"The Dragonsworn must be crushed,"  Under-Lieutenant Ches 
said.  "Before they unite with the Prophet's maniacs.  We have 
strong cavalry; we can easily sweep around the Prophet's forces 
and strike them; according to the reports we have received, they're 
only a thousand in number; all of us together can match them."

       "The Seanchan are the real enemy,"  Under-Lieutenant 
Gorton said.  He was tall and ugly, with a huge nose, beady brown 
eyes, and receeding black hair.  He was a good organizer, but not 
noted for his tactical skills.  He had four hundreds of mostly 
novice troops, but he had built them up into a reasonably 
disciplined force in short order.  Ches suspected they'd all get 
killed through his errors in the first big fight, though.  "Much as I 
despise the Prophet's men, we ought to convince him to send his 
forces south to fight the Seanchan.  They'll wipe out the Prophet, 
but that would give us time to regroup."

        The third of the Under-Lieutenants, Marton, shook his head.  
He was thin and of medium height, with a hook nose and soft 
hazel eyes that belied his toughness.  Unlike the others, he had 
veteran troops, five 'hundreds' which actually totaled only three 
hundred and twenty survivors.  Nearly half were mounted archers.  
"If the Dragonsworn really have Aes Sedai, to attack without 
greater advantage would be suicidal.  But not as suicidal as 
attacking the Seanchan.  I think we should continue to obey Lord 
Captain Commander Valda's orders and continue to restore order 
in this region of Ghealdan.  Then we can recruit and arm peasant 
forces.  And we need to re-establish contact with Ailron.  
Assuming Valda is still alive.  It's been weeks since our last 
contact with him."

        Their commander, the youngest Lieutenant in the 
Whitecloaks, nodded his handsome head.  "We will move west to 
meet the army that should be crossing the Mountains of Mist.  I 
have recieved new orders from Lord Captain Commander Valda.  
We will concentrate in Western Ghealdan.  Until our forces are 
consolidated, we will let our enemies tear each other apart.  The 
Prophet and the Seanchan will likely come to blows anyway."  He 
looked over at Ches.  "How soon will you be ready to march?"

       "Within three hours, Lieutenant Galad," he said.  

        Galad nodded.  "We head west.  First to Jehennah, then to the 
mountains."  Rain began to batter the tent.  "Let's go."  

************

Parallel Lives #11:
Book One:  For Remembrance Lost

The Gathering of the Four

A Wheel of Time / Ranma 1 / 2  crossover, 

by John Biles

Other chapters available at
http://www.thekeep.org/~wombat/PL/


************

       Ranma-chan was excited.  She'd never actually seen a session 
of the Hall before, and to stand before it as a full Aes Sedai 
pleased her greatly.  No more bowing and scraping; even being an 
Accepted had nearly driven her nuts at times.  Her dress started to 
slide off one shoulder, and she tugged it back into place.  

       Lori did the same thing, then grinned sheepishly at her.  They 
had all woven a group Mind Touch before coming before the 
Hall; this was going to be rough.  Lori's voice came into all their 
minds.  [Do they always look this grim?]

       Merana's mental voice was reassuring.  [They're just 
concerned.  A million rumors and no answers.  It's our job to give 
them the answers.]  Deep inside, she wished she felt as confident 
as she made her mental voice sound; the embassy to al'Thor had 
been a disaster from the moment of their first meeting with him.  

        [Yes, sempai,]  Ranma-chan replied.  [We'll do our best to 
back you up.]

        Merana, Amys, Ranma-chan, and Lori stood together in a 
tight knot at the far side of the gathering from the large chair in 
which the Amyrlin sat.   Sheriam stood to one side of the 
Amyrlin's chair.  An aisle ran between the two sets of nine chairs 
on each of its sides.  The sets of nine were arranged in three rows 
of three, each cluster containing the three sitters of a given ajah.  
The whole group was surrounded by a dome of light that blocked 
sight and sound from passing out or in.  

        "The hall calls upon Merana Ambrey to report upon the 
embassy to Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn,"  Sheriam said.  
Whispers ran through the Hall at that.  

        Merana came forward.  "Good morning to the Amyrlin Seat, 
the Keeper of the Seals and the Hall of the Tower.  May the Light 
shine upon you.  I am Merana Ambrey of the Grey Ajah, 
appointed to head the Embassy to Rand al'Thor, the Dragon 
Reborn."  More whispers.  "My sisters have remained in Cairhien, 
although it is possible they may move to Illian soon, should 
al'Thor move his seat to there, since he has been crowned King of 
Illian.  Or to be more precise, some of my sisters.  When we left 
Caemlyn, a group of sisters was sent south escorting a group of 
potential novices from the Two Rivers who I understand have not 
yet arrived."

        The hall was silent now, the whispers stilled.  Romanda 
looked impatient, while Lelaine kept adjusting her shawl, over 
and over.  Merana continued.  "The reason we left Caemlyn was 
that al'Thor departed for Cairhien.  He has discovered Travelling."  
More whispers ran through the Hall.  "While he was in Cairhien, 
Elaida's embassy arrived before we did.  They kidnapped him."  
The whispering stopped.  "They attempted to take him to the 
Tower and gentle him."  Shock, fear, and horror rushed through 
the crowd.  The Hall rustled with nervous movements, yankings at 
hair, shiftings in seats, adjustment of shawls, smoothing of skirts, 
cracking of knuckles and more.  "For a week, they locked him in a 
box and beat him daily."

        Someone in one of the back rows wimpered, drawing several 
stares.  The sound ceased immediately.  Merana paused, then 
continued.  "With the help of a force of archers, Mayener cavalry, 
and Aiel commanded by Lord Perrin Ayabara, husband to Faile 
Bashere, daughter of the Great Captain Bashere who now serves 
the Dragon, we attempted to rescue him.  When we arrived, 
Elaida's followers were under attack by a renegade tribe of Aiel 
known as the Shaido.  It was more than we could handle.  Even 
after the Dragon broke free."  Her voice faltered.  "And then the 
Ash'aman arrived."  More gasps.  "Commanded by Mazrim 
Taim."  Silence and shock. "I now understand what war was like 
during the War of Power.  There were two hundred of them."

       Someone shouted, "That's not possible!"

       " I have held the Oath Rod, just like you.  I cannot lie.  
Mazrim Taim serves the Dragon Reborn.  He leads the Ash'aman, 
the male channelers who serve the Dragon Reborn.  And at Dumai 
Wells, the Ash'aman destroyed the Shaido.  It was a meatgrinder.  
Only the Lord Dragon's mercy preserved a single life.  If the 
Ash'aman chose to attack this camp, we would all die."
 
        Abject silence.

         "That was a month ago.  By now, there are nearly twice as 
many."

         No one moved, except for Ranma-chan, who pulled the 
shoulder of her dress up again.  

        "As you might expect, the Lord Dragon's experiences have 
not made him inclined to trust any Aes Sedai."  Merana steeled 
herself for what had to come next.  "Despite this, with the help of 
the Aiel Wise Ones, some of us have been able to gain some trust 
from him.  With help from Kiruna Sedai, I negotiated a compact 
between him and the Sea Folk, who have sworn to him, believing 
him to be the Coramoor.  Ranko Sedai," she pointed to Ranko, 
"helped him to kill Be'lal and Ishmael in Tear along with Moiraine 
Sedai."

          Eighteen heads swiveled and stared.  Ranko smiled and 
made the 'v' sign with her fingers.  "Be'lal was a twit, but Ishamel 
was pretty damn scary," she said.  [Should I bring out the box 
yet?] she asked Merana.

         [Not yet.]  "Ranko Sedai also brought the False Dragon 
Kaneda of the Mountains of Mist to kneel before the Dragon, and 
his nineteen channelers, ten female and nine male, now serve the 
Dragon Reborn."  She smiled.  "They know how to make most 
kinds of ter'angreal."  Several gasps erupted through the silence.  
"Bring me the box, Ranko."

         Ranma-chan carried the box forward with Lori.  It was 
heavy.  They opened it and began flourishing various items as 
Merana spoke.  "Five farspeakers.  A travel box.  Three rings for 
entering Tel'aran'rhiod.  An oath rod."

        Delana, one of the sitters for the Grey, who looked a little 
nauseous, said, "An Oath Rod?"

        "Exactly like the one in the Tower.  All of these items are 
gifts to the Amyrlin Seat, Egwene al'Vere, from al'Thor.  Yes, 
al'Thor has recognized Egwene as the true Amyrlin Seat."  For the 
first time, almost everyone began to relax.  "Those of us who are 
residing in Cairhien have studied with the Wise Ones and those 
who made these ter'angreal, and have learned many forgotten 
arts."
  
     She pointed to Amys.  "Amys is a Dreamwalker, one of those 
who trained our Amyrlin in that art.  I have learned much," she 
blushed slightly, "from Amys and the others, such as Lori."  Many 
people turned and stared at Amys, and several eyebrows were 
raised.  She pointed to Lori, who curtsied. "I ask the Hall that we 
be allowed to continue our work with al'Thor and continue our 
embassy to him.  I ask also that Ranko Sedai officially be 
admitted to the ranks of our Embassy.  With her ability to Travel, 
she would make an excellent go-between."

        [You have done well,] Amys thought gently to Merana.  
[When you do not let your fear control you, you can be as strong a 
woman as I have ever known.  

        Then Romanda rose to ask the first question, and Merana had 
REAL need for strength.

***********

       "Oh great,"  Mat said.  "Another bloody Portal Stone."

       Alwhin, turned to Mat.  "You believe it is a Portal Stone?"

       It was another military conference.  There had been scouting 
reports of an army in the mountains between Illian and Altara, 
where two days ago, no army had existed.  The reports were 
somewhat confused.  A group of Raken scouts had reported 
something in the area of the force which HAD to be a Portal 
Stone.  Mat frowned.  Likely Rand had gone and used one of the 
crazy things again.  "I've used the bloody things."

       "You can use them?"  Alwhin smiled.  "Excellent.  There's 
one near Ebou Dar, which could be of much use to us."

       "The Dragon can use them.   Since I couldn't channel my way 
out of an open box, I certainly can't use them.  But it does mean 
he can dump thousands of troops right here by Ebou Dar if you 
don't get rid of it."

        Now Alwhin frowned.  "Then we must destroy it."

        "Not likely,"  Mat said.  "They're mostly indestructible.  
Although if you tied my amulet to one, I bet the Portal Stone 
wouldn't work.  And trust me...you don't REALLY want to use 
one, anyway.  It's like...horrible."  He shuddered.  "I suppose you 
could bury it, though.  And you really should.  They're just 
dangerous."

         Alwhin turned and looked at Suroth.  Suroth considered.  
"Cauthon is right.  You will come with me and we will destroy it 
or bury it."  I will wear the Amulet and you...well, we'll see if you 
die accidentally.  "But first, what do you believe we should do 
about the forces in the mountains?"

       "We need to eliminate all Portal Stones he might use to 
bypass us first, then seize the passes.  For the moment, send these 
units," he pointed to the map, "to hold his forces in place until we 
finish organizing our auxiliaries."  Thoughts of other matters 
slipped away and the planning of the war filled his mind.

************

        Ranma-chan's head was spinning as she watched the verbal 
sparring which doubled as 'questioning the Embassy'.  Merana 
looked unflappable, but thanks to the Mind Touch, Ranma-chan 
knew better.  "None of you could have done any better, and most 
would have done worse,"  Merana said.  "I have done the job I 
was sent to do.  You know we have no choice.  We can ally with 
al'Thor, or the Pattern will destroy us.  He is the Dragon Reborn."

       "And where is the rest of the Embassy?"  Faiselle, one of the 
Green sitters, an adherent of Lelaine, said.  "We sent nine and 
only one has returned, in the company of three we did not send."

       "Four of us were sent to escort the group of novices who 
apparently have not arrived yet,"  Merana said.  "Two of our 
number were not available, and the Dragon requested the other 
two stay in Cairhien and continue their studies and counsel to 
him."  She walked the fine line of omitting things in order to color 
the truth without shattering it.  "I am the leader of the Embassy.  
Its success or failure is upon my head."

       "I move that we suspend our consideration of this matter until 
the four sisters escorting the group of novices arrive,"  Janya, one 
of the Brown sisters, said.  "We cannot make a conclusion based 
on the report given by a single member of the Embassy."  She 
turned to Merana.  "Until that decision is made, we should keep 
Merana at her post, and resummon her once we have consulted 
independently with the others."

       The vote was soon taken.  Lelaine's faction supported the 
measure, and it passed as most of the neutral sitters seemed eager 
to delay a decision.  Most of them also soon clustered around 
Merana once the Hall dissolved, barraging her with questions 
about the making of the ter'angreals, especially the Browns.  

       Ranma-chan found herself cornered by Romanda and two 
other Aes Sedai she didn't know very well.  "You have battled the 
Forsaken?"  Romanda asked.  She sounded dubious.

       "Yeah.  Ishmael was one ugly f..."  She choked back the word 
she had meant to use.  "fellow.  But Moiraine toasted him.  And I 
punted Be'lal into the ceiling, then Rand toasted him."

       She started.  "You refer to him quite familiarly."

       "When you kick a...do battle side by side, you get to do that."  
She held up two fingers twined together.  "We're buddies.  He 
knows I ain't gonna try and put him in a box like Elaida's people.  
He trusts me.  And he trusts Merana.   I think he'd probably 
respond pretty badly if she got the boot, if you know what I mean.  
Two Rivers people tend to be pretty loyal."  Just as she really 
started to get into her pitch, Samalind, one of the Green Sitters, 
tapped Ranma-chan on the shoulder.  

       "May I have a moment of Ranko's time, Romanda?"  she 
asked.  "We need to discuss Ranko's proper inititiation into the 
Green Ajah."  

        Romanda frowned.  "We will talk later."

        Ranma-chan turned to Samalind, "I've learned a few new 
tricks I'd be glad to share with everyone.  Just tell me I don't have 
to get naked for this and jump in a hot tub."

        Samalind laughed and guided her towards the knot of Green 
sisters.  "Not for one who has battled the Forsaken."  Her face was 
calm, but Ranma-chan had a mental image of Samalind sticking 
out her tongue at Romanda.  

        [I think I can nail down the Greens,]  Ranma-chan beamed to 
Egwene and the others.  [And with everything Lori knows, she'll 
have the Browns eating out of her hands.  And by the time those 
other sisters arrive, everyone in the camp is going to think Merana 
is the greatest thing since sliced...umm...since the invention of the 
wheel]  

        Egwene quietly thanked Janya.  The delay was exactly what 
they needed to finish their whispering campaign.  By the time the 
Embassy was finally ruled on by the Hall, the camp would be 
convinced it was a rousing success.  It was a pity there was no 
way to make Ranko one of the Sitters, she thought, but even with 
all the novice Sitters here, she's still too young.  And with these 
Farspeakers, I can FINALLY talk to Rand without having to go 
through intermediaries.   She rose.  It was time to go talk to 
Gareth Bryne.  [Thank you, everyone.  You have done very well.]

        [I gotta talk to you later,]  Ranma-chan told her.  [Me and 
Ukyou and Elayne and Nynaeve and Aviendha are gonna try and 
bust Moiraine out of Foxland, but it ain't gonna be easy.]

        [I will see you in Tel'aran'rhiod tonight.]

**********

       Ranma-chan sat quietly with Ukyou at the edge of the camp, 
each with an arm around the other.  "I can't believe I'm so 
exhausted from just talking," she said.  "I guess politicians must 
sleep pretty well."

       Ukyou laughed.  "I had half the sisters in camp trying to get 
the story of how you beat up Be'lal out of me.  But I went around 
talking up a storm, just like you asked.  I also got cornered by a 
bunch of Warders who wanted to see how good I was."  He 
grinned at Ranma-chan.  "I kicked their butt, of course.  You sure 
you want to come along tonight?"

        Ranma-chan frowned.  "I'm not afraid.  And I can't sit around 
while Moiraine is imprisoned.  She saved our ass from Ishmael.  I 
owe her."

         "Yes, but you're not very experienced in 
Tel'aran'rhiod.  I'm sure the ter'angreal will work, but..."

         "I know the principles.  It's all stuffed in my head from 
Akane's wish."  He thinks I can't take care of myself, Ranma-chan 
thought.  I fought Be'lal.  This is nothing.  "Don't treat me like I'm 
a china plate that's gonna break.  I ain't no flimsy girl."

        Ukyou frowned.  "Ranko, it's DANGEROUS in 
Tel'aran'rhiod."

        They both started when Amys spoke from behind them.  
"Very dangerous.  Bair is willing to trust in the source of Ukyou's 
learning, but I am not sure how far I trust in yours."

         "Whaddya mean?"  Ranma-chan asked.

         "What little lore we have of them says that they are not to be 
trusted any further than you could throw an entire hold with your 
bare hands,"  Amys said.  "I suggest you let your companion, 
Lori, use your ter'angreal."

        "WHAT?"  Ranma-chan said.  "Why HER?"

        "She is a flutist and they dislike music,"  Amys said.  "Very 
much so."

        Ukyou nodded.  "Amys is right, Ranko."

        Ranma-chan twitched.  Why is everyone treating me like I'm 
made out of GLASS?  "She can borrow one from Egwene.  I am 
GOING.  Besides, I wanna see my friends, too."

        What followed was the sort of argument that no one ever 
really wins.

************

        "Ranko!"  Elayne hugged Ranma-chan so tightly, Ranma-
chan thought she was going to die.  Her clothing flickered, 
becoming a prisoner's uniform for a moment, and a sumo outfit 
(which would have been embarrassing if she herself had noticed), 
then finally settling back into the dress she had worn that day 
before going to sleep.  "I never thought I'd see you again!"

        "Me neither,"  Ranma-chan managed to say.  "I've missed 
both of you."  She wiggled loose and turned to Nynaeve.  
"Congratulations on your marriage."

        Nynaeve smiled.  "Thank you, Ranko."  She glanced over at 
Ukyou.  "How soon will you two be wed?"

        Ukyou came over and took Ranma-chan's right hand.  "We 
haven't set a date.  Yet."

        "Ranko, this is my...near-sister, Aviendha,"  Elayne said 
nervously.   "Aviendha, this is Ranko Sedai, a near-sister of mine 
from the Tower."

         "I remember you from Tear,"  Ranko said.  "You went to the 
Waste with Rand and Egwene, right?"

         Aviendha nodded.  "I understand you...are trained in 
fighting."

          Ranma-chan grinned.  "Yeah, I could outfight my warder if 
I had to."

         "Ranchan!!!!"  Ukyou shouted, and Ranma-chan laughed.

         "Just don't ask her to bathe any cats,"  a voice said dryly.

         Ranma-chan twitched.  "Cats..."

         Egwene and Amys had arrived.  "So, Ukyou, WHY is 
Ranko so scared of cats, anyway?"

        "I am NOT scared of cats!"  Ranma-chan shouted.

        "You can tell she hasn't sworn the Oaths,"  Nynaeve 
muttered.  

         "Ranchan's father threw her in a pit of hungry cats over and 
over while covered with sausages in order to teach her the cat-
fist."

         For a moment, there was total silence.  Ranma-chan turned 
and stared off into space, trying hard to forget the memory, but for 
just a second, she was clad in a gi and covered with sausages.  She 
hunched over, the memory growing stronger, her outfit flickering 
back and forth.  Down in the pit with the cats.  

        While the others stared in shock, Amys took action.  She 
slapped Ranma-chan.  "Snap out of it!  You'll vanish off into your 
memory, and quite likely never come back!"

        The flickering stopped, and Ranma-chan rubbed her face.  
"Hey!"

         "She's right,"  Egwene said.  "You have to control your 
thoughts here in Tel'aran'rhiod, or they will destroy you."

          Ukyou nodded as well.  "I told you, Ranchan."

         "Dammit!  I'd have been fine if you hadn't brought up 
the...the..."  Her voice faded and she hugged herself.  "That."

         "Her father...threw her in a pit of hungry cats?"  Elayne said, 
horrified.  Her eyes were wide and her mouth wider.  "But...why?"

         "The cat fist.  An incredibly powerful martial arts technique.  
Her father, who ought to be staked out in the desert and left to die, 
read about the training technique in a book.  Without reading the 
next page, which said that only an idiot would do that."  Ukyou's 
voice was getting tight with rage.  His warder's uniform flickered 
into an okonomiyaki seller's outfit; he shunted it back with a 
thought.  "And he's done a hundred things just as bad, trying to 
teach Ranma to fight."

         "He just wanted me to be a great martial artist and a 
manl...a..."  Ranma-chan rubbed her eyes so she wouldn't cry.  
"He's not a monster, Ucchan.  I'd be dead a hundred times over 
without all the training he's given me."

        "And nearly dead a hundred times because of all the stupid 
things he's done!"  Ukyou clenched his fists.  A huge Genma-
shaped punching bag appeared and he punted it into orbit.  "I 
just..."  All the tension suddenly ran out of him.  "This isn't why 
we're here."

        Ranma-chan nodded.  "Yeah.  Let's go kick some butt."

        Elayne put a hand on Ranma-chan's shoulder.  "I'm sorry for 
you, Ranko."

        "And I thought the Wise Ones could be harsh,"  Aviendha 
muttered to herself, then realized Amys was present, and blushed.  

       Amys simply smiled.  "Let us go."

**********

        King Ailron of Amadicia couldn't sleep.  It wasn't that the 
Seanchan had run him out of his own country; it had never really 
been his.  The Whitecloaks ruled Amadicia; on the good days, he 
was just a puppet.  Sometimes it was much worse.  He had been 
handsome once, if only in his own mind, but he was middle aged 
and getting fat and alone.  He also wasn't sure what to do next.

        Besides getting some sleep; there had been beds left behind 
at the 'Castle' his forces now occupied, and the False Dragon who 
had dwelt there had apparently been good at making them.  
Someone had been; it was the best bed he'd ever had outside his 
palace, which he expected to never see again.

        He had nearly two thousand men, and little idea what to do 
with them.  Unite with Alliandre, perhaps.  Anything but go back 
to the Whitecloaks.  He was sick of them.  For his entire life, they 
had pushed him around, but now, just once, he was free.  

        But he didn't know what to do with freedom.  Other than 
sleep on the left side of the bed.  He had started to sleep on the 
right side, but something had just...not seemed like a good idea 
about that.

        When the air above the bed flickered and a panda in a jester's 
outfit, a man in ornately painted plate armor with a huge bow, and  
an embarrassed looking woman with red hair, wearing a chainmail 
bikini, carrying a large katana, all dropped onto the right side of 
the bed and shattered it, he knew he had made the right decision.

***********

        Amys looked at the tower and nodded.  "The Tower of 
Ghenji.  No Wise One has ever successfully entered and returned 
except for Mara the Lucky.  She befriended a tribe of wolves, who 
showed her how to enter it.  Or so the stories say."  She frowned, 
running her fingers along its surface.  "I do not see how we could 
force an entry."

       Egwene stepped forward.  "I have an affinity for Earth.  Let 
me try."  Ranma-chan could see her weave a complex net of 
Earth; while Ranma-chan had enough raw power to duplicate it, 
she lacked the affinity for Earth to weave it so finely.  

        Long seconds passed, and Egwene frowned.  "It cuts my 
weaves to ribbons,"  she said.  "They can't get through more than 
just the caked on dirt.  There's something that blocks channeling  
under the dirt and maybe under a thin layer of stone."

        "Like Mat's amulet,"  Elayne said.  "That didn't stop indirect 
channeling.  Maybe we can blast an opening."

         Linked, they could wield enough power to level a small 
village.  It wasn't enough.  A million tricks of battering, even 
picking up a big rock didn't do the trick.  Ukyou watched quietly, 
wishing he could help; not that they were accomplishing much.  

        Finally, Ukyou said, "Perhaps we can will it away.  The way 
you can wish up a chair or clothing or whatever."

        That went better.  For just a moment, they forced a doorway 
to form.  Before they could move, it was gone again.  "Perhaps 
with more Dreamwalkers, we can do it,"  Amys said.  "I will bring 
the others tomorrow night.  But for now, I suggest we all get some 
sleep."

       "I wanna stay a little while longer and catch up on stuff with 
Elayne and Nynaaeve,"  Ranma-chan said, "Butyou can go sleep 
if you wanna, Ucchan."

        Ukyou leaned over and kissed Ranma-chan on the lips, 
giving himself a little thrill and making her jump.  "Try not to get 
any more fiancees before the morning, okay?" He laughed and 
vanished.

         Amys, Egwene and Aviendha bowed out as well, leaving 
Ranma-chan with Nynaeve and Elayne.  The first thing Ranma-
chan said was, "Ukyou like...told you about...ummm...Rand, 
right?"

        Elayne nodded quietly.  "As soon as we reach Caemlyn and 
get settled in, I am going to talk to Rand.  And I'm going to crush 
Alanna beneath my heels!"  For a moment, she was clad in 
cadin'sor, complete with spear.  But only for a moment.  "Do you 
think...does he...speak of me?"

        "Kaneda's talked to him more than I have,"  Ranma-chan 
evaded.  She couldn't remember Rand mentioning Elayne except 
in the context of becoming Queen of Andor.  And maybe Cairhien 
too.  "He's gotten a lot gloomier.  Although Min can usually 
lighten him up."

       Elayne tensed a bit at that.  Nynaeve said, "Has his arrogance 
gotten worse?"

       "Probably.  He treated me pretty well, though.  And he was 
pretty reasonable when Kaneda talked him into letting us set up 
the Hall as a sort of teaching academy."

        "The Hall?"

         Explaining all of that took most of what they could spare of 
the night.

***********

       Ukyou dreamed that night.  Some of them made her laugh.  
Genma-panda wearing a crown.  Kasumi trying to teach wolves to 
clean the forest.  A dancing chorus line of Trollocs singing 'Born 
to be Wild'.  

       Others were strange.  Shampoo with her head shaven on one 
side and her fingernails lacquered, holding Mat on a leash.   Rand 
and Ranma in a three-legged race ending with both going mad and 
falling down after trying to run in two different directions.   A 
silver and a gold flute playing in unison as someone cried.   

        The final dream was the strongest.  Much of the dream was a 
blur when she woke up, but she remembered pieces of it.   A room 
full of Foxes.  Lights exploding in darkness.  Two women on a 
scales.  Dice, rolling again and again.  It was the ending that stuck 
in her mind.  The Tower of Ghenji stood before her, and then it 
exploded...from the inside.  A man wearing a fox medallion and 
carrying a spear charged out, followed by a white haired man 
wearing a patchwork cloak, leading a very short dark haired 
woman who fumbled about as if she could not see.  A blue gem 
on her forehead caught the light.  More figures crowded in the 
opening behind them, hidden in shadow, and then an arrow fired 
towards them...

         And he awoke.  Ranma-chan was curled up next to him, an 
arm wrapped around Ukyou's body.  She was moaning and 
mumbling something over and over.  Concerned, Ukyou leaned 
over and listened.  "No, Akane, not your cooking.  I'd rather be 
stilled."

        Ukyou simply laughed, rolled over, and went back to sleep.  

*************

        Egwene made her decisions.  Merana and Amys would head 
back to Cairhien for now.  Elayne and Nynaeve had almost 
reached Caemlyn; she would send Ranko to join them; she needed 
to talk to Birgitte anyway, and there wasn't much for her to do 
here now.  Much as she regretted it, Moiraine would have to wait.  
She, Ukyou, Amys, and Melaine had all had the same dream; 
clearly Mat was the one who would lead the rescue, probably 
without them even having to act.  

        And soon, I must call Rand, she thought.  We need to talk, 
desperately.  Without intermediaries.  I know him; I can deal with 
him.  Then she thought about what Merana and Amys and even 
Ranko had told her.  Not much I can do about cheering him up.  
She wasn't even sure where to start.  Ever since they had left 
Emond's Field, Rand had been sealing himself off more and more.  
I've got to get Elayne to him, but she needs to seat herself on the 
Throne, which basically precludes that.  

         She turned Malinda's prophecy over and over in her mind.  
A play seemed a slender reed upon which to rest the fate of the 
Dragon Reborn, especially when they still had no idea who 
Evening's Lady was or what she was supposed to play to the Lord 
of the Morning.  Maybe Thom will turn into a woman, she 
thought, then laughed.  I certainly hope not.

*************

       Fager Neald laughed.  "He did what?"  

       "He shaved his head to try to impress me.  With his stupidity, 
I suppose,"  Alyssa said.  Everyone around her laughed.  She was 
riding with the two Ash'aman, Tyr, and Sera.  Most of the group 
gave the Ash'aman a wide berth, but she didn't fear them as much 
as she would have expected to fear a male channeler.  Most of this 
was likely from her experiences with Kaneda and the rest came 
from the fact that Jur Grady and Fager Neald both looked about as 
scary as an angry kitten.  Especially with Neald's silly looking 
moustache.  "I think he eventually washed out of the Warders.  I 
pity his Sedai if he didn't."

        "We've got two ex-Warders at the Tower,"  Fager said.  "This 
old Shienarian guy named Janis who does a lot of sword teaching 
and...uh...whathisname."

       Jur Grady sighed.  "He went mad and had to be...dealt with."

       Tyr blinked.  "I thought Warders like got passed on if they 
outlived their Sedai.  It was like a for life deal."

        "Well, I think Janis' Sedai released him voluntarily or 
something,"  Fager said.  "But then again, he seems to really hate 
the Tower.  The other guy...he was just about crazy before he 
started channeling.  I think his Aes Sedai died."

        "It sends the Warder into a state of total madness, often 
homocidal or suicidal,"  Alyssa said.  "It's a dangerous bargain 
that Warders make."

        "What if the Warder dies?"  Sera asked.  

        "The Aes Sedai is racked with grief and has a hard time 
functioning, but it's not as hard as it is for a Warder,"  Alyssa said.  
"But the Warder can be helped to get through it okay; there's Aes 
Sedai who specialize in that.  Mostly Greens."

        "Why don't you have a Warder?"  Sera asked. 

        "I do.  It's Kaneda."  Alyssa said.  She could feel him dimly; 
the bond was not so strong at this distance.  He was off to the 
south by southeast, and in fairly good health and a good mood.  
"As for bodyguarding me, that's Tyr's job."

        Sera frowned slightly, and Tyr grinned.  "If we run into any 
of those Aiel we've heard rumors about, I'll chase them all the 
back to the Dragonwall."

       Fager shook his head.  "Some fool saw ours and spread crazy 
stories."

       "I'm not so sure,"  Jur said slowly.  "If we can Travel, maybe 
their Wise Ones know how."

       "Let's make a bet,"  Fager said, smiling.  This one will be 
easy to win.

********** 

        Ailron watched his army march and tried to figure out 
exactly what had happened to his brain.  Somehow, the woman 
who had fallen into his bed last night had talked him into 
escorting her with his army to find her son.  Actually, he knew 
exactly how; he had been too busy staring at her nearly bare chest 
to think coherently.  

        This probably also explains how I mistook a human being for 
some kind of bear, he thought.  Certainly the bear couldn't have 
turned into the woman's husband, who was fat, bald, and ugly.  
Ailron was quite sure the woman would forget about him by the 
time they found her son; especially since she had no actual idea 
where he was.  There was only one way to go, though.  East.  She 
said something about the boy going to join the Dragon's army or 
something.  

        With rain turning into snow, and the winter coming on in 
truth this time, he didn't want to stay in the mountains anyway.  
Especially not with an army of Whitecloaks approaching from 
Almoth plain.  I won't be chained by them again, he thought.  I am 
a King.  He looked at the woman, Nodoka, and smiled.  And 
every King needs a Queen.  Even lovelier than Morgase, he 
thought.  I hope she's well, wherever she is, but I suppose she 
probably died when the Seanchan killed Niall.  A pity.  

**********

        Ukyou was a little uncomfortable when he stepped through 
the gate into Elayne and Nynaeve's camp for three reasons.  One, 
he'd been in boyform for several days now, and he wanted to get 
out of it but wouldn't be able to do so in the foreseeable future.  
Secondly, Lori had come with them, and he was sure of why; she 
was after him.  Thirdly, he was starting to welcome the attention.  
Not that Ranma-chan ignored him, but he wanted lustful looks 
from Ranma-chan if any woman, but wasn't getting any.  It was 
food for his ego, although he tried to ignore it.  

        Elayne greeted them, smiling broadly.  "Only three more 
days to Caemlyn.  Hopefully, we can settle this all quickly."  

        A short woman with braided hair like Nynaeve's but dressed 
in yellow leathers like a female Robin Hood, complete with bow, 
laughed.  "Will you do highwalking too as part of your 
ceremony?"

        Ukyou was relieved that Aviendha looked as confused as he 
did when Elayne and the archer both chortled.  Nynaeve snorted, 
while the tall man standing by her, a lanky dangerous looking 
man, simply smiled a tiny bit.  Ranma-chan said, "Highwalking?"

        "I was a highwalker at Valan Luca's menagerie for a while,"  
Elayne said.  "Nynaeve and I had quite a few adventures since we 
left you in Tanchico."  She took Ranma-chan by the arm.  "Come 
with us, we have to get fully caught up."  She turned to the archer.  
"You'll show Ukyou around, won't you, Birgette?"

        Birgette grinned.  "We Warders will have our own little 
party.  I'll have Lan dancing on tables before we're done."

        "I think not,"  the tall man said.  He turned to Ukyou.  "I 
don't recognize you from the Tower."

        "Never seen it,"  Ukyou said as the channelers headed off.  
At least Lori left with them so she can't hit on me, Ukyou thought.  
"I'm from where Ranko's from."

        "A world of if,"  Lan said. 

        "Yeah.  You knew?"

         "Elayne must have told anything with ears the last day or so.  
She was really excited.  So is Nynaeve, but she wouldn't show it."

         "Lan sees more than he tells,"  Birgette said.  "So what's 
your world like?"

          "It's full of crazed martial artists with crushes on each other 
that tend to not work out."  Ukyou laughed.  "It's a lot more 
advanced technologically than this.  We've sent people to the 
Moon, for one thing."

         "Like Lenn who flew on an Eagle?"  Birgette asked.

         Ukyou laughed.  "Something like that."

**************

         Suroth frowned.  The reports coming in from the mountains 
meant that she would need to leave Cauthon behind so he could 
deal with the unexpected resistance in the mountains.  Or more 
precisely, so he could develop a plan.  I may have to take him to 
the front soon, she thought.  Well, more chances for him to die 
there.  

         Damn you, Demandred, she thought.  He should be dead.  
Dead.  Dead.  She fingered the amulet she had taken from him.  
Although for an item such as this, I can forgive much.  

**********

        "I can't believe you're engaged to a guy,"  Elayne said.

        "WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP SAYING THAT?"  
Ranma-chan bellowed.

        Lori laughed quietly.

        "Because you once punted Galad into the river when he tried 
to flirt with you as much as he ever flirts,"  Elayne said.  "Master 
Hammar wanted to make a Warder of you after that if your Aes 
Sedai training didn't work out,"  she said, laughing, then turned to 
Aviendha.  "Ranko is very good at hand to hand combat."

        "I can tell just by looking at her that she is not as soft as the 
average...wetlander."  Aviendha looked approving.  "Many 
maidens are not so well muscled."

        Ranma-chan blushed a little.  "Thanks."

        "Not quite as strong in the Power as the rest of us, but still 
very strong,"  Elayne continued.  "But to answer your first 
question, you told us about a million times you'd rather be thrown 
in a pit of cats than kiss a boy and now you're marrying one."

        Ranma-chan blushed horribly.  "He ain't like most guys."

        Aviendha laughed.  "So what's different about him?"

        "He's got a nice butt,"  Lori offered, laughing some more.

        "Maybe he's a woman in disguise,"  Nynaeve teased.

         Ranma-chan blushed  more.  I wanna tell them thetruth, 
but...they'll freak.  I just...I never wanted to lie to them.  "He's a 
better kisser."

         Elayne smiled.  "And how would you know?"

         Soon, Ranma-chan was burying herself pretty deeply.

*********

        "So what are they gonna do with all these women?"  Ukyou 
asked.  The various groups of channelers were all bustling about 
and packing to get on the road again.  "I mean, the Sea Folk are 
kinda far from the sea here, right?"

        "Likely take carriages to the river and head south on it,"  
Birgette said.  "The Kin will likely settle in Caemlyn until Elayne 
can get them to Egwene.  And we shall be busy preparing for 
Elayne to be crowned."  Birgette smiled proudly.  "She''s not the 
only monarch here,though."

        Lan rumbled slightly, but Ukyou ignored it and pressed on.  
"Really?  Who else?"

        "Lan is also known as al'Lan Mandragoran, the uncrowned 
King of Malkier,"  Birgette said, ignoring signals from Lan to 
stop.  "Which makes Nynaeve uncrowned Queen I suppose.  Got 
any royal titles up your sleeve, Ukyou?"

        "I was Waffle Q...King for a day, once,"  Ukyou said, 
laughing.  "And I beat a Gambling King at Poker."

         "There's a story I'd like to hear,"  Birgette said.  

         The telling of it took quite a while.

*************

     Shampoo was nervous.  The pillar on the far side of Mount 
Fuji had been easy to find among the trees.  Several prayer 
ribbons were tiied to it, and it looked justlike Great-Grandmother 
had said it should.  However, rain clouds had formed, and she had 
seen several lightning bolts hit the ground in the distance.  The 
huge rune carved shaft of stone looked too much like a lightning 
rod for Shampoo's taste.

        She stepped forward, gripping her bonbori.  Why wouldn't 
Great-grandmother tell me more of the world I'm going to?  Why 
is Airen in another world?  Shampoo felt like a pawn on a 
chessboard.  She knew Great-grandmother wouldn't lie, but at 
times Great-grandmother could make the truth dance a jig.  

         She had to tuck both bonbori under one arm so she could 
reach forward with the earring to touch the weatherbeaten pillar 
with the earring Great-Grandmother had said was the key.  Three 
things happened at once.  The first drops of rain fell, striking her 
clothing.  It was not enough to transform her, but her skin tingled; 
soon, it would be enough.  The pillar shone and the earring 
glowed, and the glow began to spread.  Then within the space of 
three seconds after she began this, a bolt of lightning stabbed 
down and struck the pillar and her.

        Flicker.

        Shampoo stood upon the great pole used in the contests of 
her people, sending Barfbag flying by hooking her clothing with 
the end of Shampoo's naginata and tossing her into the air.  She 
had won the Tournament, and unlike last year, she had not been 
forced to kill some annoying outsider redhead who ate the prize.  
The woman had given her a good chase until Shampoo had nailed 
her with a poison arrow.  It had taken the girl five days to die.  

          No such disturbance marred her victory.  It rained; it had 
been raining constantly for days.  But that was merely a petty 
annoyance.  Shampoo had been blessed by never undergoing the 
punishment of Jyusenkyo as was sometimes visited upon those 
who broke the rules; Shampoo never broke the rules.

         The rain was annoying, however.  There was a danger of 
floods, and it was said that the pools of Jyusenkyo were blending 
together as the valley flooded.  It also meant putting up with 
Mousse trying to offer her an umbrella...too bad he usually 
offered it to a tree.

         As it was, he tried to hug her in congratulations, but ended 
up hugging Hairspray instead.  Hairspray was a tall, green-haired 
Amazon with a crush on Mousse that he couldn't see.  Shampoo 
simply quietly slipped off and let her take advantage of his 
confusion.  

         The ground shook slightly, and everyone began running for 
cover; the quakes were never strong here, but sometimes...they 
could get dangerous.  The shaking grew stronger, and a chill wind 
began to blow.  Lightning struck off in the distance, growing 
closer.  

         Shampoo frowned.  Something was wrong with this 
weather.  And the Earthquake.  And the approaching wall of fire 
and darkness in the distance.  She blinked.  What in...

        It was a huge cylinder, erupting into the sky at Jyusenkyo.  
Suddenly, it turned into a bright white light that left a double 
image on her sight.  

        She ran for cover, only to be hit by flaming liquid that fell 
from the sky.  Death came swiftly.

         Flicker.

         Shampoo lay in the bed, holding her child.  With much 
thought, she and her husband had named the little black haired girl 
Nine Moons after Shampoo's mother.  It would do her honor; she 
was dead now in a skirmish with the Musk Dynasty.  

         Her husband, Mousse, sat on a chair nearby, smiling and 
cooing at their child.  "She'll be a great warrior like you, some 
day,"  he said.  "Win the Tournament ten times or more!"

         "I hope she did not inherit my curse,"  Shampoo said.  "I'm 
surprised I managed to not transform during the pregnancy."

         "Well, I'm not cursed, so maybe she won't be.  I suppose we 
should test that."

          Little Nine Moons soon became a wet kitty when he 
finished his test.  "Well, now you can join the embassy to the 
Chinese government.  Hopefully, it won't come to war."

         "I've been practicing my Mandarin.  I've tried telling the 
council of Elders we need to change our ways, that we needed to 
adapt earlier, ever since they punished me for not murdering that 
Japanese girl who ate the prize at the first Tournament I won, 
but..."  She sighed.  "Maybe the Chinese government will be more 
reasonable."

           They weren't.  That Shampoo's last sight was of bombs 
raining down on the Amazon village.  She never knew if her 
daughter lived.

        Flicker.

        Shampoo paused for a moment to take a deep breath.  All 
this digging was hard work, but she had to hide the Ugly Pervert 
Girl's body as fast as possible.  Nabiki had been poking around the 
Nekohanten again, and too many disappearing Tendos would 
attract notice.  Still, this was the last of her rivals.  Everyone 
thought Kodachi had accidentally poisoned herself, and Ukyou 
had left a note that she was going to Osaka, never to return.  
Forging her handwriting had been hard, but not as hard as 
cleaning up every drop of blood from her restaurant.

        She tossed the last shovelful of dirt onto the grave, then 
started planting sod over it.  It was a quiet corner of the park; no 
one would notice her here.  Or so she thought.

        "YOU BITCH!"  It was Ryouga.

        Shampoo cursed.  Mousse was supposed to be baking 
Ryouga in the oven right now.  Never should have let stupid Duck 
Boy be a part of this.  "Mousse screwed up?"  She spun, dropping 
into a fighting stance with the shovel.

        "I'm gonna have Peking Duck to go with my Baked CAT,"  
Ryouga shouted.  He was standing a few feet away; she wasn't 
sure how he had snuck up on her.  His whole body was beginning 
to glow; his chi was strong.

         It was time to withdraw.  He didn't have a lot of range, and if 
he lost sight of her, he wouldn't find her for days.  She ran for her 
life, literally.

        Within seconds, she got out of his sight and then didn't see 
him again for the rest of the day.  By the end of the day, she had 
thoroughly dosed up Ranma and he was sleeping quietly on a cot 
by her bed.  She went to sleep for a few hours; she and Cologne 
would be leaving early in the morning, ideally leaving Duck Boy 
behind to take the fall.

         When a voice woke her up, she assumed it was her great-
grandmother.  Until she heard the words "SHISHI-HOKODAN!"  
Her eyes snapped open just in time to be burnt out their sockets a 
few seconds before her flesh charred to ash and her bones 
crumbled to dust.  

        Flicker.

        Shampoo smiled at the love of her life.  He was not the sort 
of man she would have imagined herself marrying.  Nor had she 
imagined herself as a healer, but she was learning the craft from a 
master.  

        Akane walked in.  "Hi, Shampoo.  I'm suffering from some 
back pain."

         Shampoo smiled and walked over to Akane, examining her 
carefully.  "Been pounding on Ranma again?"

        "Not THAT much."  Akane blushed.  "And no, it's not from 
the mattress.  Not this time."

        "Airen!  They didn't buy the special mattress you told them 
to!"

         She could hear him coming as Akane spluttered.  "We don't 
have enough money to afford a better mattress, but when we..."

        Dr. Tofu stepped out and kissed Shampoo on the cheek.  
"Either you need to get a new mattress or you need to make 
Ranma let you be on top, Akane.  Anyway, let's get you fixed up."

         Flicker.

         In an instant, Shampoo lived a million lives.  She loved 
Ranma.  She married Ranma.  She hated Ranma.  She killed 
Ranma.  She WAS Ranma.  (Don't ask.)  She loved Mousse.  She 
loved Akane.  Her Jyusenkyo punishment turned her into a boy.  It 
turned her into a duck.  It turned her into a little black pig and an 
accident with the Musk bucket made her Akane's P-chan forever.  
She turned Akane into a little black pig and kept her as a pet.  

         Some of the lives were her own with minor variations, like 
the one where she was allergic to garlic, and as a result, someone 
mistook her for a vampire and staked her.  Some of the lives were 
seriously different, like the one where she ruled the Earth with an 
iron fist or the one where she worked for Steve Trevor in a spy 
agency in a world stuck in the seventies.  In some lives, she was 
happy and all her dreams came true.  In others, she died horribly 
or was a psychotic killer who wrecked the dreams of others.  The 
most horrible of those was the one where after Ranma rejected her 
for Akane, she kidnapped him and subjected him to a hundred and 
one tortures, ending by tossing him into a pit of rabid lions.  And a 
few were simply bizarre.  A Shampoo who was an artifical 
intelligence used to sell hair care products.  A Shampoo who was 
a witch in what looked like fourteenth century England with a cat 
familiar.  A Shampoo who worked with some fellow named John 
Steed as a spy.  A Shampoo who was only a figment of Ranma's 
imagination who no one else could see.  A Shampoo who was a 
sentient ham sandwich in the Tendo refrigerator.  (Slain in the 
Kanto Earthquake when the power went out and she went bad due 
to lack of refrigeration).  

        Just when she thought it couldn't get any stranger, she felt 
something pass by, and for a moment, she heard a scream.  
Sensations she couldn't recognize assaulted her; she felt like she 
was being stretched, her limbs and torso being pulled longer and 
thinner, her hair nearly yanked out.  The pain was agonizing, but 
she choked it down; she was used to pain; Amazon training wasn't 
easy.  

        Then the pain cleared, as did her vision.  Her brain felt fuzzy; 
it was hard to remember where she was or who she was.  Near 
Ebou Dar, she thought.  I went to the Portal Stone to fulfill... 
The...wait, no I was on Mount Fuji and...

       Shampoo looked around.  Unconscious soldiers, damane, and 
sul'dams were scattered everywhere.  Her servants had been 
clobbered as well.  My servants?  I don't have any servants.  She 
looked down at herself and her clothing had changed.  So had her 
figure; she was taller and thinner.  The clothing was appropriate to 
her station as a High Lady, but...no, I'm not a High Lady, 
Shampoo thought.  Am I?  It was a lot better than being a ham 
sandwich, but...

        Surely this was not part of Great-grandmother's plan, she 
thought.  When she realized that all three items that Cologne had 
given her were gone, she yelped.  When she looked at one of the 
knocked out soldiers and saw her altered reflection on his shiny 
armor which reminded her of a giant bug, she yelped a lot louder.

**********

       Mousse blinked.  "You what?"

       "Help me with this, and I will abandon any opposition to you 
marrying Shampoo,"  Cologne said.

        Mousse started to dance around happily, then froze in place.  
"Why?  It seems so easy."

        "Because you will probably die. That is why I did not simply 
TELL you to do this.  I do not like to send people to their deaths 
unless they know the risk."

        "WHAT?  Kodachi couldn't beat me in a fight unless I was 
unconscious!"

        "It won't be just her.  And the longer you delay me, the more 
of them she will gather."  

        "How long have you known this was going to happen?  
Whatever is happening?"  He glared at her suspiciously, frowning.

        "Some things did not become obvious until it was too late; I 
could not be sure, and I never kill unless I must and unless I am 
sure.  Now I am sure."

        "I will come, for Shampoo's sake, but if this is a trick, you 
dried up fish, I will..."

        Do something stupid, which likely get you killed, Cologne 
thought.  At least the Nabiki girl is intelligent.  A pity she can't 
fight.

**********

       "A trip to Bermuda?"  Kasumi said.

       "Well, everyone else left, and we need to make sure Kodachi 
doesn't get the backup d-hopper.  Either we jump dimensions, or 
else we go to Bermuda.  I've got the money for it."

        Kasumi smiled.  "Bermuda sounds nice.  I've got 
this...craving for the great outdoors."

        Nabiki laughed.  "I'll go arrange the tickets."  She paused at 
the door.  "Should I invite Dr. Tofu too?"

       Kasumi blushed.  "Would it...be...proper?"  She wanted to, 
she knew that.  He was so...her whole body felt tingly just 
thinking about him.  

       "Well, I'm not planning celibacy, but I was planning to pick 
up a local once we get there.  You've already got a main squeeze, 
though."

         "S..sure.  I'll go ask him."

         "Don't take too long.  We're gonna vanish like yesterday's 
lunch, ASAP."

************

         Mat read the note for the eighteenth time.  "Be prepared for 
the day when the Daughter of the Nine Moons arrives.  During the 
festival, we will be coming to help you.  'A humble juggler'. "

         The Daughter of the Nine Moons.  He'd heard them say it 
before, but he had been so preoccupied, he hadn't REALLY 
thought about it.  She was coming.  I'll never escape, he thought, 
fretting.  Ever.  No, there HAS to be a way out.  There's always a 
way out.  Besides death.

          She was expected soon.  Just don't get here before Aludra 
makes enough fireworks to blast my way out of here, he thought.  

           At least with Suroth gone, they won't send me to 
coordinate the defense against Rand's attack.  He stared at the 
counters on the map table.  The armies in Ghealdan were on the 
move.  Perrin, Ailron, Alliandre, White cloaks and Aiel, all 
heading slowly towards collision.  It might take a few weeks, but 
there was going to be a big bang.  

        More scouting reports.  Three, maybe four armies camped 
along the Andorian/Murandian border.  The Band of the Red 
Hand.  Egwene's army.  An Andorian/Murandian Army.  And 
scattered reports of a fourth army, but if there was one, it was a 
few hundred at best and seemed to be reported everywhere at 
once.  Lunatic Dragonsworn, Mat thought.  Most definitely.

**********

       Demandred sat at a nice marble table, staring out the window 
at the ruins which surrounded him.  A useful base.  Not only did it 
have a few useful knicknacks, it brought back fond memories; he 
had spent some time in this city in his youth thousands of years 
ago.  Only Sammael had known this city had survived, and 
Sammael was gone now.  So much for his master plan.  

        One by one, he mows us down, Demandred thought.  Why 
does the Great Lord want him to live?  He must want something 
only the Dragon can provide...but what?  He turned back to the 
map he had been looking at.  Soon the Whitecloaks would all 
gather in Ghealdan. And then his Seanchan puppets would crush 
them.  With the Whitecloaks gone from Almoth plain, the 
Seanchan would sweep over that as well.  Graendal controlled 
Arad Doman.  At least as much as the Great Lord wanted it 
controlled, which was apparently not much.  

        Soon, the Great Lord must choose a Nae'blis.  Or none of us 
will survive to be chosen, he thought.  His mind kept coming back 
to this.  We must begin to cooperate, but it will never happen until 
I am leader.  No one else could handle it, except perhaps Ishmael, 
and he was insane in the end and now gone beyond return.  Like 
Rahvin.  I wonder if the Great Lord has revived any of our other 
fallen brethren.

       "Demandred."  The voice was female.

       He spun on one heel and grasped the source.  Moghedien.  
She had been missing.  "WHAT?"

       She jumped back instinctively.  "I bring a message from the 
Great Lord."  She looked even more shaken and cowardly than 
usual.  This took effort.  "This is what you must do.  First of all, 
there is a twisted doorway in the palace at Cairhien..."

       Demandred listened, though he planned to get confirmation of 
these orders.  Moghedien would twist them to her benefit.  Yet, 
the plan had merit.  This doorway could be useful.

***********

        There are worse things than suddenly having the body of a 
wet cat.  For example, one could suddenly find oneself being cut 
apart with a chainsaw.  Still, Suroth was first surprised, then 
panicked.  She was a wet, cute, pink kitty.  Standing on a 
mountainside by a Portal Stone.  Her great-grandmother, the 
Empress, had sent her here.  No, wait, that wasn't right.  She 
wasn't descended from the Empress.  Yet.  Perhaps I will be raised 
to the blood when I...I'm a cat!  I can't be a cat.  No, wait, I always 
turn into a cat when I...what's going on?

         The bedraggled kitty yowled desperately.

**********

        Shampoo sat amongst the unconscious people and 
desperately tried to put together a coherent picture in her mind of 
what had happened.  Shampoo must have volunteered for 
Quantum Leap and forgot about it, she decided.  Soon, Al will 
show up and tell Shampoo what she has to change.  Maybe Great-
Grandmother built Amazon version of Quantum Leap Accelerator 
and put it on Mount Fuji.  

         Half-digested, because they only half existed, memories 
gave her a vague idea who she was.  Suroth was a Seanchan 
Matriarch, though not an Elder Matriarch like Great-
Grandmother.  Suroth's job was to conquer funny-sounding weak 
people who broke promises to the Seanchan Empress.  

         Shampoo go back to Ebou Dar, she thought.  Then Shampoo 
sit down with her General and make strategies to conquer world.  
Ahh, that must be it, Shampoo thought.  Suroth not as good a 
general as Shampoo, needs to take Spear Boy captive.  But Suroth 
too stupid to see it a dumb idea to put enemy in charge of armies, 
no matter how many ways you blackmail enemy.  Hmm, 
Shampoo dimly remember some man tell Shampoo to do 
this...Baah, Shampoo not take orders from man she can't even 
remember.  Let's go get ready to greet Empress' daughter and kick 
butt.

        As soon as everyone else wakes up, anyway, she thought.

*********

        "Just as soon as Rand gets back, Mai will contact us, then 
you can go talk to him,"  Ranma-chan said.

         Elayne didn't have to speak for her to know she would 
waffle.  "I...are you sure this is a good idea?  I mean, we really 
need to get to Caemlyn and..."

         "It's just gonna be a little visit.  I mean, you haven't seen 
each other in months, right?"  Ranma-chan said.  "I mean, heck, 
maybe you ought to go tonight and talk to Min first."

        Aviendha had the quiet volcano look that Ranma-chan knew 
far too well from dealing with Akane.  Although Akane had 
usually been a live volcano.  Nynaeve said, "Best to have him 
there so it can all be settled at once."

        Lan smiled ever so slightly.  "Should I be prepared to 
perform the wedding ceremony that night?"

        Aviendha blushed.  "None of us have been engaged to him 
long enough."

         Nynaeve blinked.  "None of you are engaged to him at all."  
Aviendha blushed more.  "You..."

         "As Egwene explained it, in your land, there is traditionally 
a year's time of betrothal.  Was she incorrect?"

          Nynaeve blinked again.  "He proposed to you?"

          "After...he became aware of how I felt, we...decided it was 
best."

          Ranma-chan boggled.  "But he...I mean...he and Min...and 
he'd already gotten engaged to you?"  She tugged her braid, not 
even aware she was mimicking Nynaeve's typical gesture.  Only 
Birgitte actually noticed and she laughed faintly.  "I mean, I could 
have had Shampoo a thousand times, but I was engaged and..."  
Everyone stared at Ranma-chan, who shrank in on herself.  Ukyou 
gently noogied Ranma-chan's head.  "I can't believe he violated 
your engagement like that!"  

          "Shampoo?"  Nynaeve asked.

          Aviendha frowned.  "Rand and Min have toh to me.  And 
Elayne.  But that is between her and I.  Although I appreciate your 
concern." 

          Nynaeve was frowning intensely now.  "Ranko is right.  I 
can see Mat doing that, but I thought Rand was better than that.  
Especially if he..."  She looked at Aviendha, then blinked.  "Oh."  
She glanced in a blatantly surreptitious manner at Elayne.

         Elayne was too busy staring at her feet to notice.  "We'll 
cross that bridge when we come to it."

         Ukyou shook her head.  "I know I couldn't share Ranko with 
someone else."

         "It is destiny,"  Elayne said.  "I don't like it, but I'll take what 
I can get.  Starting with Alanna's head."

         Ukyou laughed.  "Give her the Kiss of Death!"

         "What?"

         Ranko began waving her hands no, but Ukyou launched into 
the story anyway; the edited version, of course.

***********

        Kaneda laughed to himself.  I get sent to spy on the Seanchan 
and end up babysitting a kid instead.  Everyone was out making 
further preparations for the big rescue; he didn't know his way 
around Ebou Dar, so he had gotten stuck with babysitting duty.  

         He took a look at the board he had mocked up.  Chutes and 
Ladders was what it was, basically.  The hardest part had been 
drawing all the chutes and ladders, and that wasn't hard at all.  
And Olver had a remarkable number of dice for a small child.  
"Ready?"

        "Yeah."  Olver looked at the board.  "Did you invent this 
game?"

        "I used to play it all the time when I was a child."  It was 
pure luck, really.  But still fun for a kid.  And after playing Snakes 
and Foxes for the eighth time, Kaneda had needed something new.  

         They played for a while, their little power-carven pieces 
wandering up and down the board.  Kaneda smiled, getting into 
the rythym of it, the rolling of dice, the moving of his little 
pyramid.  Olver was a cube.  Olver gave a great yelp when he slid 
down the longest chute.  "AAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"

        "Trusting to luck can get ya in trouble sometimes,"  Kaneda 
said.  "But luck always comes back too."

        Olver looked up at Kaneda.  "You sound like my mom."

        Kaneda laughed.  "Not much danger of that."

        "Are we ever gonna rescue Mat?"

        Kaneda patted Olver's head.  "Soon.  We're waiting for the 
big party they'll hold when the Princess they're waiting for arrives.  
And then we'll save him."

       Setalle's husband stumped in, wandering over to them.   "Too 
much rain to stay out today," he said.  "I've heard a rumor that 
might interest you."

       "What?"

       "Some group of Altaran loyalists has inflicted a major defeat 
on the Seanchan army in the mountains.  There may have been 
Aes Sedai involved too.  And now High Lady Suroth has come 
back into the city in a hurry; run back from the front everyone 
thinks."

        "I hope she doesn't take it out on Mat."

        "I hope she doesn't take it on the Queen.  Assuming she's still 
alive."

        "She is, Thom says,"  Kaneda said.

         "I hope he's right."

************

          Alyssa stared at Maighdin again.  She was Faile's new 
servant.  Well, one of Faile's new servants; Perrin had saved a 
group of hapless travellers from being lynched by some of the 
prophet's men today; he'd also sent Berelain and Annoura into this 
small city, Bethel, where Alliandre, the Queen of Ghealdan, was 
supposed to be staying.  There was something about Maighdin, 
something familiar.  The woman was a wilder, though not a strong 
one.  But that wasn't it.  I've seen her, Alyssa thought.

        "Maighdin?"

        "Yes, Sedai?"  For once, her voice wasn't as bitter, her 
humility as forced as usual.  Though Alyssa had no idea why.  

        "Do you have any relatives in the Tower?  I keep thinking 
I've seen you before."

         There was a pause.  "Not that I'm aware of.  I went there for 
testing, long ago.  I wasn't strong enough to be Aes Sedai, but I 
learned enough to not kill myself."  She paused and looked 
assesingly at Alyssa.  "You are young for an Aes Sedai."

         "My strength has carried me far," she said, trying to not 
show her nerves.  "Did you learn enough to sense how strong 
someone is?"

          Maighdin concentrated, staring hard at Alyssa, then her 
eyes widened.  "Mother of..."  Whatever she was about to say, she 
choked it off.  "I must have done it wrong."

         "No," she said.  "Ranko thinks I could almost go toe to toe 
with Nynaeve if I had to.   And she's pretty sure I could tapdance 
all over Elayne and Egwene, not that I would want to tapdance on 
the Daughter-heir of Andor and the Amyrlin seat."  She paused.  
"Whatever tapdancing is."

         Maighdin's eyes widened.  "You're that strong?"  She 
paused.  "You haven't met Elayne Trakand?  Isn't she in the 
Tower?"

        "Yes, but I didn't compare strengths with everyone I meet,"  
Alyssa said.  "I have heard that she is one of the strongest Aes 
Sedai alive.  I feel sorry for her that her mother died, even if her 
mother was stupid enough to have a bink like Elaida as her 
advisor.  Other than that, everything I've heard about Morgase was 
pretty good.  Oh, and she had a temper like a Ebou Dari barmaid."  
She wasn't looking directly at Maighdin, or the heat of Maighdin's 
gaze might have blinded her.  "We'll probably hear about her 
coronation soon."

        "You really think this al'Thor will let her be crowned?  I've 
heard he has taken the throne."  Maighdin's voice was low and 
dangerous now.

         "Well, according to Ranko, they're madly in love with each 
other, so I don't think he'd get in her way.  And he's King of 
ILLIAN, not Andor.  He couldn't be king of Andor, anyway; 
Andor only has Queens.  Didn't they teach you that in Murandy?  
That's where you're from, right?"  Although she looked more 
Andoran, really, to Alyssa.  She had the fiery red hair of the 
Andoran royal family.  Probably a distant relative, Alyssa thought, 
although I'd expect her to know more about Andor.

         Maighdin seethed; Alyssa finally noticed.  "Yes, they taught 
us that in Murandy.  But that sort of thing doesn't stop would be 
conquerors."  Something suddenly sunk in.  "You say...she's in 
love with...al'Thor?"

        "Yeah.  That's why he wanted to make sure she could be 
Queen; he had to go kill off Gaebril, but Gaebril was actually 
Rahvin."

         Maighdin's eyes expanded to about triple normal size.  "He 
was WHAT?  How did you find this out?"

         "Just about everyone in Cairhien knows about this.  I heard 
from some Aiel.  Rahvin was using Morgase as a tool to take over 
Andor, more or less."

         Maighdin's mouth flapped open and shut.  "Are you sure 
about this?"

         "I asked Rand and he said yes.  Gaebril was Rahvin.  I mean, 
I didn't like, see the body, but everyone knows about it.  Ask 
Perrin.  Oh wait, he wasn't there.  Ask Berelain.  Umm...when she 
gets back."  I'm surprised she hadn't heard.

         "Do you know...where the Daughter-Heir is, then?  Why she 
hasn't taken her throne?"

         Alyssa shrugged.  "Run off on some Aes Sedai thing."  She 
waved her hands vaguely.  "She was in Tanchico with Ranko 
about a year ago, but I'm sure they left before the Seanchan took 
over."

         Maighdin frowned and stalked off.  

         Strange woman, Alyssa thought.  Maybe she's distantly 
related to the Queen but has fallen on hard timesor something.

***********

         Early in the third night of travelling to Caemlyn with Elayne 
and company, Ranma-chan decided to pop over to Cairhien and 
see if anyone knew if Rand was gonna show up any time soon; the 
next day, they expected to ride into Caemlyn, and then things 
would likely get too busy for Elayne to be able to go looking for 
him.  And I'm gonna give him a piece of mind about how to treat 
his fiancees, Ranma-chan thought.  I've got experience, and he 
doesn't.  He'll never handle it right if he keeps on like this.  

         She popped into her room, then went down to bang on Mai's 
door.  Mai soon came to the door, a list of names in her hand.  
"Oh, hi, Ranko.  Umm, Ranma.  Which name did you like better?"

         Ranma-chan sighed.  "Ranko is fine when I'm 
emale.  Any news on when Rand's gonna show up?"

         "He's here.  In a BAAAAAD mood. He's holed up with 
Min."

         Ranma-chan frowned.  He's gotta see Elayne, but if he's in a 
pissy mood...It's like urgent, though.  Because we gotta figure out 
what to do when she gets to Caemlyn and stuff.  Maybe I ought to 
go beat some sense into his head; he might feel better after a good 
brawl; I usually do.  "Why didn't you contact me?"

        "You didn't tell me you didn't have a far speaker with you!"

        "..."

         Mai sighed.  "Go get one from Joan, okay?  I tried to call the 
one you took and got the Amyrlin Seat."  She shook her head.  
"She mistook me for the Lord Dragon, somehow.  Not for LONG, 
but I got a good laugh."

         "Well, I'll go see if Rand wants to talk to Elayne or not."

          "Bad idea.  REALLY bad idea."

          "It's gotta be tonight.  There's gonna be queen stuff and junk 
once we reach Caemlyn tomorrow."

          "She arrives tomorrow?"  Mai asked, surprised.

          "Yeah.  And Lan and Nynaeve finally got married.   I was 
starting to think that man would run away from her forever."  He 
seems like a brave guy; maybe he just wasn't ready to settle down, 
Ranma-chan thought.  I know I'm not.  It's gonna be a while 
before Ucchan and I get married.

          Mai nodded, as if she had any idea what Ranma-
chan was talking about.  "And I heard Kaneda's gonna 
rescue Mat soon; he's been imprisoned in Ebou Dar."

        "I guess the tavern maids there are as scary as they say,"  
Ranma-chan said, laughing.  "Is Kaneda okay?"

        "Yeah,"  Mai said.  "Cerise has been jumpy all day, but won't 
say why.  I guess she's worried about Tyr."

        Ranma-chan nodded.  "I'm sure he's safe with Alyssa."  Or 
she's safe with him to be more precise, she thought.  "Anyway, I 
gotta go chew out Rand.  Hmm....boy form or girl form...I may 
need to channel if he blows his top..."  She sighed.  "I wanted to 
get back to my real body for a little while."

         "If the Maidens let you in."

         Ranma-chan laughed.  "I'm not afraid of pointed sticks."

***********

         After three seconds with Sorilea, before she even spoke, 
Ranma-chan was wishing for someone to come by with a pointed 
stick.  The woman gazed at her intently.  Ranma-chan knew that 
gaze; it was the way Cologne always looked at her.  Except that 
Sorilea was an industrial laser where Cologne was a flashlight.  
Finally, Ranma-chan said, "Do I have something on my nose?"

         Sorilea blinked and the intensity diminished.  Sorilea said, 
"Sedai."

         "Um, yes?"  

         "Do you know who 'those who follow the Cloud' are?"

         "Kaneda's followers, I'd guess, since Kaneda's family name 
means 'Cloud'.  Either that or it's a Highlander reference."  Did 
someone tell her Malindha's prophecy?  It didn't say anything 
about those who follow the Cloud, though.  

         "And the Hunter's tale?"

          I knew I forgot SOMETHING.  Gotta bug Birgitte about 
that.  "Might be something Elayne's warder knows, maybe."

         "And the Little Longsword?"

         "Kodachi.  An old enemy of mine.  Why are you asking me 
these things?"  Wait, Ranma-chan thought.  

         "Kodachi.  The one your warder dreamed of.  Now I 
understand."

         "What?  What did Ucchan dream of?"

         "Ask her.  I heard it second hand."

         "I can't imagine how Kodachi would get here, though."

         Sorilea turned to leave, then paused.  "Ahh, those are the 
vines.  Yes."  She finished turning and strode off, leaving Ranma-
chan to wonder what exactly it was all about.  
        
***************

         Mat strode into the map room; Suroth had sent for him.  
"How was your trip to the Portal Stone?"  He asked.  "Did you get 
rid of it?"

         Alwhin spoke.  "Lady Suroth is not pleased with the recent 
events in the mountains."  She looked over at Suroth; it was an 
odd look.  Mat recognized that look; it was the sort of look his 
mother used to give him when she thought he was up to 
something.  

        Suroth nodded.  "Look, Spear Boy, Suroth's armies got their 
heads handed to them following your plan.  Now Spear Boy is 
going to explain to Suroth why Spear Boy and his girlfriend 
shouldn't be punished for this."

        "Because trying to command your armies from Ebou Dar is 
like trying to find something fifty miles away by sending 
instructions via messenger birds to someone else who does the 
searching, but won't do anything unless you tell them explicitly.  I 
don't hear anything until hours or days after the situation has 
changed."  She sounds even weirder than usual, Mat thought.  

         Suroth blinked.  "Okay, Spear Boy, good point."

         "My name is Mat," he said, a little bit irritated.  

         "Okay, Mat," she said, then paused.  "Do you have a sister 
named Rug by any chance?"

         Mat blinked.

         "Never mind."  She looked at him assessingly.  "Actually, 
you're better looking than Rug's brother.  Anyway, as soon as 
Tuon arrives, Suroth will take you to the front.  The Altaran rebels 
retreated anyway; scouts say they gone."

         Probably she's still shook up after an experience like what I 
had, Mat thought.  Or maybe she's gone mad.  Or maybe I just 
never really listened to her before.
    
         Suroth held up the amulet she held.  "Where did you get this, 
Spe...Mat?"

         Mat would have lied, but the twisted doorway was 
destroyed; it didn't matter if Suroth knew.  "From these weird 
people on the other side of a twisted doorway.  They grant wishes, 
but they cheat.  A lot."

          "Suroth has received a report that al'Thor has one."

          "Yeah."  Broken to bits, Mat thought.  Fat lot of good it will 
do you.

          "You will begin arranging a naval assault on Tear,"  Suroth 
said.  "We will cut off al'Thor's supply lines.  He can still run 
supplies through Far Madding, but land transport will be too slow, 
too cumbersome, and too vulnerable to our aerial forces.  Illian 
cannot feed so many warriors; it couldn't feed itself before 
al'Thor's armies showed up.  Also, if al'Thor really has male 
channelers like the reports claim, we need to come up with good 
tactics to deal with them.  Sha...Suroth will make G...the Empress 
proud of her!"

         Mat was quite sure the look on Alwhin's face was the same 
as the one on his own.  Maybe even more baffled.  This wasn't the 
same Suroth he had been dealing with.  Oh, she was just as 
determined to conquer everything in sight, but the aura of 
malevolence was gone.  And the fact that she had actually 
accepted his excuse...well, it was a true excuse; he couldn't lead 
the war from here, but still.  Then again, maybe my ta'vereness is 
actually PAYING OFF for me for once.  It would be nice.

************

         Despite losing their Illuminator a while back after an 
unfortunate encounter with some other Illuminators who 
apparently wanted to hunt her down for reasons never really made 
clear (Aludra had gotten away alive, but neither Luca nor the 
other Illuminators had been able to find her),  Valan Luca was 
quite certain that things would go well in Caemlyn.  The city was 
bustling with people, people would be bored and want 
entertainment over the long winter months; fear of the Dragon had 
kept many menageries away, but Valan Luca had little fear of the 
Dragon.  Everyone likes a good menagerie.  And he would have 
this city all to himself.  A brief fantasy of the Dragon naming 
Valan Luca's show his Imperial Menagerie drifted through Luca's 
mind, but he dismissed it.  His ego wasn't quite that swollen.  

        He had other reasons too be hopeful.  He had dreamed of 
Nana the previous night.  Not that he didn't dream of her 
frequently, but in this dream, she came riding down the north road 
to Caemlyn and asked to marry him.  It was silly to be so happy 
over a dream, but it had seemed so real.  She was coming.  He 
knew it.  How she could possibly be coming south to Caemlyn 
when he had last seen her going to take a boat to Ebou Dar, he 
didn't know; he just knew it had to be true.  

          He stomped about the camp, which would open formally for 
business on the morrow; the sun was set now, it was time to get 
some rest.  For most of them.  He found Cerandin feeding the 
boar-horses.  "How are your charges faring?"

         Her speech was softly slurred as always.  "They're fine."  
She started to say something, then stopped, staring at the sky and 
frowning.

         Valan looked up and saw nothing.  "What is it?"

         "For a moment, I thought I saw..."  She shook her head.  "It 
could not be."

         "What?"

         "A Raken.  Heading east."

         "Probably just a bat," he said.  A Raken?

         Pursed lips said she didn't agree.

************

         The maidens shook their heads.  "He said to let no one in.  
He is in a foul mood."  One of them, a taller, older maiden with 
touseled red hair sighed faintly and leaned against the wall.  
"Darker and darker he gets, and less able to..."  A look from 
another maiden silenced her.

         "I gotta talk to him!  Elayne's gonna get to Caemlyn 
tomorrow and..."

         "You bring news of Elayne?"  a third maiden with bright 
yellow hair and a scar across her nose, asked.

         "Yeah, she's gonna go take the Lion Throne tomorrow."

         They glanced at each other, their hands twitching in patterns 
she knew was a code, but couldn't understand.  Finally, the first 
one said, "Enter."

          They opened the doors and she walked in.  The book that 
came right at her head was easy to catch; the next two were not so 
easy.  "Hey!"

        Rand, about to hurl another book while Min tried to grab his 
arm, said, "I've had enough of...oh."  While still angry, he looked 
just a touch embarrassed.  "I told the Maidens to keep everyone 
out."

        "Rand, I just came from Elayne's camp.  She's gonna reach 
Caemlyn tomorrow and be crowned.  And you and she and 
Aviendha and Min have got to talk tonight and get this over with.  
I spent all my time running away from my fiancees and all that 
did was drag it out forever and ever and Shampoo's probably 
STILL after me, although it's not my fault that I haven't gotten to 
tell her to get a life and then Kodachi, well, she's a nutcase, so 
she'll probably never..."  

	Ranma-chan took a deep breath.  "Sorry.  Rambling."  Rand 
stared at her.  "Oh, and Lan and Nynaeve got married.  She's 
actually...she's...you'd think someone replaced her with a pod 
person or something. Anyway, Elayne wanted to wait to come see 
you, but I think it's better to settle this now.  Anyway, you'll want 
to see her get crowned and junk, right?  So, are you really 
engaged to Aviendha?"

         Min gave Rand a stare at that, while he blushed.  

         "And I'm pretty sure Elayne's gonna want to...uh..you know.  
Since the other two got first crack, even though you kissed her 
first, so to...um...anyway.  Oh.  You'd better hide Alanna under a 
rock so Elayne doesn't rip off her head.  She and Egwene are like 
freaked out.  Over the bond thing.  Plus...Umm...I forgot."  

         "..."  Rand just stared.

         "Aviendha and Elayne are coming?"  Min asked very 
nervously.

         "Since Rand's here, yeah.  Unless you're gonna go run and 
hide under a rock yourself, which would be a BAAAD idea,"  
Ranma-chan said.  "Trust me.  Oh, did Merana tell you how things 
went?"

         "I haven't talked to her yet; I just got back an hour ago."

         "We kicked ass and took names.  And I finally got initiated 
into the Green Ajah.  And they loved the ter'angreal.  We gotta 
bunch of people who want to learn how to make them.  The 
school could get pretty busy.  Anyway, Merana can tell you 
everything tomorrow.  I gotta go get your sweeties so you can all 
knife each other to death."

          "..."

          "I'll be right back."  Just make sure I get them here, then 
don't get caught in the middle, she thought.  I'll go hide with Lori 
and Ukyou.

**************

        Ranma-chan was quite certain that Elayne, Aviendha, Rand, 
and Min should have been left to hammer things out themselves.  
Somehow, this hadn't happened.  Instead, she, Birgitte, Ukyou, 
Nynaeve, and Lan were there.  At least Lori hadn't come; she'd 
been left with instructions to make sure no one found out they had 
popped out.  

        Together with Rand and Min, they were camped out in 
Rand's room.  Ranma-chan shifted nervously and wished she was 
wearing sensible clothing that didn't have to be adjusted all the 
time; it looked good, but half the time it got in the way and the 
other half, it threatened to fall off or got scrunched into 
uncomfortable positions.  

         Nynaeve and Birgitte had taken control of the situation, 
hustling everyone in, then closing the gateway.  Nynaeve said, 
"While I understand there are some serious problems here," she 
looked at Elayne, Aviendha, and Min, "Before we discuss certain 
things like engagements, we need to discuss certain matters such 
as our imminent arrival in Caemlyn, which we should have 
probably gated into directly, but we won't discuss that right now."

          Elayne started to speak, but then Birgitte bowed to Rand 
and said, in the Old Tongue, "The Light shine upon you and guide 
you this day, Dragon.  My name is Birgitte."

         Rand's eyes bugged out, then he said, "We've met, but we 
haven't."  He paused.  "What I mean is...wait, that was the..."  
Blink.  "You're THE Birgitte."

         "In the flesh.  A long story, but I am Elayne's warder.  She 
bonded me to save my life after Moghedien expelled me from 
Tel'aran'rhiod."

         Elayne started to speak again, but this time Nynaeve ran 
over her.  "We can reminisce later, too.  What's the political 
situation in Caemlyn?  We haven't gotten to really speak with any 
of the nobles.  Will they support her or have you scared them all 
off with your hordes of Aiel running amuck?"

         Aviendha frowned.  "We do not..."

         Birgitte frowned as well.  "What she means is, are they still 
loyal to house Trakand?  Or is this likely to trigger another civil 
war?"

        "Your mother,"  Rand's voice grew faint, "alienated everyone 
worth having before she died.  I was too late to save her."  He 
stared at the ground.  "Forgive me, Elayne.  I knew Rahvin was 
there, but I didn't do anything because I didn't think he would hurt 
your mother and I wanted to stop Sammael first because he 
challenged me and..."  He was starting to talk faster and faster, his 
voice rising and becoming more anguished.  "I was an idiot, 
running off to dance the spears with Sammael when I SHOULD 
have been taking out Rahvin; your mother would still be alive if I 
had..."

          "You...You knew?"  Elayne stared at Rand, wide-eyed.

          "He tried to have you killed; I should have killed him for 
that, but I couldn't just invade Andor.  Not without proof.  I would 
have looked like I just wanted to conquer the world.  But I should 
have done it.  I should have gone right to Caemlyn and killed him 
the instant I knew, but I just...I didn't know he would kill Morgase 
and take the throne himself!"  Rand was shuddering, and it was 
clear he was trying to hold back tears.  Min took one of his hands; 
Ranma-chan was surprised his grip wasn't snapping her 
fingerbones.

          "Just cry,"  Min murmured.  "Let it out."

           He shook his head, then his lips moved, but no words came 
out.  Everyone just stared, and then Aviendha got up.  She walked 
over and slapped him.  Hard.  His eyes widened, and she spoke 
angrily.  "Get a grip on yourself!  You discharged your toh to 
Queen Morgase.  You avenged her.  Do not speak of 'what ifs' and 
'should have beens'.  That way lies only madness."  The word 
hung in the air; they all knew Rand's fate if a way could not be 
found to end the taint on Saidin.  Or they thought they did.  
Ranma-chan suddenly realized she never had mentioned Kaneda's 
bargain with the Foxes to any of them.  

          "She's right,"  Nynaeve said.  "You couldn't foresee the 
future.  Elayne could as well blame herself for not being there to 
stop her mother falling into Rahvin's hands.  We could have gone 
to Caemlyn instead of Tanchico.  Ranko and Elayne and I could 
have stopped Rahvin, but we didn't know we needed to."

         Rand looked up at Elayne, his face quivering on the verge of 
total collapse.  "You must hate me now."

          Elayne leaped to her feet.  "I do NOT hate you!  Didn't you 
get any of the messages I sent you about how I...I..."  She gulped.  
"Love you?"

         "I have heard nothing of you since you left Tear except what 
I managed to trick people into telling me.  Egwene wouldn't even 
tell me where you were, let alone pass on any other messages."

          Elayne's eyes widened further and she simply stared at him.

         "All I got was two letters you must have sent before you 
even left, and from them, I couldn't tell if you wanted to kill me or 
to kiss me.  Oh, Aviendha kept telling me to read them, but that 
didn't help.  Not when they contradicted each other."  

         "I...I didn't know what they said,"  Aviendha said faintly.

         "And then...I...I didn't just fail you withMorgase.  Then I..."  
He glanced at Aviendha and Min, who both tensed.  "We...even 
though...I'm..."  He looked over at Lan, as if he expected Lan to 
save him.  "And I told Lan to tell you...that..."

         Lan laughed faintly.  "I make a better Warder than 
messenger.  And if I have learned anything about women, it is that 
once they make up their minds, they'll get what they want.  And 
that goes double for Aes Sedai."  

         Ranma-chan wove a Mind Touch to Ukyou, Lan, Nynaeve, 
and Birgitte.  [We REALLY ought to get out of here and let them 
settle this.]

          [I can't keep Elayne from doing anything too stupid if I 
leave.  Yet.  Later, we WILL leave,]  Birgitte replied.  

           [Exactly.  She's still young and immature,]  Nynaeve said 
across the link.  [She needs our guidance.]

           "I know, Rand,"  Elayne said quietly.  "Aviendha told me 
about her, and Ranko told me about Min."  Min gave Ranma-chan 
a glare.  "I...I don't know how we're going to resolve this.  I don't 
know if we can.  But I love you.  And I trust you enough to 
believe you did what you thought was right."  She walked slowly 
over to him, then took his free hand.  "No matter what happens, I 
will never hate you."

          Rand stared at her, with the look of a man dying of thirst 
who had just found an oasis.  "I'm not worthy of you.  I've..."

          "You are a King, and I will be a Queen.  And you are the 
most worthy man I know.  I want to marry you, Rand."

          [Okay, NOW we leave.  I don't wanna watch a bunch of 
mushy stuff,]  Ranma-chan sent to the others.

          [Not quite yet,]  Nynaeve said.  [We need to settle the 
Andor business first.  If Rand hadn't decided to have a fit...]

          "I want to...but...I..."  He looked at Aviendha and Min.  "I 
mean..."  Ranma-chan had never seen him this shaken up.  She 
wouldn't have believed it possible.

          "Aviendha and I are planning to become first-sisters,"  
Elayne said, stumbling a bit over the lastword.  "And Min and I 
are... near-sisters.  The three of us will discuss this later."  She 
paused.  "The four of us."  Time seemed to slow down, almost, as 
she leaned forward and kissed Rand on the lips.  He froze up as if 
she had some kind of paralytic poison on them.  "But as I think 
certain people are whispering about behind our backs,"  she 
glanced over at Ranko, Ukyou, Lan, and Nynaeve, "We need to 
discuss Andor tonight.  Once I'm settled in, we can...settle our 
personal business and discuss who has to cut off whose toes...I 
mean, settle the matter of..."  She glanced over at Aviendha, then 
continued, "who owes toh to who and who is betrothed to who 
and how we...whether I'll have to issue any new Andoran laws."

        Ranma-chan laughed.  "I suppose we should be glad Pop 
never became King of anywhere, eh, Ucchan?"

        "He couldn't even control himself."  Ukyou turned to Rand.  
"Rand, you  have got to make sure Alanna is safe.  You were gone 
when I found out, but I told the Wise Ones.  Kodachi is going to 
try to kill her, somehow, and then...well, you know what happens 
next."

         "All the better to pass the bond tonight,"  Elayne said.  "She 
WILL pass the bond to me.  What she did was a violation of 
Tower Law."

         "It can be passed short of death?"  Rand blinked.

         "Did she tell you otherwise?"  Elayne asked, shocked.

         "I never thought to ask."  Rand looked embarrassed.  "Not 
that I had anyone I trusted her to pass it to, since she couldn't pass 
it to...anyway.  Ranko, go ask the maidens to send someone to 
fetch Alanna."

         Ranma-chan did so.  Meanwhile, Rand, now starting to 
relax, but still looking and sounding shaken, said, "As for Andor, 
it all depends on if Dyelin will support you.  She's locked up 
several houses for..."  He laughed faintly.  "Trying to put Dyelin 
on the throne.  There's a few other rebel lords, but no one who I 
really think will fight.  But at the same time, few houses will 
support you.  Morgase alienated virtually everyone during her last 
year on the throne.  Rahvin's toadies will likely support you; 
they'll grovel for whoever has power, but they're not worth much.  
The White Lions, Rahvin's old guard, is mostly broken, but it 
might cause some trouble.  My forces in Caemlyn are strong 
enough that no one will be able to stop you."  He hesitated.  "I 
don't know where your brothers are; Gawyn wants me dead and 
Galad has just...vanished.   I don't know who you could appoint 
First Prince of the Sword.  Gareth Bryne is either dead or maybe 
with Egwene.  I've gotten so many different rumors...I don't know 
where Gawyn is, either.  I haven't seen him since Dumai Wells."

        "I can't accept your forces,"  Elayne said.  Rand's eyes 
widened.  "If I take the Lion Throne from you, the nobles will 
never obey me.  I must hold it by my own strength."

         "With no army?"  Rand asked.  "Until you can build up the 
Queen's guards..."

         Elayne smiled.   "I have some two hundred channelers with 
me.  The Sea Folk probably won't stay long, but I think the rest 
would be enough to put the fear of the Queen into my enemies.  
And..."

          Rand cut her off.  "Two hundred?  Is Egwene moving her 
camp to Caemlyn?  That's..."

          "Only seven...six of us are Aes Sedai,"  Elayne said.  "It is a 
long story, but we found a large group of women who have had 
some training, but not full..."

          "Damane?"

          "People like Alyssa,"  Ranma-chan said.

          Elayne blinked.  Rand nodded.  "All right, with two 
hundred channelers,"  he shuddered.  "You're as safe as can be 
managed, but you need an army.  How about if I loan you Mat's 
army?  He can build up a serious force for you, and many of the 
Band of the Red Hand are Andoran, now.  In fact, I think some of 
them used to be in the Queen's guard.  And Damer.  He was a 
Queen's guardsman.  He can train men for you.  He's one of my 
Ash'aman.  And a good healer.  I suppose Samitsu will want to go 
with him."  Rand frowned.  "Wherever the Band of the Red Hand 
IS.  With Mat being held captive...did they go to Ebou Dar with 
you?"

         "They're with Egwene."

          Rand sighed.  "Well, with two hundred channelers, we can 
probably move them fast enough, although we really need to get 
Mat out of Ebou Dar.  Kaneda keeps assuring me they'll 'rescue 
Mat soon', but..."

          "They're known Dragonsworn,"  Elayne said.  "I couldn't 
care less, but the nobles will see that.  My channelers will have to 
be enough.  For now.  Although I wouldn't mind having Mat 
command an army for me.  Once I'm on the throne and we're 
formally allied..."

        Ranma-chan, who had finished talking to the Maidens, came 
back and said, "I have an idea."

        "What?"  Rand said.

        "The Borderlanders basically worship Lan like he was some 
kind of god, right?"

        Lan said, "What's a god?"

        "Anyway, appoint HIM your boss general.  Probably half the 
borderlands will stream south and sign up with you.  Make 
Nynaeve your official Aes Sedai advisor and Lan your First 
Prince of the Sword, at least until your brother shows up.  Well, 
one of them."  Pausing a moment, she said, "Although I suppose a 
Queen who is Aes Sedai doesn't need an advisor."

         "I can get five hundred cavalry from Bashere tonight,"  Rand 
said.  "That would give you a core to build around, and I'm sure 
they'll follow Lan gladly.  In fact, I think if we contacted Lord 
Agelmar Jagd, he would happy to loan you some men as well.  
And a banner."  He smiled a little smile.  "How fast can Mai 
sew?"

        "Very fast with the Power,"  Ranma-chan said.  "I'll be right 
back."  

        Elayne turned to Lan.  "Will you lead an army for me until I 
can build up one of my own?"

        He glanced at Nynaeve, who nodded, then he said solemnly, 
"Until one of your brothers can take up their rightful post, I will 
gladly serve as your First Prince of the Sword.  Do you know 
where they are?"

        Elayne frowned.  "Galad is somewhere in Ghealdan, but I'd 
die before I made him my First Prince.  As to Gawyn...does 
anyone have a clue?"

        "He could be on the moon for all I know,"  Rand said quietly.  
"He thinks I killed your mother."

         Elayne's eyes narrowed.  "We'll see about knocking that silly 
idea out of his head."

          "She's coming,"  Rand said.

          "Who?"

          The maidens opened the door and said, "Amys, Sorilea, and 
Seana of the Wise Ones, with Alanna Sedai."

          The trio of Wise Ones ushered Alanna in.  Her face was 
stormy, but she walked proudly.  "I have come as I was 
summoned.  What do you wish of me?"

          Elayne stomped over to her.  "You're going to pass the bond 
to me.  NOW."

         "To an accepted?  I think not."

         "I am Aes Sedai, and soon I will be Queen of Andor.  While 
you...will be taught to Accepted for generations to come as a bad 
example.  A criminal who was punished.  Pass the bond.  NOW."

          Alanna looked to Rand, as did the Wise Ones.

          "Do it."  His voice was stern.  Indeed, the doubt and fear 
and hesitation and anguish had vanished as if they had never been, 
a mask going on the second the arrival was announced.  "I only 
tolerated this because I believed my only choice was to kill you, 
and I would not do that.  Not just for bonding me."

          "You are MINE,"  her voice was panicked.  "I did what I 
had to!  You..."

          "No one OWNS ME!"  He was starting to get mad now.  "I 
am the Dragon Reborn!  You will OBEY me as you swore!"  

         Alanna began to cry.  "No...I can't do it.  I can't...Not again.  
I can't stand to lose another...like Ihvon."

          "He's not going to die,"  Nynaeve said.  "But if you stay 
bonded to him, you WILL die."

          Ranma-chan saw Alanna grasp the source and weave a 
flow.  She noted it carefully; she'd never seen this done.  The flow 
touched Rand, and Elayne, and Alanna, and then it was gone.  She 
sagged like an abandoned ventriloquist's dummy.  "It is over.  I 
hope you choke on it."

         Amys frowned at her.  "You must control your temper or it 
will control you."

          "Make sure she is guarded well,"  Rand said to Amys.  
"This Kodachi person won't know that killing Alanna won't do 
any good."  He started, then frowned.  "But when she finds out..."

         "I'll guard her, Rand,"  Ranma-chan said.  "I can beat 
Kodachi without channeling, let alone with."

         Ukyou frowned.  "She's sneakier than your father, though.  I 
dunno if you can outthink her."

         "HEY!"

         Nynaeve yawned.  "I think we had best make arrangements 
for those horsemen, then get some sleep.  We have a long day 
ahead of us tomorrow."

         [NOW we leave them to mushy stuff,]  Ranma-chan said.

         [Exactly.]

************

        Demandred nodded at Suroth.  The plan had merit.  
Especially since it removed one of his major worries; there might 
be some way of tracing the doorway; best to put it where he could 
use it whenever he liked, but where al'Thor couldn't trace it to 
him.  This way I won't have to use my other group of agents, he 
thought.  Except to find out when al'Thor leaves Cairhien.  Best 
not to have him around when we do this.  

         Although I'm going to have to have Suroth watched.  She's 
acting strange.  He had checked, and it was still thesame person, 
at least physically.  He hadn't found any compulsions either.

         "Very good.  I will come to you when the time is right; it 
may be soon; al'Thor jumps around like a Sonora bean."

          Suroth nodded.  He opened a portal and stepped through 
into the mountains, then a second portal took him to his home, and 
a third into Tel'aran'rhiod.  Time to meet with Semirhage.

         She was sitting quietly in a chair doing embroidery.  "You 
have a flexible definition of time these days."

         "I got here before Mesaana."

         "Cho's turtle would get here before Mesaana,"  Semirhage 
said.  "She seems obsessed with that strange protege of hers these 
days.  Although if she's right about him tapping the..."  She shook 
her head.  "Not possible.  He's not even a Friend of the Dark."

          "Yet,"  Demandred said.  "In some ways, he makes a better 
pawn if he is not.  But that is not why we're here.  How goes your 
business with your charge?"

         "They are on the march.  The monarchs have met and sworn 
the oath.  Now they will confront al'Thor and either serve him or 
destroy him.  Or so they believe.  Though I suspect he will not 
stand for them submitting him to judgement."

         Demandred smiled.  "They have chosen the course of march 
we worked out?"

         "Of course.  Which leads right to the Black Tower."  She 
frowned slightly.  "Are you sure they haven't found out about..."

         "The Black Tower lacks an eyes and ears network.  If my 
men recruit far away from it and claim to be of it, who can tell the 
difference?  Plus, Aran'gar is among their numbers.  The seeds he 
planted have taken root, although he has had a bit of a setback in 
recruiting.  Although..."  He shook his head.  "The discovery of a 
cure for stilling is enough reason for it to have existed.  Not that 
any of us will need such a thing, but it could be useful, as a bribe 
if nothing else."

         There was a chime, and they sent the reply.  Then Mesaana 
stepped into the room through a travelling portal.  "My apologies.  
Elaida took it into her head to summon me for a conference, and it 
took a few minutes to get her to forget about me again."

          "Your puppet Amyrlin getting out of hand?"

          Mesaana shook her head.  "She is firmly in grip.  It is the 
rampaging child that worries me."

         "Osan'gar has her in hand.  She does what we want for now.  
If the pig runs into the slaughterhouse of its own free will, why 
bother herding it?"  Demandred said.  

         There was another chime.  The other two turned and stared, 
then frowned at Demandred.  "Who?"  Semirhage asked.

         "Graendal."  

          "Why have you invited HER without asking?"

          "We four are the last of the Forsaken who have served 
without failing.  Best that we work together.  And I was 
commanded in the Great Lord's name to summon her.  One of us 
will be Nae'blis.  Ishmael and Rahvin have been obliterated.  
Asmodean has been cast down and is dead.  Sammael foolishly 
fought al'Thor one on one and has fallen.  Lanfear is imprisoned 
by the Elfinn.  Moghedien is reduced to a messenger girl.  Be'lal, 
Aginor, Belthamel, all failed, all given new flesh, but now they 
are only pawns.  The Great Lord has no one else to choose from.  
And we must stand together.  Or we will die and become only 
pawns.  Do any of you want that?"

         Silence.

         "Good."  He sent Graendal the signal.

*****

End Part Eleven