"Robert Jordan - The Wheel of Time 04 - The Shadow Rising" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jordan Robert)

well over a thousand years ago, and the fireplace was more than twice as old. The polished red-stone of
the floor had come from the Mountains of Mist. High arched windows let onto a balcony. The iridescent
stone framing the windows shone like pearls, and had been salvaged from the remains of a city sunk into
the Sea of Storms by the Breaking of the World; no one had ever seen its like.

The current occupant, Siuan Sanche, had been born a fishermanтАЩs daughter in Tear, though, and the
furnishings she had chosen were simple, if well made and well polished. She sat in a stout chair behind a
large table plain enough to have served a farmhouse. The only other chair in the room, just as plain and
usually set off to one side, now stood in front of the table atop a small Tairen rug, simple in blue and
brown and gold. Half a dozen books rested open on tall reading stands about the floor. That was all of it.
A drawing hung above the fireplace: tiny fishing boats working among reeds in the Fingers of the Dragon,
just as her fatherтАЩs boat had.

At first glance, despite her smooth Aes Sedai features, Siuan Sanche herself looked as simple as her
furnishings. She herself was sturdy, and handsome rather than beautiful, and the only bit of ostentation in
her clothing was the broad stole of the Amyrlin Seat she wore, with one colored stripe for each of the
seven Ajahs. Her age was indeterminate, as with any Aes Sedai; not even a hint of gray showed in her
dark hair. But her sharp blue eyes brooked no nonsense, and her firm jaw spoke of the determination of
the youngest woman ever to be chosen Amyrlin Seat. For over ten years Siuan Sanche had been able to
summon rulers, and the powerful, and they had come, even if they hated the White Tower and feared
Aes Sedai.

As the Amyrlin strode around in front of the table, Min set down her bundle and began an awkward
curtsy, muttering irritably under her breath at having to do so. Not that she wanted to be disrespectful тАФ
that did not even occur to one facing a woman like Siuan Sanche тАФ but the bow she usually would have
made seemed foolish in a dress, and she had only a rough idea of how to curtsy.

Halfway down, with her skirts already spread, she froze like a crouching toad. Siuan Sanche was
standing there as regal as any queen, and for a moment she was also lying on the floor, naked. Aside
from her being in only her skin, there was something odd about the image, but it vanished before Min
could say what. It was as strong a viewing as she had ever seen, and she had no idea what it meant.

тАЬSeeing things again, are you?тАЭ the Amyrlin said. тАЬWell, I can certainly make use of that ability of yours.
I could have used it all the months you were gone. But weтАЩll not talk of that. WhatтАЩs done is done. The
Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.тАЭ She smiled a tight smile. тАЬBut if you do it again, IтАЩll have your hide for
gloves. Stand up, girl. Leane forces enough ceremony on me in a month to last any sensible woman a
year. I donтАЩt have time for it. Not these days. Now, what did you just see?тАЭ

Min straightened slowly. It was a relief to be back with someone who knew of her talent, even if it was
the Amyrlin Seat herself. She did not have to hide what she saw from the Amyrlin. Far from it. тАЬYou
were. . . . You werenтАЩt wearing any clothes. I . . . I donтАЩt know what it means, Mother.тАЭ

Siuan barked a short, mirthless laugh. тАЬNo doubt that IтАЩll take a lover. But I have no time for that, either.
ThereтАЩs no time for winking at the men when youтАЩre busy bailing the boat.тАЭ

тАЬMaybe,тАЭ Min said slowly. It could have meant that, though she doubted it. тАЬI just do not know. But,
Mother, IтАЩve been seeing things ever since I walked into the Tower. Something bad is going to happen,
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