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Nodding to Sulin and the Maidens, who ht have taken root under that leatherleaf, Perrin turned to go, and stopped Two rays and browns and greens of the cadin’sor, his cased bow on his back, a bristling quiver at his belt, and his spears and round hide buckler in hand Gaul was a friend, and the onlythe Aiel who did not hite His companion, a head shorter in a broadbrireen, was no Aiel He had a full quiver at his belt, too, and a knife even longer and heavier than the Aielman’s, but he carried his bow, er than the horn bows of the Aiel Despite his clothes, he did not have the look of a far hair tied at the nape of his neck and hanging to his waist, the beard fanning across his chest, or perhaps just the way hearound the brush on the hill so that you were sure no twig snapped in his passing, no weeds broke under his foot Perrin had not seen hi the hilltop, Elyas Machera regarded Perrin, golden eyes shining faintly in the shadow of his hat brim His eyes had been that way years before Perrin’s; Elyas had introduced Perrin to the wolves He had been dressed in hides, then "Good to see you again, boy," he said quietly Sweat glistened on his face, but little ive away that axe, finally? I didn’t think you’d ever stop hating it"

"I still do," Perrin said just as quietly A long tio the oneti to use it Light, but he still hated it! And he had added new reasons, now "What are you doing in this part of the world, Elyas? Where did Gaul find you?"

"He found hed" He spoke loudly enough to be heard by the Maidens, and the sudden stillness a them was solid as a touch

Perrin expected at least a few cutting comments -- Aiel humor could near draw blood, and the Maidens seized any chance to dig at the greeneyed man -- but instead, soether in approbation Gaul nodded approval

Elyas grunted aed his hat down, yet he smelled pleased The Aiel did not approve of ," he told Perrin, "and I just happened to be in Ghealdan when so with this parade" He did not name theto wolves "ToldThey don’t knohat Maybe you do I hear you’ve been running with the Dragon Reborn"

"I don’t know," Perrin said slowly A change? He had not thought to ask the wolves anything o around the thee? "Rand is surely changing things, but I couldn’t say what theysoe," Gaul said dismissively "Until ake, the dream drifts on the wind" For atheir eyes, Perrin was sure He said nothing about theolden eyes as just onewetlanders "I will leave you two to talk alone Friends long separated need to talk by the yesterday, and thought I ht show them how to draw a bow before one of them shoots herself"

"I was surprised to see you come back today," the whitehaired wohter rippled through the Maidens, and fingers flickered rapidly in handtalk

Sighing, Gaul rolled his eyes ostentatiously "In that case, I think I hed at that, including Sulin "May you find shade this day," he told Perrin, a casual farewell between friends, but he clasped forearms formally with Elyas and said, "My honor is yours, Elyas Machera"

"Odd fellow," Elyas hed, he turned around ready to killinstead You have any objections to going so tochances with Aes Sedai" His eyes narrowed "Gaul says there are three with you You don’t expect to beup with any lancing their way between slashes with the beater; she would learn about Elyas’ eyes soon enough and start trying to ferret out what else linked him to Perrin "Come on; it’s time I was back inan Aes Sedai who knows you?" Elyas’ days as a Warder had ended when it was learned he could talk to wolves Soht it a mark of the Dark One, and he had had to kill other Warders to get away

The older man waited until they were a dozen paces from the tents before he replied, and even then, he spoke quietly, as though he suspected soood as theirs "One who knows h Warders don’t run off often, boy Most Aes Sedai will free a o -- most will -- and anyway, she can track you doever far you run if she decides to hunt But any sister who finds a renegade will spend her idlehihtly His smell was not fear, but anticipation of pain "Then she’ll turn him over to his own Aes Sedai to drive the lesson hoe of the slope, he looked back Masuri did seee on atteh "Worse thing would be to run into Rina I’d rather be caught in a forest fire with both legs broken"

"Rina’s your Aes Sedai? But how could you run into her? The bond lets you knohere she is" That nudged so in Perrin’s memory, but whatever it was melted away at Elyas’ reply

"A fair nu Maybe they all can You don’t know much more than she’s still alive, and I know that anyway, because I haven’t gone crazy" Elyas saw the question on his face and barked a laugh "Light, man, a sister’s fleshandblood, too Most are Think about it Would you want somebody inside your head while you cuddled up with a likely wench? Sorry; I forgot you were married, now No offense meant I was surprised to hear you’d married