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had for handing Moghedien to the rest of the Forsaken might well be disastrous if the one she spoke to had decided that it was in her best interests to be Moghedien's lapdog。 She almost whimpered at the thought of a 〃second lesson。〃
〃You； I keep with me；〃 the Forsaken said； 〃for the most important task。 What the others do may bear sweet fruit； but to me yours will be the most important harvest。 A personal harvest。 There is a woman named Nynaeve al'Meara。〃 Liandrin's head came up； and Moghedien's dark eyes sharpened。 〃You know of her？〃
〃I despise her；〃 Liandrin replied truthfully。 〃She is a filthy wilder who ought never to have been allowed in the Tower。〃 She loathed all wilders。 Dreaming of being Black Ajah； she herself had begun learning to channel a full year before going to the Tower； but she was in no way a wilder。
〃Very good。 You five are going to find her for me。 I want her alive。 Oh； yes； I do want her alive。〃 Moghedien's smile made Liandrin shiver； giving Nynaeve and the other two to her might be entirely suitable。 〃The day before yesterday she was in a village called Sienda； perhaps sixty miles east of here； with another young woman in whom I may be interested； but they have vanished。 You will。。。〃
Liandrin listened eagerly。 For this； she could be a faithful hound。 For the other； she would wait patiently。
Chapter 19
（Ruby…Hilted Dagger）
Memories
〃My Queen？〃
Morgase looked up from the book on her lap。 Sunlight slanted through the window of the sitting room next to her bedchamber。 The day was already hot； with no breeze； and sweat dampened her face。 It would be noon before much longer； and she had not stirred from the room。 That was unlike her； she could not remember why she had decided to laze the morning away with a book。 She seemed unable to concentrate on reading of late。 By the golden clock on the mantel above the marble fireplace； an hour had passed since she last turned a page； and she could not recall its words。 It must be the heat。
The red…coated young officer of her Guards； kneeling with one fist pressed to the red…and…gold carpet； looked vaguely familiar。 Once she had known the name of every Guard assigned to the Palace。 Perhaps it was all the new faces。 〃Tallanvor；〃 she said； surprising herself。 He was a tall； well…made young man； but she could not tell why she remembered him in particular。 Had he brought someone to her once？ Long ago？ 〃Guardsman Lieutenant Martyn Tallanvor。〃
He glanced at her； startlingly rough…eyed； before putting his gaze back on the carpet。 〃My Queen； forgive me； but I am surprised that you remain here； given the morning's news。〃
〃What news？〃 It would be good to learn something besides Alteima's gossip of the Tairen court； At times she felt that there was something else she wanted to ask the woman； but all they ever did was gossip； which she could never remember doing before。 Gaebril seemed to enjoy listening to them； sitting in that tall chair in front of the fireplace with his ankles crossed； smiling contentedly。 Alteima had taken to wearing rather daring dresses； Morgase would have to say something to her。 Dimly she seemed to remember thinking that before。 Nonsense。 If I had； I would have spoken to her already。 She shook her head； realizing that she had drifted away from the young officer entirely； that he had begun speaking and stopped when he saw she was not listening。 〃Tell me again。 I was distracted。 And stand。〃
He rose； face angry； eyes burning on her before they dropped again。 She looked where he had been staring and blushed； her dress was cut extremely low。 But Gaebril liked her to wear them so。 With that thought she ceased fretting about being nearly naked in front of one of her officers。
〃Be brief；〃 she said curtly。 How dare he look at me in that manner？ I should have him flogged。 〃What news is so important that you think you can walk into my sitting room as if it were a tavern？〃 His face darkened； but whether from proper embarrassment or increased anger she could not say。 How dare he be angry with his queen！ Does the man think all I have to do is listen to him？
〃Rebellion； my Queen；〃 he said in a flat tone； and all thought of anger and stares vanished。
〃Where？〃
〃The Two Rivers； my Queen。 Someone has raised the old banner of Manetheren； the Red Eagle。 A messenger came from Whitebridge this morning。〃
Morgase drummed her fingers on the book； her thoughts ing more clearly than it seemed they had in a very long time。 Something about the Two Rivers； some spark she could not quite fan to life； tugged at her。 The region was hardly part of Andor at all； and had not been for generations。 She and the last three queens before her had been hard pressed to maintain a modicum of control over the miners and smelters in the Mountains of Mist； and even that modicum would have been lost had there been any way to get the metals out save through the rest of Andor。 A choice between holding the mines' gold and iron and other metals and keeping the Two Rivers' wool and tabac had not been difficult。 But rebellion unchecked； even rebellion in a part of her realm that she ruled only on a map； could spread like wildfire； to places that were hers in fact。 And Manetheren； destroyed in the Trolloc Wars； Manetheren of legend and story； still had a hold on some men's minds。 Besides； the Two Rivers was hers。 If they had been left to go their own way for far too long； they were still a part of her realm。
〃Has Lord Gaebril been informed？〃 Of course he had not。 He would have e to her with the news； and suggestions on how to deal with it。 His suggestions were always clearly right。 Suggestions？ Somehow； it seemed that she could remember him telling her what to do。 That was impossible； of course。
〃He has； my Queen。〃 Tallanvor's voice was still bland； unlike his face； where slow anger yet smoldered。 〃He laughed。 He said the Two Rivers seemed to throw up trouble； and he would have to do something about it one day。 He said this minor annoyance would have to wait its turn behind more important matters。〃
The book fell as she sprang to her feet； and she thought Tallanvor smiled in grim satisfaction as she swept by him。 A serving woman told her where Gaebril was to be found； and she marched straight to the colonnaded court； with its marble fountain； the basin full of lily pads and fish。。。 It was cooler there； and shaded a little。
Gaebril sat on the broad white coping of the fountain； lords and ladies gathered around him。 She recognized fewer than half。 Dark square…faced Jarid of House Sarand； and his shrewish honey…haired wife； Elenia。 That simpering Arymilla of House Marne； melting brown eyes always so wide in feigned interest； and bony； goat…faced Nasin of House Caeren； who would tumble any woman he could corner despite his thin white hair。 Naean of House Arawn； as usual with a sneer marring her pale beauty； and Lir of House Baryn； a whip of a man； wearing a sword of all things； and Karind of House Anshar； with the same flat…eyed stare that some said had put three husbands under the ground。 The others she did not know at all； which was strange enough； but these she