rj.thepathofdaggers-第102章

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　　　　　　　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　a　smile　pass　across　Romanda's　lips　at　seeing　Lelaine　set　down。　Small　profit　if　all　she　did　was　raise　Romanda's　stock　with　the　others。　〃That　holds　for　everyone；　Romanda；〃　she　said。　〃If　need　be；　Tiana　can　find　two　birches　as　easily　as　one。〃　Romanda's　smile　vanished　abruptly。
　　　　　　　〃If　I　may　speak；　Mother；〃　Takima　said；　rising　slowly。　She　attempted　a　smile；　but　she　still　looked　decidedly　ill。　〃I　myself　think　you　have　begun　well。　There　may　be　benefits　to　stopping　here　a　month。　Or　longer。〃　Romanda's　head　jerked　around　to　stare　at　her；　but　for　once；　Takima　did　not　appear　to　notice。　〃Wintering　here；　we　can　avoid　worse　weather　further　north；　and　also　plan　carefully　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃There's　an　end　to　delays；　daughter；〃　Egwene　cut　in。　〃No　more　dragging　our　feet。〃　Would　she　be　another　Gerra；　or　another　Shein？　Either　was　still　possible。　〃In　one　month；　we　will　Travel　from　here。〃　No；　she　was　Egwene　al'Vere；　and　whatever　the　secret　histories　would　say　of　her　faults　and　virtues；　the　Light　only　knew；　but　they　would　be　hers；　not　copies　of　some　other　woman's。　〃In　one　month；　we　will　begin　the　siege　of　Tar　Valon。〃
　　　　　　　This　time；　the　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　sound　of　Takima　weeping。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　20　
（Lion　Rampant）　
Into　Andor　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Elayne　hoped　that　the　journey　to　Caemlyn　would　go　smoothly；　and　in　the　beginning；　it　seemed　to　do　so。　She　thought　that　even　as　she　and　Aviendha　and　Birgitte　sat　bone…weary　and　huddled　in　the　rags　that　remained　of　their　clothing；　filthy　with　dirt　and　dust　and　the　blood　of　the　injuries　they　had　received　when　the　gateway　exploded。　In　two　weeks　at　most；　she　would　be　ready　to　present　her　claims　to　the　Lion　Throne。　There　on　the　hilltop；　Nynaeve　Healed　their　numerous　hurts　and　spoke　barely　a　word；　certainly　not　berating　them。　Surely　that　was　a　pleasant　sign；　if　unusual。　Relief　at　finding　them　alive　battled　worry　on　her　face。
　　　　　　　Lan's　strength　was　necessary　to　remove　the　Seanchan　crossbow　bolt　from　Birgitte's　thigh　before　she　could　be　Healed　of　that　wound；　but　although　her　face　drained　of　blood　and　Elayne　felt　a　stab　of　agony　through　the　bond；　agony　that　made　her　want　to　cry　out；　her　Warder　barely　groaned　through　her　gritted　teeth。
　　　　　　　〃Tai'shar　Kandor；〃　Lan　murmured；　tossing　the　pile…head　quarrel；　made　to　punch　through　armor；　aside　on　the　ground。　True　blood　of　Kandor。　Birgitte　blinked；　and　he　paused。　〃Forgive　me；　if　I　erred。　I　assumed　from　your　clothes　you　were　Kandori。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Birgitte　breathed。　〃Kandori。〃　Her　sickly　grin　might　have　been　from　her　injuries；　Nynaeve　was　impatiently　shooing　Lan　out　of　the　way　so　she　could　lay　hands　on　her。　Elayne　hoped　the　woman　knew　more　of　Kandor　than　the　name；　when　Birgitte　had　last　been　born；　there　had　been　no　Kandor。　She　should　have　taken　it　as　an　omen。
　　　　　　　For　the　five　miles　to　the　small　slate…roofed　manor　house；　Birgitte　rode　behind　Nynaeve　on　the　latter's　stout　brown　mare　…　named　Loversknot；　of　all　things　…　and　Elayne　and　Aviendha　rode　Lan's　tall　black　stallion。　At　least；　Elayne　sat　Mandarb's　saddle　with　Aviendha's　arms　around　her　waist　while　Lan　led　the　fiery…eyed　animal。　Trained　warhorses　were　as　much　weapons　as　a　sword；　and　dangerous　mounts　for　strange　riders。　Be　sure　of　yourself；　girl；　Lini　had　always　told　her；　but　not　too　sure；　and　she　did　try。　She　should　have　realized　events　were　no　more　in　her　control　than　Mandarb's　reins。
　　　　　　　At　the　three…story　stone　house；　Master　Hornwell；　stout　and　gray…haired；　and　Mistress　Hornwell；　slightly　less　round　and　slightly　less　gray　but　otherwise　resembling　her　husband　remarkably；　had　every　last　person　who　worked　the　estates；　and　Merilille's　maid；　Pol；　and　the　green…and…white　liveried　servants　who　had　e　from　the　Tarasin　Palace　as　well；　all　bustling　to　find　sleeping　acmodations　for　over　two　hundred　people；　most　women；　who　had　appeared　out　of　nowhere　with　dark　near　to　falling。　The　work　went　with　surprising　swiftness；　in　spite　of　the　estates'　people　stopping　to　gawk　at　an　Aes　Sedai's　ageless　face；　or　a　Warder's　shifting　cloak　making　parts　of　him　vanish；　or　one　of　the　Sea　Folk　with　all　of　her　bright　silks；　her　earrings　and　nosering　and　medallioned　chain。　Kinswomen　were　deciding　that　now　it　was　safe　to　be　frightened　and　cry　no　matter　what　Reanne　and　the　Knitting　Circle　said　to　them；　Windfinders　were　snarling　over　how　far　from　the　salt　they　had　e；　against　their　will　as　Renaile　din　Calon　loudly　claimed；　and　nobles　and　crafts　women　who　had　been　all　too　willing　to　flee　whatever　lay　back　in　Ebou　Dar；　willing　to　carry　their　bundled　possessions　on　their　backs；　were　now　balking　at　being　shown　a　hayloft　for　a　bed。
　　　　　　　All　that　was　going　on　when　Elayne　and　the　others　arrived　with　the　sun　red　on　the　western　horizon；　a　great　upheaval　and　milling　all　about　the　house　and　thatch…roofed　outbuildings；　but　Alise　Tenjile；　smiling　pleasantly　and　implacable　as　an　avalanche；　seemed　to　have　everything　more　in　hand　than　even　the　capable　Hornwells。　Kinswomen　who　wept　harder　for　all　of　Reanne's　attempts　at　fort　dried　their　tears　at　a　murmur　from　Alise　and　began　moving　with　the　purposeful　air　of　women　who　had　been　caring　for　themselves　in　a　hostile　world　for　many　years。　Haughty　nobles　with　marriage　knives　dangling　into　the　oval　cutouts　in　their　lace…trimmed　bodices　and　craftswomen　who　displayed　almost　as　much　arrogance　and　nearly　as　much　bosom；　if　not　in　silk；　flinched　at　the　sight　of　Alise　approaching；　and　went　scurrying　for　the　tall　barns　hugging　their　bundles　and　announcing　loudly　that　they　had　always　thought　it　might　be　amusing　to　sleep　on　straw。　Even　the　Windfinders；　many　of　them　important　and　powerful　women　among　the　Atha'an　Miere；　muffled　their　plaints　when　Alise　came　near。　For　that　matter；　Sareitha；　still　lacking　the　Aes　Sedai　agelessness；　eyed　Alise　askance　and　touched　her　brown…fringed　shawl　as　if　to　remind　herself　it　was　there。　Merilille　…　unflappable　Merilille　…　watched　the　woman　go　about　her　work　with　a　blend　of　approval　and　open　amazement。
　　　　　　　Clambering　down　from　her　saddle　at　the　front　door　of　the　house；　Nynaeve　glared　toward　Alise；　gave　her　dark　braid　one　deliberate；　measured　tug　that　the　other　woman　was　far　too　busy　to　notice；　and　stalked　inside；　stripping　off　her　blue　riding　gloves　and　muttering　to　herself。　Watching　her　go；　Lan　chuckled　softly；　then　stifled　his　laughter　immediately　when　Elayne　dismounted。　Light；　but　his　eyes　were　cold！　For　Nynaeve's　sake；　she　hoped　the　man　could　be　saved　from　his　fate；　yet　looking　into　those　eyes；　she　did　not　believe　it。
　　　　　　　〃Where　is　Ispan？〃　she　murmured；　helping　Aviendha　scramble　down。　So　many　of　the　women　knew　an　Aes　Sedai　…　a　Black　sister　…　was　being　held　prisoner　that　the　news　was　bound　to　spread　through　the　estates　like　fire　in　dry　grass；　but　better　if　the　manor's　folk　had　a　little　preparation。
　　　　　　　〃Adeleas　and　Vandene　took　her　to　a　small　woodcutter's　hut　about　half　a　mile　away；〃　he　replied　just　as　quietly。　〃In　all　this；　I　don't　think　anyone　noticed　a　woman　with　a　sack　over　her　head。　The　sisters　said　they　would　stay　there　with　her　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　shivered。　The　Darkfriend　was　to　be　questioned　again　once　the　sun　went　down；　it　seemed。　They　were　in　Andor；　now；　and　that　made　her　feel　more　deeply　as　if　she　had　given　the　order　for　it。
　　　　　　　Soon　she　was　in　a　copper　bathtub；　luxuriating　in　perfumed　soap　and　clean　skin　again；　laughing　and　splashing　water　at　Birgitte；　who　lolled　in　another　tub　except　when　she　was　splashing　back；　both　of　them　giggling　over　the　wincing　horror　Aviendha　could　not　quite　conceal　at　sitting　up　to　her　breasts　in　water。　She　thought　it　was　a　very　good　joke　on　herself；　though；　and　told　a　most　improper　story　about　a　man　getting　segade　spines　in　his　bottom。　Birgitte　told　one　still　more　improper；　about　a　woman　getting　her　head　caught　between　the　slats　of　a　fence；　that　made　even　Aviendha　blush。　They　were　funny；　though。　Elayne　wished　she　knew　one　to　tell。
　　　　　　　She　and　Aviendha　bed　and　brushed　one　another's　hair　…　a　nightly　ritual　for　near…sisters　…　and　then　they　snuggled　tiredly　into　the　canopied　bed　in　a　small　room。　She　and　Aviendha；　Birgitte　and　Nynaeve；　and　lucky　there　were　no　more。　Larger　rooms　had　cots　and　pallets　covering　the　floors；　including　the　sitting　rooms；　the　kitchens；　and　most