Chapter 32 Chapter 27 Assault on the King

Of course, getting to New Bream is not as easy as it sounds. "It's not wise, sister," said Aviendha grimly.At this time, Mo Ruili had already hurriedly got up to do some simple washing and tidying. When she opened the door, she looked cautiously to see if there were sea people around.One of Elayne's sisters ordered her to leave, and she immediately exited the living room.With her arms folded and the shawl wrapped around her shoulders, Aviendha looked very much like a wise man.She stood in the middle of the room, looking down at Elayne sitting at the desk. "Very unwise."

"Smart?" Bai Jitai spread his feet and fists on his waist, "Smart? Even if this girl is bitten by 'Smart', she won't know what it is! Why are you in such a hurry? Let Mo Riley does what the Grays do, and spends a few days or a week arranging negotiations. Queens hate being raided, and kings despise it. Believe me, I paid a lot for this, they must It will make you regret doing it." Anger and frustration radiated from the Warder's bondage. "I'm going to take action when they're not prepared, Birgitte, so maybe it can help me find out how much they know about me." Yilan pushed away the ink-stained stationery with some resentment, and started from the rosewood carved paper. Another sheet of letter paper was taken out of the box.Morrel's message took away her fatigue, but it was still difficult for her to write a smooth and clean handwriting, and the words had to be appropriate.It wasn't a letter from Princess Andor, but a letterhead from Aes Sedai Aes Sedai, Ilan Trankan, and it was what she wanted them to see, and she had to let them see.

"Damn it, Aviendha, make her understand something," Birgitte muttered, "If you can't do it, I'll have to see if I can organize a decent escort." "No escort, Birgitte, you come with me, Aes Sedai should take her Warder. And Aviendha, of course." Elayne stopped writing and smiled at her sister.Aviendha gave her a cold face in return. "Elayne, I know your courage," Aviendha said, "I appreciate it, but even Samad Khand knows when to be cautious!" Aviendha was talking about caution?She doesn't know what prudence is, unless...unless prudence bites her nose!

"Aes Sedai and her Warder?" Birgitte called. "I told you, now you can't venture around anymore!" "Don't guard!" Yilan said without doubt, dipped the pen into the ink, and started writing the letter again, "This is not an adventure, this is something that must be done." Birgitte spread his hands and cursed a few words.Elayne had never heard those words before. To Elayne's surprise, Dueling didn't object to being left behind.Talking to the four kings would certainly not be as boring as meeting the merchants, but instead he asked to stay and do his own work, since Elayne didn't need him for this meeting.This pleased Elayne, a captain of the royal guard would make the Borderlanders think of her as a princess, and it was hard to guarantee that Duelin wouldn't be there to flirt with her then.

But the rest of Elayne's guards were the exact opposite of Duilin.A female guard ran out, apparently looking for Kaselle.Not long after, before Elayne finished writing the letter, the tall Elafi woman strode into the living room, followed by Elayne's entire bodyguard.Finally, Birgitte had to stop her protest and ordered them all to leave.Birgitte seemed to finally understand that Elayne had no room for bargaining in this matter, so she and Caselle walked out of the living room to change clothes.She kept swearing and slamming the door when she left, but at least she was gone.She should have been happy to change out of this general uniform, but Elayne felt from the bondage that her dirty words were the truth.Aviendha didn't swear, but she kept blathering and warning Elayne about various things.It's just that Yilan still has a lot of things to do, and the current situation is quite chaotic, so she has enough reasons to ignore her sister's nagging.

Essende was called to prepare suitable clothes for Elayne, and Elayne hurriedly ate the lunch that was brought in advance.It was not she who had called this lunch, but Aviendha.Monale has said that skipping a meal is just as bad for the body as overeating.Aunt Harfur undertook the job of meeting the glassmaker and other delegations, but seeing her gloomy face when she bowed her head to accept the order, it was clear that this was definitely not a job she liked.Before leaving, she told Elayne that some goats had been found and that Elayne needed a lot of goat milk.Carene groaned when she learned that she would be teaching the Windfinder tonight, but at least she didn't object.Elayne wished she could be back in Caemlyn before sundown, by which time she would surely be too tired to teach the Windfinders.Regarding the upcoming talks, although Van Dien had a very deep understanding of the border countries, she did not make any suggestions to Elan.Elayne had studied the Borderlands as part of her education, and she had talked to the gray-haired Green Aes Sedai about how to deal with the Borderlands army.Elan really wanted Van Dien to go with her. A person who has lived in the border country for a long time may be able to see some details that she didn't notice, but Elan only dared to ask Van Dien how much he wanted at the end when Essende was dressing her. question, to go over what Van Dien had already told her.However, she realized that such self-comfort was unnecessary, and her mind was already highly concentrated, just like when Birgitte was drawing a bow.

Li En was finally found, and she was trying to convince a captured sin slave master to let her understand that the sin slave master is also a woman who can guide.Since seeing off Morilly, Li En has been weaving a passage in the stable yard to the same spot in Bream Forest every day.There wasn't a map of Bream Forest detailed enough at the palace for Morrel to be able to pinpoint the exact location of the Border Kingdom barracks.If Elayne and Aviendha were weaving the tunnel now, the distance between their entry into Brem Forest and the military camp would be more than ten miles.When Mo Ruili came back, there was no snow in Bream Forest, but it would take at least two hours to cover the ten miles of snow.Now Yilan just wants to save time as much as possible, and everyone must play at the fastest speed.

The seafolk must have sensed that something unusual was going on in the palace.Elan's female guards were running back and forth in the corridor, passing on various news, and kept bringing someone to see Elan, but Elan told all the people involved not to leak any information about this matter to the sea people.If Zaida asked to go with her when she found out about it, even if Elayne refused, she would let a Windfinder open the passage herself.The wave captain would complicate the situation, which was definitely not what Elayne wanted.Now, Zhai Da seems to be the master of this palace. If the kings of the border countries see this domineering Boss, then this negotiation will be ruined.It might have been better for them to see Dueling flirting with her.

Essender never seemed to know the rush, but the others managed to match Elayne's rhythm.When the sun rose to the zenith, Elayne was already sitting on Flameheart's back, walking slowly through the snow in Bream Forest.From Caemlyn to here, even a bird would have to fly almost two hundred miles, but Elayne only took one step, and entered the land, which was composed of tall pine trees, featherwoods, oak trees and other bare hardwoods. forest.Occasionally they saw a patch of meadow covered with a blanket of snow, covered only by the tracks of the hooves of Moriel's galloping horse.Mo Ruili took the first step and sent Elan's letter to the border country camp.Elayne, Aviendha, and Birgitte would reach the camp an hour after her.The road from Caemlyn to New Bream is several miles to the west, but it seems that there is no place for thousands of miles.

For Elayne, choosing clothing is as important as choosing armor.Her cloak was trimmed with ermine, but the cloak itself was only dark green wool, soft and thick; her riding clothes were green silk, without any decoration, and even her thick riding gloves were only dark green. Plain leather.This was how an Aes Sedai would be armed against a king, except without a sword.The only jewelry she wore was an amber brooch carved in the shape of a turtle, and if anyone was surprised to see it, so be it.Elayne's enemies were incapable of sending Borderlands troops to capture her, not even Elaida, but there were ten sisters there, or more.They might be Elaida's people, Elayne didn't intend to be tied back to the White Tower just like that.

"If we turn back now, it won't hurt our righteousness, Elayne." Aviendha frowned, still in Aiel attire, with a silver necklace and a thick ivory bracelet.The bay on her lap was strong, but a punch shorter than Fireheart and Birgitte's skinny gray.The name of this horse is Yu Jian, and it has a gentle personality and is easy to control.Now Avienda on horseback is much more relaxed than before. Her skirt is raised above her knees, revealing a pair of legs in black stockings. Apart from the shawl, she can't see anything to keep her warm. clothing.Unlike Birgitte, she still hasn't stopped persuading Elayne. "Surprises do have unexpected effects, but you also need their respect." "I can't leave Mo Rui Li," Elayne tried to be patient, maybe she didn't feel tired anymore, but she didn't have more energy to endure this endless lesson, she just didn't want to bite Ai Linda's nose, "She'll feel cheated when she brings my letter that's about to arrive and there's no one to wait for. Worse, I'll feel like a fool too." "It's better to feel like a fool than to really be a fool." Bai Jitai muttered in a low voice.Her dark cloak was spread out behind the saddle, and her long, intricately braided hair hung down to her waist from the opening of the hood, which she pulled up to leave her face exposed, the only thing she could do in a tangle. A concession made by the bitter cold wind of the snow.She didn't want her view to be blocked.And the tarpaulin on her bow box to keep the bow string dry was also opened, so that she could hold the bow in her hand at any time.Elayne had once asked her why she didn't wear a sword, and it had made her as angry as Elayne had been when she asked Aviendha that question.Birgitte knew about bows, but said that if she held a sword, she would probably cut herself first.Her green jacket and loose-leg trousers can blend in with the forest in spring and summer, but they stand out against the snow.Now she was the Warden, not the general of the Queen's Guards, and Birgitte was not as happy as Elayne imagined when she regained this status.In her bondage, the strong sense of vigilance is mixed with the same strong depression. Yilan sighed and exhaled a white breath: "You two know what I am here for, from the moment I made a decision, you have known. Why do you suddenly treat me like a blown glass bubble, lest you be caught? Broken?" The two men passed Elayne and exchanged a look. They were both waiting for the other to speak, but there was only silence, so they had to look forward in the silence.Suddenly, she knew. "After my baby is born," she said without expression, "you two will be her babysitters." Ming said that Elan was pregnant with a daughter, and Elan wondered if she told this too The two of them, maybe they had forgotten about it that drunken night.It would be better to have a son first, so that he can start his sword training before his sister arrives.But it is the daughter who has the right to inherit, and the lonely son will only be excluded.Elayne would love to have more children, but there is no indication that she will have another.May the light grant her more children of Rand, but she must be practical. "I don't need a babysitter myself." Aviendha's sunburned cheeks darkened in embarrassment, while Birgitte's face remained unchanged, but the same emotion as Aviendha's also passed down the binding. They walked slowly for about two hours, following in the footsteps left by Mori Li, and Elayne believed that they must be very close to the Border State camp.At this time, Bai Jitai suddenly pointed forward: "Shana people", and then stretched out his hand to pull the bow out of the bow box, the vigilance in the contract completely overwhelmed the depression.Aviendha touched the handle of the dagger on her belt, as if to make sure it was there. Some riders were waiting under the big trees beside Morrel's track, so still that Elayne almost thought they were part of the woods.It wasn't until she saw that strange Xana helmet that she knew that someone had come to greet her.Their mounts were not armored like Shanar's cavalry, but all Shanar warriors wore full armor, carrying long swords on their backs, and swords and maces hanging from their belts and saddles.They won't even blink.One of the Shaner warhorses flicked its tail, which seemed particularly abrupt among the group of people. When Elayne and her two companions reined in in front of the group of Shanars, a stern-faced Shanar officer greeted him, his armor looked like a pair of slender wings.He said in a hoarse voice: "Aes Sedai, Ilan, King Aisha will ensure your safety, and I will give you such a guarantee. I am Cain Yucata, Lord of Faison. If you and Your followers are harmed in our camp, then peace will abandon me, and the demon will eat my soul." Yilan didn't feel comforted by his words. The so-called promise to protect her safety only made her understand that there had been problems with security here, and perhaps these problems have not been resolved now. "Does the Aes Sedai need the safety guarantee of the Shanar?" Elayne began to use the self-control method she learned as a novice to keep calm, but strangely, she found that she didn't need to deliberately maintain her inner turmoil Not surprised. "You can lead the way, Lord Kain." Kain nodded, turned his mount and walked forward. Some Shanars glanced at Aviendha blankly, then followed behind them in silence, only the sound of horseshoes crushing the hard snow broke the silence.The Shanar camp was close in sight, and Elayne saw patrols in full armor.A few minutes later, they were walking between the Shaner camps.The area of ​​the entire camp seemed to be larger than Elan's imagination. Tents and bonfires were scattered among the trees, beyond the horizon at a glance. Rows of tied horses and vehicles also extended beyond Elan's sight.The soldiers all looked up curiously as Elayne and her escort passed by.The hard-faced men had all shaved their heads except for a tuft of black hair on top, which in some cases fell to their shoulders.Few wore full armor, but armor and weapons were kept within reach of every soldier.The smell wasn't as horrible as Morelil had described, but she could smell centaurs' excrement mixed with the aroma of food being cooked over the campfire.No one here showed any signs of hunger, but many people looked rather haggard. They were not hungry yet, but they must have not eaten fatty food for a long time.Elayne didn't see a barbecue spit on any of the bonfires. Meat was more difficult to obtain than grain, and in this deep winter, even grain was not easy to find. Hot soup alone would definitely not give a man strength.They need to get out of here as soon as possible, there is no place to sustain food supplies for such an army for long.Elayne needed to get them marching in the right direction. Not all the soldiers Elan saw here had their heads shaved. There were also artisans making feathered arrows, repairing carriages, and making horseshoes.Laundrymaids stirred the boiling cauldrons, tailors and soldier's wives mended, all with soldierly faces.An army often carries a large number of auxiliaries, sometimes as many as there are soldiers.But Elayne never saw the Aes Sedai.Sisters certainly don't roll up their sleeves, stir the laundry cauldron with sticks, or mend torn trousers, but why are they hiding?Elayne struggled not to embrace the Source, to draw saidar from the turtle-shaped artifact.Only one war can be waged at a time, and she must fight for Andor first. They came to an unusually tall white cloth peaked tent. Kain dismounted and helped Elan dismount.When he hesitated to help Birgitte and Aviendha, Birgitte had jumped off his horse and handed the reins to a soldier.Aviendha also got off the horse half-falling and jumping. Her riding skills had improved, but it was still very difficult for her to get on and off the horse.When she dismounted, Aviendha glared around to see who would dare to tease her.Then she brushed off the wide skirt, took the shawl off her head, and draped it over her shoulders.Birgitte stared at the led horse, as if he was still regretting not taking the bow and arrow off the saddle.Cain lifted the curtain and bowed to Elayne. Yilan took a deep breath and led her two companions into the tent. She could not let the border countrymen see her as a person who came to pray. She did not come here to seek, but to defend.When she was a child, Gareth Bren told her that sometimes, you will find that the opponent's strength far exceeds you, and you have nowhere to escape. Elan, at this time, your actions must exceed the enemy's expectations, and you must attack.She has to stay on the offensive from the start. As soon as Elayne stepped on the thick rug in the tent, Morelil walked over to her. There was little relief in the little Gray sister's smile, but she was clearly glad to see Elayne.Besides her, there were only five people in the tent, two women and three men, and one of the men came over to take the cloaks and gloves from Elayne's party.He should be a servant, but judging by his slightly bent legs and the scar on his face, he must have been a cavalryman before.He winked at Aviendha before retreating to a plain wooden table with a high necked jug and a row of glasses on a silver tray.The other four are the kings of the border countries.Apart from the table, the only furniture in the tent was a few backless marching chairs and four large braziers filled with hot coals. This was not the welcome scene Princess Andor should expect.There should be many servants and courtiers here, there should be a small chat before getting down to business, there should be counselors and counselors whispering advice to these rulers in their ears.But now this situation is exactly what she hoped for. Jasmine received treatment before leaving the palace, and the shadows in her eyes had disappeared. She introduced Elan with a dignified manner: "This is Elan Chuankan, the Aes Sedai of the Green Sect, just like I was before. As I told you." That's all.According to Van Dien's description, Elan has already figured out who the four people in front of him are. "Welcome, Aes Sedai Elayne," said Aisha of Shanar, "peace and light be upon you." He wasn't even taller than Elayne, and rather thin.He was wearing a bronze-colored coat, and the hair hanging on the side of his head was completely white, but there were no wrinkles on his face.Looking into his slightly sad eyes, Elayne reminded herself that King Aisha was considered a wise ruler, a smooth diplomat, and a mighty warrior, but outwardly, there was nothing about him have these qualities. "Want a drink? The mulled wine here isn't new, but age has given it a special punch." "When Morrel told us you'd be coming from Caemlyn today, I admit I wouldn't have believed her if she wasn't an Aes Sedai." Half a fist taller, she was a plump woman with a little gray hair in her black hair. She had a smile on her face, but she didn't have the slightest sense of kindness.She wore a blue wool dress of exquisite craftsmanship, and the majesty of the king seemed to put on another layer of finery.Her eyes are also blue, clear and calm. "We're glad to see you here," Beta of Elafie had a surprisingly thick and beautiful voice, and his voice made Elayne feel warm and cozy. "We have many things to discuss with you," Van Dien said. However, he is the most beautiful man in the border country, but it may have been a long time ago, and time has left deep wrinkles on his face, only some gray short hair on the forehead.In his plain green coat, he was tall, broad-shouldered, and rather muscular, but he was certainly not stupid. While the other kings showed the grace and elegance left to them by the years, Tenobi was showing off her youth.Although she is not a beauty, her aquiline nose is too high and pointed, and her mouth is too big, but her eyes are almost purple, and the corners of the eyes are turned up. They are the most beautiful parts of her face, maybe her The only beautiful thing about it was that the eyes were looking directly at Elayne now.The other three kings were dressed rather simply, but her light blue dress was studded with pearls and sapphires, and more sapphires adorned her hair, which was worn at court but would have been out of place in a barracks.The first three kings kept their etiquette, but she... "By the light, Aes Sedai Morrelly, I know you're telling the truth, but she looks more like a child than an Aes Sedai. You didn't say She'll bring an Aiel with black eyes, though," she said, frowning and her voice high. Aisha's expression didn't change, but Beta's lips tightened.Eisenle glanced at Tenobi like a mother looking at her daughter, a very annoyed mother. "Black eyes?" Aviendha muttered in confusion. "My eyes are not black. Before I crossed the dragon's wall, I've only seen peddlers with black eyes." "You know, Tenobi, I can only tell the truth. I assure you that what I tell you is the truth," said Morrelly. Elayne pinned Morilly's arm to prevent her from speaking: "All you need to know is that I am an Aes Sedai, Tenobi, and this is my sister, Eileen of the Nine Valley Clan of Tadade Aiel. Da." Aviendha smiled at the four kings, or at least bared her teeth. "This is my protector, Ms. Birgitte Taherin." Birgitte bowed slightly, and her golden braids swayed accordingly. Elayne's introduction to the two companions surprised those borderlanders—is the Aiel woman her sister?Her protector is still a woman?But these four kings ruled right next to the Fairylands, where nightmares materialize in the daytime, too, and anyone who likes to make a fuss won't last long in the Borderlands.But Elayne didn't give them a chance to calm down.Attack before they know what you're going to do, Gareth Bren told her, and keep attacking until you break 'em. "Shouldn't our polite words stop here?" Elayne said, picking up a glass of mulled wine from the tray the veteran had brought.A sense of warning surged from the Warden's bondage.Aviendha stared sideways at the glass in her hand.But Elayne didn't intend to drink, she just wanted to see how they would react. "Only a fool would think you're here to invade Andor." She walked to a chair and sat down.Regardless of whether those Borderlanders were kings or not, they had no choice but to follow her or watch her back.Of course, there is Birgitte's back, and the guardian will follow her closely.As usual, Aviendha sat cross-legged on the carpet, spreading her skirt into a standard fan shape.They finally came over. "Dragon Reborn brought you here," Elayne said, "and you also asked to see me because I was in Famei. The question is, why is this so important to you? You think I can tell you more What happened there, thought I knew more than you? The horn of Valer was sounded, and the legendary heroes came to face the Seanchan invaders. The Dragon Reborn fought the shadows in the sky, and all Everyone has seen his majesty, and if you know that, you know as much as I do." "Adjourn?" Tenobi said in disbelief, her body stopped halfway when she was about to sit down, and then she fell heavily on the chair, making the marching chair whine as if it was about to disintegrate. "No one wants to see you! Even if you already own the Throne of Andor!" "Don't digress, Tenobi," Peta interrupted her gently.He was still standing, taking a sip of the mulled wine now and then, and Elayne was glad to see the lines in his face, and Beta's voice would have mesmerized any woman.Eisenle took another quick glance at Tenobi before sitting down and muttered something under his breath, and Elayne thought she heard her say "marry" in a rueful tone, but Elayne had no idea what she was mean.Anyway, once she was settled in her chair, she turned her attention to Elayne: "I might like your tough attitude in any other time, Aes Sedai Elayne, but ambushed and killed." Not a pleasant thing to do, especially when your allies helped arrange the ambush." Tenobi frowned, but Eisenle's piercing eyes did not glance at her again.Queen Kando solemnly said to Elan: "What happened in Famei Town is not that important, no, Beta, we must tell her clearly what should be said, she already knows too much. Elan, we know , you were Dragon Reborn's companion and maybe his friend when you were in Famei. You are right, we are not invaders, we are here to find Dragon Reborn. But we have traveled a long way to get here, but Turned out nobody knew how to find him. Do you know where he is?" Elayne hid her relief at the abrupt question.They wouldn't have asked her that if they thought she and Rand were more than companions and friends.She would respond to them with the same directness.Attack, keep attacking. "Why do you want to find him? Your messengers can send him all the messages you want to tell him." This question is as effective as asking why they brought such a large army. Aisha didn't drink or sit down. He put his fists on his waist and said solemnly: "The war against the shadows has been going on in the demon realm, and the final war will also break out in the demon realm. Our final battlefield is in Shayao Valley. And he completely forgot about the Borderlands, just staying in lands where no Wardawal has been seen since the Trolloc Wars." "Kayaken will decide where to dance the spear dance, Wetlanders," Aviendha snorted, "and if you follow him, fight where he points." No one looked at her, They were all looking at Aviendha, and no one accepted Aviendha's provocation. Elayne kept her breathing steady and met their eyes without blinking.A Borderlands army so powerful couldn't have been Elaida's trap for Elayne Trangkan, but Rand Arthur the Reborn was different.Mo Ruili shifted her body on the chair. Elayne had given her an order. No matter how many treaties this Gray sister had presided over, once Elayne started to speak, she must remain silent.Confidence flows from Birgitte's bondage; Rand's is a solid rock, unreadable, far away. "Do you know what the White Tower announced about him?" Elayne asked calmly.They must have known by now. "The White Tower claims that anyone who comes into contact with him without the White Tower's permission will be cursed." Beta maintained the same calm attitude.He finally sat down and looked at Elayne seriously. "You're an Aes Sedai, but this applies to you as well." "The White Tower's fingers are stretched too far," Tenobi muttered, "No, Eisenle, I'm going to say this! The whole world knows that the White Tower is divided. Elayne, you are following Ari Da or those rebels?" "This world thinks it knows a lot, but in fact it knows very little." Mo Ruili's voice seemed to have lowered the temperature in the tent quite a bit.The little woman who could turn with Elayne's fingertips and moan under the gaze of the Windseeker sat firmly on the chair, looking directly at Tenobi.The Aes Sedai's flawless face was as cold as frost. "Only the people in the White Tower know about the White Tower. If you want to know, Tenobi, you must first request that your name be entered in the roster of beginners. After twenty years, you may know a little bit. " The Shining King, Tainobi S Bashere Kazadi, Shield of the North, Sword of the Fairyland, Head of the Kazadi Family, Shahaini, Esner, Kunwo and Gan Lord Resistance glared at Morrel, eyes blazing with fury like a storm, but she said nothing.Elayne had a little more respect for Morrel. It didn't bother Elayne that Morielle disobeyed Elayne's orders.She saved Elayne from having to lie about Tenobi's problems.Egwene had told her that she should regard herself as a true Aes Sedai and that she had taken the Three Oaths, and now Elayne felt the importance of this instruction.She wasn't the Queen of Andor who was trying to claim her mother's throne, at least not only that, she was an Aes Sedai, so she had to be careful with her words and not just hide what she wanted to hide. "I don't know his exact location." This is the truth, she can only point out the general direction where he is, which should be close to Tyre, but she doesn't know how far it is from here, and she doesn't trust them, and she doesn't even dare to put This direction tells them.She had to judge carefully what to say and how to say it. "I just know roughly where he plans to stay for a while now." He hadn't moved for several days in a row, and before that, he had never stayed in one place for more than half a day. "I'll tell you what I know as best I can, but you agree to march south within a week. Either way, the longer you linger here, the more your barley will be used up like your meat. I promise you , go south and you'll be close to the Dragon Reborn." At least when they started going south, they'd be close to him. Beta shook his bald head: "You want us to enter Andor? Aes Sedai Elayne, or should I call you Your Highness Elayne? I hope the light will protect you and get the crown of Andor, but this is not enough to let us go to Andor." My men fight for you." "Aes Sedai and Elayne are one and the same," she told them. "I am not asking you to fight for me, in fact, I hope with all my heart that you will pass through Andor without letting your swords I saw the sun once." She raised her glass, moistened her lips, but still didn't take a sip.The vigilance surged through the Warder's bondage again, and Elan couldn't help but smile.Aviendha looked at him out of the corner of her eye, frowning, and even then they were still guarding her, the mother-to-be. "It's nice that someone thinks this kind of thing is funny." Eisenle said coldly, "Beta, you should learn to think like a southerner, they are playing power games here, and she is probably already familiar with it. I've always heard that the Darst Mars were created by Aes Sedai." "Think about her strategy, Beta," Aisha scrutinized Elayne with a smile on his face. "We are moving towards Caemlyn as invaders, and all Andors will see us. The winter here is mild." Yes, but we still need a few weeks to reach Caemlyn. This time is long enough for her to gather the great families of Andor against us. At that time, she will get the Lion Throne. At least enough people will come to her Swear allegiance, and no one else has the strength to resist her." Tenobi moved on the chair, frowned and straightened her skirt, but when she looked at Elan, there was a look in her eyes that she had never seen before. There have been homage. "When we reach Caemlyn, Aes Sedai, Elayn," Eisenler said, "you will... lead us safely out of Andor." There wasn't much doubt in those words. "Very clever indeed." "If everything goes according to her plan," the smile on Aisha's face receded, he held out a hand without looking, and the veteran put a glass of wine in his hand, "then there will be no war Happened, bloody or bloodless." "I very much hope that not a single drop of blood was shed in this incident," Elan said.Light, it must be so, or she will not only fail to save her country from civil war, but will drag Andor into an even greater disaster. "I will work hard to realize my plan, and I believe you will help me with all your strength." "Do you still know where my Uncle Daphron is, Aes Sedai Elayne?" Tenobi said suddenly, "Daphron Bashere, I want to see him as badly as I want to see the Dragon Reborn Same." “巴歇尔领主就在距离凯姆林不远的地方，泰诺比，但我无法承诺当你到达那里时他还没有离开。你对这样的答案满意吗？”伊兰将精神集中在呼吸上，以此隐藏自己的焦虑。她已经无法回头了。现在她能够确定，他们会向南进军，但如果她现在无法和他们达成协议，安多一定会血流成河。 很长一段时间里，帐篷中只有火盆中火焰的噼啪声，艾森勒和另外两个男人交换着眼神。 “只要我能看到我的舅舅，”泰诺比有些激动地说，“我同意。” “以我的荣誉起誓，我同意。”艾沙果决地说道。紧接着是培塔略显温和的声音：“光明在上，我同意。” “那么我们就达成协议了，”艾森勒喘了一口气，“现在该你说了，两仪师伊兰，我们要去哪里才能找到转生真龙？” 一阵颤栗穿过伊兰的身体，她说不出这是欢喜还是恐惧。她已经实现了来这里的目标，也让自己和安多都承受了风险，现在只有时间能告诉她是否做出了正确的决定。她毫不犹豫地答道：“我告诉过你们了，我无法确定他在哪里，不过你们在莫兰迪找一找也许会有好处。”这是实话，但好处是属于她的，而不是他们的。今天，艾雯从莫兰迪出发了，带走了她的军队，而爱拉瑟勒·任厦和其他南方贵族的士兵正是被这支军队牵制着，才不敢轻举妄动。也许边境国的军队能够逼迫爱拉瑟勒、鲁安和佩利瓦做出支持她的决定。戴玲相信他们会这么做，但伊兰一直没看见他们行动。愿光明实现她的目标。 除了泰诺比之外，这些边境国人似乎并没有因为知道该去哪里寻找兰德而感到喜悦。艾森勒长长地呼出一口气，几乎就像一声叹息。艾沙点了一下头，若有所思地咬住嘴唇。培塔喝下了半杯酒，这是他开始会谈以来第一次真正喝酒。看样子，不管他们多么想要找到转生真龙，他们肯定不急着见到他。泰诺比则让那名老兵再给她一杯酒，并继续说着她是多么想要见到她的舅舅。伊兰没想到这个女人会有这么重的家庭观。 在一年里的这个时候，黑夜来得很早，现在白天只剩下一两个小时了。艾沙建议伊兰可以在他的营地中过夜，艾森勒则认为她的帐篷会更舒适，不过，当伊兰宣称她必须立刻离开时，他们丝毫没有显露出任何遗憾的表情。 “你能如此迅速地跨越遥远的距离，这的确不同寻常，”艾森勒喃喃地说道，“我听两仪师提起过神行术，那是一种已经失传的异能？” “你在这一路上遇到过许多姐妹吗？”伊兰问。 “遇到过一些，”艾森勒答道，“现在到处都是两仪师。”就连泰诺比也突然变得面无表情了。 伊兰等待着柏姬泰将斗篷披到她的肩头，然后点了点头：“原来是这样。能将我们的马牵来吗？” 在离开帐篷，走进树林之前，他们没有再说话。屎尿的气味在营地中并不明显，但伊兰还是觉得这里的空气要清新许多，雪也变得更白了。 “你很安静，柏姬泰。”艾玲达一边说，一边还用脚跟踢着枣红马的肋骨，她一直都认为这头畜生不踢一踢就不会向前走。 “护法不会代替她的两仪师说话，该死的护法只能听，只能看好她的后背。”柏姬泰不以为然地回答道。在这座森林里，在如此靠近夏纳人营地的地方，应该不会有东西威胁到她们，但柏姬泰的弓匣依然敞开着，她的眼睛也不断地在树林间搜索着。 “这比我习惯的谈判要草率得多，伊兰，”茉瑞莉说，“一般情况下，这样的谈判要持续数天甚至数周，或是几个月。你很幸运，他们不是阿拉多曼人，或者凯瑞安人。”她陷入了思索。“边境国人直率坦诚，容易对付。” 直率坦诚？伊兰微微摇着头，他们想要找到兰德，却不说是为什么。他们也隐瞒了姐妹们的存在。但至少在他们向莫兰迪进军之后会逐渐远离他。现在必须这样，而且她必须警告他，但得先找到不会给他带来危险的办法。照顾好他，明，她想着，为我们照顾好他。 离开营地几里之后，伊兰勒住马，开始像柏姬泰一样搜索这座森林，尤其是她们身后的方向。太阳已经低垂到树梢上。一只白狐狸一闪即逝，有什么东西在光秃秃的树枝上闪动了一下，也许是一只鸟，或是一只松鼠。一头黑鹰突然从天空落下，一声尖叫戛然而止。没有人跟踪他们。她担心的不是夏纳人，而是那些躲藏起来的姐妹。在茉瑞莉带来讯息时，消失的疲惫感在她和边境国人达成协议后就回来了。她现在只想以最快的速度爬上床，但她不想让她不知道的姐妹看到她如何编织通道。 她可以编织一个连接宫中马厩院子的通道，但这样有可能会杀死某个恰巧经过那里的人，所以她让通道连接到另一个她熟悉的地方。她太累了，所以费了很大的力气才将这个编织完成。而直到那根垂直的细线凭空出现，打开，对面露出一片完全被白雪覆盖的草地时，她才想到自己没有使用别在胸前的法器。这里是凯姆林南边的一片草原，加雷斯·布伦经常会带她来这里观看女王卫兵的骑术演练，只要加雷斯一声令下，许多骑兵小队就会排列成整齐的四列纵队。 “你就这么看着它吗？”柏姬泰问。 伊兰眨了眨眼。艾玲达和茉瑞莉正关切地看着她，柏姬泰的脸上看不到任何表情，但约缚中流露出明显的担忧。 “我只是在思考。”伊兰踢了一下焰心，走过通道。床实在是太美妙了。 从这片旧训练场到四十尺高的白色城墙之间的路程并不远，在靠近城门的地方，道路两旁的市场建筑现在都空荡荡的，但目光犀利的卫兵们仍然在监视这里的动静。当伊兰和她的同伴走进城门时，守门的卫兵盯着她们，却没认出她来，他们应该都是佣兵。除非伊兰坐在狮子王座上，否则他们根本不会知道她是谁。如果光明眷顾她，如果她的运气够好，他们会在那个王座上看到她的。 夜幕正迅速落下，天空变成深灰色，拉长的阴影覆盖了街道，她们偶尔还能见到一个正忙着完成工作，回家去吃晚饭，享受炉火的人。两名轿夫抬着一顶黑漆商人的轿子从前方一条街道小跑过去。片刻之后，又有一辆由八匹马拉着的马车辚辚驶过。箍铁车轮撞击石板地面，发出震耳欲聋的响声。某个地方又发生了一起火灾，现在晚上经常会发生火灾。四名卫兵策马从她身边走过，甚至没多看她一眼；就像城门口那些卫兵一样，他们不认识她。 她在马鞍上摇晃着，心里想着温暖的床，突然间，她吃惊地意识到自己被从马鞍上抱了下来。她睁开眼睛（她并不记得自己闭上过眼睛），发现自己被柏姬泰抱在怀里，进入王宫。“放我下来，”她疲倦地说道，“我还能走。” “你已经站不起来了，”柏姬泰在喝斥她，“不要乱动。” “你现在不能见她！”艾玲达大声说着。 “她需要休息，诺瑞总管，”茉瑞莉以坚定的语气说道，“明天再来吧。” “请原谅，但这不能等到明天。”诺瑞回答。奇怪的是，这次他的语气相当坚定：“我请求立刻觐见她！” 伊兰克制住晕眩的感觉，抬起头。哈文·诺瑞仍然将他的皮制资料夹紧紧抱在干瘦的胸前，这位无论谈论王冠还是谈论修理屋顶都是一副淡漠表情的职员总管，现在却拼命蹦跳着，想要从艾玲达和茉瑞莉中间闯过来。她们各拉着他的一只手，努力要把他向后拖。 “放我下来，柏姬泰。”伊兰又说了一遍。让她惊讶的是，柏姬泰听命了，不过仍扶着伊兰。伊兰很感谢柏姬泰，因为她觉得自己的两条腿其实没办法支撑太久。“出了什么事，诺瑞总管？艾玲达、茉瑞莉，放开他。” 职员总管刚摆脱两个女人的牵制，就立刻跑了过来。“殿下，您离开后很快就有讯息传来。”现在他的声音一点也不平稳了，忧虑堆满他的眉头，“有四支军队……他们的规模应该都不算大。光明啊，就在不久之前，五千人也可以算是一支军队呢。”他揉搓着自己光秃秃的头顶，把他耳后的雪白毛发弄得更加凌乱了。“有四支小规模军队正从东方逼近凯姆林。”他的语气终于稍稍恢复了正常。“他们在一周内就会到达这里，他们一共有两到三万人，对此我还无法确认。”他将资料夹朝伊兰略微伸了伸，仿佛是要让伊兰看看里面的文件。直到现在，他的表情仍然相当激动。 “是谁的军队？”伊兰问。爱伦娜和娜埃安在东边都有领地和军队，但她们不可能召集到两万人，而且积雪和泥泞应该能拦住她们，直到春天。“应该”和“结果”之间没有任何关系，伊兰似乎听到了莉妮苍老的声音。 “我不知道，殿下，”诺瑞回答，“现在还不知道。” 伊兰并不真的关心这些军队的主人是谁，关键是他们正朝这里前进。“诺瑞总管，我希望你在天亮时将城墙外能找到的食物全部收购下来，运进城里。柏姬泰，让负责征募佣兵的旗手宣布，所有佣兵还有四天时间接受征募奖金，加入女王卫兵，否则他们就必须离开凯姆林。诺瑞总管，也要向城里的所有人发布类似的公告。想要在城市被围攻之前离开的人现在就走，这样会减少我们需要喂养的人口，应该还能促使更多的人加入我们的部队。”她推开柏姬泰，大步向自己的寓所走去，其他人只得紧跟在她的身后。“茉瑞莉，向家人和亚桑米亚尔通知这件事，她们也许不想留在被围攻的城市中。柏姬泰，把地图拿到我的寓所。还有，诺瑞总管……” 现在没时间睡觉，没时间疲惫，她需要守卫这座城市。