rj.acrownofswords-第34部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ught　him　soft　with　age　was　in　for　a　sad　surprise。　〃May　you　always　find　water　and　shade。　I　stand　with　the　Car'a'carn；　and　my　spears　stand　with　me。〃
　　　〃Water　and　shade　may　be　all　very　well；〃　Davram　Bashere　said；　hooking　a　leg　over　the　gilded　arm　of　his　chair；　〃but　myself　I　would　settle　for　chilled　wine。〃　Little　taller　than　Enaila；　he　had　his　short　blue　coat　undone；　and　sweat　glistened　on　his　dark　face。　Despite　his　apparent　indolence；　he　looked　even　harder　than　Bael；　with　his　fierce　tilted　eyes；　and　his　eagle's　beak　of　a　nose　above　thick　gray…streaked　mustaches。　〃I　offer　congratulations　on　your　escape；　and　your　victory。　But　why　do　you　e　disguised　as　a　prisoner？〃
　　　〃I　prefer　to　know　whether　he　is　bringing　Aes　Sedai　down　on　us；〃　Deira　put　in。　A　large　woman　gowned　in　gold…worked　green　silk；　Faile's　mother　stood　as　tall　as　any　Maiden　there　except　Somara；　long　black　hair　slashed　with　white　at　the　temples；　her　nose　only　a　little　less　bold　than　her　husband's。　Truth；　she　could　give　him　lessons　in　looking　fierce；　and　she　was　very　like　her　daughter　in　one　respect。　Her　loyalty　was　to　her　husband；　not　Rand。　〃You've　taken　Aes　Sedai　prisoner！　Are　we　now　to　expect　the　entire　White　Tower　to　descend　upon　our　heads？〃
　　　〃If　they　do；〃　Melaine　said　sharply；　adjusting　her　shawl；　〃they　will　be　dealt　with　as　they　deserve。〃　Sun…haired；　green…eyed　and　beautiful；　no　more　than　a　handful　of　years　older　than　Rand　by　her　face；　she　was　a　Wise　One；　and　married　to　Bael。　Whatever　had　caused　the　Wise　Ones　to　change　their　view　of　Aes　Sedai；　Melaine；　Amys　and　Bair　had　changed　the　most。
　　　〃What　I　wish　to　know；〃　the　third　woman　said；　〃is　what　you　will　do　about　Colavaere　Saighan。〃　While　Deira　and　Melaine　had　presence；　great　presence；　Dorindha　outshone　both；　though　it　was　difficult　to　see　how　exactly。　The　roof…mistress　of　Smoke　Springs　Hold　was　a　solid；　motherly　woman；　much　nearer　handsome　than　pretty；　with　creases　at　the　corners　of　her　blue　eyes　and　as　much　white　in　her　pale　red　hair　as　Bael　had　gray；　yet　of　the　three　women；　any　eye　with　a　brain　behind　it　would　have　said　she　held　sway。　〃Melaine　says　that　Bair　considers　Colavaere　Saighan　of　little　importance；〃　Dorindha　went　on；　〃but　Wise　Ones　can　be　as　blind　as　any　man　when　it　es　to　seeing　the　battle　ahead　and　missing　the　scorpion　underfoot。〃　A　smile　for　Melaine　robbed　the　words　of　their　sting；　Melaine's　answering　smile　certainly　said　she　took　none。；　〃A　roofmistress's　work　is　finding　those　scorpions　before　anyone　is　stung。〃　She　also　was　Bael's　wife；　a　fact　that　still　disconcerted　Rand；　for　all　it　had　been　her　choice　and　Melaine's。　Perhaps　partly　because　it　had　been　theirs；　among　Aiel；　a　man　had　little　say　if　his　wife　chose　a　sister…wife。　It　was　not　a　mon　arrangement　even　among　them。
　　　〃Colavaere　has　taken　up　farming；〃　Rand　growled。　They　blinked　at　him；　wondering　whether　that　was　a　joke。　〃The　Sun　Throne　is　empty　again；　and　waiting　for　Elayne。〃　He　had　considered　weaving　a　ward　against　listeners；　but　a　ward　could　be　detected　by　anyone　searching；　man　or　woman；　and　its　presence　would　announce　that　something　interesting　was　being　said。　Well；　everything　said　here　would　be　known　from　the　Dragonwall　to　the　sea　soon　enough。
　　　Fedwin　was　already　rubbing　his　wrists；　while　Jalani　sheathed　her　knife。　No　one　looked　at　them　twice；　all　eyes　were　on　Rand。　Frowning　at　Nerilea；　he　waggled　his　bound　hands　until　Sulin　sliced　the　cords。　〃I　didn't　realize　this　was　to　be　a　family　gathering。〃　Nerilea　looked　a　trifle　abashed；　maybe；　but　no　one　else　did。
　　　〃After　you　marry；〃　Davram　murmured　with　a　smile；　〃you　will　learn　you　must　choose　very　carefully　what　to　keep　from　your　wife。〃　Deira　glanced　down　at　him；　pursing　her　lips。
　　　〃Wives　are　a　great　fort；〃　Bael　laughed；　〃if　a　man　does　not　tell　them　too　much。〃　Smiling；　Dorindha　ran　her　fingers　into　his　hair　…　and　gripped　for　a　moment　as　though　she　meant　to　tug　his　head　off。　Bael　grunted；　but　not　for　Dorindha's　fingers　alone。　Melaine　wiped　her　small　belt　knife　on　her　heavy　skirt　and　sheathed　it。　The　two　women　grinned　at　one　another　over　his　head　while　he　rubbed　at　his　shoulder；　where　a　small　spot　of　blood　stained　his　cadin'sor。　Deira　nodded　thoughtfully；　it　seemed　she　had　just　gotten　an　idea。
　　　〃What　woman　could　I　hate　enough　to　marry　her　to　the　Dragon　Reborn？〃　Rand　said　coldly。　That　caused　a　silence　solid　enough　to　touch。
　　　He　tried　to　take　rein　on　his　anger。　He　should　have　expected　this。　Melaine　was　not　just　a　Wise　One；　she　was　a　dreamwalker；　as　were　Amys　and　Bair。　Among　other　things；　they　could　talk　to　one　another　in　their　dreams；　and　to　others；　a　useful　skill；　though　they　had　only　used　it　for　him　once。　It　was　Wise　Ones'　business。　No　wonder　at　all　that　Melaine　was　abreast　of　everything　that　had　happened。　No　wonder　that　she　told　Dorindha　everything；　Wise　Ones'　business　or　no；　the　two　women　were　best　friends　and　sisters　rolled　into　one。　Once　Melaine　let　Bael　know　of　the　kidnapping；　of　course　he　had　told　Bashere；　expecting　Bashere　to　keep　that　from　his　wife　was　like　expecting　him　to　keep　it　secret　that　their　house　was　on　fire。　Inch　by　inch　he　drew　the　anger　in；　forced　it　down。
　　　〃Has　Elayne　arrived？〃　He　tried　to　make　his　voice　casual；　and　missed。　No　matter。　There　were　reasons　everyone　knew　for　him　to　be　anxious。　Andor　might　not　be　as　unquiet　as　Cairhien；　but　Elayne　on　the　throne　was　the　fastest　way　to　settle　both　lands。　Maybe　the　only　way。
　　　〃Not　yet。〃　Bashere　shrugged。　〃But　tales　have　e　north　of　Aes　Sedai　with　an　army　somewhere　in　Murandy；　or　maybe　Altara。　That　could　be　young　Mat　and　his　Band　of　the　Red　Hand；　with　the　Daughter…Heir　and　the　sisters　who　fled　the　Tower　when　Siuan　Sanche　was　deposed。〃
　　　Rand　rubbed　his　wrists　where　the　cords　had　chafed。　All　that　〃captive〃　rigmarole　had　been　on　the　chance　Elayne　was　here　already。　Elayne；　and　Aviendha。　So　he　could　e　and　go　without　them　learning　of　it　till　he　was　gone。　Maybe　he　would　have　found　a　way　to　peek　at　them。　Maybe。。。　He　was　a　fool；　and　no　maybe　about　that。
　　　〃Do　you　mean　those　sisters　to　swear　oath　to　you；　too？〃　Deira's　tone　was　icy　as　her　face。　She　did　not　like　him；　as　she　saw　it；　her　husband　had　set　off　down　a　road　that　likely　would　end　with　his　head　on　a　pike　over　a　gate　in　Tar　Valon；　and　Rand　had　put　his　feet　on　that　road。　〃The　White　Tower　will　not　hold　still　for　your　coercing　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　Rand　made　her　a　small　bow；　and　burn　her　if　she　took　it　for　mocking。　Deira　ni　Ghaline　t'Bashere　never　gave　him　a　title；　never　even　used　his　name；　she　could　as　well　have　been　talking　to　a　footman；　and　not　a　very　intelligent　or　trustworthy　one。　〃Should　they　choose　to　swear；　I'll　accept　their　oaths。　I　doubt　many　are　exactly　eager　to　return　to　Tar　Valon。　If　they　choose　otherwise；　they　can　go　their　own　way；　so　long　as　they　don't　put　themselves　against　me。〃
　　　〃The　White　Tower　has　put　itself　against　you；〃　Bael　said；　leaning　forward　with　his　fists　on　his　knees。　His　blue　eyes　made　Deira's　voice　seem　warm。　〃An　enemy　who　es　once；　will　e　again。　Unless　they　are　stopped。　My　spears　will　follow　wherever　the　Car'a'carn　leads。〃　Melaine　nodded；　of　course；　she　very　likely　wanted　every　last　Aes　Sedai　shielded　and　kneeling　under　guard　if　not　bound　hand　and　foot。　But　Dorindha　nodded　as　well；　and　Sulin；　and　Bashere　knuckled　his　mustaches　thoughtfully。　Rand　did　not　know　whether　to　laugh　or　weep。
　　　〃Don't　you　think　I've　enough　on　my　plate　without　a　war　against　the　White　Tower？　Elaida　grabbed　my　throat　and　was　slapped　down。〃　The　ground　erupting　in　fire　and　torn　flesh。　Ravens　and　vultures　gorging。　How　many　dead？　Slapped　down。　〃If　she　has　sense　enough　to　stop　there；　I　will　too。〃　So　long　as　they　did　not　ask　him　to　trust。　The　chest。　He　was　shaking　his　head；　half…aware　of　Lews　Therin　suddenly　moaning　about　the　dark　and　the　thirst。　He　could　ignore；　he　had　to　ignore；　but　not　forget；　or　trust。
　　　Leaving　Bael　and　Bashere　arguing　over　whether　Elaida　did　have　sense　enough　to　stop；　now　that　she　had　begun；　he　moved　to　a　map…covered　table　against　the　wall；　beneath　a　tapestry　of　some　battle　where　the　White　Lion　of　Andor　stood　prominent。　Apparently　Bael　and　Bashere　used　this　room　for　their　planning。　A　little　rooting　around　found　the　map　he　needed；　a　large　roll　displaying　all　of　Andor　from　the　Mountains　of　Mist　to　the　River　Erinin；　and　parts　of　the　lands　to　the　south　as　well；　Ghealdan　and　Altara　and　Murandy。
　　　〃The　women　held　captive　in　the　treekillers'　lands　are　allowed　to　cause　no　trouble；　so　why　should　any　others？〃　Melaine　said；　apparently　in　answer　to　something　he　had　not　heard。　She　sounded　angry。
　　　〃We　will　do　what　we　must；　Deira　t'Bashere；〃　Dorindha　said　calmly；　she　was　seldom　anything　but。　〃Hold　to　your　courage；　and　we　will　arrive　where　we　must　go。〃
　　　〃When　you　leap　from　a　cliff；〃　Deira　replied；　〃it　is　too　late　for　anything　but　holding　to　your　courage。　And　hoping　there's　a　haywain　at　the　bottom　to　land　in。〃　Her　husband　chuckled　as　though　she　was　making　a　joke。　She　did　not　sound　it。
　　　Spreading　the　map　out　and　weighting　the　corners　with　ink　jars　and　sand　bottles；　Rand　measured　off　distances　with　his　fingers。　Mat　was　not　moving　very　fast　if　rumor　placed　him　in　Altara　or　Murandy。　He　took　pride　in　how　fast　the　Band　could　march。　Maybe　the　Aes　Sedai　were　slowing　him；　with　servants　and　wagons。　Maybe　there　were　more　sisters　than　he　had　thought。　Rand　realized　his　hands　were　clenched　into　fists　and　made　them　straighten。　He　needed　Elayne。　To　take　the　throne　here　and　in　Cairhien；　that　was　why　he　needed　her。　Just　that。　Aviendha。。。　He　did　not　need　her；　not　at　all；　and　she　had　made　it　clear　she　had　no　need　for　him。　She　was　safe；　away　from　him。　He　could　keep　them　both　safe　by　keeping　them　as　far　from　him　as　possible。　Light；　if　he　could　only　look　at　them。　He　needed　Mat；　though；　with　Perrin　being　stubborn。　He　was　not　sure　how　Mat　had　suddenly　bee　expert　on　everything　to　do　with　battle；　but　even　Bashere　respected　Mat's　opinions。　About　war；　anyway。
　　　〃They　treated　him　as　da'tsang；〃　Sulin　growled；　and　some　of　the　other　Maidens　growled　wordlessly　in　echo。
　　　〃We　know；〃　Melaine　said　grimly。　〃They　have　no　honor。〃
　　　〃Will　he　truly　hold　back　after　what　you　describe？〃　Deira　demanded　in　disbelieving　tones。
　　　The　map　did　not　extend　far　enough　south　to　show　Illian　…　no　map　on　the　table　showed　any　part　of　that　country