rj.theshadowrising-第81部分

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　　　　　　　Rand　cut　him　off。　〃You　do　not　want　to　extend　Tear's　sway　all　the　way　to　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　Meilan？　That　is　all　right。　I　know　who　I　mean　to　sit　on　the　Sun　Throne。　You　do　not　go　to　conquer；　Meilan；　but　to　restore　order；　and　peace。　And　to　feed　the　hungry。　There　is　more　grain　in　the　granaries　now　than　Tear　could　sell；　and　the　farmers　will　harvest　as　much　more　this　year；　unless　you　disobey　me。　Wagons　will　carry　it　north　behind　the　armies；　and　those　peasants。。。　those　peasants　will　not　have　to　eat　bark　any　longer；　my　Lord　Meilan。〃　The　tall　High　Lord　opened　his　mouth　again；　and　Rand　swung　Callandor　down；　grounding　its　crystal　point　in　front　of　him。　〃You　have　a　question；　Meilan？〃　Shaking　his　head；　Meilan　backed　into　the　crowd　as　though　trying　to　hide。
　　　　　　　〃I　knew　he　would　not　start　a　war；〃　Egwene　said　fiercely。　〃I　knew　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　think　there　will　be　less　killing　in　this？〃　Moiraine　muttered。　What　was　the　boy　up　to？　At　least　he　was　not　running　off　to　save　his　village　while　the　Forsaken　had　their　way　with　the　rest　of　the　world。　〃The　corpses　will　be　piled　as　high；　girl。　You　will　not　know　the　difference　between　this　and　a　war。〃
　　　　　　　Attacking　Illian　and　Sammael　would　have　gained　him　time　even　if　it　grew　into　a　stalemate。　Time　to　learn　his　power；　and　perhaps　to　bring　down　one　of　his　strongest　enemies；　to　cow　the　rest。　What　did　he　gain　by　this？　Peace　for　the　land　of　her　birth；　starving　Cairhienin　fed；　she　would　have　applauded　another　time。　It　was　laudably　humane　…　and　utterly　senseless；　now。　Useless　bloodshed；　rather　than　confronting　an　enemy　who　would　destroy　him　given　the　slightest　opening。　Why？　Lanfear。　What　had　Lanfear　said　to　him？　What　had　she　done？　The　possibilities　chilled　Moiraine's　heart。　Rand　would　take　closer　watching　than　ever　now。　She　would　not　allow　him　to　turn　to　the　Shadow。
　　　　　　　〃Ah；　yes；〃　Rand　said　as　if　just　remembering　something。　〃Soldiers　don't　know　much　about　feeding　hungry　people；　do　they？　For　that；　I　think　a　kind；　woman's　heart　is　needed。　My　Lady　Alteima；　I　regret　intruding　on　your　grief；　but　will　you　undertake　to　oversee　distributing　the　food？　You　will　have　a　nation　to　feed。〃
　　　　　　　And　power　to　gain；　Moiraine　thought。　This　was　his　first　slip。　Aside　from　deciding　on　Cairhien　over　Illian；　of　course。　Alteima　would　certainly　return　to　Tear　on　an　equal　footing　with　Meilan　or　Gueyam；　ready　for　more　plotting。　She　would　have　Rand　assassinated　before　that；　if　he　was　not　careful。　Perhaps　an　accident　could　be　arranged　in　Cairhien。
　　　　　　　Alteima　swept　a　graceful　curtsy；　spreading　her　full　white　skirts；　only　a　touch　of　her　surprise　showing。　〃As　my　Lord　Dragon　mands；　so　do　I　obey。　It　will　please　me　greatly　to　serve　the　Lord　Dragon。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　was　sure　it　would；〃　Rand　said　wryly。　〃As　much　as　you　love　your　husband；　you'll　not　want　him　with　you　in　Cairhien。　Conditions　will　be　hard；　for　a　sick　man。　I　took　the　liberty　of　having　him　moved　to　the　High　Lady　Estanda's　apartments。　She　will　care　for　him　while　you　are　away；　and　send　him　to　meet　you　in　Cairhien　when　he　is　well。〃　Estanda　smiled；　a　tight　smile　of　triumph。　Alteima's　eyes　rolled　back　in　her　head；　and　she　crumpled　in　a　heap。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　shook　her　head　slightly。　He　truly　was　harder　than　he　had　been。　More　dangerous。　Egwene　started　toward　the　fallen　woman；　but　Moiraine　put　a　hand　on　her　arm。　〃I　think　she　was　only　overe　by　emotion。　I　can　recognize　it；　you　see。　The　ladies　are　tending　her。〃　Several　of　them　had　clustered　around；　patting　Alteima's　wrists　and　passing　smelling　salts　under　her　nose。　She　coughed　and　opened　her　eyes；　and　looked　ready　to　faint　again　when　she　saw　Estanda　standing　over　her。
　　　　　　　〃Rand　just　did　something　very　clever；　I　think；〃　Egwene　said　in　a　flat　voice。　〃And　very　cruel。　He　has　a　right　to　look　ashamed。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　did　look　it　at　that；　grimacing　at　the　floorstones　under　his　boots。　Perhaps　he　was　not　as　hard　as　he　was　trying　to　be。
　　　　　　　〃Not　undeserved；　however；〃　Moiraine　observed。　The　girl　showed　promise；　picking　up　on　what　she　did　not　understand。　But　she　still　needed　to　learn　to　control　her　emotions；　to　see　what　had　to　be　done　as　well　as　she　saw　what　she　wished　could　be　done。　〃Let　us　hope　he　is　finished　with　being　clever　for　today。〃
　　　　　　　Very　few　in　the　great　chamber　understood　exactly　what　had　happened；　only　that　Alteima's　fainting　had　upset　the　Lord　Dragon。　A　few　in　the　back　raised　shouts　of　〃Cairhien　shall　fall！〃　but　the　cry　did　not　take　hold。
　　　　　　　〃With　you　to　lead　us；　my　Lord　Dragon；　we　shall　conquer　the　world！〃　a　lumpy　faced　young　man　shouted；　half…supporting　Torean。　Estean；　Torean's　eldest　son；　the　lumpy…faced　resemblance　was　clear；　though　the　father　was　still　mumbling　to　himself。
　　　　　　　Jerking　his　head　up；　Rand　appeared　startled。　Or　perhaps　angry。　〃I　will　not　be　with　you。　I　am。。。　going　away　for　a　time。〃　That　certainly　brought　silence　again。　Every　eye　was　on　him；　but　his　attentions　were　all　on　Callandor。　The　crowd　flinched　as　he　lifted　the　crystal　blade　before　his　face。　Sweat　rolled　down　his　face；　much　more　sweat　than　before。　〃The　Stone　held　Callandor　before　I　came。　The　Stone　should　hold　it　again；　until　I　return。〃
　　　　　　　Suddenly　the　transparent　sword　blazed　in　his　hands。　Whirling　it　hilt　uppermost；　he　drove　it　down。　Into　the　stone　floor。　Bluish　lightning　arced　wildly　toward　the　dome　above。　The　stone　rumbled　loudly；　and　the　Stone　shook；　dancing；　heaving　screaming　people　from　their　feet。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　pushed　Egwene　off　of　her　while　tremors　still　reverberated　through　the　chamber；　and　scrambled　erect。　What　had　he　done？　And　why？　Going　away？　It　was　the　worst　of　all　her　nightmares。
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　had　already　regained　their　feet。　Everyone　else　lay　stunned　or　huddled　on　hands　and　knees。　Except　for　Rand。　He　was　on　one　knee；　both　hands　holding　Callandor's　hilt；　with　the　blade　driven　halfway　into　the　floorstones。　The　sword　was　clear　crystal　again。　Sweat　glistened　on　his　face。　He　pried　his　hands　away　one　finger　at　a　time；　held　them　cupped　around　the　hilt　yet　not　touching　it。　For　a　moment　Moiraine　thought　he　was　going　to　take　hold　of　it　again；　but　instead　he　forced　himself　to　his　feet。　He　did　have　to　force　himself；　she　was　certain　of　it。
　　　　　　　〃Look　at　this　while　I　am　gone。〃　His　voice　was　lighter；　more　the　way　it　had　been　when　she　first　found　him　in　his　village；　but　no　less　sure　or　firm　than　it　had　been　moments　before。　〃Look　at　it；　and　remember　me。　Remember　I　will　e　back　for　it。　If　anyone　wants　to　take　my　place；　all　they　have　to　do　is　pull　it　out。〃　He　waggled　a　finger　at　them；　grinning　almost　mischievously。　〃But　remember　the　price　of　failure。〃
　　　　　　　Turning　on　his　heel；　he　marched　out　of　the　chamber；　the　Aiel　falling　in　behind　him。　Staring　at　the　sword　rising　out　of　the　floor　of　the　Heart；　the　Tairens　got　to　their　feet　more　slowly。　Most　looked　ready　to　run；　but　too　frightened　to。
　　　　　　　〃That　man！〃　Egwene　grumbled；　dusting　off　her　green　linen　dress。　〃Is　he　mad？〃　She　clapped　a　hand　to　her　mouth。　〃Oh；　Moiraine；　he　isn't；　is　he？　Is　he？　Not　yet。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Light　send　he　is　not；〃　Moiraine　muttered。　She　could　not　take　her　eyes　from　the　sword　any　more　than　the　Tairens　could。　The　Light　take　the　boy。　Why　could　he　not　have　remained　the　amenable　youngling　she　had　found　in　Emond's　Field？　She　made　herself　start　after　Rand。　〃But　I　will　find　out。〃
　　　　　　　Half…running；　they　caught　up　quickly　in　a　broad；　tapestry　lined　hallway。　The　Aiel；　veils　hanging　loose　now　but　easily　raised　if　needed；　moved　aside　without　slowing。　They　glanced　at　her；　and　at　Egwene；　hard　faces　unchanging　but　eyes　touched　by　the　wariness　Aiel　always　had　around　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　How　they　could　be　uneasy　at　her　while　calmly　following　Rand；　she　did　not　understand。　Learning　more　than　fragments　about　them　was　difficult。　They　answered　questions　freely　…　about　anything　that　was　of　no　interest　to　her。　Her　informants　and　her　own　eavesdropping　overheard　nothing；　and　her　network　of　eyes　and　ears　would　no　longer　try。　Not　since　one　woman　had　been　left　bound　and　gagged；　hanging　by　her　ankles　from　battlements　and　staring　wild　eyed　at　the　four　hundred　foot　drop　beneath　her；　and　not　since　the　man　who　had　simply　disappeared。　The　man　was　just　gone；　the　woman；　refusing　to　go　higher　than　the　ground　floor；　had　been　a　constant　reminder　until　Moiraine　sent　her　into　the　country。
　　　　　　　Rand　did　not　slow　down　any　more　than　the　Aiel　when　she　and　Egwene　fell　in　on　either　side　of　him。　His　glance　was　wary；　too；　but　in　a　different　way；　and　touched　with　exasperated　anger。　〃I　thought　you　were　gone；〃　he　said　to　Egwene。　〃I　thought　you　went　with　Elayne　and　Nynaeve。　You　should　have。　Even　Tanchico　is。。。　Why　did　you　stay？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　won't　be　staying　much　longer；〃　Egwene　said。　〃I　am　going　to　the　Waste　with　Aviendha；　to　Rhuidean；　to　study　with　the　Wise　Ones。〃
　　　　　　　He　missed　a　step　as　the　girl　mentioned　the　Waste；　glancing　at　her　uncertainly；　then　strode　on。　He　seemed　posed　now；　too　much　so；　a　boiling　teakettle　with　the　lid　strapped　down　and　the　spout　plugged。　〃Do　you　remember　swimming　in　the　Waterwood？〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I　used　to　float　on　my　back　in　a　pool　and　think　the　hardest　thing　I'd　ever　have　to　do　was　plow　a　field；　unless　maybe　it　was　shearing　sheep。　Shearing　from　sunup　till　bedtime；　hardly　stopping　to　eat　until　the　clip　was　in。〃
　　　　　　　〃Spinning；〃　Egwene　said。　〃I　hated　it　worse　than　scrubbin