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DRAGONMOUNT

A WHEEL OF TIME COMMUNITY

A New Acquisition (Retro)


Wayfarer

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Stepping clear of the portal, Duram let the passage through the pattern spin out of existence as he began walking up the path.  Tear didn’t entirely agree with him, but the location was certainly picturesque.  It certainly beat some of the hovels he’d had to frequent over the past couple of weeks, but that was a different matter altogether.  It certainly didn’t bear on what he was doing here.

 

No, he was here because a certain friend of his had suggested that he visit this place and even shown him the way.  A woman wished to speak with him, always nice, but this one was a darkfriend.  One with talents, talents that would make her quite useful to him.  The other interesting aspect of it all was that she served another, and she wanted to defect.  Mierin’s leadership skills hadn’t been particularly inspiring it seemed, certainly not enough for this woman to remain loyal.

 

But, it was as he said, you had to give people a reason to not only serve, but want to serve.  It would be a pleasure taking this one off Mierin’s hands if she was true, if she wasn’t then Duram would have to investigate further into the matter and see if he’d been discovered.  But, he doubted it, Thom didn’t mention his name, it was one of the reasons Duram had decided to give it to the man to begin with.  Thom was, after all, the more affable sort as opposed to mad loon that some of his fellows consented to use.

 

Reaching the manor, he made his way towards the door, waving to a couple of men he saw tending to the gardens.  They watched him carefully as he did so, but he wasn’t particularly worried.  Standing before the door, Duram gave it a solid knock as he wiped his feet on the mat before him.  He was here to visit and be civil, not track mud through the woman’s home after all.  He wondered how she’d take it, it wasn’t every day that a man dressed in fine black clothes turned up at your door, announced he was one of the Chosen then asked to come in.

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It had been a hard day so far. Michael had gone off in the middle of the night, leaving Nyssa to her own devices. This wouldn’t have been a problem, if not for a few little details. One of those details was currently forcing her to straighten her back with a groan. She sighed softly, smiling at Mary. “I’m sure it’s close now, milady.” The maid said, offering a smile in return. Placing a hand on her well rounded abdomen, Nyssa could only hope that the maid was right. “Perhaps a week or two more.” She said, looking around her for the other little detail that made her morning less than perfect.

 

“Where is that boy?” she muttered, looking around for her eldest child. Leon was a little rascal that took after his father too much for Nyssa’s liking. And unfortunately, Michael seemed to be the only one who could deal with the boy when he got into one of his moods. Mary shrugged. “I saw him run through towards the parlor, milady, but there’s no telling if he’s actually there now.”

 

Nyssa opened her mouth to utter something to confirm that thought when a knock on the door distracted her. She arched an eyebrow at the maid, who shrugged once again. She had expected no visitors, and those that would come unannounced wouldn’t bother knocking. She felt a little shiver of anticipation run down her spine, as it always did when someone managed to find her. Mary curtsied slightly before walking to the door. Straightening herself even further, she watched as the door opened, and revealed a man in fine dark attire. “Welcome.” Mary said, stepping aside for the man to enter. Nyssa stepped forward slightly, waiting for the man to reveal his identity. Saidar was but a breath away from touching.

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Smiling at the servant’s welcome as he stepped in, Duram took only a moment to recognise the lady that Thom had described to him.  A well rounded belly too, it seemed that she had a child on the way.  Well, no matter, it wasn’t as if he needed her talents immediately after all.  Was this why she had wanted a new master?  Duram shifted the fingers of his right hand as he spoke.  “Good day to you both, thank you for receiving me.” 

 

Noticing the servant giving the countersign that recognised his status, Duram nodded at her.  “You are no longer required, if you would give me and your mistress some privacy it would be greatly appreciated.”  Turning to Nyssa, Duram added.  “With your permission, of course.”

 

From the moment the man stepped into her house and laid eyes on her, Nyssa realised that there was something different about him. He was not some peddler, or his clothes would have been shabbier. Nor was he a neighbouring nobleman, because she made a point of getting to know those well enough to do business with them. His height wasn’t the only thing that gave him an aura of greatness though.

 

There was power there. The kind of power that reminded her of Lanfear and Mesaana. She gave Mary a little nod, indicating that it was alright for her to leave. With Saidar still a breath away, she stepped forward, offering her hand to the stranger. “Welcome, good sir. How may I be of service?”

 

Taking the lady’s hand, Duram bent forward barely touched his lips to the back of her hand as the servant took her leave.  Those were rather fortunate words of Nyssa’s, they dealt with exactly why he had come to begin with.  Of course, the fun bit was now coming as he straightened.  “That is what I’m here to discuss.” 

 

Releasing her hand, his expression was amused as he added.  “But, I have you at a disadvantage, Nyssa Daemeau.  I am best known as Be`lal, but you may call me Duram.  I don’t suppose you have somewhere we could sit and talk by any chance?”

 

For a moment it felt like her heart skipped a few beats. An air like Mesaana and Lanfear indeed. The Netweaver himself, standing on her doorstep. She struggled with the urge to grasp saidar for a moment before pushing it aside. Pointless, such fancies. If the Chosen had been sent by Lanfear, she would have been dead already. Besides, Lanfear would have come for Nyssa herself, and then death would be something she would seek after soon enough. “I hope my study will do.” She said, curtsying. It was an awkward gesture, but perhaps the Chosen would appreciate the effort she put into it.

 

Proceeding Be`lal, or Duram as he apparently preferred to be called to the study, Nyssa found herself wondering why the Chosen had shown up on her doorstep. Perhaps Thom had called for him. Her friend had contacts that would make any dreadlord jealous, it seemed. When they arrived at the study she shared with Michael, she found herself hesitating for a moment. Where should she sit? Lanfear had never been the ‘sit down to have a chat’ kind of woman. Duram solved her dilemma by sitting down next to the fireplace, leaving plenty of room for her to sit opposite to him. She smoothed her skirts in a nervous gesture, waiting for Duram to speak first.

 

It wasn’t unusual for people to be nervous the first time they met him, Duram knew that and he was impressed with the way that Nyssa handled herself.  She had one of the most powerful male channelers in the world arrive and ask to be taken somewhere to sit, not a common occurrence.  Closing the door behind them as they entered the study, Duram managed to pick the hesitation in Nyssa and helped himself to a seat.

 

Waiting until she seated herself, Duram smiled.  “That’s better, its been a long day so far, but I didn’t come here to bore you with that.  Indeed, I’ll get right to the point.  The last time I visited Thom, he happened to mention you.  Specifically that you served, or had served, Mierin.  Lanfear, that is.  I’m to understand that you weren’t, or aren’t, happy with being in her employ and might be in need of a new patron.”

 

Leaning forward in his chair, Duram pointed to his boots.  “Do you mind?  I’ve been up since the wee hours and these things are killing me already, haven’t been broken in yet.”  Getting a shake of the head from her, Duram took that to mean she didn’t mind and began working on the laces.  “At anyrate, was Thom right?”

 

How did one respond to a Chosen when he asked you if it was alright to take his boots off in your study. Nyssa shook her head slightly, simply because she didn’t know. Her first meeting with Lanfear had been… different, to say the least. “When I first met Lanfear… Mierin, if you wish, she pulled me into Tel’aran’rhiod in the flesh. It was an… unpleasant event. She has taught me much, since, but my encounters with her have never been of the kind that I would like to repeat.” An understatement, but she had little doubt that Duram would know just how unpleasant Lanfear could be.

 

“The work I do for her is tedious and repetitive. I have no desire to apply my talents for someone who does not appreciate the effort, and would rather treat the ones who serve her faithfully as little more than wilful dogs.” A shiver passed through her. “I have… hidden myself from Lanfear when I left the White Tower. She hasn’t found me yet, most likely because she is too distracted by her precious boy dragon. I would like to keep it that way.”

 

“Obsessed with finding the Dragon?  Doesn’t sound like her at all.”  Grinning as he freed his second boot, he slipped his socks off and leaned back in his chair.  Ah, but it felt good.  “Well, let me explain my position first, a bit of background and why I’d be willing to bring you into my service.”

 

“See, when I was freed from the Bore, Barid was there waiting for me.  You know, our current Nae`blis.  He’s the only person who knows I’m free at the moment, and I’ve taken a lot of trouble to keep it that way.  Hence, I like to recruit people who are level headed, not overly ambitious and are able to take instructions.  A good sense of humour is also nice.”

 

Stretching his toes then clenching them again, Duram lifted one foot into his lap and began massaging it.  “This is because, apart from my natural aversion to some of the crazy loons that swear over, I need people who are subtle and not given to painting targets on themselves while yelling ‘look at me!’  No doubt you’ve met a few.”

 

“So, Thom told me you were these things and I came here to find out, you seem to be quite sane and capable of rational thought and I’m willing to give you a chance.  If you do, you become part of my order, all of whom are not cursed with mental deficiencies or delusions of grandeur.  Most of them are also ex-members of other orders that they deserted, they’ve been quite happy as will you if you decide to sign on.”

 

Setting his foot down, Duram retrieved the other as he continued.  “Of course, if you do not want to join then that’s not a problem.  I’ll replace your memories of today along with the others so you never knew I was here and we need never deal with one another again.  While you mull it over, are there any questions that you have?”

 

There was one thing that had bothered her from the moment she walked away from the White Tower. Had Michael not been there at that time, she probably would have ended up killing herself over it. It was the lack of a purpose. Her children kept her busy enough as it was now, but that was only because she allowed herself to be kept busy by them. Once her youngest ones were older, she would once again find herself trapped in idleness. While she had never liked that thought, returning to Lanfear had never crossed her mind. She would rather offer herself to Aginor for cross breeding with trollocs.

 

“What would the cost be?”  she found herself asking. Be`lal was offering her a way out of the feeling of uselessness that she had come to despise. He was offering her a chance to work with talented and sane people. There had to be a catch. With the Chosen, there always was one, even if Michael didn’t see things that way. Lanfear had offered her endless power as well, as long as she bended the way Lanfear wanted her to bend. What would Be`lal require?

 

Duram grinned.  “Oh, the usual.  Slavish obedience, long hours, sacrifice your firstborn.”  Not the answer she had been expecting.  “But seriously…  Silence.  I am not free, I’m still within the bore.  Loyalty is also good, not just to me but to the rest of the members of the order.  They will risk their lives for you if you will do the same for them.  Obedience as well, I won’t risk you or anyone else needlessly but if I do then its for a good reason.”

 

Frowning as he heard a knock at the door, Duram held up a hand as he stood.  “Don’t worry, I’ll get it.”  Wandering over to the door, Duram opened it only for his world to be limited to his body and for that world to be afire with pain as he toppled sideways…

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Leon peered from around the drapes carefully.  A knock at the door?  Father was home!  But he stayed here he was, he knew he was well in position to jump dad.  It was one of the first things that he remembered about his father, sneaking up on his mother and causing her to jump.  It was a fun game and he’d become exceedingly good at it with practice, especially being as small as he was.  All he needed to do was wait and be still.

 

The door swung open but it was not his father who stepped through, it was someone much bigger that he didn’t recognise.  A stranger.  Mother had always said to be careful of strangers.  He was sending away Mary and then Mother was leading him away to the study, but her hand was shaking.  Leon didn’t like the man and he knew mum was in trouble.  But he waited, he remembered what dad had taught him.  When people were bigger than you, you needed surprise.

 

His bare feet pattering across the floorboards, he slowed as he got to the stairs and made his way up quietly.  At least until he heard the study door close, then he sprinted to his room.  Searching about, he found his sword under a pile of clothes and swung it about a couple of times.  He ran to the study door and then stopped, he needed surprise.  He wouldn’t get close enough to the man.

 

If he were in there with his mother, if mum went to get the door, Leon could lead her away.  If the man opened, he could hit the man and then get mum out.  There was his plan.  Knocking on the door with his fist, Leon held his sword low and waited even as he heard footsteps.  They weren’t mum’s, his fingers tightened around the handle as he heard the doorknob turn.

 

Swinging upwards with all his might, Leon wrenched his sword free even as the bad man fell to one side and ran towards his mother who wasn’t moving.  Grabbing her hand, Leon began pulling on it.  “Mum we need to go!  Mum!!”

 

 

Leon

Swashbuckling Infant

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The Chosen was certainly nothing like what she had come to expect from the Great Lords favourites. He was… witty. Easy to talk to, even, should she choose to do so. Perhaps it was merely a façade to put her at ease, but even if it was, it was working. The tension slowly fled her body. A man massaging his own feet in her study couldn’t be much of a threat, right? She understood the need for secrecy well enough. For the past six years she had been hiding from the eyes and ears of the White Tower, as well as from Lanfear in the dreamworld. Secrecy and silence were her strong points.

 

She was about to say so when a knock on the door interrupted her. Before she could move Be`lal was already on his feet though. “Perhaps it’s Mary with tea.” She mused. She was wrong. Before she even half realised what was going on, Duram went to the ground, and Leon was tugging her hand. She was frozen though, her eyes on the Chosen before her. Perhaps she would get the chance to sacrifice her first child after all.

 

After a few moment she snapped out of her horror-induced trance. “Leon, stop it! Oh blood and ashes boy, stop it right now!” she snapped at him. He seemed very reluctant to do so though. “Leon, I’m warning you… if your father hears about this you won’t sit properly for a week. Now go sit there and be quiet, while mommy helps the poor man up.” She hoped she would be able to convince Duram to spare her wilful child, at the very least. Letting go of her son, she walked over to the Chosen, and kneeled next to him. “Ehm… well… I’m very, very sorry about that…”

 

Forcing himself to straighten, Duram had not been expecting to be smacked in the crotch by a child with a toy sword.  There was definitely a part of him that wanted to throttle the child, but the problem was that it was a child.  Every breath was a painful one, but he was able to piece together the exchange.  The boy had thought he was going to hurt his mother?

 

By the time Nyssa was kneeled down next to him and trying to apologise, Duram was able to smile.  Removing a hand from his crotch was a monumental act of pure will, but he managed to point over to the child who was watching intently with the toy still in hand, prepared to savage him if he should so much as hint at hurting his mother.  “I don’t suppose that’s the firstborn by any chance?”

 

“Ehm… Well, yes. My second born is much gentler, I assure you. Still, I’d really appreciate it if we could find a way to let me work for you without sacrificing my firstborn…” she turned to look at Leon. “Even if he does deserve it every now and then.” Fortunately Duram didn’t need her help to get up. She doubted she would have been of much use there.

 

Propping himself up, mainly by sliding himself along the nearby wall, Duram chuckled at the last comment.  Great Lord’s beard, the kid had managed to land the blow well enough, he was going to be feeling it for awhile.  Waving at Nyssa to tell her to wait, he pointed over to the boy and crooked his finger at him.  “Boy, come over here.”

 

The boy did it too, fully prepared to take his head off with the damned toy of his no less.  Plucky little kid, stopped right in swinging range too.  “I’m not here to hurt your mother, you don’t need to run anywhere.  Next time someone does come in though, hit them like you hit me, then hit them on the head while they’re down.  Otherwise they’ll just get back up.  Alright?”

 

That got a serious nod from the boy and the weapon dropped slightly, but not all the way.  “That was a brave thing you did, always make sure your mother is safe. Whats your name?”

 

”Leon!”

 

“Good name.  I’m Duram, nice to meet you.”  Holding out his hand, Duram managed not to laugh as the kid grabbed it and shook it.  Children were rarely worried about the concerns that weighed on their parents shoulders.  “Now, can you please go and see, what was her na-  Mary, that’s it.  Can you go and ask her to bring us some tea please?”

 

The boy was off like a shot.  Turning to Nyssa, Duram grinned.  “If he isn’t a handful already, he’s going to be.  I’ll be fine, just let me sit here for a little bit.  That Leon has a fair swing on him, how old is he?”

 

Duram was taking things far better than she would, had she been in his ‘shoes’. “He’s five now.” She said, smiling in the general direction of where Leon went. “And he is a handful. Takes after his father for the most, which means he’s a prankster already, and I’m pretty sure he’s inherited my skill in stealth. The boy loves sneaking up on people and scaring the life out of them. I’m sure that skill will come in handy sooner or later, because he does have a penchant for trouble.” A rather sheepish grin curved her lips for a moment. “But I’m sure you’ve noticed that already.”

 

“Only five?  He’s going to be a terror.”  Grunting as he got back to his feet, he took very careful steps as he made his way back to the chair.  “Oh, that feels a tad better.  Isn’t that something?  One of the most powerful men in the world, knocked to the ground by a five year old worried for his mother.  Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone else, its hard to be taken seriously when people have that image in their mind.”

 

“But, back to you.”  Duram’s smile faded a little as he became more serious.  “What do you want to do?  My offer still stands.”  The smile returned.  “Despite my manhood being mauled.”

 

“Anything.” The word left her mouth before she even realised she was speaking. She cleared her throat softly, trying to get rid of some of the embarrassment. “Well, not literally anything, but… something. I mean, tending to my children is nice enough, but… I used to pull the strings of the Amyrlin Seat herself. I was in the Supreme Council, I had connections throughout the world, I haunted the dreams of the most powerful nobles, and here I am now…” she sighed. “Why don’t we start with something simple? It will give you the time to see if you’re willing to trust me, and it will give me the time to get back into the game.”

 

“You didn’t try and jump me while I was down, that was a good start.”  Resisting the urge to curl his legs to his chest and rock back and forth, Duram sucked up the pain as he continued.  “Your first job will be to ensure that no one here speaks of me, that includes your husband.  Second, have your child.  After that and when you’re ready, I’ll have some things for you to attend to.”

 

“I think it heard that.” Nyssa said, moving a hand over her well-rounded belly. “I would be very surprised if this child wouldn’t be a very talented fighter when he or she grows up. It certainly has the kicking part down pat.” She breathed in slowly, trying to regain some of her composure. “No one here will speak of you, no more than they will speak of me. I think you will be known as my mother’s brother, and therefore my own uncle.” She grinned. “I will tell Leon that there is no need to hit ‘Uncle Duram’ in the crotch again.”

 

"That would be good, and next time I visit I'd like him disarmed if it isn't an imposition."  Smiling, Duram winced as he forced himself to his feet.  Grabbing his boots and socks, he knew it was time to go.  "Well, now I'm going to go and do what strong men do when hit in the crotch, stride out regally and as soon as I'm out of sight, cry myself miserable.  I'll be back sometime to check up on you soon and we'll discuss more details then."  His face going flat as he took saidin, a silver portal spun into existance.  "Take care, Nyssa Daemeau, and thank you."

 

At that, Duram strode through the gateway to another place and closed the path in his wake, leaving no mark of his passage save in the memories of those residing there.

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