rj.thepathofdaggers-第29部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


on't！〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　growled　something　under　her　breath　about　the　Seanchan　that　must　have　been　particularly　pithy；　judging　by　her　tone。　〃Well；　I　won't　let　you　burn　yourself　out！〃　she　said　aloud。　〃Now；　put　that　back！　Before　the　whole　thing　explodes　the　way　Vandene　said。　You　could　kill　all　of　us！〃
　　　　　　　〃It　cannot　be　put　back；〃　Aviendha　said；　laying　a　hand　on　Nynaeve's　arm。　〃She　has　begun；　and　now　she　must　finish。　You　must　do　as　she　says；　Nynaeve。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve's　brows　drew　down。　〃Must〃　was　a　word　she　did　not　like　hearing　one　bit；　not　applied　to　her。　She　was　not　a　fool；　though；　so　after　a　bit　of　glaring　…　at　Elayne；　at　the　gateway；　at　Aviendha；　at　the　world　in　general　…　she　flung　her　arms　around　Elayne　in　a　hug　that　made　her　ribs　creak。
　　　　　　　〃You　be　careful；　you　hear　me；〃　she　whispered。　〃If　you　get　yourself　killed；　I　swear　I'll　skin　you　alive！〃　In　spite　of　everything；　Elayne　burst　out　laughing。　Nynaeve　snorted；　pushing　her　out　to　arm's　length　by　her　shoulders。　〃You　know　what　I　mean；〃　she　grumbled。　〃And　don't　think　I　don't　mean　it；　because　I　do！　I　do；〃　she　added　in　a　softer　voice。　〃You　take　care。〃
　　　　　　　It　took　Nynaeve　a　moment　to　gather　herself；　blinking　and　pulling　her　blue　riding　gloves　tight。　There　seemed　to　be　a　hint　of　moisture　in　her　eyes；　though　that　could　not　have　been；　Nynaeve　made　other　people　cry；　she　did　not　cry　herself。　〃Well；　then；〃　she　said　loudly。　〃Alise；　if　you　don't　have　everyone　ready　yet　…　〃　Turning；　she　cut　off　with　a　strangled　croak。
　　　　　　　Those　who　were　supposed　to　be　mounted　were；　even　the　Atha'an　Miere。　The　Warders　were　all　gathered　around　the　other　sisters；　Lan　and　Birgitte　had　returned；　and　Birgitte　watched　Elayne　worriedly。　The　servants　had　the　pack　animals　in　a　line；　and　the　Kinswomen　were　waiting　patiently；　most　afoot　except　for　the　Knitting　Circle。　A　number　of　horses　that　could　have　been　used　for　riding　were　loaded　with　sacks　of　food　and　bundles　of　belongings。　Women　who　had　brought　more　than　Alise　allowed　…　none　of　them　Kin　…　carried　their　bundles　on　their　own　backs。　The　slender　noble　with　the　scar　was　bent　at　an　awkward　angle　beneath　hers；　and　glaring　at　anyone　but　Alise。　Every　woman　who　could　channel　was　staring　at　the　gateway。　And　every　woman　who　had　been　there　to　hear　Vandene　tell　of　the　dangers　watched　that　one　whipping　filament　as　she　would　have　a　red　adder。
　　　　　　　It　was　Alise　herself　who　brought　Nynaeve　her　horse。　And　straightened　the　blue…plumed　hat　as　Nynaeve　put　a　foot　in　the　stirrup。　Nynaeve　turned　the　plump　mare　north　with　Lan　riding　Mandarb　at　her　side　and　a　look　of　utter　mortification　on　her　face。　Why　she　did　not　just　set　Alise　down；　Elayne　did　not　understand。　To　hear　Nynaeve　tell　it；　she　had　been　putting　women　older　than　herself　in　their　place　since　she　was　little　more　than　a　girl。　And　she　was　Aes　Sedai；　now；　after　all；　that　should　carry　mountains　of　weight　with　any　Kinswoman。
　　　　　　　As　the　column　began　to　wend　its　way　toward　the　hills；　Elayne　looked　at　Aviendha　and　Birgitte。　Aviendha　simply　stood　there　with　her　arms　folded　beneath　her　breasts；　she　had　the　woman…wrapped…in…her…own…hair　angreal　clutched　in　one　hand。　Birgitte　took　Lioness's　reins　from　Elayne；　adding　them　to　those　of　her　own　horse　and　Aviendha's；　then　walked　over　to　a　small　boulder　twenty　paces　away　and　sat　down。
　　　　　　　〃You　two　must；〃　Elayne　began；　then　coughed　when　Aviendha's　eyebrows　shot　up　in　surprise。　Sending　Aviendha　out　of　danger　was　impossible　without　shaming　her。　Perhaps　impossible　altogether。　〃I　want　you　to　go　with　the　others；〃　she　told　Birgitte。　〃And　take　Lioness。　Aviendha　and　I　can　take　turns　riding　her　gelding。　I'd　like　a　walk　before　bedtime。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　ever　treat　a　man　half　as　well　as　you　do　that　horse；〃　Birgitte　said　dryly；　〃he'll　be　yours　for　life。　I　think　I'll　just　sit　awhile；　I've　ridden　long　enough　today。　I'm　not　at　your　beck　and　call　all　the　time。　We　can　play　that　game　in　front　of　the　sisters　and　the　other　Warders；　to　spare　your　blushes；　but　you　and　I　know　better。〃　Despite　the　mocking　words；　what　Elayne　felt　from　her　was　affection。　No；　stronger　than　affection。　Her　own　eyes　stung　suddenly。　Her　death　would　hurt　Birgitte　to　the　bone　…　the　Warder　bond　made　that　certain　…　but　it　was　friendship　that　made　her　stay　now。
　　　　　　　〃I　am　thankful　to　have　two　friends　such　as　you；〃　she　said　simply。　Birgitte　grinned　at　her　as　if　she　had　said　something　silly。
　　　　　　　Aviendha；　however；　blushed　furiously　and　stared　at　Birgitte；　wide…eyed　and　flustered；　as　though　the　Warder's　presence　were　to　blame　for　her　fiery　cheeks。　Hurriedly　she　shifted　her　gaze　to　the　people　still　short　of　the　first　hill；　perhaps　half　a　mile　distant。　〃Best　to　wait　until　they　are　out　of　sight；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　cannot　wait　too　long。　Once　you　have　started　the　unweaving；　the　flows　begin　to　grow。。。　slick。。。　after　a　time。　Letting　one　slip　free　before　it　is　out　of　the　weave　is　the　same　as　letting　go　of　the　weave；　it　will　fall　into　whatever　it　wishes；　then。　But　you　must　not　hurry；　either。　Each　thread　must　be　pulled　free　as　far　as　it　will　go。　The　more　that　e　loose；　the　easier　others　will　be　to　see；　but　you　must　always　pick　the　thread　that　is　easiest　to　see。〃　Smiling　warmly；　she　pressed　her　fingers　firmly　against　Elayne's　cheek。　〃You　will　do　well；　if　you　are　careful。〃
　　　　　　　It　did　not　sound　that　difficult。　She　just　had　to　be　careful。　It　seemed　to　take　a　long　time　for　the　last　woman　to　vanish　over　the　hill；　the　slender　noble　bent　under　the　bulk　of　her　dresses。　The　sun　barely　appeared　to　settle　any　at　all；　but　it　seemed　like　hours。　What　did　Aviendha　mean　precisely　by　〃slick〃？　She　could　not　explain　beyond　variations　on　the　word；　they　became　difficult　to　hold；　that　was　all。
　　　　　　　Elayne　found　out　as　soon　as　she　began　again。　〃Slick〃　was　what　you　would　get　if　you　coated　a　live　eel　with　grease。　She　gritted　her　teeth　just　holding　on　to　that　first　thread；　and　that　was　on　top　of　trying　to　pull　it　free。　All　that　stopped　her　from　gasping　in　relief　when　the　thread　of　Air　began　whipping　about；　finally　loose；　was　that　there　were　more　to　go。　If　they　became　much　more　〃slick；〃　she　was　not　sure　she　could　manage　it。　Aviendha　watched　closely；　but　did　not　say　another　word；　though　she　always　had　an　encouraging　smile　when　Elayne　needed　one。　Elayne　could　not　see　Birgitte　…　she　did　not　dare　look　away　from　her　work　…　yet　she　could　feel　her；　a　small　knot　of　rock…solid　confidence　in　her　own　head；　enough　confidence　to　fill　her。
　　　　　　　Sweat　slid　down　her　face；　down　her　back　and　belly；　until　she　began　to　feel　〃slick〃　herself。　A　bath　tonight　would　be　most　wele。　No；　she　could　not　think　of　that。　All　attention　on　the　weaves。　They　were　getting　harder　to　handle；　quivering　in　her　grip　as　soon　as　she　touched　one；　but　they　still　came　free；　and　every　time　one　thread　began　to　lash　about；　another　seemed　to　leap　out　of　the　mass；　to　suddenly　be　clearly　perceptible　where　there　had　only　been　solid　saidar　before。　To　her　eye　the　gateway　resembled　some　monstrous；　distorted　hundred…heads　on　the　bottom　of　a　pond；　surrounded　by　flailing　tendrils；　every　one　thickly　haired　with　threads　of　the　Power　that　grew　and　writhed　and　vanished　only　to　be　replaced　by　new。　The　opening　visible　to　anyone　flexed　along　its　edges；　changing　shape　and　even　size　continuously。　Her　legs　began　to　tremble；　strain　stung　her　eyes　as　much　as　sweat　did。　She　did　not　know　how　much　longer　she　could　go　on。　Gritting　her　teeth；　she　fought。　One　thread　at　a　time。　One　thread　at　a　time。
　　　　　　　A　thousand　miles　away；　less　than　a　hundred　paces　away　through　the　shuddering　gateway；　dozens　of　soldiers　swept　around　the　white　farm　buildings；　short　men　carrying　crossbows；　in　brown　breastplates　and　painted　helmets　that　looked　like　the　heads　of　huge　insects。　Behind　them　came　a　woman　with　red　panels　bearing　silver　lightning　on　her　skirts；　a　bracelet　on　her　wrist　linked　by　a　silvery　leash　to　the　collar　around　the　neck　of　a　woman　in　gray；　and　then　another　sul'dam　and　her　damane；　then　another　pair。　One　of　the　sul'dam　pointed　at　the　gateway；　and　the　glow　of　saidar　abruptly　enveloped　her　sul'dam。
　　　　　　　〃Get　down！〃　Elayne　screamed；　falling　backward；　out　of　sight　of　the　farmyard；　and　silver…blue　lightning　shot　through　the　gateway　with　a　roar　that　filled　her　ears；　forking　savagely　in　every　direction。　Her　hair　lifted；　every　strand　trying　to　stand　on　its　own；　and　thunderous　fountains　of　earth　erupted　wherever　one　of　the　forks　struck。　Dirt　and　pebbles　rained　down　on　her。
　　　　　　　Hearing　returned　suddenly；　and　a　man's　voice　from　the　other　side　of　the　opening；　a　slurred；　drawling　accent　that　made　her　skin　crawl　as　much　as　the　words。　〃。。。　must　take　them　alive；　you　fools！〃
　　　　　　　Abruptly　one　of　the　soldiers　was　leaping　into　the　meadow　right　in　front　of　her。　Birgitte's　arrow　punched　through　the　clenched　fist　embossed　on　his　leather　breastplate。　A　second　Seanchan　soldier　stumbled　over　the　first　as　he　fell；　and　Aviendha's　belt　knife　stabbed　into　his　throat　before　he　could　recover。　Arrows　flew　from　Birgitte's　bow　like　hail；　with　one　boot　on　the　horses'　reins；　she　grinned　grimly　as　she　shot。　The　trembling　horses　tossed　their　heads　and　danced　as　if　they　would　jerk　free　and　run；　but　Birgitte　simply　stood　and　shot　as　fast　as　she　could　draw。　Shouts　from　beyond　the　gateway　said　Birgitte　Silverbow　still　struck　home　with　every　shaft　she　loosed。　Answer　came；　quick　as　bad　thought；　black　streaks；　crossbow　bolts。　So　quick；　all　happening　so　fast。　Aviendha　fell；　blood　running　over　the　fingers　clutching　her　right　arm；　but　she　let　go　of　her　wound　immediately；　crawling　clear；　scrabbling　on　the　ground　for　the　angreal；　her　face　set。　Birgitte　cried　out；　dropping　her　bow；　she　grabbed　her　thigh　where　a　quarrel　stuck　out。　Elayne　felt　the　stab　of　agony　as　sharply　as　if　it　were　her　own。
　　　　　　　Desperately；　she　seized　another　thread　from　where　she　lay　half　on　her　back。　And　realized　to　her　horror　after　one　tug　that　it　was　all　she　could　do　to　hold　on。　Had　the　thread　moved？　Had　it　slipped　free　any　at　all？　If　it　had；　she　did　not　dare　let　go。　The　thread　trembled　greasily　in　her　grasp。
　　　　　　　〃Alive；　I　said！〃　that　Seanchan　voice　roared。　〃Anyone　who　kills　a　woman　gets　no　share　of　the　taking　gold！〃　The　flurry　of　crossbow　bolts　ceased。
　　　　　　　〃You　wish　to　take　me？〃　Aviendha　shouted。　〃Then　e　and　dance　with　me！〃　Saidar's　glow　abruptly　surrounded　her；　dim　even　with　the　angreal；　and　balls　o