rj.theshadowrising-第135节

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o　his　hand。
　　　　　　　Rand　rolled　onto　his　back　and　stared　up　at　the　low　tent　roof。　Three　days　saved。　He　should　have　felt　glad　Moiraine　and　Aviendha　were　back　and　safe；　but　his　relief　was　all　for　days　saved。　Time　was　everything。　He　had　to　be　able　to　choose　his　own　ground。　Maybe　he　still　could。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　Mat　asked。
　　　　　　　〃Something　you　should　like。　I　am　going　to　break　the　rules。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　meant　are　you　going　to　get　something　to　eat？　Me；　I'm　hungry。〃
　　　　　　　In　spite　of　himself；　Rand　laughed。　Something　to　eat？　He　did　not　care　if　he　ever　ate　again。　Mat　stared　at　him　as　if　he　were　crazy；　and　that　only　made　him　laugh　harder。　Not　crazy。　For　the　first　time　somebody　was　going　to　learn　what　it　meant　that　he　was　the　Dragon　Reborn。　He　was　going　to　break　the　rules　in　a　way　no　one　expected。


Chapter　35
（Spears　and　Shield）
Sharp　Lessons

　　　　　　　The　Heart　of　the　Stone　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　was　as　Egwene　remembered　it　in　the　real　world；　huge　polished　redstone　columns　rising　to　a　distant　ceiling；　and；　beneath　the　great　central　dome；　Callandor　driven　into　the　pale　floorstones。　Only　people　were　missing。　The　golden　lamps　were　not　lit；　yet　there　was　a　sort　of　light；　somehow　dim　and　sharp　at　the　same　time；　that　seemed　to　e　from　everywhere　at　once；　or　nowhere。　It　was　often　like　that；　indoors　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。
　　　　　　　What　she　did　not　expect　was　the　woman　standing　beyond　the　glittering　crystal　sword　and　peering　off　into　the　pallid　shadows　among　the　columns。　The　way　she　was　dressed　startled　Egwene。　Bare　feet；　and　wide　trousers　of　brocaded　yellow　silk。　Above　a　darker　yellow　sash；　she　was　quite　bare　except　for　golden　chains　hanging　around　her　neck。　Tiny　gold　rings　decorated　her　ears　in　sparkling　rows；　and　most　startling　of　all；　another　pierced　her　nose；　with　a　thin；　medallion…lined　chain　running　from　nose　ring　to　one　of　the　rings　in　her　left　ear。
　　　　　　　〃Elayne？〃　Egwene　gasped；　gathering　her　shawl　around　her　as　though　she　were　the　one　with　no　blouse。　She　had　garbed　herself　as　a　Wise　One；　this　time；　for　no　particular　reason。
　　　　　　　The　Daughter…Heir　leaped；　and　when　she　came　down　facing　Egwene　she　was　wearing　a　demure　gown　of　pale　green　with　a　high；　embroidered　neck　and　long　sleeves　that　dangled　points　over　her　hands。　No　earrings。　No　nose　ring。　〃It　is　how　the　Sea　Folk　women　dress　at　sea；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　with　a　furious　blush。　〃I　wanted　to　see　how　it　felt；　and　this　seemed　the　best　place。　I　couldn't　do　it　on　the　ship；　after　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃How　does　it　feel？〃　Egwene　asked　curiously。
　　　　　　　〃Cold；　actually。〃　Elayne　looked　around　at　the　surrounding　columns。　〃And　it　makes　you　feel　people　are　staring　at　you；　even　when　there's　no　one　there。〃　Abruptly　she　laughed。　〃Poor　Thom　and　Juilin。　They　do　not　know　where　to　look　most　of　the　time。　Half　the　crew　are　women。〃
　　　　　　　Studying　the　columns　herself；　Egwene　shrugged　unfortably。　It　did　feel　as　if　they　were　being　watched。　No　doubt　it　was　just　because　they　were　the　only　people　in　the　Stone。　No　one　who　had　access　to　Tel'aran'rhiod　could　expect　to　find　anyone　to　watch；　here。　〃Thom？　Thom　Merrilin？　And　Juilin　Sandar？　Are　they　with　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　Egwene；　Rand　sent　them。　Rand　and　Lan。　Well；　Moiraine　sent　Thom；　actually；　but　Rand　sent　Master　Sandar。　To　help　us。　Nynaeve　is　quite　set　up　about　it；　about　Lan；　though　of　course　she　won't　let　on。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　smothered　a　small　smile。　Nynaeve　was　set　up？　Elayne's　face　was　beaming；　and　her　dress　had　changed　again；　to　a　much　lower　neckline；　apparently　without　her　realizing　it。　The　ter'angreal；　the　twisted　stone　ring；　helped　the　Daughter　Heir　reach　the　World　of　Dreams　as　easily　as　Egwene　did；　but　it　did　not　confer　control。　That　had　to　be　learned。　Stray　thoughts　…　such　as　how　she　might　like　to　look　for　Rand　…　could　still　alter　things　for　Elayne。
　　　　　　　〃How　is　he？〃　Elayne's　voice　was　a　strange　blend　of　forced　casualness　and　apprehension。
　　　　　　　〃Well；〃　Egwene　said。　〃I　think　he　is。〃　She　made　it　a　full　report。　The　Portal　Stones；　and　Rhuidean　…　as　much　as　she　knew　from　what　she　had　heard；　what　she　had　managed　to　infer　from　talk　of　seeing　through　ancestors'　eyes　…　the　strange　creature　from　the　Dragon　banner　marked　on　Rand's　forearms；　Bair's　revelation　that　he　was　the　Aiel's　doom；　the　summons　of　the　clan　chiefs　to　Alcair　Dal。　Amys　and　the　other　Wise　Ones　should　be　doing　that　even　now；　she　fervently　hoped　they　were。　She　even　told　the　strange　story　of　Rand's　true　parents；　in　a　shorter　form。　〃I　don't　know；　though。　He　has　been　acting　stranger　than　ever；　since；　and　Mat　hardly　less。　I　don't　mean　that　he's　mad；　but。。。　He　is　as　hard　as　Rhuarc　or　Lan；　in　some　ways　at　least；　maybe　harder。　He's　planning　something；　I　think　…　something　he　doesn't　mean　anybody　to　know　…　and　he　is　in　a　rush　to　get　to　it。　It　is　worrying。　Sometimes　I　have　the　feeling　he　doesn't　see　people　anymore；　only　pieces　on　a　stones　board。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　did　not　look　worried；　or　not　about　that；　at　any　rate。　〃He　is　what　he　is；　Egwene。　A　king；　or　a　general；　cannot　always　afford　to　see　people。　When　a　ruler　has　to　do　what　is　right　for　a　nation；　there　are　times　when　some　will　be　hurt　by　what　is　best　for　the　whole。　Rand　is　a　king；　Egwene；　even　if　without　a　nation　unless　you　count　Tear；　and　if　he　won't　do　anything　that　will　hurt　anyone；　he　will　end　by　hurting　everyone。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　sniffed。　It　might　make　sense；　but　she　did　not　have　to　like　it。　People　were　people；　and　they　had　to　be　seen　as　people。　〃There　is　more。　Some　of　the　Wise　Ones　can　channel。　I　don't　know　how　many；　but　I　suspect　more　than　a　few；　to　some　degree。　From　what　Amys　tells　me；　they　find　every　last　woman　who　has　the　spark　born　in　her。〃　No　Aiel　women　died　trying　to　teach　themselves　to　channel　while　not　even　knowing　what　they　were　trying　to　do；　there　was　no　such　thing　as　a　wilder　among　the　Aiel。　Men　who　learned　they　could　channel　faced　a　grimmer　fate；　they　went　north；　to　the　Great　Blight　and　maybe　beyond；　to　the　Blasted　Lands　and　Shayol　Ghul。　〃Going　to　kill　the　Dark　One；〃　they　called　it。　None　survived　long　enough　to　face　madness。　〃Aviendha　is　one　with　the　spark；　it　turns　out。　She'll　be　very　strong；　I　think。　Amys　thinks　so；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃Aviendha；〃　Elayne　said　wonderingly。　〃Of　course。　I　should　have　known。　I　felt　the　same　kinship　for　Jorin　on　first　sight　that　I　did　for　her。　And　for　you；　for　that　matter。〃
　　　　　　　〃Jorin？〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　grimaced。　〃I　promised　I　would　keep　her　secret；　and　the　first　chance　I　get；　I　let　my　tongue　run　wild。　Well；　I　don't　suppose　you　will　harm　her　or　her　sisters。　Jorin　is　Windfinder　on　Wavedancer；　Egwene。　She　can　channel；　and　so　can　some　of　the　other　Windfinders。〃　She　glanced　at　the　columns　around　them；　and　her　neckline　was　suddenly　back　up　under　her　chin。　She　adjusted　a　dark　lace　shawl　that　had　not　been　there　a　moment　before；　covering　her　hair　and　shadowing　her　face。　〃Egwene；　you　mustn't　tell　anyone。　Jorin　is　afraid　the　Tower　will　try　to　force　them　to　bee　Aes　Sedai；　or　try　to　control　them　in　some　fashion。　I　promised　I　would　do　what　I　can　not　to　let　that　happen。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　won't　tell；〃　Egwene　said　slowly。　Wise　Ones　and　Windfinders。　Women　able　to　channel　among　both；　and　none　who　had　taken　the　Three　Oaths；　bound　by　the　Oath　Rod。　The　Oaths　were　supposed　to　make　people　trust　Aes　Sedai；　or　at　least　not　fear　their　power；　but　Aes　Sedai　still　had　to　move　in　secret　as　often　as　not。　Wise　Ones　…　and　Windfinders；　she　was　willing　to　wager　…　had　honored　places　in　their　societies。　Without　being　bound　to　supposedly　make　them　safe。　It　was　something　to　think　on。
　　　　　　　〃Nynaeve　and　I　are　ahead　of　schedule；　too；　Egwene。　Jorin　has　been　teaching　me　to　work　the　weather　…　you　would　not　believe　the　size　of　the　flows　of　Air　she　can　weave！　…　and　between　us；　we've　had　Wavedancer　moving　as　fast　as　he　ever　has；　and　that　is　fast。　We　should　be　in　Tanchico　in　another　three　days；　maybe　two；　according　to　Coine。　She's　the　Sailmistress；　the　captain。　Ten　days　from　Tear　to　Tanchico；　perhaps。　That　is　with　stopping　to　talk　with　every　Atha'an　Miere　ship　we　see。　Egwene；　the　Sea　Folk　think　Rand　is　their　Coramoor。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　do？〃
　　　　　　　〃Coine　has　some　of　what　happened　in　Tear　wrong　…　she　assumes　the　Aes　Sedai　serve　Rand　now；　for　one　thing；　Nynaeve　and　I　thought　it　best　not　to　put　her　straight　about　that　…　but　as　soon　as　she　tells　another　Sailmistress；　they're　all　ready　to　spread　the　word　and　serve　Rand。　I　believe　they　will　do　anything　he　asks　of　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　wish　the　Aiel　were　so　accepting；〃　Egwene　sighed。　〃Rhuarc　thinks　some　of　them　might　refuse　to　acknowledge　him；　Rhuidean　Dragons　or　no。　One　fellow；　a　man　called　Couladin；　I'm　sure　would　kill　him　in　a　minute　given　half　a　chance。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　took　a　step　forward。　〃You　will　see　that　doesn't　happen。〃　It　was　not　a　question　or　a　request。　There　was　a　sharp　light　in　her　blue　eyes；　and　a　bared　dagger　in　her　hand。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　do　the　best　I　can。　Rhuarc　is　giving　him　bodyguards。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　seemed　to　see　the　dagger　for　the　first　time；　and　gave　a　start。　The　blade　vanished。　〃You　must　teach　me　whatever　Amys　is　teaching　you；　Egwene。　It　is　disconcerting　to　have　things　appear　and　disappear；　or　suddenly　realize　I'm　wearing　different　clothes。　It　just　happens。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will。　When　I　have　time。〃　She　had　been　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　too　long　already。　〃Elayne；　if　I　am　not　here　when　we　are　supposed　to　meet　next