rj.acrownofswords-第56节

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　　　Siuan　had　e　outside　too；　but　instead　of　watching　the　sister　climb　uneasily　from　her　saddle；　she　stared　down　the　rows　of　tents　toward　a　stocky；　graying　man　with　a　battered　breastplate　strapped　over　his　buff…colored　coat；　leading　a　tall　bay　in　their　direction。　His　presence　was　a　surprise。　Lord　Bryne　usually　municated　with　the　Hall　by　messenger；　and　his　rare　visits　mostly　finished　before　Egwene　learned　he　had　e。　Siuan　assumed　such　a　look　of　Aes　Sedai　serenity　it　nearly　made　you　forget　her　youthful　face。
　　　Glancing　briefly　at　Siuan；　Bryne　made　a　leg；　handling　his　sword　with　a　spare　grace。　A　weathered　man；　he　was　only　moderately　tall；　but　the　way　he　carried　himself　made　him　seem　taller。　There　was　nothing　flashy　about　him；　the　sweat　on　his　broad　face　made　him　seem　to　be　about　a　job　of　work。　〃Mother；　may　I　speak　with　you？　Alone？〃
　　　Myrelle　turned　as　if　to　go；　and　Egwene　snapped；　〃You　stay　right　there！　Right　where　you　are！〃　Myrelle's　mouth　dropped　open。　Her　surprise　seemed　as　much　for　her　own　obedience　as　Egwene's　decisive　tone；　and　it　faded　into　bitter　resignation　that　she　quickly　hid　behind　a　cool　fa？ade。　One　belied　by　the　way　she　twiddled　her　reins。
　　　Bryne　did　not　even　blink；　though　Egwene　was　sure　he　at　least　had　an　inkling　of　her　situation。　She　suspected　that　very　little　surprised　him；　or　unsettled　him。　Just　the　sight　of　him　had　made　Siuan　ready　to　fight　back；　for　all　it　was　apparently　she　who　started　most　of　their　arguments。　Already　her　fists　rested　on　her　hips　and　her　gaze　was　fixed　on　him；　an　auguring　stare　that　should　have　made　anyone　uneasy　even　had　it　not　e　from　an　Aes　Sedai。　Myrelle　offered　more　than　helping　Siuan；　though。　Perhaps。　〃I　intended　to　ask　you　to　e　this　afternoon；　Lord　Bryne。　I　ask　now。〃　She　had　questions　to　put　to　him。　〃We　can　talk　then。　If　you　will　forgive　me。〃
　　　Instead　of　accepting　her　dismissal；　he　said；　〃Mother；　one　of　my　patrols　found　something　just　before　dawn；　something　I　think　you　should　see　for　yourself。　I　can　have　an　escort　ready　in　…　〃
　　　〃No　need　for　that；〃　she　broke　in　quickly。　〃Myrelle；　you　will　e　with　us。　Siuan；　would　you　ask　someone　to　bring　my　horse；　please？　Without　delay。〃
　　　Riding　out　with　Myrelle　would　be　better　than　confronting　her　here；　if　Siuan's　patched…together　clues　really　pointed　at　anything；　and　on　a　ride　she　could　ask　Bryne　her　questions；　but　neither　fueled　her　haste。　She　had　just　spotted　Lelaine　striding　toward　her　through　the　tent…rows；　Takima　at　her　side。　With　one　exception；　all　the　women　who　had　been　Sitters　before　Siuan　was　deposed　had　drifted　to　either　Lelaine　or　Romanda。　Most　of　the　newly　chosen　Sitters　went　their　own　way；　which　was　slightly　better　in　Egwene's　view。　Just　slightly。
　　　Even　at　a　little　distance　the　set　of　Lelaine's　shoulders　was　evident。　She　looked　ready　to　walk　through　whatever　got　in　her　way。　Siuan　saw　her　as　well　and　darted　off　without　pausing　for　so　much　as　a　curtsy；　yet　there　was　no　time　to　make　a　clean　escape　short　of　leaping　onto　Lord　Bryne's　horse。
　　　Lelaine　planted　herself　in　front　of　Egwene；　but　it　was　Bryne　she　fixed　with　eyes　sharp　as　tacks；　considering；　calculating　what　he　was　doing　there。　She　had　larger　fish　to　put　on　the　fire；　though。　〃I　must　speak　with　the　Amyrlin；〃　she　said　peremptorily；　pointing　toward　Myrelle。　〃You　will　wait；　I　will　talk　to　you　after。〃　Bryne　bowed；　not　too　deeply；　and　led　his　horse　where　she　pointed。　Men　who　had　any　brains　at　all　soon　learned　arguments　did　little　good　with　Aes　Sedai；　and　with　Sitters　the　tally　was　usually　none。
　　　Before　Lelaine　could　open　her　mouth；　Romanda　was　suddenly　there；　radiating　mand　so　strongly　that　at　first　Egwene　did　not　even　notice　Varilin　with　her；　and　the　slender；　red…haired　Sitter　for　the　Gray　was　inches　taller　than　most　men。　The　only　surprise　was　that　Romanda　had　not　appeared　sooner。　She　and　Lelaine　watched　one　another　like　hawks；　neither　allowing　the　other　near　Egwene　alone。　The　glow　of　saidar　surrounded　both　women　at　the　same　instant；　and　each　wove　a　ward　around　the　five　of　them　to　stop　eavesdropping。　Their　eyes　clashed；　challenging　in　faces　utterly　cool　and　collected；　but　neither　let　her　ward　drop。
　　　Egwene　bit　her　tongue。　In　a　public　place；　it　was　up　to　the　strongest　sister　present　to　decide　whether　a　conversation　should　be　warded；　and　protocol　said　the　Amyrlin　made　that　decision　wherever　she　was　present。　She　had　no　desire　for　the　not…quite　apologies　mentioning　it　would　bring；　though。　If　she　pressed；　they　would　accede；　of　course。　While　behaving　as　though　soothing　a　petulant　toddler。　She　bit　her　tongue；　and　boiled　inside。　Where　was　Siuan？　That　was　not　fair　…　getting　horses　saddled　required　more　than　moments　…　but　she　wanted　to　grip　her　skirts　to　keep　her　hands　away　from　her　head。
　　　Romanda　dropped　the　staring　match　first；　though　not　in　defeat。　She　rounded　on　Egwene　so　suddenly　that　Lelaine　was　left　staring　past　her　and　looking　foolish。　〃Delana　is　making　trouble　again。〃　Her　high…pitched　voice　was　almost　sweet；　but　it　held　a　sharpness　that　emphasized　the　lack　of　any　title　of　respect。　Romanda's　hair　was　pletely　gray；　gathered　in　a　neat　bun　on　the　nape　of　her　neck；　but　age　had　certainly　not　softened　her。　Takima；　with　her　long　black　hair　and　aged　ivory　plexion；　had　been　almost　nine　years　a　Brown　Sitter；　as　forceful　in　the　Hall　as　in　the　classroom；　yet　she　stood　a　meek　pace　back；　hands　folded　at　her　waist。　Romanda　led　her　faction　as　firmly　as　Sorilea。　She　was　one　to　whom　strength　was　indeed　all…important；　and　in　truth；　Lelaine　seemed　not　far　behind。
　　　〃She　plans　to　lay　a　proposal　before　the　Hall；〃　Lelaine　put　in　sourly；　refusing　to　look　at　Romanda　at　all；　now。　Agreeing　with　the　other　woman　certainly　pleased　her　as　little　as　speaking　second。　Aware　that　she　had　gained　an　edge；　Romanda　smiled；　a　faint　curving　of　her　lips。
　　　〃About　what？〃　Egwene　asked；　playing　for　time。　She　was　certain　she　knew。　It　was　very　hard　not　to　sigh。　It　was　very　hard　not　to　rub　her　temples。
　　　〃Why　the　Black　Ajah；　of　course；　Mother；〃　Varilin　replied；　lifting　her　head　as　if　surprised　at　the　question。　Well　she　might　be；　Delana　was　rabid　on　the　subject。　〃She　wants　the　Hall　to　condemn　Elaida　openly　as　Black。〃　She　stopped　abruptly　when　Lelaine　raised　a　hand。　Lelaine　allowed　her　followers　more　leeway　than　Romanda；　or　maybe　she　just　did　not　have　as　tight　a　grip。
　　　〃You　must　speak　with　her；　Mother。〃　Lelaine　had　a　warm　smile　when　she　chose　to　use　it。　Siuan　said　they　had　been　friends　once　…　Lelaine　had　accepted　her　back　with　some　version　of　wele　…　yet　Egwene　thought　that　smile　a　practiced　tool。
　　　〃And　say　what？〃　Her　hands　ached　to　soothe　her　head。　These　two　each　made　sure　the　Hall　passed　only　what　she　wanted；　certainly　little　that　Egwene　suggested；　with　the　result　that　nothing　much　at　all　was　passed；　and　they　wanted　her　to　intercede　with　a　Sitter？　Delana　did　support　her　proposals；　true　…　when　they　suited　her。　Delana　was　a　weather…vane；　turning　with　the　last　breath　of　air　to　pass；　and　if　she　turned　in　Egwene's　direction　a　great　deal　of　late；　it　did　not　mean　very　much。　The　Black　Ajah　seemed　her　only　fixed　point。　What　was　keeping　Siuan？
　　　〃Tell　her　she　must　stop；　Mother。〃　Lelaine's　smile　and　tone　made　her　seem　to　be　counseling　a　daughter。　〃This　foolishness　…　worse　than　foolishness　…　has　everyone　at　daggers'　points。　Some　of　the　sisters　are　even　beginning　to　believe；　Mother。　It　will　not　be　long　before　the　notion　spreads　to　the　servants；　and　the　soldiers。〃　The　look　she　directed　toward　Bryne　was　full　of　doubt。　Bryne　appeared　to　be　attempting　to　chat　with　Myrelle；　who　was　staring　at　the　warded　group　and　running　her　reins　uneasily　through　her　gloved　hands。
　　　〃Believing　what　is　plain　is　hardly　foolish；〃　Romanda　barked。　〃Mother。。。〃　In　her　mouth；　that　sounded　entirely　too　much　like　〃girl。〃　〃。　。　。　the　reason　Delana　must　be　stopped　is　she　does　no　good　and　considerable　harm。　Perhaps　Elaida　is　Black　…　though　I　have　strong　doubts；　whatever　secondhand　gossip　that　trollop　Halima　brought；　Elaida　is　wrongheaded　to　a　fault；　but　I　cannot　believe　her　evil　…　yet　even　if　she　is；　trumpeting　it　will　make　outsiders　suspicious　of　every　Aes　Sedai　and　drive　the　Black　into　deeper　hiding。　There　are　methods　to　dig　them　out；　if　we　don't　frighten　them　into　flight。〃
　　　Lelaine's　sniff　bordered　on　a　snort。　〃Even　were　this　nonsense　true；　no　self…respecting　sister　would　submit　to　your　methods；　Romanda。　What　you've　suggested　is　close　to　being　put　to　the　question。〃　Egwene　blinked　in　confusion；　neither　Siuan　nor　Leane　had　brought　her　a　whisper　of　this。　Luckily；　the　Sitters　were　not　paying　her　enough　mind　to　notice。　As　usual。
　　　Planting　her　fists　on　her　hips；　Romanda　squared　around　on　Lelaine。　〃Desperate　days　demand　desperate　actions。　Some　might　ask　why　anyone　would　put　her　dignity　ahead　of　exposing　the　Dark　One's　servants。〃
　　　〃That　sounds　dangerously　near　an　accusation；〃　Lelaine　said；　eyes　narrowing。
　　　Romanda　was　the　one　smiling　now；　a　cold　flinty　smile。　〃I　will　be　the　first　to　submit　to　my　methods；　Lelaine；　if　you　are　the　second。〃
　　　Lelaine　actually　growled；　taking　half　a　step　toward　the　other　woman；　and　Romanda　leaned　toward　her；　chin　thrust　out。　They　looked　ready　to　begin　pulling　hair　and　rolling　in　the　dirt；　and　Aes　Sedai　dignity　be　hanged。　Varilin　and　Takima　glared　at