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The hillsides were scraggly with yelloeeds and larksbrush, with its tiny, faintly blue leaves and gnarled branches There should have been wildflowers coating the hills in patches, but not a single one bloomed The landscape felt sickly--yellow in patches, whitish blue in others, with generous helpings of dead brown scrub that hadn’t regrown after the harsh winter

"And are you going to tellwent?" Bryne asked as they rode, a squad of soldiers following behind as an honor guard

"I’ll bet you have guessed that already as well"

"Oh, I don’t know," Bryne said "It is an unusual tie events are co for a tirimaced "I think you’d sooner find a Trolloc who has taken up weaving than an Aes Sedai who has given up sche"

"I do believe that you arned," Bryne said

There was no argument that Gawyn couldthe distant river to the right Beyond that, the tower and roofs of Tar Valon A prison

"We’ll eventually need to discuss that group of soldiers you left behind, Gawyn," Bryne said suddenly, eyes forward

"I don’t see what there is to discuss," Gawyn said, which wasn’t completely truthful He had suspicions of what Bryne would ask, and he didn’t look forward to the conversation

Bryne shook his head "I’ll need information, lad Locations, troop counts, equipes to the east, but which one? How many are in your force, and what kind of support are Elaida’s Aes Sedai giving thewene Not to betray those who trusted me"

"You already betrayed them"

"No," Gawyn said firmly "I abandoned them, but I have not betrayed them And I do not intend to"

"And you expect e die untaken?" Bryne asked, turning to him "What you have in that brain of yours could save lives"

"Or cost lives," Gawyn said, "if you look at it from the other side"

"Don’t make this difficult, Gawyn"

"Or what?" Gawyn asked "You’ll put me to the question?"

"You’d suffer for them?"

"They are my men," Gawyn said sih of being pushed around by circuive no loyalty to the White Tower, but neither would he offer it to these rebels Egwene and Elayne held his heart and his honor And if he couldn’t give it to the down Rand al’Thor and seeing him dead

Rand al’Thor Gawyn didn’t believe Bryne’s defense of the man Oh, he believed that Bryne meant what he said--but he was mistaken It could happen to the best of people, taken in by the charisma of a creature like al’Thor He had fooled Elayne herself The only way to help any of theon and dispose of him

He looked over at Bryne, who turned away He was still thinking about the Younglings, likely It was unlikely that Bryne would put Gawyn to the question Gawyn knew the general, and his sense of honor, too well It wouldn’t happen But Bryne ht decide to i

"They are youths, Bryne," Gawyn said

Bryne frowned

"Youths," Gawyn repeated "Barely past their training They belong on the sparring field, not on the battlefield Their hearts are good, and their skills sound, but they are one I was the one who knew your strategy Without me, they will have a much harder time of their raids I suspect that if they continue to strike, they shall have their day with the butcher soon enough No need for "

"Very well," Bryne replied "I ait But if their raids continue to be effective, you will hear this question fro he could do for the Younglings would be to help end this division between the rebels and the loyalists But that seemed far beyond the scope of what he could accowene he could think of so to go to blows, could they? The skirh What would happen if arainst Aes Sedai, Warder fighting Warder on a battlefield? A disaster

"It can’t co

Bryne looked at Gawyn as their horses continued across the field

"You can’t attack, Bryne," Gawyn said "A siege is one thing But ill you do if they order you to mount an assault?"

"What I always do," Bryne said "Obey"

"But--"

"I gave my word, Gawyn"

"And howthe White Toould be a disaster No hted these rebel Aes Sedai may feel, there will be no reconciliation if it happens by the sword"

"That’s not our decision," Bryne said He glanced at Gawyn, a thoughtful expression on his face

"What?" Gawyn asked

"I’ht you were just here for Egwene"

"I" Gawyn floundered

"Who are you, Gawyn Trakand?" Bryne asked, prodding further "What are you your allegiances, really?"

"You know me better than most, Gareth"

"I knoho you were supposed to be," Bryne said "First Prince of the Sword, trained by Warders but bonded to no woman"