"Peace", Elayne said. "I will speak to my guards and suggest they keep their eyes a little more open. Still, guarding the front of a tent is a silly precaution—and always has been—as someone can just cut their way into the back".
"And ruin a good tent?" Aviendha said, lips turning down. "Only if we had blood feud, Elayne".
"Lord Lir, you may go inspect the city—from a good distance—if you wish", Elayne said, standing. "If any of the rest of you wish to accompany him, you may. Dyelin, I will see you in the morning".
"Very well", the lords said in turn, then walked from the tent. Both kept distrustful eyes on Aviendha as they left. Dyelin just shook her head before following them, and Elayne sent her battle commanders out to coordinate scouting of the city. That left Elayne and Aviendha alone in the tent.
"Light, Aviendha", Elayne said, embracing her, "if the people who want me dead had half of your skill . . "
"Did I do something wrong?" Aviendha said.
"Other than sneaking into my tent like an assassin?"
"But you are my first-sister . . ". Aviendha said. "Should I have asked? But we are not under a roof. Or . . . among wetlanders, is a tent considered a roof, as in a hold? I’m sorry, Elayne. Do I have toh! You are such an unpredictable people, it’s hard to know what will offend you and what will not". Elayne just laughed. "Aviendha, you’re a gem. A complete and total gem. Light, but it’s good to see your face. I needed a friendly one tonight".
"Caemlyn has fallen?" Aviendha asked.
"Near enough", Elayne said, face growing colder. "It was that bloody Waygate. I thought it was safe—I had that thing all but bricked up, with fifty guards at the door and the Avendesora leaves taken and both put on the outside".
"Someone inside Caemlyn let them in, then".
"Darkfriends", Elayne said. "A dozen members of the Guard—we were lucky enough that one man survived their betrayal and found his way out. Light, I don’t know why I should be surprised. If they’re in the White Tower, they’re in Andor. But these were men who had rejected Gaebril, and who seemed loyal. They waited all this time only to betray us now".
Aviendha grimaced, but took one of the chairs to join Elayne at the table, rather than staying on the floor. Her first-sister preferred sitting that way. Her stomach had swelled with the children she bore.
"I sent Birgitte with the soldiers to the city to see what can be done", Elayne said. "But we’ve done what we can for the night, the city watched, the refugees seen to. Light, I wish I could do more. The worst thing about being Queen is not the things you must do, but the things that you cannot".
"We will bring the battle to them soon enough", Aviendha said.
"We will", Elayne said, eyes smoldering. "I will bring them fire and fury, repayment in kind for the flames they brought to my people".
"I heard you speak to those men of not attacking the city".
"No", Elayne said. "I will not give them the satisfaction of holding my own walls against me. I have given Birgitte an order—the Trollocs will eventually abandon Caemlyn, of this we are sure. Birgitte will find a way to hasten that, so we can fight them outside of the city".
"Do not let the enemy choose your battleground", Aviendha said with a nod. "A good strategy. And . . . Rand’s meeting?"
"I will attend", Elayne said. "I must, so it will be done. He had better not give us theatrics and stalling. My people die, my city burns, the world is two steps from the edge of a cliff. I will stay through the afternoon only; after that, I go back to Andor". She hesitated. "Will you come with me?"
"Elayne . . ". Aviendha said. "I cannot leave my people. I am a Wise One now".
"You went to Rhuidean?" Elayne asked.
"Yes", Aviendha said. Though it pained her to keep secrets, she said nothing of her visions there.
"Excellent. I—" Elayne began, but was cut off.
"My Queen?" the tent guard called from outside. "Messenger for you".
"Let them in".
The guard opened the flaps for a young Guardswoman with a messenger’s ribbon on her coat. She performed an ornate bow, one hand removing her hat as the other held out a letter.
Elayne took the letter but didn’t open it. The messenger retreated. "Perhaps we can still fight together, Aviendha", Elayne said. "If I have my way, I will have Aiel at my side as I reclaim Andor. The Trollocs in Caemlyn present a serious threat to all of us; even if I draw their main force out, the Shadow can continue to pour Shadowspawn through that Waygate.
"I’m thinking that while my armies fight the main body of Trollocs outside of Caemlyn—I will have to make the city inhospitable to the Shadowspawn somehow—I will send a smaller force through a gateway to seize the Waygate. If I could gain the aid of Aiel for that . . . "
As she spoke, she embraced the Source—Aviendha could see the glow—and absently sliced the letter open, breaking the seal with a ribbon of Air. Aviendha raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry", Elayne said, "I've reached the point in my pregnancy where I can channel again reliably, and I keep finding excuses . . ".
"Do not endanger the babes", Aviendha said.
"I’m not going to endanger them", Elayne said. "You’re as bad as Birgitte. At least no one has any goat’s milk here. Min says . . ". She trailed off, eyes flickering back and forth as she read the letter. Elayne’s expression darkened, and Aviendha prepared herself for a shock.
"Oh, that man . . ". Elayne said.
"Rand?"
"I think I may strangle him one of these days".
Aviendha set her jaw. "If he’s offended—"
Elayne turned the letter around. "He insists that I return to Caemlyn to see to my people. He gives a dozen reasons why, going so far as to release me from my obligation’ to meet with him tomorrow".
"He should not be insisting on anything with you".
"Particularly not so forcefully", Elayne said. "Light, this is clever. He’s obviously trying to bully me into staying. There’s a touch of Daes Dae’mar in this".
Aviendha hesitated. "You seem proud. Yet I gather this letter is only one step away fr