rj.thepathofdaggers-第52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！


m；　not　even　to　defend　themselves。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　when　they　did；〃　Meira　said　sourly；　〃twenty…three　of　us　died。　And　more　than　ten　thousand　algai'd'siswai　did　not　return　either。　Here；　we　have　little　more　than　a　third　of　that　number　even　counting　the　Brotherless。〃　She　soaked　the　last　word　in　scorn。
　　　　　　　〃That　was　Rand　al'Thor's　work！〃　Sevanna　told　them　sharply。　〃Instead　of　thinking　what　he　did　against　us；　think　what　we　can　do　when　he　is　ours！〃　When　he　is　mine；　she　thought。　The　Aes　Sedai　had　been　able　to　take　and　hold　him　as　long　as　they　had；　and　she　had　something　the　Aes　Sedai　had　not；　else　they　would　have　used　it。　〃Remember　instead　that　we　had　the　Aes　Sedai　beaten　until　he　took　their　side。　Aes　Sedai　are　nothing！〃
　　　　　　　Once　again　her　effort　to　strengthen　their　hearts　produced　no　visible　effect。　All　they　could　remember　was　that　the　spears　had　been　broken　trying　to　capture　Rand　al'Thor；　and　they　with　them。　Modarra　might　have　been　staring　into　the　grave　of　all　her　sept；　and　even　Tion　frowned　uneasily；　doubtless　recalling　that　she；　too；　had　run　like　a　frightened　goat。
　　　　　　　〃Wise　Ones；〃　a　man's　voice　said　behind　Sevanna；　〃I　have　been　sent　to　ask　for　your　judgment。〃
　　　　　　　Instantly　every　woman's　face　regained　its　equanimity。　What　she　could　not　do；　he　had　done　with　his　very　presence。　No　Wise　One　would　allow　any　but　another　Wise　One　to　see　her　out　of　countenance。　Alarys　stopped　stroking　her　hair；　which　she　had　pulled　over　her　shoulder。　Plainly　none　of　them　recognized　him。　Sevanna　thought　she　did。
　　　　　　　He　regarded　them　gravely；　with　green　eyes　much　older　than　his　smooth　face。　He　had　full　lips；　but　there　was　a　set　to　his　mouth；　as　if　he　had　forgotten　how　to　smile。　〃I　am　Kinhuin；　of　the　Mera'din；　Wise　Ones。　The　Jumai　say　we　may　not　take　our　full　share　from　this　place　because　we　are　not　Jumai；　but　it　is　because　they　will　have　less　since　we　are　two　for　every　Jumai　algai'd'siswai。　The　Brotherless　ask　your　judgment；　Wise　Ones。〃
　　　　　　　Now　that　they　knew　who　he　was；　some　could　not　hide　their　dislike　of　the　men　who　had　abandoned　clan　and　sept　to　e　to　the　Shaido　rather　than　follow　Rand　al'Thor；　a　wetlander　and　no　true　Car'a'carn；　as　they　thought。　Tion's　face　merely　went　flat；　but　Rhiale's　eyes　flashed；　and　Meira　teetered　on　the　edge　of　a　scowl。　Only　Modarra　showed　concern；　but　then；　she　would　have　tried　to　settle　a　dispute　between　treekillers。
　　　　　　　〃These　six　Wise　Ones　will　give　judgment　after　hearing　both　sides；〃　Sevanna　told　Kinhuin　with　a　graveness　to　match　his。
　　　　　　　The　other　women　looked　at　her；　barely　concealing　their　surprise　that　she　intended　to　stand　aside。　It　had　been　she　who　arranged　for　ten　times　the　number　of　Mera'din　to　acpany　the　Jumai　as　went　with　any　other　sept。　She　really　had　suspected　Caddar；　if　not　of　what　he　had　done；　and　she　had　wanted　as　many　spears　around　her　as　possible。　Besides；　they　could　always　die　in　place　of　Jumai。
　　　　　　　She　affected　surprise　at　the　others'　surprise。　〃It　would　not　be　fair　for　me　to　take　part　since　my　own　sept　is　involved；〃　she　told　them　before　turning　back　to　the　green…eyed　man。　〃They　will　give　fair　judgment；　Kinhuin。　And　I　am　certain　they　will　speak　in　favor　of　the　Mera'din。〃
　　　　　　　The　other　women　gave　her　hard　looks　before　Tion　motioned　abruptly　for　Kinhuin　to　lead　the　way。　He　had　to　tear　his　eyes　away　from　Sevanna　to　ply。　Wearing　a　faint　smile　…　he　had　been　staring　at　her；　not　Someryn　…　she　watched　them　vanish　into　the　mass　of　people　moving　about　the　manor　grounds。　For　all　their　misliking　the　Brotherless　…　and　her　making　predictions　to　the　man　about　their　decision　…　the　chances　were　they　would　decide　that　way。　Either　way；　Kinhuin　would　remember　and　tell　the　others　of　his　so…called　society。　The　Jumai　were　already　in　her　belt　pouch；　but　anything　that　tied　the　Mera'din　to　her　was　wele。
　　　　　　　Turning；　Sevanna　strode　back　into　the　trees；　though　not　toward　the　stable。　Now　that　she　was　alone；　she　could　see　to　something　much　more　important　than　the　Brotherless。　She　checked　what　she　had　tucked　into　her　skirt　at　the　small　of　her　back；　where　her　shawl　hid　it。　She　would　have　felt　if　it　slipped　a　hair；　but　she　wanted　to　touch　its　smooth　length　with　her　fingers。　No　Wise　One　would　dare　think　her　less　than　they；　once　she　used　that；　perhaps　today。　And　one　day；　it　would　give　her　Rand　al'Thor。　After　all；　if　Caddar　had　lied　in　one　thing；　maybe　he　had　lied　in　others。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Through　a　blur　of　tears　Galina　Casban　glared　at　the　Wise　One　shielding　her。　As　if　there　were　any　need　for　the　slender　woman's　shield。　Right　then　she　could　not　have　so　much　as　embraced　the　Source。　Sitting　cross…legged　on　the　ground　between　two　squatting　Maidens；　Belinde　adjusted　her　shawl　and　gave　a　thin　smile；　as　if　she　knew　Galina's　thoughts。　Her　face　was　narrow　and　foxlike；　and　her　hair　and　eyebrows　had　been　bleached　nearly　white　by　the　sun。　Galina　wished　she　had　crushed　her　skull　instead　of　merely　slapping　her。
　　　　　　　It　had　not　been　an　attempt　at　escape；　merely　more　frustration　than　she　could　bear。　Her　days　began　and　ended　with　exhaustion；　every　day　more　than　the　last。　She　could　not　remember　how　long　since　they　had　stuffed　her　into　that　coarse　black　robe；　the　days　ran　together　like　an　everlasting　stream。　A　week？　A　month？　Maybe　not　that　long。　Surely　not　more。　She　wished　she　had　never　touched　Belinde。　If　the　woman　had　not　stuffed　rags　into　her　mouth　to　silence　her　sobbing；　she　would　have　begged　to　be　allowed　to　carry　rocks　again；　or　move　a　pile　of　pebbles　stone　by　stone；　or　any　of　the　tortures　they　filled　her　hours　with。　Anything　rather　than　this。
　　　　　　　Only　Galina's　head　stuck　out　of　the　leather　sack　that　hung　suspended　from　the　stout　limb　of　an　oak。　Directly　beneath　the　sack；　coals　glowed　in　a　bronze　brazier；　a　slow　burn；　heating　the　air　inside　the　sack。　She　huddled　in　that　sweltering　heat　with　her　thumbs　tied　to　her　toes；　sweat　slicking　her　nakedness。　Her　hair　clung　damply　to　her　face；　and　she　panted；　nostrils　flaring　for　air；　when　she　was　not　sobbing。　Even　so；　this　would　have　been　better　than　the　endless；　senseless；　backbreaking　labor　they　subjected　her　to　except　for　one　thing。　Before　snugging　the　neck　of　the　sack　beneath　her　chin；　Belinde　had　emptied　a　pouch　of　some　fine　powder　over　her；　and　as　she　had　begun　to　sweat；　it　had　begun　to　burn　like　pepper　flung　in　the　eyes。　It　seemed　to　coat　her　from　the　shoulders　down；　and；　oh；　Light；　it　burned！
　　　　　　　That　she　called　on　the　Light　measured　her　desperation；　but　they　had　not　broken　her　for　all　their　trying。　She　would　get　free　…　she　would！　…　and　once　she　did；　she　would　make　these　savages　pay　in　blood！　Rivers　of　blood！　Oceans！　She　would　have　them　all　skinned　alive！　She　would。。。！　Flinging　back　her　head；　she　howled；　the　wadded　rags　in　her　mouth　muffled　the　sound；　but　she　howled；　and　she　did　not　know　whether　it　was　a　shriek　of　rage　or　a　scream　for　mercy。
　　　　　　　When　her　howls　died　and　her　head　fell　forward；　Belinde　and　the　Maidens　were　on　their　feet；　and　Sevanna　was　with　them。　Galina　attempted　to　stifle　her　sobbing　in　front　of　the　golden…haired　woman；　but　she　could　as　soon　have　plucked　the　sun　from　the　sky　with　her　fingers。
　　　　　　　〃Listen　to　her　whine　and　snivel；〃　Sevanna　sneered；　ing　to　look　up　at　her。　Galina　tried　to　put　an　equal　contempt　in　her　own　stare。　Sevanna　decked　herself　with　enough　jewelry　for　ten　women！　She　wore　her　blouse　unlaced　to　nearly　bare　her　bosom；　except　for　all　those　mismatched　necklaces；　and　breathed　deep　when　men　looked　at　her！　Galina　tried；　but　contempt　was　hard　to　manage　with　tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks　along　with　her　sweat。　She　shook　with　weeping；　making　the　sack　sway。
　　　　　　　〃This　da'tsang　is　tough　as　an　old　ewe；〃　Belinde　cackled；　〃but　I　always　found　even　the　toughest　old　ewe　was　made　tender　if　cooked　slowly；　with　the　right　herbs。　When　I　was　a　Maiden；　I　softened　Stone　Dogs　with　enough　cooking。〃　Galina　closed　her　eyes。　Oceans　of　blood；　to　pay　for。。。！
　　　　　　　The　sack　lurched；　and　Galina's　eyes　popped　open　as　it　began　to　settle。　The　Maidens　had　undone　the　rope　running　over　the　limb；　and　the　pair　of　them　were　lowering　her　slowly。　Frantically　she　thrashed　about；　trying　to　look　down；　and　almost　began　sobbing　anew；　with　relief；　when　she　saw　that　the　brazier　had　been　moved　aside。　With　Belinde's　talk　of　cooking。。。　That　would　be　Belinde's　fate；　Galina　decided。　Tied　to　a　spit　and　turned　over　a　fire　until　her　juices　dripped！　That　to　begin！
　　　　　　　With　a　thud　that　made　Galina　grunt；　the　leather　bag　hit　the　ground　and　toppled　over。　As　unconcerned　as　if　they　were　handling　a　sack　of　potatoes；　the　Maidens　tumbled　her　out　onto　the　brown　weeds；　sliced　the　cords　that　held　her　thumbs　and　toes；　plucked　the　gag　from　between　her　teeth。　Dirt　and　dead　leaves　stuck　to　the　sweat　coating　her。
　　　　　　　She　very　much　wanted　to　stand；　to　meet　them　all　eye…to…eye　and　glare…for…glare。　Instead；　she　rose　only　as　far　as　hands　and　knees；　then　dug　her　fingers　into　the　mulch　of　the　forest　floor；　dug　her　toes　in。　Any　further；　and　she　would　not　be　able　to　stop　her　hands　from　flying　to　soothe　her　red；　flaming　skin。　Her　sweat　felt　like　the　juice　of　ice　peppers。　All　she　could　do　was　crouch　there　and　quiver；　try　to　work　some　moisture　back　into　her　mouth　and　daydream　of　what　she　would　do　to　these　savages。
　　　　　　　〃I　believed　you　were　stronger　than　this；〃　Sevanna　said　above　her　in　thoughtful　tones；　〃but　perhaps　Belinde　is　right。　Perhaps　you　are　soft　enough；　now。　If　you　swear　to　obey　me；　you　can　stop　being　da'tsang。　Perhaps　you　will　not　even　have　to　be　gai'shain。　Will　you　swear　to　obey　me　in　all　things？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes！〃　The　hoarse　word　flew　from　Galina's　tongue　without　hesitation；　though　she　had　to　swallow　before　speaking　more。　〃I　will　obey　you！　I　swear　it！〃　And　so　she　would　obey。　Until　they　gave　the　opening　she　needed。　Was　this　all　that　had　been　necessary？　An　oath　she　would　have　made　the　first　day？　Sevanna　would　learn　what　it　was　like　to　hang　over　hot　coals。　Oh；　yes；　she。。。
　　　　　　　〃Then　you　will　not　object　to　swearing　your　oath　on　this；〃　Sevanna　said；　tossing　something　down　in　front　of　her。
　　　　　　　Galina's　scalp　crawled　as　she　stared　at　it。　A　white　rod　like　polished　ivory；　a　foot　long　and　no　thicker　than　her　wrist。　Then　she　saw　the　flowing　marks　carved　into　the　end　toward　her；　numerals　used　in　the　Age　of　Legends。　One　hundred　eleven。　She　had　thought　it　was　the　Oath　Rod；　somehow　stolen　from　the