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On the other side of as a small yard where weeds stuck up between cobblestones The tall stone house -- three broad, palegray stories, indows and scrollworked eaves and gables, roofed in dark red tiles -- ate was closed behind thean spoke softly "There have been attempts to kill the Prophet"

It took Nynaeve awhy their weapons had been taken "But you are his friends," she protested "You all followed Rand to Fal hion

"That’s e’re bloody let in at all," Uno said dryly "I told you we don’t see everything the way the Prophet does" The slight pause, and the quick halfglance back at the gate to see if anyone was listening, spoke volumes It had been Masema, before And Uno was clearly a ue easily

"Just watch what you say for once," Ragan told her, "and likely you will get the help you want" She nodded, as agreeably as anyone could wish -- she knew sense when she heard it, even if he had no right to offer it -- and he and Uno exchanged doubtful glances She was going to stuff these two into a sack with Tho that stuck up

Fine house as it ht be, the kitchen was dusty, and eray dress and white apron the only clean things in sight as they walked through Sucking her teeth, the old wo a small kettle of soup over a tiny blaze in one of the wide stone fireplaces Two battered pots hung on hooks where twenty could have, and, a cracked pottery bowl on a bluelacquered tray stood on the broad table

Beyond the kitchen, s decorated the walls Nynaeve had developed so of an eye in the last year, and these scenes of feasts and hunts for deer and bear and boar were only good, not excellent Chairs and tables and chests lined the halls, dark lacquer streaked with red, inlaid with s and furniture alike were also dusty, and the redandwhite tiled floor had had only a halfhearted lick with a brooh plaster ceiling

There were no other servants -- or anyone else -- in sight until they ca on the floor beside an open door, his grie for him and at odds with a filthy shirt and oolen breeches One of his cracked boots had a large hole in the sole; a toe poked through another in the other one He held up a hand, whispering, "The Light shine on you, and praise the naon?" Hea narrow face as unwashed as his shirt, but then he did the sa "The Prophet can’t be disturbed now? He’s busy? You’ll have to wait a bit?" Uno nodded patiently, and Ragan leaned against the wall; they had been through this before

Nynaeve did not knohat she had expected of the Prophet, not even now that she ho he was, but certainly not filth That soup had se and potatoes, hardly the fare for afor him And only two servants, both of whom could well have couard, if such he was -- he had no weapon; perhaps he was not trusted either -- seemed to have no objection when she h the doorway The man and woman inside could not have been more different Masema had shaved even his topknot, and his coat was plain broool, heavily wrinkled but clean, although his kneehigh boots were scuffed Deepset eyes turned his perle on his dark cheek, a near e and a hair nearer the eye The wooldembroidered blue silk, was short of herfor beauty A si alold and firedrops with a s decorated nearly every finger Where Mase, teeth bared, she bore herself with stately reserve and grace

"so , "that order flies over the hen you arrive People are not safe in theon has broken all bonds of law, all bonds made by mortal men and wory "The Prophecies say that the Lord Dragon will break all chains that bind, and it is so The Lord Dragon’s radiance will protect us against the Shadow"

"It is not the Shadow that threatens here, but cutpurses and slipfingers and headcrackers Some who follow you -- many -- believe that they can take what they wish from whoever has it without payment or leave"

"There is justice in the hereafter, e are born again Concern with things of this world is useless But very well If you wish earthly justice" -- his lip curled contemptuously --"let it be this Henceforth, a ht hand cut off A man who interferes with a wo A woed If any accuses and finds twelve ill agree, it will be done Let it be so"

"As you say, of course," the woance remained on her face, but she sounded shaken Nynaeve did not kno Ghealdanin law ran, but she did not think it could be so casual as that The woman took a deep breath "There is still the matter of food It becomes difficult to feed so many"

"Every on old can be found, food can be found, and there is too old" Maseeneral He looked to be searching for those who concerned theold so he could unleash fury on their heads "The Lord Dragon has been Reborn The Shadow hangs over the world, and only the Lord Dragon can save us Only belief in the Lord Dragon, subon All else is useless, even where it is not blaspheht" It had the sound of a rote reply "It is no longer si and transporting food in