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The Seanchan were as bad as Amadicians when it came to women who could channel, perhaps worse They did not exile or kill; they imprisoned and used By means of a device called an a’dareal -- a woman who had the ability to wield the One Power could be controlled by another woman, a sul’dam, who forced the damane to use her talents for whatever the Seanchan wanted, even as a weapon A damane was no better than an animal, if a welltended one And they made damane of every last woman found with the ability to channel or the spark born in her; the Seanchan had scoured Tohly than the Tower had ever dreaht of a’dam and sul’dam and damane made Nynaeve’s stomach chum

"We know a little," she told Cerandin, "but ant to know one, driven away by Rand, but that was not to say they would not return one day It was a distant danger beside everything else they had to face, yet just because you had a thorn in your foot did not mean that a briar scratch on your arm would not fester eventually "You would do well to answer our questions truthfully" There would be ti will happen to you," Elayne added "I will protect you, if need be"

The palehaired woman’s eyes shifted from one of them to the other, and suddenly, to Nynaeve’s around in front of Elayne "You are a High Lady of this land, just as you told Luca I did not realize Forgive round in front of Elayne’s feet Elayne’s eyes looked ready to leap out of her face

Nynaeve was sure she was no better "Get up," she hissed, looking around frantically to see if anyone atching Luca was -- curse hi that scowl, but there was nothing to be done "Get up!" The woman did not stir

"Stand on your feet, Cerandin," Elayne said "No one requires people to behave that way in this land Not even a ruler" As Cerandin scrambled erect, she added, "I will teach you the proper way to behave in return for your answers to our questions"

The woh Lady It will be as you say I a to have a fine ti to Ghealdan

Chapter 18

(Feuided her horse through the crowded streets of Amador, the sneer on her rosebud lips hidden by her deep, curving bonnet She had hated to give up her multitude of braids, and hated even more the ludicrous fashions of this ludicrous land; the reddish yellow of hat and riding dress she rather liked, but not the large velvet bows on both Still, the bonnet hid her eyes -- combined with honeyyellow hair, brown eyes would have na in Amadicia just now -- and it hid ould have been even worse to show here, an Aes Sedai’s face Safely hidden, she could smirk at the Whitecloaks, who seemed to be every fifth man in the streets Not that the soldiers who made another fifth would have been any better None of theht to look inside the bonnet, of course Aes Sedai were outlawed here, and that meant there were none

Even so, she felt a little better when she turned in at the elaborate iron gates in front of Jorin Arene’s house Another fruitless trip looking for word fro since she had learned that Elaida thought she was in control of the Tower, and that the Sanche woman had been disposed of Siuan had escaped, true, but she was a useless rag now

The gardens behind the gray stone fence were full of plants going rather brown from lack of rain, but trih one was shaped like a leaping horse Only one, of course Merchants like Arene o too far lest soh Elaborate balconies decorated the large wooden house with its redtiled roofs, and even a colonnade of carved colu it was meant to copy, it stood on a stone foundation no more than ten feet tall A childish pretense at a noble’s rayhaired man who scurried out deferentially to hold her stirrup while she dismounted, and take her reins, was clad all in black Whatever colors a merchant chose for livery, they were sure to be some real lord’s colors, and even a oods People in the streets called black "merchant’s livery," and snickered when they said it Liandrin despised the groom’s black coat as much as she did Arene’s house and Arene himself She would have true manors, one day Palaces They had been pro off her riding gloves, she stalked up the ridiculous ra the foundations to the vinecarved front doors The lords’ fortress ht well of hiirl took gloves and hat in the round entrance hail, with its htly painted colu was lacquered in iold and black "I will have my bath in one hour," she told the woman "It will be the proper temperature this tiree away

Ah one of the doors deep in conversation with a fat balding man in a spotless white apron Liandrin breathed contemptuously The woman had pretensions, yet she not only spoke to the cook herself, she brought the man out of his kitchens to discuss meals She treated the servant like -- like a friend!

Fat Evon saw her first and gulped, his piggy eyes darting away i at her, and she had spoken sharply to hiered He had tried to deny it, but she knewto be dismissed by his raying merchant’s wife had been a sternfaced woman when Liandrin and the others careen silk needlessly "There is someone upstairs with the others, ht that she could use Liandrin’s na room From Ta