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〃Blood and ashes； Mat； he's not a Trolloc。 You're just being stubborn stupid。 How many times do you want to have this argument？ Light； it's not as if you'd never heard of Ogier before。〃
〃I never heard they looked like Trollocs。〃 Mat pushed his face into his pillow and curled himself tighter。
〃Stubborn stupid；〃 Rand muttered。 〃How long are you going to hide up here？ I'm not going to keep bringing you your meals up all those stairs forever。 You could do with a bath； too。〃 Mat shrugged around on the bed as if he were trying to burrow deeper into it。 Rand sighed； then went to the door。 〃Last chance to go together； Mat。 I'm leaving now。〃 He closed the door slowly； hoping that Mat would change his mind； but his friend did not stir。 The door clicked shut。
In the hallway； he leaned against the doorframe。 Master Gill said there was an old woman two streets over； Mother Grubb； who sold herbs and poultices； besides birthing babies； tending the sick； and telling fortunes。 She sounded a little like a Wisdom。 Nynaeve was who Mat needed； or maybe Moiraine； but Mother Grubb was who he had。 Bringing her to The Queen's Blessing might bring the wrong kind of attention as well； though； if she would even e。 For her as well as for Mat and him。
Herbalists and hedge…doctors were lying low in Caemlyn right now； there was talk against anyone who did any kind of healing； or fortunetelling。 Every night the Dragon's Fang was scrawled on doors with a free hand； sometimes even in the daylight； and people might forget who had cured their fevers and poulticed their toothaches when the cry of Darkfriend went up。 That was the temper in the city。
It was not as if Mat were really sick。 He ate everything Rand carried up from the kitchen … he would take nothing from anyone else's hand； though … and never plained about aches or fever。 He just refused to leave the room。 But Rand had been sure today would bring him out。
He settled his cloak on his shoulders and hitched his sword belt around so the sword； and the red cloth wrapped around it； was covered more。
At the foot of the stairs he met Master Gill just starting up。 〃There's someone been asking after you in the city；〃 the innkeeper said around his pipe。 Rand felt a surge of hope。 〃Asking after you and those friends of yours； by name。 You younglings； anyway。 Seems to want you three lads most。 〃
Anxiety replaced hope。 〃Who？〃 Rand asked。 He still could not help glancing up and down the hall。 Except for they two； it was empty； from the exit into the alley to the mon room door。
〃Don't know his name。 Just heard about him。 I hear most things in Caemlyn； eventually。 Beggar。〃 The innkeeper grunted。 〃Half mad； I hear。 Even so； he could take the Queen's Bounty at the Palace； even with things as hard as they are。 On High Days； the Queen gives it out with her own hands； and there's never anyone turned away for any reason。 No one needs to beg in Caemlyn。 Even a man under warrant can't be arrested while he's taking the Queen's Bounty。〃
〃A Darkfriend？〃 Rand said reluctantly。 If the Darkfriends know our names。。。
〃You've got Darkfriends on the brain； young fellow。 They're around； certainly； but just because the Whitecloaks have everybody stirred up is no reason for you to think the city's full of them。 Do you know what rumor those idiots have started now？ 'Strange shapes。' Can you believe it？ Strange shapes creeping around outside the city in the night。〃 The innkeeper chuckled till his belly shook。
Rand did not feel like laughing。 Hyam Kinch had talked about strange shapes； and there had surely enough been a Fade back there。 〃What kind of shapes？〃
〃What kind？ I don't know what kind。 Strange shapes。 Trollocs； probably。 The Shadowman。 Lews Therin Kinslayer himself； e back fifty feet high。 What kind of shapes do you think people will imagine now the idea's in their heads？ It's none of our worry。〃 Master Gill eyed him for a moment。 〃Going out； are you？ Well； I can't say I care for it； myself； even today； but there's hardly anybody left here but me。 Not your friend？〃
〃Mat's not feeling very well。 Maybe later。〃
〃Well； be that as it may。 You watch yourself； now。 Even today good Queen's men will be outnumbered out there； Light burn the day I ever thought to see it so。 Best you leave by the alleyway。 There's two of those blood…be…damned traitors sitting across the street watching my front door。 They know where I stand； by the Light！〃
Rand stuck his head out and looked both ways before slipping into the alley。 A bulky man Master Gill had hired stood at the head of the alley； leaning on a spear and watching the people run past with an apparent lack of interest。 It was only apparent； Rand knew。 The fellow … his name was Lamgwin … saw everything through those heavy…lidded eyes； and for all his bullish bulk he could move like a cat。 He also thought Queen Morgase was the Light made flesh； or near enough。 There were a dozen like him scattered around The Queen's Blessing。
Lamgwin's ear twitched when Rand reached the mouth of the alley； but he never took his disinterest off the street。 Rand knew the man had heard him ing。
〃Watch your back today； man。〃 Lamgwin's voice sounded like gravel in a pan。 〃When the trouble starts； you'll be a handy one to have here； not somewhere with a knife in your back。〃
Rand glanced at the blocky man； but his surprise was muted。 He always tried to keep the sword out of sight； but this was not the first time one of Master Gill's men had assumed he would know his way in a fight。 Lamgwin did not look back at him。 The man's job was guarding the inn； and he did it。
Pushing his sword back a little further under his cloak； Rand joined the flow of people。 He saw the two men the innkeeper had mentioned； standing on upturned barrels across the street from the inn so they could see over the crowd。 He did not think they noticed him ing out of the alley。 They made no secret of their allegiance。 Not only were their swords wrapped in white tied with red； they wore white armbands and white cockades on their hats。
He had not been in Caemlyn long before learning that red wrappings on a sword； or a red armband or cockade； meant support for Queen Morgase。 White said the Queen and her involvement with Aes Sedai and Tar Valon were to blame for everything that had gone wrong。 For the weather； and the failed crops。 Maybe even for the false Dragon。
He did not want to get involved in Caemlyn politics。 Only； it was too late； now。 It was not just that he had already chosen … by accident； but there it was。 Matters in the city had gone beyond letting anyone stay neutral。 Even outlanders wore cockades and armbands； or wrapped their swords； and more wore the white than the red。 Maybe some of them did not think that way； but they were far from home and that was the way sentiment was running in Caemlyn。 Men who supported the Queen went about in groups for their own protection； when they went out at all。
Today； though； it was different。 On the surface； at least。 Today； Caemlyn celebrated a victory of the Light over the Shadow。 Today the false Dragon was being brought into the city； to be displayed before the Queen before he was taken north to Tar Valon。
No one talked about that part of it。 No one but the Aes Sedai could deal with a man who could actually wield the One Power； of course； but no one wanted to talk about it。 The Light had defeated the Shadow； and soldiers from Andor had been in the forefront of the battle。 For today； that was all that was important。 For today； everything else could be forgotten。
Or could it； Rand wondered。 The crowd ran； singing and waving banners； laughing； but men displaying the red kept together in knots of ten or twenty； and there were no women or children with them。 He thought there were at least ten men showing white for every one proclaiming allegiance to the Queen。 Not for the first time； he wished white cloth had been the cheaper。 But would Master Gill have helped if you'd been showing the white？
The crowd was so thick that jostling was inevitable。 Even Whitecloaks did not enjoy their little open spaces in the thr