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kept Fain from backing right out of the room。
Stopping behind Mat's chair； Moiraine put a hand on his shoulder and bent to whisper in his ear。 Whatever she said； the tension went out of his face； and he took his hand from under his coat。 The Aes Sedai went on until she stood beside Agelmar； confronting Fain。 As she came to a halt； the peddler sank into a crouch once more。
〃I hate him；〃 he whimpered。 〃I want to be free of him。 I want to walk in the Light again。〃 His shoulders began to shake； and tears streamed down his face even more heavily than before。 〃He made me do it。〃
〃I am afraid he is more than a peddler； Lord Agelmar；〃 Moiraine said。 〃Less than human； worse than vile； more dangerous than you can imagine。 He can be bathed after I have spoken with him。 I dare not waste a minute。 e； Lan。〃
Chapter 47
More Tales of the Wheel
An itchy restlessness had Rand pacing beside the dining table。 Twelve strides。 The table was exactly twelve strides long no matter how many times he stepped it off。 Irritably he made himself stop keeping tally。 Stupid thing to be doing。 I don't care how long the bloody table is。 A few minutes later he discovered that he was counting the number of trips he made up the table and back。 What is he saying to Moiraine and Lan？ Does he know why the Dark One is after us？ Does he know which of us the Dark One wants？
He glanced at his friends。 Perrin had crumbled a piece of bread and was idly pushing the crumbs around on the table with one finger。 His yellow eyes stared unblinking at the crumbs； but they seemed to see something far off。 Mat slouched in his chair； eyes half closed and the beginnings of a grin on his face。 It was a nervous grin； not amusement。 Outwardly he looked like the old Mat； but from time to time he unconsciously touched the Shadar Logoth dagger through his coat。 What is Fain telling her？ What does he know？
Loial； at least； did not look worried。 The Ogier was studying the walls。 First he had stood in the middle of the room and stared； turning slowly in a circle； now he was almost pressing his broad nose against the stone while he gently traced a particular join with fingers thicker than most men's thumbs。 Sometimes he closed his eyes； as if the feeling was more important than seeing。 His ears gave an occasional twitch； and he muttered to himself in Ogier； appearing to have forgotten anyone else was in the room with him。
Lord Agelmar stood talking quietly with Nynaeve and Egwene in front of the long fireplace at the end of the room。 He was a good host； adept at making people forget their troubles； several of his stories had Egwene in giggles。 Once even Nynaeve threw back her head and roared with laughter。 Rand gave a start at the unexpected sound； and jumped again when Mat's chair crashed to the floor。
〃Blood and ashes！〃 Mat growled； ignoring the way Nynaeve's mouth tightened at his language。 〃What's taking her so long？〃 He righted his chair and sat back down without looking at anyone。 His hand strayed to his coat。
The Lord of Fal Dara looked at Mat disapprovingly … his gaze took in Rand and Perrin without any improvement … then turned back to the women。 Rand's pacing had taken him close to them。
〃My Lord；〃 Egwene was saying； as glibly as if she had been using titles all of her life； 〃I thought he was a Warder； but you call him Dai Shan； and talk about a Golden Crane banner； and so did those other men。 Sometimes you sound almost as if he's a king。 I remember once Moiraine called him the last Lord of the Seven Towers。 Who is he？〃
Nynaeve began studying her cup intently； but it was obvious to Rand that abruptly she was listening even more closely than was Egwene。 Rand stopped and tried to overhear without seeming to eavesdrop。
〃Lord of the Seven Towers；〃 Agelmar said with a frown。 〃An ancient title； Lady Egwene。 Not even the High Lords of Tear have older； though the Queen of Andor es close。〃 He heaved a sigh； and shook his head。 〃He will not speak of it； yet the story is well known along the Border。 He is a king； or should have been； al'Lan Mandragoran； Lord of the Seven Towers； Lord of the Lakes； crownless King of the Malkieri。〃 His shaven head lifted high； and there was a light in his eye as if he felt a father's pride。 His voice grew stronger； filled with the force of his feeling。 The whole room could hear without straining。 〃We of Shienar call ourselves Bordermen； but fewer than fifty years ago； Shienar was not truly of the Borderlands。 North of us； and of Arafel； was Malkier。 The lances of Shienar rode north； but it was Malkier that held back the Blight。 Malkier； Peace favor her memory； and the Light illumine her name。〃
〃Lan is from Malkier；〃 the Wisdom said softly； looking up。 She seemed troubled。
It was not a question； but Agelmar nodded。 〃Yes； Lady Nynaeve； he is the son of al'Akir Mandragoran； last crowned King of the Malkieri。 How did he bee as he is？ The beginning； perhaps； was Lain。 On a dare； Lain Mandragoran； the King's brother； led his lances through the Blight to the Blasted Lands； perhaps to Shayol Ghul itself。 Lain's wife； Breyan； made that dare for the envy that burned her heart that al'Akir had been raised to the throne instead of Lain。 The King and Lain were as close as brothers could be； as close as twins even after the royal 'al' was added to Akir's name； but jealousy wracked Breyan。 Lain was acclaimed for his deeds； and rightfully so； but not even he could outshine al'Akir。 He was； man and king； such as es once in a hundred years； if that。 Peace favor him； and el'Leanna。
〃Lain died in the Blasted Lands with most of those who followed him； men Malkier could ill afford to lose； and Breyan blamed the King； saying that Shayol Ghul itself would have fallen if al'Akir had led the rest of the Malkieri north with her husband。 For revenge； she plotted with Cowin Gemallan； called Cowin Fairheart； to seize the throne for her son； Isam。 Now Fairheart was a hero almost as well loved as al'Akir himself； and one of the Great Lords； but when the Great Lords had cast the rods for king； only two separated him from Akir； and he never forgot that two men laying a different color on the Crowning Stone would have set him on the throne instead。 Between them； Cowin and Breyan moved soldiers back from the Blight to seize the Seven Towers； stripping the Borderforts to bare garrisons。
〃But Cowin's jealousy ran deeper。〃 Disgust tinged Agelmar's voice。 〃Fairheart the hero； whose exploits in the Blight were sung throughout the Borderlands； was a Darkfriend。 With the Borderforts weakened； Trollocs poured into Malkier like a flood。 King al'Akir and Lain together might have rallied the land； they had done so before。 But Lain's doom in the Blasted Lands had shaken the people； and the Trolloc invasion broke men's spirit and their will to resist。 Too many men。 Overwhelming numbers pushed the Malkieri back into the heartland。
〃Breyan fled with her infant son Isam； and was run down by Trollocs as she rode south with him。 No one knows their fate of a certainty； but it can be guessed。 I can find pity only for the boy。 When Cowin Fairheart's treachery was revealed and he was taken by young Jain Charin … already called Jain Farstrider … when Fairheart was brought to the Seven Towers in chains； the Great Lords called for his head on a pike。 But because he had been second only to al'Akir and Lain in the hearts of the people； the King faced him in single bat and slew him。 Al'Akir wept when he killed Cowin。 Some say he wept for a friend who had given
himself to the Shadow； and some say for Malkier。〃 The Lord of Fal Dara shook his head sadly。
〃The first peal of the doom of the Seven Towers had been struck。 There was no time to gather aid from Shienar or Arafel； and no hope that Malkier could stand alone； with five thousand of her lances dead in the Blasted Lands； her Borderforts overrun。
〃Al'Akir and his Queen； el'Leanna； had Lan brought to them in his cradle。 Into his infant hands they placed the sword of Malkieri kings； the sword he wears today。 A weapon made by Aes Sedai during the War of Power； the War of the Shadow that brought down the Age of Legends。 They anoin