rj.acrownofswords-第6部分

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emanded　to　put　on　gai'shain　white。
　　　Suddenly　a　ball　of　pure　flame　the　size　of　a　man's　head　arched　toward　the　wagons；　sizzling　and　hissing；　then　another；　dozens。　The　knot　in　her　middle　loosened。　More　fireballs　came　from　the　west；　from　Therava　and　the　rest。　Smoke　began　to　rise　from　burning　wagons；　first　gray　wisps；　then　thickening　black　pillars；　the　murmurs　of　the　algai'd'siswai　changed　pitch；　and　if　those　directly　in　front　of　her　moved　little；　there　was　a　sudden　sense　of　pressing　forward。　Shouts　drifted　from　the　wagons；　men　yelling　in　anger；　bellowing　in　pain。　Whatever　barriers　the　Aes　Sedai　had　made　were　down。　It　had　begun；　and　there　could　be　only　one　ending。　Rand　al'Thor　would　be　hers；　he　would　give　her　the　Aiel；　to　take　all　of　the　wetlands；　and　before　he　died　he　would　give　her　daughters　and　sons　to　lead　the　Aiel　after　her。　She　might　enjoy　that；　he　was　quite　pretty；　really；　strong　and　young。
　　　She　did　not　expect　the　Aes　Sedai　to　go　down　easily；　and　they　did　not。　Fireballs　fell　among　the　spears；　turning　cadin'sor…clad　figures　to　torches；　and　lightnings　struck　from　a　clear　sky；　hurling　men　and　earth　into　the　air。　The　Wise　Ones　learned　from　what　they　saw；　though；　or　perhaps　they　already　knew　and　had　hesitated　before；　most　channeled　so　seldom；　especially　where　anyone　besides　Wise　Ones　could　see；　that　only　another　Wise　One　knew　whether　any　given　woman　could。　Whatever　the　reason；　no　sooner　did　lightning　begin　to　fall　among　the　Shaido　spears　than　more　struck　toward　the　wagons。
　　　Not　all　reached　its　target。　Balls　of　fire　streaking　through　the　air；　some　large　as　horses　now；　silver　lightning　stabbing　toward　the　ground　like　spears　from　the　heavens；　sometimes　suddenly　darted　aside　as　if　striking　an　invisible　shield；　or　erupted　violently　in　midair；　or　simply　vanished　altogether。　Roars　and　crashes　filled　the　air；　warring　with　shouts　and　screams。　Sevanna　stared　at　the　sky　in　delight。　It　was　like　the　Illuminators'　displays　she　had　read　about。
　　　Suddenly　the　world　turned　white　in　her　eyes；　she　seemed　to　be　floating。　When　she　could　see　again；　she　was　flat　on　the　ground　a　dozen　paces　from　where　she　had　stood；　aching　in　every　muscle；　struggling　for　breath　and　covered　with　a　scattering　of　dirt。　Her　hair　wanted　to　lift　away　from　her。
　　　Other　Wise　Ones　were　down　as　well；　around　a　ragged　hole　a　span　across　torn　in　the　ground；　thin　tendrils　of　smoke　rose　from　the　dresses　of　some。　Not　everyone　had　fallen　…　the　battle　of　fire　and　lightning　continued　in　the　sky　…　but　too　many。　She　had　to　throw　them　back　into　the　dance。
　　　Forcing　herself　to　breathe；　she　scrambled　to　her　feet；　not　bothering　to　brush　off　the　dirt。　〃Push　spears！〃　she　shouted。　Seizing　Estalaine's　angular　shoulders；　she　started　to　drag　the　woman　to　her　feet；　then　realized　from　her　staring　blue　eyes　that　she　was　dead　and　let　her　fall。　She　pulled　a　dazed　Dorailla　erect　instead；　then　seized　up　a　spear　from　a　fallen　Thunder　Walker　and　waved　it　high。　〃Forward　the　spears！〃　Some　of　the　Wise　Ones　seemed　to　take　her　literally；　plunging　into　the　mass　of　algai'd'siswai。　Others　kept　their　heads　better；　helping　those　who　could　rise；　and　the　storm　of　fire　and　lightning　continued　as　she　raged　up　and　down　the　line　of　Wise　Ones；　waving　her　spear　and　shouting。　〃Push　spears！　Forward　the　spears！〃
　　　She　felt　like　laughing；　she　did　laugh。　With　dirt　all　over　her　and　the　battle　raging；　she　had　never　been　so　exhilarated　before　in　her　life。　Almost　she　wished　she　had　chosen　to　bee　a　Maiden　of　the　Spear。　Almost。　No　Far　Dareis　Mai　could　ever　be　clan　chief；　any　more　than　a　man　could　be　a　Wise　One；　a　Maiden's　route　to　power　was　to　give　up　the　spear　and　bee　a　Wise　One。　As　wife　of　a　clan　chief　she　had　been　wielding　power　at　an　age　when　a　Maiden　was　barely　trusted　to　carry　a　spear　or　a　Wise　One's　apprentice　to　fetch　water。　And　now　she　had　it　all；　Wise　One　and　clan　chief；　though　it　would　take　some　doing　yet　to　have　that　last　title　in　truth。　Titles　mattered　little　so　long　as　she　had　the　power；　but　why　should　she　not　have　both？
　　　A　sudden　scream　made　her　turn；　and　she　gaped　at　the　sight　of　a　shaggy　gray　wolf　ripping　Dosera's　throat　out。　Without　thought　she　plunged　her　spear　into　its　side。　Even　as　it　twisted　to　snap　at　the　spear　haft；　another　waist…tall　wolf　bounded　past　her　to　hurl　itself　onto　the　back　of　one　of　the　algai'd'siswai；　then　another　wolf；　and　more；　tearing　into　cadin'sor…clad　figures　wherever　she　looked。
　　　Superstitious　fear　lanced　through　her　as　she　pulled　her　spear　free。　The　Aes　Sedai　had　called　wolves　to　fight　for　them。　She　could　not　take　her　gaze　from　the　wolf　she　had　killed。　The　Aes　Sedai　had。。。　No。　No！　It　could　change　nothing。　She　would　not　let　it。
　　　Finally　she　managed　to　pull　her　eyes　away；　but　before　she　could　shout　encouragement　to　the　Wise　Ones　again；　something　else　stilled　her　tongue　and　made　her　stare。　A　knot　of　wetlander　horsemen　in　red　helmets　and　breastplates；　laying　about　them　with　swords；　thrusting　with　long　lances；　in　the　middle　of　the　algai'd'siswai。　Where　had　they　e　from？
　　　She　did　not　realize　she　had　spoken　aloud　until　Rhiale　answered　her。　〃I　tried　to　tell　you；　Sevanna；　but　you　would　not　listen。〃　The　flame…haired　woman　eyed　her　bloody　spear　distastefully；　Wise　Ones　were　not　supposed　to　carry　spears。　She　ostentatiously　laid　the　weapon　in　the　crook　of　her　elbow；　the　way　she　had　seen　chiefs　do；　as　Rhiale　went　on。　〃Wetlanders　have　attacked　from　the　south。　Wetlanders　and　siswai'aman。〃　She　imbued　the　word　with　all　the　scorn　proper　for　those　who　would　name　themselves　Spears　of　the　Dragon。　〃Maidens　as　well。　And。。。　And　there　are　Wise　Ones。〃
　　　〃Fighting？〃　Sevanna　said　incredulously　before　realizing　how　it　sounded。　If　she　could　toss　out　decayed　custom；　surely　those　sun…blinded　fools　to　the　south　who　still　called　themselves　Aiel　could　as　well。　She　had　not　expected　it；　though。　No　doubt　Sorilea　had　brought　them；　that　old　woman　reminded　Sevanna　of　a　landslide　plunging　down　a　mountain；　carrying　all　before　it。　〃We　must　attack　them　at　once。　They　will　not　have　Rand　al'Thor。　Or　ruin　our　vengeance　for　Desaine；〃　she　added　when　Rhiale's　eyes　widened。
　　　〃They　are　Wise　Ones；〃　the　other　woman　said　in　a　flat　tone；　and　Sevanna　understood　bitterly。　Joining　the　dance　of　spears　was　bad　enough；　but　Wise　One　attacking　Wise　One　was　more　than　even　Rhiale　would　countenance。　She　had　agreed　that　Desaine　must　die　…　how　else　could　the　other　Wise　Ones；　not　to　mention　the　algai'd'siswai；　be　brought　to　attack　Aes　Sedai；　which　they　must　do　to　put　Rand　al'Thor　in　their　hands；　and　with　him　all　the　Aiel？　…　yet　that　was　done　in　secret；　surrounded　by　like…minded　women。　This　would　be　before　everyone。　Fools　and　cowards；　all　of　them！
　　　〃Then　fight　those　enemies　you　can　bring　yourself　to　fight；　Rhiale。〃　She　bit　off　every　word　with　as　much　scorn　as　she　could；　but　Rhiale　merely　nodded；　adjusted　her　shawl　with　another　glance　at　the　spear　on　Sevanna's　arm　and　returned　to　her　place　in　the　line。
　　　Perhaps　there　was　a　way　to　make　the　other　Wise　Ones　move　first。　Better　to　attack　by　surprise；　but　better　anything　than　that　they　should　snatch　Rand　al'Thor　from　her　very　hands。　What　she　would　not　give　for　a　woman　who　could　channel　and　would　do　as　she　was　told　without　balking。　What　she　would　not　give　to　be　on　a　rise；　where　she　could　see　how　the　battle　went。
　　　Keeping　her　spear　ready　and　a　wary　eye　out　for　wolves　…　those　she　could　see　were　either　killing　men　and　women　in　cadin'sor　or　were　dead　themselves　…　she　returned　to　shouting　encouragement。　To　the　south　more　fire　and　lightning　fell　among　the　Shaido　than　before；　but　it　made　no　difference　that　she　could　tell。　That　battle；　with　its　explosions　of　flame　and　earth　and　people；　continued　unabated。
　　　〃Push　spears！〃　she　shouted；　waving　hers。　〃Push　spears！〃　Among　the　churning　algai'd'siswai　she　could　not　make　out　any　of　the　fools　who　had　tied　a　bit　of　red　cloth　around　their　temples　and　named　themselves　siswai'aman。　Perhaps　they　were　too　few　to　alter　the　course　of　events。　The　knots　of　wetlanders　certainly　seemed　few　and　far　between。　Even　as　she　watched；　one　was　swarmed　under；　men　and　horses；　by　stabbing　spears。　〃Push　spears！　Push　spears！〃　Exultation　filled　her　voice。　If　the　Aes　Sedai　called　ten　thousand　wolves；　if　Sorilea　had　brought　a　thousand　Wise　Ones　and　a　hundred　thousand　spears；　the　Shaido　would　still　emerge　victorious　today。　The　Shaido；　and　herself。　Sevanna　of　the　Jumai　Shaido　would　be　a　name　remembered　forever。
　　　Suddenly　a　hollow　boom　sounded　amid　the　roar　of　battle。　It　seemed　to　e　from　the　direction　of　the　Aes　Sedai　wagons；　but　nothing　told　her　whether　they　had　caused　it；　or　the　Wise　Ones。　She　disliked　things　she　did　not　understand；　yet　she　was　not　about　to　ask　Rhiale　or　the　others　and　flaunt　her　ignorance。　And　her　lack　of　the　ability　all　here　had；　save　her。　It　counted　for　nothing　among　themselves；　but　another　thing　she　did　not　like　was　for　others　to　have　power　she　did　not。
　　　A　flicker　of　light　among　the　algai'd'siswai；　a　sense　of　something　turning；　caught　the　corner　of　her　eye；　but　when　she　turned　to　look；　there　was　nothing。　Again　the　same　thing　happened；　a　flash　of　light　seen　on　the　edge　of　vision；　and　again　when　she　looked　there　was　nothing　to　see。　Too　many　things　she　did　not　understand。
　　　Shouting　encouragement；　she　eyed　the　line　of　Shaido　Wise　Ones。　Some　appeared　bedraggled；　head　scarves　gone　and　long　hair　hanging　loose；　skirts　and　blouses　covered　with　dirt　or　even　singed。　At　least　a　dozen　lay　stretched　out　in　a　row；　groaning；　and　seven　more　were　still；　shawls　laid　over　their　faces。　It　was　those　on　their　feet　that　interested　her。　Rhiale；　and　Alarys　with　her　rare　black　hair　all　awry；　Someryn；　who　had　taken　to　wearing　her　blouse　unlaced　to　show　even　more　generous　cleavage　than　Sevanna　herself；　and　Meira；　with　her　long　face　yet　more　grim　than　usual。　Stout　Tion；　and　skinny　Belinde；　and　Modarra；　as　tall　as　most　men。
　　　One　of　them　should　have　told　her　if　they　did　something　new。　The　secret　of　Desaine　bound　them　to　her；　even　for　a　Wise　One；　revelation　of　that　would　lead　to　a　lifetime　of　pain　…　and　worse；　shame　…　trying　to　meet　toh；　if　the　one　revealed　was　not　simply　driven　naked　into　the　wilderness　to　live　or　die　as　she　could；　likely　to　be　killed　like　a　beast　by　any　who　found　her。　Even　so；　Sevanna　was　sure　they　took　as　much