rj.acrownofswords-第187部分

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he　edge　of　a　red…and…blue　Tairen　maze　overlapping　gaudy　flowers　beneath　her　nose。　With　difficulty；　she　raised　her　head。
　　　At　first；　she　saw　nothing　but　Sevanna；　seated　on　a　large　yellow…tasseled　cushion　in　front　of　her。　Sevanna　with　her　hair　like　fine…spun　gold；　her　clear　emerald　eyes。　Treacherous　Sevanna；　who　had　given　her　word　to　distract　attention　by　raiding　into　Cairhien；　then　broken　her　pledge　by　trying　to　free　al'Thor。　Sevanna；　who　at　the　least　might　take　her　from　Therava's　clutches。
　　　She　struggled　up　onto　her　knees；　and　for　the　first　time　realized　there　were　others　in　the　tent。　Therava　sat　on　a　cushion　to　Sevanna's　right；　at　the　head　of　a　curving　line　of　Wise　Ones；　fourteen　women　who　could　channel　in　all；　though　Micara；　who　still　held　the　shield　on　her；　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　line　rather　than　sitting。　Half　of　them　had　been　among　the　Wise　Ones　who　captured　her　with　such　scornful　ease。　She　would　never　again　be　so　careless　about　Wise　Ones；　never　again。　Short；　pale…faced　men　and　women　in　white　robes　moved　behind　the　Wise　Ones；　wordlessly　offering　trays　of　gold　or　silver　with　small　cups；　and　more　did　the　same　on　the　other　side　of　the　tent；　where　a　gray…haired　woman　in　an　Aiel　coat　and　breeches　of　brown　and　gray　sat　to　Sevanna's　left；　at　the　head　of　a　line　of　twelve　stone…faced　Aielmen。　Men。　And　she　wore　nothing　but　her　shift；　ripped　and　gaping　in　a　number　of　places。　Galina　clamped　her　teeth　shut　to　stifle　a　scream。　She　forced　her　back　stiff　to　keep　from　trying　to　burrow　into　the　rugs　arid　hide　from　those　cold　male　eyes。
　　　〃It　seems　that　Aes　Sedai　can　lie；〃　Sevanna　said；　and　the　blood　drained　from　Galina's　face。　The　woman　could　not　know；　she　could　not。　〃You　made　pledges；　Galina　Casban；　and　broke　them。　Did　you　think　you　could　murder　a　Wise　One　and　then　run　beyond　the　reach　of　our　spears？〃
　　　For　a　moment；　relief　froze　Galina's　tongue。　Sevanna　did　not　know　about　the　Black　Ajah。　Had　she　not　abandoned　the　Light　long　ago；　she　would　have　thanked　the　Light。　Relief　stilled　her　tongue；　and　a　tiny　spark　of　indignation。　They　attacked　Aes　Sedai　and　were　angry　when　some　of　them　died？　A　tiny　spark　was　all　she　could　manage。　After　all；　what　was　Sevanna's　twisting　facts　alongside　days　of　beatings　and　Therava's　eyes？　A　pained；　croaking　laugh　bubbled　up　at　the　absurdity　of　it。　Her　throat　was　so　dry。
　　　〃Be　thankful　some　of　you　still　live；〃　she　managed　past　her　laughter。　〃Even　now　it　is　not　too　late　to　rectify　your　mistakes；　Sevanna。〃　With　an　effort；　she　swallowed　rueful　mirth　before　it　turned　to　tears。　Just　before。　〃When　I　return　to　the　White　Tower；　I　will　remember　those　who　assist　me；　even　now。〃　She　would　have　added；　〃and　those　who　do　otherwise；〃　but　Therava's　unwavering　stare　set　fear　fluttering　in　her　middle。　For　all　she　knew；　Therava　still　might　be　allowed　to　do　whatever　she　wished。　There　had　to　be　some　way　to　induce　Sevanna　to。。。　take　charge　of　her。　That　tasted　bitter；　yet　anything　was　better　than　Therava。　Sevanna　was　ambitious；　and　greedy。　In　the　midst　of　frowning　at　Galina；　she　had　caught　sight　of　her　own　hand　and　directed　a　brief；　admiring　smile　at　rings　set　with　large　emeralds　and　firedrops。　She　wore　rings　on　half　her　fingers；　and　necklaces　of　pearls　and　rubies　and　diamonds　fit　for　any　queen　draped　across　the　swell　of　her　bosom。　Sevanna　could　not　be　trusted；　but　perhaps　she　could　be　bought。　Therava　was　a　force　of　nature；　as　well　try　to　buy　a　flood　or　an　avalanche。　〃I　trust　that　you　will　do　what　is　right；　Sevanna；〃　she　finished。　〃The　rewards　of　friendship　with　the　White　Tower　are　great。〃
　　　For　a　long　moment；　there　was　silence　except　for　the　whisper　of　the　white　robes　as　the　servants　moved　with　their　trays。　Then。。。
　　　〃You　are　da'tsang；〃　Sevanna　said。　Galina　blinked。　She　was　a　despised　one？　Certainly　they　had　displayed　their　contempt　plainly；　but　why　…？
　　　〃You　are　da'tsang；〃　a　round…faced　Wise　One　she　did　not　know　intoned；　and　a　woman　a　hand　taller　than　Therava　repeated；　〃You　are　da'tsang。〃
　　　Therava's　hawklike　face　might　have　been　carved　from　wood；　yet　her　eyes；　fixed　on　Galina；　glittered　accusingly。　Galina　felt　nailed　to　the　spot　where　she　knelt；　unable　to　move　a　muscle。　A　hypnotized　bird　watching　a　serpent　slither　nearer。　No　one　had　ever　made　her　feel　that　way。　No　one。
　　　〃Three　Wise　Ones　have　spoken。〃　Sevanna's　satisfied　smile　was　almost　weling。　Therava's　face　was　stark。　The　woman　did　not　like　whatever　had　just　happened。　Something　had　happened；　even　if　Galina　did　not　know　what。　Except　that　it　appeared　to　have　delivered　her　from　Therava。　That　was　more　than　enough　for　the　moment。　More　than　enough。
　　　When　Maidens　cut　her　bounds　and　stuffed　her　into　a　black　wool　robe；　she　was　so　grateful　she　almost　did　not　care　that　they　tore　off　the　remnants　of　her　shift　first；　in　front　of　those　ice…eyed　men。　The　thick　wool　was　hot　and　itchy　and　scratchy　on　her　welts；　and　she　weled　it　as　though　it　were　silk。　Despite　Micara　still　shielding　her；　she　could　have　laughed　as　the　Maidens　led　her　out　of　the　tent。　It　did　not　take　long　for　that　desire　to　vanish　entirely。　It　did　not　take　her　long　to　begin　wondering　whether　begging　on　her　knees　before　Sevanna　would　do　any　good。　She　would　have　done　it；　could　she　have　gotten　to　the　woman；　except　that　Micara　made　it　plain　she　was　not　going　anywhere　she　was　not　told　to　go；　or　speak　a　word　unless　spoken　to。
　　　
　　　Arms　folded；　Sevanna　watched　the　Aes　Sedai；　the　da'tsang；　stagger　down　the　mountainside　and　stop；　beside　a　Maiden　squatting　on　her　heels　with　a　switch；　to　drop　the　head…shaped　stone　she　had　been　carrying　in　her　hands。　The　black　hood　turned　in　Sevanna's　direction　for　a　moment；　but　the　da'tsang　quickly　bent　to　pick　up　another　large　stone　and　turned　to　labor　back　up　the　fifty　paces　to　where　Micara　waited　with　another　Maiden。　There　she　dropped　that　stone；　picked　up　another；　and　started　back　down。　Da'tsang　were　always　shamed　with　useless　labor；　unless　there　was　great　need；　the　woman　would　not　be　allowed　to　carry　even　a　cup　of　water；　yet　toil　without　purpose　would　fill　her　hours　till　she　burst　of　shame。　The　sun　had　a　long　way　to　climb　yet；　and　many　more　days　lay　ahead。
　　　〃I　did　not　think　she　would　condemn　herself　out　of　her　own　mouth；〃　Rhiale　said　at　Sevanna's　shoulder。　〃Efalin　and　the　others　are　all　but　sure　she　openly　admitted　killing　Desaine。〃
　　　〃She　is　mine；　Sevanna。〃　Therava's　jaw　tightened。　She　might　have　taken　the　woman；　but　da'tsang　belonged　to　no　one。　〃I　intended　to　dress　her　in　gai'shain　robes　of　silk；〃　she　muttered。　〃What　is　the　purpose　of　this；　Sevanna？　I　expected　to　have　to　argue　against　cutting　her　throat；　not　this。〃
　　　Rhiale　tossed　her　head；　casting　a　sidelong　glance　at　Sevanna。　〃Sevanna　intends　to　break　her。　We　have　had　long　talks　of　what　to　do　should　we　capture　any　Aes　Sedai。　Sevanna　wants　a　tame　Aes　Sedai　to　wear　white　and　serve　her。　An　Aes　Sedai　in　black　will　do　well　enough；　though。〃
　　　Sevanna　shifted　her　shawl；　irritated　by　the　woman's　tone。　Not　quite　mocking；　but　all　too　aware　that　she　wanted　somehow　to　use　the　Aes　Sedai's　channeling　as　though　it　were　Sevanna's　own。　It　would　be　possible。　Two　gai'shain　passed　the　three　Wise　Ones；　carrying　a　large　brass…strapped　chest　between　them。　Short　and　pale…faced；　husband　and　wife；　they　had　been　Lord　and　Lady　in　the　treekillers'　lands。　The　pair　bowed　their　heads　more　meekly　than　any　Aiel　in　white　ever　could　have　managed；　their　dark　eyes　were　tight　with　fear　of　a　harsh　word；　much　less　a　switch。　Wetlanders　could　be　tamed　like　horses。
　　　〃The　woman　is　tamed　already；〃　Therava　grumbled。　〃I　have　looked　into　her　eyes。　She　is　a　bird　fluttering　in　the　hand　and　afraid　to　fly。〃
　　　〃In　nine　days？〃　Rhiale　said　incredulously；　and　Sevanna　shook　her　head　vigorously。
　　　〃She　is　Aes　Sedai；　Therava。　You　saw　her　face　go　pale　with　fury　when　I　accused　her。　You　heard　her　laugh　as　she　spoke　of　killing　Wise　Ones。〃　She　made　a　vexed；　angry　sound。　〃And　you　heard　her　threaten　us。〃　The　woman　had　been　as　slippery　as　the　treekillers；　speaking　of　rewards　and　letting　the　threat　if　no　rewards　came　shout　silently。　But　what　else　could　be　expected　of　Aes　Sedai？　〃It　will　take　long　to　break　her；　but　this　Aes　Sedai　will　beg　to　obey　if　it　takes　a　year。〃　Once　she　did　that。。。　Aes　Sedai　could　not　lie；　of　course；　she　h