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mouth； but Sheriam forestalled him in a clear； carrying voice。
〃Mother； may I present to you； of Andor； Arathelle Renshar； High Seat of House Renshar。 Pelivar Coelan； High Seat of House Coelan。 Aemlyn Carand； High Seat of House Carand； and her husband； Culhan Carand。〃 They acknowledged their names sourly； with bare nods and no more。 Pelivar was the lean man； he was losing his dark hair from the front。 Sheriam went on without pause； it was a good thing Bryne had been able to supply the names of those who had been chosen to speak。 〃May I present； of Murandy； Donel do Morny a'Lordeine。 Cian do Mehon a'Macansa。 Paitr do Fearna a'Conn。 Segan do Avharin a'Roos。〃 The Murandians seemed to feel the lack of titles even more than the Andorans。 Donel； wearing more lace than most of the women； twisted his curled mustaches fiercely； and Paitr appeared to be trying to yank his loose。 Segan pursed full lips and her dark eyes caught fire； while Cian； a stocky； graying woman； snorted quite loudly。 Sheriam took no notice。 〃You are beneath the eyes of the Watcher of the Seals。 You are before the Flame of Tar Valon。 You may present your supplications to the Amyrlin Seat。〃
Well。 They did not like that； not in the least。 Egwene had thought them sour before； but now they looked stuffed full of green persimmons。 Perhaps they had believed they could pretend she was not the Amyrlin at all。 They would learn。 Of course； first she had to teach the Hall。
〃There are ancient ties between Andor and the White Tower；〃 she said； loudly and firmly。 〃Sisters have always expected wele in Andor or Murandy。 Why then do you bring an army against Aes Sedai？ You meddle where thrones and nations fear to step。 Thrones have fallen； meddling in the affairs of Aes Sedai。〃
That sounded suitably threatening； whether or not Myrelle and the others had managed to prepare her way。 With luck； they were well on their way back to the camp； with no one the wiser。 Unless one of these nobles spoke the wrong name。 That would lose her an advantage against the Hall； but alongside everything else； it was a straw beside a hayloft。
Pelivar exchanged looks with the woman seated beside him； and she stood。 Creases in her face could not disguise the fact that Arathelle had been a beautiful； fine…boned woman when young； now； gray threaded thickly through her hair； and her gaze struck as hard as any Warder's。 Her red…gloved hands gripped the edges of her cloak at her sides； but plainly not in worry。 Mouth pressed to a thin line； she scanned the line of Sitters； and only then spoke。 Past Egwene； to the sisters behind her。 Gritting her teeth； Egwene put on an attentive expression。
〃We are here precisely because we do not want to bee entangled in the White Tower's affairs。〃 Arathelle's voice held tones of authority； unsurprising in the High Seat of a powerful House。 There was no hint of the diffidence that might have been expected； even from a powerful High Seat； facing so many sisters； not to mention the Amyrlin Seat。 〃If all we've heard is true； then at best； allowing you to pass through Andor unhindered may seem like giving aid； or even alliance； in the eyes of the White Tower。 Failure to oppose you might mean learning what the grape learns in the winepress。〃 Several of the Murandians turned their scowls on her。 No one in Murandy had tried to hinder the sisters' passage。 Very likely； no one had considered the possibilities beyond the day they passed onto another's lands。
Arathelle continued as if she had not noticed； but Egwene doubted that。 〃At worst。。。 We have heard。。。 reports。。。 of Aes Sedai making their way into Andor in secret； and Tower Guards。 Rumors might be a better word； but they e from many places。 None of us would like to see a battle between Aes Sedai in Andor。〃
〃The Light preserve and protect us！〃 Donel burst out； red…faced。 Paitr nodded encouragement； sliding to the edge of his seat； and Cian looked ready to jump in herself。 〃No one wants to see it here； either！〃 Donel spat。 〃Not between Aes Sedai！ For sure； we've heard what happened out east！ And those sisters …！〃
Egwene breathed a little more easily when Arathelle stepped on him firmly。 〃If you please； Lord Donel。 You will have your turn to speak。〃 She turned back to Egwene … to the Sitters once more； really … without waiting on his reply； leaving him spluttering and the other three Murandians glowering。 She herself looked quite undisturbed； simply a woman laying out the facts。 Laying them out； and meaning that they should be seen as she saw them。
〃As I was saying。 That is the worst we fear； if the tales are true。 And also if they are not。 Aes Sedai may be gathering secretly in Andor； with Tower Guards。 Aes Sedai with an army are ready to enter Andor。 Often enough the White Tower has seemed to aim at one target； only for the rest of us to learn later it was aiming at another all along。 I can hardly imagine even the White Tower going this far； but if ever there was a target you might twist yourselves into a knot for； it's the Black Tower。〃 Arathelle shivered slightly； and Egwene did not think it was the cold。 〃A battle between Aes Sedai might ruin the land for miles around。 That battle might ruin half of Andor。〃
Pelivar sprang to his feet。 〃The plain of it is； you must go another way。〃 His voice was surprisingly high； but no less firm than Arathelle's。 〃If I must die to defend my lands and my people； then better here than where my lands and people die； too。〃
He subsided at Arathelle's soothing gesture； sinking back into his chair。 Hard…eyed； he did not look mollified。 Aemlyn； a plump woman wrapped in dark wool； nodded agreement with him； as did her square…faced husband。
Donel stared at Pelivar as though he had never had this thought either； and he was not the only one。 Some of the standing Murandians began to argue out loud until others quieted them。 Sometimes with a shaken fist。 Whatever had possessed these people to join forces with the Andorans？
Egwene drew breath。 A rosebud； opening to the sun。 They had not acknowledged her as the Amyrlin Seat … Arathelle had e as close to ignoring her as was possible without pushing her aside！ … yet they had given her everything else she could have wished for。 Calm。 Now was when Lelaine and Romanda would be expecting her to name one of them to handle the negotiations。 She hoped their stomachs were tied in knots with wondering which of them it would be。 There would be no negotiations。 There could be none。
〃Elaida；〃 she said levelly； eyeing Arathelle and the seated nobles in turn； 〃is a usurper who has violated what lies at the very heart of the White Tower。 I am the Amyrlin Seat。〃 She was surprised at how stately she managed to sound； how cool。 But not as surprised as she once would have been。 The Light help her； she was the Amyrlin Seat。 〃We go to Tar Valon to remove Elaida and try her； but that is the White Tower's business； and none of yours except to know the truth。 This so…called Black Tower also is our business； men who can channel have always been the White Tower's affair。 We will deal with them as we choose； when the time is ripe； but I assure you； that time is not now。 More important matters must take precedence。〃
She heard movement among the Sitters behind her。 An actual shifting on benches and the crisp swishing of divided skirts being adjusted。 At least some must be severely agitated。 Well； several had suggested that the Black Tower might be dealt with in passing。 Not one believed there could be more than a dozen or so men there at most； no matter what they heard； after all； it simply was not possible that hundreds of men would want to channel。 Then again； it might have been the realization that Egwene was not going to name either Romanda or Lelaine。
Arathelle frowned； perhaps catching a hint of something in the air。 Pelivar moved； on the point of rising again； and Donel drew himself up querulously。 There was nothing for it but to press on。 There never had been。
〃I understand your concerns；〃 she continued in the same formal tone； 〃and I will address them。〃 What was that strange call to arms the Band used？ Yes。 It was time to toss the dice。 〃I give you this assurance as the Amyrlin Seat。 For one month we will stay here； resting； and then we will leave Murandy； but we will not cross the border into Andor。 Murandy will be troubled by us no more after that； and Andor will not be troubled at all。 I'm certain；〃 she added； 〃the Murandian lords and ladies here will be happy to supply our wants in exchange for good silver。 We will pay fair prices。〃 There was no point mollifying the Andorans if it meant Murandians raiding the horses and supply trains。
The Murandians； looking around uneasily； appeared decidedly torn in any case。 There was coin to be made； and a great deal of it supplying an army so large； but on the other hand； who could haggle successfully with whatever an army so large offered？ Donel actually seemed ready to sick up； while Cian seemed to be doing sums in her head。 Mutters rose among the onlookers。 More than mutters； nearly loud enough for Egwene。
She wanted to look over her shoulder。 The silence from the Sitters was deafening。 Siua