“You are a fool, Perrin Aybara,” Masuri said. She had a blunt way about her.
“Son,” Tam addressed Perrin, “the lads put a lot of stock in that banner.”
“Too much,” Perrin said.
“Perhaps. But it’s good to have something to look to. When you took down the other banner, it was hard on them. This will be worse.”
“It needs to be done,” Perrin said. “The Two Rivers men have gotten too attached to it, started talking like they’re going to stay with me instead of going back to their families where they belong. When we get gateways working again, Tam, you’ll be taking them and going.” He looked at Berelain. “I suppose I can’t be rid of you and your men. You’ll go back with me to Rand.”
“I wasn’t aware,” Berelain said stiffly, “that you needed to ‘be rid’ of us. You seemed far less reluctant to accept my support when demanding the services of my Winged Guardsmen in rescuing your wife.”
Perrin took a deep breath. “I appreciate your help, all of you. We did a good thing in Malden, and not just for Faile and Alliandre. It was a thing that needed doing. But burn me, that’s over now. If you want to go on to follow Rand, I’m sure he’ll have you. But my Asha’man are exhausted, and the tasks I was given are complete. I’ve got these hooks inside of me, pulling me back to Rand. Before I can do that, I need to be done with all of you.”
“Husband,” Faile said, her words clipped. “Might I suggest that we begin with the ones who want to be sent away?”
“Yes,” Aravine said. The former gai’shain sat near the back of the tent, easy to overlook, though she had become an important force in Perrin’s camp administration. She acted as something of an unofficial steward for him. “Some of the refugees would be happy to return to their homes.”
“I’d rather move everyone, if I can,” Perrin said. “Grady?”
The Asha’man shrugged his shoulders. “The gateways I’ve made for scouts haven’t taxed me too much, and I think I could make some larger ones. I’m still a little weak, but I am mostly over the sickness. Neald will need more time, though.”
“My Lord.” Balwer coughed softly. “I have some figures of curious note. Moving as many people as you now have through gateways will take hours, maybe days. It won’t be a quick endeavor, as when we approached Malden.”
“That’s going to be rough, my Lord,” Grady said. “I don’t think I could hold one open such a long time. Not if you want me strong enough to be in fighting shape, just in case.”
Perrin settled back down, inspecting the map again. Berelain’s cup was empty; Morgase hurried over to fill it. “All right, then,” Perrin said. “We’ll start sending some smaller groups of refugees away, but those who want to leave first.”
“Also,” Faile said. “Perhaps it is time to send messengers to contact the Lord Dragon; he might be willing to send more Asha’man.”
Perrin nodded. “Yes.”
“Last we knew,” Seonid said, “he was in Cairhien. The largest number of the refugees are from there, so we could begin by sending some of them home, along with scouts to meet with the Lord Dragon.”
“He’s not there,” Perrin said.
“How do you know?” Edarra set down her cup. Morgase crept around the perimeter of the tent and snatched it for refilling. Eldest of the Wise Ones, and perhaps foremost among them—it was hard to tell with Wise Ones—Edarra looked strikingly young for her reported age. Morgase’s own tiny ability in the One Power was enough to tell her that this woman was strong. Probably the strongest in the room.
“I…” Perrin seemed to flounder. Had he a source of information he wasn’t sharing? “Rand has a habit of being where you don’t expect him. I doubt he’s remained in Cairhien. But Seonid is right—it’s the best place to start looking.”
“My Lord,” Balwer said. “I worry about what we might, ahem, blunder into if we are not careful. Fleets of refugees, returning through gateways unexpectedly? We have been out of touch for some time. Perhaps, in addition to contacting the Dragon, we could send scouts to gather information?”
Perrin nodded. “I could approve that.”
Balwer settled back, looking pleased, though that man was strikingly good at hiding his emotions. Why did he want so badly to send someone to Cairhien?
“I’ll admit,” Grady said, “I’m worried about moving all of these people. Even once Neald is well, it’s going to be exhausting to hold gateways open long enough to get them all through.”
“Perrin Aybara,” Edarra said. “There may be a way to fix this problem.”
“How?”
“These apprentices have been speaking of something. A circle, it is called? If we linked together, the Asha’man and some of us, then perhaps we could give them the strength to create larger gateways.”
Perrin scratched at his beard. “Grady?”
“I’ve never linked in a circle before, my Lord. But if we could figure it out…well, bigger gateways would move more people through faster. That could help a lot.”
“All right,” Perrin said, turning back to the Wise One. “What would it cost me for you to try this?”
“You have worked too long with Aes Sedai, Perrin Aybara,” Edarra said with a sniff. “Not everything must be done at a cost. This will benefit us all. I have been contemplating suggesting it for some time.”
Perrin frowned. “How long have you known that this might work?”
“Long enough.”
“Burn you, woman, why didn’t you bring it to me earlier, then?”
“You seem hardly interested in your position as chief, most of the time,” Edarra said coldly. “Respect is a thing earned and not demanded, Perrin Aybara.”
Morgase held her breath at that insolent comment. Many a lord would snap at someone for that tone. Perrin froze, but then nodded, as if that were the expected answer.
“Your Asha’man were sick when I first thought of this,” Edarra continued. “It would not have worked before. This is the appropriate time to raise the question. Therefore, I have done so.”
She insults Aes Sedai with one breath, Morgase thought, then acts just like one with the next. Still, being a captive in Malden had helped Morgase begin to understand Aiel ways. Everyone claimed the Aiel were incomprehensible, but she gave talk like that little credence. Aiel were people, like any other. They had odd traditions and cultural quirks, but so did everyone else. A queen had to be able to understand all of the people within her realm—and all of her realm&r