Thad and Trev's Excellent Adventure

[The Don]

Looking up at his parents, Thadeus al'Dobnan could only sit quietly, as he always did. They would punish him for a month, as they always did. And he would be back on the streets in a week, tops, as he always did. It was not that they were bad parents really, he was just too free of a spirit to be left cooped up in the palace all the time.

 

"...and you are far to young to be roaming the streets of the city. Why when your father was your age..." His mother's voice was only half heard, it was the same thing she had said a million times. When his father was sixteen, he had already learned the proprieties of noble blood, and blah blah blah by bloody-blah.

 

"...when son? When are you going to get your act together?" His father seemed a little more angry than usual. He didn't understand why. Its not like he had started the bloody riot. He had done worse before. "You and that Light be damned friend of yours are giving both of our families bad names. Light save us, you must be the Dragon for all the headache you've given me." Very uncalled for. What a jerk! "Well this time you've given me no choice, son. I've sent Jaevs with word to the Children of the Light, and so has Trevor's father. You two are joining the Children."

 

"No way!" Thad stood up. "Thats totally heinous, da! Very not righteous!"

 

"Well if I can't control you, maybe they can. I'm sorry son, but this is the last straw. Now go pack your bags, you'll be leaving bright and early in the morning."

 

Thad stood in a daze. What in the bloody Light? This was totally not what he was expecting. Without saying a word, he walked to his bedchamber. "Blood and bloody flaming ashes!" He yelled out. "You've got to be flaming kidding me! Burn me. Blood and ashes, burn me!" He sat on his bed and thought for a while. "They want to bloody send me off, I'll bloody show them not to send me off. And I'll be the bloody son of a goat before you see me as a bloody Whitecloak. 'Walk in the Light, man.' 'Alcohol is the bloody flaming work of the Dark One, man.' Burn me!" I know! I'll get Trev and we'll go where no one will ever find us.

 

Quickly, he started packing his bags. Only an extra change of travel clothes and a one good outfit... just in case. He brought a blanket and some money too. It wasn't much, a couple pouches of gold and some silver. He threw on his cloak and ran the back way out of the palace.

 

Trevor lived next door. He could already see his shape hunched over, looking out of his window. "Trev." It was a loud whisper. "Psssst... hey Trev! You goat faced sheeplover. Get your stuff. We're leaving."

 

"I know."

 

"No, not there. I know where we can go, Trev, where they'll never find us. Someplace warm. A place where the ale flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctivley flock like the silverpike of Tear. I'm talking about a little place called... Tar Valon. Think about it, our parents will never know.. and if they did, those bloody Whitecloaks would never check there. Its perfect!"

[Nargbert]

Trevor al'Drukan III Esq.'s parents were in the other room screaming. It wasn't the first time this happened, and he was sure it wasn't the last. His father was very protective of him. Yes, he might have been the youngest son of the family, but they had always been close. However, his mother, though loving, couldn't stand him. Whenever Thad and his fun got a little ugly the two would start arguing. His father in his defense, his mother against him. He was always given some kind of punishment, but it was never harsh, and today seemed no different.

 

The door opened up and his father walked out and just looked at him. He stared at him for a second, then his head dropped as he shook it. Then he walked out of the room without looking back, a large, audible sigh escaping his lips. Once his father was gone his mother then made her way out of the room. She was always very regal looking, and today was no different. But today, there was something different. There was an air of satisfaction. Trevor did not like the look of this one bit.

 

"Look ma, it was an accident. See, Thad and I thought it would be totally awsome if we called Linor Alabaster an Aes Sedai! How would we know that people would here us? Blood and bloody ashes, we told people we didn't mean it. We were just having some fun, but the next thing you know more people started yelling Aes Sedai. Then vegetables started being thrown... that was totally excellent... then..."

 

"SILENCE!" At this point he decided that he needed to be afraid. "Your father has finally given in. We are sending you away Trevor. This cannot happen anymore." Sending him away? He was just 16. You didn't get sent away at 16 unless... was he going to gleeman camp? That would just... blow his mind.

 

"I get to go to camp?!" Anger just blazed in his mothers eyes. Ok, no camp.

 

"No darling, your father just left to inform the children of the light that they will be having a new recruit. Two in fact. Thad will be joining you."

 

Thad and him were joining the children? That was so totally uncool! "But Ma!"

"Quite! Go to your room... pack up some stuff, you will be leaving soon." Trevor stood up, almost numb... and made his way to his room.

 

He couldn't believe it! He was going to be a child of the light? That just wouldn't do! No more beer... no more women... NO MORE PARTYING! "Blood and bloody ashes." He looked out the window... and low and behold, there was Thad.

 

"Psssst... hey Trev! You goat faced sheeplover. Get your stuff. We're leaving."

 

"I know."

 

"No, not there. I know where we can go, Trev, where they'll never find us. Someplace warm. A place where the ale flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctivley flock like the silverpike of Tear. I'm talking about a little place called... Tar Valon. Think about it, our parents will never know.. and if they did, those bloody Whitecloaks would never check there. Its perfect!" Trevor just smiled at the thought.

 

"Why Thad... when did you start thinking?? That is a totally awsome idea! I will be right down!"

 

Trevor rushed around his room grabbing what he would need. A few nice coats... a few nice trousers... he drinking mug... What little money he had, only a few bags of gold and silver. He doubted that would be enough to get to Tar Valon, but he never knew. He turned around to leave and there was his father standing in the doorway.

 

"Good, I was hoping you would leave before the Children came. I saw Thad outside and thought I better say my goodbuys." His father handed him two boxes. "I was going to give these to you on your birthday. Your old harp and flute were a little worn out. Also..." His father dropped a few more bags of coins in his hands. Ok, maybe they could make it at least half way to Tar Valon. "That should get you where ever you are going and be plenty to keep you up for a while." Trev looked at it again. Was his old man crazy? Maybe keep him a week... tops! Then they hugged.

 

"A horse is already saddled for you. Good luck son. Now go! Before your mother finds out!" Trevor ran down the stairs and out of the house to the stables. He threw his saddlebags on the horse and rode out to meet Thad.

 

"Well Trevor, you ready?"

 

"Party on Thad!"

"Party on Trev!" They air harped... and were off..

[The Don]

The road to Jehannah was long and boring. It all started off on a bad note. Thad had almost forgotten his horse in all the excitement of leaving, and they were halfway out of Amador before he had realized he had to look up to talk to Trev. He ran back quickly and almost got caught by one of the stableboys who was going to the stalls to check on the horses.

 

The tiny villages on the way had little of entertainment. They had stopped to stay the night in each village. They were in no real hurry, and the last thing they wanted to do was get caught in the middle of two villages after the sunset. That would mean they had to sleep in the dirt! Buuuurrrn that! Each village had at least one inn, and up to the border of Ghealdan, they got to stay for free, only having to pay for drinks. It was most righteous being a noble.

 

When they crossed the border, though, they had to pay. Even still, it wasn't so bad on the ol' moneypouch, peasants seemed to think silver was something special, and would break their backs for a bit of it. Many questioned their age when they asked for some ale, but a little show of silver answered all questions. Sometimes they would let he and Trev play some music for a little more silver, he on the harp and Trev on the flute. It wasn't until Jehennah that TnT had made a name for themselves.

[Nargbert]

Trevor and Thad had made it to jennoah. It had been a long, hard ride, and Trevor, for one, was looking to kick back. For lights sake, they had been riding since 10 in the morning! Now it was 2 in the afternoon! Talk about suffereing. He was done riding for the day, burn bloody trying to make it to the next town. In fact, it had been a while since they had had a little fun, and he was looking forward to letting loose this afternoon. They soon found an in for the night and Trevor had to say, he was very pleased with the name. The Partying pig. The sign in front had a pig in a mud pit having the time of its life. They handed thier horses to the stable boy, not much younger than them, and went inside.

 

"Well, Thad my friend... I need a drink." Trevor walked up to the innkeep and asked for a mug of ale and how much a room would be for the night.

 

"The Ale is two coppers, the room is a silver mark." Trevor could't believe what he was hearing.

"A Silver Mark?? That is outrageous!"

"Times are a changin son. Things cost more."

"Cost more?? A Silver mark is cheap! How much is it to by everyone a round?" The innkeep eyed him for a second, obviously thinking.

"That would be another two silver marks." Trev didn't think that the math came out right since his ale was only two coppers. However, He could easily afford two silver marks.

 

"How much to have you serve free ale for the rest of the night?" He whispered to the inn keep. This time he got an even weirder look. He thought the inn keep was going to be so not totally ok with this idea.

 

"Lad, I wouldn't do it for less than 3 gold." He laughed at the man. Only three gold? Burn him if that was much. He used to get ten times that just in

an allowance not long ago.

 

"Done innkeep... done." Trev plopped down three gold on the counter. The innkeep obviously couldn't believe his eyes.

 

"Ladies and gentlefolk! My name is Trevor, and this is my friend Thad! Tonight.... the Drinking is on us! You can call us TnT!" A cheer rose up from the common room as drink orders were being given to the serving wenches.

 

Thad pulled him to the side. "What are you thinking Trev... you have that look in your eye. One that I know well. Something fun is going to happen and I want to know what!"

 

"Well Thad... I was talking to a few guys that were sent to one of those silly noble schools... They told me about something called a 'Toga Party'." The night was going to be an intersting one...

[The Don]

"Toga Party?" The name seemed to trigger some memory from when his parents tried to make him go to school. "Like those guys before the Trolloc Wars?" Trev nodded. "What in the Light could be fun about that?"

 

Several hours later, Thad was wearing a blanket on the stage with his harp, and Trev with his flute. Several young people had entered the inn wearing the same outfit. Kegs of ale were lined up on one wall, and people danced in the middle of it all. Throughout the night, they and other young people had taken turns on the stage. When they were not on stage, Thad and Trev had danced their way into a group of local girls, maybe five years older than they. So this is what being in a band is like? I like it!