rj.thepathofdaggers-第11部分

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leas　and　Vandene；　hands　tightening　on　their　skirts；　appeared　to　struggle　with　hatred　for　the　woman　who　had　been　their　sister　and　betrayed　them。　Yet　the　stares　they　gave　the　Knitting　Circle　were　not　that　much　better。　They；　too；　knew　in　their　hearts　that　the　Kin　stood　a　very　long　way　below　them。　There　was　much　more　to　it　than　that；　but　the　betrayer　had　been　one　of　their　own；　and　no　one　but　they　had　the　right　to　her。　Aviendha　agreed。　A　Maiden　who　betrayed　her　spear…sisters　did　not　die　quickly　or　unshamed。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　pulled　the　sack　back　down　over　Ispan　Shefar's　head　with　some　force。　〃You've　done　well　so　far；　and　you'll　continue　to　do　well；〃　she　told　the　Kinswomen　firmly。　〃If　she　shows　signs　of　ing　round；　pour　some　more　of　that　mixture　down　her。　It'll　keep　her　giddy　as　a　goat　full　of　ale。　Hold　her　nose；　if　she　tries　not　to　swallow。　Even　an　Aes　Sedai　will　swallow　if　you　hold　her　nose　and　threaten　to　box　her　ears。〃
　　　　　　　Reanne's　jaw　dropped　and　her　eyes　sprang　wide；　like　most　of　her　panions'。　Sumeko　nodded；　but　slowly；　and　goggled　nearly　as　much　as　the　others。　When　Kinswomen　said　Aes　Sedai；　they　might　have　been　naming　the　Creator。　The　thought　of　holding　an　Aes　Sedai's　nose；　even　a　Shadowrunner's；　painted　their　faces　with　horror。
　　　　　　　By　the　popping　eyes　among　the　Aes　Sedai；　they　liked　the　notion　even　less。　Merilille　opened　her　mouth；　staring　at　Nynaeve；　but　just　then　Elayne　reached　her；　and　the　Gray　sister　rounded　on　her　instead；　sparing　barely　a　single　disapproving　frown　for　Brigitte。　It　was　a　measure　of　her　agitation　that　her　voice　rose　rather　than　dropping；　normally　Merilille　was　very　discreet。　〃Elayne；　you　must　speak　to　Nynaeve。　Those　women　are　confused　and　frightened　out　of　their　wits　already。　It　won't　help　if　she　upsets　them　even　more。　If　the　Amyrlin　Seat　really　does　intend　to　allow　them　to　go　to　the　Tower；〃　she　shook　her　head　slowly；　trying　to　deny　that；　and　perhaps　a　great　deal　else；　〃if　she　does　mean　to；　they　must　have　a　clear　picture　of　their　places；　and　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Amyrlin　does；〃　Elayne　cut　her　off。　From　Nynaeve；　a　firm　tone　was　a　fist　shaken　under　your　nose；　from　Elayne；　it　was　calm　certainty。　〃They　will　have　their　chance　to　try　again；　and　if　they　fail；　they　still　will　not　be　sent　away。　No　woman　who　can　channel　will　be　cut　off　from　the　Tower　again。　They　will　all　be　a　part　of　the　White　Tower。〃
　　　　　　　Fingering　her　belt　knife　idly；　Aviendha　wondered　about　that。　Egwene；　Elayne's　Amyrlin　Seat；　said　much　the　same。　She　was　a　friend；　too；　but　she　had　wrapped　her　heart　around　being　Aes　Sedai。　Aviendha　herself　did　not　want　to　be　part　of　the　White　Tower。　She　very　much　doubted　that　Sorilea　or　any　other　Wise　One　did；　either。
　　　　　　　Merilille　sighed　and　folded　her　hands；　yet　for　all　her　outward　acceptance；　she　still　forgot　to　lower　her　voice。　〃As　you　say；　Elayne。　But　about　Ispan。　We　simply　cannot　allow　…　〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　raised　a　hand　sharply。　mand　replaced　mere　certainty。　〃Cease；　Merilille。　You　have　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds　to　watch。　That　is　enough　for　anyone。　It　will　be　enough　for　you。〃
　　　　　　　Merilille　opened　her　mouth；　then　closed　it　again　and　bowed　her　head　slightly　in　acquiescence。　Under　Elayne's　steady　gaze；　the　other　Aes　Sedai　bent　theirs；　too。　If　some　displayed　reluctance；　however　small；　not　all　did。　Sareitha　hurriedly　picked　up　the　disc…shaped　bundle；　wrapped　in　layers　of　white　silk；　that　had　been　lying　by　her　feet。　Her　arms　barely　went　all　the　way　around　as　she　held　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds　to　her　bosom；　smiling　anxiously　at　Elayne　as　if　to　show　that　she　really　was　keeping　a　close　eye　on　it。
　　　　　　　The　Sea　Folk　women　stared　hungrily　at　the　bundle；　almost　leaning　forward。　Aviendha　would　not　have　been　surprised　to　see　them　leap　across　the　stones　to　seize　the　Bowl。　The　Aes　Sedai　saw　the　same；　plainly。　Sareitha　clutched　the　white　parcel　more　tightly；　and　Merilille　actually　stepped　between　her　and　the　Atha'an　Miere。　Smooth　Aes　Sedai　faces　tightened　with　the　effort　of　remaining　expressionless。　They　believed　the　Bowl　should　belong　to　them；　all　things　that　used　or　manipulated　the　One　Power　belonged　to　the　White　Tower　in　their　eyes；　no　matter　who　happened　to　possess　them　at　the　moment。　But　there　was　the　bargain。
　　　　　　　〃The　sun　moves；　Aes　Sedai；〃　Renaile　din　Calon　announced　loudly；　〃and　danger　threatens。　So　you　maintain。　If　you　think　to　worm　free　in　some　fashion　by　delaying；　think　twice　and　again。　Try　to　break　the　bargain；　and　by　my　father's　heart；　I　will　return　to　the　ships　at　once。　And　claim　the　Bowl　for　redress。　It　was　ours　from　the　Breaking。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　watch　your　tongue　with　Aes　Sedai；〃　Reanne　barked；　scandalized　indignation　from　her　blue　straw　hat　to　the　stout　shoes　peeking　from　beneath　her　green…and…white　petticoats。
　　　　　　　Renaile　din　Calon's　mouth　curled　into　a　sneer。　〃The　jellyfish　I　have　tongues；　it　seems。　A　surprise　they　can　use　them；　though；　when　no　Aes　Sedai　gave　permission。〃
　　　　　　　In　an　instant　the　stableyard　was　full　of　shouted　insults　flying　between　Kin　and　Atha'an　Miere；　〃wilder〃　and　〃spineless〃　and　growing　worse；　strident　cries　that　buried　Merilille's　attempts　to　hush　Reanne　and　her　panions　on　one　hand　and　soothe　the　Sea　Folk　on　the　other。　Several　Windfinders　stopped　fingering　the　daggers　thrust　behind　their　sashes　and　gripped　hilts　instead。　The　glow　of　saidar　sprang　up　around　first　one　then　another　of　the　brightly　clad　women。　The　Kinswomen　looked　startled；　though　it　did　not　slow　their　tirade；　but　Sumeko　embraced　the　Source；　then　Tamarla；　then　willowy；　doe…eyed　Chilares；　and　soon　every　one　of　them　and　every　one　of　the　Windfinders　shone　while　words　flew　and　tempers　boiled。
　　　　　　　Aviendha　wanted　to　groan。　Any　moment　blood　would　begin　to　flow。　She　would　follow　Elayne's　lead；　but　her　near…sister　was　glaring　cold　fury　at　Windfinders　and　Knitting　Circle　alike。　Elayne　had　small　patience　with　stupidity；　in　herself　or　others；　and　shouting　insults　when　an　enemy　might　be　ing　was　the　worst　sort。　Aviendha　took　a　firm　grip　on　her　belt　knife；　then　after　a　moment　embraced　saidar；　life　and　joy　filled　her　to　near　weeping。　Wise　Ones　only　used　the　Power　when　words　had　failed；　but　neither　words　nor　steel　would　do　here。　She　wished　she　had　some　idea　of　who　to　kill　first。
　　　　　　　〃Enough！〃　Nynaeve's　piercing　shriek　sliced　the　words　short　on　every　tongue。　Astonished　faces　swiveled　toward　her。　Her　head　swung　dangerously；　and　she　stabbed　a　finger　at　the　Knitting　Circle。　〃Stop　behaving　like　children！〃　Although　she　had　moderated　her　tone；　it　was　by　hairs。　〃Or　do　you　mean　to　squabble　until　the　Forsaken　e　to　scoop　up　the　Bowl　and　us？　And　you；〃　that　finger　thrust　at　the　Windfinders；　〃stop　trying　to　wriggle　out　of　your　agreement！　You　won't　get　the　Bowl　until　you've　met　every　last　word！　Don't　think　you　will！〃　Nynaeve　swung　round　on　the　Aes　Sedai。　〃And　you。。。！〃　Met　by　cool　surprise；　her　flow　of　words　tapered　off　into　a　sour　grunt。　The　Aes　Sedai　had　not　joined　in　the　shouting　except　to　try　quieting　it。　None　shone　with　the　light　of　saidar。
　　　　　　　That　was　not　enough　to　calm　Nynaeve　pletely；　of　course。　She　tugged　fiercely　at　her　hat；　plainly　still　full　of　anger　she　wanted　to　loose。　But　the　Kinswomen　were　staring　at　the　paving　stones　in　red…faced　chagrin；　and　even　the　Windfinders　appeared　a　little　abashed　…　a　little　…　muttering　to　themselves　yet　refusing　quite　to　meet　Nynaeve's　glare。　The　glow　winked　out　around　one　woman　after　another；　until　only　Aviendha　still　held　to　the　Source。
　　　　　　　She　gave　a　start　as　Elayne　touched　her　arm。　She　was　getting　soft。　Letting　people　sneak　up　on　her；　jumping　at　a　touch。
　　　　　　　〃This　crisis　seems　to　be　weathered；〃　Elayne　murmured。　〃Perhaps　it's　time　to　go　before　the　next　breaks　out。〃　A　touch　of　color　in　her　cheeks　was　the　only　sign　that　she　had　ever　been　angry。　And　a　bit　in　Birgitte's；　the　two　reflected　one　another　in　some　ways　since　the　bonding。
　　　　　　　〃Past　time；〃　Aviendha　agreed。　Much　longer；　and　she　would　be　a　milk…hearted　wetlander。
　　　　　　　Every　eye　followed　as　she　walked　out　into　the　open　space　in　the　center　of　the　stableyard；　to　the　spot　she　had　studied　and　felt　until　she　knew　it　with　her　eyelids　closed。　There　was　a　joy　in　holding　the　Power；　a　joy　in　working　saidar；　that　she　could　not　have　put　into　words。　To　contain　saidar；　to　be　contained　by　it；　was　to　seem　alive　beyond　any　other　time。　A　delusion；　the　Wise　Ones　said；　as　false　and　dangerous　as　a　mirage　of　water　in　the　Termool；　yet　it　seemed　more　real　than　the　paving　stones　beneath　her　feet。　She　fought　the　urge　to　draw　more；　already　she　held　nearly　as　much　as　she　could。　Everyone　crowded　close　as　she　began　to　weave　the　flows。
　　　　　　　That　there　were　things　many　Aes　Sedai　could　not　do　still　startled　Aviendha；　after　all　she　had　seen。　Several　of　the　Knitting　Circle　were　strong　enough；　but　only　Sumeko　and；　surprisingly；　Reanne　openly　studied　what　she　was　doing。　Sumeko　went　so　far　as　to　shrug　off　the　encouraging　pats　Nynaeve　tried　to　give　her　…　which　earned　a　look　of　startled　indignation　from　Nynaeve　that　Sumeko；　her　gaze　fixed　on　Aviendha；　never　saw。　All　of　the　Windfinders　had　sufficient　strength。　They　watched　as　hungrily　as　they　had　stared　at　the　Bowl。　The　bargain　gave　them　every　right。
　　　　　　　Aviendha　focused；　and　the　flows　wove　together；　creating　identity　between　this　place　and　the　place　she　and　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　had　chosen　on　a　map。　She　gestured　as　though　opening　tentflaps。　That　was　no　part　of　the　weave　Elayne　had　taught　her；　but　it　was　almost　all　she　could　recall　of　what　she　herself　had　done；　long　before　Egwene　made　her　first　gateway。　The　flows　coalesced　into　a　silvery；　vertical　slash　that　rotated　and　became　an　opening　in　the　air；　taller　than　a　man　and　just　as　wide。　Beyond　lay　a　large　clearing　surrounded　by　trees　twenty　or　thirty　feet　high；　miles　north　of　the　City；　on　the　far　side　of　the　river。　Knee…high　brown　grass　came　right　up　to　the　gateway；　swaying　through　in　a　small　breeze；　it　had　not　truly　turned；　only　seemed　to。　Some　of　those　blades　were　sliced　cleanly；　though；　some　lengthwise。　The　edges　of　an　opening　gateway　made　a　razor　seem　dull。
　　　　　　　The　gateway　filled　her　with　dissatisfaction。　Elayne　could　make　this　weave　with　only　a　part　of　her　strength；　yet　for　some　reason　it　required　all　but　a　fraction　of　Aviendha's。　She　was　sure　she　could　have　woven　a　larger；　as　large　as　Elayne　could；　using　the　weaves　she　had　made　without　thought　while　trying　to　e