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A grih that he had revealed a past they saw as shaone mad "What do the Wise Ones believe?" he asked, as quietly as she

"That what must be, will be We will save what can be saved, Rand al’Thor We do not hope to dothe Wise Ones, just as Egwene and Elayne included thehtly, "I expect Sorilea at least believes I should have my ears boxed Probably Bair does, too And certainly Melaine"

"As," she mumbled To his disappoint a hold on his coat "They believe rinned in spite of himself So she did not believe he needed his ears boxed That was a pleasant change since waking

Hadnan Kadere’s wagons lay a mile or so from his tent, circled in a broad depression between two hills where Stone Dogs kept watch A crea over his bulk, the hatchetnosed Darkfriend looked up, e handkerchief, as Rand rode past with his banner and loping escort Moiraine was there as well, exareal was lashed under canvas behind the driver’s seat She did not even glance around until Kadere spoke to her By his gestures, he was plainly suggesting that she er for her to go, and s his being a Darkfriend hidden so long, but the more he was in coer of discovery

Indeed, it was a surprise to Rand that the man was still there At least half of the drivers who had entered the Waste with hionwall, replaced by Cairhienin refugees chosen by Rand himself, to make sure they were not of Kadere’s sort He expected every one, too, especially since Isendre’s escape The Maidens had nearly torn the wagons apart looking for the woh three handkerchiefs Rand would not regret it if Kadere uards had orders to let hi as he did not try to take Moiraine’s precious wagons More obviously every day, their loads were a treasure to her, and Rand would not see her lose the straight ahead, ignoring the wagons altogether He claimed to have had no contact with Kadere since Rand captured hiht be true Certainly, the ht of Aiel guards except when inside his oagon

Opposite the wagons, Rand half drew rein without thinking Surely Moiraine would want to accoht have crammed his head full, but it always seemed there was another piece she wanted to fit in, and this once in particular he could do with her presence and advice But she, he heeled the dapple on As well to remember she had other sheep to shear than he knew about He had beco Best to be as wary of her as of Asht bleakly For an instant he did not knohether it was his thought or Lews Therin’s, but in the end he decided it did not oals, their own desires Much the best to trust no one completely except hih the back of his mind, how far could he trust hi layers of black wings On the ground they flapped about alossy ravens that tried to usurp their rights to the dead Where Aiel went across the treeless hills, recovering the bodies of their slain, the birds luain as soon as the living huether could not really have , trying not to see, Rand heeled Jeade’en faster, until Aviendha clung to his back onceNo one protested, and he did not believe it was only because Aiel could maintain that speed for hours Even Asmodean looked pale around the eyes Pevin’s face never changed, though the bright banner whipping above him appeared a mockery in that place

What lay ahead was little better Rand reled warren of streets full of noise and color Noas a still, thick band of ashes surrounding the square gray walls of Cairhien on three sides Charred timbers lay crazily atop stone foundations, and here and there a sootblack chi precariously In places, a chair lying somehow untouched in the dirt street, a hasty bundle dropped by so doll, emphasized the desolation

Breezes stirred so the walls, a Dragon standing out redandgold on white at one place, the Crescents of Tear white on redandgold at another The ai Gates stood open, three tall square arches in the gray stone guarded by Tairen soldiers in rimmed helmets Some were mounted but most afoot, and the variously colored stripes on their wide sleeves showed they were retainers of several lords

Whatever was known in the city about the battle being won, and Aiel allies co to the rescue, the approach of half a thousand Far Dareis Mai created some little stir Hands went uncertainly to sword hilts, or spears and long shields, or lances Soates even while looking to their officer, with three white plu in his stirrups and shading his eyes against the sun to study the crimson banner And more particularly, Rand

Abruptly the officer sat down, saying so back through the gates Al, "Make way for the Lord Dragon Rand al’Thor! The Light illuon Reborn!"

The soldiers still appeared uneasy about the Maidens, but they for deeply as Rand rode through Aviendha sniffed loudly at his back, and again when he laughed She did not understand, and he had no intention of explaining What amused him was that however hard Tairens or Cairhienin or anyone else tried to puff up his head, he could rely on her and the Maidens, at least, to take the swelling down And Egwene And Moiraine And Elayne and Nynaeve, for that ain Coe part