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and； or exactly the same things； until the sharing of water； and the meeting where the Agreement of Rhuidean was made。 Whether it is the same for Wise Ones； I do not know； but I suspect it is。 I think it is a matter of bloodlines。 I believe I saw through the eyes of my ancestors； and you yours。〃
Amys and the other Wise Ones glowered in grimly sullen silence。 Mat and Egwene wore equally confused stares。 Lan alone seemed not to be listening at all； his eyes looked inward； no doubt in worry over Moiraine。
Rand felt a little strange himself。 Seeing through his ancestors' eyes。 He had known for some time that Tam al'Thor was not his real father； that he had been found as a newborn on the slopes of Dragonmount after the last major battle of the Aiel War。 A newborn with his dead mother； a Maiden of the Spear。 He had claimed Aiel blood in demanding admittance to Rhuidean； but the fact of it was just now being driven home。 His ancestors。 Aiel。
〃Then you saw Rhuidean just begun building； too；〃 he said。 〃And the two Aes Sedai。 You。。。 heard what the one of them said。〃 He will destroy you。
〃I heard。〃 Rhuarc looked resigned； like a man who had learned his leg had to be cut off。 〃I know。〃
Rand changed the subject。 〃What was 'the sharing of water'？〃
The clan chief's eyebrows lifted in surprise。 〃You did not recognize it？ But then； I do not see why you should； you have not grown up with the histories。 According the oldest stories； from the day the Breaking of the World began until the day we first entered the Three…fold Land； only one people did not attack us。 One people allowed us water freely when it was needed。 It took us long to discover who they were。 That is done with； now。 The pledge of peace was destroyed； the treekillers spat in our faces。〃
〃Cairhien；〃 Rand said。 〃You're talking about Cairhien； and Avendoraldera； and Laman cutting down the Tree。 〃
〃Laman is dead for his punishment；〃 Rhuarc； said in a flat voice。 〃The oathbreakers are done with。〃 He looked at Rand sideways。 〃Some； such as Couladin； take it for proof we can trust no one who is not Aiel。 That is a part of why he hates you。 A part of it。 He will take your face and blood for lies。 Or claim he does。〃
Rand shook his head。 Moiraine sometimes talked of the plexity of Age Lace； the Pattern of an Age； woven by the Wheel of Time from the thread of human lives。 If the ancestors of the Cairhienin had not allowed the Aiel to have water three thousand years ago； then Cairhien would never have been given the right to use the Silk Path across the Waste； with a cutting from Avendesora for a pledge。 No pledge； and King Laman would have had no Tree to cut down； there would have been no Aiel War； and he could not have been born on the side of Dragonmount to be carried off and raised in the Two Rivers。 How many more points like that had there been； where a single decision one way or another affected the weave of the Pattern for thousands of years？ A thousand times a thousand tiny branching points； a thousand times that many； all twitching the Pattern into a different design。 He himself was a walking branching point； and maybe Mat and Perrin； too。 What they did or did not do would send ripples ahead through the years； through the Ages。
He looked at Mat； hobbling up the slope with the aid of his spear； head down and eyes squinted in pain。 The Creator could not have been thinking； to set the future on the shoulders of three farmboys。 I can't drop it。 I have to carry the load； whatever the cost。
At the Wise Ones' low； wall…less tents； the women ducked inside with murmurs about water and shade。 They all but pulled Mat with them； as evidence of how his head and throat hurt； he not only obeyed； he did so silently。
Rand started to follow； but Lan laid a hand on his shoulder。 〃Did you see her in there？〃 the Warder asked。
〃No； Lan。 I'm sorry； I did not。 She'll e out safe if anyone can。〃
Lan grunted and took his hand away。 〃Watch out for Couladin； Rand。 I have seen his kind before。 Ambition burns in his belly。 He would sacrifice the world to achieve it。〃
〃Aan'allein speaks the truth；〃 Rhuarc said。 〃The Dragons on your arms will not matter if you are dead before the clan chiefs learn of them。 I will make sure some of Heirn's Jindo are always near you until we reach Cold Rocks。 Even then； Couladin will probably try to make trouble； and the Shaido； at least； will follow him。 Perhaps others； too。 The Prophecy of Rhuidean said you would be raised by those not of the blood； yet Couladin may not be the only one to see only a wetlander。 〃
〃I will try to watch my back；〃 Rand said dryly。 In the stories； when somebody fulfilled a prophecy； everyone cried 〃Behold！〃 or some such； and that was that except for dealing with the villains。 Real life did not seem to work that way。
When they entered the tent； Mat was already seated on a gold…tasseled red cushion with his coat and shirt off。 A woman in a cowled white robe had finished washing the blood from his face and was just beginning on his chest。 Amys gripped a stone mortar between her knees； blending some ointment with a pestle； while Bair and Seana had their heads together over herbs brewing in a pot of hot water。
Melaine grimaced at Lan and Rhuarc then fixed Rand with cool green eyes。 〃Strip to the waist；〃 she said curtly。 〃The cuts on your head do not seem too bad； but let me see what has you hunched over。〃 She struck a small brass gong； and another white…robed woman ducked in at the back of the tent； a steaming silver basin in her hands and cloths over her arm。
Rand took a seat on a cushion； making himself sit up straight。 〃That's nothing to worry yourself about；〃 he assured her。 The second woman in white knelt gracefully by his side and； resisting his efforts to take the damp cloth she wrung out in the basin； began gently washing his face。 He wondered who she was。 She looked Aiel； but she certainly did not act it。 Her gray eyes held a determined meekness。
〃It is an old injury；〃 Egwene told the sun…haired Wise One。 〃Moiraine has never been able to Heal it properly。〃 The look she gave Rand said mon courtesy should have made him tell as much。 From the glances that passed among the Wise Ones； though； he thought she had said more than enough already。 A wound Aes Sedai could not Heal； that was a puzzle to them。 Moiraine seemed to know more about him than he knew about himself； and he had a hard time dealing with her。 Maybe it would go easier with the Wise Ones if they had to guess about him。
Mat winced as Amys began rubbing her ointment into the slashes on his chest。 If it felt anything like it smelled； Rand thought he had cause to wince。 Bair shoved a silver cup at Mat。 〃Drink； young man。 Timsin root and silverleaf will help your headaches if anything can。〃
He did not hesitate before gulping it down； a shudder and a twisted face followed。 〃Tastes like the inside of my boots。〃 But he gave her a seated bow； formal enough for a Tairen except for his being shirtless； and only spoiled a bit by his sudden grin。 〃I thank you； Wise One。 And I won't ask if you added anything just to give it that。。。 memora