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ng over any stretch； and most more than twice as long。 Coasting craft that hug the shore and anchor in the shallows each night。。。〃 She sniffed contemptuously 〃。。。require ten times as much。〃
〃Jorin； would you teach me to do what you were just doing？〃
The Windfinder stared； her dark eyes wide and shining in the fading light。 〃Teach you？ But you are Aes Sedai。〃
〃Jorin； I have never woven a flow half as thick as those you were handling。 And the scope of it！ I am astounded； Jorin。〃
The Windfinder stared a moment more； no longer in amazement； but as if trying to fix Elayne's face in her mind。 Finally she kissed the fingers of her right hand and pressed them to Elayne's lips。 〃If it pleases the Light； we both shall learn。〃
Chapter 21
（Dragon）
Into the Heart
Tairen nobility filled the great vaulted chamber with its huge polished redstone columns； ten feet thick； rising into shadowed heights above golden lamps hanging on golden chains。 The High Lords and Ladies were arrayed in a thick hollow circle under the great dome at the chamber's heart with the lesser nobles ranked behind； row on row back into the forest of columns； all in their best velvets and silks and laces； wide sleeves and ruffed collars and peaked hats； all murmuring uneasily so the towering ceiling echoed the sounds of nervous geese。 Only the High Lords themselves had ever before been bidden to this place； called the Heart of the Stone； and they had e only four times a year； at the twin demands of law and custom。 They came now； all who were not out in the countryside somewhere； at the summons of their new lord； the maker of law and breaker of custom。
The packed crowd gave way before Moiraine as soon as they saw who she was； so she and Egwene moved in a pocket of open space。 Lan's absence irritated Moiraine。 It was not like the man to vanish when she might need him； his way usually was to watch over her as if she could not fend for herself without a guardian。 Had she not been able to feel the bond linking them and known he could not be very far from the Stone； she might have worried。
He fought the strings Nynaeve was tying to him as hard as he had ever fought Trollocs in the Blight； but much as he might deny it； that young woman had bound him as tightly as she herself did； though in other ways。 He might as well try tearing steel with his hands as those ties。 She was not jealous； exactly； but Lan had been her sword arm； her shield and panion for too many years for her to give him up lightly。 I have done what had to be done； there。 She will have him if I die； and not before。 Where is the man？ What is he doing？
One red gowned lace…ruffed woman； a horse…faced Lady of the Land called Leitha； drew her skirts away a bit too assiduously； and Moiraine looked at her。 Merely looked； without slowing her step； but the woman shuddered and dropped her eyes。 Moiraine nodded to herself。 She could accept that these people hated Aes Sedai； but she would not endure open rudeness on top of veiled slights。 Besides； the rest shied back another step after seeing Leitha faced down。
〃Are you certain he said nothing of what he means to announce？〃 she asked quietly。 In this gabble； no one three paces away could have made out a word。 The Tairens kept about that distance now。 She did not like being overheard。
〃Nothing；〃 Egwene said just as softly。 She sounded as irritated as Moiraine felt。
〃There have been rumors。〃
〃Rumors？ What sort of rumors？〃
The girl was not that good at controlling her face and voice； clearly she had not heard the tales of doings in the Two Rivers。 Betting that Rand had not； though； might be putting her horse at a ten foot fence。 〃You should bring him to confide in you。 He needs an attentive ear。 It will help him； to talk out his troubles with someone he can trust。〃 Egwene gave her a sidelong glance。 She was being too sophisticated for such simple methods。 Still； Moiraine had spoken unadorned truth … the boy did need someone to listen and by listening lighten his burdens … and it might work。
〃He will not confide in anyone； Moiraine。 He hides his pains； and hopes he can deal with them before anyone notices。〃 Anger flashed across Egwene's face。 〃The wool…brained mule！〃
Moiraine felt a momentary sympathy。 The girl could not be expected to accept Rand's strolling about arm in arm with Elayne； kissing in corners where they thought themselves unseen。 And Egwene did not know the half； yet。 miseration did not last。 There was too much of importance to deal with for the girl to be fretting over what she could not have in any case。
Elayne and Nynaeve should be aboard the raker by now； out of the way。 Their voyage might eventually tell her if her suspicions about the Windfinders were correct。 That was a minor point； though。 At worst the pair had enough gold to buy a ship and hire a crew … which might be necessary given the rumors of Tanchico … with enough left for the bribes so often necessary with Taraboner officials。 Thom Merrilin's room was empty； and her informants had reported him muttering about Tanchico on his way out of the Stone； he would see they got a good crew and found the right officials。 The purported plan with Mazrim Taim was much the more likely of the two； but her messages to the Amyrlin should have taken care of that。 The two young women could handle the much less likely eventuality of a mysterious danger hidden in Tanchico； and they were out of her hair and away from Rand。 She only regretted that Egwene had refused to go with them。 Tar Valon would have been best for all three； but Tanchico would do。
〃Speaking of wool…brained； do you mean to continue with this plan to go into the Waste？〃
〃I do；〃 the girl said； firmly。 She needed to be back in the Tower； training her strength。 What was Siuan thinking of？ She will probably give me one of those sayings about boats and fish； when I can ask her。
At least Egwene would be out of the way； too； and the Aiel girl would look after her。 Perhaps the Wise Ones really could teach her something of Dreaming。 That had been the most astounding letter from them； not that she could afford to heed most of it。 Egwene's journey into the Waste might be useful in the long run。
The last line of Tairens gave way； making a little hollow； and she and Egwene faced the open area under the vast dome。 The nobles' ill ease was most evident here； many studied their feet like sulky children； and others stared at nothing； looking at anything but where they were。 Here was where Callandor had been kept before Rand took it。 Here beneath this dome； untouched by any hand for more than three thousand years； untouchable by any hand but that of the Dragon Reborn。 Tairens did not like admitting that the Heart of the Stone existed。
〃Poor woman；〃 Egwene murmured。
Moiraine followed the girl's gaze。 The High Lady Alteima； already gowned and ruffed and capped in shimmering white as Tairen widows were though her husband still lingered； was perhaps the most posed of all the nobles。 She was a slender； lovely woman； made more so by her small sad smile； with large brown eyes and long black hair hanging halfway to her waist。 A tall woman； though Moiraine admitted she did tend to judge such things by her own height； and rather too full bosomed。 Cairhienin were not a tall people； and she had been considered short even among them。
〃Yes； a poor woman；〃 she said； but she did not mean it for sympathy。 It was good to see Egwene had not yet grown sophisticated enough to see beneath the surface all the time。 The girl was already far less malleable than she should have been for years yet。 She needed to be shaped before she was hardened。
Thom had missed； with Alteima。 Or perhaps he had not wanted to see； he seemed to have a strange reluctance to move against women。 The High Lady Alteima was far more dangerous than her husband or her lover； both of whom she had manipulated without either knowing it。 Perhaps more dangerous than anyone else in Tear； man or woman。 She would find others to use soon enough。 It was Alteima's style to remain in the background and pull strings。 Something would have to be done about her。
Moiraine shifted her gaze along the rows of High Lords and Ladies； until she found Estanda； in brocaded yellow silks with a large ivory lace ruff and a tiny matching cap。 A certain sternness marred the beauty of her face； and the occasional glances she gave Alteima were iron hard。 Feelings between the two went beyond mere rivalry； had they been men； one would have shed the other's blood in a duel years since。 If that antagonism could be sharpened； Alteima would be too busy to make trouble for Rand。
For an instant she regretted sending Thom away。 She did not like having to waste her time with these petty affairs。 But he had too much influence with Rand； the boy had to depend on her counsel。 Hers； and hers alone。 The Light knew he was difficult enough without interference。 Thom had been settling the boy down to rule Tear when he needed to be moving on to greater things。 But that was dealt with for now。 The problem of bringing Thom Merrilin to heel could be managed later。 Rand was the d