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Rand only grunted They wished to serve him? He did not need Moiraine to know that these lesser nobles hoped to becoreater on estates carved out of Cairhien No doubt Meilan and the other six had already intimated if not promised which lands would be whose

At the far end of the Grand Hall, the Sun Throne itself stood centered atop a wide dais of deep blue marble Even here Cairhienin restraint held, for a throne at any rate The great heavyarolden silk, but somehow it seemed to be all plain vertical lines, except for the wavyrayed Rising Sun that would stand above the head of whoever sat on it

That wasthe nine steps to the dais Aviendha climbed up with him, and Asmodean, as his bard, was allowed up as well, but Sulin quickly arrayed the other Maidens around the dais, their casually held spears blocking Meilan as well as the rest of the High Lords Frustration painted those Tairen faces The Hall was so quiet that Rand could hear his to someone else," he said finally "Besides, I’ve spent too long in the saddle to welco me a comfortable chair"

There was a h the Hall Meilan suddenly wore such a look of speculation, quickly suppressed, that Rand nearly laughed Very likely As Rand with barely hidden surmise

It was some minutes before the fellow in the stare, followed by two darkliveried Cairhienin carrying a highbacked chair piled with silkcovered cushions, and pointed out where to place it with a great ilt ran up the chair’s heavy legs and back, but it seenificant in front of the Sun Throne

While the three servants were still bowing the double on every step, Rand tossed ratefully, the Seanchan spearhead on his knee He was careful not to sigh, though Aviendha atching hi from her to him and back confirmed his suspicions

But whatever his problems with Aviendha and Far Dareis Mai, erness and trepidation At least they’ll juht not like it, but they would do it

With Moiraine’s help he had worked out what he gestions It would have been good to have her there to whisper in his ear if needed, instead of Aviendha waiting to signal So Surely every Tairen and Cairhienin noble in the city was in this chamber

"Why do the Cairhienin hang back?" he said loudly, and the crowd of nobles shifted, exchanging confused glances "Tairens came to help, but that is no reason for Cairhienin to hold themselves in the rear here Let everyone sort themselves by rank Everyone"

It was difficult to say whether Tairens or Cairhienin were the ue, and the other six not far behind Even slowburning Araco of boots and twitching aside of skirts, with many icy stares on both sides, it was done, until the front roere all men and women with stripes across their chests and the second held only a few Tairens Meilan and his fellows had been joined at the foot of the dais by twice their nu and everyone stripes froh perhaps "joined" was not the right word They stood in two groups, with a full three paces between, and looked away froht as well have shaken fists and shouted Every eye was on Rand, and if the Tairens were in a fury, the Cairhienin were still ice, with only hints of a thaw in the considering way they studied hi above Cairhien," he went on once the movement stilled "It is well that so rain, Cairhien would have no living to hoist a banner, and without Tairen swords, the people of this city who survived today, noble as well as co to obey the Shaido Tear has earned her honor" That puffed up the Tairens, of course, bringing fierce nods and fiercer sh Lords, co on the heels of the other For thatone another doubtfully "But I do not need so on banner rehest tower of the city so all who approach can see, but let the rest be taken down and replaced with the banners of Cairhien This is Cairhien, and the Rising Sun must and will fly proudly Cairhien has her own honor, which she shall keep"

The chamber erupted in a roar so suddenly that Maidens hefted their spears, a roar that reverberated fro Maiden handtalk, but already halfraised veils were being let fall The Cairhienin nobles were cheering every bit as loudly as the people in the streets had, capering and waving their araters at festival In the pandee silent stares They did not look angry Even Meilan appeared unsure h like Torean and the others, he watched in ah rank around hi and shouting for the Lord Dragon

Rand did not knohat any of them read into his words Certainly he had expected them to hear more than he said, especially the Cairhienin, and perhaps even that so had prepared hi, he well knew, mixed at times with unexpected boldness Moiraine had been reticent on theto teach hi; the most she had said was that if that reserve broke, it could do so to a surprising degree Surprising, indeed

When the cheering finally died down, the giving of oaths of fealty began Meilan was the first to kneel, tightfaced as he pledged under the Light and by his hope of salvation and rebirth to serve faithfully and obey; it was an old forht actually constrain some to keep the oath Once Meilan had kissed the tip of the Seanchan spearhead, trying to hide a sour gri his beard, he was replaced by the Lady Colavaere A more than handso over the hands she placed between Rand’s, and horizontal slashes of color froave the oath in a clear, fir froand look of Moiraine as well, most especially when she eyed Aviendha as she curtsied her way back down the steps Torean replaced her, sweating as he swore, and Lord Dobraine replaced Torean, deepset eyes probing, one of the few older ray