rj.acrownofswords-第136部分

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y　hurried　into　the　palace　and　along　corridors　that　seemed　longer　than　Min　remembered；　with　more　Cairhienin　soldiers　crowding　along　behind。　Nobles　began　appearing　from　every　doorway　and　crossing　hall；　it　seemed；　faces　bloodless；　staring　as　Rand　passed。　She　lost　track　of　Caraline　and　Darlin；　realized　she　could　not　remember　seeing　them　since　the　wagon；　and；　wishing　them　well；　forgot　them。　Rand　was　the　only　thing　she　cared　about。　The　only　thing　in　the　world。
　　　Nandera　was　with　the　Far　Dareis　Mai　guarding　the　doors　to　Rand's　rooms；　with　their　gilded　Rising　Suns。　When　the　graying　Maiden　saw　Rand；　stone…faced　Aiel　posure　shattered。　〃What　has　happened　to　him？〃　she　wailed；　eyes　going　wide。　〃What　has　happened？〃　Some　of　the　other　Maidens　began　to　moan；　a　low；　hair…raising　sound　like　a　dirge。
　　　〃Be　quiet！〃　Cadsuane　roared；　slapping　her　hands　together　in　a　thundercrack。　〃You；　girl。　He　needs　his　bed。　Hop！〃　Nandera　hopped。　Rand　was　stripped　and　in　his　bed　in　a　twinkling；　with　Samitsu　and　Niande　both　hovering　over　him；　the　Cairhienin　chased　out　and　Nandera　at　the　door　repeating　Cadsuane's　instructions　that　he　was　not　to　be　disturbed　by　anyone；　all　so　fast　Min　felt　dizzy。　She　hoped　one　day　to　see　the　confrontation　between　Cadsuane　and　the　Wise　One　Sorilea；　it　had　to　e；　and　it　would　be　memorable。
　　　Yet　if　Cadsuane　thought　her　instructions　were　really　going　to　keep　everyone　out；　she　was　mistaken。　Before　she　had　more　than　moved　a　chair；　floating　it　on　the　Power；　to　sit　beside　Rand's　bed；　Kiruna　and　Bera　strode　in　like　the　two　faces　of　pride；　ruler　of　a　court　and　ruler　of　her　farmhouse。
　　　〃What　is　this　I　hear　about　…？〃　Kiruna　began　furiously。　She　saw　Cadsuane。　Bera　saw　Cadsuane。　To　Min's　amazement；　they　stopped　there　with　their　mouths　hanging　open。
　　　〃He　is　in　good　hands；〃　Cadsuane　said。　〃Unless　one　of　you　has　suddenly　found　more　Talent　for　Healing　than　I　recall？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Cadsuane；〃　they　said　meekly。　〃No；　Cadsuane。〃　Min　closed　her　own　mouth。
　　　Samitsu　took　an　ivory…inlaid　chair　against　the　wall；　spreading　her　dark　yellow　skirts；　and　sat　with　her　hands　folded；　watching　Rand's　chest　rise　and　fall　beneath　the　sheet。　Niande　went　to　Rand's　bookshelf　and　selected　a　book　before　she　sat　near　the　windows。　Reading！　Kiruna　and　Bera　started　to　sit；　then　actually　looked　to　Cadsuane　and　waited　for　her　impatient　nod　before　they　sat　down。
　　　〃Why　aren't　you　doing　something？〃　Min　shouted。
　　　〃That　is　what　I　might　ask；〃　Amys　said；　walking　into　the　room。　The　youthful；　white…haired　Wise　One　stared　at　Rand　for　a　moment；　then　shifted　her　deep　brown　shawl　and　turned　to　Kiruna　and　Bera。　〃You　may　go；〃　she　said。　〃And　Kiruna；　Sorilea　wishes　to　see　you　again。〃
　　　Kiruna's　dark　face　paled；　but　the　pair　of　them　rose　and　curtsied；　murmuring；　〃Yes；　Amys；〃　even　more　meekly　than　for　Cadsuane　before　leaving　with　embarrassed　glances　at　the　Green　sister。
　　　〃Interesting；〃　Cadsuane　said　when　they　were　gone。　Her　dark　eyes　locked　with　Amys'　blue；　and　Cadsuane；　at　least；　seemed　to　like　what　she　saw。　At　any　rate；　she　smiled。　〃I　should　like　to　meet　this　Sorilea。　She　is　a　strong　woman？〃　She　seemed　to　emphasize　the　word　〃strong。〃
　　　〃The　strongest　I　have　ever　known；〃　Amys　said　simply。　Calmly。　You　would　never　have　thought　Rand　lay　senseless　in　front　of　her。　〃I　do　not　know　your　Healing；　Aes　Sedai。　I　trust　that　you　have　done　what　can　be　done？〃　Her　tone　was　flat；　Min　doubted　how　much　Amys　did　trust。
　　　〃What　can　be　done；　has　been；〃　Cadsuane　sighed。　〃All　we　can　do　now　is　wait。〃
　　　〃While　he　dies？〃　a　man's　harsh　voice　said；　and　Min　jumped。
　　　Dashiva　strode　into　the　room；　his　plain　face　contorted　in　a　scowl。　〃Flinn！〃　he　snapped。
　　　Niande's　book　thudded　to　the　floor　from　apparently　nerveless　fingers；　she　stared　at　the　three　men　in　black　coats　as　she　would　have　at　the　Dark　One　himself。　Pale…faced；　Samitsu　muttered　something　that　sounded　like　a　prayer。
　　　At　Dashiva's　mand；　the　grizzled　Asha'man　limped　to　the　bed　on　the　opposite　side　from　Cadsuane　and　began　running　his　hands　along　the　length　of　Rand's　still　body　a　foot　above　the　sheet。　Young　Narishma　stood　frowning　by　the　door；　fingering　the　hilt　of　his　sword；　those　big　dark　eyes　trying　to　watch　all　three　Aes　Sedai　at　once。　The　Aes　Sedai；　and　Amys。　He　did　not　look　afraid；　just　a　man　confidently　waiting　for　those　women　to　show　themselves　his　enemies。　Unlike　the　Aes　Sedai；　Amys　ignored　the　Asha'man　except　for　Flinn。　Her　eyes　followed　him；　smooth　face　utterly　expressionless。　But　her　thumb　ran　along　the　haft　of　her　belt　knife　in　a　very　expressive　manner。
　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Samitsu　demanded；　leaping　up　from　her　chair。　Whatever　her　unease　about　Asha'man；　concern　for　her　unconscious　patient　had　overe　it。　〃You；　Flinn　or　whoever　you　are。〃　She　started　toward　the　bed；　and　Narishma　flowed　to　block　her。　Frowning；　she　tried　to　go　around；　and　he　put　a　hand　on　her　arm。
　　　〃Another　boy　with　no　manners；〃　Cadsuane　murmured。　Of　the　three　sisters；　only　she　displayed　no　alarm　whatsoever　at　the　Asha'man。　Instead；　she　studied　them　over　steepled　fingers。
　　　Narishma　flushed　at　her　ment　and　removed　his　hand；　but　when　Samitsu　tried　to　go　around　him　again；　he　once　more　stepped　in　front　of　her。
　　　She　settled　for　glaring　past　his　shoulder。　〃You；　Flinn；　what　are　you　doing？　I　won't　have　you　killing　him　with　your　ignorance！　Do　you　hear　me？〃　Min　practically　danced　from　foot　to　foot。　She　did　not　think　an　Asha'man　would　kill　Rand；　not　on　purpose；　but。。。　He　trusted　them；　but。。。　Light；　even　Amys　did　not　seem　sure；　frowning　from　Flinn　to　Rand。
　　　Flinn　stripped　the　sheet　down　to　Rand's　waist；　exposing　the　wound。　The　gash　looked　neither　better　nor　worse　than　she　remembered；　a　gaping；　angry；　bloodless　wound　slicing　across　the　round　scar。　He　appeared　to　be　sleeping。
　　　〃He　can't　do　any　worse　than　Rand　already　is；〃　Min　said。　Nobody　paid　her　any　mind。
　　　Dashiva　made　a　guttural　sound；　and　Flinn　looked　at　him。　〃You　see　something；　Asha'man？〃
　　　〃I　have　no　Talent　for　Healing；〃　Dashiva　said；　twisting　his　mouth　wryly。　〃You're　the　one　who　took　my　suggestion　and　learned。〃
　　　〃What　suggestion？〃　Samitsu　demanded。　〃I　insist　that　you　…　〃
　　　〃Be　quiet；　Samitsu；〃　Cadsuane　said。　She　seemed　to　be　the　only　one　in　the　room　who　was　calm　aside　from　Amys；　and　from　the　way　the　Wise　One　kept　stroking　her　knife　hilt；　Min　was　not　certain　about　her。　〃I　think　the　last　thing　he　wants　to　do　is　harm　the　boy。〃
　　　〃But；　Cadsuane；〃　Niande　began　urgently；　〃that　man　is　…　〃
　　　〃I　said；　be　quiet；〃　the　gray…haired　Aes　Sedai　told　her　firmly。
　　　〃I　assure　you；〃　Dashiva　said；　managing　to　sound　oily　and　harsh　at　the　same　time；　〃Flinn　knows　what　he　is　about。　Already　he　can　do　things　you　Aes　Sedai　never　dreamed　of。〃　Samitsu　sniffed；　loudly。　Cadsuane　merely　nodded　and　sat　back　in　her　chair。
　　　Flinn　traced　his　finger　along　the　puffy　gash　in　Rand's　side　and　across　the　old　scar。　That　did　seem　more　tender。　〃These　are　alike；　but　different；　as　if　there's　two　kinds　of　infection　at　work。　Only　it　isn't　infection；　it's。。。　darkness。　I　can't　think　of　a　better　word。〃　He　shrugged；　eyeing　Samitsu's　Yellow…fringed　shawl　as　she　frowned　at　him；　but　it　was　a　considering　look　she　gave　him　now。
　　　〃Get　on　with　it；　Flinn；〃　Dashiva　muttered。　〃If　he　dies。。。　〃　Nose　wrinkled　as　though　at　a　bad　smell；　he　seemed　unable　to　look　away　from　Rand。　His　lips　moved　as　he　talked　to　himself；　and　once　he　made　a　sound；　half　sob；　half　bitter　laugh；　without　his　face　changing　one　line。
　　　Drawing　a　deep　breath；　Flinn　looked　around　the　room；　at　the　Aes　Sedai；　at　Amys。　When　he　caught　sight　of　Min；　he　gave　a　start；　and　his　leathery　face　reddened。　Hastily　he　rearranged　the　sheet　to　cover　Rand　to　his　neck；　leaving　only　the　old　wound　and　the　new　exposed。
　　　〃I　hope　nobody　minds　if　I　talk；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　move　callused　hands　above　Rand's　side。　〃Talking　seems　to　help　a　mite。〃　He　squinted；　focusing　on　the　injuries；　and　his　fingers　writhed　slowly。　Very　much　as　though　he　was　weaving　threads；　Min　realized。　His　tone　was　almost　absent；　only　part　of　his　mind　on　the　words。　〃It　was　Healing　made　me　go　to　the　Black　Tower；　you　might　say。　I　was　a　soldier；　till　I　took　a　lance　in　my　thigh；　couldn't　grip　a　saddle　proper　after　that；　or　even　walk　far。　That　was　the　fifteenth　wound　I　took　in　near　forty　years　in　the　Queen's　Guards。　Fifteen　that　counted；　anyway；　it　don't　if　you　can　walk　or　ride；　after。　I　seen　a　lot　of　friends　die　in　them　forty　years。　So　I　went；　and　the　M'Hael　taught　me　Healing。　And　other　things。　A　rough　sort　of　Healing；　I　was　Healed　by　an　Aes　Sedai　once　…　oh；　nigh　on　thirty　years　back　now　…　and　this　hurts；　pared　to　that。　Works　as　well；　though。　Then　one　day；　Dashiva　here　…　pardon；　Asha'man　Dashiva　…　says　he　wonders　why　it's　all　the　same；　no　matter　if　a　man's　got　a　broke　leg　or　a　cold；　and　we　got　to　talking；　and。。。　Well；　he's　got　no　feel　for　it；　himself；　but　me；　seems　I　got　the　knack　you　might　say。　The　Talent。　So　I　started　thinking；　what　if　I。。。？　There。　Best　I　can　do。〃
　　　Dashiva　grunted　as　Flinn　abruptly　sat　back　on　his　heels　and　wiped　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　forehead。　Sweat　beaded　on　his　face；　the　first　time　Min　had　seen　an　Asha'man　perspire。　The　slash　in　Rand's　side　was　not　gone；　yet　it　seemed　a　little　smaller；　less　red　and　angry。　He　still　slept；　but　his　face　seemed　less　pale。
　　　Samitsu　darted　past　Narishma　so　quickly　he　had　no　chance　to　intervene。　〃What　did　you　do？〃　she　demanded；　laying　fingers　on　Rand's　forehead。　Whatever　she　found　with　the　Power；　her　eyebrows　climbed　halfway　to　her　hair；　and　her　tone　leaped　from　imperious　to　incredulous。　〃What　did　you　do？〃
　　　Flinn　shrugged　his　shoulders　regretfully。　〃Not　much。　I　couldn't　really　touch　what's　wrong。　I　sort　of　sealed　them　away　from　him；　for　a　time；　anyhow。　It　won't　last。　They're　fighting　each　other；　now。　Maybe　they'll　kill　off　each　other；　while　he　heals　himself　the　rest　of　the　way。〃　Sighing；　he　shook　his　head。　〃On　the　other　hand；　I　can't　say　that　they　won't　kill　him。　But　I　think　he　has　a　better　chance　than　he　did。〃
　　　Dashiva　nodded　self…importantly。　〃Yes；　he　has　a　chance；　now。〃　You　would　have　thought　he　had　done　the　Healing　himself。
　　　To　Flinn's　evident　surprise；　Samitsu　rounded　the　bed　to　help　him　rise。　〃You　will　tell　me　what　you　did；〃　she　said；　regal　tone　at　strong　o