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Balwer’s skinny fingers leaped away ih burned, and he ive me, my Lord I hesitate to press, but do not take the Whitecloaks too lightly Avoiding them is wise, but it may not be possible They are much closer than the Seanchan Eamon Valda, the new Lord Captain Commander, led most of their numbers toward northern A the Prophet, also, erous man, and Rhadam Asunawa, the Grand Inquisitor, makes Valda seem pleasant And I fear neither has any love for your own Lord Forgive ain, hesitated, then went on smoothly "If I may say so, my Lord’s display of Manetheren’s banner is inspired My Lord will be more than ahiht he knew part of Balwer’s story now Clearly, he also had run afoul of the Whitecloaks That could take noon the sa tie A sharp le And a sharp tongue with Master Gill

Gill was on his knees beside Maighdin, talking rapidly despite Lini’s effort to hush hihdin had turned to stare after Balwer as the fellow hurried through the trees toward the carts, but now and then her gaze swung to Perrin The rest of the now at Balwer, now at Perrin If he had ever seen a group of people worried about what somebody else had said, it was they But ere they worried he , probably Tales of resentether tended to start pecking at one another If that was it, maybe he could put a stop before soain! What did Faile intend to do with the fellow?

"Arao talk to Tallanvor and that lot Tell them what Balwer said to " That should soothe fears of talebearing Faile said servants needed to be made to feel at home "Make friends with them if you can, Aram But if you decide to moon over one of the women, be sure it’s Lini The other two are taken"

The ed to look surprised and offended, both "As you wish, Lord Perrin," he muttered sulkily "I’ll catch you up quickly"

"I will be over with the Aiel"

Araht take a while, at that, if I’m to make friends with them They don’t look like they much want friends, to me" This from a felloho stared suspiciously at anyone except Faile who ca a skirt

Nevertheless, he went over and squatted on his heels where he could speak to Gill and the others Even from a distance their standoffishness was plain They continued with their work, only now and then saying a word to Aram, and they looked at each other as often as at hireen quail in su the cubs to hunt But at least they were talking

Perrin wondered what otten up to with the Aiel -- there did not see Any serious trouble with Aiel usually meant soer to meet the Wise Ones himself He walked around the curve of the hill, but instead of cli the slope, his feet carried him all the way to the Mayeners He had stayed away from their camp as much as possible, too, and not si too keen a nose

Fortunately, a freshening breeze was carrying h it did little for the heat Sweat rolled down the faces of the ht of hiidly in their saddles, which was saying so out to the fields, the Mayeners usually were statues on horseback They could fight, though The Light send there was no need

Havien Nurelle ca up his coat, before Perrin ell past the sentries The dozen or so other officers followed at Nurelle’s heels, all coated and so the straps of their red breastplates Two or three carried helmets with thin red plumes tucked under their arrayingto rescue Rand had been to be named Gallenne’s second, his First Lieutenant, they called it

"The First hasn’t returned, yet, Lord Perrin," Nurelle said,a bow mirrored by the others A tall slenderas he had before Due to his eyes, which had seen more blood than most veterans of twenty battles But if his face was harder, there was still an eagerness to please in his scent To Havien Nurelle, Perrin Aybara was apatrols saw nothing, those that are back I would have reported, otherwise"

"Of course," Perrin told him "I just wanted to look about a bit"

He simply meant to walk around until he could work up his nerve to face the Wise Ones, but the young Mayener followed hi for Lord Perrin to find so whenever they ca dice on a blanket or so aith the sun on the climb He need not have bothered; to Perrin, the camp looked laid out with a plumb line and level Each man had his blankets, and his saddle for a pillow, not more than two paces fro between chesthigh poles set upright in the ground A cook fire stood every twenty paces, with lances stacked in steeltipped cones between The whole oldandblue and larger than the other four combined All very different froe not to look tooHe itched to stop and look over a horse or two -- just to be able to pick up a hoof without so -- but mindful of what Aram had said, he kept his hands to himself Everyone seeheyed bannermen chivvied men to their feet only to have Perrin stride by with a nod before they were all upright A puzzled ht a few comments about officers, lords in particular, that he was just as glad Nurelle and the others e of the ca up the brushy slope toward the Wise Ones’ tents Only a few of the Maidens were visible a the scattered trees up there, and so