友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

rj.acrownofswords-第117章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 not quite look at Karldin。
   〃You don't mean that; Perrin。〃 Loial sounded shocked; he seemed to trust everyone。 〃You cannot。 e with me; you and Faile。〃
   〃We'll meet again; one day;〃 Perrin told him gently; and hurried past before he had to say more。 He did not like lying; especially not to a friend。
   In the north stable things were much the same as inside the palace。 Grooms saw him walk in; and dropped dung forks and curry bs; crowding out through small doors at the back。 Rustles in the loft high above that might have escaped another's ears told of folk hiding there; he could hear anxious; fearful breaths。 He brought Stepper out of a green…streaked marble stall; slipped on his bridle and tied the dun stallion to a gilded hitching ring。 He went to fetch blanket and saddle from a marble tack room where half the saddles were mounted with silver or gold。 The stable fit very well in a palace; with tall square marble columns and a marble floor; even under the straw in the stalls。 He rode out glad to see the back of grandeur。
   North of the city he followed the road he had e down so desperately with Rand just a few days before; rode until folds in the land hid Cairhien。 Then he turned off to the east; where a fair patch of forest remained; running down one tall hill and over the next; taller one。 Just inside the trees; Faile booted Swallow to meet him; Aram heeling her like a hound on his own horse。 Aram's face brightened at the sight of him; though that was not saying much; he merely divided his faithful hound looks between him and Faile。
   〃Husband;〃 she said。 Not too coolly; but razor…sharp anger and spiky jealousy still threaded through the clean scent of her and her herbal soap。 She was garbed for travel; with a thin dust…cloak hanging down her back and red gloves that matched the boots peeking out beneath the dark narrow riding skirts she favored。 No fewer than four sheathed daggers were tucked behind her belt。
   Movement behind her turned into Bain and Chiad。 And Sulin; with a dozen more Maidens。 Perrin's eyebrows rose。 He wondered what Gaul thought of that; the Aielman had said he was looking forward to getting Bain and Chiad alone。 Even more surprising were Faile's other panions。
   〃What are they doing here?〃 He nodded toward a small cluster who held their horses back。 He recognized Selande and Camaille and the tall Tairen woman; all still in men's clothes and wearing swords。 The blocky fellow in a fat…sleeved coat who had kept his beard oiled and trimmed to a point despite wearing his hair tied back with a ribbon also looked familiar。 The other two men; both Cairhienin; he did not know; but he could guess; by their youth and the ribbon tying their hair if nothing else; that they were part of Selande's 〃society。〃
   〃I took Selande and a few of her friends into my service。〃 Faile spoke lightly; but suddenly she gave off foggy waves of caution。 〃They would have gotten themselves into trouble in the city; sooner or later。 They need someone to give them direction。 Think of them as charity。 I won't let them get under your feet。〃
   Perrin sighed and scratched his beard。 A wise man did not tell his wife to her face that she was hiding things。 Especially when that wife was Faile; she was going to be as formidable as her mother。 If she was not already。 Under his feet? How many of these。。。 puppies。。。 had she taken on? 〃Is everything ready? Pretty soon some idiot back there will decide he can curry favor by bringing Rand my head。 I'd like to be gone before that。〃 Aram growled in his throat。
   〃No one is going to take your head; husband。〃 Faile showed white teeth; and went on in a whisper she knew he would catch。 〃Except perhaps me。〃 In a normal voice; she said; 〃All is ready。〃
   In a clear; fairly flat hollow beyond the trees; the Two Rivers men stood beside their horses; a column of twos that wound out of sight around the side of the hill。 Perrin sighed again。 The red wolfhead banner and the Red Eagle of Manetheren stirred slightly in a hot breeze at the head of the column。 Maybe another dozen Maidens squatted on their heels near the banners; on the other side; Gaul wore as close to a sullen expression as Perrin had ever seen on an Aiel。
   As he dismounted; two black…coated men came to him; saluting with fist pressed to heart。 〃Lord Perrin;〃 Jur Grady said。 〃We've been here since last night。 We are ready。〃
   Grady's weathered farmer's face made Perrin almost fortable with him; but Fager Neald was another matter。 Maybe ten years younger than Grady; he might have been a farmer too for all Perrin knew; but he affected airs and graces; and wore his pitiful mustache waxed to a semblance of points。 Where Grady was one of the Dedicated; he was a Soldier; without the silver sword pinned to his collar; but that did not hold him back from speaking。 〃Lord Perrin; is it really necessary to take those women with us? They'll be nothing but trouble; they will; the whole lot of them; and you know it well。〃
   Some of the women he was talking about stood not far from the Two Rivers men; shawls looped over their arms。 Edarra appeared the eldest of the six Wise Ones impassively watching the two women Neald had nodded to。 In truth; that pair worried Perrin as well。 Seonid Traighan; all coolness and reserve in green silk; had been haughtily trying to ignore the Aiel women … most Cairhienin who were not pretending to be Aiel despised them … but when she saw Perrin; she shifted her bay's reins to the other hand and gave Masuri Sokawa a nudge in the ribs。 Masuri started … Browns seemed to go off in daydreams fairly often … stared at the Green sister blankly; then directed her stare at Perrin。 This one was more the sort she might have given some peculiar and perhaps dangerous animal; one she intended to be sure of before she was done。 They had sworn to obey Rand al'Thor; but how would they do obeying Perrin Aybara? Giving orders to Aes Sedai seemed unnatural。 But better than the other way around; at least。
   〃Everybody es;〃 Perrin said。 〃Let's be gone before we are seen。〃 Faile sniffed。
   Grady and Neald saluted again and strode out to the middle of the treeless area。 Perrin had no idea which of them did what was necessary; but suddenly the now…familiar silvery vertical flash in the air rotated into a gateway not quite tall enough to ride through。 Trees showed beyond the opening; not that much different from those on the surrounding hills。 Grady strode through immediately; but even so he was nearly knocked down by Sulin and a small horde of veiled Maidens。 They seemed to have taken the honor of being first through a gateway for themselves; and were not about to let anyone usurp it。
   Foreseeing a hundred problems he had not thought of; Perrin led Stepper through into a land not so hilly。 There was no clearing; but it was not so thickly treed as the hollow back in Cairhien; either。 The scattered trees were taller; but just as sere; even the pines。 He did not recognize much else except for oak and leatherleaf。 The air seemed a little hotter。
   Faile followed him; but when he turned to the left; she took Swallow right。 Aram's head swung worriedly between them until Perrin nodded toward his wife。 The onetime Tinker hauled his gelding after her; but quick as he was; he was not before Bain and Chiad; still veiled; and; for all Perrin's orders that the Two Rivers men were to be next; Selande and a good two dozen young Cairhienin and Tairens poured out of the gateway drawing their horses along。 Two dozen! Shaking his head; Perrin stopped beside Grady; who turned this way and that; studying the sparse woodland。
   Gaul came stalking up as Dannil finally began leading the Two Rivers men out at a run; pulling their horses。 Those bloody banners appeared right behind Dannil; going up as soon as they were clear。 The man ought to shave those fool mustaches。
   〃Women are beyond any belief;〃 Gaul muttered。
   Perrin opened his mouth to defend Faile before he realized it must be Bain and Chiad the man was glaring at。 To cover; he said; 〃Do you have a wife; Grady?〃
   〃Sora;〃 Grady answered absently; his attention still on the surrounding trees。 Perrin would have wagered he held the Power now; for sure。 Anyone could see a long way in this; pared to any woods back home; but someone could still sneak up on you。 〃She's missing me;〃 Grady went on; almost to himself。 〃You learn to recognize that one right off。 I wish I knew why her knee hurts; though。〃
   〃Her knee hurts;〃 Perrin said flatly。 〃Right this minute; it hurts。〃
   Grady seemed to realize he was staring; and Gaul was too。 He blinked; but went right back to his study。 〃Forgive me; Lord Perrin。 I need to keep a watch。〃 For a long moment he said nothing; then began slowly; 〃It's something a fellow named Canler worked out。 The M'Hael doesn't like us trying to figure out things on our own; but once it was done。。。 〃 His slight grimace said perhaps Taim had not been all that easy about it even then。 〃We think maybe it's something like the bond between Warders and Aes Sedai。 Maybe one in three of us is married; anyway; that's how many wives stayed instead of running off when they learned what their husbands were。 This way; whe
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!