rj.theshadowrising-第29部分

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t。　At　least　he'll　know　how　I　feel；　then。　At　least　I'll　have　some　right　to　…　〃
　　　　　　　She　snatched　her　spiced　wine　and　tilted　her　head　back；　drinking。　Speak　out？　Like　some　Mayener　hussy！　Setting　the　empty　goblet　back　on　the　small　mat；　she　drew　a　deep　breath　and　murmured；　〃What　will　Mother　say？〃
　　　　　　　〃What's　more　important；〃　Nynaeve　said　gently；　〃is　what　you　will　do　when　we　have　to　leave　here。　Whether　it's　Tanchico；　or　the　Tower；　or　somewhere　else；　we　will　have　to　go。　What　will　you　do　when　you've　just　told　him　you　love　him；　and　you　must　leave　him　behind？　If　he　asks　you　to　stay　with　him？　If　you　want　to？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　go。〃　There　was　no　hesitation　in　Elayne's　reply；　but　a　touch　of　asperity。　The　other　woman　should　not　have　had　to　ask。　〃If　I　must　accept　him　being　the　Dragon　Reborn；　he　must　accept　that　I　am　what　I　am；　that　I　have　duties。　I　want　to　be　Aes　Sedai；　Nynaeve。　It　isn't　some　idle　amusement。　Neither　is　the　work　we　three　have　to　do。　Could　you　really　think　I　would　abandon　you　and　Egwene？〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　hurried　to　assure　her　that　the　thought　had　never　crossed　her　mind；　Nynaeve　did　the　same；　but　slowly　enough　to　give　herself　the　lie。
　　　　　　　Elayne　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them。　〃In　truth；　I　feared　you　might　tell　me　I　was　foolish；　fretting　over　a　thing　like　this　when　we　have　the　Black　Ajah　to　worry　about。〃
　　　　　　　A　slight　flicker　of　Egwene's　eyes　said　the　thought　had　occurred　to　her；　but　Nynaeve　said；　〃Rand　is　not　the　only　one　who　might　die　next　year；　or　next　month；　We　might；　too。　Times　are　not　what　they　were；　and　we　cannot　be；　either。　If　you　sit　and　wish　for　what　you　want；　you　may　not　see　it　this　side　of　the　grave。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　a　chilling　sort　of　reassurance；　but　Elayne　nodded。　She　was　not　being　silly。　If　only　the　Black　Ajah　could　be　settled　so　easily。　She　pressed　her　empty　silver　goblet　to　her　forehead　for　the　coolness。　What　were　they　to　do？


Chapter　7
（Serpent　and　Wheel）
Playing　With　Fire

　　　　　　　With　the　sun　barely　above　the　horizon　the　next　morning；　Egwene　presented　herself　at　the　doors　to　Rand's　chambers；　followed　by　a　foot…dragging　Elayne。　The　Daughter…Heir　wore　a　long…sleeved　dress　of　pale　blue　silk；　cut　in　the　Tairen　fashion；　and　pulled　low　after　some　little　discussion。　A　necklace　of　sapphires　like　a　deep　morning　sky；　and　another　strand　woven　into　her　red…gold　curls；　showed　up　the　blue　of　her　eyes。　Despite　the　damp　warmth；　Egwene　wore　a　plain；　deep　red　scarf；　as　large　as　a　shawl；　around　her　shoulders。　Aviendha　had　supplied　the　scarf；　and　the　sapphires　too。　Surprisingly；　the　Aiel　woman　had　a　tidy　store　of　such　things　somehow。
　　　　　　　For　all　she　had　known　they　were　there；　Egwene　gave　a　start　when　the　Aiel　guards　glided　to　their　feet　with　startling　suddenness。　Elayne　let　out　a　small　gasp；　but　quickly　eyed　them　with　that　regal　bearing　she　managed　so　well。　It　seemed　to　have　no　effect　on　these　sun…dark　men。　The　six　were　Shae'en　M'taal；　Stone　Dogs；　and　appeared　relaxed　for　Aiel；　meaning　they　seemed　to　be　looking　everywhere；　seemed　ready　to　move　in　any　direction。
　　　　　　　Egwene　drew　herself　up　in　imitation　of　Elayne　…　she　did　wish　she　could　do　that　as　well　as　the　Daughter…Heir　…　and　announced；　〃I。　。　。　we。。。　want　to　see　how　the　Lord　Dragon's　wounds　are。〃
　　　　　　　Her　remark　was　plainly　foolish；　if　they　knew　much　about　Healing；　but　that　likelihood　was　small；　few　people　did；　and　Aiel　probably　less　than　most。　She　had　not　intended　to　give　any　reason　for　being　there　…　it　was　enough　that　they　thought　her　Aes　Sedai　…　but　when　the　Aiel　appeared　almost　to　spring　out　of　the　black　marble　floor；　it　suddenly　seemed　a　good　idea。　Not　that　they　were　making　any　move　to　stop　Elayne　and　her；　of　course。　But　these　men　were　all　so　tall；　so　stone…faced；　and　they　carried　those　short　spears　and　horn　bows　as　if　using　them　would　be　as　natural　as　breathing；　and　as　easy。　With　those　light…colored　eyes　regarding　her　so　intently；　it　was　all　too　easy　to　remember　stories　of　black…veiled　Aiel；　without　mercy　or　pity；　of　the　Aiel　War　and　the　men　like　these　who　had　destroyed　every　army　sent　against　them　until　the　last；　who　had　only　turned　back　to　the　Waste　after　fighting　the　allied　nations　to　a　standstill　during　three　blood…soaked　days　and　nights　before　Tar　Valon　itself。　She　very　nearly　embraced　saidar。
　　　　　　　Gaul；　the　Stone　Dogs'　leader；　nodded；　looking　down　at　Elayne　and　her　with　a　touch　of　respect。　He　was　a　handsome　man；　in　a　rugged　way；　a　little　older　than　Nynaeve；　with　eyes　as　green　and　clear　as　polished　gems　and　long　eyelashes　so　dark　they　seemed　to　outline　his　eyes　in　black。　〃They　may　be　troubling　him。　He　is　in　a　foul　mood　this　morning。〃　Gaul　grinned；　just　a　quick　flash　of　white　teeth；　in　understanding　of　a　temper　when　wounded。　〃He　has　chased　off　a　group　of　these　High　Lords　already；　and　threw　one　of　them　out　himself。　What　was　his　name？〃
　　　　　　　〃Torean；〃　another；　even　taller　man　replied。　He　had　an　arrow　nocked；　the　short；　curved　bow　held　almost　casually。　His　gray　eyes　rested　on　the　two　women　for　an　instant；　then　went　back　to　searching　among　the　anteroom's　columns。
　　　　　　　〃Torean；〃　Gaul　agreed。　〃I　thought　he　would　slide　as　far　as　those　pretty　carvings。。。〃　He　pointed　a　spear　to　the　ring　of　stiff…standing　Defenders。　〃。。。　but　he　came　short　by　three　paces。　I　lost　a　good　Tairen　hanging；　all　hawks　in　gold　thread；　to　Mangin。〃　The　taller　man　gave　a　brief；　contented　smile。
　　　　　　　Egwene　blinked　at　the　image　of　Rand　physically　pitching　a　High　Lord　across　the　floor。　He　had　never　been　violent；　far　from　it。　How　much　had　he　changed？　She　had　been　too　busy　with　Joiya　and　Amico；　and　he　too　busy　with　Moiraine　or　Lan　or　the　High　Lords；　to　do　more　than　speak　in　passing；　a　few　words　about　home　here　and　there；　about　how　the　Bel　Tine　festival　might　have　gone　this　year　and　what　Sunday　would　be　like。　It　had　all　been　so　brief。　How　much　had　he　changed？
　　　　　　　〃We　have　to　see　him；〃　Elayne　said；　a　slight　tremor　in　her　voice。
　　　　　　　Gaul　made　a　bow；　grounding　the　point　of　one　spear　on　the　black　marble。　〃Of　course；　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　with　some　trepidation　that　Egwene　entered　Rand's　chambers；　and　Elayne's　face　spoke　volumes　of　the　effort　those　few　steps　took。
　　　　　　　No　evidence　of　last　night's　horror　remained；　unless　it　was　the　absence　of　mirrors；　lighter　patches　marked　the　wall　panels　where　those　hanging　there　had　been　taken　away。　Not　that　the　room　came　anywhere　near　neatness；　books　lay　everywhere；　on　everything；　some　lying　open　as　if　abandoned　in　the　middle　of　a　page；　and　the　bed　was　still　unmade。　The　crimson　draperies　were　pulled　open　on　all　the　windows；　facing　westward　toward　the　river　that　was　Tear's　heartvein；　and　Callandor　sparkled　like　polished　crystal　on　a　huge　gilded　stand　of　surpassing　gaudiness。　Egwene　thought　the　stand　the　ugliest　thing　she　had　ever　seen　decorating　a　room　…　until　she　glimpsed　the　silver　wolves　savaging　a　golden　stag　on　the　mantel　above　the　fireplace。　Scant　breezes　off　the　river　kept　the　room　surprisingly　cool　pared　to　the　rest　of　the　Stone。
　　　　　　　Rand　sat　in　his　shirtsleeves；　sprawled　in　a　chair　with　one　leg　over　the　arm　and　a　leather…bound　book　propped　against　his　knee。　At　the　sound　of　their　footsteps；　he　snapped　the　book　shut　and　dropped　it　among　the　others　on　the　scroll…worked　carpet；　bounding　to　his　feet　ready　to　fight。　The　scowl　on　his　face　faded　as　he　took　in　who　they　were。
　　　　　　　For　the　first　time　in　the　Stone；　Egwene　looked　for　changes　in　him　and　found　them。　How　many　months　before　then　since　she　had　seen　him　last？　Enough　for　his　face　to　have　grown　harder；　for　the　openness　that　had　once　been　there　to　fade。　He　moved　differently；　too；　a　little　like　Lan；　a　little　like　the　Aiel。　With　his　height　and　his　reddish　hair；　and　eyes　that　seemed　now　blue；　now　gray；　as　the　light　took　them；　he　looked　all　too　much　like　an　Aielman；　too　much　for　fort。　But　had　he　changed　inside？
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　you　were。。。　someone　else；〃　he　mumbled；　sharing　out　embarrassed　glances　between　them。　That　was　the　Rand　she　knew；　even　to　the　flush　that　rose　in　his　cheeks　every　time　he　looked　at　her　or　Elayne；　either　one。　〃Some。。。people　want　things　I　can't　give。　Things　I　will　not　give。〃　Suspicion　grew　on　his　face　with　shocking　suddenness；　and　his　tone　hardened。　〃What　do　you　want？　Did　Moiraine　send　you？　Are　you　supposed　to　convince　me　to　do　what　she　wants？〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　be　a　goose；〃　Egwene　said　sharply　before　she　thought。　〃I　do　not　want　you　to　start　a　war！〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　added　in　pleading　tones；　〃We　came　to。。。　to　help　you；　if　we　can。〃　That　was　one　of　their　reasons；　and　the　easiest　to　bring　up；　they　had　decided　over　breakfast。
　　　　　　　〃You　know　about　her　plans　for。。。〃　he　began　roughly；　then　made　a　sudden　shift。　〃Help　me？　How？　That　is　what　Moiraine　says。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　sternly　folded　her　arms　beneath　her　breasts；　holding　the　scarf　tight；　in　the　way　Nynaeve　used　to　address　the　Village　Council　when　she　meant　to　have　her　way　no　matter　how　stubborn　they　were。　It　was　too　late　to　start　over；　the　only　thing　was　to　go　on　as　she　had　begun。　〃I　told　you　not　to　be　a　fool；　Rand　al'Thor。　You　may　have　Tairens　bowing　to　your　boots；　but　I　remember　when　Nynaeve　switched　your　bottom　for　letting　Mat　talk　you　into　stealing　ajar　of　apple　brandy。〃　Elayne　kept　her　face　carefully　posed。　Too　carefully；　it　was　plain　to　Egwene　that　she　wanted　to　laugh　out　loud。
　　　　　　　Rand　did　not　notice；　of　course。　Men　never　did。　He　grinned　at　Egwene；　close　to　laughing　himself。　〃We　had　just　turned　thirteen。　She　found　us　asleep　behind　your　father's　stable；　and　our　heads　hurt　so　much　we　didn't　even　feel　her　switch。〃　That　was　not　at　all　the　way　Egwene　recalled　it。　〃Not　like　when　you　threw　that　bowl　at　her　head。　Remember？　She'd　closed　you　with　dogweed　tea　because　you　had　been　moping　about　for　a　week；　and　as　soon　as　you　tasted　it；　you　hit　her　with　her　best　bowl。　Light；　did　you　squeal！　When　was　that？　Two　years　ago　e　this　…〃
　　　　　　　〃We　are　not　here　to　talk　over　old　times；〃　Egwene　said；　shifting　the　scarf　irritably。　It　was　thin　wool；　but　still　far　too　hot。　Really；　he　did　have　the　habit　of　remembering　the　most　unfortunate　things。
　　　　　　　He　grinned　as　if　he　knew　what　she　was　thinking；　and　went　on　in　better　humor。　〃You　are　here　to　help　me；　you　say。　With　what？　I　don't　suppose　you　know　how　to　make　a　High　Lord　keep　his　word　when　I'm　not　staring　over　his　shoulder。　Or　how　to　stop　unwanted　dreams？　I　could　surely　use　help　wit