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Nynaeve found herself sharing a wondering gaze with Elayne, though it quickly broke up in embarrassment It was hard to share a ht rake you with her tongue At least, that hy she felt discoine, unless the wo to come to her senses Surely Galad did not suspect they had no intention of going to Caemlyn Surely not Men were never that perceptive She and Elayne did not look at one another again for some time

Chapter 49

(Waves)

To Boannda

There was little trouble getting the huddled crowd of men, women and children aboard Not once Nynaeveto find rooe, she knew exactly how ive for their fares to Boannda Of course, it ht have helped a little that she’d taken the precaution of quietly telling Uno to have the Shienarans do sohdressed men, all with shaved heads and topknots not toas one recounted how another had almost been spitted like a lamb -- well, they had a most salutary effect She counted the money into his hand, and if it pained her, she only had to su Neres was right in one thing: these folk did not look to have much coin; they would need whatever coppers they had Elayne had no call to ask in that sickly sweet tone if she was having a tooth pulled

The crew ran at Neres’ shouted commands to cast off while the last of the people were still scra their wretched possessions in their ars on their backs In truth, they crowded even the fat vessel so that Nynaeve began to wonder whether Neres had been right about that, too Yet such hope dawned on their faces once their feet were firmly on the deck that she was embarrassed to have considered it And when they learned she had paid their passage, they clustered around her, struggling to kiss her hands, the hes, so down dirty cheeks, h the planks under her feet The decks bustled as sweeps went out and sails rose, and Saan to dwindle behind before she could put an end to the deitte had said one word, she would have thuood measure

Five days they were on Riverserpent, five days running down the sloinding Eldar through baking days and nights not ed for the better in that tiin well

The first real problem of the trip was Neres’ cabin in the stern, the only accommodation on the ship except the deck Not that Neres was reluctant aboutover his shoulders and dangling fro clutched in one hand and razor in the other -- made Nynaeve look hard at Tho for her to make use of the after her behind her back Their faces could not have been ht up another of Lini’s sayings "An open sack hides nothing, and an open door hides little, but an open "

But whatever probleht prove to be, the problem noas the cabin itself It s out, and they let little light into its dank confines "Confines" was the word The cabin was son, and hbacked chair fastened to the floor, and the ladder leading up to the deck A washstand built into the wall, with a grimy pitcher and bowl and a narrow dusty mirror, crowded the roos except for a few e beaht overhead, even for them And there was only one bed, wider than what they had been sleeping on, yet hardly wide enough for two Tall as he was, Neres iven up one inch that o

"He ca herself of her bundles and putting hands on hips as she looked around disparagingly, "and he wanted to leave in the night I heard hiht whatever the the wenches wanted Apparently, he’s notof the other woman’s elbows and cold feet, Nynaeve wondered whether she would not have done better to sleep up above with the refugees "What are you going on about?"

"Theher own bundles, Nynaeve laid the scrip on the table and sat down on the edge of the bed No, she would not sleep on deck The cabin ht smell, but it could be aired out, and if the bed was cramped, it had a thick feather ht as well have what comfort she could Elayne could not chase her out of there "It is a barrel We will be lucky to reach Boannda in teeks The Light alone kno long to Salidar" Neither of them really kne far Salidar was, and it was not yet ti fits Even the name Riverserpent What honest trader would name his craft so?"

"Well, what if he is? It wouldn’t be the first tiler"

Elayne threw up her hands in exasperation; she always did think obeying the laas important, however fool the laas She sharedto admit So Neres had called them wenches, had he?

The second difficulty was rooe vessel, if wide, and counting everyone there ell over a hundred people aboard A certain a the sweeps and tending ropes and sails, and that did not leave ees kept as far from the Shienarans as possible; it seemed they had had their fill of armed men There was scarcely roo down

Nynaeve approached Neres straight away "These folk need more room Especially the women and children Since you have no more cabins, your hold will have to do"

Neres’ face darkened Staring straight ahead, sorowled, "My hold is full of valuable cargo V