A Crown of Swords

The wind swept higher for a moment, blowing south. It would cover the sound of the wetlanders’ horses and wagons.

She shifted her shawl again, then suppressed a grimace. At all costs she must not appear nervous. A glance to the right stilled worry as soon as begun. Over two hundred Shaido Wise Ones clustered there, and normally at least some would be watching her like vultures, but their eyes were all on the rise. More than one adjusted her shawl uneasily or smoothed bulky skirts. Seva

Everyone stiffened slightly as a young Sovin Naiappeared above them, lowering his veil as he scrambled down. He came straight to her, as was proper, but to her irritation he raised his voice enough for all to hear. "One of their forward scouts escaped. He was wounded, but still on his horse."

The society leaders began to move before he finished speaking. That would never do. They would lead in the actual fighting — Seva

"Every spear?" Bendhuin demanded incredulously. "You mean except for the screens — "

Glowering, Maeric spoke right on top of him. "If we keep no reserve, we can be — "

Seva

That turned their faces to stone, as intended. Even Efalin showed eyes like polished gray gems as she veiled; her fingers moved in Maiden handtalk, and as the society leaders sprinted up the rise, the Maidens around Seva

Chosen from the strongest of the Shaido Wise Ones who could wield the One Power, they were six or seven for every Aes Sedai around Rand al’Thor, yet Seva

Once Seva

"Aes Sedai," she said softly. They leaned toward her in a muted clatter of bracelets and necklaces, to catch her low words. "They hold Rand al’Thor, the Car’a’carn. We must take him from them." There were scattered frowns. Most believed she wanted the Car’a’carntaken alive in order to avenge the death of Couladin, her second husband. They understood that, but they would not have come here for it. "Aes Sedai," she hissed angrily. "We kept our pledge, but they broke theirs. We violated nothing, but they have violated everything. You know how Desaine was murdered." And of course they did. The eyes watching her were suddenly sharper. Killing a Wise One ranked with killing a pregnant woman, a child or a blacksmith. Some of those eyes were verysharp. Therava’s, Rhiale’s, others’. "If we allow these women to walk away from that, then weare less than animals, wewill have no honor. Ihold my honor."

On that she gathered her skirts with dignity and climbed the slope, head high, not looking back. She was certain the others would follow. Therava and Norlea and Dailin would see to that, and Rhiale and Tion and Meira and the rest who had accompanied her a few days past to see Rand al’Thor beaten and. put back into his wooden chest by the Aes Sedai. Her reminder had been for those thirteen even more than the others, and they dared not fail her. The truth of how Desaine had died tied them to her.

Wise Ones with their skirts looped over their arms to free their legs could not keep up with the algai’d’siswaiin cadin’sorhowever hard they ran, though race they did. Five miles across those low rolling hills, not a long run, and they topped a crest to see the dance of spears already begun. After a fashion.

Thousands of algai’d’siswaimade a huge pool of veiled gray-and-brown surging around a circle of wetlander wagons, which itself surrounded one of the small clumps of trees that dotted this region. Seva

"You see what the Aes Sedai do?" Seva

It was a foolish boast to speak of making someone meet an obligation they had not acknowledged, yet in the angry mutters from the other women, Seva

At an easy lope, Seva