rj.acrownofswords-第46部分

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should　have　known　better。　But　they　had　struck　to　the　heart　of　her　situation　as　though　they　had　been　weeks　in　the　Aes　Sedai　camp。　Bair　studied　the　floor；　not　wanting　to　witness　her　shame。　Amys　sat　with　chin　in　hand；　sharp　blue　gaze　trying　to　dig　to　her　heart。
　　　〃Some　see　me　so。〃　Another　deep　breath；　and　she　pushed　the　truth　out。　〃All　but　a　handful　do。　Now。　By　the　time　we　finish　our　battle；　they　will　know　I　am　their　chief；　and　they　will　run　as　I　say。〃
　　　〃Return　to　us；〃　Bair　said。　〃You　have　too　much　honor　for　these　women。　Sorilea　already　has　a　dozen　young　men　picked　out　for　you　to　view　in　the　sweat　tents。　She　has　a　great　desire　to　see　you　make　a　bridal　wreath。〃
　　　〃I　hope　she　will　be　there　when　I　wed；　Bair〃　…　to　Gawyn；　she　hoped；　that　she　would　bond　him；　she　knew　from　interpreting　her　dreams；　but　only　hope　and　the　certainty　of　love　said　they　would　wed　…　〃I　hope　all　of　you　will；　but　I've　made　my　choice。〃
　　　Bair　would　have　argued　further；　and　Melaine　too；　but　Amys　raised　a　hand；　and　they　fell　silent；　if　not　pleased。　〃There　is　much　ji　in　her　decision。　She　will　bend　her　enemies　to　her　will；　not　run　from　them。　I　wish　you　well　in　your　dance；　Egwene　al'Vere。〃　She　had　been　a　Maiden　of　the　Spear；　and　often　thought　as　one　still。　〃Sit。　Sit。〃
　　　〃Her　honor　is　her　own；〃　Bair　said；　frowning　at　Amys；　〃but　I　have　another　question。〃　Her　eyes　were　an　almost　watery　blue；　yet　when　they　turned　on　Egwene；　they　were　sharp　as　ever　Amys'　had　been。　〃Will　you　bring　these　Aes　Sedai　to　kneel　to　the　Car'a'carn？〃
　　　Startled；　Egwene　nearly　fell　the　last　foot　to　the　floor…stones　rather　than　sitting。　There　was　no　hesitation　in　her　answer；　though。　〃I　can't　do　that；　Bair。　And　would　not　if　I　could。　Our　loyalty　is　to　the　Tower；　to　the　Aes　Sedai　as　a　whole；　above　even　the　lands　we　were　born　in。〃　That　was　true；　or　was　supposed　to　be；　though　she　wondered　how　the　claim　squared　in　their　minds　with　her　and　the　others'　rebellion。　〃Aes　Sedai　don't　even　swear　fealty　to　the　Amyrlin；　and　certainly　not　to　any　man。　That　would　be　like　one　of　you　kneeling　to　a　clan　chief。〃　She　made　an　illustration　the　way　Melaine　had；　by　concentrating　on　its　reality；　Tel'aran'rhiod　was　infinitely　malleable　if　you　knew　how。　Beyond　Callandor　three　Wise　Ones　dropped　to　their　knees　before　a　clan　chief。　The　man　strongly　resembled　Rhuarc；　the　women　the　three　in　front　of　her。　She　only　held　it　for　an　instant；　but　Bair　glanced　at　it　and　sniffed　loudly。　The　notion　was　preposterous。
　　　〃Do　not　pare　those　women　to　us。〃　Melaine's　green　eyes　sparkled　with　something　very　like　their　old　sharpness；　her　tone　was　honed　like　a　razor。
　　　Egwene　held　her　tongue。　The　Wise　Ones　seemed　to　despise　Aes　Sedai；　all　except　her；　or　perhaps　better　to　say　they　were　contemptuous。　She　thought　they　might　actually　resent　the　prophecies　that　linked　them　to　Aes　Sedai。　Before　she　had　been　summoned　by　the　Hall　to　be　raised　Amyrlin；　Sheriam　and　her　circle　of　friends　had　met　here　regularly　with　these　three；　but　that　had　ended　as　much　because　the　Wise　Ones　refused　to　hide　their　contempt　as　because　Egwene　finally　had　been　called。　In　Tel'aran'rhiod；　a　confrontation　with　someone　more　familiar　with　the　place　could　be　mortifying　in　the　extreme。　Even　with　Egwene；　there　was　a　distance　now；　and　certain　matters　they　would　not　discuss；　such　as　whatever　they　knew　of　Rand's　plans。　Before；　she　had　been　one　with　them；　a　student　in　dreamwalking；　after；　she　was　Aes　Sedai；　even　before　they　learned　what　she　had　just　told　them。
　　　〃Egwene　al'Vere　will　do　as　she　must；〃　Amys　said。　Melaine　gave　her　a　long　look　and　rearranged　her　shawl　ostentatiously；　shifted　several　long　necklaces　in　a　clatter　of　ivory　and　gold；　but　said　nothing。　Amys　seemed　even　more　the　leader　than　she　had　been。　The　only　Wise　One　Egwene　had　ever　seen　make　other　Wise　Ones　defer　to　her　so　easily　was　Sorilea。
　　　Bair　had　imagined　tea　before　her；　as　it　might　be　in　the　tents；　a　golden　teapot　worked　with　lions　from　one　country；　a　silver　tray　edged　in　ropework　from　another；　tiny　green　cups　of　delicate　Sea　Folk　porcelain。　The　tea　tasted　real；　of　course；　felt　real　going　down。　Despite　a　hint　of　some　sweet　berry　or　herb　she　did　not　recognize；　it　was　too　bitter　for　Egwene's　tongue。　She　imagined　a　little　honey　in　it　and　took　another　sip。　Too　sweet。　A　touch　less　honey。　Now　it　tasted　right。　That　was　something　you　could　not　do　with　the　Power。　Egwene　doubted　that　anyone　had　the　skill　to　weave　threads　of　saidar　fine　enough　to　remove　honey　from　tea。
　　　For　a　moment　she　sat　peering　into　her　teacup；　thinking　about　honey　and　tea　and　fine　threads　of　saidar；　but　that　was　not　what　held　her　silent。　The　Wise　Ones　wanted　to　guide　Rand　no　less　than　Elaida　or　Romanda　or　Lelaine；　or　very　likely　any　other　Aes　Sedai。　Of　course；　they　only　wanted　to　direct　the　Car'a'carn　in　a　way　that　was　best　for　the　Aiel；　yet　those　sisters　wanted　to　direct　the　Dragon　Reborn　toward　what　was　best　for　the　world；　as　they　saw　it。　She　did　not　spare　herself。　Helping　Rand；　keeping　him　from　putting　himself　at　odds　with　Aes　Sedai　beyond　recovery；　those　meant　guiding　him；　too。　Only；　I'm　right；　she　reminded　herself。　Whatever　I　do　is　as　much　for　his　own　good　as　for　anybody　else's。　None　of　the　others　ever　think　about　what's　right　for　him。　But　it　was　best　to　remember　that　these　women　were　more　than　simply　her　friends　and　followers　of　the　Car'a'carn。　No　one　was　ever　simply　anything；　she　was　learning。
　　　〃I　do　not　think　you　wished　only　to　tell　us　you　are　now　a　woman　chief　among　the　wetlanders；〃　Amys　said　over　her　teacup。　〃What　troubles　your　mind；　Egwene　al'Vere？〃
　　　〃What　troubles　me　is　what　always　does。〃　She　smiled　to　lighten　the　mood。　〃Sometimes　I　think　Rand　is　going　to　give　me　gray　hairs　before　my　time。〃
　　　〃Without　men；　no　woman　would　have　gray　hairs。〃　Normally；　that　would　have　been　a　joke　on　Melaine's　tongue；　and　Bair　would　have　made　another　over　the　vast　knowledge　of　men　Melaine　had　gained　in　just　a　few　months　of　marriage；　but　not　this　time。　All　three　women　simply　watched　Egwene　and　waited。
　　　So。　They　wished　to　be　serious。　Well；　Rand　was　serious　business。　She　just　wished　she　could　be　sure　they　saw　it　anything　at　all　the　way　she　did。　Balancing　her　cup　on　her　fingertips；　she　told　them　everything。　About　Rand；　anyway；　and　her　fears　since　learning　of　the　silence　from　Caemlyn。　〃I　don't　know　what　he's　done　…　or　what　she　has；　everybody　tells　me　how　experienced　Merana　is；　but　she's　had　none　with　the　likes　of　him。　When　it　es　to　Aes　Sedai；　if　you　hid　this　cup　in　a　meadow；　he'd　still　manage　to　step　on　it　inside　three　paces。　I　know　I　could　do　better　than　Merana；　but。。。　〃
　　　〃You　could　return；〃　Bair　suggested　again；　and　Egwene　shook　her　head　firmly。
　　　〃I　can　do　more　where　I　am；　as　Amyrlin。　And　there　are　rules　even　for　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃　Her　mouth　twisted　for　an　instant。　She　did　not　like　admitting　that；　especially　not　to　these　women。　〃I　can't　even　visit　him　without　the　Hall's　permission。　I'm　Aes　Sedai　now；　and　I　have　to　obey　our　laws。〃　That　came　out　more　fiercely　than　she　intended。　It　was　a　stupid　law；　but　she　had　not　yet　found　a　way　around　it。　Besides；　they　wore　so　little　expression　she　was　sure　they　were　snickering　incredulously　inside。　Not　even　a　clan　chief　had　the　right　to　say　when　or　where　a　Wise　One　could　go。
　　　The　three　women　across　from　her　exchanged　long　looks。　Then　Amys　set　her　teacup　down　and　said；　〃Merana　Ambrey　and　other　Aes　Sedai　followed　the　Car'a'carn　to　the　treekillers'　city。　You　need　have　no　fear　he　will　put　his　foot　wrong　with　her；　or　any　of　your　sisters　with　her。　We　will　see　that　there　is　no　difficulty　between　him　and　any　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　〃That　hardly　sounds　like　Rand；〃　Egwene　said　doubtfully。　So　Sheriam　had　been　right　about　Merana。　But　why　was　she　still　silent？
　　　Bair　cackled　with　laughter。　〃Most　parents　have　more　trouble　with　their　children　than　lies　between　the　Car'a'carn　and　the　women　who　came　with　Merana　Ambrey。〃
　　　〃So　long　as　he　isn't　the　child；〃　Egwene　chuckled；　relieved　that　someone　was　amused　at　something。　The　way　these　women　felt　about　Aes　Sedai；　they　would　have　been　spitting　nails　if　they　thought　any　sister　was　gaining　influence　with　him。　On　the　other　hand；　Merana　had　to　gain　some；　or　she　might　as　well　leave　now。　〃But　Merana　should　have　sent　a　report。　I　don't　understand　why　she　hasn't。　You're　certain　there　isn't　any　…？〃　She　could　not　think　of　how　to　finish。　There　was　no　way　that　Rand　could　have　stopped　Merana　from　sending　off　a　pigeon。
　　　〃Perhaps　she　sent　a　man　on　a　horse。〃　Amys　grimaced　faintly；　as　much　as　any　Aiel；　she　found　riding　repugnant。　Your　own　legs　were　good　enough。　〃She　brought　none　of　the　birds　that　wetlanders　use。〃
　　　〃That　was　foolish　of　her；〃　Egwene　muttered。　Foolish　did　not　e　close。　Merana's　dreams　would　be　shielded；　so　there　was　no　point　trying　to　talk　to　her　there。　Even　if　they　could　be　found。　Light；　but　it　was　vexing！　She　leaned　forward　intently。　〃Amys；　promise　me　you　won't　try　to　stop　him　from　talking　with　her；　or　make　her　so　angry　she　does　something　foolish。〃　They　were　quite　capable　of　that；　more　than　capable。　They　had　putting　an　Aes　Sedai's　back　up　perfected　to　a　Talent。　〃She's　just　supposed　to　convince　him　that　we　mean　him　no　harm。　I'm　sure　Elaida　has　some　nasty　surprise　hidden　behind　her　skirts；　but　we　don't。〃　She　would　see　to　that；　if　anyone　had　different　notions。　Somehow；　she　would。　〃Promise　me？〃
　　　They　passed　unreadable　looks　back　and　forth。　They　could　not　like　the　idea　of　letting　a　sister　near　Rand；　certainly　not　unhindered。　Doubtless　one　of　them　would　contrive　to　be　present　whenever　Merana　was；　but　she　could　live　with　that　so　long　as　they　did　not　hinder　too　much。
　　　〃I　promise；　Egwene　al'Vere；〃　Amys　said　finally；　in　a　voice　flat　as　worked　stone。
　　　Probably　she　was　offended　that　Egwene　had　required　a　pledge；　but　Egwene　felt　as　though　a　weight　had　lifted。　Two　weights。　Rand　and　Merana　were　not　at　each　other's　throats；　and　Merana　would　have　a　chance　to　do　what　she　had　been　sent　to　do。　〃I　knew　I'd　have　the　unvarnished　truth　from　you；　Amys。　I　can't　tell　you　how　glad　I　am　to　hear　it。　If　anything　were　wrong　between　Rand　and　Merana。。。　Thank　you。〃
　　　Startled；　she　blinked。　For　an　instant；　Amys　wore　cadin'sor。　She　made　some　sort　of　small　gesture；　too。　Maiden　handtalk；　perhaps。　Neither　Bair　nor　Melaine；　sipping　their　tea；