rj.thepathofdaggers-第137部分

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　　　　　　　She　had　no　choice　except　to　follow　him；　shivering　and　stumbling　through　the　snow。　Her　skin　pebbled　with　the　cold。　Light；　how　she　had　ever　thought　this　day　anything　less　than　icy？　Light；　if　only　someone　had　managed　to　escape　with　the　news　of　Masema！　To　carry　word　of　her　capture　to　Perrin；　of　course；　but　she　could　escape　somehow。　The　other　was　more　important。
　　　　　　　The　first　body　she　saw　was　Parelean；　sprawled　on　his　back　with　his　sword　in　one　outflung　hand　and　blood　all　over　his　fine　coat　with　the　satin…striped　sleeves。　There　were　plenty　of　corpses　after；　Winged　Guards　in　their　red　breastplates；　Alliandre's　soldiers　in　their　dark　green　helmets；　one　of　the　hawkers；　the　hooded　duckhawk　flapping　vainly　against　the　jesses　still　gripped　in　the　dead　man's　fist。　She　held　on　to　hope；　though。
　　　　　　　The　first　other　prisoners　she　saw；　kneeling　among　some　Aiel；　men　and　Maidens　with　their　veils　hanging　down　their　chests；　were　Bain　and　Chiad；　each　naked；　unbound　hands　on　her　knees。　Blood　ran　down　across　Bain's　face　and　matted　her　flame…red　hair。　Chiad's　left　cheek　was　purple　and　swollen；　and　her　gray　eyes　looked　slightly　glazed。　They　knelt　there；　straight…backed；　impassive；　and　unashamed；　but　as　the　big　Aielman　pushed　her　roughly　to　her　knees　beside　them；　they　roused　themselves。
　　　　　　　〃This　is　not　right；　Shaido；〃　Chiad　mumbled　angrily。
　　　　　　　〃She　does　not　follow　ji'e'toh；〃　Bain　barked。　〃You　cannot　make　her　gai'shain。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　gai'shain　will　be　quiet；〃　a　graying　Maiden　said　absently。　Bain　and　Chiad　gave　Faile　regretful　looks；　then　settled　back　to　their　calm　waiting。　Huddling；　trying　to　hide　her　nakedness　against　her　knees；　Faile　did　not　know　whether　to　weep　or　laugh。　The　two　women　she　would　have　chosen　to　help　her　escape　from　anywhere；　and　neither　would　raise　a　hand　to　try　because　of　ji'e'toh。
　　　　　　　〃I　say　again；　Efalin；〃　the　man　who　had　captured　her　muttered；　〃this　is　foolishness。　We　travel　at　a　crawl　in　this。。。　snow。〃　He　said　the　word　awkwardly。　〃There　are　too　many　armed　men；　here。　We　should　be　moving　east；　not　taking　more　gai'shain　to　slow　us　further。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sevanna　wants　more　gai'shain；　Rolan；〃　the　graying　Maiden　replied。　She　frowned；　though；　and　her　hard　gray　eyes　seemed　disapproving　for　a　moment。
　　　　　　　Shivering；　Faile　blinked　as　the　names　sank　in。　Light；　but　the　cold　was　making　her　wits　slow。　Sevanna。　Shaido。　They　were　in　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　as　far　from　here　as　was　possible　to　be　without　crossing　the　Spine　of　the　World！　Clearly　they　were　not；　though。　That　was　something　Perrin　should　know；　another　reason　for　her　to　escape　soon。　There　seemed　little　chance　of　that；　crouching　there　in　the　snow　and　wondering　which　bits　of　her　were　going　to　freeze　first。　The　Wheel　was　balancing　her　amusement　over　Berelain's　shivers　with　a　vengeance。　She　was　actually　looking　forward　to　the　thick　woolen　robes　that　gai'shain　wore。　Her　captors　made　no　move　to　depart；　though。　There　were　other　captives　to　be　brought　in。
　　　　　　　First　was　Maighdin；　stripped　bare　and　bound　as　Faile　was；　and　struggling　every　step　of　the　way。　Until　the　Maiden　who　was　pushing　her　along　abruptly　kicked　her　feet　out　from　under　her。　Maighdin　plunked　down　sitting　in　the　snow；　and　her　eyes　popped　so　wide　that　Faile　might　have　laughed　if　she　had　not　felt　sorry　for　the　woman。　Alliandre　came　next；　bent　nearly　double　in　an　effort　to　shield　herself；　and　then　Arrela；　who　seemed　half　paralyzed　by　her　nudity　and　was　almost　being　dragged　by　a　pair　of　Maidens。　Finally；　another　tall　Aielman　appeared　with　a　furiously　kicking　Lacile　tucked　under　one　arm　like　a　package。
　　　　　　　〃The　rest　are　dead　or　escaped；〃　the　man　said；　dropping　the　small　Cairhienin　woman　beside　Faile。　〃Sevanna　will　have　to　be　satisfied；　Efalin。　She　puts　too　much　store　in　taking　people　who　wear　silk。〃
　　　　　　　Faile　did　not　struggle　at　all　when　she　was　prodded　to　her　feet　and　set　to　laboring　through　the　snow　at　the　head　of　the　other　prisoners。　She　was　too　stunned　to　fight。　Parelean　dead；　Arrela　and　Lacile　captive；　and　Alliandre；　and　Maighdin。　Light；　someone　had　to　warn　Perrin　about　Masema。　Someone。　It　seemed　a　final　blow。　Here　she　was；　shivering　and　gritting　her　teeth　to　keep　them　from　chattering；　trying　her　best　to　pretend　that　she　was　not　stark　naked　and　bound；　on　her　way　to　an　uncertain　captivity。　All　of　that；　and　she　had　to　hope　that　that　slinking　cat　…　that　pouting　trull！　…　Berelain；　had　managed　to　escape　so　she　could　reach　Perrin。　Alongside　everything　else；　that　seemed　the　worst　of　all。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Egwene　walked　Daishar　along　the　column　of　initiates；　sisters　on　their　horses　among　the　wagons；　Accepted　and　novices　afoot　despite　the　snow。　The　sun　was　bright　in　a　sky　with　few　clouds；　but　mist　curled　from　her　gelding's　nostrils。　Sheriam　and　Siuan　rode　at　her　back；　talking　quietly　about　information　learned　from　Siuan's　eyes…and…ears。　Egwene　had　thought　the　fire…haired　woman　an　efficient　Keeper　once　she　learned　that　she　was　not　the　Amyrlin；　but　day　by　day；　Sheriam　seemed　to　grow　ever　more　assiduous　about　her　duties。　Chesa　followed　on　her　tubby　mare　in　case　the　Amyrlin　wanted　anything；　and　unlike　her；　she　was　muttering　again　about　Meri　and　Selame　both　running　away；　the　ungrateful　wretches；　leaving　her　to　do　the　work　of　three。　They　rode　slowly；　and　Egwene　very　carefully　did　not　look　toward　the　column。
　　　　　　　A　month　of　recruiting；　a　month　of　the　novice　book　being　open　to　all；　had　brought　in　startling　numbers；　a　flood　anxious　to　bee　Aes　Sedai；　women　of　every　age　some　from　hundreds　of　miles　away。　There　were　now　twice　as　many　novices　with　the　column　as　before。　Almost　a　thousand！　Most　by　far　would　never　wear　the　shawl；　yet　the　number　of　them　had　everyone　staring。　Some　might　cause　minor　problems；　and　one；　a　grandmother　named　Sharina　with　a　potential　above　even　that　of　Nynaeve；　certainly　had　everyone　startled；　but　it　was　not　the　sight　of　a　mother　and　daughter　squabbling　because　the　daughter　would　be　the　stronger　by　far　one　day　that　she　was　trying　to　avoid；　or　noblewomen　who　were　beginning　to　think　they　had　made　the　wrong　choice　asking　to　be　tested；　or　even　Sharina's　disturbingly　direct　looks。　The　gray…haired　woman　obeyed　every　rule　and　showed　every　proper　respect；　but　she　had　run　her　large　family　by　the　sheer　force　of　her　presence；　and　even　some　of　the　sisters　stepped　warily　around　her。　What　Egwene　did　not　want　to　see　were　the　young　women　who　had　joined　them　two　days　before。　The　two　sisters　who　brought　them　had　been　more　than　startled　to　find　Egwene　as　Amyrlin；　but　their　charges　could　not　believe　it；　not　Egwene　al'Vere；　the　Mayor's　daughter　from　Emond's　Field。　She　did　not　want　to　order　anyone　else　punished；　but　she　would　have　to　if　she　saw　another　stick　her　tongue　out　at　her。
　　　　　　　Gareth　Bryne　had　his　army　in　a　wide　column；　too；　cavalry　and　foot　all　arrayed　and　stretching　out　of　sight　through　the　trees。　The　pale　sun　glinted　off　breastplates　and　helmets　and　the　points　of　pikes。　Horses　stamped　their　hooves　in　the　snow　impatiently。
　　　　　　　Bryne　walked　his　sturdy　bay　to　meet　her　before　she　reached　the　Sitters　waiting　on　their　horses；　in　a　large　clearing　ahead　of　both　columns。　He　smiled　at　her　through　the　face…bars　of　his　helmet。　A　reassuring　smile；　she　thought。　〃A　fine　morning　for　it；　Mother；〃　he　said。　〃Here。〃
　　　　　　　She　only　nodded；　and　he　fell　in　behind　her；　beside　Siuan。　Who　did　not　immediately　begin　spitting　at　him。　Egwene　was　not　certain　exactly　what　acmodation　Siuan　had　reached　with　the　man；　but　she　seldom　grumbled　about　him　anymore　in　Egwene's　hearing；　and　never　when　he　was　present。　Egwene　was　glad　he　was　there；　now。　The　Amyrlin　Seat　could　not　let　her　general　know　she　wanted　his　reassurance；　but　she　felt　the　need　of　it　this　morning。
　　　　　　　The　Sitters　had　their　horses　in　a　line　at　the　edge　of　the　trees；　and　thirteen　more　sisters　sat　their　mounts　a　little　way　off；　watching　the　Sitters　carefully。　Romanda　and　Lelaine　spurred　their　animals　forward　almost　together；　and　Egwene　could　hardly　help　sighing　as　they　approached；　cloaks　flaring　behind　them；　hooves　spraying　snow　as　if　at　the　charge。　The　Hall　obeyed　her　because　it　had　no　choice。　In　matters　concerning　the　war　against　Elaida；　they　did；　but　Light；　how　they　could　quibble　over　what　did　or　did　not　concern　the　war。　When　it　did　not；　getting　anything　out　of　them　was　like　pulling　duck's　teeth！　Except　for　Sharina；　they　might　have　found　a　way　to　put　a　stop　to　accepting　women　of　any　age。　Even　Romanda　was　impressed　by　Sharina。
　　　　　　　The　pair　reined　in　before　her；　but　before　they　could　open　their　mouths；　she　spoke。　〃It's　time　we　got　on　with　it；　daughters；　and　no　time　for　wasting　in　idle　chatter。　Proceed。〃　Romanda　sniffed；　though　softly；　and　Lelaine　looked　as　though　she　wanted　to。
　　　　　　　They　wheeled　their　horses　as　one；　then　glared　at　one　another　a　moment。　Events　this　past　month　had　only　heightened　their　dislike　for　each　other。　Lelaine　tossed　her　head　angrily　in　concession；　and　Romanda　smiled；　a　faint　curving　of　her　lips。　Egwene　almost　smiled；　too。　That　mutual　animosity　was　still　her　greatest　strength　in　the　Hall。
　　　　　　　〃The　Amyrlin　Seat　mands　you　to　proceed；〃　Romanda　announced；　raising　one　hand　grandly。
　　　　　　　The　light　of　saidar　sprang　up　around　the　thirteen　sisters　near　the　Sitters；　around　all　of　them　together；　and　a　thick　slash　of　silver　appeared　in　the　middle　of　the　c