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Autoht" after "triu al’Thor as the Dragon Reborn could be borne, since he was, and this ht lead many to accept the rumors that he had knelt to her already, which would prove useful, but for the rest, she could not believe so ht have mercy," she breathed fervently "If this is proclaimed, it will be impossible to convince al’Thor that his abduction was unsanctioned" It would be hard enough without, but she had seen people convinced before that what had happened, had not, and the "And he will be ten tiainst another attehten away a few of his followers At best!" Many likely had waded so deep with him they did not dare try to wade back Certainly not if they thought anatheht as well set fire to the Toith hed iotten your catechisht you"
Elaida’s lips compressed of their own accord One pleasure in the woreatest, but a very real pleasure -- had been not being forced to repeat that vile litany every day "I will do as I am told," she said at last, in a flat voice She was the Amyrlin Seat! "I will speak the words you tellordained her triun what you tellelse I am " She choked over the last "I am obedient to your will"
"You sound as if you need to be reh "I suppose I’ve left you alone too long" She tapped the parching the pen across the parch else she could do
Alviarin barely waited for the pen’s nib to lift before snatching up the decree "I will seal thisfor the door "I shouldn’t have left the Amyrlin’s seal where you could find it I want to talk to you later I have left you to yourself too long Be here when I return"
"Later?" Elaida said "When? Alviarin? Alviarin?"
The door closed behind the wo Elaida to fume Be there when Alviarin returned! Confined to her quarters like a novice in the punishered her correspondence box, with its golden hawks fighting a white clouds in a blue sky, yet she could not un once more to hold letters and reports of importance, not just the table scraps Alviarin let fall to her, yet with the wo, she began rearranging the roses in their white vases, each atop a white marble plinth in a corner of the room Blue roses; theat a broken rose stem in her hands, snapped in two Half a dozen more littered the floor tiles Sheof her hands around Alviarin’s throat It was not the first ti the woman But Alviarin would have taken precautions Sealed docu untoward happen, had no doubt been left with the last sisters Elaida would suspect That had been her one real worry during Alviarin’s absence, that soht think the wo the stole froh, one way or another, Alviarin was finished, as surely as those roses were --
"You didn’t answer ruffly behind her
Elaida turned, ready to flay with her tongue, but at the sight of the stocky, squarefaced wo just inside the room, the blood drained from her own cheeks
"The Keeper said you wanted to speak me," Silviana said irritably "About a private penance" Even to the Aust Silviana believed private penance a ridiculous affectation Penance was public; only punishment took place in private "She also asked , but she rushed off before saying what" She finished with a snort Silviana saw anything that took time away from her novices and Accepted as needless interruption
"I think I remember," Elaida told her dully
When Silviana finally left -- after only half an hour by the chimes of Cemaile’s clock, yet an endless eternity -- all that kept Elaida fro the Hall to sit immediately so she could demand Alviarin be stripped of the Keeper’s stole were the certainty of her Foretelling and the certainty that Seaine would trace that trail of treason back to Alviarin That, and the sure fact that whether or not Alviarin fell in the confrontation, she herself definitely would So, Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan, Watcher of the Seals, the Flame of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin Seat, surely the most powerful ruler in the world, lay facedown on her bed and blubbered into her pillows, too tender to don the shift that lay discarded on the floor, certain that when Alviarin returned, the woh the entire interview She blubbered, and through her tears she prayed for Alviarin’s downfall to come soon
"I did not tell you to have Elaida beaten," that voice of crystal chi herself from her knees onto her belly before the wo the hem of Mesaana’s dress, she rained kisses on it The weave of Illusion -- it le thread of saidar any more than she could sense the ability to channel in the woman who stood over her -- did not hold coe Flickers of bronze silk with a thin border of intricately eh
"I live to serve and obey you, Great Mistress," Alviarin panted between kisses "I know that I a the lowest of the loorm in your presence, and I pray only for your s above herself" -- not for disobedience, thanks be to the Great Lord of the Dark! -- and she knew that whatever howls Elaida ht then, they could not be half so