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Rand’s nod could have been understanding Maybe it was "I’d forget saying goodbye to Egwene, were I you I aht as well be telling Moiraine, or the Wise Ones, or both"

"I reached that conclusion a long tio She’s left Erets it less"

"Maybe," Rand said sadly "The Light shine on you, Mat," he added, sticking out his hand, "and send you smooth roads, fair weather and pleasant coain"

That would not be soon, if Mat had his way He felt a little sad about that, and a little foolish for feeling sad, yet a man had to look after hi and short of it

Rand’s grip was as hard as it had ever been -- all that sork had only added new calluses atop older bowed heron brand in his palainst Mat’s hand Just a little res under his friend’s coatsleeves, or those even stranger things inside his head that let hiet that Rand could channel -- and he had not thought of it once in days; days! -- then it was far past ti there -- Lan see thehis harp; Mat had an ear for music, and to him the unfamiliar tune had an ironic sound; he wondered why the fellow had chosen it -- a fewan end to it, and then Mat was outside There was a crowd out there, a good hundred Maidens spread about the hilltop and walking on tiptoe they were so ready to spear so patient and still as stone, three Tairen lords trying to pretend that they were not sweating and the Aiel did not exist

He had heard about the lords’ arrival, and had even gone to take a look at their camp -- or camps -- but there had been no one there he knew, and no one wanting to take a turn at dice or cards These three eyed hi disdainfully, and apparently decided he was no better than the Aiel, which was to say not worth seeing

Clapping his hat on his head and pulling the brim low over his eyes, Mat studied the Tairens coldly in return for a er pair, at least, becoain before he started down the hill The graybeard still looked all barely concealed impatience to enter Rand’s tent, but it did not ain

He had no idea why he had not sihter and he felt full of vinegar No wonder, really, leaving to in his head, and there was no knohat pips would shohen they landed Odd, that Ithim Yes He would definitely leave early, and as quietly as aon feathers

Whistling, he set off for his tent What was the tune? Oh, yes "Dance with Jak o’ the Shadows" He had no intention of dancing with death, but it had a merry sound, so he whistled it anyway as he tried to plan the best route away fro after the tent flaps had fallen to hide him "I only heard the last bit," he said finally "Was it all like that?"

"Very nearly," Lan replied "With only a few minutes to study the maps, he laid out close to the battle plan that Rhuarc and the others ers, and how tolight cavalry to harry a defeated foe"

Rand looked at him The Warder showed no surprise, not the twitch of an eyelash Of course, he was the one who had said Mat seeeable aboutto ask the obvious question, either, which was good Rand had no right to give the little answer he had

He could have asked a few questions himself Such as, What did es Whatever the answer, there was not a er, and no certainty anyone was still digging ore Well, this battle would be fought without The iained real than a tendency to spout the Old Tongue when not thinking And knowing that, Rand would surely et any harder, he thought bitterly He had seen Mat cli Lan in to discover what ht come to the surface in idle conversation, alone That had been deliberate The rest ht not be, but it would happen He hoped Mat had a fine ti hi off Faile to hisher He hoped it because he kneould draw the at ta’veren, and he the strongest Moiraine had na up in the sae; the Wheel wove happenstance and coincidence into the Pattern, but it did not lay down the likes of the three of them for no reason Eventually he would pull his friends back to him, however far they went, and when they came, he would use them, however he could However he had to Because he did have to Because whatever the Prophecy of the Dragon said, he was sure the only chance he had of winning Tar all three of theether since infancy, tied together once more No, he did not need to becoh already to make a Seanchan spew his supper!

"Play ’March of Death,’" he commanded in a harsher voice than he wanted, and Natael looked at hi to everything He would have questions, but he would find no answers If Rand could not tell Lan Mat’s secrets, he would not spread them before one of the Forsaken, however tah, and pointed the length of spear at theto ave hi smile and a seated bow, but he hite around the eyes It was indeed "The March of Death" that he began, yet it had a sharper edge on his harp than ever before, a dirgelike keen that surely wouldto see so away, Rand stretched out on the carpets with his head to the old cushion under his elbow "Lan, would you ask the oth