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e on！〃 he shouted。 〃It is all right！ No one will hurt you！ I said move those wagons；〃 he snapped at the men standing around staring at him。 Taking Tinkers for Trollocs！ 〃And go fetch your arrows； you'll have real need for them sooner or later。〃 Slowly some moved to obey； and he shouted again； 〃No one will harm you！ It is all right！ e on！〃 The wagons rolled to either side with the creak of axles that needed grease。
A few brightly garbed Tuatha'an climbed over the fence； then a few more； and started toward the village in a hesitant； footsore half…run； seeming almost as afraid of what lay ahead as whatever lay behind。 They huddled together at the sight of men dashing out from the village； balancing on the edge of turning back even when the Two Rivers folk trotted by； looking at them curiously； to begin pulling arrows out of the dirt。 Yet they did stumble on。
Perrin's insides turned to ice。 Twenty men and women； perhaps； some carrying small children； and a handful of older children running； too； their dazzling colors all torn and stained with dirt。 And some with blood； he saw as they came closer。 That was all。 Out of how many in the caravan？ There was Raen； at least； shuffling as though half…dazed and being guided by Ila； one side of her face a dark； swollen bruise。 At least they had survived。
Short of the opening； the Tuatha'an stopped； staring uncertainly at the sharp stakes and the mass of armed men。 Some of the children clutched their elders and hid their faces。 They smelled of fear； of terror。 Faile jumped down and ran to them； but though Ila hugged her； she did not take another step nearer。 The older woman seemed to be drawing fort from the younger。
〃We won't hurt you；〃 Perrin said。 I should have made them e。 The Light burn me； I should have made them！ 〃You are wele to our fires。〃
〃Tinkers。〃 Hari's mouth twisted scornfully。 〃What do we want with a bunch of thieving Tinkers？ Take everything that isn't nailed down。〃
Darl open his mouth； to support Hari no doubt； but before he could speak someone in the crowd shouted； 〃So do you； Hari！ And you'll take the nails； too！〃 Sparse laughter snapped Darl's jaws shut。 Not many laughed； though； and those that did eyed the bedraggled Tuatha'an and looked down in disfort。
〃Hari is right！〃 Daise Congar called； bulling through； pushing men out of her path。 〃Tinkers steal； and not just things！ They steal children！〃 Shoving her way to Cenn Buie； she shook a finger as thick as Cenn's thumb under his nose。 He backed away as much as he could in the press； she overtopped him by a head and outweighed him by half。 〃You are supposed to be on the Village Council； but if you don't want to listen to the Wisdom； I'll bring the Women's Circle into this； and we will take care of it。〃 Some of the men nodded； muttering。
Cenn scratched his thinning hair； eyeing the Wisdom sideways。 〃Aaah。。。well。。。 Perrin；〃 he said slowly in that scratchy voice； 〃the Tinkers do have a reputation； you know； and …〃 He cut off； jumping back as Perrin whirled Stepper to face the Two Rivers folk。
A good many scattered before the dun； but Perrin did not care。 〃We'll not turn anyone away；〃 he said in a tight voice。 〃No one！ Or do you mean to send children off for the Trollocs？〃 One of the Tuatha'an children began to cry； a sharp wailing； and he wished he had not said that； but Cenn's face went red as a beet； and even Daise looked abashed。
〃Of course we'll take them in；〃 the thatcher said gruffly。 He rounded on Daise； all puffed up like a banty rooster ready to fight a mastiff。 〃And if you want to bring the Women's Circle into it； the Village Council will sit the whole lot of you down sharp！ You see if we don't！〃
〃You always were an old fool； Cenn Buie；〃 Daise snorted。 〃Do you think we'd let you send children back out there for Trollocs？〃 Cenn's jaw worked furiously； but before he could get a word out Daise put a hand on his narrow chest and thrust him aside。 Donning a smile； she strode out to the Tuatha'an and put a forting arm around Ila。 〃You just e along with me； and I'll see you all get hot baths and somewhere to rest。 Every house is crowded； but we'll find places for everyone。 e。〃
Marin al'Vere came hurrying through the crowd； and Alsbet Luhhan； Natti Cauthon and Neysa Ayellin and more women； taking up children or putting arms around Tuatha'an women； urging them along； scolding the Two Rivers men to make way。 Not that anybody was balking； now； it just took a little time for so many to jostle back and open a path。
Faile gave Perrin an admiring look； but he shook his head。 This was not ta'veren work； Two Rivers people might need the right way pointed out to them sometimes； but they could see it when it was。 Even Hari Coplin； watching the Tinkers brought in； did not look as sour as he had。 Well； not。 quite as sour。 There was no use expecting miracles。
Shambling by； Raen looked up at Perrin dully。 〃The Way of the Leaf is the right way。 All things die in their appointed time； and。。。〃 He trailed off as if he could not remember what he had been going to say。
〃They came last night；〃 Ila said； mumbling because of her swollen face。 Her eyes were almost as glazed as her husband's。 〃The dogs might have helped us escape； but the Children killed all the dogs； and。。。 There was nothing we could do。〃 Behind her； Aram shivered in his yellow…striped coat； staring at all the armed men。 Most of the Tinker children were crying now。
Perrin frowned at the smoke rising to the south。 Twisting in his saddle； he could make out more to the north and east。 Even if most of those represented houses already abandoned； the Trollocs had had a busy night。 How many would it take to fire that many farms； even running between and taking no more time than needed to toss a torch into an empty house or unwatched field？ Maybe as many as they had killed today； What did that say about Trolloc numbers already in the Two Rivers？ It did not seem possible one band had done it all； burning all those houses and destroying the Traveling People's caravan； too。
Eyes falling on the Tuatha'an being led away； he felt a stab of embarrassment。 They had seen kith and kin killed last night； and here he was coldly considering numbers。 He could hear some of the Two Rivers men muttering； trying to decide which smoke represented whose farm。 To all of these people those fires meant real losses； lives to be rebuilt if they could； not just numbers。 He was useless here。 Now； while Faile was caught up in helping see to the Tinkers； was the time for him to be off after Loial and Gaul。
Master Luhhan； in his blacksmith's vest and long leather apron； caught Stepper's bridle。 〃Perrin； you have to help me。 The Warders want me to make parts for more of those catapults； but I've twenty men clamoring for me to repair bits of armor their grandfathers' fool grandfathers bought from some fool merchants' guards。〃
〃I would like to give you a hand；〃 Perrin said； 〃but I have something else that needs doing。 I'd likely be rusty； anyway。 I haven't had much work at a forge the last year。〃
〃Light； I didn't mean that。 Not for you to work a hammer。〃 The blacksmith sounded shocked。 〃Every time I send one of those goose…brains off with a bee in his ear； he's back ten minutes later with a new argument。 I cannot get any work done。 They'll listen to you。〃
Perrin doubted it； not if they would not listen to Master Luhhan。 Aside from being on the Village Council； Haral Luhhan was big enough to pick up nearly any man in the Two Rivers and toss him out bodily if need be。 But he went along to the makeshift forge Master Luhhan had set up beneath a hastily built； open…sided shed near the Green。 Six men clustered around the anvils salvaged from the smithy the Whitecloaks had burned； and another idly pumping the big leather bellows until the blacksmith chased him away from the long handles with a shout。 To Perrin's surprise they did listen when he told them to go； with no speech to bend men 'round a ta'veren's will； just a plain statement that Master Luhhan was busy。 Surely the blacksmith could have done as much himself； but he shook Perrin's hand and thanked him profusely before setting to work。
Bending down from Stepper's saddle； Perrin caught one of the men by the shoulder； a bald…headed farmer named Get Eldin； and asked him to stay and warn off anyone else who tried to bother Master Luhhan。 Get must have been three times his age； but the leathery； wrinkle…faced man just nodded and took up a station near where Haral had his hammer ringing on hot iron。 Now he could be off； before Faile turned up。
Before he could as much as turn Stepper； Bran appeared； spear on his shoulder and steel cap under one stout arm。 〃Perrin； there has to be a faster way to bring the shepherds and herdsmen in if we're attacked again。 Even sending the fastest runners in the village； Abell couldn't get half of them back here before those Trollocs came out of the wood。〃
That was easy to solve； a matter of remembering an old bugle； tarnished nearly black； that Cenn Buie had hanging on his wall； and settling on a signal of three long blasts that the farthest shepherd could hear。 It did bring up signals for other things； of course； such as sending everyone to their places if an attack was expected。 Which led to how to know when an attack was expected。 Bain and Chiad and the Warders turned out to be more than amenable to scouting； but four were hardly enough； so good woodsmen and trackers had to be found； and provided with horses so they could reach Emond's Field ahead of any Trollocs they
spotted。
After that； Buel Dowtry had to be settled down。 The white…haired old fletcher； with a nose nearly as sharp as a broadhead point； knew very well that most farmers usually made their own arrows； but he was adamantly opposed to anyone helping him here in the village； as if he could keep every quiver filled by himself。 Perrin was not sure how he smoothed Buel's ruffled temper； but somehow he left the man happily teaching a knot of boys to tie and glue goose…feather fletchings。
Eward Candwin； the stout cooper； had a different problem。 With so many folks needing water； he had more buckets and barrels to make than he could hoop in weeks； alone。 It did not take long to find him hands he trusted to chamfer staves at least； but more people came with questions and problems they seemed to think only Perrin had the answers for； from where to burn the bodies of the dead Trollocs to whether it was safe to return to their farms to save what they could。 That last he answered with a firm no whenever it was asked … and it was asked more often than any other； by men and women frowning at the smoke rising in the countryside … but most of the time he simply inquired what the questioner thought was a good solution and told him to do that。 It was seldom he really had to e up with an answer； people knew what to do； they just had this fool notion they had to ask him。
Dannil and Ban and the others found him and insisted on riding about at his heels with that banner； as if the big one over the Green was not bad enough； until he sent them off to guard the men who had gone back to felling trees along the Westwood。 It seemed that Tam had told them some tale about something called the panions； in Illian； soldiers who rode with the general of an Illianer army and were thrown in wherever the battle was hottest。 Tam； of all people！ At least they took the banner with them。 Perrin felt a right fool with that thing trailing after him。
In the middle of the morning； Luc rode in； all golden…haired arrogance； nodding slightly to acknowledge a few cheers； though why anyone wanted to cheer him seemed a mystery。 He brought a trophy that he pulled out of a leather bag and had set on a spear at the edge of the Green for everyone to gawk at。 A Myrddraal's eyeless head。 The fellow was modest enough； in a condescending sort of way； but he did let slip that he had killed the Fade when he ran into a band of Trollocs。 An admiring train took him around to see the scene of the battle here … they were calling it that … where horses were dragging Trollocs off to great pyres already sending up pillars of oily black smoke。 Luc was