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"Not pleasant," Elayne muttered Three years in the Wait Barashelle and Anselan? It could not be the sa Aes Sedai But she had read two versions and heard Tho, arduous service to earn Anselan’s love Two thousand years could change a great deal in a story

"Not pleasant," Birgitte agreed, and suddenly her eyes were e and innocent in her pale face "I suppose, since you wish me to keep your dreadful secret, you will not ride me as hard as some Aes Sedai ride their Warders It would not do to push me to tell just to escape you"

Elayne’s chin came up instinctively "That sounds very like a threat I do not take well to threats, fro worip was noticeably stronger "Please I did not intend it that way Gaidal claims I have a sense of humor like a rock tossed into a shojacircle" A cloud swept across her face at Gaidal’s naone "You saved my life, Elayne I will keep your secret and serve you as Warder And be your friend, if you will have me"

"I will be proud to have you for friend" Shojacircle? She would ask another tier, but she needed rest, not questions "And for Warder" It see to choose the Green Ajah; aside fro else, that was the only way she could bond Rand, The dream was still clear in her mind, and she intended to convince him to accept it one way or another "Perhaps you could try to itte sounded as if she were saying she would try to pick up a mountain "But if I am to be your Warder, even in secret, then I will be Warder to you You can barely hold your eyes open It is time for you to sleep" Elayne’s eyebrows and chin shot up together, but the wos, it is a Warder’s place to tell his -- her -- Aes Sedai when she pushes herself too hard Also to provide a dose of caution when she thinks she can walk into the Pit of Doom And to keep her alive so she can do what she s for you Never fear for your back when I aitte needed it ot the woitte had seen her put a pillow and blankets on the floor between the beds for herself There was soitte was still weak enough that Elayne had no troubleher stay in the bed Well, not very much anyway At least Nynaeve’s soft snore never broke

She herself did not go to sleep iitte The woon until she had so to wear, and she was taller than Elayne or Nynaeve Sitting down between the beds, Elayne began letting out the he dress There would hardly be ti the new he no ain, more than once Sometimes he knelt voluntarily, and soitte, even sneaking into his bedchaitte was one of the other women now Elayne did not wene, or Aviendha, or Nynaeve, though she could not ih She had just ordered Birgitte, in a Warder’s colorshifting cloak, to drag Berelain and Elaida to the kitchens for three years, when suddenly the to her She awakened to find Nynaeve traray light just before dawn showed in the s as ever, and ravenous besides Elayne was not certain whether Nynaeve had finished her bout of selfbla her hands or speak of it, but while Elayne washed her face and hands, and explained about the er, Nynaeve hastily peeled and cored red pears and yellow apples, sliced cheese, and handed it all to Birgitte on a plate with a cup of watered ith honey and spices She would have fed the woitte’s hair in white henpepper herself, until it was as black as Elayne’s -- Elayne did her own, of course -- donated her best stockings and shift, and looked disappointed when a pair of Elayne’s slippers fit better She insisted on helping Birgitte into the gray silk as soon as her hair had been toweled dry and braided again -- the hips and boso out, too, but that would have to wait -- and even wanted to stitch the hem herself, until Elayne’s incredulous stareas she scrubbed her face that she could seell as anyone When she wanted to

When they went outside at last, the first sharp golden edge of the sun was peeking above the trees to the east For this little while, the day felt deceptively comfortable There was not a cloud to be seen in the sky, and by noon the air would be hot and gritty:

Thoon, and the whole ca Skulker was already saddled, and Elaynetoday herself before one of the ot there first, though, she would not be too disappointed This very afternoon she would highwalk in front of people for the first time The costume Luca had shown herabout it as Nynaeve did

Luca hih the ca unneeded instructions "Latelle, wake those bloody bears! I want theh Sas this tih, you and your brothers do your tuon, mind Just ahead This is supposed to be a stately procession, not a race to see which of you can backflip the fastest! Cerandin, keep those boarhorses in hand I want people to gasp in alowering at Nynaeve and herself equally with a bit left over for Birgitte "Kind of you to decide to come with the rest of us, Mistress Nana, ht you itte "Having a chat with someone from across the river, are you? Well, we’ve no time for visitors I mean to be set up and