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wore it for dealing with the merchants and for festivals； feastdays； and weddings。 He had it on a day early now； but that night was Winternight； the night before Bel Tine； when everyone would visit back and forth almost the whole night long； exchanging small gifts； having a bite to eat and a touch to drink at every house。 After the winter； Rand thought； he probably considers Winternight excuse enough not to wait until tomorrow。
〃Tam；〃 the Mayor shouted as he hurried toward them。 〃The Light shine on me； it's good to see you at last。 And you； Rand。 How are you； my boy？〃
〃Fine； Master al'Vere；〃 Rand said。 〃And you； sir？〃 But Bran's attention was already back on Tam。
〃I was almost beginning to think you wouldn't be bringing your brandy this year。 You've never waited so late before。〃
〃I've no liking for leaving the farm these days； Bran；〃 Tam replied。 〃Not with the wolves the way they are。 And the weather。〃
Bran harrumphed。 〃I could wish somebody wanted to talk about something besides the weather。 Everyone plains about it； and folk who should know better expect me to set it right。 I've just spent twenty minutes explaining to Mistress al'Donel that I can do nothing about the storks。 Though what she expected me to do 。。。 〃 He shook his head。
〃An ill omen；〃 a scratchy voice announced； 〃no storks nesting on the rooftops at Bel Tine。〃 Cenn Buie； as gnarled and dark as an old root； marched up to Tam and Bran and leaned on his walking staff； near as tall as he was and just as gnarled。 He tried to fix both men at once with a beady eye。 〃There's worse to e； you mark my words。〃
〃Have you bee a soothsayer； then； interpreting omens？〃 Tam asked dryly。 〃Or do you listen to the wind； like a Wisdom？ There's certainly enough of it。 Some originating not far from here。〃
〃Mock if you will；〃 Cenn muttered； 〃but if it doesn't warm enough for crops to sprout soon； more than one root cellar will e up empty before there's a harvest。 By next winter there may be nothing left alive in the Two Rivers but wolves and ravens。 If it is next winter at all。 Maybe it will still be this winter。〃
〃Now what is that supposed to mean？〃 Bran said sharply。
Cenn gave them a sour look。 〃I've not much good to say about Nynaeve al'Meara。 You know that。 For one thing； she's too young to … No matter。 The Women's Circle seems to object to the Village Council even talking about their business； though they interfere in ours whenever they want to； which is most of the time； or so it seems to … 〃
〃Cenn；〃 Tam broke in； 〃is there a point to this？〃
〃This is the point； al'Thor。 Ask the Wisdom when the winter will end； and she walks away。 Maybe she doesn't want to tell us what she hears on the wind。 Maybe what she hears is that the winter won't end。 Maybe it's just going to go on being winter until the Wheel turns and the Age ends。 There's your point。〃
〃Maybe sheep will fly；〃 Tam retorted； and Bran threw up his hands。 〃The Light protect me from fools。 You sitting on the Village Council； Cenn； and now you're spreading that Coplin talk。 Well； you listen to me。 We have enough problems without 。。。〃
A quick tug at Rand's sleeve and a voice pitched low； for his ear alone； distracted him from the older men's talk。 〃e on； Rand； while they're arguing。 Before they put you to work。〃
Rand glanced down； and had to grin。 Mat Cauthon crouched beside the cart so Tam and Bran and Cenn could not see him； his wiry body contorted like a stork trying to bend itself double。
Mat's brown eyes twinkled with mischief； as usual。 〃Dav and I caught a big old badger； all grouchy at being pulled out of his den。 We're going to let it loose on the Green and watch the girls run。 〃
Rand's smile broadened； it did not sound as much like fun to him as it would have a year or two back； but Mat never seemed to grow up。 He took a quick look at his father … the men had their heads together still； all three talking at once … then lowered his own voice。 〃I promised to unload the cider。 I can meet you later； though。 〃
Mat rolled his eyes skyward。 〃Toting barrels！ Burn me； I'd rather play stones with my baby sister。 Well； I know of better things than a badger。 We have strangers in the Two Rivers。 Last evening … 〃
For an instant Rand stopped breathing。 〃A man on horseback？〃 he asked intently。 〃A man in a black cloak； on a black horse？ And his cloak doesn't move in the wind？〃
Mat swallowed his grin； and his voice dropped to an even hoarser whisper。 〃You saw him； too？ I thought I was the only one。 Don't laugh； Rand； but he scared me。〃
〃I'm not laughing。 He scared me； too。 I could swear he hated me； that he wanted to kill me。〃 Rand shivered。 Until that day he had never thought of anyone wanting to kill him； really wanting to kill him。 That sort of thing just did not happen in the Two Rivers。 A fistfight； maybe； or a wrestling match； but not killing。
〃I don't know about hating； Rand； but he was scary enough anyway。 All he did was sit on his horse looking at me； just outside the village； but I've never been so frightened in my life。 Well； I looked away； just for a moment … it wasn't easy； mind you … then when I looked back he'd vanished。 Blood and ashes！ Three days； it's been； and I can hardly stop thinking about him。 I keep looking over my shoulder。〃 Mat attempted a laugh that came out as a croak。 〃Funny how being scared takes you。 You think strange things。 I actually thought … just for a minute； mind … it might be the Dark One。 〃 He tried another laugh； but no sound at all came out this time。
Rand took a deep breath。 As much to remind himself as for any other reason； he said by rote； 〃The Dark One and all of the Forsaken are bound in Shayol Ghul； beyond the Great Blight； bound by the Creator at the moment of Creation； bound until the end of time。 The hand of the Creator shelters the world； and the Light shines on us all。〃 He drew another breath and went on。 〃Besides； if he was free； what would the Shepherd of the Night be doing in the Two Rivers watching farm boys？〃
〃I don't know。 But I do know that rider was 。。。 evil。 Don't laugh。 I'll take oath on it。 Maybe it was the Dragon。〃
〃You're just full of cheerful thoughts； aren't you？〃 Rand muttered。 〃You sound worse than Cenn。 〃
〃My mother always said the Forsaken would e for me if I didn't mend my ways。 If I ever saw anybody who looked like Ishamael； or Aginor； it was him。 〃
〃Everybody's mother scared them with the Forsaken；〃 Rand said dryly； 〃but most grow out of it。 Why not the Shadowman； while you're about it？〃
Mat glared at him。 〃I haven't been so scared since 。。。 No； I've never been that scared； and I don't mind admitting it。〃
〃Me； either。 My father thinks I was jumping at shadows under the trees。〃
Mat nodded glumly and leaned back against the cart wheel。 〃So does my da。 I told Dav； and Elam Dowtry。 They've been watching like hawks ever since； but they haven't seen anything。 Now Elam thinks I was trying to trick him。 Dav thinks he's down from Taren Ferry … a sheepstealer； or a chickenthief。 A chickenthief！〃 He lapsed into affronted silence。
〃It's probably all foolishness anyway；〃 Rand said finally。 〃Maybe he is just a sheepstealer。〃 He tried to picture it； but it was like picturing a wolf taking the cat's place in front of a mouse hole。
〃Well； I didn't like the way he looked at me。 And neither did you； not if how you jumped at me is any guide。 We ought to tell someone。〃
〃We already have； Mat； both of us； and we weren't believed。 Can you imagine trying to convince Master al'Vere about this fellow； without him seeing him？ He'd send us off to Nynaeve to see if we were sick。〃
〃There are two of us； now。 Nobody could believe we both imagined it。〃
Rand rubbed the top of his head briskly； wondering what to say。 Mat was something of a byword around the village。 Few people had escaped his pranks。 Now his name came up whenever a washline dropped the laundry in the dirt or a loose saddle girth deposited a farmer in the road。 Mat did not even have to be anywhere around。 His support might be worse than none。
After a moment R