rj.theshadowrising-第118部分

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　　　　　　　〃Silence！〃　Bair　shook　a　fist　at　him。　〃You　dare　speak　of　weapons？　You　who　would　break　the　Peace　of　Rhuidean；　and　kill　with　your　face　bare　to　the　world？　They　took　no　weapon　with　them；　I　attest　to　it。　〃　Deliberately　she　turned　her　back；　but　the　gaze　she　swept　across　Rand　and　Mat　was　hardly　softer　than　what　she　had　given　Couladin。　She　grimaced　at　Mat's　strange　sword…bladed　spear；　muttering；　〃Did　you　find　that　in　Rhuidean；　boy？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　was　given　it；　old　woman；〃　Mat　growled　back　hoarsely。　〃I　paid　for　it；　and　I　mean　to　keep　it。〃
　　　　　　　She　sniffed。　〃You　both　look　as　if　you　had　rolled　in　knifegrass。　What　…？　No；　you　can　tell　me　later。〃　Eyeing　Rand's　Power…wrought　sword；　she　shivered。　〃Rid　yourself　of　that。　And　show　them　the　signs　before　that　fool　Couladin　tries　to　whip　them　up　again。　With　this　temper　on　him；　he　would　take　his　whole　clan　into　outlawry　without　blinking。　Quickly！〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　he　gaped　at　her。　Signs？　Then　he　remembered　what　Rhuarc　had　shown　him　once；　the　mark　of　a　man　who　had　survived　Rhuidean。　Letting　the　sword　vanish；　he　unlaced　his　left　shirt　cuff　and　pushed　the　sleeve　back　to　his　elbow。
　　　　　　　Around　his　forearm　wound　a　shape　like　that　on　the　Dragon　banner；　a　sinuous　golden…maned　form　scaled　in　scarlet　and　gold。　He　expected　it；　of　course；　but　it　was　still　a　shock。　The　thing　looked　like　a　part　of　his　skin；　as　though　that　nonexistent　creature　itself　had　settled　into　him。　His　arm　felt　no　different；　yet　the　scales　sparkled　in　the　sunlight　like　polished　metal；　it　seemed　if　he　touched　that　golden　mane　atop　his　wrist；　he　would　surely　feel　each　hair。
　　　　　　　He　thrust　his　arm　into　the　air　as　soon　as　it　was　bare；　high　so　Couladin　and　his　people　could　see。　Mutters　rose　among　the　Shaido；　and　Couladin　snarled　wordlessly。　The　numbers　around　the　granite　outcrop　were　swelling　as　more　Shaido　came　running　from　their　tents。　Rhuarc　stood　with　Heirn　and　his　Jindo　a　little　upslope；　they　watched　the　Shaido　warily；　and　Rand　with　an　air　of　expectation　his　uplifted　arm　did　not　lessen。　Lan　stood　halfway　between　the　two　groups；　hands　resting　on　his　sword　hilt；　face　a　thunderhead。
　　　　　　　Just　as　Rand　began　to　realize　the　Aiel　wanted　something　more；　Egwene　and　the　other　three　Wise　Women　reached　him；　scrambling　down　the　mountain。　The　Aiel　women　looked　out　of　countenance　at　having　to　hurry　and　every　bit　as　angry　as　Bair　had　been。　Amys　directed　her　glares　at　Couladin；　while　sun…haired　Melaine　stared　blazingly　at　Rand。　Seana　just　seemed　ready　to　chew　rocks。　Egwene；　with　a　scarf　wrapped　around　her　hair　and　spreadover　her　shoulders；　stared　at　Mat　and　him　half　in　consternation　and　half　as　though　she　had　expected　never　to　see　them　again。
　　　　　　　〃Fool　man；〃　Bair　muttered。　〃All　of　the　signs。〃　Tossing　the　waterbag　to　Mat；　she　seized　Rand's　right　arm　and　stripped　back　his　sleeve；　exposing　a　mirror　twin　of　the　creature　on　his　left　forearm。　Her　breath　caught；　then　came　out　in　a　long　sigh。　She　seemed　balanced　on　a　razor　edge　between　relief　and　apprehension。　There　was　no　mistaking　it；　she　had　hoped　for　the　second　marking；　yet　it　made　her　afraid。　Amys　and　the　other　two　Wise　Women　echoed　her　sign　almost　exactly。　It　was　odd　to　see　Aiel　fearful。
　　　　　　　Rand　almost　laughed。　Not　that　he　was　amused。　〃Twice　and　twice　shall　he　be　marked。〃　That　was　what　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon　said。　A　heron　branded　into　each　palm；　and　now　these。　One　of　the　peculiar　creatures　…　Dragons；　the　Prophecy　called　them　…　was　supposed　to　be　〃for　remembrance　lost。〃　Rhuidean　had　certainly　supplied　that；　the　lost　history　of　the　Aiel's　origins。　And　the　other　was　for　〃the　price　he　must　pay。〃　How　soon　must　I　pay　it？　he　wondered。　And　how　many　have　to　pay　with　me？　Others　always　had　to；　even　when　he　tried　to　pay　alone。
　　　　　　　Apprehensive　or　not；　Bair　did　not　pause　before　shoving　that　arm　above　his　head；　too；　and　proclaiming　loudly；　〃Behold　what　has　never　been　seen　before。　A　Car'a'carn　has　been　chosen；　a　chief　of　chiefs。　Born　of　a　Maiden；　he　has　e　with　the　dawn　from　Rhuidean；　according　to　prophecy；　to　unite　the　Aiel！　The　fulfillment　of　prophecy　has　begun！〃
　　　　　　　The　reactions　of　the　other　Aiel　were　nothing　like　what　Rand　envisioned。　Couladin　stared　down　at　him；　even　more　hatefully　than　before　if　that　was　possible；　then　leaped　from　the　outcrop　and　stalked　up　the　slope　to　vanish　into　the　Shaido　tents。　The　Shaido　themselves　began　to　disperse；　glancing　at　Rand　with　unreadable　faces　before　drifting　back　to　their　tents。　Heirn　and　the　warriors　of　the　Jindo　sept；　hardly　hesitating；　did　the　same。　In　moments　only　Rhuarc　remained；　his　eyes　troubled。　Lan　went　over　to　the　clan　chief；　from　his　face；　the　Warder　would　just　as　soon　not　have　seen　Rand　at　all。　Rand　was　not　sure　what　he　had　expected；　but　surely　something　other　than　this。
　　　　　　　〃Burn　me！〃　Mat　muttered。　He　seemed　to　realize　for　the　first　time　that　he　had　the　waterbag　in　his　hands。　Jerking　the　plug　free；　he　held　the　hide　bag　high；　letting　nearly　as　much　splash　over　his　face　as　into　his　mouth。　When　he　finally　lowered　it；　he　looked　at　the　markings　on　Rand's　arms　again　and　shook　his　head；　repeating；　〃Burn　me！〃　as　he　pushed　the　sloshing　bag　at　him。
　　　　　　　Rand　stared　at　the　Aiel　in　consternation；　but　he　was　more　than　glad　to　drink。　The　first　gulps　hurt　his　throat；　it　was　so　dry。
　　　　　　　〃What　happened　to　you？〃　Egwene　demanded。　〃Did　Muradin　attack　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　forbidden　to　speak　of　what　occurs　in　Rhuidean；〃　Bair　said　sharply。
　　　　　　　〃Not　Muradin；〃　Rand　said。　〃Where's　Moiraine？　I　expected　her　to　be　the　first　to　meet　us。〃　He　rubbed　his　face；　black　flakes　of　dried　blood　came　off　on　his　hand。　〃For　once；　I　won't　care　if　she　asks　before　she　Heals　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Me　either；〃　Mat　said　hoarsely。　He　swayed；　holding　himself　up　with　his　spear；　and　pressed　the　heel　of　his　palm　against　his　forehead。　〃My　brain　is　spinning。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　grimaced。　〃She　is　still　in　Rhuidean；　I　suppose。　But　if　you　have　finally　e　out；　maybe　she　will；　as　well。　She　left　right　after　you。　And　Aviendha。　You've　all　been　gone　so　long。　〃
　　　　　　　〃Moiraine　went　to　Rhuidean？〃　Rand　said　incredulously。　〃And　Aviendha？　Why　did　…〃　Abruptly　he　registered　what　else　she　had　said。　〃What　do　you　mean；　'so　long'？〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　the　seventh　day；〃　she　said。　〃The　seventh　day　since　you　all　went　down　into　the　valley。〃
　　　　　　　The　waterbag　fell　from　his　hands。　Seana　snatched　it　up　again　before　more　than　a　little　of　its　contents；　so　precious　in　the　Waste；　could　trickle　away　down　the　stony　slope。　Rand　barely　noticed。　Seven　days。　Anything　could　have　happened　in　seven　days。　They　could　be　catching　up　to　me；　figuring　out　what　I'm　planning。　I　have　to　move。　Fast。　I　have　to　keep　ahead　of　them。　I　haven't　e　this　far　to　fail。
　　　　　　　They　were　all　staring　at　him；　even　Rhuarc　and　Mat；　concern　writ　large　on　their　faces。　And　caution。　No　wonder　in　that。　Who　could　say　what　he　might　do；　or　how　sane　he　still　was？　Only　Lan　did　not　change　his　stony　scowl。
　　　　　　　〃I　told　you　that　was　Aviendha；　Rand。　Bare　as　she　was　born。　〃　Mat's　voice　had　a　painful　rasp　to　it；　and　his　legs　looked　none　too　steady。
　　　　　　　〃How　long　before　Moiraine　es　back？〃　Rand　asked。　If　she　had　gone　in　at　the　same　time；　she　should　return　soon。
　　　　　　　〃If　she　has　not　returned　by　the　tenth　day；〃　Bair　replied；　〃she　will　not。　No　one　has　ever　returned　after　ten　days。〃
　　　　　　　Another　three　days；　maybe。　Three　more　days　when　he　had　already　lost　seven。　Let　them　e；　now。　I　will　not　fail！　He　barely　kept　a　snarl　from　his　face。　〃You　can　channel。　One　of　you　can；　anyway。　I　saw　how　you　flung　Couladin　about。　Will　you　Heal　Mat？〃
　　　　　　　Amys　and　Melaine　exchanged　looks　he　could　only　call　rueful。
　　　　　　　〃Our　paths　have　gone　other　ways；〃　Amys　said　regretfully。　〃There　are　Wise　Ones　who　could　do　what　you　ask；　after　a　fashion；　but　we　are　not　among　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　snapped　angrily。　〃You　can　channel　like　Aes　Sedai。　Why　can't　you　Heal　like　them？　You　did　not　want　him　to　go　to　Rhuidean　in　the　first　place。　Do　you　think　you　can　let　him　die　from　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'll　survive；〃　Mat　said；　but　his　eyes　were　tight　with　suffering。
　　　　　　　Egwene　put　a　hand　on　Rand's　arm。　〃Not　all　Aes　Sedai　can　Heal　very　well；〃　she　said　in　a　soothing　voice。　〃The　best　Healers　are　all　Yellow　Ajah。　Sheriam；　the　Mistress　of　Novices；　cannot　Heal　anything　much　more　serious　than　a　bruise　or　a　small　cut。　No　two　women　can　have　exactly　the　same　Talents　or　skills。
　　　　　　　Her　tone　irritated　him。　He　was　not　some　pettish　child　to　be　smoothed　down。　He　frowned　at　the　Wise　Ones。　Could　not　or　would　not；　Mat　and　he　would　have　to　wait　for　Moiraine。　If　she　had　not　been　killed　by　that　bubble　of　evil；　by　those　dust　creatures。　It　must　have　dissipated　by　now；　there　had　been　an　end　to　the　one　in　Tear。　They　wouldn't　have　stopped　her。　She　could　channel　her　way　through　them。　She　knows　what　she's　doing；　she　doesn't　have　to　figure　it　out　an　inch　at　a　time　the　way　I　do。　But　then　why　was　she　not　back？　Why　had　she　gone　in　the　first　place；　and　why　had　he　not　seen　her？　Foolish　question。　A　hundred　people　could　have　been　in　Rhuidean　without　being　seen。　Too　many　questions；　and　no　answers　until　she　did　return；　he　suspected。　If　then。
　　　　　　　〃There　are　herbs　and　ointments；〃　Seana　said。　〃e　out　of　the　sun；　and　we　will　tend　your　injuries。〃
　　　　　　　〃Out　of　the　sun；〃　Rand　muttered。　〃Yes。〃　He　was　being　boorish　but　he　did　not　care。　Why　had　Moiraine　gone　into　Rhuidean？　He　did　not　trust　her　to　stop　pushing　him　in　the　direction　she　thought　best；　and　the　Dark　One　take　his　opinions。　If　she　was　in　there；　could　she　have　affected　what　he　saw？　Changed　it　some　way？　If　she　even　suspected　what　he　planned。。。
　　　　　　　He　started　toward　the　Jindo　tents　…　Couladin's　people　were　not　likely　to　offer　him　a　resting　place　…　but　Amys　turned　him　toward　the　flat　farther　up　where　the　Wise　Ones'　tents　stood。　〃They　might　not　be　fortable　with　you　among　them　just；　yet；〃　she　said；　Rhuarc；　failing　in　beside　her；　nodded　agreement。
　　　　　　　Melaine　glanced　at　Lan。　〃This　is　no　business　of　yours；　Aan'allein。　You　and　Rhuarc　take　Matrim　and　…〃
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　Rand　broke　in。　〃I　want　them　with　me。〃　Partly　it　was　because　he　wanted　answers　from　the　clan　chief；　and　partly　it　was　sheer　stubbornness。　These　Wise　Ones　were　all　set　to　guide　him　around　on　a　leash；　just　like　Moiraine。　He　was　not　about　to　put　up　with　it。　They　looked　at　one　another；　then　nodded　as　if　acceding　to　a　reque