rj.acrownofswords-第102部分

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　how　displeased　he　would　be　if　that　happened。　Merana　thanked　the　Light　that　the　woman　was　not　staying　with　any　one　subject　for　long。
　　　〃You　are　sure　it　was　Taim？　And　you　are　sure　these　blackcoats　didn't　arrive　on　horses？〃　Bera　answered　reluctantly；　and　Kiruna　sullenly；　they　were　as　certain　as　they　could　be；　no　one　had　actually　seen　the　Asha'man　e　or　depart；　and　the。。。　hole。。。　that　brought　them　all　here　could　have　been　made　by　al'Thor。　Which　did　not　satisfy　at　all；　of　course。
　　　〃Think！　You　aren't　silly　girls　any　longer；　or　shouldn't　be。　Phaw！　You　must　have　noticed　something。〃
　　　Merana　felt　ill。　She　and　the　others　had　spent　half　the　night　arguing　over　what　their　oath　meant　before　deciding　it　meant　exactly　what　they　had　said；　with　no　loopholes　to　wriggle　through。　At　last　even　Kiruna　conceded　that　they　must　defend　and　support　al'Thor　as　well　as　obey；　that　standing　aside　in　the　slightest　was　not　permitted。　What　that　might　mean　when　it　came　to　Elaida　and　the　sisters　loyal　to　her　really　concerned　no　one。　At　least；　no　one　admitted　any　concern。　The　mere　fact　of　what　they　had　decided　was　stunner　enough。　But　Merana　wondered　whether　Bera　or　Kiruna　had　yet　realized　what　she　had。　They　might　just　find　themselves　opposing　a　legend；　not　to　mention　whatever　sisters　besides　Corele　and　Daigian　had　chosen　to　follow　her。　Worse。。。　Cadsuane's　eyes　rested　on　her　for　a　moment；　giving　away　nothing；　demanding　everything。　Worse；　Merana　was　sure　that　Cadsuane　knew　that　very　well。
　　　
　　　Hurrying　along　the　palace　corridors；　Min　ignored　greetings　from　half　a　dozen　Maidens　she　knew；　just　trotted　right　by　without　a　word　in　return；　never　considering　that　she　was　being　rude。　Trotting　was　not　easy　in　heeled　boots。　The　fool　things　women　did　for　men！　Not　that　Rand　had　asked　her　to　wear　the　boots；　but　she　put　them　on　the　first　time　with　him　in　mind；　and　she　had　seen　him　smile。　He　liked　them。　Light；　what　was　she　doing；　thinking　about　boots！　She　should　never　have　gone　to　Colavaere's　apartments。　Shivering；　blinking　back　unshed　tears；　she　began　to　run。
　　　As　usual；　a　number　of　Maidens　were　squatting　on　their　Heels　beside　the　tall　doors　worked　with　gilded　rising　suns。　Their　shoufa　hung　about　their　shoulders　and　their　spears　lay　across　their　knees；　yet　there　was　nothing　casual　about　them。　They　were　leopards；　waiting　for　something　to　kill。　Usually　Maidens　made　Min　uneasy；　for　all　they　were　friendly　enough。　Today；　she　would　not　have　cared　if　they　were　veiled。
　　　〃He　is　in　a　foul　temper；〃　Riallin　warned；　but　made　no　move　to　stop　her。　Min　was　one　of　the　few　allowed　to　enter　Rand's　presence　without　being　announced。　She　straightened　her　coat　and　tried　to　settle　herself。　She　was　not　sure　why　she　had　e。　Except　that　Rand　made　her　feel　safe。　Burn　him！　She　had　never　needed　anyone　to　feel　safe　before。
　　　Just　inside　the　room；　she　stopped；　aghast。　Automatically；　she　pushed　the　door　shut　behind　her。　The　place　was　a　shambles。　A　few　glittering　shards　clung　to　some　of　the　mirror　frames；　but　most　of　the　glass　lay　scattered　across　the　floor。　The　dais　was　on　its　side；　the　throne　that　had　stood　atop　it　just　gilded　flinders　where　it　had　been　smashed　against　a　wall。　One　of　the　stand…lamps；　heavy　iron　beneath　the　gilt；　had　been　twisted　into　a　hoop。　Rand　sat　in　one　of　the　smaller　chairs　in　his　shirtsleeves；　arms　dangling　and　head　back；　staring　at　the　ceiling。　Staring　at　nothing。　Images　danced　about　him　and　colored　auras　flickered　and　flared；　he　was　like　Aes　Sedai　in　that。　She　had　no　need　of　Illuminators　when　Rand　or　an　Aes　Sedai　was　in　sight。　He　did　not　move　as　she　walked　farther　into　the　room。　He　did　not　seem　aware　of　her　at　all。　Shattered　bits　of　mirror　crunched　beneath　her　boots。　A　foul　temper；　indeed。
　　　Even　so；　she　felt　no　fear。　Not　of　him；　she　could　not　begin　to　imagine　Rand　harming　her。　For　him；　she　felt　enough　to　nearly　purge　the　memory　of　Colavaere's　apartments　from　her　head。　She　had　long　since　reconciled　herself　to　being　hopelessly　in　love。　Nothing　else　mattered；　not　that　he　was　an　unsophisticated　countryman；　younger　than　she；　not　who　or　what　he　was；　not　that　he　was　doomed　to　go　mad　and　die　if　he　was　not　killed　first。　I　don't　even　mind　having　to　share　him；　she　thought；　and　knew　how　tightly　she　was　caught　if　she　could　lie　to　herself。　That；　she　had　forced　herself　to　accept；　Elayne　had　a　part　of　him；　a　claim　on　him；　and　so　did　this　Aviendha　woman　she　had　yet　to　meet。　What　could　not　be　mended　must　be　lived　with；　so　her　Aunt　Jan　always　said。　Especially　when　your　brains　had　gone　soft。　Light；　she　had　always　prided　herself　on　keeping　her　wits。
　　　She　stopped　beside　one　of　the　chairs；　where　the　Dragon　Scepter　had　driven　into　the　thick　wooden　back　so　hard　that　the　point　stood　out　nearly　a　hand　behind。　In　love　with　a　man　who　did　not　know；　who　would　send　her　away　should　he　ever　became　aware。　A　man　she　was　sure　was　in　love　with　her。　And　with　Elayne；　and　this　Aviendha；　too；　that；　she　rushed　by。　What　could　not　be　mended。。。　He　was　in　love　with　her　and　refused　to　admit　it。　Did　he　think　that　just　because　mad　Lews　Therin　Telamon　had　killed　the　woman　he　loved；　he　was　fated　to　as　well？
　　　〃I'm　glad　you　came；〃　he　said　suddenly；　still　staring　at　the　ceiling。　〃I've　been　sitting　here　alone。　Alone。〃　He　gave　a　bitter　bark　of　a　laugh。　〃Herid　Fel　is　dead。〃
　　　〃No；〃　she　whispered；　〃not　that　sweet　little　old　man。〃　Her　eyes　stung。
　　　〃He　was　torn　apart。〃　Rand's　voice　was　so　tired。　So　empty。　〃Idrien　fainted　when　she　found　him。　She　lay　in　a　stupor　half　the　night；　and　was　nearly　incoherent　when　finally　roused。　One　of　the　other　women　at　the　school　gave　her　something　to　make　her　sleep。　She　was　embarrassed　about　that。　When　she　came　to　me；　she　started　crying　again　and。。。　It　had　to　be　Shadowspawn。　What　else　could　tear　a　man　limb　from　limb？〃　Without　raising　his　head；　he　smacked　a　fist　down　on　the　chair　arm　so　hard　the　wood　creaked。　〃But　why？　Why　was　he　killed？　What　could　he　have　told　me？〃
　　　Min　tried　to　think。　She　truly　did。　Master　Fel　was　a　philosopher；　he　and　Rand　discussed　everything　from　the　meaning　of　parts　of　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon　to　the　nature　of　the　hole　into　the　Dark　One's　prison。　He　let　her　borrow　books；　fascinating　books；　especially　where　she　had　to　work　to　puzzle　out　what　it　was　they　said。　He　had　been　a　philosopher。　He　would　never　lend　her　a　book　again。　Such　a　gentle　old　man；　wrapped　up　in　a　world　of　thought　and　startled　when　he　noticed　anything　outside　it。　She　treasured　a　note　he　had　written　to　Rand。　He　had　said　she　was　pretty；　that　she　distracted　him。　And　now　he　was　dead。　Light；　she　had　had　too　much　of　death。
　　　〃I　shouldn't　have　told　you；　not　like　that。〃
　　　She　gave　a　start；　she　had　not　heard　Rand　cross　the　room。　His　fingers　brushed　her　cheek。　Wiping　away　tears。　She　was　crying。
　　　〃I'm　sorry；　Min；〃　he　said　softly。　〃I　am　not　a　very　nice　person　anymore。　A　man　is　dead　because　of　me；　and　all　I　can　do　is　worry　why　he　was　killed。〃
　　　Flinging　arms　around　him；　she　buried　her　face　against　his　chest。　She　could　not　stop　crying。　She　could　not　stop　trembling。　〃I　went　to　Colavaere's　apartments。〃　Images　flashed　in　her　head。　The　empty　sitting　room；　all　the　servants　gone。　The　bedchamber。　She　did　not　want　to　remember；　but　now　she　had　begun；　she　could　not　stop　the　words　tumbling　out。　〃I　thought；　since　you'd　exiled　her；　maybe　there　was　some　way　around　the　viewing　I　had　of　her。〃　Colavaere　had　been　wearing　what　must　have　been　her　finest　gown；　dark　silk　that　glistened；　with　falls　of　delicate　aged…ivory　Sovarra　lace。　〃I　thought　for　once　it　didn't　have　to　be　that　way。　You're　ta'veren。　You　can　change　the　Pattern。〃　Colavaere　had　donned　a　necklace　and　bracelets　of　emeralds　and　firedrops；　and　rings　with　pearls　and　rubies；　surely　her　best　pieces；　and　yellow　diamonds　had　been　arranged　in　her　hair；　a　fair　imitation　of　the　crown　of　Cairhien。　Her　face。。。　〃She　was　in　her　bedchamber。　Hanging　from　one　of　the　bedposts。〃　Bulging　eyes　and　protruding　tongue　in　a　blackened；　swollen　face。　Toes　a　foot　above　the　overturned　stool。　Sobbing　helplessly；　Min　sagged　against　him。
　　　His　arms　went　around　her　slowly；　gently。　〃Oh；　Min；　you　have　more　pain　than　pleasure　from　your　gift。　If　I　could　take　your　pain；　I　would；　Min。　I　would。〃
　　　Slowly　it　penetrated　that　he　was　trembling；　to