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"It is the Dragon Reborn I follow, young woman The Car’a’carn, I leave to you"

"Go on, Natael," Rand said iht concerning the Tairens’ choices, though perhaps the Maidens and others fingering their veils had concerned theraying, slenderaflame by the time they reined their horses around, and Gueyam, bald as a stone and wide as a blackse As overwhel swords, or the realization that if they soed to cut a path to Rand, he was unlikely to welcome them with his allies’ blood on their blades

"Meilan’s eyes were bulging out of his head," the iance and fealty to you Perhaps he thought you ht hear The others echoed hi that ift of Cairhien to the Lord Dragon,’ he said Then he announced that he would prepare a grand triumph for you when you’re ready to enter the city"

"There’s an old saying in the Two Rivers," Rand said dryly "The louder a man tells you he’s honest, the harder you must hold on to your purse" Another said, "The fox often offers to give the duck its pond" Cairhien was his without gifts from Meilan

He had no doubts about theas Meilan believed he would be destroyed if caught betraying Rand If caught; that was the hook Those seven High Lords in Cairhien had been theto see him dead in Tear That hy he had sent theainst hi them anarchy, famine and civil war to deal with a thousand ood way to put a criood where it needed doing Of course, he had not even known Couladin existed then, much less that the man would lead him to Cairhien

It would be easier if this was a story, he thought In stories, there were only sohe needed; he hi

Asht be applied to him, too, as he was no doubt aware -- but when Rand said noof Cairhien Subject to you, of course"

"And preferably with me far away" Meilan probably expected Rand to return to Tear, and to Callandor Meilan certainly would never be afraid of too much power

"Of course" Asmodean sounded even drier than Rand had "There was another visit between those two" A dozen Cairhienin lords and ladies, without retainers, came cloaked and with faces hidden in their hoods despite the heat Plainly they knew that the Aiel despised Cairhienin, and just as plainly returned the sentiht discover they had coht decide to kill them "When they saw me," Asmodean said wryly, "half seemed ready to kill me for fear I was Tairen You have Far Dareis Mai to thank that you still have a bard"

Few as they were, the Cairhienin had still been harder to turn back than Meilan, growing sweatier andto see the Lord Dragon It was a measure of their desire that when de Asht Aiel humor odd or harsh, but he chuckled over nobles in silk coats and riding dresses trying to pretend he was not there as they knelt to catch at the Wise Ones’ woolen skirts

"Sorilea threatened to have thehter turned disbelieving "They actually discussed it a themselves Had the requirement allowed them to reach you, I do believe some would have accepted"

"Sorilea should have done it," Aviendha put in, surprisingly agreeable "The oathbreakers have no honor At last Melaine had the Maidens throw them across their horses like bundles and run the aniht"

Asmodean nodded "But before that, two of them did speak to me, once they were certain I was not a Tairen spy Lord Dobraine, and Lady Colavaere They clouded everything in so many hints and innuendoes that I cannot be certain, but I would not be surprised if they mean to offer you the Sun Throne They could bandy words with soh "Maybe they will If they can e the same terms as Meilan" He had not needed Moiraine to tell him that Cairhienin played the Game of Houses in their sleep, nor Asmodean to tell hih Lords to the left and the Cairhienin to the right One battle done, and another, of a different sort if no less dangerous, beginning "In any case, I nored the speculation on Asmodean’s face; perhaps the ht before and perhaps he had not, but he did not trust the fellow enough to let him know half of his plans However ht be tied to his, his loyalty was all necessity, and he was still the saive his soul to the Shadow "Meilan wants to give rand entry when I am ready, does he? So much the better that I see what’s what before he expects reeable, even helping the talk along As long as he sat here talking, he was doing exactly what she wanted "Are you going to get my horse, Natael, or must I?"

Asmodean’s boas deep, formal, and on the surface, at least, sincere "I serve the Lord Dragon"

Chapter 46

(Full Aes Sedai Sy after As how far he trusted the man, Rand was startled when Aviendha thren her cup, splashing wine onto the rugs Aiel did not waste anything that could be drunk, not only water

Staring at the wet spot, she appeared just as surprised, but only for a moment The next instant she had planted fists on hips where she sat and was glaring at him "So the Car’a’carn will enter the city when he can barely sit up I said the Car’a’carn must be more than other men, but I did not knoas more than mortal"

"Where are my