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irl was not allowed to braid her hair until she was old enough to marry。 Do you understand what I am saying？ You look like that。。。 fish。。。 Moiraine caught in the river。〃 There were no fish in the Waste； Aiel knew them only from books。
〃Of course I do；〃 be said。 He might as well have been deaf and blind for all he understood。 Shifting under the blankets； he made himself sound as sure as he could manage。 〃At least。。。 Well； the customs are plicated； and I am not certain which part you are talking about。〃
She looked at him suspiciously for a moment； but Aiel customs were so intricate that she believed him。 In the Two Rivers； you walked out for a year； and if you suited； then you became betrothed and finally married； that was as far as custom went。 She went on as she dressed。 〃I meant about a girl asking her mother's permission during the year； and the Wisdom's。 I cannot say I understand that。〃 The white blouse going over her head muffled her words for a moment。 〃If she wants him； and she is old enough to marry； why should she need permission？ But you see？ By my customs；〃 her tone of voice said they were the only ones that mattered； 〃it is my place to choose whether to ask you； and I will not。 By your customs；〃 fastening her belt； she shook her head dismissively； 〃I did not have my mother's permission。 And you would need your father's； I suppose。 Or your father…brother's； since your father is dead？ We did not have them； so we cannot marry。〃 She began folding the scarf to wrap around her forehead。
〃I see；〃 he said weakly。 Any boy in the Two Rivers who asked his father for that kind of permission was asking to have his ears soundly boxed。 When he thought of the lads who had sweated themselves silly worrying that someone； anyone； would find out what they were doing with the girl they meant to marry。。。 For that matter； he remembered when Nynaeve caught Kimry Lewin and Bar Dowtry in Bar's father's hayloft。 Kimry had had her hair braided for five years； but when Nynaeve was through with her； Mistress Lewin had taken over。 The Women's Circle had nearly skinned poor Bar alive； and that was nothing to what they had done to Kimry over the month they thought was the shortest decent time to wait for a wedding。 The joke told quietly； where it would not get to the Women's Circle； had been that neither Bar nor Kimry had been able to sit down the whole first week they were married。 Rand supposed Kimry had failed to ask permission。 〃But I guess Egwene wouldn't know all the men's customs； after all；〃 he continued。 〃Women don't know everything。 You see； since I started it； we have to marry。 It doesn't matter about permissions。〃
〃You started it？〃 Her sniff was pointed and meaning。 Aiel； Andoran or anything else； women used those noises like sticks； to prod or thump。 〃It does not matter anyway； since we are going by Aiel customs。 This will not happen again； Rand al'Thor。〃 He was surprised … and pleased … to hear regret in her voice； 〃You belong to the near…sister of my near…sister。 I have toh to Elayne； now； but that is none of your concern。 Are you going to lie there forever？ I have heard that men turn lazy； after； but it cannot be long until the clans are ready to begin the morning's march。 You must be there。〃 Suddenly a stricken look crossed her face； and she sagged to her knees。 〃If we can return。 I am not certain that I remember what I did to make the hole； Rand al'Thor。 You must find our way back。〃
He told her how he had blocked her gateway and could still feel it holding。 She looked relieved； and even smiled at him。 But it became increasingly clear as she folded her legs and arranged her skirts that she did not mean to turn her back while he dressed。
〃Fair's fair；〃 he muttered after a long moment； and scrambled out of the blankets。
He tried to be as nonchalant as she had been； but it was not easy。 He could feel her eyes like a touch even when he turned away from her。 She had no call to tell him he had a pretty behind； he had not said anything about how pretty hers was。 She only said it to make him blush； anyway。 Women did not look at men that way。 And they don't ask their mother's permission to。。。？ He had an idea that life with Aviendha had not bee one bit easier。
Chapter 32
（Insect…like Horned Helmet）
A Short Spear
There was little discussion。 Even if the storm still raged outside； they could make it back to the gateway using the blankets and rugs for cloaks。 Aviendha began dividing them while he seized saidin； filling himself with life and death； molten fire and liquid ice。
〃Split them equally；〃 he told her。 He knew his voice was cold and emotionless。 Asmodean had said he could go beyond that； but he had not managed to so far。
She gave him a surprised look； but all she said was 〃There is more of you to cover；〃 and went on as she was。
There was no point in arguing。 In his experience； from Emond's Field to the Maidens； if a woman wanted to do something for you； the only way to stop her was to tie her up； especially if it involved sacrifice on her part。 The surprise was that she had not sounded acid； had not said anything about him being a soft wetlander。 Maybe something good besides a memory had e out of this。 She can't really mean never again。 He suspected that she meant exactly that； though。
Weaving a finger…thin flow of Fire； he sliced the outline of a door in one wall； widening the gap at the top。 Startlingly； daylight shone through。 Releasing saidin； he exchanged surprised looks with Aviendha。 He knew he had lost track of time … you lost track of the year … but they could not have been inside that long。 Wherever they were； it was a great distance from Cairhien。
He pushed against the block； but it did not budge until he put his back to it； dug in his heels and shoved with all of his might。 Just as it occurred to him that he very probably could have done this more easily with the Power； the block toppled outward； taking him with it into cold； crisp pale daylight。 Not all the way； though。 It stopped at an angle； propped against snow that had built up around the hut。 Lying on his back； with only a bit of his head sticking out； he could see other mounds； some smooth drifts around sparse； stunted trees that he did not recognize； others maybe burying bushes or boulders。
He opened his mouth … and forgot what he was going to say as something swept through the air not fifty feet above him； a leathery gray shape far bigger than a horse； on slow…beating widespread wings； a horny snout thrust out before and clawed feet and thin； lizard…like tail trailing behind。 His head twisted on its own to follow the thing's flight over the trees。 There were two people on its back； despite what seemed to be some sort of hooded garments； it was plain that they were scanning the around below。 If he had had more than his head showing； if he had not been directly under the creature； they would surely have seen him。〃Leave the blankets；〃 he said as he ducked back inside。 He told her what he had seen。 〃Maybe they'd be friendly and maybe not； but I'd as soon not find out。〃 He was not sure he wanted to meet people who rode something like that in any case。 If t