Chapter 42 Chapter 37: Notes in the Palace

On the first day after the Bird Festival, strong winds had been blowing from the Sea of ​​Storms since dawn, really blowing away the intense Ibouda heat.But the cloudless sky and the red-gold sun on the horizon made it clear that the heat would return as soon as the wind died down.Mat hurried through the Terrassine palace, his green coat unbuttoned and his shirt half-buttoned.It wasn't that any sound would startle him, but he did get a little nervous and his eyes were wider than usual.Every maid who passed by his side would flick their skirts and smile at him. They were all smiling, and they also had that...special...pretending to be ignorant expression.Matt could only try to control his steps and keep himself from running.

At last he walked almost on tiptoe down the corridor by the stable square.This corridor is flanked by fluted columns decorated with large red earthenware bowls planted with buff reeds.Vines with broad red-striped leaves hung from metal baskets fastened to the columns by chain links, weaving between the columns in a thin curtain.Mat inadvertently pulled the brim of his hat down over his face, and ran his hands up and down his spear (Birdgett called it the Essandire), as if intending to use it to protect himself.The dice were spinning violently in his mind, but it had nothing to do with his uneasiness, it was Tailin who was really uneasy.

Six large carriages with the emblem of the Mithopha family's anchor and sword painted on the doors are already waiting outside the tall arches of the Stable Square.Mat could see Nalesin in his yellow striped coat, yawning at the head of the carriage.Cheer was lazily sitting on an upside-down barrel not far from the arch, looking as if he had fallen asleep.Most of the rest of the Red Arms sat on the flagstone floor of the square, a few playing dice in the shadows cast by the great white stables.Elayne stood between Mat and the carriage, separated from Mat only by the tent of heavy vines.Lian Curley was with her, and beside them were six other women who he had seen in the house he broke into yesterday, and Lian was the only one among them who did not wear the red belt of the wise woman .Matt didn't expect that they would come today. From the outside, they are all the kind of people who are used to controlling their own and other people's lives. At least some gray hairs can be seen in their hair, but they all use expectations and Looking at little Yilan with respectful eyes, it seems that any word of Yilan will be regarded as the golden rule by them.But Mat didn't pay much attention to them, they were not the kind of women who would make him ready to run away at any time.Talin made him feel... well... powerless, that was probably the only word to describe how he felt, even though it seemed ridiculous.

"We don't need them, Rean," Elayne said.The Queen's tone was like a woman patting a child's head. "I've asked them to stay here until we come back. Without the obvious Aes Sedai around, we won't attract much attention, especially on the other side of the river." She wore a hat decorated with large tufts. A green wide-brimmed hat with feathers, a green linen dust-proof light cloak embroidered with golden spiral patterns on the back, and a high-necked green silk riding suit, with a large oval skin exposed on the chest, surrounding and The culottes are also embroidered with complicated and gorgeous patterns with gold thread.She even has a marriage dagger hanging around her neck.Mat suspected that this outfit was more likely to attract attention in that kind of lawlessness than the Aes Sedai, and besides a small dagger at her waist, she didn't have any weapons on her body.The thieves in Lahad's district must be itching to see those gold embellishments.However, women who can channel probably don't need any special weapons, those women wearing red belts only have a dagger stuck in their waists, and Li En's carved leather belt has nothing on it.

Li En took off the big blue straw hat on top of his head, looked at it with a frown, and then put it on again, fastening the tie on his chin.Elayne's tone obviously didn't put her off in any way, and with another smile on her face, she said in a somewhat timid tone: "But why does Aes Sedai Morrel think we're lying, Aes Sedai Elayne? " "They all think so," gasped another woman in a red sash.They were all dressed in cool-toned Abouda clothes, with narrow, deep necklines and skirts turned up on one side to reveal layers of petticoats, but only this skinny woman with long hair that was more white than black The olive skin and dark eyes of the Eboudans. "Aes Sedai Seresa called me a liar to my face, that we—" Rean's "quiet, Tamara" made her frown and shut her mouth immediately.Rean would smile and curtsy to any Aes Sedai, even if the Aes Sedai was just a child, but she kept her companions in check the whole time.

Mat frowned at the windows overlooking Stable Square.Some of those windows were screened by fine white carved iron railings, others were covered with carved whitewood shutters, and Talyn would not be there, nor should she be in Stable Square.Mat was careful not to wake her up while he was getting dressed, and besides, there wasn't much she could do here.But the woman who ordered six maids to catch him in the corridor last night and drag him into her bedroom, who knows what else she will do?That damned woman was playing with him like a toy!He won't take it any longer, he won't, light, can he do it?Or was he just comforting himself?If they couldn't find the Wind Bowl and get it out of Ebouda, Tylin would still be pinching his ass tonight and calling him dove.

"It's because of your age, Rean." Elayne's tone wasn't hesitant, she never hesitated, but she must have been very careful, "Talking about age among Aes Sedai is considered quite disrespectful, but... …Rean, there hasn't been any Aes Sedai who have outlived members of your Red Women since the fall of the world." That was the strange name the members of the family had given their leading organization. "And you yourself are at least a hundred years older than all living Aes Sedai." The women in red sashes all opened their mouths and stared in surprise.A slender woman with light honey-colored hair and hazel eyes gave a nervous laugh.Li En glared at her and said, "Femel!" She immediately covered her mouth.

"That's impossible," Rean said to Elayne in a low voice, "the Aes Sedai must—" "Good morning." Mat walked past the vines.This discussion is idiotic, everyone knows that Aes Sedai live longer than other people.They should be leaving for Lahad now instead of wasting time here. "Where are Tom and Zeling? And Nynaeve?" Nynaeve must have come back last night, otherwise Elayne would have been wandering around. "Damn it, I didn't see Birgitte either, we're leaving, Elayne, it won't do any good to stand here. Is Aviendha here?" Yilan frowned slightly at him, then glanced at Li En with twinkling eyes.Matt knew Elayne was deciding how to treat him.Whether it was widening her eyes innocently or flashing her dimples at him, it would affect the image of Elayne in the eyes of those women.Although those dimples are often used by Elan to overcome all kinds of troublesome guys, such as Mat.Now she raised her chin slightly: "Tom and Zeling are helping Avienda and Birgitte to monitor Jassim's residence, Matt." She didn't dare to put on a full princess posture, because she knew that Matt would What kind of reaction would there be, but she did use an unquestionable tone, a majestic cold light radiated from her blue eyes, and frost hung on that beautiful face.If there was any turmoil in her heart, it was frozen under arrogance.Is there any consistent woman in this world? "I'm sure Nynaeve will be down soon. You know you don't need to come, Mat, and Nalesin and your soldiers are good enough for bodyguards. You can continue to enjoy your time at the Palace until We'll be back."

"Jassem!" Mat yelled, "Elayne, we didn't come to Abuda to deal with Jasim Kalindine, we came to find the bowl so you or Nynaeve could make a passage, We'll be able to leave. Am I clear enough? I'm going to Lahad with you." Enjoy your time at the Palace!Only the light knew what would have happened to Tai Lin if he had stayed in the palace.Matt wanted to laugh hysterically at this. The wise women cast cold glances at him.The short and stout Sang Ke bit his lip angrily.Melor had her fists on her hips, a thundercloud on her face (she was a buxom Aladoman woman, and Mat had glanced at her breasts several times yesterday).They knew yesterday that this guy wasn't afraid of Aes Sedai's power, but the way Rean looked at him made him suspect that the woman might slap him.Apparently they thought everyone should respect Aes Sedai as much as they did.

Elayne pursed her lips tightly, her mind clearly racing with various thoughts.Matt had to admit that Elayne was very smart and could even make the impossible possible, but she was also a proud girl in her bones, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.Now, the other women are watching her. "Matt, you can't leave until we use that bowl." The haughty chin was still raised high, and her tone was precisely between explanation and order, "We may need a few days to figure out how to use it , maybe half a week, or longer. During this period of time, we may also get rid of Jassim." When she said the name of the white-robed people, Yilan's tone was full of hatred, as if she What a bloody feud with Jassim.But Matt only noticed one thing.

"Half a week!" Matt felt suffocated for a while.He slipped a finger into the silk scarf around his neck and loosened it a bit, the black silk scarf Tailin had tied his hands with last night when he wasn't looking.Half a week, or longer!Despite his best efforts, his voice became a little frantic. "Elayne, you sure can use that bowl anywhere, it doesn't have to be here, and Egwene would like you to get back if possible. I bet it would help her to have a friend or two around." The last time he saw Egwene When Ewen, he believed Egwene wished to have a hundred friends by her side.Maybe when he brought the women back, Egwene would give up the foolish idea of ​​being an Amyrth, and be brought to Rand by him, along with Elayne and Nynaeve and Aviendha. "And what do you tell Rand, Elayne? Caemlyn, the Lion Throne. Damn it, you know you've been thinking about going back to Caemlyn so Rand can give you the Lion Throne." For some reason, Yilan's expression became more and more gloomy, with a dangerous gleam in her eyes.That expression should be regarded as anger, but she obviously had no reason to be angry. As soon as Matt finished speaking, Elayne was furious and wanted to argue with him, but Matt was clearly ready to list all the promises she had made.Only Doomsday Abyss knows what she will look like in the eyes of Li En's group of women, and those family members are eager to reprimand Mat for being rude. But before anyone could make a sound, a fat, gray-haired woman in the uniform of the Misopah family curtsied to Elayne, to the women with the red sashes, and finally to Mat ( Mat recognized her as Laren), and she said, "This is from Queen Tylin, Lord Mat." As she spoke, she held out a basket covered with a piece of striped cloth and along the handle There is a row of small red flowers embroidered everywhere. "You haven't eaten, you must maintain your strength." Matt's face turned red, and the maid was still looking at him. Compared with the first time she led Matt in the palace, her eyes are now much richer, indeed much richer.When she delivered the dinner tray to Matt's room last night, Matt was trying to hide under the silk quilt.Mat didn't understand that these women always scared him and made him blush like a girl, and he didn't understand why. "Are you sure you don't want to stay in the Palace?" Elayne asked. "I'm sure Tailin would enjoy breakfasting with you. The Queen said she found you very pleasant and very kind and gentle and understanding. ’ Her voice was full of doubt. Mat snatched the breakfast basket in one hand, his Ashdarin in the other, and fled toward the wagon. "Are all Northern men that shy?" Laren said. While fleeing, Mat took a risky look back and confirmed that Laren had gathered up her skirt and walked into the tent of vines. Li En and the wise women formed a circle around Elan again, and he sighed.But he still shuddered a few times, he will definitely die in the hands of a woman in the future. Bypassing the carriage closest to him, he almost threw the basket in his hand on the ground.Bethelan was sitting on the steps of the carriage, inspecting his sword, the blade reflected a dazzling white light. "What are you doing here?" Mat called. Bethelan retracted the saber into its sheath, and grinned at Mat: "Go to Rahad with you, I think you will find us more fun there." "It's best to have some fun there." Nalesin yawned again, "I didn't sleep much last night, and now you're dragging me here again, preventing me from finding the Haimin woman." Che I sat on the barrel and looked around, but didn't see anything unusual, so I sat down again and closed my eyes. "If possible, there'd be no fun in there," Mat muttered.Nalesin didn't sleep much?what!The gang all went out to party.He wasn't unhappy, but if only he could forget how that woman played with him. "What Haimin woman?" "When Aes Sedai Nynaeve came back last night, she brought a dozen sea folk women with her, Mat," Betheran sighed, and raised her palms up to simulate a graceful swaying. "Their look Ah, Matt—” Mat shook his head, now he couldn't think of anything else, his mind was full of Tylin.Nynaeve and Elayne had told him about the Windseeker, and they were very reluctant to tell him, and they had made him swear to keep it a secret, and they had even asked him to keep Nynaeve's whereabouts a secret, let alone tell him. Why was he being so sneaky, and they didn't blush when they asked him to. "Women keep promises their way." Matt knew the saying.Mat suddenly remembered that he hadn't seen Lavitin and Belvin in the red arm, and maybe Nynaeve had obediently carried them with him. "...in their way." But if Nynaeve had brought the Windfinder into the palace, they surely wouldn't need half a week to deal with the bowl.Light, let them hurry! Mat thought of Nynaeve, who was also walking leisurely through the vine tent and into the carriage square at this time.Mat's jaw almost dropped: the one in the dark green coat with Nynaeve on his arm was Lan!Nynaeve put her arms around Lan's and watched him with a smile in her eyes.It was a normal look on other women's faces, because women like to daydream, but it was Nynaeve. Seeing the situation around her, Nynaeve froze for a moment, then hurriedly took a step aside, but she continued to hold Lan's hand for a while before letting go.Her choice of dress for casual outings was no better than Elayne's, a blue silk dress embellished with green embroidery, a plunging collar showing enough cleavage, and a heavy gold ring held by a thin gold chain lay there , even if she stuck two thumbs into that ring, she couldn't fill it up.The wide-brimmed hat on her head was decorated with long blue-dyed feathers, and the green dust-cloak was embroidered with blue patterns, and the other women in their woolen dresses were completely drowned in their brilliance. No matter how strange Nynaeve had been acting just now, she was completely back to being Nynaeve now.She threw her braids back and said in an orderly tone: "Lan, go to the other men. We are about to set off. The four carriages behind are men's rides." "Okay," Lan replied, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword and bowing. Nynaeve watched Lan stride toward Mat with a look of surprise on her face, as if she didn't believe Lan would obey her orders like that.Then she shook her head, regained her composure, and walked up to Elayne and the women, urging them two carriages ahead like a goose maiden herding her geese.When she shouted orders to the groom to open the stable gate, no one thought she was the cause of the delay.Then she began calling to the coachmen again, to put on the reins and raise their whips at once, as if they were about to set off without waiting for anyone to get into the wagons. After Lan, Nalesin, and Betheran got into the third carriage, Mat climbed awkwardly into it too.He had just put the black spear horizontally behind the door, and he sat down on the seat because of the momentum of the carriage's departure. Fortunately, the basket landed firmly on his lap and did not fall over. "Where are you from, Lan?" After introducing everyone to each other, Matt immediately asked, "I didn't expect you to come, where have you been all this time? Bright, I thought you were dead, I know Lan Ded was always afraid that you were in danger. And you listened to Nynaeve so much, Light, why?" Stoneface seems to be debating which question to answer first. "Nynaeve and I were married last night by the Captains," he said at last. "Athan Miyar's...marriage customs...are very different, and we are both amazed." His There was a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, which Mat thought was supposed to be a smile, and he shrugged slightly, as if that was all the answers he was going to offer. "Light bless you and your bride." Bethelan said politely, and bowed to Lan within the space allowed in the carriage.Nalessin mumbled something too, but from his expression he clearly thought Lan must be crazy, for Nalessin had spent a lot of time with Nynaeve and knew what kind of personality she had. Matt just rocked back and forth with the carriage, in a daze.Nynaeve married?Lan and Nynaeve married?The man was mad, no wonder his eyes were so downcast, Mat would rather have a mad fox tucked under his shirt than marry Nynaeve.Only fools marry, only madmen marry Nynaeve. I don't know if Lan noticed that there were not many people who were really happy in the car, at least he didn't express anything about it. In fact, except for his eyes, his appearance was no different from Mat's memory.If so, it means that he has become more hardened. "There are more important things," Lan continued. "Nynaeve doesn't want you to know, Mat, but you need to hear. Two of your men are dead, killed by Moghedien, and I I'm sorry. But if that's any consolation, they at least died unknowingly. Nynaeve thinks Moghedien must have escaped, or she would have attacked again then, but I'm not so sure. See Look, she has a special hatred for Nynaeve, but Nynaeve never told me why." Still the same smile.Lan didn't seem to notice this. "At least she didn't tell me all of it, and that's okay, it's just that you should think about what we might encounter on the other side of the river." "Moghedien?" Betheran took a deep breath, his eyes lit up, that man might have found some fun. "Moghedien!" gasped Nalesin, his voice more like a moan, and he tugged at his pointed beard. "Those damned women," Mat muttered. "I hope what you say doesn't include my wife," said Rand coldly, one hand on the hilt of his sword.Matt raised his hands hastily. "Of course not, I'm just saying that Elayne has... and those family members." After a moment, Rand nodded.Matt breathed a sigh of relief.To hide the fact that there were Forsaken in the city, Nynaeve would probably have her husband (her husband!) kill him.He was not afraid of Moghedien as long as the badge hung around his neck, but a badge could not protect Nalesin or the others.No doubt Nynaeve thought she and Elayne could handle Moghedien.They let him send Red Arm to protect them, but covered their mouths with their sleeves and laughed at him... "Aren't you going to read my mother's note, Mat?" If it hadn't been for Bethelan's reminder, Mat would not have found a note in the basket, folded so small that it was printed with the anchor sword Patterned green sealing wax. Mat picked off the sealing wax with his thumb, opened the note, and held it up to his eyes so that Betheran could not see its contents.But considering Bethelan's way of thinking about problems, Matt felt that doing so probably wouldn't do him any good.Anyway, Mat didn't want anyone else to see the text.As he read it line by line, his heart sank gradually: The others were all staring at him, and Lan was watching him too, but Mat felt more pressured by his gaze than the other two, eyes that were... dead. "The Queen thinks I should have new clothes," Mat said, stuffing the note into his coat pocket. "I think I should take a nap." He covered his eyes with his hat, but he didn't close them.He stared at the car window, and the tightly fastened curtains would blow some dust from time to time, but there would also be some wind blowing in, which was much better than the sweltering heat in the car. Moghedien and Tailin, the two of them, he would rather face Moghedien.He touched the fox's head in his shirt, at least he had something to protect him from Moghedien, but he was as helpless with Tylin as he was with that damned September Daughter; who is it.Unless he could find a way to get Nynaeve and Elayne out of Ebou Dar by tonight, everyone would know.He lowered his hat a little more depressingly, those damn women really made him look like a girl, and he was afraid he was going to cry after a while.