Wolfkin to the rescue!

[Nynaeve]

Zoe left the Fortress early in the morning. All the training was delayed to the afternoon on account of a big execution that was taking place. A group of Darkfriends were apprehended the day before within Amador itself. After a thorough interrogation, it was discovered that the party has been responsible for many unsolved murders within the city and so it has been decided to make the execution a public one, to deter such future behavior.

 

Even though it was encouraged for all Children to be present, Zoe decided to slip away to the city. While she agreed with the punishment, she didn't feel any urge to witness their demise. She did not take joy in watching a person die, regardless of his or her affiliations. Just thinking about it made her stomach flutter. She knew she would have to endure such a thing at some point, but not that day.

 

She left the fortress and started walking away. She did not know where she was heading to and just let her legs decide for her. She continued so for what seemed like hours, when she finally came into a halt. Looking around her she realized that she had no idea where she was. She never had the opportunity to explore all of Amador and it seemed she reached the poorer and more neglected part of it. Placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, she turned back and started to make her way back from where she came from, being as cautious as possible.

 

A scream came to her ears from behind. She turned to see a lone child around the age of ten running in her direction. At first, she couldn't make out what he was saying but she managed to as he grew nearer. "Whitecloak killer." Zoe blinked. The child finally made it to her, kicking her foot. Zoe put her hand on his shoulder, in attempt to calm him down, but he pulled away, a disgusted expression on his face. She was astonished to see the hatred in his eyes.

 

"My brother is being executed right now because of you. Killer!". Zoe took a deep breath to still herself. She considered trying to explain to the little boy why his brother was receiving such a severe punishment, but thought better of it. He wouldn't understand at such a young age. Would I have understood, if it was my brother who was going to be executed? Zoe shook her head. Every person that was facing the noose that day had a choice. They deserved their fate. Self doubt had no place in her mind. Especially at that moment, when she was so exposed. She had to get out of there immediately.

 

She watched in relief as the boy ran off, though it quickly turned into horror as he returned a moment later with a group of men and women at his back, pointing right at her. Standing there in her white uniforms made it impossible to mistake her for anything but a Children of the Light. They were angry. And while they would probably dare not pray on a group of Whitecloaks, a lone one was an easy mark. They needed someone to blame and she had seemed to catch their eye.

 

Growing nervous, Zoe placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, then hesitated. Even though the mob undoubtedly meant her harm, she dared not kill or injure them with a weapon. Instead, she decided to use an alternative. Run. She swore to kill only if she had to and in this case, she might be able to out run them if she was lucky. Turning back, she broke into a sprint, not daring to look back.

 

 

Zoe

Child

[Andular]

Entering the town where there was signs of the Children’s presence everywhere he proceeded with caution.  The morning had brought a slow steady rain and he had wrapped himself up in a cloak grateful to be able to hide his eyes in its hood.

 

The smells of fear and persecution radiated through the town as it always did when the Children arrived to enforce their demented idea of justice on people.  Pausing at a vendor selling meat pies he bought two and stepped under the awning of a shop and ate them while studying the town warily. 

 

Further down the street his heightened senses caught notice of a female member of the children surrounded by an angry mob.  No good end could come from the confrontation and just when Nightsfire was sure she was going to pull her weapon she surprised him by running instead.  Her white cloak billowing out behind her she ran in his direction and he sighed.  He had no idea why he bothered the light knew he had no love for her kind but his sense of honor would not allow him to let the mob tear her to pieces. 

 

Just as she reached him he stepped out and grabbed her arm.

 

“Follow me if you want to get out of here in one piece.”

 

A confused look crossed the young woman’s face but after a brief pause she nodded.

 

At a run he lead her down an alley and out into another street the quickly angled toward the outskirts of town and toward the dense woods he had come from just a few hours ago.

 

The shouts of the villagers pursuit followed them but the woods were his domain and he deftly led the young woman deeper into them.  As the sounds of the townfolk died off he lead them to a stand of dense fir trees that sheltered them from the rain.  Breathing hard he stopped and turned to face his charge.

 

“I don’t know why I bothered your type deserves to reap the consequences of your actions.  Are you hurt?”

[Nynaeve]

Everything was happening too fast for Zoe to understand what was going on. All she knew was that she was probably running for her life. And just when she was about to give up, an offer of help was extended to her. By a stranger no less. And she wasn't in any position to refuse it. Doing what the man said, she followed him quickly. There wasn't any time to spare.

 

They managed to dodge stones and fruits that were thrown at them. A stone the size of a fist hit the back of Zoe's head. Pain took over that area, but luckily the throw wasn't hard enough to knock her out. She wobbled for a moment before she endured the pain and followed the stranger as best as she could.

 

She felt a bit of relief when they left Amador and entered the woods. The mob wouldn't know them as well as they knew the streets and the stranger seemed to know exactly where he was going. Hissing at the pain, Zoe decided to keep her mind clear. Thinking seemed to heighten the pain. But luckily, after a little while, the sounds of their pursuers vanished. It was probable that they were afraid to be lost in the wilderness and decided that what seemed like an easy pray at first, was no longer worth the hassle.

 

When Zoe and the stranger finally came to a halt, she gave out a sigh of relief and leaned against a tree for support. The hit to the head and the long run made her dizzy. "I don't know why I bothered. your type deserves to reap the consequences of your actions. Are you hurt?". Zoe blinked. Did she just avoid one danger just to face another one? Sure, she stood a better chance against one individual, then a mob. But, at least before she was surrounded by people that might have helped her. Here she was alone. She could scream all she want and no one would come. Was this attempt of help simply a trap?

 

She had to run. She did not know if she could fight him. She had no idea how skilled he was and she couldn't risk finding out in her condition. She tried to turn but everything around her seemed dimmer. She slid down slowly, her back pressed against the tree stump. "I'm fine. Just...just stay away from me." She let her head rest on her knees, in attempt to stop the world from spinning.

 

 

Zoe

CotL