Towers of Midnight (The Wheel of Time #13)

Towers of Midnight (The Wheel of Time #13) Page 195

“When change comes, you can scream and try to force things to stay the same. But you’ll usually end up getting trampled. However, if you can direct the changes, they can serve you. Just as the Power serves us, but only after we surrender to it.”

Egwene looked at each woman in turn. “Our three groups should have begun working together long ago. The Last Battle is upon us, and the Dragon Reborn threatens to free the Dark One. If that weren’t enough, we have another common foe—one who would see Aes Sedai, Windfinders and Wise Ones alike destroyed.”

“The Seanchan,” Melaine said.

Renaile, sitting at the back of the Windfinders, let out a soft hiss at the word. Her clothing changed, and she was wearing armor, holding a sword. It was gone in a moment.

“Yes,” Egwene said. “Together, we can be strong enough to fight them. Apart…”

“We must consider this bargain,” Shielyn said. Egwene noticed a wind blowing through the room, likely created by one of the Sea Folk by accident. “We will meet again and perhaps make a promise. If we make it, the terms will be this: We will send you two apprentices a year, and you will send two to us.”

“Not your weakest,” Egwene said. “I want your most promising.”

“And you will send the same?” Shielyn said.

“Yes,” Egwene said. Two was a start. They would probably wish to move to larger numbers once the plan was proven effective. But she would not push for that at the start.

“And us?” Amys said. “We are part of this ‘bargain’ as you put it?”

“Two Accepted,” Egwene said, “in return for two apprentices. They train for a period of no less than six months, but no more than two years. Once our women are among you, they are to be considered your apprentices, and must follow your rules.” She hesitated. “At the end of their training, all apprentices and Accepted must return to their people for at least one year. After that, if yours decide they want to be Aes Sedai, they can return to be considered. The same goes for women among us, should they decide to join with you instead.”

Bair nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps there will be women like yourself who, seeing our ways, will know them superior. It is still a shame we lost you.”

“My place was elsewhere,” Egwene said.

“Will you accept this between us as well?” Shielyn said to the Wise Ones. “Should we agree to this bargain, two for two, in a similar manner?”

“If the bargain is agreed to,” Bair said, looking to the other Wise Ones, “we will make it with you as well. But we must speak with the other Wise Ones about it.”

“And what of the ter’angreal?” Shielyn said, turning back to Egwene.

“Yours,” Egwene said. “In exchange, you will release us from our promise to send sisters to train you, and we will let any Sea Folk currently among us return to their people. All of this is subject to the approval of your people, and I will have to bring this before the Hall of the Tower.”

Of course, as Amyrlin, her decrees were law. If the Hall balked, however, those laws could end up being ignored. In this, she would need to get their support—and she wanted to, particularly considering her stance that the Hall should work together with her more and meet in secret less.

She was reasonably certain she could get approval for this proposal, however. The Aes Sedai wouldn’t like giving up ter’angreal, but they also did not like the bargain that had been made with the Sea Folk over the Bowl of the Winds. To be rid of that, they would give almost anything.

“I knew you would try to end the sisters training us,” Shielyn said, sounding self-satisfied.

“Which would you rather have?” Egwene asked. “Women who are among our weakest members, and who see their service as a punishment? Or instead, your own Sea Folk, who have learned the best we can offer and return happily to share?” Egwene had been half-tempted to simply send Sea Folk Aes Sedai to them to fulfill the bargain anyway; it seemed a proper twisting of the situation.

Hopefully, however, this new bargain would supplant the old one. She had a feeling she’d lose the Sea Folk sisters anyway, at least the ones who longed to be back with their people. The world was changing, and now that the Windfinders were no longer a secret, the old ways need not be maintained.

“We will discuss,” Shielyn said. She nodded to the others, and they vanished from the room. They certainly did learn quickly.

“This dance is a dangerous one, Egwene al’Vere,” Amys said, standing and adjusting her shawl. “There was a time when the Aiel would have taken pride to have served the Aes Sedai. That time has passed.”

“The women you thought you would find are nothing more than a dream, Amys,” Egwene said. “Real life is often more disappointing than dreams, but at least when you find honor in the real world, you know it to be more than a fancy.”

The Wise One nodded. “We will likely agree to this bargain. We have need to learn what the Aes Sedai can teach.”

“We will pick our strongest women,” Bair added. “Those who will not be corrupted by wetlander softness.” There was no condemnation in those words. Calling wetlanders soft was not an insult, in Bair’s mind.

Amys nodded. “This work you do is a good one so long as you do not presume to tie us in steel bands.”

No, Amys, Egwene thought. I will not tie you in bands of steel. I’ll use lace instead.

“Now,” Bair said. “You still have need of us this day? You indicated a battle…?”

“Yes,” Egwene said. “Or so I hope.” No word had come. That meant Nynaeve and Siuan hadn’t discovered anyone listening. Had her ploy failed?

The Wise Ones nodded to her, then walked to the side, conferring quietly. Egwene trailed over to the Aes Sedai.

Yukiri stood. “I don’t like this, Mother,” Yukiri said, speaking softly and eyeing the Wise Ones. “I don’t think the Hall will agree to this. Many are adamant that all objects of the One Power should belong to us.”

“The Hall will see reason,” Egwene said. “We’ve already returned the Bowl of the Winds to the Sea Folk, and now that Elayne has rediscovered the method of crafting ter’angreal, it is only a matter of time before there are so many we cannot keep track of them all.”

“But Elayne is an Aes Sedai, Mother,” Seaine said, rising, face troubled. “Surely you can