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！
I seek Cold Rocks Hold； good sirs； but I will trade with one and all。 I have many fine…〃
Rhuarc cut him off like an icy knife。 〃You head well away from Cold Rocks； or any hold。 How is it you have e this far from the Dragonwall without acquiring a guide？〃
〃I do not really know； good sir。〃 Kadere did not lose his smile； but the corners of his mouth tightened a trifle。 〃I have traveled openly。 This is my first visit to the Threefold Land so far south。 I thought perhaps here there are no guides。〃
Couladin snorted loudly； twirled one of his spears lazily。 Kadere hunched his shoulders as if he felt steel sliding into his thick body already。
〃There are always guides；〃 Rhuarc said coldly。 〃You have luck to have e so far without one。 Luck that you are not dead； or walking back to the Dragonwall in your skin。〃 Kadere flashed an uneasy； toothy smile； and the clan Chief went on。 〃Luck to meet us。 Had you continued this way another day or two； you would have reached Rhuidean。〃
The peddler's face went gray。 〃I have heard。 。 。〃 He stopped to swallow。 〃I did not know； good sirs。 You must believe； I would not do such a thing deliberately。 Nor by accident；〃 he added hastily。 〃The Light illumine my words for truth； good sirs； I would not！〃
〃That is well；〃 Rhuarc told him。 〃The penalties are severe。 You may travel with me to Cold Rocks。 It would not do for you to bee lost again。 The Three…fold Land can be a dangerous place for those who do not know it。〃
Couladin's head came up defiantly。 〃Why not with me？〃 he said in a sharp voice。 〃The Shaido are the more numerous here； Rhuarc。 By custom； he travels with me。〃
〃Have you bee a clan chief when I did not see？〃 The fire…haired Shaido flushed； but Rhuarc showed no hint of satisfaction； only went on in that level voice。 〃The peddler seeks Cold Rocks。 He will journey with me。 The Shaido with you may trade with him as we travel。 The Taardad are not so starved for peddlers that we try to keep them to ourselves。〃
Couladin's face went even darker； yet he moderated his tone； even if it did creak with the effort。 〃I will camp near Cold Rocks； Rhuarc。 He Who es With the Dawn concerns all Aiel； not only the Taardad。 The Shaido will have their proper place。 The Shaido； too； will follow He Who es With the Dawn。〃 He had not； Mat realized； acknowledged that that was Rand。 Peering at the wagons； Rand did not seem to be listening。
Rhuarc was silent a moment。 〃The Shaido will be wele guests in the lands of the Taardad； if they e to follow He Who es With the Dawn。〃 And that could be taken two ways； as well。
Kadere had been mopping his face all this time； likely seeing himself in the middle of a battle between Aiel。 He punctuated Rhuarc's invitation with a heavy sigh of relief。 〃Thank you； good sirs。 Thank you。〃 Probably for not killing him。 〃Perhaps you would care to see what my wagons have to offer？ Some special thing you might like？〃
〃Later；〃 Rhuarc said。 〃We will stop at Imre Stand for the night； and you may show your wares then。〃 Couladin was already striding away； having heard the name of Imre Stand； whatever that was。 Kadere started to put his hat back on。〃A hat；〃 Mat said； reining Pips closer to the peddler。 If he had to remain in the Waste a bit longer； at least he could keep that bloody sun out of his eyes。 〃I'll give a gold mark for a hat like that。〃
〃Done！〃 called a woman's huskily melodious voice。
Mat looked around； and gave a start。 The only woman in sight beside Aviendha and the Maidens was walking up from the second wagon； but she certainly did not match that voice； one of the loveliest he had ever heard。 Rand frowned at her and shook his head； and he had cause。 A foot shorter than Kadere； she must have weighed as much or more。 Rolls of fat nearly hid her dark eyes； disguising whether they were tilted or not； but her nose was a hatchet that dwarfed the peddler's。 In a dress of pale…cream silk stretched tight around her bulk； with a white lace shawl held above her bead on elaborate ivory bs thrust into long； coarse black hair； she moved with incongruous lightness； almost like one of the Maidens。
〃A good offer；〃 she said in those musical tones。 〃I am Keille Shaogi； peddler。〃 She snatched the hat away from Kadere and thrust it up at Mat。 〃Stout； good sir； and nearly new。 You will need its like to survive the Three…fold Land。 Here； a man can die。。。 〃 Fat fingers made a whip…crack。 〃。 。 。 like so。〃 Her sudden laugh had the same throaty； caressing quality as her voice。 〃Or a woman。 A gold mark； you said。〃 When he hesitated； her half…buried eyes glittered raven black。 〃I seldom offer any man a bargain twice。〃
A peculiar woman to say the least。 Kadere made no protest beyond the slightest grimace。 If Keille was his partner； there was no doubt who was the senior。 And if the hat kept Mat's head from broiling； it really was worth the price so far as he was concerned。 She bit the Tairen mark he handed her before releasing the hat。 For a wonder； it fit。 And if it was no cooler under that wide brim； at least it was blessedly shady。 The kerchief went into his coat pocket。
〃Anything for the rest of you？〃 The stout woman ran her eye over the Aiel； murmuring； 〃What a pretty child〃 to Aviendha with a baring of teeth that might have been a smile。 To Rand； she said sweetly； 〃And you； good sir？〃 That voice ing out of that face was truly jarring； especially when it took on this honeyed tone。 〃Something to shelter you from this desperate land？〃 Turning Jeade'en so he could peer at the wagon drivers； Rand only shook his head。 With that shoufa around his face； be really did look like an Aiel。
〃Tonight； Keille；〃 Kadere said。 〃We open trade tonight； at a place called Imre Stand。〃
〃Do we； now。〃 For a long moment she peered at the Shaido column； and at the Wise Ones' party for a longer。 Abruptly she turned for her own wagon； saying over her shoulder to the other peddler； 〃Then why are you keeping these good sirs standing here？ Move； Kadere。 Move。〃
Rand stared after her； shaking his head again。
There was a gleeman back by her wagon。 Mat blinked； thinking the heat had gotten to him； but the fellow did not vanish； a dark…haired man in his middle years wearing a patch…covered cloak。 He watched the gathering apprehensively until Keille shoved him up the wagon's step ahead of her。 Kadere looked at her white wagon with less expression than one of the Aiel before stalking off to his own。 Truly an odd lot。
〃Did you see the gleeman？〃 Mat asked Rand； who nodded vaguely； eyeing the line of wagons as if he had never seen a wagon before。 Rhuarc and Heirn were already on their way back to the rest of the Jindo。 The hundred surrounding Rand waited patiently； dividing their gaze between him and anything that might hide even a mouse。 The drivers began gathering their reins； but Rand did not move。 〃Strange people these peddlers； wouldn't you say； Rand？ But I suppose you have to be strange to e to the Waste。 Look at us。〃 That brought a grimace from Aviendha； but Rand seemed not to have heard。 Mat wanted him to say something。 Anything。 This silence was unnerving。 〃Would you have thoug