A Memory of Light (Page 33)

Rand rose and stepped back to allow Moiraine farther into the pavilion. Perrin caught another scent, and smiled as Thom Merrilin slipped into the tent behind her. The old gleeman winked at Perrin.

"Moiraine", Egwene said, stepping forward. "The White Tower welcomes you back with open arms. Your service has not been forgotten".

"Hmm", Moiraine said. "Yes, I should think that having discovered a future Amyrlin would reflect well upon me. That is a relief, as I believe I was on a path to stilling, if not execution, before".

"Things have changed".

"Obviously". Moiraine nodded. "Mother". She passed Perrin, and gave him a squeeze on the arm, eyes twinkling.

One by one, the Borderlander rulers took swords in hands and bowed or curtsied toward her. Each one seemed to know her personally. Many of the others in the tent still looked baffled, though Darlin obviously knew who she was. He was more . . . thoughtful than confused.

Moiraine hesitated beside Nynaeve. Perrin couldn’t catch Nynaeve’s scent right then. That seemed ominous to him. Oh, Light. Here it comes . . .

Nynaeve enfolded Moiraine in a powerful embrace.

Moiraine stood for a moment, smelling distinctly shocked, hands out to the sides. Finally, she returned the embrace in a somewhat maternal way, patting Nynaeve on the back.

Nynaeve released her, pulling back, then wiped a tear from her eye. "Don’t you dare tell Lan about this", she growled.

"I would not dream of it", Moiraine said, moving on to stand in the center of the pavilion.

"Insufferable woman", Nynaeve grumbled as she wiped a tear from the other eye.

"Moiraine", Egwene said. "You’ve come at just the right time".

"I have a knack for that".

"Well", Egwene continued as Rand stepped back up to the table, "Rand . . . the Dragon Reborn . . . has decided to hold this land for ransom to his demands, refusing to do his duty unless we agree to his whims".

Moiraine pursed her lips, taking up the contract for the Dragon’s Peace as Galad set it on the table for her. She scanned it.

"Who is this woman?" Roedran said. "And why do we—Would you stop that!" He raised a hand as if he’d been smacked by a thread of Air, then glared at Egwene—however, this time one of the nearby Asha’man was the one who smelled satisfied.

"Nice shot, Grady", Perrin whispered.

"Thank you, Lord Perrin".

Grady would know her only by legend, of course, but tales of Moiraine had spread among those who followed Rand.

"Well?" Egwene said.

" ‘And it shall come to pass that what men made shall be shattered,’ " Moiraine whispered. " ‘The Shadow shall lie across the Pattern of the Age, and the Dark One shall once more lay his hand upon the world of man. Women shall weep and men quail as the nations of the earth are rent like rotting cloth. Neither shall anything stand nor abide.’ "

The people shuffled their feet. Perrin looked questioningly at Rand.

" ‘Yet one shall be born to face the Shadow,’ " Moiraine said more loudly. " ‘Born once more as he was born before and shall be born again, time without end! The Dragon shall be Reborn, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth at his rebirth. In sackcloth and ashes shall he clothe the people, and he shall break the world again by his coming, tearing apart all ties that bind!

" ‘Like the unfettered dawn shall he blind us, and burn us, yet shall the Dragon Reborn confront the Shadow at the Last Battle, and his blood shall give us the Light. Let tears flow, O ye people of the world. Weep for your salvation!’ "

"Aes Sedai", Darlin said, "pardon, but that is very ominous".

"At least it shall be a salvation", Moiraine said. "Tell me, Your Majesty. That prophecy commands you to shed tears. Are you to weep because your salvation comes with such pain and worry? Or, instead, are you to weep for your salvation? For the man who will suffer for you? The only one we know for certain will not walk away from this fight?"

She turned to Rand.

"These demands are unfair", Gregorin said. "He requires us to keep our borders as they are!"

" ‘He shall slay his people with the sword of peace,’ " Moiraine said, " ‘and destroy them with the leaf.’ "

It’s The Karaethon Cycle. I’ve heard these words before.

"The seals, Moiraine", Egwene said. "He’s planning to break them. He defies the authority of the Amyrlin Seat".

Moiraine did not look surprised. Perrin suspected she’d been listening outside before entering. It was very like her.

"Oh, Egwene", Moiraine said. "Have you forgotten? ‘The unstained tower breaks and bends knee to the forgotten sign . . .’ "

Egwene blushed.

" ‘There can be no health in us, nor any good thing grow,’ " Moiraine quoted, " ‘for the land is one with the Dragon Reborn, and he one with the land. Soul of fire, heart of stone.’ "

She looked to Gregorin. " ‘In pride he conquers, forcing the proud to yield.’ "

To the Borderlanders. " ‘He calls upon the mountains to kneel . . .’ "

To the Sea Folk. " ‘ . . . and the seas to give way.’ "

To Perrin, then Berelain. " ‘ . . . and the very skies to bow.’ "

To Darlin. " ‘Pray that the heart of stone remembers tears . . .’ "

Then, finally, to Elayne. " ‘ . . . and the soul of fire, love.’ You cannot fight this. None of you can. I am sorry. You think he came to this on his own?" She held up the document. "The Pattern is balance. It is not good nor evil, not wisdom nor foolishness. To the Pattern, these things matter not, yet it will find balance. The last Age ended with a Breaking, and so the next one will begin with peace—even if it must be shoved down your throats like medicine given to a screaming babe".

"If I may speak?" An Aes Sedai wearing a brown shawl stepped forward. "You may", Rand said.

"This is a wise document, Lord Dragon", the Brown said. She was a stout woman, more direct of tone than Perrin expected from a Brown. "But I see an enormous flaw to it, one that was raised earlier. So long as the Seanchan are exempt from it, it will be meaningless. There will be no peace so long as they conquer".

"That’s an issue", Elayne said, arms folded. "But not the only one. Rand, I see what you’re trying to do, and I love you for it. That does not remove the fact that this document is fundamentally untenable. For a peace treaty to work, both sides must continue to wish for peace because of the benefits presented.

"This grants no way to settle disputes. They will arise, they always do. Any document like this must give a way to settle such things; you must set up a way to punish an infraction save for the other countries to enter all-out war. Without that change, little grievances will mount and build pressure over years until they explode.

"As this is, it all but requires the nations to fall upon the first that breaks the peace. It doesn’t stop them from setting up a puppet regime in the fallen kingdom, or even in another kingdom. Over time, I fear this treaty will be viewed as null; what good is it if it protects only on paper? The end result of this will be war. Massive, overpowering war. You will have peace for a time, particularly while those who revere you live. But for every year of peace you gain, you will earn one of greater destruction once the thing falls apart".

Rand rested his fingers on the document. "I will make peace with the Seanchan. We will add a provision. If their ruler does not sign, then the document is voided. Will you all agree to it then?"

"That fixes the lesser problem", Elayne said softly, "but not the larger one, Rand".

"There is yet a greater issue here", a new voice said.

Perrin turned, surprised. Aviendha? She and the other Aiel had not participated in the arguments. They’d only watched. Perrin had almost forgotten they were there.

"You, too?" Rand said. "Come to walk on the shards of my dreams, Aviendha?"

"Don’t be a child, Rand al’Thor", the woman said, striding up to place her finger on the document. "You have toh".

"I left you out of it", Rand protested. "I trust you, and all of the Aiel".

"The Aiel aren’t in it?" Easar said. "Light, how did we miss that!"

"It is an insult", Aviendha said.

Perrin frowned. She smelled very serious. From any other Aiel, he’d expect that sharp scent to be followed by a pulled-up veil and a raised spear.

"Aviendha", Rand said, smiling. "The others are about to hang me for putting them in it, and you are angry for being left out?"

"I demand my boon of you", she said. "This is it. Place the Aiel in your document, your ‘Dragon’s Peace.’ We will leave you otherwise".

"You don’t speak for all of them, Aviendha", Rand said. "You can’t—" All of the tent’s Wise Ones stepped up behind Aviendha, as if in rhythm together. Rand blinked.

"Aviendha carries our honor", Sorilea said.

"Do not be foolish, Rand al’Thor", Melaine added.

"This is a thing of the women", Sarinde added. "We will not be satisfied until we are treated equally with the wetlanders".

"Is this thing too difficult for us?" Amys asked. "Do you insult us by implying we are weaker than the others?"

"You’re all insane!" Rand said. "Do you realize that this would forbid you from fighting one another?"

"Not from fighting", Aviendha said. "From fighting without cause".

"War is your purpose", Rand said.

"If you believe that, Rand al’Thor", she said, voice cold, "I have trained you poorly indeed".

"She speaks wisdom", Rhuarc said, stepping up to the front of the crowd. "Our purpose was to prepare for your need of us at this Last Battle—our purpose was to be strong enough to be preserved. We will need another purpose. I have buried blood feuds for you, Rand al’Thor. I would not take them up again. I have friends now that I would rather not kill".

"Madness", Rand said, shaking his head. "All right, I’ll put you in". Aviendha seemed satisfied, but something bothered Perrin. He didn’t understand the Aiel—Light, he didn’t understand Gaul, who had been with him for so long. Still, he’d noticed that the Aiel liked to be doing something. Even when they lounged, they were alert. When other men gamed or diced, the Aiel were often quietly doing something of use.

"Rand", Perrin said, stepping up, taking him by the arm. "A moment, please?"

Rand hesitated, then nodded to him and waved his hand. "We’re sealed off; they can’t hear us now. What is this about?"

"Well, I just noticed something. The Aiel are like tools".

"All right . . "

"And tools that aren’t used grow rusty", Perrin said.