rj.thepathofdaggers-第116部分

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　　　　　　　The　gates　opened　wide。
　　　　　　　It　would　not　be　that　easy；　of　course。　Even　possession　of　the　Palace　was　not　enough　to　hold　the　throne　of　Andor　by　itself。　Passing　her　panions　into　the　care　of　an　astonished　Reene　Harfor　…　and　very　pleased　to　see　that　the　graying　First　Maid；　round　and　as　regal　as　any　queen；　still　had　the　Palace　in　her　capable　hands　…　and　a　coterie　of　servants　in　red…and…white　livery；　Elayne　hurried　to　the　Grand　Hall；　the　throne　room　of　Andor。　Alone；　again。　This　was　not　part　of　the　ritual；　not　yet。　She　should　have　been　going　to　change　into　the　red　silk　with　the　pearl…worked　bodice　and　white　lions　climbing　the　sleeves；　but　she　felt　pelled。　This　time；　not　even　Nynaeve　tried　to　object。
　　　　　　　White　columns　twenty　paces　high　marched　down　the　sides　of　the　Grand　Hall。　The　throne　room　was　empty；　still。　That　would　not　last　long。　Clear　afternoon　light　through　the　glassed　casements　in　tall　windows　along　the　walls　mingled　with　the　colored　light　through　the　great　windows　set　in　the　ceiling；　where　the　White　Lion　of　Andor　alternated　with　scenes　of　Andoran　victories　and　the　faces　of　the　land's　earliest　queens；　beginning　with　Ishara　herself；　as　dark　as　any　of　the　Atha'an　Miere；　as　full　of　authority　as　any　Aes　Sedai。　No　ruler　of　Andor　could　forget　herself　with　the　predecessors　who　had　forged　this　nation　staring　down　at　her。
　　　　　　　One　thing　she　feared　to　see　…　the　huge　monstrosity　of　a　throne；　all　gilded　Dragons；　that　she　had　seen　standing　on　the　dais　at　the　far　end　of　the　Hall　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。　It　was　not　there；　thank　the　Light。　The　Lion　Throne　no　longer　rested　on　a　tall　plinth　like　some　trophy；　either；　but　kept　its　proper　place　upon　the　dais；　a　massive　chair；　carved　and　gilded；　but　sized　for　a　woman。　The　White　Lion；　picked　out　in　moonstones　on　a　field　of　rubies；　would　stand　above　the　head　of　any　woman　who　sat　there。　No　man　could　feel　at　his　ease　sitting　on　that　throne；　because；　so　legend　said；　he　would　know　he　had　sealed　his　doom。　Elayne　thought　it　more　likely　the　builders　had　simply　made　sure　a　man　would　not　fit　on　it　easily。
　　　　　　　Climbing　the　white　marble　steps　of　the　dais；　she　laid　a　hand　on　one　arm　of　the　throne。　She　had　no　right　to　sit　on　it　herself；　not　yet。　Not　until　she　was　acknowledged　Queen。　But　taking　oaths　on　the　Lion　Throne　was　a　custom　as　old　as　Andor。　She　had　to　resist　the　desire　to　simply　fall　on　her　knees　and　weep　into　the　throne's　seat。　Reconciled　to　her　mother's　death　she　might　be；　but　this　brought　back　all　the　pain。　She　could　not　break　down　now。
　　　　　　　〃Under　the　Light；　I　will　honor　your　memory；　Mother；〃　she　said　softly。　〃I　will　honor　the　name　of　Morgase　Trakand；　and　try　to　bring　only　honor　to　House　Trakand。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　ordered　the　guards　to　keep　the　curious　and　the　favor…seekers　away。　I　suspected　you　might　want　to　be　alone　here　for　a　time。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　turned　slowly　to　face　Dyelin　Taravin；　as　the　golden…haired　woman　walked　the　length　of　the　Grand　Hall。　Dyelin　had　been　one　of　her　mother's　earliest　supporters　in　her　own　quest　for　the　throne。　There　was　more　gray　in　her　hair　than　Elayne　remembered；　more　lines　at　the　corners　of　her　eyes。　She　was　still　quite　beautiful。　A　strong　woman。　And　powerful　as　friend　or　foe。
　　　　　　　She　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　dais；　looking　up。　〃I've　been　hearing　for　two　days　that　you　were　alive；　but　I　didn't　really　believe　it　until　now。　You've　e　to　accept　the　throne　from　the　Dragon　Reborn；　then？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　claim　the　throne　by　my　own　right；　Dyelin；　with　my　own　hand。　The　Lion　Throne　is　no　bauble　to　be　accepted　from　a　man。〃　Dyelin　nodded；　as　at　self…evident　truth。　Which　it　was；　to　any　Andoran。　〃How　do　you　stand；　Dyelin？　With　Trakand；　or　against？　I　have　heard　your　name　often　on　my　way　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃Since　you　claim　the　throne　by　your　own　right；　with。〃　Few　people　could　sound　as　dry　as　she。　Elayne　sat　down　on　the　top　step；　and　motioned　the　older　woman　to　join　her。　〃There　are　a　few　obstacles；　of　course；〃　Dyelin　went　on　as　she　gathered　her　blue　skirts　to　sit。　〃There　have　been　several　claimants　already；　as　you　may　know。　Naean　and　Elenia；　I　have　securely　locked　up。　On　a　charge　of　treason　that　most　people　seem　willing　to　accept。　For　the　time　being。　Elenia's　husband　is　still　active　for　her；　though　quietly；　and　Arymilla　has　announced　a　claim；　the　silly　goose。　She's　getting　support　of　a　kind；　but　nothing　that　need　worry　you。　Your　real　worries　…　aside　from　Aiel　all　over　the　city　waiting　for　the　Dragon　Reborn　to　e　back　…　are　Aemlyn；　Arathelle；　and　Pelivar。　For　the　moment；　Luan　and　Ellorien　will　be　behind　you；　but　they　might　go　over　to　those　three。〃
　　　　　　　A　very　succinct　list；　delivered　in　a　tone　suitable　for　discussing　a　possible　horse　trade。　Naean　and　Elenia　she　knew　about；　if　not　that　Jarid　still　thought　his　wife　had　a　chance　at　the　throne。　Arymilla　was　a　goose　to　believe　she　would　be　accepted；　whatever　her　support。　The　last　five　names　were　worrying；　though。　Each　had　been　as　strong　a　supporter　of　her　mother；　as　had　Dyelin；　and　each　led　a　strong　House。
　　　　　　　〃So　Arathelle　and　Aemlyn　want　the　throne；〃　Elayne　murmured。　〃I　can't　believe　it　of　Ellorien；　not　for　herself。〃　Pelivar　might　be　acting　for　one　of　his　daughters；　but　Luan　had　only　granddaughters；　none　near　old　enough。　〃You　spoke　as　if　they　might　unite；　all　five　Houses。　Behind　whom？〃　That　would　be　a　dire　threat。
　　　　　　　Smiling；　Dyelin　propped　her　chin　in　her　hand。　〃They　seem　to　think　I　should　have　the　throne。　Now；　what　do　you　intend　about　the　Dragon　Reborn？　He　hasn't　been　back　here　in　some　time；　but　he　can　pop　out　of　the　air；　it　seems。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　squeezed　her　eyes　shut　for　a　moment；　but　when　she　opened　them；　she　was　still　sitting　on　the　steps　of　the　dais　in　the　Grand　Hall；　and　Dyelin　was　still　smiling　at　her。　Her　brother　fought　for　Elaida；　and　her　half…brother　was　a　Whitecloak。　She　had　filled　the　Palace　with　women　who　might　turn　on　one　another　at　any　moment；　not　to　mention　the　fact　that　one　was　a　Darkfriend；　maybe　even　Black　Ajah。　And　the　strongest　threat　she　faced　in　claiming　the　throne；　a　very　strong　one；　stood　behind　a　woman　who　said　she　supported　Elayne。　The　world　was　quite　mad。　She　might　as　well　add　her　bit。
　　　　　　　〃I　mean　to　bond　him　my　Warder；〃　she　said；　and　went　on　before　the　other　woman　could　more　than　blink　in　astonishment。　〃I　also　hope　to　marry　him。　Those　things　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　Lion　Throne；　however。　The　very　first　thing　I　intend。。。　〃
　　　　　　　As　she　went　on；　Dyelin　began　to　laugh。　Elayne　wished　she　knew　whether　it　was　from　delight　over　her　plans　or　because　Dyelin　saw　her　own　path　to　the　Lion　Throne　being　made　smooth。　At　least　she　knew　what　she　faced；　now。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Riding　into　Caemlyn；　Daved　Hanlon　could　not　help　thinking　what　a　city　for　the　looting　it　was。　In　his　years　soldiering；　he　had　seen　many　villages　and　towns　looted；　and　once；　twenty　years　ago；　a　great　city；　Cairhien；　after　the　Aiel　left。　Strange　that　all　these　Aiel　had　left　Caemlyn　so　apparently　untouched；　but　then；　if　the　tallest　towers　in　Cairhien　had　not　been　burning；　it　might　have　been　hard　to　know　they　had　been　there；　plenty　of　gold；　among　other　things；　lying　about　for　the　picking　up；　and　plenty　of　men　to　do　the　picking。　He　could　see　these　broad　streets　full　of　horsemen　and　fleeing　people；　fat　merchants　who　would　give　up　their　gold　before　the　knife　touched　them　in　the　hope　their　lives　would　be　spared；　slim　girls　and　plump　women　so　terrified　when　they　were　dragged　into　a　corner　that　they　could　hardly　manage　to　squeal；　much　less　struggle。　He　had　seen　those　things　and　done　them；　and　he　hoped　to　again。　Not　in　Caemlyn；　though；　he　admitted　with　a　sigh。　If　the　orders　that　sent　him　here　had　been　the　sort　he　could　disobey；　he　would　have　gone　where　the　pickings　might　not　be　so　rich；　but　definitely　easier　to　pluck。
　　　　　　　His　instructions　had　been　clear。　Stabling　his　horse　at　The　Red　Bull；　in　the　New　City；　he　walked　a　mile　to　a　tall　stone　house　on　a　side　street；　the　house　of　a　wealthy　merchant　discreet　about　her　gold；　marked　with　a　tiny　painted　sigil　on　the　doors；　a　red　heart　on　a　golden　hand。　The　hulking　fellow　who　let　him　in　was　no　merchant's　servant；　with　his　sunken　knuckles　and　sullen　eyes。　Without　a　word；　the　huge　man　led　him　deeper　into　the　house；　then　down；　toward　the　basements。　Hanlon　eased　his　sword　in　its　scabbard。　Among　the　things　he　had　seen　were　men　and　women；　failures；　led　to　their　own　very　elaborate　executions。　He　did　not　think　he　had　failed；　but　then　again；　he　had　hardly　succeeded。　He　had　followed　orders；　though。　Which　was　not　always　enough。
　　　　　　　In　the　rough　stone　basement；　lit　by　gilded　lamps　set　all　around；　his　eyes　went　first　to　a　pretty　woman　in　a　lace…trimmed　dress　of　scarlet　silk；　with　her　hair　caught　in　frothy　lace　net。　He　did　not　know　who　this　Lady　Shiaine　was；　but　his　orders　had　been　to　obey　her。　He　made　his　best　leg；　smiling。　She　simply　looked　at　him；　as　if　waiting　for　him　to　notice　what　else　the　basement　held。
　　　　　　　He　could　hardly　have　missed　it；　since　except　for　a　few　casks　the　room　held　only　a　large　heavy　table；　decorated　in　a　very　strange　fashion。　Two　ovals　had　been　cut　in　the　tabletop；　and　from　one　stuck　the　head　and　shoulders　of　a　man；　his　head　wrenched　back　against　the　wooden　surface　and　held　there　by　means　of　leather　straps　nailed　to　the　tabletop　and　fastened　to　a　block　of　wood　jammed　between　his　teeth。　A　woman；　prepared　the　same；　provided　the　other　decoration。　Beneath　the　table；　they　knelt　with　wrists　tied　to　ankles。　Quite　securely　held　for　any　sort　of　pleasure。　The　man　had　a　touch　of　gray　in　his　hair　and　the　face　of　a　lord；　but　unsurprisingly；　his　deep…set　eyes　rolled　wildly。　The　woman's　hair；　spread　out　on　the　table；　was　dark　and　glossy；　but　her　face　was　a　little　long　for　Hanlon's　taste。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　he　really　saw　her　face；　and　his　hand　leaped　to　his　sword　before　he　could　stop　it。　Releasing　the　hilt　took　some　effort；　which　he　made　pains　to　hide。　An　Aes　Sedai's　face；　but　an　Aes　Sedai　who　let　herself　be　fastened　like　that　was　no　threat。
　　　　　　　〃So　you　have　some　brains；〃　Shiaine　said。　By　her　accents；　she　was　a　noble；　and　she　certainly　had　the　manding　air；　sweeping　around　the　table　to　peer　down　into　the　bound　man's　face。　〃I　asked　the　Great　Master　Moridin　to　send　me　a　man　with　brains。　Poor　Jaichim　here　has　very　few。〃
　　　　　　　Hanlon　frowned；　and　smoothed　it　away　immediately。　His　orders　had　e　from　Moghedien　herse