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〃A gift I received in the Waste；〃 Rand said。 He made sure to keep his hands still on his pommel； his coatsleeves hid his own Dragons； except for the heads； they would be visible on the backs of his hands to anyone who looked closely。 He had forgotten about wondering what Moiraine had actually done； and all three looked on the point of running。 〃How long since they left？〃
〃Six days； my Lord；〃 Tal said uneasily。 〃They did what they did in a night and a day and were gone the next。 We would have gone； too； but what if we met them ing back？ Surely they were turned back at Selean？〃 That was the town at the other end of the pass。 Rand doubted that Selean was in any better condition than Taien by this time。
〃How many survivors are there besides you three？〃
〃Maybe a hundred； my Lord。 Maybe more。 Nobody has counted。〃
Abruptly anger flared in him； though he tried to hold it down。 〃A hundred of you？〃 His voice was icy iron。 〃And six days？ Then why are your dead left for the ravens？ Why do corpses still decorate your town walls？ Those are your people filling your nostrils with their stink！〃 Huddling together； the three backed away from his horse。
〃We were afraid； my Lord；〃 Tal said hoarsely。 〃They went； but they could e back。 And he told us。。。 The one with the markings on his arms told us not to touch anything。〃
〃A message；〃 Ander said in a dull voice。 〃He chose them out to hang； just pulling them out until he had enough to line the wall。 Men； women； he did not care。〃 His eyes were fixed on Rand's buckle。 〃He said they were a message for some man who would be following him。 He said he wanted this man to know。。。 know what they were going to do on the other side of the Spine。 He said。。。 He said he would do worse to this man。〃
Aril's eyes widened suddenly； and the three stared beyond Rand for a moment； gaping。 Then； screaming； they turned and ran。 Black…veiled Aiel rose from the rocks they had e from； and they darted off in another direction。 Veiled Aiel appeared there； too； and they collapsed to the ground； sobbing and holding each other as they were surrounded。 Moiraine's face was cool and posed； but her eyes were not serene。
Rand twisted in his saddle。 Rhuarc and Dhearic were ing up the slope； unveiling themselves and unwrapping the shoufa from around their heads。 Dhearic was thicker than Rhuarc； with a prominent nose and paler streaks through his golden hair。 He had brought the Reyn Aiel as Rhuarc had said he would。
Timolan and his Miagoma had been paralleling them to the north for three days； exchanging occasional messengers but giving no clue to his intentions。 The Codarra and the Shiande and the Daryne were still somewhere to the east； following； so Amys and the others said from dream…talking to their Wise Ones； but slowly。 Those Wise Ones had no more idea of their clan chiefs' aims than Rand did of Timolan's。
〃Was that necessary？〃 he said as the two chiefs came up to him。 He had frightened the people first； but for cause； and had not made them think that they were going to die。
Rhuarc simply shrugged； and Dhearic said； 〃We put spears in place around this hold unseen； as you wished； and there seemed no reason to wait since no one remained here to dance spears。 Besides； they are only treekillers。〃
Rand drew a deep breath。 He had known this might be as large a problem as Couladin； in its own way。 Nearly five hundred years ago the Aiel had presented Cairhien with a sapling； a cutting from Avendesora； and with it a right granted to no other nation； to trade across the Three…fold Land to Shara。 They had given no reason … they did not like wetlanders very much at the best … but to the Aiel it had been required by ji'e'toh。 During the long years of journey that had brought them to the Waste； only one people had not attacked them； only one had allowed them water uncontested when the world grew parched。 And finally they had found the descendants of those people。 The Cairhienin。
For five hundred years riches had flowed into Cairhien with the silk and the ivory。 Five hundred years； and Avendoraldera grew in Cairhien。 And then King Laman had the tree cut down to make a throne。 The nations knew why the Aiel had crossed the Spine of the World twenty years ago … Laman's Sin； they called it； and Laman's Pride … but few knew that to the Aiel it had not been a war。 Four clans had e to find an oathbreaker； and when they had killed him； they returned to the Three…fold Land。 But their contempt for the treekillers； the oathbreakers； had never died。 Moiraine being Aes Sedai offset her being Cairhienin； but Rand was never sure how much。
〃These folk broke no oaths；〃 he told them。 〃Find the others； the saddlemaker says there are about a hundred。 And be gentle with them。 If any of them were watching； they're probably running away into the mountains by now。〃 The two Aiel started to turn away； and he added； 〃Did you hear what they told me？ What do you think of what Couladin did here？〃
〃They killed more than they had to；〃 Dhearic said with a disgusted shake of his head。 〃Like black ferrets falling on rockhens' nests in a gully。〃 Killing was as easy as dying； so the Aiel said； any fool could do either。
〃And the other thing？ Taking prisoners。 Gai'shain。〃
Rhuarc and Dhearic exchanged looks； and Dhearic's mouth tightened。 Clearly they had heard； and it made them unfortable。 It took a great deal to make an Aiel unfortable。
〃It cannot be so；〃 Rhuarc said at last。 〃If it is。。。 Gai'shain is a thing of ji'e'toh。 No one can be made gai'shain who does not follow ji'e'toh； else they are only human animals； such as the Sharans keep。〃
〃Couladin has abandoned ji'e'toh。〃 Dhearic sounded as though he were saying stones had grown wings。
Mat guided Pips closer； using his knees。 He had never been more than an indifferent rider； but sometimes； when he was thinking of something else； he rode as though born on a horse's back。 〃That surprises you？〃 he said。 〃After everything he has done already？ The man would cheat at dice with his mother。〃
They gave him flat…eyed stares； like blue stones。 In many ways； Aiel were ji'e'toh。 And whatever else Couladin was； he was still Aiel in their eyes。 Sept before clan； clan before outsiders； but Aiel before wetlanders。
Some of the Maidens joined them； Enaila and Jolien and Adelin； and wiry； white…haired Sulin； who had been chosen roofmistress of the Roof of the Maidens in Rhuidean。 She had told the Maidens who stayed to choose another； and now she led the Maidens here。 They sensed the mood； and said nothing； only grounded their spearpoints patiently。 An Aiel who wanted to could make the rocks look hasty。
Lan broke the silence。 〃If Couladin expects you to be following him； he may have left a surprise somewhere in the pass。 A hundred men could hold some of those narrows against an army。 A thousand。。。〃
〃We will camp here； then；〃 Rand said； 〃and send scouts ahead to make sure the way is clear。 Duadhe Mahdi'in？〃
〃Water Seekers；〃 Dhearic agreed； sounding pleased。 That had been his society before he became clan chief。
Sulin and the other Maidens gave Ra