rj.thepathofdaggers-第38部分

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hem；　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　to　stand；　and　laboring　up　the　hillside　was　an　effort　of　panting　and　groans；　even　from　Aviendha。　They　sounded　as　though　they　had　been　thrashed　within　an　inch　of　their　lives　…　which　Elayne　supposed　they　had　been　…　and　looked　as　though　they　had　wallowed　in　a　butcher's　shambles。　Aviendha　still　carried　the　angreal　tight　in　her　fist；　but　even　if　she　or　Elayne　had　possessed　more　than　their　small　Talent　with　Healing；　neither　could　have　managed　to　embrace　the　Source；　much　less　channel。　At　the　top　of　the　hill；　they　stood　leaning　on　each　other　and　stared　at　devastation。
　　　　　　　Fire　ringed　the　meadow；　but　the　heart　of　it　was　blackened；　smoldering　and　swept　clear　even　of　boulders。　Half　the　trees　on　the　surrounding　slopes　were　broken　or　leaning　away　from　the　meadow。　Hawks　began　to　appear；　riding　the　hot　air　rising　from　the　fire；　hawks　often　hunted　so；　looking　for　small　animals　chased　into　the　open　by　the　flames。　Of　the　Seanchan　there　was　no　sign。　Elayne　wished　there　were　bodies；　so　she　could　be　certain　they　were　all　dead。　Especially　all　of　the　sul'dam。　Gazing　down　at　the　burned；　smoking　ground；　though；　she　was　suddenly　glad　there　was　no　evidence。　It　had　been　a　terrible　way　to　die。　The　Light　have　mercy　on　their　souls；　she　thought。　On　all　of　their　souls。
　　　　　　　〃Well；〃　she　said　aloud；　〃I　did　not　do　as　well　as　you；　Aviendha；　but　I　suppose　it　worked　out　for　the　best；　considering。　I　will　try　to　do　better　next　time。〃
　　　　　　　Aviendha　glanced　at　her　sideways。　There　was　a　gash　on　her　cheek；　and　another　across　her　forehead；　as　well　as　a　long　one　laying　open　her　scalp。　〃You　did　much　better　than　I；　for　a　first　try。　I　was　given　a　simple　knot　tied　in　a　flow　of　Wind　the　first　time。　It　took　me　fifty　tries　to　unweave　even　that　without　having　a　clap　of　thunder　in　my　face；　or　a　blow　that　made　my　ears　ring。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　I　should　have　started　with　something　simpler；〃　Elayne　said。　〃I　have　a　habit　of　leaping　in　over　my　head。〃　Over　her　head？　She　had　leaped　before　looking　to　see　whether　there　was　water！　She　stifled　a　chuckle；　but　not　before　it　sent　a　stab　through　her　side。　So　instead　of　chuckling；　she　moaned　through　her　teeth。　She　thought　some　of　them　might　be　loose。　〃At　least　we've　found　a　new　weapon。　Perhaps　I　should　not　be　happy　about　that；　but　with　the　Seanchan　back　again；　I　am。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　do　not　understand；　Elayne。〃　Aviendha　gestured　toward　the　center　of　the　meadow；　where　the　gateway　had　been。　〃That　could　have　been　no　more　than　a　flash　of　light；　or　even　less。　You　cannot　tell　until　it　happens。　Is　a　flash　of　light　worth　the　risk　of　burning　out　yourself　and　every　woman　closer　to　you　than　a　hundred　paces　or　more？〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　stared　at　her。　She　had　stayed；　knowing　that？　To　risk　your　life　was　one　thing；　but　to　risk　losing　the　ability　to　channel。。。　〃I　want　us　to　adopt　each　other　as　first…sisters；　Aviendha。　As　soon　as　we　can　find　Wise　Ones。〃　What　they　were　to　do　about　Rand；　she　could　not　imagine。　The　very　idea　that　they　would　both　marry　him　…　and　Min；　too！　…　was　worse　than　ridiculous。　But　of　this；　she　was　sure。　〃I　don't　need　to　know　any　more　about　you。　I　want　to　be　your　sister。〃　Gently；　she　kissed　Aviendha's　bloodstained　cheek。
　　　　　　　She　had　only　thought　Aviendha　blushed　fiercely　before。　Even　Aiel　lovers　did　not　kiss　where　anyone　could　see。　Fiery　sunsets　paled　beside　Aviendha's　face。　〃I　want　you　for　my　sister；　too；〃　she　mumbled。　Swallowing　hard　…　and　eyeing　Birgitte；　who　was　pretending　to　ignore　them　…　she　leaned　over　and　quickly　pressed　her　lips　to　Elayne's　cheek。　Elayne　loved　her　as　much　for　that　gesture　as　for　the　rest。
　　　　　　　Birgitte　had　been　gazing　behind　them；　over　her　shoulder；　and　perhaps　she　had　not　been　pretending　after　all；　because　she　suddenly　said；　〃Someone's　ing。　Lan　and　Nynaeve；　unless　I　miss　my　guess。〃
　　　　　　　Awkwardly；　they　turned；　hobbling　and　stumbling　and　groaning。　It　seemed　quite　ludicrous；　heroes　in　stories　never　got　hurt　so　they　could　barely　stand。　In　the　distance　to　the　north；　two　riders　appeared　briefly　through　the　trees。　Briefly；　but　long　enough　to　make　out　a　tall　man　on　a　tall　horse；　galloping　hard；　and　a　woman　on　a　shorter　animal　running　just　as　hard　at　his　side。　Gi