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"And since you’re the only Aiel we know," he finished, "well, it could be you Ingtar says Aiel never live outside the Waste, so you must be the only one"

"I don’t think that’s funny, Mat," Rand growled "I atar thinks you are Tam saidHe was sick, fevered They had severed the roots he had thought he had, the Aes Sedai and Tah Ta They had cut hi new to hold on to False Dragon Aiel He could not clai to anyone But the Two Rivers is the only ho," Mat protested "It’s justBurn tar says you are Masema says you are Urien could have been your cousin, and if Rhian put on a dress and said she was your aunt, you’d believe it yourself Oh, all right Don’t look at ht What difference does it ht water and towels for washing faces and hands, and cheese and fruit and wine, with pewter goblets a little too large to be coier women came, too, their dresses all embroidered One by one they appeared, a dozen of them all told, to ask if the hu Each turned her attentions to Loial just before she left He gave his answers respectfully but in as feords as Rand had ever heard hiiersized, woodbound book clutched to his chest like a shield, and when they went, he huddled in his chair with the book held up in front of his face The books in the house were one thing not sized for hu his lungs with a sled fro theht most places smelled bad, but thisLord Rand, I don’t think there’s ever been any killing here Not even any hurting, except by accident"

"The stedding are supposed to be safe for everyone," Rand said He atching Loial "That’s what the stories say, anyway" He sed a last bit of white cheese and went over to the Ogier Mat folloith a goblet in his hand "What’s the matter, Loial?" Rand said "You’ve been as nervous as a cat in a dogyard ever since we ca the door an uneasy glance from the corner of his eye

"Are you afraid they’ll find out you left Stedding Shangtai without permission from your Elders?"

Loial looked around wildly, the tufts on his ears vibrating "Don’t say that," he hissed "Not where anyone can hear If they found out " With a heavy sigh, he slu fro OgierIf a girl sees a boy she likes, she goes to her mother Or sometimes the mother sees soree, the girl’sthe boy knows, his ed"

"Doesn’t the boy have any say in it?" Mat asked incredulously

"None The women always say ould spend our lives riroups of young Ogier visit fro so they can see, and be seen If they discover I’m Outside without permission, the Elders will almost certainly decide I need a wife to settle e to Stedding Shangtai, to my mother, and she will come here and have me married before she washes off the dust of her journey She’s always said I a when I left Whatever wife she chooses for o back Outside until I have gray in my beard Wives always say no h to control his teh to draw every head, but at Loial’s frantic gesture he spoke softly "A what he wants"

Rand frowned, re him around when they were both little It was then that Mistress al’Vere had begun taking a special interest in hiirls would dance with him on feastdays and sowene’s friends, while those ould not were girls Egwene did not like He also see Ta a wife for her to talk to! -- and after that, Taere proh they had not knelt before the Woht about it this way before; things between Egwene and him had always just seemed to be the way they were, and that was that

"I think we do it the sahed, he added, "Do you re your mother really didn’t want hihtfully and closed it again

Juin came down the steps from outside "If you please, will all of you come with me? The Elders would see you" He did not look at Loial, but Loial still almost dropped the book

"If the Elders try to o with us"

"I’ll bet it isn’t about you at all," Mat said "I’ll bet they are just going to say we can use the Waygate " He shook himself, and his voice fell even lower "We really have to do it, don’t we" It was not a question

"Stay and get ri with ta’veren for friends"

Chapter 36

(Leaf)

Aier town, Rand saw that Loial was growing more and more anxious Loial’s ears were as stiff as his back; his eyes grew bigger every ti at hie number of them did seem to take notice of him He looked as if he expected his own execution

The bearded Ogier gestured to wide steps leading down into a grassy er by far than any other; it was a hill, for all practical purposes, almost at the base