rj.acrownofswords-第133部分

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　　　〃Those　gloves　will　slip；　cousin。　You　want　a　firm　grip。〃
　　　Rand　took　the　hilt　in　both　hands　and　turned　slightly　sideways；　blade　down　and　left　foot　forward。
　　　Toram　spread　his　hands　as　if　to　say　he　had　done　all　he　could。　〃Well；　at　least　he　knows　how　to　stand；〃　he　laughed；　and　on　the　last　word　darted　forward；　practice　sword　streaking　for　Rand's　head　with　all　his　might　behind　it。
　　　With　a　loud　clack；　bundled　lathes　met　bundled　lathes。　Rand　had　moved　nothing　except　his　sword。　For　a　moment；　Toram　stared　at　him；　and　Rand　looked　back　calmly。　Then　they　began　to　dance。
　　　That　was　all　Min　could　call　it；　that　gliding；　flowing　movement；　wooden　blades　flickering　and　spinning。　She　had　watched　Rand　practice　the　sword　against　the　best　he　could　find；　often　against　two　or　three　or　four　at　once；　but　that　had　been　nothing　to　this。　So　beautiful；　and　so　easy　to　forget　that　had　those　lathes　been　steel；　blood　could　have　flowed。　Except　that　no　blade；　steel　or　lathes；　touched　flesh。　Back　and　forth　they　danced；　circling　one　another；　swords　now　probing；　now　slashing；　Rand　attacking；　now　defending；　and　every　movement　punctuated　by　those　loud　clacks。
　　　Caraline　gripped　Min's　arm　hard　without　taking　her　eyes　from　the　contest。　〃He　is　also　a　blademaster；〃　she　breathed。　〃He　must　be。　Look　at　him！〃
　　　Min　was　looking；　and　hugging　Rand's　sword　belt　and　scabbarded　blade　as　if　they　were　him。　Back　and　forth　in　beauty；　and　whatever　Rand　thought；　Toram　clearly　wished　his　blade　was　steel。　Cold　rage　burned　on　his　face；　and　he　pressed　harder；　harder。　Still　no　blade　touched　anything　but　another；　yet　now　Rand　backed　away　constantly；　sword　darting　to　defend；　and　Toram　moved　forward；　attacking；　eyes　glittering　with　icy　fury。
　　　Outside；　someone　screamed；　a　wail　of　utter　horror；　and　suddenly　the　huge　tent　snapped　up　into　the　air；　vanishing　into　a　thick　grayness　that　hid　the　sky。　Fog　billowed　on　every　side；　filled　with　distant　shrieks　and　bellows。　Thin　tendrils　wafted　into　the　clear　inverted　bowl　left　by　the　tent。　Everyone　stared　in　amazement。　Almost　everyone。
　　　Toram's　lathe　blade　smashed　into　Rand's　side　with　a　bone…crack　sound；　doubling　him　over。　〃You　are　dead；　cousin；〃　Toram　sneered；　lifting　his　sword　high　to　strike　again　…　and　froze；　staring；　as　part　of　the　heavy　gray　mist　overhead。。。　solidified。　A　tentacle　of　fog；　it　might　have　been　a　thick　three…toed　arm；　reaching　down；　closed　around　the　stout　Red　sister；　snatching　her　into　the　air　before　anyone　had　a　chance　to　move。
　　　Cadsuane　was　the　first　to　overe　shock。　Her　arms　rose；　shaking　back　her　shawl；　her　hands　made　a　twist；　and　a　ball　of　fire　seemed　to　shoot　upward　from　each　palm；　streaking　into　the　mist。　Above；　something　suddenly　burst　into　flame；　one　violent　gout　that　vanished　immediately；　and　the　Red　sister　fell　back　into　sight；　dropping　with　a　thud　facedown　on　the　carpets　near　where　Rand　knelt　on　one　knee　clutching　his　side。　At　least；　she　would　have　been　facedown　had　her　head　not　been　twisted　around　so　her　dead　eyes　stared　up　into　the　fog。
　　　Whatever　scraps　of　posure　remained　in　the　tent　fled　with　that。　The　Shadow　had　been　given　flesh。　Screaming　people　fled　in　every　direction；　knocking　over　tables；　nobles　clawing　past　servants　and　servants　past　nobles。　Buffeted；　Min　fought　her　way　to　Rand　with　fists　and　elbows　and　his　sword　as　a　club。
　　　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　she　asked；　pulling　him　to　his　feet。　She　was　surprised　to　see　Caraline　on　the　other　side；　helping　him；　too。　For　that　matter；　Caraline　looked　surprised。
　　　He　took　his　hand　from　beneath　his　coat；　fingers　thankfully　free　of　blood。　That　half…healed　scar；　so　tender；　had　not　broken　open。　〃I　think　we　best　move；〃　he　said；　taking　his　sword　belt。　〃We　have　to　get　out　of　this。〃　The　inverted　bowl　of　clear　air　was　noticeably　smaller。　Almost　everyone　else　had　fled。　Out　in　the　fog；　screams　rose；　most　cutting　off　abruptly　but　always　replaced　by　new。
　　　〃I　agree；　Tomas；〃　Darlin　said。　Sword　in　hand；　he　planted　himself　with　his　back　to　Caraline；　between　her　and　the　fog。　〃The　question　is；　in　which　direction？　And　also；　how　far　do　we　have　to　go？〃
　　　〃This　is　his　work；〃　Toram　spat。　〃Al'Thor's。〃　Hurling　down　his　practice　sword；　he　stalked　to　his　discarded　coat　and　calmly　donned　it。　Whatever　else　he　was；　he　was　no　coward。　〃Jeraal？〃　he　shouted　at　the　fog　as　he　fastened　his　sword　belt。　〃Jeraal；　the　Light　burn　you；　man；　where　are　you？　Jeraal！〃　Mordeth　…　Fain　…　did　not　answer；　and　he　went　on　shouting。
　　　The　only　others　still　there　were　Cadsuane　and　her　two　panions；　faces　calm　but　hands　running　nervously　over　their　shawls。　Cadsuane　herself　might　have　been　setting　out　for　a　stroll。　〃I　should　think　north；〃　she　said。　〃The　slope　lies　closer　that　way；　and　climbing　may　take　us　above　this。　Stop　that　caterwauling；　Toram！　Either　your　man's　dead；　or　he　can't　hear。〃　Toram　glared　at　her；　but　he　did　stop　shouting。　Cadsuane　did　not　appear　to　notice　or　care；　so　long　as　he　was　silent。　〃North；　then。　We　three　will　take　care　of　anything　your　steel　can't　handle。〃　She　looked　straight　at　Rand　when　she　said　that；　and　he　gave　a　whisker　of　a　nod　before　buckling　his　sword　belt　and　drawing　his　blade。　Trying　not　to　goggle；　Min　exchanged　glances　with　Caraline；　the　other　woman's　eyes　looked　as　large　as　teacups。　The　Aes　Sedai　knew　who　he　was；　and　she　was　going　to　keep　anyone　else　from　knowing。
　　　〃I　wish　we　had　not　left　our　Warders　back　in　the　city；〃　the　slim　Yellow　sister　said。　Tiny　silver　bells　in　her　dark　hair　chimed　as　she　tossed　her　head。　She　had　almost　as　manding　an　air　as　Cadsuane；　enough　that　you　did　not　realize　how　pretty　she　was　at　first；　except　that　that　toss　of　her　head　seemed。。。　well。。。　a　touch　petulant。　〃I　wish　I　had　Roshan　here。〃
　　　〃A　circle；　Cadsuane？〃　the　Gray　asked。　Head　turning　this　way　and　that　to　peer　at　the　fog；　she　looked　like　a　plump；　pale…haired　sparrow　with　her　sharp　nose　and　inquisitive　eyes。　Not　a　frightened　sparrow；　but　one　definitely　ready　to　take　wing。　〃Should　we　link？〃
　　　〃No；　Niande；〃　Cadsuane　sighed。　〃If　you　see　something；　you　must　be　able　to　strike　at　it　without　waiting　to　point　it　out　for　me。　Samitsu；　stop　worrying　about　Roshan。　We　have　three　fine　swords　here；　two　of　them　heron…mark；　I　see。　They　will　do。〃
　　　Toram　showed　his　teeth　on　seeing　the　heron　engraved　on　the　blade　Rand　had　unsheathed。　If　it　was　a　smile；　it　held　no　mirth。　His　own　bared　blade　bore　a　heron；　too。　Darlin's　did　not；　but　he　gave　Rand　and　his　sword　a　weighing　look；　then　a　respectful　nod　that　was　considerably　deeper　than　he　had　offered　plain　Tomas　Trakand；　of　a　minor　branch　of　the　House。
　　　The　gray…haired　Green　had　taken　charge；　clearly；　and　she　kept　it　despite　attempted　protests　from　Darlin；　who　like　many　Tairens　seemed　not　to　relish　Aes　Sedai　a　great　deal；　and　Toram；　who　just　seemed　to　dislike　anyone　giving　orders　but　himself。　For　that　matter；　so　did　Caraline；　but　Cadsuane　ignored　her　frowns　as　pletely　as　she　did　the　men's　voiced　plaints。　Unlike　them；　Caraline　appeared　to　realize　plaints　would　do　no　good。　Wonder　of　wonders；　Rand　meekly　let　himself　be　placed　to　Cadsuane's　right　as　she　quickly　arranged　everyone。　Well；　not　exactly　meekly　…　he　stared　down　his　nose　at　her　in　a　way　that　would　have　made　Min　slap　him　if　he　did　it　to　her；　Cadsuane　just　shook　her　head　and　muttered　something　that　reddened　his　face　…　but　at　least　he　kept　his　mouth　shut。　Right　then；　Min　almost　thought　he　would　announce　who　he　was。　And　maybe　expect　the　fog　to　vanish　in　fear　of　the　Dragon　Reborn。　He　smiled　at　her　as　though　fog　in　this　weather　was　nothing；　even　a　fog　that　snatched　tents　and　people。
　　　They　moved　into　the　thick　mist　in　a　formation　like　a　six…pointed　star；　Cadsuane　herself　in　the　lead；　an　Aes　Sedai　at　each　of　two　other　points；　a　man　with　a　sword　at　three。　Toram；　of　course；　protested　loudly　at　bringing　up　the　rear　until　Cadsuane　mentioned　the　honor　of　the　rear　guard　or　some　such。　That　quieted　him　down。　Min　had　no　objection　whatsoever　to　her　own　position　with　Caraline　in　the　center　of　the　star。　She　carried　a　knife　in　either　hand；　and　wondered　whether　they　would　be　any　use。　It　was　something　of　a　relief　to　see　the　dagger　in　Caraline's　fist　tremble。　At　least　her　own　hands　were　steady。　Then　again；　she　thought　she　might　be　too　frightened　to　shake。
　　　The　fog　was　cold　as　winter。　Grayness　closed　around　them　in　swirls；　so　heavy　it　was　difficult　to　see　the　others　clearly。　Hearing　was　all　too　easy；　though。　Shrieks　drifted　through　the　murk；　men　and　women　crying　out；　horses　screaming。　The　fog　seemed　to　deaden　sound；　make　it　hollow；　so　that　thankfully；　those　awful　sounds　seemed　distant。　The　mist　ahead　began　to　thicken；　but　fireballs　immediately　shot　from　Cadsuane's　hands；　sizzling　through　the　icy　gray；　and　the　thickening　erupted　in　one　roaring　flare　of　flame。　Roars　behind；　light　flashing　against　the　fog　like　lightning　against　clouds；　spoke　of　the　other　two　sisters　at　work。　Min　had　no　desire　to　look　back。　What　she　could　see　was　more　than　enough。
　　　Past　trampled　tents　half　obscured　by　gray　haze　they　moved；　past　bodies　and　sometimes　parts　of　bodies　not　nearly　obscured　enough。　A　leg。　An　arm。　A　man　who　was　not　there　from　the　waist　down。　Once　a　woman's　head　that　seemed　to　grin　from　where　it　sat　on　the　corner　of　an　overturned　wagon。　The　land　began　to　slope　upward；　steeper。　Min　saw　her　first　living　soul　besides　them；　and　wished　she　had　not。　A　man　wearing　one　of　the　red　coats　staggered　toward　them；　waving　his　left　arm　feebly。　The　other　was　gone；　and　wet　white　bone　showed　where　half　his　face　had　been。　Something　that　might　have　been　words　bubbled　though　his　teeth；　and　he　collapsed。　Samitsu　knelt　briefly　beside　him；　putting　her　fingers　against　the　bloody　ruin　of　his　forehead。　Rising；　she　shook　her　head；　and　they　moved　on。　Upslope；　and　up；　until　Min　began　wondering　whether　they　were　climbing　a　mountain　instead　of　a　hill。
　　　Right　in　front　of　Darlin；　the　fog　suddenly　began　to　take　on　form；　a　man…high　shape；　but　all　tentacles　and　gaping　mouths　full　of　sharp　teeth。　The　High　Lord　might　have　been　no　blademaster；　but　he　was　not　slow　either。　His　blade　sliced　through　the　middle　of　the　still…coalescing　shape；　looped　and　slashed　it　top　to　bottom。　Four　clouds　of　fog；　thicker　than　the　surrounding　mist；　settled　to　the　ground。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃at　least　we　know　steel　can　cut　these。。。　crea