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Despite herself, her eyes were drawn back to the mouth of the pass The row of stakes was still there, just visible, stretching from steep mountain slope to steep mountain slope except where Aiel had kicked soe,there seven days dead The tall gray walls of Selean clung to the hills at the right of the pass, nothing showing above thelory, yet it had still been a considerable town, er than Taien; no more remained of it, however No survivors, either -- except whoever the Shaido had carried off -- although here soht safe There had been farms on these hills; most of eastern Cairhien had been abandoned after the Aiel War, but a town needed farms for food Now sootstreaked chimneys thrust up from blackened stone farmhouse walls; here a few charred rafters remained above a stone barn, there barn and farmhouse had collapsed from the heat The hill where she sat Mist’s saddle had been sheep pasture; near the fence at the foot of the hill, flies still buzzed over the refuse of butchering Not an ani in a barnyard The crop fields were burned stubble

Couladin and the Shaido were Aiel But so were Aviendha, and Bair and Amys and Melaine, and Rhuarc, who said she reusted at the impalements, yet even they seemed to think it little more than the treekillers deserved Perhaps the only way to truly know the Aiel was to be born Aiel

Casting a last glance at the destroyed town, she rode slowly down to the rough stone fence and let herself out at the gate, leaning down to refasten the rawhide thong out of habit The irony was that Moiraine had said that Seleancurrents of Daes Dae’ainst a man who had sent Tairens into Cairhien, for whatever reason, the decision could have tipped either way, had Couladin given the the broad road until she caught up with Rand, in his red coat today, and joined Aviendha and Amys and thirty or more Wise Ones she barely knew besides the other two drea at a short distance Mat, with his hat and his blackhafted spear, and Jasin Natael, leathercased harp slung on his back and cri Aiel passed the party by on both sides, because Rand led his dapple stallion, talking with the clan chiefs Skirts or no skirts, the Wise Ones would havecolu to Rand like pine sap They barely glanced at Egwene, their eyes and ears focused on hih after Ti in a firs left to watch at Taien had returned to report the Miago the pass a day behind "I’ve co this land, not to loot it"

"A hard e," Bael said, "for us as well, if you mean we cannot take the fifth" Han and the rest, even Rhuarc, nodded

"The fifth, I give you" Rand did not raise his voice, yet suddenly his words were driven nails "But no part of that is to be food We will live on what can be found wild or hunted or bought -- if there is anyone with food to sell -- until I can have the Tairens increase what they’re bringing up from Tear If any man takes a penny more than the fifth, or a loaf of bread without pays to a treekiller, or kills a , whoever he is"

"Dark to tell the clans this," Dhearic said, almost as stony "I came to follow He Who Comes With the Dawn, not to coddle oathbreakers" Bael and Jheran opened their ree, but each saw the other and snapped his teeth shut again

"Mark what I said, Dhearic," Rand said "I came to save this land, not ruin it further What I say stands for every clan, including the Miagoma and any more who follow Every clan Youback into Jeade’en’s saddle, letting the stallion walk on awene drew breath Those h to be his father and s for all they disclaimed it, hardened leaders in battle It seee, a youth who asked and hoped rather than co faster than she could keep up with now A good thing, if he kept theseto other cities what Couladin had done to Taien and Selean She told herself that She only wished he could do it without showing ance every day How soon before he expected her to obey him as Moiraine did? Or all Aes Sedai? She hoped it was only arrogance

Wanting to talk, she kicked a foot free of its stirrup and held a hand down for Aviendha, but the Aiel woman shook her head She really did not like to ride Andin a pack made her reluctant, too Sos been broken With a sigh, Egwene cli her skirts a little gruh Aiel boots she wore looked co very far on that hard, uneven pavement

"He truly is in command," she said

Aviendha barely shifted her eyes from Rand’s back "I do not know hi he carries"

She meant the sword, of course Rand did not precisely carry it; it hung at the pommel of his saddle, in a plain scabbard of brown boarhide, the long hilt covered in the sah as his waist He had had hilt and scabbard ondered hen he could channel a sword of fire, and do other things that ive it to him, Aviendha"

Her friend scowled "He tries to make me accept the hilt, too He used it; it is his Used it in front of me, as if to ry about the sword" She did not think Aviendha was; she had not said a word about it, that night in Rand’s tent "You are still upset over how he spoke to you, and I do understand I know he is sorry He so, but if you would only let hiies," Aviendha muttered "I do not want I can bear this no er" Suddenly she took Egwene’s arht her on the brink of tears "You must speak to them for me To Amys and Bair and Melaine They will listen to you You are Aes Sedai They must let me return to thei