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ad a small ring in one side of their noses！ The men did； too； the earrings at least； and just as many heavy gold and silver chains around their necks。 Men！ Some wetlander men wore rings in their ears； true … most Ebou Dari men seemed to … but so many！ And necklaces！ Wetlanders did have strange ways。 The Sea Folk never left their ships … never … so she had read； and supposedly they ate their dead。 She had not been quite able to credit that； but if the men wore necklaces； who could say what else they did？
The woman who came to meet them wore breeches and blouse and sash like the others； but hers were of brocaded yellow silk； the sash knotted intricately with ends trailing to her knee； and one of her necklaces bore a small golden box of intricate piercework。 A sweetly musky scent surrounded her。 Gray streaked her hair heavily； and she had a grave face。 Five small fat golden rings decorated each of her ears； and a fine chain connected one to a similar ring in her nose。 Tiny medallions of polished gold dangling from the chain flashed in the sunlight as she studied them。
Aviendha pulled her hand down from her own nose … to wear that chain； always tugging！ … and barely managed to suppress a laugh。 Wetlander customs were odd beyond belief； and surely no one deserved the name better than the Sea Folk。
〃I am Malin din Toral Breaking Wave；〃 the woman said； 〃Wavemistress of Clan Somarin and Sailmistress of Windrunner。〃 A Wavemistress was important； like a clan chief； yet she seemed at a loss； looking from one face to the next； until her eye fell on the Great Serpent rings Elayne and Nynaeve wore； and then she exhaled in resignation。 〃If it pleases you to e with me； Aes Sedai？〃 she said to Nynaeve。
The back of the ship was raised； and she led the way inside that by a door； then down a hallway to a large room … a cabin … with a low ceiling。 Aviendha doubted Rand al'Thor would have been able to stand upright beneath one of the thick beams。 Except for a few lacquered chests； everything seemed to have been built in place； cabinets along the walls； even the long table that ran half the length of the room and the armchairs that surrounded it。 It was difficult to think of something the size of this ship being made of wood； and even after all her time in the wetlands； the sight of all that polished wood nearly made her gasp。 It glowed almost as much as the gilded lamps； hanging unlit in some sort of cage so they remained upright as the ship moved with the waves。 In truth； the ship hardly seemed to move at all； at least in parison with the boat they had been on； but unfortunately the back of the cabin； of the ship； was a line of windows with the painted and gilded shutters standing open； giving a splendid view of the bay。 Worse； there was no land in sight out those windows。 No land at all！ Her throat seized。 She could not have spoken。 She could not have screamed； although that was what she wanted to do。
Those windows and what they showed … what they did not show … had caught her eyes so quickly that it took her a moment to realize people were there already。 A fine thing！ Had they wished； they could have killed her before she knew。 Not that they showed any sign of hostility； but you could never be too careful with wetlanders。
A spindly old man with deep…set eyes was sitting at his ease atop one of the chests； what little hair remained to him was white； and his dark face had a kindly look； though a full dozen earrings altogether and a number of thick gold chains around his neck gave his expression a strange twist in her eyes。 Like the men above； he was barefoot and bare…chested； but his breeches were a dark blue silk； and his long sash a bright red。 An ivory…hilted sword was thrust through that sash； she noted with disdain； as well as two curved daggers to match。
The slender； handsome woman with her arms folded and a grimly foreboding frown was more worthy of notice。 She wore only four earrings in each ear； and fewer medallions on her chain than Malin din Toral； and her clothing was all in reddish…yellow silk。 She could channel； Aviendha knew that； this close。 She must be the woman they had e for； the Windfinder。 And yet it was another who held Aviendha's eye。 And for that matter； Elayne's and Nynaeve's and Birgitte's。
The woman who had looked up from an unrolled map on the table might have been as old as the man by her white hair。 Short； no taller than Nynaeve； she looked like someone who had once been stocky and was beginning to go stout； but her jaw thrust forward like a hammer； and her black eyes spoke of intelligence。 And power。 Not the One Power； just that of someone who said 〃go〃 and knew that people would go； yet she had it strongly。 Her breeches were brocaded green silk； her blouse blue； and her sash red like the man's。 The stout…bladed knife in a gilded sheath tucked behind that sash had a round pommel covered with red and green stones； firedrops and emeralds； Aviendha thought。 Twice as many medallions hung from her nose chain as from Malin din Toral's； and another； thinner gold chain connected the six rings in each of her ears。 Aviendha barely kept her hand from going to her own nose again。
Without a word the white…haired woman came to stand in front of Nynaeve； rudely examining her from head to toe； frowning in particular at Nynaeve's face and the Great Serpent ring on her right hand。 She took no time about it； and with a grunt moved on from her ruffled object of study to give Elayne the same quick； intense scrutiny； and then Birgitte。 At last she spoke。 〃You are not an Aes Sedai。〃 Her voice sounded like rocks tumbling。
〃By the nine winds and Stormbringer's beard； I am not；〃 Birgitte replied。 Sometimes she said things even Elayne and Nynaeve seemed not to understand； but the white…haired woman jumped as if she had been goosed； and stared a long moment before turning to frown up at Aviendha。
〃You are not Aes Sedai； either；〃 she grated after the same examination。
Aviendha drew herself to her full height； feeling as though the woman had rummaged through her garments and twirled her about to look at her better。 〃I am Aviendha； of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel。〃
The woman gave twice the start she had for Birgitte； black eyes going wide。 〃You are not garbed as I expected； girl〃 was all she said； though； and strode back to the far end of the table； where she planted her fists on her hips and studied them all again； much as she might have some strange animal she had never seen before。 〃I am Nesta din Reas Two Moons；〃 she said at last； 〃Mistress of the Ships to the Atha'an Miere。 How do you know what you know？〃
Nynaeve had been working on a scowl since the woman first looked at her； and now she snapped； 〃Aes Sedai know what they know。 And we expect more in the way of manners than I've seen so far！ I certainly saw more the last time I was on a Sea Folk ship。 Maybe we should find another； where the people don't all have sore teeth。〃 Nesta din Reas' face grew darker； but Elayne of course stepped into the breech； removing her cloak and laying it over the edge of the table。
〃The Light illumine you and your vessels； Shipmistress； and send the winds to speed you all。〃 Her curtsy was moderately deep； Aviendha had bee a judge of these things； for all she thought it looked the most awkward thing any woman could ever do。 〃Forgive us if there have been words in haste。 We mean no disrespect to one who is as a queen to the Atha'an Miere。〃 That with a speaking look for Nynaeve。 Nynaeve only shrugged； though。
Elayne introduced herself again； and the rest of them； to strange reactions。 That Elayne was Daughter…Heir produced none； though that was a high position among the wetlanders； and that she was Green Ajah and Nynaeve Yellow received sniffs from Nesta din Reas and sharp looks from the spindly old man。 Elayne blinked； taken aback； but she went on smoothly。 〃We have e for two reasons。 The lesser is to ask how you mean to aid the Dragon Reborn； who according to the Jendai Prophecy you call the Coramoor。 The greater is to request the help of this vessel's Windfinder。 Whose name；〃 she added gently； 〃I regret I do not yet know。〃
The slender woman who could channel reddened。 〃I am Dorile din Eiran Long Feather； Aes Sedai。 I may help； if it pleases the Light。〃
Malin din Toral looked abashed； too。 〃The wele of my ship to you；〃 she murmured； 〃and the grace of the Light be upon you until you leave his decks。〃
Not so Nesta din Reas。 〃The Bargain is with the Coramoor；〃 she said in a hard voice； and made a sharp cutting gesture。 〃The shorebound have no part of it； except where they tell of his ing。 You； girl； Nynaeve。 What ship gave you the gift of passage？ Who was his Windfinder？〃
〃I can't recall。〃 Nynaeve's airy tone was at odds with the stony smile she wore。 She had a deathgrip on her braid； too； but at least she had not embraced saidar again。 〃And I am Nynaeve Sedai； Nynaeve Aes Sedai； not girl。〃
Putting her hands flat on the table； Nesta din Reas directed a stare at her that reminded Aviendha of Sorilea。 〃Perhaps you are； but I will know who revealed what should not have been revealed。 She has lessons of silence to learn。〃