rj.theshadowrising-第31章

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！


at　his　feet。　Those　who　do　not　shrink　at　such　butchery　will　seek　out　the　Rand　al'Thor　who　seems　to　revel　in　blood。　The　nations　will　unite　as　they　did　in　the　Aiel　War。。。〃　She　gave　Aviendha　an　apologetic　smile；　incongruous　beneath　those　merciless　eyes。　〃。。。but　no　doubt　much　more　quickly。　Even　the　Dragon　Reborn　cannot　stand　against　that；　not　forever。　He　will　be　crushed　before　the　Last　Battle　even　begins；　by　the　very　ones　he　was　meant　to　save。　The　Dark　One　will　break　free；　the　day　of　Tarmon　Gai'don　will　e；　and　the　Shadow　will　cover　the　earth　and　remake　the　Pattern　for　all　time。　That　is　Liandrin's　plan。〃　There　was　not　a　hint　of　satisfaction　in　her　voice；　but　no　horror；　either。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　plausible　story；　more　plausible　than　Amico's　tale　of　a　few　eavesdropped　sentences；　but　Egwene　believed　Amico　and　not　Joiya。　Perhaps　because　she　wanted　to。　A　vague　threat　in　Tanchico　was　easier　to　face　than　this　fully　fleshed　plan　to　turn　every　hand　against　Rand。　No；　she　thought。　Joiya　is　lying。　I　am　sure　she　is。　Yet　they　could　not　afford　to　ignore　either　story。　But　they　could　not　chase　after　both；　not　with　any　hope　of　success。
　　　　　　　The　door　banged　open；　and　Moiraine　strode　in；　with　Elayne　following。　The　Daughter…Heir　was　frowning　at　the　floor　in　front　of　her　toes；　lost　in　dark　thoughts；　but　Moiraine。。。。　For　once　the　Aes　Sedai's　serenity　had　vanished；　fury　painted　her　face。

　
Chapter　6
（Lion　Rampant）
Doorways

　　　　　　　〃Rand　al'Thor；〃　Moiraine　told　the　air　in　a　low；　tight　voice；　〃is　a　mule…headed；　stone…willed　fool　of　a。。。a。。。　a　man！〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　lifted　her　chin　angrily。　Her　childhood　nurse；　Lini；　used　to　say　you　could　weave　silk　from　pig　bristles　before　you　could　make　a　man　anything　but　a　man。　But　that　was　no　excuse　for　Rand。
　　　　　　　〃We　breed　them　that　way　in　the　Two　Rivers。〃　Nynaeve　was　suddenly　all　half…suppressed　smiles　and　satisfaction。　She　seldom　hid　her　dislike　of　the　Aes　Sedai　half　as　well　as　she　thought　she　did。　〃Two　Rivers　women　never　have　any　trouble　with　them。〃　From　the　startled　look　Egwene　gave　her；　that　was　a　lie　big　enough　to　warrant　having　her　mouth　washed　out。
　　　　　　　Moiraine's　brows　drew　down　as　if　she　were　about　to　reply　to　Nynaeve　in　harder　kind。　Elayne　stirred；　but　she　could　not　find　anything　to　say　that　would　head　off　argument。　Rand　kept　dancing　through　her　head。　He　had　no　right！　But　what　right　did　she　have？
　　　　　　　Egwene　spoke　instead。　〃What　did　he　do；　Moiraine？〃
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai's　eyes　swung　to　Egwene；　a　stare　so　hard　that　the　younger　woman　stepped　back　and　snapped　her　fan　open；　nervously　fluttering　it　at　her　face。　But　Moiraine's　gaze　settled　on　Joiya　and　Amico；　the　one　watching　her　warily；　the　other　bound　and　unaware　of　anything　but　the　far　wall。
　　　　　　　Elayne　gave　a　small　start　at　realizing　Joiya　was　not　bound。　Hastily　she　checked　the　shield　blocking　the　woman　from　the　True　Source。　She　hoped　none　of　the　others　had　noticed　her　jump；　Joiya　frightened　her　nearly　to　death；　but　Egwene　and　Nynaeve　were　no　more　scared　of　the　woman　than　Moiraine　was。　Sometimes　it　was　difficult　being　as　brave　as　the　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor　should　be；　she　often　found　herself　wishing　she　could　manage　as　well　as　those　two。
　　　　　　　〃The　guards；〃　Moiraine　muttered　as　if　to　herself。　〃I　saw　them　in　the　corridor　still；　and　never　thought。〃　She　smoothed　her　dress；　posing　herself　with　an　obvious　effort。　Elayne　did　not　believe　she　had　ever　seen　Moiraine　so　out　of　herself　as　tonight。　But　then；　the　Aes　Sedai　had　cause。　No　more　than　I　do。　Or　do　I？　She　found　herself　trying　not　to　meet　Egwene's　eyes。
　　　　　　　Had　it　been　Egwene　or　Nynaeve　or　Elayne　who　was　off　balance；　Joiya　would　surely　have　said　something；　subtle　and　of　two　meanings；　calculated　to　upset　them　a　little　more。　If　they　had　been　alone；　at　least。　With　Moiraine；　she　only　watched　uneasily；　silently。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　walked　the　length　of　the　table；　her　calm　restored。　Joiya　was　nearly　a　head　the　taller；　but　had　she　also　been　dressed　in　silks；　there　would　have　been　no　doubt　which　was　in　mand　of　the　situation。　Joiya　did　not　quite　draw　back；　but　her　hands　tightened　on　her　skirts　for　a　moment　before　she　could　master　them。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　made　arrangements；〃　Moiraine　said　quietly。　〃In　four　days　you　will　be　taken　upriver　by　ship；　to　Tar　Valon　and　the　Tower。　There　they　are　not　so　gentle　as　we　have　been。　If　you　have　not　found　the　truth　so　far；　find　it　before　you　reach　Southharbor；　or　you　will　assuredly　go　to　the　gallows　in　the　Traitors'　Court。　I　will　not　speak　to　you　again　unless　you　send　word　that　you　have　something　new　to　tell。　And　I　do　not　want　to　hear　a　word　from　you　…　not　one　word　…　unless　it　is　new。　Believe　me；　it　will　save　you　pain　in　Tar　Valon。　Aviendha；　will　you　tell　the　captain　to　bring　in　two　of　his　men？〃　Elayne　blinked　as　the　Aiel　woman　unfolded　herself　and　vanished　through　the　doorway；　sometimes　Aviendha　could　be　so　still　she　seemed　not　to　be　there。
　　　　　　　Joiya's　face　worked　as　if　she　wanted　to　speak；　but　Moiraine　stared　up　at　her；　and　finally　the　Darkfriend　turned　her　eyes　away。　They　glittered　like　a　raven's；　full　of　black　murder；　but　she　held　her　tongue。
　　　　　　　To　Elayne's　eyes　a　golden…white　glow　suddenly　surrounded　Moiraine；　the　glow　of　a　woman　embracing　saidar。　Only　another　woman　trained　to　channel　could　have　seen　it。　The　flows　holding　Amico　unraveled　more　quickly　than　Elayne　could　have　managed。　She　was　stronger　than　Moiraine；　potentially；　at　least。　In　the　Tower；　the　women　teaching　her　had　been　almost　unbelieving　at　her　potential；　and　at　Egwene's　and　Nynaeve's。　Nynaeve　was　the　strongest　of　them　all　…　when　she　could　manage　to　channel。　But　Moiraine　had　the　experience。　What　they　were　still　learning　to　do；　Moiraine　could　do　half　asleep。　Yet　there　were　some　things　Elayne　could　do；　and　the　other　two；　that　the　Aes　Sedai　could　not。　It　was　a　small　satisfaction　in　the　face　of　how　easily　Moiraine　cowed　Joiya。
　　　　　　　Freed；　able　to　hear；　Amico　turned　and　became　aware　of　Moiraine　for　the　first　time。　With　a　squeak；　she　dropped　a　curtsy　as　deep　as　any　new　novice。　Joiya　was　glaring　at　the　door；　avoiding　anyone's　gaze。　Nynaeve；　arms　crossed　and　knuckles　white　from　gripping　her　braid；　was　giving　Moiraine　a　stare　almost　as　murderous　as　Joiya's。　Egwene　fingered　her　skirt　and　glowered　at　Joiya；　Elayne　frowned；　wishing　she　were　as　brave　as　Egwene；　wishing　she　did　not　feel　she　was　betraying　her　friend。　Into　that　walked　the　captain　with　two　more　Defenders　in　black　and　gold　on　his　heels。　Aviendha　was　not　with　them；　it　seemed　she　had　taken　her　opportunity　to　escape　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　The　grizzled　officer；　two　short　white　plumes　on　his　rimmed　helmet；　shied　as　his　eyes　met　Joiya's；　though　she　did　not　even　seem　to　see　him。　His　gaze　skittered　from　woman　to　woman　uncertainly。　The　mood　of　the　room　was　trouble；　and　a　wise　man　did　not　want　any　part　of　trouble　among　this　sort　of　women。　The　two　soldiers　clutched　their　tall　spears　to　their　sides　almost　as　if　they　feared　they　might　have　to　defend　themselves。　Perhaps　they　did　fear　it。
　　　　　　　〃You　will　take　these　two　back　to　their　cells；〃　Moiraine　told　the　officer　curtly。　〃Repeat　your　instructions。　I　want　no　mistakes。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Ae…〃　The　captain's　throat　seemed　to　seize。　He　gulped　a　breath。　〃Yes；　my　Lady；〃　he　said；　watching　her　anxiously　to　see　if　that　would　do。　When　she　only　continued　to　look　at　him；　waiting；　he　gave　an　audible　sigh　of　relief。　〃The　prisoners　are　to　talk　to　no　one　except　myself；　not　even　each　other。　Twenty　men　in　the　guardroom　and　two　outside　each　cell　at　all　times；　four　if　a　cell　door　has　to　be　opened　for　any　reason。　I　myself　will　watch　their　food　prepared　and　take　it　to　them。　All　as　you　have　manded；　my　Lady。〃　A　hint　of　question　tinged　his　voice。　A　hundred　rumors　floated　through　the　Stone　concerning　the　prisoners；　and　why　two　women　needed　to　be　guarded　so　heavily。　And　there　were　whispered　stories　about　the　Aes　Sedai；　each　darker　than　the　last。
　　　　　　　〃Very　good；〃　Moiraine　said。　〃Take　them。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　not　clear　who　was　more　eager　to　leave　the　room；　the　prisoners　or　the　guards。　Even　Joiya　stepped　quickly；　as　if　she　could　not　bear　keeping　silent　near　Moiraine　for　another　moment。
　　　　　　　Elayne　was　certain　she　had　kept　her　face　calm　since　entering　the　room；　but　Egwene　came　to　her；　put　an　arm　around　her。　〃What　is　the　matter；　Elayne？　You　look　ab