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fool； a woman would kill you twice as fast as a man； and usually for half the reason！ … but because he could not bring himself to take any woman except the most dangerous； where he was going。 Ailil could smile warmly while she calculated where to plant the knife in your ribs。 Anaiyella； a willowy simpering High Lady who gave a fair imitation of a beautiful goosebrain； had returned to Tear from Cairhien and openly begun talking of herself for the as…yet…nonexistent throne of Tear。 Perhaps she was a fool； but she had managed to gain a great deal of support； both among nobles and in the streets。
So he gathered them in； all the folk who had been too long out from under his eye。 He could not watch all of them all the time； but he could not afford to let them forget that he did watch sometimes。 He gathered them； and he waited。 For two days。 Gnashing his teeth； he waited。 Five days。 Eight。
Rain was beating a diminishing drum on his tent when the last man he was waiting for finally arrived。
Shaking a small torrent from his oiled…cloth cape； Davram Bashere blew out his thick； gray…streaked mustaches in disgust and tossed the cape over a barrel chair。 A short man with a great hooked beak of a nose； he seemed larger than he was。 Not because he strutted； but because he assumed that he was as tall as any man present； and other men took him so。 Wise men did。 The wolf…headed ivory baton of the Marshal…General of Saldaea； tucked carelessly behind his sword belt； had been earned on scores of battlefields and at as many council tables。 He was one of the very few men Rand would trust with his life。
〃I know you don't like explaining；〃 Bashere muttered； 〃but I could use a little illumination。〃 Adjusting his serpentine sword； he sprawled in another chair and flung a leg over the arm of it。 He always seemed at his ease； but he could uncoil faster than a whip。 〃That Asha'man fellow wouldn't say more than you needed me yesterday； yet he said not to bring more than a thousand men。 I only had half that with me； but I brought them。 It can't be a battle。 Half the sigils I saw out there belong to men who'd bite their tongues if they saw a fellow behind you with a knife； and most of the rest to men who'd try to hold your attention。 If they hadn't paid the knife man in the first place。〃
Seated behind his writing table in his shirtsleeves； Rand wearily pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes。 With Boreane Carivin left behind； the lamp wicks needed proper trimming； and a faint haze of smoke hung in the air。 Besides； he had been awake most of the night poring over the maps scattered across the table。 Maps of southern Altara。 No two agreed on very much。
〃If you're going to fight a battle；〃 he told Bashere； 〃who better to pay the butcher's bill than men who want you dead？ Anyway； it isn't soldiers who'll win this battle。 All they have to do is keep anybody from sneaking up on the Asha'man。 What do you think of that？〃
Bashere snorted so hard that his heavy mustaches stirred。 〃I think it's a deadly stew； is what I think。 Somebody's going to choke to death on it。 The Light send it isn't us。〃 And then he laughed as if that were a fine joke。
Lews Therin laughed； too。
Chapter 22
（A'dam）
Gathering Clouds
Under a steady drizzle Rand's small army formed columns across the low folded hills facing the Nemarellin peaks； dark and sharp against the western sky。 There was no real need to face the direction you intended to Travel； but it always felt askew to Rand otherwise。 Despite the rain； rapidly thinning gray clouds let through startlingly bright sunshine。 Or maybe the day only seemed bright； after all the recent gloom。
Four of the columns were headed by Bashere's Saldaeans； bandy…legged unarmored men in short coats standing patiently beside their mounts beneath a small forest of shining lance heads； the other five by blue…coated men with the Dragon on their chests； manded by a short stocky fellow named Jak Masond。 When Masond moved； it was always with surprising quickness； but he was utterly still now； feet planted astride and hands folded behind his back。 His men were in place； and so were the Defenders and panions； grumpy about being behind infantry。 It was the nobles and their folk； mainly； who milled about as if unsure where to go。 Thick mud sucked at hooves and boots； and mired cart wheels； shouted curses rose。 It took time to line up nearly six thousand soaked men； getting wetter by the minute。 And that was not counting the supply carts； and the remounts。
Rand had donned his finest； so he would stand out at a glance。 A lick with the Power had polished the Dragon Scepter's spearhead to mirror brightness； and another had burnished the Crown of Swords so the gold gleamed。 The gilded Dragon buckle of his sword belt caught the light； and so did the thread…of…gold embroidery that covered his blue silk coat。 For a moment； he regretted giving away the gems that once had decked his sword's hilt and scabbard。 The dark boarhide was serviceable； but any armsman could have worn that。 Let men know who he was。 Let the Seanchan know who had e to destroy them。
Sitting Tai'daishar on a broad flat； he impatiently watched the nobles roil about on the hills。 A little way off on the flat； Gedwyn and Rochaid sat their saddles in front of their men； all formed into a precise box； Dedicated in the front rank； Soldiers lined up behind。 They looked ready to parade。 As many had gray hair or nearly none as were young … several were as young as Hopwil or Morr … but every one was strong enough to make a gateway。 That had been a requirement。 Flinn and Dashiva waited behind Rand in a casual cluster with Adley and Morr； Hopwil and Narishma。 And a rigid pair of mounted bannermen； one Tairen and one Cairhienin； their breastplates and helmets and even their steel…backed gauntlets buffed and polished till they shone。 The crimson Banner of Light and the long white Dragon Banner hung limp and dripping。 Rand had assumed the Power in his tent； where his momentary stagger would not be seen； and the sparse rain failed by an inch to touch him or his horse。
The taint on saidin felt especially heavy today； a thick foul oil that oozed into his pores and stained his bones deep。 Stained his soul。 He had thought himself accustomed to the vileness； after a fashion； yet today it was nauseating； stronger than the frozen fire and molten cold of saidin itself。 He held on to the Source as often as possible now； accepting the vileness to avoid the new sickness of seizing it。 It could be deadly； if he let sickness distract him from that struggle。 Maybe it was connected to the dizzy spells； somehow。 Light； he could not go mad yet； and he could not die。 Not yet。 There was too much still to be done。
He pressed his left leg against Tai'daishar's flank just to feel the long bundle strapped between stirrup leather and scarlet saddle cloth。 Every time he did that； something wriggled across the outside of the Void。 Anticipation； and maybe a touch of fear。 Well trained； the gelding started to turn left； and Rand had to rein him back。 When would the nobles sort themselves out？ He ground his teeth in impatience。
He could remember as a boy hearing men laugh that when rain fell in sunshine the Dark One was beating Semirhage。 Some of that laughter had been uneasy； though； and scrawny old Cenn Buie would always snarl that Semirhage would be smarting and angry after that； and e for small boys who did not keep out of their elders' way。 That had been enough to send Rand running； when he was little。 He wished Semirhage would e for him now； right that instant。 He would make her weep。
Nothing makes Semirhage weep； Lews Therin muttered。 She gives tears to others； but she has none herself。
Rand laughed softly。 If she came today； he would make her weep。 Her and the rest of the Forsaken together； if they came today。 Most assuredly he would make the Seanchan weep。
Not everyone was pleased with the orders he had given。 Sunamon's oily smile vanished when he thought Rand did not see。 Torean had a flask in his saddlebags； no doubt brandy； or maybe several flasks； because he drank steadily and never appeared to run dry。 Semaradrid and Marcolin and Tihera each appeared in front of Rand to protest the numbers with somber faces。 A few years before； close on six thousand men would have been army enough for any war； but they had seen armies in the tens of thousands； now； hundreds of thousands； as in Artur Hawkwing's day； and to go against the Seanchan； they wanted far more。 He sent them away disgruntled。 They did not understand that fifty…odd Asha'man were as big a hammer as anyone could wish for。 Rand wondered what they would have said had he told them he was hammer enough by himself。 He had considered doing this by himself。 It might e to that yet。
Weiramon came； he did not like having to take orders from Bashere； or the fact that they were going into mountains … very hard to mount a decent charge in mountains … or several other things … Rand was certain there were at least several more … that Rand did not let him utter。
〃The Saldaean seems to believe I should ride on the r