The vision faded. Hopefully, Mat would return to him soon. He would need Mat and his tactical skills at Shayol Ghul.
One of Bashere's quartermasters—a thick-mustached man with bowlegs and a squat body—saw Rand and approached with a quick step. Rand waved the Saldaean back; he had no mind for supply reports at the moment. The quartermaster saluted immediately and retreated. Once, Rand might have been surprised at how quickly he was obeyed, but no longer. It was right for the soldiers to obey. Rand was a king, though he didn't wear the Crown of Swords at the moment.
Rand passed through the green, filled with tents and horse pickets now. He left the camp, passing the unfinished earthen bulwark. Here, pine trees continued down the sides of the gentle slope. Tucked into a stand of trees just to the right was the Traveling ground, a square section of ground roped off to provide a safe location for gateways.
One hung in the air at that moment, an opening to another place. A small group of people was making their way through, walking out onto the pinecone-strewn ground. Rand could see the weaves that made up the gateway; this one had been crafted with saidin.
Most of the people in the group wore the colorful clothing of Sea Folk—the men bare-chested, even in the chill spring air, the women in loose bright blouses. All wore loose trousers, and all had piercings in their ears or noses, the complexity of the adornments an indication of each person's relative status.
As he waited for the Sea Folk, one of the soldiers who guarded the Traveling ground approached Rand with a sealed letter. The letter would be one sent via Asha'man from one of Rand's interests in the east. Indeed, as he opened it, he found it was from Darlin, the Tairen king. Rand had left him with orders to gather an army and prepare it for marching into Arad Doman. That gathering had been completed for some time now, and Darlin wondered—yet again—about his orders. Could no one simply do as they were told?
"Send a messenger," Rand said to the soldier, impatiently tucking the letter away. "Tell Darlin to continue recruiting. I want him to draft every Tairen who can hold a sword and either train him for combat or set him to work in the forges. The Last Battle is close. Very close."
"Yes, my Lord Dragon," the soldier said, saluting.
"Tell him that I will send an Asha'man when I want him to move," Rand said. "I still intend to use him in Arad Doman, but I need to see what the Aiel have discovered first."
The soldier bowed and retreated. Rand turned back to the Sea Folk. One of them approached him.
"Coramoor," she said, nodding. Harine was a handsome woman in her middle years, with white streaking her hair. Her Atha'an Miere blouse was of a bright blue, colorful enough to impress a Tinker, and she had an impressive five gold rings in each ear as well as a nose chain strung with gold medallions.
"I did not expect you to come and meet us personally," Harine continued.
"I have questions for you that could not wait."
Harine looked taken aback. She was the Sea Folk ambassador to the Coramoor, which was their name for Rand. They were angry with Rand for the weeks he had spent without a Sea Folk minder—he had promised to keep one with him at all times—yet Logain had mentioned their hesitation to send Harine back. Why was that? Had she achieved greater rank, making her too important to attend him? Could one be too important to attend the Coramoor? Much about the Sea Folk made little sense to him.
"I will answer if I can," Harine said guardedly. Behind her, porters moved the rest of her belongings through the gateway. Flinn stood on the other side, holding the portal open.
"Good," Rand said, pacing back and forth before her as he spoke. At times, he felt so tired—so weary to his bones—that he knew he had to keep moving. Never stopping. If he did, his enemies would find him. Either that, or his own exhaustion, both mental and physical, would drag him down.
"Tell me this," he demanded as he paced. "Where are the ships which have been promised? The Domani people starve while grain rots in the east. Logain said you had agreed to my demands, but I have seen nothing of your ships. It has been weeks!"
"Our ships are swift," Harine said testily, "but there is a great distance to travel—and we must go through seas controlled by the Seanchan. The invaders have been extremely diligent with their patrols, and our ships have had to turn back and flee on several occasions. Did you expect that we would be able bring your food in an instant? Perhaps the convenience of these gateways has made you impatient, Coramoor. We must deal with the realities of shipping and war even if you do not."
Her tone implied that he would have to deal with those realities in this case. "I expect results," Rand said, shaking his head. "I expect no delays. I know you do not like being forced to keep your agreement, but I will suffer no lagging to prove a point. People die because of your slowness."
Harine looked as if she'd been slapped. "Surely," she said, "the Coramoor does not imply that we would not keep to our Bargain."
The Sea Folk were stubborn and prideful, Wavemistresses more than most. They were like an entire race of Aes Sedai. He hesitated. I should not insult her so, not because I am frustrated about other things. "No," he finally said. "No, I do not imply that. Tell me, Harine, were you punished much for your part in our agreement?"
"I was hung up by my ankles na**d and strapped until I could scream no more." As soon as the words left her mouth, her eyes opened in shock. Often, when influenced by Rand's ta'veren nature, people said things they did not intend to admit.
"So harsh?" Rand said, genuinely surprised.
"It was not so bad as it could have been. I retain my position as Wavemistress for my clan."
But it was obvious she had lost a great deal of face, or incurred great toh, or whatever the blasted Sea Folk called honor. Even when he wasn't present, he caused pain and suffering!
"I am glad you have returned," he forced himself to say. No smile, but a softer tone. That was the best he could do. "You have impressed me, Harine, with your levelheadedness."
She nodded in thanks to him. "We will keep our Bargain, Coramoor. You needn't fear."
Something else struck him, one of the original questions he'd come to ask her. "Harine. I would ask you a somewhat delicate question about your people."
"You may ask," she said carefully.
"How do the Sea Folk treat men who can channel?"