rj.acrownofswords-第7部分

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；　likely　to　be　killed　like　a　beast　by　any　who　found　her。　Even　so；　Sevanna　was　sure　they　took　as　much　delight　as　the　rest　in　concealing　things　from　her；　the　things　that　Wise　Ones　learned　during　their　apprenticeships；　and　in　the　journeys　to　Rhuidean。　Something　would　have　to　be　done　about　that；　but　later。　She　would　not　display　weakness　by　asking　what　they　did　now。
　　　Turning　back　to　the　battle；　she　found　the　balance　changing；　and　in　her　favor　it　appeared。　To　the　south　fireballs　and　lightning　bolts　plummeted　as　heavily　as　ever；　but　not　in　front　of　her；　and　it　seemed　not　to　the　west　or　north　either。　What　struck　toward　the　wagons　still　failed　to　reach　the　ground　more　often　than　not；　yet　there　was　a　definite　slackening　of　the　Aes　Sedai's　efforts。　They　had　been　forced　onto　the　defensive。　She　was　winning！
　　　Even　as　the　thought　flushed　through　her　like　pure　heat；　the　Aes　Sedai　went　silent。　Only　to　the　south　did　fire　and　lightning　still　fall　among　the　algai'd'siswai。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　shout　victory；　and　another　realization　silenced　her。　Fire　and　lightning　stormed　down　toward　the　wagons；　stormed　down　and　crashed　against　some　unseen　obstruction。　Smoke　from　burning　wagons　was　beginning　to　outline　the　shape　of　a　dome　as　it　streamed　up　and　finally　billowed　from　a　hole　in　the　top　of　the　invisible　enclosure。
　　　Sevanna　whirled　to　confront　the　line　of　Wise　Ones；　her　face　such　that　several　flinched　back　from　her；　and　maybe　from　the　spear　in　her　hand。　She　knew　she　looked　ready　to　use　it；　she　was　ready。　〃Why　have　you　let　them　do　this？〃　she　raged。　〃Why？　You　were　to　obstruct　whatever　they　did；　not　allow　them　to　make　more　walls！〃
　　　Tion　looked　ready　to　empty　her　stomach；　but　she　planted　her　fists　on　broad　hips　and　faced　Sevanna　directly。　〃It　was　not　the　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　〃Not　the　Aes　Sedai？〃　Sevanna　spat。　〃Then　who？　The　other　Wise　Ones？　I　told　you　we　must　attack　them！〃
　　　〃It　was　not　women；〃　Rhiale　said；　her　voice　faltering。　〃It　was　not　…〃　Face　pale；　she　swallowed。
　　　Sevanna　turned　slowly　to　stare　at　the　dome；　only　then　remembering　to　breathe　again。　Something　had　risen　through　the　hole　where　the　smoke　gushed　out。　One　of　the　wetlander　banners。　The　smoke　was　not　enough　to　obscure　it　pletely。　Crimson；　with　a　disc　half　white　and　half　black；　the　colors　divided　by　a　sinuous　line；　just　like　the　piece　of　cloth　the　siswai'aman　wore。　Rand　al'Thor's　banner。　Could　he　possibly　be　strong　enough　to　have　broken　free；　overwhelmed　all　the　Aes　Sedai　and　raised　that？　It　had　to　be。
　　　The　storm　still　battered　at　the　dome；　but　Sevanna　heard　murmurs　behind　her。　The　other　women　were　thinking　of　retreat。　Not　her。　She　had　always　known　that　the　easiest　path　to　power　lay　through　conquering　men　who　already　possessed　it；　and　even　as　a　child　she　was　sure　she　had　been　born　with　the　weapons　to　conquer　them。　Suladric；　clan　chief　of　the　Shaido；　fell　to　her　at　sixteen；　and　when　he　died；　she　chose　out　those　most　likely　to　succeed。　Muradin　and　Couladin　each　believed　he　alone　had　captured　her　interest；　and　when　Muradin　failed　to　return　from　Rhuidean；　as　so　many　men　did；　one　smile　convinced　Couladin　that　he　had　overwhelmed　her。　But　the　power　of　a　clan　chief　paled　beside　that　of　the　Car'a'carn；　and　even　that　was　nothing　beside　what　she　saw　before　her。　She　shivered　as　if　she　had　just　seen　the　most　beautiful　man　imaginable　in　the　sweat　tent。　When　Rand　al'Thor　was　hers；　she　would　conquer　the　whole　world。
　　　〃Press　harder；〃　she　manded。　〃Harder！　We　will　humble　these　Aes　Sedai　for　Desaine！〃　And　she　would　have　Rand　al'Thor。
　　　Abruptly　there　was　a　roar　from　the　front　of　the　battle；　men　shouting；　screaming。　She　cursed　that　she　could　not　see　what　was　happening。　Again　she　shouted　for　the　Wise　Ones　to　press　harder；　but　if　anything；　it　seemed　the　fall　of　flame　and　lightning　against　the　dome　lessened。　And　then　there　was　something　she　could　see。
　　　Close　to　the　wagons；　cadin'sor…clad　figures　and　earth　erupted　into　the　air　with　a　thunderous　crash；　not　in　one　place；　but　in　a　long　line。　Again　the　ground　exploded；　and　again；　again；　each　time　a　little　farther　from　the　encircled　wagons。　Not　a　line；　but　a　solid　ring　of　exploding　ground　and　men　and　Maidens　that　she　had　no　doubt　ran　all　the　way　around　the　wagons。　Again　and　again　and　again；　ever　expanding；　and　suddenly　algai'd'siswai　were　pushing　past　her；　buffeting　through　the　line　of　Wise　Ones；　running。
　　　Sevanna　beat　at　them　with　her　spear；　flailing　at　heads　and　shoulders；　not　caring　when　the　spearhead　came　away　redder　than　before。　〃Stand　and　fight！　Stand；　for　the　honor　of　the　Shaido！〃　They　rushed　by　unheeding。　〃Have　you　no　honor！　Stand　and　fight！〃　She　stabbed　a　fleeing　Maiden　in　the　back；　but　the　rest　just　trampled　over　the　fallen　woman。　Abruptly　she　realized　that　some　of　the　Wise　Ones　were　gone；　and　others　picking　up　the　injured。　Rhiale　turned　to　run；　and　Sevanna　seized　the　taller　woman's　arm；　threatening　her　with　the　spear。　She　did　not　care　that　Rhiale　could　channel。　〃We　must　stand！　We　can　still　have　him！〃
　　　The　other　woman's　face　was　a　mask　of　fear。　〃If　we　stand；　we　die！　Or　else　we　end　chained　outside　Rand　al'Thor's　tent！　Stay　and　die　if　you　wish；　Sevanna。　I　am　no　Stone　Dog！〃　Ripping　her　arm　free；　she　sped　eastward。
　　　For　a　moment　more；　Sevanna　stood　there；　letting　the　men　and　Maidens　push　her　this　way　and　that　as　they　streamed　by　in　panic。　Then　she　tossed　down　the　spear　and　felt　her　belt　pouch；　where　a　small　cube　of　intricately　carved　stone　lay。　Well　that　she　had　hesitated　over　throwing　that　away。　She　had　another　cord　for　her　bow　yet。　Gathering　her　skirts　to　bare　her　legs；　she　joined　in　the　chaotic　flight；　but　if　all　the　rest　fled　in　terror；　she　ran　with　plans　whirling　through　her　head。　She　would　have　Rand　al'Thor　on　his　knees　before　her；　and　the　Aes　Sedai　as　well。
　　　
　　　Alviarin　finally　left　Elaida's　apartments；　as　cool　and　collected　as　ever　on　the　surface。　Inside；　she　felt　wrung　out　like　a　damp　cloth。　She　managed　to　keep　her　legs　steady　down　the　long　curving　flights　of　stairs；　marble　even　in　the　very　heights。　Liveried　servants　bowed　and　curtsied　as　they　scurried　about　their　tasks；　seeing　only　the　Keeper　in　all　her　Aes　Sedai　serenity。　As　she　went　lower；　sisters　began　to　appear；　many　wearing　their　shawls；　fringed　in　the　colors　of　their　Ajahs；　as　if　to　emphasize　by　formality　that　they　were　full　sisters。　They　eyed　her　as　she　passed；　uneasy　often　as　not。　The　only　one　to　ignore　her　was　Danelle；　a　dreamy　Brown　sister。　She　had　been　part　of　bringing　down　Siuan　Sanche　and　raising　Elaida；　but　lost　in　her　own　thoughts；　a　solitary　with　no　friends　even　in　her　own　Ajah；　she　seemed　unaware　that　she　had　been　shoved　aside。　Others　were　all　too　aware。　Berisha；　a　lean　and　hard…eyed　Gray；　and　Kera；　with　the　fair　hair　and　blue　eyes　that　appeared　occasionally　among　Tairens　and　all　the　arrogance　so　mon　to　Greens；　went　so　far　as　to　curtsy。　Norine　made　as　if　to；　then　did　not；　big…eyed　and　nearly　as　dreamy　as　Danelle　at　times；　and　as　friendless；　she　resented　Alviarin；　if　the　Keeper　came　from　the　White；　in　her　eyes　it　should　have　been　Norine　Dovarna。
　　　The　courtesy　was　not　required　toward　the　Keeper；　not　from　a　sister；　but　no　doubt　they　hoped　she　might　intercede　with　Elaida　should　that　bee　necessary。　The　others　merely　wondered　what　mands　she　carried；　whether　another　sister　was　to　be　singled　out　today　for　some　failure　in　the　Amyrlin's　eyes。　Not　even　Reds　went　within　five　levels　of　the　Amyrlin's　new　apartments　unless　summoned；　and　more　than　one　sister　actually　hid　when　Elaida　came　below。　The　very　air　seemed　heated；　thick　with　a　fear　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　rebels　or　men　channeling。
　　　Several　sisters　tried　to　speak；　but　Alviarin　brushed　past；　barely　polite；　hardly　noticing　worry　bloom　in　their　eyes　when　she　refused　to　pause。　Elaida　filled　her　mind　as　much　as　theirs。　A　woman　of　many　layers；　Elaida。　The　first　look　at　her　showed　a　beautiful　woman　filled　with　dignified　reserve；　the　second　a　woman　of　steel；　stern　as　a　bared　blade。　She　overwhelmed　where　others　persuaded；　bludgeoned　where　others　tried　diplomacy　or　the　Game　of　Houses。　Anyone　who　knew　her　saw　her　intelligence；　but　only　after　a　time　did　you　realize　that　for　all　her　brains；　she　saw　what　she　wanted　to　see；　would　try　to　make　true　what　she　wanted　to　be　true。　Of　the　two　indisputably　frightening　things　about　her；　the　lesser　was　that　she　so　often　succeeded。　The　greater　was　her　Talent　for　Foretelling。
　　　So　easy　to　forget　that；　erratic　and　infrequent；　it　had　been　so　long　since　the　last　Foretelling　that　the　very　unpredictability　made　it　strike　like　a　thunderbolt。　No　one　could　say　when　it　would　e；　not　even　Elaida；　and　no　one　could　say　what　it　would　reveal。　Now　Alviarin　almost　felt　the　woman's　shadowy　presence　following　and　watching。
　　　It　might　be　necessary　to　kill　her　yet。　If　so；　Elaida　would　not　be　the　first　she　had　killed　in　secret。　Still；　she　hesitated　to　take　that　step　without　orders；　or　at　least　permission。
　　　She　entered　her　own　apartments　with　a　sense　of　relief；　as　though　Elaida's　shade　could　not　cross　the　threshold。　A　foolish　thought。　If　Elaida　had　a　suspicion　of　the　truth；　a　thousand　leagues　would　not　keep　her　from　Alviarin's　throat。　Elaida　would　expect　her　to　be　hard　at　work；　personally　penning　orders　for　the　Amyrlin's　signature　and　seal　…　but　which　of　those　orders　were　actually　to　be　carried　out　had　yet　to　be　decided。　Not　by　Elaida；　of　course。　Nor　by　herself。
　　　The　rooms　were　smaller　than　those　Elaida　occupied；　though　the　ceilings　reached　higher；　and　a　balcony　looked　over　the　great　square　in　front　of　the　Tower　from　a　hundred　feet　up。　Sometimes　she　went　out　on　the　balcony　to　see　Tar　Valon　spread　out　before　her；　the　greatest　city　in　the　world；　filled　with　countless　thousands　who　were　less　than　pieces　on　a　stone's　board。　The　furnishings　were　Domani；　pale　striped　wood　inlaid　with　pearlshell　and　amber；　bright　carpets　in　patterns　of　flowers　and　scrolls；　brighter　tapestries　of　forest　and　flowers　and　grazing　deer。　They　had　belonged　to　the　last　occupant　of　these　rooms；　and　if　she　retained　them　for　any　reason　beyond　not　wanting　to　waste　time　choosing　new；　it　was　to　remind　herself　of　the　price　of　failure。　Leane　Sharif　had　dabbled　in　schemes　and　failed；　and　now　she　was　cut　off　from　the　One　Power　forever；　a　helpless　refugee　dependent　on　charity；　doomed