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a。 About what Egwene told us last night。 You don't suppose they can cause her any trouble； do you？ What is she to do？〃
〃Rid herself of them；〃 Aviendha said； drawing a thumb across her neck。 The relief of speaking； of hearing voices； was so great that she almost gasped。 Elayne appeared shocked。 She was remarkably softhearted at times。
〃It might be for the best；〃 Birgitte said。 She had revealed no more name than that。 Aviendha thought her a woman with secrets。 〃Areina could have made something of herself with time； but … Don't look at me that way； Elayne； and stop going all prim and indignant in your head。〃 Birgitte often slipped back and forth between the Warder who obeyed and the older first…sister who instructed whether or not you wished to learn。 Right then； waving an admonishing finger； she was the first…sister。 〃You two wouldn't have been warned to stay away if it was a difficulty the Amyrlin could solve by having them set to work with the laundresses or the like。〃
Elayne gave a sharp sniff in the face of what she could not deny； and adjusted her green silk skirts where they were drawn up in front to expose layers of blue and white petticoats。 She was wearing the local fashion； plete with creamy lace at her wrists and around her neck； a gift from Tylin Quintara； as was the close…fitting necklace of woven gold。 Aviendha did not approve。 The upper half of the dress； the bodice； fitted as snugly as that necklace； and a missing narrow oval of cloth revealed the inner slopes of her breasts。 Walking about where all could see was not the same as the sweat tents； people in the streets of the city were not gai'shain。 Her own dress had a high neck that brushed her chin with lace and no parts of it missing。
〃Beside；〃 Birgitte went on； 〃I would think Marigan would worry you more。 She frightens me spitless。〃
That name got through to Nynaeve； as well it might。 Her groaning ceased； and she sat up straight。 〃If she es after us； we will just settle for her again。 We'll。。。 we'll。。。 〃 Drawing breath； she stared at them pointedly； as if they were arguing with her。 What she said； in a faint voice； was 〃Do you think she will？〃
〃Fretting will do no good；〃 Elayne told her； much more calmly than Aviendha could have managed if she thought one of the Shadowsouled had marked her out。 〃We will just have to do as Egwene said and be careful。〃 Nynaeve muttered something inaudible； which was probably just as well。
Silence descended again； Elayne settling to a browner study than before； Birgitte propping her chin on one hand as she frowned at nothing。 Nynaeve kept right on grumbling under her breath； but she had both hands pressed to her middle now； and from time to time she paused to swallow。 The splashing of water seemed louder than ever； and the cries of the birds。
〃I have been thinking too； near…sister。〃 She and Elayne had not reached the point of adopting each other as first…sisters yet； but she was sure they would； now。 Already they brushed each other's hair； and every night in the dark shared another secret never told to anyone else。 This Min woman； though。。。 That was for later； when they were alone。
〃About what？〃 Elayne asked absently。
〃Our search。 We prepare for success； but we are as far away as when we began。 Does it make sense not to use every weapon at hand？ Mat Cauthon is ta'veren； yet we work to avoid him。 Why not take him with us？ With him； we might find the bowl at last。〃
〃Mat？〃 Nynaeve exclaimed incredulously。 〃As well stuff your shift full of nettles！ I would not endure the man if he had the bowl in his coat pocket。〃
〃Oh； do be quiet； Nynaeve；〃 Elayne murmured； without any heat。 She shook her head wonderingly； taking no notice of the other's sudden glower。 〃Prickly〃 only began to describe Nynaeve； but they were all used to her ways。 〃Why didn't I think of that？ It is so obvious！〃
〃Maybe；〃 Birgitte murmured dryly； 〃you had Mat the scoundrel set so hard in your mind； you couldn't see he had any use。〃 Elayne gave her a cool stare； chin raised； then abruptly grimaced； and nodded reluctantly。 She did not accept criticism easily。
〃No；〃 Nynaeve said in a voice that somehow managed to be sharp and weak at the same time。 The sickly cast of her face had deepened； but it no longer seemed caused by the boat's heaving。 〃You cannot possibly mean it！ Elayne； you know what a torment he can be； how stubborn he is。 He'll insist on bringing those soldiers of his like a feastday parade。 Try finding anything in the Rahad with soldiers at your shoulder。 Just try！ Inside two steps； he'll try to take charge； flaunting that ter'angreal at us。 He's a thousand times worse than Vandene or Adeleas； or even Merilille。 The way he behaves； you would think we'd walk into a bear's den just to see the bear！〃
Birgitte made a noise in her throat that might have been amusement； and received a darted glare。 She returned such a look of bland innocence that Nynaeve began to sound as if she were choking。
Elayne was more soothing； she probably would try to make peace in a water…feud。 〃He is ta'veren； Nynaeve。 He alters the Pattern； alters chance； just being there。 I'm ready to admit we need luck； and a ta'veren is more than luck。 Besides； we can snare two birds at once。 We should not have been letting him run loose all this time； no matter how busy we were。 That's done no one any good； him least of all。 He needs to be made fit for decent pany。 We will put him on a short rein from the start；〃
Nynaeve smoothed her skirts with considerable vigor。 She claimed to have no more interest in dresses than Aviendha … in what they looked like； anyway； she was always muttering about good plain wool being fine enough for anybody … yet her own blue dress was slashed with yellow on the skirts and sleeves； and she herself had chosen its design。 Every stitch she owned was silk or embroidered or both； all cut with what Aviendha had learned to recognize as fine care。
For once Nynaeve appeared to understand she would not get her way。 Sometimes she threw amazing tantrums until she did； not that she would admit that was what they were。 The glower faded to a grumpy sulk。 〃Who will ask him？ Whoever does； he will make her beg。 You know he will。 I'd sooner marry him！〃
Elayne hesitated； then said firmly； 〃Birgitte will。 And she won't beg； she will tell him。 Most men will do as you say if you use a firm； confident voice。〃 Nynaeve looked doubtful； and Birgitte jerked erect on her bench； startled for the first time Aviendha had ever seen。 With anyone else； Aviendha might have said she looked a little afraid； too。 Birgitte would have done very well as Far Dareis Mai； for a wetlander。 She had remarkable skill with a bow。
〃You are the clear choice； Birgitte；〃 Elayne went on quickly。 〃Nynaeve and I are Aes Sedai； and Aviendha might as well be。 We cannot possibly do it。 Not and maintain proper dignity。 Not with him。 You know what he is like。〃 What had happened to all that talk of a firm； confident voice？ Not that Aviendha had ever noticed that working for anyone except Sorilea。 It surely had not so far on Mat Cauthon that she had seen。 〃Birgitte； he can't have recognized you。 If he had； he would have said something by now。〃
Whatever that meant； Birgitte leaned back against the wall and laced her fingers over her stomach。 〃I should have known you'd get back at me ever since I said it was a good thing your bottom wasn't any … 〃 She stopped； and a faint satisfied smile appeared on her lips。 Nothing changed in Elayne's expression； but plainly Birgitte thought she had gained a measure of revenge。 It must have been something felt through the Warder bond。 How Elayne's bottom entered into anything； though； Aviendha could not puzzle out。 Wetlanders were so。。。 odd。。。 at times。 Birgitte continued； still wearing that smile。 〃What I don't understand is why he starts chafing as soon as he sees you two。 It can't be that you snagged him off here。 Egwene was as deep in that as you； but I saw him treat her with more respect than most of the sisters do。 Besides； the times I've glimpsed him ing out of The Wandering Woman； he looked to be enjoying himself。〃 Her smile became a grin that made Elayne sniff disapprovingly。
〃That is one thing we need to change。 A decent woman cannot be in the room with him。 Oh； do wipe that smirk off your face； Birgitte。 I vow； you are as bad as he； sometimes。〃
〃The man was born just to be a trial；〃 Nynaeve muttered sourly。
Suddenly Aviendha was forcibly reminded that she was on a boat as everything lurched； swaying and swinging around to a halt。 Rising and straightening dresses； they gathered the light cloaks they had brought。 She did not don hers； the sunlight here was not so bright that she needed the hood to keep it from her eyes。 Birgitte only draped hers over one shoulder and pushed open the door； following up the three steps after Nynaeve had rushed past her with a hand clapped over her mouth。
Elayne paused to tie her cloak ribbons and arrange the hood around her face； red…gold curls peeking out all around。 〃You did not say much； near…sister。〃
〃I said what I had to say。 The decision was yours。〃
〃The key thought was yours； thou