rj.thegreathunt-第5部分

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　　　　　　　〃The　wind。〃　Rand's　mouth　was　dry。　〃It　…　it　pushed　me！　It。。。　It　was　solid　as　a　wall！〃
　　　　　　　The　Warder　stared　at　him　in　silence；　then　offered　a　hand。　Rand　took　it　and　let　himself　be　pulled　to　his　feet。
　　　　　　　〃Strange　things　can　happen　this　close　to　the　Blight；〃　Lan　said　finally；　but　for　all　the　flatness　of　the　words　he　sounded　troubled。　That　in　itself　was　strange。　Warders；　those　half…legendary　warriors　who　served　the　Aes　Sedai；　seldom　showed　emotion；　and　Lan　showed　little　even　for　a　Warder。　He　tossed　the　shattered　lathe　sword　aside　and　leaned　against　the　wall　where　their　real　swords　lay；　out　of　the　way　of　their　practice。
　　　　　　　〃Not　like　that；〃　Rand　protested。　He　joined　the　other　man；　squatting　with　his　back　against　the　stone。　That　way　the　top　of　the　wall　was　higher　than　his　head；　protection　of　a　kind　from　the　wind。　If　it　was　a　wind。　No　wind　had　ever　felt。。。　solid。。。　like　that。　〃Peace！　Maybe　not　even　in　the　Blight。〃
　　　　　　　〃For　someone　like　you。。。〃　Lan　shrugged　as　if　that　explained　everything。　〃How　long　before　you　leave；　sheepherder？　A　month　since　you　said　you　were　going；　and　I　thought　you'd　be　three　weeks　gone　by　now。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stared　up　at　him　in　surprise。　He's　acting　like　nothing　happened！　Frowning；　he　set　down　the　practice　sword　and　lifted　his　real　sword　to　his　knees；　fingers　running　along　the　long；　leather…wrapped　hilt　inset　with　a　bronze　heron。　Another　bronze　heron　stood　on　the　scabbard；　and　yet　another　was　scribed　on　the　sheathed　blade。　It　was　still　a　little　strange　to　him　that　he　had　a　sword。　Any　sword；　much　less　one　with　a　blademaster's　mark。　He　was　a　farmer　from　the　Two　Rivers；　so　far　away；　now。　Maybe　far　away　forever；　now。　He　was　a　shepherd　like　his　father　…I　
was　a　shepherd。　What　am　I　now？　…　and　his　father　had　given　him　a　heron…marked　sword。　Tam　is　my　father；　no　matter　what　anybody　says。　He　wished　his　own　thoughts　did　not　sound　as　if　he　was　trying　to　convince　himself。
　　　　　　　Again　Lan　seemed　to　read　his　mind。　〃In　the　Borderlands；　sheepherder；　if　a　man　has　the　raising　of　a　child；　that　child　is　his；　and　none　can　say　different。〃
　　　　　　　Scowling；　Rand　ignored　the　Warder's　words。　It　was　no　one's　business　but　his　own。　〃I　want　to　learn　how　to　use　this。　I　need　to。〃　It　had　caused　him　problems；　carrying　a　heron…marked　sword。　Not　everybody　knew　what　it　meant；　or　even　noticed　it；　but　even　so　a　heron…mark　blade；　especially　in　the　hands　of　a　youth　barely　old　enough　to　be　called　a　man；　still　attracted　the　wrong　sort　of　attention。　〃I've　been　able　to　bluff　sometimes；　when　I　could　not　run；　and　I've　been　lucky；　besides。　But　what　happens　when　I　can't　run；　and　I　can't　bluff；　and　my　luck　runs　out？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　could　sell　it；〃　Lan　said　carefully。　〃That　blade　is　rare　even　among　heron…mark　swords。　It　would　fetch　a　pretty　price。〃
　　　　　　　〃No！〃　It　was　an　idea　he　had　thought　of　more　than　once；　but　he　rejected　it　now　for　the　same　reason　he　always　had；　and　more　fiercely　for　ing　from　someone　else。　As　long　as　I　keep　it；　I　have　the　right　to　call　Tam　father。　He　gave　it　to　me；　and　it　gives　me　the　right。　〃I　thought　any　heron…mark　blade　was　rare。〃
　　　　　　　Lan　gave　him　a　sidelong　look。　〃Tam　didn't　tell　you；　then？　He　must　know。　Perhaps　he　didn't　believe。　Many　do　not。〃　He　snatched　up　his　own　sword；　almost　the　twin　of　Rand's　except　for　the　lack　of　herons；　and　whipped　off　the　scabbard。　The　blade；　slightly　curved　and　single…edged；　glittered　silvery　in　the　sunlight。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　sword　of　the　kings　of　Malkier。　Lan　did　not　speak　of　it…　he　did　not　even　like　others　to　speak　of　it　…　but　al'Lan　Mandragoran　was　Lord　of　the　Seven　Towers；　Lord　of　the　Lakes；　and　uncrowned　King　of　Malkier。　The　Seven　Towers　were　broken　now；　and　the　Thousand　Lakes　the　lair　of　unclean　things。　Malkier　lay　swallowed　by　the　Great　Blight；　and　of　all　the　Malkieri　lords；　only　one　still　lived。
　　　　　　　Some　said　Lan　had　bee　a　Warder；　bonding　himself　to　an　Aes　Sedai；　so　he　could　seek　death　in　the　Blight　and　join　the　rest　of　his　blood。　Rand　had　indeed　seen　Lan　put　himself　in　harm's　way　seemingly　without　regard　for　his　own　safety；　but　far　beyond　his　own　life　and　safety　he　held　those　of　Moiraine；　the　Aes　Sedai　who　held　his　bond。　Rand　did　not　think　Lan　would　truly　seek　death　while　Moiraine　lived。
　　　　　　　Turning　his　blade　in　the　light；　Lan　spoke。　〃In　the　War　of　the　Shadow；　the　One　Power　itself　was　used　as　a　weapon；　and　weapons　were　made　with　the　One　Power。　Some　weapons　used　the　One　Power；　things　that　could　destroy　an　entire　city　at　one　blow；　lay　waste　to　the　land　for　leagues。　Just　as　well　those　were　all　lost　in　the　Breaking；　just　as　well　no　one　remembers　the　making　of　them。　But　there　were　simpler　weapons；　too；　for　those　who　would　face　Myrddraal；　and　worse　things　the　Dreadlords　made；　blade　to　blade。
　　　　　　　〃With　the　One　Power；　Aes　Sedai　drew　iron　and　other　metals　from　the　earth；　smelted　them；　formed　and　wrought　them。　All　with　the　Power。　Swords；　and　other　weapons；　too。　Many　that　survived　the　Breaking　of　the　World　were　destroyed　by　men　who　feared　and　hated　Aes　Sedai　work；　and　others　have　vanished　with　the　years。　Few　remain；　and　few　men　truly　know　what　they　are。　There　have　been　legends　of　them；　swollen　tales　of　swords　that　seemed　to　have　a　power　of　their　own。　You've　heard　the　gleemen's　tales。　The　reality　is　enough。　Blades　that　will　not　shatter　or　break；　and　never　lose　their　edge。　I've　seen　men　sharpening　them…playing　at　sharpening；　as　it　were…but　only　because　they　could　not　believe　a　sword　did　not　need　it　after　use。　All　they　ever　did　was　wear　away　their　oilstones。
　　　　　　　〃Those　weapons　the　Aes　Sedai　made；　and　there　will　never　be　others。　When　it　was　done；　war　and　Age　ended　together；　with　the　world　shattered；　with　more　dead　unburied　than　there　were　alive　and　those　alive　fleeing；　trying　to　find　some　place；　any　place；　of　safety；　with　every　second　woman　weeping　because　she'd　never　see　husband　or　sons　again；　when　it　was　done；　the　Aes　Sedai　who　still　lived　swore　they　would　never　again　make　a　weapon　for　one　man　to　kill　another。　Every　Aes　Sedai　swore　it；　and　every　woman　of　them　since　has　kept　that　oath。　Even　the　Red　Ajah；　and　they　care　little　what　happens　to　any　male。
　　　　　　　〃One　of　those　swords；　a　plain　soldier's　sword〃　…　with　a　faint　grimace；　almost　sad；　if　the　Warder　could　be　said　to　show　emotion；　he　slid　the　blade　back　into　its　sheath　…　〃became　something　more。　On　the　other　hand；　those　made　for　lord…generals；　with　blades　so　hard　no　bladesmith　could　mark　them；　yet　marked　already　with　a　heron；　those　blades　became　sought　after。〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　hands　jerked　away　from　the　sword　propped　on　his　knees。　It　toppled；　and　instinctively　he　grabbed　it　before　it　hit　the　floorstones。　〃You　mean　Aes　Sedai　made　this？　I　thought　you　were　talking　about　your　sword。〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　all　heron…mark　blades　are　Aes　Sedai　work。　Few　men　handle　a　sword　with　the　skill　to　be　named　blademaster　and　be　awarded　a　heron…mark　blade；　but　even　so；　not　enough　Aes　Sedai　blades　remain　for　more　than　a　handful　to　have　one。　Most　e　from　master　bladesmiths；　the　finest　steel　men　can　make；　yet　still　wrought　by　a　man's　hands。　But　that　one；　sheepherder　。。。　that　one　could　tell　a　tale　of　three　thousand　years　and　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can't　get　away　from　them；〃　Rand　said；　〃can　I？〃　He　balanced　the　sword　in　front　of　him　on　scabbard　point；　it　looked　no　different　than　it　had　before　he　knew。　〃Aes　Sedai　work。〃　But　Tam　gave　it　to　me。　My　father　gave　it　to　me。　He　refused　to　think　of　how　a　Two　Rivers　shepherd　had　e　by　a　heron…mark　blade。　There　were　dangerous　currents　in　such　thoughts；　deeps　he　did　not　want　to　explore。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　really　want　to　get　away；　sheepherder？　I'll　ask　again。　Why　are　you　not　gone；　then？　The　sword？　In　five　years　I　could　make　you　worthy　of　it；　make　you　a　blademaster。　You　have　quick　wrists；　good　balance；　and　you　don't　make　the　same　mistake　twice。　But　I　do　not　have　five　years　to　give　over　to　teaching　you；　and　you　do　not　have　five　years　for　learning。　You　have　not　even　one　year；　and　you　know　it。　As　it　is；　you　will　not　stab　yourself　in　the　foot。　You　hold　yourself　as　if　the　sword　belongs　at　your　waist；　sheepherder；　and　most　village　bullies　will　sense　it。　But　you've　had　that　much　almost　since　the　day　you　put　it　on。　So　why　are　you　still　here？〃
　　　　　　　〃Mat　and　Perrin　are　still　here；〃　Rand　mumbled。　〃I　don't　want　to　leave　before　they　do。　I　won't　ever　…　I　might　not　see　them　again　for　…　for　years；　maybe。〃　His　head　dropped　back　against　the　wall。　〃Blood　and　ashes！　At　least　they　just　think　I'm　crazy　not　to　go　home　with　them。　Half　the　time　Nynaeve　looks　at　me　like　I'm　six　years　old　and　I've　skinned　my　knee；　and　she's　going　to　make　it　better；　the　other　half　she　looks　like　she's　seeing　a　stranger。　One　she　might　offend　if　she　looks　too　closely；　at　that。　She's　a　Wisdom；　and　besides　that；　I　don't　think　she's　ever　been　afraid　of　anything；　but　she　。。。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃And　Egwene。　Burn　me！　She　knows　why　I　have　to　go；　but　every　time　I　mention　it　she　looks　at　me；　and　I　knot　up　inside　and　。。。〃　He　closed　his　eyes；　pressing　the　sword　hilt　against　his　forehead　as　if　he　could　press　what　he　was　thinking　out　of　existence。　〃I　wish　。。。　I　wish　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　wish　everything　could　be　the　way　it　was；　sheepherder？　Or　you　wish　the　girl　would　go　with　you　instead　of　to　Tar　Valon？　You　think　she'll　give　up　being　an　Aes　Sedai　for　a　life　of　wandering？　With　you？　If　you　put　it　to