rj.acrownofswords-第36节

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　　　〃If　we　must　make　this　journey　before　you　eat；　let　us　make　it。　The　evening　meal　is　long　finished　for　everyone　else。〃
　　　Rand　blinked；　and　Sulin　stepped　back　from　his　stare。　Sulin；　who　would　stand　eye…to…eye　with　a　leopard。　He　smoothed　his　face；　tried　to。　It　felt　a　mask；　somebody　else's　face。
　　　〃Are　you　well？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃I　was　thinking。〃　He　made　his　hands　unknot；　shrugged　inside　his　coat。　A　better…fitting　coat　than　the　one　he　had　worn　from　Dumai's　Wells；　dark　blue　and　plain。　Even　after　a　bath　he　did　not　feel　clean；　not　with　saidin　in　him。　〃Sometimes　I　think　too　much。〃
　　　Nearly　twenty　more　Maidens　clustered　at　one　end　of　the　windowless；　dark…paneled　room。　Eight　gilded　stand…lamps　against　the　walls；　mirrored　to　increase　the　light；　provided　illumination。　He　was　glad　of　that；　he　did　not　like　dark　places　anymore。　Three　of　the　Asha'man　were　there；　too；　the　Aiel　women　to　one　side　of　the　chamber；　the　Asha'man　to　the　other。　Jonan　Adley；　an　Altaran　despite　his　name；　stood　with　his　arms　folded；　working　eyebrows　like　black　caterpillars　in　deep　thought。　Perhaps　four　years　older　than　Rand；　he　was　intent　on　earning　the　silver　sword　of　the　Dedicated。　Eben　Hopwil　carried　more　flesh　on　his　bones　and　fewer　blotches　on　his　face　than　when　Rand　had　first　seen　him；　though　his　nose　and　ears　still　seemed　the　biggest　part　of　him。　He　fingered　the　sword　pin　on　his　collar　as　if　surprised　to　find　it　there。　Fedwin　Morr　would　have　worn　the　sword　as　well；　had　he　not　been　in　a　green　coat　suitable　for　a　well…to…do　merchant　or　a　minor　noble；　with　a　little　silver　embroidery　on　cuffs　and　lapels。　Of　an　age　with　Eben；　but　stockier　and　with　almost　no　blotches；　he　did　not　look　happy　that　his　black　coat　was　stuffed　into　the　leather　scrip　by　his　feet。　They　were　the　ones　Lews　Therin　had　been　raving　about；　them　and　all　the　rest　of　the　Asha'man。　Asha'man；　Aes　Sedai；　anyone　who　could　channel　set　him　off；　often　as　not。
　　　〃Think　too　much；　Rand　al'Thor？〃　Enaila　gripped　a　short　spear　in　one　hand　and　her　buckler　and　three　more　spears　in　the　other；　yet　she　sounded　as　if　she　were　shaking　a　finger　at　him。　The　Asha'man　frowned　at　her。　〃Your　trouble　is；　you　do　not　think　at　all。〃　Some　of　the　other　Maidens　laughed　softly；　but　she　was　not　making　a　joke。　Shorter　than　any　other　Maiden　there　by　at　least　a　hand；　she　had　hair　as　fiery　as　her　temper；　and　an　odd　view　of　her　relationship　to　him。　Her　flaxen…haired　friend　Somara；　who　stood　head　and　shoulders　taller；　nodded　agreement；　she　held　the　same　peculiar　view。
　　　He　ignored　the　ment；　but　could　not　stop　a　sigh。　Somara　and　Enaila　were　the　worst；　yet　none　of　the　Maidens　could　decide　whether　he　was　the　Car'a'carn；　to　be　obeyed；　or　the　only　child　of　a　Maiden　ever　known　to　the　Maidens；　to　be　cared　for　as　a　brother；　bullied　as　a　son　for　a　few。　Even　Jalani　there；　not　many　years　from　playing　with　dolls；　seemed　to　think　he　was　her　younger　brother；　while　Corana；　graying　and　nearly　as　leather…faced　as　Sulin；　treated　him　like　an　older。　At　least　they　only　did　that　around　themselves；　not　often　where　other　Aiel　could　hear。　When　it　counted；　he　would　be　the　Car'a'carn。　And　he　owed　it　to　them。　They　died　for　him。　He　owed　them　whatever　they　wanted。
　　　〃I　don't　intend　to　spend　all　night　here　while　you　lot　play　Kiss　the　Daisies；〃　he　said。　Sulin　gave　him　one　of　those　looks　…　in　dresses　or　in　cadin'sor；　women　tossed　those　looks　about　like　farmers　scattering　seed　…　but　the　Asha'man　abandoned　staring　at　the　Maidens　and　slung　the　straps　of　their　scrips　over　their　shoulders。　Push　them　hard；　he　had　told　Taim；　make　them　weapons；　and　Taim　had　delivered。　A　good　weapon　moved　as　the　man　who　held　it　directed。　If　only　he　could　be　sure　it　would　not　turn　in　his　hand。
　　　He　had　three　destinations　tonight；　but　one　of　those　the　Maidens　could　not　be　allowed　to　know。　No　one　but　himself。　Which　of　the　other　two　came　first　he　had　decided　earlier；　yet　he　hesitated。　The　journey　would　be　known　soon　enough；　yet　there　were　reasons　to　keep　it　secret　as　he　could。
　　　When　the　gateway　opened　there　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　a　sweetish　smell　familiar　to　any　farmer　drifted　through。　Horse　dung。　Wrinkling　her　nose　as　she　veiled；　Sulin　led　half　the　Maidens　through　at　a　trot。　After　a　glance　to　him；　the　Asha'man　followed；　drawing　deeply　on　the　True　Source　as　they　went；　as　much　as　they　could　hold。
　　　Because　of　that；　he　could　feel　their　strength　as　they　passed　him。　Without　that；　it　took　some　effort　to　tell　a　man　could　channel；　longer　still　unless　he　cooperated。　None　were　near　as　strong　as　he。　Not　yet；　anyway；　there　was　no　saying　how　strong　a　man　would　be　until　he　stopped　growing　stronger。　Fedwin　stood　highest　of　the　three；　but　he　had　what　Taim　called　a　bar。　Fedwin　did　not　really　believe　he　could　affect　anything　at　a　distance　with　the　Power。　The　result　was　that　at　fifty　paces　his　ability　began　to　fade；　and　at　a　hundred　he　could　not　weave　even　a　thread　of　saidin。　Men　gained　strength　faster　than　women；　it　seemed；　and　a　good　thing。　These　three　were　all　strong　enough　to　make　a　gateway　of　useful　size；　if　just　barely　in　Jonan's　case。　Every　Asha'man　was　that　he　had　kept。
　　　Kill　them　before　it　is　too　late；　before　they　go　mad；　Lews　Therin　whispered。　Kill　them；　hunt　down　Sammael；　and　Demandred；　and　all　the　Forsaken。　I　have　to　kill　them　all；　before　it　is　too　late！　A　moment　of　struggle　as　he　attempted　to　wrest　the　Power　away　from　Rand　and　failed。　He　seemed　to　try　that　more　often　of　late；　or　to　seize　saidin　on　his　own。　The　second　was　a　bigger　danger　than　the　first。　Rand　doubted　that　Lews　Therin　could　take　the　True　Source　away　once　Rand　held　it；　he　was　not　certain　he　could　take　it　from　Lews　Therin；　either；　if　the　other　reached　it　first。
　　　What　about　me？　Rand　thought　again。　It　was　nearly　a　snarl；　and　no　less　vicious　for　falling　short。　Wrapped　in　the　Power　as　he　was；　anger　spiderwebbed　across　the　outside　of　the　Void；　a　fiery　lace。　I　can　channel；　too。　Madness　waits　for　me；　but　it　already　has　you！　You　killed　yourself；　Kinslayer；　after　you　murdered　your　wife　and　your　children　and　the　Light　alone　knows　how　many　others。　I　won't　kill　where　I　don't　have　to！　Do　you　hear　me；　Kinslayer？　Silence　answered。
　　　He　drew　a　deep；　uneven　breath。　That　web　of　fire　flickered；　lightning　in　the　distance。　He　had　never　spoken　to　the　man　…　it　was　the　man；　not　just　a　voice；　a　man；　entire　with　memories　…　never　spoken　to　him　like　that　before。　Perhaps　it　might　drive　Lews　Therin　away　for　good。　Half　the　man's　mad　rantings　were　tears　over　his　dead　wife。　Did　he　want　to　drive　Lews　Therin　away？　His　only　friend　in　that　chest。
　　　He　had　promised　Sulin　to　count　to　one　hundred　before　following；　but　he　did　it　by　fives；　then　stepped　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　leagues　to　Caemlyn。
　　　Night　had　closed　down　on　the　Royal　Palace　of　Andor；　moonshadows　cloaking　delicate　spires　and　golden　domes；　but　a　gentle　breeze　did　nothing　to　break　the　heat。　The　moon　hung　above；　still　almost　full；　giving　some　light。　Veiled　Maidens　scurried　around　the　wagons　lined　up　behind　the　largest　of　the　palace　stables。　The　odor　of　the　stable　muck　the　wagons　hauled　away　every　day　had　long　since　soaked　into　the　wood。　The　Asha'man　had　hands　to　their　faces；　Eben　actually　pinching　his　nose　shut。
　　　〃The　Car'a'carn　counts　quickly；〃　Sulin　muttered；　but　she　lowered　her　veil。　There　would　be　no　surprises　here。　No　one　would　stay　near　those　wagons　who　did　not　have　to。
　　　Rand　let　the　gateway　close　as　soon　as　the　remaining　Maidens　came　through；　right　behind　him；　and　as　it　winked　out　of　existence；　Lews　Therin　whispered；　She　is　gone。　Almost　gone。　There　was　relief　in　his　voice；　the　bond　of　Warder　and　Aes　Sedai　had　not　existed　in　the　Age　of　Legends。
　　　Alanna　was　not　really　gone；　no　more　than　she　had　been　any　time　since　bonding　Rand　against　his　will；　but　her　presence　had　lessened；　and　it　was　the　lessening　that　made　Rand　truly　aware。　You　could　bee　used　to　anything；　begin　taking　it　for　granted。　Near　to　her；　he　walked　around　with　her　emotions　nestled　in　the　back　of　his　head；　her　physical　condition　as　well；　if　he　thought　about　it；　and　he　knew　exactly　where　she　was　as　well　as　he　knew　his　own　his　hand's　place；　but　just　as　with　his　hand；　unless　he　thought　about　it；　it　just　was。　Only　distance　had　any　effect；　but　he　could　still　feel　that　she　was　somewhere　east　of　him。　He　wanted　to　be　aware　of　her。　Should　Lews　Therin　fall　silent　and　all　the　memories　of　the　chest　somehow　be　wiped　from　his　head；　he　would　still　have　the　bond　to　remind　him；　〃Never　trust　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　Abruptly　he　realized　that　Jonan　and　Eben　still　held　saidin　too。　〃Release；〃　he　said　sharply　…　that　was　the　mand　Taim　used　…　and　he　felt　the　Power　vanish　from　them。　Good　weapons。　So　far。　Kill　them　before　it's　too　late；　Lews　Therin　murmured。　Rand　released　the　Source　deliberately；　and　reluctantly。　He　always　hated　letting　go　of　the　life；　the　enhanced　senses。　Of　the　struggle。　Inside；　though；　he　was　tense；　a　jumper　ready　to　leap；　ready　to　seize　it　once　more。　He　always　was；　now。
　　　I　have　to　kill　them；　Lews　Therin　whispered。
　　　Shoving　the　voice　back；　Rand　sent　one　of　the　Maidens；　Nerilea；　a　square…faced　woman；　into　the　palace　and　began　pacing　alongside　the　wagons；　thoughts　spinning　again；　faster　than　before。　He　should　not　have　e　here。　He　should　have　sent　Fedwin；　with　a　letter。　Spin