rj.acrownofswords-第102部分

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　the　kind　she　knew　from　her　own　Queen's　Guards；　men　who　had　seen　fighting　before；　more　than　once。　But　who　were　they？　Their　boots　struck　the　floorstones　as　one　in　an　ominous　drumbeat　emphasized　by　the　stark　Fortress　corridors。　There　was　little　color；　nothing　for　beauty　except　scattered　tapestries　showing　Whitecloaks　in　bloody　battle。
　　　She　realized　they　were　taking　her　toward　the　Lord　Captain　mander's　quarters；　and　a　queasiness　settled　in　the　pit　of　her　stomach。　She　had　grown　almost　pleasantly　accustomed　to　the　way　while　Pedron　Niall　lived；　she　had　e　to　dread　it　in　the　few　days　since　he　died　…　but　as　they　rounded　a　corner；　she　started　at　the　sight　of　some　two　dozen　archers　marching　behind　their　own　officer；　men　in　baggy　trousers　and　boiled　leather　breastplates　painted　in　horizontal　stripes　of　blue　and　black。　Each　man　wore　a　conical　steel　cap；　with　a　veil　of　gray　steel　mail　covering　his　face　to　the　eyes；　here　and　there　the　ends　of　mustaches　dangled　below　the　veils。　The　archers'　officer　bowed　to　the　one　leading　her　guard；　who　merely　raised　his　hand　in　reply。
　　　Taraboners。　She　had　not　seen　a　Taraboner　soldier　in　a　good　many　years；　but　those　men　were　Taraboners　in　spite　of　those　stripes；　or　she　would　eat　her　slippers。　Yet　that　made　no　sense。　Tarabon　was　chaos　e　to　life；　a　hundred…sided　civil　war　between　pretenders　to　the　throne　and　Dragonsworn。　Tarabon　could　never　have　launched　this　attack　on　Amador　itself。　Unless；　incredibly；　one　claimant　had　won　out　over　the　rest；　and　over　the　Dragonsworn；　and。。。　It　was　impossible；　and　it　did　not　explain　these　strangely　armored　soldiers；　or　that　winged　beast；　or。。。
　　　She　thought　she　had　seen　strangeness。　She　thought　she　had　known　queasiness。　Then　she　and　her　guard　turned　another　corner　and　encountered　two　women。
　　　One　was　slender；　short　as　any　Cairhienin　and　darker　than　any　Tairen；　in　a　blue　dress　that　stopped　well　short　of　her　ankles；　silver　lightning　forked　across　red　panels　on　her　breast　and　the　sides　of　her　wide；　divided　skirts。　The　other　woman；　in　drab　dark　gray；　stood　taller　than　most　men；　with　golden　hair　to　her　shoulders　that　had　been　brushed　till　it　glistened　and　frightened　green　eyes。　A　silver　leash　connected　a　silver　bracelet　on　the　shorter　woman's　wrist　to　a　necklace　worn　by　the　taller。
　　　They　stood　aside　for　Morgase's　guard；　and　when　the　hook…nosed　officer　murmured　〃Der'sul'dam〃　…　Morgase　thought　that　was　it；　his　slurred　accent　made　understanding　difficult　…　when　he　murmured　in　tones　nearly　but　not　quite　to　an　equal；　the　dark　woman　bowed　her　head　slightly；　twitched　at　the　leash；　and　the　golden…haired　woman　sank　to　the　floor；　folding　herself　with　her　head　on　her　knees　and　her　palms　flat　on　the　floorstones。　As　Morgase　and　her　guards　passed　by；　the　dark　woman　bent　to　pat　the　other　fondly　on　the　head；　as　she　might　a　dog；　and　worse；　the　kneeling　woman　looked　up　with　pleasure　and　gratitude。
　　　Morgase　made　the　necessary　effort　to　keep　walking；　to　keep　her　knees　from　folding；　to　keep　her　stomach　from　emptying　itself。　The　sheer　servility　was　bad　enough；　but　she　was　certain　the　woman　being　patted　on　the　head　could　channel。　Impossible！　She　walked　in　a　daze；　wondering　whether　this　could　be　a　dream；　a　nightmare。　Praying　that　it　was。　She　had　a　vague　awareness　of　stopping　for　more　soldiers；　these　in　red…and…black　armor；　then。。。
　　　Pedron　Nail's　audience　chamber　…　Valda's　now；　or　rather　whoever　had　taken　the　fortress　…　was　changed。　The　great　golden　sunburst　remained；　set　in　the　floor；　but　all　Niall's　captured　banners；　which　Valda　had　kept　as　if　they　were　his；　were　gone；　and　so　were　the　furnishings；　except　for　the　plainly　carved　high…backed　chair　Niall　and　then　Valda　had　used；　flanked　now　by　two　tall；　luridly　painted　screens。　One　showed　a　white…crested　black　bird　of　prey　with　a　cruel　beak；　its　white…tipped　wings　spread　wide；　the　other　a　black…spotted　yellow　cat　with　one　paw　on　a　dead；　deerlike　creature　half　its　size；　with　long；　straight　horns　and　white　stripes。
　　　There　were　a　number　of　people　in　the　room；　but　that　was　all　she　had　time　to　notice　before　a　sharp…faced　woman　in　blue　robes　stepped　forward；　one　side　of　her　head　shaved　and　the　remaining　hair　in　a　long　brown　braid　that　hung　in　front　of　her　right　shoulder。　Her　blue　eyes；　full　of　contempt；　could　have　done　for　the　eagle's　or　the　cat's。　〃You　are　in　the　presence　of　the　High　Lady　Suroth；　who　leads　Those　Who　e　Before；　and　succors　The　Return；〃　she　intoned　in　that　same　slurring　accent。
　　　Without　warning；　the　hook…nosed　officer　seized　the　back　of　Morgase's　neck　and　bore　her　down　prostrate　beside　him。　Stunned；　not　least　because　the　breath　was　knocked　out　of　her；　she　saw　him　kiss　the　floor。
　　　〃Release　her；　Elbar；〃　another　woman　drawled　angrily。　〃The　Queen　of　Andor　is　not　to　be　treated　so。〃
　　　The　man；　Elbar；　rose　as　far　as　his　knees；　head　bent。　〃I　abase　myself；　High　Lady。　I　beg　forgiveness。〃　His　voice　was　as　cold　and　flat　as　that　accent　allowed。
　　　〃I　have　small　forgiveness　for　this；　Elbar。〃　Morgase　looked　up。　Suroth　took　her　aback。　The　sides　of　her　head　were　shaved；　leaving　a　glossy　black　crest　across　the　top　of　her　head　and　a　mane　that　flowed　down　her　back。　〃Perhaps　when　you　are　punished。　Report　yourself　now。　Leave　me！　Go！〃　A　sweeping　gesture　flashed　fingernails　at　least　an　inch　long；　the　first　two　on　each　hand　a　glistening　blue。
　　　Elbar　bowed　on　his　knees；　then　rose　smoothly；　backing　away　through　the　door。　For　the　first　time　Morgase　realized　none　of　the　other　soldiers　had　followed　them　in。　She　realized　something　else；　as　well。　He　gave　her　one　final　glance　before　he　vanished；　and　instead　of　flickering　resentment　for　the　one　who　had　caused　his　punishment；　he。。。　considered。　There　would　be　no　punishment；　the　entire　exchange　had　been　arranged　beforehand。
　　　Suroth　swept　toward　Morgase；　carefully　holding　her　pale　blue　robe　to　keep　her　skirts　exposed；　snow…white；　with　hundreds　of　tiny　pleats。　Embroidered　vines　and　lush　red　and　yellow　flowers　spread　across　the　robe。　For　all　her　sweeping；　Morgase　noticed　the　woman　did　not　reach　her　until　she　had　regained　her　feet　on　her　own。
　　　〃You　are　unharmed？〃　Suroth　asked。　〃If　you　are　harmed；　I　will　double　his　punishment。〃
　　　Morgase　brushed　at　her　dress　so　she　would　not　have　to　look　at　the　false　smile　that　never　touched　the　woman's　eyes。　She　took　the　opportunity　to　look　around　the　room。　Four　men　and　four　women　knelt　against　one　wall；　all　young　and　more　than　good…looking；　all　wearing。。。　She　jerked　her　eyes　away。　Those　long　white　robes　were　very　nearly　transparent！　At　the　far　sides　of　the　screens　two　more　pairs　of　women　knelt；　one　of　each　in　the　gray　dress；　one　in　the　blue　embroidered　with　lightning；　bound　by　the　silvery　leash　from　wrist　to　neck。　Morgase　was　not　close　enough　to　say　for　sure；　but　she　had　the　sick…making　certainty　that　the　gray…clad　women　could　channel。　〃I　am　quite　all　right；　thank　…　〃A　huge　reddish　brown　shape　lay　sprawled　on　the　floor　…　a　heap　of　tanned　cowskins；　perhaps。　Then　it　heaved。　〃What　is　that？〃　She　managed　not　to　gape；　but　the　question　popped　from　her　tongue　before　she　could　stop　it。
　　　〃You　admire　my　lopar？〃　Suroth　swept　away　a　good　deal　quicker　than　she　had　e。　The　enormous　shape　raised　a　great　round　head　for　her　to　stroke　it　under　the　chin　with　a　knuckle。　The　creature　put　Morgase　in　mind　of　a　bear；　though　it　was　easily　half　again　as　big　as　the　largest　bear　she　had　ever　heard　tell　of；　and　hairless　to　boot；　with　no　muzzle　to　speak　of　and　heavy　ridges　surrounding　its　eyes。　〃Almandaragal　was　given　to　me　as　a　pup；　for　my　first　true…name　day；　he　foiled　the　first　attempt　to　kill　me　that　same　year；　when　he　was　only　a　quarter　grown。〃　There　was　real　affection　in　the　woman's　voice。　The。。。　lopar's。。。　lips　peeled　back　to　reveal　thick　pointed　teeth　as　she　stroked；　its　forepaws　flexed；　claws　sheathing　and　unsheathing　from　six　long　toes　on　each。　And　it　began　to　purr；　a　bass　rumble　fit　for　a　hundred　cats。
　　　〃Remarkable；〃　Morgase　said　faintly。　True…name　day？　How　many　attempts　had　there　been　to　kill　this　woman　that　she　could　speak　of　〃the　first〃　so　casually？
　　　The　lopar　whined　briefly　when　Suroth　left　it；　but　quickly　settled　with　its　head　on　its　paws。　Disconcertingly；　its　eyes　did　not　follow　her；　but　settled　mainly　on　Morgase；　now　and　then　flicking　toward　the　door　or　the　narrow；　arrow…slit　windows。
　　　〃Of　course；　however　loyal　a　lopar；　it　cannot　match　damane。〃　No　affection　touched　Suroth's　voice　now。　〃Pura　and　Jinjin　could　slay　a　hundred　assassins　before　Almandaragal　blinked　his　eye。〃　At　the　mention　of　each　name；　one　of　the　blue…clad　women　twitched　her　silvery　leash；　and　the　woman　at　the　other　end　doubled　herself　as　the　one　in　the　corridor　had。　〃We　have　many　more　damane　since　returning　than　before。　This　is　a　rich　hunting　ground　for　marath'damane。　Pura；〃　she　added　casually；　〃was　once　a。。。　woman　of　the　White　Tower。〃
　　　Morgase's　knees　wobbled。　Aes　Sedai？　She　studied　the　bent　back　of　the　woman　called　Pura；　refusing　to　believe。　No　Aes　Sedai　could　be　made　to　cringe　like　that。　But　any　woman　who　could　channel；　not　just　an　Aes　Sedai；　should　be　able　to　take　that　leash　and　strangle　her　tormentor。　Anyone　at　all　should　be　able　to。　No；　this　Pura　could　not　be。　Morgase　wondered　if　she　dared　ask　for　a　chair。　〃That　is　very。。。　interesting。〃　At　least　her　voice　was　steady。　〃But　I　do　not　think　you　asked　me　here　to　speak　of　Aes　Sedai。〃　Of　course；　she　had　not　been　asked。　Suroth　stared　at　her；　not　a　muscle　moving　except　that　the　long…nailed　fingers　of　her　left　hand　twitched。
　　　〃Thera！〃　the　sharp…faced　woman　with　half　her　head　shaved　barked　suddenly。　〃Kaf　for　the　High　Lady　and　her　guest！〃
　　　One　of　the　women　in　diaphanous　robes；　the　eldest　but　still　young；　leaped　gracefully　to　her　feet。　Her　rosebud　mouth　had　a　petulant　look　to　it；　but　she　darted　behind　the　tall　screen　painted　with　the　eagle；　and　in　moments　reappeared　bearing　a　silver　tray　with　two　small　white　cups。　Kneeling　sinuously　before　Suroth；　she　bowed　her　dark　head　as　she　raised　the　tray；　so　her　offering　stood　higher　than　she。　Morgase　shook　her　head；　any　servant　in　Andor　asked　to　do　that　…　or　wear　that　robe！　…　would　have　stormed　off　in　a　dudgeon。
　　　〃Who　are　you？　Where　do　you　e　from？〃
　　　Suroth　raised　one　of　the　cups　on　her　fingertips；　inhaling　the　steam　rising　from　it。　Her　nod　was　ent