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to hold out against the king for long。 Of course； the Children of the Light were exempted from that law； they were immune to a number of Amadician laws。 She had had to learn something of the laws and customs of other countries from the time she was a child。
Cleared fields dotted the distant hills； too； like brown patches on a mostly green cloth； the men working them seeming ants。 Everything looked dry； one bolt of lightning would set a fire that could burn for leagues。 But lightning meant rain； and the few clouds in the sky were too high and thin for that。 Idly she wondered whether she could make it rain。 She had learned considerable control over weather。 Still； it was very difficult if you had to begin with nothing。
〃Is my Lady bored？〃 Nynaeve asked acidly。 〃The way my Lady is staring at the countryside … down my Lady's nose … I think my Lady must want to travel faster。〃 Reaching back over her head； she pushed open a small flap and shouted； 〃More speed； Thom。 Don't argue with me！ You hold your tongue； too； Juilin Thief…catcher！ I said more speed！〃
The wooden flap banged down； but Elayne could still hear Thom muttering loudly。 Cursing； very likely； Nynaeve had been barking at the men all day。 A moment later his whip cracked； and the coach racketed ahead even faster； rocking so hard that both women bounced on the golden…colored silk seats。 The silk had been thoroughly dusted when Thom bought the vehicle； but the padding had long since gone hard。 Yet jounced about as she was； the set of Nynaeve's jaw said she would not ask Thom to slow again right after ordering him to go faster。
〃Please； Nynaeve；〃 Elayne said。 〃I …〃 The other woman cut her off。
〃Is my Lady unfortable？ I know ladies are used to fort； the sort of thing a poor maid wouldn't know about； but surely my Lady wants to make the next town before dark？ So my Lady's maid can serve my Lady's supper and turn down my Lady's bed？〃 Her teeth clicked shut as the seat ing up met her ing down； and she glowered at Elayne as though it were her fault。
Elayne sighed heavily。 Nynaeve had seen the point； back in Mardecin。 A lady never traveled without a maid； and two ladies would probably have a pair。 Unless they put Thom or Juilin in a dress； that meant one of them。 Nynaeve had seen that Elayne knew more of how ladies behaved； she had put it very gently； and Nynaeve usually knew sense when she heard it。 Usually。 But that was back in Mistress Macura's shop； after they had filled the two women with their own horrible concoction。
Leaving Mardecin； they had traveled hard until midnight to reach a small village with an inn； where they had roused the innkeeper from his bed to rent two cramped rooms with narrow beds； waking before first light yesterday to push on； skirting around Amador by a few miles。 Neither of them would be taken for anything but what they claimed； on sight； but neither felt fortable about passing through a great city full of Whitecloaks。 The Fortress of the Light was in Amador。 Elayne had heard it said that the king reigned in Amador； but Pedron Niall ruled。
The trouble had started last night； at a place called Bellon； on a muddy stream grandly named the Gaean River； some twenty miles or so beyond the capital。 The Bellon Ford Inn was larger than the first； and Mistress Alfara； the innkeeper； offered the Lady Morelin a private dining room； which Elayne could not very well refuse。 Mistress Alfara had been sure that only the Lady Morelin's maid； Nana； would know how to serve her properly； ladies did require everything just so； the woman said； as well they should； and her girls were simply not used to ladies。 Nana would know exactly how the Lady Morelin wanted her bed turned down； and would prepare her a nice bath after a hot day of travel。 The list of things that Nana would do exactly right for her mistress had been endless。
Elayne was not sure whether Arnadician nobility expected such or Mistress Alfara was just getting work out of an outlander's servant。 She had tried to spare Nynaeve； but the woman had been as full of 〃as you wish〃 and 〃my Lady is most particular〃 as the innkeeper。 She would have seemed a fool； or at least odd； to press it。 They were trying to avoid attracting undue attention。
As long as they had been in Bellon； Nynaeve had acted the perfect lady's maid in public。 In private was another matter。 Elayne wished the woman would just revert to herself instead of bludgeoning her with a lady's maid from the Blight。 Apologies had been met with 〃my Lady is too kind〃 or simply ignored。 I will not apologize again； she thought for the fiftieth time。 Not for what was not my fault。
〃I have been thinking； Nynaeve。〃 Gripping a hanging strap； she felt like the ball in the children's game called Bounce in Andor； where you tried to keep a colorful wooden bail bouncing up and down on a paddle。 She would not ask for the coach to be slowed； though。 She could stand it as long as Nynaeve did。 The woman was so stubborn！ 〃I want to reach Tar Valon and find out what is going on； but…〃
〃My Lady has been thinking？ My Lady must have a headache from all that effort。 I will make my Lady a nice tea of sheepstongue root and red daisy as soon as…〃
〃Be quiet； Nana；〃 Elayne said； calmly but firmly； it was her very best imitation of her mother。 Nynaeve's jaw dropped。 〃If you pull that braid at me； you can ride on the roof with the baggage。〃 Nynaeve made a strangled sound； trying so hard to talk that nothing came out。 Quite satisfactory。 〃Sometimes you seem to think I am still a child； but you are the one behaving like a child。 I did not ask you to wash my back； but I would have had to wrestle to stop you。 I did offer to scrub yours in turn； remember。 And I offered to sleep in the trundle bed。 But you climbed in and wouldn't get out。 Stop sulking。 If you like； I will be the maid at the next inn。〃 It would probably be a disaster。 Nynaeve would shout at Thom in public； or box someone's ears。 But anything for a little peace。 〃We can stop right now and change in the trees。〃
〃We chose the gowns to fit you；〃 the other woman muttered after a moment。 Pushing the flap open again； she shouted； 〃Slow down！ Are you trying to kill us？ Fool men！〃
There was dead silence from above as the coach's speed diminished to something much more reasonable； but Elayne would have wagered the two men were talking。 She straightened her hair as best she could without a mirror。 It was still startling to see those glistening black tresses when she did look in one。 The green silk was going to need a thorough brushing itself。
〃What was it you were thinking； Elayne？〃 Nynaeve asked。 Crimson stained her cheeks。 At least she knew that Elayne was right； but backing down was very likely as much apology as she would ever give。
〃We are rushing back to Tar Valon； but do we really have any idea what awaits us in the Tower？ If the Amyrlin truly did give those orders。。。 I do not really believe it； and I cannot understand it； but I do not intend to walk into the Tower until I do。 'A fool puts her hand into a hollow tree without finding out what's inside first。'〃
〃A wise woman； Lini；〃 Nynaeve said。 〃We