A time to hunt... again. (Atten: Reki and Arinth)

[Rasheta Ardashir]

Taia was walking through the Green Halls on her own, Reki had told her he needed to go and get his own things, when she had said she would send servants he had seemed scandalized. So, she had let him go on his own she had told him where to find her, and if he got lost he would only need to ask any sister within the tower and she could point him in the right direction. After he got to the Green Halls any of her sisters would be able to point him to her room. She was not worried about him finding his way, she stepped into her rooms and yawned what she needed was sleep and a bath, although not in that order bath first. She began to get a new set of clothes ready, there were big communal baths in the Tower she could wash her hair there as well. She noticed she had some messages she eyed them for a moment, she knew that if she looked at them now she would never get cleaned up, and she needed to be clean! So she ignored them and left her rooms for the baths and went back to thinking about Rekinu.

 

If he got very lost he could use the bond to find her, although where she was going it would make it slightly embarrassing for him. If she knew Reki though, he would probably try and find it on his own, he was still settling into having her within his head. She had experience with being bonded so the only thing she was trying to understand was how she felt about Reki. It was strange she hadn’t been nearly as interested in Edvar or Aekold. While she had found them to be useful, and they had both made her laugh, and even some days she missed them greatly, she hadn’t found them so. She paused thinking, fun wasn’t the right word, the only thing she could think of was fascinating. She stepped into the baths and disrobed, she went into the water and scrubbed herself and then lay back and allowed her hair to spread out around her. She rather liked her hair, wet it turned a dark red, she could only describe it as ember colored, the color you get after a fire burns down. She sat up and scrubbed her scalp and then left the bath. She used the power to remove the water from her body, but toweled off her hair. It was still damp when she changed clothes she liked dealing with it wet it made her feel normal. For some reason she liked to feel normal sometimes, she paused in her movements and thought, “maybe I’m getting old.” A need for normalcy could mean that couldn’t it. She continued getting dressed and tried not to think about it. She had a small fear of growing gray in her hair and getting wrinkles, although mostly the Aes Sedai did not, but still. She was a little vain about her appearance, for some reason she thought Rekinu would still protect her even if she did get gray and old looking. That was a sobering thought; she didn’t think her last two would have. She would have to examine that thought more later, she was dressed and the baths were hot when you had all your clothes on. She nodded to another sister who was coming in and she left.

 

Taia sat on a chair in her room and grabbed a brush and started to detangle her hair, as she used the power to open her messages. The first one was just an update from Mia about where she was. Taia smiled at her friends message, she would need to remember to tell Mia about Reki when the other returned. It was more a message that needed to be delivered in person. She had almost untangled her hair when she noticed that there was a message written to the “Lady Sienna” only her eyes and ears sent her messages this way. Taia suddenly had a bad feeling; she opened the message and forgot about her hair. She grabbed a pen and paper and sent a message to Rekinu she needed him now!

 

Rekinu~

Come to me right now, I will have others take care of your things. This is urgent.

 

Before she could really think about why she was doing it, she signed it “your Aes Sedai Taia.” She stared at that for a moment, but didn’t have time to debate with herself about how she signed it. She shouldn’t have taken the bath! She should have paid more attention to her responsibilities if worse happened because she was late leaving Mia would never forgive her. She wrote another message to the Master of the warder yards requesting he give her Rekinu’s fancloth and hurry she needed to leave. She signed that message “Taia Misna Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah.” He would understand she was in need of it so Rekinu could do battle. Lastly she wrote a message to her Ajah head telling her she had bonded Rekinu Alasayaar, but they had been called away and she would come with him to meet her when they got back. She dispatched those letters and told the servants to hurry. Taia was grateful she hadn’t unpacked the saddlebags that had been brought to her room yet. She removed the clothes that were in them and put new ones in, as well as a warm shawl and her Green one. Aes Sedai were respected in the borderlands, and their warders were trusted warriors to help out. Now that Reki was bonded to her Taia knew whatever his parentage was no one would care. They would simply see the fancloth, and accept him. It would probably be strange for him, not that he would need to worry anyway they weren’t going to Arafel.

 

There was a knock at the door as she was thinking about this, she frowned “Reki wouldn’t knock would he? That would be silly.” She thought, she went to the door and opened it a young man nodded to her. “I was on the way here Aes Sedai here is the fancloth for your warder.” He bowed his head in a gesture of respect. Taia smiled at him and said “Thank you for bringing it you may return to your sister.” He nodded and walked off. She realized she forgot to tell Reki to pack! She called another servant and told them to go down to the stables with her bags and get there horses ready. She waited impatiently for Reki to appear. When he did she handed him his cloak and said.

 

“We have no time for any ceremonies about you getting the fancloth nor do I have time to let you meet my Captain General. We will have to do it when we get back. I have received a note from one of my eyes and ears. We are needed in Saldaea Trollocs have been spotted there, and a man has been putting prisoners to the question.” She shuddered. “I don’t know how my Eyes and Ears found this out, nor do I want to be foolish enough to ask. However, we need to leave now. I have sent people to pack for you and bring your horse around.” She paused and looked him over he didn’t look like he’d had much chance to clean up and she had taken the time. She felt a slight stab of annoyance with herself for being so vain. No help for it now though, they had to go. “I promise you a bath at the first inn we find on the way.”

 

She paused to think “It may be faster on the water then overland, she thought. Or at least part of the way on water the rest overland. She sighed either way it would be a long trip as water wasn’t one of her natural elements so she could not add to the wind in the sails of ships, at least not very well. It would take a lot out of her, she sighed water it would be at least some of the way. She knew they could get up near Shienar but she wasn’t sure how close to Saldaea they could get. She usually went overland, she sighed she’d need to speak to a ship captain and then decide what to do from there. She told Reki to put on his cloak, which he did. She looked him over and smiled, he looked like a warder now. He also stood a bit different through there bond she could feel his confusion as well as his resignation to leaving so fast, he was also a little sad. She wondered if that was because he hadn’t been able to move all his things himself. She’d ask him later as it was they needed to go. “Come on, that bath may be on a boat instead but you’ll get it I promise.” She grabbed up her Green Shawl and swept out of the room her face and steps not showing too much hurry or a trace of her desperation to get away from the city and stop the darkfriend.

 

Taia sat on the deck of the ship and let the wind blow through her hair, she would need to comb it again later, but it was okay. She had sent Rekinu to clean up. They had to draw water from the river to give him a bath but she had done most of the work so the deckhands hadn’t complained too much. Rekinu had informed her that he didn’t really need to clean up. She had just looked at him, and he had gone and done it, or she assumed he was doing it he hadn’t returned from the cabin yet. She couldn’t let him neglect his sword studies, she’d have him work them on the deck when he was done. She laughed to herself then, he would tell her that he would just get sweaty and have to clean up again. She was smiling when he appeared dressed in his fancloth, he looked a little worse for wear. She had taken the precaution of getting something for seasickness from the Yellows before she had sent her saddle bags off to her horse. She went and retrieved it and gave him some, and then she sent him to bed.

 

The next day she enlisted the help of one of the deckhands, he was no blade master but he would do. She told Rekinu that he needed to keep up on his sword training so the other man would help him out. She promised a kiss to the winner, the deckhand laughed and bowed to her. She smiled brightly back at him. Then turned her smile to Reki and said “begin”

 

Taia Misna

Green Sister

Waiting

Edited May 19, 2012 by Rasheta Ardashir

[Rekinu Alasayaar]

Upon arrival at Tar Valon, Rekinu never thought that he would be so glad to see the White Tower in the distance. Taia was quiet on their approach, but once they got closer to the walls around the tower, she told him that she would send some servants to get his things. He was appalled! He was perfectly able and willing to gather his own things, and it would shame him to force someone else to do so. Taia, paused, before telling him how he could find her. He was relieved. He liked doing things himself, and he did not like others having to do what he could.

 

Irregardless, he took his time walking around the yards. He was oddly excited to begin training again, and he thought about the things taught as he watched some new trainees run through some of the moves. It was interesting to see the moves started, and he knew the importance of grinding a move into your muscles. More than once during his last trip did an automatic reaction keep him from loosing a hand - or worse.

 

He was still watching when he felt something different from Taia, and he knew he needed to hurry and get his things. She might need him. He headed to his rooms, and started to put everything together on his cot. He looked around, remembering the first time that he came to this room, he owned only the things on his back, they were all he had. Of those objects, only the sword that he wore on his back was still with him. He was still reminiscing when he heard a knock on the door.

 

At the opening of the door, two men brushed past him into the room, reaching for his things. Rekinu felt angry, but his outburst was preempted by a man, shorter than him, who was holding a letter. Irritably, Rekinu took it, opening it immediately. He still struggled terribly with reading, but thanks to the light, it was small. It read:

"Rekinu~

Come to me right now, I will have others take care of your things. This is urgent.

Your Aes Sedai, Taia."

 

All traces of irritation gone, Rekinu turned back to the short man, and told him to have his saddle bags returned to his horse. That feeling must have been from her deciding that they might have to leave again, If they were not to leave he could retrieve them later. He all but ran to the correct floor, before getting lost in the warren of halls criss-crossing the building. He wandered around trying to find it for some time before finally passing someone. It was another Aes Sedai, with green on her shawl, and bowing low revieved instructions from her to Taia's quarters... he was close, if you considered halfway around the tower close. Arriving, to her room finally she handed him the fancloth cloak, at the same time as she started to explain what was going on. “We have no time for any ceremonies about you getting the fancloth, nor do I have time to let you meet my Captain General. We will have to do it when we get back. I have received a note from one of my eyes and ears. We are needed in Saldaea; Trollocs have been spotted there, and a man has been putting prisoners to the question. I don’t know how my Eyes and Ears found this out, nor do I want to be foolish enough to ask. However, we need to leave now. I have sent people to pack for you and bring your horse around.” She paused and looked him over before continuing, “I promise you a bath at the first inn we find on the way.”

 

'Do I stink that bad?' thought Rekinu to himself, in the small lul of conversation. She then told him to put on the fansloth cloak. It felt weird to him to have his body disappear beneath the fancloth cloak as it shifted as he settled it on his shoulders, yet it felt good wearing it though, and he stood a little straighter. Again, Taia mentioned that he would need to bath on the boat, and as Rekinu followed her out the door, he secretly sniffed himself to check... 'I dont smell anything' he thought to himself.

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

He was scrubbing himself in a large tub in the hold, trying to hurry so that Taia would not have to be long in waiting, but at the same time, he was struggling to keep the food inside him. He was now regretting his stop at the kitchen before he left! In his experience cooks were among the nicest people, and it never hurt to have the person in charge of food happy with you. Most of the cooks liked him. When he was a young trainee, he had yearned for the opportunity to sit next to the ovens, like he had back home in Arafel, and he would go there often early in the morning (unless he had training that early, or the rare chances that he was set to another task as punishment for failing something the week before), and his friendship with them had grown. They were always eager to see him, and asked lots of questions as he turned the spitted meat, or ate piping hot bread while talking to them. Like always, they helped him to more food than he was wont to eat, and as always, he ate it, not wanting to offend. 'Light, why didn't she tell me we were getting on a blasted boat!' He thought to himself with the latest flip of his stomach. He had only been on a boat once before, during some training, and that had been bad enough. However it was small, and so it didn't move as much... he had lost his meal that time, and he prayed to the creator that he would not shame himself this time as well.

 

He finished hurriedly, drying off as best he cold while teetering around the room, and then putting his clothes on. He cursed once when said teetering ran him directly into the door jamb, and he sat down hard. Scrubbing at his face furiously, he pushed himself to his feet, and moved back to the center of the room where he had hung his weapons. Working quickly, he threw the over-the-shoulder scabbard on, and buckeled it into place. Once he and Taia got settled in where they were staying he would leave his father's sword to keep it from getting damaged as he teetered around the boat.

 

He was in a foul mood, and could not wait for the time when they would be back on dry land yet again! He walked outside, retching yet again before coming into view of Taia. She disappeared as he worked his way across the deck to where she was, arriving there after eons of stumbling around barrels and past railing. When he got closer, she pressed something into his hands with a smile. 'Burn me but her smile is pretty' He thought to himself before the boat decided to lurch the other direction yet again. He told him to go and rest, and thankfully the medicine that she passed him helped him fall asleep before he fell out of the hammock again.

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Sleep does wonders to a man thought Rekinu to himself. The light-blasted boat still would not sit still, but it was a little easier to walk a straight line. He didn't achieve it much, but it was not as hard to avoid running into things with the shifting of the boat. He turned down breakfast though, he did not want to be retching anything up today, better to avoid it. He had spent part of the morning wandering around the boat, observing the deck hands as they tended to the boat. He observed them walk, almost as if they were drunk, but they used the swaying of the boat to get them where they wanted to go. Attempting to copy their movements, he realized that they would flow, almost like water around the deck, seeming to glide. He was no where near as graceful as them, but it made walking around much easier, and he felt less like a worm crawling on hot coals.

 

As he walked towards Taia, having completed his sweep of the boat, and she smiled, almost mischievously. When he arrived, she looked up to him, telling him that he would need to continue training, as if he had thought about forgoing all training for the duration of their trip. What she did next astounded him. She motioned forward one of the deck hands, and all joking across the boat stopped. Those not actively involved with ensuring the boat continued to run, seemed to hold their breath waiting upon Taia's words. She promised a kiss to the winner, and the stocky man, that by now was standing directly in front of Rekinu, laughed as he bowed to her. Turning to him, she smiled, a smile full of laughter and excitement, and said "Begin"

 

'No she didn't' thought Rekinu mere seconds before the other man threw himself at Rekinu with a snarl determined to win that kiss. Rolling back, his left shoulder rebounded off of a box, and he grunted in surprise. 'Should have known something was up' he thought to himself before wrapping the Void around him as he had done countless times. Vaguely he could hear wagers being shouted out from the observing deck hands, and few were in his favor. It did not matter to him if they didn't think he would win, but there was a kiss involved. He could not loose! Twisting to the right, he pulled his weapon as he rose, and stood firm, and immoveable as the deck hand met his sword. Rekinu moved slowly across the floor, allowing his opponent to push him around, as he defended every blow. There were a few that got further than he wanted them to, but none hit him. He snarled at the man in front of him, and started the offensive. The battled one way, and then the other, strikes rang on metal only slightly before the next move was already calculated.

 

For Rekinu, he was full of exhilaration. Partly from meeting a man blade to blade, but also feeling of pure excitement flowing to him from the part of his mind that Taia was in. He was amazed, but only on the outskirts of the void, and he thought 'well, if she wants a show, she shall have it!'"

 

They were on the starboard side of the boat, and Reki went on the offensive. It was much easier walking across the boat in the void Rekinu decided. He pushed his opponent back, and back, not allowing him to go back on the offensive. When he put him up against the railing, the man changed. He started fighting harder, and looked around for a different tactic. Rekinu kept up the blows, keeping the man from being able to do anything but defend, but when he grinned at Rekinu, Rekinu knew that he had made a mistake... though he wasn't sure what yet. In a flash, the man grabbed a bit of dangling rope hanging from the sails, and was gone. Rekinu looked around wildly, realizing his mistake just as something crunched into his side. He felt the sore ribs from his previous trip groaning under the pressure, and he flew into the railing. Dazed, he swung his foot out, and caught the man on his leg, throwing him to the ground as well to give himself a chance to react. Rising, he noted that his right arm was cut, with a gash the length of a small knife, and his sword was lodged in the railing. Those watching thought that the fight was over, and started turning to each other after wagers, but neither Rekinu nor his opponent were done.

 

Rather than waste time pulling out his longsword, he drew his hand-and-a-half sword from his left side, and his belt knife from behind him. Tossing them in the air, he swapped sides. He was right handed, but with it throbbing already, he wanted the long sword to have all of the power it could.

 

He shook his head to gather himself and feed the flame again, and then he stepped forward. He was not happy about getting hit due to a stupid mistake. The man in front of him took a step back, and before he could blink again, Rekinu threw himself on his opponent. The dual combo seemed to give him the edge he needed, and he drove the man back, across the boat to the port side, only pausing in the middle with their weapons intertwined. He laughed then, big hearty laughs. Laughing worked three purposes. He loved to laugh so it helped him focus, it threw his opponenet off, and sometimes it even caused them to err greatly.

 

The man started, and Rekinu rushed him again. His two blades worked quickly, forcing the man to defend himself yet again. Deep in the void, he could hear the men shouting again. There were as many calling for him to win as his opponent, and discussions were getting heated between them as well.

 

Blocking an attempt at an attack with his right knife, Rekinu winced at the pain, and then slashed with the left sword, forcing his opponent back yet again. When they reached the port side, they circled, searching for an opening on each other. Only then did Reki notice that his opponent had a split lip, and also had acquired a small limp as well. Rekinu grinned, at least it was a give and take battle!

 

By now, sweat was beading up, and starting to roll down his chest, back, and brow. Rekinu wondered if Taia would make him take another bath after the fight, before pushing that aside. Catching the man against the railing yet again, Rekinu kept the flurry of hits up. He did not think that he had moved his hands so furiously before. Lasting merely minutes, it felt like hours, but when the man went for the rope again, Rekinu was ready.

 

The man disappeared, and Rekinu did a back flip, onto a small stack of lashed down crates that were to the right of him, and he was able to watch his opponent sail lazily through the spot where he had just been. He threw himself down onto his opponent, and ended the fight sitting on the mans back, with his dagger tickling the mans throat, freezing his hands where they were reaching for his fallen weapon. Rekinu held that pose long enough for any one to be able to say that he had won, before helping the man to his feet.

 

He turned to Taia, and looked at her for a moment, his face very serious. Then he broke out in a grin, and bowed low while sheathing the two weapons that he had with him. As he stood, he saw the crowd of people talking excitedly, knots forming as payment on wages began. The man he had fought was being looked over by the cook, and was holding a sponge to his lip, dabbing away the blood. No one seemed to be paying them much attention, except for the person who had retrieved his sword. He felt a flash of annoyance that the person would touch his weapon before throwing it away. The man surely meant nothing, 'It is just your fool pride boy, dont be such a wool-headed lummux' he thought to himself as he thanked the man and sheathed his weapon.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Rekinu Alasayaar

[Rasheta Ardashir]

Rekinu and his opponent didn't wait long to begin after she told them too. The deckhand launched himself at her warder, Taia didn't flinch but it was a near thing. She hadn't expected that! Apparently Rekinu hadn't either he hit his shoulder on a crate behind him, inwardly Taia winced that probably hurt. It didn't take long before he recovered though and started to fight in earnest Taia leaned forward a little and propped her chin on her hand and found she was excited she hadn't been able to really study her warder in battle, he was evenly matched with the other man, at least for the moment, she could tell if they had been on land Rekinu would have easily outmatched the deckhand. As it was he wasn't used to fighting on the water, she made a note to ask the other deck-men or maybe even the Captain of the ship to fight with Rekinu on the different days of travel. He couldn't fight the same man he would become to accustomed to that persons fighting style. She remembered Edvar saying something about that one day after she'd watched him spar with Aekold to a draw. They had fought too often and could read the other too well, it was a good work out for them both but they hadn't learned anything new only kept up there skill. She was pulled out of her reverie by one of the watching deck hands. "Delq has him on the defensive now, the warder hasn't gotten his water feet yet. A mark on Delq against the warder." He was speaking to several others and they started betting on the winner, few put money on Rekinu. Taia reached into her pouch at her waist and pulled out a silver mark laughing she held it up. "On my warder." She turned and said with a bright smile. The men bowed to her in surprise and she laughed again "I won't bite, take the mark for your betting pool." The man did but reverently. Taia turned her attention back to the fight Rekinu was on the offensive now he was moving with a grace she knew meant he had gotten serious about winning, maybe before he had been testing the other she wasn't sure. Now he was trying to end things, it wasn't working out as easily as he had wanted to. He started laughing, and Taia found herself smiling as well. It was working to distract Delq, she thought they said the hand's name was, and he looked a little disconcerted. A shadow fell over her and Taia glanced upwards the Captain's second in command, she couldn't remember his title, was standing over her. She smiled up at him he nodded to her and said in a gravely voice.

 

"You bet well Aes Sedai on the land Delq would already be beaten." Taia nodded but didn't say anything. "Tomorrow I would like to have a turn at your warder. Maybe he will learn something." Taia smiled and said "would you like the prize to be a kiss as well?" The older man laughed and shook his head. "No thank you Aes Sedai, I would not want to be killed, I only want to test him." Taia nodded she watched Rekinu move through several more stances and then flip over onto some creates she heard the man next to her sigh. "That is showy Aes Sedai but not practical, although," he added as Rekinu caught the other man unaware "It seems to have worked this time." The fight was clearly over in a matter of seconds afterwards. Taia eyed the betters and they were all looking surprised, she wondered why they thought a warder would not win a fight? The Gaidin had a reputation as some of the best fighters in the world, maybe because of his age they thought him uncapable. Well he had certainly proved himself today. He would be given more reverence on board now, he would have gotten a bit because of his bond to her, but now he would get more that was all because of him. She smiled thinking about that, it was good to have earned your own respect sometimes she forgot what it was like, since people saw her and her ring and gave her reverence. She realized everyone was looking at her, oh yes she forgot the prize. She stood up and stretched all eyes watched her she made it look more sensual than she would have normally. Several people took a deep intakes of breath and the older man standing next to her laughed softly. "Don't do that too much Aes Sedai or your room will not be safe." She looked at him and laughed which seemed to break some tension, the deckhands were laughing and saying it was a good fight. She walked past Rekinu and just smiled at him before moving on to the loser. She reached over and kissed Dalq's cheek. "You fought well, thank you for teaching my warder the sword." She was very formal about it, the man tried to look gruff but she could tell he would wear his bruises with pride now. She could tell that Rekinu was not happy with what she had just done, she had promised a kiss to the winner not the looser.

 

Taia turned to Rekinu then and looked him over, he was breathing hard and he was sweaty, he hadn't ever looked better she thought. She pushed that thought aside and she noticed he was actually glaring at her. Several of the deckhands were laughing at the situation and one yelled "She prefers Dalq to the boys pretty face!" Laughter erupted around the deck, and glanced over her shoulder at the surrounding men then walked slowly over to her warder. She reached up and slid her hand around his neck he was still unhappy with her she could tell through the bond, as well as the fact he was gripping the hilt of his weapon with white knuckles. Yes he was very unhappy with her, she tried not to laugh. Did he forget he was hers and she, to a much greater degree then he would probably ever know, was his. She spoke loud enough that her voice carried across the boat, but also with a little more degree of husky to her voice to make it sound like there was no one else on board "You fought well my Gaidin, would you like your reward?" There were several calls about what the reward should be, none of them involved staying on deck for too much longer. Taia had heard most of the suggestions before and she was trying not to show her amusement, Rekinu oddly seemed to get a little more angry and he appeared have gotten over his inclination to turn red when men gave suggestions of this nature. Maybe he was angry because they involved her, she wasn't sure. She moved her hand to put pressure on his neck so he would lean down. She couldn't kiss him this way he was too tall, he resisted her for a moment. She looked confused and narrowed her eyes up at him. Then he kissed her, she was so shocked she didn't respond for a moment she could hear the cheers around the deck, but at the moment she was occupied. She slid her other hand up one of his arms and then found them both buried in his hair if the rest of the ship had any doubts about there relationship they didn't now. Rekinu released her quickly and then walked away. Taia stayed where she was staring after him for a moment, she worked on getting her breathing back to normal and then checked her bond. Rekinu was off toward the back of the boat and he was angry. She wasn't sure why she would ask him later. She didn't want to impose herself on him she might be forced to use air to hold him away from her, and her presence may make him angrier she didn't know. She went and busied herself with other duties like writing to Mia about this.

 

Rekinu avoided her for a few days, he did fight the older man and other deckhands the bets swayed in his favor most of the time. He was easily beaten by the Captain's second in command, but the man took to fighting with Rekinu everyday before the extra bouts with the deckhands. Taia saw that Rekinu improved on the water, and he beat the older man more often then not after the first match. Taia didn't offer a kiss to anyone else, but Dalq had walked with a light step after the first day for several days after, he was given more respect from the rest of the men and she had blown him a kiss a few times over the course of the voyage. He had been teased that she would bond him next after that. She had laughed and smiled and generally was her happy self. She was troubled though, her warder was avoiding her as much as he could, she wondered what the problem was, but he would have to speak to her in his own time. He did on the fourth night. She was sitting at the back of the ship staring off into the night, they had gone further then she had thought they would but the winds had been favorable and they would get to Saldaea soon she was sitting on the deck, and she knew when Rekinu approached her. She looked up and he was standing with his hand on sword hilt. She wondered if he'd come to tell her he didn't want to be her warder anymore, she could move his bond he didn't need to know she wouldn't unless her Captain General ordered her too and even then, she admitted to herself she probably wouldn't. She really needed to figure out why she was so possieve of him she had always been a firm believer in allowing warders to make up there own minds about what they wanted to do. She even followed her warders’ orders sometimes, especially in battle when she didn't know everything. Rekinu touched her shoulder and then sat next to her. She nodded to him, and before he could speak she asked,

 

"Have you ever been anywhere in the borderlands before?" She added "Besides Arafel?" Rekinu seemed to feel nothing at the moment and she remembered something the warders talked about where they just got focused on something and lost touch with most everything else, she couldn't remember what it was called. He seemed to think about her question and then answered in a calmer voice then she'd ever heard from him. "I traveled with the merchant circuit, through Kandor, down through Andor, and then over to Tar Valon." She nodded and spoke,

 

"I like the borderlands, Aes Sedai are respected there. It is a nice change from the rest of the lands around here. My home country is Saldaea, while there you will continue your training. I know wherever we stay the men there will be able to teach you well. I hope you won't freeze up when you see Trollocs for the first time, but I can't expect you not too. They are a shock to see for the first time." She paused and added "Do you know what a Myrddraal is? If you see one of the eyeless you do not fight him, he would kill you quickly, even with how much you have improved. Come for me or point him out to me." She made it a statement not a question and her voice booked no nonsense. He shuddered beside her and said in his cool voice.

 

“I have seen a Myrddraal before Aes Sedai, I am not good enough with a sword yet to face one. I will find you, but if you are in danger from it I would give my life for yours, I gave you my word. If it so much as looks in your direction, I will be in front of you.” Taia didn’t look at him and almost decided to mask the bond when a stab of fear passed through her. If he faced one now he would not survive, and she wasn’t sure if she would ever be the same again. She got herself under control and nodded and added in a voice to match his. “Thank you.” She wouldn’t let him die however, if he had to be thrown out of the way by her using air she would do that. He didn’t need to know that part though. She wondered if he would forgive her for dying in his place if it came to that, and she hoped that it did not, she had every intention of returning from this trip with her warder. However, you could never tell what would happen when going into the borderlands. She sighed she couldn’t stand it. “Why are you mad at me?” She asked quietly “I told you what I was like before we bonded. I wouldn’t share my bed with anyone on this ship so you don’t need to be upset that I’m sleeping with Dalq or anyone else.” He would know if she was and she forgot to mask the bond. Well he would know if she was and had masked the bond since she would be gone from his head for a while. That would probably make him angrier then her sleeping with someone else. He looked surprised at her question, but seemed to think about it for a moment.

 

“I’m not mad Taia, well not at you anyway.” She tried not to be giddy that he used her name, instead of her title; it was just a name after all. “I was unhappy that bets were placed on the first fight I did.” Taia gave him a look as if to say, “that’s what people do.” He nodded at her unspoken thought, “I know gambling is what happens, but it felt strange, and wrong for people to bet on or against me. They do not know me..." he grinned wolfishly as he continued. "I did enjoy winning because it meant that most of them were wrong." Taia smiled, yes he had proved them all wrong and now most of the bets, when they were made, were made for him. She knew there was more to this then he was telling her, at least about her, but he didn’t push it. If he was upset about her blowing kisses to Dalq well he would tell her, she remembered hearing somewhere that Arafellen men had a reputation for being ladies men. She wondered how Rekinu wasn’t anything like that. He answered her question without her asking, "Living on the streets, and fatherless before than, there is not much time to learn things that do not pertain to the immediate needs of life.” She would deal with that revelation later she changed the subject to speak about her homeland and then had him laughing at her antics as a child. They seemed to be back to normal now. She was grateful for that they would need it where they were going.

 

When they made it to Saldaea Taia wore her shawl openly, the soldiers they passed told her about the state of the lands around Saldaea. She wasn’t surprised to hear Trolloc attacks were more frequent in Shienar, as well as around their own country. With the information that Taia had she was not surprised to hear about the increased attacks in this country either. She asked if they had heard of anyone being taken prisoner by the Trollocs, the soldiers said they hadn’t heard of it, at least not recently. Mostly it was better to kill yourself or be killed then face the Trollocs alive, or at least a live for a while. Taia nodded and once she explained to Rekinu that Saldaea was known for its cavalry, no one else could match them in this. They passed more patrols as they moved closer to where her information was leading her. Several times Taia stayed with the soldiers who they passed and she made Reki practice his skills on the Saldaeans they didn’t seem to mind and he learned much. Although many were better then him at first, he learned quickly. She was glad she made him continue to work on his skill he would need it. She got to the town she was looking for, it was closer to the blight and she made a promise not to take Reki into it, not just yet. In a few years he might be ready for that but not now.

 

Taia turned her attention to finding a place to stay, the best option would be to go and present herself to the noblemen in charge here. So that’s what she did she wore her shawl and the guards were told to announce that Taia Sedai of the Green Ajah and her Gaidin Rekinu Alasayaar were there. This would be an interesting meeting she was sure, most nobility in the other lands didn’t like having an Aes Sedai present but here it was considered an honor. She glanced at Rekinu he was wearing his fancloth, she had told him never to take it off unless they were traveling through a country loyal to the Whitecloaks. He looked the part of a warder, his weeks of extra training had helped with that she thought. She would need to send him to the training yards when she wasn’t in need of him.

 

The man who came in to welcome her she didn’t remember, but he seemed pleased to have an Aes Sedai in his house. His name was Yorin Gyshon and he welcomed them readily enough. Taia was set up with rooms, Rekinu shared them although he set himself up in a different room in her suite. Taia wove wards against evesdropping. “you will have to see if you can find anything out among the guard when you spar with them.” She told him. “I know the darkfriend is here, but I do not know the name of the man we are seeking. Be alert always my Gaidin.” She added “and stay away from the Blight unless I go with you. Do not agree to go with any of the patrols there, I don’t think you are ready for it yet. I hope you can spy well,” She added and then yawned and told him she was going to bed but he could roam the house if he wanted too. He could report to her later if he wanted too. She fell asleep knowing that tomorrow was going to be a long hard day for them both.

 

Taia Misna

Green Sister

Sleeping

 

OOC: All Reki's lines were written by him, I asked him to go ahead and say something and he did. So I wasn't speaking for him those are his own words. :)

Edited May 19, 2012 by Rasheta Ardashir

[Arinth]

Yorin frowned at the man who had interrupted him. He had given explicit instructions never to be interrupted when he was at his work. Judging from the fear on the man’s face Yorin knew the man was aware of his instructions. They were down below ground in the cells and the light and shadow from the flames of a nearby torch danced on the man’s face.

 

Yorin took a cloth and cleaned the blood off of his hands as he gestured for the man to enter. “You would do well to reconsider and give me the information I seek.” He said to his prisoner who hung from chains against the wall. The cells were down below to muffle the screams that came with his questioning. There was a Waygate nearby. His life depended on finding it. The Great Lord was generous to those who pleased him and unforgiving to those who failed.

 

“Speak.” He commanded the man who had entered. The man was bald with timid eyes. He wrung his hands nervously as he tried to look everywhere but at Yorin himself.

 

“Forgive me my Lord I beg you, I know you have instructed me never to interrupt you during your work but there is an Aes Sedai who has arrived. I thought it best that you knew at once.” He stammered. When he was finished he kept his head down.

 

Fool Aes Sedai. “You did well.” Yorin replied. “Did she say what it is that she desires?” Would the Great Lord be pleased with the gift of an Aes Sedai? I may be raised in his eyes sooner than even I dared hope..

 

The man opened his mouth to answer but Yorin raised his hand. “It does not matter. Take me to her. I will see to this Aes Sedai.” Fool Aes Sedai.

 

The sound of his boots striking the hard stone floor sent echoes ahead of himself as he strode purposefully forward. He would deal with this Aes Sedai but he could not let himself forget what he had been tasked with. He had to find the Waygate. With the Saldeans taken by surprise thousands would die and the Great Lord would deliver a powerful stroke that would shake the entire land. And it would all be because of Yorin Gyshon. His mother would be so proud. He could see her cold little smile in his mind.

 

After a brief stop to make himself presentable to his guests Yorin finally met with them. He was dressed in green with a black pants and boots and gloves. His sword felt good at his side. He resisted the urge to rest his hand on the hilt as he greeted his guests. The Aes Sedai was beautiful. It was a shame she was so dangerous or he would enjoy putting her to the question. Her red hair and striking green eyes were enough to mesmerize a man. He felt half drawn to seek her favor himself. He pulled his attention away from her eyes and found her warder standing at his side. He was of a height with Yorin himself and he was not tall. Though a tall man did not make a good sword Yorin had found. The Warder was young. He had not seen many warders but he had not imaged the Aes Sedai took them so young. He had hoped the Aes Sedai would come without a warder as some did but this young fool, well he might make things even more enjoyable. Yorin had never had the pleasure of killing a warder before. He tried his best to hide the sneer that threatened to creep across his face.

 

Yorin welcomed them to share his home as long as possible. An Aes Sedai had visited once when his father still lived and he was young. It could have been this same Aes Sedai for all Yorin knew. He did his best grovel to them the way his father had shown them. It had disgusted his mother even then to watch the way his father strove to please them. He could hear her disapproval whispering in his head. Patience mother, soon I will have booth of our guests within my power. Fool Aes Sedai. He wanted to laugh out loud.

 

The Aes Sedai implied that she would be staying, at least for a few days. Does she know? He wondered before dismissing the thought. He had been so careful and subtle and patient. He had done nothing to arouse suspicion. Whatever she was after it was not him.

 

“I hope you find your rooms to be acceptable.” He said. “The bed is big enough for two but there is another room set aside depending on how friendly you are with you warder. I have heard that some greens are very accommodating.” He smiled, his dark eyes laughing.

 

He suggested they retire to their room after dinner. The White Tower was far away and they must have endured a long and tiring journey. He would be happy to speak with them on the next day to assist them in every way possible to meet their pursuits.

 

I will not strike tonight. The young warder, fool though he may be, will be vigilant the first night in such a new place. Once he relaxes I will have my chance to strike. This time he did laugh. He smiled as he made his way back down to the cells after the Aes Sedai had retired. The prisoner hanging against the wall did not share in his delight. Yorin slowly took off his gloves. “I hope you have come to your senses.” He said.

[Rekinu Alasayaar]

Rekinu was alert. Something felt different, but he could not place it. Eventually he just decided that it was the fact that he was as close to the blight that he had ever been since leaving Arafel. When Yorin, the Lord of this area met them after some waiting, Rekinu was impressed. The man walked with a surety that spoke of knowing where he was going and what he wanted to do. It spoke volumes of the man to Rekinu, and when he spoke, he was nothing but courteous. This was to be expected near the Blight, when people were more aware of the help that Aes Sedai could be at a moments notice against a Trolloc raiding party.

 

When Yorin got them settled into their rooms after they had consumed a decent dinner, Taia turned to him and said “You will have to see if you can find anything out among the guard when you spar with them.” She told him. “I know the darkfriend is here, but I do not know the name of the man we are seeking. Be alert always my Gaidin, and stay away from the Blight unless I go with you. Do not agree to go with any of the patrols there, I don’t think you are ready for it yet. I hope you can spy well,” She then yawned and informed him that she was going to bed but he could roam the house if he wanted too.

 

'Like that has ever worked out well in the past!' thought Rekinu as he closed the door gently behind his Aes Sedai. Moving quickly, he strode out to the doors of the building, talking and laughing with the guards as he went. When he was asked about why he was about, he told them truthfully that he was in search of more food. Having grown accustomed to eating frequently, he was prone to eating often, especially when there was a kitchen about. It was as if his body refused to accept the fact that he was no longer a street rat, running around eating only scraps that were discarded, or the few meager offerings from people who could rarely afford to spare any themselves. One of them, Lars, was particularly talkative, and when Rekinu finally found the kitchens, he brought him something hot to drink. He stayed for the entireity of the mans shift, keeping watch on the sleeping world in front of them. Lars was fond of laughing, and he had a quick mind. The hours past quickly, and when the turn of the watch came, Rekinu and him were already setting up a sparring session in the morning, barring any other unforeseen activities. Rekinu quickly returned the mugs and plate that he had carried some bread and cheese to the Kitchen, and went up to his room next to Taia's, after checking in on her. Feeling through the bond he could tell that she was sleeping, but he had needed to check physically as well. Ensured that she was well, he went to sleep himself, propping his staff at the entrance of her door, and his sack at his, so that if there were any adjustments to the door, they would fall and wake him.

 

When the morning came around, Rekinu told Taia of his conversation with Lars, and his appointment for a sparring session. She seemed happy enough, and before the sun had risen enough to start to warm the day, Rekinu was in the courtyard, the spar already in session.

 

Lars was a well experienced man, and Rekinu knew he would have trouble from the get go. Dispite his jovial attitude, or perhaps in spite of it, Lars was a good fighter. He knew how to move his blade, and he was not afraid of taking chances. No matter what he tried, the bigger man seemed to weasel his way out of any trap, or attempt that Rekinu threw at him. Quick jabs, thrusts, and slashes were all parried with ease, the larger man's sword seemed to know what Rekinu was about to do before he did it. After some time, both men began to tire, and Lars broke off the duel laughing.

 

"I liked that, very nice" said the gruff voice, fitting completely with the mans size and disposition.

 

 

Rekinu scoffed, "Right! You were ahead of me in everything!" his frustration getting the better of him for a moment, before he calmed himself and continued. "You were very good. Perhaps one of the best that I have sparred to date!"

 

 

"oh no," came the reply "you did get me, several times in fact." Lars turned his arms, and Rekinu saw that it was peppered with small, almost unnoticed cuts, as if someone had thrown some broken Sea Folk china at it. "I hid these well, though I am afraid you have similar wounds on your arms and legs. You are a good opponent as well, Rekinu".

 

Clapping him on the back, Lars and Rekinu headed inside for some well deserved breakfast, but as they did Rekinu noticed Yoric watching from an upstairs window. Rekinu grinned, and waved to him, exhilarated with the adrenalin still filling his system.

 

 

Rekinu

Happy with life

[Arinth]

The walls felt like they were closing in. He had grown up in this estate yet it had never felt as small as it did now for Yorin. Every time he turned around the Aes Sedai or her Warder was strolling past him. It was enough to make him want to scream.

 

It had limited his visits to the dungeons to question his prisoners. And without questions he had no hope of getting answers. He also had been unable to bring anyone else in for questioning. It was too risky. Unfortunately the Great Lord did not take excuses. There was only succeed or fail and suffer for eternity. He felt the weight of that danger with every second that ticked away.

 

He could not afford to wait forever. He had to find a way to get ride of them. He still had not though of a way to catch them off guard and capture them for the Great Lord. While the Aes Sedai might have been a wonderful prize she was also dangerous. She could just as easily kill him if he attempted anything. It would not do to lose the Aes Sedai and to fail in finding the Waygate. There were armies of Trollocs waiting to pour through into Saldea if he could just find a way to let them in.

 

He heard men practicing in the yard and paused to look. He saw Lars sparring with the young warder. He stopped to watch and study. The young warder was good, not a blademaster yet but one still had to know how to use a sword to become a warder. One also had to be a little less than smart to be willing to sacrifice their life for an Aes Sedai but that was another matter. Lars was one of Yorin’s better swordsman and on a level with Yorin himself. The warder was more quick and agile than skilled though. He made mistakes and trusted his quickness to get him out of trouble. If Yorin had to face him he would use his superior technique and carve the man to pieces. A grin spread across his face.

 

He went out into the yard to talk to the young warder at set him at ease. If there was a weak link he would be the piece. Yorin had to find a way to separate him from the Aes Sedai. Together they would be almost impossible for him to defeat but alone it was possible.

 

“Rekinu. You are skilled for one so young. You bring honor to the Warders of the White Tower. I am proud to have you in my house to give lessons to my men.” Lessons, might be an exaggeration but some men liked being flattered.

 

“I am about to begin a patrol and search of the area. Ask around if anyone knows about this man you seek or anything suspicious. I was hoping that you would accompany me. It is possible with your quick wit that you will notice something that I overlook.”

The young warder smiled but hesitated before answering.

 

“Oh, do you need to ask your Aes Sedai permission before you go? I am sorry. I am sure she is around her somewhere.” Yorin said and turned to look around. He hoped he would not find the Aes Sedai.

Edited July 13, 2012 by Arinth

[Rasheta Ardashir]

Taia slept well that night, the long journey had been tiring, and led to little worry about bad dreams. She woke up a little earlier then she usually would, and took a moment to really study the room she was in, the bed really was big enough for two, if she hadn't slept on one side she may have been swallowed by it. She was not going to picture the addition of her warder with her, those thoughts were not for the here and now. She had a job to do and she would not be side tracked. She got up and dressed for the day and braided her red hair down her back in a long braid. She left her room to find her warder up already and ready to eat. She smiled and greeted him, he seemed anxious to tell her something and so she listened to him talk about his connection with a man named Lars. She nodded and wished him well on his sparring match. He could conceivably learn a lot from this man. She promised she would find a place out of sight to watch his match. She warned him again against accepting invites to the Blight without her. He was a warder now and didn't necessarily need her permission for anything, but he wasn't yet ready to go into the Blight without her to watch over him.

 

After he left to start his practice she went in search of the women of the house they might have known something. She ended up in the servants hall, they knew everything, and was talking and laughing with the women who served the house. They had heard of the disappearances, and they were angry about it, but most of them didn't have any other information. Taia asked them to speak to other people around the town one girl said she had seen something odd in the house. Taia asked about it and the girl said she'd found ripped cloth in one of the lower rooms she had cleaned. She knew it didn't belong to the master of the house. Taia thanked her and said she must go and find her warder. Taia puzzled over her bit of news, she wondered if Rekinu had won his sparring match, or if he'd found out anything else.

 

Taia came to the practice yard looking for her warder, he wasn't around there and when she asked she was told he had gone off with the lord of the manor. She blinked in surprise and wondered what they were doing. She shrugged and went off to find them, after searching the castle she was getting annoyed. The bond should have let her find him without a problem but she didn't know where he was. She finally asked one of the guardsmen where a man named Lars was. After she found him she said, "I think I've lost my warder. I cannot find him anywhere. Have you seen him?" Lars looked surprised and said he would ask around. The warder search had begun.

 

Taia Misna

Green Sister

Worried.

Edited July 23, 2012 by Rasheta Ardashir

[Rekinu Alasayaar]

While Lars and Rekinu were approaching the house, Yorin approached. When Lars saw this, he excused himself, bowing to his Lord, and then he promised Rekinu an eating contest next. Rekinu agreed amiably, though he knew that he could never win one of those. Dispite the time free of starvation, he could not shovel food into his mouth past the first few bites, he had to savor it. Everything he ate was so flavorful compared to his street days that it was impossible to scarf it down.

 

When Lars was gone, Yorin spoke. “Rekinu. You are skilled for one so young. You bring honor to the Warders of the White Tower. I am proud to have you in my house to give lessons to my men.”

 

Rekinu laughed at that. "Lessons? Well, I would be honored to spar with anyone, but as Lars has shown, I have much to learn still!

 

 

“I am about to begin a patrol and search of the area. Ask around if anyone knows about this man you seek or anything suspicious. I was hoping that you would accompany me. It is possible with your quick wit that you will notice something that I overlook.”

 

Rekinu was excited. One thing he would never get bored of would be traveling and seeing new things. Villages were so different, yet so similar, and it fascinated him to find out those things. However, he hesitated. Taia had asked, almost commanded that he stay away from the blight. What should he do? This would be a perfect example of being able to get information from one who was willing to share it, and had been nothing but friendly all the way.

 

“Oh, do you need to ask your Aes Sedai permission before you go? I am sorry. I am sure she is around her somewhere.” That sentence almost changed Rekinu's mind. There was almost a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but Rekinu finally decided that it was just his imagination.

 

However again, he hesitated. There was something odd about Yorin, but it had to be the fact that the man was just from a different place. Perhaps it was his manners, or the way that he walked, but he knew that there was nothing wrong with being different.

 

No, He could go. Yorin said that it was just around the town, and they were far enough that even if the town was as big as Shol Arbela itself, it still would not touch the border of the Blight. The town nearby what MUCH smaller than that, Rekinu had seen it when they came in, in the distance at least.

 

He made his decision. "I can accompany you, are we going by horse? No? That is fine. Can a servant inform Taia of my absence so that she does not look for me while I am out of the grounds?"

 

Yorin nodded, motioning to a tall gaunt man that was up against the building, that Rekinu almost had not noticed being there. He was a balding man, with timid eyes, and he stepped forward at Yorins command. Following his Lords directions, he disappeared into the building behind them.

 

Rekinu walked with Yorin. It was good to be out, and Rekinu loved the dry air of this area. It still had a hint of the sea that spawned it, and it calmed him.

 

As they walked, Yorin asked questions, and Rekinu answered them. Mostly his questions had to do with the Tower, and Aes Sedai, though a few were also about him and his life. He talked easily as they walked around, without any seeming direction. After a while though Rekinu noticed that he was a bit turned around, and did not know which direction was what. He knew that Taia was almost infront of them, to the side, but he couldn't figure out how far away she was from their position. Also, oddly, he realized that they had not stopped to talk to anyone. Hmm... then again, they had not seen anyone and had not entered the town either. Shrugging aside the voice in his head, he started to ask Yorin questions about his life.

 

Rekinu Alasayaar

Slightly confused, and about to be hoodwinked... :P

[Arinth]

Yorin almost laughed in the young warder’s face when he agreed to accompany him. Things were beginning to work out well. The Aes Sedai was still nowhere to be seen. This was his chance. His mind was racing on how to hoodwink the young warder.

 

Rekinu’s request to send a message to Taia was perfect. He motioned for his trusted servant to attend him. With a glance over his shoulder Yorin pulled the servant over to the side beyond the warder’s hearing. He had heard that warders were granted heightened senses when bonded so he took another step just in case and lowered his voice.

 

“If the warder asks I told you to tell the Aes Sedai he is with me. What I need is for you to have Hull drag Eshem into the house and claim that he was trying to flee when he heard the Aes Sedai was asking questions. Tell Eshem to struggle against Hull. I am sure the warder will be very eager to help us drag him down to the dungeons and make sure that he is secured."

 

The servant nodded and scurried away. Yorin avoided rubbing his hands together in a rare moment of glee. Instead he looked back over his shoulder at the soon to be dead warder. He hurried back over to him and the two began walking.

 

He walked him several times around and about the grounds, turning and going up and down on a consistent basis. He tried to both distract the man and get him comfortable as he talked. He asked questions which required some thought and focus and distracted the warder from picking up all of the little details around him. As he got near the doors that lead down to the dungeons he saw Hull struggling with Eshem. Eshem was one of the ones that he trusted the most. He had sworn his life to the Great Lord as well.

 

Hull threw him down at Yorin’s feet and breathlessly relayed the story on how Eshem had tried to flee when he heard about the Aes Sedai. Eshem played his part very convincingly changing from cowering to angry and threatening in the blink of an eye.

 

“You have done well” Yorin answered. "Our Aes Sedai will probably give you a great big kiss she will be so happy. We will have to make sure he is properly secured so that our Aes Sedai can question him without being interrupted."

 

Eshem’s eyes widened. He kicked out at Hull as the man reached for him and there was a brief struggle. When the dust settled Hull was unconscious on the ground and Yorin and Rekinu held Eshem securely. Yorin glanced down at Hull. “I’ll have him taken care of but we have to get this man locked away before he hurts anyone else. Help me.”

 

The warder hesitated again. He would be dangerous if he ever lived long enough to trust his gut more. Another struggle by Eshem that knocked Yorin over was enough to convince him though. Yorin pushed the door open and the two dragged Eshem down into the dungeons. It was damp and dark and smelled of mold and rotting things.

 

There was an open cell that they muscled Eshem into. Eshem began to struggle again whether in real fear of the Aes Sedai or to distract Rekinu he wasn’t sure. He hadn’t exactly had time to tell the man the plan. His fear was definitely making him more convincing though.

 

As Rekinu was focused on Eshem, Yorin slammed the door shut and locked it. There would be no escape for the warder. Rekinu pushed Eshem away and reached for his sword realizing that things were not right. Eshem stepped back to stand beside Yorin. He never had time to react to the sword that violently burst through his stomach and twisted. He fell down to his knees looking at the sword in bewilderment. Yorin yanked the sword free and kicked him away. He fell and lay crumpled on the ground. Yorin was not about to share the glory with a fool like Eshem. No, he was going to be the one that killed this warder. He would have the reward.

 

“The Great Lord will be pleased when I give your blood to him. There is nobody to help you now. Your Aes Sedai will not get to you in time. Even through your bond she can not find all the hidden passages by herself." He laughed. It was too rich. “Once I’m finished with you I’ll rush to her to help. Pleading with her to heal you and deal with Eshem and when she comes I will have men hidden with cross bows. She will die. I’d say it’s a shame for one so pretty if she wasn’t an Aes Sedai.”

 

He stopped talking and raised his sword. It was time to finish the young warder.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Arinth

[Rekinu Alasayaar]

When they rounded a corner, Rekinu noticed first that they appeared to be approaching the founds of the Lords estate again, which was good. He had enjoyed his time with Yorin, and was looking foreward to the missed meal which had turned to near lunch time, if the Sun was to be trusted.

 

The next thing he saw were two men struggling near a door. Recognizing one of them, Rekinu followed Yorin's rush over to see what was going on.

 

One of them, said that he was trying to keep the second one, named Eshem, from escaping. Apparently Eshem had heard that Taia was talking with everyone and was making a break for it before she came to him.Rekinu felt a burst of pride in his Aes Sedai, perhaps this wasn't the Darkfriend that they were looking for, but catching any darkfriend, and bringing them to justice was just as important.

 

Esham seemed to snarl as he lay there, panting from his exertion, but upon hearing Yorin's words about taking him to Taia for questioning, he kicked out at Hull savagely in an attempt to escape again. Rekinu jumped forward, and when Esham lay still again, the other person was lying on the ground. Rekinu wanted to check on the older man immediately as he was worried about him, but Esham strained against the hold that Rekinu and Yorin had on him, and Yorin suggested leaving him temporarily. Something sounded odd to him again, 'almost a, but no, that didnt make sense. He is right, we need to get this darkfriend locked up immediately' thought Rekinu to himself before nodding, and assisting Yorin in hauling Esham into the doorway.

 

After a bit, Rekinu was finally starting to get an idea of how massive the building was, and he could tell that the dungeons were huge. They saw no one else down there, so Rekinu guessed that they had not been used for a long time. Yorin muttered something about his great-grandfather having to have dealt with a rebellion a long time ago, but that they had not been used since, and Rekinu was satisfied.

 

 

Eventually they came to a cell that was open, and they muscled Eshem into it. Rekinu was busy holding Eshem, when he happened to glance at the floor. There was a puddle of blood on the ground, and every alarm in Rekinu's head went off. Something was not right here, and he had a sinking suspicion that it was not just Eshem. At that moment the door slammed shut behind him, and Rekinu knew that his worst fears were realized all at once.

 

He pushed the man he had been holding away from him, to give him room to withdraw his fathers bastard-sword from its hilt over his shoulder, feeling the mark of shame on its hilt. In the same moment he started trying to tell Taia something was terribly wrong.

 

Eshem stepped over by Yorin, and Rekinu was not sure if he or Eshem was the most surprised at the metal that seemed to grow right out of the man's stomach. The move flabbergasted Rekinu. Such a callous disregard for life was sickening. Both Rekinu and Eshem stared at that metal spike in confused silence until Yorin yanked the sword back out of him, and kicked Eshem to the side. Eshem stayed where he fell, and Rekinu knew he was dead already.

 

Yorin spoke again, this time with a sneer in his voice “The Great Lord will be pleased when I give your blood to him. There is nobody to help you now. Your Aes Sedai will not get to you in time. Even through your bond she can not find all the hidden passages by herself." He laughed the creepy evil kind that you never want to hear in a dark, dank dungeon like they were in. “Once I’m finished with you I’ll rush to her to help. Pleading with her to heal you and deal with Eshem and when she comes I will have men hidden with cross bows. She will die. I’d say it’s a shame for one so pretty if she wasn’t an Aes Sedai.”

 

Rekinu knew that he was right, there was probably no way that Taia would be able to dig down that far through the maze that they had passed on their way to this part of the dungeon, and he knew that he was probably done for. Yorin walked with the grace of someone accustomed to using the weapon that he wore on his waist, but Rekinu knew that he did not need to survive this to keep his bonded safe. All he had to do was to allow Yorin to kill him, but he killed. In all his time in the Tower, short as it may have been, Sheathing the Sword was the one thing that he never really understood its significance. Now however, he knew exactly why such a thing was mentioned, for times like this. As he raised his sword, he thought 'Taia, I am sorry, but I must keep you safe. It was my oath, and I swore to you.' Sending feelings of concern to the little ball of Taia that was in his mind, he put up a mental wall around it. Perhaps he could protect her from some of what was about to transpire, perhaps not. He was too new to the Bonded thing to know, but he would try anyways on the off chance that it would work.

 

He started feeding his emotions to the flame as his training kicked in, and his face went stony. This was no training bout, with a drink of ale, or an extra chore at stake, this was his life, and more importantly, the life of his warder.

 

He snarled savegly as he rushed Yorin, moving as swift and as deadly as a wolf hunting its prey.

 

Yorin was just as fast, and they battled back and forth, each circling, looking for an opening.Rekinu's Boar Rushes down the Mountain was countered with Yorin's Cyclone Rages, throwing Rekinu's sword out. He brought it back in to perform the Falling Leaf, allowing him to strike with the River Undercuts the Banks, which was supposed to cut Yorin's head off. Unfortunately he was no longer there, and Rekinu had to throw himself to the side to avoid the sweep that went right where his shoulder was. Kingfisher Circles the Pond is all that kept Rekinu alive, though the man's force did push the blade into Rekinu's shoulder a small amount. Rekinu could feel the wound burning, and he hoped that it was not bothering his Bonded much.

 

The fight raged onward, Rekinu cataloging everything that happened. If he made it out of this, he was going to give a detailed report. He probably will be able to find something that will help him the next time he fought someone of similar skill.

 

As the fight went on, he knew he was getting tired, but he could tell that the forms were taxing his enemy as well, and he only hoped that it would end quickly, not that he would be able to find his way out if he did survive. There were twisted enough to confuse the best person that was unfamiliar with their twisting nature.

 

Rekinu Alasayaar

What a rude awakening!

[Arinth]

OCC: Sorry for the delay

 

IC: Their swords danced in the darkness of the dungeon, slicing and stabbing and flowing through the air. Yorin’s lung’s strained as they fought to take in enough oxygen. There were cuts that had blossomed along his side, his arm and his thigh. They burned with each movement. None of them were a serious concern however. They only served to annoy him. He would not be distracted.

 

The young warder circled him slowly, his sword moving from one defensive position to the next. Yorin had managed a cut that left the young man’s shoulder bleeding. Other cuts had followed but the warder was proving to be resilient and bothersome. There had been a time after that first cut when Yorin thought he would be able to finish the fight quickly. He had been wrong. Every second that ticked away made him more and more nervous. The Aes Sedai was out there and she would be hunting for a way to get to her warder. He didn’t know how their bond worked but she had to know that he was fighting for his life.

 

Their blades met again. Back and forth they went, attack and defend, counter attack and evade. Their sound filled the dungeon and echoed off the walls. Their swords brought them together for a moment, snarling face to face only inches apart.

 

Yorin shoved the young warder backwards with all his strength. The warder stumbled back a step and crashed into the wall. Loose rock fell from the wall down to the ground at their feet. The warder kicked it aside as he circled away from the wall. Yorin stalked him and when it looked like Rekinu’s blade was held too high he lunged forward with a cut aimed to open a deep gash along the warder’s stomach. His boot caught some of the loose rock underneath his foot and sent him off balance. His swing was wild and off the mark.

 

Rekinu avoided his swing and stepped forward. Yorin watched in horror as the warder’s blade came towards him. There was no time to move of deflect the sword. Pain exploded through his body and he fell to his knees. Somewhere in the distance he heard his sword clatter to the ground.

 

The world was spinning as he looked up at the young warder. His blood was dripping from the man’s sword. Somewhere he wondered if he would be the first man the warder killed. The thought of death brought with it the reminder that he would have to face the Great Lord. The realization that he would be made to suffer for eternity set him screaming in horror until the world went black around him.

[Rekinu Alasayaar]

Throughout the match, he drained everything else from his mind, clearing himself to be able to focus on the match at hand. As Rekninu fought that this time, he danced with death. Their skill was similar enough in level, that the fight could go any direction. It was here that his training in the Tower with the guards and the warders made a difference. His defense was better, after having been beaten time and time again by the warders and Blademasters that taught the trainee's, he was quick on the defensive. Without that boost, his most serious cut on his left shoulder could have proven deadly. As it was, it slowed his reaction time some.

 

However, he was not the only one taking hits. Yorin also had many cuts where Rekinu almost got him but he twisted out of. This opponent was more slippery that an eel freshly pulled from the sea. It was hard to get the man to stand still, and the fight whent all around the confines of the cell.

 

There was a moment when Rekinu thought it was all over. They had clashed, holding each others wrists, with their blades straining against each other, when Yorin suprised him with a shove that pushed him into the wall behind. It was old, and loose rock fell in a shower down Rekinu's body, some chunks large enough to trip over. Thinking to keep himself from tripping, Rekinu kicked back the larger pieces out of his way, careful to watch his opponent. While doing so, he held his blade high, prepared to whoop down in a defensive manuver if Yorin should attack before he was clear of it.

 

As if reading Rekinu's mind, Yorin lunged straight for him, and Rekinu brought his weapon down. Time seemed to slow, and Rekinu knew the moment Yorin stumbled, that he was going to win. He avoided the swing that went wide, and stepped in, bringing his weapon in close, hard and fast. He sadly watched is Yorin's face transformed from anger to disbelief, and then pain and confusion.

 

Yorin dropped his weapon, and Rekinu eased him onto the ground. Suddenly the look of confusion dissappeared and Yorin screamed. It seemed like an eternity untill the man's voice died down. In the dark confines of the cell it reverbated back and forth, increasing with volume. Rekinu nearly dropped his own weapon to cover his ears, but he was going to need that.

 

He was still slightly at a loss as to what had just happened. Apparently Yorin was a dark friend, but Rekinu couldn't fathom why. Why would someone, a Lord none the less, swear themselves to the Dark Lord and his empty promises? He guessed that was a thought to talk over with Taia. Right now he had to figure out what he was going to do, and how to find Taia. He could feel concern emenating from her place in his mind, and he knew that top priority would be to get back together.

 

He grimaced when he looked down at the body that now lay before him for a moment, before looking around at the cell in more detail. He noted that there was a table, stained with blood to the right, and surmized that Yorin had been torturing people. He might have been the one that Taia was hoping to find, if not then their work was certinately cut out for them. He passed the table, noting a small book tucked under one corner of a piece of parchment, and collected. He thumbed through it, as books facinated him, but the ornate writing was beyond his meagre skill to understand, and so he put it in his coat pocket for safe keeping.

 

He walked over to the door and rattled it, but it had been locked. Looking around there was nothing with which he could pry the door open, not that he had much hope of doing so in a dungeon, but he was wanting to stay away from the pile of filth in the back that was Yorin. Sighing deeply, he returned to Yorin's body and searched his pockets untill he found several sets of keys. There were so many he almost dispared of finding the right one to use, but it had to be done.

 

After several minutes of trying several keys he got the door open. All he knew was that they had come from the right, but that was all he could remember from the twisting and turning.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------Several hours later----------------------------------------

 

He stumbled out the door more with exhaustion than suprise though he was very surprised, and relieved to be in the evening sun. He had no idea that he was this close to the outside, and the ground sloped sharply up to the door. He turned and noticed that the door was hidden by reeds and brush. Taking Yorins sword, Rekinu hacked at the offending growth untill the door was no longer hidden from sight. He could tell that it had been painted too, to assist with it staying hidden during the winter months. He was exhausted and sat down on the hard ground for a while. His cut on his left shoulder burned with every move, he suspected that some bits of the rock had gotten themselves wedged when he hit the wall, and he could no longer lift his left arm with the pain. He was so tired he could not longer feel Taia through the bond, he hoped she knew that he was still ok. It was very tedious being lost. In order to be a little less lost, and to care for himself, he had ended up ripping up his shirt to use first as a crude bandage and then as markers at each intersections so that as he made his way around he could tell that he had already explored different directions. That made it so that he was able to find the stairs with, hopefully less wandering. Even with that, it had taken a long time to make it to the surface. In truth, he thought that it was yet another corridor. If he had been asked about it in a gambling way, he would have staked his father's sword on him still being several levels deeper in the ground.

 

He leaned back against the wall, to rest his head a bit, he needed to get back up, but he couldnt bring himself to haul himself to his feet, he just did not have the energy. He could hear voices coming from the left, around the corner from where the manor lay, and though he couldnt get up, he bared his teeth. If they were Yorin's men coming to help their master he intended to sell himself dearly. Leaning heavely on the wall, he scrambled to his feet biting back a moan as he used his left arm to push upwards. As they came around the corner, he assumed the void. He was holding his sword at the ready though he had to lean on the wall to stay standing.

 

Rekinu

Resigned to possible death

[Rasheta Ardashir]

Taia was starting to get frantic she knew where her warder was, and he was in trouble, they just couldn't seem to find a way to get there. One of the men who had been recruited to help seemed to be trying to halt her search. He seemed to question her judgement far to much. Did he not realize that she was bonded to Rekinu she knew in which direction he was! She was currently standing with her arms crossed glaring at him. Lars, was shaking his head at the other man. "She is an Aes Sedai she knows what she is doing." The man shook his head. "there is nothing here Aes Sedai." She nearly screamed at him he'd been telling her the same thing for several moments. She held onto her temper, but only just.

 

"Lars leave his man here we need to find my warder he is hurt." Lars made a motion with his hand and the other man stepped away from her. She nodded to the far wall "he's that way." After some searching they found a door and Taia was getting more frantic, she knew Rekinu could take care of himself for the most part, but he was no blade master, and even then blademasters were known to be defeated. She needed to find him before someone killed him and she was left on her own again. She didn't want to think about finding a warder, starting to feel something other then duty for him and then loosing him. She was twisting some of her hair in her fingers as she called up a light to light the way into the passage. She tried to stop herself from running down the tunnel it was a close thing, and Lars insisted on going before her. She allowed it, but she did spare a thought for the men following her, were they loyal to the light or did they follow the darkfriend? She tried to pay attention to her surroundings but could only hear the breathing of everyone. Lars was the only one with a sword out the others had daggers which could kill her just as easily. She kept hold of the power just in case.

 

As they came around a corner Lars nearly had his head taken off by Rekinu who was standing at the ready. Taia breathed deeply in relief. "There you are. Come on we'll get you back to my quarters, Lars see that a healer is brought to my rooms." He nodded and threw Reki's arm over his shoulders to help support the warder. Taia and the others made there way back to her rooms and Lars and the others were dismissed. She would hear the story of what happened from her warder before she figured out what else to do. She opened her mouth to speak but someone knocked at the door. She let them come in and an older woman entered saying she was the healer. Lars had been very quick in getting her to the Warder. Taia allowed the woman to do her job and made small talk with her. Rekinu only hissed in pain and didn't speak much. Taia was nearly shaking with the effort it took to repress her desire to hug Reki and make sure he was indeed okay, as well as hear the story of what happened.

 

Finally the woman left and Taia simply looked at him a moment, he looked like he'd been in a fight but he was still whole. Taia dropped into the chair next to him and grabbed his face in her hands and delved him. She could tell he was hurt, but he would survive. She dropped her hands,which she noticed to her chagrin were shaking, "What happened down there I was so worried for you." She held up a shaking hand in illustration, "Please don't do that again!"

 

Taia Misna

Green Sister

Glad she found her warder, and waiting for a story.

[Rekinu Alasayaar]

In mere moments it seemed Rekinu was bundled into the rooms Rekinu and Taia had been given for the duration of their stay. He knew that it was important to talk about what had happened, and Taia needed to know IMMEDIATELY that their host had been a worker of the Shadow, but he knew better than to blurt it out. The whole thing seemed to be less a jump at opportunity than a planned excursion, so he hoped that most of Yorin's fellow darkfriends (as there were shurely more) knew that he was missing and where he might be found.

 

As soon as he was settled on a chair Rekinu opened his mouth to speach at the same time as Taia, but they both clicked their mouths as someone knocked on the door. He really needed to tell her what had happened, the sooner the better!!

 

He hissed as the woman worked on the cut on his arm, but that was the worst wound he had, the rest being nicks more than anything, quite like the marks left after a practice session on the yards. He was more exhausted that anything, but being in the presence of his bonded his head cleared up and he felt determined. They needed to sort out the evil that had permeated this House.

 

As soon as the woman left, Taia looked at him for a moment, and grabbed his face in her hands. No matter how many times she did this he would swear every time that he could feel her doing something. After dropping her hands, she said, "What happened down there I was so worried for you." She held up a shaking hand in illustration, "Please don't do that again!"

 

He smiled ruefully. "As if I planned these things!" He held his hands up in a placating gesture before continueing. "There are Dark friends. At least one. Yorin," He grimaced when he spoke the name of someone he had nearly called a friend, "was one. I fought him in the dungeon myself, to the death. Light, does it ever get easier?" He shook his head, and muttered low, "I'd rather face shadow spawn any day than to have to kill another man"

 

Putting that thought aside, he told Taia everything that had transpired, to him sending the message to her, to getting duped into the dungeon, and the subsequent fight and then search for the surface.

 

He ended with "We need to find out who we can trust, and find who we cannot... I want to start with the person that was supposed to have delivered the message!"

 

With that he bound out of his chair as if he had just slept a whole night, and grabbed his sword tossing the scabbard on his bed. He was angry now and he entended to find these dark friends and bring them to justice!!

 

 

Rekinu Alasayaar

Ready to mete justice... :P

[Rasheta Ardashir]

Rekinu told Taia all about his adventures in the dungeon, she was impressed he had defeated a blade master in a battle, with minor injuries no less. Although, he did look tired and a bit pale. She was going to say something when he told her, "We need to find out who we can trust, and find who we cannot... I want to start with the person that was supposed to have delivered the message!" Then he jumped out of his chair and grabbed his sword as if he was going to run out and defeat the whole manor house all at once. She used air to pull him up short, she tied him in place and walked around in front of him smiling despite herself.

 

"It is imperative that we find the rest of the darkfriends, but running around the manor house with out any idea of how many people we can trust is just silly. If I have learned anything in my years as a sister it is that we need to use a bit of stealth. You are free that means that any of the other conspirators will be aware they may try and bring some reinforcements into the house tonight in an effort to kill both of us. Come we will go and speak to Lars and then make ready for an attack." She released him and added, "take a moment to get your fancloth you must look every inch the warder. I will play the mysterious Aes sedai." She waited till he was ready and then she left the room with Rekinu following a little behind her. The servants nodded to her and her warder as they passed, Taia barely acknowledged there existence until she reached the barracks and then asked after Lars she was told where he was and she went to find him. He was assigning duties to the men in the barracks till she swept in followed closely by Rekinu. The room bowed to her "Aes Sedai" was chorused. She barely nodded she addressed the room

 

"Your house has been infected with Darkfriends they may attempt to return tonight, they had hoped to kill my warder and I earlier today." She nodded at her warder saying, "as you can see they did not succeed my warder faced down a blade master with few injuries to show for it." A murmer went through the hall from the younger men. The older ones probably knew what she was doing, she was adding to the legends about the Aes Sedai and there warders. She continued speaking "Tonight you must be even more vigilant then usual. Trust no one and be alert for any sign of treachery." She turned to Lars "I'll need to speak to you privately now." He nodded and showed her to the Captain's office.

 

"What can I do to serve Aes Sedai?" Taia answered "I first wanted to thank you for helping me find my warder today. We think a few of your guard are also darkfriends. Rekinu sent me a message today, which I never got. I also have some reservations about the man we sent away from our search." Lars nodded "Rekinu will tell you who the messenger was and I would advise to keep them locked up, I will stay with them once you have them. Rekinu will patrol the grounds tonight." She could tell Reki disapproved of that, she ignored him and continued. "i can take care of anyone who tries to free the darkfriends." Lars looked like he was about to say something like "you will need help." Taia held up a hand to forstall him. "If you feel that you must have someone watching over me then you may leave a patrol near where we keep the darkfriends we have caught. Rekinu can return to me after he has done some patrolling if it will help as well. I am not defenseless however." She added opening her hand to show she was holding flames they danced in the darkened room. Taia let the weave dissapate and Lars nodded.

 

"It shall be as you say Aes Sedai." She nodded and sent him off, Rekinu knew what the messanger looked like so she returned to her rooms to get ready. She wrote Rekinu a letter in case something drastic happened and she died. She didn't think it would happen. but it was good to be prepared. The note was short she didn't think he would like flowery statements anyway. She looked it over again to be sure nothing else needed to be added,

 

Rekinu~

Our time has been short but pleasing. You have brought me many bright spots, I hope you will not throw your life away now that I am gone. Seek out another Green Sister she will see to your rebonding and give you a purpose. Do not throw your life away it would not be pleasing to me.

 

Taia paused she sounded so cold in the letter. Rekinu had slowly turned her cool heart warmer she shouldn't leave him with no indication of that. She sighed and started over.

 

Rekinu

Thank you for everything I finally realize what it is like to fall in love. If we had longer it would have been a very pleasing bond for us both. Please don't kill yourself now that i'm gone. I could not bear that thought, seek out a sister of the Green Ajah and live. You will find a good woman to love I hope.

 

Your Aes Sedai

 

She sealed it and tucked it into his belongings she could get it back at the end of the night if she survived. She grabbed her shawl and returned to the barracks she had some work to do before the night was over.

 

Taia Misna

Green Sister

Getting ready.

[Rekinu Alasayaar]

Being held by air never was a fun experience.  He did not like not being in complete control of his body.  Perhaps that was why he didnt like being in a boat.  Worse if it was on a large lake or the ocean.  He could do it in a pinch, but he always was relieved upon reaching land again.

 

Taia walked around him, and started talking, calming him, and then preparing them both mentally for the upcoming activities.  She outlined a potential problem in the very near future, and then told him to get his fancloth.  It made sense, they needed to look the part to the best of their ability.  He also retrieved his shield.  He had not used it yet this trip, and figured that he would need every edge if things went as bad as they might.  He stripped off the leather covering, showing the White Tower blazoned in the middle of the shield, proud of his connection to the bastion for truth.  As soon as he was ready, he turned, seeing her glide out of the room.  His long strides quickly caught up to her, and his eyes started scanning everything near them.  He clenched his shield in his left hand, but forced his right to hover in the air.  Assuming Cat Walks the Courtyard, he forced himself to calm down.

 

When they arrived to the barracks, Taia received  and followed directions to Lars.  He was assigning duties to the men, as they came in.  Rekinu's eyes scanned the whole room immediately, noting who was holding what kind of weapon, and cataloging it.  He had been separated from his Aes Sedai once, it would NOT happen again.  Nor would he allow anything to happen to her either.

 

After Lars spoke with her for a moment, he motioned for her to speak to the assembled men.  "Your house has been infected with Darkfriends they may attempt to return tonight, they had hoped to kill my warder and I earlier today." She nodded at him saying, "As you can see they did not succeed.  My warder faced down a blade master with few injuries to show for it." A murmur went through the hall from some of the men, but she continued speaking "Tonight you must be even more vigilant then usual. Trust no one and be alert for any sign of treachery." Turning to Lars she spoke softly, "I'll need to speak to you privately now." He nodded and showed her to the Captain's office.

 

As soon as they walked in, he asked "What can I do to serve Aes Sedai?" Taia answered "I first wanted to thank you for helping me find my warder today. We think a few of your guard are also darkfriends. Rekinu sent me a message today, which I never got. I also have some reservations about the man we sent away from our search." Lars nodded and she continued "Rekinu will tell you who the messenger was and I would advise to keep them locked up, I will stay with them once you have them. Rekinu will patrol the grounds tonight." Rekinu started to shake his head no.  There was no way he was going to leave her again, not after what had just happened, but she continued before he could voice his disapproval. "i can take care of anyone who tries to free the darkfriends." Lars looked like he was about to say something, but Taia cut it off as well. "If you feel that you must have someone watching over me then you may leave a patrol near where  we keep the darkfriends we have caught. Rekinu can return to me after he has done some patrolling if it will help as well. I am not defenseless however." She opened her hand to show she was holding flames that danced in the darkened room. As the flames winked out, Lars nodded.

 

With that, she sent them both off to look for the potential warder.  Rekinu was proud, when they found the man, he only had to remind himself once that he was a Tower Guard to keep from striking the man right then and there, but he still tied the man's hands roughly.  They were lucky, he was with a portly woman with an apron, and a skinny man in work clothes.  Apparently the woman worked in the kitchens, and the man was a stable hand.  They took all three back to the baracks, where they were tied to a few of the bed frames, dragged into the middle of the room for that purpose.

 

He felt Taia come closer, and saw her looking at him in an unreadable expression, but since she didnt call him over, he merely nodded to her, and left out the front.  Lars assigned three men to go with him, though Rekinu would rather have gone alone.  Once outside, he smelled the sweet smell of the world, and smiled inspite of everything.  He loved life.  Being outside was always a pleasure.  Not that being in a building was such a burden, but the world was so... clean.  Especially outside of cities.

 

They made a few rounds, as darkness fell, and Rekinu left his entourage at the entrance.  He had noticed only three entrances, though only two were used frequently, on his rounds around the grounds of the estate.  He sent one man to tell Lars to lock all the other entrances, and post a heavier guard.  One of the guardsmen suggested more lamps, but Rekinu rejected the idea immediately.  Tonight was feeling like a black night and something felt wrong.  He was halfway around the estate before the wrongness sunk in.  Trollocs.  That was the only thing that felt like that.  He was such a fool.  Out in the forested area around the estate, and he was carrying a shield with a huge white shape on its face.  A perfect marker for any watching eyes.  He immediately headed to the front entrance, though he was not fool enough to run.  As he approached the main entrance, he could see impossibly massive shapes detaching themselves from the trees, and advancing towards the entrance as well, though from the opposite side.  Not only were they faster than him, they were closer.  Immediately, he tried to send warning messages to Taia, right before he threw himself into motion.  He belted for the incoming trollocs, his shield held away so as to not hinder his run, and his sword was out of its scabbard before he had completed one stride.  The shapes hesitated a fraction of a second before they too ran to the entrance, to the soldiers now expecting a fight.  One man went down with an arrow to the face as Rekinu arrived shortly after the massive beasts attacked the guardsmen.  He bellowed again, this time yelling "Trollocs".  In the Borderlands that was all that was needed to get every man, and half of the women scrambling for their weapons to defend their homes from trollocs.  It was good to be around men and women who did not think that trollocs were something from the childrens tales, and it spoke of the efficiency at  which the borderlands protected the rest of the nations from the threat of the Blight and all that lay within.

 

He slammed his shield into the shape in the center, using his body as the driving force.  He felt, more than enything else, the body go limp as his sword found its second target of the day.  heaving the dead trolloc off the dazed man it had poleaxed in its fall, he threw it into the one closest, on the right.  He followed with a quick jab to silence the snapping from the wolf-like jaws, before turning to the next.  They quickly pulled back into the entrance of the estate, to force the hulking shapes to enter by two at a time.  This made it much easier to fight them, though after a time, the entrance was piled high enough.

 

From then on, they stuck to the walls, pushing off those attempting to clamor over them.  The next few hours brought only two waves of trollocs, and there were only three men that they captured from inside the building, two trying to let down a rope from a side wall, and one trying to pick the lock on one of the entranced.  One of the two jumped off the wall, to his death, but Rekinu grabbed the other by his scruff of his shirt, and heaved him over before he could fall to his death.  There were no fades, though this close to the blight, that was not a problem.  In the morning they would have to send out parties to see if the trollocs had truly left the area, or if they were holing up to try something else.  Rekinu brought the last man to Taia personally, almost shrugging off her attempts to delve him to see if he needed healing.  He knew her skills in that area were weaker, he knew little of the One Power, but enough to know that it exhausted her to attempt healing, what little she could do.  It had saved his life at least once before, and he would not have her waste her strength now, not when he only had a few scrapes and bruises.

[Rasheta Ardashir]

Taia listened to the orders being given in the barracks, she added in suggestions every now and then but allowed the men to do what they would. It was always better to let warriors do what they were trained too. She glanced at Rekinu, who was walking around the courtyard, he was clutching the pommel of his sword in one hand, she could tell he was determined to do whatever he had put his mind too. She returned her attention to the rest of the room. They were looking at her as though they were expecting her to say something, she hadn't been listening entirely to the directions that were being given. She straightened her back and addressed the room. "Go forth and find the darkfriends for me, cleanse your house of the malice of the Blight and the dark one." The room all gave her nods and left with their orders. She returned her attention to the rest of the hunt.

 

Taia had spent over an hour with a patrol, she had stopped at least two men fleeing, and then she heard the yells of "Trollocs" She sighed, she was going to be very tired by the end of the night. This didn't bother her entirely but she was currently without her warder, she could use him just now. She glanced at the men around her and nodded toward the sound of the cries. "Come we must go." They didn't wait but made a run for the noise. She sighed and followed, but at a slower pace, it wouldn't do to have anyone see an Aes Sedai run with her skirts up. She came around the corner and noticed the battle was being won there so she added her help here and there, and then moved on looking to find her warder to keep him alive. Taia found him awhile later doing what warders do, and she stayed to help from the sidelines, if she channeled much more she would be too tired to do more then shut her eyes and sink to the ground. She wasn't going to stop now though, her warder needed her to watch his back, as she needed him. She was grateful to see that after another hour the battle was over, she walked among the wounded and healed bumps and bruises, she was useless with anything bigger. She sat with a man who was going to die, if she'd been Yellow he wouldn't have. She committed his name and face to her memory and kissed his forehead before he died. After another hour she went back to her rooms, called for tea and sat down in a chair, she used the power to clean off the dirt and blood she had gotten on her clothes. She had just started sipping tea when her warder walked into the room dragging another man with him. She stood up and tried to delve him, he wouldn't let her she glared at his back and she knew he could tell she was upset with him. He dropped the man in the middle of the room and then looked at her expectantly. She tied the man up in air and addressed him.

 

"You must be one of the darkfriends who helped kidnap my Warder, if you want to live speak now who else is involved?" The man just looked at her with contempt. She sighed this was never the fun part. She turned to her warder "Take him wherever you are holding the prisoners I will deal with him in the morning." She sighed it was going to be a long night, and a longer day. She sat back and drank more tea, her door opened and Rekinu reappeared. She looked him over, and asked "Did you go and see one of the Healers? I don't want you to be to wounded to use your weapons." He just nodded at her and she pointed toward his room, "go sleep we will have a long day tomorrow." She would tell he didn't like that idea, so she added, "I will ward the room and sleep myself, do not worry." He nodded but waited till she had gotten up and gone to her bed before he sought his. She knew that because she could hear him moving around after she had laid down.

 

The next morning Taia went to visit the prisionar, she left Rekinu outside to stand guard, and she would talk to him. After an hour of interrogation she came out and asked one of the other guards to go and finish the man off. It would be a mercy, he was already wounded from the battle the night before and while she hadn't killed the man and thus going against her oaths, she had made the pain worse for him. All in all a mercy to end it now. She walked with Rekinu for awhile and nodded to the people who were cleaning up from the battle, or she stopped and chatted to the people who had fought with her the night before. Reki had more respect after last night more people stopped him as well. She returned to her room and said, "The lord was the end of it here, most of the darkfriends that the man knew were killed last night or escaped beforehand." She sighed, "It is so hard to find them all, working for the light is never easy, but working for the dark is never an option." She shuddered at the thought.

 

She eyed her warder and added, "Are you ready to go home soon? We have done good work here, but it is coming to a close we need to clean this up and then we can be on our way. You have more training to do, and i'm sure the warder yards will want to hear about your escape from a blademaster." She smiled and tossed her hair over one shoulder. "Go on and see to the other men you caught yesterday, report back to me when you are finished with them." She paused as he turned to go she added seriously. "Reki, unless you think they can be saved and serve the light again, end them. It will be a mercy, I know you do not want too but it must be done. Meet me again in my rooms when you are done and tell me what you know. I must deal with the household."

 

Taia Misna

Green Sister

Ready to go home.