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The first was the simplest Rand had taken away the ai’d’siswai unveiling his face She didn’t kno Rand had caused the transfor the city, he had changed it forever

The second way Rand had broken Rhuidean was by bringing it water A grand lake lay beside the city, and phantoh clouds above,the lake Tsodrelle’Ah the lake should be called Tears of the Aiel Rand al’Thor had not kno much pain he would cause in what he revealed Such was the ith him His actions were often so innocent

The third way Rand had broken the city was theto understand this one Nakomi’s words worried her, unnerved her They had awakened in her shadows of s fro her first visit to Rhuidean, but that her mind could not quite recall, at least not directly

She worried that Rhuidean would stopvery soon Once, the city’s ultimate purpose had been to show Wise Ones and clan chiefs their people’s secret past To prepare theon That day had co the Aiel leaders through the glass coluun to meet

This bothered Aviendha in ways that itched beneath her skin She didn’t want to acknowledge these questions She wanted to continue with tradition But she could not get them out of her head

Rand caused so norance, in a way It allowed him to learn And she loved him for the foolish way he tried to protect those who did not want to be protected

Most of all, she loved hi Aviendha had alanted to be strong Learn the spear Fight and earn ji Be the best She could feel him now, distant from her They were so alike in this way

Her feet ached froade plant, but she could still feel the with the fine woolen stockings that Elayne had given her

She was tired and thirsty--she would fast this night, conte into Rhuidean to

The lives of the Aiel were changing It was strength to accept change when it could not be avoided If a hold was da a raid and you rebuilt it, you never made it exactly the same way You took the chance to fix the problems--the door that creaked in the wind, the uneven section of floor To make it exactly as it had been would be foolishness

Perhaps traditions--such as co in the Three-fold Land itself--would need to be reexamined eventually But for now, the Aiel couldn’t leave the wetlands There was the Last Battle And then the Seanchan had captured many Aiel and made Wise Ones into damane; that could not be allowed And the White Tower still assumed that all Aiel Wise Ones who could channel ilders So would have to be done about that

And herself? The o back to her old life She had to be with Rand If he survived the Last Battle--and she intended to fight hard toAnd then there was Elayne Aviendha and she were going to be sister-wives, but Elayne would never leave Andor Would she expect Rand to stay with her? Would that , both for herself and her people Traditions should not be th was not strength if it had no purpose or direction