rj.acrownofswords-第103章

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　could　take　your　pain；　I　would；　Min。　I　would。〃
　　　Slowly　it　penetrated　that　he　was　trembling；　too。　Light；　he　tried　so　hard　to　be　iron；　to　be　what　he　thought　the　Dragon　Reborn　must；　but　it　cut　him　when　somebody　died　because　of　him；　Colavaere　probably　no　less　than　Fel。　He　bled　for　everyone　harmed；　and　tried　to　pretend　he　did　not。
　　　〃Kiss　me；〃　she　mumbled。　When　he　did　not　move；　she　looked　up。　He　blinked　at　her　uncertainly；　eyes　now　blue；　now　gray；　a　morning　sky。　〃I'm　not　teasing。〃　How　often　had　she　teased　him；　sitting　on　his　lap；　kissing　him；　calling　him　sheepherder　because　she　dared　not　say　his　name　for　fear　he　might　hear　the　caress？　He　put　up　with　it　because　he　thought　she　was　teasing　and　would　stop　if　she　believed　it　did　not　affect　him。　Hah！　Aunt　Jan　and　Aunt　Rana　said　you　should　not　kiss　a　man　unless　you　intended　to　marry　him；　but　Aunt　Miren　seemed　to　know　a　little　more　of　the　world。　She　said　you　should　not　kiss　a　man　too　casually　because　men　fell　in　love　so　easily。　〃I'm　cold　inside；　sheepherder。　Colavaere；　and　Master　Fel。。。　I　need　to　feel　warm　flesh。　I　need。。。　Please？〃
　　　His　head　lowered　so　slowly。　It　was　a　brother's　kiss；　at　first；　mild　as　milk…water；　soothing；　forting。　Then　it　became　something　else。　Not　at　all　soothing。　Jerking　upright；　he　tried　to　pull　away。　〃Min；　I　can't。　I　have　no　right　…　〃
　　　Seizing　two　handfuls　of　his　hair；　she　pulled　his　mouth　back　down；　and　after　a　little　while；　he　stopped　fighting。　She　was　not　certain　whether　her　hands　began　tearing　at　the　laces　of　his　shirt　first　or　his　at　hers；　but　of　one　thing　she　was　absolutely　sure。　If　he　even　tried　to　stop　now；　she　was　going　to　fetch　one　of　Riallin's　spears；　all　of　them；　and　stab　him。
　　　
　　　On　her　way　out　of　the　Sun　Palace；　Cadsuane　studied　the　Aiel　wilders　she　saw　as　well　as　she　could　without　being　obvious。　Corele　and　Daigian　followed　in　silence；　they　knew　her　well　enough　by　now　not　to　disturb　her　with　chatter；　which　could　not　be　said　of　all　those　who　paused　a　few　days　at　Arilyn's　little　palace　before　she　sent　them　on。　A　great　many　wilders；　every　one　staring　at　the　Aes　Sedai　as　if　at　flea…ridden　curs　covered　with　running　sores；　tracking　mud　over　a　new　rug。　Some　people　looked　at　Aes　Sedai　with　awe　or　adoration；　others　with　fear　or　hate；　but　Cadsuane　had　never　seen　contempt　before；　not　even　from　Whitecloaks。　Even　so；　any　people　who　produced　so　many　wilders　should　be　sending　a　river　of　girls　to　the　Tower。
　　　That　would　have　to　be　seen　to　eventually；　and　to　the　Pit　of　Doom　with　custom　if　need　be；　but　not　now。　The　al'Thor　boy　needed　to　be　kept　intrigued　enough　that　he　allowed　her　near　him；　and　off…balance　enough　that　she　could　nudge　him　where　she　wanted　without　him　realizing。　One　way　or　another；　anything　that　might　interfere　with　that　must　be　controlled　or　suppressed。　Nothing　could　be　allowed　to　influence　him；　or　upset　him；　in　the　wrong　way。　Nothing。
　　　The　shiny　black　coach　was　waiting　in　the　courtyard　behind　a　patient　team　of　six　matched　grays。　A　serving　man　rushed　to　open　the　door　painted　with　a　pair　of　silver　stars　atop　red　and　green　stripes；　bowing　to　the　three　of　them　till　his　bald　head　was　nearly　level　with　his　knees。　He　was　in　shirtsleeves　and　breeches。　Since　ing　to　the　Sun　Palace；　she　had　not　noticed　anyone　in　livery　yet；　except　a　few　wearing　Dobraine's　colors。　No　doubt　the　servants　were　unsure　what　to　wear　and　afraid　to　make　a　mistake。
　　　〃I　may　skin　Elaida　when　I　can　lay　hands　on　her；〃　she　said　as　the　coach　lurched　into　motion。　〃That　fool　child　has　made　my　task　nearly　impossible。〃
　　　And　then　she　laughed　so　abruptly　that　Daigian　stared　before　she　could　control　her　eyes。　Corele's　smile　widened　in　anticipation。　Neither　understood；　and　she　did　not　try　to　explain。　All　of　her　life；　the　fastest　way　to　interest　her　in　anything　had　been　to　tell　her　it　was　impossible。　But　then；　over　two　hundred　and　seventy　years　had　passed　since　she　last　encountered　a　task　she　could　not　perform。　Any　day　now　might　be　her　last；　but　young　al'Thor　would　be　a　fitting　end　to　it　all。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　20　
（Snakey　Square）　
Patterns　Within　Patterns　
　　　
　　　Contemptuously　Sevanna　studied　her　dusty　panions；　seated　in　a　circle　with　her　in　the　small　clearing。　The　nearly　leafless　branches　overhead　provided　a　bit　of　cool　shade；　and　the　place　where　Rand　al'Thor　had　hurled　death　lay　more　than　a　hundred　miles　to　the　west；　yet　the　other　women's　eyes　shifted　with　an　air　of　looking　over　shoulders。　Without　sweat　tents；　none　had　been　able　to　clean　herself　properly；　no　more　than　a　hasty　washing　of　face　and　hands　at　day's　end。　Eight　small　silver　cups；　all　different；　sat　by　her　side　on　the　dead　leaves；　and　a　silver　pitcher；　filled　with　water；　that　had　been　dented　in　the　retreat。
　　　〃Either　the　Car'a'carn　is　not　following；〃　she　said　abruptly；　〃or　he　has　been　unable　to　find　us。　Either　contents　me。〃
　　　Some　of　them　actually　jumped。　Tion's　round　face　paled；　and　Modarra　patted　her　shoulder。　Modarra　would　have　been　pretty　if　she　was　not　so　tall；　if　she　did　not　always　try　to　mother　everyone　within　reach。　Alarys　became　much　too　intent　on　straightening　skirts　already　neatly　spread　around　her；　attempting　to　ignore　what　she　did　not　want　to　see。　Meira's　thin　mouth　drew　down；　but　who　could　say　whether　for　the　others'　open　fear　of　the　Car'a'carn　or　her　own？　They　had　reason　to　be　afraid。
　　　Two　full　days　since　the　battle；　and　fewer　than　twenty　thousand　spears　had　grouped　around　Sevanna。　Therava　and　most　of　the　Wise　Ones　who　had　been　to　the　west　were　still　absent；　including　all　the　rest　who　were　tied　to　her。　Some　of　the　missing　surely　were　making　their　way　back　to　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　but　how　many　would　never　again　see　the　sun　rise？　No　one　remembered　such　a　slaughter；　so　many　dead　in　so　short　a　time。　Even　the　algai'd'siswai　were　not　truly　ready　to　dance　the　spears　again　so　soon。　Reason　to　be　afraid；　yet　none　for　showing　it；　displaying　heart　and　soul　on　your　face　like　a　wetlander；　open　and　naked　for　all　to　see。
　　　Rhiale　at　least　seemed　to　realize　that　much。　〃If　we　are　to　do　this　thing；　let　us　do　it；〃　she　muttered；　stiff　with　embarrassment。　She　was　one　who　had　jumped。
　　　Sevanna　took　the　small　gray　cube　from　her　pouch　and　placed　it　atop　the　brown　leaves　in　the　middle　of　the　circle。　Someryn　put　her　hands　on　her　knees；　leaning　over　to　examine　it　until　she　appeared　in　danger　of　falling　out　of　her　blouse。　Her　nose　nearly　touched　the　cube。　Intricate　patterns　covered　every　side；　and　close　up　you　could　see　smaller　patterns　within　the　larger；　and　still　smaller　inside　those；　and　a　hint　of　what　seemed　smaller　yet。　How　they　could　have　been　made；　the　tiniest　so　fine；　so　precise；　Sevanna　had　no　idea。　Once　she　had　thought　the　cube　stone；　but　she　was　no　longer　certain。　Yesterday　she　had　dropped　it　accidentally　on　some　rocks　without　marring　one　line　of　the　carving。　If　it　was　carving。　The　thing　must　be　a　ter'angreal；　that　they　knew。
　　　〃The　smallest　flow　possible　of　Fire　must　be　touched　lightly　there；　on　what　looks　like　a　twisted　crescent　moon；〃　she　told　them；　〃and　another　there　on　the　top；　on　that　mark　like　a　lightning　bolt。〃　Someryn　straightened　very　quickly。
　　　〃What　will　happen　then？〃　Alarys　asked；　bing　her　hair　with　her　fingers。　It　seemed　an　absentminded　gesture；　but　she　always　found　ways　to　remind　everyone　that　her　hair　was　black　instead　of　mon　yellow　or　red。
　　　Sevanna　smiled。　She　enjoyed　knowing　what　they　did　not。　〃I　will　use　it　to　summon　the　wetlander　who　gave　it　to　me。〃
　　　〃That　much　you　told　us　already；〃　Rhiale　said　in　a　sour　voice；　and　Tion　bluntly　asked；　〃How　will　it　summon　him？〃　She　might　fear　Rand　al'Thor；　but　not　a　great　deal　else。　Certainly　not　Sevanna。　Belinde　lightly　stroked　the　cube　with　one　bony　finger；　her　sun…bleached　eyebrows　drawn　down。
　　　Maintaining　a　smooth　face；　Sevanna　irritably　prevented　her　hands　from　fingering　a　necklace　or　adjusting　her　shawl。　〃I　have　told　you　all　you　need　know。〃　Considerably　more　than　they　needed；　in　her　opinion；　but　it　had　been　necessary。　Otherwise　they　would　all　be　back　with　the　spears　and　the　other　Wise　Ones；　eating　hard　bread　and　dried　meat。　Or　rather　they　would　all　be　on　the　move　eastward；　watching　for　any　sign　of　other　survivors。　Watching　for　any　sign　of　pursuit。　With　a　late　start；　they　mi