Chapter 25 Chapter 20 Visit

The woman who walked into the room was wearing a pure white silk dress embellished with silver ornaments. She closed the door, leaned against the door panel, and looked at him with the darkest eyes Matt had ever seen.She was so beautiful that Matt almost forgot to breathe. Her night-like long hair was tied with a silver ribbon. Just standing there gave off a dance-like swaying beauty.Matt felt as though he knew her, but he quickly dismissed the idea.Any man will never forget such a woman. "You can get by with a little nutrition," she said, "but for now, maybe you should get dressed first."

For a few breaths, Matt just stared at her blankly, and suddenly, he realized that he was still naked.Flushed, he staggered back to the bed, pulled the blanket over him like a cape, and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Sorry... I mean, I... this, didn't expect... I... I..." He took a deep breath, "I apologize for meeting you and me like this." He could still feel the heat in his cheek, and for a moment he even wished that Rand (it didn't matter what he became) or Perrin would be there to tell him what to do.They always seem to be able to handle the relationship with the girls, even those girls who already know that Rand and Egwene have made a lifelong event, they always stare at him infatuatedly; and those girls seem to think that Palin is slow. His style is gentle and charming.No matter how hard he tried, he always acted stupid in front of girls, like he just did.

"I shouldn't have visited you like this, Mat, here, in the... White Tower—" A smile broke out on her face, as if the name made her happy, "I just wanted to see you." Mat His face turned red again, and he pulled the blanket tighter, but the woman didn't look like she was teasing him.She walked over to the long table with more grace than a swan, "You're hungry, after that kind of thing it's normal to behave like that. Eat everything they give you and you'll be surprised how quickly you'll Physical recovery." "Excuse me," Mat said hesitantly, "but do I know you? I don't mean anything, but you look... familiar." She just looked at him until he started to move uncomfortably.A woman like her should not be forgotten.

"You may have seen me," she said finally, "somewhere, call me Celine!" She tilted her head slightly, as if waiting for Mat to recall the name. The name touched the edge of Mat's memory, and he thought he must have heard it, but he couldn't tell where or when he heard it. "Are you an Aes Sedai, Celine?" "No." The voice was soft, but it contained surprising strength. For the first time, he began to look at her carefully, and saw something about her other than beauty.She was almost as tall as he, slender, and, judging by her steps, strong.He couldn't be sure how old she was, maybe a year or two older than him, or perhaps ten years older.Her face is as smooth as jade, without any blemish.She was wearing a shiny white stone necklace, and a wide belt woven with silver silk around her waist. She did not wear a giant snake ring.But Mat didn't think she would be an Aes Sedai anymore. No Aes Sedai would give a straight "yes" or "no" answer.But she contained a kind of strength, a kind of self-confidence, a kind of majesty that was no less than that of the queen, and even more so.It reminded Mat of Aes Sedai again.

"You can't be a Novice, can you?" Mat had heard that Novices wore pure white in the White Tower, but he didn't believe she could be a Novice.Yilan was like a maid in front of her.Elayne, another name floated into his mind. "No," Celine twitched her lips, "Just think of me as someone who is interested in you! These... Aes Sedai want to use you, but I think you should really enjoy being used by them, and Will accept it. It doesn't take any special rhetoric to tell you to go after glory." "Using me?" A memory of that came back to him, but it was a memory of Rand.The Aes Sedai wanted to use Rand, not him.They don't fucking use me.Light, they can't do this! "What do you mean by that? I'm just a small character, and I'm useless to anyone but myself, let alone any glory?"

"I know that makes you stand out. You, you rise above the crowd." Her smile made him bow his head.Mat reached out to scratch at the hair, and the blanket slid down, he hurriedly grabbed it before it fell. "Now, listen, they're not interested in me." And what about me blowing the Holy Trumpet? "I'm just a farmer." Maybe they think I have some kind of connection with Rand, no, Verin said... Mat couldn't think of what Verin said, or what Moiraine said, but he thought Da Most Aes Sedai knew nothing of Rand.He didn't want to get involved in these things anymore, at least, he didn't want to bother with them until he was far away from here. "I'm just an ordinary country guy, I just come out to see the world, and then I'll go back to my hometown to farm." What does she mean?glory?

Celine shook her head, as if she knew what Mat was thinking, "You are more important than you think, and you are more important than those so-called Aes Sedai know. If you understand that you can't trust them, you can be honored." "From what you say, you must not trust them." The so-called Aes Sedai?An idea popped into Matt's head, but he just couldn't get it out of his mouth. "Are you...? Are you...?" This kind of accusation is not something that can be pinned on someone casually. "Darkfriend?" Celine sneered, her tone more amused than annoyed.Then she said in a tone of contempt: "Like those poor followers of Baal Ashamun who thought their master would give them eternal life and power? I follow no one. There is one man whom I will stand with side, but I will not follow him."

Matt smiled nervously: "Of course not." Blood and ashes, a Darkfriend wouldn't call himself a Darkfriend.If she admits to being the Darkfriends, she must be hiding a poisoned dagger behind her back.Mat vaguely remembered a woman dressed as an aristocrat, a Darkfriend who held a poisoned dagger in his slender fingers. "I don't mean that, you look... you look like a queen, that's what I mean. Are you a nobleman?" "Matt, Matt, you must learn to trust me. Your nature is too suspicious, especially after getting that dagger. Oh, I don't deny that I will use you too, but I will also let you get wealth, power, And glory. I won't force you, I've always believed that men do better when they're persuaded than when they're forced. These Aes Sedai don't even realize how important you are, and he'll try to stop you, Or kill you, and I'll give you whatever you want."

"Him?" Mat screamed.kill me?Light, they want Rand, not me.How did she know about that dagger?Maybe the whole White Tower knows about it. "Who wants to kill me?" Celine pursed her lips tightly, as if she had said too much. "You know what you want, Mat, and I know it as well as you do. You have to choose who you trust and get what you want from. I admit, I'll use you, these couples Masters will never admit it. I will lead you to riches and glory; they will hold you by a rope until you die." "You talk so much," Matt said, "how do I know if you're telling the truth? How do I know you're more worthy of my trust than they are?"

"Listen to what they tell you, and notice what they don't tell you. Will they tell you that your father is in Tar Valon?" "My father is here?" "A man named Abe Cawthorne, and a man named Tam Arthur. I've heard that they kept bugging people until they finally found an audience, and they wanted to know about you and your Where are the friends. And Siuan Sanchen sent them back to Two Rivers empty-handed, and she didn't even tell them that you were alive. Would they tell you if you didn't ask? Maybe even if you If you ask, they won’t tell you, they are afraid that you will run away and go home.”

"My father thinks I'm dead?" Mat said slowly. "He'll know you're alive and I can handle this. Think, who to trust, Matt Cawthorne? Will they tell you that even now Rand Arthur is on the run , and that fellow called Moiraine is after him? Will they tell you that the Black Ancestors have proliferated in their precious White Tower? Will they tell you how they will use you?" "Rand is on the run? But—" Maybe she knew that Rand had publicly called himself the Dragon Reborn, maybe she didn't, but Mat wouldn't tell her.Heizong!Blood and damned ashes! "Who are you, Celine? If you're not an Aes Sedai, then who are you?" Her smile hides a secret: "Just remember, you have another choice, you don't need to be a puppet of the White Tower, or a prey to Baal Ashamon and the Darkfriends, the world is more complicated than you think. On the surface, you may obey these Aes Sedai, but remember your choice. Will you?" "I don't see a choice for me," Matt said darkly, "but I think I will." Celine's gaze became sharp, and the friendly tone fell off her voice like a snake shedding its skin. "You want to? I didn't come here for you, Matt Cawthorne," she said, holding out a slender hand. There was nothing in her hand, and there was still a long distance between her and Mat, but Mat leaned back to avoid her hand, as if she was holding a dagger.In fact, Matt didn't know why he felt this way, but he saw a threat in her eyes, and he was sure the feeling was real.His skin began to tingle, and his whole head began to feel pain. The sudden pain disappeared suddenly, Celine turned her head to one side, as if she was listening to something outside, fine wrinkles appeared between her brows.She put down her hand, and the wrinkles between her brows disappeared. "We'll talk again, Matt, I have a lot to say to you. Remember your choices, remember, there are many hands trying to kill you, and only I can keep your life safe and your Everything you want, as long as you do what I tell you." She walked out of the room, as quietly and gracefully as she had come in. Matt let out a breath.Sweat ran down his cheeks.Light, who is she?A Darkfriend?Maybe.It's just that she mentioned Baal Ashamon with the same contempt in her voice that she spoke of the Aes Sedai; and the Darkfriend mentioned Baal Ashamon with the respectful tone that other people speak of the Creator. .Also, she hadn't asked Mat to keep her visit a secret from the Aes Sedai. Ok!Forgive me, Aes Sedai, he thought gloatingly, but you haven't stopped this woman from seeing me.She's not an Aes Sedai, but I think she may have used the Power on me.She said she wasn't Darkfriends, but she did say you would use me, the Black Ancestors are in your tower.Oh, she said I was important.But I don't know how important I am.You don't mind if I leave now, do you? leave here.The idea just kept getting better and better.He slid awkwardly out of bed and made his way to the closet, his hands still clutching the blanket that surrounded him.His boots were on the bottom shelf of the bookcase, and his cloak was hung on a wardrobe, along with his belt and pouch and pocketknife in the same wardrobe.It was just a country knife with a short blade, but it was no worse than any sharp dagger.The rest of the clothes—two sturdy woolen coats, three pairs of trousers, six sets of linen shirts and shorts—had been cleaned and neatly folded on one side shelf of the wardrobe.Matt touched the fanny pack tied to his belt and found that it was empty, and the stuff in the fanny pack and Matt's other pockets were scattered on a shelf. He examined a red hawk feather, a richly colored smooth dappled stone, his razor, and a bone-handled pocketknife.He took out his leather wallet from some spare rolls of bowstring, opened it, and found that there was a lot of money in it. "Two pieces of silver and a handful of coppers," he muttered, "doesn't go very far." It was a small fortune to him before he left Emmon's Village. He bent down and looked into the closet again.where are theyHe was beginning to fear that the Aes Sedai might throw them away, like his mother had done when she found them.Where……?He was greatly relieved.Deep in the shelf, behind the tinderbox and a coil of twine for trapping, lay his two leather dice jars. They creaked as they were taken out.Matt lifted the tightly stuffed round lid, and everything was in its place.Five dice with various symbols on them, which are used for the game of "Crown"; and five more dice with dots on them.There are several games that can be played with dice, but more people like to play "crown".With these dice, his two silver coins were enough to keep him away from Tar Valon, away from Aes Sedai and Celine. There was a loud knock on the door from behind, and then the door was opened.Mat turned, and Amy and the Historian walked in, Mat recognized them even without Amy's wide striped kerchief and the Historian's narrow blue kerchief.He had seen them once, and only once, and that must have been in a place far from Tar Valon, but he could not forget these two most powerful Aes Sedai. Yuzuo raised an eyebrow when he saw him standing on the ground wrapped in a blanket, holding a wallet and a dice pot in his hand. "I don't think you need these now, child." She said calmly. "Put them away and go back to bed! Don't wait until you lose your strength and fall to the ground." Mat hesitated, the muscles in his back began to tense, but his knees began to tremble at this moment.The two Aes Sedai watched him, black and blue eyes seeming to read all his rebellious thoughts.In the end, Mat chose to do what they told him to do. He grabbed the blanket with both hands and lay flat on the bed like a plank, not knowing what else he could do. "How are you feeling?" Amy said briskly, placing a hand on his forehead, and goosebumps immediately spread all over Matt's body.Did she use the Power on him?Or would the touch of an Aes Sedai send chills down his spine? "I'm fine," Mat said to her, "I was just about to hit the road, let me say goodbye to Egwene and Nynaeve, and I won't bother you anymore. I mean, I'm leaving... well, My mother." He remembered that Moiraine and Vaelin didn't seem to care what titles he called them, but she was the Amyrth after all. "Nonsense." Yuzuo pulled the high-back chair to the side of the bed, sat down, and at the same time motioned Lian to sit down. "Men refuse to admit they're sick until they're so sick that it takes twice as long for a woman to take care of them, and then they say they're fine again so quickly that it takes the woman even more energy." The historian glanced at Matt and nodded: "Yes, my mother, but this man can't say he's well at all, he can't even stand up. But at least he ate everything on the plate .” "I'd be surprised if he left food that the sparrows noticed, unless I'm wrong and you're still hungry." "I could have a pie for him, my mother, or some cake." "No, I think he's had enough now, and it won't do him any good if he eats more." A scowl crept across Matt's face.In his opinion, when a man is sick, he seems to disappear from the eyes of women, unless they are talking about him, and he is at least ten years younger in the eyes of women.Nynaeve, his mother, his sister, Amyros, all of them. "I'm not hungry at all," he said solemnly. "I'm well. If I get dressed, I'll let you know how healthy I am. I'll be out of here before you know it." See Seeing their eyes, Matt cleared his throat, "Uh...my mother." Jade Zuo snorted: "You ate meals for five people at one time. In the past few days, you will eat three or four people's meals for each meal, otherwise you will starve to death. You just came from an evil bondage. Rescued from the evil that killed every man, woman and child in Arehol. It accumulated two thousand years until you picked it up. It will kill you as it killed those, This is not as simple as getting your finger pricked by a fish. We almost killed you in the process of rescuing you." "I'm not hungry," Mat insisted, but his stomach suddenly rumbled loudly, giving away his lie. "I knew you from the first time I saw you," said Ayuzuo, "I know that when you think someone is trying to catch you, you must struggle like a frightened osprey, so I also Take precautions." Matt gave them a wary look. "Prevention?" They looked back at him without any fluctuation in their eyes.He felt as if their eyes had nailed him to the bed. "Your name and likeness have been passed on to the bridge guards and dockmasters," said Amyros. "I will not restrict your freedom in the White Tower, but neither can you leave Tar Valon until you are fully recovered. If you try to hide in the city, hunger will always drive you back. And if it can't, we'll find you too before you starve to death." "Why do you have to keep me here?" Matt asked.He heard Celine's voice.They want to control you. "Why do you care if I starve to death? I can find my own food." Yu Zuo chuckled twice, as if he thought Matt's words were very interesting. "Just two silver pieces and a handful of copper pieces, boy? You're in luck if you want to have enough to buy you food for the next few days. People are wasting our efforts, dying for nothing when you need to continue to care, and you may need further treatment." "Going further? But you said that you have cured me, why do I need further treatment?" "Son, that dagger has been with you for months, and I'm sure we've dug out every trace of it that has infiltrated your body, but even if we didn't clean up a little bit of it, it would have been deadly. And , after such a long time, who can know how you have been affected? After a year and a half, maybe you will long for an Aes Sedai to heal you again." "You want me to stay here for a year?!" Mat screamed.Lian, who was still standing, moved her feet and stared at Mat with stern eyes, but Yu Zuo's face was still as calm as a pool of water. "Maybe it won't be that long, kid. We just need enough time to make sure. Obviously, you want to be safe too. Would you just take a boat out to sea without checking for leaks? Patched, has its rotten planks been renewed?" "I've never dealt with ships," Mat muttered.Maybe it was true, Aes Sedai never lied, but these words had too many possibilities and interpretations for him. "I have been away from home for a long time, my mother, and my parents may think I am dead." "If you wish to write them a letter, I will send it to Emond's Village." Matt waited for more words from Amy, but didn't. "Thank you, my mother." He tried to put on a smile, "I'm a little surprised that my father hasn't come to see me. He should have come to see me." He was a little uncertain, but he felt that before answering, It seemed to hesitate for a moment. "He's been here, and Liane told him about your situation." The historian immediately took up the words: "We didn't know where you were at that time, Mat. That's all I could say to him. He left before the snow fell, and I gave him some gold coins so that he could return home. The journey can be made easier." "Undoubtedly," said Jade Tower, "he will be delighted to hear from you, and your mother will be delighted, too. When you have finished writing the letter, give it to me, and I will send it out." They had told him about his father's visit, but only after he had asked.And they didn't mention Rand's father.Maybe it's because they think I don't care, maybe it's because... burn me, I don't know.Who knew what the Aes Sedai would do? "I was traveling with a friend of mine, my mother, and his name was Rand Arthur. You should remember him. Do you know what happened to him? I bet his father was worried about him too .” "As far as I know," Jade said smoothly, "that child is doing well, but who knows what will happen? I only saw him once, and that time, I saw you too. That is In Fadara." She turned to the historian. "Perhaps he could have a little pie, Leanne, he must be thirsty after all that talk. Can you bring him something to eat?" The tall Aes Sedai said, "As you wish, my mother," and turned and walked towards the door. When Amy turned back to look at Mat, she had a smile on her face, but her eyes were like two pieces of blue ice. "There are some things that are dangerous for you to let others know, not even Liane. A restless tongue will kill far more than a sudden storm." "Dangerous, mother?" Mat's mouth suddenly felt parched, but he fought back the urge to lick his lips.Light, what does she know about Rand?Had Moiraine kept a secret? "My mother, I don't know what the danger is. I can remember no more than half of the original things." "Do you remember the Holy Trumpet?" "What holy horn, my mother?" Yu Zuo stood up suddenly and looked down at Matt.The movement was so fast that Mat didn't even see her stand up clearly. "You're playing games with me, boy, and I'm going to make you cry for mother. I don't have game time, and neither do you. Now, do you—re—remember?" Matt grabbed the blanket desperately and swallowed: "Remember, my mother." Yuzuo's mood seemed to have eased a little.Mat shivered with some nausea. He felt as if he had just been lifted onto a cutting board for chopping meat. "Okay, very good, Mat." Throne slowly sat back in the chair and looked at him carefully, "Did you know that you are connected with the Holy Horn?" Mat trembled, his lips moved twice , silently pronounced the word "connection".Jade Throne nodded: "I don't think you know, you are the first person to sound the Horn of Valer after it came into the world. For you, the dead hero will be called back from the grave; for others, it is just An ordinary horn. Only while you're alive, of course." Matt took a deep breath, "As long as I live." His voice was full of haze.Yu Zuo nodded to him. "You can let me die." She nodded again. "At that time, you can let the person you choose blow this horn, and the holy horn will serve you." Nodding again. "Blood and ashes! Do you want me to blow the holy horn for you? When the final war comes, you want me to summon the heroes from the grave and declare war on the Dark Emperor with you. Blood and Damn Ash!" Yu Zuo propped one arm on the armrest of the chair, resting his chin with his thumb.Her eyes never left him, "Do you want to make a choice?" Mat frowned, remembering that choice.If someone else blows the trumpet... "You want me to blow the trumpet, then I'll blow it. I didn't say I wouldn't, did I?" Yu Zuo sighed angrily: "You remind me of my uncle Juan. No one can restrain him, and he also likes to gamble. For him, gambling is not a job, but a game. Later he Died trying to save a child from a burning house, he'll jump into it as long as there's a shout. Do you like him, Mat? Would you jump on a burning flame right in front of you? ?” Mat didn't meet Amy's eyes, he stared down at his fingers, which were tearing the blanket restlessly. "I'm not a hero, but I will work hard for what I have to do, but I'm not a hero." "Most of those we call heroes do only what they have to do. That's enough, I think. And for now, you can't tell anyone about the Holy Trumpet but me, boy, And your connection to the Holy Horn." Now?Matt thought, do you just want to be like this?Or is it always like this? "I don't want to damn tell anyone—" Amy raised an eyebrow.Mat lowered his voice again. "I don't want to tell anyone, and I don't want anyone to know. Why do you care so much about keeping this a secret? Don't you trust your Aes Sedai?" A long silence ensued, and Mat began to wonder if he was digressing.Yuzuo's face was gloomy, her gaze could almost pierce iron stone. "If I can let this matter only you and I know," her tone was like ice, "I will do it. For one thing, the more people know, the greater the possibility of being distorted, Even if that twist might be the best of intentions. Most of the world believes the Horn of Valer is a legend, and those who believe in its existence think that there will always be a hunter who will find it. But Shayaogu knows it has been Found it, which means, there must be some darkfriends who know about it too, but they don't know where it is now. And if the light is still shining on us, they don't know that you blew it .Do you really want to be chased by Darkfriends? Demihumans, or other shadow creatures? They want the Horn, you must always keep that in mind. The Horn can serve the Light as well as the Shadow .If the shadow creatures want to use the Holy Horn, they have to catch you and kill you, do you want to take the risk?" Mat wished he had another blanket, or a woolen scarf to keep his goosebump-ridden skin warm.The room suddenly became very cold, "You mean, the Dark Friends will chase me? I thought the White Tower could keep the Dark Friends out." He still remembered the Black Sect mentioned by Celine, is it this that the Jade Throne is referring to now? ? "A good reason to stay, don't you think so?" Yu Zuo stood up and straightened her clothes, "Rest, child, you will get better soon, take a rest." She closed the door gently. For a long time Mat just stared at the ceiling, oblivious to the fact that a maid brought in a pie and a jug of milk, and took away the empty plates.Until finally, when his stomach started to growl under the aroma of apple stuffing and spices, he still didn't glance at the table.Yuzuo must have seen him as a lamb in the pen.And Celine... Guangming, who the hell is she?what does she wantCeline was right about some things, but Amy also made it clear that she would use him, and how.It should be said that it was explained to some extent.There are too many loopholes in her words, and she is vague on too many key issues.Yuzuo has plans, Celine also has plans, he is just a rope for the two of them to tug of war.Rather than being pinched between these two, Mat felt that it would be better for him to face the Trollocs directly. There must be a way out of Tar Valon, a way out of the clutches of the two of them.As soon as he crossed the river, he could escape the clutches of Aes Sedai and Celine, and the Darkfriends.Matt was sure of that.There must be a way, all he has to do is consider the matter from every angle. The pie was getting cold on the table.