rj.acrownofswords-第76章
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e did； not that she would admit that was what they were。 The glower faded to a grumpy sulk。 〃Who will ask him？ Whoever does； he will make her beg。 You know he will。 I'd sooner marry him！〃
Elayne hesitated； then said firmly； 〃Birgitte will。 And she won't beg； she will tell him。 Most men will do as you say if you use a firm； confident voice。〃 Nynaeve looked doubtful； and Birgitte jerked erect on her bench； startled for the first time Aviendha had ever seen。 With anyone else； Aviendha might have said she looked a little afraid； too。 Birgitte would have done very well as Far Dareis Mai； for a wetlander。 She had remarkable skill with a bow。
〃You are the clear choice； Birgitte；〃 Elayne went on quickly。 〃Nynaeve and I are Aes Sedai； and Aviendha might as well be。 We cannot possibly do it。 Not and maintain proper dignity。 Not with him。 You know what he is like。〃 What had happened to all that talk of a firm； confident voice？ Not that Aviendha had ever noticed that working for anyone except Sorilea。 It surely had not so far on Mat Cauthon that she had seen。 〃Birgitte； he can't have recognized you。 If he had； he would have said something by now。〃
Whatever that meant； Birgitte leaned back against the wall and laced her fingers over her stomach。 〃I should have known you'd get back at me ever since I said it was a good thing your bottom wasn't any … 〃 She stopped； and a faint satisfied smile appeared on her lips。 Nothing changed in Elayne's expression； but plainly Birgitte thought she had gained a measure of revenge。 It must have been something felt through the Warder bond。 How Elayne's bottom entered into anything； though； Aviendha could not puzzle out。 Wetlanders were so。。。 odd。。。 at times。 Birgitte continued； still wearing that smile。 〃What I don't understand is why he starts chafing as soon as he sees you two。 It can't be that you snagged him off here。 Egwene was as deep in that as you； but I saw him treat her with more respect than most of the sisters do。 Besides； the times I've glimpsed him ing out of The Wandering Woman； he looked to be enjoying himself。〃 Her smile became a grin that made Elayne sniff disapprovingly。
〃That is one thing we need to change。 A decent woman cannot be in the room with him。 Oh； do wipe that smirk off your face； Birgitte。 I vow； you are as bad as he； sometimes。〃
〃The man was born just to be a trial；〃 Nynaeve muttered sourly。
Suddenly Aviendha was forcibly reminded that she was on a boat as everything lurched； swaying and swinging around to a halt。 Rising and straightening dresses； they gathered the light cloaks they had brought。 She did not don hers； the sunlight here was not so bright that she needed the hood to keep it from her eyes。 Birgitte only draped hers over one shoulder and pushed open the door； following up the three steps after Nynaeve had rushed past her with a hand clapped over her mouth。
Elayne paused to tie her cloak ribbons and arrange the hood around her face； red…gold curls peeking out all around。 〃You did not say much； near…sister。〃
〃I said what I had to say。 The decision was yours。〃
〃The key thought was yours； though。 Sometimes I think the rest of us are turning into half…wits。 Well。〃 Half turning to the steps； not quite looking at her； Elayne paused。 〃Distances bother me； sometimes； over water。 I think I will look only at the ship； myself。 Nothing else。〃 Aviendha nodded … her near…sister had a fine delicacy … and they went up。
On the deck； Nynaeve was just shaking off Birgitte's offer of help and pushing herself up from the railing。 The two oarsmen looked on in amusement as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand。 Shiftless fellows with a brass hoop in each ear； they must have had frequent use for the curved daggers shoved behind their sashes。 Most of their attention went to working their pairs of long sweeps； though； walking back and forth on the deck to hold the heaving boat in place near a ship that almost took Aviendha's breath with its size； looming above their suddenly very tiny vessel； its three great masts reaching taller than most trees she had seen even here in the wetlands。 They had chosen it because it was the largest of the hundreds of Sea Folk ships anchored in the bay。 On a ship that big； surely it must be possible to forget all the surrounding water。 Except。。。
Elayne had not really acknowledged her shame； and if she had； a near…sister could know your deepest humiliation without it mattering； but。。。 Amys said she had too much pride。 She made herself turn and look away from the boat。
She had never seen so much water in her life； not if every drop seen before had been gathered in one place； all of it rolling gray…green and here and there frothing white。 Her eyes darted； trying to avoid taking it in。 Even the sky seemed larger here； immense； with a liquid gold sun crawling up from the east。 A gusting wind blew； somewhat cooler than on the land and never failing entirely。 Clouds of birds flurried in the air； gray and white and sometimes splotched with black； giving those shrill cries。 One； all black except for its head； skimmed along the surface with its long lower beak slicing through the water； and a slanted line of ungainly brown birds … pelicans； Elayne had named them … suddenly folded their wings one by one and plummeted with great splashes； bobbing back to the top； where they floated； tilting up beaks of incredible size。 There were ships everywhere； many almost as large as the one behind her； not all belonging to the Atha'an Miere； and smaller vessels with one or two masts moving under triangular sails。 Smaller ships still； mastless like the boat she was on； with a high sharp peak at the front and a low flat house at the back； spidered across the water on oars； one pair or two； or sometimes three。 One long； narrow boat that must have had twenty to a side looked like a hundred…legs skittering along。 And there was land。 Maybe seven or eight miles distant； sunlight gleamed off the white…plastered buildings of the city。 Seven or eight miles of water。
Swallowing； she turned back more swiftly than she had turned away。 She thought her cheeks must be greener than Nynaeve's had been。 Elayne was watching her； trying to keep a smooth face； but wetlanders showed their emotions so plainly her concern was visible。 〃I am a fool； Elayne。〃 Even with her； using no more of her name made Aviendha feel uneasy； when they were first…sisters； when they were sister…wives； it would be easier。 〃A wise woman listens to wise advice。〃
〃You are braver than I will ever be；〃 Elayne replied； quite seriously。 She was another who kept denying that she had any courage。 Maybe that was also a wetlander custom？ No； Aviendha had heard wetlanders speak of then own bravery； these Ebou Dari； for one； seemed unable to utter three words without boasting。 Elayne drew a deep breath； steeling herself。 〃Tonight we will talk about Rand。〃
Aviendha nodded； but she did not see how that followed from talk of courage。 How could sister…wives manage a husband if they did not talk of him in detail？ That was what the older women told her； anyway； and the Wise Ones。 They were not always so forthing； of course。 When she plained to Amys and Bair that she must be ill because she felt as though Rand al'Thor was carrying some part of her around with him； they had fallen down laughing。 You will learn； they cackled at her； and You would have learned sooner had you grown up in skirts。 As if she had ever wanted any life but that of a Maiden； running with her spear…sisters。 Maybe Elayne felt something of the same emptiness。 Speaking of him did seem to make the hollowness grow even while filling it。
For some time she had been aware of voices rising； and now she heard the words。
〃。。。 you earringed buffoon！〃 Nynaeve was shaking her fist at a very dark man peering down at her from over the tall side of the ship。 He looked calm； but then； he could not see the glow of saidar surrounding her。 〃We are not after the gift of passage； so it doesn't matter whether you refuse it to Aes Sedai！ You let down a ladder this instant！〃 The men at the oars were missing their grins。 Apparently they had failed to see the serpent rings back at the s
