rj.thepathofdaggers-第144部分

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　　　　　　　〃What　happened？〃　Vandene　asked　coolly　from　the　door。　Lan　moved　to　bar　her　way；　but　she　stopped　him　with　a　small　gesture。　Elayne　started　to　put　an　arm　around　her；　and　received　another　raised　hand　to　keep　her　back。　Vandene's　eyes　remained　on　her　sister；　calm　in　a　face　of　Aes　Sedai　serenity。　The　dead　woman　on　the　cot　might　as　well　not　have　existed。　〃When　I　saw　all　of　you　heading　this　way；　I　thought。。。　We　knew　we　didn't　have　many　years　remaining；　but。。。　〃　Her　voice　sounded　serenity　itself；　but　small　wonder　if　that　was　a　mask。　〃What　have　you　found；　Nynaeve？〃
　　　　　　　Sympathy　looked　odd　on　Nynaeve's　face。　Clearing　her　throat；　she　pointed　to　the　tea　leaves　without　touching　them。　To　white　shavings　among　the　matted　black　leaves。　〃This　is　crimsonthorn　root；〃　she　said；　trying　to　sound　matter…of…fact　and　failing。　〃It's　sweet；　so　you　might　miss　it　in　tea　unless　you　know　what　it　is；　especially　if　you　take　a　lot　of　honey。〃
　　　　　　　Vandene　nodded；　never　taking　her　eyes　from　her　sister。　〃Adeleas　developed　a　taste　for　sweet　tea　in　Ebou　Dar。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　little　kills　pain；〃　Nynaeve　said。　〃This　much。。。　This　much　kills；　but　slowly。　Even　a　few　sips　would　be　enough。〃　Taking　a　deep　breath；　she　added；　〃They　might　have　remained　conscious　for　hours。　Not　able　to　move；　but　aware。　Either　whoever　did　this　didn't　want　to　risk　someone　ing　too　soon　with　an　antidote　…　not　that　I　know　one；　for　a　brew　this　strong　…　or　else　they　wanted　one　or　the　other　to　know　who　was　killing　them。〃　Elayne　gasped　at　the　brutality；　but　Vandene　simply　nodded。
　　　　　　　〃Ispan；　I　think；　since　they　appear　to　have　taken　the　most　time　with　her。〃　The　white…haired　Green　almost　seemed　to　be　thinking　aloud；　working　out　a　puzzle。　Cutting　a　throat　took　less　time　than　driving　a　stake　through　someone's　heart。　The　calm　of　her　made　Elayne's　skin　crawl。　〃Adeleas　would　never　have　accepted　anything　to　drink　from　someone　she　didn't　know；　not　out　here　with　Ispan。　Those　two　facts　name　her　killer；　in　a　way。　A　Darkfriend；　and　one　of　our　party。　One　of　us。〃　Elayne　felt　two　chills；　her　own；　and　Birgitte's。
　　　　　　　〃One　of　us；〃　Nynaeve　agreed　sadly。　Aviendha　began　testing　the　edge　of　her　belt　knife　on　her　thumb；　and　for　once；　Elayne　felt　no　objection。
　　　　　　　Vandene　asked　to　be　left　alone　with　her　sister　for　a　few　moments；　and　sat　on　the　floor　to　cradle　Adeleas　in　her　arms　before　they　were　out　of　the　door。　Jaem；　Vandene's　gnarled　old　Warder；　was　waiting　outside　with　a　shivering　Kirstian。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　a　wail　burst　out　inside　the　hut；　the　full…throated　cry　of　a　woman　mourning　the　loss　of　everything。　Nynaeve；　of　all　people；　turned　to　go　back；　but　Lan　laid　a　hand　on　her　arm；　and　Jaem　planted　himself　before　the　door　with　eyes　not　much　warmer　than　Lan's。　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　leave　them；　Vandene　to　shriek　her　pain；　and　Jaem　to　guard　her　in　it。　And　share　it；　Elayne　realized；　feeling　that　knot　of　emotions　in　her　head　that　was　Birgitte。　She　shivered；　and　Birgitte　put　an　arm　around　her　shoulders。　Aviendha　did　the　same　from　the　other　side；　and　motioned　for　Nynaeve　to　join　them；　which　she　did；　after　a　moment。　The　murder　Elayne　had　thought　of　so　lightly　had　e；　one　of　their　panions　was　a　Darkfriend；　and　the　day　suddenly　felt　cold　enough　to　shatter　bones；　but　there　was　a　warmth　in　the　closeness　of　her　friends。
　　　　　　　The　last　ten　funereal　miles　to　Caemlyn　took　two　days　in　the　snow；　with　even　the　Windfinders　decently　subdued。　Not　that　they　pushed　Merilille　any　less　hard。　Not　that　Kin　stopped　talking；　and　falling　silent　whenever　a　sister　or　one　of　the　Knitting　Circle　came　near。　Vandene；　with　her　sister's　silver…mounted　saddle　on　her　horse；　appeared　as　serene　as　she　had　at　Adeleas'　graveside；　but　Jaem's　eyes　carried　a　silent　promise　of　death　that　surely　rode　in　Vandene's　heart；　too。　Elayne　could　not　have　been　happier　to　see　the　walls　and　towers　of　Caemlyn　if　the　very　sight　had　given　her　the　Rose　Crown　and　brought　back　Adeleas。
　　　　　　　Even　Caemlyn；　one　of　the　great　cities　of　the　world；　had　never　seen　the　likes　of　their　party　before；　and　once　inside　the　fifty…foot　walls　of　gray　stone　they　attracted　notice　as　they　crossed　the　New　City　along　wide；　slush…filled　streets　bustling　with　people　and　carts　and　wagons。　Shopkeepers　stood　in　their　doorways　and　gaped。　Wagon　drivers　reined　in　their　teams　to　stare。　Towering　Aielmen　and　tall　Maidens　eyed　them　from　every　corner；　it　seemed。　The　people　seemed　to　take　no　notice　of　the　Aiel；　but　Elayne　did。　She　loved　Aviendha　as　she　did　herself；　more；　but　she　could　not　love　an　army　of　armed　Aiel　walking　Caemlyn's　streets。
　　　　　　　The　Inner　City；　ringed　by　towered　walls　of　silver…streaked　white；　was　a　remembered　delight；　and　Elayne　finally　began　to　feel　that　she　was　ing　home。　The　streets　followed　the　curves　of　the　hills；　and　every　rise　presented　a　new　vista　of　snow…covered　parks　and　monuments　laid　out　to　be　seen　from　above　as　well　as　up　close；　of　brightly　tiled　towers　shining　with　a　hundred　colors　in　the　afternoon　sun。　And　then　the　Royal　Palace　itself　was　before　them；　a　confection　of　pale　spires　and　golden　domes　and　intricate　stonework　traceries。　The　banner　of　Andor　waved　from　nearly　every　prominence；　the　White　Lion　on　red。　And　from　the　others；　the　Dragon　Banner　or　the　Banner　of　Light。
　　　　　　　At　the　tall　gilded　gates　of　the　Palace；　Elayne　rode　forward　alone　in　her　travel…stained　gray　riding　dress。　Tradition　and　legend　said　women　who　first　approached　the　Palace　in　splendor　always　failed。　She　had　made　clear　that　she　had　to　do　it　alone；　yet　she　almost　wished　Aviendha　and　Birgitte　had　succeeded　in　overruling　her。　Half　the　two　dozen　guards　in　front　of　the　gates　were　Aiel　Maidens；　the　others　men　in　blue　helmets　and　blue　coats　with　a　red…and…gold　Dragon　marching　across　the　chest。
　　　　　　　〃I　am　Elayne　Trakand；〃　she　announced　loudly；　surprised　at　how　calm　she　sounded。　Her　voice　carried；　and　across　the　great　plaza　people　turned　from　staring　at　her　panions　to　stare　at　her。　The　ancient　formula　rolled　from　her　tongue。　〃In　the　name　of　House　Trakand；　by　right　of　descent　from　Ishara；　I　have　e　to　claim　the　Lion　Throne　of　Andor；　if　the　Light　wills　it　so。〃
　　　　　　　The　gates　opened　wide。
　　　　　　　It　would　not　be　that　easy；　of　course。　Even　possession　of　the　Palace　was　not　enough　to　hold　the　throne　of　Andor　by　itself。　Passing　her　panions　into　the　care　of　an　astonished　Reene　Harfor　…　and　very　pleased　to　see　that　the　graying　First　Maid；　round　and　as　regal　as　any　queen；　still　had　the　Palace　in　her　capable　hands　…　and　a　coterie　of　servants　in　red…and…white　livery；　Elayne　hurried　to　the　Grand　Hall；　the　throne　room　of　Andor。　Alone；　again。　This　was　not　part　of　the　ritual；　not　yet。　She　should　have　been　going　to　change　into　the　red　silk　with　the　pearl…worked　bodice　and　white　lions　climbing　the　sleeves；　but　she　felt　pelled。　This　time；　not　even　Nynaeve　tried　to　object。
　　　　　　　White　columns　twenty　paces　high　marched　down　the　sides　of　the　Grand　Hall。　The　throne　room　was　empty；　still。　That　would　not　last　long。　Clear　afternoon　light　through　the　glassed　casements　in　tall　windows　along　the　walls　mingled　with　the　colored　light　through　the　great　windows　set　in　the　ceiling；　where　the　White　Lion　of　Andor　alternated　with　scenes　of　Andoran　victories　and　the　faces　of　the　land's　earliest　queens；　beginning　with　Ishara　herself；　as　dark　as　any　of　the　Atha'an　Miere；　as　full　of　authority　as　any　Aes　Sedai。　No　ruler　of　Andor　could　forget　herself　with　the　predecessors　who　had　forged　this　nation　staring　down　at　her。
　　　　　　　One　thing　she　feared　to　see　…　the　huge　monstrosity　of　a　throne；　all　gilded　Dragons；　that　she　had　seen　standing　on　the　dais　at　the　far　end　of　the　Hall　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。　It　was　not　there；　thank　the　Light。　The　Lion　Throne　no　longer　rested　on　a　tall　plinth　like　some　trophy；　either；　but　kept　its　proper　place　upon　the　dais；　a　massive　chair；　carved　and　gilded；　but　sized　for　a　woman。　The　White　Lion；　picked　out　in　moonstones　on　a　field　of　rubies；　would　stand　above　the　head　of　any　woman　who　sat　there。　No　man　could　feel　at　his　ease　sitting　on　that　throne；　because；　so　legend　said；　he　would　know　he　had　sealed　his　doom。　Elayne　thought　it　more　likely　the　builders　had　simply　made　sure　a　man　would　not　fit　on　it　easily。
　　　　　　　Climbing　the　white　marble　steps　of　the　dais；　she　laid　a　hand　on　one　arm　of　the　throne。　She　had　no　right　to　sit　on　it