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around like pigs to sale？ I would feel a plete fool in one of those idiot chairs。 In any case； I'd rather trust to my own wits than men I do not know。〃
Elayne was sure Bayle Domon could have provided trustworthy men。 The Sea Folk certainly would have； she wished Wavedancer had not sailed； but the Sailmistress and her sister had been eager to spread word of the Coramoor to Dantora and Cantorin。 Twenty bodyguards would have suited her very well。
She sensed as much as felt something brushing the purse at her belt； clutching at the purse with one hand； she spun around； raising her own stave。 The throng flowing by spread a little around her； people barely glancing her way as they elbowed one another； but there was no sign of the would…be cutpurse。 At least she could still feel the coins inside： She had taken to wearing her Great Serpent ring and the twisted stone ter'angreal on a cord around her neck in imitation of Nynaeve after the first time she had nearly lost a purse。 In their five days in Tanchico she had lost three。 Twenty guards would be just about right。 And a carriage。 With curtains at the windows。
Resuming the slow climb up the street beside Nynaeve； she said； 〃Then we should not be wearing these dresses。 I can remember a time when you stuffed me into a farmgirl's dress。〃
〃They make a good disguise；〃 Nynaeve replied curtly。 〃We blend in。〃
Elayne gave a small sniff。 As if plainer dresses would not have blended even better。 Nynaeve would not admit she had e to enjoy wearing silks and pretty dresses。 Elayne simply wished she had not taken it so far。 True； everyone took them for Taraboners … until they spoke； at least … but even with a lace…trimmed neck right up under her chin； this close…draped green silk at least felt more revealing than anything she had ever worn before。 Certainly anything she had ever worn in public。 Nynaeve； on the other hand； strode along the cramped street as if no one was looking at them at all。 Well； maybe no one was … not because of how their dresses fit； anyway … but it surely seemed they were。
Their shifts would have been almost as decent。 Cheeks heating； she tried to stop thinking of how the silk molded itself to her。 Stop that！ It is perfectly decent。 It is！
〃Didn't this Amys tell you anything that might help us？〃
〃I told you what she said。〃 Elayne sighed。 Nynaeve had kept her up until the small hours talking about the Aiel Wise One who had been with Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod last night； and then started in again before they sat down to breakfast。 Egwene； with her hair in two braids for some reason and shooting sullen frowns at the Wise One； had said almost nothing beyond that Rand was well and Aviendha was looking after him。 White…haired Amys had done all the talking； a stern lecture on the dangers of the World of Dreams that had nearly made Elayne feel as if she were ten again； and Lini； her old nurse； had caught her sneaking out of bed to steal candies； followed by cautions about concentration and controlling what she thought if she must enter Tel'aran'rhiod。 How could you control what you thought？ 〃I truly did think Perrin was with Rand and Mat。〃 That had been the biggest surprise； after Amys's appearance。 Egwene apparently had thought he was with Nynaeve and her。
〃He and that girl have probably gone somewhere he can be a blacksmith in peace；〃 Nynaeve said； but Elayne shook her head。
〃I do not think so。〃 She had strong suspicions about Faile； and if they were even half right； Faile would not settle for being a blacksmith's wife。 She spat out the veil once more。 Idiotic thing。
〃Well； wherever he is；〃 Nynaeve said； fumbling with her braids again； 〃I hope he is safe and well； but he is not here； and he cannot help us。 Did you even ask Amys if she knew any way to use Tel'aran'rhiod to…？〃
A bulky； balding man in a worn brown coat shoved through the crowd and tried to throw thick arms around her。 She whipped the barrel stave from her shoulder and gave him a crack across his broad face that sent him staggering back； clutching a nose that had surely been broken for at least the second time。
Elayne was still gathering breath for a startled scream when a second man； just as big and with a thick mustache； pushed her aside to reach for Nynaeve。 She forgot about being afraid。 Her jaw tightened furiously； and just as his hands touched the other woman； she brought her own stave down on 。top of his head with every bit of strength she could muster。 The fellow's legs folded； and he toppled on his face in a most satisfactory fashion。
The crowd scattered back； no one wanting to be caught up in someone else's trouble。 Certainly no one offered to help。 And they needed it； Elayne realized。 The man Nynaeve had hit was still on his feet； mouth twisted in a snarl； licking away the blood that ran down from his nose； flexing thick hands as if he wanted to squeeze a throat。 Worse； he was not alone。 Seven more men were fanning out with him to cut off any escape； all but one as large as he； with scarred faces and hands that looked as if they had been hammered on stone for years。 A scrawny； narrow…cheeked fellow； grinning like a nervous fox； kept panting； 〃Don't let her get away。 She's gold； I tell you。 Gold！〃
They knew who she was。 This was no try for a purse； they meant to dispose of Nynaeve and abduct the Daughter…Heir of Andor。 She felt Nynaeve embracing saidar … if this had not made her angry enough to channel； nothing ever would … and opened herself to the True Source as well。 The One Power rushed into her； a sweet flood filling her from toes to hair。 A few woven flows of Air from either of them could deal with these ruffians。
But she did not channel； and neither did Nynaeve。 Together they could drub these fellows as their mothers should have。 Yet they did not dare； unless there was no other choice。
If one of the Black Ajah was close enough to see； they had already betrayed themselves with the glow of saidar。 Channeling enough for those few flows of Air could betray them to a Black sister on another street a hundred paces or more away； depending on her strength and sensitivity。 That was most of what they themselves had been doing the last five days； walking through the city trying to sense a woman channeling； hoping the feeling would draw them to Liandrin and the others。
The crowd itself had to be considered； too。 A few people still went by to either side； brushing tight against the walls。 The rest milled about； beginning to find other ways to go。 Only a handful acknowledged the two women in danger with as much as shamefully averted eyes。 But if they saw big men flung about by nothing visible。。。？
Aes Sedai and the One Power itself were not in particularly good odor in Tanchico at the moment； not with old rumors from Falme still floating about and newer tales claiming that the White Tower supported the Dragonsworn in the countryside。 Those people might run if they saw the Power wielded。 Or they might turn into a mob。 Even if she and Nynaeve managed to avoid being torn limb from limb where they stood … which she was not certain they could … there was no way to cover it up a