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t in Caemlyn you don't wait until you are betrothed before kissing a girl。 And it does not mean you must bee betrothed； either。 But perhaps you do not know how …〃 His arms went around her almost roughly； and his lips came down on hers。 Her head spun； her toes tried to curl up in her slippers。 Some time later … she was not certain how long … she realized she was leaning against his chest； knees trembling； trying to gulp air。
〃Forgive me for interrupting you；〃 he said。 She was glad to hear a touch of breathlessness in his voice。 〃I am just a backward shepherd from the Two Rivers。〃
〃You are uncouth；〃 she murmured against his shirt； 〃and you did not shave this morning； but I would not say you are backward。〃
〃Elayne； I …〃
She put a hand over his mouth。 〃I do not want to hear anything from you that you do not mean with your whole heart；〃 she said firmly。 〃Not now； or ever。〃
He nodded； not as if he understood why； but at least as if he understood that she meant what she said。 Straightening her hair … the strand of sapphires was tangled beyond mending without a mirror … she stepped out of his encircling arms； not without reluctance； it would be all too easy to remain there； and she had already been more forward than she had ever dreamed of before。 Speaking up like that； asking for a kiss。 Asking！ She was not Berelain。
Berelain。 Perhaps Min had had a viewing。 What Min saw； happened； but she would not share him with Berelain。 Perhaps she needed to do a bit more plain speaking。 Obliquely plain； at least。 〃I expect you will not lack for pany after I go。 Just remember that some women see a man with their hearts； while others see no more than a bauble to wear； no different than a necklace or a bracelet。 Remember that I will e back； and I am one who sees with her heart。〃 He looked confused； at first； then a little alarmed。 She had said too much； too fast。 She had to divert him。 〃Do you know what you have not said to me？ You have not tried to frighten me away by telling me how dangerous you are。 Don't try now。 It is too late。〃
〃I did not think of it。〃 Another thought came to him； though； and his eyes crinkled with suspicion。 〃Did you and Egwene scheme this up between you？〃
She managed to bine wide…eyed innocence with mild outrage。 〃How could you even consider such a thing？ Do you imagine we would hand you around between us like a package？ You think a good deal of yourself。 There is such a thing as being overproud。〃 He did look confused； now。 Quite satisfactory。 〃Are you sorry for what you did to us； Rand？〃
〃I did not mean to frighten you；〃 he said hesitantly。 〃Egwene made me angry； she's always been able to without half trying。 That's no excuse； I know。 I said I was sorry； and I am。 Look what it got me。 Burned tables and another mattress ruined。〃
〃And for。。。 the pinch？〃
His face reddened again； but he faced her firmly even so。 〃No。 No； I am not sorry for that。 The two of you； talking over my head； as if I were a lump of wood with no ears。 You deserved as much； both of you； and I won't say different。〃
For a moment she considered him。 He rubbed his arms through his coat sleeves as she momentarily embraced saidar。 She did not know Healing to any degree； but she had learned bits and pieces on the edge of it。 Channeling； she soothed away the hurt she had given him for the pinch。 His eyes widened in surprise； and he shifted on his feet as if testing the absence of pain。 〃For being honest；〃 she told him simply。
There was a rap at the door； and Gaul looked in。 At first the Aielman had his head down； but after a quick glance at them he raised it。 Color flooded Elayne's face as she realized he had suspected that he might be interrupting something he should not see。 She very nearly embraced saidar again and taught him a lesson。
〃The Tairens are here；〃 Gaul said。 〃The High Lords you were expecting。〃
〃I will go； then；〃 she told Rand。 〃You must tell them about … taxes； was it not？ Think on what I have said。〃 She did not say 〃think of me；〃 but she was sure the effect would be the same。
He reached out as if to stop her； but she slipped away from him。 She had no intention of putting on a display in front of Gaul。 The man was Aiel； but what must he think of her； wearing perfume and sapphires at that hour of the morning？ It required real effort not to pull the neckline of her dress up higher。
The High Lords entered as she reached the door； a cluster of graying men in pointed beards and colorful； ornate coats with puffy sleeves。 They crowded out of her way with reluctant bows； their bland faces and polite murmurs not hiding their relief that she was leaving。
She glanced back once from the doorway。 A tall； broad…shouldered young man in a plain green coat among the High Lords in their silks and satin stripes； Rand looked like a stork among peacocks； yet there was something about him； a presence that said he manded there by right。 The Tairens recognized it； bending their stiff necks reluctantly。 He thought probably they bowed just because he was the Dragon Reborn； and perhaps they thought so； too。 But she had seen men； like Gareth Bryne； the Captain…mander of her mother's Guards； who could have dominated a room in rags； with no title and no one knowing their name。 Rand might not know it； but he was such a man。 He had not been when she first saw him； but he was now。 She pulled the door shut behind her。
The Aiel around the entrance glanced at her； and the captain manding the ring of Defenders in the middle of the anteroom stared uneasily； but she barely noticed them。 It was done。 Or at least it was begun。 Four days she had before Joiya and Amico were put on that ship； four days at most to twine herself so firmly into Rand's thoughts that he had no room for Berelain。 Of if not that； firmly enough that she stayed inside his head until she had the chance to do more。 She had never thought she might do a thing like this； stalk a man like a huntress stalking a wild boar。 The butterflies were still gamboling in her stomach。 At least she had not let him see how nervous she was。 And it occurred to her that she had not once thought of what her mother would say。 With that； the flutterings vanished。 She did not care what her mother said。 Morgase had to accept her daughter as a woman； that was all there was to it。
The Aiel bowed as she moved away； and she acknowledged them with a gracious nod that would have done Morgase proud。 Even the Tairen captain looked at her as if he could see her new serenity。 She did not think she would be troubled by butterflies again。 For the Black Ajah perhaps； but not for Rand。
Ignoring the High Lords in their anxious semicircle； Rand watched the door close behind Elayne with wonder in his eyes。 Dreams ing true； even only this much； made him uneasy。 A swim in the Waterwood was one thing； but he would never have believed a dream where she came to him like this。 She had been so cool and collected； while he was tripping over his own tongue。 And Egwene； giving his own thoughts back to him and only concerned she might hurt him。 Why was it women could go to pieces or fly into a rage at the smallest thing； yet never flicker an eyelash at what left you gaping？
〃My Lord Dragon？〃 Sunamon murmured even more diffidently than usual。 Word of this morning must have spread through the Stone already； that first lot had nearly run on their way out； and it was doubtful Torean would show his face； or his filthy suggestions； anywhere Rand was。
Sunamon essayed an ingratiating smile； then smothered it； drywashing his plump hands； when Rand only looked at him。 The rest pretended they did not see the burned tables； or the shattered mattress and scattered books； or the half…melted lumps over the fireplace that had been the stag and wolves。 High Lords were good at seeing only what they wanted to see。 Carleon and Tedosian； false self…effacement in every line of their thick bodies； surely never realized there was anything suspicious in never looking at one another。 But then； Rand might never have noticed if not for Thom's note； found in the pocket of a coat just back from being brushed。
〃The Lord Dragon wished to see us？〃 Sunamon managed。
Could Egwene and Elayne have worked it up between them？ Of course not。 Women did not do things like that any more than men。 Did they？ It had to be coincidence。 Elayne heard that he was free and decided to speak。 That was it。 〃Taxes；〃 he barked。 The Tairens did not move； but they gave the impression of stepping back。 How he hated dealing with these men； he wanted to dive back into the books。
〃It is a bad precedent； my Lord Dragon； lowering taxes；〃 a lean； gray…haired man said in an oily voice。 Meilan was tall for a Tairen； only a hand shorter than Rand； and hard as any Defender。 He held himself in a stoop in Rand's presence； his dark eyes showed how he hated it。 But he had hated it when Rand told them to stop crouching around him； too。 None of them straightened； but Meilan especially had not liked being reminded of what he did。 〃The peasants have always paid easily； but if we lower their taxes； when the day es that we raise them back to where they now are； the fools will plain as bitterly as if we had doubled the present levy。 There might well be riots when that day es； my Lord Dragon。〃
Rand strode across the room to stand before Callandor； the crystal sword glittered； outshining the gilt and gemstones surrounding it。 A reminder of who he was； of the power he could wield。 Egwene。 It was foolish to feel hurt because she said she no longer loved him。 Why should he expect her to have feelings for him that he did not have for her？ Yet it did hurt。 A relief； but not a pleasant one。 〃You will have riots if you drive men off their farms。〃 Three books stood in a stack almost by Meilan's feet。 The Treasures of the Stone of Tear； Travels in the Waste； and Dealings with the Territory of Mayene。 The keys lay in those； and in the various translations of The Karaethon Cycle； if he could only find them and fit them to the proper locks。 He pushed his mind back to the High Lords。 〃Do you think they will watch their families starve and do nothing？〃
〃The Defenders of the Stone have put down riots before； my Lord Dragon；〃 Sunamon said soothingly。 〃Our own guards can keep peace in the countryside。 The peasants will not disturb you； I give you my assurance。〃
〃There are too many farmers as it is。〃 Carleon flinched at Rand's glare。 〃It is the civil war in Cairhien； my Lord Dragon；〃 he explained hurriedly。 〃The Cairhienin can buy no grain； and the granaries are bursting。 This year's harvest will go to waste as it is。 And next year。。。 ？ Burn my soul； my Lord Dragon； but what we need is for some of those peasants to stop their eternal digging and planting。〃 He seemed to realize he had said too much； though he clearly did not understand why。 Rand wondered whether he had any idea how food got to his table。 Did he see anything but gold； and power？
〃What will you do when Cairhien is buying grain again？〃 Rand said coolly。 〃For that matter； is Cairhien the only land that needs grain？〃 Why had Elayne spoken up like that？ What did she expect of him？ Fond； she said。 Women could play games with words like Aes Sedai。 Did she mean she loved him？ No； that was plain foolishness。 Overproud to a degree。
〃My Lord Dragon；〃 Meilan said； half subservient； half as if explaining something to a child； 〃if the civil wars stopped today； Cairhien still could not buy more than a few bargeloads for two； even three years。 We have always sold our grain to Cairhien。〃
Always … for the twenty years since the Aiel War。 They were so bound up in what they had always done that they could not see what was so simple。 Or would not see it。 When the cabbages sprouted like weeds around Emond's Field； it was a near certainty that bad rain or whiteworm had struck Deven Ride or Watch Hill。 When Watch Hill had too many turnips； Emond's Field would have a shortage； or Deven Ride。
〃Offer it in Illian；〃 he told them。 What did Elayne expect？ 〃Or Altara。〃 He did like her； but he liked Min as much。 Or thought he did。 It was impossible to sort out his feelings for either of them。 〃You h