rj.acrownofswords-第91节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　she　began　to　run。
　　　As　usual；　a　number　of　Maidens　were　squatting　on　their　Heels　beside　the　tall　doors　worked　with　gilded　rising　suns。　Their　shoufa　hung　about　their　shoulders　and　their　spears　lay　across　their　knees；　yet　there　was　nothing　casual　about　them。　They　were　leopards；　waiting　for　something　to　kill。　Usually　Maidens　made　Min　uneasy；　for　all　they　were　friendly　enough。　Today；　she　would　not　have　cared　if　they　were　veiled。
　　　〃He　is　in　a　foul　temper；〃　Riallin　warned；　but　made　no　move　to　stop　her。　Min　was　one　of　the　few　allowed　to　enter　Rand's　presence　without　being　announced。　She　straightened　her　coat　and　tried　to　settle　herself。　She　was　not　sure　why　she　had　e。　Except　that　Rand　made　her　feel　safe。　Burn　him！　She　had　never　needed　anyone　to　feel　safe　before。
　　　Just　inside　the　room；　she　stopped；　aghast。　Automatically；　she　pushed　the　door　shut　behind　her。　The　place　was　a　shambles。　A　few　glittering　shards　clung　to　some　of　the　mirror　frames；　but　most　of　the　glass　lay　scattered　across　the　floor。　The　dais　was　on　its　side；　the　throne　that　had　stood　atop　it　just　gilded　flinders　where　it　had　been　smashed　against　a　wall。　One　of　the　stand…lamps；　heavy　iron　beneath　the　gilt；　had　been　twisted　into　a　hoop。　Rand　sat　in　one　of　the　smaller　chairs　in　his　shirtsleeves；　arms　dangling　and　head　back；　staring　at　the　ceiling。　Staring　at　nothing。　Images　danced　about　him　and　colored　auras　flickered　and　flared；　he　was　like　Aes　Sedai　in　that。　She　had　no　need　of　Illuminators　when　Rand　or　an　Aes　Sedai　was　in　sight。　He　did　not　move　as　she　walked　farther　into　the　room。　He　did　not　seem　aware　of　her　at　all。　Shattered　bits　of　mirror　crunched　beneath　her　boots。　A　foul　temper；　indeed。
　　　Even　so；　she　felt　no　fear。　Not　of　him；　she　could　not　begin　to　imagine　Rand　harming　her。　For　him；　she　felt　enough　to　nearly　purge　the　memory　of　Colavaere's　apartments　from　her　head。　She　had　long　since　reconciled　herself　to　being　hopelessly　in　love。　Nothing　else　mattered；　not　that　he　was　an　unsophisticated　countryman；　younger　than　she；　not　who　or　what　he　was；　not　that　he　was　doomed　to　go　mad　and　die　if　he　was　not　killed　first。　I　don't　even　mind　having　to　share　him；　she　thought；　and　knew　how　tightly　she　was　caught　if　she　could　lie　to　herself。　That；　she　had　forced　herself　to　accept；　Elayne　had　a　part　of　him；　a　claim　on　him；　and　so　did　this　Aviendha　woman　she　had　yet　to　meet。　What　could　not　be　mended　must　be　lived　with；　so　her　Aunt　Jan　always　said。　Especially　when　your　brains　had　gone　soft。　Light；　she　had　always　prided　herself　on　keeping　her　wits。
　　　She　stopped　beside　one　of　the　chairs；　where　the　Dragon　Scepter　had　driven　into　the　thick　wooden　back　so　hard　that　the　point　stood　out　nearly　a　hand　behind。　In　love　with　a　man　who　did　not　know；　who　would　send　her　away　should　he　ever　became　aware。　A　man　she　was　sure　was　in　love　with　her。　And　with　Elayne；　and　this　Aviendha；　too；　that；　she　rushed　by。　What　could　not　be　mended。。。　He　was　in　love　with　her　and　refused　to　admit　it。　Did　he　think　that　just　because　mad　Lews　Therin　Telamon　had　killed　the　woman　he　loved；　he　was　fated　to　as　well？
　　　〃I'm　glad　you　came；〃　he　said　suddenly；　still　staring　at　the　ceiling。　〃I've　been　sitting　here　alone。　Alone。〃　He　gave　a　bitter　bark　of　a　laugh。　〃Herid　Fel　is　dead。〃
　　　〃No；〃　she　whispered；　〃not　that　sweet　little　old　man。〃　Her　eyes　stung。
　　　〃He　was　torn　apart。〃　Rand's　voice　was　so　tired。　So　empty。　〃Idrien　fainted　when　she　found　him。　She　lay　in　a　stupor　half　the　night；　and　was　nearly　incoherent　when　finally　roused。　One　of　the　other　women　at　the　school　gave　her　something　to　make　her　sleep。　She　was　embarrassed　about　that。　When　she　came　to　me；　she　started　crying　again　and。。。　It　had　to　be　Shadowspawn。　What　else　could　tear　a　man　limb　from　limb？〃　Without　raising　his　head；　he　smacked　a　fist　down　on　the　chair　arm　so　hard　the　wood　creaked。　〃But　why？　Why　was　he　killed？　What　could　he　have　told　me？〃
　　　Min　tried　to　think。　She　truly　did。　Master　Fel　was　a　philosopher；　he　and　Rand　discussed　everything　from　the　meaning　of　parts　of　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon　to　the　nature　of　the　hole　into　the　Dark　One's　prison。　He　let　her　borrow　books；　fascinating　books；　especially　where　she　had　to　work　to　puzzle　out　what　it　was　they　said。　He　had　been　a　philosopher。　He　would　never　lend　her　a　book　again。　Such　a　gentle　old　man；　wrapped　up　in　a　world　of　thought　and　startled　when　he　noticed　anything　outside　it。　She　treasured　a　note　he　had　written　to　Rand。　He　had　said　she　was　pretty；　that　she　distracted　him。　And　now　he　was　dead。　Light；　she　had　had　too　much　of　death。
　　　〃I　shouldn't　have　told　you；　not　like　that。〃
　　　She　gave　a　start；　she　had　not　heard　Rand　cross　the　room。　His　fingers　brushed　her　cheek。　Wiping　away　tears。　She　was　crying。
　　　〃I'm　sorry；　Min；〃　he　said　softly。　〃I　am　not　a　very　nice　person　anymore。　A　man　is　dead　because　of　me；　and　all　I　can　do　is　worry　why　he　was　killed。〃
　　　Flinging　arms　around　him；　she　buried　her　face　against　his　chest。　She　could　not　stop　crying。　She　could　not　stop　trembling。　〃I　went　to　Colavaere's　apartments。〃　Images　flashed　in　her　head。　The　empty　sitting　room；　all　the　servants　gone。　The　bedchamber。　She　did　not　want　to　remember；　but　now　she　had　begun；　she　could　not　stop　the　words　tumbling　out。　〃I　thought；　since　you'd　exiled　her；　maybe　there　was　some　way　around　the　viewing　I　had　of　her。〃　Colavaere　had　been　wearing　what　must　have　been　her　finest　gown；　dark　silk　that　glistened；　with　falls　of　delicate　aged…ivory　Sovarra　lace。　〃I　thought　for　once　it　didn't　have　to　be　that　way。　You're　ta'veren。　You　can　change　the　Pattern。〃　Colavaere　had　donned　a　necklace　and　bracelets　of　emeralds　and　firedrops；　and　rings　with　pearls　and　rubies；　surely　her　best　pieces；　and　yellow　diamonds　had　been　arranged　in　her　hair；　a　fair　imitation　of　the　crown　of　Cairhien。　Her　face。。。　〃She　was　in　her　bedchamber。　Hanging　from　one　of　the　bedposts。〃　Bulging　eyes　and　protruding　tongue　in　a　blackened；　swollen　face。　Toes　a　foot　above　the　overturned　stool。　Sobbing　helplessly；　Min　sagged　against　him。
　　　His　arms　went　around　her　slowly；　gently。　〃Oh；　Min；　you　have　more　pain　than　pleasure　from　your　gift。　If　I　could　take　your　pain；　I　would；　Min。　I　would。〃
　　　Slowly　it　penetrated　that　he　was　trembling；　too。　Light；　he　tried　so　hard　to　be　iron；　to　be　what　he　thought　the　Dragon　Reborn　must；　but　it　cut　him　when　somebody　died　because　of　him；　Colavaere　probably　no　less　than　Fel。　He　bled　for　everyone　harmed；　and　tried　to　pretend　he　did　not。
　　　〃Kiss　me；〃　she　mumbled。　When　he　did　not　move；　she　looked　up。　He　blinked　at　her　uncertainly；　eyes　now　blue；　now　gray；　a　morning　sky。　〃I'm　not　teasing。〃　How　often　had　she　teased　him；　sitting　on　his　lap；　kissing　him；　calling　him　sheepherder　because　she　dared　not　say　his　name　for　fear　he　might　hear　the　caress？　He　put　up　with　it　because　he　thought　she　was　teasing　and　would　stop　if　she　believed　it　did　not　affect　him。　Hah！　Aunt　Jan　and　Aunt　Rana　said　you　should　not　kiss　a　man　unless　you　intended　to　marry　him；　but　Aunt　Miren　seemed　to　know　a　little　more　of　the　world。　She　said　you　should　not　kiss　a　man　too　casually　because　men　fell　in　love　so　easily。　〃I'm　cold　inside；　sheepherder。　Colavaere；　and　Master　Fel。。。　I　need　to　feel　warm　flesh。　I　need。。。　Please？〃
　　　His　head　lowered　so　slowly。　It　was　a　brother's　kiss；　at　first；　mild　as　milk…water；　soothing；　forting。　Then　it　became　something　else。　Not　at　all　soothing。　Jerking　upright；　he　tried　to　pull　away。　〃Min；　I　can't。　I　have　no　right　…　〃
　　　Seizing　two　handfuls　of　his　hair；　she　pulled　his　mouth　back　down；　and　after　a　little　while；　he　stopped　fighting。　She　was　not　certain　whether　her　hands　began　tearing　at　the　laces　of　his　shirt　first　or　his　at　hers；　but　of　one　thing　she　was　absolutely　sure。　If　he　even　tried　to　stop　now；　she　was　going　to　fetch　one　of　Riallin's　spears；　all　of　them；　and　stab　him。
　　　
　　　On　her　way　out　of　the　Sun　Palace；　Cadsuane　studied　the　Aiel　wilders　she　saw　as　well　as　she　could　without　being　obvious。　Corele　and　Daigian　followed　in　silence；　they　knew　her　well　enough　by　now　not　to　disturb　her　with　chatter；　which　could　not　be　said　of　all　those　who　paused　a　few　days　at　Arilyn's　little　palace　before　she　sent　them　on。　A　great　many　wilders；　every　one　staring　at　the　Aes　Sedai　as　if　at　flea…ridden　curs　covered　with　running　sores；　tracking　mud　over　a　new　rug。　Some　people　looked　at　Aes　Sedai　with　awe　or　adoration；　others　with　fear　or　hate；　but　Cadsuane　had　never　seen　contempt　before；　not　even　from　Whitecloaks。　Even　so；　any　people　who　produced　so　many　wilders　should　be　sending　a　river　of　girls　to　the　Tower。
　　　That　would　have　to　be　seen　to　eventually；　and　to　the　Pit　of　Doom　with　custom　if　need　be；　but　not　now。　The　al'Thor　boy　needed　to　be　kept　intrigued　enough　that　he　allowed　her　near　him；　and　off…balance　enough　that　she　could　nudge　him　where　she　wanted　without　him　realizing。　One　way　or　another；　anything　that　might　interfere　with　that　must　be　controlled　or　suppressed。　Nothing　could　be　allowed　to　influence　him；　or　upset　him；　in　the　wrong　way。　Nothing。
　　　The　shiny　black　coach　was　waiting　in　the　courtyard　behind　a　patient　team　of　six　matched　grays。　A　serving　man　rushed　to　open　the　door　painted　with　a　pair　of　silver　stars　atop　red　and　green　stripes；　bowing　to　the　three　of　them　till　his　bald　head　was　nearly　level　with　h