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you any more than they have to。〃
〃I have noticed；〃 Tam said dryly。
Both Aes Sedai were definitely listening； and making no secret of it now。 Alanna arched an icy eyebrow at Tam； and Abell shifted his feet as if he thought Tam was pushing his luck； but it would take more than a stare to upset Tam。
〃Can we talk outside？〃 Perrin asked the two men。 〃I want a breath of air。〃 He wanted to talk without Aes Sedai eavesdropping and watching； but he could hardly say so。
Tam and Abell were agreeable； and perhaps as eager to escape Verin and Alanna's scrutiny as he； but first there was the matter of the rabbits； all of which they handed over to Alanna。
〃We meant to keep two for ourselves；〃 Abell said； 〃but it seems you have more mouths to feed。〃
〃There is no need for this。〃 The Green sister sounded as though she had said as much often before。
〃We like to pay for what we get 〃 Tam told her； sounding the same。 〃The Aes Sedai were kind enough to do a little Healing for us；〃 he added to Perrin； 〃and we want to stock up credit in case we need it again。〃
Perrin nodded。 He could understand not wanting to take a gift from Aes Sedai。 〃An Aes Sedai's gift always has a hook in it；〃 the old saying went。 Well； he knew the truth of that。 But it did not really matter whether you took the gift or paid for it； Aes Sedai managed to set the hook anyway。 Verin was watching him with a tiny smile； as if she knew what he was thinking。
As the three men started out； carrying their bows； Faile rose to follow。 Perrin shook his head at her； and amazingly she sat back down。 He wondered if she was ill。
After pausing so Tam and Abell could admire Stepper and Swallow； they strolled off a way under the trees。 The sun slanted westward； lengthening shadows。 The older men made a few jokes about his beard； but they never mentioned his eyes。 Strangely； the omission did not bother him。 He had more important worries than whether somebody thought his eyes peculiar。
Responding to Abell's query as to whether 〃that thing〃 was any good for straining soup； he rubbed his beard and said mildly； 〃Faile likes it。〃
〃Oh…ho；〃 Tam chuckled。 〃That's the girl； is it？ A spirited look to her； lad。 She'll have you lying awake nights trying to tell up from down。〃
〃Only one way to handle that sort；〃 Abell said； nodding。 〃Let her think she's running things。 That way； when it's important； and you say different； by the time she gets over the shock of it； you'll have matters arranged as you want； and it will be too late for her to badger you about changing it。〃
That seemed to Perrin a great deal like what Mistress al'Vere had told Faile about handling men。 He wondered if Abell and Marin had ever pared notes。 Not likely。 Perhaps it was worth trying with Faile。 Only； she seemed to have her own way in any case。
He glanced over his shoulder。 The sickhouse was almost hidden by the trees。 They had to be safe from the Aes Sedai's ears。 He listened carefully； drew a deep breath。 A woodpecker drummed somewhere in the distance。 There were squirrels in the leafy branches overhead； and a fox had passed this way not long ago with its kill； a rabbit。 Aside from the three of them； there was no man scent； nothing to indicate a hidden Warder listening。 Perhaps he was being too cautious； but good reasons or no； he could not get past the coincidence of both Aes Sedai being women he had met before； one a woman Egwene did not trust； the other a woman he was not sure he trusted。
〃Do you stay here？〃 he asked。 〃With Verin and Alanna？〃
〃Hardly；〃 Abell replied。 〃How could a man sleep with Aes Sedai under the same roof？ What there is of it。〃
〃We thought this would be a good place to hide；〃 Tam said； 〃but they were here before us。 I think those Warders might have killed both of us if Marin and some others of the Women's Circle hadn't been here then； too。〃
Abell grimaced。 〃I think it was the Aes Sedai finding out who we were that stopped it。 Who our sons were； I mean。 They show too much interest in you boys to suit me。〃 He hesitated； fingering his bow。 〃That Alanna let slip that you're ta'veren。 All three of you。 I've heard Aes Sedai can't lie。〃
〃I haven't seen any signs of it in me；〃 Perrin said wryly。 〃Or Mat。〃
Tam glanced at him when he did not mention Rand … he was going to have to learn to lie better； trying to keep his own secrets and everybody else's； too … but what the older man said was； 〃Maybe you just don't know what to look for。 How is it you e to be traveling with an Ogier and three Aiel？〃
〃The last peddler I saw said there were Aiel this side of the Spine of the World；〃 Abell put in； 〃but I didn't believe him。 Said he'd heard there were Aiel in Murandy； of all places； or maybe Altara。 He wasn't too certain of exactly where； but a long way from the Waste。〃
〃None of that has anything to do with ta'veren；〃 Perrin said。 〃Loial is a friend； and he came to help me。 Gaul is a friend； too； I suppose。 Bain and Chiad came with Faile； not me。 It's all sort of plicated； but it just happened。 Nothing to do with ta'veren。〃
〃Well； whatever the reason；〃' Abell said； 〃the Aes Sedai are interested in you lads。 Tam and I traveled all the way to Tar Valon last year； to the White Tower； trying to find out where you were。 We could hardly unearth one to admit she knew your names； but it was plain they were hiding something。 The Keeper of the Chronicles had us on a boat heading downriver； our pockets stuffed with gold and our heads full of vague assurances； almost before we could make our bows。 I don't like the idea the Tower may be using Mat some way。〃
Perrin wished he could tell Mat's father nothing like that was going on； but he was not sure he was up to that big a lie with a straight face。 Moiraine was not watching Mat because she liked his grin； Mat was tangled as deeply with the Tower as he himself； maybe deeper。 The three of them were all tied tight； and the Tower held the strings。
A silence descended on them； until at last Tam said quietly； 〃Lad； about your family。 I've sad news。〃
〃I know；〃 Perrin said quickly； and the hush fell again； with each staring at his own boots。 Quiet was what was needed。 A few moments to pull back from painful emotions and the embarrassment of having them plain on your face。
Wings fluttered； and Perrin looked up to see a large raven alighting in an oak fifty paces away； beady black eyes sharp on the three men。 His hand darted for his quiver； but even as he drew fletchings to cheek； two arrows knocked； the raven from its perch。 Tam and Abell were already nocking anew； eyes scanning the trees and sky for more of the black birds。 There was nothing。
Tam's shot had taken the raven in the head； which was no surprise and no accident。 Perrin had not lied when he told Faile these two men were better than he with the bow。 No one in the Two Rivers could match Tam's shooting。
〃Filthy things；〃 Abell muttered； putting a foot on the bird to pull his arrow free。 Cleaning the arrow point in the dirt； he returned it to his quiver。 〃They're everywhere nowadays。〃
〃The Aes Sedai told us about them；〃 Tam said； 〃spying for the Fades； and we spread the word。 The Women's Circle did； too。 Nobody paid much mind until they started attacking sheep； though； pecking out eyes； killing some。 The clip will be bad enough this year without that。 Not that it matters much； I suppose。 Between Whitecloaks and Trollocs； I doubt we'll see any merchants after our wool this year。〃
〃Some fool has gone crazy over it；〃 Abell added。 〃Maybe more than one。 We've found all sorts of dead animals。 Rabbits； deer； foxes； even a bear。 Killed and left to rot。 Most not even skinned。 It's a man； or men； not Trollocs； I found boot prints。 A big man； but too small for a Trolloc。 A shame and a waste。〃
Slayer。 Slayer here； and not just in the wolf dream。 Slayer and Trollocs。 The man in the dream had seemed familiar。 Perrin scuffed dirt and leaves over the dead raven with his boot。 There would be plenty of time for Trollocs later。 A lifetime； if need be。 〃I promised Mat I'd look after Bode and Eldrin； Master Cauthon。 How hard will it he to get them； and the others； free？〃
〃Hard；〃 Abell sighed； his face sagging。 Suddenly he looked his age and more。 〃Powerful hard。 I got close enough to see Natti after they took her； walking outside the tent where they're holding everybody。 I could see her with a couple of hundred Whitecloaks between us。 I got a little careless； and one of them put an arrow through me。 If Tam hadn't hauled me back here to the Aes Sedai。。。〃
〃It's a good…sized camp；〃 Tam said； 〃right under Watch Hill。 Seven or eight hundred men。 Patrols； day and night； with the heaviest concentration from Watch Hill down to Emond's Field。 If they spread out more； it would make things easier for us； but except for a hundred men or so at Taren Ferry； they've just about given the rest of the Two Rivers over to the Trollocs。 It's bad down around Deven Ride； I hear。 Another farm burned almost every night。 The same between Watch Hill and the River Taren。 Bringing Natti and the others out will be hard； and after； we'll have to hope the Aes Sedai will let them stay here。 That pair aren't too pleased at anyone knowing where they are。〃
〃Surely someone will hide them；〃 Perrin protested。 〃You can't tell me everyone's turned their backs on you。 They don't really believe you're Darkfriends？〃 Even as he said it； he was remembering Cenn Buie。
〃No； not that；〃 Tam said； 〃except for a few fools。 Plenty of folk will give us a meal； or a night in the barn； sometimes even a bed； but you have to understand they're uneasy about helping people the Whitecloaks are chasing。 It's nothing to blame them for。 Things are stone hard； and most men are trying to look after their own families the best they can； Asking someone to take in Natti and the girls； Haral and Alsbet。。。 Well； it might be asking too much。〃
〃I thought better of Two Rivers folk than that；〃 Perrin muttered。
Abell managed a weak smile。 〃Most people feel caught between two millstones； Perrin。 They're just hoping they aren't ground to flour between Whitecloaks and Trollocs。〃
〃They should stop hoping and do something。〃 For a moment Perrin felt abashed。 He had not been living here； he had no idea what it was like。 But he was still right。 As long as the people hid behind the Children of the Light； they would have to put up with whatever the Children wanted to do； whether taking books or arresting women and girls。 〃Tomorrow I'll take a look at this Whitecloak camp。 There has to be some way to free them。 And once they are； we can turn our attention to Trollocs。 A Warder once told me Trollocs call the Aiel Waste 'the Dying Ground。' I mean to make them give that name to the Two Rivers。〃
〃Perrin；〃 Tam began； then stopped； looking troubled。
Perrin knew his eyes caught the light； there in the shadows under the oak。 His face felt carved from rock。
Tam sighed。 〃First we'll see about Natti and the others。 Then we can decide what to do about the Trollocs。 〃
〃Don't let it eat you inside； boy；〃 Abell said softly。 〃Hate can grow till it burns everything else out of you。〃
〃Nothing is eating me；〃 Perrin told them in a level voice。 〃I just mean to do what needs doing。〃 He ran a thumb along the edge of his axe。 What needed doing。
Dain Bornhald held himself straight in his saddle as the hundred he had taken on patrol approached Watch Hill。 Fewer than a hundred； now。 Eleven saddles had cloak…wrapped bodies tied across them； and twenty…three more men nursed wounds。 The Trollocs had laid a neat ambush； it might have succeeded against soldiers less well trained； less tough than the Children。 What troubled him was that this was his third patrol to be attacked in force。 Not a chance encounter； not happening on Trollocs killing and burning； but meeting a planned attack。 And only patrols he led personally。 The Trollocs tried to avoid the others。 The fact presented worrisome questions； and the answers he came up with gave no
solutions。
The sun was dropping。 A few lights already appeared in the village that covered