The Eye of the World_46 Flashcards
Or never.
Or never.
[shikashi] on the [sonota] [saido], he could see what was under the [hashi], holding it up.
But on the other side, he could see what was under the bridge, holding it up.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Less than a [supan] in [atsusa], and absolutely nothing underneath.
Less than a span in thickness, and absolutely nothing underneath.
Abruptly the [ishi] under his [ashi] seemed as thin as [kami], and the endless [otosu, shizuku] over the [hashi] pulled at him.
Abruptly the stone under his feet seemed as thin as paper, and the endless drop over the edge pulled at him.
The [rantan] and [pōru] seemed suddenly heavy enough to [puru] him [migi] out of the [sadoru].
The lantern and pole seemed suddenly heavy enough to pull him right out of the saddle.
[atama] spinning, he backed the [bei] away from the [abisu] as cautiously as he had approached.
Head spinning, he backed the bay away from the abyss as cautiously as he had approached.
“Is it to this you’ve brought us, Aes Sedai?”
“Is it to this you’ve brought us, Aes Sedai?”
Nynaeve said.
Nynaeve said.
“All this just to find out we have to go back to Caemlyn after all?”
“All this just to find out we have to go back to Caemlyn after all?”
“We do not have to go back,”
“We do not have to go back,”
Moiraine said.
Moiraine said.
“Not all the [michi] to Caemlyn.
“Not all the way to Caemlyn.
There are many [michisuji] along the [hōhō] to any [basho].
There are many paths along the Ways to any place.
We must only go back far enough for Loial to find another [michisuji] that will [rīdo] to [faru] Data.
We need only go back far enough for Loial to find another path that will lead to Fal Data.
Loial?
Loial?
Loial!”
Loial!”
The Ogier pulled himself away from staring at the [kangeki] with a visible [doryoku].
The Ogier pulled himself away from staring at the gap with a visible effort.
“What?
“What?
Oh.
Oh.
Yes, Aes Sedai.
Yes, Aes Sedai.
I can find another [michisuji].
I can find another path.
I had…”
I had…”
His [me] drifted back to the [wareme], and his [mimi] twitched.
His eyes drifted back to the chasm, and his ears twitched.
“I had not dreamed the [hōkai] had gone so far.
“I had not dreamed the decay had gone so far.
[baai] the [hashi] themselves are breaking, it may be that I cannot find the [michisuji] you want.
If the bridges themselves are breaking, it may be that I cannot find the path you want.
It may be that I cannot find a [michisuji] back, either.
It may be that I cannot find a path back, either.
The [hashi] could be falling behind us even now.”
The bridges could be falling behind us even now.”
“There has to be a [michi],”
“There has to be a way,”
Perrin said, his [koe] [furatto].
Perrin said, his voice flat.
His [me] seemed to [atsumaru] the [hikari], to [kagayaki] golden.
His eyes seemed to gather the light, to glow golden.
A [ōkami] at [bei], Rand [shikō], startled.
A wolf at bay, Rand thought, startled.
That’s what he [rukkusu] like.
That’s what he looks like.
“It will be as the [hoīru] weaves,”
“It will be as the Wheel weaves,”
Moiraine said, “[shikashi] I do not [shinjiru] the [hōkai] is as fast as you [kyōfu].
Moiraine said, “but I do not believe the decay is as fast as you fear.
[hyōjō] at the [ishi], Loial.
Look at the stone, Loial.
Even I can tell that this is an old [kyūkei].”
Even I can tell that this is an old break.”
“Yes,”
“Yes,”
Loial said slowly.
Loial said slowly.
“Yes, Aes Sedai.
“Yes, Aes Sedai.
I can see it.
I can see it.
There is no [ame] or [kaze] here, [shikashi] that [ishi] has been in the [kūki] for ten [toshi], at least.”
There is no rain or wind here, but that stone has been in the air for ten years, at least.”
He nodded with a relieved grin, so happy with the [hakken] that for a [shunkan] he seemed to forget his [kyōfu].
He nodded with a relieved grin, so happy with the discovery that for a moment he seemed to forget his fear.
Then he looked around and shrugged uncomfortably.
Then he looked around and shrugged uncomfortably.
“I could find [sonota] [michisuji] more easily than Mafal Dadaranell.
“I could find other paths more easily than Mafal Dadaranell.
[tāru] Valon, for [insutansu]?
Tar Valon, for instance?
Or Stedding Shangtai.
Or Stedding Shangtai.
It’s only three [hashi] to Stedding Shangtai from the [saigo] [shima].
It’s only three bridges to Stedding Shangtai from the last Island.
I suppose the [chōrō] want to [hanashi] to me by this [jikan].”
I suppose the Elders want to talk to me by this time.”
“[faru] Dara, Loial,”
“Fal Dara, Loial,”
Moiraine said firmly.
Moiraine said firmly.
“The [me] of the [sekai] lies beyond [faru] Dara, and we must [rīchi] the [me].”
“The Eye of the World lies beyond Fal Dara, and we must reach the Eye.”
“[faru] Dara,”
“Fal Dara,”
the Ogier agreed reluctantly.
the Ogier agreed reluctantly.
back at the [shima] Loial pored over the [sukuriputo]-covered [surabu] intently, drooping [mayuge] drawn down as he muttered [hanbun] to himself.
Back at the Island Loial pored over the script-covered slab intently, drooping eyebrows drawn down as he muttered half to himself.
Soon he was talking completely to himself, for he dropped into the Ogier [gengo].
Soon he was talking completely to himself, for he dropped into the Ogier language.
That inflected [shita] sounded like [fukai]-voiced [tori] singing.
That inflected tongue sounded like deep-voiced birds singing.
It seemed odd to Rand that a [hitobito] so big had such a musical [gengo].
It seemed odd to Rand that a people so big had such a musical language.
Finally the Ogier nodded.
Finally the Ogier nodded.
As he led them to the chosen [hashi], he turned to [pia] forlornly at the [michishirube] beside another.
As he led them to the chosen bridge, he turned to peer forlornly at the signpost beside another.
“Three [kōsa] to Stedding Shangtai.”
“Three crossings to Stedding Shangtai.”
He sighed.
He sighed.
[shikashi] he took them on past without stopping and turned onto the third [hashi] beyond.
But he took them on past without stopping and turned onto the third bridge beyond.
He looked back regretfully as they started across, though the [hashi] to his home was hidden in the [kurai].
He looked back regretfully as they started across, though the bridge to his home was hidden in the dark.
Rand took the [bei] up beside the Ogier.
Rand took the bay up beside the Ogier.
“When this is over, Loial, you [shō] me your stedding, and I’ll [shō] you Emond’s [ryōiki].
“When this is over, Loial, you show me your stedding, and I’ll show you Emond’s Field.
No [hōhō], though.
No Ways, though.
We’ll [sanpo], or [noru], [baai] it takes all [natsu].”
We’ll walk, or ride, if it takes all summer.”
“You [shinjiru] it will ever be over, Rand?”
“You believe it will ever be over, Rand?”
He frowned at the Ogier.
He frowned at the Ogier.
“You said it would take two [hi] to [rīchi] [faru] Dara.”
“You said it would take two days to reach Fal Dara.”
“Not the [hōhō], Rand.
“Not the Ways, Rand.
All the [nokori].”
All the rest.”
Loial looked over his [kata] at the Aes Sedai, talking softly with Lan as they rode [saido]-by-[saido].
Loial looked over his shoulder at the Aes Sedai, talking softly with Lan as they rode side-by-side.
“What makes you [shinjiru] it will ever be over?”
“What makes you believe it will ever be over?”
The [hashi] and [ranpu] led up and down and across.
The bridges and ramps led up and down and across.
Sometimes a [shiroi] [rain] hashitta off into the [kurai] from the [gaido], just like the [rain] they had followed from the Waygate in Caemlyn.
Sometimes a white line ran off into the dark from the Guiding, just like the line they had followed from the Waygate in Caemlyn.
Rand [mimashita] that he was not the only one who eyed those [rain] curiously, and a little wistfully.
Rand saw that he was not the only one who eyed those lines curiously, and a little wistfully.
Nynaeve, Perrin, Mat, and even Egwene left the [rain] reluctantly.
Nynaeve, Perrin, Mat, and even Egwene left the lines reluctantly.
There was a Waygate at the [sonota] [owari] of each of them, a [mon] back into the [sekai], where there was [sora] and [nichi] and [kaze].
There was a Waygate at the other end of each of them, a gate back into the world, where there was sky and sun and wind.
Even the [kaze] would have been [yōkoso].
Even the wind would have been welcome.
[kyūka] them they did, under the Aes Sedai’s sharp [me].
Leave them they did, under the Aes Sedai’s sharp eye.
[shikashi] Rand was not the only one to [hyōjō] back even after [kurai] swallowed [shima] and [gaido] and [rain].
But Rand was not the only one to look back even after dark swallowed Island and Guiding and line.
Rand was yawning by the [jikan] Moiraine announced that they would [teishi] for the [yoru, kishi_knt] on one of the [shotō].
Rand was yawning by the time Moiraine announced that they would stop for the night on one of the Islands.
Mat looked at the [kurosa] all around them and snickered loudly, [shikashi] he got down as quickly as anyone else.
Mat looked at the blackness all around them and snickered loudly, but he got down as quickly as anyone else.
Lan and the [otokonoko] unsaddled and hobbled the [uma] [dōjini, tsutsu, issun] Nynaeve and Egwene set up a small [abura] [sutōbu] to make [ocha].
Lan and the boys unsaddled and hobbled the horses while Nynaeve and Egwene set up a small oil stove to make tea.
Looking like the [bēsu] of a [rantan], it was what Lan said [kanshu] used in the [kōhai], where the [mokuzai] could be dangerous to [yakedo].
Looking like the base of a lantern, it was what Lan said Warders used in the Blight, where the wood could be dangerous to burn.
The [kanshu] produced [sankyaku] [ashi] from the [basuketto] they took off the [niuma], so the [rantan] [pōru] could be set in a [sākuru] around their campsite.
The Warder produced tripod legs from the baskets they took off the packhorse, so the lantern poles could be set in a circle around their campsite.
Loial examined the [gaido] for a [shunkan], then dropped down [kurosu] legged and rubbed a [te] across the dusty, pockmarked [ishi].
Loial examined the Guiding for a moment, then dropped down cross legged and rubbed a hand across the dusty, pockmarked stone.
“Once [monogoto] grew on the [shotō],”
“Once things grew on the Islands,”
he said sadly.
he said sadly.
“All the [bukku] tell of it.
“All the books tell of it.
There was [midori] [kusa] to [suimin] on, soft as any [hane] [shindai].
There was green grass to sleep on, soft as any feather bed.
[furūtsu] [kigi] to [supaisu] the [tabemono] you’d brought with an [ringo] or a [nashi] or a bellfruit, [amai] and crisp and juicy whatever the [jikan] of [toshi] [soto ni].”
Fruit trees to spice the food you’d brought with an apple or a pear or a bellfruit, sweet and crisp and juicy whatever the time of year outside.”
“Nothing to [kari],”
“Nothing to hunt,”
Perrin growled, then looked surprised that he had spoken.
Perrin growled, then looked surprised that he had spoken.
Egwene handed Loial a [chawan] of [ocha].
Egwene handed Loial a cup of tea.
He held it without drinking, staring at it as [baai] he could find the [furūtsu] [kigi] in its [fukasa].
He held it without drinking, staring at it as if he could find the fruit trees in its depths.
“Aren’t you going to set [byōtō]?”
“Aren’t you going to set wards?”
Nynaeve asked Moiraine.
Nynaeve asked Moiraine.
“Surely there must be worse than [ratto] in this.
“Surely there must be worse than rats in this.
Even [baai] I haven’t seen anything, I can still feel.”
Even if I haven’t seen anything, I can still feel.”
The Aes Sedai rubbed her [yubi] against her [tenohira] distastefully.
The Aes Sedai rubbed her fingers against her palms distastefully.
“You feel the [osen], the [fuhai] of the [dengen o on ni shimasu] that made the [hōhō].
“You feel the taint, the corruption of the Power that made the Ways.
I will not [shiyō] the One [dengen o on ni shimasu] in the [hōhō] unless I must.
I will not use the One Power in the Ways unless I must.
The [osen] is so strong that whatever I tried to do would surely be corrupted.”
The taint is so strong that whatever I tried to do would surely be corrupted.”
That made everyone as silent as Loial.
That made everyone as silent as Loial.
Lan settled down to his [shokuji] methodically, as [baai] he were stoking a [kasai], the [tabemono] less important than fueling his [bodi].
Lan settled down to his meal methodically, as if he were stoking a fire, the food less important than fueling his body.
Moiraine ate [yoku], too, and as tidily as [baai] they were not squatting on bare [ishi] quite literally in the [mannaka] of nowhere, [shikashi] Rand only picked at his [tabemono].
Moiraine ate well, too, and as tidily as if they were not squatting on bare stone quite literally in the middle of nowhere, but Rand only picked at his food.
The tiny [honoo] of the [abura] [sutōbu] gave just enough [netsu] to boil [mizu], [shikashi] he crouched toward it as [baai] he could soak up [atataka].
The tiny flame of the oil stove gave just enough heat to boil water, but he crouched toward it as if he could soak up warmth.
His [kata] brushed Mat and Perrin.
His shoulders brushed Mat and Perrin.
They all made a tight [sākuru] around the [sutōbu].
They all made a tight circle around the stove.
Mat held his [pan] and [niku] and [chīzu] forgotten in his [te], and Perrin set his [suzu] [purēto] down after only a few bites.
Mat held his bread and meat and cheese forgotten in his hands, and Perrin set his tin plate down after only a few bites.
The [kibun] became more and more glum, and everyone looked down, avoiding the [kurai] around them.
The mood became more and more glum, and everyone looked down, avoiding the dark around them.
Moiraine studied them as she ate.
Moiraine studied them as she ate.
Finally she put her [purēto] aside and patted her [kuchibiru] with a [napukin].
Finally she put her plate aside and patted her lips with a napkin.
“I can tell you one cheerful [koto].
“I can tell you one cheerful thing.
I do not think Thom Merrilin is [shin da].”
I do not think Thom Merrilin is dead.”
Rand looked at her sharply.
Rand looked at her sharply.
“[shikashi]…
“But…
the Fade…”
the Fade…”
“Mat told me what happened in Whitebridge,”
“Mat told me what happened in Whitebridge,”
the Aes Sedai said.
the Aes Sedai said.
“[hitobito] there mentioned a [ginyūshijin], [shikashi] they said nothing of him dying.
“People there mentioned a gleeman, but they said nothing of him dying.
They would have, I think, [baai] a [ginyūshijin] had been killed.
They would have, I think, if a gleeman had been killed.
Whitebridge is not so big as for a [ginyūshijin] to be a small [koto].
Whitebridge is not so big as for a gleeman to be a small thing.
And Thom is a [ichibu] of the [moyō] that weaves itself around you three.
And Thom is a part of the Pattern that weaves itself around you three.
Too important a [ichibu], I [shinjiru], to be cut off yet.”
Too important a part, I believe, to be cut off yet.”
Too important?
Too important?
Rand [shikō].
Rand thought.
How could Moiraine know…?
How could Moiraine know…?
“[min]?
“Min?
She [mimashita] something about Thom?”
She saw something about Thom?”
“She [mimashita] a great [keiyaku],”
“She saw a great deal,”
Moiraine said wryly.
Moiraine said wryly.
“About all of you.
“About all of you.
I [negai] I could understand [hanbun] of what she [mimashita], [shikashi] even she does not.
I wish I could understand half of what she saw, but even she does not.
Old [shōheki] [shippai].
Old barriers fail.
[shikashi] whether what [min] does is old or new, she sees true.
But whether what Min does is old or new, she sees true.
Your [unmei] are [ketsugō shita] together.
Your fates are bound together.
Thom Merrilin’s, too.”
Thom Merrilin’s, too.”
Nynaeve gave a dismissive [sunifu] and poured herself another [chawan] of [ocha].
Nynaeve gave a dismissive sniff and poured herself another cup of tea.
“I don’t see how she [mimashita] anything about any of us,”
“I don’t see how she saw anything about any of us,”
Mat said with a grin.
Mat said with a grin.
“As I remember it, she spent most of her [jikan] looking at Rand.”
“As I remember it, she spent most of her time looking at Rand.”
Egwene raised an [mayu].
Egwene raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?
“Oh?
You didn’t tell me that, Moiraine Sedai.”
You didn’t tell me that, Moiraine Sedai.”
Rand glanced at her.
Rand glanced at her.
She was not looking at him, [shikashi] her [kuchō] had been too carefully neutral.
She was not looking at him, but her tone had been too carefully neutral.
“I talked to her once,”
“I talked to her once,”
he said.
he said.
“She [doresu] like a [otokonoko], and her [kami] is as short as mine.”
“She dresses like a boy, and her hair is as short as mine.”
“You talked to her.
“You talked to her.
Once.”
Once.”
Egwene nodded slowly.
Egwene nodded slowly.
Still not looking at him, she raised her [chawan] to her [kuchibiru].
Still not looking at him, she raised her cup to her lips.
“[min] was just somebody who worked at the [in] in Baerlon,”
“Min was just somebody who worked at the inn in Baerlon,”
Perrin said.
Perrin said.
“Not like Aram.”
“Not like Aram.”
Egwene choked on her [ocha].
Egwene choked on her tea.
“Too [atsui],”
“Too hot,”
she muttered.
she muttered.
“Who’s Aram?”
“Who’s Aram?”
Rand asked.
Rand asked.
Perrin smiled, much like Mat’s [egao] in the old [hi] when he was up to [itazura], and hid behind his [chawan].
Perrin smiled, much like Mat’s smile in the old days when he was up to mischief, and hid behind his cup.
“One of the Traveling [hitobito],”
“One of the Traveling People,”
Egwene said casually, [shikashi] [akai] [supotto] bloomed in her [hō].
Egwene said casually, but red spots bloomed in her cheeks.
“One of the Traveling [hitobito],”
“One of the Traveling People,”
Perrin said blandly.
Perrin said blandly.
“He [dansu].
“He dances.
Like a [tori].
Like a bird.
Wasn’t that what you said, Egwene?
Wasn’t that what you said, Egwene?
It was like flying with a [tori]?”
It was like flying with a bird?”
Egwene set her [chawan] down deliberately.
Egwene set her cup down deliberately.
“I don’t know [baai] anyone else is tired, [shikashi] I’m going to [suimin].”
“I don’t know if anyone else is tired, but I’m going to sleep.”
As she rolled herself up in her [mōfu], Perrin reached over to [karui hito tsuki] Rand in the [ribu] and winked.
As she rolled herself up in her blankets, Perrin reached over to nudge Rand in the ribs and winked.
Rand found himself grinning back.
Rand found himself grinning back.
[yakedo] me, [baai] I didn’t come out best for a [henkō].
Burn me, if I didn’t come out best for a change.
I [negai] I knew as much about [josei] as Perrin.
I wish I knew as much about women as Perrin.
“Maybe, Rand,”
“Maybe, Rand,”
Mat said slyly, “you ought to tell Egwene about [nōka] Grinwell’s [musume], Else.”
Mat said slyly, “you ought to tell Egwene about Farmer Grinwell’s daughter, Else.”
Egwene lifted her [atama] to [gyōshi] [saisho] at Mat, then at him.
Egwene lifted her head to stare first at Mat, then at him.
He hastily got up to fetch his own [mōfu].
He hastily got up to fetch his own blankets.
“[suimin] [saundo] [yoi] to me [migi] now.”
“Sleep sounds good to me right now.”
All the Emond’s [ryōiki] [hitobito] began seeking their [mōfu] then, and Loial, too.
All the Emond’s Field people began seeking their blankets then, and Loial, too.
Moiraine sat sipping her [ocha].
Moiraine sat sipping her tea.
And Lan.
And Lan.
The [kanshu] did not [hyōjō] as [baai] he ever intended to [suimin], or needed to.
The Warder did not look as if he ever intended to sleep, or needed to.
Even rolled up for [suimin], no one wanted to get [hijō ni] far from the [tanin].
Even rolled up for sleep, no one wanted to get very far from the others.
They made a small [sākuru] of [mōfu]-covered [tsuka] [migi] around the [sutōbu], almost touching one another.
They made a small circle of blanket-covered mounds right around the stove, almost touching one another.
“Rand,”
“Rand,”
Mat whispered, “was there anything between you and [min]?
Mat whispered, “was there anything between you and Min?
I barely got a [hyōjō] at her.
I barely got a look at her.
She was [kawaii], [shikashi] she must be nearly as old as Nynaeve.”
She was pretty, but she must be nearly as old as Nynaeve.”
“What about this Else?”
“What about this Else?”
Perrin added from the [sonota] [saido] of him.
Perrin added from the other side of him.
“She [kawaii]?”
“She pretty?”
“[chi] and [hai],”
“Blood and ashes,”
he mumbled, “can’t I even [hanashi] to a [onnanoko]?
he mumbled, “can’t I even talk to a girl?
