rj.thepathofdaggers-第83部分

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and　then；　though　she　tried　to　hide　it。　Egwene　put　the　matter　out　of　her　head。　Tonight；　that　was　an　anthill　beside　mountains。
　　　　　　　〃I　want　to　avoid　a　battle　if　I　can；　Lord　Bryne。　The　army　is　for　Tar　Valon；　not　fighting　a　war　here。　Send　to　arrange　a　meeting　as　soon　as　possible　for　the　Amyrlin　Seat　with　Lord　Pelivar　and　Lady　Arathelle　and　anyone　else　you　think　you　should　be　present。　Not　here。　Our　ragged　camp　won't　impress　them　very　much。　As　soon　as　possible；　mind。　I　wouldn't　object　to　tomorrow；　if　it　could　be　set。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　sooner　than　I　can　manage；　Mother；〃　he　said　mildly。　〃If　I　send　riders　out　as　soon　as　I　return　to　camp；　I　doubt　they　can　be　back　with　an　answer　much　before　tomorrow　night。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　I　suggest　you　return　quickly。〃　Light；　but　her　hands　and　feet　felt　cold。　And　the　pit　of　her　stomach；　too。　But　her　voice　kept　its　calm。　〃And　I　want　you　to　keep　that　meeting；　and　the　existence　of　their　army；　from　the　Hall　as　long　as　possible。〃
　　　　　　　This　time；　she　was　asking　him　to　take　as　great　a　risk　as　she　did。　Gareth　Bryne　was　one　of　the　best　generals　living；　but　the　Hall　chafed　that　he　did　not　run　the　army　to　suit　them。　They　had　been　grateful　for　his　name　in　the　beginning；　for　it　helped　draw　soldiers　to　their　cause。　Now　the　army　had　more　than　thirty　thousand　armed　men；　with　more　ing　even　since　the　snows　had　started；　and　they　thought　that　maybe　they　did　not　need　Lord　Gareth　Bryne　any　longer。　And　of　course；　there　were　those　who　believed　they　never　had　needed　him。　They　would　not　simply　send　him　away　for　this。　If　the　Hall　chose　to　act；　he　might　well　go　to　the　headsman　for　treason。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　blink；　and　he　did　not　ask　questions。　Perhaps　he　knew　she　would　not　give　answers。　Or　maybe　he　thought　he　knew　them。　〃There　isn't　much　traffic　between　my　camp　and　yours；　but　too　many　men　know　already　to　keep　a　secret　long。　I　will　do　what　I　can；　though。〃
　　　　　　　As　simple　as　that。　The　first　step　down　a　road　that　would　see　her　on　the　Amyrlin　Seat　in　Tar　Valon；　or　else　deliver　her　firmly　into　the　grasp　of　the　Hall；　with　nothing　left　to　decide　except　whether　it　was　Romanda　or　Lelaine　who　told　her　what　to　do。　Somehow；　such　a　pivotal　moment　should　have　been　acpanied　by　fanfares　of　trumpets；　or　at　the　least；　thunder　in　the　sky。　It　was　always　that　way　in　stories。
　　　　　　　Egwene　let　the　ball　of　light　vanish；　but　as　Bryne　turned　to　leave；　she　caught　his　arm。　It　was　like　catching　a　thick　tree　branch　through　his　coat。　〃A　thing　I　have　been　meaning　to　ask　you；　Lord　Bryne。　You　can't　want　to　take　men　worn　down　by　marching　right　into　a　siege　of　Tar　Valon。　How　long　would　you　want　to　rest　them　before　you　began？〃
　　　　　　　For　the　first　time；　he　paused；　and　she　wished　she　still　had　the　light　to　see　his　face。　She　thought　he　frowned。　〃Even　leaving　people　in　the　pay　of　the　Tower　out　of　it；〃　he　said　at　last；　slowly；　〃news　of　an　army　flies　as　fast　as　a　falcon。　Elaida　will　know　to　the　day　when　we'll　arrive；　and　she　won't　give　us　an　hour。　You　know　she's　increasing　the　Tower　Guard？　To　fifty　thousand　men；　apparently。　But　a　month；　if　I　could；　to　rest　and　recover。　Ten　days　would　do；　but　a　month　would　be　better。〃
　　　　　　　She　nodded；　releasing　him。　That　casual　question　about　the　Tower　Guard　hurt。　He　was　aware　that　the　Hall　and　the　Ajahs　told　her　what　they　wanted　her　to　know　and　no　more。　〃I　suppose　you're　right；〃　she　said　evenly。　〃There'll　be　no　time　for　rest　once　we　reach　Tar　Valon。　Send　your　fastest　riders。　There　won't　be　any　difficulty；　will　there？　Pelivar　and　Arathelle　will　hear　them　out？〃　She　did　not　feign　the　touch　of　anxiety。　More　than　her　plans　might　be　ruined　if　they　had　to　fight　now。
　　　　　　　Bryne's　tone　did　not　alter　a　whit　that　she　could　tell；　but　somehow；　he　sounded　soothing。　〃So　long　as　there　is　light　enough　for　them　to　see　the　white　feathers；　they'll　recognize　a　truce　and　listen。　I'd　better　go；　Mother。　It's　a　long　way　and　hard　riding；　even　for　men　with　extra　horses。〃
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　the　tentflap　fell　behind　him；　Egwene　let　out　a　long　breath。　Her　shoulders　were　tight；　and　she　expected　her　head　to　start　aching　any　moment。　Bryne　usually　made　her　feel　relaxed；　absorbing　his　sureness。　Tonight；　she　had　had　to　manipulate　him；　and　she　thought　he　knew　it。　He　was　very　observant　for　a　man。　But　too　much　was　at　stake　to　trust　him　more；　until　he　made　an　open　declaration。　Maybe　an　oath　like　the　one　Myrelle　and　the　others　had　given。　Bryne　followed　the　Amyrlin；　and　the　army　followed　Bryne。　If　he　thought　she　was　going　to　throw　men　away　uselessly；　a　few　words　from　him　could　hand　her　to　the　Hall　trussed　like　a　pig　on　a　platter。　She　drank　deeply；　feeling　the　warmth　of　the　spiced　wine　spread　through　her。
　　　　　　　〃Better　for　us　if　they　believed；〃　she　muttered。　〃I　wish　there　was　something　for　them　to　believe。　If　I　do　nothing　else；　Siuan；　I　hope　at　least　I　can　free　us　from　the　Three　Oaths。〃
　　　　　　　〃No！〃　Siuan　barked。　She　sounded　scandalized。　〃Even　trying　could　be　disastrous；　and　if　you　succeeded。。。　The　Light　help　us；　if　you　succeeded；　you　would　destroy　the　White　Tower。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　I　try　to　follow　the　Oaths；　Siuan；　since　we're　stuck　with　them　…　for　now　…　but　the　Oaths　won't　help　us　against　the　Seanchan。　If　sisters　have　to　be　in　danger　of　their　lives　before　they　can　fight　back；　it's　only　a　matter　of　time　before　we　are　all　dead　or　collared。〃　For　a　moment　she　could　feel　the　a'dam　around　her　throat　again；　turning　her　into　a　dog　on　a　leash。　A　well…trained　and　obedient　dog。　She　was　glad　of　the　darkness；　now；　hiding　her　trembles。　Shadows　obscured　Siuan's　face；　save　for　a　soundlessly　working　jaw。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　you　look　at　me　like　that；　Siuan。〃　It　was　easier　to　be　angry　than　afraid；　easy　to　mask　fear　in　anger。　She　would　never　be　collared　like　that　again！　〃You've　taken　every　advantage　since　you　were　freed　from　the　Oaths。　If　you　hadn't　lied　in　your　teeth；　we'd　all　be　in　Salidar；　without　an　army；　sitting　on　our　hands　and　waiting　for　a　miracle。　Well；　you　would　be。　They'd　never　have　summoned　me　to　be　Amyrlin　without　your　lie　about　Logain　and　the　Reds。　Elaida　would　reign　supreme；　and　in　a　year；　nobody　would　remember　how　she　usurped　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　She'd　destroy　the　Tower；　for　sure。　You　know　she'd　mishandle　everything　about　Rand。　I　would　not　be　surprised　if　she　had　tried　to　kidnap　him　by　now；　except　that　she's　concerned　with　us。　Well；　maybe　not　kidnap；　but　she'd　have　done　something。　Likely；　Aes　Sedai　would　be　fighting　Asha'man　today；　and　never　mind　Tarmon　Gai'don　waiting　over　the　horizon。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　lied　when　it　seemed　necessary；〃　Siuan　breathed。　〃When　it　seemed　expedient。〃　Her　shoulders　hunched；　and　she　sounded　as　though　she　were　confessing　crimes　she　did　not　want　to　admit　to　herself。　〃Sometimes　I　think　it's　bee　too　easy　for　me　to　decide　that　it's　necessary　and　expedient。　I've　lied　to　almost　everyone。　Except　you。　But　don't　think　it　hasn't　occurred　to　me。　To　nudge　you　toward　a　decision；　or　away　from　one。　It　wasn't　wanting　to　keep　your　trust　that　stopped　me。〃　Siuan's　hand　stretched　out　in　the　dark；　pleading。　〃The　Light　knows　what　your　trust　and　friendship　mean　to　me；　but　it　wasn't　that。　It　wasn't　knowing　that　you'd　have　the　hide　off　me　in　strips；　or　send　me　away；　if　you　found　out。　I　realized　that　I　had　to　hold　on　to　the　Oaths　with　somebody；　or　I'd　lose　myself　pletely。　So　I　don't　lie　to　you；　or　to　Gareth　Bryne；　whatever　it　costs。　And　as　soon　I　can；　Mother；　I　will　swear　the　Three　Oaths　on　the　Oath　Rod　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃　Egwene　asked　quietly。　Siuan　had　considered　lying　to　her？　She　would　have　had　her　hide　for　that。　But　her　anger　was　gone。　〃I　don't　condone　lying；　Siuan。　Not　normally。　It's　just　that　sometimes；　it　really　is　necessary。〃　Her　time　with　the　Aiel　flashed　through　her　mind。　〃So　long　as　you're　willing　to　pay　for　it；　anyway。　I've　seen　sisters　take　on　penance　for　smaller　things。　You　are　one　of　the　first　of　a　new　sort　of　Aes　Sedai；　Siuan；　free　and　unbound。　I　believe　you　when　you　say　you　won't　lie　to　me。〃　Or　to　Lord　Bryne？　Odd；　that。　〃Why　give　up　your　freedom？〃
　　　　　　　〃Give　up？〃　Siuan　laughed。　〃I'll　be　giving　up　nothing。〃　Her　back　straightened；　and　her　voice　began　to　gain　strength；　and　then　passion。　〃The　Oaths　are　what　make　us　more　than　simply　a　group　of　women　meddling　in　the　affairs　of　the　world。　Or　seven　groups。　Or　fifty。　The　Oaths　hold　us　together；　a　s