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d it is always a pleasure to talk with an Ogier。 I will pick your brain； Loial。 I have found some fascinating things in Ogier books。〃
Loial gave her a pleased smile； anything to do with books seemed to please him。 Gaul； on the other hand； exchanged guarded looks with Bain and Chiad。
〃It is all right as long as you do not do it again；〃 Alanna said firmly。 〃Unless。。。 You are alone？〃 she asked Perrin in a voice that required an answer； and right now。 〃Did the other two return as well？〃
〃Why are you here？〃 he demanded right back。
〃Perrin！〃 Mistress al'Vere said sharply。 〃Mind your manners！ You may have picked up some rough ways out in the world； but you can just lose them again now that you are home。〃
〃Do not trouble yourself；〃 Verin told her。。 〃Perrin and I are old friends now。 I understand him。 〃 Her dark eyes glittered at him for a moment。
〃We will take care of him。〃 Alanna's cool words seemed open to interpretation。
Verin smiled and patted Marin's shoulder。 〃You had better go on back to the village。 We don't want anyone wondering why you are walking in the woods。〃
Mistress al'Vere nodded。 Pausing by Perrin； she put a hand on his arm。 〃You know you have my sympathy；〃 she said gently。 〃Just remember that getting yourself killed won't help anything。。 Do what the Aes Sedai tell you。 〃 He mumbled something nonmittal； but it seemed to satisfy her。
When Mistress al'Vere had gone； Verin said； 〃You have our sympathy as well； Perrin。 If there was anything we could have done； we would have。〃
He did not want to think of his family now。 〃You still haven't answered my question。〃
〃Perrin！〃 Faile managed to copy Mistress al'Vere's tone almost exactly； but he paid it no mind。
〃Why are you here？ It seems awfully coincidental。 Whitecloaks and Trollocs； and the two of you just happen to be here at the same time。〃
〃Not coincidental at all；〃 Verin replied。 〃Ah； the tea water is ready。〃 The water subsided from a boil as she began to bustle about； tossing a handful of leaves into the kettle； directing Faile to find metal cups in one of the bundles against the wall。 Alanna； with her arms folded beneath her breasts； never took her eyes off Perrin； their heat conflicting with the coolness of her face。 〃Year by year；〃 Verin continued； 〃we find fewer and fewer girls who can be taught to channel。 Sheriam believes we may have spent the last three thousand years culling the ability out of humankind by gentling every man who can channel we find。 The proof of it； she says； is how very few men we do find。 Why； even a hundred years ago the records say there were two or three a year； and five hundred years …〃
Alanna harrumphed。 〃What else can we do； Verin？ Let them go insane？ Follow the Whites' mad plan？〃
〃I think not；〃 Verin replied calmly。 〃Even if we could find women willing to bear children by gentled men； there is no guarantee the children would be able to channel； or would be girls。 I did suggest that if they wanted to increase the stock； Aes Sedai should be the ones to have the children； themselves； in fact； since they put it forward in the first place。 Alviarin was not amused。〃
〃She would not be；〃 Alanna laughed。 The sudden flash of delight； breaking her fiery； dark…eyed stare； was startling。 〃I wish I could have seen her face。〃
〃Her expression was。。。 interesting； 〃 the Brown sister said musingly。 〃Calm yourself； Perrin。 I will give you the rest of your answer。 Tea？〃
Trying to wipe the glare from his face； somehow he found himself seated on the floor； his bow beside him and a metal cup full of strong tea in his hand。 Everyone sat in a circle in the middle of the room。。 Alanna took up the explanation of their presence； perhaps to forestall the other Aes Sedai's tendency to ramble。
〃Here in the Two Rivers； where I suspect no Aes Sedai had visited in a thousand years； Moiraine found two women who could not only be taught to channel； but who had the ability born in them； and heard of another who had died because she could not teach herself。〃
〃Not to mention three ta'veren； Verin murmured into her tea。
〃Do you have any idea；〃 Alanna went on； 〃how many towns and villages we usually must visit to find three girls with the ability inborn？ The only wonder is that it took us so long to e hunting more。 The old blood is very strong here in the Two Rivers。 We were only in Watch Hill a week before the Children appeared； and were very careful not to reveal who we were to any but the Women's Circle there； yet even so we found four girls who can be trained； and one child I think has the ability inborn。〃
〃It was difficult to be sure；〃 Verin added。 〃She is only twelve。 None have anywhere near the potential of Egwene or Nynaeve； but the number is still nothing less than remarkable。 There might be another two or three just around Watch Hill。 We have had no chance to examine girls here； or farther south。 Taren Ferry was a disappointment； I must say。 Too much interchange of bloodlines with the outside； I suppose。 〃
Perrin had to admit it made sense。 But it did not answer all his questions； or settle all his doubts。 He shifted； stretching out his leg。 The spear wound in his thigh hurt。 〃I don't understand why you are hiding here。 Whitecloaks arresting innocent people； and here you sit。 Trollocs running all over the Two Rivers； apparently； and here you sit。〃
Loial muttered under his breath； a muted rumble。 Perrin caught 〃angering Aes Sedai〃 and 〃hornet's nest；〃 but he continued to hammer at them。 〃Why aren't you doing something？ You're Aes Sedai！ Burn me； why aren't you doing something？〃
〃Perrin！〃 Faile hissed before turning an apologetic smile to Verin and Alanna。 〃Please forgive him。 Moiraine Sedai spoiled him。 She has an easy manner； I suppose； and she let him get away with things。 Please don't be angry with him。 He will do better。〃 She shot him a sharp look； indicating she meant that for his ears as much as theirs； or more。 He gave her a piece of his glower。 She had no right interfering in this。
〃An easy manner？〃 Verin said； blinking。 〃Moiraine？ I never noticed。〃
Alanna waved Faile to silence。 〃You certainly do not understand；〃 the Aes Sedai told Perrin in a tight voice。 〃You do not understand the restrictions under which we labor。 The Three Oaths are not merely words。 I brought two Warders with me to this place。〃 The Greens were the only Ajah to bond more than a single Warder apiece； a few； he had heard； even had three or four。 〃The Children caught Owein crossing an open field。 I felt every arrow that struck him until he died。 I felt him die。 Had I been there； I could have defended him； and myself； with the Power。 But I cannot use it for revenge。 The Oaths do not permit it。 The Children are very nearly as vile as men can be； short of Darkfriends； but they are not Darkfriends； and for that reason they are safe from the Power except in self…defense。 Stretch that as far as we can； it will only stretch so far。〃
〃As for Trollocs；〃 Verin added； 〃we have done for a number of them； and two Myrddraal； but there are limits。 Halfmen can sense channeling； after a fashion