rj.thepathofdaggers-第147部分

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　　　　　　　Min's　scalp　prickled。　To　her　eyes；　images　and　auras　danced　and　vanished　and　were　replaced　around　all　six　women；　just　as　around　Rand。　She　had　been　hoping　he　had　forgotten　those　five　were　alive。　What　in　the　name　of　the　Light　was　that　wicked　old　woman　doing？
　　　　　　　Sorilea　gestured　once　in　a　clatter　of　gold　and　ivory　bracelets；　and　the　five　hastily　arranged　themselves　in　a　line　atop　the　golden　Rising　Sun　set　in　the　stone　floor。　Rand　strode　along　that　row；　stripping　back　hoods；　baring　faces　that　he　stared　into　cold…eyed。
　　　　　　　Every　one　of　the　black…robed　women　was　unwashed；　her　hair　lank　and　dirty　with　sweat。　Elza　Penfell；　a　Green　sister；　met　his　gaze　eagerly；　a　strangely　fervent　look　on　her　face。　Nesune　Bihara；　a　slender　Brown；　studied　him　as　intently　as　he　did　her。　Sarene　Nemdahl；　so　beautiful　even　in　her　dirt　that　you　thought　her　agelessness　must　be　natural；　appeared　to　be　holding　to　her　White　Ajah　coolness　by　a　fingernail。　Beldeine　Nyram；　too　new　to　the　shawl　to　have　the　ageless　features；　essayed　an　uncertain　smile　that　melted　under　his　stare。　Erian　Boroleos；　pale　and　almost　as　lovely　as　Sarene；　flinched；　then　visibly　forced　herself　to　look　into　that　frigid　gaze。　Those　last　two　also　were　Green；　and　all　five　had　been　among　the　sisters　who　kidnapped　him　on　Elaida's　orders。　Some　had　been　among　those　who　tortured　him　while　trying　to　carry　him　to　Tar　Valon。　Sometimes　Rand　still　woke；　sweating　and　panting；　mumbling　about　being　confined；　being　beaten。　Min　hoped　she　did　not　see　murder　in　his　stare。
　　　　　　　〃These　were　named　da'tsang；　Rand　al'Thor；〃　Sorilea　said。　〃I　think　they　feel　their　shame　in　the　bone；　now。　Erian　Boroleos　was　the　first　to　ask　to　be　beaten　as　you　were；　sunrise　and　sunset；　but　now　each　has　done　so。　That　plea　has　been　granted。　Each　has　asked　to　serve　you　however　she　may。　The　toh　for　their　betrayal　cannot　be　met；〃　her　voice　darkened　for　a　moment；　to　the　Aiel；　the　betrayal　of　the　kidnapping　was　far　worse　than　what　they　had　done　after；　〃yet　they　know　their　shame；　and　they　wish　to　try。　We　have　decided　to　leave　the　choice　to　you。〃
　　　　　　　Min　frowned。　Leave　the　choice　to　him？　Wise　Ones　rarely　left　any　choice　they　could　make　to　anyone　else。　Sorilea　never　did。　The　sinewy　Wise　One　casually　shifted　her　dark　shawl　on　her　shoulders　and　watched　Rand　as　if　this　was　of　no　importance　at　all。　But　she　shot　one　blue　ice　glance　at　Min；　and　suddenly　Min　was　sure　that　if　she　said　the　wrong　thing　here；　that　bony　old　woman　would　have　her　hide。　It　was　not　a　viewing。　She　just　knew　Sorilea　better　than　she　wanted　to；　by　now。
　　　　　　　Determinedly　she　set　to　studying　what　was　appearing　and　vanishing　around　the　women。　No　easy　task　when　they　stood　so　close　together　she　could　not　be　certain　whether　a　particular　image　belonged　to　one　woman　or　the　woman　next　to　her。　At　least　the　auras　were　always　certain。　Light；　let　her　be　able　to　understand　at　least　some　of　what　she　saw！
　　　　　　　Rand　took　Sorilea's　announcement　coolly；　on　the　surface。　He　rubbed　his　hands　together　slowly；　then　thoughtfully　examined　the　herons　branded　on　his　palms。　He　examined　each　of　those　Aes　Sedai　faces　in　turn。　Finally；　he　focused　on　Erian。
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃　he　asked　her　in　a　mild　voice。　〃I　killed　two　of　your　Warders。　Why？〃　Min　winced。　Rand　was　many　things；　but　seldom　mild。　And　Erian　was　one　of　the　few　who　had　beaten　him　more　than　once。
　　　　　　　The　pale　Illianer　sister　straightened。　Images　danced；　and　auras　flashed　and　were　gone。　Nothing　Min　could　read。　Dirty…faced　and　her　long　black　hair　matted；　Erian　gathered　Aes　Sedai　authority　around　her　and　met　his　gaze　levelly。　But　her　answer　came　simply　and　directly。　〃We　did　be　wrong　in　taking　you。　I　have　considered　long　on　it。　You　must　fight　the　Last　Battle；　and　we　must　help　you。　If　you　will　no　accept　me；　I　do　understand；　but　I　will　help　as　you　do　require　if　you　will　allow。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stared　at　her　without　expression。
　　　　　　　He　put　that　same　one…word　question　to　each；　and　their　answers　were　as　different　as　the　women。
　　　　　　　〃The　Green　is　the　Battle　Ajah；〃　Beldeine　told　him　proudly；　and　despite　smudges　on　her　cheeks　and　dark　circles　beneath　her　eyes；　she　did　look　a　Queen　of　Battles。　But　then；　Saldaean　women　seemed　to　find　that　second　nature。　〃When　you　go　to　Tarmon　Gai'don；　the　Green　must　be　there。　I　will　follow；　if　you　will　accept　me。〃　Light；　she　was　going　to　bond　an　Asha'man　as　a　Warder！　How。。。？　No；　it　was　not　important　now。
　　　　　　　〃What　we　did　was　logical　at　the　time。〃　Sarene's　tightly　held　cool　serenity　slipped　into　clear　worry；　and　she　shook　her　head。　〃I　say　that　to　explain；　not　to　exculpate。　Circumstances　have　changed。　For　you；　the　logical　course　might　seem　to。。。　〃　She　drew　a　decidedly　unsteady　breath。　Images　and　auras；　a　tempestuous　love　affair；　of　all　things！　The　woman　was　ice；　however　beautiful。　And　there　was　nothing　useful　in　knowing　some　man　would　melt　her！　〃To　send　us　back　to　captivity；〃　she　went　on；　〃or　even　execute　us。　For　me；　logic　says　I　must　serve　you。〃
　　　　　　　Nesune　tilted　her　head；　and　her　nearly　black　eyes　seemed　to　be　trying　to　store　away　every　scrap　of　him。　One　red…and…green　aura　spoke　of　honors；　and　fame。　A　huge　building　appeared　above　her　head　and　vanished。　A　library　she　would　found。　〃I　want　to　study　you；〃　she　said　simply。　〃I　can　hardly　do　that　carrying　stones　or　digging　holes。　They　do　leave　plenty　of　time　for　thought；　but　serving　you　seems　a　fair　exchange　for　what　I　might　learn。〃　Rand　blinked　at　the　directness　of　that；　but　otherwise；　his　expression　did　not　alter。
　　　　　　　The　most　surprising　answer　came　from　Elza；　in　her　manner　of　delivery　more　than　the　words。　Sinking　to　her　knees；　she　gazed　up　at　Rand　with　feverish　eyes。　Her　whole　face　seemed　to　shine　with　fervor。　Auras　flared　and　images　cascaded　around　her；　telling　nothing。　〃You　are　the　Dragon　Reborn；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃You　must　be　there　for　the　Last　Battle。　I　must　help　you　be　there！　Whatever　is　necessary；　I　will　do！〃　And　she　flung　herself　facedown；　pressing　her　lips　to　the　polished　stone　floor　in　front　of　his　boots。　Even　Sorilea　looked　taken　aback；　and　Sarene's　mouth　dropped　open。　Morr　gaped　at　her　and　hastily　returned　to　twisting　his　button。　Min　thought　he　giggled　nervously；　almost　under　his　breath。
　　　　　　　Turning　on　his　heel；　Rand　stalked　halfway　to　the　Dragon　Throne；　where　his　scepter　and　the　crown　of　Illian　rested　atop　his　gold…embroidered　red　coat。　His　face　was　so　bleak　that　Min　wanted　to　rush　to　him　no　matter　who　was　watching；　but　she　continued　to　study　the　Aes　Sedai。　And　Sorilea。　She　had　never　seen　anything　really　useful　around　that　white…haired　harridan。
　　　　　　　Abruptly；　Rand　turned　back；　striding　toward　the　line　of　women　so　quickly　that　Beldeine　and　Sarene　stepped　back。　A　sharp　gesture　from　Sorilea　jerked　them　into　place　again。
　　　　　　　〃Would　you　accept　being　confined　in　a　box？〃　His　voice　grated；　stone　grinding　on　frozen　stone。　〃Locked　in　a　chest　all　day；　and　beaten　before　you　go　in　and　when　you　e　out？〃　That　was　what　they　had　done　to　him。
　　　　　　　〃Yes！〃　Elza　moaned　against　the　floor。　〃Whatever　I　must　do；　I　will！〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　do　require　it；〃　Erian　managed　shakily；　and；　faces　aghast；　the　others　nodded　slowly。
　　　　　　　Min　stared　in　amazement；　knotting　her　fists　in　her　coat　pockets。　That　he　might　think　of　getting　his　own　back　in　the　same　manner　seemed　almost　natural；　but　she　had　to　stop　it；　somehow。　She　knew　him　better　than　he　did　himself；　she　knew　where　he　was　hard　as　a　knife　blade；　and　where　he　was　vulnerable　no　matter　how　he　denied　it。　He　would　never　forgive　himself　this。　But　how？　Fury　contorted　his　face；　and　he　shook　his　head　as　he　did　when　arguing　with　that　voice　he　heard。　He　muttered　one　word　aloud　that　she　understood。　Ta'veren。　Sorilea　stood　there　calmly　examining　him　as　closely　as　Nesune　did。　Not　even　the　threat　of　the　chest　shook　the　Brown。　Except　for　Elza；　still　moaning　and　kissing　the　floor；　the　others　were　hollow…eyed；　as　if　seeing　themselves　doubled　up　and　bound　as　he　had　been。
　　　　　　　Among　all　of　those　images　spilling　around　Rand　and　the　women；　suddenly　an　aura　flashed；　blue　and　yellow　tinged　with　green；　enpassing　them　all。　And　Min　knew　its　meaning。　She　gasped；　half　in　surprise；　half　in　relief。
　　　　　　　〃They　will　serve　you；　each　in　her　fashion；　Rand；〃　she　said　hurriedly。　〃I　saw　it。〃　Sorilea　would　serve　him？　Suddenly　Min　wondere