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were already on foot； speaking to the wrinkle…faced gatekeeper； so Rand dismounted； too。
The little man； in a much…mended cloak and coat； held his cloth cap crumpled in one hand and ducked his head whenever he spoke。 He peered at those dismounting behind Lan and Moiraine； and shook his head。 〃Downcountry folk。〃 He grinned。 〃Why； Mistress Alys； you taken up collecting downcountry folk with hay in their hair？〃 His look took in Thom Merrilin； then。 〃You ain't a sheepfarmer。 I remember letting you go through some days back； I do。 Didn't like your tricks downcountry； eh； gleeman？〃
〃I hope you remembered to forget letting us through； Master Avin；〃 Lan said； pressing a coin into the man's free hand。 〃And letting us back in； too。〃
〃No need for that； Master Andra。 No need for that。 You give me plenty when you went out。 Plenty。〃 Just the same； Avin made the coin disappear as deftly as if he were a gleeman； too。 〃I ain't told nobody； and I won't； neither。 Especially not them Whitecloaks；〃 he finished with a scowl。 He pursed up his lips to spit； then glanced at Moiraine and swallowed； instead。
Rand blinked； but kept his mouth shut。 The others did； too； though it appeared to be an effort for Mat。 Children of the Light； Rand thought wonderingly。 Stories told about the Children by peddlers and merchants and merchants' guards varied from admiration to hatred； but all agreed the Children hated Aes Sedai as much as they did Darkfriends。 He wondered if this was more trouble already。
〃The Children are in Baerlon？〃 Lan demanded。
〃They surely are。〃 The gatekeeper bobbed his head。 〃Came the same day you left； as I recall。 Ain't nobody here likes them at all。 Most don't let on； of course。〃
〃Have they said why they are here？〃 Moiraine asked intently。
〃Why they're here； mistress？〃 Avin was so astonished he forgot to duck his head。 〃Of course； they said why … Oh； I forgot。 You been downcountry。 Likely you ain't heard nothing but sheep bleating。 They say they're here because of what's going on down in Ghealdan。 The Dragon； you know … well； him as calls himself Dragon。 They say the fellow's stirring up evil … which I expect he is … and they're here to stamp it out； only he's down there in Ghealdan； not here。 Just an excuse to meddle in other people's business； is what I figure。 There's already been the Dragon's Fang on some people's doors。〃 This time he did spit。
〃Have they caused much trouble； then？〃 Lan said； and Avin shook his head vigorously。
〃Not that they don't want to； I expect； only the Governor don't trust them no more than I do。 He won't let but maybe ten or so inside the walls at one time； and ain't they mad about that。 The rest have a camp a little ways north； I hear。 Bet they got the farmers looking over their shoulders。 The ones that do e in； they just stalk around in those white cloaks； looking down their noses at honest folk。 Walk in the Light； they say； and it's an order。 Near e to blows more than once with the wagoneers and miners and smelters and all； and even the Watch； but the Governor wants it all peaceful； and that's how it's been so far。 If they're hunting evil； I say why aren't they up in Saldaea？ There's some kind of trouble up there； I hear。 Or down in Ghealdan？ There's been a big battle down there； they say。 Real big。〃
Moiraine drew a soft breath。 〃I had heard that Aes Sedai were going to Ghealdan。 〃
〃Yes； they did； mistress。〃 Avin's head started bobbing again。 〃They went to Ghealdan； all right； and that's what started this battle； or so I hear。 They say some of those Aes Sedai are dead。 Maybe all of them。 I know some folks don't hold with Aes Sedai； but I say； who else is going to stop a false Dragon？ Eh？ And those damned fools who think they can be men Aes Sedai or some such。 What about them？ Course； some say … not the Whitecloaks； mind； and not me； but some folks … that maybe this fellow really is the Dragon Reborn。 He can do things； I hear。 Use the One Power。 There's thousands following him。〃
〃Don't be a fool；〃 Lan snapped； and Avin's face folded into a hurt look。
〃I'm only saying what I heard； ain't I？ Just what I heard； Master Andra。 They say； some do； that he's moving his army east and south； toward Tear。〃 His voice became heavy with meaning。 〃They say he's named them the People of the Dragon。〃
〃Names mean little；〃 Moiraine said calmly。 If anything she had heard disturbed her； she gave no outward sign of it now。 〃You could call your mule People of the Dragon； if you wanted。〃
〃Not likely； mistress。〃 Avin chuckled。 〃Not with the Whitecloaks around； for sure。 I don't expect anybody else would look kindly on a name like that； neither。 I see what you mean； but 。。。 oh； no； mistress。 Not my mule。〃
〃No doubt a wise decision；〃 Moiraine said。 〃Now we must be off。〃
〃And don't you worry； mistress；〃 Avin said； with a deep bob of his head； 〃I ain't seen nobody。〃 He darted to the gate and began tugging it closed with quick jerks。 〃Ain't seen nobody； and ain't seen nothing。〃 The gate thudded shut； and he pulled down the locking bar with a rope。 〃In fact； mistress； this gate ain't been open in days。〃
〃The Light illumine you； Avin；〃 Moiraine said。
She led them away from the gate； then。 Rand looked back； once； and Avin was still standing in front of the gate。 He seemed to be polishing a coin with an edge of his cloak and chuckling。
The way led through dirt streets barely the width of two wagons； empty of people； all lined with warehouses and occasional high； wooden fences。 Rand walked a time beside the gleeman。 〃Thom； what was all that about Tear； and the People of the Dragon？ Tear is a city all the way down on the Sea of Storms； isn't it？〃
〃The Karaethon Cycle；〃 Thom said curtly。
Rand blinked。 The Prophecies of the Dragon。 〃Nobody tells the 。。。 those stories in the Two Rivers。 Not in Emond's Field； anyway。 The Wisdom would skin them alive； if they did。〃
〃I suppose she would； at that；〃 Thom said dryly。 He glanced at Moiraine up ahead with Lan； saw she could not overhear； and went on。 〃Tear is the greatest port on the Sea of Storms； and the Stone of Tear is the fortress that guards it。 The Stone is said to be the first fortress built after the Breaking of the World； and in all this time it has never fallen； though more than one army has tried。 One of the Prophecies says that the Stone of Tear will never fall until the People of the Dragon e to the Stone。 Another says the Stone will never fall till the Sword That Cannot Be Touched is wielded by the Dragon's hand。〃 Thom grimaced。 〃The fall of the Stone will be one of the major proofs that the Dragon has been reborn。 May the Stone stand till I am dust。〃
〃The sword that cannot be touched？〃
〃That's what it says。 I don't know whether it really is a sword。 Whatever it is； it lies in the Heart of the Stone； the central citadel of the fortress。 None but the Great Lords of Tear can enter there； and they never speak of what lies inside。 Certainly not to gleemen； anyway。〃
Rand frowned。 〃The Stone cannot fall until the Dragon wields the sword； but how can he； unless the Stone has already fallen？ Is the Dragon supposed to be a Great Lord of Tear？〃
〃Not much chance of that；〃 the gleeman said dryly。 〃Tear hates anything to do with the Power even more than Amador； and Amador is the stronghold of the Children of the Light。〃
〃Then how can the Prophecy be fulfilled？〃 Rand asked。 〃I'd like it well enough if the Dragon was never reborn； but a prophecy that cannot be fulfilled doesn't make much sense。 It sounds like a story meant to make people think the Dragon never will be reborn。 Is that it？〃
〃You ask an awful lot of questions； boy；〃 Thom said。 〃A prophecy that was easily fulfilled would not be worth much； now would it？〃 Suddenly his voice brightened。 〃Well； we're here。 Wherever here is。 〃
Lan had stopped by a section of head…high wooden fence that looked no different from any other they had passed。 He was working the blade of his dagger between two of the boards。 Abruptly he gave a grunt of satisfaction； pulled； and a length of the fence swung out like a gate。 In fact it w