rj.acrownofswords-第44部分

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cross　the　Dragonwall。　〃He　and　Bael　say　we　must　leave　them　alone　unless　they　do　something　against　you。　I　think　you　have　learned　about　waiting　for　Aes　Sedai；　Rand　al'Thor。〃
　　　〃My　fault；〃　Bashere　sighed；　〃if　fault　there　is。　Though　what　Melaine　expects　to　do；　I　can't　say。　Eight　sisters　stopped　at　The　Silver　Swan　almost　a　month　ago；　just　after　you　left。　Now　and　then　a　few　more　e　or　go；　but　there　are　never　more　than　ten　at　one　time。　They　keep　to　themselves；　cause　no　trouble；　and　ask　no　questions　that　Bael　or　I　can　learn。　A　few　Red　sisters　have　e　into　the　city；　as　well；　twice。　Those　at　The　Silver　Swan　all　have　Warders；　but　these　never　do。　I'm　sure　they　are　Reds。　Two　or　three　appear；　ask　after　men　heading　for　the　Black　Tower；　and　after　a　day　or　so；　they　leave。　Without　learning　much；　I'd　say。　That　Black　Tower　is　as　good　as　a　fortress　for　holding　in　secrets。　None　of　them　has　made　trouble；　and　I　would　rather　not　trouble　them　until　I　know　it　is　necessary。〃
　　　〃I　didn't　mean　that；〃　Rand　said　slowly。　He　sat　down　in　a　chair　opposite　Bashere；　gripping　the　carved　arms　till　his　knuckles　hurt。　Aes　Sedai　gathering　here；　Aes　Sedai　gathering　in　Cairhien。　Happenstance？　Lews　Therin　rumbled　like　thunder　on　the　horizon　about　death　and　betrayal。　He　would　have　to　warn　Taim。　Not　about　the　Aes　Sedai　at　The　Silver　Swan　…　Taim　certainly　knew　already；　why　had　he　not　mentioned　it？　…　about　staying　away　from　them；　keeping　the　Asha'man　away。　If　Dumai's　Wells　was　to　be　an　end；　there　could　be　no　new　beginnings　here。　Too　many　things　seemed　to　be　spinning　out　of　control。　The　harder　he　tried　to　gather　them　all　in；　the　more　there　were　and　the　faster　they　spun。　Sooner　or　later；　everything　was　going　to　fall；　and　shatter。　The　thought　dried　his　throat。　Thom　Merrilin　had　taught　him　to　juggle　a　little；　but　he　had　never　been　very　good。　Now　he　had　to　be　very　good　indeed。　He　wished　he　had　something　to　wet　his　throat。
　　　He　did　not　realize　he　had　spoken　that　last　aloud　until　Jalani　straightened　from　her　crouch　and　strutted　across　the　room　to　where　a　tall　silver　pitcher　stood　on　a　small　table。　Filling　a　hammered　silver　goblet；　she　brought　it　back　to　Rand　with　a　smile；　her　mouth　opening　as；　she　proffered　it。　He　expected　something　rude；　but　a　change　came　over　her　face。　All　she　said　was；　〃Car'a'carn；〃　then　went　back　to　her　place　with　the　other　Maidens；　so　dignified　it　seemed　she　was　imitating　Dorindha；　or　maybe　Deira。　Somara　gestured　in　handtalk；　and　suddenly　every　Maiden　was　red…faced　and　biting　her　lips　to　keep　from　laughing。　Every　Maiden　but　Jalani；　who　was　just　red…faced。
　　　The　wine　punch　tasted　of　plums。　Rand　could　remember　fat　sweet　plums　from　the　orchards　across　the　river　when　he　was　young；　climbing　the　trees　to　pick　them　himself。。。　Tilting　his　head　back；　he　drained　the　goblet。　There　were　plum　trees　in　the　Two　Rivers；　but　no　orchards　of　them；　and　certainly　not　across　any　river。　Keep　your　bloody　memories　to　yourself；　he　snarled　at　Lews　Therin。　The　man　in　his　head　laughed　at　something；　giggling　quietly　to　himself。
　　　Bashere　frowned　at　the　Maidens；　then　glanced　at　Bael　and　his　wives；　all　impassive　as　stone；　and　shook　his　head。　He　got　on　well　with　Bael；　but　Aiel　in　general　mystified　him。　〃Since　no　one　is　bringing　me　any　drink；〃　he　said；　rising；　and　went　to　pour　his　own。　He　took　a　long　swallow　that　wet　his　heavy　mustaches。　〃Now；　that's　cooling。　Taim's　way　of　enrolling　men　seems　to　sweep　up　every　fellow　who'd　like　to　follow　the　Dragon　Reborn。　He　has　delivered　a　goodly　army　to　me；　men　who　lack　whatever　it　is　your　Asha'man　need。　They　all　talk　wide…eyed　about　walking　though　holes　in　the　air；　but　none　has　been　anywhere　near　the　Black　Tower。　I'm　trying　out　a　few　thoughts　young　Mat　had。〃
　　　Rand　waved　that　away　with　the　empty　goblet。　〃Tell　me　about　Dyelin。〃　Dyelin　of　House　Taravin　would　be　next　in　line　for　the　throne　should　anything　happen　to　Elayne；　but　he　had　told　her　he　was　having　Elayne　brought　to　Caemlyn。　〃If　she　thinks　she　can　take　the　Lion　Throne；　I　can　find　a　farm　for　her；　too。〃
　　　〃Take　the　throne？〃　Deira　said　incredulously；　and　her　husband　laughed　out　loud。
　　　〃I　have　no　understanding　of　wetlander　ways；〃　Bael　said；　〃but　I　do　not　think　that　is　what　she　has　done。〃
　　　〃Far　from　it。〃　Davram　carried　the　pitcher　over　to　pour　more　punch　for　Rand。　〃Some　lesser　lords　and　ladies　who　thought　to　curry　favor　proclaimed　for　her　at　Aringill。　She　moves　quickly；　Lady　Dyelin。　Within　four　days　she　had　the　two　leaders　hanged；　for　treason　to　the　Daughter…Heir　Elayne；　and　ordered　another　twenty　flogged。〃　He　chuckled　approvingly。　His　wife　sniffed。　Likely　she　would　have　had　the　road　lined　with　gibbets　all　the　way　from　Aringill　to　Caemlyn。
　　　〃Then　what　was　that　about　her　ruling　Andor？〃　Rand　demanded。　〃And　imprisoning　Elenia　and　Naean。〃
　　　〃They　are　the　ones　who　tried　to　claim　the　throne；〃　Deira　said；　dark　eyes　sparkling　angrily。
　　　Bashere　nodded。　He　was　much　calmer。　〃Only　three　days　ago。　When　word　arrived　of　Colavaere's　coronation；　and　the　rumors　from　Cairhien　that　you　had　gone　to　Tar　Valon　began　to　sound　more　real。　With　trade　beginning　again；　there　are　so　many　pigeons　in　the　air　between　Cairhien　and　Caemlyn；　you　could　walk　on　their　backs。〃　Putting　the　pitcher　back；　he　returned　to　his　chair。　〃Naean　proclaimed　for　the　Lion　Throne　in　the　morning；　Elenia　before　midday；　and　by　sunset　Dyelin；　Pelivar　and　Luan　had　arrested　them　both。　They　announced　Dyelin　as　Regent　the　next　morning。　In　Elayne's　name；　until　Elayne　returns。　Most　of　the　Houses　of　Andor　have　declared　support　for　Dyelin。　I　think　some　would　like　her　to　take　the　throne　herself；　but　Aringill　keeps　even　the　most　powerful　careful　of　their　tongues。〃　Closing　one　eye；　Bashere　pointed　at　Rand。　〃You；　they　do　not　mention　at　all。　Whether　that　is　good　or　bad；　it　will　take　a　wiser　head　than　mine　to　say。〃
　　　Deira　offered　a　cool　smile；　looking　down　that　nose　of　hers。　〃Those。。。　lickspittles。。。　you　allowed　to　make　free　of　the　palace　have　all　fled　the　city；　it　seems。　Fled　Andor；　some　of　them；　according　to　rumor。　You　should　know；　they　were　all　behind　either　Elenia　or　Naean。〃
　　　Rand　carefully　set　his　full　goblet　on　the　floor　beside　his　chair。　He　had　only　let　Lir　and　Arymilla　and　the　rest　remain　in　order　to　try　pushing　Dyelin　and　those　who　supported　her　into　cooperation　with　him。　They　would　never　have　left　Andor　to　the　likes　of　Lord　Lir。　With　time　and　Elayne's　return；　it　might　yet　work。　But　everything　was　whirling　faster　and　faster；　whirling　away　from　his　fingers。　There　were　a　few　things　he　could　control；　though。
　　　〃Fedwin；　there；　is　an　Asha'man；〃　he　said。　〃He　can　bring　messages　to　me　in　Cairhien；　if　there's　need。〃　That　with　a　glare　for　Melaine；　who　returned　the　blandest　sort　of　look。　Deira　studied　Fedwin　as　she　might　a　dead　rat　some　overeager　dog　had　dropped　on　her　rug。　Davram　and　Bael　were　more　considering；　Fedwin　tried　to　stand　straighter　under　their　gaze。　〃Don't　let　anyone　know　who　he　is；〃　Rand　went　on。　〃No　one。　That's　why　he　isn't　wearing　black。　I　am　taking　two　more　to　Lord　Semaradrid　and　High　Lord　Weiramon　tonight。　They'll　have　need　when　they　face　Sammael　in　the　Doirlon　Hills。　I　will　be　busy　chewing　on　Cairhien　for　a　while　yet；　it　seems。〃　And　maybe　Andor；　too。
　　　〃Does　this　mean　you　will　send　the　spears　forward　at　last？〃　Bael　said。　〃You　give　the　orders　tonight？〃
　　　Rand　nodded；　and　Bashere　gave　a　great　hoot　of　laughter。　〃Now；　that　calls　for　a　good　wine。　Or　it　would　if　it　wasn't　hot　enough　to　make　a　man's　blood　thick　as　porridge。〃　Laughter　slid　into　a　grimace。　〃Burn　me；　but　I　wish　I　could　be　there。　Still；　I　suppose　holding　Caemlyn　for　the　Dragon　Reborn　is　no　small　thing。〃
　　　〃You　always　want　to　be　where　the　swords　are　bared；　my　husband。〃　Deira　sounded　quite　fond。
　　　〃The　fifth；〃　Bael　said。　〃You　will　allow　the　fifth　in　Illian；　when　Sammael　has　fallen？〃　Aiel　custom　allowed　taking　the　fifth　part　of　all　that　was　in　a　place　taken　by　force　of　arms。　Rand　had　forbidden　it　here　in　Caemlyn；　he　would　not　give　Elayne　a　city　looted　even　that　much。
　　　〃They　will　have　the　fifth；〃　Rand　said；　but　it　was　not　of　Sammael　or　Illian　that　he　thought。　Bring　Elayne　quickly；　Mat。　It　ran　wild　in　his　head；　across　Lews　Therin's　cackling。　Bring　her　quickly；　before　Andor　and　Cairhien　both　erupt　in　my　face。