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Tam stood, hesitant, in the balcony doorway, lit by two flickering lamps on stands in the room Rand understood Tarn’s hesitation They were not blood father and son Rand’s blood father had been Janduin, clan chief of the Taardad Aiel Taonmount

Just the ht hi he knew Just the man Rand loved and revered, and alould, no matter what their blood connection

"Rand" Tarn’s voice ard

"Please," Rand said through his shock "Please sit"

Tam nodded He closed the balcony doors, then walked forward and took one of the chairs Rand sat, too They stared across the room at one another The stone walls were bare; Rand preferred the was yellow and red, and so large it reached to all four walls

The room felt too perfect A vase of freshly cut dara lilies and caliht where it should Chairs in the center, arranged too correctly The room didn’t look lived m Like so many places he stayed, it wasn’t home He hadn’t truly had a home since he’d left the Two Rivers

Tam sat in one chair, Rand in another Rand realized he still had the access key in his hand, so he set it on the sun-patterned rug before hi He clenched his hands together, probably wishing he had so about unco to do with his hands, whether it be checking the straps on a harness or shearing a sheep

Light, Rand thought, feeling a sudden urge to enfold Ta Familiarity andbrandy to the Winespring Inn for Bel Tine The pleasure Tam took in his pipe His patience and his kindness His unexpected heron-ht of hiet here? How did you findnonstop reat cities these last few days, telling them to marshal their armies for war I think a man would have to be blind, deaf and drunk not to knohere to find you"

"But one to the Two Rivers!"

"I wasn’t in the Two Rivers," Taside Perrin"

Of course, Rand thought Nynaeve must have contacted Perrin--the colors swirled--she was so worried about him and Mat It would have been easy for Ta this conversation? He had given up on returning to the Two Rivers, on ever seeing his father again It felt so good, despite the aardness Tarn’s face held more lines than it had before, and the few deterone silver, but he was the sawene, Nynaeve--it was a wonder to meet someone froht Rand to seek the void Taer than the Stone itself

Rand’sTwo Rivers folk?"

Ta act to ierie performer What with the Seanchan and the Prophet’s men, not to mention the Whitecloaks and the queen---"

"The queen?" Rand said

"Aye," Tah she says she’s not queen anymore Elayne’s mother"

"She lives, then?" Rand asked

"She does, little thanks to the Whitecloaks," Tam said with distaste

"Has she seen Elayne?" Rand asked "You mentioned Whitecloaks-- how did he run into Whitecloaks?" Tarn began to answer, but Rand held up a hand "No Wait I can get a report froether spent with you acting the er"

Tarn smiled faintly

"What?" Rand asked

"Ah, son," he said, shaking his head, broad hardworking hands clasped before hione and ly boy, so wide-eyed at Bel Tine? Where’s the uncertain lad I raised all those years?"

"He’s dead," Rand said immediately

Tam nodded slowly "I can see that Youmust know thenAbout "

"That you’re notdown

"I’ve known since the day I left Emond’s Field," Rand replied "You spoke of it in your fever dreams I refused to believe it for a time, but I was eventually persuaded"

"Yes," Taether tightly "I never uess I shouldn’t call you that, should I?"

You can call ht You are my father No matter what some on Reborn couldn’t have a father A father would be a weakness to be exploited, even on Reborn had to be a figure of e as the Pattern itself He had difficulty getting people to obey as it was What would it do if it were known that he kept his father nearby? If it were known that the Dragon Reborn relied upon the strength of a shepherd?

The quiet voice in his heart was screa "By keeping the truth from me, you likely saved , and discovered near Dragonht very well have been assassinated as a child"

"Oh," Tam said "Well, then, I&