rj.acrownofswords-第6部分

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nsense　of　the　Dragon　Reborn　was　wetlander　foolishness　…　there　would　be　a　new　way　of　naming　clan　chiefs；　and　sept　chiefs　as　well。　Perhaps　even　the　heads　of　the　warrior　societies。　Rand　al'Thor　would　name　them。　Pointing　where　she　told　him；　of　course。　And　that　would　be　only　the　beginning。　The　wetlander　notion　of　handing　down　rank　to　your　children；　and　their　children；　for　instance。
　　　The　wind　swept　higher　for　a　moment；　blowing　south。　It　would　cover　the　sound　of　the　wetlanders'　horses　and　wagons。
　　　She　shifted　her　shawl　again；　then　suppressed　a　grimace。　At　all　costs　she　must　not　appear　nervous。　A　glance　to　the　right　stilled　worry　as　soon　as　begun。　Over　two　hundred　Shaido　Wise　Ones　clustered　there；　and　normally　at　least　some　would　be　watching　her　like　vultures；　but　their　eyes　were　all　on　the　rise。　More　than　one　adjusted　her　shawl　uneasily　or　smoothed　bulky　skirts。　Sevanna's　lip　curled。　Sweat　beaded　on　some　of　those　faces。　Sweat！　Where　was　their　honor　that　they　showed　nerves　before　every　gaze？
　　　Everyone　stiffened　slightly　as　a　young　Sovin　Nai　appeared　above　them；　lowering　his　veil　as　he　scrambled　down。　He　came　straight　to　her；　as　was　proper；　but　to　her　irritation　he　raised　his　voice　enough　for　all　to　hear。　〃One　of　their　forward　scouts　escaped。　He　was　wounded；　but　still　on　his　horse。〃
　　　The　society　leaders　began　to　move　before　he　finished　speaking。　That　would　never　do。　They　would　lead　in　the　actual　fighting　…　Sevanna　had　never　more　than　held　a　spear　in　her　life　…　but　she　would　not　let　them　forget　for　a　moment　who　she　was。　〃Throw　every　last　spear　against　them；〃　she　ordered　loudly；　〃before　they　can　ready　themselves。〃　They　rounded　on　her　as　one。
　　　〃Every　spear？〃　Bendhuin　demanded　incredulously。　〃You　mean　except　for　the　screens　…　〃
　　　Glowering；　Maeric　spoke　right　on　top　of　him。　〃If　we　keep　no　reserve；　we　can　be　…　〃
　　　Sevanna　cut　them　both　off。　〃Every　spear！　These　are　Aes　Sedai　we　dance　with。　We　must　overwhelm　them　immediately！〃　Efalin　and　most　of　the　others　schooled　their　faces　to　stillness；　but　Bendhuin　and　Maeric　frowned；　ready　to　argue。　Fools。　They　faced　a　few　dozen　Aes　Sedai；　a　few　hundred　wetlander　soldiers；　yet　with　the　more　than　forty　thousand　algai'd'siswai　they　had　insisted　on；　they　still　wanted　their　screens　of　scouts　and　their　spears　in　reserve　as　if　they　faced　other　Aiel　or　a　wetlander　army。　〃I　speak　as　the　clan　chief　of　the　Shaido。〃　She　should　not　have　to　say　that；　but　a　reminder　could　do　no　harm。　〃They　are　a　handful。〃　She　weighted　every　word　with　contempt　now。　〃They　can　be　run　down　if　the　spears　move　quickly。　You　were　ready　to　avenge　Desaine　this　sunrise。　Do　I　smell　fear　now？　Fear　of　a　few　wetlanders？　Has　honor　gone　from　the　Shaido？〃
　　　That　turned　their　faces　to　stone；　as　intended。　Even　Efalin　showed　eyes　like　polished　gray　gems　as　she　veiled；　her　fingers　moved　in　Maiden　handtalk；　and　as　the　society　leaders　sprinted　up　the　rise；　the　Maidens　around　Sevanna　followed。　That　was　not　what　she　had　intended；　but　at　least　the　spears　were　moving。　Even　from　the　bottom　of　the　fold　she　could　see　what　had　seemed　bare　ground　disgorging　cadin'sor…clad　figures；　all　hurrying　south　with　the　long　strides　that　could　run　down　horses。　There　was　no　time　to　waste。　With　a　thought　to　have　words　with　Efalin　later；　Sevanna　turned　to　the　Wise　Ones。
　　　Chosen　from　the　strongest　of　the　Shaido　Wise　Ones　who　could　wield　the　One　Power；　they　were　six　or　seven　for　every　Aes　Sedai　around　Rand　al'Thor；　yet　Sevanna　saw　doubt。　They　tried　to　hide　it　behind　stony　faces；　but　it　was　there；　in　shifting　eyes；　in　tongues　wetting　lips。　Many　traditions　fell　today；　traditions　old　and　strong　as　law。　Wise　Ones　did　not　take　part　in　battles。　Wise　Ones　kept　far　from　Aes　Sedai。　They　knew　the　ancient　tales；　that　the　Aiel　had　been　sent　to　the　Three…fold　Land　for　failing　the　Aes　Sedai；　that　they　would　be　destroyed　if　ever　they　failed　them　again。　They　had　heard　the　stories；　what　Rand　al'Thor　had　claimed　before　all；　that　as　part　of　their　service　to　the　Aes　Sedai；　the　Aiel　had　sworn　to　do　no　violence。
　　　Once　Sevanna　had　been　sure　those　stories　were　lies；　but　of　late　she　believed　the　Wise　Ones　knew　them　for　truth。　None　had　told　her　so；　of　course。　It　did　not　matter。　She　herself　had　never　made　the　two　journeys　to　Rhuidean　required　to　bee　a　Wise　One；　but　the　others　had　accepted　her；　however　reluctant　some　had　been。　Now　they　had　no　choice　but　to　go　on　accepting。　Useless　traditions　would　be　carved　into　new。
　　　〃Aes　Sedai；〃　she　said　softly。　They　leaned　toward　her　in　a　muted　clatter　of　bracelets　and　necklaces；　to　catch　her　low　words。　〃They　hold　Rand　al'Thor；　the　Car'a'carn。　We　must　take　him　from　them。〃　There　were　scattered　frowns。　Most　believed　she　wanted　the　Car'a'carn　taken　alive　in　order　to　avenge　the　death　of　Couladin；　her　second　husband。　They　understood　that；　but　they　would　not　have　e　here　for　it。　〃Aes　Sedai；〃　she　hissed　angrily。　〃We　kept　our　pledge；　but　they　broke　theirs。　We　violated　nothing；　but　they　have　violated　everything。　You　know　how　Desaine　was　murdered。〃　And　of　course　they　did。　The　eyes　watching　her　were　suddenly　sharper。　Killing　a　Wise　One　ranked　with　killing　a　pregnant　woman；　a　child　or　a　blacksmith。　Some　of　those　eyes　were　very　sharp。　Therava's；　Rhiale's；　others'。　〃If　we　allow　these　women　to　walk　away　from　that；　then　we　are　less　than　animals；　we　will　have　no　honor。　I　hold　my　honor。〃
　　　On　that　she　gathered　her　skirts　with　dignity　and　climbed　the　slope；　head　high；　not　looking　back。　She　was　certain　the　others　would　follow。　Therava　and　Norlea　and　Dailin　would　see　to　that；　and　Rhiale　and　Tion　and　Meira　and　the　rest　who　had　acpanied　her　a　few　days　past　to　see　Rand　al'Thor　beaten　and。　put　back　into　his　wooden　chest　by　the　Aes　Sedai。　Her　reminder　had　been　for　those　thirteen　even　more　than　the　others；　and　they　dared　not　fail　her。　The　truth　of　how　Desaine　had　died　tied　them　to　her。
　　　Wise　Ones　with　their　skirts　looped　over　their　arms　to　free　their　legs　could　not　keep　up　with　the　algai'd'siswai　in　cadin'sor　however　hard　they　ran；　though　race　they　did。　Five　miles　across　those　low　rolling　hills；　not　a　long　run；　and　they　topped　a　crest　to　see　the　dance　of　spears　already　begun。　After　a　fashion。
　　　Thousands　of　algai'd'siswai　made　a　huge　pool　of　veiled　gray…and…brown　surging　around　a　circle　of　wetlander　wagons；　which　itself　surrounded　one　of　the　small　clumps　of　trees　that　dotted　this　region。　Sevanna　drew　an　angry　breath。　The　Aes　Sedai　had　even　had　time　to　bring　all　of　their　horses　inside。　The　spears　encircled　the　wagons；　pressed　in　on　them；　showered　arrows　toward　them；　but　those　at　the　front　seemed　to　push　against　an　invisible　wall。　At　first　the　arrows　that　arched　highest　passed　over　this　wall；　but　then　they　too　began　striking　something　unseen　and　bouncing　back。　A　low　murmur　rose　among　the　Wise　Ones。
　　　〃You　see　what　the　Aes　Sedai　do？〃　Sevanna　demanded；　as　though　she　also　could　see　the　One　Power　being　woven。　She　wanted　to　sneer；　the　Aes　Sedai　were　fools；　with　their　vaunted　Three　Oaths。　When　they　finally　decided　they　must　use　the　Power　as　a　weapon　instead　of　just　to　make　barriers；　it　would　be　too　late。　Provided　the　Wise　Ones　did　not　stand　too　long　staring。　Somewhere　in　those　wagons　was　Rand　al'Thor；　perhaps　still　doubled　into　a　chest　like　a　bolt　of　silk。　Waiting　for　her　to　pick　him　up。　If　the　Aes　Sedai　could　hold　him；　then　she　could；　with　the　Wise　Ones。　And　a　promise。　〃Therava；　take　your　half　to　the　west　now。　Be　ready　to　strike　when　I　do。　For　Desaine；　and　the　toh　the　Aes　Sedai　owe　us。　We　will　make　them　meet　toh　as　no　one　ever　has　before。〃
　　　It　was　a　foolish　boast　to　speak　of　making　someone　meet　an　obligation　they　had　not　acknowledged；　yet　in　the　angry　mutters　from　the　other　women；　Sevanna　heard　other　furious　promises　to　make　the　Aes　Sedai　meet　toh。　Only　those　who　had　killed　Desaine　on　Sevanna's　orders　stood　silent。　Therava's　narrow　lips　tightened　slightly；　but　finally　she　said；　〃It　will　be　as　you　say；　Sevanna。〃
　　　At　an　easy　lope；　Sevanna　led　her　half　of　the　Wise　Ones　to　the　east　side　of　the　battle；　if　it　could　be　called　that　yet。　She　had　wanted　to　remain　on　a　rise　where　she　could　have　a　good　view　…　that　was　how　a　clan　chief　or　battle　leader　directed　the　dance　of　spears　…　but　in　this　one　thing　she　found　no　support　even　from