rj.thepathofdaggers-第31部分

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　　　　　　　It　took　clinging　to　one　another　for　all　three　of　them　to　stand；　and　laboring　up　the　hillside　was　an　effort　of　panting　and　groans；　even　from　Aviendha。　They　sounded　as　though　they　had　been　thrashed　within　an　inch　of　their　lives　…　which　Elayne　supposed　they　had　been　…　and　looked　as　though　they　had　wallowed　in　a　butcher's　shambles。　Aviendha　still　carried　the　angreal　tight　in　her　fist；　but　even　if　she　or　Elayne　had　possessed　more　than　their　small　Talent　with　Healing；　neither　could　have　managed　to　embrace　the　Source；　much　less　channel。　At　the　top　of　the　hill；　they　stood　leaning　on　each　other　and　stared　at　devastation。
　　　　　　　Fire　ringed　the　meadow；　but　the　heart　of　it　was　blackened；　smoldering　and　swept　clear　even　of　boulders。　Half　the　trees　on　the　surrounding　slopes　were　broken　or　leaning　away　from　the　meadow。　Hawks　began　to　appear；　riding　the　hot　air　rising　from　the　fire；　hawks　often　hunted　so；　looking　for　small　animals　chased　into　the　open　by　the　flames。　Of　the　Seanchan　there　was　no　sign。　Elayne　wished　there　were　bodies；　so　she　could　be　certain　they　were　all　dead。　Especially　all　of　the　sul'dam。　Gazing　down　at　the　burned；　smoking　ground；　though；　she　was　suddenly　glad　there　was　no　evidence。　It　had　been　a　terrible　way　to　die。　The　Light　have　mercy　on　their　souls；　she　thought。　On　all　of　their　souls。
　　　　　　　〃Well；〃　she　said　aloud；　〃I　did　not　do　as　well　as　you；　Aviendha；　but　I　suppose　it　worked　out　for　the　best；　considering。　I　will　try　to　do　better　next　time。〃
　　　　　　　Aviendha　glanced　at　her　sideways。　There　was　a　gash　on　her　cheek；　and　another　across　her　forehead；　as　well　as　a　long　one　laying　open　her　scalp。　〃You　did　much　better　than　I；　for　a　first　try。　I　was　given　a　simple　knot　tied　in　a　flow　of　Wind　the　first　time。　It　took　me　fifty　tries　to　unweave　even　that　without　having　a　clap　of　thunder　in　my　face；　or　a　blow　that　made　my　ears　ring。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　I　should　have　started　with　something　simpler；〃　Elayne　said。　〃I　have　a　habit　of　leaping　in　over　my　head。〃　Over　her　head？　She　had　leaped　before　looking　to　see　whether　there　was　water！　She　stifled　a　chuckle；　but　not　before　it　sent　a　stab　through　her　side。　So　instead　of　chuckling；　she　moaned　through　her　teeth。　She　thought　some　of　them　might　be　loose。　〃At　least　we've　found　a　new　weapon。　Perhaps　I　should　not　be　happy　about　that；　but　with　the　Seanchan　back　again；　I　am。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　do　not　understand；　Elayne。〃　Aviendha　gestured　toward　the　center　of　the　meadow；　where　the　gateway　had　been。　〃That　could　have　been　no　more　than　a　flash　of　light；　or　even　less。　You　cannot　tell　until　it　happens。　Is　a　flash　of　light　worth　the　risk　of　burning　out　yourself　and　every　woman　closer　to　you　than　a　hundred　paces　or　more？〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　stared　at　her。　She　had　stayed；　knowing　that？　To　risk　your　life　was　one　thing；　but　to　risk　losing　the　ability　to　channel。。。　〃I　want　us　to　adopt　each　other　as　first…sisters；　Aviendha。　As　soon　as　we　can　find　Wise　Ones。〃　What　they　were　to　do　about　Rand；　she　could　not　imagine。　The　very　idea　that　they　would　both　marry　him　…　and　Min；　too！　…　was　worse　than　ridiculous。　But　of　this；　she　was　sure。　〃I　don't　need　to　know　any　more　about　you。　I　want　to　be　your　sister。〃　Gently；　she　kissed　Aviendha's　bloodstained　cheek。
　　　　　　　She　had　only　thought　Aviendha　blushed　fiercely　before。　Even　Aiel　lovers　did　not　kiss　where　anyone　could　see。　Fiery　sunsets　paled　beside　Aviendha's　face。　〃I　want　you　for　my　sister；　too；〃　she　mumbled。　Swallowing　hard　…　and　eyeing　Birgitte；　who　was　pretending　to　ignore　them　…　she　leaned　over　and　quickly　pressed　her　lips　to　Elayne's　cheek。　Elayne　loved　her　as　much　for　that　gesture　as　for　the　rest。
　　　　　　　Birgitte　had　been　gazing　behind　them；　over　her　shoulder；　and　perhaps　she　had　not　been　pretending　after　all；　because　she　suddenly　said；　〃Someone's　ing。　Lan　and　Nynaeve；　unless　I　miss　my　guess。〃
　　　　　　　Awkwardly；　they　turned；　hobbling　and　stumbling　and　groaning。　It　seemed　quite　ludicrous；　heroes　in　stories　never　got　hurt　so　they　could　barely　stand。　In　the　distance　to　the　north；　two　riders　appeared　briefly　through　the　trees。　Briefly；　but　long　enough　to　make　out　a　tall　man　on　a　tall　horse；　galloping　hard；　and　a　woman　on　a　shorter　animal　running　just　as　hard　at　his　side。　Gingerly；　the　three　of　them　sat　down　to　wait。　That　was　another　thing　heroes　in　stories　never　did；　Elayne　thought　with　a　sigh。　She　hoped　she　could　be　a　queen　to　make　her　mother　proud；　but　it　was　clear　that　she　would　never　make　a　hero。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Chulein　moved　the　reins　slightly；　and　Segani　banked　smoothly；　turning　on　a　ribbed　wing。　He　was　a　well…trained　raken；　swift　and　agile；　her　favorite；　though　she　had　to　share　flying　him。　There　were　always　more　morat'raken　than　raken；　a　fact　of　life。　Down　in　the　farm　below；　balls　of　fire　were　leaping　out　of　the　air　apparently；　scattering　in　every　direction。　She　tried　to　pay　no　attention；　her　job　was　to　watch　for　trouble　approaching　from　the　area　around　the　farm。　At　least　the　smoke　had　stopped　rising　from　where　Tauan　and　Macu　had　died　in　the　olive　grove。
　　　　　　　A　thousand　paces　above　the　ground；　she　had　a　very　long　view。　All　the　other　raken　were　off　scouting　the　countryside；　any　woman　who　ran　would　be　marked　for　checking；　to　see　whether　she　was　one　of　those　who　had　caused　all　the　excitement；　though　truth　for　sure；　anyone　in　these　lands　who　saw　a　raken　in　the　air　likely　would　run。　All　Chulein　had　to　do　was　watch　for　approaching　trouble　here。　She　wished　she　did　not　feel　an　itch　between　her　shoulder　blades；　it　always　meant　trouble　was　on　the　way。　The　wind　of　Segani's　flight　was　not　bad　at　this　speed；　but　she　drew　the　drawstring　of　her　waxed　linen　hood　tighter　under　her　chin；　tested　the　leather　safety　straps　that　held　her　in　the　saddle；　adjusted　her　crystal　goggles；　snugged　her　gauntlets。
　　　　　　　Over　a　hundred　Fists　of　Heaven　were　on　the　ground　already；　and　more　importantly；　six　sul'dam　with　damane　and　another　dozen　carrying　shoulder　bags　full　of　spare　a'dam。　The　second　flight　would　be　lifting　from　the　hills　to　the　south　with　reinforcements。　Better　if　more　had　e　in　the　first　strike；　but　there　were　few　enough　to'raken　with　the　Hailene；　and　strong　rumor　had　it　that　many　of　those　had　been　given　the　task　of　ferrying　the　High　Lady　Suroth　and　her　entire　entourage　down　from　Amadicia。　Bad　to　think　ill　of　the　Blood；　yet　she　wished　more　to'raken　had　been　sent　to　Ebou　Dar。　No　morat'raken　could　think　well　of　the　huge；　ungainly　to'raken；　fit　only　to　carry　burdens；　but　they　could　have　put　more　Fists　of　Heaven　on　the　ground　faster；　more　sul'dam。
　　　　　　　〃Rumor　says　there　are　hundreds　of　marath'damane　down　there；〃　Eliya　said　loudly　against　her　back。　In　the　sky；　you　had　to　speak　loudly；　over　the　rush　of　wind。　〃Do　you　know　what　I'm　going　to　do　with　my　share　of　the　taking　gold？　Buy　an　inn。　This　Ebou　Dar　looks　a　likely　place；　what　I　saw　of　it。　Maybe　I'll　even　find　a　husband。　Have　children。　What　do　you　think　of　that。〃
　　　　　　　Chulein　grinned　behind　her　wind…scarf。　Every　flier　talked　of　buying　an　inn　…　or　a　tavern；　sometimes　a　farm　…　yet　who　could　leave　the　sky？　She　patted　the　base　of　Segani's　long；　leathery　neck。
　　　　　　　Every　woman　flier　…　three　in　four　were　women　…　talked　of　a　husband　and　children；　but　children　meant　an　end　to　flying；　too。　More　women　left　the　Fists　of　Heaven　in　a　month　than　left　the　sky　in　half　a　year。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　you　should　keep　your　eyes　open；〃　she　said。　But　there　was　no　harm　in　a　little　talk。　She　could　have　seen　a　child　move　in　the　olive　groves　below；　much　more　anything　that　might　threaten　Fists　of　Heaven。　The　most　lightly　armored　of　soldiers；　they　were　about　as　hard　as　the　Deathwatch　Guard；　some　said　harder。　〃I'll　use　my　share　to　buy　a　damane　and　hire　a　sul'dam。〃　If　there　were　half　as　many　marath'damane　down　there　as　rumor　claimed；　her　share　would　buy　two　damane。　Three！　〃A　damane　trained　to　make　Sky　Lights。　When　I　leave　the　sky；　I'll　be　as　rich　as　one　of　the　Blood。〃　They　had　something　called　〃fireworks〃　here　…　she　had　seen　some　fellows　vainly　trying　to　interest　the　Blood　in　Tanchico　…　but　who　would　watch　such　a　pitiful　thing　pared　to　the　Sky　Lights？　Those　fellows　had　been　bundled　out　and　dumped　in　the　road　outside　the　city。
　　　　　　　〃The　farm！〃　Eliya　shouted；　and　suddenly　something　hit　Segani　hard；　harder　than　the　worst　storm　gust　Chulein　had　ever　felt；　tumbling　him　wing　over　wing。
　　　　　　　Down　the　raken　plunged；　screaming　his　raucous　cry；　spinning　so　fast　that　Chulein　was　pulled　tight　against　her　safety　straps。　She　left　her　hands　on　her　thighs；　tensed　on　the　reins　but　still。　Segani　had　to　pull　out　of　this　himself；　any　twitch　on　the　reins　would　only　hinder　him。　Rolling　like　a　gambling　wheel；　they　fell。　Morat'raken　were　taught　not　to　watch　the　ground　if　a　raken　fell；　whatever　the　reason；　but　she　could　not　help　estimating　her　height　every　time　a　whiplike　tumble　bought　the　ground　into　sight。　Eight　hundred　paces。　Six　hundred。　Four。　Two。　The　Light　illumine　her　soul；　and　the　infinite　mercy　of　the　Creator　protect　her　from　…
　　　　　　　With　a　snap　of　his　broad　wings　that　jerked　her　sideways　and　rattled　her　teeth；　Segani　leveled　out；　the　tips　of　his　pinons　brushing　treetops　as　they　swept　down。　With　a　calmness　born　of　hard　training；　she　checked　the　motion　of　his　wings　for　strain。　Nothing；　but　she　would　have　a　der'morat'raken　examine　him　thoroughly　anyway。　A　tiny　thing　that　might　slip　by　her　eyes　would　not　escape　a　master。
　　　　　　　〃It　seems　we've　escaped　the　Lady　of　the　Shadows　one　more　time；　Eliya。〃　Turning　to　look　over　her　shoulder；　she　let　her　words　tail　off。　A　length　of　broken　safety　strap　trailed　back　from　the　empty　seat　behind　her。　Every　flier　knew　that　the　Lady　waited　at　the　bottom　of　the　long　fall；　but　knowing　never　made　seeing　easier。
　　　　　　　Offering　a　quick　prayer　for　the　dead；　she　firmly　pushed　herself　back　to　duty　and　urged　Segani　to　climb。　A　slow；　spiraling　climb；　in　case　of　some　hidden　strain；　but　as　quick　as　she　thought　safe。　Maybe　a　little　quicker　than　safe。　Smoke　rising　from　beyond　the　knobby　hill　ahead　made　her　frown；　but　what　she　saw　as　she　cleared　the　crest　dried　her　mouth。　Her　hands　stilled　on　the　reins；　and　Segani　continued　to　climb　on　powerful　sweeps　of　his　wings。
　　　　　　　The　farm　was。。。　gone。　Foundations　scoured　clean　of　the　white　buildings　that　had　stood　on　them；　the　big　structures　built　into　a　hillside　smashed　heaps　of　rubble。　Gone。　Everything　was　blackened