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Pushing Bela's reins into the other woman's hands； Siuan hurried out of the stable yard and started down the street in what she hoped was the right direction。 She did not want to have to search the entire city； not in this heat and dust。
Heavy wagons behind teams of six or eight or even ten filled the streets； drivers cracking long whips and cursing equally at the horses and at the people who darted between the wagons。 Roughly dressed men mingling through the crowds in lone wagon…drivers' coats sometimes directed laughing invitations at women who passed them。 The women who wore colorful aprons； sometimes striped； their heads wrapped in bright scarves； walked on with eyes straight ahead； as though they did not hear。 Women without aprons； hair hanging loose around their shoulders and skirts sometimes ending a foot or more clear of the ground； often shouted back even ruder replies。
Siuan gave a start when she realized that some of the men's suggestions were aimed at her。 They did not make her angry … she really could not apply them to herself in her own mind … only startled。 She was still not used to the changes in herself。 That men might find her attractive。。。 Her reflection in the filthy window of a tailor's shop caught her eye； not much more than a murky image of a fair…skinned girl under a straw hat。 She was young； not just young…appearing； as far as she could tell； but young。 Not much older than Min。 A girl in truth； from the vantage of the years she had actually lived。
An advantage to having been stilled； she told herself。 She had met women who would pay any price to lose fifteen or twenty years； some might even consider her price a fair bargain。 She often found herself listing such advantages； perhaps trying to convince herself they were real。 Freed from the Three Oaths； she could lie at need； for one thing。 And her own father would not have recognized her。 She did not really look as she had as a young woman； the changes maturity had made were still there； but softened into youth。 Coldly objective； she thought she might be somewhat prettier than she had been as a girl； pretty was the best that had ever been said of her。 Handsome had been the more usual pliment。 She could not connect that face to her； to Siuan Sanche。 Only inside was she still the same； her mind yet held all its knowledge。 There； in her head； she was still herself。
Some of the inns and taverns in Lugard had names like The Farrier's Hammer； or The Dancing Bear； or The Silver Pig； often with garish signs painted to match。 Others had names that should not have been allowed； the mildest of that sort being The Domani Wench's Kiss； with a painting of a coppery…skinned woman … bare to the waist！ … with her lips puckered。 Siuan wondered what Leane would make of that； but the way the woman was now； it might only give her notions。
At last； on a side street just as wide as the main； just beyond a gateless opening in one of the collapsing inner walls； she found the inn she wanted； three stories of rough gray stone topped with purple roof tiles。 The sign over the door had an improbably voluptuous woman wearing only her hair； arranged to hide as little as possible； astride a barebacked horse； and a name that she skipped over as soon as she recognized it。
Inside； the mon room was blue with pipesmoke； packed with raucous men drinking and laughing； trying to pinch serving maids； who dodged as best they could with long…suffering smiles。 Barely audible over the babble； a zither and a flute acpanied a young woman singing and dancing on a table at one end of the long room。 Occasionally the singer swirled her skirts high enough to show nearly the whole length of her bare legs； what Siuan could catch of her song made her want to wash out the girl's mouth。 Why would a woman go walking with no clothes on？ Why would a woman sing about it to a lot of drunken louts？ It was not a sort of place she had ever been into before。 She intended to make this visit as brief as possible。
There was no mistaking the inn's owner； a tall； heavyset woman encased in a red silk dress that practically glowed； elaborate； dyed curls … nature had never produced that shade of red； surely never with such dark eyes … framed a thrusting chin and a hard mouth。 In between shouting orders to the serving girls； she stopped at this table or that to speak a few words or slap a back and laugh with her patrons。
Siuan held herself stiffly and tried to ignore the considering looks men gave her as she approached the crimson…haired woman。 〃Mistress Tharne？〃 She had to repeat the name three times； each louder than the last； before the inn's owner looked at her。 〃Mistress Tharne； I want a job singing。 I can sing …〃
〃You can； can you now？〃 The big woman laughed。 〃Well； I have a singer； but I can always use another to give her a rest。 Let me be seeing your legs。〃
〃I can sing 'The Song of the Three Fishes；〃 Siuan said loudly。 This had to be the right woman。 Surely two women in one city could not have hair like that； not and answer to the right name at the right inn。
Mistress Tharne laughed harder still and slapped one of the men at the nearest table on the shoulder； jolting him half off his bench。 〃Not much call for that one here； eh； Pel？〃 Gap…toothed Pel； a wagon driver's whip curled around his shoulder； cackled with her。
〃And I can sing 'Blue Sky Dawning'。〃
The woman shook； scrubbing at her eyes as though she had laughed herself to tears。 〃Can you； now？ Ah； I'm sure the lads will love that。 Now let me see your legs。 Your legs； girl； or get out！〃
Siuan hesitated； but Mistress Tharne only stared at her。 And an increasing number of the men did； too。 This had to be the right woman。 Slowly； she pulled her skirt up to her knees。 The tall woman gestured impatiently。 Closing her eyes； Siuan gathered more and more of her skirt in her hands。 She felt her face growing redder by the inch。
〃A modest one；〃 Mistress Tharne chortled。 〃Well； if those songs are the extent of your knowledge； you'd better have legs to make a man fall on his face。 Can't tell till we get those woolen stockings off her； eh； Pel？ Well； e on with me。 Maybe you have a voice； anyway； but I can't hear it in here。 e on； girl！ Hustle your rump！〃
Siuan's eyes snapped open； blazing； but the big woman was already striding toward the back of the mon room。 Backbone like an iron rod； Siuan let her skirts fall and followed； trying to ignore the guffaws and lewd suggestions directed at her。 Her face was stone； but inside； worry warred with anger。
Before being raised to the Amyrlin Seat； she had run the Blue Ajah's network of eyes…and…ears； some had also been her own personal listeners both then and later。 She might no longer be Amyrlin； or even Aes Sedai； but she still knew all of those agents。 Duranda Tharne had already been serving the Blue when she took over the network； a woman whose information was always timely。 Eyes…and…ears were not to be found everywhere； and their reliability varied … there had been only one that she trusted enough to approach between Tar Valon and here； at Four Kings； in Andor； and she had vanished … but a vast amo