〃You do not have to make the choice now；〃 the Amyrlin said。 She did not seem to care； either。 〃But you will have to choose before Ingtar leaves。〃
〃I will ride with Ingtar； Mother。〃
The Amyrlin Seat nodded absently。 〃Now that that is dealt with； we can move on to important matters。 I know you can channel； boy。 What do you know？〃
Rand's mouth fell open。 Caught up in worrying about Mat； her casual words hit him like a swinging barn door。 All of Lan's advice and instructions went spinning。 He stared at her； licking his lips。 It was one thing to think she knew； entirely another to find out she really did。 The sweat finally seeped out on his forehead。
She leaned forward in her seat； waiting for his answer； but he had the feeling she wanted to lean back。 He remembered what Lan had said。 If she's afraid of you。。。 He wanted to laugh。 If she was afraid of him。
〃No； I can't。 I mean。。。 I didn't do it on purpose。 It just happened。 I don't want to … to channel the Power。 I won't ever do it again。 I swear it。〃
〃You don't want to；〃 the Amyrlin Seat said。 〃Well； that's wise of you。 And foolish； too。 Some can be taught to channel； most cannot。 A few； though； have the seed in them at birth。 Sooner or later； they wield the One Power whether they want to or not； as surely as roe makes fish。 You will continue to channel； boy。 You can't help it。 And you had better learn to channel； learn to control it； or you will not live long enough to go mad。 The One Power kills those who cannot control its flow。〃
〃How am I supposed to learn？〃 he demanded。 Moiraine and Verin just sat there； unruffled； watching him。 Like spiders。 〃How？ Moiraine claims she can't teach me anything； and I don't know how to learn； or what。 I don't want to； anyway。 I want to stop。 Can't you understand that？ To stop！〃
〃I told you the truth； Rand；〃 Moiraine said。 She sounded as if they were having a pleasant conversation。 〃Those who could teach you； the male Aes Sedai； are three thousand years dead。 No Aes Sedai living can teach you to touch saidin any more than you could learn to touch saidar。 A bird cannot teach a fish to fly； nor a fish teach a bird to swim。〃
〃I have always thought that was a bad saying；〃 Verin said suddenly。 〃There are birds that dive and swim。 And in the Sea of Storms are fish that fly； with long fins that stretch out as wide as your outstretched arms； and beaks like swords that can pierce 。。。〃 Her words trailed off and she became flustered。 Moiraine and the Amyrlin Seat were staring at her without expression。
Rand took the interruption to try to regain some control of himself。 As Tam had taught him long ago； he formed a single flame in his mind and fed his fears into it； seeking emptiness； the stillness of the void。 The flame seemed to grow until it enveloped everything； until it was too large to contain or imagine any longer。 With that it was gone； leaving in its place a sense of peace。 At its edges； emotions still flickered； fear and anger like black blotches； but the void held。 Thought skimmed across its surface like pebbles across ice。 The Aes Sedai's attention was only off him for a moment； but when they turned back his face was calm。
〃Why are you talking to me like this； Mother？〃 he asked。 〃You should be gentling me。〃
The Amyrlin Seat frowned and turned to Moiraine。 〃Did Lan teach him this？〃
〃No； Mother。 He had it from Tam al'Thor。〃
〃Why？〃 Rand demanded again。
The Amyrlin Seat looked him straight in the eye and said； 〃Because you are the Dragon Reborn。〃
The void rocked。 The world rocked。 Everything seemed to spin around him。 He concentrated on nothing； and the emptiness returned； the world steadied。 〃No； Mother。 I can channel； the Light help me； but I am not Raolin Darksbane； nor Guaire Amalasin； nor Yurian Stonebow。 You can gentle me； or kill me； or let me go； but I will not be a tame false Dragon on a Tar Valon leash。〃
He heard Verin gasp； and the Amyrlin's eyes widened； a gaze as hard as blue rock。 It did not affect him； it slid off the void within。
〃Where did you hear those names？〃 the Amyrlin demanded。 〃Who told you Tar Valon pulls the lines on any false Dragon？〃
〃A friend； Mother；〃 he said。 〃A gleeman。 His name was Thom Merrilin。 He's dead； now。〃 Moiraine made a sound； and he glanced at her。 She claimed Thom was not dead； but she had never offered any proof； and he could not see how any man could survive grappling hand…to…hand with a Fade。 The thought was extraneous； and it faded away。 There was only the void and the oneness now。
〃You are not a false Dragon；〃 the Amyrlin said firmly。 〃You are the true Dragon Reborn。〃
〃I am a shepherd from the Two Rivers； Mother。〃
〃Daughter； tell him the story。 A true story； boy。 Listen well。〃
Moiraine began speaking。 Rand kept his eyes on the Amyrlin's face； but he heard。
〃Nearly twenty years ago the Aiel crossed the Spine of the World； the Dragonwall； the only time they have ever done so。 They ravaged through Cairhien； destroyed every army sent against them； burned the city of Cairhien itself； and fought all the way to Tar Valon。 It was winter and snowing； but cold or heat mean little to an Aiel。 The final battle； the last that counted； was fought outside the Shining Walls； in the shadow of Dragonmount。 In。 three days and three nights of fighting； the Aiel were turned back。 Or rather they turned back； for they had done what they came to do； which was to kill King Laman of Cairhien； for his sin against the Tree。 It is then that my story begins。 And yours。〃
They came over the Dragonwall like a flood。 All the way to the Shining Walls。 Rand waited for the memories to fade； but it was Tam's voice he heard； Tam sick and raving； pulling up secrets from his past。 The voice clung outside the void； clamoring to get in。
〃I was one of the Accepted； then；〃 Moiraine said； 〃as was our Mother； the Amyrlin Seat。 We were soon to be raised to sisterhood； and that night we stood attendance on the then Amyrlin。 Her Keeper of the Chronicles； Gitara Moroso； was there。 Every other full sister in Tar Valon was out Healing as many wounded as she could find； even the Reds。 It was dawn。 The fire on the hearth could not keep the cold out。 The snow had finally stopped； and in the Amyrlin's chambers in the White Tower we could smell the smoke of outlying villages burned in the fighting。〃
Battles are always hot； even in the snow。 Had to get away from the stink of death。 Tam's delirious voice clawed at the empty calm inside Rand。 The void trembled and shrank； steadied； then wavered again。 The Amyrlin's eyes bored at him。 He felt sweat on his face again。 〃It was all a fever dream；〃 he said。 〃He was sick。〃 He raised his voice。 〃My name is Rand al'Thor。 I am a shepherd。 My father is Tam al'Thor； and my mother was… 〃
Moiraine had paused for him； but now her unchanging voice cut him off； soft and relentless。 〃The Karaethon Cycle； the Prophecies of the Dragon； says that the Dragon will be reborn on the slopes of Dragonmount； where he died during the Breaking of the World。 Gitara Sedai had the Foretelling sometimes。 She was old； her hair as white as the snow outside； but when she had the Foretelling； it was strong。 The morning light through the windows was strengthening as I handed her a cup of tea。 The Amyrlin Seat asked me what news there was from the field of battle。 And Gitara Sedai started up out of her chair； her arms and legs rigid； trembling； her face as if she looked into the Pit of Doom at Shayol Ghul； and she cried out； 'He is born again！ I feel him！ The Dragon takes his first breath on the slope of Dragonmount！ He is ing！ He is ing！ Light help us！ Light help the world！ He lies in the snow and cries like the thunder！ He burns like the sun！' And she fell forward into my arms； dead。〃
Slope of the mountain。 Heard a baby cry。 Gave birth there alone； before she died。 Child blue with the cold。 Rand tried to force Tam's voice away。 The void grew smaller。 〃A fever…dream；〃 he gasped。 I couldn't leave a child。 〃I was born in the Two Rivers。〃 Always knew you wanted children； Kari。 He pulled his eyes away from the Amyrlin's gaze。 He