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"What do you tell the people when you take your wagons inland?"

"That they must obey the Forerunners, Captain, await the Return, and serve Those Who Coainst us?"

Thehis knees, and there was suddenly sweat in his voice "I have sworn the oaths, Captain I obey, await, and serve"

"You see?" Egeanin said, turning to Domon "There is no reason to forbid them weapons There must be trade, and merchants must protect theo as they will, so long as they obey, await, and serve Their forefathers broke their oaths, but these have learned better" She started back up the hill, and the soldiers pushed Domon after her

He looked back at the eanin was ten paces up the street, then he straightened and hurried the other way, leaping down the sloping street

Egeanin and his guards did not look around, either, when athe street The soldiers rode creatures that looked almost like cats the size of horses, but with lizards’ scales rippling bronze beneath their saddles Clawed feet grasped the cobblestones A threeeyed head turned to regard Do else, it see -- for Domon’s peace ofthe street, the Falainst the fronts of the buildings, so their eyes The Seanchan paid them no heed

Domon understood why the Seanchan could allow the people as much freedoh to resist Da to stop the Seanchan fro all the way to the Spine of the World No hly, and considered whether there was any way to avoid the Seanchan in his future trading

They reached the top of the incline, where the town gave way to hills There was no toall Ahead were the inns that served on yards and stables Here, the houses would have made respectable est of theuard of Seanchan soldiers out front, and a blueedged banner bearing a golden, spreadwinged hawk rippling above it Egeanin surrendered her sword and dagger before taking Doan to sweat He sood to do business with a lord on the

lord’s own ground

In the front hall Egeanin left Do by the full sleeves of his shirt and the spirals eht the words "High Lord" The servant hurried away, returning finally to lead theest room in the house Every stick of furniture had been cleared out of it, even the rugs, and the stone floor was polished to a bright gleae birds hid walls and s

Egeanin stopped just inside the room When Domon tried to ask where they were and why, she silenced hirowl She did noton her toes She held whatever it was she had taken froine what it could be

Suddenly a gong sounded softly, and the Seanchan wo carefully beside her At a look froe ways, and he suspected Seanchan lords er ones than he knew

Two men appeared in the doorway at the far end of the roo pale golden hair braided and hanging down over his ear to his shoulder His deep yellow robe was just long enough to let the toes of yellow slippers peek out when he walked The other wore a blue silk robe, brocaded with birds and long enough to trail nearly a span on the floor behind hiernails were at least an inch long, those on the first two fingers of each hand lacquered blue Domon’s h Lord Turak," the yellowhaired man intoned, "who leads Those Who Coeanin prostrated herself with her hands at her sides Doh Lords of Tear would no deeanin kissing the floor With a grimace, he decided there was a limit to ieanin suddenly stood He started to rise as well, and rowl in her throat and a scandalized look on the face of the man with the braid put hi under his breath I would no do this for the King of Illian and the Council of Nine together

"Your naeanin?" It had to be the voice of thespeech had a rhythh Lord," she replied hueanin Quite rare Do you wish a payh I live to serve, High Lord"

"I will eanin After the Return, new names will be called to the Blood Show yourself fit, and you h Lord honorsbut her boots backing out of the roo at intervals for bows The door closed behind her There was a long silence He atching sweat froain

"You ot to his feet, and sahat Turak held in his longnailed fingers The cuendillar disk shaped into the ancient seal of the Aes Sedai Reeanin’s reaction when he an to sweat in earnest There was no aniht curiosity, but Domon did not trust lords

"Do you knohat this is, trader?"

"No, High Lord" Do who could not lie with a straight face and an easy voice

"And yet you kept it in a secret place"

"I do collect old things, High Lord, from times past There do be those ould steal such, did the