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hat name。 He would not。
Moiraine had tied the oiled cloak behind her saddle； atop the innocuous…looking bundle that held the Dragon banner； and despite the heat had donned the blue linen cloak from Illian。 Its deep； wide hood hid her face。 Her Great Serpent ring was on a cord around her neck。 Tear； she had said； did not forbid the presence of Aes Sedai； only channeling； but the Defenders of the Stone kept a close eye on any woman who wore the ring。 She did not want to be watched on this visit to Tear。
Lan had stuffed his color…shifting cloak into his saddlebags two days earlier； when it had bee apparent that whoever had sent the Darkhounds … Sammael； Perrin thought with a shiver； and tried not to think of the name at all … whoever had sent them had not sent any more pursuit。 The Warder had made no concessions to the heat of Illian； and he made none to the lesser heat of Tear。 His gray…green coat was buttoned up all the way。
Perrin wore his coat half undone； and the neck of his shirt untied。 Tear might be a little cooler than Illian； but it was still as hot as summer in the Two Rivers； and as always after rain； the dampness of the air made the heat seem worse。 His axe belt hung looped around the tall pommel of his saddle。 It was handy there； if he needed it； and he felt better not wearing it。
He was surprised at the mud in the first streets they rode along。 Only villages and smaller towns had dirt streets； that he had seen； and Tear was one of the great cities。 But the people did not seem to mind； many going barefoot。 A woman walking on little wooden platforms caught his attention for a time； and he wondered why they did not all wear them。 Those baggy breeches on the men looked as if they might be cooler than the snug ones he wore； but he was sure he would feel a fool if he tried them。 He made a picture in his head of himself wearing those breeches and one of those round straw hats； and chuckled at it。
〃What do you find funny； Perrin？〃 Loial asked。 His ears were drooping till their tufts were hidden in his hair； and he looked at the people in the street worriedly。 〃These folk look。。。 defeated； Perrin。 They did not look this way when I was here last。 Even people who let their grove be cut down do not deserve to look like this。〃
As Perrin began to study faces instead of just looking at everything at once； he saw that Loial was right。 Something had gone out of too many of those faces。 Hope； maybe。 Curiosity。 They barely glanced at the party riding by； except to get out of the way of the horses。 The Ogier； mounted on an animal as big as a draft horse； might as well have been Lan； or Perrin。
The streets changed； gaining wide stone paving； after they passed inside the gates of the high； gray city wall； past the hard； dark eyes of soldiers in breastplates over red coats with wide sleeves ending in narrow white cuffs； and rimmed； round helmets with a ridge over the top。 Instead of the baggy breeches other men wore； theirs were tight； and tucked into knee…high boots。 The soldiers frowned at Lan's sword and fingered their own； stared sharply at Perrin's axe and his bow； but in a way； despite their frowns and sharp looks； there was something beaten in their faces； too； as if nothing were really worth the effort any longer。
The buildings were larger and taller inside the walls； though most were made no differently from those outside。 The roofs looked a bit odd to Perrin； especially those that came to points； but he had seen so many different kinds of roof since leaving home that he only wondered what kind of nails they used with their tiles。 In some places； the people did not use nails on their roof tiles at all。
Palaces and great buildings stood among the smaller and more ordinary； seemingly placed haphazardly； a structure of towers and squarish； white domes； surrounded on all sides by wide streets； might have shops and inns and houses on the other sides of those streets。 A huge hall fronted by squared columns of marble four paces on a side； with fifty steps to climb to reach bronze doors five spans high； had a bakery one side and a tailor on the other。
More men wore coats and breeches like the soldiers' here； though in brighter colors and without armor； and some even wore swords。 None of them went barefoot； not even those in baggy breeches。 The women's dresses were often longer； their necklines lower to bare shoulders and even bosom； the cloth as likely to be silk as wool。 The Sea Folk traded a good deal of silk through Tear。 As many sedan chairs and carriages drawn by teams of horses moved through the streets as ox…carts and wagons。 Yet too many of the faces had that same look of having given up。
The inn Lan chose； the Star； had a weaver's shop on one side and a smithy on the other； with narrow alleyways between。 The smithy was of undressed gray stone； the weaver's and the inn of wood； though the Star stood four stories tall and had small windows in its roof as well。 The rattle of looms was hard…pressed to pete with the clang of the smith's hammer。 They handed their horses over to stablemen； to be taken around back； and went inside the inn。 There were fish smells from the kitchen； baking and perhaps stewing； and the scent of roast mutton。 The men in the mon room all wore the tight coats and loose breeches； Perrin did not think richer men … somehow he was sure the men in colorful coats with puffy sleeves and the bare…shouldered women in bright silk were all rich； or nobles … those folk would not put up with the noise。 Perhaps that was why Lan had chosen it。
〃How are we supposed to sleep with this racketing？〃 Zarine muttered。
〃No questions？〃 he said with a smile。 For a moment he thought she was going to stick out her tongue at him。
The innkeeper was a round…faced； balding man in a long； deep blue coat and those loose breeches； who bowed over hands clasped across his stout belly。 His face had that look； a weary resignation。 〃The Light shine on you； mistresses； and wele；〃 he sighed。 〃The Light shine on you； masters； and wele。〃 He gave a small start at Perrin's yellow eyes； then passed wearily on to Loial。 〃The Light shine on you； friend Ogier； and wele。 It is a year or more since I have seen one of your kind in Tear。 Some work or other at the Stone。 They stayed in the Stone； of course； but I saw them in the street one day。〃 He finished with another sigh； seemingly unable to summon any curiosity as to why another Ogier had e to Tear； or why any of them had e； for that matter。
The balding man； whose name was Jurah Haret； showed them to their rooms himself。 Apparently Moiraine's silk dress and the way she kept her face hidden； taken with Lan's hard face and sword； made them a lady and her guard in his eyes； and so worthy of his personal attention。 Perrin he obviously took as some kind of retainer； and Zarine he was plainly unsure of … to her visible disgust … and Loial was； after all； an Ogier。 He called men to push beds together for Loial； and offered Moiraine a private room for her meals if she wished。 She accepted graciously。
They kept together through it all； making a small procession through the upper halls until Hat