rj.acrownofswords-第142部分

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　　　My　Lady　Elayne；
　　　I　greet　the　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor　with　joyous　news。　I　have　but　just　learned　that　your　mother；　Queen　Morgase；　lives　and　is　at　present　the　guest　of　Pedron　Niall　in　Amador；　and　wishes　above　all　to　be　reunited　with　you　so　that　you　may　return　to　Andor　together　in　triumph。　I　offer　escort　through　the　bandits　now　infesting　Altara；　so　that　you　may　reach　your　mother's　side　in　safety　and　all　speed。　Forgive　these　few　poor　words；　scribbled　in　haste；　but　I　know　you　would　wish　to　learn　the　wondrous　news　as　soon　as　possible。　Until　I　can　leave　you　at　your　mother's　side。
　　　Sealed　in　the　Light；
Jaichim　Carridin
　　　
　　　The　paper　crumpled　in　her　fist。　How　dare　he？　The　pain　of　her　mother's　death；　without　even　a　body　to　be　buried；　was　only　beginning　to　fade；　and　Carridin　dared　mock　her　this　way？　Embracing　the　True　Source；　she　hurled　the　foul　lies　away　from　her　and　channeled；　fire　flared　in　midair；　so　hot　that　only　a　dust　of　ash　fell　to　the　blue…and…gold　floor　tiles。　That　for　Jaichim　Carridin。　And　as　for　these。。。　women！　The　pride　of　a　thousand　years　of　Andoran　queens　put　steel　into　her　backbone。
　　　Merilille　surged　to　her　feet。　〃You　were　not　given　permission　to　channel！　You　will　release　the　…！〃
　　　〃Leave　us；　Pol；〃　Elayne　said。　〃Now。〃　The　serving　woman　stared；　but　Elayne's　mother　had　taught　her　well　the　voice　of　mand；　the　voice　of　a　Queen　from　her　throne。　Pol　bobbed　a　curtsy　and　was　moving　before　she　realized。　Once　under　way；　she　hesitated　only　an　instant　before　hurrying　out　and　closing　the　door　behind　her。　Whatever　was　about　to　happen　plainly　was　for　Aes　Sedai　alone。
　　　〃What　has　gotten　into　you；　child？〃　Pure　fury　submerged　the　remnants　of　Merilille's　regathered　calm。　〃Release　the　Source　immediately；　or　I　vow；　I'll　fetch　a　slipper　myself　this　minute！〃
　　　〃I　am　Aes　Sedai。〃　The　words　came　out　like　winter　stone；　and　Elayne　meant　them　to。　Carridin's　lies　and　these　women。　Merilille　threatened　to　slipper　her？　They　would　acknowledge　her　rightful　place　as　a　sister。　She　and　Nynaeve　had　found　the　Bowl！　As　good　as；　anyway；　and　the　arrangements　for　its　use　were　under　way。　〃You　propose　to　punish　me　for　endangering　a　secret　apparently　known　only　to　sisters；　but　no　one　bothered　to　tell　me　this　secret　when　I　attained　the　shawl。　You　suggest　punishing　me　like　a　novice　or　Accepted；　but　I　am　Aes　Sedai。　I　was　raised　to　the　shawl　by　Egwene　al'Vere；　the　Amyrlin　you　claim　to　serve。　If　you　deny　that　Nynaeve　and　I　are　Aes　Sedai；　then　you　deny　the　Amyrlin　Seat　who　sent　me　to　find　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　which　we　have　done。　I　will　not　have　it！　I　call　you　to　account；　Merilille　Ceandevin。　Submit　to　the　will　of　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　or　I　will　call　judgment　on　you　as　a　rebellious　traitor！〃
　　　Merilille's　eyes　bulged；　and　her　mouth　hung　open；　but　she　appeared　posed　beside　Careane　or　Sareitha；　who　looked　about　to　choke　to　death　on　incredulity。　Vandene　seemed　mildly　taken　aback；　a　thoughtful　finger　pressed　to　her　lips　beneath　slightly　widened　eyes；　while　Adeleas　sat　forward；　studying　Elayne　as　if　seeing　her　for　the　first　time。
　　　Channeling；　Elayne　floated　one　of　the　tall　armchairs　to　her　and　sat；　posing　her　skirts。　〃You　may　as　well　sit；　too；　Merilille。〃　She　still　used　the　voice　of　mand　…　apparently　it　was　the　only　way　to　make　them　listen　…　but　she　was　startled　when　Merilille　actually　sank　back　down　slowly；　staring　at　her　pop…eyed。
　　　Outside；　she　maintained　a　calm；　cool　fa？ade；　but　inside；　anger　bubbled。　No；　it　boiled。　Secrets。　She　had　always　thought　Aes　Sedai　kept　too　many　secrets；　even　from　each　other。　Especially　from　each　other。　True；　she　kept　some　herself；　but　only　at　necessity；　and　not　from　anyone　who　needed　to　know。　And　these　women　had　thought　to　punish　her！　〃Your　authority　es　from　the　Hall　of　the　Tower；　Merilille；　Nynaeve's　and　mine　from　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　Ours　supersedes　yours。　From　now　on；　you　will　take　your　instructions　from　Nynaeve　or　me。　We　will　of　course　listen　carefully　to　any　advice　you　might　offer。〃　She　had　thought　Merilille's　eyes　bulged　before；　but　now。。。
　　　〃Impossible；〃　the　Gray　spluttered。　〃You　are　…　〃
　　　〃Merilille！〃　Elayne　said　sharply；　leaning　forward。　〃Do　you　still　deny　the　authority　of　your　Amyrlin？　Do　you　still　dare？〃　Merilille's　mouth　worked　soundlessly。　She　wet　her　lips。　She　shook　her　head　jerkily。　Elayne　felt　a　thrill　of　exultation；　all　that　about　Merilille　taking　direction　was　stuff　and　nonsense；　of　course；　but　she　would　be　acknowledged。　Thom　and　her　mother　both　said　you　must　begin　by　asking　for　ten　to　get　one。　Still；　that　was　not　enough　to　damp　her　anger。　She　had　half　a　mind　to　fetch　a　slipper　herself　and　see　how　far　she　could　push　this。　Except；　that　would　shatter　everything。　They　would　remember　her　age　fast　enough　then；　and　how　short　a　time　ago　she　had　put　off　a　novice　dress；　they　might　even　begin　thinking　of　her　as　a　foolish　child　again。　Which　thought　stoked　her　fury　anew。　But　she　contented　herself　with；　〃While　you　think　quietly　on　what　else　I　should　be　told　as　Aes　Sedai；　Merilille；　Adeleas　and　Vandene　will　instruct　me　in　this　secret　I　endangered。　Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　the　Tower　has　known　of　the　Circle　…　these　Kin；　as　you　call　them　…　all　along？〃　Poor　Reanne　and　her　hopes　to　avoid　Aes　Sedai　notice。
　　　〃As　near　as　they　could　make　themselves　e　to　sisters；　I　suppose；〃　Vandene　replied。　Carefully。　She　studied　Elayne　as　intently　as　her　sister　did；　now。　Though　a　Green；　she　had　many　of　the　same　mannerisms　as　Adeleas。　Careane　arid　Sareitha　looked　stunned；　disbelieving　eyes　swinging　from　a　silent；　red…cheeked　Merilille　to　Elayne　and　back。
　　　〃Even　during　the　Trolloc　Wars；　women　failed　their　tests；　or　lacked　the　strength；　or　were　sent　away　from　the　Tower　for　any　of　the　usual　reasons。〃　Adeleas　had　adopted　a　lecturing　tone；　but　not　offensively。　Browns　often　did　when　expounding。　〃Under　the　circumstances；　it　is　hardly　surprising　that　a　number　feared　to　go　off　into　the　world　alone；　nor　that　they　might　flee　to　Barashta；　as　the　city　that　existed　here　then　was　called。　Though　the　main　part　of　Barashta　was；　of　course；　where　the　Rahad　now　stands。　Not　that　a　stone　of　Barashta　remains。　The　Trolloc　Wars　did　not　truly　envelope　Eharon　until　late；　but　in　the　end；　Barashta　fell　as　pletely　as　Barsine；　or　Shaemal；　or。。。　〃
　　　〃The　Kin。。。　〃　Vandene　broke　in　gently；　Adeleas　blinked　at　her；　then　nodded。　〃。。。　The　Kin　persisted　even　after　Barashta　fell；　in　the　same　way　they　had　before；　taking　in　wilders　and　women　put　out　of　the　Tower。〃　Elayne　frowned；　Mistress　Anan　had　said　the　Kin　took　in　wilders；　too；　but　Reanne's　biggest　anxiety　had　seemed　to　be　making　her　and　Nynaeve　prove　they　were　not。
　　　〃None　ever　remained　long；〃　Adeleas　added。　〃Five　years；　perhaps　ten；　then；　I　suppose；　as　now。　Once　they　realize　that　their　little　group　is　no　replacement　for　the　White　Tower；　they　go　off　and　bee　village　Healers　or　Wisdoms　or　the　like；　or　sometimes　simply　forget　the　Power；　stop　channeling；　and　take　up　a　craft　or　trade。　In　any　case；　they　vanish；　so　to　speak。〃　Elayne　wondered　how　anyone　could　forget　the　One　Power　that　way；　the　urge　to　channel；　the　temptation　of　the　Source；　was　always　there；　once　you　learned　how。　Aes　Sedai　did　seem　to　believe　some　women　could　just　put　it　behind　them；　though；　once　they　found　out　they　would　not　be　Aes　Sedai。
　　　Vandene　took　up　the　explanation　again；　the　sisters　frequently　spoke　almost　in　alternating　sentences；　each　carrying　on　smoothly　where　the　other　left　off。　〃The　Tower　has　known　of　the　Kin　from　nearly　the　beginning；　perhaps　from　the　very　beginning。　At　first；　no　doubt；　the　Wars　took　precedence。　And　despite　calling　themselves　the　Kin；　they　have　done　just　what　we　want　such　women　to　do。　They　remain　hidden；　even　the　fact　that　they　can　channel；　draw　no　attention　whatsoever　to　themselves。　Over　the　years；　they　have　even　passed　along　word　…　secretly；　of　course；　carefully　…　when　one　of　them　found　a　woman　falsely　claiming　the　shawl。　You　said　something？〃
　　　Elayne　shook　her　head。　〃Careane；　is　there　any　tea　in　that　pot？〃　Careane　gave　a　small　start。　〃I　think　Adeleas　and　Vandene　might　like　to　wet　their　throats。〃　The　Domani　woman　did　not　quite　look　at　a　still…staring　Merilille　before　going　to　the　table　where　the　silver　teapot　and　cups　were。　〃That　doesn't　explain　why；〃　Elayne　went　on。　〃W