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en shoots among the grass； not many； and they were struggling； but more than he had seen anywhere else。 There were fewer weeds in the grass； too。 He could not imagine what it was； but there was 。。。 something about this place。 And something in what Elyas said tickled his memory。
〃What is it？〃 Egwene asked。 〃I feel。。。 What is this place？ I don't think I like it。〃
〃A stedding；〃 Elyas roared。 〃You never listen to stories？ Of course； there hasn't been an Ogier here in three thousand odd years； not since the Breaking of the World； but it's the stedding makes the Ogier； not the Ogier make the stedding。〃
〃Just a legend；〃 Perrin stammered。 In the stories； the stedding were always havens； places to hide； whether it was from Aes Sedai or from creatures of the Father of Lies。
Elyas straightened； if not exactly fresh； he gave no sign that he had spent most of a day running。 〃e on。 We'd better get deeper into this legend。 The ravens can't follow； but they can still see us this close to the edge； and there could be enough of them to watch the whole border of it。 Let them keep hunting right on by it。〃
Perrin wanted to stay right there； now that he was stopped； his legs trembled and told him to lie down for a week。 Whatever refreshment he had felt had been momentary； all the weariness and aches were back。 He forced himself to take one step； then another。 It did not get easier； but he kept at it。 Egwene flapped the reins to get Bela moving again。 Elyas settled into an effortless lope； only slowing to a walk when it became apparent the others could not keep up。 A fast walk。
〃Why don't we stay here？〃 Perrin panted。 He was breathing through his mouth； and he forced the words out between deep； wracking breaths。 〃If it's really … a stedding。 We'd be safe。 No Trollocs。 No Aes Sedai。 Why don't we just stay here … until it's all over？〃 Maybe the wolves won't e here； either。
〃How long will that be？〃 Elyas looked over his shoulder with one eyebrow raised。 〃What would you eat？ Grass； like the horse？ Besides； there's others know about this place； and nothing keeps men out； not even the worst of them。 And there is only one place where there's still water to be found。〃 Frowning uneasily； he turned in a plete circle； scanning the land。 When he was done； he shook his head and muttered to himself。 Perrin felt him calling to the wolves。 Hurry。 Hurry。 〃We take our chances on a choice of evils； and the ravens are sure。 e on。 It's only another mile or two。〃
Perrin would have groaned if he had been willing to spare the breath。
Huge boulders began to dot the low hills； irregular lumps of gray； lichen…coated stone half buried in the ground； some as big as a house。 Brambles webbed them； and low brush half hid most。 Here and there amid the desiccated brown of brambles and brush a lone green shoot announced that this was a special place。 Whatever wounded the land beyond its borders hurt it； too； but here the wound did not go quite as deep。
Eventually they straggled over one more rise； and at the base of this hill lay a pool of water。 Any of them could have waded across it in two strides； but it was clear and clean enough to show the sandy bottom like a sheet of glass。 Even Elyas hurried eagerly down the slope。
Perrin threw himself full length on the ground when he reached the pool and plunged his head in。 An instant later he was spluttering from the cold of water that had welled up from the depths of the earth。 He shook his head； his long hair spraying a rain of drops。 Egwene grinned and splashed back at him。 Perrin's eyes grew sober。 She frowned and opened her mouth； but he stuck his face back in the water。 No questions。 Not now。 No explanations。 Not ever。 But a small voice taunted him。 But you would have done it； wouldn't you？
Eventually Elyas called them away from the pool。 〃Anybody wants to eat； I want some help。〃
Egwene worked cheerfully； laughing and joking as they prepared their scanty meal。 There was nothing left but cheese and dried meat； there had been no chance to hunt。 At least there was still tea。 Perrin did his share； but silently。 He felt Egwene's eyes on him； saw growing worry on her face； but he avoided meeting her eyes as much as he could。 Her laughter faded； and the jokes came further apart； each one more strained than the last。 Elyas watched； saying nothing。 A somber mood descended； and they began their meal in silence。 The sun grew red in the west； and their shadows stretched out long and thin。
Not quite an hour till dark。 If not for the stedding； all of you would be dead now。 Would you have saved her？ Would you have cut her down like so many bushes？ Bushes don't bleed； do they？ Or scream； and look in your eyes and ask； why？
Perrin drew in on himself more。 He could feel something laughing at him； deep in the back of his mind。 Something cruel。 Not the Dark One。 He almost wished it was。 Not the Dark One； himself。
For once Elyas had broken his rule about fires。 There were no trees； but he had snapped dead branches from the brush and built his fire against a huge chunk of rock sticking out of the hillside。 From the layers of soot staining the stone； Perrin thought the site must have been used by generation after generation of travelers。
What showed above ground of the big rock was rounded somewhat； with a sharp break on one side where moss； old and brown； covered the ragged surface。 The grooves and hollows eroded in the rounded part looked odd to Perrin； but he was too absorbed in gloom to wonder about it。 Egwene； though； studied it as she ate。
〃That；〃 she said finally； 〃looks like an eye。〃 Perrin blinked； it did look like an eye； under all that soot。
〃It is；〃 Elyas said。 He sat with his back to the fire and the rock； studying the land around them while he chewed a strip of dried meat almost as tough as leather。 〃Artur Hawkwing's eye。 The eye of the High King himself。 This is what his power and glory came to； in the end。〃 He said it absently。 Even his chewing was absentminded； his eyes and his attention were on the hills。
〃Artur Hawkwing！〃 Egwene exclaimed。 〃You're joking with me。 It isn't an eye at all。 Why would somebody carve Artur Hawkwing's eye on a rock out here？〃
Elyas glanced over his shoulder at her； muttering； 〃What do they teach you village whelps？〃 He snorted and straightened back to his watching； but he went on talking。 〃Artur Paendrag Tanreall； Artur Hawkwing； the High King； united all the lands from the Great Blight to the Sea of Storms； from the Aryth Ocean to the Aiel Waste； and even some beyond the Waste。 He even sent armies the other side of the Aryth Ocean。 The stories say he ruled the whole world； but what he really did rule was enough for any man outside of a story。 And he brought peace and justice to the land。〃
〃All stood equal before the law；〃 Egwene said； 〃and no man raised his hand against another。〃
〃So you've heard the stories； at least。〃 Elyas chuckled； a dry sound。 〃Artur Hawkwing brought peace and justice； but he did it with fire and sword。 A child could ride alone with a bag of gold from the Aryth Ocean to the Spine of the World and never have a moment's fear； but the High King's justice was as hard as that rock there for anyone who challenged his power； even if it was just by being who they were； or by people thinking they were a challenge。 The mon folk had peace； and justice； and full bellies； but he laid a twenty…year siege to Tar Valon and put a price of a thousand gold crowns on the head of every Aes Sedai。〃
〃I thought you didn't like Aes Sedai；〃 Egwene said。
Elyas gave a wry smile。 〃Doesn't matter what I like； girl。 Artur Hawkwing was a proud fool。 An Aes Sedai healer could have saved him when he took sick … or was poisoned； as some say … but every Aes Sedai still alive was penned up behind the Shining Walls； using all their Power to hold off an army that lit up the night with their campfires。 He wouldn't have let one near him； anyway。 He hated Aes Sedai as much as he hated the Dark One。〃
Egwene's mouth tightened； but when she spoke； all she said was； 〃What does all that have to do with whether that's Artur Hawkwing's eye