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Prologue

Distinctions

Mandarb’s hooves beat a faoran rode toward his death The dry air h and the earth was sprinkled white with crystals of salt that precipitated from below Distant red rock forhteast, parallel to the Blight This was still Saldaea, where his wife had deposited hi her promise to take hi tireeing to follow Moiraine, but he’d always known he would return This hat it meant to bear the name of his fathers, the sword on his hip, and the hadori on his head

This rocky section of northern Saldaea was known as the Proska Flats It was a grirew on it The wind blew fro with it a foul stench Like that of a deep, sweltering mire bloated with corpses The sky overhead stor his head How quickly Nynaeve had learned to talk, and think, like an Aes Sedai Riding to his death didn’t pain hi she feared for him…that did hurt Very badly

He hadn’t seen another person in days The Saldaeans had fortifications to the south, but the land here was scarred with broken ravines that made it difficult for Trollocs to assault; they preferred attacking near Maradon

That was no reason to relax, however One should never relax, this close to the Blight He noted a hilltop; that would be a good place for a scout’s post He n of round, just in case it held waiting ambushers He kept his hand on his bow Once he traveled a little farther eastward, he’d cut down into Saldaea and cross Kandor on its good roadways Then--

Soravel rolled down a hillside nearby

Lan carefully slid an arrow from the quiver tied to Mandarb’s saddle Where had the sound coht, he decided Southward The hillside there; so from behind it

Lan did not stop Mandarb If the hoofbeats changed, it would give warning He quietly raised the bow, feeling the sweat of his fingers inside his fawn-hide gloves He nocked the arrow and pulled carefully, raising it to his cheek, breathing in its scent Goose feathers, resin

A figure walked around the southern hillside Thearound beside hi on ahead It stopped only when the rope at its neck grew taut

The man wore a laced tan shirt and dusty breeches He had a sword at his waist, and his ar In fact, he seeoran!" thehis horse after "I’ve found you at last I assu the Kremer Road!"

Lan lowered his bow and stopped Mandarb "Do I know you?"

"I brought supplies, my Lord!" The man had black hair and tanned skin Borderlander stock, probably He continued forward, over eager, yanking on the overloaded packhorse’s rope with a thick-fingered hand "I figured that you wouldn’t have enough food Tents--four of them, just in case--some water too Feed for the horses And--"

"Who are you?" Lan barked "And how do you knoho I am?"

The man drew up sharply "I’m Bulen, ly young er boy With surprise, he saw the reseo, oran But ord spread in the palace that the Golden Crane was raised, I knehat I had to do I’ve learned the sell, my Lord I’ve come to ride with you and--"

"The word of my travel has spread to Aesdaishar?"