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〃I？ I am a simple gleeman。〃 The man lifted an edge of his patch…covered cloak as if for proof。 〃I would not take your place for all the world； not with the fate that acpanies it。 Death or madness； or both。 'His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul。。。' That is what The Karaethon Cycle； the Prophecies of the Dragon； says； is it not？ That you must die to save fools who will heave a sigh of relief at your death。 No； I would not accept that for all your power and more。〃
〃Rand；〃 Egwene said； stepping out of the deepening darkness with her pale cloak wrapped around her； the hood well up； 〃we have e to see how you have held up after your Healing； and a day in that heat。〃 Moiraine was with her； face shrouded in the deep cowl of her white cloak； and Bair and Amys； Melaine and Seana； heads swathed in dark shawls； all watching him； calm and cold as the night。 Even Egwene。 She did not have the Aes Sedai agelessness yet； but she had Aes Sedai eyes。
He did not notice Aviendha at first； trailing behind the others。 For a moment he thought he saw passion on her face； but if it was there； it vanished as soon as she saw him looking。 Imagination。 He was tired。
〃Another time；〃 Natael said； speaking to Rand but looking at the women in that peculiar sidelong manner。 〃We will talk another time。〃 With the slightest of bows he strode away。
〃Does the future chafe you； Rand？〃 Moiraine said quietly when the gleeman was gone。 〃Prophecies speak in flowery； hidden language。 They do not always mean what they seem to say。〃
〃The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills；〃 he told her。 〃I will do what I must。 Remember that； Moiraine。 I will do what I must。〃 She seemed satisfied； with Aes Sedai； it was hard to tell。 She would not be satisfied when she learned everything。
Natael returned the next evening； and the next； and the next； always talking about the epic he would pose； but he displayed a morbid streak； digging for how Rand meant to face madness and death。 His tale was meant to be a tragedy； it appeared。 Rand certainly had no desire to root his fears out into the open； what was in his heart and head could remain buried there。 Finally the gleeman seemed to tire of hearing him say 〃I will do what I must；〃 and stopped ing。 It seemed that he did not want to pose his epic unless it could be full of pained emotion。 The man looked frustrated when he stalked off for the last time； cloak fluttering furiously behind him。
The fellow was odd； but going by Thom Merrilin； so were all gleemen。 Natael certainly demonstrated other gleeman's traits。 For instance； he certainly had a fine opinion of himself。 Rand did not care whether the man called him by titles； but Natael addressed Rhuarc； and Moiraine； the few times he was around her； as if he was plainly their equal。 That was Thom to perfection。 And he gave up performing for the Jindo at all； beginning to spend most of every night at the Shaido camp。 There were more of the Shaido； he explained to Rhuarc as if it were the most obvious thing in the world。 A larger audience。 None of the Jindo liked it； but there was nothing even Rhuarc could do。 In the Three…fold Land； a gleeman was allowed anything short of murder without being called down for it。
Aviendha spent her nights among the Wise Ones； and sometimes walked with them for an hour or so during the day； all of them gathered around her； even Moiraine and Egwene。 At first Rand thought they must be advising her on how to handle him； how to pull what they wanted to know out of his head。 Then one day； with the sun molten overhead； a ball of fire as big as a horse suddenly burst into being ahead of the Wise Ones' party and went spinning and tumbling away； blazing a furrow across the sere land； until it finally dwindled and winked out。
Some of the wagon drivers pulled their startled； snorting teams to a halt and stood to watch； calling to each other in a blend of fear； confusion and coarse curses。 Murmurs rippled through the Jindo； and they stared； as did the Shaido； but the two columns of Aiel kept moving with barely a pause。 It was among the Wise Ones that real excitement was evident。 The four of them clustered around Aviendha； all apparently talking at once； with considerable arm…waving。 Moiraine and Egwene； leading their horses； tried to get in a word； even without hearing； Rand knew that Amys told them in no uncertain terms； shaking a furiously admonishing finger； to stay out of it。
Staring at the blackened gouge stretching arrow…straight for half a mile； Rand sat back down in his saddle。 Teaching Aviendha to channel。 Of course。 That was what they were doing。 He scrubbed sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand； the sun had nothing to do with it。 When that fireball leaped out into existence； he had instinctively reached for the True Source。 It had been like trying to dip water with a torn sieve。 All his clawing at saidin might as well have been clawing at air。 One day that could happen when he needed the Power desperately。 He had to learn； too； and he had no teacher。 He had to learn not just because the Power would kill him before he had to worry about going mad if he did not； he had to learn because he had to use it。 Learn to use it； use it to learn。 He began laughing so hard that some of the Jindo looked at him uneasily。
He would have enjoyed Mat's pany any time during those eleven days and nights； but Mat never came near for more than a minute or two； the broad brim of his flat…crowned hat pulled down to shade his eyes； the black…hafted spear lying across the pommel of Pips's saddle； with its odd raven…marked； Power…wrought point； like a short； curving sword blade。
〃If your face darkens from the sun any more； you will turn into an Aielman；〃 he might say； laughing or； 〃Do you mean to spend the rest of your life here？ There's a whole world the other side of the Dragonwall。 Wine？ Women？ You remember these things？〃
But Mat looked plainly uneasy； and he was even more reluctant than the Wise Ones to speak of Rhuidean； or what had happened to them there。 His hand tightened on that black haft at the very mention of the fog…domed city； and he claimed not to remember anything of his journey through the ter'angreal … then proceeded to contradict himself by saying； 〃You stay out of that thing； Rand。 It isn't like the one in the Stone at all。 They cheat。 Burn me； I wish I'd never seen it！〃
The one time Rand mentioned the Old Tongue； he snapped； 〃Burn you； I don't know anything about the bloody Old Tongue！〃 and galloped straight back to the peddlers' wagons。
That was where Mat spent most of his time； dicing with the drivers … until they realized he won a very great deal more often than he lost； no matter whose dice he used … engaging Kadere or Natael in long talks at every opportunity； pursuing Isendre。 It was clear what was on his mind from the first time he grinned at her and straightened his hat； the morning after the Trolloc attack。 He spoke to her nearly every evening for as long as he could； and pricked himself so badly plucking white blossoms from a spiky…thorned bush that he could barely handle his reins for two days； though he refused to allow Moiraine to Heal him。 Isendre did not precisely encourage him； but her slow； sultry smile was hardly calculated to drive him away； either。 Kadere saw … and said not a word； though sometimes his eyes followed Mat like a vulture's。 Others did ment。
Late one afternoon as the mules were being unhitched and the tents going up； and Rand was unsaddling Jeade'en； Mat was standing with Isendre in the meager shade of one of the canvas…topped wagons。 Standing very close。 Shaking his head； Rand watched as he wiped the dapple down。 The sun burned low on the horizon； and tall spires stretched long shadows across the camp。
Isendre fiddled with her diaphanous scarf as if idly thinking of removing it； smiling； full lips half pouting； ready for a kiss。 Encouraged； Mat grinned confidently and moved closer still。 She dropped her hand； and slowly shook her head； but that inviting smile never faded。 Neither of them heard Keille approach； so light on her feet despite her size。
〃Is that what you want； good sir？ Her？〃 The pa