rj.acrownofswords-第57部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


irst　time；　Egwene　wondered　just　how　old　she　was。　Not　a　question　you　asked　a　Wise　One；　any　more　than　an　Aes　Sedai。
　　　〃When　I　left　you；　I　was　one　of　the　Accepted。　You　know　about　the　division　in　the　White　Tower。〃　Bair　shook　her　head　and　grimaced；　she　knew；　but　she　did　not　understand。　None　of　them　did。　To　Aiel；　it　was　as　unreal　as　clan　or　warrior　society　dividing　against　itself。　Perhaps　it　was　also　affirmation　in　their　eyes　that　Aes　Sedai　were　less　than　they　should　be。　Egwene　went　on；　surprised　that　her　voice　was　collected；　steady。　〃The　sisters　who　oppose　Elaida　have　raised　me　as　their　Amyrlin。　When　Elaida　is　pulled　down；　I　will　sit　on　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　in　the　White　Tower。〃　She　added　the　striped　stole　to　her　clothes　and　waited。　Once　she　had　lied　to　them；　a　serious　transgression　under　ji'e'toh；　and　she　was　not　sure　how　they　would　react　to　learning　this　truth　she　had　hidden。　If　only　they　believed；　at　least。　They　merely　looked　at　her。
　　　〃There　is　a　thing　children　do；〃　Melaine　said　carefully　after　a　time。　Her　pregnancy　did　not　show　yet；　but　already　she　had　the　inner　radiance；　making　her　even　more　beautiful　than　usual；　and　an　inward；　unshakable　calm。　〃Children　all　want　to　push　spears；　and　they　all　want　to　be　the　clan　chief；　but　eventually　they　realize　that　the　clan　chief　seldom　dances　the　spears　himself。　So　they　make　a　figure　and　set　it　on　a　rise。〃　Off　to　one　side　the　floor　suddenly　mounded　up；　no　longer　stone　tiles　but　a　ridge　of　sun…baked　brown　rock。　Atop　it　stood　a　shape　vaguely　like　a　man；　made　of　twisted　twigs　and　bits　of　cloth。　〃This　is　the　clan　chief　who　mands　them　to　dance　the　spears　from　the　hill　where　he　can　see　the　battle。　But　the　children　run　where　they　will；　and　their　clan　chief　is　only　a　figure　of　sticks　and　rags。〃　A　wind　whipped　the　cloth　strips；　emphasizing　the　hollowness　of　the　shape；　and　then　ridge　and　figure　were　gone。
　　　Egwene　drew　a　deep　breath。　Of　course。　She　had　atoned　for　her　lie　according　to　ji'e'toh；　by　her　own　choice；　and　that　meant　it　was　as　if　the　lie　had　never　been　spoken。　She　should　have　known　better。　But　they　had　struck　to　the　heart　of　her　situation　as　though　they　had　been　weeks　in　the　Aes　Sedai　camp。　Bair　studied　the　floor；　not　wanting　to　witness　her　shame。　Amys　sat　with　chin　in　hand；　sharp　blue　gaze　trying　to　dig　to　her　heart。
　　　〃Some　see　me　so。〃　Another　deep　breath；　and　she　pushed　the　truth　out。　〃All　but　a　handful　do。　Now。　By　the　time　we　finish　our　battle；　they　will　know　I　am　their　chief；　and　they　will　run　as　I　say。〃
　　　〃Return　to　us；〃　Bair　said。　〃You　have　too　much　honor　for　these　women。　Sorilea　already　has　a　dozen　young　men　picked　out　for　you　to　view　in　the　sweat　tents。　She　has　a　great　desire　to　see　you　make　a　bridal　wreath。〃
　　　〃I　hope　she　will　be　there　when　I　wed；　Bair〃　…　to　Gawyn；　she　hoped；　that　she　would　bond　him；　she　knew　from　interpreting　her　dreams；　but　only　hope　and　the　certainty　of　love　said　they　would　wed　…　〃I　hope　all　of　you　will；　but　I've　made　my　choice。〃
　　　Bair　would　have　argued　further；　and　Melaine　too；　but　Amys　raised　a　hand；　and　they　fell　silent；　if　not　pleased。　〃There　is　much　ji　in　her　decision。　She　will　bend　her　enemies　to　her　will；　not　run　from　them。　I　wish　you　well　in　your　dance；　Egwene　al'Vere。〃　She　had　been　a　Maiden　of　the　Spear；　and　often　thought　as　one　still。　〃Sit。　Sit。〃
　　　〃Her　honor　is　her　own；〃　Bair　said；　frowning　at　Amys；　〃but　I　have　another　question。〃　Her　eyes　were　an　almost　watery　blue；　yet　when　they　turned　on　Egwene；　they　were　sharp　as　ever　Amys'　had　been。　〃Will　you　bring　these　Aes　Sedai　to　kneel　to　the　Car'a'carn？〃
　　　Startled；　Egwene　nearly　fell　the　last　foot　to　the　floor…stones　rather　than　sitting。　There　was　no　hesitation　in　her　answer；　though。　〃I　can't　do　that；　Bair。　And　would　not　if　I　could。　Our　loyalty　is　to　the　Tower；　to　the　Aes　Sedai　as　a　whole；　above　even　the　lands　we　were　born　in。〃　That　was　true；　or　was　supposed　to　be；　though　she　wondered　how　the　claim　squared　in　their　minds　with　her　and　the　others'　rebellion。　〃Aes　Sedai　don't　even　swear　fealty　to　the　Amyrlin；　and　certainly　not　to　any　man。　That　would　be　like　one　of　you　kneeling　to　a　clan　chief。〃　She　made　an　illustration　the　way　Melaine　had；　by　concentrating　on　its　reality；　Tel'aran'rhiod　was　infinitely　malleable　if　you　knew　how。　Beyond　Callandor　three　Wise　Ones　dropped　to　their　knees　before　a　clan　chief。　The　man　strongly　resembled　Rhuarc；　the　women　the　three　in　front　of　her。　She　only　held　it　for　an　instant；　but　Bair　glanced　at　it　and　sniffed　loudly。　The　notion　was　preposterous。
　　　〃Do　not　pare　those　women　to　us。〃　Melaine's　green　eyes　sparkled　with　something　very　like　their　old　sharpness；　her　tone　was　honed　like　a　razor。
　　　Egwene　held　her　tongue。　The　Wise　Ones　seemed　to　despise　Aes　Sedai；　all　except　her；　or　perhaps　better　to　say　they　were　contemptuous。　She　thought　they　might　actually　resent　the　prophecies　that　linked　them　to　Aes　Sedai。　Before　she　had　been　summoned　by　the　Hall　to　be　raised　Amyrlin；　Sheriam　and　her　circle　of　friends　had　met　here　regularly　with　these　three；　but　that　had　ended　as　much　because　the　Wise　Ones　refused　to　hide　their　contempt　as　because　Egwene　finally　had　been　called。　In　Tel'aran'rhiod；　a　confrontation　with　someone　more　familiar　with　the　place　could　be　mortifying　in　the　extreme。　Even　with　Egwene；　there　was　a　distance　now；　and　certain　matters　they　would　not　discuss；　such　as　whatever　they　knew　of　Rand's　plans。　Before；　she　had　been　one　with　them；　a　student　in　dreamwalking；　after；　she　was　Aes　Sedai；　even　before　they　learned　what　she　had　just　told　them。
　　　〃Egwene　al'Vere　will　do　as　she　must；〃　Amys　said。　Melaine　gave　her　a　long　look　and　rearranged　her　shawl　ostentatiously；　shifted　several　long　necklaces　in　a　clatter　of　ivory　and　gold；　but　said　nothing。　Amys　seemed　even　more　the　leader　than　she　had　been。　The　only　Wise　One　Egwene　had　ever　seen　make　other　Wise　Ones　defer　to　her　so　easily　was　Sorilea。
　　　Bair　had　imagined　tea　before　her；　as　it　might　be　in　the　tents；　a　golden　teapot　worked　with　lions　from　one　country；　a　silver　tray　edged　in　ropework　from　another；　tiny　green　cups　of　delicate　Sea　Folk　porcelain。　The　tea　tasted　real；　of　course；　felt　real　going　down。　Despite　a　hint　of　some　sweet　berry　or　herb　she　did　not　recognize；　it　was　too　bitter　for　Egwene's　tongue。　She　imagined　a　little　honey　in　it　and　took　another　sip。　Too　sweet。　A　touch　less　honey。　Now　it　tasted　right。　That　was　something　you　could　not　do　with　the　Power。　Egwene　doubted　that　anyone　had　the　skill　to　weave　threads　of　saidar　fine　enough　to　remove　honey　from　tea。
　　　For　a　moment　she　sat　peering　into　her　teacup；　thinking　about　honey　and　tea　and　fine　threads　of　saidar；　but　that　was　not　what　held　her　silent。　The　Wise　Ones　wanted　to　guide　Rand　no　less　than　Elaida　or　Romanda　or　Lelaine；　or　very　likely　any　other　Aes　Sedai。　Of　course；　they　only　wanted　to　direct　the　Car'a'carn　in　a　way　that　was　best　for　the　Aiel；　yet　those　sisters　wanted　to　direct　the　Dragon　Reborn　toward　what　was　best　for　the　world；　as　they　saw　it。　She　did　not　spare　herself。　Helping　Rand；　keeping　him　from　putting　himself　at　odds　with　Aes　Sedai　beyond　recovery；　those　meant　guiding　him；　too。　Only；　I'm　right；　she　reminded　herself。　Whatever　I　do　is　as　much　for　his　own　good　as　for　anybody　else's。　None　of　the　others　ever　think　about　what's　right　for　him。　But　it　was　best　to　remember　that　these　women　were　more　than　simply　her　friends　and　followers　of　the　Car'a'carn。　No　one　was　ever　simply　anything；　she　was　learning。
　　　〃I　do　not　think　you　wished　only　to　tell　us　you　are　now　a　woman　chief　among　the　wetlanders；〃　Amys　said　over　her　teacup。　〃What　troubles　your　mind；　Egwene　al'Vere？〃
　　　〃What　troubles　me　is　what　always　does。〃　She　smiled　to　lighten　the　mood。　〃Sometimes　I　think　Rand　is　going　to　give　me　gray　hairs　before　my　time。〃
　　　〃Without　men；　no　woman　would　have　gray　hairs。〃　Normally；　that　would　have　been　a　joke　on　Melaine's　tongue；　and　Bair　would　have　made　another　over　the　vast　knowledge　of　men　Melaine　had　gained　in　just　a　few　months　of　marriage；　but　not　this　time。　All　three　women　simply　watched　Egwene　and　waited。
　　　So。　They　wished　to　be　serious。　Well；　Rand　was　serious　business。　She　just　wished　she　could　be　sure　they　saw　it　anything　at　all　the　way　she　did。　Balancing　her　cup　on　her　fingertips；　she　told　them　everyth