The Great Hunt twot-2

by Robert Jordan

  The room was crowded with five women in it. Liandrin paused to adjust her red-fringed shawl, eyeing them. Min did not move, but Elayne rose, and the three standing curtsied, though Nynaeve barely flexed her knee. Egwene did not think Nynaeve would ever grow used to having others in authority over her.

  Liandrin's eyes settled on Nynaeve. "And why are you here, in the novices' quarters, child?" Her tone was ice.

  "I am visiting with friends," Nynaeve said in a tight voice. After a moment she added a belated, "Liandrin Sedai."

  "The Accepted, they can have no friends among the novices. This you should have learned by this time, child. But it is as well that I find you here. You and you" — her finger stabbed at Elayne and Min—"will go."

  "I will return later." Min rose casually, making a great show of being in no hurry to obey, and strolled by Liandrin with a grin, of which Liandrin took no notice at all. Elayne gave Egwene and Nynaeve a worried look before she dropped a curtsy and left.

  After Elayne closed the door behind her, Liandrin stood studying Egwene and Nynaeve. Egwene began to fidget under the scrutiny, but Nynaeve held herself straight, with only a little heightening of her color.

  "You two are from the same village as the boys who traveled with Moiraine. Is it not so?" Liandrin said suddenly.

  "Do you have some word of Rand?" Egwene asked eagerly. Liandrin arched an eyebrow at her. "Forgive me, Aes Sedai. I forget myself."

  "Have you word of them?" Nynaeve said, just short of a demand. The Accepted had no rule about not speaking to an Aes Sedai until spoken to.

  "You have concern for them. That is good. They are in danger, and you might be able to help them."

  "How do you know they're in trouble?" There was no doubt about the demand in Nynaeve's voice this time.

  Liandrin's rosebud mouth tightened, but her tone did not change. "Though you are not aware of it, Moiraine has sent letters to the White Tower concerning you. Moiraine Sedai, she worries about you, and about your young … friends. These boys, they are in danger. Do you wish to help them, or leave them to their fate?"

  "Yes," Egwene said, at the same time that Nynaeve said; "What kind of trouble? Why do you care about helping them?" Nynaeve glanced at the red fringe on Liandrin's shawl. "And I thought you didn't like Moiraine."

  "Do not presume too much, child," Liandrin said sharply. "To be Accepted is not to be a sister. Accepted and novices alike listen when a sister speaks, and do as they are told." She drew a breath and went on; her tone was coldly serene again, but angry white spots marred her cheeks. "Someday, I am sure, you will serve a cause, and you will learn then that to serve it you must work even with those whom you dislike. I tell you I have worked with many with whom I would not share a room if it were left to me alone. Would you not work alongside the one you hated worst, if it would save your friends?"

  Nynaeve nodded reluctantly. "But you still haven't told us what kind of danger they're in. Liandrin Sedai."

  "The danger comes from Shayol Ghul. They are hunted, as I understand they once before were. If you will come with me, some dangers, at least, may be eliminated. Do not ask how, for I cannot tell you, but I tell you flatly it is so."

  "We will come, Liandrin Sedai," Egwene said.

  "Come where?" Nynaeve said. Egwene shot her an exasperated look."Toman Head."

  Egwene's mouth fell open, and Nynaeve muttered, "There's a war on Toman Head. Does this danger have something to do with Artur Hawkwing's armies?"

  "You believe rumors, child? But even if they were true, is that enough to stop you? I thought you called these men friends." A twist to Liandrin's words said she would never do the same.

  "We will come," Egwene said. Nynaeve opened her mouth again, but Egwene went right on. "We will go, Nynaeve. If Rand needs our help — and Mat, and Perrin — we have to give it."

  "I know that," Nynaeve said, "but what I want to know is, why us? What can we do that Moiraine — or you, Liandrin — cannot?"

  The white grew in Liandrin's cheeks — Egwene realized Nynaeve had forgotten the honorific in addressing her — but what she said was, "You two come from their village. In some way I do not entirely understand, you are connected to them. Beyond that, I cannot say. And no more of your foolish questions will I answer. Will you come with me for their sake?" She paused for their assent; a visible tension left her when they nodded. "Good. You will meet me at the northernmost edge of the Ogier grove one hour before sunset with your horses and whatever you will need for the journey. Tell no one of this."

  "We are not supposed to leave the Tower grounds without permission," Nynaeve said slowly.

  "You have my permission. Tell no one. No one at all. The Black Ajah walks the halls of the White Tower."

  Egwene gasped, and heard an echoed gasp from Nynaeve, but Nynaeve recovered quickly. "I thought all Aes Sedai denied the existence of — of that."

  Liandrin's mouth tightened into a sneer. "Many do, but Tarmon Gai'don approaches, and the time leaves when denials can be made. The Black Ajah, it is the opposite of everything for which the Tower stands, but it exists, child. It is everywhere, any woman could belong to it, and it serves the Dark One. If your friends are pursued by the Shadow, do you think the Black Ajah will leave you alive and free to help them? Tell no one — no one! — or you may not live to reach Toman Head. One hour before sunset. Do not fail me." With that, she was gone, the door closing firmly behind her.

  Egwene collapsed onto her bed with her hands on her knees. "Nynaeve, she's Red Ajah. She can't know about Rand. If she did…"

  "She cannot know," Nynaeve agreed. "I wish I knew why a Red wanted to help. Or why she's willing to work with Moiraine. I'd have sworn neither of them would give the other water if she were dying of thirst."

  "You think she's lying?"

  "She is Aes Sedai," Nynaeve said dryly. "I'll wager my best silver pin against a blueberry that every word she said was true. But I wonder if we heard what we thought we did."

  "The Black Ajah." Egwene shivered. "There was no mistaking what she said about that, the Light help us."

  "No mistaking," Nynaeve said. "And she's forestalled us asking anyone for advice, because after that, who can we trust? The Light help us indeed."

  Min and Elayne came bustling in, slamming the door behind them. "Are you really going?" Min asked, and Elayne gestured toward the tiny hole in the wall above Egwene's bed, saying, "We listened from my room. We heard everything."

  Egwene exchanged glances with Nynaeve, wondering how much they had overheard, and saw the same concern on Nynaeve's face. If they manage to cipher out about Rand …

  "You have to keep this to yourselves," Nynaeve cautioned them. "I suppose Liandrin has arranged permission from Sheriam for us to go, but even if she hasn't, even if they start searching the Tower from top to bottom for us tomorrow, you mustn't say a word."

  "Keep it to myself?" Min said. "No fear on that. I'm going with you. All I do all day is try to explain to one Brown sister or another something I don't understand myself. I can't even go for a walk without the Amyrlin herself popping out and asking me to read whoever we see. When that woman asks you to do something, there doesn't seem to be any way out of it. I must have read half the White Tower for her, but she always wants another demonstration. All I needed was an excuse to leave, and this is it." Her face wore a look of determination that allowed no argument.

  Egwene wondered why Min was so determined to go with them rather than simply leaving on her own, but before she had time to do more than wonder, Elayne said, "I am going, too."

  "Elayne," Nynaeve said gently, "Egwene and I are the boys' kith from Emond's Field. You are the Daughter-Heir of Andor. If you disappear from the White Tower, why, it — it could start a war."

  "Mother wouldn't start a war with Tar Valon if they dried and salted me, which they may be trying to do. If you three can go off and have an adventure, you needn't think I am going to stay here and wash dishes, and scrub floors, and have some Accepted berating me because I d
idn't make the fire the exact shade of blue she wanted. Gawyn will die from envy when he finds out." Elayne grinned and reached over to tug playfully at Egwene's hair. "Besides, if you leave Rand lying about loose, I might have a chance to pick him up."

  "I don't think either of us is going to have him," Egwene said sadly.

  "Then we'll find whoever he does choose and make her life miserable. But he couldn't be fool enough to choose someone else when he could have one of us. Oh, please smile, Egwene. I know he's yours. I just feel" — she hesitated, searching for the word—"free. I've never had an adventure. I'll bet we won't either of us cry ourselves to sleep on an adventure. And if we do, we will make sure the gleemen leave that part out."

  "This is foolishness," Nynaeve said. "We are going to Toman Head. You've heard the news, and the rumors. It will be dangerous. You must stay here."

  "I heard what Liandrin Sedai said about the — the Black Ajah, too." Elayne's voice dropped almost to a whisper at that name. "How safe will I be here, if they are here? If Mother even suspected the Black Ajah really existed, she would pitch me into the middle of a battle to get me away from them."

  "But, Elayne—

  "There is only one way for you to stop me coming. That is to tell the Mistress of Novices. We will make a pretty picture, all three of us lined up in her study. All four of us. I don't think Min would escape from something like this. So since you are not going to tell Sheriam Sedai, I am coming, too."

  Nynaeve threw up her hands. "Perhaps you can say something to convince her," she told Min.

  Min had been leaning against the door, squinting at Elayne, and now she shook her head. "I think she has to come as much as the rest of you. The rest of us. I can see the danger around all of you more clearly, now. Not clearly enough to make it out, but I think it has something to do with you deciding to go. That's why it is clearer; because it is more certain."

  "That's no reason for her to come," Nynaeve said, but Min shook her head again.

  "She is linked to — to those boys as much as you, or Egwene, or me. She's part of it, Nynaeve, whatever it is. Part of the Pattern, I suppose an Aes Sedai would say."

  Elayne seemed taken aback, and interested, too. "I am? What part, Min?"

  "I can't see it clearly." Min looked at the floor. "Sometimes I wish I couldn't read people at all. Most people aren't satisfied with what I see anyway."

  "If we are all going," Nynaeve said, "then we had best be about making plans." However much she might argue beforehand, once a course of action had been decided, Nynaeve always went right to the practicalities: what they had to take with them, and how cold it would be by the time they reached Toman Head, and how they could get their horses from the stables without being stopped.

  Listening to her, Egwene could not help wondering what the danger was that Min saw for them, and what danger threatened Rand. She knew of only one danger that could threaten him, and it made her cold to think of it. Hold on, Rand. Hold on, you wool-headed idiot. I'll help you somehow.

  Chapter 39

  (Leaf)

  Flight From the White Tower

  Egwene and Elayne inclined their heads briefly to each group of women they passed as they made their way through the Tower. It was a good thing, there were so many women from outside in the Tower today, Egwene thought, too many for each to have an Aes Sedai or an Accepted for escort. Alone or in small groups, garbed richly or poorly, in dress from half a dozen different lands, some still dusty from their journey to Tar Valon, they kept to themselves and waited their turn to ask their questions of the Aes Sedai, or present their petitions. Some women — ladies or merchants or merchants' wives — had female servants with them. Even a few men had come with petitions, standing by themselves, looking unsure about being in the White Tower, and eyeing everyone else uneasily.

  In the lead, Nynaeve kept her eyes purposefully ahead, her cloak swirling behind her, walking as if she knew where they were going — which she did, as long as no one stopped them — and had a perfect right to go there — which was a different matter altogether, of course. Dressed now in the clothes they had brought to Tar Valon, they certainly did not look like residents of the Tower. Each had chosen her best dress that had a skirt divided for riding, and cloaks of fine wool rich with embroidery. As long as they kept away from all who might recognize them — they had already dodged several who knew their faces — Egwene thought they might make it.

  "This would do better for a turn in some lord's park than a ride to Toman Head," Nynaeve had said dryly as Egwene helped her with the buttons of a gray silk with thread-of-gold work and pearled flowers across the bosom and down the sleeves, "but it may allow us to leave unnoticed."

  Now Egwene shifted her cloak and smoothed her own gold-embroidered, green silk dress and glanced at Elayne, in blue slashed with cream, hoping Nynaeve had been right. So far, everyone had taken them for petitioners, nobles, or at least women of wealth, but it seemed that they should stand out. She was surprised to realize why; she felt uncomfortable in the fine dress after wearing a novice's plain white for the past few months.

  A little cluster of village women in stout, dark woolens dropped curtsies as they passed. Egwene glanced back at Min as soon as they were beyond. Min had kept her breeches and baggy man's shirt under a boy's brown cloak and coat, with an old, wide-brimmed hat pulled down over her short hair. "One of us has to be the servant," she had said, laughing. "Women dressed the way you are always have at least one. You'll wish you had my breeches if we have to run." She was burdened with four sets of saddlebags bulging with warm clothes, for it would surely be winter before they returned. There were also packets of food pilfered from the kitchens, enough to last until they could buy more.

  "Are you sure I can't carry some of those, Min?" Egwene asked softly.

  "They're just awkward," Min said with a grin, "not heavy." She seemed to think it was all a game, or else was pretending to think so. "And people would be sure to wonder why a fine lady such as yourself was carrying her own saddlebags. You can carry yours — and mine, too, if you want — once we—" Her grin vanished, and she whispered fiercely, "Aes Sedai!"

  Egwene whipped her eyes forward. An Aes Sedai with long, smooth black hair and aged-ivory skin was coming toward them down the corridor, listening to a woman wearing rough farm clothes and a patched cloak. The Aes Sedai had not seen them yet, but Egwene recognized her; Takima, of the Brown Ajah, who taught the history of the White Tower and Aes Sedai, and who could recognize one of her pupils at a hundred paces.

  Nynaeve turned down a side hall without breaking stride, but there one of the Accepted, a lanky woman with a permanent frown, hurried past them hauling a red-faced novice by the ear.

  Egwene had to swallow before she could speak. "That was Irella, and Else. Did they notice us?" She could not make herself look back to see.

  "No," Min said after a moment. "All they saw was our clothes." Egwene let out a long, relieved breath, and heard one from Nynaeve, too.

  "My heart may burst before we reach the stables," Elayne murmured. "Is this what an adventure is like all the time, Egwene? Your heart in your mouth, and your stomach in your feet?"

  "I suppose it is," Egwene said slowly. She found it hard to think that there had been a time when she had been eager to have an adventure, to do something dangerous and exciting like the people in stories. Now she thought the exciting part was what you remembered when you looked back, and the stories left out a good deal of unpleasantness. She told Elayne as much.

  "Still," the Daughter-Heir said firmly, "I have never had any real excitement before, and never likely to as long as Mother has any say in it, which she will until I take the throne myself."

  "You two be quiet," Nynaeve said. They were alone in the hall for a change, with no one in sight in either direction. She pointed to a narrow flight of stairs going down. "That should be what we want. If I haven't gotten turned around completely, with all the twists and turns we've made."

  She took the stairs as i
f she were certain anyway, and the others followed. Surely enough, the small door at the bottom let out into the dusty yard of the South Stable, where novices' horses were kept, for those who had them, until they had need of mounts again, which was generally not until they became Accepted or were sent home. The gleaming bulk of the Tower itself rose behind them; the Tower grounds spread over a good many hides of land, with its own walls higher than some city walls.

  Nynaeve strode into the stable as if she owned it. It had a clean smell of hay and horse, and two long rows of stalls ran back into shadows barred with light from the vents above. For a wonder, shaggy Bela and Nynaeve's gray mare stood in stalls near the doors. Bela put her nose over the stall door and whickered softly to Egwene. There was only one groom in evidence, a pleasant-looking fellow with gray in his beard, chewing a straw.

  "We will have our horses saddled," Nynaeve told him in her most commanding tone. "Those two. Min, find your horse. And Elayne's." Min dropped the saddlebags and drew Elayne deeper into the stables.

  The stableman frowned after them and slowly took the straw from his mouth. "There must be some mistake, my Lady. Those animals —"

  "— are ours," Nynaeve said firmly, folding her arms so that the Serpent ring was obvious. "You will saddle them now."

  Egwene held her breath; it was a last-ditch plan, that Nynaeve would try to pass as an Aes Sedai if they had difficulties with anyone who might actually accept her as one. No Aes Sedai or Accepted would, of course, and probably not even a novice, but a stableman …

  The man blinked at Nynaeve's ring, then at her. "I was told two," he said at last, sounding unimpressed. "One of the Accepted and a novice. Wasn't nothing said about four of you."

  Egwene felt like laughing. Of course Liandrin would not have believed them able to get their horses by themselves.

  Nynaeve looked disappointed, and her voice sharpened. "You trot those horses out and saddle them, or you'll have need of Liandrin's Healing, if she will give it to you."