rj.theshadowrising-第9节

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ed；　shattered　hulk　of　the　Sea　Folk　ship　still　lay　on　a　mudflat　near　the　harbor　mouth。
How　long　she　would　manage　to　keep　Sea　Folk　elsewhere　…　and　the　accursed　mainlanders　…　from　learning　that　she　held　these　islands；　Suroth　did　not　know。　It　will　be　long　enough；　she　told　herself。　It　must　be　long　enough。
She　had　worked　something　of　a　miracle　in　rallying　most　of　the　Seanchan　forces　after　the　debacle　the　High　Lord　Turak　had　led　them　to。　All　but　a　handful　of　the　vessels　that　had　escaped　from　Falme　lay　under　her　control；　and　no　one　questioned　her　right　to　mand　the　Hailene；　the　Forerunners。　If　her　miracle　held；　no　one　on　the　mainland　suspected　they　were　here。　Waiting　to　take　back　the　lands　the　Empress　had　sent　them　to　reclaim；　waiting　to　achieve　the　Corenne；　the　Return。　Her　agents　already　scouted　the　way。　There　would　be　no　need　to　return　to　the　Court　of　the　Nine　Moons　and　apologize　to　the　Empress　for　a　failure　not　even　hers。
The　thought　of　having　to　apologize　to　the　Empress　sent　a　tremor　through　her。　Such　an　apology　was　always　humiliating；　and　usually　painful；　but　what　made　her　shiver　was　the　chance　of　being　denied　death　at　the　end；　of　being　forced　to　continue　as　if　nothing　had　occurred　while　everyone；　mon　as　well　as　the　Blood；　knew　her　degradation。　A　handsome　young　serving　man　sprang　to　her　side；　bearing　a　pale　green　robe　worked　in　brilliantly　plumaged　birds…of…delight。　She　held　her　arms　out　for　the　garment　and　noticed　him　no　more　than　a　clod　of　dirt　beside　her　velvet　slipper。
To　escape　that　apology；　she　must　retake　what　had　been　lost　a　thousand　years　ago。　And　to　do　that；　she　must　deal　with　this　man　who；　her　mainland　agents　told　her；　claimed　to　be　the　Dragon　Reborn。　If　I　cannot　find　a　way　to　deal　with　him；　the　displeasure　of　the　Empress　will　be　the　least　of　my　worries。
Turning　smoothly；　she　entered　the　long　room　fronting　the　terrace；　its　outer　wall　all　doors　and　tall　windows　to　catch　the　breezes。　The　pale　wood　of　the　walls；　smooth　and　glistening　like　satin；　pleased　Suroth；　but　she　had　removed　the　furnishings　of　the　old　owner；　the　former　Atha'an　Miere　governor　of　Cantorin；　and　replaced　them　with　a　few　tall　screens；　most　painted　with　birds　or　flowers。　Two　were　different。　One　showed　a　great　spotted　cat　of　the　Sen　T'jore；　as　large　as　a　pony；　the　other　a　black　mountain　eagle；　crest　erect　like　a　pale　crown　and　snowy…tipped　wings　spread　to　their　full　seven　feet。　Such　screens　were　considered　vulgar；　but　Suroth　liked　animals。　Unable　to　bring　her　menagerie　with　her　across　the　Aryth　Ocean；　she　had　had　the　screens　made　to　depict　her　two　favorites。　She　had　never　taken　kindly　to　being　balked　in　anything。
Three　women　awaited　her　as　she　had　left　them；　two　kneeling；　one　lying　prostrate　on　the　bare；　polished　floor；　patterned　in　inlays　of　light　and　dark　wood。　The　kneeling　women　wore　the　dark　blue　dresses　of　sul'dam；　red　panels　embroidered　with　forked　silver　lightning　on　the　breast　and　on　the　sides　of　their　skirts。　One　of　the　two；　Alwhin；　a　sharp…faced；　blue…eyed　woman　with　a　perpetual　glower；　had　the　left　side　of　her　head　shaved。　The　rest　of　her　hair　hung　to　her　shoulder　in　a　light　brown　braid。
Suroth's　mouth　tightened　momentarily　at　the　sight　of　Alwhin。　No　sul'dam　had　ever　before　been　raised　to　the　so'jhin；　the　hereditary　upper　servants　of　the　Blood；　much　less　to　a　Voice　of　the　Blood。　Yet　there　had　been　reasons　in　Alwhin's　case。　Alwhin　knew　too　much。
Still；　it　was　to　the　woman　lying　facedown；　all　in　plain　dark　gray；　that　Suroth　directed　her　attention。　A　wide　collar　of　silvery　metal　encircled　the　woman's　neck；　connected　by　a　shining　leash　to　a　bracelet　of　the　same　material　on　the　wrist　of　the　second　sul'dam；　Taisa。　By　means　of　leash　and　collar；　the　a'dam；　Taisa　could　control　the　gray…clad　woman。　And　she　had　to　be　controlled。　She　was　damane；　a　woman　who　could　channel；　and　thus　too　dangerous　to　be　allowed　to　run　loose。　Memories　of　the　Armies　of　the　Night　were　still　strong　in　Seanchan　a　thousand　years　after　their　destruction。
Suroth's　eyes　flickered　uneasily　to　the　two　sul'dam。　She　no　longer　trusted　any　sul'dam；　and　yet　she　had　no　choice　but　to　trust　them。　No　one　else　could　control　the　damane；　and　without　the　damane。。。。　The　very　concept　was　unthinkable。　The　power　of　Seanchan；　the　very　power　of　the　Crystal　Throne；　was　built　on　controlled　damane。　There　were　too　many　things　about　which　Suroth　had　no　choice　to　suit　her。　Such　as　Alwhin；　who　watched　as　if　she　had　been　so'jhin　all　of　her　life。　No。　As　if　she　were　of　the　Blood　itself；　and　knelt　because　she　chose　to。
〃Pura。〃　The　damane　had　had　another　name　when　she　was　one　of　the　hated　Aes　Sedai；　before　falling　into　Seanchan　hands；　but　Suroth　neither　knew　what　it　had　been　nor　cared。　The　gray…clad　woman　tensed；　but　did　not　raise　her　head；　her　training　had　been　particularly　harsh。　〃I　will　ask　again；　Pura。　How　does　the　White　Tower　control　this　man　who　calls　himself　the　Dragon　Reborn？〃
The　damane　moved　her　head　a　fraction；　enough　to　shoot　a　frightened　look　at　Taisa。　If　her　answer　was　displeasing；　the　sul'dam　could　make　her　feel　pain　without　raising　a　finger；　by　means　of　the　a'dam。　〃The　Tower　would　not　try　to　control　the　false　Dragon；　High　Lady；〃　Pura　said　breathily。　〃They　would　capture　him；　and　gentle　him。〃
Taisa　looked　an　indignant　question　at　the　High　Lady。　The　answer　had　avoided　Suroth's　query；　had　perhaps　even　implied　that　one　of　the　Blood　had　spoken　untruth。　Suroth　gave　a　slight　shake　of　her　head；　the　merest　sideways　motion　…　she　had　no　wish　to　wait　while　the　damane　recovered　from　punishment　…　and　Taisa　bowed　her　head　in　acquiescence。
〃Once　again；　Pura；　what　do　you　know　of　Aes　Sedai。。。〃　Suroth's　mouth　twisted　at　being　defiled　with　that　name；　Alwhin　gave　a　grunt　of　distaste　〃。。。　Aes　Sedai　aiding　this　man？　I　warn　you。　Our　soldiers　fought　women　of　the　Tower；　women　channeling　the　Power；　at　Falme；　so　do　not　attempt　to　deny　it。〃
〃Pura。。。。　Pura　does　not　know；　High　Lady。〃　There　was　urgency　in　the　damane's　voice；　and　uncertainty；　she　darted　another　wide…eyed　glance　at　Taisa。　It　was　clear　that　she　wanted　desperately　to　be　believed。　〃Perhaps。。。。　Perhaps　the　Amyrlin；　or　the　Hall　of　the　Tower。。。。　No；　they　would　not。　Pura　does　not　know；　High　Lady。〃
〃The　man　can　channel；〃　Suroth　said　curtly。　The　woman　on　the　floor　moaned；　though　she　had　heard　the　same　words　from　Suroth　before。　Saying　it　again　made　Suroth's　stomach　knot；　but　she　allowed　nothing　to　show　on　her　face。　Little　of　what　had　happened　at　Falme　had　been　the　work　of　women　channeling；　damane　could　sense　that；　and　the　sul'dam　wearing　the　bracelet　always　knew　what　her　damane　felt。　That　meant　it　had　to　have　been　the　work　of　the　man。　It　also　meant　he　was　incredibly　powerful。　So　powerful　that　Suroth　had　once　or　twice　found　herself　wondering；　growing　queasy；　whether　he　might　really　be　the　Dragon　Reborn。　That　cannot　be；　she　told　herself　firmly。　In　any　case；　it　made　no　difference　to　her　plans。　〃It　is　impossible　to　believe　that　even　the　White　Tower　would　allow　such　a　man　to　walk　free。　How　do　they　control　him？〃
The　damane　lay　there　silently；　face　to　the　floor；　shoulders　shaking；　weeping。
〃Answer　the　High　Lady！〃　Taisa　said　sharply。　Taisa　did　not　move；　but　Pura　gasped；　flinching　as　if　struck　across　the　hips。　A　blow　delivered　through　the　a'dam。
〃P…Pura　does　not　kn…know。〃　The　damane　stretched　out　a　hesitant　hand　as　though　to　touch　Suroth's　foot。　〃Please。　Pura　has　learned　to　obey。　Pura　speaks　only　the　truth。　Please　do　not　punish　Pura。〃
Suroth　stepped　back　smoothly；　letting　none　of　her　irritation　show。　That　she　should　be　forced　to　move　by　a　damane。　That　she　could　almost　be　touched　by　one　who　could　channel。　She　felt　a　need　to　bathe；　as　if　the　touch　had　actually　landed。
Taisa's　dark　eyes　bulged　in　outrage　at　the　damane's　effrontery；　her　cheeks　were　scarlet　with　shame　that　this　should　happen　while　she　wore　the　woman's　bracelet。　She　seemed　torn　between　prostrating　herself　beside　the　damane　to　beg　forgiveness　and　punishing　the　woman　then　and　there。　Alwhin　stared　a　thin…lipped　contempt；　every　line　of　her　face　saying　that　such　things　did　not　happen　when　she　wore　a　bracelet。
Suroth　raised　one　finger　a　fraction；　making　a　small　gesture　every　so'jhin　knew　from　childhood；　a　simple　dismissal。
Alwhin　hesitated　before　interpreting　it；　then　tried　to　cover　her　slip　by　rounding　harshly　on　Taisa。　〃Take　this。。。　creature　from　the　presence　of　the　High　Lady　Suroth。　And　when　you　have　punished　her；　go　to　Surela　and　tell　her　that　you　control　your　charges　as　if　you　had　never　worn　the　bracelet　before。　Tell　her　that　you　are　to　be　…〃
Suroth　shut　Alwhin's　voice　from　her　mind。　None　of　that　had　been　her　mand　except　the　dismissal；　but　quarrels　between　sul'dam　were　beneath　her　notice。　She　wished　she　knew　whether　Pura　was　managing　to　hide　something。　Her　agents　reported　claims　that　the　women　of　the　White　Tower　could　not　lie。　It　had　not　been　possible　to　force　Pura　to　tell　even　a　simple　lie；　to　say　that　a　white　scarf　was　black；　yet　that　was　not　enough　to　be　conclusive。　Some　might　accept　the　tears　of　the　damane；　her　protests　of　inability　whatever　the　sul'dam　did；　but　none　who　did　would　have　risen　to　lead　the　Return。　Pura　might　have　some　reservoir　of　will　left；　might　be　clever　enough　to　try　using　the　belief　that　she　was　incapable　of　lying。　None　of　the　women　collared　on　the　mainland　were　fully　obedi