rj.thepathofdaggers-第30部分

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　　　　　　　〃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　of　fire　sprang　into　being　in　front　of　the　gateway　and　sprayed　through　again　and　again。　Not　very　large　balls；　but　the　blasts　as　they　burst　back　in　Altara　sounded　in　a　steady　stream。　Aviendha　panted　with　effort；　though；　her　face　glistened　with　sweat。　Birgitte　had　recovered　her　bow；　she　looked　every　inch　the　hero　of　legend；　blood　streaming　down　her　leg；　barely　able　to　stand；　but　an　arrow　half　drawn；　searching　for　a　target。
　　　　　　　Elayne　tried　to　control　her　breathing。　She　could　not　embrace　one　shred　more　of　the　Power；　nothing　to　help。　〃The　two　of　you　must　get　away；〃　she　said。　She　could　not　believe　how　she　sounded；　calm　as　ice；　she　knew　she　should　have　been　wailing。　Her　heart　was　trying　to　pound　through　her　ribs。　〃I　don't　know　how　much　longer　I　can　hold　this。〃　That　held　true　for　the　entire　weave　as　much　as　for　that　single　thread。　Was　it　sliding？　Was　it？　〃Go；　as　fast　as　you　can。　The　other　side　of　the　hills　should　be　safe；　but　every　span　you　can　cover　gains　something。　Go！〃
　　　　　　　Birgitte　growled　in　the　Old　Tongue；　but　nothing　that　Elayne　knew。　It　sounded　like　phrases　she　would　like　to　learn。　If　there　was　ever　a　chance。　Birgitte　went　on　in　words　Elayne　could　understand。　〃You　let　that　bloody　thing　go　before　I　tell　you；　and　you　won't　have　to　worry　about　waiting　for　Nynaeve　to　skin　you；　I'll　do　it　myself。　And　then　let　her　have　a　turn。　Just　be　quiet　and　hang　on！　Aviendha；　get　around　here　…　behind　that　thing！　…　can　you　keep　that　up　from　behind　it？　…　get　around　here　and　on　one　of　these　bloody　horses。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　long　as　I　can　see　where　to　weave；〃　Aviendha　replied；　staggering　to　her　feet。　She　wobbled　sideways　and　barely　caught　herself　short　of　falling。　Blood　flowed　down　her　sleeve　from　a　wicked　gash。　〃I　think　I　can。〃　She　vanished　behind　the　gateway；　and　the　fireballs　continued。　You　could　see　through　a　gateway　from　the　other　side；　though　it　appeared　to　be　a　heat　haze　hanging　in　the　air。　You　could　not　walk　through　from　that　side；　though　…　the　attempt　would　be　extremely　painful　…　and　when　Aviendha　reappeared；　she　was　stumbling　well　wide。　Birgitte　helped　her　mount　her　gelding；　but　backwards；　of　all　things！
　　　　　　　When　Birgitte　motioned　fiercely　to　her；　Elayne　did　not　bother　with　shaking　her　head。　For　one　thing；　she　feared　what　might　happen　if　she　did。　〃I'm　not　certain　I　can　hold　on　if　I　try　to　get　up。〃　In　truth；　she　was　not　certain　she　could　get　up；　tired　was　no　longer　in　it；　her　muscles　were　water。　〃Ride　as　fast　as　you　can。　I'll　hold　on　as　long　as　I'm　able。　Please；　go！〃
　　　　　　　Muttering　curses　in　the　Old　Tongue　…　they　had　to　be；　nothing　else　ever　had　the　sound！　…　Birgitte　shoved　the　horses'　reins　into　Aviendha's　hands。　Nearly　falling　twice；　she　hobbled　to　Elayne　and　bent　to　take　her　by　the　shoulders。　〃You　can　hang　on；〃　she　said；　her　voice　filled　with　the　same　conviction　Elayne　felt　from　her。　〃I　never　met　a　Queen　of　Andor　before　you；　but　I've　known　queens　like　you。　A　backbone　of　steel　and　a　lion's　heart。　You　can　do　it！〃
　　　　　　　Slowly　she　pulled　Elayne　up；　not　waiting　for　an　answer；　her　face　tight；　every　stab　in　her　leg　echoing　in　Elayne's　head。　Elayne　quivered　with　the　effort　of　holding　the　weave；　holding　that　one　thread；　she　was　surprised　to　find　herself　erect。　And　alive。　Birgitte's　leg　throbbed　madly　in　her　head。　She　tried　not　to　lean　on　Birgitte；　but　her　own　trembling　limbs　would　not　support　her　pletely。　As　they　lurched　toward　the　horses；　each　half　leaning　on　the　other；　she　kept　looking　back　over　her　shoulder。　She　could　hold　a　weave　without　looking　at　it　…　she　could　normally　…　but　she　needed　to　reassure　herself　that　she　really　did　still　have　a　grip　on　that　one　thread；　that　it　was　not　slipping。　The　gateway　now　appeared　like　no　weave　she　had　ever　seen；　twisting　wildly；　wreathed　with　fuzzed　tentacles。
　　　　　　　With　a　groan；　Birgitte　heaved　her　into　her　saddle　more　than　helped　her。　Backward；　just　like　Aviendha！　〃You　have　to　see；〃　she　explained；　limping　to　her　gelding；　holding　the　reins　of　all　three　horses；　she　pulled　herself　up　painfully。　Without　a　sound；　but　Elayne　felt　the　agony。　〃You　do　what　needs　doing　and　leave　where　we're　going　to　me。〃　The　horses　leaped　away；　perhaps　as　much　from　eagerness　to　be　gone　as　from　Birgitte's　heel　in　her　own　mount's　flank。
　　　　　　　Elayne　hung　on　to　the　high　cantle　of　her　saddle　as　grimly　as　she　did　to　the　weave；　to　saidar　itself。　The　galloping　horse　flung　her　about；　and　it　was　all　she　could　do　to　remain　in　the　saddle。　Aviendha　used　her　saddle's　cantle　as　a　prop　to　keep　herself　upright；　her　mouth　hung　open；　sucking　air；　and　her　eyes　seemed　fixed。　The　glow　surrounded　her；　though；　and　that　stream　of　fireballs　continued。　Not　as　fast　as　before；　true；　and　some　shot　wide　of　the　gateway；　streaking　trails　of　flame　through　the　grass　or　exploding　on　the　ground　beyond；　but　they　still　formed　and　flew。　Elayne　took　strength；　made　herself　take　strength；　if　Aviendha　could　keep　on　when　she　looked　ready　to　fall　on　her　face；　she　could；　too。
　　　　　　　At　a　gallop；　the　gateway　began　to　dwindle；　brown　grass　stretching　out　between　them　and　the　opening；　and　then　the　ground　was　slanting　upward。　They　were　climbing　the　hill！　Birgitte　was　again　the　arrow　in　the　bow；　all　focus；　fighting　down　the　agony　in　her　legs；　urging　her　horses　for　more　speed。　All　they　had　to　do　was　reach　the　crest；　reach　the　other　side。
　　　　　　　With　a　gasp；　Aviendha　sagged　onto　her　elbows；　bouncing　on　her　saddle　like　a　loose　sack；　the　light　of　saidar　flickered　around　her　and　was　gone。　〃I　cannot；〃　she　panted。　〃I　cannot。〃　That　was　all　she　could　get　out。　Seanchan　soldiers　began　leaping　into　the　meadow　almost　as　soon　as　the　hail　of　fire　ceased。
　　　　　　　〃It's　all　right；〃　Elayne　managed。　Her　throat　was　sand；　all　the　moisture　that　had　been　in　her　now　coated　her　skin　and　soaked　her　clothes。　〃Using　an　angreal　is　tiring。　You　did　well；　and　they　can't　catch　us　now。〃
　　　　　　　As　if　to　mock　her；　a　sul'dam　appeared　in　the　meadow　below；　even　at　half　a　mile　there　was　no　mistaking　the　two　women。　The　sun；　low　in　the　west；　still　flashed　glints　off　the　a'dam　linking　them。　Another　pair　joined　them；　then　a　third；　and　a　fourth。　A　fifth。
　　　　　　　〃The　crest！〃　Birgitte　shouted　joyfully。　〃We　made　it！　It's　good　wine　and　a　well　set…up　man　tonight！〃
　　　　　　　In　the　meadow；　a　sul'dam　pointed；　and　time　seemed　to　slow　for　Elayne。　The　glow　of　the　One　Power　sprang　up　around　the　woman's　damane。　Elayne　could　see　the　weave　forming。　She　knew　what　it　was。　And　there　was　no　way　to　stop　it。　〃Faster！〃　she　shouted。　The　shield　struck　her。　She　should　have　been　too　strong　for　it　…　she　should　have　been！　…　but　exhausted　as　she　was；　barely　clinging　to　saidar　as　she　was；　it　sliced　between　her　and　the　Source。　Down　in　the　meadow；　the　weave　that　had　been　a　gateway　fell　in　on　itself。　Haggard；　looking　as　though　she　could　not　possibly　move；　Aviendha　hurled　herself　from　her　saddle　at　Elayne；　carrying　them　both　off。　Elayne　had　just　time　to　see　the　far　slope　of　the　hill　below　her　as　she　fell。
　　　　　　　The　air　turned　white；　blanking　her　sight。　There　was　sound　…　she　knew　there　was　sound；　a　great　roar　…　but　it　lay　beyond　hearing。　Something　struck　her；　as　if　she　had　fallen　from　a　rooftop　onto　hard　pavement；　from　a　tower　top。
　　　　　　　Her　eyes　opened；　staring　at　the　sky。　The　sky　looked；　strange　somehow；　blurry。　For　a　moment　she　could　not　move；　and　when　she　did；　she　gasped。　She　hurt　everywhere。　Oh；　Light；　she　hurt！　Slowly　she　raised　a　hand　to　her　face；　her　fingers　came　away　red。　Blood。　The　others。　She　had　to　help　the　others。　She　could　feel　Birgitte；　feel　pain　as　bad　as　what　gripped　her；　but　at　least　Birgitte　was　alive。　And　determined；　and　angry　apparently；　she　could　not　be　injured　too　badly。　Aviendha。
　　　　　　　With　a　sob；　Elayne　rolled　over；　then　pushed　up　to　hands　and　knees；　her　head　spinning；　agony　stabbing　her　side。　Vaguely　she　recalled　that　moving　with　even　one　broken　rib　could　be　dangerous；　but　the　thought　was　as　hazy　as　the　hillside。　Thinking　seemed。。。　difficult。　Blinking　appeared　to　help　her　sight；　though。　Some。　She　was　almost　to　the　bottom　of　the　hill！　High　above；　a　haze　of　smoke　rose　from　the　meadow　beyond。　Unimportant；　now。　Not　important　at　all。
　　　　　　　Thirty　paces　up　the　slope；　Aviendha　was　on　her　hands　and　knees；　too；　almost　falling　over　when　she　raised　a　hand　to　wipe　away　blood　that　poured　down　her　face；　but　searching　anxiously。　Her　gaze　fell　on　Elayne；　and　she　froze；　staring。　Elayne　wondered　how　bad　she　looked。　Surely　no　worse　than　Aviendha　herself；　half　of　the　other　woman's　skirt　was　gone；　her　bodice　torn　nearly　off；　and　everywhere　skin　showed；　there　seemed　to　be　blood。
　　　　　　　Elayne　crawled　to　her。　With　her　head；　it　seemed　much　easier　than　trying　to　stand　and　walk。　As　she　came　close；　Aviendha　gave　a　relieved　gasp。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　all　right；〃　she　said；　touching　bloody　fingers　to　Elayne's　cheek。　〃I　was　so　afraid。　So　afraid。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　blinked　in　surprise。　What　she　could　see　of　herself　appeared　in　every　bit　as　bad　shape　as　Aviendha。　Her　own　skirts　remained　intact；　but　half　of　her　bodice　was　ripped　away　entirely；　and　she　seemed　to　be　bleeding　from　two　dozen　gashes。　Then　it　struck　her。　She　had　not　been　burned　out。　She　shivered　at　the　thought。　〃We　are　both　all　right；〃　she　said　softly。
　　　　　　　Well　off　to　one　side；　Birgitte　wiped　her　belt　knife　on　the　mane　of　Aviendha's　gelding　and　straightened　from　the　still　horse。　Her　right　arm　dangled；　her　coat　was　gone；　along　with　one　boot；　and　the　rest　of　her　garments　torn；　as　much　blood　stained　her　skin　and　clothes　as　either　of　theirs。　The　crossbow　bolt　standing　out　from　her　thigh　seemed　to　be　the　worst　of　her　injuries；　but　the　rest　certainly　added　up　to　as　much　again。　〃His　back　was　broken；〃　she　said；　gesturing　to　the　horse　at　her　feet。　〃Mine's　well；　I　think；　but　the　last　I　saw　of　him；　he　was　running　fit　to　win　the　Wreath　of　Megairil。　I　always　thought　he　had　a　turn　of　speed。　Lioness。〃　She　shrugged；　and　winced。　〃Elayne；　Lioness　was　dead　when　I　found　her。　I'm　sorry。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　are　alive；〃　Elayne　said　firmly；　〃and　that　is　what　counts。〃　She　would　weep　for　Lioness　later。　The　smoke　above　the　hilltop　was　not　thick；　but　it　rose　over　a　wide　area。　〃I　want　to　see　exactly　what　it　was　that　I　did。〃
　　　　　　　It　took　clinging　to　one　another　for　all　three　of　them　t