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She glanced at Leane, who sood Leane had disliked being kept in the dark about her plan for thewrapped in secrecy to be easy revealing ht that the idea of Red Ajah involveons had been neatly planted Reds had been the leaders in overthrowing her There es a great deal," Sheriam said after a time "We cannot possibly follow an A"

"Follow her!" Siuan exclaimed, for the first ti back to kiss Elaida’s ring? Knohat she has done, and will do?" Leane quivered in her seat as if she wanted to say a few choice words herself, but they had agreed that Siuan was to be the one to lose her temper

Sheriam looked a trifle embarrassed, and spots of color floated in Myrelle’s olive cheeks, but the others took it as cal," Carlinya said in a voice as hard as winter stone "The Dragon has been Reborn, the Last Battle is co, and the Tower must be whole"

Anaiya nodded "We understand your reasons for disliking Elaida, even hating her We do understand, but we must think of the Tower, and the world I confess I do not like Elaida myself But then, I have never liked Siuan, either It is not necessary to like the Alare so, Siuan You have had a file for a tongue since you were a novice, and it has only roughened with the years And as Amyrlin, you pushed sisters where you wanted and only seldom explained why The two do not make a likable coue," Siuan said dryly Did the woman expect the Amyrlin Seat to treat every sister like a childhood friend? "But I hope what I’ve told you changes your desire to kneel at Elaida’s feet?"

"If that is your sue," Myrelle said idly, "I may have to smooth it myself, if we do allow you to run the eyesandears for us"

"We cannot go back to the Tower now, of course," Sheria this Not until we are in position to see Elaida deposed"

"Whatever she has done, the Reds, they will continue to support her" Beonin stated it as fact, not objection It was no secret that the Reds resented the fact that there had not been an Amyrlin from their Ajah since Bonwhin

Morvrin nodded heavily "Others will, as well Those who have thrown themselves too much behind Elaida to believe they have any other choice Those ill support authority, however vile And so the Tohen it must be whole at any cost"

"All but the Red sisters can be approached," Beonin said judiciously, "negotiated with" Mediation and negotiation were her Ajah’s reason for existence

"It seeents, Siuan" Sheriam looked around at the others "Unless anyone still thinks we should take them away from her?" Morvrin was the last to shake her head, but she did it, finally, after a long study that hed and h of relief Not a short life drying up in a cottage, but a life of purpose Ita stilled wo to replace the One Power in her life -- but with purpose it would be long enough So Myrelle was going to sue for her, was she? I’ll show that foxeyed Green -- I will holdmore than look at o Burn me, but I did

"Thank you, Aes Sedai," she said in the meekest tone she could find To call them that pained her; it was another break, another reood service" Myrelle did not have to nod in such a satisfied way Siuan ignored a small voice that said she would have done as est," Leane said, "it is not enough to wait until you have enough support in the Hall of the Tower to depose Elaida" Siuan put on an interested look, as though hearing this for the first time "Elaida sits in Tar Valon, in the White Tower, and to the world she is Amyrlin At the moment, you are only a flock of dissidents She can call you rebels and agitators, and co from the Amyrlin Seat, the world will believe it"

"We can hardly stop her being A on her chair in icy conteed shawl, she would have snapped it around her

"You can give the world a true Amyrlin" Leane spoke not to the White sister, but to all of the yet at the saestion that she merely hoped they would take It had been Siuan who pointed out that the techniques she employed on men could be adapted for women "I saw Aes Sedai from every Ajah save the Red in the common room, and in the streets Have them elect a Hall of the Tower here, and let that Hall select a new Amyrlin Then you can present yourselves to the world as the true White Tower, in exile, and Elaida as a usurper With Logain’s revelations added in, can you doubt who the nations will accept as the real Amyrlin Seat?"

The idea took hold Siuan could see theht, only Sheriaainst "It will reeneyed woman said sadly

"It already is broken," Siuan told her tartly, and instantly wished she had not when they all looked at her

This was supposed to be purely Leane’s notion She herself had a reputation as a deftshe proposed That hy she had begun by scathing theun with ht herself Amyrlin, and let them put her in her place By co the little she could, and they would beher own part had not been difficult until it ca the!

You didn’t have to worry about the suspicious They think you are a broken reed If everything went properly, they would not learn differently A useful reed, but a weak one, not to be thought of twice It was a painful accommodation to ard They would accept her only on their terms, and she would ha