rj.theshadowrising-第220部分

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　　　　　　　〃Then　why　are　you　so　eager　for　her　to　stay　with　me？〃　There　was　more　heat　in　his　voice　than　he　wanted。　〃You　can't　think　I　will　reveal　anything　to　her　now　that　I　don't　want　you　to　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　do　you　allow　her　to　remain？〃　Amys　asked　calmly。　〃If　you　refused　to　accept　her；　how　could　we　force　her　on　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃At　least　this　way　I　know　who　the　spy　is。〃　Having　Aviendha　under　his　eye　had　to　be　better　than　wondering　which　of　the　Aiel　were　watching　him。　Without　her；　he　would　probably　suspect　that　every　casual　ment　from　Rhuarc　was　an　attempt　to　pry。　Of　course；　there　was　no　way　to　say　it　was　not。　Rhuarc　was　married　to　one　of　these　women。　Suddenly　he　was　glad　he　had　not　confided　more　in　the　clan　chief。　And　sad　that　he　had　thought　of　it。　Why　had　he　ever　believed　the　Aiel　would　be　simpler　than　Tairen　High　Lords？　〃I'm　satisfied　to　leave　her　right　where　she　is。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　we　are　all　satisfied；〃　Bair　said。
　　　　　　　He　eyed　the　leathery…faced　woman　leerily。　There　had　been　a　note　of　something　in　her　voice；　as　if　she　knew　more　than　he　did。　〃She　will　not　find　out　what　you　want。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　we　want？〃　Melaine　snapped；　her　long　hair　swung　as　she　tossed　her　head。　〃The　prophecy　says　'a　remnant　of　a　remnant　shall　be　saved。'　What　we　want；　Rand　al'Thor；　Car'a'carn；　is　to　save　as　many　of　our　people　as　we　can。　Whatever　your　blood；　and　your　face；　you　have　no　feeling　for　us。　I　will　make　you　know　our　blood　for　yours　if　I　have　to　lay　the　…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think；〃　Amys　cut　her　off　smoothly；　〃that　he　would　like　to　see　his　sleeping　room　now。　He　looks　tired。〃　She　clapped　her　hands　sharply；　and　a　willowy　gai'shain　woman　appeared。　〃Show　this　man　to　the　room　that　has　been　prepared　for　him。　Bring　him　whatever　he　needs。〃
　　　　　　　Leaving　him　standing　there；　the　Wise　Ones　headed　for　the　door；　Bair　and　Seana　looking　daggers　at　Melaine；　like　members　of　the　Women's　Circle　eyeing　someone　they　meant　to　call　to　account　sharply。　Melaine　ignored　them；　as　the　door　closed　behind　them　she　was　muttering　something　that　sounded　like　〃talk　sense　into　that　fool　girl。〃
　　　　　　　What　girl？　Aviendha？　She　was　already　doing　what　they　wanted。　Egwene　maybe？　He　knew　she　was　studying　something　with　the　Wise　Ones。　And　what　was　Melaine　willing　to　〃lay〃　in　order　to　make　him　〃know　their　blood　for　his〃？　How　could　laying　something　make　him　decide　he　was　Aiel？　Lay　a　trap；　maybe？　Fool！　She　wouldn't　say　right　out　she　means　to　lay　a　trap。　What　sorts　of　things　do　you　lay？　Hens　lay　eggs；　he　thought；　laughing　softly。　He　was　tired。　Too　tired　for　questions　now；　after　twelve　days　in　the　saddle　and　part　of　a　thirteenth；　all　of　them　oven…hot　and　dry；　he　did　not　want　to　think　of　how　he　would　feel　if　he　had　walked　that　distance　at　the　same　pace。　Aviendha　must　have　steel　legs。　He　wanted　a　bed。
　　　　　　　The　gai'shain　was　pretty；　despite　a　thin　scar　slanting　just　above　one　pale　blue　eye　into　hair　so　light　as　to　look　almost　silver。　Another　Maiden；　only　not　for　the　moment。　〃If　it　pleases　you　to　follow　me？〃　she　murmured；　lowering　her　eyes。
　　　　　　　The　sleeping　room　was　not　a　bedchamber；　of　course。　Unsurprisingly；　the　〃bed〃　consisted　of　a　thick　pallet　unfolded　atop　layered；　brightly　colored　rugs。　The　gai'shain　…　her　name　was　Chion　…　looked　shocked　when　he　asked　for　wash　water；　but　he　was　tired　of　sweat　baths。　He　was　willing　to　bet　Moiraine　and　Egwene　had　not　had　to　sit　in　a　tent　full　of　steam　to　get　clean。　Chion　brought　the　water；　though；　hot　in　a　large　brown　pitcher　meant　for　watering　the　garden；　and　a　big　white　bowl　for　a　washbasin。　He　chased　her　out　when　she　offered　to　wash　him。　Strange　people；　all　of　them！
　　　　　　　The　room　was　windowless；　lit　by　silver　lamps　hanging　from　brackets　on　the　walls；　but　he　knew　it　could　not　yet　be　full　dark　outside　when　he　finished　washing。　He　did　not　care。　Only　two　blankets　lay　on　the　pallet；　neither　particularly　thick。　No　doubt　a　sign　of　Aiel　hardiness。　Remembering　the　cold　nights　in　the　tents；　he　dressed　again　except　for　his　coat　and　boots　before　blowing　out　the　lamps　and　crawling　beneath　the　blankets　in　pitch　darkness。
　　　　　　　Tired　as　he　was；　he　could　not　stop　tossing　and　thinking。　What　did　Melaine　mean　to　lay？　Why　did　the　Wise　Ones　not　care　that　he　knew　Aviendha　was　their　spy？　Aviendha。　A　pretty　woman；　if　surlier　than　a　mule　with　four　stone…bruised　hooves。　His　breathing　slowed；　his　thoughts　became　misty。　A　month。
　　　　　　　Too　long。　No　choice。　Sooner。　Isendre　smiling。　Kadere　watching。　Trap。　Lay　a　trap。　Whose　trap？　Which　trap？　Traps。　If　only　he　could　trust　Moiraine。　Perrin。　Home。　Perrin　was　probably　swimming　in。。。
　
　　　　　　　Eyes　closed；　Rand　stroked　through　the　water。　Nicely　cool。　And　so　wet。　It　seemed　that　he　had　never　before　realized　how　good　wet　felt。　Lifting　his　head；　he　looked　around　at　the　willows　lining　one　end　of　the　pond；　the　big　oak　at　the　other；　stretching　thick；　shading　limbs　over　the　water。　The　Waterwood。　It　was　good　to　be　home。　He　had　the　feeling　he　had　been　away；　where　was　not　exactly　clear；　but　not　important；　either。　Up　to　Watch　Hill。　Yes。　He　had　never　been　farther　than　that。　Cool　and　wet。　And　alone。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　two　bodies　hurtled　through　the　air；　knees　clutched　to　chest；　landing　with　great　splashes　that　blinded　him。　Shaking　the　water　out　of　his　eyes；　he　found　Elayne　and　Min　smiling　at　him　from　either　side；　just　their　heads　showing　above　the　pale　green　surface。　Two　strokes　would　take　him　to　either　woman。　Away　from　the　other。　He　could　not　love　both　of　them。　Love？　Why　had　that　popped　into　his　head？
　　　　　　　〃You　do　not　know　who　you　love。〃
　　　　　　　He　spun　about　in　a　swirl　of　water。　Aviendha　stood　on　the　bank；　in　cadin'sor　rather　than　skirt　and　blouse。　Not　glaring；　though；　just　looking。　〃e　into　the　water；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　teach　you　how　to　swim。〃
　　　　　　　Musical　laughter　pulled　his　head　around　to　the　opposite　bank。　The　woman　who　stood　there；　palely　naked；　was　the　most　beautiful　he　had　ever　seen；　with　big；　dark　eyes　that　made　his　head　whirl。　He　thought　he　knew　her。
　　　　　　　〃Should　I　allow　you　to　be　unfaithful　to　me；　even　in　your　dreams？〃　she　said。　Somehow　he　was　aware　without　looking　that　Elayne　and　Min　and　Aviendha　were　not　there　anymore。；　This　was　beginning　to　feel　very　odd。
　　　　　　　For　a　long　moment　she　considered　him；　pletely　unconscious　of　her　nudity。　Slowly　she　posed　on　toe　tips；　arms　swept　back；　then　dove　cleanly　into　the　pond。　When　her　head　popped　above　the　surface；　her　shining　black　hair　was　not　wet。　That　seemed　surprising；　for　a　moment。　Then　she　had　reached　him　…　had　she　swum；　or　was　she　just　there？　…　tangling　arms　and　legs　around　him。　The　water　was　cool；　her　flesh　hot。
　　　　　　　〃You　cannot　escape　me；〃　she　murmured。　Those　dark　eyes　seemed　far　deeper　than　the　pond。　〃I　will　make　you　enjoy　this　so　you　never　forget；　asleep　or　awake。〃
　　　　　　　Asleep　or。。。　？　Everything　shifted；　blurred。　She　wrapped　herself　around　him　tighter；　and　the　blur　went　away。　Everything　was　as　it　had　been。　Rushes　filled　one　end　of　the　pond；　leatherleaf　and　pine　grew　almost　to　the　water's　edge　at　the　other。
　　　　　　　〃I　know　you；〃　he　said　slowly。　He　thought　he　must；　or　why　would　he　be　letting　her　do　this？　〃But　I　don't。。。　This　is　not　right。〃　He　tried　to　pull　her　loose；　but　as　fast　as　he　pried　an　arm　away；　she　had　it　back　again。
　　　　　　　〃I　ought　to　mark　you。〃　There　was　a　fierce　edge　in　her　voice。　〃First　that　milk…hearted　Ilyena　and　now。。。　How　many　women　do　you　hold　in　your　thoughts？〃　Suddenly　her　small　white　teeth　burrowed　at　his　neck。
　　　　　　　Bellowing；　he　hurled　her　away　and　slapped　a　hand　to　his　neck。　She　had　broken　the　skin；　he　was　bleeding。
　　　　　　　〃Is　this　how　you　amuse　yourself　when　I　wonder　where　you　have　gone？〃　a　man's　voice　said　contemptuously。　〃Why　should　I　hold　to　anything　when　you　risk　our　plan　this　way？〃
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　woman　was　on　the　bank；　clothed　in　white；　narrow　waist　belted　in　wide　woven　silver；　silver　stars　and　crescents　in　her　midnight　hair。　The　land　rose　slightly　behind　her　to　an　ash　grove　on　a　mound。　He　did　not　remember　seeing　ash　before。　She　was　facing　…　a　blur。　A　thick；　gray；　man…sized　fuzzing　of　the　air。　This　was　all。。。　wrong；　somehow。
　　　　　　　〃Risk；〃　she　sneered。　〃You　fear　risk　as　much　as　Moghedien；　don't　you？　You　would　creep　about　like　the　Spider　herself。　Had　I　not　hauled　you　out　of　your　hole；　you'd　still　be　hiding；　and　waiting　to　snatch　a　few　scraps。〃