rj.acrownofswords-第95章

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he　stalked　up　and　down；　grime　crunching　loudly　beneath　her　slippers。　〃Yes；　yes；　I　know。　Our　sisters　in　the　palace；　they　might　have　bee　suspicious。　We　do　not　wish　to　draw　their　eyes。　But　have　you　forgotten　Tanchico？　And　Tear？　Where　those　two　girls　appear；　disaster　follows。　Me；　I　think　if　we　cannot　kill　them；　we　should　remain　as　far　from　Nynaeve　al'Meara　and　Elayne　Trakand　as　we　can。　As　far　as　we　can！〃
　　　〃Calm　yourself；　Ispan。　Calm　yourself。〃　If　anything；　Falion's　soothing　tone　only　seemed　to　agitate　the　other　woman　more；　but　Falion　was　confident。　Logic　must　prevail　over　emotion。
　　　
　　　Sitting　on　an　upended　barrel　in　the　sparse　coolness　of　a　narrow；　shaded　alley；　he　studied　the　house　across　the　busy　street。　Suddenly　he　realized　he　was　touching　his　head　again。　He　did　not　have　a　headache；　but　his　head　felt。。。　peculiar。。。　sometimes。　Most　often　when　he　thought　of　what　he　could　not　remember。
　　　Three　stories　of　white　plaster；　the　house　belonged　to　a　goldsmith　who　supposedly　was　being　visited　by　two　friends　she　had　met　on　a　journey　north　some　years　ago。　The　friends　had　only　been　glimpsed　on　arrival　and　not　seen　since。　Finding　that　out　had　been　easy；　finding　out　they　were　Aes　Sedai　only　a　trifle　more　difficult。
　　　A　lean　young　man　in　a　torn　vest；　whistling　his　way　down　the　street　with　no　good　on　his　mind；　paused　when　he　glimpsed　him　sitting　on　the　barrel。　His　coat　and　his　location　in　the　shadows　…　and　the　rest　of　him；　he　admitted　ruefully　…　probably　looked　tempting。　He　reached　under　his　coat。　His　hands　no　longer　possessed　the　strength　or　flexibility　for　swordwork；　but　the　two　long　knives　he　had　carried　for　well　over　thirty　years　had　surprised　more　than　one　swordsman。　Maybe　something　showed　in　his　eyes；　because　the　lean　young　man　thought　better　of　it　and　whistled　his　way　on。
　　　Beside　the　house；　the　gate　that　led　back　to　the　goldsmith's　stable　swung　open；　and　two　burly　men　appeared　pushing　a　barrow　piled　high　with　soiled　straw　and　muck。　What　were　they　up　to？　Arnin　and　Nad　were　hardly　the　lads　to　be　mucking　out　stables。
　　　He　would　stay　here　until　dark；　he　decided；　then　see　whether　he　could　find　Carridin's　pretty　little　killer　again。
　　　Once　again　he　pulled　his　hand　down　from　his　head。　Sooner　or　later；　he　would　remember。　He　did　not　have　much　time　left；　but　it　was　all　he　did　have。　He　remembered　that　much。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　18　
（Dragon）　
As　the　Plow　Breaks　the　Earth　
　　　
　　　Seizing　saidin　long　enough　to　unknot　the　ward　he　had　woven　across　one　corner　of　the　anteroom；　Rand　raised　his　small　silver…mounted　cup　and　said；　〃More　tea。〃　Lews　Therin　muttered　angrily　in　the　back　of　his　head。
　　　Carved　chairs　heavy　with　gilt　stood　in　paired　lines　to　either　side　of　a　golden　Rising　Sun；　two　paces　wide；　set　into　the　polished　stone　floor；　and　another　tall　chair　so　gilded　it　seemed　entirely　gold　topped　a　small　dais　that　was　just　as　elaborate；　but　he　sat　cross…legged　on　a　carpet　spread　for　the　occasion；　green　and　gold　and　blue　in　a　Tairen　maze。　The　three　clan　chiefs　seated　across　from　him　would　have　disliked　him　receiving　them　from　a　chair　even　if　they　were　offered　their　own。　They　were　another　maze；　to　be　trod　warily。　He　was　in　his　shirt；　sleeves　pushed　up　his　forearms　to　expose　the　red…and…gold　Dragon　that　curled　around　each；　glittering　metallically。　The　Aielmen's　cadin'sor　covered　theirs；　on　the　left　arm　alone。　Perhaps　the　reminder　of　who　he　was　…　that　he　too　had　been　to　Rhuidean　when　the　journey　meant　death　for　most　men　who　entered　…　perhaps　it　was　unnecessary。　Perhaps。
　　　Those　three　faces　gave　away　little　as　they　watched　Merana　e　from　the　corner　where　she　had　been　sealed　off。　Janwin's　creased　face　could　have　been　carved　from　old　wood；　but　it　always　looked　that　way；　and　if　his　blue…gray　eyes　seemed　stormy；　so　did　they　always　too。　Even　his　hair　looked　like　storm　clouds。　He　was　an　even…tempered　man；　though。　Indirian　and　one…eyed　Mandelain　might　have　been　thinking　of　something　else；　except　that　their　unblinking　gazes　followed　her。　Lews　Therin　suddenly　went　silent；　as　if　he　too　watched；　through　Rand's　eyes。
　　　Merana's　ageless　features　revealed　even　less　than　the　clan　chiefs'。　Smoothing　her　pale　gray　skirts　under；　she　knelt　beside　Rand　and　lifted　the　teapot。　A　massive　ball　of　gold…washed　silver；　with　leopards　for　feet　and　handle　and　another　crouched　on　the　lid；　it　required　both　of　her　hands　and　wavered　a　little　as　she　carefully　filled　Rand's　cup。　Her　manner　seemed　to　say　she　did　this　because　she　wanted　to；　for　reasons　of　her　own　that　none　of　them　could　begin　to　understand；　her　manner　shouted　Aes　Sedai　louder　than　her　face　did。　Was　that　to　the　good；　or　the　bad？
　　　〃I　do　not　allow　them　to　channel　without　permission；〃　he　said。　The　clan　chiefs　kept　silent。　Merana　rose　and　moved　to　kneel　beside　each　in　turn。　Mandelain　covered　his　cup　with　a　broad　hand　to　indicate　he　wanted　no　more。　The　other　two　held　out　theirs；　blue…gray　eyes　and　green　alike　studying　her。　What　did　they　see？　What　more　could　he　do？
　　　Replacing　the　heavy　teapot　on　the　thick　leopard…handled　tray；　she　remained　on　her　knees。　〃May　I　serve　my　Lord　Dragon　in　any　way　else？〃
　　　Her　voice　was　self…possession　itself；　but　after　he　motioned　her　back　to　her　corner；　after　she　had　risen　and　turned；　slim　hands　clutched　at　her　skirts　for　an　instant。　Yet　that　might　have　been　because　turning　brought　her　to　face　Dashiva　and　Narishma。　The　two　Asha'man　…　to　be　precise；　Narishma　was　still　only　a　soldier；　the　lowest　level　of　Asha'man；　with　neither　the　sword　nor　the　Dragon　on　his　collar　…　the　Asha'man　stood　impassively　between　two　of　the　tall　golden…framed　mirrors　that　lined　the　walls。　At　least；　the　younger　man　looked　impassive；　at　first　glance。　Thumbs　tucked　behind　his　sword　belt；　he　ignored　Merana　and　paid　little　more　attention　to　Rand　or　the　Aielmen；　yet　at　a　second　glance　you　saw　that　his　dark　too…big　eyes　never　rested；　as　if　he　expected　the　unexpected　to　leap　out　of　the　air　any　moment。　And　who　could　say　it　would　not？　Dashiva　appeared　to　have　his　head　in　the　clouds；　his　lips　moved　soundlessly；　and　he　blinked　and　frowned　at　nothing。
　　　Lews　Therin　snarled　when　Rand　looked　at　the　Asha'man；　but　it　was　Merana　who　occupied　the　dead　man　inside　Rand's　head。　Only　a　fool　thinks　a　lion　or　a　woman　can　truly　be　tamed。
　　　Irritably；　Rand　suppressed　the　voice　to　a　muted　buzz。　Lews　Therin　could　break　through；　but　not　without　effort。　Grabbing　hold　of　saidin；　he　rewove　the　ward　that　shut　Merana　away　from　their　voices。　Releasing　the　Source　again　increased　his　irritation；　the　hissing　in　his　head；　the　water　drops　on　red　coals。　An　echo　pulsing　in　time　with　Lews　Therin's　mad；　distant　rage。
　　　Merana　stood　behind　the　barrier　she　could　neither　see　nor　feel；　head　high　and　hands　folded　at　her　waist　as　if　a　shawl　were　looped　over　her　arms。　Aes　Sedai　to　her　toenails。　She　watched　him　and　the　clan　chiefs　with　cool　eyes；　light　brown　flecked　with　yellow。　My　sisters　do　not　all　realize　how　very　much　we　need　you；　she　had　told　him　this　morning　in　this　very　room；　but　all　of　us　who　swore　will　do　whatever　you　ask　that　would　not　violate　the　Three　Oaths。　He　had　just　wakened　when　she　came　with　Sorilea　escorting　her。　Neither　seemed　to　care　at　all　that　he　was　still　in　a　robe；　with　only　one　bite　taken　from　his　breakfast　bread。　I　have　more　than　a　little　skill　in　negotiation　and　mediation。　My　sisters　have　other　skills。　Let　us　serve　you；　as　we　pledged。　Let　me　serve　you。　We　need　you；　but　you　have　some　need　of　us；　too。
　　　Ever　present；　Alanna　lay　nestled　in　a　corner　of　his　brain。　She　was　weeping　again。　He　could　not　understand　why　she　wept　so　often。　He　had　forbidden　her　to　e　near　him　unless　summoned；　or　leave　her　room　without　an　escort　of　Maidens　…　the　sisters　who　had　sworn　to　him　had　been　found　rooms　last　night；　in　the　Palace　where　he　could　keep　an　eye　on　them　…　but　he　had　sensed　tears　from　the　moment　she　bonded　him；　tears　and　a　raw　grief　like　being　ripped　by　claws。　Sometimes　it　was　less；　sometimes　more；　yet　always　there。　Alanna　also　had　told　him　he　needed　the　sworn　sisters；　screamed　it　at　him　finally；　with　her　face　red　and　tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks；　before　literally　running　from　his　presence。　And　she　had　spoken　of　serving；　too；　though　he　doubted　that　Merana's　present　tasks　were　w