rj.acrownofswords-第5节

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　　　The　Chronicles　could　hardly　record　the　years　of　the　Last　Battle　without　mentioning　the　Dragon　Reborn；　but　she　knew　that　one　name　would　be　written　larger　than　all　others。　Elaida　do　Avriny　a'Roihan；　youngest　daughter　of　a　minor　House　in　the　north　of　Murandy；　would　go　down　in　history　as　the　greatest　and　most　powerful　Amyrlin　Seat　of　all　time。　The　most　powerful　woman　in　the　history　of　the　world。　The　woman　who　saved　humankind。
　　　
　　　The　Aiel　standing　in　a　deep　fold　in　the　low；　brown…grass　hills　seemed　carved　figures；　ignoring　sheets　of　dust　sweeping　ahead　of　a　gusting　wind。　That　snow　should　have　been　deep　on　the　ground　this　time　of　year　did　not　bother　them；　none　had　ever　seen　snow；　and　this　oven　heat；　with　the　sun　still　well　short　of　its　peak；　was　less　than　where　they　came　from。　Their　attention　remained　fixed　on　the　southern　rise；　waiting　for　the　signal　that　would　announce　the　arrival　of　the　destiny　of　the　Shaido　Aiel。
　　　Outwardly；　Sevanna　looked　like　the　others；　though　a　ring　of　Maidens　marked　her　out；　resting　easily　on　their　heels；　dark　veils　already　hiding　their　faces　to　the　eyes。　She　also　waited；　and　more　impatiently　than　she　let　on；　but　not　to　the　exclusion　of　everything　else。　That　was　one　reason　why　she　manded　and　the　rest　followed。　The　second　was　that　she　saw　what　could　be　if　you　refused　to　let　outworn　custom　and　stale　tradition　tie　your　hands。
　　　A　slight　flicker　of　her　green　eyes　to　the　left　showed　twelve　men　and　one　woman；　each　with　round　bull…hide　buckler　and　three　or　four　short　spears；　garbed　in　gray…and…brown　cadin'sor　that　blended　as　well　with　the　terrain　here　as　in　the　Three…fold　Land。　Efalin；　short　graying　hair　hidden　by　the　shoufa　wrapped　around　her　head；　sometimes　glanced　Sevanna's　way；　if　a　Maiden　of　the　Spear　could　be　said　to　be　uneasy；　Efalin　was。　Some　Shaido　Maidens　had　gone　south；　joining　the　fools　capering　around　Rand　al'Thor；　and　Sevanna　did　not　doubt　others　talked　of　it。　Efalin　must　be　wondering　whether　providing　Sevanna　with　an　escort　of　Maidens；　as　if　she　had　been　Far　Dareis　Mai　once　herself；　was　enough　to　balance　that。　At　least　Efalin　had　no　doubts　where　true　power　lay。
　　　Like　Efalin；　the　men　led　Shaido　warrior　societies；　and　they　eyed　one　another　between　watching　the　rise。　Especially　blocky　Maeric；　who　was　Seia　Doon；　and　scar…faced　Bendhuin；　of　Far　Aldazar　Din。　After　today；　no　longer　would　anything　hold　back　the　Shaido　from　sending　a　man　to　Rhuidean；　to　be　marked　as　the　clan　chief　if　he　survived。　Until　that　happened；　Sevanna　spoke　as　the　clan　chief　since　she　was　the　widow　of　the　last　chief。　Of　the　last　two　chiefs。　And　let　those　who　muttered　that　she　carried　bad　luck　choke　on　it。
　　　Gold　and　ivory　bracelets　clattered　softly　as　she　straightened　the　dark　shawl　over　her　arms　and　adjusted　her　necklaces。　Most　of　those　were　gold　and　ivory　too；　but　one　was　a　mass　of　pearls　and　rubies　that　had　belonged　to　a　wetlander　noblewoman　…　the　woman　now　wore　white　and　hauled　and　fetched　alongside　the　other　gai'shain　back　in　the　mountains　called　Kinslayer's　Dagger　…　with　a　ruby　the　size　of　a　small　hen's　egg　nestled　between　her　breasts。　The　wetlands　held　rich　prizes。　A　large　emerald　on　her　finger　caught　sunlight　in　green　fire；　finger　rings　were　one　wetlander　custom　worth　adopting；　no　matter　the　stares　often　aimed　at　hers。　She　would　have　more；　if　they　matched　this　one　for　magnificence。
　　　Most　of　the　men　thought　Maeric　or　Bendhuin　would　be　first　to　receive　the　Wise　Ones'　permission　to　try　Rhuidean。　Only　Efalin　in　that　group　suspected　that　none　would；　and　she　only　suspected；　she　also　was　astute　enough　to　voice　her　suspicions　circumspectly　to　Sevanna　and　not　at　all　to　anyone　else。　Their　minds　could　not　enpass　the　possibility　of　shedding　the　old；　and　in　truth；　if　Sevanna　was　impatient　to　don　the　new；　she　was　also　aware　that　she　must　bring　them　to　it　slowly。　Much　had　changed　already　in　the　old　ways　since　the　Shaido　crossed　the　Dragonwall　into　the　wetlands　…　still　wet；　pared　to　the　Three…fold　Land　…　yet　more　would　change。　Once　Rand　al'Thor　was　in　her　hands；　once　she　had　wed　the　Car'a'carn；　the　chief　of　chiefs　of　all　the　Aiel　…　this　nonsense　of　the　Dragon　Reborn　was　wetlander　foolishness　…　there　would　be　a　new　way　of　naming　clan　chiefs；　and　sept　chiefs　as　well。　Perhaps　even　the　heads　of　the　warrior　societies。　Rand　al'Thor　would　name　them。　Pointing　where　she　told　him；　of　course。　And　that　would　be　only　the　beginning。　The　wetlander　notion　of　handing　down　rank　to　your　children；　and　their　children；　for　instance。
　　　The　wind　swept　higher　for　a　moment；　blowing　south。　It　would　cover　the　sound　of　the　wetlanders'　horses　and　wagons。
　　　She　shifted　her　shawl　again；　then　suppressed　a　grimace。　At　all　costs　she　must　not　appear　nervous。　A　glance　to　the　right　stilled　worry　as　soon　as　begun。　Over　two　hundred　Shaido　Wise　Ones　clustered　there；　and　normally　at　least　some　would　be　watching　her　like　vultures；　but　their　eyes　were　all　on　the　rise。　More　than　one　adjusted　her　shawl　uneasily　or　smoothed　bulky　skirts。　Sevanna's　lip　curled。　Sweat　beaded　on　some　of　those　faces。　Sweat！　Where　was　their　honor　that　they　showed　nerves　before　every　gaze？
　　　Everyone　stiffened　slightly　as　a　young　Sovin　Nai　appeared　above　them；　lowering　his　veil　as　he　scrambled　down。　He　came　straight　to　her；　as　was　proper；　but　to　her　irritation　he　raised　his　voice　enough　for　all　to　hear。　〃One　of　their　forward　scouts　escaped。　He　was　wounded；　but　still　on　his　horse。〃
　　　The　society　leaders　began　to　move　before　he　finished　speaking。　That　would　never　do。　They　would　lead　in　the　actual　fighting　…　Sevanna　had　never　more　than　held　a　spear　in　her　life　…　but　she　would　not　let　them　forget　for　a　moment　who　she　was。　〃Throw　every　last　spear　against　them；〃　she　ordered　loudly；　〃before　they　can　ready　themselves。〃　They　rounded　on　her　as　one。
　　　〃Every　spear？〃　Bendhuin　demanded　incredulously。　〃You　mean　except　for　the　screens　…　〃
　　　Glowering；　Maeric　spoke　right　on　top　of　him。　〃If　we　keep　no　reserve；　we　can　be　…　〃
　　　Sevanna　cut　them　both　off。　〃Every　spear！　These　are　Aes　Sedai　we　dance　with。　We　must　overwhelm　them　immediately！〃　Efalin　and　most　of　the　others　schooled　their　faces　to　stillness；　but　Bendhuin　and　Maeric　frowned；　ready　to　argue。　Fools。　They　faced　a　few　dozen　Aes　Sedai；　a　few　hundred　wetlander　soldiers；　yet　with　the　more　than　forty　thousand　algai'd'siswai　they　had　insisted　on；　they　still　wanted　their　screens　of　scouts　and　their　spears　in　reserve　as　if　they　faced　other　Aiel　or　a　wetlander　army。　〃I　speak　as　the　clan　chief　of　the　Shaido。〃　She　should　not　have　to　say　that；　but　a　reminder　could　do　no　harm。　〃They　are　a　handful。〃　She　weighted　every　word　with　contempt　now。　〃They　can　be　run　down　if　the　spears　move　quickly。　You　were　ready　to　avenge　Desaine　this　sunrise。　Do　I　smell　fear　now？　Fear　of　a　few　wetlanders？　Has　honor　gone　from　the　Shaido？〃
　　　That　turned　their　faces　to　stone；　as　intended。　Even　Efalin　showed　eyes　like　polished　gray　gems　as　she　veiled；　her　fingers　moved　in　Maiden　handtalk；　and　as　the　society　leaders　sprinted　up　the　rise；　the　Maidens　around　Sevanna　followed。　That　was　not　what　she　had　intended；　but　at　least　the　spears　were　moving。　Even　from　the　bottom　of　the　fold　she　could　see　what　had　seemed　bare　ground　disgorging　cadin'sor…clad　figures；　all　hurrying　south　with　the　long　strides　that　could　run　down　horses。　There　was　no　time　to　waste。　With　a　thought　to　have　words　with　Efalin　later；　Sevanna　turned　to　the　Wise　Ones。
　　　Chosen　from　the　strongest　of　the　Shaido　Wise　Ones　who　could　wield　the　One　Power；　they　were　six　or　seven　for　every　Aes　Sedai　around　Rand　al'Thor；　yet　Sevanna　saw　doubt。　They　tried　to　hide　it　behind　stony　faces；　but　it　was　there；　in　shifting　eyes；　in　tongues　wetting　lips。　Many　traditions　fell　today；　traditions　old　and　strong　as　law。　Wise　Ones　did　not　take　part　in　battles。　Wise　Ones　kept　far　from　Aes　Sedai。　They　knew　the　ancient　tales；　that　the　Aiel　had　been　sent　to　the　Three…fold　Land　for　failing　the　Aes　Sedai；　that　they　would　be　destroyed　if　ever　they　failed　them　again。　They　had　heard　the　stories；　what　Rand　al'Thor　had　claimed　before　all；　that　as　part　of　their　service　to　the　Aes　Sedai；　the　Aiel　had　sworn　to　do　no　violence。
　　　Once　Sevanna　had　been　sure　those　stories　were　lies；　but　of　late　she　believed　the　Wise　Ones　knew　them　for　truth。　None　had　told　her　so；　of　course。　It　did　not　matter。　She　herself　had　never　made　the　two　journeys　to　Rhuidean　required　to　bee　a　Wise　One；　but　the　others　had　accepted　her；　however　reluctant　some　had　been。　Now　they　had　no　choice　but　to　go　on　accepting。　Useless　traditions　would　be　carved　into　new。
　　　〃Aes　Sedai；〃　she　said　softly。　They　leaned　toward　her　in　a　muted　clatter　of　bracelets　and　necklaces；　to　catch　her　low　words。　〃They　hold　Rand　al'Thor；　the　Car'a'carn。　We　must　take　him　from　them。〃　There　were　scattered　frowns。　Most　believed　she　wanted　the　Car'a'carn　taken　alive　in　order　to　avenge　the　death　of　Couladin；　her　second　husband。　They　understood　that；　but　they　would　not　have　e　here　for　it。　〃Aes　Sedai；〃　she　hissed　angrily。　〃We　kept　our　pledge；　but　they　broke　theirs。　We　violated　nothing；　but　they　have　violated　everything。　You　know　how　Desaine　was　murdered。〃　And　of　course　they　did。　The　eyes　watching　her　were　suddenly　sharper。　Killing　a　Wise　One　ranked　with　killing　a　pregnant　woman