rj.acrownofswords-第6节

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ing　a　Wise　One　ranked　with　killing　a　pregnant　woman；　a　child　or　a　blacksmith。　Some　of　those　eyes　were　very　sharp。　Therava's；　Rhiale's；　others'。　〃If　we　allow　these　women　to　walk　away　from　that；　then　we　are　less　than　animals；　we　will　have　no　honor。　I　hold　my　honor。〃
　　　On　that　she　gathered　her　skirts　with　dignity　and　climbed　the　slope；　head　high；　not　looking　back。　She　was　certain　the　others　would　follow。　Therava　and　Norlea　and　Dailin　would　see　to　that；　and　Rhiale　and　Tion　and　Meira　and　the　rest　who　had　acpanied　her　a　few　days　past　to　see　Rand　al'Thor　beaten　and。　put　back　into　his　wooden　chest　by　the　Aes　Sedai。　Her　reminder　had　been　for　those　thirteen　even　more　than　the　others；　and　they　dared　not　fail　her。　The　truth　of　how　Desaine　had　died　tied　them　to　her。
　　　Wise　Ones　with　their　skirts　looped　over　their　arms　to　free　their　legs　could　not　keep　up　with　the　algai'd'siswai　in　cadin'sor　however　hard　they　ran；　though　race　they　did。　Five　miles　across　those　low　rolling　hills；　not　a　long　run；　and　they　topped　a　crest　to　see　the　dance　of　spears　already　begun。　After　a　fashion。
　　　Thousands　of　algai'd'siswai　made　a　huge　pool　of　veiled　gray…and…brown　surging　around　a　circle　of　wetlander　wagons；　which　itself　surrounded　one　of　the　small　clumps　of　trees　that　dotted　this　region。　Sevanna　drew　an　angry　breath。　The　Aes　Sedai　had　even　had　time　to　bring　all　of　their　horses　inside。　The　spears　encircled　the　wagons；　pressed　in　on　them；　showered　arrows　toward　them；　but　those　at　the　front　seemed　to　push　against　an　invisible　wall。　At　first　the　arrows　that　arched　highest　passed　over　this　wall；　but　then　they　too　began　striking　something　unseen　and　bouncing　back。　A　low　murmur　rose　among　the　Wise　Ones。
　　　〃You　see　what　the　Aes　Sedai　do？〃　Sevanna　demanded；　as　though　she　also　could　see　the　One　Power　being　woven。　She　wanted　to　sneer；　the　Aes　Sedai　were　fools；　with　their　vaunted　Three　Oaths。　When　they　finally　decided　they　must　use　the　Power　as　a　weapon　instead　of　just　to　make　barriers；　it　would　be　too　late。　Provided　the　Wise　Ones　did　not　stand　too　long　staring。　Somewhere　in　those　wagons　was　Rand　al'Thor；　perhaps　still　doubled　into　a　chest　like　a　bolt　of　silk。　Waiting　for　her　to　pick　him　up。　If　the　Aes　Sedai　could　hold　him；　then　she　could；　with　the　Wise　Ones。　And　a　promise。　〃Therava；　take　your　half　to　the　west　now。　Be　ready　to　strike　when　I　do。　For　Desaine；　and　the　toh　the　Aes　Sedai　owe　us。　We　will　make　them　meet　toh　as　no　one　ever　has　before。〃
　　　It　was　a　foolish　boast　to　speak　of　making　someone　meet　an　obligation　they　had　not　acknowledged；　yet　in　the　angry　mutters　from　the　other　women；　Sevanna　heard　other　furious　promises　to　make　the　Aes　Sedai　meet　toh。　Only　those　who　had　killed　Desaine　on　Sevanna's　orders　stood　silent。　Therava's　narrow　lips　tightened　slightly；　but　finally　she　said；　〃It　will　be　as　you　say；　Sevanna。〃
　　　At　an　easy　lope；　Sevanna　led　her　half　of　the　Wise　Ones　to　the　east　side　of　the　battle；　if　it　could　be　called　that　yet。　She　had　wanted　to　remain　on　a　rise　where　she　could　have　a　good　view　…　that　was　how　a　clan　chief　or　battle　leader　directed　the　dance　of　spears　…　but　in　this　one　thing　she　found　no　support　even　from　Therava　and　the　others　who　shared　the　secret　of　Desaine's　death。　The　Wise　Ones　made　a　sharp　contrast　with　the　algai'd'siswai　as　she　lined　them　up　in　their　white　algode　blouses　and　dark　wool　skirts　and　shawls；　their　glittering　bracelets　and　necklaces　and　their　waist…length　hair　held　back　by　dark　folded　scarves。　For　all　their　decision　that　if　they　were　to　be　in　the　dance　of　the　spears；　they　would　be　in　it；　not　on　a　rise　apart；　she　did　not　believe　they　yet　realized　that　the　true　battle　today　was　theirs　to　fight。　After　today；　nothing　would　be　the　same　again；　and　tethering　Rand　al'Thor　was　the　smallest　part。
　　　Among　the　algai'd'siswai　staring　toward　the　wagons　only　height　quickly　told　men　from　Maidens。　Veils　and　shoufa　hid　heads　and　faces；　and　cadin'sor　was　cadin'sor　aside　from　the　differences　of　cut　that　marked　clan　and　sept　and　society。　Those　at　the　outer　edge　of　the　encirclement　appeared　confused；　grumbling　among　themselves　as　they　waited　for　something　to　happen。　They　had　e　prepared　to　dance　with　Aes　Sedai　lightning；　and　now　they　milled　impatiently；　too　far　back　even　to　use　the　horn　bows　still　in　leather　cases　on　their　backs。　They　would　not　have　to　wait　much　longer　if　Sevanna　had　her　way。
　　　Hands　on　hips；　she　addressed　the　other　Wise　Ones。　〃Those　to　the　south　of　me　will　disrupt　what　the　Aes　Sedai　are　doing。　Those　to　the　north　will　attack。　Forward　the　spears！〃　With　the　mand；　she　turned　to　watch　the　destruction　of　the　Aes　Sedai　who　thought　they　had　only　steel　to　face。
　　　Nothing　happened。　In　front　of　her　the　mass　of　algai'd'siswai　seethed　uselessly；　and　the　loudest　sound　was　the　occasional　drumming　of　spears　on　bucklers。　Sevanna　gathered　her　anger；　winding　it　like　thread　from　the　spinning。　She　had　been　so　sure　they　were　ready　after　Desaine's　butchered　corpse　was　displayed　to　them；　but　if　they　still　found　attacking　Aes　Sedai　unthinkable；　she　would　chivvy　them　to　it　if　she　had　to　shame　them　all　till　they　demanded　to　put　on　gai'shain　white。
　　　Suddenly　a　ball　of　pure　flame　the　size　of　a　man's　head　arched　toward　the　wagons；　sizzling　and　hissing；　then　another；　dozens。　The　knot　in　her　middle　loosened。　More　fireballs　came　from　the　west；　from　Therava　and　the　rest。　Smoke　began　to　rise　from　burning　wagons；　first　gray　wisps；　then　thickening　black　pillars；　the　murmurs　of　the　algai'd'siswai　changed　pitch；　and　if　those　directly　in　front　of　her　moved　little；　there　was　a　sudden　sense　of　pressing　forward。　Shouts　drifted　from　the　wagons；　men　yelling　in　anger；　bellowing　in　pain。　Whatever　barriers　the　Aes　Sedai　had　made　were　down。　It　had　begun；　and　there　could　be　only　one　ending。　Rand　al'Thor　would　be　hers；　he　would　give　her　the　Aiel；　to　take　all　of　the　wetlands；　and　before　he　died　he　would　give　her　daughters　and　sons　to　lead　the　Aiel　after　her。　She　might　enjoy　that；　he　was　quite　pretty；　really；　strong　and　young。
　　　She　did　not　expect　the　Aes　Sedai　to　go　down　easily；　and　they　did　not。　Fireballs　fell　among　the　spears；　turning　cadin'sor…clad　figures　to　torches；　and　lightnings　struck　from　a　clear　sky；　hurling　men　and　earth　into　the　air。　The　Wise　Ones　learned　from　what　they　saw；　though；　or　perhaps　they　already　knew　and　had　hesitated　before；　most　channeled　so　seldom；　especially　where　anyone　besides　Wise　Ones　could　see；　that　only　another　Wise　One　knew　whether　any　given　woman　could。　Whatever　the　reason；　no　sooner　did　lightning　begin　to　fall　among　the　Shaido　spears　than　more　struck　toward　the　wagons。
　　　Not　all　reached　its　target。　Balls　of　fire　streaking　through　the　air；　some　large　as　horses　now；　silver　lightning　stabbing　toward　the　ground　like　spears　from　the　heavens；　sometimes　suddenly　darted　aside　as　if　striking　an　invisible　shield；　or　erupted　violently　in　midair；　or　simply　vanished　altogether。　Roars　and　crashes　filled　the　air；　warring　with　shouts　and　screams。　Sevanna　stared　at　the　sky　in　delight。　It　was　like　the　Illuminators'　displays　she　had　read　about。
　　　Suddenly　the　world　turned　white　in　her　eyes；　she　seemed　to　be　floating。　When　she　could　see　again；　she　was　flat　on　the　ground　a　dozen　paces　from　where　she　had　stood；　aching　in　every　muscle；　struggling　for　breath　and　covered　with　a　scattering　of　dirt。　Her　hair　wanted　to　lift　away　from　her。
　　　Other　Wise　Ones　were　down　as　well；　around　a　ragged　hole　a　span　across　torn　in　the　ground；　thin　tendrils　of　smoke　rose　from　the　dresses　of　some。　Not　everyone　had　fallen　…　the　battle　of　fire　and　lightning　continued　in　the　sky　…　but　too　many。　She　had　to　throw　them　back　into　the　dance。
　　　Forcing　herself　to　breathe；　she　scrambled　to　her　feet；　not　bothering　to　brush　off　the　dirt。　〃Push　spears！〃　she　shouted。　Seizing　Estalaine's　angular　shoulders；　she　started　to　drag　the　woman　to　her　feet；　then　realized　from　her　staring　blue　eyes　that　she　was　dead　and　let　her　fall。　She　pulled　a　dazed　Dorailla　erect　instead；　then　seized　up　a　spear　from　a　fallen　Thunder　Walker　and　waved　it　high。　〃Forward　the　spears！〃　Some　of　the　Wise　Ones　seemed　to　take　her　literally；　plunging　into　the　mass　of　algai'd'siswai。　Others　kept　their　heads　better；　helping　those　who　could　rise；　and　the　storm　of　fire　and　lightning　continued　as　she　raged　up　and　down　the　line　of　Wise　Ones；　waving　her　spear　and　shouting。　〃Push　spears！　Forward　the　spears！〃
　　　She　felt　like　laughing；　she　did　laugh。　With　dirt　all　over　her　and　the　battle　raging；　she　had　never　been　so　exhilarated　before　in　her　life。　Almost　she　wished　she　had　chosen　to　bee　a　Maiden　of　the　Spear。　Almost。　No　Far　Dareis　Mai　could　ever　be　clan　chief；　any　more　than　a　man　could　be　a　Wise　One；　a　Maiden's　route　to　power　was　to　give　up　the　spear　and　bee　a　Wise　One。　As　wife　of　a　clan　chief　she　had　been　wielding　power　at　an　age　when　a　Maiden　was　barely　trusted　to　carry　a　spear　or　a　Wise　One's　apprentice　to　fetch　water。　And　now　she　had　it　all；　Wise　One　and　clan　chief；　though　it　would　take　some　doing　yet　to　have　that　last　title　in　truth。　Titles　mattered　little　so　long　as　she　had　the　power；　but　why　should　she　not　have　both？
　　　A　sudden　scream　made　her　turn；　and　she　gaped　at　the　sight　of　a　shaggy　gray　wolf　ripping　Dosera's　throat　out。　Without　thought　she　plunged　her　spear　into　i