rj.thegreathunt-第157章

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n。　They　captured　her　when　Falme　fell。　She　was　crying　because　she's　beginning　to　stop　fighting　against　it；　because　she　cannot　take　being　punished　anymore。　She　was　crying　because　she　wants　to　take　her　own　life；　and　she　cannot　even　do　that　without　permission。　Light；　I　know　how　she　feels！〃
　　　　　　　Min　shifted　uneasily；　smoothing　her　dress　with　suddenly　nervous　hands。　〃Egwene；　you　don't　want　to　。。。　Egwene；　you　must　not　think　of　harming　yourself。　I　will　get　you　out　somehow。　I　will！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　not　going　to　kill　myself；〃　Egwene　said　dryly。　〃Even　if　I　could。　Let　me　have　your　knife。　e　on。　I　won't　hurt　myself。　Just　hand　it　to　me。〃
　　　　　　　Min　hesitated　before　slowly　taking　her　knife　from　its　sheath　at　her　waist。　She　held　it　out　warily；　obviously　ready　to　leap　if　Egwene　tried　anything。
　　　　　　　Egwene　took　a　deep　breath　and　reached　for　the　hilt。　A　soft　quiver　ran　through　the　muscles　of　her　arm。　As　her　hand　came　within　a　foot　of　the　knife；　a　cramp　suddenly　contorted　her　fingers。　Eyes　fixed；　she　tried　to　force　her　hand　closer。　The　cramp　seized　her　whole　arm；　knotting　muscles　to　her　shoulder。　With　a　groan；　she　sank　back；　rubbing　her　arm　and　concentrating　her　thoughts　on　not　touching　the　knife。　Slowly；　the　pain　began　to　lessen。
　　　　　　　Min　stared　at　her　incredulously。　〃What　。。。？　I　don't　understand。〃
　　　　　　　〃Damane　are　not　allowed　to　touch　a　weapon　of　any　kind。〃　She　worked　her　arm；　feeling　the　tightness　go。　〃Even　our　meat　is　cut　for　us。　I　don't　want　to　hurt　myself；　but　I　could　not　if　I　did　want　to。　No　damane　is　ever　left　alone　where　she　might　jump　from　a　height　…　that　window　is　nailed　shut　…　or　throw　herself　in　a　river。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　that's　a　good　thing。　I　mean　。。。　Oh；　I　don't　know　what　I　mean。　If　you　could　jump　in　a　river；　you　might　escape。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　went　on　dully；　as　if　the　other　woman　had　not　spoken。　〃They　are　training　me；　Min。　The　sul'dam　and　the　a'dam　are　training　me。　I　cannot　touch　anything　I　even　think　of　as　a　weapon。　A　few　weeks　ago　I　considered　hitting　Renna　over　the　head　with　that　pitcher；　and　I　could　not　pour　wash　water　for　three　days。　Once　I'd　thought　of　it　that　way；　I　not　only　had　to　stop　thinking　about　hitting　her　with　it；　I　had　to　convince　myself　I　would　never；　under　any　circumstances；　hit　her　with　it　before　I　could　touch　it　again。　She　knew　what　had　happened；　told　me　what　I　had　to　do；　and　would　not　let　me　wash　anywhere　except　with　that　pitcher　and　bowl。　You　are　lucky　it　happened　between　your　visiting　days。　Renna　made　sure　I　spent　those　days　sweating　from　the　time　I　woke　to　the　time　I　fell　asleep；　exhausted。　I　am　trying　to　fight　them；　but　they　are　training　me　as　surely　as　they're　training　Pura。〃　She　clapped　a　hand　to　her　mouth；　moaning　through　her　teeth。　〃Her　name　is　Ryma。　I　have　to　remember　her　name；　not　the　name　they've　put　on　her。　She　is　Ryma；　and　she's　Yellow　Ajah；　and　she　has　fought　them　as　long　and　as　hard　as　she　could。　It　is　no　fault　of　hers　that　she　hasn't　the　strength　left　to　fight　any　longer。　I　wish　I　knew　who　the　other　sister　is　that　Ryma　mentioned。　I　wish　I　knew　her　name。　Remember　both　of　us；　Min。　Ryma；　of　the　Yellow　Ajah；　and　Egwene　al'Vere。　Not　Egwene　the　damane；　Egwene　al'Vere　of　Emond's　Field。　Will　you　do　that？〃
　　　　　　　〃Stop　it！〃　Min　snapped。　〃You　stop　it　right　this　instant！　If　you　get　shipped　off　to　Seanchan；　I'll　be　right　there　with　you。　But　I　don't　think　you　will。　You　know　I've　read　you；　Egwene。　I　don't　understand　most　of　it　…　I　almost　never　do　…　but　I　see　things　I　am　sure　link　you　to　Rand；　and　Perrin；　and　Mat；　and　…　yes；　even　Galad；　the　Light　help　you　for　a　fool。　How　can　any　of　that　happen　if　the　Seanchan　take　you　off　across　the　ocean？〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe　they're　going　to　conquer　the　whole　world；　Min。　If　they　conquer　the　world；　there's　no　reason　Rand　and　Galad　and　the　rest　could　not　end　up　in　Seanchan。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　ninny…headed　goose！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　being　practical；〃　Egwene　said　sharply。　〃I　don't　intend　to　stop　fighting；　not　as　long　as　I　can　breathe；　but　I　don't　see　any　hope　that　I'll　ever　have　the　a'dam　off　me；　either。　Just　as　I　don't　see　any　hope　that　anyone　is　going　to　stop　the　Seanchan。　Min；　if　this　ship　captain　will　take　you；　go　with　him。　At　least　then　one　of　us　will　be　free。〃
　　　　　　　The　door　swung　open；　and　Renna　stepped　in。
　　　　　　　Egwene　jumped　to　her　feet　and　bowed　sharply；　as　did　Min。　The　tiny　room　was　crowded　for　bowing；　but　Seanchan　insisted　on　protocol　before　fort。
　　　　　　　〃Your　visiting　day；　is　it？〃　Renna　said。　〃I　had　forgotten。　Well；　there　is　training　to　be　done　even　on　visiting　days。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　watched　sharply　as　the　sul'dam　took　down　the　bracelet；　opened　it；　and　fastened　it　again　around　her　wrist。　She　could　not　see　how　it　was　done。　If　she　could　have　probed　with　the　One　Power；　she　would　have；　but　Renna　would　have　known　that　immediately。　As　the　bracelet　closed　around　Renna's　wrist　a　look　came　onto　the　sul'dam's　face　that　made　Egwene's　heart　sink。
　　　　　　　〃You　have　been　channeling。〃　Renna's　voice　was　deceptively　mild；　there　was　a　spark　of　anger　in　her　eyes。　〃You　know　that　is　forbidden　except　when　we　are　plete。〃　Egwene　wet　her　lips。　〃Perhaps　I　have　been　too　lenient　with　you。　Perhaps　you　believe　that　because　you　are　valuable　now；　you　will　be　allowed　license。　I　think　I　made　a　mistake　letting　you　keep　your　old　name。　I　had　a　kitten　called　Tuli　when　I　was　a　child。　From　now　on；　your　name　is　Tuli。　You　will　go　now；　Min。　Your　visiting　day　with　Tuli　is　ended。〃
　　　　　　　Min　hesitated　only　long　enough　for　one　anguished　look　at　Egwene　before　leaving。　Nothing　Min　could　say　or　do　would　do　anything　except　make　matters　worse；　but　Egwene　could　not　help　looking　longingly　at　the　door　as　it　closed　behind　her　friend。
　　　　　　　Renna　took　the　chair；　frowning　at　Egwene。　〃I　must　punish　you　severely　for　this。　We　will　both　be　called　to　the　Court　of　the　Nine　Moons…you　for　what　you　can　do；　I　as　your　sul'dam　and　trainer…and　I　will　not　allow　you　to　disgrace　me　in　the　eyes　of　the　Empress。　I　will　stop　when　you　tell　me　how　much　you　love　being　damane　and　how　obedient　you　will　be　after　this。　And；　Tuli。　Make　me　believe　every　word。〃
　　　　　　　

Chapter　43
（A'dam）
A　Plan

　　　　　　　Outside　in　the　low…ceilinged　hallway；　Min　dug　her　nails　into　her　palms　at　the　first　piercing　cry　from　the　room。　She　took　a　step　toward　the　door　before　she　could　stop　herself；　and　when　she　did　stop；　tears　sprang　up　in　her　eyes。　Light　help　me；　all　I　can　do　it　make　it　worse。　Egwene；　I'm　sorry。　I'm　sorry。
　　　　　　　Feeling　worse　than　useless；　she　picked　up　her　skirts　and　ran；　and　Egwene's　screams　pursued　her。　She　could　not　make　herself　stay；　and　leaving　made　her　feel　a　coward。　Half　blind　with　weeping；　she　found　herself　in　the　street　before　she　knew　it。　She　had　intended　to　go　back　to　her　room；　but　now　she　could　not　do　it。　She　could　not　stand　the　thought　that　Egwene　was　being　hurt　while　she　sat　warm　and　safe　under　the　next　roof。　Scrubbing　the　tears　from　her　eyes；　she　swept　her　cloak　around　her　shoulders　and　started　down　the　street。　Every　time　she　cleared　her　eyes；　new　tears　began　trickling　along　her　cheeks。　She　was　not　accustomed　to　weeping　openly；　but　then　she　was　not　accustomed　to　feeling　so　helpless；　so　useless。　She　did　not　know　where　she　was　going；　only　that　it　had　to　be　as　far　as　she　could　reach　from　Egwene's　cries。
　　　　　　　〃Min！〃
　　　　　　　The　low…pitched　shout　brought　her　up　short。　At　first；　she　could　not　make　out　who　had　called。　Relatively　few　people　walked　the　street　this　close　to　where　the　damane　were　housed。　Aside　from　a　lone　man　trying　to　interest　two　Seanchan　soldiers　in　buying　the　picture　he　would　draw　of　them　with　his　colored　chalks；　everyone　local　tried　to　step　along　quickly　without　actually　appearing　to　run。　A　pair　of　sul'dam　strolled　by；　damane　trailing　behind　with　eyes　down；　the　Seanchan　women　were　talking　about　how　many　more　marath'damane　they　expected　to　find　before　they　sailed。　Min's　eyes　passed　right　over　the　two　women　in　long　fleece　coats；　then　swung　back　in　wonder　as　they　came　toward　her。　〃Nynaeve？　Elayne？〃
　　　　　　　〃None　other。〃　Nynaeve's　smile　was　strained；　both　women　had　tight　eyes；　as　if　they　fought　worried　frowns。　Min　thought　she　had　never　seen　anything　as　wonderful　as　the　sight　of　them。　〃That　color　bees　you；〃　Nynaeve　continued。　〃You　should　have　taken　up　dresses　long　since。　Though　I've　thought　of　breeches　myself　since　I　saw　them　on　y