rj.acrownofswords-第149部分

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uty；　like　the　need　to　exterminate　men　with　the　ability　to　channel；　not　actions　she　took　pleasure　in　beyond　that　of　tasks　well　done；　but　she　had　enjoyed　leading　the　circle　that　stilled　Siuan　Sanche。　Surely　all　those　things　meant　that　Galina　Casban　was　herself　among　the　mightiest　of　the　world；　among　the　most　powerful。　Surely　they　did。　They　must。
　　　Her　legs　wavered　like　springs　that　had　lost　their　tempering；　and　she　fell　heavily；　unable　to　catch　herself　with　arms　and　elbows　tightly　bound　behind　her。　The　once…white　silk　shift；　the　only　garment　left　to　her；　tore　again　as　she　slid　on　the　loose　rocks；　scraping　her　welts。　A　tree　stopped　her。　Face　pressed　against　the　ground；　she　began　to　sob。　〃How？〃　she　moaned　in　a　thick　voice。　〃How　can　this　happen　to　me？〃
　　　After　a　time　she　realized　that　she　had　not　been　pulled　to　her　feet；　no　matter　how　often　she　fell；　she　had　never　before　been　allowed　a　moment's　respite。　Blinking　away　tears；　she　raised　her　head。
　　　Aiel　women　covered　the　mountainside；　several　hundred　of　them　scattered　among　the　barren　trees　with　their　spears；　the　veils　they　could　raise　in　an　instant　hanging　down　their　chests。　Galina　wanted　to　laugh。　Maidens；　they　called　these　monstrous　women　Maidens。　She　wished　she　could　laugh。　At　least　there　were　no　men　present；　a　small　mercy。　Men　made　her　skin　crawl；　and　if　one　could　see　her　now；　less　than　half…clothed。。。
　　　Anxiously；　her　eyes　sought　for　Therava；　but　most　of　the　seventy　or　so　Wise　Ones　stood　together　looking　at　something　farther　up　the　slope；　blocking　her　view。　There　seemed　to　be　a　murmur　of　voices　from　the　front　of　them。　Maybe　the　Wise　Ones　were　conferring　about　something。　Wise　Ones。　They　had　been　brutally　efficient　in　teaching　her　the　correct　names；　never　just　Aiel　woman；　and　never　wilder。　They　could　smell　contempt　however　she　hid　it。　Of　course；　you　did　not　have　to　try　hiding　what　had　been　seared　out　of　you。
　　　Most　of　the　Wise　Ones　were　looking　away；　but　not　all。　The　glow　of　saidar　surrounded　a　young；　pretty；　red…haired　woman　with　a　delicate　mouth　who　watched　Galina　with　large；　intent　blue　eyes。　Perhaps　as　a　sign　of　their　own　disdain；　they　had　chosen　the　weakest　of　their　number　to　shield　her　this　morning。　Micara　was　not　truly　weak　in　the　Power　…　none　of　them　were　that　…　but　even　smarting　from　shoulders　to　knees　as　she　was；　Galina　could　have　broken　Micara's　shield　with　little　effort。　A　muscle　in　her　cheek　spasmed　uncontrollably；　it　always　did　when　she　thought　of　another　escape　attempt。　The　first　had　been　bad　enough。　The　second。。。　Shuddering；　she　fought　not　to　sob　again。　She　would　not　make　the　attempt　again　until　she　was　sure　of　plete　success。　Very　sure。　Absolutely　sure。
　　　The　mass　of　Wise　Ones　parted；　turning　to　follow　Therava　with　their　eyes　as　the　hawk…faced　woman　strode　toward　Galina。　Suddenly　panting　once　more；　with　apprehension；　Galina　tried　to　struggle　to　her　feet。　Hands　bound　and　muscles　watery；　she　had　only　reached　her　knees　when　Therava　bent　over　her；　necklaces　of　ivory　and　gold　clattering　softly。　Seizing　a　handful　of　Galina's　hair；　Therava　forced　her　head　back　sharply。　Taller　than　most　men；　the　woman　did　that　even　when　they　were　standing；　craning　Galina's　neck　painfully　to　make　her　look　up　into　the　Wise　One's　face。　Therava　was　somewhat　stronger　in　the　Power　than　she；　which　relatively　few　women　were；　but　that　was　not　what　made　Galina　tremble。　Cold　deep　blue　eyes　stabbed　into　her　own；　held　her　more　tightly　than　Therava's　rough　hand；　they　seemed　to　strip　her　soul　naked　as　easily　as　the　Wise　One　handled　her。　She　had　not　begged　yet；　not　when　they　made　her　walk　all　day　with　hardly　a　drop　of　water；　not　when　they　forced　her　to　keep　up　as　they　ran　for　hours；　not　even　when　their　switches　made　her　howl。　Therava's　cruel　hard　face；　staring　down　at　her　impassively；　made　her　want　to　beg。　Sometimes　she　woke　at　night；　stretched　out　tight　between　the　four　stakes　where　they　bound　her；　woke　whimpering　from　dreams　that　her　whole　life　would　be　lived　under　Therava's　hands。
　　　〃She　is　collapsing　already；〃　the　Wise　One　said　in　a　voice　like　stone。　〃Water　her；　and　bring　her。〃　Turning　away；　she　adjusted　her　shawl；　Galina　Casban　forgotten　until　there　was　need　to　recall　her；　to　Therava；　Galina　Casban　was　less　important　than　a　stray　dog。
　　　Galina　did　not　try　to　rise；　she　had　been　〃watered〃　often　enough　by　now。　It　was　the　only　way　they　let　her　drink。　Aching　for　moisture；　she　did　not　resist　when　a　blocky　Maiden　took　her　by　the　hair　as　Therava　had　and　pulled　her　head　back。　She　just　opened　her　mouth　as　far　as　she　could。　Another　Maiden；　with　a　puckered　scar　slanting　across　nose　and　cheek；　tilted　a　waterskin　and　slowly　poured　a　trickle　into　Galina's　waiting　mouth。　The　water　was　flat　and　warm；　it　was　delicious。　She　swallowed　convulsively；　awkwardly；　holding　her　jaws　wide。　Almost　as　much　as　water　to　drink；　she　wanted　to　move　her　face　under　that　thin　stream；　to　let　it　run　over　her　cheeks　and　forehead。　Instead　she　kept　her　head　very　steady；　so　that　every　drop　went　down　her　throat。　Spilling　water　was　cause　for　another　beating；　they　had　thrashed　her　in　sight　of　a　creek　six　paces　wide　for　spilling　a　mouthful　over　her　chin。
　　　When　the　waterskin　was　finally　taken　away；　the　blocky　Maiden　hauled　her　to　her　feet　by　her　bound　elbows。　Galina　groaned。　The　Wise　Ones　were　gathering　their　skirts　over　their　arms；　exposing　their　legs　well　above　soft　knee…high　boots。　They　could　not　be　going　to　run。　Not　again。　Not　in　these　mountains。
　　　The　Wise　Ones　loped　forward　as　easily　as　if　on　level　ground。　An　unseen　Maiden　cut　Galina　across　the　back　of　her　thighs　with　a　switch；　and　she　stumbled　to　a　semblance　of　a　run；　half…dragged　by　the　blocky　Maiden。　The　switch　slashed　her　legs　whenever　they　faltered。　If　this　run　continued　the　rest　of　the　day；　they　would　take　turns；　one　Maiden　wielding　the　stick　and　another　dragging。　Laboring　up　slopes　and　nearly　sliding　down；　Galina　ran。　A　tawny　mountain　cat；　striped　in　shades　of　brown　and　heavier　than　a　man；　snarled　at　them　from　a　rocky　ledge　above；　a　female；　lacking　the　tufts　on　her　ears　and　the　wide　cheeks。　Galina　wanted　to　shout　at　her　to　flee；　to　run　before　Therava　caught　her。　The　Aiel　ran　on　by　the　snarling　animal；　unconcerned；　and　Galina　wept　with　jealousy　for　the　cat's　freedom。
　　　She　would　be　rescued　eventually；　of　course；　she　knew　that。　The　Tower　would　not　allow　a　sister　to　remain　in　captivity。　Elaida　would　not　allow　a　Red　to　be　held。　Surely　Alviarin　would　send　rescue。　Someone　would；　anyone；　to　save　her　from　these　monsters；　especially　from　Therava。　She　would　promise　anything　for　that　deliverance。　She　would　even　keep　those　promises。　She　had　been　broken　free　of　the　Three　Oaths　on　joining　the　Black　Ajah；　replacing　them　with　a　new　trinity；　but　at　that　moment　she　truly　believed　she　would　keep　her　word；　if　it　brought　rescue。　Any　promise；　to　anyone　who　would　free　her。　Even　a　man。
　　　By　the　time　low　tents　appeared；　their　dark　colors　fading　into　the　forested　mountainsides　as　well　as　the　cat　had；　Galina　had　two　Maidens　supporting　her；　pulling　her　along。　Shouts　rose　from　every　side；　glad　cries　of　greeting；　but　Galina　was　dragged　on　behind　the　Wise　Ones；　deeper　into　the　camp；　still　running；　stumbling。
　　　Without　warning　the　hands　left　her　arms。　She　pitched　forward　on　her　face　and　lay　there　with　her　nose　in　the　dirt　and　dead　leaves；　sucking　air　through　her　gaping　mouth。　She　coughed　on　a　piece　of　leaf；　but　she　was　too　weak　to　turn　her　head。　The　blood　pounded　her　ears；　but　voices　came　to　her　and　slowly　began　to　make　sense。
　　　〃。。。　Took　your　time；　Therava；〃　a　familiar…sounding　woman's　voice　said。　〃Nine　days。　We　have　been　back　long　since。〃
　　　Nine　days？　Galina　shook　her　head；　scrubbing　her　face　on　the　ground。　Since　the　Aiel　had　shot　her　horse　from　under　her；　memory　blended　all　the　days　into　a　melange　of　thirst　and　running　and　being　beaten；　but　surely　it　had　been　longer　ago　than　nine　days。　Weeks；　certainly。　A　month　or　more。
　　　〃Bring　her　in；〃　the　familiar　voice　said　impatiently。
　　　Hands　pulled　her　up；　shoved　her　forward；　bending　her　to　go　under　the　edge　of　a　large　tent　with　the　sides　raised　all　around。　She　was　thrown　down　on　layered　carpets；　the　edge　of　a　red…and…blue　Tairen　maze　overlapping　gaudy　flowers　beneath　her　nose。　With　difficulty；　she　raised　her　head。
　　　At　first；　she　saw　nothing　but　Sevanna；　seated　on　a　large　yellow…tasseled　cushion　in　front　of　her。　Sevanna　with　her　hair　like　fine…spun　gold；　her　clear　emerald　eyes。　Treacherous　Sevanna；　who　had　given　her　word　to　distract　attention　by　raiding　into　Cairhien；　then　broken　her　pledge　by　trying　to　free　al'Thor。　Sevanna；　who　at　the　least　might　take　her　from　Therava's　clutches。
　　　She　struggled　up　onto　her　knees；　and　for　the　first　time　realized　there　were　others　in　the　tent。　Therava　sat　on　a　cushion　to　Sevanna's　right；　at　the　head　of　a　curving　line　of　Wise　Ones；　fourteen　women　who　could　channel　in　all；　though　Micara；　who　still　held　the　shield　on　her；　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　line　rather　than　sitting。　Half　of　them　had　been　among　the　Wise　Ones　who　captured　her　with　such　scornful　ease。　She　would　never　again　be　so　careless　about　Wise　Ones；　never　again。　Short；　pale…faced　men　and　women　in　white　robes　moved　behind　the　Wise　Ones；　wordlessly　offering　trays　of　gold　or　silver　with　small　cups；　and　more　did　the　same　on　the　other　side　of　the　tent；　where　a　gray…haired　woman　in　an　Aiel　coat　and　breeches　of　brown　and　gray　sat　to　Sevanna's　left；　at　the　head　of　a　line　of　twelve　stone…faced　Aielmen。　Men。　And　she　wore　nothing　but　her　shift；　ripped　and　gaping　in　a　number　of　places。　Galina　clamped　her　teeth　shut　to　stifle　a　scream。　She　forced　her　back　stiff　to　keep　from　trying　to　burrow　into　the　rugs　arid　hide　from　those　cold　male　eyes。
　　　〃It　seems　that　Aes　Sedai　can　lie；〃　Sevanna　said；　and　the　blood　drained　from　Galina's　face。　The　woman　could　not　know；　she　could　not。　〃You　made　pledges；　Galina　Casban；　and　broke　them。　Did　you　think　you　could　murder　a　Wise　One　and　then　run　beyond　the　reach　of　our　spears？〃
　　　For　a　moment；　relief　froze　Galina's　tongue。　Sevanna　did　not　know　about　the　Black　Ajah。　Had　she　not　abandoned　the　Light　long　ago；　she　would　have　thanked　the　Light。　Relief　stilled　her　tongue；　and　a　tiny　spark　of　indignation。　They　attacked　Aes　Sedai　and　were　angry　when　some　of　them　died？　A　tiny　spark　was