A Memory of Light (The Wheel of Time 14) - Page 72
Moiraine did not look surprised. Perrin suspected she’d been listening outside before entering. It was very like her.
“Oh, Egwene,” Moiraine said. “Have you forgotten? ‘The unstained tower breaks and bends knee to the forgotten sign…’ ”
Egwene blushed.
“ ‘There can be no health in us, nor any good thing grow,’ ” Moiraine quoted, “ ‘for the land is one with the Dragon Reborn, and he one with the land. Soul of fire, heart of stone.’ ”
She looked to Gregorin. “ ‘In pride he conquers, forcing the proud to yield.’ ”
To the Borderlanders. “ ‘He calls upon the mountains to kneel…’ ”
To the Sea Folk. “ ‘… and the seas to give way.’ ”
To Perrin, then Berelain. “ ‘… and the very skies to bow.’ ”
To Darlin. “ ‘Pray that the heart of stone remembers tears…’ ”
Then, finally, to Elayne. “ ‘… and the soul of fire, love.’ You cannot fight this. None of you can. I am sorry. You think he came to this on his own?” She held up the document. “The Pattern is balance. It is not good nor evil, not wisdom nor foolishness. To the Pattern, these things matter not, yet it will find balance. The last Age ended with a Breaking, and so the next one will begin with peace—even if it must be shoved down your throats like medicine given to a screaming babe.”
“If I may speak?” An Aes Sedai wearing a brown shawl stepped forward.
“You may,” Rand said.
“This is a wise document, Lord Dragon,” the Brown said. She was a stout woman, more direct of tone than Perrin expected from a Brown. “But I see an enormous flaw to it, one that was raised earlier. So long as the Seanchan are exempt from it, it will be meaningless. There will be no peace so long as they conquer.”
“That’s an issue,” Elayne said, arms folded. “But not the only one. Rand, I see what you’re trying to do, and I love you for it. That does not remove the fact that this document is fundamentally untenable. For a peace treaty to work, both sides must continue to wish for peace because of the benefits presented.
“This grants no way to settle disputes. They will arise, they always do. Any document like this must give a way to settle such things; you must set up a way to punish an infraction save for the other countries to enter all-out war. Without that change, little grievances will mount and build pressure over years until they explode.
“As this is, it all but requires the nations to fall upon the first that breaks the peace. It doesn’t stop them from setting up a puppet regime in the fallen kingdom, or even in another kingdom. Over time, I fear this treaty will be viewed as null; what good is it if it protects only on paper? The end result of this will be war. Massive, overpowering war. You will have peace for a time, particularly while those who revere you live. But for every year of peace you gain, you will earn one of greater destruction once the thing falls apart.”
Rand rested his fingers on the document. “I will make peace with the Seanchan. We will add a provision. If their ruler does not sign, then the document is voided. Will you all agree to it then?”
“That fixes the lesser problem,” Elayne said softly, “but not the larger one, Rand.”
“There is yet a greater issue here,” a new voice said.
Perrin turned, surprised. Aviendha? She and the other Aiel had not participated in the arguments. They’d only watched. Perrin had almost forgotten they were there.
“You, too?” Rand said. “Come to walk on the shards of my dreams, Aviendha?”
“Don’t be a child, Rand al’Thor,” the woman said, striding up to place her finger on the document. “You have toh.”
“I left you out of it,” Rand protested. “I trust you, and all of the Aiel.”
“The Aiel aren’t in it?” Easar said. “Light, how did we miss that!”
“It is an insult,” Aviendha said.
Perrin frowned. She smelled very serious. From any other Aiel, he’d expect that sharp scent to be followed by a pulled-up veil and a raised spear.
“Aviendha,” Rand said, smiling. “The others are about to hang me for putting them in it, and you are angry for being left out?”
“I demand my boon of you,” she said. “This is it. Place the Aiel in your document, your ‘Dragon’s Peace.’ We will leave you otherwise.”
“You don’t speak for all of them, Aviendha,” Rand said. “You can’t—”
All of the tent’s Wise Ones stepped up behind Aviendha, as if in rhythm together. Rand blinked.
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