rj.thepathofdaggers-第93部分

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ncluding　queens　of　Andor　and　Murandy。　Calmly；　she　nodded；　and　Sheriam　gestured　to　the　line　of　chairs。　No　matter　who　had　arrived　first　or　provided　the　pavilion；　there　was　no　doubt　who　had　called　this　meeting。　Who　was　in　charge。
　　　　　　　Her　action　was　not　well　received；　of　course。　There　was　a　moment　of　silent　hesitation　while　the　nobles　cast　their　minds　about　for　some　way　to　regain　an　equal　footing；　and　no　few　grimaces　as　they　realized　it　could　not　be　done。　Grim…faced；　eight　of　them　sat　down；　four　men　and　four　women；　with　much　angry　gathering　of　cloaks　and　adjusting　of　skirts。　Those　of　lesser　rank　stood　behind　the　chairs；　and　clearly　there　was　little　love　lost　between　Andoran　and　Murandian。　For　that　matter；　the　Murandians；　men　and　women　alike；　muttered　and　jostled　one　another　for　precedence　as　fiercely　as　they　did　their　〃allies〃　from　the　north。　The　Aes　Sedai　received　a　good　many　dark　looks　as　well；　and　a　few　folk　spared　scowls　for　Bryne；　who　stood　off　to　one　side　with　his　helmet　under　his　arm。　He　was　well　known　on　both　sides　of　the　border；　and　respected　even　by　most　of　those　who　would　have　liked　to　see　him　dead。　At　least；　that　had　been　the　case　before　he　turned　up　leading　the　Aes　Sedai's　army。　He　ignored　their　acid　glares　as　he　had　the　Sitters'　acid　tongues。
　　　　　　　Another　man　did　not　join　with　either　party。　A　pale　man；　less　than　a　hand　taller　than　Egwene；　in　a　dark　coat　and　breastplate；　he　wore　the　front　of　his　head　shaved；　and　there　was　a　long　red　scarf　tied　around　his　left　arm。　His　deep　gray　cloak　had　a　large　red　hand　worked　on　the　breast。　Talmanes　stood　opposite　Bryne；　leaning　against　one　of　the　pavilion's　poles　with　an　arrogant　casualness；　and　watched　without　revealing　a　hint　of　his　thoughts。　Egwene　wished　she　knew　what　he　was　doing　there。　She　wished　she　knew　what　he　had　said　before　she　arrived。　In　any　case；　she　had　to　speak　with　him。　If　it　could　be　managed　without　a　hundred　ears　listening。
　　　　　　　A　lean；　weathered　man　in　a　red　cloak；　sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　row　of　chairs；　leaned　forward　and　opened　his　mouth；　but　Sheriam　forestalled　him　in　a　clear；　carrying　voice。
　　　　　　　〃Mother；　may　I　present　to　you；　of　Andor；　Arathelle　Renshar；　High　Seat　of　House　Renshar。　Pelivar　Coelan；　High　Seat　of　House　Coelan。　Aemlyn　Carand；　High　Seat　of　House　Carand；　and　her　husband；　Culhan　Carand。〃　They　acknowledged　their　names　sourly；　with　bare　nods　and　no　more。　Pelivar　was　the　lean　man；　he　was　losing　his　dark　hair　from　the　front。　Sheriam　went　on　without　pause；　it　was　a　good　thing　Bryne　had　been　able　to　supply　the　names　of　those　who　had　been　chosen　to　speak。　〃May　I　present；　of　Murandy；　Donel　do　Morny　a'Lordeine。　Cian　do　Mehon　a'Macansa。　Paitr　do　Fearna　a'Conn。　Segan　do　Avharin　a'Roos。〃　The　Murandians　seemed　to　feel　the　lack　of　titles　even　more　than　the　Andorans。　Donel；　wearing　more　lace　than　most　of　the　women；　twisted　his　curled　mustaches　fiercely；　and　Paitr　appeared　to　be　trying　to　yank　his　loose。　Segan　pursed　full　lips　and　her　dark　eyes　caught　fire；　while　Cian；　a　stocky；　graying　woman；　snorted　quite　loudly。　Sheriam　took　no　notice。　〃You　are　beneath　the　eyes　of　the　Watcher　of　the　Seals。　You　are　before　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon。　You　may　present　your　supplications　to　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃
　　　　　　　Well。　They　did　not　like　that；　not　in　the　least。　Egwene　had　thought　them　sour　before；　but　now　they　looked　stuffed　full　of　green　persimmons。　Perhaps　they　had　believed　they　could　pretend　she　was　not　the　Amyrlin　at　all。　They　would　learn。　Of　course；　first　she　had　to　teach　the　Hall。
　　　　　　　〃There　are　ancient　ties　between　Andor　and　the　White　Tower；〃　she　said；　loudly　and　firmly。　〃Sisters　have　always　expected　wele　in　Andor　or　Murandy。　Why　then　do　you　bring　an　army　against　Aes　Sedai？　You　meddle　where　thrones　and　nations　fear　to　step。　Thrones　have　fallen；　meddling　in　the　affairs　of　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　That　sounded　suitably　threatening；　whether　or　not　Myrelle　and　the　others　had　managed　to　prepare　her　way。　With　luck；　they　were　well　on　their　way　back　to　the　camp；　with　no　one　the　wiser。　Unless　one　of　these　nobles　spoke　the　wrong　name。　That　would　lose　her　an　advantage　against　the　Hall；　but　alongside　everything　else；　it　was　a　straw　beside　a　hayloft。
　　　　　　　Pelivar　exchanged　looks　with　the　woman　seated　beside　him；　and　she　stood。　Creases　in　her　face　could　not　disguise　the　fact　that　Arathelle　had　been　a　beautiful；　fine…boned　woman　when　young；　now；　gray　threaded　thickly　through　her　hair；　and　her　gaze　struck　as　hard　as　any　Warder's。　Her　red…gloved　hands　gripped　the　edges　of　her　cloak　at　her　sides；　but　plainly　not　in　worry。　Mouth　pressed　to　a　thin　line；　she　scanned　the　line　of　Sitters；　and　only　then　spoke。　Past　Egwene；　to　the　sisters　behind　her。　Gritting　her　teeth；　Egwene　put　on　an　attentive　expression。
　　　　　　　〃We　are　here　precisely　because　we　do　not　want　to　bee　entangled　in　the　White　Tower's　affairs。〃　Arathelle's　voice　held　tones　of　authority；　unsurprising　in　the　High　Seat　of　a　powerful　House。　There　was　no　hint　of　the　diffidence　that　might　have　been　expected；　even　from　a　powerful　High　Seat；　facing　so　many　sisters；　not　to　mention　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　〃If　all　we've　heard　is　true；　then　at　best；　allowing　you　to　pass　through　Andor　unhindered　may　seem　like　giving　aid；　or　even　alliance；　in　the　eyes　of　the　White　Tower。　Failure　to　oppose　you　might　mean　learning　what　the　grape　learns　in　the　winepress。〃　Several　of　the　Murandians　turned　their　scowls　on　her。　No　one　in　Murandy　had　tried　to　hinder　the　sisters'　passage。　Very　likely；　no　one　had　considered　the　possibilities　beyond　the　day　they　passed　onto　another's　lands。
　　　　　　　Arathelle　continued　as　if　she　had　not　noticed；　but　Egwene　doubted　that。　〃At　worst。。。　We　have　heard。。。　reports。。。　of　Aes　Sedai　making　their　way　into　Andor　in　secret；　and　Tower　Guards。　Rumors　might　be　a　better　word；　but　they　e　from　many　places。　None　of　us　would　like　to　see　a　battle　between　Aes　Sedai　in　Andor。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Light　preserve　and　protect　us！〃　Donel　burst　out；　red…faced。　Paitr　nodded　encouragement；　sliding　to　the　edge　of　his　seat；　and　Cian　looked　ready　to　jump　in　herself。　〃No　one　wants　to　see　it　here；　either！〃　Donel　spat。　〃Not　between　Aes　Sedai！　For　sure；　we've　heard　what　happened　out　east！　And　those　sisters　…！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　breathed　a　little　more　easily　when　Arathelle　stepped　on　him　firmly。　〃If　you　please；　Lord　Donel。　You　will　have　your　turn　to　speak。〃　She　turned　back　to　Egwene　…　to　the　Sitters　once　more；　really　…　without　waiting　on　his　reply；　leaving　him　spluttering　and　the　other　three　Murandians　glowering。　She　herself　looked　quite　undisturbed；　simply　a　woman　laying　out　the　facts。　Laying　them　out；　and　meaning　that　they　should　be　seen　as　she　saw　them。
　　　　　　　〃As　I　was　saying。　That　is　the　worst　we　fear；　if　the　tales　are　true。　And　also　if　they　are　not。　Aes　Sedai　may　be　gathering　secretly　in　Andor；　with　Tower　Guards。　Aes　Sedai　with　an　army　are　ready　to　enter　Andor。　Often　enough　the　White　Tower　has　seemed　to　aim　at　one　target；　only　for　the　rest　of　us　to　learn　later　it　was　aiming　at　another　all　along。　I　can　hardly　imagine　even　the　White　Tower　going　this　far；　but　if　ever　there　was　a　target　you　might　twist　yourselves　into　a　knot　for；　it's　the　Black　Tower。〃　Arathelle　shivered　slightly；　and　Egwene　did　not　think　it　was　the　cold。　〃A　battle　between　Aes　Sedai　might　ruin　the　land　for　miles　around。　That　battle　might　ruin　half　of　Andor。〃
　　　　　　　Pelivar　sprang　to　his　feet。　〃The　plain　of　it　is；　you　must　go　another　way。〃　His　voice　was　surprisingly　high；　but　no　less　firm　than　Arathelle's。　〃If　I　must　die　to　defend　my　lands　and　my　people；　then　better　here　than　where　my　lands　and　people　die；　too。〃
　　　　　　　He　subsided　at　Arathelle's　soothing　gesture；　sinking　back　into　his　chair。　Hard…eyed；　he　did　not　look　mollified。　Aemlyn；　a　plump　woman　wrapped　in　dark　wool；　nodded　agreement　with　him；　as　did　her　square…faced　husband。
　　　　　　　Donel　stared　at　Pelivar　as　though　he　had　never　had　this　thought　either；　and　he　was　not　the　only　one。　Some　of　the　standing　Murandians　began　to　argue　out　loud　until　others　quieted　them。　Sometimes　with　a　shaken　fist。　Whatever　had　possessed　these　people　to　join　forces　with　the　Andorans？
　　　　　　　Egwene　drew　breath。　A　rosebud；　opening　to　the　sun。　They　had　not　acknowledged　her　as　the　Amyrlin　Seat　…　Arathelle　had　e　as　close　to　ignoring　her　as　was　possible　without　pushing　he