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"I didn’t coht have heard" He leaned down for one of thefrohtened to puff his pipe alight "It was soression Cairhien, Tear, Illian, and finishing up in Cae to Tar Valon At that ti problehter rippled; they had all served on the Murandian border at one time or another "I had sent soht on ned the sheep and cattle on our side of the border I never expected the Amyrlin to take an interest" He certainly had their attention; preparations to leave were still going on, but more slowly

"Siuan Sanche and Elaida closeted theain, and it did not even sase was half thunderhead, with lightning shooting out of her eyes, and half tenyearold who’d been hauled up by her h woht between Elaida and the Amyrlin Seat" He shook his head, and they chuckled; Aes Sedai attentions were one thing none of them envied lords and rulers "She ordered me to remove all troops from the border with Murandy immediately I asked her to discuss it with me in private, and Siuan Sanche jumped all over me In front of half the court, she chewed me up one side and down the other like a raw recruit Said if I couldn’t do as I was told, she’d useher pardon before it was done -- in front of everyone, for trying to do as he had been sworn to do -- but there was no need to add that Even at the end he had not been sure that she would not ase behead him, or have it done herself

"Must have hed, and others joined in

"The upshot was," Bryne went on, "ed, and the Guards were ordered back fro to me to protect you in Ebou Dar, just re the A with the rest of us" They roared with mirth

"Did you ever find out what it was about, my Lord?" Joni wanted to know

Bryne shook his head "Aes Sedai business of some sort, I expect They don’t tell the likes of you and me what they are up to" That earned a few chuckles as well

They es Soht wryly Too old to go chasing after a pretty pair of eyes young enough to be his daughter’s if not his granddaughter’s I only want to knohy she broke oath, he told hinaled forward, and they headed west, leaving a trail of dust It would take hard riding to catch up But he meant to In Ebou Dar or the Pit of Doom, he would find them

Chapter 13

(Elephant)

A S of the coach on its leather hinges, trying to ignore Nynaeve’s sour face across fro of dust that soh the s; the breeze bleay so, forested hills streamed past, the woods occasionally broken by short stretches of farmland A lord’s manor, in the fashion of Amadicia, topped one of the hills a few h with an elaborate wooden structure atop that, all ornate balconies and redtiled roofs Once it all would have been stone, but many years had passed since a lord needed a fortress in A’s la required the wooden construction No rebel lord would be able to hold out against the king for long Of course, the Children of the Light were exempted from that law; they were immune to a nu of the laws and customs of other countries from the time she was a child

Cleared fields dotted the distant hills, too, like brown patches on aants Everything looked dry; one bolt of lightning would set a fire that could burn for leagues But lightning h and thin for that Idly she wondered whether she could make it rain She had learned considerable control over weather Still, it was very difficult if you had to begin with nothing

"Is my Lady bored?" Nynaeve asked acidly "The wayat the countryside -- down my Lady’s nose -- I thinkback over her head, she pushed open a sue with ue, too, Juilin Thiefcatcher! I said ed down, but Elayne could still hear Tho, very likely; Nynaeve had been barking at the men all day A moment later his whip cracked, and the coach racketed ahead even faster, rocking so hard that both wooldencolored silk seats The silk had been thoroughly dusted when Thoone hard Yet jounced about as she was, the set of Nynaeve’s jaw said she would not ask Thoo faster

"Please, Nynaeve," Elayne said "I --" The other woman cut her off

"Is my Lady uncomfortable? I know ladies are used to co a poor maid wouldn’t know about, but surely my Lady wants to make the next town before dark? So my Lady’s maid can serve my Lady’s supper and turn downup h it were her fault

Elayne sighed heavily Nynaeve had seen the point, back in Mardecin A lady never traveled without a maid, and two ladies would probably have a pair Unless they put Thom or Juilin in a dress, that meant one of them Nynaeve had seen that Elayne knew ently, and Nynaeve usually knew sense when she heard it Usually But that was back in Mistress Macura’s shop, after they had filled the to Mardecin, they had traveled hard until e with an inn, where they had roused the innkeeper fro before first light yesterday to push on, skirting around Amador by a fewbut what they clai through a great city full of Whitecloaks The Fortress of the Light was in Aned in Amado