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had nothing to do with the four Aiel women watching him。 The other two Maidens were still in the bedchamber； Perrin realized。 He heard voices from the room。
〃Go away；〃 Rand said tiredly。 〃Just put that down and go away。〃
〃If you can stand up；〃 Chiad said cheerfully； 〃we will。 Only stand。〃
There was the sound of water splashing into a bowl。 〃We have tended to wounded before；〃 Bain said in soothing tones。 〃And I used to wash my brothers when they were little。〃
Rhuarc pushed the door shut； cutting off the rest。
〃You do not treat him the way the Tairens do；〃 Perrin said quietly。 〃No bowing and scraping。 I don't think I have heard one of you call him Lord Dragon。〃
〃The Dragon Reborn is a wetlander prophecy；〃 Rhuarc said。 〃Ours is He Who es With the Dawn。〃
〃I thought they were the same。 Else why did you e to the Stone？ Burn me； Rhuarc； you Aiel are the People of the Dragon； just as the Prophecies say。 You've as good as admitted it； even if you won't say it out loud。〃
Rhuarc ignored the last part。 〃In your Prophecies of the Dragon； the fall of the Stone and the taking of Callandor proclaim that the Dragon has been Reborn。 Our prophecy says only that the Stone must fall before He Who es With the Dawn appears to take us back to what was ours。 They may be one man； but I doubt even the Wise Ones could say for sure。 If Rand is the one； there are things he must do yet to prove it。〃
〃What？〃 Perrin demanded。
〃If he is the one； he will know； and do them。 If he does not； then our search still goes on。〃
Something unreadable in the Aielman's voice pricked Perrin's ears。 〃And if he isn't the one you search for？ What then； Rhuarc？〃
〃Sleep well and safely； Perrin。〃 Rhuarc's soft boots made no sound on the black marble as he walked away。
The Tairen officer was still staring past the Maidens； smelling of fear； failing to mask the anger and hatred on his face。 If the Aiel decided Rand was not He Who es With the Dawn。。。。 Perrin studied the Tairen officer's face and thought of the Maidens not being there； of the Stone empty of Aiel； and he shivered。 He had to make sure Faile decided to leave。 That was all there was for it。 She had to decide to go； and without him。
Chapter 4
（Harp）
Strings
Thom Merrilin sprinkled sand across what he handwritten to blot the ink； then carefully poured the sand back into its jar and flipped the lid shut。 Riffling through the papers scattered in rough piles across the table … six tallow candles made fire a real danger； but he needed the light … he selected a crumpled sheet marred by an inkblot。 Carefully he pared it with what he had written； then stroked a long white mustache with a thumb in satisfaction and permitted himself a leathery…faced smile。 The High Lord Carleon himself would have thought it was his own hand。
Be wary。 Your husband suspects。
Only those words； and no signature。 Now if he could arrange for the High Lord Tedosian to find it where his wife； the Lady Alteima； might carelessly have left it。。。。
A knock sounded at the door； and he jumped。 No one came to see him at this time of the night。
〃A moment；〃 he called； hastily stuffing pens and inkpots and selected papers into a battered writing chest。 〃A moment while I put on a shirt。〃
Locking the chest； he shoved it under the table where it might escape casual notice and ran an eye over his small； windowless room to see if he had left anything out that should not be seen。 Hoops and balls for juggling littered his narrow； unmade bed； and lay among his shaving things on a single shelf with fire wands and small items for sleight of hand。 His gleeman's cloak； covered with loose patches in a hundred colors； hung from a peg on the wall along with his spare clothes and the hard leather cases holding his harp and flute。 A woman's diaphanous red silk scarf was tied around the strap of the harp case； but it could have belonged to anyone。
He was not sure he remembered who had tied it there； he tried to pay no more attention to one woman than any other； and all of it lighthearted and laughing。 Make them laugh； even make them sigh； but avoid entanglements； that was his motto； he had no time for those。 That was what he told himself。
〃I'm ing。〃 He limped to the door irritably。 Once he had drawn oohs and aahs from people who could hardly believe； even while they watched； that a rawboned； white…haired old man could do backsprings and handstands and flips； limber and quick as a boy。 The limp had put an end to that； and he hated it。 The leg ached worse when he was tired。 He jerked open the door； and blinked in surprise。 〃Well。 e in； Mat。 I thought you would be hard at work lightening lordlings' purses。〃
〃They didn't want to gamble any more tonight；〃 Mat said sourly； dropping onto the three…legged stool that served as a second chair。 His coat was undone and his hair disheveled。 His brown eyes darted around； never resting on one spot long； but their usual twinkle； suggesting that the lad saw something funny where no one else did； was missing tonight。
Thom frowned at him； considering。 Mat never stepped across this threshold without a quip about the shabby room。 He accepted Thom's explanation that his sleeping beside the servants' quarters would help people forget that he had arrived in the shadow of Aes Sedai； but Mat seldom let a chance for a joke pass。 If he realized that the room also assured that no one could think of Thom having any connection to the Dragon Reborn； Mat； being Mat； probably thought that a reasonable wish。 It had taken Thom all of two sentences； delivered in haste during a rare moment when no one was looking； to make Rand see the real point。 Everyone listened to a gleeman； everyone watched him； but no one really saw him or remembered who he talked to； as long as he was only a gleeman； with his hedgerow entertainments fit for country folk and servants； and perhaps to amuse the ladies。 That was how Tairens saw it。 It was not as if he were a bard； after all。
What was bothering the boy to bring him down here at this hour？ Probably one or another of the young women； and some old enough to know better； who had let themselves be caught by Mat's mischievous grin。 Still； he would pretend it was one of Mat's usual visits until the lad said otherwise。
〃I'll get the stones board。 It is late； but we have time for one game。〃 He could not resist adding； 〃Would you care for a wager on it？〃 He would not have tossed dice with Mat for a copper； but stones was another matter； he thought there was too much order and pattern in stones for Mat's strange luck。
〃What？ Oh。 No。 It's too late for games。 Thom； did。。。？ Did anything。。。 happen down here？〃
Leaning the stones board against a table leg； Thom dug his tabac pouch and long…stemmed pipe out of the litter remaining on the table。 〃Such as what？〃 he asked； thumbing the bowl full。 He had time to stick a twist of paper in the flame of one of the candles； puff the pipe alight and blow out the spill before Mat answered。
〃Such as Rand going insane； that's what。 No； you'd not have had to ask if it had。〃
A pri