New Spring/Chapter 25

==Summary==
:
As the shatayan, Mistress Romera, escorts Moiraine through the palace, she sees Ryne and Bukama fighting with practice swords. Ryne wins easily. Moiraine has an audience with Prince Brys and other nobles. She believes that there are so many sisters around because of the rumors of a man who can channel and to tie up loose ends from the Aiel War. Moiraine learns from Brys's son, Diryk, that Lan would actually have been the king of Malkier. She is so shocked by this that she can only pretend to be tired and a maid, Elis, takes her back to their rooms. As they round a corner, Moiraine comes face-to-face with Merean and the shatayan. She reveals Moiraine as Aes Sedai and claims that Larelle decided to go south. This prompts Moiraine to realize that Black sisters must be able to lie. Moiraine believes Cadsuane is of the Black and she wonders about Merean, too. 
Merean's presence and the possibility of her being Black Ajah means grave danger so Moiraine decides to change the plan and goes to see Lan. Lan refuses to see any Aes Sedai but Moiraine just barges in. Two serving women and an errand boy are in his rooms and direct her to Lan, who is in an adjoining room practicing with a sword. She asks for his help, invoking the ancient alliance between the White Tower and Malkier. Lan hates Aes Sedai and says he will only help if she gives a direct answer on why the Tower did not send help to Malkier when it fell. Even though this information is Sealed to the Tower, Moiraine tells him that one hundred sisters were sent out, but arrived too late. The Tower would rather it be known that they did nothing for reasons of their own rather than that they failed. She requests that Lan send one of his Malkieri to watch Merean's activities closely. Lan offers to send both Ryne and Bukama, but Moiraine says Bukama only, and not to tell him why. Moiraine tells Lan that he can get word to her via her maid Suki and leaves. 
Moiraine finds the Lady Iselle waiting for her back in her apartments. Iselle says that the entire palace is saying that Moiraine is Aes Sedai and demands that Moiraine take her to the White Tower to enroll as a novice, so that she can escape her mother's plan to marry her to Lan. Moiraine dismisses her, telling her to go to the Tower herself. Moiraine tells Siuan about Merean's appearance and the change of plans. Siuan goes out again to try to get closer to Lady Ines. 
Siuan returns later at night with information. Bukama found her in the hallway and told her that Merean had spent the entire day with Prince Brys. She also flirted with a footman, Cal, who told her that Ines's son Rahien was born one day after Gitara's Foretelling within sight of Dragonmount. So he could very well be the Dragon Reborn. 
==Notes==
*Larelle was murdered by Merean.
==Characters==
*Moiraine Damodred
*Mistress Romera
*Ryne Venamar
*Bukama Marenellin
*Brys
*Elis
*Merean Redhill
*Anya - as Lan's older maid
*Esne - as Lan's younger maid
*Bulen - as Lan's errand boy
*Lan Mandragoran
*Iselle Arrel
*Siuan Sanche
===Referenced===
*Larelle Tarsi
*Cadsuane Melaidhrin
*Edeyn Arrel
*Sierin Vayu
*Cal
*Cormanes
*Ines Demain
*Rahien Demain
==Groups==
*Aes Sedai
*Black Ajah
==Places==
*Chachin
*Kandor
*The Aesdaishar Palace
==Events==
===Referenced===
*Fall of Malkier
*The Aiel War