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！
〃Would you not like to swim？ I do not swim well myself； but surely you will teach me。〃
Rand sighed。 For a moment he wished Aviendha was there。 No。 The last thing he wanted was a bruised Selande running screaming with her clothes half torn off。
Hooding his eyes； he looked down at her and spoke quietly around his pipe。 〃I can channel。〃 She blinked； drawing back without moving a muscle。 They never understood why he would bring that up； for them it was something to be glossed over； ignored if possible。 〃They say I'll go mad。 But I'm not mad yet。 Not yet。〃 He chuckled from deep in his chest； then cut it off abruptly； made his face blank。 〃Teach you to swim？ I'll hold you up in the water with the Power。 Saidin is tainted； you know。 The Dark One's touch。 You won't feel it； though。 All around you； but you'll not feel a thing。〃 Another chuckle； with a hint of a wheeze。 Her dark eyes were as wide and round as they would go； her smile a sickly rictus。 〃Later； then。 I want to be alone； to think about。。。〃 He bent as if to kiss her； and with a squeak； she dropped a curtsy so sudden that at first he thought her legs had collapsed。
Backing away； curtsying hurriedly at every other step； she babbled about the honor of serving him； her deepest wish to serve him； all in a voice on the brink of hysteria； until she bumped into one of the square arches。 A final； half…bend of her knees； and she darted inside。
With a grimace； he turned back to the railing。 Frightening women。 She would have made excuses had he asked her to leave him； would have taken a mand as only a temporary setback unless it was to stay out of his sight； and even then。。。 Maybe word would spread this time。 He had to keep a short rein on his temper； it ran away too easily of late。 It was the drought he could do nothing about； the problems that sprang up like weeds wherever he looked。 A few moments more alone with his pipe。 Who would rule a nation when he could have easier work； such as carrying water uphill in a sieve？
Across the garden； between two of the Royal Palace's stepped towers； he had a view of Cairhien； harshly lit and shadowed； mastering the hills more than flowing over them。 His crimson flag with the ancient Aes Sedai symbol hung limply above one of those two towers； a long copy of the Dragon Banner over the other。 That one flew a dozen places in the city； including the tallest of the great unfinished towers； right in front of him。 Shouting had done as little as orders there； neither Tairens nor Cairhienin could believe he really meant that he only wanted one； and Aiel did not care about banners one way or another。
Even now； deep inside the palace； be could hear the murmur of a city jammed to bursting。 Refugees from every corner of the land； more afraid to return to their homes than they were to have the Dragon Reborn in their midst。 Merchants seeping in； selling whatever people could afford to buy and buying whatever people could not afford to keep。 Lords and armed men rallying to his banner； or to someone's。 Hunters for the Horn thinking it must be found near him； a dozen Foregaters； or a hundred； were ready to sell it to any of them。 Ogier stonemasons down from Stedding Tsofu to see if there was work for their fabled skills。 Adventurers； some of whom might have been bandits a week gone； e to see what they could pick up。 There had even been a hundred or so Whitecloaks； though they had galloped out as soon as it was clear the siege had been lifted。 Did Pedron Niall's ingathering of the Whitecloaks concern him？ Egwene gave him hints of things； but she saw matters from the White Tower； wherever she stood。 The Aes Sedai point of view was not his。
At least the wagon trains full of grain were beginning to arrive from Tear with some regularity。 Hungry people could riot。 He wished he could have simply left it at being glad they were not so hungry anymore； but there it was。 The bandits were fewer。 And the civil war had not resumed。 Yet。 More good news。 He had to make certain it stayed that way before he could leave。 A hundred things to take care of before he could go after Sammael。 Only Rhuarc and Bael remained of the chiefs he really trusted； those who had marched from Rhuidean with him。 But if the four clans who had joined him late could not be trusted on the march to Tear； could he trust them loose in Cairhien？ Indirian and the others had acknowledged him as Car'a'carn； but they knew him as little as he knew them。 The message that morning might be a problem。 Berelain； First of Mayene； was only a few hundred miles south of the city； on her way to join him with a small army； he had no idea how she had led it across Tear。 Oddly； her letter had asked if Perrin was with him。 No doubt she feared Rand might forget her small country if she did not remind him。 It might almost be a pleasure to watch her spar with the Cairhienin； the latest in a long line of Firsts who had managed to keep Tear from swallowing their country by playing the Game of Houses。 Perhaps if he put her in charge here。。。 He would be taking Meilan and the other Tairens with him when the time came。 If it ever came。
This was no better than what was waiting inside。 Tapping the dottle from his pipe； he ground out the tabac's last sparks under his boot。 No need to risk fire to the garden； it would go up like a torch。 The drought。 The unnatural weather。 He realized he was snarling silently。 First work on what he knew he could do something about。 It took an effort to smooth his face before he went in。
Asmodean； as well dressed as any lord； with falls of lace at his neck； plucked a soothing melody from his harp in one corner； leaning against the dark severe paneling as if lounging at his leisure。 The others who were sitting bobbed out of their chairs at Rand's appearance； and back down at his sharp gesture。 Meilan； Torean and Arae occupied carved…and…gilded chairs on one side of the deep red and gold carpet； each with a young Tairen lord at his back； mirroring the Cairhienin on the other side。 Dobraine and Manngil had a young lord apiece behind them； too； each with the front of his head shaved and powdered like Dobraine's。 A white…faced Selande stood at Colavaere's shoulder； and trembled when Rand looked at her。
Schooling his face； he strode down the carpet to his own chair。 That chair alone was reason to control his features。 It was a new gift from Colavaere and the other two； in what they imagined was the Tairen style。 He must like Tairen gaudiness； he ruled Tear； had sent them here。 Carved Dragons held it up； all sparkling red and gold with enamel and gilt； and great sunstones for their golden eyes。 Two more made the arms； and others climbed the tall back。 Countless craftsmen must have gone without sleep since his arrival to make the thing。 He felt like a fool sitting on it。 Asmodean's music had changed； it had a grand sound； now； a triumphal march。
And yet； there was an added wariness in those dark Cairhienin eyes watching him； a wariness reflected in the Tairens。 It had been there before he went outside； too。 Perhaps in attempting to curry favor they had made a mistake that was only now dawning on them。 They had all tried to ignor