rj.acrownofswords-第153部分

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back　the　sheet；　and　climbed　out　of　the　bed　on　Amys'　side。
　　　The　Wise　One's　mouth　tightened；　he　could　almost　see　her　considering　whether　to　call　for　the　Maidens。　Bera　gave　Amys　an　agonized；　uncertain　look；　while　Kiruna　hurriedly　turned　her　back；　her　cheeks　darkening。　Slowly　he　walked　to　the　wardrobe。　Slowly　because　he　expected　he　might　give　Cadsuane　her　chance　if　he　tried　to　move　quickly。
　　　〃Phaw！〃　she　muttered　behind　him。　〃I　vow；　I　should　smack　the　stubborn　boy's　bottom。〃　Someone　grunted　what　might　have　been　agreement；　or　just　disapproval　of　what　he　was　doing。
　　　〃Ah；　but　it's　such　a　pretty　bottom；　now　isn't　it　that？〃　someone　else　said　in　a　lilting　Murandian　accent。　That　must　have　been　Corele。
　　　A　good　thing　he　had　his　head　inside　the　wardrobe。　Maybe　the　Maidens　had　not　peeled　away　as　much　modesty　as　he　thought。　Light！　His　face　felt　hot　as　a　furnace。　Hoping　the　motions　of　dressing　would　cover　any　wobbles；　he　climbed　into　his　clothes　hurriedly。　His　sword　stood　propped　in　the　back　of　the　wardrobe；　sword　belt　wound　around　the　dark　boarhide　scabbard。　He　touched　the　long　hilt；　then　took　his　hand　away。
　　　Barefoot；　he　turned　back　to　the　others　while　still　tying　the　laces　of　his　shut。　Min　still　sat　cross…legged　on　the　bed　in　her　snug　green　silk　breeches；　by　her　expression　unable　to　decide　between　approval　and　frustration。　〃I　need　to　talk　with　Dashiva　and　the　other　Asha'man；〃　he　said。　〃Alone。〃
　　　Min　scrambled　off　the　bed　and　ran　to　hug　him。　Not　tightly；　she　was　very　careful　of　his　bandaged　side。　〃I've　waited　too　long　to　see　you　awake　again；〃　she　said；　sliding　an　arm　around　his　waist。　〃I　need　to　be　with　you。〃　She　emphasized　that　just　a　tad；　she　must　have　had　a　viewing。　Or　maybe　she　just　wanted　to　help　steady　his　legs；　that　arm　seemed　to　offer　support。　Either　way；　he　nodded；　he　was　not　all　that　steady。　Laying　a　hand　on　her　shoulder；　he　suddenly　realized　that　he　did　not　want　the　Asha'man　to　know　how　weak　he　was　any　more　than　Cadsuane　or　Amys。
　　　Bera　and　Kiruna　made　reluctant　curtsies　and　started　for　the　door；　then　hesitated　when　Amys　did　not　move　right　away。　〃So　long　as　you　do　not　intend　to　leave　these　rooms；〃　the　Wise　One　said；　not　in　the　slightest　as　though　speaking　to　her　Car'a'carn。
　　　Rand　raised　a　naked　foot。　〃Do　I　look　as　though　I'm　going　anywhere？〃　Amys　sniffed；　but　with　a　glance　at　Adley；　she　gathered　up　Bera　and　Kiruna　and　departed。
　　　Cadsuane　and　the　other　two　were　only　a　moment　more　in　going。　The　gray…haired　Green　glanced　at　Adley；　too。　It　could　not　be　much　of　secret　that　he　had　been　gone　from　Cairhien　for　days。　At　the　door；　she　paused。　〃Don't　do　anything　foolish；　boy。〃　She　sounded　like　a　stern　aunt　cautioning　a　shiftless　nephew；　without　much　expectation　he　would　listen。　Samitsu　and　Corele　followed　her　out；　dividing　their　frowns　between　him　and　the　Asha'man。　As　they　vanished；　Dashiva　laughed；　a　sharp　wheeze；　shaking　his　head；　he　actually　sounded　amused。
　　　Rand　stepped　away　from　Min　to　fetch　his　boots　from　beside　the　wardrobe　and　take　a　rolled　pair　of　stockings　from　inside。　〃I'll　join　you　in　the　anteroom　as　soon　as　I'm　booted；　Dashiva。〃
　　　The　plain…faced　Asha'man　gave　a　start。　He　had　been　frowning　at　Adley。　〃As　you　mand；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　he　said；　pressing　fist　to　heart。
　　　Waiting　until　the　four　men　were　gone；　Rand　sat　down　in　a　chair　with　a　feeling　of　relief　and　began　pulling　on　his　stockings。　He　was　sure　his　legs　felt　stronger　just　for　being　up　and　moving。　Stronger；　but　they　still　did　not　want　to　support　him　very　well。
　　　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　wise？〃　Min　said；　kneeling　beside　his　chair；　and　he　gave　her　a　startled　look。　If　he　had　talked　in　his　sleep　during　those　two　days；　the　Aes　Sedai　would　have　known。　Amys　would　have　had　Enaila　and　Somara　and　fifty　more　Maidens　waiting　when　he　woke。
　　　He　tugged　the　stocking　the　rest　of　the　way　up。　〃Do　you　have　a　viewing？〃
　　　Min　sat　back　on　her　heels；　folded　her　arms　beneath　her　breasts　and　gave　him　a　firm　look。　After　a　moment；　she　decided　it　was　not　working　and　sighed。　〃It's　Cadsuane。　She　is　going　to　teach　you　something；　you　and　the　Asha'man。　All　the　Asha'man；　I　mean。　It's　something　you　have　to　learn；　but　I　don't　know　what　it　is；　except　that　none　of　you　will　like　learning　it　from　her。　You　aren't　going　to　like　it　at　all。〃
　　　Rand　paused　with　a　boot　in　hand；　then　stuffed　his　foot　in。　What　could　Cadsuane；　or　any　Aes　Sedai；　teach　the　Asha'man？　Women　could　not　teach　men；　or　men　women；　that　was　as　hard　a　fact　as　the　One　Power　itself。　〃We　will　see〃　was　all　he　said。
　　　Plainly　that　did　not　satisfy　Min。　She　knew　it　would　happen；　and　so　did　he；　she　was　never　wrong。　But　what　could　Cadsuane　possibly　teach　him？　What　would　he　let　her　teach　him？　The　woman　made　him　unsure　of　himself；　uneasy　in　a　way　he　had　not　felt　since　before　the　Stone　of　Tear　fell。
　　　Stamping　his　foot　to　settle　it　in　the　second　boot；　he　fetched　his　sword　belt　from　the　wardrobe；　and　a　red　coat　worked　in　gold；　the　same　he　had　worn　to　the　Sea　Folk。　〃What　bargain　did　Merana　make　for　me？〃　he　asked；　and　she　made　an　exasperated　sound　in　her　throat。
　　　〃None；　as　of　this　morning；〃　she　said　impatiently。　〃She　and　Rafela　haven't　left　the　ship　since　we　did；　but　they've　sent　half　a　dozen　messages　asking　if　you're　well　enough　to　return。　I　don't　think　the　bargaining　has　gone　well　for　them　without　you。　I　suppose　it's　too　much　to　hope　that's　where　you're　going。〃
　　　〃Not　yet；〃　he　told　her。　Min　said　nothing；　but　she　said　it　very　loudly；　fists　on　her　hips　and　one　eyebrow　raised　high。　Well；　she　would　know　most　of　it　soon　enough。
　　　In　the　anteroom；　all　the　Asha'man　except　Dashiva　sprang　out　of　their　chairs　when　Rand　appeared　with　Min。　Staring　at　nothing　and　talking　to　himself；　Dashiva　did　not　notice　until　Rand　reached　the　Rising　Sun　set　in　the　floor；　and　then　he　blinked　several　times　before　rising。
　　　Rand　addressed　himself　to　Adley　while　fastening　the　Dragon…shaped　buckle　of　his　sword　belt。　〃The　army's　reached　the　hillforts　in　Illian　already？〃　He　wanted　to　take　one　of　the　gilded　armchairs；　but　would　not　let　himself。　〃How？　It　should　have　been　several　more　days　at　the　best。　At　best。〃　Flinn　and　Narishma　looked　as　startled　as　Dashiva；　none　of　them　had　known　where　Adley　and　Hopwil　had　gone　…　or　Morr。　Deciding　who　to　trust　was　always　the　difficulty；　and　trust　a　razor's　edge。
　　　Adley　drew　himself　up。　There　was　something　about　his　eyes；　beneath　those　thick　eyebrows。　He　had　seen　the　wolf；　as　they　said　in　Cairhien。　〃The　High　Lord　Weiramon　left　the　foot　behind　and　pressed　forward　with　the　horse；〃　he　said；　reporting　stiffly。　〃The　Aiel　kept　up；　of　course。〃　He　frowned。　〃We　encountered　Aiel　yesterday。　Shaido；　I　don't　know　how　they　got　there。　There　were　maybe　nine　or　ten　thousand；　altogether；　but　they　didn't　seem　to　have　any　Wise　Ones　who　could　channel　with　them；　and　they　didn't　really　slow　us　down。　We　reached　the　hillforts　at　noon　today。〃
　　　Rand　wanted　to　snarl。　Leaving　the　foot　behind！　Did　Weiramon　think　he　was　going　to　take　palisaded　forts　on　hilltops　with　horsemen？　Probably。　The　man　probably　would　have　left　the　Aiel　behind　too；　if　he　could　have　outrun　them。　Fool　nobles　and　their　fool　honor！　Still；　it　did　not　matter。　Except　to　the　men　who　died　because　the　High　Lord　Weiramon　was　contemptuous　of　anyone　who　did　not　fight　from　horseback。
　　　〃Eben　and　I　began　destroying　the　first　palisades　soon　as　we　arrived；〃　Adley　went　on。　〃Weiramon　didn't　much　like　that；　I　think　he　would　have　stopped　us；　but　he　was　afraid　to。　Anyway；　we　began　setting　fire　to　the　logs　and　blowing　holes　in　the　walls；　but　before　we　more　than　started；　Sammael　came。　A　man　channeling　saidin；　at　least；　and　a　lot　stronger　than　Eben　or　me。　As　strong　as　you；　my　Lord　Dragon；　I'd　say。〃
　　　〃He　was　there　right　away？〃　Rand　said　incredulously；　but　then　he　understood。　He　had　been　sure　Sammael　would　stay　safe　in　Illian　behind　defenses　woven　of　the　Power　if　he　thought　he　had　to　face　Rand；　too　many　of　the　Forsaken　had　tried；　and　most　were　dead　now。　In　spite　of　himself；　Rand　laughed　…　and　had　to　hug　his　side；　laughing　hurt。　All　that　elaborate　deception　to　convince　Sammael　he　would　be　anywhere　but　with　the　invading　army；　to　bring　the　man　out　of　Illian；　and　all　made　unnecessary　by　a　knife　in　Padan　Fain's　hand。　Two　days。　By　this　time；　everybody　who　had　eyes…and…ears　in　Cairhien　…　which　certainly　included　the　Forsaken　…　knew　that　the　Dragon　Reborn　lay　on　the　edge　of　death。　As　well　toss　wet　wood　on　the　fire　as　think　otherwise。　〃Men　scheme　and　women　plot；　but　the　Wheel　weaves　as　it　will〃；　that　was　how　they　said　it　in　Tear。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　〃Morr　was　with　you　last　night？〃
　　　〃Yes；　my　Lord　Dragon；　Fedwin　es　every　night；　just　like　he's　supposed　to。　Last　night；　it　was　plain　as　Eben's　nose　we'd　reach　the　forts　today。〃
　　　〃I　don't　understand　any　of　this。〃　Dashiva　sounded　upset；　a　muscle　in　his　cheek　was　twitching。　〃You've　lured　him　out；　but　to　what　purpose？　As　soon　as　he　feels　a　man　channel　with　anything　near　your　strength；　he'll　flee　back　to　Illian　and　whatever　traps　and　alarms　he　has　woven。　You　won't　get　at　him　there；　he　will　know　as　soon　as　a　gateway　opens　within　a　mile　of　the　city。〃
　　　〃We　can　save　the　army；〃　Adley　burst　out；　〃that's　what　we　can　do。　Weiramon　was　still　sending　charges　against　that　fort　when　I　left；　and　Sammael　cuts　every　one　to　rags　despite　anything　Eben　or　I　can　do。〃　He　shifted　the　arm　with　the　singed　sleeve。　〃We　have　to　strike　back　and　run　immediately；　and　even　so；　he　nearly　burned　us　where　we　stood；　more　than　once。　The　Aiel　are　taking　casualties　too。　They're　only　fighting　the　Illianers　who　e　out　…　the　other　hillforts　must　be　emptying；　so　many　were　ing　when　I　left　…　but　any　time　Sammael　sees　fifty　of　us　together；　Aiel　or　anybody；　he　rips　them　apart。　If　there　were　three　of　him；　or　even　two；　I'm　not　sure　I'd　find　anybody　alive　when　I　go　back。〃　Dashiva　stared　at　him　as　if　at　a　madman；　and　Adley　shrugged　suddenly；　as　though　feeling　the　lightness　of　his　bare　black　collar　pared　with　the　sword　and　Dragon　on　the　older　man's。　〃Forgive　me；　Asha'man；〃　he　muttered；　abashed；　then　added　in　a　still　lower　voice；　〃But　we　can　at　least　save　them。〃
　　　〃We　will；〃　Rand　assured　him。　Just　not　the　way　Adley　expected。　〃You're　all　going　to　help　me　kill　Sammael　today。〃　Only　Dashiva　looked　startled；　the　other　men　just　nodded。　No