rj.thegreathunt-第38部分

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ys　knew　you　wanted　children；　Kari。　He　pulled　his　eyes　away　from　the　Amyrlin's　gaze。　He　tried　to　force　the　void　to　hold。　He　knew　that　was　not　the　way；　but　it　was　collapsing　in　him。　Yes；　lass。　Rand　is　a　good　name。　〃I　…　am　…　Rand　…　al'Thor！〃　His　legs　trembled。
　　　　　　　〃And　so　we　knew　the　Dragon　was　Reborn；〃　Moiraine　went　on。　〃The　Amyrlin　swore　us　to　secrecy；　we　two；　for　she　knew　not　all　the　sisters　would　see　the　Rebirth　as　it　must　be　seen。　She　set　us　to　searching。　There　were　many　fatherless　children　after　that　battle。　Too　many。　But　we　found　a　story；　that　one　man　had　found　an　infant　on　the　mountain。　That　was　all。　A　man　and　an　infant　boy。　So　we　searched　on。　For　years　we　searched；　finding　other　clues；　poring　over　the　Prophecies。　'He　will　be　of　the　ancient　blood；　and　raised　by　the　old　blood。'　That　was　one；　there　were　others。　But　there　are　many　places　where　the　old　blood；　descended　from　the　Age　of　Legends；　remains　strong。　Then；　in　the　Two　Rivers；　where　the　old　blood　of　Manetheren　seethes　still　like　a　river　in　flood；　in　Emond's　Field；　I　found　three　boys　whose　namedays　were　within　weeks　of　the　battle　at　Dragonmount。　And　one　of　them　can　channel。　Did　you　think　Trollocs　came　after　you　just　because　you　are　ta'veren？　You　are　the　Dragon　Reborn。〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　knees　gave　way；　he　dropped　to　a　squat；　hands　slapping　the　rug　to　catch　himself　from　falling　on　his　face。　The　void　was　gone；　the　stillness　shattered。　He　raised　his　head；　and　they　were　looking　at　him；　the　three　Aes　Sedai。　Their　faces　were　serene；　smooth　as　unruffled　ponds；　but　their　eyes　did　not　blink。　〃My　father　is　Tam　al'Thor；　and　I　was　born　。。。〃　They　stared　at　him；　unmoving。　They're　lying。　I　am　not　。。。　what　they　say！　Some　way；　somehow；　they're　lying；　trying　to　use　me。　〃I　will　not　be　used　by　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃An　anchor　is　not　demeaned　by　being　used　to　hold　a　boat；〃　the　Amyrlin　said。　〃You　were　made　for　a　purpose；　Rand　al'Thor。　'When　the　winds　of　Tarmon　Gai'don　scour　the　earth；　he　will　face　the　Shadow　and　bring　forth　Light　again　in　the　world。'　The　Prophecies　must　be　fulfilled；　or　the　Dark　One　will　break　free　and　remake　the　world　in　his　image。　The　Last　Battle　is　ing；　and　you　were　born　to　unite　mankind　and　lead　them　against　the　Dark　One。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ba'alzamon　is　dead；〃　Rand　said　hoarsely；　and　the　Amyrlin　snorted　like　a　stablehand。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　believe　that；　you　are　as　much　a　fool　as　the　Domani。　Many　there　believe　he　is　dead；　or　say　they　do；　but　I　notice　they　still　won't　risk　naming　him。　The　Dark　One　lives；　and　he　is　breaking　free。　You　will　face　the　Dark　One。　It　is　your　destiny。〃
　　　　　　　It　is　your　destiny。　He　had　heard　that　before；　in　a　dream　that　had　maybe　not　been　entirely　a　dream。　He　wondered　what　the　Amyrlin　would　say　if　she　knew　Ba'alzamon　had　spoken　to　him　in　dreams。　That's　done　with。　Ba'alzamon　is　dead。　I　saw　him　die。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　it　came　to　him　that　he　was　crouching　like　a　toad；　huddling　under　their　eyes。　He　tried　to　form　the　void　again；　but　voices　whirled　through　his　head；　sweeping　away　every　effort。　It　is　your　destiny。　Babe　lying　in　the　snow。　You　are　the　Dragon　Reborn。　Ba'alzamon　is　dead。　Rand　is　a　good　name；　Kari。　I　will　not　be　used！　Drawing　on　his　own　native　stubbornness；　he　forced　himself　back　upright。　Face　it　on　your　feet。　You　can　keep　your　pride；　at　least。　The　three　Aes　Sedai　watched　with　no　expression。
　　　　　　　〃What　。。。〃　With　an　effort　he　steadied　his　voice。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　to　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；〃　the　Amyrlin　said；　and　he　blinked。　It　was　not　the　answer　he　had　expected；　the　one　he　had　feared。　〃You　say　you　want　to　acpany　your　friend　with　Ingtar；　and　you　may。　I　have　not　marked　you　out　in　any　way。　Some　of　the　sisters　may　know　you　are　ta'veren；　but　no　more。　Only　we　three　know　who　you　truly　are。　Your　friend　Perrin　will　be　brought　to　me；　as　you　were；　and　I　will　visit　your　other　friend　in　the　infirmary。　You　may　go　as　you　will；　without　fear　that　we　will　set　the　Red　sisters　on　you。〃
　　　　　　　Who　you　truly　are。　Anger　flared　up　in　him；　hot　and　corrosive。　He　forced　it　to　stay　inside；　hidden。　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Prophecies　must　be　fulfilled。　We　let　you　walk　free；　knowing　what　you　are；　because　otherwise　the　world　we　know　will　die；　and　the　Dark　One　will　cover　the　earth　with　fire　and　death。　Mark　me；　not　all　Aes　Sedai　feel　the　same。　There　are　some　here　in　Fal　Dara　who　would　strike　you　down　if　they　knew　a　tenth　of　what　you　are；　and　feel　no　more　remorse　than　for　gutting　a　fish。　But　then；　there　are　men　who've　no　doubt　laughed　with　you　who　would　do　the　same；　if　they　knew。　Have　a　care；　Rand　al'Thor；　Dragon　Reborn。〃
　　　　　　　He　looked　at　each　of　them　in　turn。　Your　Prophecies　are　no　part　of　me。　They　returned　his　gaze　so　calmly　it　was　hard　to　believe　they　were　trying　to　convince　him　he　was　the　most　hated；　the　most　feared　man　in　the　history　of　the　world。　He　had　gone　right　through　fear　and　e　out　the　other　side　in　some　place　cold。　Anger　was　all　that　kept　him　warm。　They　could　gentle　him；　or　burn　him　to　a　crisp　where　he　stood；　and　he　no　longer　cared。
　　　　　　　A　part　of　Lan's　instructions　came　back　to　him。　Left　hand　on　the　hilt；　he　twisted　the　sword　behind　him；　catching　the　scabbard　in　his　right；　then　bowed；　arms　straight。　〃By　your　leave；　Mother；　may　I　depart　this　place？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　give　you　leave　to　go；　my　son。〃
　　　　　　　Straightening；　he　stood　there　a　moment　longer。　〃I　will　not　be　used；〃　he　told　them。　There　was　a　long　silence　as　he　turned　and　left。
　
　　　　　　　The　silence　stretched　on　in　the　room　after　Rand　left　until　it　was　broken　by　a　long　breath　from　the　Amyrlin。　〃I　cannot　make　myself　like　what　we　just　did；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　necessary；　but　。。。　Did　it　work；　Daughters？〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　shook　her　head；　just　the　slightest　movement。　〃I　do　not　know。　But　it　was　necessary；　and　is。〃
　　　　　　　〃Necessary；〃　Verin　agreed。　She　touched　her　forehead；　then　peered　at　the　dampness　on　her　fingers。　〃He　is　strong。　And　as　stubborn　as　you　said；　Moiraine。　Much　stronger　than　I　expected。　We　may　have　to　gentle　him　after　all　before　。。。〃　Her　eyes　widened。　〃But　we　cannot；　can　we？　The　Prophecies。　The　Light　forgive　us　for　what　we　are　loosing　on　the　world。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Prophecies；〃　Moiraine　said；　nodding。　〃Afterwards；　we　will　do　as　we　must。　As　we　do　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　we　must；〃　the　Amyrlin　said。　〃Yes。　But　when　he　learns　to　channel；　the　Light　help　us　all。〃
　　　　　　　The　silence　returned。
　
　　　　　　　There　was　a　storm　ing。　Nynaeve　felt　it。　A　big　storm；　worse　than　she　had　ever　seen。　She　could　listen　to　the　wind；　and　hear　what　the　weather　would　be。　All　Wisdoms　claimed　to　be　able　to　do　that；　though　many　could　not。　Nynaeve　had　felt　more　fortable　with　the　ability　before　learning　it　was　a　manifestation　of　the　Power。　Any　woman　who　could　listen　to　the　wind　could　channel；　though　most　were　probably　as　she　had　been；　unaware　of　what　she　was　doing；　getting　it　only　in　fits　and　starts。
This　time；　though；　something　was　wrong。　Outside；　the　morning　sun　was　a　golden　ball　in　a　clear　blue　sky；　and　birds　sang　in　the　gardens；　but　that　was　not　it。　There　would　have　been　nothing　to　listening　to　the　wind　if　she　could　not　foretell　the　weather　before　the　signs　were　visible。　There　was　something　wrong　with　the　feeling　this　time；　something　not　quite　the　way　it　usually　was。　The　storm　felt　distant；　too　far　off　for　her　to　feel　at　all。　Yet　it　felt　as　if　the　sky　above　should　have　been　pouring　down　rain；　and　snow；　and　hail；　all　at　the　same　time；　with　winds　howling　to　shake　the　stones　of　the　keep。　And　she　could　feel　the　good　weather；　too；　lasting　for　days　yet；　but　that　was　muted　under　the　other。
　　　　　　　A　bluefinch　perched　in　an　arrowslit　like　a　mockery　of　her　weather　sense；　peering　into　the　hallway。　When　it　saw　her；　it　vanished　in　a　flash　of　blue　and　white　feathers。
　　　　　　　She　stared　at　the　spot　where　the　bird　had　been。　There　is　a　storm；　and　there　isn't。　It　means　something。　But　what？
　　　　　　　Far　down　the　hall　full　of　women　and　small　children　she　saw　Rand　striding　away；　his　escort　of　women　half　running　to　keep　up。　Nynaeve　nodded　firmly。　If　there　was　a　storm　that　was　not　a　storm；　he　would　be　the　center　of　it。　Gathering　her　skirts；　she　hurried　after　him。
　　　　　　　Women　with　whom　she　had　grown　friendly　since　ing　to　Fal　Dara　tried　to　speak　to　her；　they　knew　Rand　had　e　with　her　and　that　they　were　both　from　the　Two　Rivers；　and　they　wanted　to　know　why　the　Amyrlin　had　summoned　him