Their meeting with Mat finished, Tuon and Selucia returned to the main hall to finish up the day's audiences.

After the da'covale had taken his bag before he could, Mat followed the girls down the long halls. He tried not to look at them in their indecent robes, but he was only human and they were very beautiful girls.

After many turns through the corridors, they reached the royal apartments. They were now the best rooms in the palace, in a different area than where Tylin had stayed. There were a half a dozen rooms, richly laid out in deep colors with tapestries and rugs wall to wall. His bag was placed in one of the side rooms, in what was called a sulking room. It was like a small living room with a long padded chaise, a small table and several chairs. There was a even a fireplace with a marble mantle and candle stands in the corners. A louvered window looked out onto a courtyard.

One of the other rooms held a tiled bath, large enough for several bathers. While the bath was being filled, Mat sat at the small table that had been laid out with bread, cheese and olives. There was a carafe of wine also. He had not been able to keep any food down for several days, so he just sipped a little wine, and nibbled a small amount of the bread. His whole body ached, especially where he had taken the sword wounds. The dice were tumbling loudly in his throbbing head.

Mat was sure the dice would have stopped when Tuon forgave him. What did they mean this time? He almost shuddered. Trouble usually followed when he heard the the dice. It had been good to finally see Tuon again, though, and he was glad that she seemed to hold no hard feelings against him. She was as lovely as he remembered, but more elegant since she had become Empress.

When the bath was ready, the red haired da'covale helped him off with his coat, while the darker girl bent to remove his boots. "What are your names?" he inquired gently.

"Mili, my Lord" said the fair one, the other said "Shar, your Highness." both without raising their eyes.

He did not say his usual, 'you can call me Mat', because he knew they would never do that. Or 'Thank You' because nobles never did that either. He just nodded. They continued to remove his clothing, giggling a little.

Shar said shyly, "We never get to undress men."

Mat thought he would never get used to having servants do things for him that he was able to do for himself. He stopped them before they got to his small clothes and firmly commanded, "Turn around." They giggled again but did so immediately.

He removed the rest of his clothes, and lowered himself into the steaming bath, sighing with pleasure. He left his fox head medallion on, not that he was afraid of Aes Sedai here in the palace, but because he thought it might go missing if he left it with his clothes. Mili brought him a fresh cup of wine and then started to massage his shoulders with a soapy cloth. Shar gently scrubbed at his feet. He softly groaned, it felt so good. Maybe a man could get used to this life after all.

When Mili went to wash his hair, she gasped when she saw the large gash on the back of his head. It had been under his hair, and covered with dried blood. "Highness, what happened here? You really need to see a healer!"

"Yes," Mat mumbled, "I will later." He found himself relaxing, releasing the tension he had been under the last few days.

Mili gently washed out the matted blood and cleaned around the area. She rolled up a small clean towel and placed it against the wound and bound it in place with a strip of cloth.

"Thanks," Mat said, closing his eyes and sinking lower into the bath. Blackness was swirling around, threatening to overcome him. He distantly heard voices and then felt someone shaking him. Slowly, the blackness receded and he tried to focus his eyes. The da'covale were trying to pull him up, as he had been sinking, almost going under. He sat up slowly, shaking his head.

"I'm... I'm all right. I just felt a little woozy for a minute."

"Let's get you out of there, Highness," Shar said, bringing over a large wrapping towel.

He took the towel and told the girls "Turn around, both of you." They turned their backs and Mat climbed from the bath with a little difficulty. After wrapping the towel securely around himself, he put a hand out to Shar for support. Mili then took his other arm, steadying him when he started to wobble. They moved towards the side room, and almost made it.

Just a little ways from the padded chaise, which had been made up like a bed, Mat began to crumple. First he lurched forward, falling to his knees, then slid the rest of the way down. Mili went down with him, keeping his head from striking the floor. She knelt by his side, terrified. She wailed, "Oh! Someone help!"

"I'll go get the Speaker, she'll know what to do!" Shar went running out of the apartment.

Shar quickly found Selucia, who muttered "The fool boy cannot even take a bath without causing a fuss." But she came quickly, and kneeling beside Mat, she pulled up an eyelid and cursed. "What happened? Why is he such an awful color? He's freezing! Did you use hot water in the bath?" Mat was a pale shade, with most color drained form his face, and cold and clammy to the touch.

Mili cried "We did use the hot water, Speaker! He ... He is wounded ... His head has been smashed and there are cuts on his thigh and also on his side. They look like they have not been tended to at all." She pulled the now slightly bloody towel away from his head, showing the gash to Selucia.

"Fool boy." Selucia muttered. "He never said anything about being hurt." She told Shar to get some of the guards from hallway to move Mat to the bed. Maybe there was a chance he could be saved, but she thought it was a thin one. Tuon would be devastated if the boy died.