rj.acrownofswords-第38节

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e　that　something　interesting　was　being　said。　Well；　everything　said　here　would　be　known　from　the　Dragonwall　to　the　sea　soon　enough。
　　　Fedwin　was　already　rubbing　his　wrists；　while　Jalani　sheathed　her　knife。　No　one　looked　at　them　twice；　all　eyes　were　on　Rand。　Frowning　at　Nerilea；　he　waggled　his　bound　hands　until　Sulin　sliced　the　cords。　〃I　didn't　realize　this　was　to　be　a　family　gathering。〃　Nerilea　looked　a　trifle　abashed；　maybe；　but　no　one　else　did。
　　　〃After　you　marry；〃　Davram　murmured　with　a　smile；　〃you　will　learn　you　must　choose　very　carefully　what　to　keep　from　your　wife。〃　Deira　glanced　down　at　him；　pursing　her　lips。
　　　〃Wives　are　a　great　fort；〃　Bael　laughed；　〃if　a　man　does　not　tell　them　too　much。〃　Smiling；　Dorindha　ran　her　fingers　into　his　hair　…　and　gripped　for　a　moment　as　though　she　meant　to　tug　his　head　off。　Bael　grunted；　but　not　for　Dorindha's　fingers　alone。　Melaine　wiped　her　small　belt　knife　on　her　heavy　skirt　and　sheathed　it。　The　two　women　grinned　at　one　another　over　his　head　while　he　rubbed　at　his　shoulder；　where　a　small　spot　of　blood　stained　his　cadin'sor。　Deira　nodded　thoughtfully；　it　seemed　she　had　just　gotten　an　idea。
　　　〃What　woman　could　I　hate　enough　to　marry　her　to　the　Dragon　Reborn？〃　Rand　said　coldly。　That　caused　a　silence　solid　enough　to　touch。
　　　He　tried　to　take　rein　on　his　anger。　He　should　have　expected　this。　Melaine　was　not　just　a　Wise　One；　she　was　a　dreamwalker；　as　were　Amys　and　Bair。　Among　other　things；　they　could　talk　to　one　another　in　their　dreams；　and　to　others；　a　useful　skill；　though　they　had　only　used　it　for　him　once。　It　was　Wise　Ones'　business。　No　wonder　at　all　that　Melaine　was　abreast　of　everything　that　had　happened。　No　wonder　that　she　told　Dorindha　everything；　Wise　Ones'　business　or　no；　the　two　women　were　best　friends　and　sisters　rolled　into　one。　Once　Melaine　let　Bael　know　of　the　kidnapping；　of　course　he　had　told　Bashere；　expecting　Bashere　to　keep　that　from　his　wife　was　like　expecting　him　to　keep　it　secret　that　their　house　was　on　fire。　Inch　by　inch　he　drew　the　anger　in；　forced　it　down。
　　　〃Has　Elayne　arrived？〃　He　tried　to　make　his　voice　casual；　and　missed。　No　matter。　There　were　reasons　everyone　knew　for　him　to　be　anxious。　Andor　might　not　be　as　unquiet　as　Cairhien；　but　Elayne　on　the　throne　was　the　fastest　way　to　settle　both　lands。　Maybe　the　only　way。
　　　〃Not　yet。〃　Bashere　shrugged。　〃But　tales　have　e　north　of　Aes　Sedai　with　an　army　somewhere　in　Murandy；　or　maybe　Altara。　That　could　be　young　Mat　and　his　Band　of　the　Red　Hand；　with　the　Daughter…Heir　and　the　sisters　who　fled　the　Tower　when　Siuan　Sanche　was　deposed。〃
　　　Rand　rubbed　his　wrists　where　the　cords　had　chafed。　All　that　〃captive〃　rigmarole　had　been　on　the　chance　Elayne　was　here　already。　Elayne；　and　Aviendha。　So　he　could　e　and　go　without　them　learning　of　it　till　he　was　gone。　Maybe　he　would　have　found　a　way　to　peek　at　them。　Maybe。。。　He　was　a　fool；　and　no　maybe　about　that。
　　　〃Do　you　mean　those　sisters　to　swear　oath　to　you；　too？〃　Deira's　tone　was　icy　as　her　face。　She　did　not　like　him；　as　she　saw　it；　her　husband　had　set　off　down　a　road　that　likely　would　end　with　his　head　on　a　pike　over　a　gate　in　Tar　Valon；　and　Rand　had　put　his　feet　on　that　road。　〃The　White　Tower　will　not　hold　still　for　your　coercing　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　Rand　made　her　a　small　bow；　and　burn　her　if　she　took　it　for　mocking。　Deira　ni　Ghaline　t'Bashere　never　gave　him　a　title；　never　even　used　his　name；　she　could　as　well　have　been　talking　to　a　footman；　and　not　a　very　intelligent　or　trustworthy　one。　〃Should　they　choose　to　swear；　I'll　accept　their　oaths。　I　doubt　many　are　exactly　eager　to　return　to　Tar　Valon。　If　they　choose　otherwise；　they　can　go　their　own　way；　so　long　as　they　don't　put　themselves　against　me。〃
　　　〃The　White　Tower　has　put　itself　against　you；〃　Bael　said；　leaning　forward　with　his　fists　on　his　knees。　His　blue　eyes　made　Deira's　voice　seem　warm。　〃An　enemy　who　es　once；　will　e　again。　Unless　they　are　stopped。　My　spears　will　follow　wherever　the　Car'a'carn　leads。〃　Melaine　nodded；　of　course；　she　very　likely　wanted　every　last　Aes　Sedai　shielded　and　kneeling　under　guard　if　not　bound　hand　and　foot。　But　Dorindha　nodded　as　well；　and　Sulin；　and　Bashere　knuckled　his　mustaches　thoughtfully。　Rand　did　not　know　whether　to　laugh　or　weep。
　　　〃Don't　you　think　I've　enough　on　my　plate　without　a　war　against　the　White　Tower？　Elaida　grabbed　my　throat　and　was　slapped　down。〃　The　ground　erupting　in　fire　and　torn　flesh。　Ravens　and　vultures　gorging。　How　many　dead？　Slapped　down。　〃If　she　has　sense　enough　to　stop　there；　I　will　too。〃　So　long　as　they　did　not　ask　him　to　trust。　The　chest。　He　was　shaking　his　head；　half…aware　of　Lews　Therin　suddenly　moaning　about　the　dark　and　the　thirst。　He　could　ignore；　he　had　to　ignore；　but　not　forget；　or　trust。
　　　Leaving　Bael　and　Bashere　arguing　over　whether　Elaida　did　have　sense　enough　to　stop；　now　that　she　had　begun；　he　moved　to　a　map…covered　table　against　the　wall；　beneath　a　tapestry　of　some　battle　where　the　White　Lion　of　Andor　stood　prominent。　Apparently　Bael　and　Bashere　used　this　room　for　their　planning。　A　little　rooting　around　found　the　map　he　needed；　a　large　roll　displaying　all　of　Andor　from　the　Mountains　of　Mist　to　the　River　Erinin；　and　parts　of　the　lands　to　the　south　as　well；　Ghealdan　and　Altara　and　Murandy。
　　　〃The　women　held　captive　in　the　treekillers'　lands　are　allowed　to　cause　no　trouble；　so　why　should　any　others？〃　Melaine　said；　apparently　in　answer　to　something　he　had　not　heard。　She　sounded　angry。
　　　〃We　will　do　what　we　must；　Deira　t'Bashere；〃　Dorindha　said　calmly；　she　was　seldom　anything　but。　〃Hold　to　your　courage；　and　we　will　arrive　where　we　must　go。〃
　　　〃When　you　leap　from　a　cliff；〃　Deira　replied；　〃it　is　too　late　for　anything　but　holding　to　your　courage。　And　hoping　there's　a　haywain　at　the　bottom　to　land　in。〃　Her　husband　chuckled　as　though　she　was　making　a　joke。　She　did　not　sound　it。
　　　Spreading　the　map　out　and　weighting　the　corners　with　ink　jars　and　sand　bottles；　Rand　measured　off　distances　with　his　fingers。　Mat　was　not　moving　very　fast　if　rumor　placed　him　in　Altara　or　Murandy。　He　took　pride　in　how　fast　the　Band　could　march。　Maybe　the　Aes　Sedai　were　slowing　him；　with　servants　and　wagons。　Maybe　there　were　more　sisters　than　he　had　thought。　Rand　realized　his　hands　were　clenched　into　fists　and　made　them　straighten。　He　needed　Elayne。　To　take　the　throne　here　and　in　Cairhien；　that　was　why　he　needed　her。　Just　that。　Aviendha。。。　He　did　not　need　her；　not　at　all；　and　she　had　made　it　clear　she　had　no　need　for　him。　She　was　safe；　away　from　him。　He　could　keep　them　both　safe　by　keeping　them　as　far　from　him　as　possible。　Light；　if　he　could　only　look　at　them。　He　needed　Mat；　though；　with　Perrin　being　stubborn。　He　was　not　sure　how　Mat　had　suddenly　bee　expert　on　everything　to　do　with　battle；　but　even　Bashere　respected　Mat's　opinions。　About　war；　anyway。
　　　〃They　treated　him　as　da'tsang；〃　Sulin　growled；　and　some　of　the　other　Maidens　growled　wordlessly　in　echo。
　　　〃We　know；〃　Melaine　said　grimly。　〃They　have　no　honor。〃
　　　〃Will　he　truly　hold　back　after　what　you　describe？〃　Deira　demanded　in　disbelieving　tones。
　　　The　map　did　not　extend　far　enough　south　to　show　Illian　…　no　map　on　the　table　showed　any　part　of　that　country　…　but　Rand's　hand　drifted　down　across　Murandy；　and　he　could　imagine　the　Doirlon　Hills；　not　far　inside　Illian's　borders；　with　a　line　of　hillforts　no　invading　army　could　afford　to　ignore。　And　some　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　to　the　east；　across　the　Plains　of　Maredo；　an　army　such　as　had　not　been　seen　since　the　nations　gathered　before　Tar　Valon　in　the　Aiel　War；　maybe　not　since　Artur　Hawkwing's　day。　Tairen；　Cairhienin；　Aiel；　all　poised　to　smash　into　Illian。　If　Perrin　would　not　lead；　then　Mat　must。　Only　there　was　not　enough　time。　There　was　never　enough　time。
　　　〃Burn　my　eyes；〃　Davram　muttered。　〃You　never　mentioned　that；　Melaine。　Lady　Caraline　and　Lord　Toram　camped　right　outside　the　city；　and　High　Lord　Darlin　as　well？　They　didn't　e　together　by　chance；　now　right　at　this　time；　they　did　not。　That's　a　pit　of　vipers　to　have　on　your　doorstep；　whoever　you　are。〃
　　　〃Let　the　algai'd'siswai　dance；〃　Bael　replied。　〃Dead　vipers　bite　no　one。〃
　　　Sammael　had　always　been　at　his　best　defending。　That　was　Lews　Therin's　memory；　from　the　War　of　the　Shadow。　With　two　men　inside　one　skull；　maybe　it　was　to　be　expected　that　memories　would　drift　between　them。　Had　Lews　Therin　suddenly　found　himself　recalling　herding　sheep；　or　cutting　firewood；　or　feeding　the　chickens？　Rand　could　hear　him　faintly；　raging　to　kill；　to　destroy；　thoughts　of　the　Forsaken　almost　always　drove　Lews　Therin　over　the　brink。
　　　〃Deira　t'Bashere　speaks　truly；〃　Bael　said。　〃We　must　stay　on　the　path　we　have　begun　until　our　enemies　are　destroyed；　or　we　are。〃
　　　〃That　was　not　how　I　meant　it；〃　Deira　said　dryly。　〃But　you　are　right。　We　have　no　choice；　now。　Until　our　enemies　are　destroyed；　or　we　are。〃
　　　Death；　destruction　and　madness　floated　in　Rand's　head　as　he　studied　the　map。　Sammael　would　be　at　those　forts　soon　after　the　army　struck；　Sammael　with　the　strength　of　a　Forsaken　and　the　knowledge　of　the　Age　of　Legends。　Lord　Brend；　he　called　himself；　one　of　the　Council　of　Nine；　and　Lord　Brend　they　called　him　who　refused　to　admit　the　Forsaken　were　loose；　but　Rand　kn