Towers of midnight

for that I am appreciative. But if I decide that you have committed murder, I will not hold back my decision.'

'That will do,' Aybara said. He seemed sincere.

'My Lord Captain Commander,' Byar said softly in Galad's ear, sounding fervent. 'I fear this would be a farce! He's not said he would submit to punishment.'

'No, I have not,' Aybara said. How had he heard those whispers? 'It would be meaningless. You think me a Darkfriend and a murderer. You wouldn't accept my word on taking punishment, not unless I was in your custody. Which I won't allow.'

'See?' Byar said, more loudly. 'What is the point?'

Galad met Aybara's golden eyes again. 'It will give us a trial,' he said, growing more certain. 'And legal justification. I'm beginning to see, Child Byar. We must prove our claims, otherwise we are no better than Asunawa.'

'But the trial will not be fair!'

Galad turned to the tall soldier. 'Are you questioning my mother's impartiality?'

The gaunt man froze, then shook his head. 'No, my Lord Captain Commander.'

Galad turned back to Aybara. 'I ask Queen Alliandre to grant that this trial be legally binding in her realm.'

'If Lord Aybara requests it, I will.' She sounded uncomfortable.

'I do request it, Alliandre,' Perrin said. 'But only if Damodred agrees to release all of my people that he's holding. Keep the supplies, but let the people go, as you promised me you would before.'

'Very well,' Galad said. 'It will happen once the trial begins. I promise it. When will we meet?'

'Give me a few days to prepare.'

'In three days, then,' Galad said. 'We hold the trial here, in this pavilion, in this place.'

'Bring your witnesses,' Aybara said. 'I'll be here.'

CHAPTER 27

A Call to Stand

I am not opposed to questioning the Lord Dragon,

Egwene read from the letter as she sat in her study.

Indeed, the more absolute a man's power becomes, the more necessary questioning becomes. However, know that I am not a man who gives his loyalty easily, and I have given my loyalty to him. Not because of the throne he provided me, but because of what he has done for Tear. Yes, he grows more erratic by the day. What else are we to expect from the Dragon Reborn? He will break the world. We knew this when we gave him our allegiance, much as a sailor must sometimes give his loyalty to the captain who steers his ship straight for the strand. When an unnavigable tempest rises behind, the strand is the only option. Still, your words bring me concern. The destruction of the seals is not something we should undertake without careful discussion. The Lord Dragon charged me with raising him an army, and I have done so. If you provide the gateways you have promised, I will bring some troops to this meeting place, along with the loyal High Lords and Ladies. Be warned, however, that the Seanchan presence to my west continues to weigh heavily upon my mind. The bulk of my armies must remain behind.

High Lord Darlin Sisnera,

King of Tear beneath the rule of the Dragon Reborn Rand al'Thor

Egwene tapped the sheet with one finger. She was impressed—Darlin had committed his words to paper, rather than sending a messenger with them memorized. If a messenger fell into the wrong hands, his words could always be denied. Convicting a man of treason based on the testimony of one messenger was difficult. Words on paper, however… Bold. By writing them, Darlin said, 'I do not care if the Lord Dragon discovers what I have written. I stand by it.'

But leaving behind the bulk of his army? That would not do. Egwene inked her pen.

King Darlin. Your concern for your kingdom is well measured, as is your loyalty to the man you follow.

I know that the Seanchan are a danger to Tear, but let us not forget that the Dark One, not the Seanchan, is our primary concern during these worst of days. Perhaps it is easy to think yourself safe from the Trollocs when so distant from the battle lines, but how will you feel once the cushions of Andor and Cairhien have fallen? You are separated from the Seanchan by hundreds of miles.

Egwene paused. Tar Valon had been separated from the Seanchan by hundreds of miles, and had nearly been destroyed. He was right to be afraid, and he was a good king for considering it. But she needed his army at the Field of Merrilor. Perhaps she could offer a way for him to both be safe and help with Rand.

Illian holds for now, she wrote. And gives you a buffer between the Seanchan and yourself I will provide you with gateways and a promise. If the Seanchan move against Tear, I will give you gateways so you can return immediately and defend your nation.

She hesitated. Chances were good that the Seanchan had Traveling now. Nobody was safe from them, no matter how far or close they might be. If they decided to strike for Tear, even giving Darlin gateways back might not be enough to help.

She felt a shiver, remembering her own time with the Seanchan, captive as a damane. She loathed them with a hatred that sometimes worried her. But Darlin's support was essential to her plans. She gritted her teeth and continued writing.

The Dragon Reborn must see our full forces marshaled to oppose his brash intentions. If he sees this as halfhearted, we will never dissuade him from his course. Please come with all of your troops.

She sanded the letter, then folded and sealed it. Darlin and Elayne were monarchs of two of the most powerful kingdoms. Both were very important to her plans.

Next she would respond to a letter from Gregorin den Lushenos of Illian.

She hadn't yet told him directly that she had Mattin Stepaneos at the White Tower, but had hinted at it. She'd also spoken to Mattin himself, letting him know he was free to leave, if he wished. She would not be in the habit of holding monarchs against their will.

Unfortunately, Mattin was now afraid for his life, should he return. He'd been gone too long, and he viewed Illian as being in the Dragon Reborn's pocket. Which it probably was. What a mess.

One problem at a time. Gregorin, the steward in Illian, was very hesitant to support her cause—he seemed more intimidated by Rand than Darlin was, and the Seanchan were not a distant concern for him. They were practically pounding on his city gates.

She wrote Gregorin a firm letter, giving a promise like the one she'd given Darlin. Perhaps she could arrange to keep Mattin away—something both men might want, though she wouldn't let Gregorin know that—in exchange for him bringing his armies northward.

Obliquely, she realized what she was doing. She was using Rand's proclamation as a beacon by which to gather and tie the monarchs to the White Tower. They would come to support her arguments against breaking the seals. But in the end, they would serve humankind in the Last Battle.

A knock came at her door. She looked up as Silviana peeked in. The woman held up a letter. It was curled tightly from having been carried in by pigeon.

'Your expression is grim,' Egwene noted.

'The invasion has begun,' she said. 'Watchtowers across the Blightborder go silent, one at a time. Waves of Trollocs advance beneath clouds that boil black. Kandor, Arafel and Saldaea are at war.'

'Do they hold?' Egwene asked with a spike of fear.