按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃
〃I said what I had to say。 The decision was yours。〃
〃The key thought was yours； though。 Sometimes I think the rest of us are turning into half…wits。 Well。〃 Half turning to the steps； not quite looking at her； Elayne paused。 〃Distances bother me； sometimes； over water。 I think I will look only at the ship； myself。 Nothing else。〃 Aviendha nodded … her near…sister had a fine delicacy … and they went up。
On the deck； Nynaeve was just shaking off Birgitte's offer of help and pushing herself up from the railing。 The two oarsmen looked on in amusement as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand。 Shiftless fellows with a brass hoop in each ear； they must have had frequent use for the curved daggers shoved behind their sashes。 Most of their attention went to working their pairs of long sweeps； though； walking back and forth on the deck to hold the heaving boat in place near a ship that almost took Aviendha's breath with its size； looming above their suddenly very tiny vessel； its three great masts reaching taller than most trees she had seen even here in the wetlands。 They had chosen it because it was the largest of the hundreds of Sea Folk ships anchored in the bay。 On a ship that big； surely it must be possible to forget all the surrounding water。 Except。。。
Elayne had not really acknowledged her shame； and if she had； a near…sister could know your deepest humiliation without it mattering； but。。。 Amys said she had too much pride。 She made herself turn and look away from the boat。
She had never seen so much water in her life； not if every drop seen before had been gathered in one place； all of it rolling gray…green and here and there frothing white。 Her eyes darted； trying to avoid taking it in。 Even the sky seemed larger here； immense； with a liquid gold sun crawling up from the east。 A gusting wind blew； somewhat cooler than on the land and never failing entirely。 Clouds of birds flurried in the air； gray and white and sometimes splotched with black； giving those shrill cries。 One； all black except for its head； skimmed along the surface with its long lower beak slicing through the water； and a slanted line of ungainly brown birds … pelicans； Elayne had named them … suddenly folded their wings one by one and plummeted with great splashes； bobbing back to the top； where they floated； tilting up beaks of incredible size。 There were ships everywhere； many almost as large as the one behind her； not all belonging to the Atha'an Miere； and smaller vessels with one or two masts moving under triangular sails。 Smaller ships still； mastless like the boat she was on； with a high sharp peak at the front and a low flat house at the back； spidered across the water on oars； one pair or two； or sometimes three。 One long； narrow boat that must have had twenty to a side looked like a hundred…legs skittering along。 And there was land。 Maybe seven or eight miles distant； sunlight gleamed off the white…plastered buildings of the city。 Seven or eight miles of water。
Swallowing； she turned back more swiftly than she had turned away。 She thought her cheeks must be greener than Nynaeve's had been。 Elayne was watching her； trying to keep a smooth face； but wetlanders showed their emotions so plainly her concern was visible。 〃I am a fool； Elayne。〃 Even with her； using no more of her name made Aviendha feel uneasy； when they were first…sisters； when they were sister…wives； it would be easier。 〃A wise woman listens to wise advice。〃
〃You are braver than I will ever be；〃 Elayne replied； quite seriously。 She was another who kept denying that she had any courage。 Maybe that was also a wetlander custom？ No； Aviendha had heard wetlanders speak of then own bravery； these Ebou Dari； for one； seemed unable to utter three words without boasting。 Elayne drew a deep breath； steeling herself。 〃Tonight we will talk about Rand。〃
Aviendha nodded； but she did not see how that followed from talk of courage。 How could sister…wives manage a husband if they did not talk of him in detail？ That was what the older women told her； anyway； and the Wise Ones。 They were not always so forthing； of course。 When she plained to Amys and Bair that she must be ill because she felt as though Rand al'Thor was carrying some part of her around with him； they had fallen down laughing。 You will learn； they cackled at her； and You would have learned sooner had you grown up in skirts。 As if she had ever wanted any life but that of a Maiden； running with her spear…sisters。 Maybe Elayne felt something of the same emptiness。 Speaking of him did seem to make the hollowness grow even while filling it。
For some time she had been aware of voices rising； and now she heard the words。
〃。。。 you earringed buffoon！〃 Nynaeve was shaking her fist at a very dark man peering down at her from over the tall side of the ship。 He looked calm； but then； he could not see the glow of saidar surrounding her。 〃We are not after the gift of passage； so it doesn't matter whether you refuse it to Aes Sedai！ You let down a ladder this instant！〃 The men at the oars were missing their grins。 Apparently they had failed to see the serpent rings back at the stone landing； and they did not look pleased to learn they had Aes Sedai aboard。
〃Oh； dear；〃 Elayne sighed。 〃I must retrieve this； Aviendha； or we've wasted the morning just so she could lose her breakfast porridge。〃 Gliding across the deck … Aviendha was proud of knowing the proper names for things on boats … Elayne addressed the man up on the ship。 〃I am Elayne Trakand； Daughter…Heir of Andor and Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah。 My panion is quite truthful。 We do not seek the gift of passage。 But we must speak with your Windfinder on a matter of urgency。 Tell her we know of the Weaving of Winds。 Tell her we know of Windfinders。〃
The man above frowned down at her； then abruptly vanished without a word。
〃The woman will probably think you mean to blab her secrets；〃 Nynaeve muttered； jerking her cloak into place。 She tied the ribbons fiercely。 〃You know how afraid they are that Aes Sedai will haul them all off to the Tower； if it's known most can channel。 Only a ninny thinks she can threaten people； Elayne； and still get anywhere。〃
Aviendha burst out laughing。 By the startled look Nynaeve gave her； she did not see the joke she had made on herself。 Elayne's lips quivered； though； however she tried to hold them。 You could never be sure about wetlander humor； they found strange things funny and missed the best。
Whether or not the Windfinder felt threatened； by the time Elayne had paid the boatmen and cautioned them to wait for their return … with Nynaeve grumbling over the amount and telling them she would box their ears if they left； and how she was to manage that nearly set Aviendha laughing again … by the time all that was done； it seemed a decision had been reached to allow them on。 No ladder was lowered； but instead a flat piece of wood； the two ropes it hung from being one and running up to a thick pole swung out over the side from one of the masts。 Nynaeve took her place sitting on the board with dire warnings for the boatmen if they even thought of trying to look up her skirts； and Elayne blushed and held hers tightly around her legs； hunched over so she appeared ready to fall off headfirst as she wobbled into the air and disappeared from sight onto the ship。 One of the fellows looked upward anyway； until Birgitte struck him on the nose with her fist。 They certainly did not watch her ascent。
Aviendha's belt knife was small； with a blade not half a foot long； but the oarsmen frowned worriedly when she drew it。 Her arm went back； and they fell sprawling to the deck as the knife whirled over their heads to sink with a solid thunk into the thick wooden post at the front of the boat。 Looping the cloak over her arms like a shawl； she hoisted her skirts well above her knees so she could climb over the oars and retrieve her blade； then took her place on the dangling board。 She did not replace the knife in its sheath。 For some reason the two men exchanged confused looks； but they kept their eyes down as she was lifted up。 Perhaps she was beginning to get a feel for wetlander customs。
Settling onto the great ship's deck； she gaped； almost forgetting to climb off the narrow seat。 She had read of the Atha'an Miere； but reading and seeing was as different as reading of saltwater and tasting it。 They were all dark； for one thing； much darker than the Ebou Dari； even darker than most Tairens； with straight black hair and black eyes and tattooed hands。 Bare…chested； barefoot men with bright narrow sashes holding up baggy breeches of some dark cloth that had an oily look to it； and women in blouses as brilliantly colored as their sashes； all with a sway to their movements； gliding gracefully with the rocking of the ship。 Sea Folk women had very strange customs when it came to men； according to what she had read； dancing with no more than a single scarf for covering and worse； but it was the earrings that made her stare。 Most had three or four； often with polished stones； and several actually had a small ring in one side of their noses！ The men did； too； the earrings at least； and just as man