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Once Nynaeve had the door closed and could lean back against its unpainted wood, clutching the gilded coffer to her breasts, she took her first co the old stone inn She did not want to think about the broken seal Another broken seal She would not Those women could shear sheep with their eyes She could al with the Wise Ones; if she was not likely to be squarely in the middle It had beento do as she was told by others, to bend her neck After long ave the orders -- well, once she had consulted Elayne; usually -- she did not kno she was going to learn to pull wool and scratch gravel all over again

The co and cold stone fireplaces near collapsing, was the saave her ave them less A small croaited her and Elayne

Tho plaster wall, had their heads together with Uno, as squatting in front of the over his shoulder Areina and Nicola, both staring a not to show it, occupied another bench with Marigan, atching Birgitte atte three of Tho behind the boys, Min was tickling the to each other, silently staring with those toobig eyes

Only two others in the entire roo about Two of Myrelle’s three Warders happened to be leaning against the wall in conversation a few paces beyond the benches, just this side of the door back to the kitchen corridor Croi Makin, a yellowhaired young splinter of stone from Andor with a fine profile, and Avar Hacharaystreaked mustache like downcurved horns No one would call Hachami handsome even before his darkeyed stareat Uno or Thom or anyone else, of course It was only happenstance that they alone had nothing to do and had chosen just that spot to do it Of course

Birgitte dropped one of the balls when she saw Nynaeve and Elayne "What did you tell the at the silver arrow in Elayne’s hand The quiver hung at her belt; but her boas propped against the wall

Moving closer, Nynaeve carefully did not look toward Makin and Hacha with e they asked for"

Elayne touched Birgitte’s arood friend who has helped us You are welcoan"

Only when soitte’s tension melted did Nynaeve realize how much had been there The blueeyed woman scooped up the fallen yellow ball, and sed thele rins

"I can’t tell you how glad I am to see the pair of you," Min said for at least the fourth or fifth tih still a dark cap around her head, and she looked different in soer on Surprisingly, freshly embroidered flowers climbed the lapels of her coat; she had alorn quite plain clothes before "A friendly face is rare around here" Her eyes flickered just a fraction toward the two Warders "We have to settle down alone and have a long talk I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been up to since you left Tar Valon" Or to tell what she had been up to as well, else Nynaeve uess

"I would like very much to talk to you, too," Elayne said, quite seriously Min looked at her, then sighed and nodded, not as eager as a itte and Min, their faces set in that way ht a woht not like to hear Before they could open their h, a curlyhaired woman in an Accepted’s dress pushed between Juilin and Uno, glowering at them, and planted herself in front of Nynaeve

Faolain’s dress, with its seven bands of color at the hem for the Ajahs, was not quite as white as it should have been, and her dark face wore a scowl "I aone running back to your village, and our fine DaughterHeir to hermilk for a hobby, Faolain?" Elayne asked

Nynaeve kept her face pleasant Just barely Twice in the Tower Faolain had been set to teach her so To put her in her place, was her own opinion Even when teacher and pupil were both Accepted, the teacher had the status of Aes Sedai so long as the lesson lasted, and Faolain took full advantage The curlyhaired woht years as a novice and five more as Accepted; she was not best pleased that Nynaeve had never had to be a novice at all, or that Elayne had worn pure white for less than a year Two lessons from Faolain, and two trips to Sheriam’s study for Nynaeve, for stubbornness, teht "I heard Siuan and Leane have been badly treated by someone I think Sheriam means to make an example to end it once and for all" She kept her eyes steady on the other woman’s, and Faolain’s widened in alar since Sheriam --" Faolain’s mouth snapped shut, and her face colored heavily Min hid her mouth behind her hand, and Faolain jerked her head around, studying the other woan She motioned brusquely to Nicola and Areina "You till do, I suppose Co" They rose slowly, Areina staring warily and Nicola with fingers fretting at the waist of her dress

Elayne stepped between theh and eyes imperious blue ice "What do you ith the Sheriam Sedai’s orders," Faolain replied "I , but I obey orders A sister acco women even as old as Nynaeve" Her sudden smile could have come from a viper "Shall I inform Sheriam Sedai that you disapprove, Elayne? Shall I tell her you won’t let your retainers be tested?" Elayne’s chin ca that, but of course she could not simply back down She needed a diversion

Nynaeve touched Faolain’s shoulder "Ha