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ir side was forting； even the other Aes Sedai seemed to feel that。 Like her father； he was the sort of man who made you believe there was no cause for panic whatever the situation。 Having him oppose her； she realized suddenly； might be as bad as having the Hall against her； and never mind the army。 The one approving ment Siuan had ever had of him was that he was formidable； even if she did try to change her remark immediately to mean something else。 Any man Siuan Sanche thought formidable was one to be mindful of。
They splashed across a tiny stream； a rivulet that barely wet the horses' hooves。 A bedraggled crow； feeding on a fish that had stranded itself in water too shallow to swim； fluttered its tattered wings on the edge of flight； then settled back to its meal。
Siuan also was studying Bryne … the mare made much easier going when she forgot to saw at the reins or dig her heels in at just the wrong moment。 Egwene had asked her about Lord Bryne's motives； but Siuan's own tangled connection to the man left her little except acid when it came to him。 She either hated Gareth Bryne to his bootsoles or loved him； and imagining Siuan in love was like imagining that crow swimming。
The ridgeline where the Band's soldiers had been showed only cockeyed lines of dead conifers now。 She had not noticed them going。 Mat had a reputation as a soldier？ Crows swimming did not e close。 She had believed he manded only because of Rand； and that had been hard enough to swallow。 Believing because you think you know is dangerous； she reminded herself； eyeing Bryne。
〃。。。 should be flogged！〃 Myrelle's voice still burned。 〃I warn you； if I hear that you've met with this Dragonsworn again。。。！〃
Rain washing over that boulder as far as Bryne was concerned； or so it seemed。 He rode easily； occasionally murmuring 〃Yes； Myrelle Sedai〃 or 〃No； Myrelle Sedai〃 without any hint of distress and without lessening the watch he kept on the countryside。 No doubt he had seen the soldiers leave。 However he mustered the patience … Egwene was sure fear was no part of it … she was in no mood to listen to that。
〃Be quiet； Myrelle！ No one is going to do anything to Lord Bryne。〃 Rubbing her temple； she thought of asking one of the sisters back in the camp for Healing。 Neither Siuan nor Myrelle had much ability there。 Not that Healing would do any good if it was just lack of sleep and worry。 Not that she wanted whispers spreading that the strain was growing too great for her。 Besides； there were other ways to deal with headaches than Healing； although not here。
Myrelle's mouth tightened only for an instant。 With a toss of her head； she turned her face away； color in her cheeks； and Bryne suddenly appeared absorbed in examining a red…winged hawk wheeling off to their left。 Even a brave man could know when to be discreet。 Folding its wings； the hawk plummeted toward unseen prey behind a stand of bedraggled leatherleafs。 Egwene felt that way； swooping on targets she could not see； hoping she had chosen the right one； hoping there was a target there。
She drew breath； wishing it were steadier。 〃Just the same； Lord Bryne； I think it's best you don't meet Talmanes again。 Surely you know as much of his intentions as you need by this time。〃 Light send Talmanes had not said too much already。 A pity she could not send Siuan or Leane to caution him； if he would take it； but given feelings among the sisters； she might as well risk going to see Rand。
Bryne bowed in his saddle。 〃As you mand； Mother。〃 There was no mockery in his tone； there never was。 He had obviously learned to school his voice around Aes Sedai。 Siuan hung back； frowning at him。 Perhaps she could dig out where his loyalties lay。 For all her animosity； she spent a great deal of time in his pany； much more than she absolutely had to。
With an effort； Egwene kept her hands on Daishar's reins； away from her head。 〃How much further； Lord Bryne？〃 Keeping impatience from her voice was more difficult。
〃Just a little way； Mother。〃 For some reason； he halfway turned his head to look at Myrelle。 〃Not far； now。〃
Increasingly； farms dotted the region； as many clinging to hillsides as on the flats； though the Emond's Fielder in Egwene said that made no sense； low gray stone houses and barns； and unfenced pastures with a few slat…ribbed cows and sad…looking black…tailed sheep。 Not all had been burned by far； only one here and one there。 Supposedly the burnings were to let the others know what would happen if they did not declare for the Dragon Reborn。
At one farm； she saw some of Lord Bryne's foragers with a wagon。 That they were his was plain as much by the way he eyed them and nodded as by the lack of a white pennant。 The Band always flaunted itself； aside from the banners； some had of late taken to wearing a red scarf tied around the arm。 Half a dozen cattle and maybe two dozen sheep lowed and baaed under the guard of men on horseback； and other men toted sacks from barn to wagon past a slump…shouldered farmer and his family； a sullen lot in dark rough woolens。 One of the little girls； wearing a deep bonnet like the others； had her face pressed to her mother's skirts； apparently crying。 Some of the boys had their fists clenched； as if they wanted to fight。 The farmer would be paid； but if he could not really spare what was taken； if he had had a mind to resist close on twenty men in breastplates and helmets； those burned farms would have given him pause。 Quite often Bryne's soldiers found charred corpses in the ruins； men and women and children who had died trying to get out。 Sometimes the doors and windows had been sealed up from outside。
Egwene wondered whether there was any way to convince the farmers and villagers that there was a difference between the brigands and the army。 She wanted to； very much； but she did not see how； short of letting her own soldiers go hungry until they deserted。 If the sisters could see no difference between the brigands and the Band； there seemed no hope for the country folk。 As the farm dwindled behind them； she resisted the urge to twist around in her saddle and look back。 Looking would change nothing。
Lord Bryne was as good as his word。 Perhaps three or four miles from the camp … three or four in a straight line； twice that over the country they had crossed … they rounded the shoulder of a hill spotted with brush and trees； and he drew rein。 The sun stood almost halfway to its crest； now。 Another road ran below； narrower and much more winding than the one through the camp。 〃They had the idea traveling by night would take them safe past the bandits；〃 he said。 〃Not a bad notion； as it turns out； or else they've just had the Dark One's own luck。 They've e from Caemlyn。〃
A merchant train of some fifty large wagons behind teams of ten or so lay stretched out along the road； halted under the eyes of more of Bryne's soldiers。 A few of the soldiers were afoot； supervising the transfer of barrels and bags from the merchants' wagons to half a dozen of their own。 One woman in a plain dark dress waved her arms and pointed vigorously to this item or that； either protesting or bargaining； but her fellows stood in a glum silent knot。 A short way farther up the road； grim fruit decorated the spreading limbs of an oak； men hanging by the neck from every bare branch。 Bare except for crows； almost enough to make the tree seem leafed in black。 They had larger than fish to feed on； these birds。 Even at a distance it was not a sight to ease Egwene's head； or her stomach。
〃This what you wanted me to see？ The merchants； or the bandits？〃 She could hot see a dress on any of those dangling corpses； and when the bandits hanged people； they included women and children。 Anyone could have put the corpses there； Bryne's soldiers； the Band … that the Band hanged any of the so…called Dragonsworn they caught made little difference to the sisters … or even some local lord or lady。 Had the Murandian nobles worked together； all the brigands might have hung from trees by now； but that was like asking cats to dance。 Wait。 He had said Caemlyn。 〃Is it something to do with Rand？ Or the Asha'man？〃
This time he looked from her to Myrelle and back quite openly。 Myrelle's hat cast shadows on her face。 She appeared sunk in gloom； sagging in her saddle and not at all the confident rider she had been earlier。 He seemed to reach a decision。 〃I thought you should hear before anybody else did； but perhaps I misunderstood。。。 〃 He eyed Myrelle again。
〃Hear what； you hairy…eared lump？〃 Siuan growled； thumping the fat mare closer with her heels。
Egwene made a soothing gesture toward her。 〃Myrelle can hear anything I do； Lord Bryne。 She has my plete trust。〃 The Green sister's head jerked around。 From her stricken look； anyone would doubt they had heard Egwene correctly； but after a moment Bryne nodded。
〃I see that matters have。。。 changed。 Yes； Mother。〃 Removing his helmet； he set it on the pommel of his saddle。 He still seemed reluctant； picking his words with care。 〃Merchants carry rumors the way dogs do fleas； and that lot down there has a fine crop。 I don't say any of it is true； of course； but。。。 〃 It was odd； seeing him