"I want you to bring Elayne to... to Caemlyn," Rand broke in. "I want you to see her safe to Caemlyn, whatever happens. Don’t leave her side until she’s on the Lion Throne." Aviendha cleared her throat. "Yes," Rand said. For some reason his voice went as cold and hard as his face. But then, did he need reasons if he was going mad? "Aviendha is going with you. I think it’s best."

"Youthink it is best?" she said indignantly. "If I had not wakened when I did, I would never have known you had found her. You do not send me anywhere, Rand al’Thor. I must speak with Elayne for my... my own reasons."

"I am very glad you’ve found Elayne," Mat said carefully. If he was Rand, he would leave the woman wherever she was. Light, Aviendha would be better! At least Aiel women did not walk around with their noses in the air, or think you should jump just because they said so. Of course, some of their games were on the rough side, and they did have the habit of trying to kill you now and again. "I just don’t understand why you need me. Jump through one of your gateways, give her a kiss, scoop her up and jump back." Aviendha fastened an outraged stare on him; you would have thought he had advised kissing her.

Rand unrolled the large parchment on the table, using the lamps to hold down the ends. "This is where she is." It was a map, a stretch of the River Eldar and maybe fifty miles or so to either side. An arrow had been drawn in blue ink, pointing into forest. "Salidar" was printed beside the arrow. Rand tapped near the eastern edge of the map. That was wooded, too; most of it was. "There is a large clearing here. You can see the nearest village is nearly twenty miles north. I’ll put a gateway through to the clearing for you and the Band."

Mat managed to turn a wince into a grin. "Look, if it has to be me, why not just me? Make your gateway to this Salidar, I’ll toss her on a horse, and... " And what? Was Rand going to make a gateway from Salidar to Caemlyn as well? It was a long way to ride, from the Eldar to Caemlyn. A very long way, with only a snooty noblewoman and an Aiel for company.

‘The Band, Mat," Rand snapped. "You and the whole Band!" He drew a long shuddering breath, and his tone became milder. His face did not lose its rigidity, though, and his eyes were still feverish. Mat could almost believe he was sick, or in pain. "There are Aes Sedai in Salidar, Mat. I don’t know how many; hundreds, I’ve heard, but I won’t be surprised if it is closer to fifty. The way they go on about the Tower, whole and pure, I doubt you’ll see more. I mean to put you out two or three days away so they can learn you’re coming. No point in startling them – they might think you were a Whitecloak attack. They’re rebels against Elaida, and probably frightened enough that you won’t have to do more than loom a little and say Elayne has to be crowned in Caemlyn to make them let her go. If you think they can be trusted, offer your protection. And mine; they’re supposed to be on my side, and they might be glad of even my protection by now. Then you escort Elayne – and as many of the Aes Sedai as want to come – straight across Altara and Murandy to Caemlyn. Show my banners, announce what you’re doing, and I don’t think the Altarans or Murandians will give much trouble, not as long as you keep moving. If you find any Dragonsworn along the way, gather them in as well. Most will probably turn to bandits if I don’t tie a rope to them soon – I’ve heard a rumor or two already – but you will draw them, flying my banners." His sudden grin showed teeth, but never touched those hot eyes. "How many birds with one stone, Mat? You ride through Altara and Murandy with six thousand men and draw the Dragonsworn out after you, and you may hand me both countries."

There was so much in that to set Mat’s teeth on edge that he no longer cared whether Rand had ten sore teeth and both boots full of cockleburrs. Make Aes Sedai think he meant to attack them? Indeed not. And he was supposed to intimidate fifty of them? Aes Sedai did not frighten him, maybe not even five or six together, but fifty? He touched the foxhead through his shirt again before he realized it; he might just find out how lucky he really was. As for riding across Altara and Murandy, he could see it now. Every noble whose lands he crossed would swell up like a strutting rooster and try to peck him the moment his back was turned. If that ta’verenmadness came into it, he would probably find some lord or lady gathering an army right in front of him.

He made one more try. "Rand, don’t you think this might draw Sammael’s eyes north? You want him looking east. That is why I’m here, remember? To make him look this way."

Rand shook his head emphatically. "All he’ll see is a guard of honor escorting the Queen of Andor to Caemlyn, and that’s if he learns of it before you reach Caemlyn. How quickly can you be ready?"

Mat opened his mouth, then gave it up. He was not going to budge the man. "Two hours." The Band could be booted and in their saddles faster, but he was in no hurry, and the last thing he wanted was the Band thinking they were moving on the attack.

"Good. I need an hour or so myself." For what, he did not say. "Stay close to Elayne, Mat. Keep her safe. I mean, there’s no point to this if she doesn’t reach Caemlyn alive for her coronation." Did Rand think he did not know about him and Elayne canoodling in every corner of the Stone the last time they were together?

"I’ll treat her like my own sister." His sisters had done their best to make his life miserable. Well, he expected the same from Elayne, just in a different way. Maybe Aviendha would be a little better. "She won’t get out of my sight until I plunk her down in the Royal Palace." And if she tries Mistress Snoot on with me too often, I’ll bloody well kick her!

Rand nodded. "That reminds me. Bodewhin is in Caemlyn. With Verin and Alanna, and some more Two Rivers girls. They’re on their way to train for Aes Sedai. I’m not sure where they will do it; I am certainly not letting them go to the Tower the way things are. Maybe the Aes Sedai you bring back will take care of it."

Mat gaped. His sister, Aes Sedai? Bode, who used to run tell their mother every time he did anything that was fun?

"Another thing," Rand went on. "Egwene may be in Salidar before you. I think somehow they found out she’s been calling herself Aes Sedai. Do what you can to get her out of it. Tell her I will get her back to the Wise Ones as soon as I can. She’ll probably be more than ready to go with you. Maybe not, though; you know how stubborn she’s always been. The main thing is Elayne. Remember, don’t leave her side till she reaches Caemlyn."

"I promise," Mat muttered. How under the Light could Egwene be somewhere on the Eldar? He was sure she had been in Cairhien when he left Maerone. Unless she had worked out Rand’s trick with the gateways. In which case she could jump back any time she wished. Or jump to Caemlyn, and make a gateway for him and the Band at the same time. "Don’t worry about Egwene, either. I’ll drag her out of whatever trouble she’s in, no matter how muley she behaves." It would not be the first time he had pulled her chestnuts off the hearth before they burned. Very likely he would get no thanks for it this time either. Bodewas going to be Aes Sedai? Blood and bloody ashes!

"Good," Rand said. "Good." But he was staring intently at the map. He jerked his eyes away, and for an instant Mat thought he intended to say something to Aviendha. Instead, he turned away from her roughly. "Thom Merrilin should be with Elayne." Rand produced a letter from his pocket, folded and sealed. "See that he gets this." Shoving the letter into Mat’s hands, he hurriedly left the tent.

Aviendha took a step after him, half-raising a hand, lips parted to speak. Just as suddenly her mouth snapped shut, and she buried her hands in her skirts and squeezed her eyes shut. So the wind came that way, did it? And she wants to talk to Elayne. How did Rand ever get himself in this pickle? Rand was always the one who knew how to handle women, Rand and Perrin.