rj.thepathofdaggers-第108部分

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ful　of　her　skirts。　〃I　enjoy　puzzles；〃　Saerin　said。
　　　　　　　Seaine　let　go　and　adjusted　her　dress；　there　seemed　nothing　else　to　do。
　　　　　　　The　appearance　of　the　Rod　produced　a　momentary　babble　as　nearly　everyone　spoke　at　once。
　　　　　　　〃Blood　and　fire；〃　Doesine　growled。　〃Are　you　down　here　raising　new　bloody　sisters？〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　leave　it　with　them；　Saerin；〃　Yukiri　laughed　right　on　top　of　her。　〃Whatever　they're　up　to；　it's　their　own　business。〃
　　　　　　　Atop　both；　Talene　barked；　〃Why　else　are　they　sneaking　about　…　together！　…　if　it　isn't　to　do　with　the　Ajah　heads？〃
　　　　　　　Saerin　waved　a　hand；　and　after　a　moment　gained　quiet。　All　present　were　Sitters；　but　she　had　the　right　to　speak　first　in　the　Hall；　and　her　forty　years　counted　for　something；　too。　〃This　is　the　key　to　the　puzzle；　I　think；〃　she　said；　stroking　the　Rod　with　her　thumb。　〃Why　this；　after　all？〃　Abruptly　the　glow　of　saidar　surrounded　her；　too；　and　she　channeled　Spirit　to　the　Rod。　〃Under　the　Light；　I　will　speak　no　word　that　is　not　true。　I　am　not　a　Darkfriend。〃
　　　　　　　In　the　silence　that　followed；　a　mouse　sneezing　would　have　sounded　loud。
　　　　　　　〃Am　I　right？〃　Saerin　said；　releasing　the　Power。　She　held　the　Rod　out　toward　Seaine。
　　　　　　　For　the　third　time；　Seaine　retook　the　Oath　against　lying；　and　for　the　second　time　repeated　that　she　was　not　of　the　Black。　Pevara　did　the　same　with　frozen　dignity。　And　eyes　sharp　as　an　eagle's。
　　　　　　　〃This　is　ridiculous；〃　Talene　said。　〃There　is　no　Black　Ajah。〃
　　　　　　　Yukiri　took　the　Rod　from　Pevara　and　channeled。　〃Under　the　Light；　I　will　speak　no　word　that　is　not　true。　I　am　not　Black　Ajah。〃　The　light　of　saidar　around　her　winked　out；　and　she　handed　the　Rod　to　Doesine。
　　　　　　　Talene　frowned　in　disgust。　〃Stand　aside；　Doesine。　I　for　one　will　not　put　up　with　this　filthy　suggestion。〃
　　　　　　　〃Under　the　Light；　I　will　speak　no　word　that　is　not　true；〃　Doesine　said　almost　reverently；　the　glow　around　her　like　a　halo。　〃I　am　not　of　the　Black　Ajah。〃　When　matters　were　serious；　her　tongue　was　as　clean　as　any　Mistress　of　Novices　could　have　wished。　She　extended　the　Rod　to　Talene。
　　　　　　　The　golden…haired　woman　started　back　as　from　a　poisonous　snake。　〃Even　to　ask　this　is　a　slander。　Worse　than　slander！〃　Something　feral　moved　in　her　eyes。　An　irrational　thought；　perhaps；　but　that　was　what　Seaine　saw。　〃Now　move　out　of　my　way；〃　Talene　demanded　with　all　the　authority　of　a　Sitter　in　her　voice。　〃I　am　leaving！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　not；〃　Pevara　said　quietly；　and　Yukiri　nodded　slowly　in　agreement。　Saerin　did　not　stroke　her　knife　hilt；　she　gripped　it　till　her　knuckles　went　white。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Riding　through　the　deep　snows　of　Andor；　floundering　through　them；　Toveine　Gazal　cursed　the　day　she　was　born。　Short　and　slightly　plump；　with　smooth　copper　skin　and　long　glossy　dark　hair；　she　had　seemed　pretty　to　many　over　the　years；　but　none　had　ever　called　her　beautiful。　Certainly　none　would　now。　The　dark　eyes　that　had　once　been　direct　now　bored　into　whatever　she　looked　at。　That　was　when　she　was　not　angry。　She　was　angry　today。　When　Toveine　was　angry；　serpents　fled。
　　　　　　　Four　other　Reds　rode　…　floundered　…　at　her　back；　and　behind　them　twenty　of　the　Tower　Guard　in　dark　coats　and　cloaks。　None　of　the　men　liked　it　that　their　armor　was　stowed　away　on　the　packhorses；　and　they　watched　the　forest　lining　both　sides　of　the　road　as　though　expecting　attack　any　moment。　How　they　thought　to　cross　three　hundred　miles　of　Andor　unnoticed；　wearing　coats　and　cloaks　with　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon　shining　bright　on　them；　Toveine　could　not　imagine。　The　journey　was　almost　done；　though。　In　another　day；　perhaps　two　with　roads　knee…deep　in　snow　on　the　horses；　she　would　join　with　nine　other　parties　exactly　like　hers。　Not　all　of　the　sisters　in　them　were　Red；　unfortunately；　but　that　did　not　trouble　her　overmuch。　Toveine　Gazal；　once　a　Sitter　for　the　Red；　would　go　into　the　histories　as　the　woman　who　destroyed　this　Black　Tower。
　　　　　　　She　was　sure　Elaida　thought　her　grateful　for　the　chance；　called　back　from　exile　and　disgrace；　given　the　opportunity　for　redemption。　She　sneered；　and　if　a　wolf　had　been　looking　into　the　deep　hood　of　her　cloak；　it　might　have　quailed。　What　had　been　done　twenty　years　ago　was　necessary；　and　the　Light　burn　all　those　who　muttered　that　the　Black　Ajah　must　have　been　involved。　It　had　been　necessary　and　right；　but　Toveine　Gazal　had　been　driven　from　her　chair　in　the　Hall；　and　forced　to　howl　for　mercy　under　the　birch；　with　the　assembled　sisters　watching；　and　even　novices　and　Accepted　witnessing　that　Sitters；　too；　lay　beneath　the　law；　though　they　were　not　told　what　law。　And　then　she　had　been　sent　to　work　these　last　twenty　years　on　the　isolated　Black　Hills　farm　of　Mistress　Jara　Doweel；　a　woman　who　considered　an　Aes　Sedai　serving　penance　in　exile　no　different　from　any　other　hand　laboring　in　sun　and　snow。　Toveine's　hands　shifted　on　her　reins；　she　could　feel　the　calluses。　Mistress　Doweel　…　even　now；　she　could　not　think　of　the　woman　without　the　honorific　she　had　demanded　…　Mistress　Doweel　believed　in　hard　work。　And　discipline　as　tight　as　any　novice　faced！　She　had　no　mercy　on　anyone　who　tried　to　shirk　the　backbreaking　labor　that　she　herself　shared；　and　less　than　none　for　a　woman　who　sneaked　away　to　fort　herself　with　a　pretty　boy。　That　had　been　Toveine's　life　these　past　twenty　years。　And　Elaida　had　slipped　through　the　cracks　uncaught；　danced　her　way　to　the　Amyrlin　Seat　that　Toveine　had　once　dreamed　of　for　herself。　No；　she　was　not　grateful。　But　she　had　learned　to　wait　her　chance。
　　　　　　　Abruptly；　a　tall　man　in　a　black　coat；　dark　hair　falling　to　his　shoulders；　spurred　his　horse　out　of　the　forest　into　the　road　ahead　of　her；　spraying　snow。　〃There's　no　point　struggling；〃　he　announced　firmly；　raising　a　gloved　hand。　〃Surrender　peacefully；　and　no　one　will　be　hurt。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　neither　his　appearance　nor　his　words　that　made　Toveine　rein　up　short；　letting　the　other　sisters　gather　beside　her。　〃Take　him；〃　she　said　calmly。　〃You　had　better　link。　He　has　me　shielded。〃　It　seemed　one　of　these　Asha'man　had　e　to　her。　How　convenient　of　him。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　she　realized　that　nothing　was　happening　and　took　her　eyes　from　the　fellow　to　frown　at　Jenare。　The　woman's　pale；　square　face　seemed　absolutely　bloodless。　〃Toveine；〃　she　said　unsteadily；　〃I　also　am　shielded。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　shielded；　too；〃　Lemai　breathed　in　disbelief；　and　the　others　chimed　in；　increasingly　frantic。　All　shielded。
　　　　　　　More　men　in　black　coats　appeared　from　among　the　trees；　their　horses　stepping　slowly；　all　around。　Toveine　stopped　counting　at　fifteen。　The　Guards　muttered　angrily；　waiting　on　a　sister's　mand。　They　knew　nothing　yet　except　that　a　band　of　rogues　had　waylaided　them。　Toveine　clicked　her　tongue　in　irritation。　These　men　could　not　all　channel；　of　course；　but　apparently　every　Asha'man　who　could　do　so　had　e　against　her。　She　did　not　panic。　Unlike　some　of　the　sisters　with　her；　these　were　not　the　first　men　who　channeled　that　she　had　confronted。　The　tall　man　began　riding　toward　her；　smiling；　apparently　thinking　they　had　obeyed　his　ridiculous　order。
　　　　　　　〃At　my　mand；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃we　will　break　in　every　direction。　As　soon　as　you　are　far　enough　away　that　the　man　loses　the　shield；〃　men　always　thought　they　had　to　be　able　to　see　to　hold　their　weaves；　which　meant　that　they　did　have　to；　〃turn　back　and　help　the　Guards。　Ready　yourselves。〃　She　raised　her　voice　to　a　shout。　〃Guardsmen；　fight　them！〃
　　　　　　　Roaring；　the　Guardsmen　surged　forward；　waving　their　swords　and　no　doubt　thinking　to　surround　and　protect　the　sisters。　Pulling　her　mare　around　to　the　right；　Toveine　dug　in　her　heels　and　crouched　low　over　Sparrow's　neck；　dodging　between　startled　Guardsmen；　then　between　two　very　young　men　in　black　coats　who　gaped　at　her　in　astonishment。　Then　she　was　into　the　trees；　urging　more　speed；　snow　spraying　wildly；　careless　of　whether　the　mare　broke　a　leg。　She　liked　the　animal；　but　more　than　a　horse　would　die　today。　Behind　her；　shouts。　And　one　voice；　roaring　through　all　the　cacophony。　The　tall　man's　voice。
　　　　　　　〃Take　them　alive；　by　order　of　the　Dragon　Reborn！　Harm　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　you'll　answer　to　me！〃
　　　　　　　By　order　of　the　Dragon　Reborn。　For　the　first　time；　Toveine　felt　fear；　an　icicle　worming　into　her　middle。　The　Dragon　Reborn。　She　thrashed　Sparrow's　neck　with　the　reins。　The　shield　was　still　on　her！　Surely　there　were　enough　trees　between　them　already　to　block　the　cursed　men's　sight　of　her！　Oh；　Light；　the　Dragon　Reborn！
　　　　　　　She　grunted　as　something　struck　her　across　the　middle；　a　branch　where　there　was　no　branch；　snatching　her　out　of　the　saddle。　She　hung　there　watching　Sparrow　plow　off　at　as　much　of　a　gallop　as　the　snow　allowed。　She　hung　there。　In　the　middle　of　the　air；　arms　trapped　at　her　sides；　feet　dangling　a　pace　or　more　above　the　ground。　She　swallowed。　Hard。　It　had　to　be　the　male　part　of　the　Power　holding　her　up。　She　had　never　been　touched　by　saidin　before。　She　could　feel　the　thick　band　of　nothing　snug　around　her　middle。　She　thought　she　could　feel　the　Dark　One's　taint。　She　quivered；　fighting　down　screams。
　　　　　　　The　tall　man　reined　his　horse　to　a　halt　in　front　of　her；　and　she　floated　down　to　sit　sideways　in　front　of　his　saddle。　He　did　not　seem　particularly　interested　in　the　Aes　Sedai　he　had　captured；　though。　〃Hardlin！〃　he　shouted。　〃Norley！　Kajima！　One　of　you　bloody　young　louts　e　here　now！〃
　　　　　　　He　was　very　tall；　with　shoulders　an　axe…handle　wide。　That　was　how　Mistress　Doweel　would　have　put　it。　Just　short　of　his　middle　years；　handsome　in　a　brooding；　rugged　fashion。　Not　at　all　like　the　pretty　boys　Toveine　liked；　eager　and　grateful　and　so　easily　controlled。　A　silver　sword　decorated　the　tall　collar　of　his　black　wool　coat　on　one　side；　with　a　peculiar　creature　in　gold　and　red　enamel　on　the　other。　He　was　a　man　who　could　channel。　And　he　had　her　shielded　and　a　prisoner。
　　　　　　　The　shriek　that　burst　from　her　throat　startled　even　her。　She　would　have　held　it　back　if　she　could；　but　another　leaped　out　behind　it；　higher　still；　and　another　even　higher；　another　and　another。　Kicking　wildly；　she　flung　herself　from　side　to　side。　Useless　against　the　Power。　She　knew　that；　but　only　in　a　tiny　corner　of　her　mind。　The　rest　of　her　howled　at　the　top　of　her　lungs；　howled　wordless　pleas　for　rescue　from　the　Shadow。　Screaming；　she　struggled　like　a　mad　beast。
　　　　　　　Dimly　she　was　aware　of　h