Page 73 (1/2)

Halfway down to the docks, she finally reached her destination The fine banner flapping out front proclaiainst an inlaid wood front Cadsuane s in theup into the inn proper There, finally, she allowed herself to lower her hood If al’Thor randomly happened to visit this particular inn, then he’d just have to hang her

The inn’s co hall than a tavern White tablecloths coated the tables, and the varnished wooden floor waswith tasteful still-life paintings--a bowl of fruit on the wall behind the bar, a vase of flowers on the wall opposite it The bottles on the ledge behind the bar were almost all wine, very few bottles of brandy or other liquors

The slender innkeeper, Quillin Tasil, was a tall, oval-faced Andoranon top with dark, short hair at the sides of his head, he wore a full beard, triray His fine lavender coat had white ruffled cuffs peeking out from the sleeves, but he wore an innkeeper’s apron over the front He generally had had good infor to look into inquiries for her a his associates A very usefulhis hands on a towel He gestured her toward a table, then went back to the bar to fetch some wine Cadsuane settled herself as two ue loudly The other patrons--only four, tomen at a table on the far side, two ument no heed One couldn’t spend nore the frequent flares in temper Doreed that Domani women were the reason These two men did not turn to a duel, as would have been common in Ebou Dar Instead, they shouted for a few ree with each other, then insisted on buying one another wine Fights were common; bloodshed infrequent Injuries were bad for business

Quillin approached, bearing a cup of wine--it would be one of his finest vintages She never requested such from him, but never complained either

"Mistress Shore," he said with his affable voice, "I wish I’d known earlier that you were back in town! The first I heard of it was your letter!"

Cadsuane took the offered cup "I a reports on my whereabouts to every acquaintance, Master Tasil"

"Of course not, of course not," he said, and seemed completely unof-fended at her sharp response She’d never been able to get a rise out of him That had alwayswell," she said politely, causing him to turn and look over his few patrons They seelea floor Cadsuane wasn’t certain if it was the inti cleanliness that kept people away from The Wind’s Favor, or if it was Quillin’s insistence on never hiring gleemen or musicians to perform He claimed they spoiled the atmosphere As she watched, he noticed that a new patron entered, tracking in o scrub the floor

"You there," Quillin called to thein, if you please"

The , but went back to do as instructed Quillin sighed and ets a little too busy here lately for my tastes Can’t keep track of allfor et to theirl or two"

"What? And let them have all the fun?" He said it in all seriousness

Cadsuane took a sip of her wine An excellent vintage indeed, perhaps expensive enough that an inn--no matter how splendid--shouldn’t have had it readily available behind the bar She sighed Quillin’s Do-mani as one of the most accomplished silk ht her out personally to trade with her Quillin had kept accounts for his wife’s business for some twenty years before he had retired, both of them wealthy

And what did he do with it? Open an inn It had apparently always been a drea the odd penchants of people with too much free ti a s of coins across the table toward hi his hands "I couldn’t take your coin!"

She raised an eyebrow "I have little patience for games today, Master Tasil If you don’t want it yourself, then give it to the poor Light knows there are enough of those in the city these days"

He sighed, but reluctantly pocketed the purse Perhaps that hy his coard for e beast Many of the co as the immaculate floor and tasteful decorations

Quillin was, however, very good for inforossip with him With her face, he obviously knew she was Aes Sedai Naone to the White Tower, eventually choosing the Brown and settling into the library there A Do unusual--the Terhana library in Bandar Eban was one of the greatest in the world However, Na of current events had been enough of a curiosity that Cadsuane had followed the connection, hoping to discover well-placed parents Ties such as a daughter in the White Tower often made people amiable toward other Aes Sedai That had led her to Quillin Cadsuane didn’t trust him entirely, but she was fond of him

"What news of the city?" Quillin asked Honestly, what innkeeper wore a silk embroidered vest beneath his apron? No wonder people found the inn strange "Where should I start? There has almost been too much to keep track of lately!"

"Start with Alsala her wine "When was he last seen?"

"By credible witnesses, or by hearsay?"

"Tell me both"

"There have been lesser windborn and merchants who clai as recently as a week ago, ard such clai’shiatus began you could find forged letters clai to dictate his wishes I have seen some few sets of orders with my own eyes that I trust--or, at least, I trust the seal on the himself? I’d say it has been almost half a year since anyone I can vouch for has seen hied, looking apologetic "For a while, ere certain that the Council of Merchants was behind the disappearance They rarely let the King out of their sight, and with the troubles to the south, we all assumed they’d taken His Majesty to safety"

"But?"

"But my sources," that er The Council of Merchants has been too disorganized lately, eachto keep their own chunk of Arad Do, they’d have revealed hiernail, annoyed Could there be truth, then, to the al’Thor boy’s belief that one of the Forsaken had Alsalam? "What else?"

"There are Aiel in the city, Lady," Quillin said, scrubbing at an invisible spot on the tabletop

She gave him a flat stare "I hadn’t noticed"

He chuckled "Yes, yes, obvious, I suppose But the exact nuon Reborn has them here just to prove his power and authority After all, who ever heard of Aiel distributing food? Half the poor in the city are too frightened to go to the handouts, for fear the Aiel have used sorain"