Towers of Midnight (The Wheel of Time 13)

"Your Majesty," Sumeko said as well, mimicking her companion's curtsy. The two were deferential more so to Elayne than they were to other Aes Sedai these days. Nynaeve had given the Kin in general a backbone in regards to the Aes Sedai and the White Tower, though Alise hadn't ever struck Elayne as needing it.

During the siege, Elayne had started to regard the Kinswomen's attitudes with annoyance. Recently, however, she'd been wondering. They had been extremely useful to her. How high would their newfound boldness lead them?

Elayne nodded to each of the Kin in turn, then gestured toward a trio of chairs that had been placed in the shade of the drooping cherry trees. The three seated themselves, the stream winding its contrived way past them to the left. There was mint tea. The other two took a cup each, but were careful to add generous amounts of honey. Tea tasted terrible these days without it.

"How are the Kin?" Elayne asked.

The two women glanced at each other. Blast. Elayne was being too formal with them. They knew something was up.

"We are well, Your Majesty," Alise said. "The fear seems to be leaving most of the women. At least, those who had enough sense to feel it in the first place. I suppose those who didn't were the ones who went off on their own and found themselves dead."

"It is good not to have to spend so much time Healing, either," Sumeko noted. "It was becoming very fatiguing. So many wounded, day after day." She grimaced.

Alise was made of stouter material. She sipped her tea, face mild. Not calm and frozen, like an Aes Sedai. Thoughtful and warm, yet reserved. That was an advantage these women had that the Aes Sedai did not they could be regarded without as much suspicion, as they were not tied directly to the White Tower. But they didn't have its authority, eithet.

"You can sense that I have something to ask of you," Elayne said, meeting Alises eyes.

"We can?" Sumeko asked, sounding surprised. Perhaps Elayne had given her too much credit.

Alise nodded in a matronly way. "You've asked much of us while we've been here, Your Majesty. No more than I felt you had a right to ask. So far."

"I have tried to welcome you in Caemlyn," Elayne said. "As I realize you can never return home, not while the Seanchan rule Ebou Dar."

"That is true," Alise agreed. "But one can hardly call Ebou Dar our home. It was merely a place where we found ourselves. Less a home, more a necessity. Many of us rotated in and out of the city anyway, to avoid notice."

"Have you considered where you will st

ay now?"

"We're going to Tar Valon," Sumeko said quickly. "Nynaeve Sedai said " "I'm certain there will be a place for some of you there," Elayne interjected. "Those who wish to become Aes Sedai. Egwene will be eager to

give a second chance to any Kin who wish to try again for the shawl. But what of the rest of you?"

"We spoke of this," Alise said carefully, eyes narrowing. "We will become associated with the Tower, a place for Aes Sedai to retire."

"Surely you will not move to Tar Valon, though. What good would the Kin be as a place to retire from Aes Sedai politics if they are so near the

White Tower?"

"We had assumed we would remain here," Alise said.

"That was my assumption as well," Elayne said carefully. "But assumptions are weak. I wish to give you promises instead. After all, if you were to remain in Caemlyn, I see no reason to not offer you support directly from the Crown."

"At what cost?" Alise asked. Sumeko was watching with a confused frown.

"Not much of one," Elayne said. "Really, not a cost at all. An occasional favor, as you have done the Crown in the past."

The garden fell still. Faint calls from the city below rose up into the air, and the branches shivered in the wind, dropping a few brown leaves between Elayne and the Kin.

"That sounds dangerous," Alise said, taking a sip of her tea. "Surely you're not suggesting that we set up a rival White Tower here, in Caemlyn."

"Nothing of the sort," Elayne said quickly. "I am Aes Sedai myself, after all. And Egwene has spoken of letting the Kin continue as they have before, so long as they accept her authority."

"Em not certain we want to 'continue as we have before,' " Alise said. "The White Tower left us to live our lives in terror that we would be discovered. But all the while, they were using us. The more we consider that, the less . . . amused that makes us."

"Speak for yourself, Alise," Sumeko said. "/ intend to be tested and return to the Tower. I will join the Yellow, mark my words."

"Perhaps, but they won't have me," Alise said. "Em too weak in the Power. I won't accept some halfway measure, forced to scrape and bow every time a sister comes along and wants me to wash her clothing. But I won't stop channeling, either. I won't give it up. Egwene Sedai has spoken of letting the Kin continue, but if we do, would be we be able to work the One Power openly?"