rj.thepathofdaggers-第17部分

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rge　a　fit　as　she　wanted　so　long　as　she　did　not　hurl　it　at　the　Atha'an　Miere　…　that　was　what　all　that　about　knives　and　livers　meant　…　but　before　she　could　open　her　mouth；　Adeleas　brought　her　rangy　gray　up　on　her　other　side。　The　white…haired　sister　had　acquired　a　new　saddle　in　Ebou　Dar；　a　gaudy　thing　worked　with　silver　on　pommel　and　cantle。　The　flies　seemed　to　avoid　her；　for　some　reason；　though　she　wore　a　scent　as　strong　as　any　of　the　flowers。
　　　　　　　〃Pardon　me。　I　could　not　help　overhearing　that　last。〃　Adeleas　did　not　sound　at　all　apologetic；　and　Elayne　wondered　just　how　much　she　had　overheard。　She　felt　her　cheeks　coloring。　Some　of　what　Aviendha　had　said　about　Rand　had　been　remarkably　frank　and　straightforward。　Some　of　what　she　had　said　had　been；　too。　It　was　one　thing　to　talk　that　way　with　your　nearest　friend；　quite　another　to　suspect　someone　else　had　been　listening。　Aviendha　seemed　to　feel　the　same　way；　she　did　not　blush；　but　the　sour　look　she　shot　at　the　Brown　would　have　done　Nynaeve　proud。
　　　　　　　Adeleas　merely　smiled；　a　vague　smile　as　bland　as　water　soup。　〃It　might　be　best　if　you　gave　your　friend　there　free　rein　with　the　Atha'an　Miere。〃　She　peered　past　Elayne　at　Aviendha；　blinking。　〃Well；　a　loose　rein。　Putting　the　fear　of　the　Light　into　them　ought　to　be　sufficient。　They're　almost　there　already；　in　case　you　haven't　noticed。　They're　much　more　wary　of　the　'savage'　Aiel　…　forgive　me；　Aviendha　…　than　they　are　of　Aes　Sedai。　Merilille　would　have　suggested　it；　but　her　ears　are　still　burning。〃
　　　　　　　Aviendha's　face　rarely　gave　much　away；　but　right　then　she　looked　as　puzzled　as　Elayne　felt。　Elayne　twisted　in　her　saddle　to　frown　behind　her。　Merilille　rode　abreast　with　Vandene；　Careane；　and　Sareitha　not　far　back；　all　very　studiously　looking　at　anything　except　Elayne。　Beyond　the　sisters　were　the　Sea　Folk；　still　in　single　file；　and　then　would　e　the　Knitting　Circle；　keeping　themselves　out　of　sight　for　the　moment　just　ahead　of　the　packhorses。　They　were　threading　their　way　through　the　glades　of　truncated　columns。　Fifty　or　a　hundred　long…tailed　red…and…green　birds　winged　over　their　heads；　filling　the　air　with　chattering　cries。
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃　Elayne　asked　curtly。　It　seemed　foolish　to　add　to　the　turmoil　already　bubbling　just　below　the　surface　…　and　sometimes　on　the　surface　…　but　she　had　seen　no　hint　of　the　fool　in　Adeleas。　The　Brown　sister's　eyebrows　rose　in　apparent　surprise。　Maybe　she　was　surprised；　Adeleas　usually　thought　anyone　should　see　what　she　saw。　Maybe。
　　　　　　　〃Why？　To　restore　a　little　balance；　that　is　why。　If　the　Atha'an　Miere　feel　they　need　us　to　protect　them　from　an　Aiel；　it　might　be　a　useful　balance　against。。。　〃　Adeleas　paused　slightly；　suddenly　absorbed　in　adjusting　her　pale　gray　skirts。　〃。。。　other　things。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne's　face　tightened。　Other　things。　The　bargain　with　the　Sea　Folk　was　what　Adeleas　meant。　〃You　may　ride　with　the　others；〃　she　said　coolly。
　　　　　　　Adeleas　made　no　protest；　no　attempts　to　press　her　argument。　She　just　inclined　her　head　and　let　her　horse　fall　back。　Her　small　smile　never　altered　a　whit。　The　older　Aes　Sedai　accepted　that　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　stood　above　them　and　spoke　with　Egwene's　authority　at　their　backs；　but　the　truth　was；　that　changed　little　beyond　the　surface。　Perhaps　nothing。　They　were　outwardly　respectful；　they　obeyed；　and　yet。。。
　　　　　　　After　all　was　said　and　done；　Elayne；　at　least；　was　Aes　Sedai　at　an　age　when　most　initiates　of　the　Tower　still　wore　novice　white　and　very　few　had　reached　the　Accepted。　And　she　and　Nynaeve　had　agreed　to　that　bargain；　hardly　a　display　of　wisdom　and　acumen。　Not　just　the　Sea　Folk　getting　the　Bowl；　but　twenty　sisters　going　to　the　Atha'an　Miere；　subject　to　their　laws；　required　to　teach　anything　the　Windfinders　wanted　to　learn　and　unable　to　leave　until　others　came　to　replace　them。　Windfinders　allowed　to　enter　the　Tower　as　guests；　allowed　to　learn　whatever　they　wished；　leave　whenever　they　wished。　Those　alone　would　make　the　Hall　scream；　and　probably　Egwene　as　well；　yet　the　rest。。。　Every　last　one　of　the　older　sisters　thought　she　would　have　found　a　way　around　making　that　bargain。　Perhaps　they　really　could　have。　Elayne　did　not　believe　it；　but　she　was　not　sure。
　　　　　　　She　did　not　say　anything　to　Aviendha；　but　after　a　few　moments；　the　other　woman　spoke。　〃If　I　can　serve　honor　and　help　you　at　the　same　time；　I　do　not　care　whether　it　serves　some　Aes　Sedai　end。〃　She　never　seemed　to　take　it　in　that　Elayne　was　also　Aes　Sedai；　not　pletely。
　　　　　　　Elayne　hesitated；　then　nodded。　Something　had　to　be　done　to　temper　the　Sea　Folk。　Merilille　and　the　others　had　displayed　a　remarkable　forbearance　so　far；　but　how　long　would　that　last？　Nynaeve　might　explode；　once　she　actually　turned　her　attentions　to　the　Windfinders。　Matters　had　to　be　kept　as　smooth　as　possible　for　as　long　as　possible；　but　if　the　Atha'an　Miere　went　on　believing　they　could　stare　down　any　Aes　Sedai；　there　would　be　trouble。　Life　was　more　plex　than　she　had　imagined　back　in　Caemlyn；　no　matter　how　many　lessons　she　had　received　as　Daughter…Heir。　So　much　more　plicated　since　she　entered　the　Tower。
　　　　　　　〃Just　don't　be　too。。。　emphatic；〃　she　said　softly。　〃And　please　have　a　care。　There　are　twenty　of　them；　after　all；　and　only　one　of　you。　I　wouldn't　want　anything　to　happen　before　I　could　help　you。〃　Aviendha　gave　her　a　grin　with　a　good　bit　of　wolf　in　it　and　drew　her　dun　mare　off　at　the　edge　of　the　stones　to　wait　for　the　Atha'an　Miere。
　　　　　　　From　time　to　time　Elayne　glanced　back；　but　all　she　saw　through　the　trees　was　Aviendha　riding　next　to　Kurin；　speaking　quite　calmly　and　not　even　looking　at　the　Sea　Folk　woman。　Certainly　not　glaring；　though　Kurin　seemed　to　stare　at　her　with　considerable　astonishment。　When　Aviendha　thumped　her　horse　back　up　to　join　Elayne；　flapping　her　reins　…　she　would　never　be　a　horsewoman　…　Kurin　rode　forward　to　speak　with　Renaile；　and　a　short　time　later　Renaile　angrily　sent　Rainyn　to　the　head　of　the　column。
　　　　　　　The　most　junior　of　the　Windfinders　sat　her　horse　even　more　awkwardly　than　Aviendha；　whom　she　pretended　to　ignore　on　Elayne's　other　side　just　as　she　ignored　the　small　green　flies　buzzing　around　her　dark　face。　〃Renaile　din　Calon　Blue　Star；〃　she　said　stiffly；　〃demands　that　you　snub　in　the　Aiel　woman；　Elayne　Aes　Sedai。〃　Aviendha　grinned　toothily　at　her；　and　Rainyn　must　have　been　watching　at　least　a　little；　because　her　cheeks　reddened　beneath　the　sheen　of　sweat。
　　　　　　　〃Tell　Renaile　that　Aviendha　is　not　Aes　Sedai；〃　Elayne　replied。　〃I　will　ask　her　to　be　careful；〃　no　lie　there；　she　had；　and　would　again；　〃but　I　can't　make　her　do　anything。〃　On　impulse；　she　added；　〃You　know　how　Aiel　are。〃　The　Sea　Folk　had　some　very　odd　ideas　of　how　the　Aiel　were。　Rainyn　stared　wide…eyed　at　a　still…grinning　Aviendha；　her　face　going　gray；　then　jerked　her　horse　around　and　galloped　back　to　Renaile；　bouncing　in　her　saddle。
　　　　　　　Aviendha　gave　a　pleased　chuckle；　but　Elayne　wondered　whether　the　whole　notion　had　been　a　mistake。　Even　with　a　good　thirty　paces　between　them；　she　could　see　Renaile's　face　swell　up　at　Rainyn's　report；　and　the　others　began　to　buzz　like　bees。　They　did　not　look　frightened；　they　looked　angry；　and　the　glares　they　directed　at　the　Aes　Sedai　ahead　of　them　grew　baleful。　Not　at　Aviendha；　at　the　sisters。　Adeleas　nodded　thoughtfully　when　she　saw　that；　and　Merilille　just　barely　failed　to　hide　a　smile。　At　least　they　were　pleased。
　　　　　　　If　that　had　been　the　only　incident　during　the　ride　it　would　have　taken　the　edge　off　any　enjoyment　of　flowers　and　birds；　but　it　was　not　even　the　first。　Beginning　shortly　after　leaving　the　clearing；　the　Knitting　Circle　had　made　their　way　forward　to　Elayne　one　by　one；　all　but　Kirstian；　and　no　doubt　she　would　have　e　too　had　she　not　been　ordered　to　keep　Ispan　shielded。　One　by　one　they　came；　each　hesitant；　smiling　timorously　until　Elayne　wanted　to　tell　them　to　act　their　ages。　They　certainly　made　no　demands；　and　they　were　too　smart　to　ask　straight　out　for　what　already　had　been　denied；　but　they　found　other　paths。
　　　　　　　〃It　occurred　to　me；〃　Reanne　said　brightly；　〃that　you　must　want　to　question　Ispan　Sedai　quite　urgently。　Who　can　say　what　else　she　was　up　to　in　the　city　besides　trying　to　find　the　storeroom？〃　She　pretended　to　just　be　making　conversation；　but　from　time　to　time　she　darted　quick　looks　at　Elayne　to　see　how　she　was　taking　it。　〃I'm　sure　we'll　take　over　an　hour　to　reach　the　farm；　the　way　we're　going；　perhaps　two；　and　you　certainly　don't　want　to　waste　two　hours。　The　herbs　Nynaeve　Sedai　gave　her　make　her　quite　talkative；　and　I'm　sure　she　would　sit　up　for　sisters。〃
　　　　　　　The　bright　smile　faded　when　Elayne　said　that　questioning　Ispan　could　wait　and　would。　Light；　did　they　really　expect　anyone　to　ask　questions　riding　through　forests　on　paths　that　barely　deserved　the　name？　Reanne　rode　back　to　the　other　Kinswomen；　muttering　to　herself。
　　　　　　　〃Forgiveness；　Elayne　Sedai；〃　Chilares　murmured　a　short　time　later；　the　traces　of　Murandy　clinging　to　her　accent。　Her　green　straw　hat　matched　some　of　her　layered　petticoats　exactly。　〃Your　forgiveness；　if　I　intrude。〃　She　did　not　wear　the　red　belt　of　a　Wise　Woman；　most　of　the　Knitting　Circle　did　not。　Famelle　was　a　goldsmith；　and　Eldase　supplied　lacquerware　to　the　merchants　for　export；　Chilares　was　a　rug　seller；　while　Reanne　herself　arranged　shipping　for　small　traders。　Some　worked　at　simple　tasks　…　Kirstian　ran　a　tiny　weaver's　shop；　and　Dimana　was　a　seamstress；　though　a　prosperous　one　…　but　then；　in　the　course　of　their　lives；　they　had　all　followed　many　crafts。　And　used　many　names。　〃Ispan　Sedai　appears　to　be　unwell；〃　Chilares　said；　shifting　uneasily　in　her　saddle。　〃Perhaps　the　herbs　are　affecting　her　more　than　Nynaeve　Sedai　thought。　It　would　be　terrible　if　anything　happened　to　her。　Before　she　can　be　questioned；　I　mean。　Perhaps　the　sisters　would　look　at　her？　Healing；　you　know。。。　〃　She　trailed　off；　blinking　those　big　brown　eyes　nervously。　As　well　she　might；　with　Sumeko　among　her　panions。
　　　　　　　A　glance　back　showed　the　stout　woman　standing　in　her　stirrups　to　peer　past　the　Windfinders；　until　she　saw　Elayne　looking　and　sat　back　down　hurriedly。　Sumeko；　who　knew　more　of　Healing　than　any　sister　except　Nynaeve。　Perhaps　more　than　Nynaeve。　Elayne　simply　pointed　to　the　rear　until　Chilares　colored　and　reined　her　mount　around。
　　　　　　　Merilille　joined　Elayne　only　moments　after　Reanne　left；