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！
〃You can wear them。 A coat's a coat。 I understand Moiraine Sedai herself saw to your packing。 Maybe Aes Sedai do not exactly understand what a man wears in the field。〃 Ingtar grinned。 〃After we catch these Trollocs； perhaps we'll have a feast。 You will be dressed for it； at least； even if the rest of us are not。〃 He strolled back to where the cook fires were already burning。
Rand had not moved since Ingtar mentioned Moiraine。 He stared at the coats。 What is she doing？ Whatever it is； I will not be used。 He bundled everything together again and stuffed the bundle back into the pannier。 I can always go naked； he thought bitterly。
Shienarans took turns at the cooking when they were in the field； and Masema was stirring the kettle when Rand returned to the fires。 The smell of a stew made from turnips； onions； and dried meat settled over the camp。 Ingtar was served first； and then Uno； but everyone else stood in line however they happened to e。 Masema slopped a big ladle of stew on Rand's plate； Rand stepped back quickly to keep from getting the overflow on his coat； and made room for the next man while sucking a burned thumb。 Masema stared at him； with a fixed grin that never reached his eyes。 Until Uno stepped up and cuffed him。
〃We didn't bloody bring enough for you to be spilling it on the flaming ground。〃 The one…eyed man looked at Rand and left。 Masema rubbed his ear； but his glare followed Rand。
Rand went to join Ingtar and Loial； sitting on the ground under a spreading oak。 Ingtar had his helmet off； on the ground beside him； but otherwise he was fully armored。 Mat and Perrin were already there； eating hungrily。 Mat gave a broad sneer at Rand's coat； but Perrin barely looked up； golden eyes shining in the half…light from the fires； before bending back to his plate。
At least they didn't leave this time。
He sat cross…legged on the other side of Ingtar from them。 〃I wish I knew why Uno keeps looking at me。 It's probably this bloody coat。〃
Ingtar paused thoughtfully around a mouthful of stew。 Finally he said； 〃Uno no doubt wonders if you are worthy of a heron…mark blade。〃 Mat snorted loudly； but Ingtar went on unperturbed。 〃Do not let Uno upset you。 He would treat Lord Agelmar like a raw recruit if he could。 Well； perhaps not Agelmar； but anyone else。 He has a tongue like a file； but he gives good advice。 He should； he's been campaigning since before I was born。 Listen to his advice； don't mind his tongue； and you will do all right with Uno。〃
〃I thought he was like Masema。〃 Rand shoveled stew into his mouth。 It was too hot； but he gulped it down。 They had not eaten since leaving Fal Dara； and he had been too worried to eat that morning。 His stomach rumbled； reminding him it was past time。 He wondered if telling Masema he liked the food would help。 〃Masema acts like he hates me； and I don't understand it。〃
〃Masema served three years in the Eastern Marches；〃 Ingtar said。 〃At Ankor Dail； against the Aiel。〃 He stirred his stew with his spoon； frowning。 〃I ask no questions； mind。 If Lan Dai Shan and Moiraine Sedai want to say you are from Andor； from the Two Rivers； then you are。 But Masema can't get the look of the Aiel out of his head； and when he sees you 。。。〃 He shrugged。 〃I ask no questions。〃
Rand dropped his spoon in the plate with a sigh。 〃Everybody thinks I'm somebody I am not。 I am from the Two Rivers； Ingtar。 I grew tabac with … with my father； and tended his sheep。 That is what I am。 A farmer and shepherd from the Two Rivers。〃
〃He's from the Two Rivers；〃 Mat said scornfully。 〃I grew up with him； though you'd never know it now。 You put this Aiel nonsense in his head on top of what's already there； and the Light knows what we'll have。 An Aiel lord； maybe。〃
〃No；〃 Loial said； 〃he has the look。 You remember； Rand； I remarked on it once； though I thought it was just because I didn't know you humans well enough then。 Remember？ 'Till shade is gone； till water is gone； into the Shadow with teeth bared； screaming defiance with the last breath； to spit in Sightblinder's eye on the Last Day。' You remember； Rand。〃
Rand stared at his plate。 Wrap a shoufa around your head； and you would be the image of an Aielman。 That had been Gawyn； brother to Elayne； the Daughter…Heir of Andor。 Everybody thinks I'm somebody I'm not。
〃What was that？〃 Mat asked。 〃About spitting in the Dark One's eye。〃
〃That's how long the Aiel say they'll fight；〃 Ingtar said； 〃and I don't doubt they will。 Except for peddlers and gleemen； Aiel divide the world in two。 Aiel； and enemies。 They changed that for Cairhien five hundred years ago； for some reason no one but an Aiel could understand； but I do not think they will ever do so again。〃
〃I suppose not；〃 Loial sighed。 〃But they do let the Tuatha'an； the Traveling People； cross the Waste。 And they don't see Ogier as enemies； either； though I doubt any of us would want to go out into the Waste。 Aiel e to Stedding Shangtai sometimes to trade for sung wood。 A hard people； though。〃
Ingtar nodded。 〃I wish I had some as hard。 Half as hard。〃
〃Is that a joke？〃 Mat laughed。 〃If I ran a mile wearing all the iron you're wearing； I would fall down and sleep a week。 You've done it mile after mile all day。〃
〃Aiel are hard；〃 Ingtar said。 〃Man and woman； hard。 I've fought them； and I know。 They will run fifty miles； and fight a battle at the end of it。 They're death walking； with any weapon or none。 Except a sword。 They will not touch a sword； for some reason。 Or ride a horse； not that they need to。 If you have a sword； and the Aielman has his bare hands； it is an even fight。 If you're good。 They herd cattle and goats where you or I would die of thirst before the day was done。 They dig their villages into huge rock spires out in the Waste。 They've been there since the Breaking； near enough。 Artur Hawkwing tried to dig them out and was bloodied； the only major defeats he ever suffered。 By day the air in the Aiel Waste shimmers with heat； and by night it freezes。 And an Aiel will give you that blue…eyed stare and tell you there is no place on earth he would rather be。 He won't be lying； either。 If they ever tried to e out； we would be hard…pressed to stop them。 The Aiel War lasted three years； and that was only four out of thirteen clans。〃
〃Gray eyes from his mother doesn't make him an Aiel；〃 Mat said。
Ingtar shrugged。 〃As I said； I ask no questions。〃
When Rand finally settled down for the night； his head hummed with unwanted thoughts。 Image of an Aielman。 Moiraine Sedai wants to say you're from the Two Rivers。 Aiel ravaged all the way to Tar Valon。 Born on the slopes of Dragonmount。 The Dragon Reborn。
〃I will not be used；〃 he muttered； but sleep was a long time ing。
Ingtar broke camp before the sun was up in the morning。 They had breakfasted and were riding south while the clouds in the east were still red with sunrise to e and dew still hung on the leaves。 This time Ingtar put out scouts； and though the pace was hard； it was no longer horse…killing。 Rand thought maybe Ingtar had realized they were not going to do it all in a day。 The trail still led south； Hurin said。 Until； two hours after the sun rose； one of the scouts came galloping back。
〃Abandoned camp ahead； my Lord。 Just on that hilltop there。 Must have been at least thirty or forty of them there last night； my Lord。〃
Ingtar put spurs to horse as if he had been told the Darkfriends were still there； and Rand had to keep pace or be trampled by the Shienarans who galloped up the hill behind him。
There was not much to see。 The cold ashes of campfires； well hidden in the trees； with what looked like the remnants of a meal tossed in them。 A refuse heap too near the fires and already buzzing with flies。
Ingtar kept the others back； and dismounted to walk through the campsite with Uno； examining the ground。 Hurin rode the circumference of the site； sniffing。 Rand sat his stallion with the other men； he had no desire for any closer look at a place where Trollocs and Darkfriends had camped。 And a Fade。 And something worse。
Mat scrambled up the hill afoot and stalked into the campsite。 〃Is this what a Darkfriend camp looks like？ Smells a bit； but I can't say it looks any different from anybody else's。〃 He kicked at one of the ash heaps； knocking out a piece of burned bone； and stooped to pick it up。 〃What do Darkfriends eat？ Doesn't look like a sheep bone； or a cow。〃
〃There was murder done here；〃 Hurin said mournfully。 He scrubbed at his nose with a kerchief。 〃Worse than murder。〃'
〃There were Trollocs here；〃 Ingtar said； looking straight at Mat。 〃I suppose they got hungry； and the Darkfriends were handy。〃 Mat dropped the blackened bone； he looked as if he were going to be sick。
〃They are not going south any longer； my Lord；〃 Hurin said。 That took everyone's attention。 He pointed back； to the northeast。 〃Maybe they've decided to break for the Blight after all。 Go around us。 Maybe they were just trying to put us off by ing south。〃 He did not sound as if he believed it。 He sounded puzzled。
〃Whatever they were trying；〃 Ingtar snarled； 〃I'll ha