rj.thegreathunt-第131节

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　　　　　　　〃You　did　not　have　to　e；〃　Egwene　reminded　her。　〃You　could　have　gone　at　any　time。　No　one　would　have　tried　to　stop　you　leaving　the　Tower。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　I　could　have　wandered　off；〃　Min　said　wryly。　〃As　easily　as　you；　or　Elayne。　The　Pattern　doesn't　much　care　what　we　want；　Egwene；　what　if；　after　all　you　are　going　through　for　him；　Rand　doesn't　marry　you？　What　if　he　marries　some　woman　you've　never　seen　before；　or　Elayne；　or　me？　What　then？〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　chortled。　〃Mother　would　never　approve。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　was　silent　for　a　time。　Rand　might　not　live　to　marry　anyone。　And　if　he　did　。。。　She　could　not　imagine　Rand　hurting　anyone。　Not　even　after　he's　gone　mad？　There　had　to　be　some　way　to　stop　that；　some　way　to　change　it；　Aes　Sedai　knew　so　much；　could　do　so　much。　If　they　could　stop　it；　why　don't　they？　The　only　answer　was　because　they　could　not；　and　that　was　not　the　one　she　wanted。
　　　　　　　She　tried　to　put　lightness　in　her　voice。　〃I　don't　suppose　I　will　marry　him。　Aes　Sedai　seldom　do　marry；　you　know。　But　I　would　not　set　my　heart　on　him　if　were　you。　Or　you；　Elayne。　I　do　not　think　。。。〃　Her　voice　caught；　and　she　coughed　to　cover　it。　〃I　do　not　think　he　will　ever　marry。　But　if　he　does；　I　wish　well　to　whoever　ends　up　with　him；　even　one　of　you。〃　She　thought　she　sounded　as　if　she　meant　it。　〃He　is　stubborn　as　a　mule；　and　wrongheaded　to　a　fault；　but　he　is　gentle。〃　Her　voice　shook；　but　she　managed　to　turn　the　quaver　into　a　laugh。
　　　　　　　〃However　much　you　say　you　do　not　care；〃　Elayne　said；　〃I　think　you'd　approve　less　than　Mother　would。　He　is　interesting；　Egwene。　More　interesting　than　any　man　I've　ever　met；　even　if　he　is　a　shepherd。　If　you　are　silly　enough　to　throw　him　away；　you　will　have　only　yourself　to　blame　if　I　decide　to　face　down　you　and　Mother　both。　It　would　not　be　the　first　time　the　Prince　of　Andor　had　no　title　before　he　wed。　But　you　won't　be　that　silly；　so　don't　try　to　pretend　you　will。　No　doubt　you　will　choose　the　Green　Ajah；　and　make　him　one　of　your　Warders。　The　only　Greens　I　know　with　only　one　Warder　are　married　to　them。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　made　herself　go　along　with　it；　saying　if　she　did　bee　a　Green　she　would　have　ten　Warders。
　　　　　　　Min　watched　her；　frowning；　and　Nynaeve　watched　Min　thoughtfully。　They　all　fell　silent　by　the　time　they　changed　into　more　suitable　clothes　for　traveling；　from　their　saddlebags。　It　was　not　easy；　keeping　spirits　up　in　that　place。
　　　　　　　Sleep　came　slowly　to　Egwene；　fitfully；　and　it　was　filled　with　bad　dreams。　She　did　not　dream　of　Rand；　but　of　the　man　whose　eyes　were　fire。　His　face　was　not　masked　this　time；　and　it　was　horrible　with　almost　healed　burns。　He　only　looked　at　her　and　laughed；　but　that　was　worse　than　the　dreams　that　followed；　the　dreams　of　being　lost　in　the　Ways　forever；　the　ones　where　the　Black　Wind　was　chasing　her。　She　was　grateful　when　the　toe　of　Liandrin's　riding　boot　dug　into　her　ribs　to　waken　her；　she　felt　as　if　she　had　not　slept　at　all。
　　　　　　　Liandrin　pushed　them　hard　through　the　next　day；　or　what　passed　for　day；　with　only　their　lanterns　for　a　sun；　not　letting　them　stop　for　sleep　until　they　were　swaying　in　their　saddles。　Stone　made　a　hard　bed；　but　Liandrin　roused　them　ruthlessly　after　a　few　hours；　hardly　waiting　for　them　to　mount　before　riding　on。　Ramps　and　bridges；　Islands　and　Guidings。　Egwene　saw　so　many　of　them　in　that　pitch…dark　that　she　lost　count。　She　had　long　since　lost　any　count　of　hours　or　of　days。　Liandrin　allowed　only　brief　halts　to　eat　and　rest　the　horses；　and　the　darkness　weighed　down　on　their　shoulders。　They　slumped　in　their　saddles　like　sacks　of　grain；　except　for　Liandrin。　The　Aes　Sedai　seemed　unaffected　by　tiredness；　or　the　dark。　She　was　as　fresh　as　she　had　been　back　in　the　White　Tower；　and　as　cold。　She　would　not　let　anyone　glimpse　the　parchment　she　pared　to　the　Guidings；　stuffing　it　away　with　a　curt；　〃It　is　nothing　you　would　understand；〃　when　Nynaeve　asked。
　　　　　　　And　then；　while　Egwene　blinked　wearily；　Liandrin　was　riding　away　from　a　Guiding；　not　toward　another　bridge　or　ramp；　but　down　a　pitted　white　line　that　led　off　into　the　darkness。　Egwene　stared　at　her　friends；　and　then　they　all　hurried　to　follow。　Ahead；　by　the　light　of　her　lantern；　the　Aes　Sedai　was　already　removing　the　Avendesora　leaf　from　the　carvings　on　a　Waygate。
　　　　　　　〃We　are　here；〃　Liandrin　said；　smiling。　〃I　have　brought　you　at　last　to　where　you　must　go。〃


Chapter　40
（A'dam）
Damane

　　　　　　　Egwene　dismounted　as　the　Waygate　opened；　and　when　Liandrin　motioned　them　through；　she　led　the　shaggy　mare　carefully　out。　Even　so；　she　and　Bela　both　stumbled　in　brush　flattened　by　the　opening　Waygate　as　they　suddenly　seemed　to　be　moving　even　more　slowly。　A　screen　of　dense　shrubs　had　surrounded　and　hidden　the　Waygate。　There　were　only　a　few　trees　close　by；　and　a　morning　breeze　ruffled　foliage　with　a　little　more　color　than　the　leaves　had　had　in　Tar　Valon。
　　　　　　　Watching　her　friends　emerge　after　her；　she　had　been　standing　there　a　good　minute　before　she　became　aware　that　others　were　already　there；　just　out　of　sight　on　the　other　side　of　the　gates。　When　she　did　notice　them　she　stared　uncertainly；　they　were　as　odd　a　group　as　she　had　ever　seen；　and　she　had　heard　too　many　rumors　of　the　war　on　Toman　Head。
　　　　　　　Armored　men；　at　least　fifty　of　them；　with　overlapping　steel　plates　down　their　chests　and　dull　black　helmets　shaped　like　insects'　heads；　sat　their　saddles　or　stood　beside　their　horses；　staring　at　her　and　the　emerging　women；　staring　at　the　Waygate；　muttering　among　themselves。　The　only　bareheaded　man　among　them；　a　tall；　dark…faced；　hook…nosed　fellow　standing　with　a　gilded…and…painted　helmet　on　his　hip；　looked　astonished　at　what　he　was　seeing。　There　were　women　with　the　soldiers；　too。　Two　wore　plain；　dark　gray　dresses　and　wide　silver　collars；　and　stood　staring　intently　at　those　ing　out　of　the　Waygate；　each　with　another　woman　close　behind　her　as　if　ready　to　speak　into　her　ear。　Two　other　women；　standing　a　little　apart；　wore　wide；　divided　skirts　that　came　well　short　of　their　ankles；　and　panels　embroidered　with　forked　lightning　bolts　on　their　bosoms　and　skirts。　Oddest　of　all　was　the　last　woman；　reclining　on　a　palanquin　borne　by　eight　muscular；　bare…chested　men　in　baggy　black　trousers。　The　sides　of　her　scalp　were　shaved　so　that　only　a　wide　crest　of　black　hair　remained　to　fall　down　her　back。　A　long；　cream…colored　robe　worked　in　flowers　and　birds　on　blue　ovals　was　carefully　arranged　to　show　her　skirts　of　pleated　white；　and　her　fingernails　were　a　good　inch　long；　the　first　two　on　each　hand　lacquered　blue。
　　　　　　　〃Liandrin　Sedai；〃　Egwene　asked　uneasily；　〃do　you　know　who　these　people　are？〃　Her　friends　fingered　their　reins　as　if　wondering　whether　to　mount　and　run；　but　Liandrin　replaced　the　Avendesora　leaf　and　stepped　forward　confidently　as　the　Waygate　began　to　close。
　　　　　　　〃The　High　Lady　Suroth？〃　Liandrin　said；　making　it　halfway　between　a　question　and　statement。
　　　　　　　The　women　on　the　palanquin　nodded　fractionally。　〃You　are　Liandrin。〃　Her　speech　was　slurred；　and　it　took　Egwene　a　moment　to　understand。　〃Aes　Sedai；〃　Suroth　added　with　a　twist　to　her　lips；　and　a　murmur　rose　among　the　soldiers。　〃We　must　be　done　here　quickly；　Liandrin。　There　are　patrols；　and　it　would　not　do　to　be　found。　You　would　enjoy　the　attentions　of　the　Seekers　for　Truth　no　more　than　I。　I　mean　to　be　back　in　Falme　before　Turak　knows　I　am　gone。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Nynaeve　demanded。　〃What　is　she　talking　about；　Liandrin？〃
　　　　　　　Liandrin　laid　a　hand　on　Nynaeve's　shoulder　and　one　on　Egwene's。　〃These　are　the　two　of　whom　you　were　told。　And　there　is　another。〃　She　nodded　toward　Elayne。　〃She　is　the　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor。〃
　　　　　　　The　two　women　with　the　lightning　on　their　dresses　were　approaching　the　party　in　front　of　the　Waygate　…　they　carried　coils　of　some　silvery　metal　in　their　hands；　Egwene　noticed　…　and　the　bareheaded　soldier　came　with　them。　He　did　not　put　a　hand　near　the　sword　hilt　sticking　up　above　his　shoulder；　and　he　wore　a　casual　smile；　but　Egwene　still　watched　him　narrowly。　Liandrin　gave　no　sign　of　agitation；　otherwise　Egwene　would　have　jumped　onto　Bela　right　then。
　　　　　　　〃Liandrin　Sedai；〃　she　said　urgently；　〃who　are　these　people？　Are　they　here　to　help　Rand　and　the　others；　too？〃
　　　　　　　The　hook…nosed　man　suddenly　seized　Min　and　Elayne　by　the　scruffs　of　their　necks；　and　in　the　next　instant　everything　seemed　to　happen　at　once。　The　man　yelled　a　curse；　and　a　woman　screamed；　or　perhaps　more　than　one　woman；　Egwene　could　not　be　sure。　Abruptly　the　breeze　was　a　gale　that　whipped　away　Liandrin's　angry　shout　in　clouds　of　dirt　and　leaves　and　made　the　trees　bend　and　groan。　Horses　reared　and　whinnied　shrilly。　And　one　of　the　women　reached　out　and　fastened　something　around　Egwene's　neck。
　　　　　　　Cloak　flapping　like　a　sail；　Egwene　braced　against　the　wind　and　tugged　at　what　felt　like　a　collar　of　smooth　metal。　It　would　not　budge；　under　her　frantic　fingers；　it　felt　all　of　one　piece；　though　she　knew　it　had　to　have　some　kind　of　clasp。　The　silvery　coils　the　woman　had　carried　now　trailed　over　Egwene's　shoulder；　their　other　end　joining　a　bright　bracelet　on　the　woman's　left　wrist。　Balling　her　fist　tightly；　Egwene　hit　the　woman　as　hard　as　she　could；　right　in　her　eye　…　and　staggered　and　fell　to　her　knees　herself；　head　ringing。　It　felt　as　if　a　large　man　had　struck　her　in　the　face。