rj.thegreathunt-第5部分

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Sedai　who　held　his　bond。　Rand　did　not　think　Lan　would　truly　seek　death　while　Moiraine　lived。
　　　　　　　Turning　his　blade　in　the　light；　Lan　spoke。　〃In　the　War　of　the　Shadow；　the　One　Power　itself　was　used　as　a　weapon；　and　weapons　were　made　with　the　One　Power。　Some　weapons　used　the　One　Power；　things　that　could　destroy　an　entire　city　at　one　blow；　lay　waste　to　the　land　for　leagues。　Just　as　well　those　were　all　lost　in　the　Breaking；　just　as　well　no　one　remembers　the　making　of　them。　But　there　were　simpler　weapons；　too；　for　those　who　would　face　Myrddraal；　and　worse　things　the　Dreadlords　made；　blade　to　blade。
　　　　　　　〃With　the　One　Power；　Aes　Sedai　drew　iron　and　other　metals　from　the　earth；　smelted　them；　formed　and　wrought　them。　All　with　the　Power。　Swords；　and　other　weapons；　too。　Many　that　survived　the　Breaking　of　the　World　were　destroyed　by　men　who　feared　and　hated　Aes　Sedai　work；　and　others　have　vanished　with　the　years。　Few　remain；　and　few　men　truly　know　what　they　are。　There　have　been　legends　of　them；　swollen　tales　of　swords　that　seemed　to　have　a　power　of　their　own。　You've　heard　the　gleemen's　tales。　The　reality　is　enough。　Blades　that　will　not　shatter　or　break；　and　never　lose　their　edge。　I've　seen　men　sharpening　them…playing　at　sharpening；　as　it　were…but　only　because　they　could　not　believe　a　sword　did　not　need　it　after　use。　All　they　ever　did　was　wear　away　their　oilstones。
　　　　　　　〃Those　weapons　the　Aes　Sedai　made；　and　there　will　never　be　others。　When　it　was　done；　war　and　Age　ended　together；　with　the　world　shattered；　with　more　dead　unburied　than　there　were　alive　and　those　alive　fleeing；　trying　to　find　some　place；　any　place；　of　safety；　with　every　second　woman　weeping　because　she'd　never　see　husband　or　sons　again；　when　it　was　done；　the　Aes　Sedai　who　still　lived　swore　they　would　never　again　make　a　weapon　for　one　man　to　kill　another。　Every　Aes　Sedai　swore　it；　and　every　woman　of　them　since　has　kept　that　oath。　Even　the　Red　Ajah；　and　they　care　little　what　happens　to　any　male。
　　　　　　　〃One　of　those　swords；　a　plain　soldier's　sword〃　…　with　a　faint　grimace；　almost　sad；　if　the　Warder　could　be　said　to　show　emotion；　he　slid　the　blade　back　into　its　sheath　…　〃became　something　more。　On　the　other　hand；　those　made　for　lord…generals；　with　blades　so　hard　no　bladesmith　could　mark　them；　yet　marked　already　with　a　heron；　those　blades　became　sought　after。〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　hands　jerked　away　from　the　sword　propped　on　his　knees。　It　toppled；　and　instinctively　he　grabbed　it　before　it　hit　the　floorstones。　〃You　mean　Aes　Sedai　made　this？　I　thought　you　were　talking　about　your　sword。〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　all　heron…mark　blades　are　Aes　Sedai　work。　Few　men　handle　a　sword　with　the　skill　to　be　named　blademaster　and　be　awarded　a　heron…mark　blade；　but　even　so；　not　enough　Aes　Sedai　blades　remain　for　more　than　a　handful　to　have　one。　Most　e　from　master　bladesmiths；　the　finest　steel　men　can　make；　yet　still　wrought　by　a　man's　hands。　But　that　one；　sheepherder　。。。　that　one　could　tell　a　tale　of　three　thousand　years　and　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can't　get　away　from　them；〃　Rand　said；　〃can　I？〃　He　balanced　the　sword　in　front　of　him　on　scabbard　point；　it　looked　no　different　than　it　had　before　he　knew。　〃Aes　Sedai　work。〃　But　Tam　gave　it　to　me。　My　father　gave　it　to　me。　He　refused　to　think　of　how　a　Two　Rivers　shepherd　had　e　by　a　heron…mark　blade。　There　were　dangerous　currents　in　such　thoughts；　deeps　he　did　not　want　to　explore。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　really　want　to　get　away；　sheepherder？　I'll　ask　again。　Why　are　you　not　gone；　then？　The　sword？　In　five　years　I　could　make　you　worthy　of　it；　make　you　a　blademaster。　You　have　quick　wrists；　good　balance；　and　you　don't　make　the　same　mistake　twice。　But　I　do　not　have　five　years　to　give　over　to　teaching　you；　and　you　do　not　have　five　years　for　learning。　You　have　not　even　one　year；　and　you　know　it。　As　it　is；　you　will　not　stab　yourself　in　the　foot。　You　hold　yourself　as　if　the　sword　belongs　at　your　waist；　sheepherder；　and　most　village　bullies　will　sense　it。　But　you've　had　that　much　almost　since　the　day　you　put　it　on。　So　why　are　you　still　here？〃
　　　　　　　〃Mat　and　Perrin　are　still　here；〃　Rand　mumbled。　〃I　don't　want　to　leave　before　they　do。　I　won't　ever　…　I　might　not　see　them　again　for　…　for　years；　maybe。〃　His　head　dropped　back　against　the　wall。　〃Blood　and　ashes！　At　least　they　just　think　I'm　crazy　not　to　go　home　with　them。　Half　the　time　Nynaeve　looks　at　me　like　I'm　six　years　old　and　I've　skinned　my　knee；　and　she's　going　to　make　it　better；　the　other　half　she　looks　like　she's　seeing　a　stranger。　One　she　might　offend　if　she　looks　too　closely；　at　that。　She's　a　Wisdom；　and　besides　that；　I　don't　think　she's　ever　been　afraid　of　anything；　but　she　。。。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃And　Egwene。　Burn　me！　She　knows　why　I　have　to　go；　but　every　time　I　mention　it　she　looks　at　me；　and　I　knot　up　inside　and　。。。〃　He　closed　his　eyes；　pressing　the　sword　hilt　against　his　forehead　as　if　he　could　press　what　he　was　thinking　out　of　existence。　〃I　wish　。。。　I　wish　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　wish　everything　could　be　the　way　it　was；　sheepherder？　Or　you　wish　the　girl　would　go　with　you　instead　of　to　Tar　Valon？　You　think　she'll　give　up　being　an　Aes　Sedai　for　a　life　of　wandering？　With　you？　If　you　put　it　to　her　in　the　right　way；　she　might。　Love　is　an　odd　thing。〃　Lan　sounded　suddenly　weary。　〃As　odd　a　thing　as　there　is。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　It　was　what　he　had　been　wishing；　that　she　would　want　to　go　with　him。　He　opened　his　eyes　and　squared　his　back　and　made　his　voice　firm。　〃No；　I　wouldn't　let　her　e　with　me　if　she　did　ask。〃　He　could　not　do　that　to　her。　But　Light；　wouldn't　it　he　sweet；　just　for　a　minute；　if　she　said　she　wanted　to？　〃She　gets　muley　stubborn　if　she　thinks　I'm　trying　to　tell　her　what　to　do；　but　I　can　still　protect　her　from　that。〃　He　wished　she　were　back　home　in　Emond's　Field；　but　all　hope　of　that　had　gone　the　day　Moiraine　came　to　the　Two　Rivers。　〃Even　if　it　means　she　does　bee　an　Aes　Sedai！〃　The　corner　of　his　eye　caught　Lan's　raised　eyebrow；　and　he　flushed。
　　　　　　　〃And　that　is　all　the　reason？　You　want　to　spend　as　much　time　as　you　can　with　your　friends　from　home　before　they　go？　That's　why　you're　dragging　your　feet？　You　know　what's　sniffing　at　your　heels。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　surged　angrily　to　his　feet。　〃All　right；　it's　Moiraine！　I　wouldn't　even　be　here　if　not　for　her；　and　she　won't　as　much　as　talk　to　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃You'd　be　dead　if　not　for　her；　sheepherder；〃　Lan　said　flatly；　but　Rand　rushed　on。
　　　　　　　〃She　tells　me　。。。　tells　me　horrible　things　about　myself〃　…　his　knuckles　whitened　on　the　sword。　That　I'm　going　to　go　mad　and　die！…〃and　then　suddenly　she　won't　even　say　two　words　to　me。　She　acts　as　if　I'm　no　different　than　the　day　she　found　me；　and　that　smells　wrong；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　want　her　to　treat　you　like　what　you　are？〃
　　　　　　　〃No！　I　don't　mean　that。　Burn　me；　I　don't　know　what　I　mean　half　the　time。　I　don't　want　that；　and　I'm　scared　of　the　other。　Now　she's　gone　off　somewhere；　vanished。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　told　you　she　needs　to　be　alone　sometimes。　It　isn't　for　you；　or　anyone　else；　to　question　her　actions。〃
　　　　　　　〃。。。　without　telling　anybody　where　she　was　going；　or　when　she'd　be　back；　or　even　if　she　would　be　back。　She　has　to　be　able　to　tell　me　something　to　help　me；　Lan。　Something。　She　has　to。　If　she　ever　es　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃She's　back；　sheepherder。　Last　night。　But　I　think　she　has　told　you　all　she　can。　Be　satisfied。　You've　learned　what　you　can　from　her。〃　With　a　shake　of　his　head；　Lan's　voice　became　brisk。　〃You　certainly　aren't　learning　anything　standing　there。　Time　for　a　little　balance　work。　Go　through　Parting　the　Silk；　beginning　from　Heron　Wading　in　the　Rushes。　Remember　that　that　Heron　form　is　only　for　practicing　balance。　Anywhere　but　doing　forms；　it　leaves　you　wide　open；　you　can　strike　home　from　it；　if　you　wait　for　the　other　man　to　move　first；　but　you'll　never　avoid　his　blade。〃
　　　　　　　〃She　has　to　be　able　to　tell　me　something；　Lan。　That　wind。　It　wasn't　natural；　and　I　don't　care　how　close　to　the　Blight　we　are。〃
　　　　　　　〃Heron　Wading　in　the　Rushes；　sheepherder。　And　mind　your　wrists。〃
　　　　　　　From　the　south　came　a　faint　peal　of　trumpets；　a　rolling　fanfare　slowly　growing　louder；　acpanied　by　the　steady　thrum…thrum…THRUM…thrum　of　drums。　For　a　moment　Rand　and　Lan　stared　at　each　other；　then　the　drums　drew　them　to　the　tower　wall　to　stare　southward。
　　　　　　　The　city　stood　on　high　hills；　the　land　around　the　city　walls　cleared　to　ankle　height　for　a　full　mile　in　all　directions；　and　the　keep　covered　the　highest　hill　of　all。　From　the　tower　top；　Rand　had　a　clear　view　across　the　chimneys　and　roofs　to　the　forest。　The　drummers　appeared　first　from　the　trees；　a　dozen　of　them；　drums　lifting　as　they　stepped　to　their　own　beat；　mallets　whirling。　Next　came　trumpeters；　long；　shining　horns　raised；　still　calling　the　flourish。　At　that　distance　Rand　could　not　make　out　the　huge；　square　banner　whipping　in　the　wind　behind　them。　Lan　grunted；　though；　the　Warder　had　eyes　like　a　snow　eagle。
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　him；　but　the　Warder　said　nothing；　his　eyes　intent　on　the　column　emerging　from　the　forest。　Mounted　men　in　armor　rode　out　of　the　trees；　and　women　on　horseback；　too。　Then　a　palanquin　borne　by　horses；　one　before　and　one　behind；　its　curtains　down；　and　more　men　on　horseback。　Ranks　of　men　afoot；　pikes　rising　above　them　like　a　bristle　of　long　thorns；　and　archers　with　their　bows　held　slanted　across　their　chests；　all　stepping　to　the　drums。　The　trumpets　cried　again。　Like　a　singing　serpent　the　column　wound　its　way　toward　Fal　Dara。
　　　　　　　The　wind　flapped　the　banner；　taller　than　a　man；　straight　out　to　one　side。　As　big　as　it　was；　it　was　close　enough　now　for　Rand　to　see　clearly。　A　swirl　of　colors　that　meant　nothing　to　him；　but　at　the　heart　of　it；　a　shape　like　a　pure　white　teardrop。　His　breath　froze　in　his　throat。　The　Flame　of　Tar　Valon。
　　　　　　　〃Ingtar's　with　them。〃　Lan　sounded　as　if　his　thoughts　were　elsewhere。　〃Back　from　his　hunting　at　last。　Been　gone　long　enough。　I　wonder　if　he　had　any　luck？〃
　　　　　　　〃Aes　Sedai；〃　Rand　whispered　when　he　finally　could。　All　those　women　out　there　。。。　Moiraine　was　Aes　Sedai；　yes；　but　he　had　traveled　with　her；　and　if　he　did　not　entirely　trust　her；　at　least　he　knew　her。　Or　thought　he　did。　But　she　was　only　one。　So　many　Aes　Sedai　together；　and　ing　like　this；　was　something　else　again。　He　cleared　his　throat；　when　he　spoke；　his　voice　grated。　〃Why　so　many；　Lan？　Why　any　at　all？　And　with　drum