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e that something interesting was being said。 Well； everything said here would be known from the Dragonwall to the sea soon enough。
Fedwin was already rubbing his wrists； while Jalani sheathed her knife。 No one looked at them twice； all eyes were on Rand。 Frowning at Nerilea； he waggled his bound hands until Sulin sliced the cords。 〃I didn't realize this was to be a family gathering。〃 Nerilea looked a trifle abashed； maybe； but no one else did。
〃After you marry；〃 Davram murmured with a smile； 〃you will learn you must choose very carefully what to keep from your wife。〃 Deira glanced down at him； pursing her lips。
〃Wives are a great fort；〃 Bael laughed； 〃if a man does not tell them too much。〃 Smiling； Dorindha ran her fingers into his hair … and gripped for a moment as though she meant to tug his head off。 Bael grunted； but not for Dorindha's fingers alone。 Melaine wiped her small belt knife on her heavy skirt and sheathed it。 The two women grinned at one another over his head while he rubbed at his shoulder； where a small spot of blood stained his cadin'sor。 Deira nodded thoughtfully； it seemed she had just gotten an idea。
〃What woman could I hate enough to marry her to the Dragon Reborn？〃 Rand said coldly。 That caused a silence solid enough to touch。
He tried to take rein on his anger。 He should have expected this。 Melaine was not just a Wise One； she was a dreamwalker； as were Amys and Bair。 Among other things； they could talk to one another in their dreams； and to others； a useful skill； though they had only used it for him once。 It was Wise Ones' business。 No wonder at all that Melaine was abreast of everything that had happened。 No wonder that she told Dorindha everything； Wise Ones' business or no； the two women were best friends and sisters rolled into one。 Once Melaine let Bael know of the kidnapping； of course he had told Bashere； expecting Bashere to keep that from his wife was like expecting him to keep it secret that their house was on fire。 Inch by inch he drew the anger in； forced it down。
〃Has Elayne arrived？〃 He tried to make his voice casual； and missed。 No matter。 There were reasons everyone knew for him to be anxious。 Andor might not be as unquiet as Cairhien； but Elayne on the throne was the fastest way to settle both lands。 Maybe the only way。
〃Not yet。〃 Bashere shrugged。 〃But tales have e north of Aes Sedai with an army somewhere in Murandy； or maybe Altara。 That could be young Mat and his Band of the Red Hand； with the Daughter…Heir and the sisters who fled the Tower when Siuan Sanche was deposed。〃
Rand rubbed his wrists where the cords had chafed。 All that 〃captive〃 rigmarole had been on the chance Elayne was here already。 Elayne； and Aviendha。 So he could e and go without them learning of it till he was gone。 Maybe he would have found a way to peek at them。 Maybe。。。 He was a fool； and no maybe about that。
〃Do you mean those sisters to swear oath to you； too？〃 Deira's tone was icy as her face。 She did not like him； as she saw it； her husband had set off down a road that likely would end with his head on a pike over a gate in Tar Valon； and Rand had put his feet on that road。 〃The White Tower will not hold still for your coercing Aes Sedai。〃
Rand made her a small bow； and burn her if she took it for mocking。 Deira ni Ghaline t'Bashere never gave him a title； never even used his name； she could as well have been talking to a footman； and not a very intelligent or trustworthy one。 〃Should they choose to swear； I'll accept their oaths。 I doubt many are exactly eager to return to Tar Valon。 If they choose otherwise； they can go their own way； so long as they don't put themselves against me。〃
〃The White Tower has put itself against you；〃 Bael said； leaning forward with his fists on his knees。 His blue eyes made Deira's voice seem warm。 〃An enemy who es once； will e again。 Unless they are stopped。 My spears will follow wherever the Car'a'carn leads。〃 Melaine nodded； of course； she very likely wanted every last Aes Sedai shielded and kneeling under guard if not bound hand and foot。 But Dorindha nodded as well； and Sulin； and Bashere knuckled his mustaches thoughtfully。 Rand did not know whether to laugh or weep。
〃Don't you think I've enough on my plate without a war against the White Tower？ Elaida grabbed my throat and was slapped down。〃 The ground erupting in fire and torn flesh。 Ravens and vultures gorging。 How many dead？ Slapped down。 〃If she has sense enough to stop there； I will too。〃 So long as they did not ask him to trust。 The chest。 He was shaking his head； half…aware of Lews Therin suddenly moaning about the dark and the thirst。 He could ignore； he had to ignore； but not forget； or trust。
Leaving Bael and Bashere arguing over whether Elaida did have sense enough to stop； now that she had begun； he moved to a map…covered table against the wall； beneath a tapestry of some battle where the White Lion of Andor stood prominent。 Apparently Bael and Bashere used this room for their planning。 A little rooting around found the map he needed； a large roll displaying all of Andor from the Mountains of Mist to the River Erinin； and parts of the lands to the south as well； Ghealdan and Altara and Murandy。
〃The women held captive in the treekillers' lands are allowed to cause no trouble； so why should any others？〃 Melaine said； apparently in answer to something he had not heard。 She sounded angry。
〃We will do what we must； Deira t'Bashere；〃 Dorindha said calmly； she was seldom anything but。 〃Hold to your courage； and we will arrive where we must go。〃
〃When you leap from a cliff；〃 Deira replied； 〃it is too late for anything but holding to your courage。 And hoping there's a haywain at the bottom to land in。〃 Her husband chuckled as though she was making a joke。 She did not sound it。
Spreading the map out and weighting the corners with ink jars and sand bottles； Rand measured off distances with his fingers。 Mat was not moving very fast if rumor placed him in Altara or Murandy。 He took pride in how fast the Band could march。 Maybe the Aes Sedai were slowing him； with servants and wagons。 Maybe there were more sisters than he had thought。 Rand realized his hands were clenched into fists and made them straighten。 He needed Elayne。 To take the throne here and in Cairhien； that was why he needed her。 Just that。 Aviendha。。。 He did not need her； not at all； and she had made it clear she had no need for him。 She was safe； away from him。 He could keep them both safe by keeping them as far from him as possible。 Light； if he could only look at them。 He needed Mat； though； with Perrin being stubborn。 He was not sure how Mat had suddenly bee expert on everything to do with battle； but even Bashere respected Mat's opinions。 About war； anyway。
〃They treated him as da'tsang；〃 Sulin growled； and some of the other Maidens growled wordlessly in echo。
〃We know；〃 Melaine said grimly。 〃They have no honor。〃
〃Will he truly hold back after what you describe？〃 Deira demanded in disbelieving tones。
The map did not extend far enough south to show Illian … no map on the table showed any part of that country … but Rand's hand drifted down across Murandy； and he could imagine the Doirlon Hills； not far inside Illian's borders； with a line of hillforts no invading army could afford to ignore。 And some two hundred and fifty miles to the east； across the Plains of Maredo； an army such as had not been seen since the nations gathered before Tar Valon in the Aiel War； maybe not since Artur Hawkwing's day。 Tairen； Cairhienin； Aiel； all poised to smash into Illian。 If Perrin would not lead； then Mat must。 Only there was not enough time。 There was never enough time。
〃Burn my eyes；〃 Davram muttered。 〃You never mentioned that； Melaine。 Lady Caraline and Lord Toram camped right outside the city； and High Lord Darlin as well？ They didn't e together by chance； now right at this time； they did not。 That's a pit of vipers to have on your doorstep； whoever you are。〃
〃Let the algai'd'siswai dance；〃 Bael replied。 〃Dead vipers bite no one。〃
Sammael had always been at his best defending。 That was Lews Therin's memory； from the War of the Shadow。 With two men inside one skull； maybe it was to be expected that memories would drift between them。 Had Lews Therin suddenly found himself recalling herding sheep； or cutting firewood； or feeding the chickens？ Rand could hear him faintly； raging to kill； to destroy； thoughts of the Forsaken almost always drove Lews Therin over the brink。
〃Deira t'Bashere speaks truly；〃 Bael said。 〃We must stay on the path we have begun until our enemies are destroyed； or we are。〃
〃That was not how I meant it；〃 Deira said dryly。 〃But you are right。 We have no choice； now。 Until our enemies are destroyed； or we are。〃
Death； destruction and madness floated in Rand's head as he studied the map。 Sammael would be at those forts soon after the army struck； Sammael with the strength of a Forsaken and the knowledge of the Age of Legends。 Lord Brend； he called himself； one of the Council of Nine； and Lord Brend they called him who refused to admit the Forsaken were loose； but Rand kn