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"So you claim I’m a liar?" she delanced at hih side of

She hesitated He atching her, bathed in the glow of the two lights, eyes thoughtful Reserved, but not accusatory "That question drove me here, you know," he said "It’s why I hunted you all that way It’s why I finally swore to these rebel Aes Sedai, though I had little wish to be pulled into yet another war at Tar Valon I did it all because I needed to understand I had to know Why? Why did the wo eyes--break her oath?"

"I told you I was going to return to you and fulfill that oath," Siuan said, turning away fro a shirt in front of her to un-wrinkle it

"Another excuse," he said softly "Another answer from an Aes Sedai Will I ever have the full truth frohed, and she heard papers rustle, the candle’s light flickering in the faint stir of his movements as he turned back to his reports

"When I was still an Accepted in the White Tower," Siuan said softly, "I was one of four people present when a Foretelling announced the ion froze

"One of the two others present," Siuan continued, "died on the spot The other died soon after I’m confident that she--the Amyrlin Seat herself--was murdered by the Black Ajah Yes, it exists If you tell anyone that I adue

"Anyway, before she died, the Aon One by one, those women vanished The Blacksher She would not have given up those na about what she h

"Soon, there were just the two of us left who knew Moiraine andWe were just Accepted, in the room by happenstance I believe that Tamra was somehow able to withhold our names from the Blacks, for if she hadn’t, we’d have undoubtedly been murdered like the others

"That left two of us The only two in all of the world who kneas coht And so I did what I had to, Gareth Bryne I dedicatedI swore to see us through the Last Battle To do whatever was necessary--whatever was necessary--to bear the burden I had been given There was only one other person I knew I could trust, and she is now dead"

Siuan turned,his eyes across the tent A breeze rippled the walls and fluttered the candle, but Bryne sat still, watching her

"So you see, Gareth Bryne," she said "I had to delay fulfilling my oath to you because of other oaths I swore to see this through to the end, and the Dragon has not yet met his destiny at Shayol Ghul A person’s oaths must follow their order of importance When I swore to you, I did not promise to serve you immediately I was intentionally careful on that point You will call it an Aes Sedai wordplay I would call it so as necessary to protect you, your lands and your people, Gareth Bryne You blaest that you consider the cost to your people should the Dragon Reborn fail Sometimes, prices must be paid so that a more important duty can be served I would expect a soldier to understand that"

"You should have toldher eyes "You should have explained who you were"

"What?" Siuan asked "Would you have believed me?"

He hesitated

"Besides," she said frankly, "I didn’t trust you Our previoushad not been particularlyamicable, as I recall Could I have taken that risk, Gareth Bryne, on a iven him control over the secrets I alone know, secrets that needed to be passed on to the new Amyrlin Seat? Should I have spared even aan answer

"No," he finally admitted "Burn me, Siuan, but no You shouldn’t have waited You shouldn’t have made that oath in the first place!"

"You should have been aze with a sniff "I suggest that if you swear someone into service in the future, you be careful to stipulate a tirunted and Siuan whipped the final shirt off of the drying line, causing it to shake,a blurry shadow on the back wall of the tent

"Well," Bryne said, "I toldas it took et that answer Now I knoould say that--"

"Stop!" Siuan snapped, spinning on hi

"But--"

"Don’t say it," she threatened "I’ll gag you and leave you hanging in the air until sundown tomorrow Don’t thin