Page 124 (1/1)

The roo lalass in alcoves on the walls The blue light was overwhel yellow lanterns set around the front of the platfor attention She had often listened to "The Death of Princess Walishen" as a ballad, and didn’t really see the point of adding words to it and different players, instead of just having one bard do the entire thing But it was Ellorien’s favorite ballad, and the favorable news out of Cairhien about these players--which nobles there had recently discovered--hadEllorien had coued Why had Elayne been so audacious as to invite her? Soon, Elayne would take advantage of having Ellorien here But not quite yet Let the wo a political ambush She’d wait for Elayne to walk over and sit in one the seats near her, or perhaps send a servant with an offer

Elayne did neither, instead sitting and regarding the foxhead ter’angreal It was a cole, solid piece of metal She could feel the weaves that had been used to create it Its intricacy was far beyond the si wrong in trying to reproduce the medallion She carried in her pouch one of her failed attempts She’d had copies cast for her, as precise in detail as her silversh she suspected the form was not important The amount of silver seemed to be, for sootten close The copy in her pouch didn’t work perfectly Less powerful weaves slid off anyone holding it, but very powerful ones could not be deflected for some reason And,the copy

She could channel while holding the original Indeed, she’d been giddy when she’d discovered that holding the nant did--that was still a source of frustration to her--but it was possible to hold the foxhead and channel

But not the copy She hadn’t gotten it quite right And, unfortunately, her time was slim Mat would need his medallion back soon

She took out the fake and set it on the seat beside her, then eroup of atching the production solanced up at her as she did so Most were too distracted by the song

Elayne reached over and touched the medallion Immediately, her weaves unraveled and the Source winked away frohed as the song reached its heights The copy was so close, yet so frustrating at the sa that prevented her fro the Source, not even for the protection it offered

Still, it was not coitte, perhaps, and a few of the Guardsmen captains It wouldn’t do for her to create too ainst Aes Sedai

Could she, perhaps, give one of the copies to Mat? He’d never know, since he couldn’t channel hi that teh She had promised to return Mat’s medallion, and she would Not some copy that didn’t work as well She tucked both medallions into her dress pocket Now that she knew she could get Mat to part with hisher hola? Perhaps copies of the uards wouldn’t be a bad idea after all

The song finished, the final, high-pitched note dwindling like a candle running out of wick The end of the play ca out of the darkness A brilliant light flashed, soain, Walishen lay dead on the stage, the bell of her red dress splayed around her like spilled blood

The audience stood to clap Most of theh Seats who had been invited All of those were supporters of hers Dyelin, of course, and young Conail Northan and the equally young--but twice as proud--Catalyn Haevin

The final noble here was Sylvase Caeren What tothe fake foxhead into her pouch and lending a demure clap to the other accolades The players would be focused only on her If she didn’t give soht

That done, Elayneroom, which was furnished with padded, thick-armed chairs for relaxed conversation There was a bar at the side,man in a crisp red and white unifor respectfully as people ambled in Ellorien wasn’t there, of course--it was basic courtesy for a guest to wait for the host to withdraw first Though Ellorien and Elayne weren’t on the best of terms, it wouldn’t do to show poor manners

Soon after Elayne arrived, Ellorien trailed in The plunoring the High Seats alked near her Her conversation sounded forced She probably could have been expected to avoid the sitting room entirely, but Elayne knew that the woman would want to ed her mind about House Trakand

Elayne s toward Sylvase as she entered Of ht have been pretty, save for that expressionless look on her face Not emotionless, like an Aes Sedai Completely expressionless It so dummy set up for display But then, on other occasions, she’d show a hidden depth, a cunning deep down

"Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty," Sylvase said evenly, her voice a faintly eerie ?" Elayne said "I should hope that it was enjoyable"

Sylvase said nothing She glanced at Ellorien, and here she finally showed soave you a shiver "Why invite her, Your Majesty?"

"House Caeren was at odds with Trakand once, too," Elayne said "Often, those whose loyalty is most difficult to win are the most valuable once it is yours"

"She will not support you, Your Majesty," Sylvase said, her voice still too calm "Not after wha