rj.acrownofswords-第69节

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ad　a　small　ring　in　one　side　of　their　noses！　The　men　did；　too；　the　earrings　at　least；　and　just　as　many　heavy　gold　and　silver　chains　around　their　necks。　Men！　Some　wetlander　men　wore　rings　in　their　ears；　true　…　most　Ebou　Dari　men　seemed　to　…　but　so　many！　And　necklaces！　Wetlanders　did　have　strange　ways。　The　Sea　Folk　never　left　their　ships　…　never　…　so　she　had　read；　and　supposedly　they　ate　their　dead。　She　had　not　been　quite　able　to　credit　that；　but　if　the　men　wore　necklaces；　who　could　say　what　else　they　did？
　　　The　woman　who　came　to　meet　them　wore　breeches　and　blouse　and　sash　like　the　others；　but　hers　were　of　brocaded　yellow　silk；　the　sash　knotted　intricately　with　ends　trailing　to　her　knee；　and　one　of　her　necklaces　bore　a　small　golden　box　of　intricate　piercework。　A　sweetly　musky　scent　surrounded　her。　Gray　streaked　her　hair　heavily；　and　she　had　a　grave　face。　Five　small　fat　golden　rings　decorated　each　of　her　ears；　and　a　fine　chain　connected　one　to　a　similar　ring　in　her　nose。　Tiny　medallions　of　polished　gold　dangling　from　the　chain　flashed　in　the　sunlight　as　she　studied　them。
　　　Aviendha　pulled　her　hand　down　from　her　own　nose　…　to　wear　that　chain；　always　tugging！　…　and　barely　managed　to　suppress　a　laugh。　Wetlander　customs　were　odd　beyond　belief；　and　surely　no　one　deserved　the　name　better　than　the　Sea　Folk。
　　　〃I　am　Malin　din　Toral　Breaking　Wave；〃　the　woman　said；　〃Wavemistress　of　Clan　Somarin　and　Sailmistress　of　Windrunner。〃　A　Wavemistress　was　important；　like　a　clan　chief；　yet　she　seemed　at　a　loss；　looking　from　one　face　to　the　next；　until　her　eye　fell　on　the　Great　Serpent　rings　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　wore；　and　then　she　exhaled　in　resignation。　〃If　it　pleases　you　to　e　with　me；　Aes　Sedai？〃　she　said　to　Nynaeve。
　　　The　back　of　the　ship　was　raised；　and　she　led　the　way　inside　that　by　a　door；　then　down　a　hallway　to　a　large　room　…　a　cabin　…　with　a　low　ceiling。　Aviendha　doubted　Rand　al'Thor　would　have　been　able　to　stand　upright　beneath　one　of　the　thick　beams。　Except　for　a　few　lacquered　chests；　everything　seemed　to　have　been　built　in　place；　cabinets　along　the　walls；　even　the　long　table　that　ran　half　the　length　of　the　room　and　the　armchairs　that　surrounded　it。　It　was　difficult　to　think　of　something　the　size　of　this　ship　being　made　of　wood；　and　even　after　all　her　time　in　the　wetlands；　the　sight　of　all　that　polished　wood　nearly　made　her　gasp。　It　glowed　almost　as　much　as　the　gilded　lamps；　hanging　unlit　in　some　sort　of　cage　so　they　remained　upright　as　the　ship　moved　with　the　waves。　In　truth；　the　ship　hardly　seemed　to　move　at　all；　at　least　in　parison　with　the　boat　they　had　been　on；　but　unfortunately　the　back　of　the　cabin；　of　the　ship；　was　a　line　of　windows　with　the　painted　and　gilded　shutters　standing　open；　giving　a　splendid　view　of　the　bay。　Worse；　there　was　no　land　in　sight　out　those　windows。　No　land　at　all！　Her　throat　seized。　She　could　not　have　spoken。　She　could　not　have　screamed；　although　that　was　what　she　wanted　to　do。
　　　Those　windows　and　what　they　showed　…　what　they　did　not　show　…　had　caught　her　eyes　so　quickly　that　it　took　her　a　moment　to　realize　people　were　there　already。　A　fine　thing！　Had　they　wished；　they　could　have　killed　her　before　she　knew。　Not　that　they　showed　any　sign　of　hostility；　but　you　could　never　be　too　careful　with　wetlanders。
　　　A　spindly　old　man　with　deep…set　eyes　was　sitting　at　his　ease　atop　one　of　the　chests；　what　little　hair　remained　to　him　was　white；　and　his　dark　face　had　a　kindly　look；　though　a　full　dozen　earrings　altogether　and　a　number　of　thick　gold　chains　around　his　neck　gave　his　expression　a　strange　twist　in　her　eyes。　Like　the　men　above；　he　was　barefoot　and　bare…chested；　but　his　breeches　were　a　dark　blue　silk；　and　his　long　sash　a　bright　red。　An　ivory…hilted　sword　was　thrust　through　that　sash；　she　noted　with　disdain；　as　well　as　two　curved　daggers　to　match。
　　　The　slender；　handsome　woman　with　her　arms　folded　and　a　grimly　foreboding　frown　was　more　worthy　of　notice。　She　wore　only　four　earrings　in　each　ear；　and　fewer　medallions　on　her　chain　than　Malin　din　Toral；　and　her　clothing　was　all　in　reddish…yellow　silk。　She　could　channel；　Aviendha　knew　that；　this　close。　She　must　be　the　woman　they　had　e　for；　the　Windfinder。　And　yet　it　was　another　who　held　Aviendha's　eye。　And　for　that　matter；　Elayne's　and　Nynaeve's　and　Birgitte's。
　　　The　woman　who　had　looked　up　from　an　unrolled　map　on　the　table　might　have　been　as　old　as　the　man　by　her　white　hair。　Short；　no　taller　than　Nynaeve；　she　looked　like　someone　who　had　once　been　stocky　and　was　beginning　to　go　stout；　but　her　jaw　thrust　forward　like　a　hammer；　and　her　black　eyes　spoke　of　intelligence。　And　power。　Not　the　One　Power；　just　that　of　someone　who　said　〃go〃　and　knew　that　people　would　go；　yet　she　had　it　strongly。　Her　breeches　were　brocaded　green　silk；　her　blouse　blue；　and　her　sash　red　like　the　man's。　The　stout…bladed　knife　in　a　gilded　sheath　tucked　behind　that　sash　had　a　round　pommel　covered　with　red　and　green　stones；　firedrops　and　emeralds；　Aviendha　thought。　Twice　as　many　medallions　hung　from　her　nose　chain　as　from　Malin　din　Toral's；　and　another；　thinner　gold　chain　connected　the　six　rings　in　each　of　her　ears。　Aviendha　barely　kept　her　hand　from　going　to　her　own　nose　again。
　　　Without　a　word　the　white…haired　woman　came　to　stand　in　front　of　Nynaeve；　rudely　examining　her　from　head　to　toe；　frowning　in　particular　at　Nynaeve's　face　and　the　Great　Serpent　ring　on　her　right　hand。　She　took　no　time　about　it；　and　with　a　grunt　moved　on　from　her　ruffled　object　of　study　to　give　Elayne　the　same　quick；　intense　scrutiny；　and　then　Birgitte。　At　last　she　spoke。　〃You　are　not　an　Aes　Sedai。〃　Her　voice　sounded　like　rocks　tumbling。
　　　〃By　the　nine　winds　and　Stormbringer's　beard；　I　am　not；〃　Birgitte　replied。　Sometimes　she　said　things　even　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　seemed　not　to　understand；　but　the　white…haired　woman　jumped　as　if　she　had　been　goosed；　and　stared　a　long　moment　before　turning　to　frown　up　at　Aviendha。
　　　〃You　are　not　Aes　Sedai；　either；〃　she　grated　after　the　same　examination。
　　　Aviendha　drew　herself　to　her　full　height；　feeling　as　though　the　woman　had　rummaged　through　her　garments　and　twirled　her　about　to　look　at　her　better。　〃I　am　Aviendha；　of　the　Nine　Valleys　sept　of　the　Taardad　Aiel。〃
　　　The　woman　gave　twice　the　start　she　had　for　Birgitte；　black　eyes　going　wide。　〃You　are　not　garbed　as　I　expected；　girl〃　was　all　she　said；　though；　and　strode　back　to　the　far　end　of　the　table；　where　she　planted　her　fists　on　her　hips　and　studied　them　all　again；　much　as　she　might　have　some　strange　animal　she　had　never　seen　before。　〃I　am　Nesta　din　Reas　Two　Moons；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃Mistress　of　the　Ships　to　the　Atha'an　Miere。　How　do　you　know　what　you　know？〃
　　　Nynaeve　had　been　working　on　a　scowl　since　the　woman　first　looked　at　her；　and　now　she　snapped；　〃Aes　Sedai　know　what　they　know。　And　we　expect　more　in　the　way　of　manners　than　I've　seen　so　far！　I　certainly　saw　more　the　last　time　I　was　on　a　Sea　Folk　ship。　Maybe　we　should　find　another；　where　the　people　don't　all　have　sore　teeth。〃　Nesta　din　Reas'　face　grew　darker；　but　Elayne　of　course　stepped　into　the　breech；　removing　her　cloak　and　laying　it　over　the　edge　of　the　table。
　　　〃The　Light　illumine　you　and　your　vessels；　Shipmistress；　and　send　the　winds　to　speed　you　all。〃　Her　curtsy　was　moderately　deep；　Aviendha　had　bee　a　judge　of　these　things；　for　all　she　thought　it　looked　the　most　awkward　thing　any　woman　could　ever　do。　〃Forgive　us　if　there　have　been　words　in　haste。　We　mean　no　disrespect　to　one　who　is　as　a　queen　to　the　Atha'an　Miere。〃　That　with　a　speaking　look　for　Nynaeve。　Nynaeve　only　shrugged；　though。
　　　Elayne　introduced　herself　again；　and　the　rest　of　them；　to　strange　reactions。　That　Elayne　was　Daughter…Heir　produced　none；　though　that　was　a　high　position　among　the　wetlanders；　and　that　she　was　Green　Ajah　and　Nynaeve　Yellow　received　sniffs　from　Nesta　din　Reas　and　sharp　looks　from　the　spindly　old　man。　Elayne　blinked；　taken　aback；　but　she　went　on　smoothly。　〃We　have　e　for　two　reasons。　The　lesser　is　to　ask　how　you　mean　to　aid　the　Dragon　Reborn；　who　according　to　the　Jendai　Prophecy　you　call　the　Coramoor。　The　greater　is　to　request　the　help　of　this　vessel's　Windfinder。　Whose　name；〃　she　added　gently；　〃I　regret　I　do　not　yet　know。〃
　　　The　slender　woman　who　could　channel　reddened。　〃I　am　Dorile　din　Eiran　Long　Feather；　Aes　Sedai。　I　may　help；　if　it　pleases　the　Light。〃
　　　Malin　din　Toral　looked　abashed；　too。　〃The　wele　of　my　ship　to　you；〃　she　murmured；　〃and　the　grace　of　the　Light　be　upon　you　until　you　leave　his　decks。〃
　　　Not　so　Nesta　din　Reas。　〃The　Bargain　is　with　the　Coramoor；〃　she　said　in　a　hard　voice；　and　made　a　sharp　cutting　gesture。　〃The　shorebound　have　no　part　of　it；　except　where　they　tell　of　his　ing。　You；　girl；　Nynaeve。　What　ship　gave　you　the　gift　of　passage？　Who　was　his　Windfinder？〃
　　　〃I　can't　recall。〃　Nynaeve's　airy　tone　was　at　odds　with　the　stony　smile　she　wore。　She　had　a　deathgrip　on　her　braid；　too；　but　at　least　she　had　not　embraced　saidar　again。　〃And　I　am　Nynaeve　Sedai；　Nynaeve　Aes　Sedai；　not　girl。〃
　　　Putting　her　hands　flat　on　the　table；　Nesta　din　Reas　directed　a　stare　at　her　that　reminded　Aviendha　of　Sorilea。　〃Perhaps　you　are；　but　I　will　know　who　revealed　what　should　not　have　been　revealed。　She　has　lessons　of　silence　to　learn。〃