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The shadows in the garden beyond thehad shifted an hour’s worth before Lini returned with young Tallanvor, ent to one knee while she was still shutting the door "He didn’t want to coo I suppose I could have shohat you are displaying to the world, and he’d have followed quick enough, but now I must needs use sweet reason"

Tallanvor turned his head to look up at her sourly "You threatened to harry me here with a stick if I did not come You are lucky I wondered as so i you to the infiraze turned angry as it shifted to Morgase "I see your o well, ht at her eyes, but Lini’s coh glowing arroere pointing to her exposed bosom It was an effort to keep her hands calmly in her lap "You are a sharp lad, Tallanvor And loyal, I believe, else you would not have come to me with the news of the Two Rivers"

"I aht where he knelt "I am a man who has sworn his life in service to his queen"

She let her teht back at him "If you are a man, behave as one Stand, and answer your queen’s questions truthfully And re Tallanvor Whatever you think ive me, my Queen I hear and obey" The words were properly said, if not exactly contrite, but he stood, head high, staring at her as defiantly as ever Light, the man was as stubborn as Gareth Bryne had ever been

"Howthe Guards in the Palace? How many will obey their oaths and follow er was gone, though he still stared intently at her face "For the rest If you wish to find loyal arrisons, perhaps as far as Whitebridge Some ere in Caemlyn were sent to Cairhien with the levies, but the rest in the city are Gaebril’s to a man Their new Their new oath is to throne and law, not the Queen"

It orse than she had hoped for, but no more than she had expected, really Whatever he was, Gaebril was no fool "Then Imy rule" The Houses would be difficult to rally after the exiles, after Ellorien, but it had to be done "Gaebrilthe Palace" -- she found a fainthalted by Gaebril --"so you will procure two horses and wait in the street behind the south stables I will "

"Too public," he said "And too close Gaebril’s uised yourself I know a , in the western part of the New City?" The New City was new only in comparison with the Inner City it surrounded

"I can" She did not like being opposed, even when it made sense Bryne had done that, too It would be a pleasure to show this young uise herself It was her habit once a year, though she realized that she had not done it so far this year, to dress as a commoner and walk the streets to feel the pulse of the people No one had ever recognized her "But can thisTallanvor?"

"Basel Gill is as loyal to you as I a replaced by anger once ? You must have known, you htened his hands around Andor’s neck Why have you waited?"

So His anger was honestly come by, and it deserved an honest answer Only she had no answer, certainly not one she could tell hi entle firmness "A loyal man, as I know that you are loyal, serves without question"

He let out a long breath "I will await you in the stable of The Queen’s Blessing, my Queen" And with a bow suitable for a state audience, he was gone

"Why do you keep calling hi?" Lini demanded once the door closed "It puts his back up ’A fool puts a burr under the saddle before she rides"

"He is young, Lini Young enough to bedelicate about it "He has a few years on Galad, and Galad is too old to be yours You were playing with dolls when Tallanvor was born, and thinking babes caase wondered if the woman had treated her h to see Elayne on the throne -- which somehow she did not doubt, Lini would last forever -- she would probably treat Elayne no differently That was assu that a throne remained for Elayne to inherit "The question is, is he as loyal as he seems, Lini? One faithful Guardsman, when every other loyal ood to be true"

"He swore the new oath" Morgase opened her mouth, but Lini forestalled her "I saw him afterwards, alone behind the stables That’s how I kneho you meant; I found out his na down his face He alternated apologizing to you and repeating the old oath Not just to ’the Queen of Andor,’ but to ’Queen Morgase of Andor’ He swore in the old way, on his sword, slicing his ar it I know a thing or two of ainst an arood to know If she could not trust him, she would have to doubt Lini next No, never Lini He had sworn in the old way? That was sohts drift again Surely Gaebril’s clouding of her mind was finished noith all she knew Then why did a part of her still want to go back to her sitting room and wait? She had to concentrate

"I will need a simple dress, Lini One that does not fit too well A little soot froase would have had to tie her to a chair to leave her behind, and she was not certain that the old woman would have let herself be tied; she had always seemed frail, and had always been far