rj.acrownofswords-第141节

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　　　Plainly　the　man　would　rather　have　had　his　ship　brim　full　of　live　vipers。　He　blinked　at　the　Aes　Sedai's　shawls　and　stared　at　their　ageless　faces　and　licked　his　lips；　eyes　flickering　back　to　Rand　uneasily。　The　Asha'man　dropped　his　mouth　open　once　he　put　their　black　coats　together　with　rumor；　and　thereafter　he　avoided　so　much　as　a　glance　in　their　direction。　Shaene　watched　Dobraine　lead　the　men　with　the　banners　aboard；　and　the　trumpeters；　and　the　drummers　lugging　their　drums；　then　eyed　the　horsemen　lining　the　dock　as　if　he　suspected　they　might　want　to　board；　too。　Nandera；　with　twenty　Maidens；　and　Camar　with　twenty　Black　Eyes；　all　with　shoufa　wrapped　around　their　heads　though　unveiled；　made　the　captain　step　hastily　to　put　the　Aes　Sedai　between　him　and　them。　The　Aiel　wore　scowls；　for　the　heartbeat　that　needing　to　veil　might　slow　them；　but　the　Sea　Folk　might　well　know　what　a　veil　meant；　and　it　would　hardly　do　for　them　to　think　they　were　under　attack。　Rand　thought　Shaene's　handkerchief　might　yet　rub　away　what　thin　gray　fringe　of　hair　he　had　left。
　　　The　longboat　swept　away　from　the　dock　on　its　long　oars；　the　two　banners　rippling　in　the　bows；　and　the　drums　pounding；　and　the　trumpets　blaring。　Out　in　the　river；　people　appeared　on　the　decks　of　ships　to　watch；　even　climbed　into　the　rigging。　On　the　Sea　Folk　ship　they　came　out；　too；　many　in　bright　colors　unlike　the　drab　clothing　on　crews　of　the　other　vessels。　The　White　Spray　was　a　larger　craft　than　most　of　the　rest；　yet　somehow　sleeker　as　well；　with　two　tall　masts　raked　back　sharply　and　spars　laid　across　them　squarely　where　nearly　all　the　other　ships　had　slanting　spars　longer　than　the　masts　to　hold　most　of　their　sails。　Everything　about　it　spoke　of　difference；　but　in　one　thing；　Rand　knew；　the　Atha'an　Miere　had　to　be　like　everyone　else。　They　could　either　agree　to　follow　him　on　their　own　or　be　forced　to　it；　the　Prophecies　said　he　would　bind　together　the　people　of　every　land　…　〃The　north　shall　he　tie　to　the　east；　and　the　west　shall　be　bound　to　the　south；〃　it　said　…　and　no　one　could　be　allowed　to　stand　aside。　He　knew　that；　now。
　　　Sending　out　orders　from　his　bath；　he　had　not　had　an　opportunity　to　give　details　of　what　he　intended　on　reaching　White　Spray；　so　he　announced　them　now。　The　details　produced　grins　among　the　Asha'man；　as　expected　…　well；　Finn　and　Narishma　grinned；　Dashiva　blinked　absently　…　and　frowns　among　the　Aiel；　also　as　expected。　They　did　not　like　being　left　behind。　Dobraine　merely　nodded；　he　knew　he　was　only　here　for　show　today。　What　Rand　did　not　expect　was　the　Aes　Sedai　reaction。
　　　〃It　shall　be　as　you　mand；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　Merana　said；　making　one　of　those　small　curtsies。　The　other　four　exchanged　glances；　but　they　were　curtsying　and　murmuring　〃as　you　mand〃　right　behind　her。　Not　one　protest；　not　one　frown；　not　a　single　haughty　stare　or　recital　of　why　it　should　be　done　any　way　but　what　he　wanted。　Could　he　begin　to　trust　them？　Or　would　they　find　some　Aes　Sedai　way　to　wriggle　around　their　oath　as　soon　as　his　back　was　turned？
　　　〃They　will　keep　their　word；〃　Min　murmured　abruptly；　just　as　if　she　had　read　his　thoughts。　With　an　arm　wrapped　around　his　and　both　hands　holding　his　sleeve；　she　kept　her　voice　for　his　ears　alone。　〃I　just　saw　these　five　in　your　hand；〃　she　added　in　case　he　did　not　understand。　He　was　not　sure　he　could　fix　his　mind　around　that；　even　if　she　had　seen　it　in　a　viewing。
　　　He　did　not　have　long　to　try。　The　longboat　flew　through　the　water；　and　in　no　time　at　all　was　backing　oars　some　twenty　paces　from　the　much　taller　White　Spray。　Drums　and　trumpets　fell　silent；　and　Rand　channeled；　making　a　bridge　of　Air　laced　with　Fire　that　connected　the　longboat's　railing　to　that　of　the　Sea　Folk　ship。　With　Min　on　his　arm；　he　started　across；　to　every　eye　but　that　of　an　Asha'man；　walking　upward　on　nothing。
　　　He　half　expected　Min　to　falter；　at　least　at　first；　but　she　simply　walked　at　his　side　as　though　there　were　stone　beneath　her　green…heeled　boots。
　　　〃I　trust　you；〃　she　said　quietly。　She　smiled；　too；　partly　a　forting　smile；　and　partly；　he　thought；　because　she　was　amused　at　reading　his　mind　once　more。
　　　He　wondered　how　much　she　would　trust　if　she　knew　that　this　was　as　far　as　he　could　weave　a　bridge　like　this。　One　pace　farther；　one　foot；　and　the　whole　thing　would　have　given　way　at　the　first　step。　At　that　point　it　became　like　trying　to　lift　yourself　with　the　Power；　an　impossibility；　even　the　Forsaken　did　not　know　why；　any　more　than　they　knew　why　a　woman；　could　make　a　longer　bridge　than　a　man　even　if　she　was　not　as　strong。　It　was　not　a　matter　of　weight；　any　amount　of　weight　could　cross　any　bridge。
　　　Just　short　of　White　Spray's　railing；　he　stopped；　standing　in　midair。　For　all　Merana's　descriptions；　the　people　staring　back　at　him　were　a　shock。　Dark　women　and　bare…chested　men　with　colorful　sashes　that　dangled　to　the　knee；　and　gold　or　silver　chains　around　their　necks　and　rings　in　their　ears；　in　their　noses　of　all　places　on　some　of　the　women；　who　wore　a　rainbow　of　blouses　above　their　dark；　baggy　breeches。　None　had　any　more　expression　than　an　Aes　Sedai　who　was　trying　hard。　Four　of　the　women；　despite　being　barefoot　like　the　rest；　wore　bright　silks；　two　of　them　brocades；　and　they　had　more　necklaces　and　earrings　than　anyone　else　as　well；　with　a　chain　strung　with　gold　medallions　running　from　an　earring　to　a　ring　in　the　side　of　the　nose。　They　said　nothing；　only　stood　together　watching　him；　sniffing　at　small；　lacy　golden　boxes　that　hung　from　chains　around　their　necks。　He　addressed　himself　to　them。
　　　〃I　am　the　Dragon　Reborn。　I　am　the　Coramoor。〃
　　　A　collective　sigh　ran　through　the　crew。　Not　among　the　four　women；　though。
　　　〃I　am　Harine　din　Togara　Two　Winds；　Wavemistress　to　Clan　Shodein；〃　announced　the　one　with　the　most　earrings；　a　handsome；　full…mouthed　woman　in　red　brocade　wearing　five　fat　little　gold　rings　in　each　ear。　There　were　white　streaks　through　her　straight　black　hair；　and　fine　lines　at　the　corners　of　her　eyes。　She　had　an　impressive　dignity。　〃I　speak　here　for　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships。　If　it　pleases　the　Light；　the　Coramoor　may　e　aboard。〃　For　some　reason　she　gave　a　start；　and　so　did　the　three　with　her；　but　that　sounded　entirely　too　much　like　permission。　Rand　stepped　onto　the　deck　with　Min　wishing　he　had　not　waited。
　　　He　let　the　bridge　go；　and　saidin；　but　immediately　felt　another　bridge　replace　it。　In　short　order　the　Asha'man　and　the　Aes　Sedai　were　with　him；　the　sisters　no　more　flustered　than　Min　had　been；　though　perhaps　one　or　two　did　straighten　her　skirts　a　bit　more　than　necessary。　They　were　still　not　so　easy　around　the　Asha'man　as　they　pretended。
　　　The　four　Sea　Folk　women　took　one　look　at　the　Aes　Sedai　and　immediately　gathered　in　a　close　huddle；　whispering。　Harine　did　a　lot　of　the　talking；　and　so　did　a　young；　pretty　woman　in　green　brocade　with　eight　earrings　altogether；　but　the　pair　in　plain　silk　put　in　occasional　ments。
　　　Merana　coughed　delicately；　and　spoke　softly　into　the　hand　she　used　to　cover　it。　〃I　heard　her　name　you　the　Coramoor。　The　Atha'an　Miere　are　great　bargainers；　I've　heard；　but　I　think　she　gave　away　something；　then。〃　Nodding；　Rand　glanced　down　at　Min。　She　was　squinting　at　the　Sea　Folk　women；　but　as　soon　as　she　noticed　his　look；　she　shook　her　head　ruefully；　she　saw　nothing　yet　that　might　help　him。
　　　Harine　turned　so　calmly　there　might　never　have　been　any　hasty　conference。　〃This　is　Shalon　din　Togara　Morning　Tide；　Windfinder　to　Clan　Shodein；〃　she　said　with　a　small　bow　toward　the　woman　in　green　brocade；　〃and　this　is　Derah　din　Selaan　Rising　Wave；　Sailmistress　of　White　Spray。〃　Each　woman　bowed　slightly　as　she　was　named；　and　touched　fingers　to　her　lips。
　　　Derah；　a　handsome　woman　a　little　short　of　her　middle　years；　wore　plain　blue　and　also　eight　earrings；　though　her　earrings；　nose　ring；　and　the　chain　that　ran　between　was　finer　than　Harine's　or　Shalon's。　〃The　wele　of　my　ship　to　you；〃　Derah　said；　〃and　the　grace　of　the　Light　be　upon　you　until　you　leave　his　decks。〃　She　made　a　small　bow　toward　the　fourth　woman；　in　yellow。　〃This　is　Taval　din　Chanai　Nine　Gulls；　Windfinder　of　White　Spray。〃　Only　three　rings　hung　from　each　of　Taval's　ears；　fine　like　those　of　the　Sailmistress。　She　looked　younger　than　Shalon；　no　older　than　himself。
　　　Harine　took　it　up　again；　gesturing　toward　the　raised　stern　of　the　ship。　〃We　will　speak　in　my　cabin；　if　it　pleases　you。　A　soarer　is　not　a　large　vessel；　Rand　al'Thor；　and　the　cabin　is　small。　If　it　pleases　you　to　e　alone；　all　here　stand　surety　for　your　safety。〃　So。　From　the　Coramoor　to　plain　Rand　al'Thor。　She　would　take　back　what　she　had　given；　if　she　could。
　　　He　was　about　to　open　his　mouth　and　agree　…　anything　to　get　this　done；　Harine　was　already　moving　that　way；　still　gesturing　for　him　to　follow；　the　other　women　with　her　…　when　Merana　gave　another　tiny　cough。
　　　〃The　Windfinders　can　channel；〃　she　murmured　hastily　into　her　hand。　〃You　should　take　two　sisters　with　you；　or　they'll　feel　they've　gained　the　upper　hand。〃
　　　Rand　frowned。　The　upper　hand？　He　was　the　Dragon　Reborn；　after　all。　Still。。。　〃I　will　be　pleased　to　e；　Wavemistress；　but　Min　here　goes　everywhere　with　me。〃　He　patted　Min's　hand　on　his　arm　…　she　had　not　let　go　an　instant　…　and　Harine　nodded。　Taval　was　already　holding　the　door　ope