A Memory of Light

Oh, Light, Rand, Egwene thought. What did you promise them? She braced herself.

“Along with agreeing to fight,” Fortuona said, “I will acknowledge the sovereign borders of nations as they are currently mapped. We wil force the obedience of no marath’damane save those who violate our borders.”

“And those borders are?” Egwene asked.

“As currently outlined, as I—”

“Be more specific,” Egwene said. “Tell me with your own voice, woman. What borders?”

Fortuona drew her lips to a line. Obviously, she was not accustomed to being interrupted.

“We control Altara, Amadicia, Tarabon, and Almoth Plain.”

“Tremalking,” Egwene said. “You’ll release Tremalking and the other Sea Folk islands?”

“I did not list those because they are not of your land, but the sea. They are not your concern. Besides, they were not part of the agreement with the Dragon Reborn. He did not mention it.”

“He has a lot on his mind. Tremalking will be part of the agreement with me.”

“I wasn’t aware we were making such an agreement,” Fortuona said calmly. “You require our assistance. We could leave in a moment, should I order it. How would you fare against that army without our aid, which you so recently begged me to lend?”

Begged? Egwene thought. “Do you realize what happens if we lose the Last Battle? The Dark One breaks the Wheel, slays the Great Serpent, and all things will end. That’s if we’re lucky.

If we aren’t lucky, the Dark One will remake the world according to his own twisted vision.

Al people wil be bound to him in an eternity of suffering, subjugation, and torment.”

“I am aware of this,” Fortuona said. “You act as if this particular fight—here, on this battlefield—is decisive.”

“If my army were to be destroyed,” Egwene said, “our entire effort would be jeopardized.

Everything could indeed hinge on what happens here.”

“I disagree,” Fortuona said. “Your armies are not vital. They are populated by the children of oathbreakers. You fight the Shadow, and for that I grant you honor. If you were to lose, I would return to Seanchan and raise up the full might of the Ever Victorious Army and bring it to bear against this . . . horror. We would still win the Last Battle. It would be more difficult without you, and I would not waste useful lives or potential damane, but I am confident we could stand against the Shadow on our own.”

She met Egwene’s eyes.

So cold, Egwene thought. She’s bluffing. She must be. Reports from Siuan’s eyes-and-ears said that the Seanchan homeland was in chaos. A succession crisis.

Perhaps Fortuona real y did believe that the Empire could stand against the Shadow on its own. If so, she was wrong.

“You will fight alongside us,” Egwene said. “You made the treaty with Rand, gave him your oath, I assume.”

“Tremalking is ours.”

“Oh?” Egwene said. “And you have set up a leader there? One of the Sea Folk, to acknowledge your rule?”

Fortuona said nothing.

“You have the allegiance of most of the other lands you’ve conquered,” Egwene said. “For better or worse, the Altarans and Amadicians follow you. The Taraboners seem to as well.

But the Sea Folk .. I have no reports whatsoever of a single one of their kind supporting you or living peacefully beneath your thumb.”

“Borders—”

“The borders you just mentioned, as they exist on maps, show Tremalking as Sea Folk land.

It is not yours. If our treaty holds current borders as they are, you would need a ruler in Tremalking to acknowledge you.”

It seemed a tenuous argument to Egwene. The Seanchan were conquerors. What did they care if they had any kind of legitimacy? Flowever, Fortuona seemed to consider Egwene’s words. She frowned in thought.

“This .. is a good argument,” Fortuona finally said. “They have not accepted us. They are foolish to reject the peace we offer, but they have indeed done so. Very well, we will leave Tremalking, but I will add a condition to our agreement as you have.”

“And your condition?”

“You wil announce through your Tower and through your lands,” Fortuona said. “Any marath’damane who wish to come to Ebou Dar and be properly col ared must be al owed to do so.”

“You think people would want to be collared?” She was insane. She had to be.

“Of course they would want to,” Fortuona said. “In Seanchan, very occasionally one who can channel is missed in our searches. When they discover what they are, they come to us and demand to be collared, as is

appropriate. You will not force anyone to stay away from us. You will let them come.”

“I promise you, none will.”