Towers of Midnight (The Wheel of Time 13)

him would begin to see things his way, would work unconsciously to see his will done.

That had to be the explanation. Normally, Nynaeve was so levelheaded about these sorts of things. Or . . . well, Nynaeve wasn't exactly levelheaded, really. But she generally did see the right way things needed to be done, so long as that right way didn't involve her being wrong.

"I need both of you to return to the Tower," Egwene said. "Elayne, I know what you're going to say and yes, I realize that you are Queen, and that Andor's needs must be met. But so long as you haven't taken the oaths, other Aes Sedai will think you undeserving."

"She's right, Elayne," Nynaeve said. "You needn't visit for long enough time to be raised formally to an Aes Sedai and be accepted into the Green Ajah. The nobles of Andor won't know the difference, but other Aes Sedai will."

"True," Elayne said. "But the timing is . . . awkward. I don't know if I want to risk swearing the oaths while pregnant. It might harm the children." That gave Nynaeve pause.

"You may have a point," Egwene said. "I will have someone look into whether or not the oaths are dangerous in pregnancy. But Nynaeve, I want you back here for certain."

"It will leave Rand completely unattended, Mother."

"I'm afraid it is impossible to avoid." Egwene met Nynaeve's eyes. "I won't have you as an Aes Sedai free of the oaths. No, close your mouth I know you try to hold to the oaths. But so long as you are free of the Oath Rod itself, others will wonder if they could be free as well."

"Yes," Nynaeve said. "I suppose."

"So you will return?"

Nynaeve clenched her jaw, and seemed to be fighting an internal battle. "Yes, Mother," she said. Elayne opened her eyes wider in shock.

"This is important, Nynaeve," Egwene said. "I doubt there is anything you alone could do to stop Rand now. We need to gather allies for a unified front."

"All right," Nynaeve said.

"What worries me is the testing," Egwene said. "The Sitters have begun to argue that while it was all right to raise you and the others in exile you should still have to go through the testing, now that the White Tower is reunified. They make very good arguments. Perhaps I can argue that your difficult challenges recently should earn you an exemption. We don't have time to teach you two all of the weaves you'd need."

Elayne nodded. Nynaeve shrugged. "I'll do the testing. If I'm going to come back, then I might as well do this properly."

Egwene blinked in surprise. "Nynaeve, these are very complex weaves. I haven't had time to memorize all of them; I swear that many are needlessly ornate simply to be difficult." Egwene had no intention of going through the testing herself, and didn't need to. The law was specific. By being made Amyrlin, she had become Aes Sedai. Things weren't as clear in regards to Nynaeve and the others that Egwene had raised.

Nynaeve shrugged again. "The hundred testing weaves aren't so bad. I could show them to you right here, if you wanted me to."

"When have you had time to learn those?" Elayne exclaimed.

"I haven't spent the last few months mooning about and dreaming of Rand al'Thor."

"Securing the throne of Andor is not 'mooning about'!"

"Nynaeve," Egwene cut in, "if you truly have the weaves memorized, then being raised properly would help me a great deal. It would look less like I'm favoring my friends."

"The testing is supposed to be dangerous," Elayne said. "Are you sure you have the weaves in hand?"

"I'll be fine," Nynaeve said.

"Excellent," Egwene said. "I'll expect you here in the morning." "So soon!" Nynaeve said, aghast.

"The sooner you can hold that Oath Rod, the sooner I'll be able to stop worrying about you. Elayne, we'll still have to do something about you."

"The pregnancy," Elayne said. "It's interfering with my ability to channel. That's getting better I could get here, thankfully but it's still a problem. Explain to the Hall it would be too dangerous for me and for the babes to undergo the testing while unable to channel consistently."

"They might suggest you wait," Nynaeve said.

"And let me run around without the oaths?" Elayne said. "Though I would like to know if anyone's taken the oaths while pregnant before, just to be sure."

"I'll find what I can," Egwene said. "Until then, I have another task for you."

"I am rather busy with ruling Andor, Mother."