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w was better able to keep her head。 She also might decide that ji'e'toh required her to fight when there was no chance except in running。 The light around her shone so brightly it was obvious she could not draw much more of saidar。 If one of the Forsaken did appear。。。
I should have stayed with her。 Elayne rejected the thought immediately。 Whatever excuse she gave； Aviendha would know the truth； and she was touchy as a man； sometimes。 Most of the time。 Especially when it bore upon her honor。 With a sigh； Elayne let the Atha'an Miere crowd her further from the gateway as they filed through。 She stayed close enough to hear any shout on the other side； though。 Close enough to leap to Aviendha's aid in a heartbeat。 And for another reason。
The Windfinders came through in order of rank； striving to keep their faces smooth； but even Renaile relaxed tight shoulders once her bare feet were beating down the tall brown grass。 Some gave a little shiver； quickly suppressed； or glanced back with round eyes at the opening hanging in midair。 One and all； they stared at Elayne suspiciously as they stepped by her； and two or three opened their mouths； perhaps to ask what she was doing； perhaps to ask … or tell … her to move。 She was just as glad that they hurried on in obedience to Renaile's curt urgings。 They would have their chance to tell Aes Sedai what to do soon enough； it did not have to start with her。
That thought made her stomach sink； and the number of them made her shake her head。 They had the knowledge of weather to use the Bowl properly； yet even Renaile agreed … if reluctantly … that the more Power directed through the Bowl； the better the chances of being able to heal the weather。 It must be directed with a precision impossible except for one woman alone or a circle； though。 A full circle of thirteen it had to be。 That thirteen certainly would include Nynaeve and Aviendha and Elayne herself； and probably a few of the Kin； but Renaile plainly intended to jump on the part of the bargain that said they would be allowed to learn any abilities the Aes Sedai could teach。 The gateway had been the first； and forming a circle would be the second。 A wonder she had not brought every Windfinder in the harbor。 Imagine trying to deal with three or four hundred of these women！ Elayne offered a small prayer of thanks that there were only twenty。
She was not standing there to count them； though。 As each Windfinder passed； barely more than a pace away； she let herself feel the woman's strength in the Power。 Earlier there had been time to get close enough to only a handful； what with all the trouble of convincing Renaile to e at all。 Apparently achieving rank among the Windfinders had nothing to with either age or strength； Renaile was far from the strongest even in the first three or four； while one woman toward the rear； Senine； had weathered cheeks and thickly grayed hair。 Strangely； by the marks in her ears it seemed that Senine might once have worn more than six earrings； and thicker ones than she did now。
Elayne sorted and stored away faces and the names she knew with a growing sense of placency。 The Windfinders might have secured an upper hand of sorts； and she and Nynaeve might be in deep trouble； very deep； with both Egwene and the Hall of the Tower once the terms of their bargain became known； but none of these women would stand particularly high among Aes Sedai。 Certainly not low； but not high。 She told herself not to feel smug … it changed nothing in what they had agreed … yet it was very hard not to。 These were the best the Atha'an could produce； after all。 Here in Ebou Dar； anyway。 And if they had been Aes Sedai； every one of them； from Kurin； with her stony black stare； to Renaile herself； would have listened when she spoke and stood when she entered a room。 If they were Aes Sedai and behaving as they should。
And then the end of the line appeared； and she gave a start as a young Windfinder off one of the smaller ships passed her； a round…cheeked woman called Rainyn； in plain blue silks； with barely a half…dozen ornaments hanging from her nose chain。 The two apprentices； boyishly slim Talaan and big…eyed Metarra； scurried at the very tail with harried expressions。 They had not earned the nose ring yet； much less the chain； and only a single thin gold earring in the left ear balanced the three in the right。 Her eyes followed the three of them just short of staring。 Perhaps not short of it； at that。
The Atha'an Miere clustered with Renaile again； most； like her； glaring hungrily at the Aes Sedai and the Bowl。 The last three women stood at the rear； the apprentices with the air of those uncertain whether they had a right to be there at all； Rainyn folding her arms in imitation of Renaile； yet doing little better than the other two。 The Windfinder on a darter； the least of the Sea Folk vessels； likely seldom found herself in pany with the Windfinder to her clan Wavemistress； not to mention the Windfinder to the Mistress of the Ships。 Rainyn was easily as strong as Lelaine or Romanda； and Metarra on a level with Elayne herself； while Talaan。。。 Talaan； so meek in her red linen blouse； with eyes that seemed permanently downcast； came very close to Nynaeve。 Very close。 More； Elayne knew she herself had not yet reached her full potential； and neither had Nynaeve。 How close were Metarra and Talaan？ She had grown accustomed to knowing that only Nynaeve and the Forsaken were stronger than she。 Well； Egwene； but she had been forced； and her own potential； and Aviendha's； matched Egwene's。 So much for placency； she told herself ruefully。 Lini would have said it was what she deserved for taking things for granted。
Laughing softly at herself； Elayne turned back to check on Aviendha； but the Knitting Circle stood rooted to one spot in front of the gateway； twitching at cold stares from Careane and Sareitha。 All but Sumeko； and she did not move away either for all that she had met the sisters' gazes。 Kirstian appeared ready to burst into tears。
Suppressing a sigh； Elayne herded the Kinswomen out of the way of the stable folk waiting to bring the horses through。 The Knitting Circle went along like sheep … she was the shepherd； Merilille and the rest the wolves … and they would have moved faster if not for Ispan。
Famelle； one of only four among the Knitting Circle without a touch of gray or white in her hair； and Eldase； a fierce…eyed woman when she was not looking at an Aes Sedai； held Ispan by the arms。 They could not seem to decide between holding her firmly enough to keep her upright and not clutching her too tightly； with the result that the Black sister moved in a bobbing fashion； sagging halfway to her knees when they loosened their grips； then pulled back up just before she fell pletely。
〃Forgive me； Aes Sedai；〃 Famelle kept murmuring to Ispan with a faint Taraboner accent。 〃Oh； I am sorry； Aes Sedai。〃 Eldase winced and gave a little moan every time Ispan stumbled。 Just as if Ispan had not helped murder two of their number and the Light alone knew how many others。 They were fussing over a woman who was going to die。 The killings in the White Tower that Ispan had conspired at were enough to condemn her by themselves。
〃Take her over there somewhere；〃 Elayne told them； waving away from the gateway into the clearing。 They obeyed； bobbing curtsies and nearly dropping Ispan； murmuring apologies to Elayne and to the hooded prisoner。 Reanne and the rest scurried along； anxiously eyeing the sisters around Merilille。
Almost immediately the war of glares started up again； the Aes Sedai at the Kinswomen； the Knitting Circle at the Windfinders； and the Atha'an Miere at anybody their eyes fell on。 Elayne clamped her teeth shut。 She was not going to shout at them。 Nynaeve always got better results with yells； anyway。 But she did want to shake some sense into every one of them； shake them until their teeth rattled。 Including Nynaeve； who was supposed to be getting everyone organized instead of staring into the trees。 But what if it had been Rand who was going to die unless she could find a way to save him？
Suddenly tears trembled on the edge of falling； stinging her eyes。 Rand was going to die； and there was nothing she could do to stop it。 Peel the apple in your hand； girl； not the one on the tree； Lini's thin voice seemed to whisper in her ear。 Tears are for after； they just waste time before。
〃Thank you； Lini；〃 Elayne murmured。 Her old nurse was an irritating woman sometimes； never admitting that any of her charges had really grown up； but her advice was always good。 Just because Nynaeve was slacking her duties was no reason for Elayne to slack hers。
Servants had started trotting horses through right on the heels of the Knitting Circle； beginning with the packhorses。 None of those first animals carried anything so frivolous as clothes。 They could walk if the riding horses needed to be abandoned on the other side of the gateway； and wear what they stood up in if the rest of the pack animals had to be left behind； but what was on those first horses could not be left for the Forsaken。 Elayne motioned the leather…cheeked woman leading the very first