rj.acrownofswords-第85节

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h　Rand's　eyes。
　　　Merana's　ageless　features　revealed　even　less　than　the　clan　chiefs'。　Smoothing　her　pale　gray　skirts　under；　she　knelt　beside　Rand　and　lifted　the　teapot。　A　massive　ball　of　gold…washed　silver；　with　leopards　for　feet　and　handle　and　another　crouched　on　the　lid；　it　required　both　of　her　hands　and　wavered　a　little　as　she　carefully　filled　Rand's　cup。　Her　manner　seemed　to　say　she　did　this　because　she　wanted　to；　for　reasons　of　her　own　that　none　of　them　could　begin　to　understand；　her　manner　shouted　Aes　Sedai　louder　than　her　face　did。　Was　that　to　the　good；　or　the　bad？
　　　〃I　do　not　allow　them　to　channel　without　permission；〃　he　said。　The　clan　chiefs　kept　silent。　Merana　rose　and　moved　to　kneel　beside　each　in　turn。　Mandelain　covered　his　cup　with　a　broad　hand　to　indicate　he　wanted　no　more。　The　other　two　held　out　theirs；　blue…gray　eyes　and　green　alike　studying　her。　What　did　they　see？　What　more　could　he　do？
　　　Replacing　the　heavy　teapot　on　the　thick　leopard…handled　tray；　she　remained　on　her　knees。　〃May　I　serve　my　Lord　Dragon　in　any　way　else？〃
　　　Her　voice　was　self…possession　itself；　but　after　he　motioned　her　back　to　her　corner；　after　she　had　risen　and　turned；　slim　hands　clutched　at　her　skirts　for　an　instant。　Yet　that　might　have　been　because　turning　brought　her　to　face　Dashiva　and　Narishma。　The　two　Asha'man　…　to　be　precise；　Narishma　was　still　only　a　soldier；　the　lowest　level　of　Asha'man；　with　neither　the　sword　nor　the　Dragon　on　his　collar　…　the　Asha'man　stood　impassively　between　two　of　the　tall　golden…framed　mirrors　that　lined　the　walls。　At　least；　the　younger　man　looked　impassive；　at　first　glance。　Thumbs　tucked　behind　his　sword　belt；　he　ignored　Merana　and　paid　little　more　attention　to　Rand　or　the　Aielmen；　yet　at　a　second　glance　you　saw　that　his　dark　too…big　eyes　never　rested；　as　if　he　expected　the　unexpected　to　leap　out　of　the　air　any　moment。　And　who　could　say　it　would　not？　Dashiva　appeared　to　have　his　head　in　the　clouds；　his　lips　moved　soundlessly；　and　he　blinked　and　frowned　at　nothing。
　　　Lews　Therin　snarled　when　Rand　looked　at　the　Asha'man；　but　it　was　Merana　who　occupied　the　dead　man　inside　Rand's　head。　Only　a　fool　thinks　a　lion　or　a　woman　can　truly　be　tamed。
　　　Irritably；　Rand　suppressed　the　voice　to　a　muted　buzz。　Lews　Therin　could　break　through；　but　not　without　effort。　Grabbing　hold　of　saidin；　he　rewove　the　ward　that　shut　Merana　away　from　their　voices。　Releasing　the　Source　again　increased　his　irritation；　the　hissing　in　his　head；　the　water　drops　on　red　coals。　An　echo　pulsing　in　time　with　Lews　Therin's　mad；　distant　rage。
　　　Merana　stood　behind　the　barrier　she　could　neither　see　nor　feel；　head　high　and　hands　folded　at　her　waist　as　if　a　shawl　were　looped　over　her　arms。　Aes　Sedai　to　her　toenails。　She　watched　him　and　the　clan　chiefs　with　cool　eyes；　light　brown　flecked　with　yellow。　My　sisters　do　not　all　realize　how　very　much　we　need　you；　she　had　told　him　this　morning　in　this　very　room；　but　all　of　us　who　swore　will　do　whatever　you　ask　that　would　not　violate　the　Three　Oaths。　He　had　just　wakened　when　she　came　with　Sorilea　escorting　her。　Neither　seemed　to　care　at　all　that　he　was　still　in　a　robe；　with　only　one　bite　taken　from　his　breakfast　bread。　I　have　more　than　a　little　skill　in　negotiation　and　mediation。　My　sisters　have　other　skills。　Let　us　serve　you；　as　we　pledged。　Let　me　serve　you。　We　need　you；　but　you　have　some　need　of　us；　too。
　　　Ever　present；　Alanna　lay　nestled　in　a　corner　of　his　brain。　She　was　weeping　again。　He　could　not　understand　why　she　wept　so　often。　He　had　forbidden　her　to　e　near　him　unless　summoned；　or　leave　her　room　without　an　escort　of　Maidens　…　the　sisters　who　had　sworn　to　him　had　been　found　rooms　last　night；　in　the　Palace　where　he　could　keep　an　eye　on　them　…　but　he　had　sensed　tears　from　the　moment　she　bonded　him；　tears　and　a　raw　grief　like　being　ripped　by　claws。　Sometimes　it　was　less；　sometimes　more；　yet　always　there。　Alanna　also　had　told　him　he　needed　the　sworn　sisters；　screamed　it　at　him　finally；　with　her　face　red　and　tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks；　before　literally　running　from　his　presence。　And　she　had　spoken　of　serving；　too；　though　he　doubted　that　Merana's　present　tasks　were　what　either　had　in　mind。　Perhaps　some　sort　of　livery　would　make　it　clear？
　　　The　clan　chiefs　watched　Merana　watch　them。　Not　so　much　as　the　flicker　of　an　eyelash　betrayed　their　thoughts。
　　　〃The　Wise　Ones　have　told　you　where　the　Aes　Sedai　stand；〃　Rand　said　bluntly。　Sorilea　had　told　him　they　knew；　but　the　fact　would　have　been　clear　from　the　lack　of　surprise　when　they　first　saw　Merana　fetch　and　curtsy。　〃You've　seen　her　bring　the　tray　and　pour　your　tea。　You've　seen　her　e　and　go　as　I　say。　If　you　want；　I'll　have　her　dance　a　jig。〃　Convincing　the　Aiel　that　he　was　not　on　the　end　of　an　Aes　Sedai　leash　was　the　most　needed　service　any　of　the　sisters　could　do　him　right　now。　He　would　have　them　all　doing　jigs；　if　necessary。
　　　Mandelain　adjusted　the　gray…green　patch　over　his　right　eye；　the　way　he　did　when　he　wanted　a　moment　to　think。　A　thick　puckered　scar　ran　up　his　forehead　from　behind　the　leather　patch　and　halfway　across　his　mostly　bald　head。　When　he　finally　spoke；　it　was　only　a　little　less　blunt　than　Rand。　〃Some　say　an　Aes　Sedai　will　do　anything　to　have　what　she　wants。〃
　　　Indirian　lowered　heavy　white　eyebrows　and　peered　down　his　long　nose　at　his　tea。　Of　only　average　height　for　an　Aielman；　he　was　shorter　than　Rand　by　half　a　hand；　yet　everything　about　him　seemed　long。　The　heat　of　the　Waste　appeared　to　have　melted　away　every　spare　ounce　of　flesh　and　a　few　more　besides。　His　cheekbones　stood　out　sharp；　and　his　eyes　were　emeralds　set　in　caves。　〃I　do　not　like　speaking　of　Aes　Sedai。〃　His　deep；　rich　voice　was　always　a　shock；　ing　from　that　gaunt　face。　〃What　is　done；　is　done。　Let　the　Wise　Ones　deal　with　them。〃
　　　〃Better　to　speak　of　the　Shaido　dogs；〃　Janwin　said　mildly。　Which　was　almost　as　great　a　shock；　ing　from　his　fierce　face。　〃Within　a　few　months；　less　than　half　a　year　at　most；　every　Shaido　who　can　be　will　be　dead　…　or　made　gai'shain。〃　Just　because　his　voice　was　soft　did　not　mean　he　was。　The　other　two　nodded；　Mandelain　smiled　eagerly。
　　　They　still　seemed　unconvinced。　The　Shaido　had　been　the　professed　reason　for　this　meeting；　and　no　less　important　for　not　being　the　most　important。　Not　unimportant　…　the　Shaido　had　made　trouble　long　enough　…　just　not　on　the　same　page　with　the　Aes　Sedai　in　his　book。　They　did　present　problems；　though。　Three　clans　joining　Timolan's　Miagoma；　already　near　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　might　well　be　able　to　do　as　Janwin　said；　but　there　were　those　who　could　not　be　made　gai'shain　and　could　not　be　killed。　Some　were　more　critical　than　others。　〃What　of　the　Wise　Ones？〃　he　asked。
　　　For　a　moment　their　faces　became　unreadable；　not　even　Aes　Sedai　could　do　that　so　well　as　Aiel。　Facing　the　One　Power　did　not　frighten　them；　not　where　it　showed；　at　least；　no　one　could　outrun　death；　so　Aiel　believed；　and　a　hundred　Aes　Sedai　in　a　rage　could　not　make　a　lone　Aiel　lower　the　veil　once　raised。　But　learning　that　Wise　Ones　had　taken　part　in　the　fighting　at　Dumai's　Wells　had　hit　them　like　watching　the　sun　rise　by　night　and　the　moon　by　day　in　a　blood…red　sky。
　　　〃Sarinde　tells　me　almost　all　of　the　Wise　Ones　will　run　with　the　algai'd'siswai；〃　Indirian　said　at　last；　reluctantly。　Sarinde　was　the　Wise　One　who　had　followed　him　from　Red　Springs；　clan　hold　of　the　Codarra。　Or　perhaps　〃followed〃　was　not　the　right　word；　Wise　Ones　seldom　did。　In　any　case；　most　of　the　Codarra　Wise　Ones；　and　the　Shiande　and　the　Daryne；　would　go　north　with　the　spears。　〃The　Shaido　Wise　Ones　will　be。。。　dealt　with。。。　by　Wise　Ones。〃　His　mouth　twisted　with　disgust。
　　　〃All　things　change。〃　Janwin's　voice　was　even　softer　than　usual。　He　believed；　but　he　did　not　want　to。　Wise　Ones　taking　part　in　battle　violated　custom　as　old　as　the　Aiel。
　　　Mandelain　set　his　cup　down　with　exaggerated　care。　〃Corehuin　wishes　to　see　Jair　again　before　the　dream　ends；　and　so　do　I。〃　Like　Bael　and　Rhuarc；　he　had　two　wives；　the　other　chiefs　had　only　one　each；　except　Timolan；　but　a　widowed　chief　seldom　remained　so　long。　The　Wise　Ones　saw　to　that　if　he　did　not。　〃Will　any　of　us　ever　see　the　sun　rise　again　in　the　Three…fold　Land？〃
　　　〃I　hope　so；〃　Rand　said　slowly。　As　the　plow　breaks　the　earth　shall　he　break　the　lives　of　men；　and　all　that　was　shall　be　consumed　in　the　fire　of　his　eyes。　The　trumpets　of　war　shall　sound　at　his　footsteps；　the　ravens　feed　at　his　voice；　and　he　shall　wear　a　crown　of　swords。　The　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon　gave　little　hope　for　anything　except　victory　over　the　Dark　One；　and　only　a　chance　of　that。　The　Prophecy　of　Rhuidean；　the　Aiel　Prophecy；　said　he　would　destroy　them。　The　bleakness　swept　through　the　clans　because　of　him　and　ancient　customs　were　ripped　apart。　Even　without　the　Aes　Sedai；　small　wonder　if　some　chiefs　pondered　whether　they　were　right　to　follow　Rand　al'Thor；　Dragons　on　his　arms　or　no。　〃I　hope　so。〃
　　　〃May　you　always　find　water　and　shade；　Rand　al'Thor；〃　Indirian　said。
　　　After　they　left；　Rand　sat　frowning　into　his　cup；　finding　no　answers　in　the　dark　tea。　Finally　he　set　it　beside　the　tray　and　pushed　his　sleeves　down。　Merana's　eyes　were　intent　on　him；　as　if　trying　to　pull　out　his　thoughts。　There　was　a　hint　of　impatience　about　her；　too。　He　ha