A Memory of Light

Moiraine pursed her lips, taking up the contract for the Dragon’s Peace as Galad set it on the table for her. She scanned it.

“Who is this woman?” Roedran said. “And why do we— Would you stop that!” He raised a hand as if he’d been smacked by a thread of Air, then glared at Egwene—however, this time one of the nearby Asha’man was the one who smel ed satisfied.

“Nice shot, Grady,” Perrin whispered.

“Thank you, Lord Perrin.”

Grady would know her only by legend, of course, but tales of Moiraine had spread among those who fol owed Rand.

“Well?” Egwene said.

“ And it shal come to pass that what men made shal be shattered,’ ” Moiraine whispered.

“ ‘The Shadow shall lie across the Pattern of the Age, and the Dark One shall once more lay his hand upon the world of man. Women shal weep and men quail as the nations of the earth are rent like rotting cloth. Neither shal anything stand nor abide.’ ”

The people shuffled their feet. Perrin looked questioningly at Rand.

“ ‘Yet one shall be born to face the Shadow,’ ” Moiraine said more loudly. “ ‘Born once more as he was born before and shal be born again, time without end! The Dragon shal be Reborn, and there shal be wailing and gnashing of teeth at his rebirth. In sackcloth and ashes shall he clothe the people, and he shall break the world again by his coming, tearing apart all ties that bind!

“ ‘Like the unfettered dawn shal he blind us, and burn us, yet shall the Dragon Reborn confront the Shadow at the Last Battle, and his blood shal give us the Light. Let tears flow, O ye people of the world. Weep for your salvation!’ ”

“Aes Sedai,” Darlin said, “pardon, but that is very ominous.”

A Knack

“At least it shall be a salvation,” Moiraine said. “Tell me, Your Majesty. That prophecy commands you to shed tears. Are you to weep because your salvation comes with such pain and worry? Or, instead, are you to weep for your salvation? For the man who will suffer for you? The only one we know for certain will not walk away from this fight?”

She turned to Rand.

“These demands are unfair,” Gregorin said. “He requires us to keep our borders as they are!”

“ ‘He shall slay his people with the sword of peace,’ ” Moiraine said, “ and destroy them with the leaf.’ ”

It’s The Karaethon Cycle. I’ve heard these words before.

“The seals, Moiraine,” Egwene said. “He’s planning to break them. He defies the authority of the Amyrlin Seat.”

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 cal s 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 fundamental y untenable. For a peace treaty to work, both sides must continue to wish for peace because of the benefits presented.