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s found your offer wanting。 They are no longer in Salidar。 They are on the march。 The reports e from Altara； but they must be into Murandy by now。 And they have chosen themselves an Amyrlin。〃 She scanned the top sheet of her sheaf of papers as if searching for the name。 〃Egwene al'Vere； it seems。〃
That Alviarin had left this； the most important piece of news； until now； should have made Elaida explode in fury。 Instead； she threw back her head and laughed。 Only a firm hold on dignity kept her from drumming her heels on the floor。 The surprise on Alviarin's face made her laugh harder； till she had to wipe her eyes with her fingers。
〃You do not see it；〃 she said when she could speak between ripples of mirth。 〃As well you are Keeper； Alviarin； not a Sitter。 In the Hall； blind as you are； within a month the others would be holding you in a cabinet and taking you out when they needed your vote。〃
〃I see enough； Mother。〃 Alviarin's voice held no heat； if anything； it should have coated the walls with frost。 〃I see three hundred rebel Aes Sedai； perhaps more； marching on Tar Valon with an army led by Gareth Bryne； acknowledged a great captain。 Discounting the more ridiculous reports； that army may number over twenty thousand； and with Bryne to lead they will gain more at every village and town they pass。 I do not say they have hope of taking the city； of course； but it is hardly a matter for laughter。 High Captain Chubain should be ordered to increase recruiting for the Tower Guard。〃
Elaida's gaze fell sourly on the broken fish； and she stood and stalked to the nearest window； her back to Alviarin。 The palace under construction took away the bitter taste； that and the slip of paper she still clutched。
She smiled down on her palace…to…be。 〃Three hundred rebels； yes； but you should read Tarna's account again。 At least a hundred are on the point of breaking already。〃 She trusted Tarna to some extent； a Red with no room in her head for nonsense； and she said the rebels were ready to jump at shadows。 Quietly desperate sheep looking for a shepherd； she said。 A wilder； of course； yet still sensible。 Tarna should be back soon； and able to give a fuller report。 Not that it was needed。 Elaida's plans were already working among the rebels。 But that was her secret。
〃Tarna has always been sure she could make people do what it was clear they would not。〃 Had there been an emphasis in that； a significance of tone？ Elaida decided to ignore it。 She had to ignore too much from Alviarin； but the day would e。 Soon。
〃As for their army； daughter； she says two or three thousand men at most。 If they had more； they would have made sure she saw them； to overawe us。〃 In Elaida's opinion； eyes…and…ears always exaggerated； to make their information seem more valuable。 Only sisters could be truly trusted。 Red sisters； anyway。 Some of them。 〃But I would not care if they did have twenty thousand； or fifty； or a hundred。 Can you even begin to guess why？〃 When she turned； Alviarin's face was all smooth posure； a mask over blind ignorance。 〃You seem to be conversant with all the aspects of Tower law。 What penalty do rebels face？〃
〃For the leaders；〃 Alviarin said slowly； 〃stilling。〃 She frowned slightly； skirts swaying just barely as her feet shifted。 Good。 Even Accepted knew this； and she could not understand why Elaida asked。 Very good。 〃For many of the rest； too。〃
〃Perhaps。〃 The leaders might themselves escape that； most of them； if they submitted properly。 The minimum penalty in law was to be birched in the Grand Hall before the assembled sisters； followed by at least a year and a day in public penance。 Yet nothing said the penance must be served all at once； a month here； a month there； and they would still be atoning their crimes ten years from now； constant reminders of what came of resisting her。 Some would be stilled； of course … Sheriam； a few of the more prominent so…called Sitters … but only sufficient to make the rest fear putting a foot wrong again； not enough to weaken the Tower。 The White Tower had to be whole； and it had to be strong。 Strong； and firmly in her grasp。
〃Only one crime among those they have mitted demands stilling。〃 Alviarin opened her mouth。 There had been ancient rebellions； buried so deep that few among the sisters knew； the Chronicles stood mute； the lists of stilled and executed confined to records open only to Amyrlin； Keeper and Sitters； aside from the few librarians who kept them。 Elaida allowed Alviarin no opportunity to speak。 〃Any woman who falsely claims the title of Amyrlin Seat must be stilled。 If they believed they had any chance of success； Sheriam would be their Amyrlin； or Lelaine； or Carlinya； or one of the others。〃 Tarna reported that Romanda Cassin had e out of her retirement； Romanda surely would have seized the stole with both hands if she saw the tenth part of a chance。 〃Instead； they have plucked out an Accepted。〃
Elaida shook her head in wry amusement。 She could quote every word of the law setting out how a woman was chosen Amyrlin … she had made good use of it herself； after all … and never once did it require that the woman be a full sister。 Obviously she must be； so those who framed the law never stated it； and the rebels had squirmed through that crack。 〃They know their cause is hopeless； Alviarin。 They plan to strut and bluster； try to dig out some protection against penalty for themselves； then yield the girl as a sacrifice。〃 Which was a pity。 The al'Vere girl was another possible handle on al'Thor； and when she reached her full strength in the One Power； she would have been one of the strongest in a thousand years or more。 A true pity。
〃Gareth Bryne and an army hardly sound like strutting to me。 It will take their army five or six months to reach Tar Valon。 In that time； High Captain Chubain could increase the Guard … 〃
〃Their army；〃 Elaida sneered。 Alviarin was such a fool； for all her cool exterior； she was a rabbit。 Next she would be spouting the Sanche woman's nonsense about the Forsaken being loose。 Of course； she did not know the secret； but just the same。。。 〃Farmers carrying pikes； butchers with bows and tailors on horseback！ And every step of the way； thinking of the Shining Walls； that held Artur Hawkwing at bay。〃 No； not a rabbit。 A weasel。 Yet soon or late； she would be weasel…fur trim on Elaida's cloak。 The Light send it soon。 〃Every step of the way； they will lose a man； if not ten。 I would not be surprised if our rebels appear with nothing more than their Warders。〃 Too many people knew of the division in the Tower。 Once the rebellion was broken； of course； it could be made to seem all a ploy； a part of gaining control of young al'Thor perhaps。 An effort of years； that； and generations before memories faded。 Every last rebel would pay for that on her knees。
Elaida clenched her fist as though she held all the rebels by the throat。 Or Alviarin。 〃I mean to break them； daughter。 They will split open like a rotten melon。〃 Her secret assured that； however many farmers and tailors Lord Bryne hung on to； but let the other woman think as she would。 Suddenly the Foretelling took hold of her； a certainty about things she could not see stronger than if they had been laid out before her。 She would have been willing to step blindly over a cliff on that certainty。 〃The White Tower will be whole again； except for remnants cast out and scorned； whole and stronger than ever。 Rand al'Thor will face the Amyrlin Seat and know her anger。 The Black Tower will be rent in blood and fire； and sisters will walk its grounds。 This I Foretell。〃
As usual； the Foretelling left her trembling； gasping for breath。 She forced herself to stand still and straight； to breathe slowly； she never let anyone see weakness。 But Alviarin。。。 Her eyes were wide as they could open； lips parted as if she had forgotten the words she meant to speak。 A paper slid from the sheaf in her hands and almost fell before she could catch it。 That recalled her to herself。 In a flash she regained her serene mask； a perfect picture of Aes Sedai calm； but she definitely had been jolted to her heels。 Oh； very good。 Let her chew on the certain surety of Elaida's victory。 Chew and break her teeth。
Elaida drew a deep breath and seated herself behind her writing table again； putting the broken ivory fish to one side where she did not have to look at it。 It was time to exploit her victory。 〃There is work to be done today； daughter。 The first message is to go to the Lady Caraline Damodred。。。 〃
Elaida spun out her plans； enlarging on what Alviarin knew； revealing some that she did not； because at the last an Amyrlin did have to work through her Keeper； however much she hated the woman。 There was a pleasure in watching Alviarin's eyes； watching her wonder what else she still did not know。 But while Elaida ordered； divided and assigned the world between the Aryth Ocean and the Spine of the World； in her mind frolicked the image of young al'Thor on his way to her like a caged bear； to be taught to dance for his dinner。
The Chronicles could hardly record the years of the Last Battle without mentioning the Dragon Reborn； but she knew that one name would be writt