rj.acrownofswords-第172章

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　be　on　our　way；　Elayne；　not　standing　around。　Is　Aviendha　ing？〃
　　　She　frowned　at　him　slightly；　with　just　a　flicker　of　her　eyes　toward　Reanne；　and　he　knew　she　was　deciding　what　performance　to　give　him。　Wide…eyed　innocence　might　damage　her　standing　with　these　women　as　much　as　flashing　her　dimple　at　him　would；　Elayne　always　expected　that　dimple　to　work　where　all　else　failed。　Her　chin　rose　slightly。　〃Thorn　and　Juilin　are　helping　Aviendha　and　Birgitte　watch　Carridin's　palace；　Mat。〃　It　was　to　be　the　Daughter…Heir　in　near　full…bloom。　Not　the　whole　flowering；　since　she　surely　knew　how　he　would　react　to　that；　but　a　voice　full　of　certainty；　cool　blue　eyes　demanding；　and　that　pretty　face　chill　if　not　exactly　frozen　with　arrogance。　Was　there　any　woman　in　the　world　who　was　just　one　person？　〃Nynaeve　will　be　down　shortly；　I'm　sure。　There　is　no　reason　for　you　to　e；　you　know；　Mat。　Nalesean　and　your　soldiers　are　a　more　than　adequate　bodyguard。　You　could　enjoy　yourself　right　here　in　the　palace　until　we　return。〃
　　　〃Carridin！〃　he　cried。　〃Elayne；　we　aren't　staying　in　Ebou　Dar　to　settle　Jaichim　Carridin。　We　are　getting　the　Bowl；　then　you　or　Nynaeve　is　going　to　make　a　gateway；　and　we　are　leaving。　Is　that　clear？　And　I'm　going　with　you　to　the　Rahad。〃　Enjoy　himself！　The　Light　only　knew　what　Tylin　would　get　up　to　if　he　remained　in　the　palace　all　day。　The　very　thought　made　him　want　to　laugh　hysterically。
　　　Icy　stares　stabbed　at　him　from　the　Wise　Women；　stout　Sumeko　pursed　her　lips　angrily；　and　Melore；　a　plump　Domani　in　her　middle　years　whose　bosom　he　had　enjoyed　eyeing　yesterday；　planted　fists　on　hips　with　a　face　like　a　thunderhead。　They　should　have　known　from　yesterday　that　he　was　not　intimidated　by　Aes　Sedai；　yet　even　Reanne　gave　him　such　a　scowl　he　half　thought　she　might　try　to　box　his　ears。　Apparently；　if　they　were　going　to　fall　all　over　themselves　around　Aes　Sedai；　then　everybody　else　had　to　as　well。
　　　Elayne　struggled　with　herself　visibly。　Her　lips　pressed；　but　one　thing　he　had　to　give　her；　she　was　too　smart　to　go　on　with　what　obviously　would　not　work。　On　the　other　hand；　she　was　snooty　to　the　bone　however　she　tried。　And　the　other　women　were　watching。　〃Mat；　you　know　we　cannot　leave　until　we　have　used　the　Bowl。〃　That　haughty　chin　remained　high；　and　her　tone　was　at　best　halfway　between　explaining　and　telling。　〃It　might　require　days　for　us　to　be　sure　of　how　to　use　it；　perhaps　even　half　a　week　or　more；　and　we　might　as　well　finish　Carridin　if　we　can　in　that　time。〃　Such　a　crackle　entered　her　voice　on　the　Whitecloak's　name　that　you　might　have　thought　she　bore　the　man　a　personal　grudge；　but　something　else　leaped　out　and　clamped　a　fist　on　his　thoughts。
　　　〃Half　a　week！〃　Feeling　strangled；　he　put　a　finger　behind　the　scarf　knotted　around　his　neck　and　tugged　to　ease　it。　Tylin　had　used　that　length　of　black　silk　to　tie　his　hands　last　night　before　he　knew　what　she　was　doing。　Half　a　week。　Or　more！　Despite　his　best　efforts；　his　voice　became　a　touch　frantic。　〃Elayne；　surely　you　can　use　the　Bowl　anywhere。　It　doesn't　have　to　be　here。　Egwene　must　want　you　back　as　soon　as　possible；　she　can　use　a　friend　or　two；　I'll　wager。〃　By　the　last　he　had　seen；　she　could　use　a　few　hundred。　Maybe　once　he　got　these　women　back；　Egwene　would　be　ready　to　give　up　that　nonsense　about　being　Amyrlin　and　let　him　take　her　to　Rand　along　with　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　and　Aviendha。　〃And　what　about　Rand；　Elayne？　Caemlyn。　The　Lion　Throne。　Blood　and　ashes；　you　know　you　want　to　reach　Caemlyn　quick　as　you　can　so　Rand　can　give　you　the　Lion　Throne。〃　For　some　reason；　her　face　grew　darker　almost　by　the　word；　and　her　eyes　flashed。　He　would　have　said　she　was　indignant；　except　of　course　that　she　had　no　cause。
　　　She　opened　her　mouth　angrily　to　argue　as　soon　as　he　finished；　and　he　set　himself；　ready　to　list　her　promises　and　to　the　Pit　of　Doom　with　what　that　did　to　her　in　the　eyes　of　Reanne　and　the　rest。　By　their　faces；　they　would　have　snubbed　him　short　already　in　her　place。
　　　Before　anyone　could　say　anything；　though；　a　round　graying　woman　in　House　Mitsobar　livery　was　curtsying；　first　to　Elayne；　then　to　the　women　wearing　red　belts；　and　finally　to　him。　〃Queen　Tylin　sends　this；　Master　Cauthon；〃　Laren　said；　holding　out　a　basket　with　a　striped　cloth　over　the　contents　and　small　red　flowers　woven　around　the　handle。　〃You　did　not　breakfast；　and　you　must　maintain　your　strength。〃
　　　Mat's　cheeks　warmed。　The　woman　merely　looked　at　him；　but　she　had　seen　considerably　more　of　him　than　when　she　first　showed　him　into　Tylin's　presence。　Considerably　more。　She　had　brought　supper　on　a　tray　last　night；　while　he　tried　to　hide　under　the　silk　bedsheet。　He　did　not　understand　it。　These　women　had　him　jumping　about　and　blushing　like　a　girl。　He　just　could　not　understand。
　　　〃Are　you　sure　you　wouldn't　rather　remain　here？〃　Elayne　asked。　〃I'm　sure　Tylin　would　enjoy　your　pany　for　breakfast。　The　Queen　said　she　finds　you　wonderfully　entertaining　and　courteously　pliant；〃　she　added　in　a　doubtful　tone。
　　　Mat　fled　for　the　coaches　with　the　basket　in　one　hand　and　his　ashandarei　in　the　other。
　　　〃Are　all　northern　men　so　shy？〃　Laren　said。
　　　He　risked　a　glance　over　his　shoulder　without　stopping；　and　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief。　The　serving　woman　was　already　gathering　her　skirts；　turning　to　walk　though　the　screen　of　plants；　and　Elayne　was　motioning　Reanne　and　the　Wise　Women　into　a　circle　close　around　her。　Even　so；　he　shivered。　Women　were　going　to　be　the　death　of　him　yet。
　　　Rounding　the　nearest　coach；　he　nearly　dropped　the　basket　at　the　sight　of　Beslan　seated　on　the　coach　step；　sunlight　gleaming　along　the　narrow　blade　of　his　sword　as　he　examined　the　edge。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　Mat　exclaimed。
　　　Beslan　slid　the　sword　into　its　sheath；　a　grin　splitting　his　face。　〃ing　with　you　to　the　Rahad。　I　suspect　you'll　find　more　fun　for　us。〃
　　　〃There　had　better　be　some　fun；〃　Nalesean　yawned　into　his　hand。　〃I　didn't　get　very　much　sleep　last　night；　and　now　you　drag　me　off　when　there　are　Sea　Folk　women　about。〃　Vanin　sat　up　on　his　barrel；　looked　around；　found　nothing　moving；　and　settled　himself　back　again　with　his　eyes　shut。
　　　〃There'll　be　no　fun　if　I　can　help　it；〃　Mat　muttered。　Nalesean　had　not　gotten　much　sleep？　Hah！　The　whole　lot　of　them　had　been　out　enjoying　themselves　at　the　festival。　Not　that　he　had　not　enjoyed　himself　in　patches；　but　only　when　he　could　forget　he　was　with　a　woman　who　thought　he　was　some　sort　of　bloody　doll。　〃What　Sea　Folk　women？〃
　　　〃When　Nynaeve　Sedai　returned　last　night；　she　brought　a　dozen　or　more；　Mat。〃　Beslan　blew　out　his　breath；　and　his　hands　made　swaying　motions。　〃The　way　they　move；　Mat。。。　〃
　　　Mat　shook　his　head。　He　was　not　thinking　clearly；　Tylin　was　scrambling　his　brains。　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　had　told　him　about　the　Windfinders；　reluctantly　and　in　sworn　secrecy；　after　trying　to　hold　back　even　where　Nynaeve　wanted　to　go；　much　less　why。　And　not　a　single　blush　at　the　effort；　either。　〃Women　keep　promises　in　their　own　way；〃　so　the　saying　went。　e　to　think　of　it；　Lawtin　and　Belvyn　were　not　with　the　rest　of　the　Redarms。　Maybe　Nynaeve　thought　to　make　up　for　the　other　by　keeping　them　with　her　now。　〃。。。　In　their　own　way。〃　But　if　she　had　the　Windfinders　already　in　the　palace；　surely　it　would　not　take　half　a　week　to　use　the　Bowl。　Light；　please　not！
　　　As　if　thinking　of　her　had　been　a　summons；　Nynaeve　came　strolling　through　the　screen　of　plants　into　the　stable…yard。　Mat's　jaw　dropped。　The　tall　man　in　a　dark　green　coat　on　her　arm　was　Lan！　Or　rather；　she　was　on　his；　clinging　to　it　with　both　hands；　smiling　up　at　him。　With　any　other　woman；　Mat　would　have　said　she　was　moon…eyed　and　dreaming；　but　this　was　Nynaeve。
　　　She　gave　a　start　once　she　realized　where　she　was；　and　took　a　hasty　step　to　one　side；　though　she　still　held　on　to　Lan's　hand　for　a　moment。　Her　choice　of　dresses　was　no　better　than　Elayne's；　all　blue　silk　and　green　embroidery；　cut　low　enough　to　show　a　heavy　gold　ring　that　would　have　rattled　on　her　two　thumbs　together；　dangling　into　her　cleavage　on　a　thin　gold　chain。　The　wide　hat　she　carried　by　its　ribbons　was　trimmed　with　blue　plumes；　her　dustcloak　green　linen　embroidered　in　blue。　She　and　Elayne　made　the　other　women　drab　by　parison　in　their　woolens。
　　　In　any　case；　whether　or　no