rj.acrownofswords-第53章

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a's　feet。
　　　Areina；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　Hunter　for　the　Horn　who　swaggered　as　much　as　a　man　and　sat　around　talking　of　adventures；　those　she　had　had　and　those　she　would；　when　she　was　not　practicing　with　her　bow。　Very　likely　she　had　picked　that　weapon　up　from　Birgitte；　along　with　her　manner　of　dress。　She　certainly　seemed　to　have　no　interest　in　anything　beside　the　bow；　except　flirting　occasionally；　in　a　rather　forward　manner；　though　not　lately。　Perhaps　long　days　on　the　road　left　her　too　tired　for　it；　if　not　for　archery。　Why　she　was　still　traveling　with　them；　Egwene　could　not　understand；　it　was　hardly　likely　that　Areina　believed　the　Horn　of　Valere　would　turn　up　along　their　march；　and　impossible　that　she　even　suspected　it　was　hidden　away　inside　the　White　Tower。　Very　few　people　knew　that。　Egwene　was　not　certain　even　Elaida　did。
　　　Areina　seemed　a　posturing　fool；　but　Egwene　felt　a　certain　sympathy　for　Nicola。　She　understood　the　woman's　discontent；　understood　wanting　to　know　it　all　now。　She　had　been　that　way；　too。　Maybe　she　still　was。　〃Nicola；〃　she　said　gently；　〃we　all　have　limits。　I'll　never　match　Nynaeve　Sedai；　for　example；　whatever　I　do。〃
　　　〃But　if　I　could　only　have　the　chance；　Mother。〃　Nicola　actually　wrung　her　hands　in　pleading；　and　there　was　a　touch　of　it　in　her　voice；　yet　her　eyes　still　met　Egwene's　levelly。　〃The　chance　you　had。〃
　　　〃What　I　did　…　because　I　had　no　choice；　because　I　didn't　know　better　…　is　called　forcing；　Nicola；　and　it　is　dangerous。〃　She　had　not　heard　that　term　until　Siuan　apologized　for　doing　it　to　her；　that　was　one　time　Siuan　truly　had　seemed　repentant。　〃You　know　if　you　try　to　channel　more　of　saidar　than　you're　ready　to　handle；　you　risk　burning　yourself　out　before　you　ever　e　close　to　your　full　strength。　Best　you　learn　to　be　patient。　The　sisters　won't　let　you　be　anything　else　until　you　are　ready；　anyway。〃
　　　〃We　came　to　Salidar　on　the　same　riverboat　as　Nynaeve　and　Elayne；〃　Areina　said　suddenly。　Her　gaze　was　more　than　direct；　it　was　challenging。　〃And　Birgitte。〃　For　some　reason；　she　said　the　name　bitterly。
　　　Nicola　made　shushing　motions。　〃There's　no　need　to　bring　that　up。〃　Oddly；　she　did　not　sound　as　if　she　meant　it。
　　　Hoping　she　was　keeping　her　face　half　so　smooth　as　Nicola's；　Egwene　tried　to　quell　a　sudden　uneasiness。　〃Marigan〃　had　e　to　Salidar　on　that　boat；　too。　An　owl　hooted；　and　she　shivered。　Some　people　thought　hearing　an　owl　in　moonlight　meant　bad　news　was　ing。　She　was　not　superstitious；　but。。。　〃No　need　to　bring　up　what？〃
　　　The　other　two　women　exchanged　looks；　and　Areina　nodded。
　　　〃It　was　on　the　walk　from　the　river　to　the　village。〃　For　all　her　supposed　reluctance；　Nicola　peered　straight　into　Egwene's　eyes。　〃Areina　and　I　heard　Thom　Merrilin　and　Juilin　Sandar　talking。　The　gleeman；　and　the　thief…taker？　Juilin　said　if　there　were　Aes　Sedai　in　the　village　…　we　weren't　sure；　yet　…　and　they　learned　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　had　been　pretending　to　be　Aes　Sedai；　then　we　were　all　jumping　into　a　school　of　silverpike；　which　I　take　it　isn't　very　safe。〃
　　　〃The　gleeman　saw　us　and　hushed　him；〃　Areina　put　in；　fingering　the　quiver　at　her　waist；　〃but　we　heard。〃　Her　voice　was　hard　as　her　stare。
　　　〃I　know　they're　both　Aes　Sedai　now；　Mother；　but　wouldn't　they　still　be　in　trouble　if　anyone　found　out？　The　sisters；　I　mean？　Anybody　who　pretends　to　be　a　sister　is　in　trouble　if　they　find　out；　even　years　later。〃　Nicola's　face　did　not　change；　but　her　gaze　suddenly　seemed　to　be　trying　to　fix　Egwene's。　She　leaned　a　little　forward；　intent。　〃Anybody　at　all。　Isn't　that　so？〃
　　　Emboldened　by　Egwene's　silence；　Areina　grinned。　An　unpleasant　grin　in　the　night。　〃I　hear　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　were　sent　out　of　the　Tower　on　some　task　by　the　Sanche　woman　back　when　she　was　Amyrlin。　I　hear　you　were　sent　off　by　her；　too；　at　the　same　time。　Got　into　all　sorts　of　trouble　when　you　came　back。〃　Sly　insinuation　slithered　into　her　voice。　〃Do　you　remember　them　playing　at　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　They　stood　there　looking　at　her；　Areina　leaning　insolently　on　her　bow；　Nicola　so　expectant　the　air　should　have　crackled。
　　　〃Siuan　Sanche　is　Aes　Sedai；〃　Egwene　said　coldly；　〃and　so　are　Nynaeve　al'Meara　and　Elayne　Trakand。　You　will　show　them　proper　respect。　To　you；　they　are　Siuan　Sedai；　Nynaeve　Sedai　and　Elayne　Sedai。〃　The　pair　blinked　in　surprise。　Inside；　her　stomach　quivered。　With　outrage。　After　everything　she　had　been　through　tonight；　she　was　confronted　with　blackmail　from　these。。。？　She　could　not　think　of　a　word　bad　enough。　Elayne　could　have；　Elayne　listened　to　stablemen　and　wagon　drivers　and　every　sort；　memorizing　the　words　she　should　have　refused　to　hear。　Unfolding　the　striped　stole；　Egwene　draped　it　carefully　across　her　shoulders。
　　　〃I　don't　think　you　understand；　Mother；〃　Nicola　said　hastily。　Not　fearfully；　however；　just　attempting　to　force　her　point。　〃I　merely　worried　that　if　anyone　found　out　that　you　had　…　〃　Egwene　gave　her　no　chance　to　go　further。
　　　〃Oh；　I　understand；　child。〃　The　fool　woman　was　a　child；　however　old　she　was。　Any　number　of　the　older　novices　gave　trouble；　usually　in　the　form　of　insolence　toward　Accepted　set　to　teach　them；　but　even　the　silliest　had　sense　enough　to　avoid　impertinence　to　the　sisters。　It　fanned　her　anger　to　white　heat；　that　the　woman　had　the　gall　to　try　this　on　with　her。　They　were　both　taller　than　she；　if　not　by　much；　but　she　planted　her　fists　on　her　hips　and　drew　herself　up；　and　they　shrank　away　as　though　she　loomed。　〃Do　you　have　any　notion　how　serious　it　is　to　bring　charges　against　a　sister；　especially　for　a　novice？　Charges　based　on　a　conversation　you　claim　to　have　heard　between　men　now　a　thousand　miles　away！　Tiana　would　skin　you　alive　and　put　you　to　scrubbing　pots　the　rest　of　your　natural　life。〃　Nicola　kept　trying　to　push　a　word　in　…　apologies；　they　sounded　like　this　time；　and　more　protests　that　Egwene　did　not　understand；　frantic　attempts　to　change　everything　…　but　Egwene　ignored　her　and　rounded　on　Areina。　The　Hunter　took　another　step　back；　wetting　her　lips　and　looking　remarkably　uncertain。　〃You　needn't　think　you　would　walk　away　clear；　either。　Even　a　Hunter　could　be　hauled　to　Tiana　for　a　thing　like　this。　If　you're　lucky　enough　not　to　be　flogged　at　a　wagon　tongue；　the　way　they　do　soldiers　caught　stealing。　Either　way；　you'll　be　tossed　out　by　the　road　with　your　welts　for　pany。〃
　　　Drawing　a　deep　breath；　Egwene　folded　her　hands　at　her　waist。　Clutched　together；　they　would　not　tremble。　All　but　cowering；　the　pair　looked　suitably　chastened。　She　hoped　those　downcast　eyes　and　slumped　shoulders　and　shifting　feet　were　not　feigned。　By　rights；　she　should　send　them　to　Tiana　right　now。　She　had　no　idea　what　the　penalty　might　be　for　trying　to　blackmail　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　but　it　seemed　likely　that　being　turned　out　of　the　camp　would　be　the　least　of　it。　In　Nicola's　case；　the　turning　out　would　have　to　wait　until　her　teachers　were　satisfied　she　knew　enough　of　channeling　not　to　hurt　herself　or　others　by　accident。　Nicola　Treehill　would　never　be　Aes　Sedai；　though；　once　that　charge　was　laid　against　her；　all　that　potential　would　go　for　nothing。
　　　Except。。。　Any　woman　caught　pretending　to　be　Aes　Sedai　was　set　down　so　hard　she　would　still　be　whimpering　years　later；　and　an　Accepted　caught　might　very　well　consider　the　other　woman　fortunate；　but　surely　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　were　safe　now　they　really　were　sisters。　Herself；　as　well。　Only；　it　might　take　no　more　than　a　whisper　of　this　to　erase　any　chance　of　making　the　Hall　acknowledge　her　truly　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　As　well　jaunt　off　to　Rand；　and　then　tell　the　Hall　to　their　faces。　She　dared　not　allow　these　two　to　see　her　doubt；　or　even　suspect。
　　　〃I　will　forget　this；〃　she　said　sharply。　〃But　if　I　hear　so　much　as　a　whisper　of　it　again；　from　anyone。。。　〃　She　drew　a　ragged　breath　…　if　she　heard　shouts　of　it；　there　might　be　little　she　could　do　…　but　by　the　way　they　jumped；　they　read　a　threat　that　pricked　deep。　〃Get　to　your　beds　before　I　change　my　mind。〃
　　　In　an　instant　they　became　a　flurry　of　curtsies；　of　〃Yes；　Mother〃　and　〃No；　Mother〃　and　〃As　you　mand；　Mother。〃　They　scurried　away　looking　back　over　their　shoulders　at　her；　every　step　faster　than　the　last；　until　they　were　running。　She　had　to　walk　on　sedately；　but　she　wanted　to　run　too。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　10　
（Dre