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Suddenly a dozen Trollocs roared out of a side hallway； piling onto the Fade in a frenzy of chopping axes and stabbing swords。 Mat stared in amazed disbelief。 The Halfman fought like a black…armored whirlwind。 More than half the Trollocs were dead or dying before the Fade lay in a twitching heap； one arm flexed and thrashed like a dying snake three paces away from the body； still with that black sword in its fist。
A ram…horned Trolloc peered toward Mat； snout lifted to sniff the air。 It snarled at him； then whined and began licking a long gash that had laid open mail and hairy forearm。 The others finished cutting the throats of their wounded； and one barked a few harsh； guttural words。 Without another glance at Mat； they turned and trotted away； hooves and boots making hollow sounds on the stone floor。
Away from him。 Mat shivered。 Trollocs to the rescue。 What had Rand gotten him into now？ He saw what he had drawn with the wine … an open door … and scrubbed it out angrily。 He had to get away from here。 He had to。 And he could also feel that urge in the back of his head； that it was time to go back to the Stone。 He pushed it away angrily； but it kept buzzing at him。
He caught a snatch of talk from the table to his right； where the lean…faced fellow with the curling mustaches was holding forth in a heavy Lugarder accent。 〃Now this Dragon of yours is a great man no doubt； I'll not be denying it； but he's not a patch on Logain。 Why； Logain had all of Ghealdan at war； and half of Amadicia and Altara； as well。 He made the earth swallow whole towns that resisted him； he did。 Buildings； people and all entire。 And the one up in Saldaea； Maseem？ Why； they say he made the sun stand still till he defeated the Lord of Bashere's army。 'Tis a fact； they do say。〃
Mat shook his head。 The Stone fallen and Callandor in Rand's hand； and this idiot still thought he was another false Dragon。 He had sketched that doorway again。 Rubbing a hand through it； he grabbed up the mug of wine； then stopped with it halfway to his mouth。 Through the motion his ear had picked out a familiar name spoken at a nearby table。 Scraping back his bench； he made his way to that table； mug in hand。
The people around it were the sort of odd mixture made in taverns in the Maule。 Two barefoot sailors wearing oiled coats over bare chests； one with a thick gold chain close around his neck。 A once fat man with sagging jowls； in a dark Cairhienin coat with slashes of red and gold and green across his chest which might have indicated that he was a noble； though one sleeve was torn at the shoulder； a good many Cairhienin refugees had e down far in the world。 A gray…haired woman all in subdued dark blue； with a hard face and a sharp eye and heavy gold rings on her fingers。 And the speaker； the fork…bearded fellow； with a ruby the size of a pigeon's egg in his ear。 The three silver chains looped across the straining chest of his dark； reddish coat named him a Kandori master merchant。 They had a guild for merchants in Kandor。
The talk ceased and all eyes swung to Mat when he stopped at their table。 〃I heard you mention the Two Rivers。〃
Forkbeard ran a quick eye over him； the unbrushed hair； the tight expression on his face and the wine in his fist； the gleaming black boots； the green coat with its gold scrollwork； open to the waist to reveal a snowy linen shirt； but both coat and shirt heavily wrinkled。 In short； the very image of a young noble sporting himself among the moners。 〃I did； my Lord；〃 he said heartily。 〃I was saying there'll be no tabac out of there this year； I'll wager。 I have twenty casks of the finest Two Rivers leaf； though； than which there is none finer。 Fetch an excellent price later in the year。 If my Lord wishes a cask for his own stock。。。〃 He tugged one point of his yellow beard and laid a finger alongside his nose。 〃。 。 。 I am certain I could manage to …〃
〃You'll wager that； will you？〃 Mat said softly； cutting him short。 〃Why would there be no tabac out of the Two Rivers？〃
〃Why； the Whitecloaks； my Lord。 The Children of the Light。〃
〃What about Whitecloaks？〃
The master merchant peered around the table for help； there was a dangerous note in that quiet tone。 The sailors looked as if they would leave if they dared。 The Cairhienin was glaring at Mat； sitting up too straight and smoothing his worn coat as he swayed； the empty mug in front of him was obviously not his first。 The gray…haired woman had her mug to her mouth； her sharp eyes watching Mat over the rim in a calculating way。
Managing a seated bow； the merchant put on an ingratiating tone。 〃The rumor is； my Lord； that the Whitecloaks have gone into the Two Rivers。 Hunting the Dragon Reborn； it's said。 Though of course； that cannot be； since the Lord Dragon is here in Tear。〃 He eyed Mat to see how that had been taken； Mat's face did not change。 〃These rumors can run very wild； my Lord。 Perhaps it's only wind in a bucket。 The same rumor claims the Whitecloaks are after some Darkfriend with yellow eyes； too。 Did you ever hear of a man with yellow eyes； my Lord？ No more have I。 Wind in a bucket。〃
Mat set his mug on the table and leaned closer to the man。 〃Who else are they hunting？ According to this rumor。 The Dragon Reborn。 A man with yellow eyes。 Who else？〃
Beads of sweat formed on the merchant's face。 〃No one； my Lord。 No one that I heard。 Only rumor； my Lord。 Straws in the wind； no more。 A puff of smoke； soon vanished。 If I might have the honor of presenting my Lord a cask of Two Rivers tabac？ A gesture of appreciation。。。 the honor of。。。 to express my。。。〃
Mat tossed an Andoran gold crown onto the table。 〃Buy your drink on me till that runs out。〃
As he turned away he heard mutters from the table。 〃I thought he'd cut my throat。 You know these lordlings when they're full of wine。〃 That from the fork…bearded merchant。 〃An odd young man；〃 the woman said。 〃Dangerous。 Do not try your ploys on that kind； Paetram。〃 〃I do not think he is a lord at all；〃 another man said petulantly。 The Cairhienin； Mat supposed。 His lip curled。 A lord？ He would not be a lord if it was offered to him。 Whitecloaks in the Two Rivers。 Light！ Light help us！
Plowing his way to the door； he pulled a pair of wooden clogs from the pile against the wall。 He had no idea whether they were the ones he had worn in … they all looked alike … and did not care。 They fit his boots。
It had started raining outside； a light fall that made the darkness that much deeper。 Turning up his collar； he splashed along the muddy streets of the Maule in an awkward trot； past blaring taverns and well…lit inns and dark…windowed houses。 When mud gave way to paving stones at the wall marking the inner city； he kicked the clogs off and left them lying as he ran on。 The Defenders guarding the nearest gate into the Stone let him pass without a word； they knew who he was。 He ran all the way to Perrin's room and flung open the door； barely noticing the splintered split in the wood。 Perrin's saddlebags lay on the bed； and Perrin was stuffing shirts and stockings into them。 There was only one candle lit； but he did not seem to notice the gloom。
〃You've heard； then；〃 Mat said。
Perrin went on with what he was doing。 〃About home？ Yes。 I went down to sniff out a rumor for Faile。 After tonight； more than ever； I have to get her。。。〃 The growl； deep in his throat； made Mat's hackles rise； it sounded like an angry wolf。 〃No matter。 I heard。 Maybe this will do as well。〃
As well as what？ Mat wondered。 〃You believe it？〃
For a moment Perrin looked up； his eyes gathered the light of the candle； shining a burnished golden yellow。 〃There doesn't seem to be much doubt； to me。 It's all too close to the truth。〃
Mat shifted unfortably。 〃Does Rand know？〃 Perrin only nodded and went back to his packing。 〃Well； what does he say？〃
Perrin paused； staring at the folded cloak in his hands。 〃He started muttering to himself。 'He said he'd do it。 He said he would。 I should have believed him。' Like that。 It made no sense。 Then he grabbed me by the collar and said he had to do 'what they don't expect。' He wanted to me to understand； but I'm not certain he does himself。 He didn't seem to care whether I leave or stay。 No； I take that back。 I think he was relieved I'm leaving。〃
〃Boil it down； and he's not going to do anything；〃 Mat said。 〃Light； with Callandor he could blast a thousand Whitecloaks！ You saw what he did to those bloody Trollocs。 You're going； are you？ Back to the Two Rivers？ Alone？〃
〃Unless you are ing； too。〃 Perrin stuffed the cloak into the saddlebags。 〃Are you？〃
Instead of answering； Mat paced back and forth； his face in half…light and shadow by turns。 His mother and father were in Emond's Field； and his sisters。 Whitecloaks had no reason to hurt them。 If he went home； he had the feeling he would never leave again； that his mother would marry him off before he could sit down。 But if he did not go； if the Whitecloaks harmed them。。。。 All it took was rumor； for Whitecloaks； so he had heard。 But why should there be any rumor about them？ Even the Coplins； liars and troublemakers to a man； lik