A Memory of Light

hear us now. What is this about?”
    “Well, I just noticed something. The Aiel are like tools.”
    “All right . . ”
    “And tools that aren’t used grow rusty,” Perrin said.
    “Which is why they raid one another,” Rand said, rubbing his temple. “To keep up their skills. That is why I exempted them. Light, Perrin! I think this is going to be a disaster. If we include them in this document . . .”
    “I don’t think you have a choice, now,” Perrin said. “The others will never sign it if the Aiel are left out.”
    “I don’t know if they’ll sign it anyway,” Rand said. He looked longingly at the sheet on the table. “It was such a beautiful dream, Perrin. A dream of good for humanity. I thought I had them. Right up until Egwene called my bluff, I thought I had them.”
    It was a good thing others couldn’t smell Rand’s emotions, or everyone there would have known that he’d never refuse to go against the Dark One. Rand showed not a hint of it on his face, but inside, Perrin knew he had been as nervous as a boy at his first shearing.
    “Rand, don’t you see?” Perrin said. “The solution.”
    Rand frowned at him.
    “The Aiel ,” Perrin said. “The tool that needs to be used. A treaty that needs to be enforced . . .”
    Rand hesitated, then grinned widely. “You’re a genius, Perrin.”
    “So long as it’s about blacksmithing, I suppose I know a thing or two.
    But this . . . this isn’t about blacksmithing, Perrin . . .”
    “Of course it is,” Perrin said. How could Rand not see that?
    Rand turned, no doubt ending his weave. He strode up to the document, then held it up toward one of his clerks in the back of the pavilion. “I want two provisions added. First, this document is void if not signed by either the Seanchan Daughter of the Nine Moons or the Empress. Second . . . the Aiel—all but the Shaido—are to be written into the document as enforcers of the peace and mediators of disputes between nations. Any nation may call upon them if they feel abused, and the Aiel—not enemy armies—will provide redress. They can hunt criminals across national borders. They are to be subject to the laws of the nations in which they reside at the time, but they are not subjects of that nation.”
    He turned to Elayne. “There is your enforcement, Elayne, the way to keep your small pressures from building.”
    “The Aiel?” she asked skeptically.
    “Will you agree to this, Rhuarc?” Rand asked. “Bael, Jheran, the rest of you? You claim to be left without purpose, and Perrin sees you as a tool that needs to be worked. Will you take this charge? To prevent war, to punish those who do wrong, to work with the rulers of nations to see justice served?
    Justice as we see it, Rand al’Thor,” Rhuarc said, “or as they see it?”
    “It will have to be according to the conscience of the Aiel,” Rand said. “If they call for you, they will have to know that they’ll receive your justice. This will not work if the Aiel simply become pawns. Your autonomy will be what makes this effective.”
    Gregorin and Darlin began to complain, but Rand silenced them with a look. Perrin nodded to himself, arms folded. Their complaints were weaker now than they had been before. He smelled ... thoughtfulness from many of them.
    They see this as an opportunity, he realized. They view the Aiel as savages, and think they’ll be easy to manipulate once Rand is gone. Perrin grinned, imagining their defeat should they attempt that course.
    “This is very sudden,” Rhuarc said.
    “Welcome to the dinner party,” Elayne added, still staring daggers at Rand “Try the soup.” Oddly, she smelled proud. Strange woman.
    “I warn you, Rhuarc,” Rand said. “You will need to change your ways. The Aiel will have to act together on these matters; the chiefs and Wise Ones will need to hold council to make decisions together. One clan cannot fight a battle while other clans disagree and fight for the other side.
    “We will speak of it,” Rhuarc said, nodding to the other Aiel chiefs.
    “This will mean an end to the Aiel.”
    “A beginning as well,” Rand said.
    The Aiel clan chiefs and the Wise Ones gathered separately to one side, and spoke in soft voices. Aviendha lingered, with Rand staring away, troubled. Perrin heard him whisper something, so soft Perrin’s ears barely made it out.
    '. . . your dream now . . . when you wake from this life, we will be no more . . .
    Rand’s clerks, smelling frantic,