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One section of the floor at a time Clean what you could reach, then move on Siuan and the others would have to deal with Haliwene’s backside hurt, but the pain was growing increasingly irrelevant to her Sohed when beaten, soreater pain--what had been done to Tar Valon--was far roup of white-clothed novices as they passed her in the hallway, and they bobbed down in curtsies Egwene frowned, but didn’t chastise them--she just hoped that they wouldn’t draw penances frooal was the quarters of the Brown Ajah, the section that was non in the wing Meidani had taken her tiwene today The command had finally come today, weeks after the first dinner with Elaida Oddly, however, Bennae Nalsad had also offered to give her instruction this day Egwene hadn’t spoken to the Shienaran Brown since that first conversation, some weeks before She’d never repeated lessons with the saiven to her in theas the first of the day’s visits

When she reached the east wing, which now held the Brown sector of the Tower, her Red minders reluctantly took up positions in the hallway outside, waiting for her return Elaida probably would have liked thewene, but after the Reds the their boundary, there was little chance of another Ajah-- even thea pair of Red sisters infiltrate their quarters Egwene hurried her pace as she entered the section with brown tiled floors, passing bustling wo to be a full day, with her appointular novice load of scrubbing floors or other chores

She arrived at Bennae’s door, but hesitated there Most sisters agreed to train Egwene only when forced into the duty, and the experience was often unpleasant Sowene’s teachers disliked her because of her affiliation with the rebels, others were annoyed by how easily she could craft weaves, and still others were infuriated to find that she would not show them respect like a novice

These "lessons," however, had been aainst Elaida She’d planted one of those during her first visit with Bennae Had it begun to sprout?

Egwene knocked, and then entered at the call to co room inside was cluttered with the refuse of scholarship Stacks and stacks of books--like ainst one another Skeletons of various creatures were mounted in various states of construction; the wowene shivered when she noticed a full huether with threads, some detailed notations written directly on the bones in black ink

There was barely room to walk and only one clear place to sit-- Bennae’s own stuffed chair, the armrests ith a twin set of depressions, doubtless where the Brown’s ar sessions The low ceiling felt lower for the severalabove Egwene had to duck her head beneath a model of the sun in order to reach the place where Bennae stood rifling through a stack of leather-bound voluwene "Good" Slender in a bony sort of way, she had dark hair that was streaked with gray froe The hair was in a bun, and she--like many Broore a simple dress that hadn’t been fashionable for a century or two

Bennaethe stiffer chairs by the hearth--both of those had accuwene cleared off a stool, placing the dusty skeleton of a rat on the floor between two stacks of books about the reign of Artur Haing

"Well, I suppose we should get on with your instruction, then," Bennae said, settling back in her chair

Egwene kept her face calain? Or had she been forced into it? Egwene could see an unsophisticated Brown sister getting repeatedly roped into a duty that nobody else wanted

At Bennae’s request, Egwene performed a number of weaves, work far beyond the skill of wene, even with her power dampened by forkroot She tried to tease out the Brown’s feelings on the relocation of her quarters, but Bennae--like wene had spoken to--preferred to avoid that topic

Egwene did some more weaves After a ti was Hadn’t Bennae asked her to de her previous visit?

"Very well," Bennae said, getting herself a cup of tea fro on a swene "You are skilled enough at that But I wonder Do you have the sharpness of mind, the ability to deal with difficult situations, that an Aes Sedai is required to have?"

Egwene said nothing, though she did pointedly pour herself some tea Bennae did not object

"Let’s see " Bennae mused "Suppose that you were in a situation where you were in conflict with some members of your own Ajah You have happened upon information you weren’t supposed to know, and your Ajah’s leaders are quite upset with you Suddenly, you find yourself being sentenced to so to sweep you under the rug and forget about you Tell wene almost choked on her tea The Broasn’t very subtle She had begun asking about the Thirteenth Depository, had she? And that had landed her in trouble? Feere supposed to know about the secret histories that Egwene hadher previous visit here

"Well," Egwene said, sipping her tea, "let me approach it with a clear mind Best to view it from the perspective of the Ajah’s leaders, I should think"

Bennae frowned faintly "I suppose"

"Now, in this situation you describe, can we assume that these secrets have been entrusted to the Ajah for safekeeping? Ah, good Well, from their perspective, important and careful plans have been upset Think of how it must look Someone has learned secrets they should not That whispers of a disturbing leak so your most trusted members"

Bennae paled "I suppose I could see that"

"Then the best way to handle the situation would be twofold," Eg-wene said, taking another sip of tea It tasted terrible "First, the leaders of the Ajah would have to be reassured They need to know that it wasn’t their fault that the information leaked If I were the hypothetical sister in trouble--and if I’d done nothing wrong--I’d go to the for the one who let information slip"

"But," Bennae said, "that probably won’t help the sister--the hypothetical one in trouble--get out of her punishwene said "Likely, she’s being ’punished’ to keep her out of the hile the Ajah leaders search for a traitor When they know there isn’t one, they’ll be more likely to look at the fallen sister’s situation with empathy--particularly after she’s offered them a solution"