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ucks and chickens and short…horned black goats darted wildly to avoid being trampled。 In the midst of it all； some women stood gaping； plainly those who had e to the retreat with no knowledge of the Kin； though a few of them began to move hurriedly； too； caught up in the frenzy。
Light！〃 Nynaeve barked； yanking her braid。 〃Some of them are running into the olive groves！ Stop them！ The last thing we want is a panic！ Send the Warders！ Quick； quick！〃 Lan raised a questioning eyebrow； but she waved a peremptory hand at him。 〃Quick！ Before they all run away！〃 With a nod that seemed to begin as a shake of his head； he sent Mandarb galloping after the other men； curving to avoid the spreading pandemonium among the buildings。
Elayne shrugged at Birgitte； then motioned her to follow。 She agreed with Lan。 It seemed a bit late to try stopping a panic； and Warders on horseback attempting to herd frightened women probably was not the best way。 But she could not see how to change matters now； and there was no point letting them run off into the countryside。 They would all want to hear the news she and Nynaeve brought。
Alise gave no sign of running； or even fidgeting。 Her face paled slightly； but she stared up at Reanne with a steady gaze。 A firm gaze。 〃Why？〃 she breathed。 〃Why； Reanne？ I could not have imagined you doing this！ Did they give you bribes？ Offer immunity？ Will they let you walk free while we pay the price？ They probably won't allow it； but I vow I'll ask them to let me call you down。 Yes； you！ The rules apply even to you； Eldest！ If I can find a way to manage it； I vow you won't walk away from this smiling！〃 A very firm gaze。 Steely； in fact。
〃It isn't what you think；〃 Reanne said hurriedly； dismounting and dropping her reins。 She caught both of Alise's hands in hers despite the other woman's efforts to free them。 〃Oh； I did not want it to be like this。 They know； Alise。 About the Kin。 The Tower has always known。 Everything。 Almost everything。 But that isn't what is important。〃 Alise's eyebrows tried to climb onto her scalp at that； but Reanne rushed on； beaming eagerly from under her large straw hat。 〃We can go back； Alise。 We can try again。 They said we can。〃 The farm buildings seemed to be emptying as well； women rushing out to learn what the motion was； then joining the flight without a pause for more than hiking skirts。 Shouts from the olive groves said the Warders were at work； but not how much they were achieving。 Perhaps not a great deal。 Elayne sensed growing frustration from Birgitte； and irritation。 Reanne eyed the turmoil and sighed。 〃We must gather them in； Alise。 We can go back。〃
〃That's all very well for you and some of the others；〃 Alise said doubtfully。 〃If it's true。 What about the rest of us？ The Tower would not have let me stay as long as I did had I been quicker to learn。〃 She darted a frown at the now well…hooded sisters； and the stare she returned to Reanne held no little anger。 〃What would we go back for？ To be told again we aren't strong enough and be sent on our way？ Or will they just keep us as novices the rest of our lives？ Some might accept that； but I won't。 What for； Reanne？ What for？〃
Nynaeve climbed down； tugging her mare forward at the end of her reins； and Elayne imitated her； though leading Lioness more easily。 〃To be part of the Tower； if that's what you wish；〃 Nynaeve said impatiently before even reaching the two Kinswomen。 〃Maybe to be Aes Sedai。 Myself； I don't know why you have to be a certain strength； if you can pass the fool tests。 Or don't go back； run away； for all I care。 Once I'm done here； anyway。〃 Planting her feet； she pulled off her hat and planted her fists on her hips。 〃This is wasting time； Reanne； and we have work to do。 Are you sure there's anybody here we can use？ Speak up。 If you're not sure； then we might as well get on with it。 The hurry might be out of the way； but now we have the thing； I'd as soon it was over and done with。〃
When she and Elayne were introduced as Aes Sedai； the Aes Sedai who had given the promises； Alise made a choked sound and began smoothing her woolen skirts as though her hands wanted to latch on to Reanne's throat。 Her mouth opened angrily … then snapped shut without a sound when Merilille joined them。 That stern gaze did not fade pletely； but it became mixed with a touch of wonder。 And more than a touch of wariness。
〃Nynaeve Sedai；〃 Merilille said calmly； 〃the Atha'an Miere are。。。 impatient。。。 to be off their horses。 I think some may ask for Healing。〃 A brief smile flickered across her lips。
That settled that question； though Nynaeve grumbled extravagantly about what she was going to do to the next person who doubted her。 Elayne might have said a few choice words herself； but the truth was； Nynaeve looked more than a little silly carrying on that way with Merilille and Reanne both waiting attentively for her to finish and Alise staring at all three。 That settled it； or perhaps it was the Windfinders； afoot and pulling their horses behind them。 Every shred of grace had vanished during the rde； worn away by hard saddles … their legs seemed as stiff as their faces … yet no one could mistake them for anything but who they were。
〃If there are twenty Sea Folk this far from the sea；〃 Alise muttered； 〃I'll believe anything。〃 Nynaeve snorted but said nothing； for which Elayne was grateful。 The woman seemed to be having a hard enough time accepting even with Merilille naming them Aes Sedai。 Neither tirade nor tantrum would help。
〃Then Heal them；〃 Nynaeve told Merilille。 Their eyes went to the hobbling women together； and Nynaeve added； 〃If they ask。 Politely。〃 Merilille smiled again； but Nynaeve had already abandoned the Sea Folk and gone back to frowning at the now all but empty farm。 A few goats still trotted around a farmyard littered with dropped wash and rakes and brooms； spilled buckets and baskets； not to mention the crumpled forms of Kinswomen who had fainted； and a handful of chickens had gone back to scratching and pecking； but the only conscious women still in sight among the farm buildings were plainly not of the Kin。 Some wore embroidered linen or silk and some rough country woolens； yet the fact that they had not run spoke that much of them。 Reanne said that at any given time as many as half those at the farm might fall into that group。 Most appeared stunned。
Despite her grumbling； Nynaeve wasted no time taking charge of Alise。 Or perhaps Alise took charge of Nynaeve。 It was difficult to tell； since the Kinswoman showed little of the deference toward Aes Sedai that the Knitting Circle did。 Perhaps she was still just too numbed by the sudden turn of events。 In any case； they moved off together； Nynaeve leading her mare and gesturing with the hat in her other hand； instructing Alise on how to bring in the scattered women and what to do with them once they were collected。 Reanne had been sure that at least one woman strong enough to join the circle was there； Garenia Rosoinde； and possibly two more。 In truth； Elayne was hoping they had all gone。 Alise alternated between nodding and giving Nynaeve very level looks that Nynaeve seemed not to notice。
Now； in the wait while the gathering was done； seemed a good time to do a bit more searching through the panniers； but when Elayne turned toward the packhorses； which were just beginning to be lead toward the farm buildings； she noticed the Knitting Circle； Reanne and the whole lot of them； making their own way into the farm on foot； some hurrying toward women lying on the ground； others toward those standing about gaping。 The whole lot of them； and no sign of Ispan。 It took only a glance to find her； though。 Between Adeleas and Vandene； each holding an arm as they half…dragged her along； their dust…cloaks streaming behind。
The white…haired sisters were linked； the glow of saidar somehow enpassing them both without including Ispan。 There was no way to tell which led the small circle and held the shield on the Darkfriend； but not even one of the Forsaken could have broken it。 They stopped to speak to a stout woman in plain brown wool； who gaped at the leather sack covering Ispan's head but still curtsied and pointed toward one of the white…plastered buildings。
Elayne exchanged angry glances with Aviendha。 Well； hers was angry； anyway。 Sometimes Aviendha gave away no more than a stone。 Handing their horses over to two of the palace stablemen； they hurried after the three。 Some of the women who were not of the Kin tried to question them about what was happening； a few in rather overbearing fashion； but Elayne gave them short shrift； leaving behind a wake of indignant sniffs and snorts。 Oh； what she would not give to have the ageless face already！ That tweaked a thread in the back of her thoughts； but it vanished as soon as she tried to examine it。
When she pushed open the plain wooden door where the trio had vanished； Adeleas and Vandene had Ispan seated in a ladder…back chair with her head bare； the sack lying atop a narrow trestle table with their linen cloaks。 The room possessed only one window； set in the ceiling； but with the sun still high it let in a good light。 Shelves lined the wa