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t and dropped it among the others on the scroll…worked carpet； bounding to his feet ready to fight。 The scowl on his face faded as he took in who they were。
For the first time in the Stone； Egwene looked for changes in him and found them。 How many months before then since she had seen him last？ Enough for his face to have grown harder； for the openness that had once been there to fade。 He moved differently； too； a little like Lan； a little like the Aiel。 With his height and his reddish hair； and eyes that seemed now blue； now gray； as the light took them； he looked all too much like an Aielman； too much for fort。 But had he changed inside？
〃I thought you were。。。 someone else；〃 he mumbled； sharing out embarrassed glances between them。 That was the Rand she knew； even to the flush that rose in his cheeks every time he looked at her or Elayne； either one。 〃Some。。。people want things I can't give。 Things I will not give。〃 Suspicion grew on his face with shocking suddenness； and his tone hardened。 〃What do you want？ Did Moiraine send you？ Are you supposed to convince me to do what she wants？〃
〃Don't be a goose；〃 Egwene said sharply before she thought。 〃I do not want you to start a war！〃
Elayne added in pleading tones； 〃We came to。。。 to help you； if we can。〃 That was one of their reasons； and the easiest to bring up； they had decided over breakfast。
〃You know about her plans for。。。〃 he began roughly； then made a sudden shift。 〃Help me？ How？ That is what Moiraine says。〃
Egwene sternly folded her arms beneath her breasts； holding the scarf tight； in the way Nynaeve used to address the Village Council when she meant to have her way no matter how stubborn they were。 It was too late to start over； the only thing was to go on as she had begun。 〃I told you not to be a fool； Rand al'Thor。 You may have Tairens bowing to your boots； but I remember when Nynaeve switched your bottom for letting Mat talk you into stealing ajar of apple brandy。〃 Elayne kept her face carefully posed。 Too carefully； it was plain to Egwene that she wanted to laugh out loud。
Rand did not notice； of course。 Men never did。 He grinned at Egwene； close to laughing himself。 〃We had just turned thirteen。 She found us asleep behind your father's stable； and our heads hurt so much we didn't even feel her switch。〃 That was not at all the way Egwene recalled it。 〃Not like when you threw that bowl at her head。 Remember？ She'd closed you with dogweed tea because you had been moping about for a week； and as soon as you tasted it； you hit her with her best bowl。 Light； did you squeal！ When was that？ Two years ago e this …〃
〃We are not here to talk over old times；〃 Egwene said； shifting the scarf irritably。 It was thin wool； but still far too hot。 Really； he did have the habit of remembering the most unfortunate things。
He grinned as if he knew what she was thinking； and went on in better humor。 〃You are here to help me； you say。 With what？ I don't suppose you know how to make a High Lord keep his word when I'm not staring over his shoulder。 Or how to stop unwanted dreams？ I could surely use help with … 〃 Eyes darting to Elayne and back to her； he made another abrupt shift。 〃What about the Old Tongue？ Did you learn any of that in the White Tower？〃 Without waiting for an answer he began rooting through the volumes scattered across the carpet。 There were more on the chairs； among the tumbled bedclothes。 〃I have a copy here。。。 somewhere 。 。 。of。。。。〃
〃Rand。〃 Egwene raised her voice。 〃Rand； I cannot read the Old Tongue。〃 She shot a look at Elayne； warning her not to admit to any such knowledge。 They had not e to translate the Prophecies of the Dragon for him。 The sapphires in the Daughter…Heir's hair swayed as she nodded agreement。 〃We had other things to learn。〃
He straightened from the books with a sigh。 〃It was too much to hope。〃 For a moment he seemed on the point of saying more； but stared at his boots。 Egwene wondered how he managed to deal with the High Lords in all their arrogance if she and Elayne put him so out of countenance。
〃We came to help you with channeling；〃 she told him。 〃With the Power。〃 What Moiraine claimed was supposed to be true； a woman could not teach a man to channel any more than she could teach him how to bear a child。 Egwene was not so sure。 She had felt something woven from saidin； once。 Or rather； she had felt nothing； something blocking her own flows as surely as stone dammed water。 But she had learned as much outside the Tower as within； surely in her knowledge there was something she could teach him； some guidance she could offer。
〃If we can；〃 Elayne added。
Suspicion flashed across his face again。 It was unnerving how his mood changed so quickly。 〃I have more chance of reading the Old Tongue than you do of。。。。 Are you sure this isn't Moiraine's doing？ Did she send you here？ Thinks she can convince me by some roundabout way； does she？ Some twisty Aes Sedai plot I'll not see the point of until I am mired in it？〃 He grunted sourly and pulled a dark green coat from the floor behind one of the chairs； shrugging into it hastily。 〃I agreed to meet some more of the High Lords this morning。 If I don't keep an eye on them； they just find ways to get around what I want。 They'll learn sooner or later。 I rule Tear； now。 Me。 The Dragon Reborn。 I will teach them。 You will have to excuse me。〃
Egwene wanted to shake him。 He ruled Tear？ Well； perhaps he did； if it came to that； but she remembered a boy with a lamb nestled inside his coat； proud as a rooster because he had driven off the wolf that tried to take it。 He was a shepherd； not a king； and even if he had call to give himself airs； it was no good to him that he did。
She was about to tell him as much； but before she could Elayne spoke up fiercely。 〃No one sent us。 No one。 We came because。。。 because we care for you。 Perhaps it will not work； but you can try。 If I。。。 if we care enough to try； you can try； too。 Is it so unimportant to you that you cannot spare us an hour？ For your life？〃
He stopped buttoning up his coat； staring at the Daughter…Heir so intently that for a moment Egwene thought he had forgotten she was there。 With a shiver he pulled his eyes away。 Glancing at Egwene； he shifted his feet and frowned at the floor。 〃I will try；〃 he muttered。 〃It'll do no good； but I will。。。。 What do you want me to do？〃
Egwene drew a deep breath。 She had not thought convincing him would be this easy； he had always been like a boulder buried in mud when he decided to dig his heels in； which he did far too often。
〃Look at me；〃 she said； embracing saidar。 She let the Power fill her as pletely as it ever had； more pletely； accepting every drop she could hold； it was as if light suffused every particle of her； as if the Light itself filled every cranny。 Life seemed to burst inside her like fireworks。 She had never before let this much in。 It was a shock to realize she was not quivering； surely she could not bear this glorious sweetness。 She wanted to revel in it； to dance and sing； to simply lie back and let it roll through her； over her。 She made herself speak。 〃What do you see？ Wh