them；　though　not　as　carefully　as　they　should　have。　Too　many　men　who　rode　spearhead　relied　on　the　forward　scouts　to　find　any　dangers。　Karede　made　a　note　to　speak　to　them　personally。　They　would　do　their　duties　properly　after　that；　or　he　would　send　them　to　the　labor　levies。
　　　　　　　A　raken　appeared　in　the　east　ahead；　skimming　low　over　the　treetops；　twisting　and　turning　to　follow　the　curves　of　the　land　like　a　man　running　his　hand　down　a　woman's　back。　Peculiar。　Morat'raken；　fliers；　always　liked　to　soar　high　unless　the　sky　was　actually　full　of　lightning。　Karede　lowered　the　looking　glass　to　watch。
　　　　　　　〃Maybe　we'll　finally　get　another　scouting　report；〃　Jadranka　said。　To　the　other　officers　waiting　behind　Karede；　not　to　him。　Three　of　the　ten　matched　Karede's　rank；　yet　few　except　the　Blood　disturbed　a　man　in　the　blood…red　and　nearly　black　green　of　the　Deathwatch　Guard。　Not　that　many　among　the　Blood　did。
　　　　　　　According　to　the　tales　he　had　heard　as　a　child；　one　of　his　ancestors；　a　noble；　had　followed　Luthair　Paendrag　to　Seanchan　at　Artur　Hawkwing's　mand；　but　two　hundred　years　later；　with　only　the　north　secure；　another　ancestor　tried　to　carve　out　a　kingdom　of　his　own　and　ended　sold　from　the　block　instead。　Perhaps　it　was　so；　many　da'covale　claimed　noble　ancestors。　Among　themselves；　at　least；　few　of　the　Blood　found　such　chatter　amusing。　In　any　case；　Karede　had　felt　lucky　when　the　Choosers　picked　him　out；　a　sturdy　boy　not　yet　old　enough　to　be　assigned　duties；　and　he　still　felt　pride　in　the　ravens　tattooed　on　his　shoulders。　Many　Deathwatch　Guards　went　without　coat　or　shirt　whenever　possible；　to　display　those。　The　humans；　anyway。　Ogier　Gardeners　were　not　marked　or　owned；　but　that　was　between　them　and　the　Empress。
　　　　　　　Karede　was　da'covale　and　proud　of　it；　like　every　man　of　the　Guard；　the　property　of　the　Crystal　Throne；　body　and　soul。　He　fought　where　the　Empress　pointed；　and　would　die　the　day　she　said　die。　To　the　Empress　alone　did　the　Guard　answer；　and　where　they　appeared；　they　appeared　as　her　hand；　a　visible　reminder　of　her。　No　wonder　that　some　among　the　Blood　could　bee　uneasy　watching　a　detachment　of　Guardsmen　pass。　A　far　better　life　than　mucking　out　a　Lord's　stables　or　serving　kaf　to　a　Lady。　But　he　cursed　the　luck　that　had　sent　him　into　these　mountains　to　inspect　the　outposts。
　　　　　　　The　raken　darted　on　westward；　the　two　fliers　crouched　low　in　their　saddle。　There　was　no　scouting　report；　no　message　for　him。　Furyk　knew　it　was　his　imagination；　but　the　creature's　long；　outstretched　neck　somehow　looked。。。　anxious。　Had　he　been　anyone　else；　he　might　have　been　anxious；　too。　There　had　been　few　messages　for　him　since　his　orders　three　days　ago　to　assume　mand　and　move　east。　Each　message　had　thickened　the　fog　more　than　cleared　it。
　　　　　　　The　locals；　these　Altarans；　had　moved　into　the　mountains　in　force；　it　seemed；　but　how？　The　roads　along　the　northern　border　of　this　range　were　patrolled　and　watched　nearly　to　the　border　of　Illian；　by　fliers　and　morat'torm　as　well　as　horse…mounted　parties。　What　could　have　made　the　Altarans　decide　to　show　so　many　teeth？　To　stand　together？　A　man　might　find　himself　in　a　duel　for　a　look　…　though　they　had　begun　to　learn　challenging　a　Guardsman　was　just　a　slower　way　of　cutting　your　own　throat　…　but　he　had　seen　nobles　of　this　so…called　nation　trying　to　sell　each　other　and　their　Queen　for　the　mere　suggestion　that　their　own　lands　might　be　protected　and　perhaps　those　of　their　neighbor　added　to　them。
　　　　　　　Nadoc；　a　big　man　with　a　deceptively　mild　face；　twisted　in　his　saddle　to　watch　the　raken。　〃I　don't　like　marching　blind；〃　he　muttered。　〃Not　when　the　Altarans　have　managed　to　put　forty　thousand　men　up　here。　Forty；　at　least。〃
　　　　　　　Jadranka　snorted　so　hard　that　his　tall　white　gelding　shifted。　Jadranka　was　the　senior　of　the　three　captains　behind　Karede；　having　served　as　long　as　Karede　himself。　A　short　thin　man　with　a　prominent　nose　and　such　airs　you　might　have　thought　him　of　the　Blood。　That　horse　would　stand　out　at　a　mile。　〃Forty　thousand　or　a　hundred；　Nadoc；　they're　scattered　from　here　to　the　end　of　the　range；　too　far　apart　to　support　one　another。　Stab　my　eyes；　likely　half　are　dead　already。　They　must　be　tangling　with　outposts　everywhere。　That's　why　we　aren't　getting　reports。　We're　just　expected　to　sweep　up　the　remnants。〃
　　　　　　　Karede　swallowed　a　sigh。　He　had　hoped　Jadranka　was　not　a　fool　atop　his　airs。　Praise　of　victors　spread　quickly；　whether　they　were　an　army　or　half　a　Banner。　It　was　the　rare　defeats　that　were　swallowed　in　silence　and　forgotten。　So　much　silence　was。。。　ominous。
　　　　　　　〃That　last　report　didn't　sound　like　remnants　to　me；〃　Nadoc　persisted。　He　was　no　fool。　〃There　are　five　thousand　men　not　fifty　miles　ahead　of　us；　and　I　doubt　we'll　take　them　with　brooms。〃
　　　　　　　Jadranka　snorted　again。　〃We'll　crush　them；　with　swords　or　brooms。　The　Light　burn　my　eyes；　I　can　hardly　wait　for　a　decent　engagement。　I　told　the　scouts　to　press　on　until　they　found　them。　I　won't　have　them　slipping　away　from　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　did　what？〃　Karede　said　softly。
　　　　　　　Soft　or　not；　his　words　jerked　every　eye　toward　him。　Though　Nadoc　and　a　few　of　the　others　had　to　struggle　to　stop　gaping　at　Jadranka。　Scouts　told　to　press　ahead；　scouts　told　what　to　look　for。　What　had　gone　unseen　for　those　orders？
　　　　　　　Before　anyone　could　open　his　mouth　shouts　rose　from　the　men　in　the　pass；　screams　and　the　shrieks　of　horses。
　　　　　　　Karede　pressed　the　leather　tube　of　the　looking　glass　to　his　eye。　Along　the　pass　ahead　of　him；　men　and　horses　were　dying　under　a　hail　of　what　he　thought　must　be　crossbow　bolts；　the　way　they　hammered　through　steel　breastplates；　exploded　through　chests　protected　by　mail。　Hundreds　were　down　already；　hundreds　more　sagging　wounded　in　their　saddles　or　afoot　and　running　from　horses　thrashing　on　the　ground。　Too　many　were　running。　Even　as　he　looked；　men　still　mounted　whirled　their　horses　to　try　fleeing　back　up　the　pass。　Where　in　the　Light　were　the　sul'dam！　He　could　not　find　them。　He　had　faced　rebels　who　had　sul'dam　and　damane；　and　they　always　had　to　be　killed　as　fast　as　possible。　Maybe　the　locals　had　learned　that。
　　　　　　　Suddenly；　shockingly；　the　ground　began　to　erupt　in　roaring　fountains　all　along　the　writhing　snake　of　his　mand；　fountains　that　flung　men　and　horses　into　the　air　as　easily　as　dirt　and　stones。　Lightning　flashed　out　of　the　sky；　blue…white　bolts　shattering　earth　and　men　alike。　Other　men　simply　exploded；　ripped　to　shreds　by　nothing　he　could　see。　Did　the　locals　have　damane　of　their　own？　No；　it　would　be　those　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃　Nadoc　said。　He　sounded　shaken。　As　well　he　might。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　think　to　abandon　your　men？〃　Jadranka　snarled。　〃We　rally　them　and　attack；　you　…！〃　He　cut　off；　gurgling；　as　Karede's　swordpoint　went　neatly　into　his　throat。　There　were　times　fools　could　be　tolerated；　and　times　not。　As　the　man　toppled　from　his　saddle；　Karede　deftly　wiped　his　blade　on　the　gelding's　white　mane　before　the　animal　bolted。　There　were　times　for　a　little　show；　too。
　　　　　　　〃We　rally　what　can　be　rallied；　Nadoc；〃　he　said　as　if　Jadranka　had　never　spoken。　As　if　he　had　never　been。　〃We　save　what　can　be　saved；　and　fall　back。〃
　　　　　　　Turning　to　ride　down　into　the　pass　where　lightnings　flashed　and　thunders　roared；　he　ordered　Anghar；　a　steady…eyed　young　man　with　a　fast　horse；　to　ride　east　and　report　what　had　transpired　here。　Perhaps　a　flier　would　see　and　perhaps　not；　though　Karede　suspected　he　knew　why　they　flew　low；　now。　He　suspected　the　High　Lady　Suroth　and　the　generals　in　Ebou　Dar　already　knew　what　was　occurring　up　here；　too。　Was　today　the　day　he　died　for　the　Empress？　He　dug　his　heels　into　his　horse's　flanks。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　From　the　flat；　thinly　treed　ridge；　Rand　peered　westward　over　the　forest　before　him。　With　the　Power　in　him　…　life；　so　sweet；　vileness；　oh；　so　vile　…　he　could　see　individual　leaves；　but　it　was　not　enough。　Tai'daishar　stamped　a　hoof。　The　jagged　peaks　behind；　to　either　side；　and　all　around　overtopped　the　ridge　by　a　mile　or　more；　but　the　ridge　stood　well　above　the　treetops　b