rj.acrownofswords-第77章
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the oars were missing their grins。 Apparently they had failed to see the serpent rings back at the stone landing； and they did not look pleased to learn they had Aes Sedai aboard。
〃Oh； dear；〃 Elayne sighed。 〃I must retrieve this； Aviendha； or we've wasted the morning just so she could lose her breakfast porridge。〃 Gliding across the deck … Aviendha was proud of knowing the proper names for things on boats … Elayne addressed the man up on the ship。 〃I am Elayne Trakand； Daughter…Heir of Andor and Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah。 My panion is quite truthful。 We do not seek the gift of passage。 But we must speak with your Windfinder on a matter of urgency。 Tell her we know of the Weaving of Winds。 Tell her we know of Windfinders。〃
The man above frowned down at her； then abruptly vanished without a word。
〃The woman will probably think you mean to blab her secrets；〃 Nynaeve muttered； jerking her cloak into place。 She tied the ribbons fiercely。 〃You know how afraid they are that Aes Sedai will haul them all off to the Tower； if it's known most can channel。 Only a ninny thinks she can threaten people； Elayne； and still get anywhere。〃
Aviendha burst out laughing。 By the startled look Nynaeve gave her； she did not see the joke she had made on herself。 Elayne's lips quivered； though； however she tried to hold them。 You could never be sure about wetlander humor； they found strange things funny and missed the best。
Whether or not the Windfinder felt threatened； by the time Elayne had paid the boatmen and cautioned them to wait for their return … with Nynaeve grumbling over the amount and telling them she would box their ears if they left； and how she was to manage that nearly set Aviendha laughing again … by the time all that was done； it seemed a decision had been reached to allow them on。 No ladder was lowered； but instead a flat piece of wood； the two ropes it hung from being one and running up to a thick pole swung out over the side from one of the masts。 Nynaeve took her place sitting on the board with dire warnings for the boatmen if they even thought of trying to look up her skirts； and Elayne blushed and held hers tightly around her legs； hunched over so she appeared ready to fall off headfirst as she wobbled into the air and disappeared from sight onto the ship。 One of the fellows looked upward anyway； until Birgitte struck him on the nose with her fist。 They certainly did not watch her ascent。
Aviendha's belt knife was small； with a blade not half a foot long； but the oarsmen frowned worriedly when she drew it。 Her arm went back； and they fell sprawling to the deck as the knife whirled over their heads to sink with a solid thunk into the thick wooden post at the front of the boat。 Looping the cloak over her arms like a shawl； she hoisted her skirts well above her knees so she could climb over the oars and retrieve her blade； then took her place on the dangling board。 She did not replace the knife in its sheath。 For some reason the two men exchanged confused looks； but they kept their eyes down as she was lifted up。 Perhaps she was beginning to get a feel for wetlander customs。
Settling onto the great ship's deck； she gaped； almost forgetting to climb off the narrow seat。 She had read of the Atha'an Miere； but reading and seeing was as different as reading of saltwater and tasting it。 They were all dark； for one thing； much darker than the Ebou Dari； even darker than most Tairens； with straight black hair and black eyes and tattooed hands。 Bare…chested； barefoot men with bright narrow sashes holding up baggy breeches of some dark cloth that had an oily look to it； and women in blouses as brilliantly colored as their sashes； all with a sway to their movements； gliding gracefully with the rocking of the ship。 Sea Folk women had very strange customs when it came to men； according to what she had read； dancing with no more than a single scarf for covering and worse； but it was the earrings that made her stare。 Most had three or four； often with polished stones； and several actually had a small ring in one side of their noses！ The men did； too； the earrings at least； and just as many heavy gold and silver chains around their necks。 Men！ Some wetlander men wore rings in their ears； true … most Ebou Dari men seemed to … but so many！ And necklaces！ Wetlanders did have strange ways。 The Sea Folk never left their ships … never … so she had read； and supposedly they ate their dead。 She had not been quite able to credit that； but if the men wore necklaces； who could say what else they did？
The woman who came to meet them wore breeches and blouse and sash like the others； but hers were of brocaded yellow silk； the sash knotted intricately with ends trailing to her knee； and one of her necklaces bore a small golden box of intricate piercework。 A sweetly musky scent surrounded her。 Gray streaked her hair heavily； and she had a grave face。 Five small fat golden rings decorated each of her ears； and a fine chain connected one to a similar ring in her nose。 Tiny medallions of polished gold dangling from the chain flashed in the sunlight as she studied them。
Aviendha pulled her hand down from her own nose … to wear that chain； always tugging！ … and barely managed to suppress a laugh。 Wetlander customs were odd beyond belief； and surely no one deserved the name better than the Sea Folk。
〃I am Malin din Toral Breaking Wave；〃 the woman said； 〃Wavemistress of Clan Somarin and Sailmistress of Windrunner。〃 A Wavemistress was important； like a clan chief； yet she seemed at a loss； looking from one face to the next； until her eye fell on the Great Serpent rings Elayne and Nynaeve wore； and then she exhaled in resignation。 〃If it pleases you to e with me； Aes Sedai？〃 she said to Nynaeve。
The back of the ship was raised； and she led the way inside that by a door； then down a hallway to a large room … a cabin … with a low ceiling。 Aviendha doubted Rand al'Thor would have been able to stand upright beneath one of the thick beams。 Except for a few lacquered chests； everything seemed to have been built in place； cabinets along the walls； even the long table that ran half the length of the room and the armchairs that surrounded it。 It was difficult to think of something the size of this ship being made of wood； and even after all her time in the wetlands； the sight of all that polished wood nearly made her gasp。 It glowed almost as much as the gilded lamps； hanging unlit in some sort of cage so they remained upright as the ship moved with the waves。 In truth； the ship hardly seemed to move at all； at least in parison with the boat they had been on； but unfortunately the back of the cabin； of the ship； was a line of windows with the painted and gilded shutters standing open； giving a splendid view of the bay。 Worse； there was no land in sight out those windows。 No land at all！ Her throat seized。 She could not have spoken。 She could not have screamed； although that was what she wanted to do。
Those windows and what they showed … what they did not show … had caught her eyes so quickly that it took her a moment to realize people were there already。 A fine thing！ Had they wished； they could have killed her before she knew。 Not that they showed any sign of hostility； but you could never be too careful with wetlanders。
A spindly old man with deep…set eyes was sitting at his ease atop one of the chests； what little hair remained to him was white； and his dark face had a kindly look； though a full dozen earrings altogether and a number of thick gold chains around his neck gave his expression a strange twist in her eyes。 Like the men above； he was barefoot and bare…chested； but his breeches were a dark blue silk； and his long sash a bright red。 An ivory…hilted sword was thrust through that sash； she noted with disdain； as well as two curved daggers to match。
The slender； handsome woman with her arms folded and a grimly foreboding frown was more worthy of notice。 She wore only four earrings in each ear； and fewer medallions on her chain than Malin din Toral； and her clothing was all in reddish…yellow silk。 She could channel； Aviendha knew that； this close。 She must be the woman they had e f
