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！
voice。 There was no expression at all on her face。
〃Of course not；〃 he lied。 Fool woman。 She'll get herself killed yet because she doesn't have the sense to be careful when it's needed。 〃I'd have been as worried for anyone。 I would not want anyone bitten by a bloodsnake。〃
For a moment she eyed him doubtfully； then gave a quick nod。 〃Good。 So long as you do not presume toward me。〃 Tossing the bundled blanket at his feet； she sat on her heels across the firepit from him。 〃You would not accept the buckle as canceling debt between us。。。〃
〃Aviendha； there is no debt。〃 He thought that she had forgotten about that。 She went on as if he had not spoken。
〃。。。 but perhaps that will cancel it。〃
Sighing； he unwrapped the striped blanket … warily； since she had held it far more uneasily than she had the snake； she had held the bloody snake as if it were a piece of cloth … unwrapped it； and gasped。 What lay inside was a sword； the scabbard so encrusted with rubies and moonstones that it was hard to see the gold except where a rising sun of many rays had been inset。 The ivory hilt； long enough for two hands； had another inlaid rising sun in gold； the pommel was thick with rubies and moonstones； and still more made a solid mass along the quillons。 This had never been made to use； only to be seen。 To be stared at。
〃This must have cost。。。 Aviendha； how could you pay for it？〃
〃It cost little；〃 she said； so defensively that she might as well have added that she lied。
〃A sword。 How did you ever e by a sword？ How did any Aiel e by a sword？ Don't tell me Kadere had this hidden in his wagons。〃
〃I carried it in a blanket。〃 She sounded even more touchy now than she had about the price。 〃Even Bair said that would make it all right； so long as I did not actually touch it。〃 She shrugged unfortably； shifting and re…shifting her shawl。 〃It was the treekiller's sword。 Laman's。 It was taken from his body as proof that he was dead； because his head could not be brought back so far。 Since then it has passed from hand to hand； young men or fool Maidens who wanted to own the proof of his death。 Only； each began to think of what it was； and soon sold it to another fool。 The price has e down very far since it first was sold。 No Aiel would lay hand to it even to remove the stones。〃
〃Well； it is very beautiful；〃 he said； as tactfully as he could manage。 Only a buffoon would carry something this gaudy。 And that ivory hilt would twist in a hand slippery with sweat or blood。 〃But I cannot let you。。。〃 He trailed off as he bared a few inches of the blade； out of habit； to examine the edge。 Etched into the shining steel stood a heron； symbol of a blademaster。 He had carried a sword marked like that once。 Suddenly he was ready to bet that this blade was like it； like the raven…marked blade on Mat's spear； metal made with Power that would never break and never need sharpening。 Most blademasters' swords were only copies of those。 Lan could tell him for certain； but he was sure already in his own mind。
Pulling the scabbard off； he leaned across the firepit to place it in front of her。 〃I will take the blade to cancel the debt； Aviendha。〃 It was long and slightly curved； with a single edge。 〃Just the blade。 You can have the hilt back； too。〃 He could have a new hilt and scabbard made in Cairhien。 Maybe one of Taien's survivors was a decent bladesmith。
She stared wide…eyed from the scabbard to him and back； mouth open； stunned for the first time that he had ever seen。 〃But those gems are worth much； much more than I … You are trying to put me in your debt again； Rand al'Thor。〃
〃Not so。〃 If this blade had lain untouched； and untarnished； in its scabbard for over twenty years； it had to be what he thought。 〃I did not accept the scabbard； so it has been yours all along。〃 Tossing one of the silk cushions into the air； he executed the seated version of the form called Low Wind Rising； feathers rained down as the blade sliced neatly through。 〃And I don't accept the hilt； either； so that's yours； too。 If you have made a profit； it's your own doing。〃
Instead of looking happy at her good fortune … he suspected she had given everything that she had for the sword； and likely gotten back a hundred times as much or more in the scabbard alone … instead of seeming glad； or thanking him； she glared through the feathers as indignantly as any goodwife in the Two Rivers seeing her floor littered。 Stiffly； she clapped； and one of the gai'shain appeared； immediately going to her knees to begin cleaning up the mess。
〃It is my tent；〃 he said pointedly。 Aviendha sniffed at him in perfect imitation of Egwene。 Those two women were definitely spending too much time together。
Supper； when it came at full dark； consisted of the usual flat pale bread； and a spicy stew of dried peppers and beans with chunks of nearly white meat。 He only grinned at her when he learned that it was the bloodsnake； he had eaten snake and worse since ing to the Waste。 Gara … the poisonous lizard … was the worst in his estimation； not for the taste； which was rather like chicken； but because it was lizard。 It sometimes seemed that there must be more poisonous things … snakes； lizards； spiders； plants … in the Waste than in the rest of the world bined。
Aviendha appeared disappointed that he did not spit the stew out in disgust； though sometimes it was difficult to tell what she was feeling。 At times she seemed to take great pleasure in disfiting him。 Had he been trying to pretend that he was Aiel； he would have thought she was trying to prove he was not。
Tired and eager for sleep； he only took off his coat and boots before crawling into his blankets and turning his back to Aviendha。 Aiel men and women might take sweat…baths together； but a short time in Shienar； where they did something much the same； had convinced him that he was not made for that sort of thing； not without going so red in the face that he died of it。 He tried not to listen to the rustle of her undressing beneath her own blankets。 At least she had that much modesty； but he kept his back turned anyway； just in case。
She claimed she was supposed to sleep there to continue his lessons on Aiel ways and customs； since he spent so much of his days with the chiefs。 They both knew that was a lie； though what the Wise Ones thought she could find out this way； he could not imagine。 She gave little grunts every now and then as she tugged at something； and muttered to herself。
To cover the sounds； and stop himself thinking of what they must mean； he said； 〃Melaine's wedding was impressive。 Did Bael really know nothing about it until Melaine and Dorindha told him？〃
〃Of course not；〃 she replied scornfully； pausing for what he thought was a stocking ing off。 〃Why should he know before Melaine laid the bridal wreath at his feet and asked him？〃 Abruptly she laughed。 〃Melaine nearly drove herself and Dorindha to distraction finding segade blossoms for the wreath。 Few grow so close to the Dragonwall。〃
〃Does that mean something special？ Segade blossoms？〃 That was what he had sent her； the flowers she had never acknowl