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s barely able to think。 Faile。 The boy tugged at his breeches' leg。 〃Lord Perrin！ Master al'Thor said to tell you the Trollocs are breaking！ And they are shouting 'Deven Ride'！ The men； I mean。 I heard them！〃
Perrin bent to ruffle the boy's curly hair。 〃What's your name； lad？〃
〃Jaim Aybara； Lord Perrin。 I'm your cousin； I think。 Sort of； anyway。〃
Perrin squeezed his eyes shut for a moment to keep the tears in。 Even when he opened them his hand still trembled on the lad's head。 〃Well； Cousin Jaim； you tell your children about today。 You tell your grandchildren； your grandchildren's children。〃
〃I'm not going to have any；〃 Jaim said stoutly。 〃Girls are horrible。 They laugh at you； and they don't like to do anything worth doing； and you never understand what they're saying。〃
〃I think one day you'll find out they're the opposite of horrible。 Some of it won't change； but that will。〃 Faile。
Jaim looked doubtful； but then he brightened； a wide grin spreading across his face。 〃Wait till I tell Had Lord Perrin called me cousin！〃 And he darted away to tell Had； who would have children； too； and all the other boys who would； one day。 The sun stood straight overhead。 An hour； maybe。 It had all taken no more than an hour。 It felt like a lifetime。
Stepper moved forward； and he realized he must have dug his heels in。 Cheering people made way for the dun； and he hardly heard them。 There were great gaps where Trollocs had broken down the stakes with sheer weight of numbers。 He rode through one over a mound of dead Trollocs and never noticed。 Dead Trollocs bristling with arrows carpeted the open ground； and here and there a pincushioned Fade flailed and thrashed。 He saw none of it。 He had eyes for only one thing。 Faile。
She started out from the Watch Hill men； pausing to stop Bain from following； and rode to meet him。 She rode so gracefully； as if the black mare were part of her； slimly erect； guiding Swallow more with her knees than the reins held so casually in one hand。 The red marriage ribbon still twined through her hair； the ends dangling past her shoulders。 He must find her flowers。
For a moment those tilted eyes studied him； her mouth。。。 Surely she could not be uncertain； but she smelled it。 〃I said I would go；〃 she said finally； holding her head high。 Swallow danced sideways； neck arched； and Faile mastered the mare without seeming to noticed 〃I did not say how far。 You cannot say I did。〃
He could not say anything。 She was so beautiful。 He just wanted to look at her； to see her； beautiful； alive； with him。 Her scent was clean sweat with just the slightest hint of herbal soap。 He was not sure whether he wanted to laugh or cry。 Maybe both。 He wanted to pull all the smell of her into his lungs。
Frowning； she went on。 〃They were ready； Perrin。 Truly； they were。 I barely had to say anything to convince them to e。 The Trollocs had hardly bothered them at all； but they could see the smoke。 We traveled hard； Bain and I； and reached Watch Hill well before first light； and we started back as soon as the sun rose。〃 Her frown became a wide smile； eager and proud。 Such a beautiful smile。 Her dark eyes sparkled。 〃They followed me； Perrin。 They followed me！ Even Tenobia has never led men in battle。 She wanted to once； when I was eight； but Father had a talk with her alone in her chambers； and when he rode off to the Blight she stayed behind。〃 With a rueful grin； she added； 〃I think you and he use the same methods sometimes。 Tenobia exiled him； but she was only sixteen； and the Council of Lords managed to change her mind after a few weeks。 She will be blue with envy when I tell her。〃 Again she paused； this time drawing a deep breath and planting a fist on her hip。 〃Aren't you going to say anything？〃 she demanded impatiently。 〃Are you just going to sit there like a hairy lump？ I did not say I would leave the Two Rivers。 You said that； not I。 You've no right to be angry because I did not do what I never promised！ And you trying to send me away because you thought you were going to die！ I came back to …〃
〃I love you。〃 It was all he could say； but strangely it seemed to be enough。 No sooner were the words out of his mouth than she reined Swallow close enough to throw an arm around him and press her face against his chest； she seemed to be trying to squeeze him in two。 He stroked her dark hair gently； just feeling the silkiness of it； just feeling her。
〃I was so afraid I would be too late；〃 she said into his coat。 〃The Watch Hill men marched as fast as they could； but when we arrived； and I saw the Trollocs fighting right in among the houses； so many of them； as if the village were being buried in an avalanche； and I couldn't see you。。。〃 She drew a shivering breath and let it out slowly。 When she spoke again； her voice was calmer。 Just。 〃Did the men from Deven Ride e？〃
He gave a start； and his hand stopped stroking。 〃Yes； they did。 How did you know？ 。Did you arrange that； too？〃 She began shaking； it took him a moment to know she was laughing。
〃No； my heart； though I would have if I could。 When that man came with his message … 'We are ing' … I thought … hoped … that that was what it meant。〃 Pulling her face back a little； she looked up at him seriously。 〃I could not tell you； Perrin。 I could not raise your hopes when I only suspected。 It would have been too cruel if。。。 Don't be angry with me； Perrin。〃
Laughing； he lifted her out of her saddle and set her sideways in front of his； she laughed her protests； and stretched across the high pommel to put both arms around him。 〃I will never； ever be angry with you； I sw …〃 She cut him off with a hand over his mouth。
〃Mother says the worst thing Father ever did to her was vow never to be angry with her。 It took her a year to force him to take it back； and she says he was hardly fit to live with long before then from holding in。 You will be angry with me； Perrin； and I with you。 If you want to make me another wedding vow； vow you will not hide it when you are。 I cannot deal with what you will not let me see； my husband。 My husband；〃 she repeated in a satisfied tone； snuggling against him。 〃I do like the sound of that。〃
He noticed she did not say she would always let him know when she was angry； on past experience； he would have to discover it the hard way at least half the time。 And she made no promises not to keep secrets from him again； either。 Right then； it did not matter so long as she was with him。 〃I will let you know when I'm angry； my wife；〃 he promised。 She gave him a slanted look； as if she was not sure how to take that。 You won't ever e to understand them； Cousin Jaim； but you won't care。
Abruptly he became aware of the dead Trollocs all around him； like a black field full of feathered weeds； the thrashing Myrddraal still refusing to die finally。 Slowly he turned Stepper。 A slaughter yard and a shambles of Shadowspawn stretching for hundreds of paces in every direction。 Crows hopped across the ground already； and vultures soared overhead in a huge milling cloud。 No ravens； though。 And the same to the south； according to Jaim； he could see the vultures wheeling