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Aardly cli up over the canvas lashed across the load of casks, she reached down to one of the water barrels fastened along the sides of the wagon together with the chests of their possessions and supplies Immediately her hat was on the back of her head, held only by the scarf Her fingers could just touch the lid of the barrel, unless she released the rope that she was gripping with her other hand, and the way the wagon was lurching along, that would probably send her off onto her nose
Juilin Sandar guided the lanky brown gelding he was riding -- Skulker was the ion, and, reached over to hand her one of the leather water bottles slung about his saddle She drank gratefully, though not gracefully Hanging there like a bunch of grapes on a windblown vine, she spilled nearly as ray dress as she did down her throat
It was a suitable dress for a hnecked, finely woven and wellcut, but still plain The pin on her breast, a sold, was perhaps too ift fro with other jewelry, on driver’s seat She wore it to remind herself that even women who sat on thrones sometimes needed to be taken by the scruff of the neck and shaken She had a little s and queens now that she had dealt with Aifts as a bribe toto buy a ship so that they would not re to sell The few vessels re in Tanchico Harbor that were suitable for ees Besides, a ship was the obvious way, the fastest way, to leave, and the Black Ajahfor her and Elayne, after what had happened They had been sent to hunt Aes Sedai ere Darkfriends, not to be a trek across a land torn by civil war and anarchy She was beginning to wish she had not insisted on avoiding the ships Not that she would ever admit it to the others
When she tried to hand the water bottle back to Juilin, he waved it away A tough ly carved from some dark wood, he was not very comfortable on the back of a horse He looked ridiculous to her; not because of his obvious ill ease in the saddle, but for the silly red Taraboner hat that he had taken to wearing on his flat, black hair, a brio ith his dark Tairen coat, tight to the waist, then flaring She did not think it would go ith anything In her opinion, he looked as if he earing a cake on his head
It was clu the rest of the way forith the leather bottle in one hand and her hat flapping, and she did itimprecations for the Tairen thiefcatcher -- Never thieftaker, not hileehterHeir of Andor, who ought to be shaken by the scruff of the neck herself!
She meant to slide onto the wooden driver’s seat between Thoainst Tho the white htmouthed, Nynaeve had to settle for Elayne’s other side She was glad she had her hair in one proper braid again, wristthick and hanging down to her waist; she could give it a tug instead of thuirl had used to see seemed to have addled her wits in Tanchico
"They aren’t following us any her hat back into place "You can slow this thing do, Thom" She could have shouted that from the back and not needed to cla about and calling for the a fool of herself, and liked even less others seeing her in a foolish light "Put your hat on," she told Elayne "That fair skin of yours will not appreciate this sun for long"
As she had halfexpected, the girl ignored her friendly advice "You drive so wonderfully," Elayne gushed as Tho the fourhorse team to a walk "You were in control every lanced down at her, bushy white eyebroitching, but all he said was, "We have more company ahead, child" Well, maybe he was not such a fool
Nynaeve looked, and saw the snowycloakedthem over the next low rise, perhaps half a hundredas ht She was suddenly very conscious of the leather thong hanging around her neck beneath her dress, and the two rings dangling between her breasts Lan’s heavy gold signet ring, the ring of the Kings of lost Malkier, wouldto the Whitecloaks, but if they saw the Great Serpent ring
Fool woman! They aren’t likely to, unless you decide to undress!
Hastily she ran an eye over her co beautiful, and now that she had let go of Thoreen scarf that held her hat, her manner looked on, but aside fro blue, her dress was no different from Nynaeve’s She wore no jewelry; she had called Aaudy" She would pass; she had done so fifty ti with Whitecloaks Thonarled, whitehaired ons And Juilin was Juilin He kne to behave, though he looked as though he wished he were sure footed on the ground, with his staff or the slotted swordbreaker he wore at his belt, rather than on a horse
Thom drew the team over to one side of the road and halted as several Whitecloaks broke away fro smile She hoped they had not decided that they needed another wagon
"The Light illumine you, Captain," she said to the narrowfaceda steeltipped lance She had no idea what rank the two golden knots signified on the breast of his cloak, right below the flaring sunburst they all wore, but in her experience lad to see you Bandits tried to rob us a few miles back, but a dust storm appeared like a miracle We