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〃Yes；〃 Egwene said faintly。 She glanced at Elayne and saw the bewilderment in her blue eyes she knew must be in her own。 Not Red Ajah； Green； maybe。 A cross between Warders and Green Ajah； and I do not understand another thing out of that。 〃The truth is quite clear to me； now； Bain。 Thank you。〃
〃If the two of you feel you are first…sisters；〃 Chiad said； 〃you should go to your Wise Ones and speak the words。 But you are Wise Ones； though young。 I do not know how it would be done in that case。〃
Egwene did not know whether to laugh or blush。 She kept having an image of her and Elayne sharing the same man。 No； that is only for first…sisters who are Maidens of the Spear。 Isn't it？ Elayne did have spots of color in her cheeks； and Egwene was sure she was thinking of Rand。 But we do not share him； Elayne。 We can neither of us have him。
Elayne cleared her throat。 〃I do not think there is a need for that； Chiad。 Egwene and I already guard each other's backs。〃
〃How can that be？〃 Chiad asked slowly。 〃You are not wedded to the spear。 And you are Wise Ones。 Who would lift a hand against a Wise One？ This confuses me。 What need have you for guarding of backs？〃
Egwene was spared having to e up with an answer by their arrival at the copse。 There were two more Aiel under the trees； deep into the thicket； but next to the river。 Jolien； of the Salt Flat sept of the Nakai Aiel； a blue…eyed woman with red…gold hair nearly the color of Elayne's； was watching over Dailin； of Aviendha's sept and clan。 Sweat matted Dailin's hair； making it a darker red； and she only opened her gray eyes once； when they first came near； then closed them again。 Her coat and shirt lay beside her； and red stained the bandages wrapped around her middle。
〃She took a sword；〃 Aviendha said。 〃Some of those fools that the oath…breaking treekillers call soldiers thought we were another handful of the bandits who infest this land。 We had to kill them to convince them otherwise； but Dailin 。 。 。 Can you heal her； Aes Sedai？〃
Nynaeve went to her knees beside the injured woman and lifted the bandages enough to peer under them。 She winced at what she saw。 〃Have you moved her since she was hurt？ There is scabbing； but it has been broken。〃
〃She wanted to die near water；〃 Aviendha said。 She glanced once at the river； then quickly away again。 Egwene thought she might have shivered； too。
〃Fools！〃 Nynaeve began rummaging in her pouch of herbs。 〃You could have killed her moving her with an injury like that。 She wanted to die near water！〃 she said disgustedly。 〃Just because you carry weapons like men doesn't mean you have to think like them。〃 She pulled a deep wooden cup out of the bag and pushed it at Chiad。 〃Fill that。 I need water to mix these so she can drink them。〃
Chiad and Bain stepped to the river's edge and returned together。 Their faces never changed； but Egwene thought they had almost expected the river to reach up and grab them。
〃If we had not brought her here to the。。。 river； Aes Sedai；〃 Aviendha said； 〃we would never have found you； and she would have died anyway。〃
Nynaeve snorted and began sifting powdered herbs into the cup of water； muttering to herself。 〃Corenroot helps make blood； and dogwort for knitting flesh； and healall； of course； and。。。〃 Her mutters trailed off into whispers too low to hear。 Aviendha was frowning at her。
〃The Wise Ones use herbs； Aes Sedai； but I had not heard that Aes Sedai used them。〃
〃I use what I use！〃 Nynaeve snapped and went back to sorting through her powders and whispering to herself。
〃She truly does sound like a Wise One；〃 Chiad told Bain softly； and the other woman gave a tight nod。
Dailin was the only Aiel without her weapons in hand； and they all looked ready to use them in a heartbeat。 Nynaeve surely isn't soothing anyone； Egwene thought。 Get them talking about something。 Anything。 Nobody feels like fighting if they're talking of something peaceful。
〃Do not be offended；〃 she said carefully； 〃but I notice you are all uneasy about the river。 It does not grow violent unless there is a storm。 You could swim in it if you wanted； though the current is strong away from the banks。〃 Elayne shook her head。
The Aiel looked blank； Aviendha said； 〃I saw a man … a Shienaran … do this swimming。。。 once。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 Egwene said。 〃I know there isn't much water in the Waste； but you said you were 'Stones River sept；' Jolien。 Surely you have swum in the Stones River？〃 Elayne looked at her as if she were mad。
〃Swim；〃 Jolien said awkwardly。 〃It means。。。 to get in the water？ All that water？ With nothing to hold on to。〃 She shuddered。 〃Aes Sedai； before I crossed the Dragonwall； I had never seen flowing water I could not step across。 The Stones River。。。 Some claim it had water in it once； but that is only boasting。 There are only the stones。 The oldest records of the Wise Ones and the clan chief say there was never anything but stones since the first day our sept broke off from the High Plain sept and claimed that land。 Swim！〃 She gripped her spears as if to fight the very word。 Chiad and Bain moved a pace further from the riverbank。
Egwene sighed。 And colored when she met Elayne's eye。 Well； I am not a Daughter…Heir； to know all these things。 I will learn them； though。 As she looked around at the Aiel women； she realized that far from soothing them； she had put them even more on edge。 If they try anything； I will hold them with Air。 She had no idea whether she could seize four people at once； but she opened herself to saidar； wove the flows in Air and held them ready。 The Power pulsed in her with eagerness to be used。 No glow surrounded Elayne； and she wondered why。 Elayne looked right at her and shook her head。
〃I would never harm an Aes Sedai；〃 Aviendha said abruptly。 〃I would have you know that。 Whether Dailin lives or dies； it makes no difference in that。 I would never use this〃 … she lifted one short spear a trifle … 〃against any woman。 And you are Aes Sedai。〃 Egwene had the sudden feeling that the woman was trying to soothe them。
〃I knew that；〃 Elayne said； as if talking to Aviendha； but her eyes told Egwene the words were for her。 〃No one knows much of your people； but I was taught that Aiel never harm women unless they are … what did you call it？ … wedded to the spear。〃
Bain seemed to think Elayne was failing to see truth clearly again。 〃That is not exactly the way of it； Elayne。 If a woman not wedded came at me with weapons； I would drub her until she knew better of it。 A man。。。 A man might think a woman of your lands was wedded if she bore weapons； I do not know。 Men can be strange。〃
〃Of course；〃 Elayne said。 〃But so long as we do not attack you with weapons； you will not try to harm us。〃 All four Aiel looked shocked； and she gave Egwene a quick significant look。
Egwene held on to saidin anyway。 Just because Elayne had been taught something did not mean it was true； even if the Aiel said the same thing。 And saidar felt 。。。 good in her。
Nynaeve lifted up Dailin's head and began pouring her mixture into the woman's mouth。 〃Drink