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A sea breeze blew through the canopy, ruffling the canvas and carrying with it the scent of rotten fish Many things seeht The Trollocs What did their appearance foretell? Tylee had destroyed the at the intensity of this man, she hesitated Yes, the Last Battle was close, perhaps as close as he said That made it all the more important that she unify these lands beneath her banner

"You on Reborn said "Why do you fight me?"

"We are the Return," Tuon said "The omens said it was tidom, ready to praise us and lend us armies for the Last Battle Instead, we found a fractured land that had forgotten its oaths and prepared for nothing How can you not see that weus pleasure to kill you, no s a parent joy to discipline a child who has gone astray"

Al’Thor seemed incredulous "We are children to you?"

"It was a metaphor only," Tuon said

He sat for a moment, then rubbed his chin with his hand Did he blame her for the loss of the other one? Falendre had spoken of it

"A metaphor," he said "An apt one, perhaps Yes, the land did lack unity But I have forged it together The solder is weak, perhaps, but it will hold long enough If not for me, then your war of unification would be commendable As it is, you are a distraction We must have peace Our alliance need last only until my life ends" He "

She sat at the wide table, arms folded before her If al’Thor stretched out his arm, he would not be able to reach her That was intentional, though the precaution was laughable, in hindsight He would not need his hand should he decide to kill her Best not to think of that

"If you see the value of unification," she said, "then perhaps you should unite your lands beneath the Seanchan banner, have your people take the oaths and--" The wo behind al’Thor, the marath’damam, opened eyes wide as Tuon spoke

"No," al’Thor said, interrupting Tuon

"But surely you can see that one ruler, with--"

"No," he said, softly, yet erous "I will not see another person chained by your foul leashes"

"Foul? They are the only way to deal with those who can channel!"

"We have survived without them for centuries"

"And you have--"

"This is not a point I will concede," al’Thor said

Tuon’s guards--Selucia included--gritted their teeth, and the guards dropped hands to sword hilts He had interrupted her twice in a row The Daughter of the Nine Moons How could he be so bold?

He was the Dragon Reborn, that was how But his words were foolishness He would bow before her, once she was Empress The prophecies dedoms would join with the Empire

She had let the conversation slip out of her control The marath’damam were a touchy subject to ic in leashing the women, but their traditions were difficult to relinquish That was no doubt why they were so disturbed by talking about these things

She needed to nudge the conversation in other directions Into a realuard She studied him "Is this all our conversation is to be about?" she said "We sit across from one another and speak only of our differences?"

"What else would we talk about?" al’Thor said

"Perhaps so we have in common"

"I doubt there is much in that area that is relevant"

"Oh?" Tuon said "And what of Matrion Reborn blinked, htly "Mat?" he said "You know Mat? How"

"He kidnapped ed aped, then shut his mouth "I remember now," he said softly "I saw you With him I did not connect you to that face Matwhat have you been doing?"

You saw us? Tuon thought skeptically So the madness had manifested itself Would that make him easier to manipulate, or more difficult? Probably the latter, unfortunately

"Well," al’Thor finally said, "I trust that Mat had his reasons He always does And they seeical to hion Reborn; he would be an excellent resource to her Perhaps that hy he had been brought to her, so she would have a on Reborn She would have to recover him before he could help her in that area

Matrim would not like that, but he would have to see reason He was First Prince of the Ravens He needed to be raised to the High Blood, shave his head and learn the proper way of living That all seemed a shame to her--for reasons she could not explain to herself

She couldn’t help asking after him a little more Partly because the topic appeared to unbalance al’Thor, and partly because she was curious "What type of man is he, this Matri of an indolent scoundrel, too quick to find excuses to avoid oaths he’d taken"

"Don’t speak of hily, the words ca beside al’Thor’s chair

"Nynaeve " al’Thor began

"Don’t hushher arms "He’s your friend too" The wo them A marath’damane\

She continued, "Matrim Cauthon is one of the finest hness, and I won’t listen to ill speech of hiht," al’Thor said reluctantly "He is a good h at tih he does grumble about what his conscience makes him do"