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〃Savages；〃 Baran muttered around his pipe。 〃Ignorant savages。 That is all they are； burn my soul。 Live in caves； out in the Waste。 In caves！ No one but a savage could live in the Waste。〃
Reimon nodded。 〃At least they serve the Lord Dragon。 I would take a hundred Defenders and clean them out of the Stone； if not for that。〃 Baran and Carlomin growled fierce agreement。
It was no effort for Mat to keep his face straight。 He had heard much the same before。 Boasting was easy when no one expected you to carry through。 A hundred Defenders？ Even if Rand stood aside for some reason； the few hundred Aiel holding the Stone could probably keep it against any army Tear could raise。 Not that they seemed to want the Stone； really。 Mat suspected they were only there because Rand was。 He did not think any of these lordlings had figured that out … they tried to ignore the Aiel as much as possible … but he doubted it would make them feel any better。
〃Mat。〃 Estean fanned his cards out in one hand； rearranging them as if he could not decide what order they were meant to go in。 〃Mat； you will speak to the Lord Dragon； won't you？〃
〃About what？〃 Mat asked cautiously。 Too many of these Tairens knew he and Rand had grown up together to suit him； and they seemed to think he was arm in arm with Rand when ever he was out of their sight。 None of them would have gone near his own brother if he could channel。 He did not know why they thought him a bigger fool。
〃Didn't I say？〃 The plain…faced man squinted at his cards and scratched his head； then brightened。 〃Oh； yes。 His proclamation； Mat。 The Lord Dragon's。 His last one。 Where he said moners had the right to call lords before a magistrate。 Who ever heard of a lord being summoned to a magistrate？ And for peasants！〃
Mat's hand tightened on his purse until the coins inside grated together。 〃It would be a shame；〃 he said quietly； 〃if you were tried and judged just for having your way with a fisherman's daughter whatever she wanted； or for having some farmer beaten for splashing mud on your cloak。〃
The others shifted uneasily； catching his mood； but Estean nodded； head bobbing so it seemed about to fall off。 〃Exactly。 Though it wouldn't e to that； of course。 A lord being tried before a magistrate？ Of course not。 Not really。〃 He laughed drunkenly at his cards。 〃No fishermen's daughters。 Smell of fish； you see； however you have them washed。 A plump farm girl is best。〃
Mat told himself he was there to gamble。 He told himself to ignore the fool's blather； reminded himself of how much gold he could take out of Estean's purse。 His tongue did not listen； though。 〃Who knows what it might e to？ Hangings； maybe。〃
Edorion gave him a sidelong look； guarded and uneasy。 〃Do we have to talk about。。。 about moners； Estean？ What about old Astoril's daughters？ Have you decided which you'll marry yet？〃
〃What？ Oh。 Oh； I'll flip a coin； I suppose。〃 Estean frowned at his cards； shifted one； and frowned again。 〃Medore has two or three pretty maids。 Perhaps Medore。〃
Mat took a long drink from his silver wine cup to keep from hitting the man in his farmer's face。 He was still on his first cup； the two servants had given up trying to add more。 If he hit Estean； none of them would lift a hand to stop him。 Not even Estean。 Because he was the Lord Dragon's friend。 He wished he was in a tavern somewhere out in the city； where some dockman might question his luck and only a quick tongue； or quick feet； or quick hands would see him leave with a whole skin。 Now that was a fool thought。
Edorion glanced at Mat again； measuring his mood。 〃I heard a rumor today。 I hear the Lord Dragon is taking us to war with Illian。〃
Mat gagged on his wine。 〃War？〃 he spluttered。
〃War；〃 Reimon agreed happily around his pipestem。
〃Are you certain？〃 Carlomin said； and Baran added； 〃I've heard no rumors。〃
〃I heard it just today； from three or four tongues。〃 Edorion seemed to be absorbed in his cards。 〃Who can say how true it is？〃
〃It must be true；〃 Reimon said。 〃With the Lord Dragon to lead us； holding Callandor； we'll not even have to fight。 He will scatter their armies； and we will march straight into Illian。 Too bad； in a way。 Burn my soul if it isn't。 I would like a chance to match swords with the Illianers。〃
〃You'll get no chance with the Lord Dragon leading；〃 Baran said。 〃They will fall on their knees as soon as they see the Dragon banner。〃
〃And if they do not； Carlomin added with a laugh； 〃the Lord Dragon will blast them with lightning where they stand。〃
〃Illian first；〃 Reimon said。 〃And then。。。 then we'll conquer the world for the Lord Dragon。 You tell him I said so； Mat。 The whole world。〃
Mat shook his head。 A month gone； they would have been horrified by even the idea of a man who could channel； a man doomed to go mad and die horribly。 Now they were ready to follow Rand into battle； and trust his power to win for them。 Trust the Power； though it was not likely they would put it that way。 Yet he supposed they had to find something to hang on to。 The invincible Stone was in the hands of the Aiel。 The Dragon Reborn was in his chambers a hundred feet above their heads； and Callandor was with him。 Three thousand years of Tairen belief and history lay in ruins； and the world had been turned on its head。 He wondered whether he had handled it any better； his own world had gone all askew in little more than a year。 He rolled a gold Tairen crown across the backs of his fingers。 However well he had done； he would not go back。
〃When will we march； Mat？〃 Baran asked。
〃I don't know；〃 he said slowly。 〃I don't think Rand would start a war。〃 Unless he had gone mad already。 That hardly bore thinking about。
The others looked as if he had assured them the sun would not e up tomorrow。
〃We are all loyal to the Lord Dragon； of course。〃 Edorion frowned at his cards。 〃Out in the countryside； though。。。。 I hear that some of the High Lords； a few； have been trying to raise an army to take back the Stone。〃 Suddenly no one was looking at Mat； though Estean still seemed to be trying to make out his cards。 〃When the Lord Dragon takes us to war； of course； it will all melt away。 In any case； we are loyal； here in the Stone。 The High Lords； too； I am certain。 It is only the few out in the countryside。〃
Their loyalty would not outlast their fear of the Dragon Reborn。 For a moment Mat felt as though he were planning to abandon Rand in a pit of vipers。 Then he remembered what Rand was。 It was more like abandoning a weasel in a henyard。 Rand had been a friend。 The Dragon Reborn； though。。。。 Who could be a friend to the Dragon Reborn？ I'm not abandoning anybody。 He could probably pull the Stone down on their heads； if he wanted to。 On my head； too。 He told himself again that it was time to be gone。
〃No fishermen's daughters；〃 Estean mumbled。 〃You will speak to the Lord Dragon？〃
〃It is your turn； Mat；〃 Carlomin said anxiously。 He looked half afraid； though what he feared … that Estean would anger Mat again； or that the talk might go back to loyalty … was impossible to say。 〃Will you buy the fifth card； or stack？〃
Mat realized he had not been paying attention。 Everyone but himself and Carlomin had five cards； though Reimon had neatly stacked his facedown beside the pot to show that he was out。 Mat hesitated； pretending to think； then sighed and tossed another coin toward the pile。
As the silver crown bounced end over end； he suddenly felt luck grow from trickles to a flood。 Every ping of silver against wooden tabletop rang clear in his head； he could have called face or sigil and known how the coin would land on any bounce。 Just as he knew what his next card would be before Carlomin laid it in front of him。
Sliding his cards together on the table； he fanned them in one hand。 The Ruler of Flames stared at him alongside the other four； the Amyrlin Seat balancing a flame on her palm； though she looked nothing like Siuan Sanche。 However the Tairens felt about Aes Sedai； they acknowledged the power of Tar Valon； even if Flames was the lowest suit。
What were the odds of being dealt all five？ His luck was best with random things； like dice； but perhaps a little more was beginning to rub off on cards。 〃The Light burn my bones to ash if it is not so；〃 he muttered。 Or that was what he meant to say。
〃There；〃 Estean all but shouted。 〃You cannot deny it this time。 That was the Old Tongue。 Something about burning； and bones。〃 He grinned around the table。 〃My tutor would be proud。 I ought to send him a gift。 If I can find out where he went。〃
Nobles were supposed to be able to speak the Old Tongue； though in reality few knew more than Estean seemed to。 The young lords set to arguing over exactly what Mat had said。 They seemed to think it had been a ment on the heat。
Goose bumps pebbled Mat's skin as he tried to recall the words that had just e out of his mouth。 A string of gibberish； yet it almost seemed he should understand。 Burn Moiraine！ If she'd left me alone； I wouldn't have holes in my memory big enough for a wagon and team； and I wouldn't be spouting。。。 whatever it bloody is！ He would also be milking his father's cows instead of walking the world with a pocketful of gold； but he managed to ignore that part of it。
〃Are you here to gamble；〃 he said harshly； 〃or babble like old women over their knitting！〃
〃To gamble；〃 Baran said curtly。 〃Three crowns； gold！〃 He tossed the coins onto the pot。
〃And three more besides。〃 Estean hiccoughed and added six golden crowns to the pile。
Suppressing a grin； Mat forgot about the Old Tongue。 It was easy enough； he did not want to think about it。 Besides； if they were starting this strongly； he might win enough on this hand to leave in the morning。 And if he's crazy enough to start a war； I'll leave if I have to walk。
Outside in the darkness； a cock crowed。 Mat shifted uneasily and told himself not to be foolish。 No one was going to die。
His eyes dropped to his cards … and blinked。 The Amyrlin's flame had been replaced by a knife。 While he was telling himself he was tired and seeing things； she plunged the tiny blade into the back of his hand。
With a hoarse yell； he flung the cards away and hurled himself backward； overturning his chair； kicking the table with both feet as he fell。 The air seemed to thicken like honey。 Everything moved as if time had slowed； but at the same time everything seemed to happen at once。 Other cries echoed his； hollow shouts reverberating inside a cavern。 He and the chair drifted back and down； the table floated upward。
The Ruler of Flames hung in the air； growing larger； staring at him with a cruel smile。 Now close to life…size； she started to step out of the card； she was still a painted shape； with no depth； but she reached for him with her blade； red with his blood as if it had already been driven into his heart。 Beside her the Ruler of Cups began to grow； the Tairen High Lord drawing his sword。
Mat floated； yet somehow he managed to reach the dagger in his left sleeve and hurl it in the same motion； straight for the Amyrlin's heart。 If this thing had a heart。 The second knife came into his left hand smoothly and left more smoothly。 The two blades drifted through the air like thistledown。 He wanted to scream； but that first yell of shock and outrage still filled his mouth。 The Ruler of Rods was expanding beside the first two cards； the Queen of Andor gripping the rod like a bludgeon； her red…gold hair framing a madwoman's snarl。
He was still falling； still yelling that drawn…out yell。 The Amyrlin was free of her card； the High Lord striding out with his sword。 The flat shapes moved almost as slowly as he。 Almost。 He had proof the steel in their hands could cut； and no doubt the rod could crack a skull。 His skull。
His thrown daggers moved as if sinking in jelly。 He was sure the cock had crowed for him。 Whatever his father said； the omen had been real。 But he would not give up and die。 Somehow he had two more daggers out from under his coat； one in either hand。 Struggling to twist in midair； to get his fe