rj.theshadowrising-第37部分

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t　in　Caemlyn　you　don't　wait　until　you　are　betrothed　before　kissing　a　girl。　And　it　does　not　mean　you　must　bee　betrothed；　either。　But　perhaps　you　do　not　know　how　…〃　His　arms　went　around　her　almost　roughly；　and　his　lips　came　down　on　hers。　Her　head　spun；　her　toes　tried　to　curl　up　in　her　slippers。　Some　time　later　…　she　was　not　certain　how　long　…　she　realized　she　was　leaning　against　his　chest；　knees　trembling；　trying　to　gulp　air。
　　　　　　　〃Forgive　me　for　interrupting　you；〃　he　said。　She　was　glad　to　hear　a　touch　of　breathlessness　in　his　voice。　〃I　am　just　a　backward　shepherd　from　the　Two　Rivers。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　uncouth；〃　she　murmured　against　his　shirt；　〃and　you　did　not　shave　this　morning；　but　I　would　not　say　you　are　backward。〃
　　　　　　　〃Elayne；　I　…〃
　　　　　　　She　put　a　hand　over　his　mouth。　〃I　do　not　want　to　hear　anything　from　you　that　you　do　not　mean　with　your　whole　heart；〃　she　said　firmly。　〃Not　now；　or　ever。〃
　　　　　　　He　nodded；　not　as　if　he　understood　why；　but　at　least　as　if　he　understood　that　she　meant　what　she　said。　Straightening　her　hair　…　the　strand　of　sapphires　was　tangled　beyond　mending　without　a　mirror　…　she　stepped　out　of　his　encircling　arms；　not　without　reluctance；　it　would　be　all　too　easy　to　remain　there；　and　she　had　already　been　more　forward　than　she　had　ever　dreamed　of　before。　Speaking　up　like　that；　asking　for　a　kiss。　Asking！　She　was　not　Berelain。
　　　　　　　Berelain。　Perhaps　Min　had　had　a　viewing。　What　Min　saw；　happened；　but　she　would　not　share　him　with　Berelain。　Perhaps　she　needed　to　do　a　bit　more　plain　speaking。　Obliquely　plain；　at　least。　〃I　expect　you　will　not　lack　for　pany　after　I　go。　Just　remember　that　some　women　see　a　man　with　their　hearts；　while　others　see　no　more　than　a　bauble　to　wear；　no　different　than　a　necklace　or　a　bracelet。　Remember　that　I　will　e　back；　and　I　am　one　who　sees　with　her　heart。〃　He　looked　confused；　at　first；　then　a　little　alarmed。　She　had　said　too　much；　too　fast。　She　had　to　divert　him。　〃Do　you　know　what　you　have　not　said　to　me？　You　have　not　tried　to　frighten　me　away　by　telling　me　how　dangerous　you　are。　Don't　try　now。　It　is　too　late。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　think　of　it。〃　Another　thought　came　to　him；　though；　and　his　eyes　crinkled　with　suspicion。　〃Did　you　and　Egwene　scheme　this　up　between　you？〃
　　　　　　　She　managed　to　bine　wide…eyed　innocence　with　mild　outrage。　〃How　could　you　even　consider　such　a　thing？　Do　you　imagine　we　would　hand　you　around　between　us　like　a　package？　You　think　a　good　deal　of　yourself。　There　is　such　a　thing　as　being　overproud。〃　He　did　look　confused；　now。　Quite　satisfactory。　〃Are　you　sorry　for　what　you　did　to　us；　Rand？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　mean　to　frighten　you；〃　he　said　hesitantly。　〃Egwene　made　me　angry；　she's　always　been　able　to　without　half　trying。　That's　no　excuse；　I　know。　I　said　I　was　sorry；　and　I　am。　Look　what　it　got　me。　Burned　tables　and　another　mattress　ruined。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　for。。。　the　pinch？〃
　　　　　　　His　face　reddened　again；　but　he　faced　her　firmly　even　so。　〃No。　No；　I　am　not　sorry　for　that。　The　two　of　you；　talking　over　my　head；　as　if　I　were　a　lump　of　wood　with　no　ears。　You　deserved　as　much；　both　of　you；　and　I　won't　say　different。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　she　considered　him。　He　rubbed　his　arms　through　his　coat　sleeves　as　she　momentarily　embraced　saidar。　She　did　not　know　Healing　to　any　degree；　but　she　had　learned　bits　and　pieces　on　the　edge　of　it。　Channeling；　she　soothed　away　the　hurt　she　had　given　him　for　the　pinch。　His　eyes　widened　in　surprise；　and　he　shifted　on　his　feet　as　if　testing　the　absence　of　pain。　〃For　being　honest；〃　she　told　him　simply。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　rap　at　the　door；　and　Gaul　looked　in。　At　first　the　Aielman　had　his　head　down；　but　after　a　quick　glance　at　them　he　raised　it。　Color　flooded　Elayne's　face　as　she　realized　he　had　suspected　that　he　might　be　interrupting　something　he　should　not　see。　She　very　nearly　embraced　saidar　again　and　taught　him　a　lesson。
　　　　　　　〃The　Tairens　are　here；〃　Gaul　said。　〃The　High　Lords　you　were　expecting。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　go；　then；〃　she　told　Rand。　〃You　must　tell　them　about　…　taxes；　was　it　not？　Think　on　what　I　have　said。〃　She　did　not　say　〃think　of　me；〃　but　she　was　sure　the　effect　would　be　the　same。
　　　　　　　He　reached　out　as　if　to　stop　her；　but　she　slipped　away　from　him。　She　had　no　intention　of　putting　on　a　display　in　front　of　Gaul。　The　man　was　Aiel；　but　what　must　he　think　of　her；　wearing　perfume　and　sapphires　at　that　hour　of　the　morning？　It　required　real　effort　not　to　pull　the　neckline　of　her　dress　up　higher。
　　　　　　　The　High　Lords　entered　as　she　reached　the　door；　a　cluster　of　graying　men　in　pointed　beards　and　colorful；　ornate　coats　with　puffy　sleeves。　They　crowded　out　of　her　way　with　reluctant　bows；　their　bland　faces　and　polite　murmurs　not　hiding　their　relief　that　she　was　leaving。
　　　　　　　She　glanced　back　once　from　the　doorway。　A　tall；　broad…shouldered　young　man　in　a　plain　green　coat　among　the　High　Lords　in　their　silks　and　satin　stripes；　Rand　looked　like　a　stork　among　peacocks；　yet　there　was　something　about　him；　a　presence　that　said　he　manded　there　by　right。　The　Tairens　recognized　it；　bending　their　stiff　necks　reluctantly。　He　thought　probably　they　bowed　just　because　he　was　the　Dragon　Reborn；　and　perhaps　they　thought　so；　too。　But　she　had　seen　men；　like　Gareth　Bryne；　the　Captain…mander　of　her　mother's　Guards；　who　could　have　dominated　a　room　in　rags；　with　no　title　and　no　one　knowing　their　name。　Rand　might　not　know　it；　but　he　was　such　a　man。　He　had　not　been　when　she　first　saw　him；　but　he　was　now。　She　pulled　the　door　shut　behind　her。
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　around　the　entrance　glanced　at　her；　and　the　captain　manding　the　ring　of　Defenders　in　the　middle　of　the　anteroom　stared　uneasily；　but　she　barely　noticed　them。　It　was　done。　Or　at　least　it　was　begun。　Four　days　she　had　before　Joiya　and　Amico　were　put　on　that　ship；　four　days　at　most　to　twine　herself　so　firmly　into　Rand's　thoughts　that　he　had　no　room　for　Berelain。　Of　if　not　that；　firmly　enough　that　she　stayed　inside　his　head　until　she　had　the　chance　to　do　more。　She　had　never　thought　she　might　do　a　thing　like　this；　stalk　a　man　like　a　huntress　stalking　a　wild　boar。　The　butterflies　were　still　gamboling　in　her　stomach。　At　least　she　had　not　let　him　see　how　nervous　she　was。　And　it　occurred　to　her　that　she　had　not　once　thought　of　what　her　mother　would　say。　With　that；　the　flutterings　vanished。　She　did　not　care　what　her　mother　said。　Morgase　had　to　accept　her　daughter　as　a　woman；　that　was　all　there　was　to　it。
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　bowed　as　she　moved　away；　and　she　acknowledged　them　with　a　gracious　nod　that　would　have　done　Morgase　proud。　Even　the　Tairen　captain　looked　at　her　as　if　he　could　see　her　new　serenity。　She　did　not　think　she　would　be　troubled　by　butterflies　again。　For　the　Black　Ajah　perhaps；　but　not　for　Rand。
　
　　　　　　　Ignoring　the　High　Lords　in　their　anxious　semicircle；　Rand　watched　the　door　close　behind　Elayne　with　wonder　in　his　eyes。　Dreams　ing　true；　even　only　this　much；　made　him　uneasy。　A　swim　in　the　Waterwood　was　one　thing；　but　he　would　never　have　believed　a　dream　where　she　came　to　him　like　this。　She　had　been　so　cool　and　collected；　while　he　was　tripping　over　his　own　tongue。　And　Egwene；　giving　his　own　thoughts　back　to　him　and　only　concerned　she　might　hurt　him。　Why　was　it　women　could　go　to　pieces　or　fly　into　a　rage　at　the　smallest　thing；　yet　never　flicker　an　eyelash　at　what　left　you　gaping？
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Dragon？〃　Sunamon　murmured　even　more　diffidently　than　usual。　Word　of　this　morning　must　have　spread　through　the　Stone　already；　that　first　lot　had　nearly　run　on　their　way　out；　and　it　was　doubtful　Torean　would　show　his　face；　or　his　filthy　suggestions；　anywhere　Rand　was。
　　　　　　　Sunamon　essayed　an　ingratiating　smile；　then　smothered　it；　drywashing　his　plump　hands；　when　Rand　only　looked　at　him。　The　rest　pretended　they　did　not　see　the　burned　tables；　or　the　shattered　mattress　and　scattered　books；　or　the　half…melted　lumps　over　the　fireplace　that　had　been　the　stag　and　wolves。　High　Lords　were　good　at　seeing　only　what　they　wanted　to　see。　Carleon　and　Tedosian；　false　self…effacement　in　every　line　of　their　thick　bodies；　surely　never　realized　there　was　anything　suspicious　in　never　looking　at　one　another。　But　then；　Rand　might　never　have　noticed　if　not　for　Thom's　note；　found　in　the　pocket　of　a　coat　just　back　from　being　brushed。
　　　　　　　〃The　Lord　Dragon　wished　to　see　us？〃　Sunamon　managed。
　　　　　　　Could　Egwene　and　Elayne　have　worked　it　up　between　them？　Of　course　not。　Women　did　not　do　things　like　that　any　more　than　men。　Did　they？　It　had　to　be　coincidence。　Elayne　heard　that　he　was　free　and　decided　to　speak。　That　was　it。　〃Taxes；〃　he　barked。　The　Tairens　did　not　move；　but　they　gave　the　impression　of　stepping　back。　How　he　hated　dealing　with　these　men；　he　wanted　to　dive　back　into　the　books。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　a　bad　precedent；　my　Lord　Dragon；　lowering　taxes；〃　a　lean；　gray…haired　man　said　in　an　oily　voice。　Meilan　was　tall　for　a　Tairen；　only　a　hand　shorter　than　Rand；　and　hard　as　any　Defender。　He　held　himself　in　a　stoop　in　Rand's　presence；　his　dark　eyes　showed　how　he　hated　it。　But　he　had　hated　it　when　Rand　told　them　to　stop　crouching　around　him；　too。　None　of　them　straightened；　but　Meilan　especially　had　not　liked　being　reminded　of　what　he　did。　〃The　peasants　have　always　paid　easily；　but　if　we　lower　their　taxes；　when　the　day　es　that　we　raise　them　back　to　where　they　no