6 hours ago, Taymist said:

 

You know, in spite of being aware of this series for decades, it's one I've never picked up. Worth a read even now would you say?

 

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant is the most atypical fantasy story I have ever read. If you thought A Song of Ice and Fire dark, this is REALLY dark. This is not pure escapism but a psychological drama set in a possible fantasy world setting (or in the main character's mind, depending how you look at it) where the anti-heroes struggle with their inner demons. So this is heavy stuff BUT if you find the premise interesting and like the thought of being challenged by the author to think, at the same time being transported into a 'world' with fascinating beings (including the aforementioned Saltheart Foamfollower, one of the cheeerful lights in the darkness, a wonderful Giant who endears himself to the anti-hero), then this might be for you.

 

I am not trying to put you off, but it is important to go into this series (there are 10 books in all, in 3 series of Thomas Covenant) with the right mindset. This is not escapism-fantasy for everyone, quite a few people out there will find this dark fantasy too dark and gloomy and heavy and will opt for 'lighter fare', but for those who are willing to take the journey and appreciate Stephen R Donaldson's attempt to study the human psyche (loss, shame, fear, inadequacy but also joy, hope and redemption) projected in a fascinating fantasy-world, his wanting to make his readers think and dwell on important choices,  then this is a worthwhile endeavour. There are lights in the darkness and, in my opinion, wonderful moments there and I really enjoyed it and would recommend reading it, but only on the premise mentioned above.

 

Let me emphasize again that I hope I have not put off all new readers from this, in many ways, classy work of dark fantasy fiction by an eminent writer, but it IS something unusual in the fantasy fiction universe, a heavier darker-realism style which demands something of its reader, and which though many might steer clear of it (as mentioned those who prefer pure escapism and lighter fare) some will find very rewarding.

Interesting and cool thread, let me add some of my favourite characters in fantasy fiction. 

 

Here is my top 20 ranking (somewhat loose after my top 2 though):

 

1. Al'Lan Mandragoran - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan) 

2. Aragorn (Elessar) - The Lord of the Rings (J RR Tolkien)

 

3. Sparhawk - The Elenium (David Eddings)

4. Aditu no'e-Sa'onserei - Memory, Sorrow & Thorn (Tad Williams)

5. Saltheart Foamfollower – The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Stephen R Donaldson)

6. Gandalf - The Lord of the Rings (J RR Tolkien)

7. Rand al'Thor - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

8. Moiraine Damodred - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

9. Daenerys Targaryen - A Song of Ice and Fire (George RR Martin)

10. Tyrion Lannister - A Song of Ice and Fire (George RR Martin)

11. Egwene al'Vere - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

12. Jiriki i-Sa'onserei - Memory, Sorrow & Thorn (Tad Williams)

13. Lanfear - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

14. Pug - The Riftwar Saga (Raymond E Feist)

15. Kahlan Amnell - The Sword of Truth (Terry Goodkind)

16. Richard Rahl  - The Sword of Truth (Terry Goodkind)

17. Allanon - The Shannara books (Terry Brooks)

18. Tasslehoff Burrfoot – Dragonlance Chronicles (Tracy Hickman & Margaret Weiss)

19. Legolas - The Lord of the Rings (J RR Tolkien)

20. Matrim Cauthon - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

 

 

Honourable mentions (among many):

 

Simon - Memory, Sorrow & Thorn (Tad Williams)

Arya Stark - A Song of Ice and Fire (George RR Martin)

Eddard Stark - A Song of Ice and Fire (George RR Martin)

Elayne Trakand - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

Nyneave al'Meara - The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

 

 

 

My favourite fantasy books of all time are:

 

1. The Lord of the Rings (my first fantasy-read, and to this day my favourite - prose and poetry = magic for me)

2. The Wheel of Time [WoT] (love it, wonderful characters that I care about and lots of magic which I love)

3. A Song of Ice and Fire (love this too, but I rank the WoT slightly higher, it is a bit more 'special' to me)

 

but all those books mentioned with characters above are ones I have enjoyed a lot through the years

 

 

I have been debating with myself whether or not to comment (again) in this thread. It is easy to step on toes without meaning to and to overstep lines unintentionally. I have, however, decided to take the plunge and share some of my thoughts. Please no one take offense.

 

In my humble opinion the makers of the tv-show should prioritize canon and stay with how the books were written on fundamental issues like race, character traits and sexuality. F.ex. if character X was white in the books, he ought imo to be white in the tv-show, similarly if a character Y is heterosexual in the books the same character ought imo to be heterosexual in the tv-show. Mat's characteristics from the books ought also to be Mat's characteristics in the tv-show as I see it.

 

Some things obviously need be changed for a tv-adaptation since some things work better on the page and others on screen, most people will agree with that, the question though becomes whether one ought to change fundamental things from the books such as the aforemenmtioned areas (skin colour, sexuality, special character traits) as well as important events in the story. Some fans will be forgiving of such changes, they will see the tv-show as a separate entity (like a parallel Portal Stone world), and newcomers to the Wheel of Time world who have not read the books will not mind since this is their first glimpse at this fantasy world, while other fans of the books will be less happy.

 

I have commented before in this forum that I have been somewhat ambivalent with regards to this coming tv-adaptation; excited in part since I love the books and I am eager to see how they manage to show it on the screen, but also concerned/worried that they will change too many things and make it 'politically correct' to appeal to a wider modern audience, that much of the internal thoughts of the books will be difficult to project on screen, and that the end-product will not be worthy of the magnificent books.

 

I still feel uncertain about this tv-project and what I have seen so far with regards to casting and views/comments by the show makers does not make me less concerned that they will deviate from the books in too many respects. There is much diversity in Robert Jordan's world already - which is to be applauded - and they ought in my humble opinion to base the show on that, i.e. coloured characters where they are coloured in the books (f.ex. Tuon), some lesbian Red Sisters like Robert Jordan wrote them etc, and not revise things in fear of being criticized by certain groups in society. This also in respect of Robert Jordan's vision and story. I know this is not how Hollywood works these days, they must take many things into account, but it is my view though others will disagree.

 

Like many I have presumed - and gotten the impression in the books - that the Two Rivers folk are white (in some fashion) so I expected all our main characters from that region to be so also in the tv-show. Seeing the casting for our Two Rivers heroes makes me therefore somewhat concerned. It is not a deal breaker for me, the acting is after all the most important, but it makes me a little less interested in the show I am sorry to say because I am more interested in a serious, exact adaptation of the books than a separate interpretation of the books and as mentioned I am more open to changes on smaller, less important things from the canon (side-characters and side-storylines). Others may - and will - disagree. here as well. Personally I thought the people behind the Game of Thrones tv-show managed this 'balance' pretty well on the whole with respect to George RR Martin's books and vision (the changes made were not fundamental in my view), I loved the Game of Thrones tv-show, and I have hoped the makers of this Wheel of Time tv-show would do the same. We shall see when the tv-show airs.

 

Having 'lived' with Robert Jordan's world for 20 years, in the books (read many times) and half that time here at DM roleplaying characters from his fascinating world, it has become very personal to me and so it was always going to be 'risky' for me to watch this coming tv-adaptation since I have created so many images in my mind of how everything is as I 'see' them. It will be easier for newer fans and especially those all new to the Wheel of Time who don’t have the same preconceptions. I was nervous when I heard The Lord of the Rings books were being made into movies but was very pleased with the end results (especially the Extended Versions), same was the case with Game of Thrones (based on A Song of Ice and Fire). Time will tell what I will think of the Wheel of Time tv-show. Again I am nervous but I am still hopeful that this will be a great tv-show to enjoy.

 

Elessar and Kathleen sat all afternoon in the lounge of the house in Whitebridge discussing the matters of the Black Rose and the emeralds.

 

Their guess that the emeralds were intended as a bribe had been proven correct. Nyriana had reluctantly admitted that they were meant as payment for the chief cook of a major Andoran Noble family to poison its High Lord. Elessar had heard similar dark and evil plots before and did not react much to the High Lady’s words and Kathleen had only raised one eyebrow in response, asking which High Lord. It had seemed a plausible plot, they had agreed when they had discussed it afterwards. The High Lady had remained silent when they had asked if the poisoning had already been carried out or if it could be stopped. They would need to find that out themselves. The High Lord in question lived many leagues to the south. Kathleen quickly got in touch with her Eyes and Ears in Whitebridge and a carrier pigeon was dispatched to the nearest town to warn the High Lord. They just hoped it would be in time.

 

The larger mystery was that of the supposed Black Rose that would need to be ‘sacrificed’. What or who was this Black Rose? All they had gotten out of the close-mouthed Lyndelle was that it was a child of some importance. When Elessar had pressed her for more details, she had just stared at him in silence, her blue eyes shining with glee. Nyriana had not revealed anything about the Black Rose, just staring dumb back at him when he had mentioned the name. Even the threat of violence had not stirred her on this matter. It had made him think that sacrificing this Black Rose had to be very important for the Shadow, at least locally. He and Kathleen had discussed again what was meant by ‘sacrificing’. Had it been one of their own adult Darkfriends it could have been logical to use that word, but with regards to a child? It was strange, they both agreed.

 

Using resources from the Green Ajah’s Eyes and Ears network they had a few trusted people go out and try to find clues as to this Black Rose, visiting inns and taverns where people talked freely when they were drunk and careless, listening for whispers on the streets. And a couple of days later they had some luck. A street urchin had been caught stealing and it turned out he was part of a local guild of thieves (or at least that was what they called themselves, much to Elessar’s amusement) and through him they had gotten word of another thief, an older man, who may know something. For adequate compensation, of course. Elessar and Kathleen had met this man, a bald one-eyed older man with scruffy clothes but a shrewd look about him, and the man had spoken to them willingly after receiving several silver coins. He told them that he did not know these folk personally of course, but he had heard from a mate who had heard from a mate that a certain boy child, son of a certain High Lord, was not long for this world. When Elessar gave him another silver coin, warning him though that if what he told were lies they would catch him and take it out of his hide, the old thief gave them the name they were after.

 

 

They hurried to the next town, a smaller town called Ridgefield several leagues to the north-east. It was more of a large village, Elessar thought, but the locals prided themselves on the fact that they lived in a town, the largest in the region after Whitebridge. Hoping to be able to stop this murder or ‘sacrifice’ they hardly stopped before they were just outside the gates of the Manor of House Lamden. It was another small House among the Major Andoran Noble Houses but in this region it had some prominence and power. Head of this House was High Lord Robert Lamden and his only son and heir was the ten year old Richard, nicknamed the Black Rose. Apparently the boy was a cripple, lame from the waste down, and all he did day in and day out was sit in a specially made chair in the Manor garden, watching the blooming roses, it was said, in silent shame, bitterness and rage at his totally wasted life. It sounded a terrible life, Elessar had to admit, but it was still a life and better than death. Whether the boy’s father was a Darkfriend or not, the boy did not deserve to die because of some evil Darkfriend plot.

 

Tethering their horses to a tree to the side of the gate leading into the Manor, Elessar stepped up to the guard who was watching them closely. A wall passed to either side of the gate for some distance, encircling the grounds of the Manor. The building itself could be seen some distance beyond, encompassed by trees. “My good man”, the Warder began, “Kathleen Aes Sedai wishes to speak to your High Lord.” The guard just stared dumbfounded back at him. “It is a matter of some importance”, Elessar added more powerfully. Still there was no reaction from the man. “Let us through and inform your High Lord we need to see him urgently.” The man looked at the Warder and the Aes Sedai, his eyes wide but he still remained silent. “Now!” Elessar shouted and his eyes took on a dangerous gleam. This time the man reacted. “Yes, My Lords” he stuttered as he moved backwards. “Sorry, I will let his Lordship know.”

 

Turning, he almost sprinted down the path toward the building while Kathleen and Elessar followed at a more leisurely pace. When they arrived at the entrance to the mansion they were met by another guard, more formally attired. This one, a younger man, bowed to Kathleen and nodded to Elessar. “Please enter”, he said in a polite tone of voice. “The High Lord is honoured by your visit.”

 

 

High Lord Lamden was a short greying man in his late fifties. He had strong arms and a somewhat bulky body. His blue eyes were shrewd though as he looked at the Aes Sedai and the Warder. “I am honoured by your visit”, he said politely with seeming honesty. “We do not get visitors from the White Tower here often.” That was probably the understatement of the year, Elessar thought with amusement, but he said nothing. “How may I be of assistance?” He asked as he bade them have some kaf.

 

Sipping from her cup, Kathleen made some pleasant conversation for a while. Saying they were in the region on Aes Sedai business, they were visiting local nobles to hear if there was anything they could assist with in these ‘troubled times’. The High Lord nodded and exchanged pleasantries but Elessar could see from the man’s face that he did not for one minute believe her stated reasons for her visit. He kept his thoughts to himself, however. After a while Kathleen stopped speaking and the High Lord stared silently back at her. His eyes turned for a moment to the imposing Warder-figure beside her. He looked just like the ferocious Gaidins out of stories, he thought; not a man one would like to cross. Facing the Aes Sedai again he asked if there was anything else he could assist with.

 

As if it were a passing thought, Kathleen asked after his wife. Was she well? The High Lord seemed surprised by the question but replied that, yes she was well and in the gardens at that moment plucking some roses. Kathleen nodded. When asked about his son next, the High Lord’s face darkened and his eyes clouded over. There was sorrow in his voice when he replied that his son was dead. When Kathleen probed, he replied that his young boy’s heart had simply stopped a week before. He had been a sickly boy, the High Lord informed, but even so it was a tragedy. Elessar and Kathleen shared a quick glance, both thinking we were too late, then she told the father how sorry they were. There was no proof, neither would there probably ever be, that foul play had played a role in the boy’s death, but the pair from Tar Valon were fairly certain that the death was no coincidence. They did not reveal their suspicions to the High Lord though, soon excusing themselves from his presence and leaving the Manor House. The High Lord might be a Darkfriend and he might not be, but that would be a mission for another time. The boy, the Black Rose, was dead and that was all there was to it. The mystery had perhaps not been fully solved, but they had done what they could. They rode in silent contemplation back to Whitebridge under a partially clouded sky with a wind gradually building from the south-east.

 

 

A few days later, riding back across the huge white glass-like bridge - from which the town took its name - which spanned the River Arinelle, leaving Whitebridge behind, Elessar thought on what they had accomplished. Their mission had been a success for the most part. They had caught two scheming Darkfriend High Ladies who had sold their souls to the Dark One, and several other accomplices (disrupting the local Darkfriend Circle), as well as revealing the mystery of the Black Rose (though they had not been able to stop its execution) and recovering the emeralds (and the poison-plot had been stopped in time). Sure, there would still be some Darkfriends around that they had not caught, but they had done a great service for the Light on this journey into western Andor and he thought he felt some contentment also coming through the Bond from Kathleen. Now they both wanted to get back to Tar Valon as quickly as possible, the mission concluded.

 

Glancing at the fragile-looking but ever so strong white glass of the bridge as they rode across he wondered once again what material it was made of. It was one of the wonders of the world, he thought. He had never seen anything like it elsewhere. He considered again asking Kathleen about it, but changed his mind. Let it be another of life’s mysteries.

 

 

They stopped at several villages on the way back. Even though they were both eager to return to Tar Valon, they saw the need to give their mounts some rest at intervals. In Four Kings they made a slightly longer stop, getting more provisions, and then they set the course for Caemlyn. Kathleen seemed eager to see a little more of the Andoran Capital before their journey northwards and Elessar was always up for some more sightseeing in this beautiful city, so they stayed a couple of days before heading north.

 

They spoke at times during their journey, sharing thoughts on what they had accomplished and on what might be to come, and as the days passed Elessar felt they were getting to know one another a little better which was important for trust and an effective Warder-Sedai team. Kathleen did not say much about her other Warder, her first, and Elessar did not press her. But he sensed that she missed him and was perhaps also a little concerned about his absense though that was just Elessar’s impression. In one way it would have made their mission easier had they had Nevuel’s experience and skills to draw upon as well. On the other hand, Elessar felt that it was best that he and Kathleen were on their own on this ‘maiden mission’, that way they could best get used to one another, each other’s ways and skills and temperament, to gradually become an efficient working team. He did not say so to Kathleen, not wanting to ‘step on any sore toes’ there, but he thought maybe she had had similar thoughts.

 

Elessar felt good about this Bond, as he had from the start. It was a feeling of rightness which he had been fortunate to have had with all his Bondholders. He knew they still had a ways to go ‘tuning’ their skills and actions in their Bond, to gain the level where they could anticipate the other’s moved before they were made, but it was a very decent beginning.

 

He smiled as he galloped down the dusty roads, Kathleen beside him a little behind to his left, in the direction of Tar Valon to the north.

 

Mission accomplished, he thought. The first of many to come.

 

 

Finally, many days later, on a windy and partially sunny afternoon beneath azure-blue skies, Elessar Gaidin of Kandor and Kathleen Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah, Bonded in the Light, came in sight of the Shining Walls of Tar Valon. Soon they rode slowly across one of the many magnificent arching bridges over the River Erinin connecting the island city to the mainland. Fabled Dragonmount rose in the distance, and on the city walls high above them the proud banners of Tar Valon - wonderous city of the Aes Sedai -  rippled strongly in the wind, as if welcoming them home.

 

 

The High Lady Lyndelle of House Serevan, gagged and bound like a common criminal, stared viciously at the Aes Sesai and her Warder from her place in the corner of the room, wondering not for the first time since her capture how the tables had been turned on her since the moment she had come upon the pair in her study.

 

Blood and bloody ashes! She was caught like a fish in a net and there was nothing she could do about it. Blasted White Tower meddlers, sticking their noses where they did not belong, ruining her operation and schemes. They would not learn her deepest secrets, however. The ones that spoke of her true allegiance. No matter what they did to her, she would not admit to that nor forsake her sacred Oath to the Great Lord. All they had was rumours and innuendos. She would not give them the pleasure of seeing her break. Her eyes stared daggers at them as they stood conversing at the other side of the room. Her mouth would stay shut.

 

No matter what.

 

 

Turning to face the bound and gagged High Lady in the corner Elessar smiled darkly. She was bound by flows of Air and so could neither speak nor move her arms and therefore the cloth physically gagging her and the rope binding her arms behind her back were superfluous. Perhaps it was petty, but the Warder enjoyed binding this Darkfriend woman like a common criminal, taking away whatever dignity she had left. Kathleen had exchanged a silent look with him but had said nothing as he had proceeded. Now the two were discussing how to get more information out of the reticent High Lady. They were in an upstairs room in the house they used as their base of operations. Outside the afternoon sun glowed above the town of Whitebridge, a burning globe in an endless sea of blue.

 

“I think it is the only way”, Elessar said as he turned to face Kathleen again. “She is stubborn as a mule and likely will not volunteer any information at all.. unless she is.. persuaded otherwise.” She understood well what he had in mind. An interrogation of the kind he had used on the other captured Darkfriend. Though their Bond was still fresh she trusted him not to go too far in his.. persuasion of this woman. He had showed competence and restraint before. Still, they needed more information if they were to conclude this mission and expose the Darkfriends and their plots. They needed to put pressure on this despicable woman who surely stood at the center of it all here in Whitebridge. She nodded to Elessar, giving her approval.

 

Turning to face the bound woman again, the Warder from Kandor’s eyes turned hard and he removed the knife from its sheath at his side. His posture changed into that of a dangerous predator as he moved toward the bound High Lady, the knife held before him. Removing the cloth from her mouth he stared darkly at her. Kathleen altered her Saidar-wrought weave so the woman could speak. The High Lady looked spitefully at the Gaidin and she had a lopsided grin as she said, “I will tell you nothing. You are wasting your time!”

 

“We shall see”, replied the Warder in a calm fashion. His smile broadened but his eyes adopted a vicious glint. Bringing his knife up to the woman’s chin he drew a little blood. “This is the part I like.”

 

The way he said those words made Kathleen almost believe he meant it. He was good at this, she had to admit. And it was necessary. She kept that in mind as her Bonded Warder went through the motions of the interrogation.

 

 

Later that day they sat in the lounge of the house discussing what they had learned.

 

“She broke sooner than I would have expected”, Elessar mentioned at one point. Kathleen nodded, complimenting him once again on his interrogation skill.

 

The High Lady was a hard and tenacious woman but the Warder had peeled off the layers of secrecy that surrounded her and combined with threats of violence (the knife had been an effective tool in that regard) had made the woman reveal much more than she had intended.

 

“She as good as admitted to being a Darkfriend”, he added. “And we now know the evil plots she was working on and much about her dark accomplice, the High Lady Nyriana of House Vandahr.” Kathleen nodded and sipped more from her kaf, her eyes pensive. “I think we should pay this other High Lady a visit, don’t you think?” Kathleen agreed and so it was decided.

 

With any luck this second High Lady had not received word yet of High Lady Lyndelle’s capture. She lived several leagues from Whitebridge, in a village called Melton, Lyndelle had revealed under questioning. Taking a sip from hos own cup Elessar nodded. These two Andoran Noble Houses would not be so noble much longer when Kathleen informed the local authorities - and the Crown - of their activities and allegiance.

 

 

They arrived in Melton before dark. It was a small village with only a couple of streets and three dozen buildings. At the end of a dusty street stood an inn and opposite it - beyond large garden grounds - a grander building. It was no palace, far from it - but in this small place it was obviously the finest building around, a small Manor House. The local place of power. Handing their horses to the stable boy, Kathleen and Elessar went inside and got a couple of rooms. The innkeeper was almost beside himself seeing an Aes Sedai and a Warder in his humble establishment as he called it - it was obviously not something that occurred often - and they soon were in their rooms discussing the next move. They had two options as they saw it: confront the High Lady directly and take her into custody, or wait a little and see if they could find out if others too in this small village were Darkfriends or at least involved in the suspect activities of the High Lady. They wanted to catch as many people involved as possible, but at the same time he felt some impatience in Kathleen to get on with things and he had to admit he shared those feelings himself. It was time to conclude this mission, to get things finished and over with. A direct approach would be best.

 

Silver rays from the moon high above shone down on the pair from the White Tower as they moved through the darkness toward the Manor House. They walked along a path which went beside the opulent flower beds up to the Manor itself. There were candle lights shining in several windows but no one could be seen looking out at them. That did not mean that no one was watching them, of course. It did not matter to Kathleen as she approached the front entrance. Knocking twice on the huge door she waited, Elessar beside her. A few moments later what looked like a servant or possibly a guard opened the door and look enquiringly at the two visitors. “Kathleen Aes Sedai wishes to have some private words with the High Lady”, Elessar said in a strong voice. The Andoran looked more closely at the woman before him and his eyes widened. “Of course”, he said in a somewhat strained voice. “Please come out of the dark”. He waved them inside and closed the door behind him. “Please wait here and I will announce your arrival to the High Lady.” He gave a small bow and then hurried along the hall and disappeared around a corner. Facing his Bondholder, Elessar whispered, “Perhaps things will go more smoothly this time.” He did not see the glance Kathleen threw him. Which was probably for the best.

 

 

The High Lady Nyriana, a short-haired blond and lean woman in her late thirties,  proved to be a harder woman than Lyndelle, staring daggers at them both when she realized she had been caught in her dark plots with her friend and refusing to say anything which might incriminate her. Still, after some.. persuasion by Elessar, she admitted that she had plotted but that it was all for the good of her House. That she was a Darkfriend was all lies though, put out by her enemies, she said with piercing blue eyes and a twisted mouth. When they went through her private study, finding incriminating evidence, she just stared at them with hate in her eyes and did not speak a word. She ‘accompanied’ them to Kathleen’s room at the inn and was soon bound and gagged similarly to Lyndelle in Whitebridge. When Elessar had produced the knife and drawn some blood from her cheeks she had given the names of three of her local accomplices. They would be picked up by local authorities as soon as Kathleen returned to Whitebridge and informed the local magistrates.

 

The next morning they rose early, had a quick breakfast in the inn’s Common Room and then proceeded back to Whitebridge. The High Lady was slung across the back of the Gaidin’s horse, bound in more ways than one, cursing inside. When they finally arrived back at the house where they were based, Elessar carried the bound woman over his shoulder up the stairs to the room where they kept the other High Lady. Lyndelle’s eyes almost popped out of her sockets when she recognized Nyriana slung on the bed. Bound and gagged as she was she could not make a sound but inside she was screaming with rage.

 

The next morning agents of the White Tower arrived at the inn and took the two captured Darkfriend High Ladies into custody and left after a quick word with Kathleen Sedai. Elessar was sure they would get punishment worthy of their Darkfriend crimes. The White Tower was not very forgiving in such matters. Justice would be served.

 

 

Now to see to the final matters on this mission: the case of the Black Rose and the emeralds.

 

They had clues gotten from the two Darkfriend women, but there were still some things to figure out.

 

Another mystery to uncover.

 

 

 

As Kathleen studied the letter, or note, from the other High Lady, Elessar’s thoughts were drawn elsewhere for a moment.

 

He was thinking of Leandreen.

 

He had no idea why the thought of her had popped into his mind at that particular moment but it had. In his mind’s eye he saw her glittering emerald eyes and slightly mischievous smile and a face framed by long fiery hair. As always the thought of her brought him both joy and sadness.

 

Oh, Leandreen.

 

She had told him that she had known straight away that she wanted to Bond him, and he had quickly felt that they were compatible too. She was much more impulsive than he was with a temper to match, but they had made a good, effective team, anticipating each others’ moves, and had, above all, shared a burning passion to fight the Shadow and evil wherever it was found.

 

“I shall fight the Shadow ‘till I die, Elessar!” Her emerald eyes sparkled. “That I promise you!”

 

And you kept your promise, my Leandreen. You fought those evil b*stards with your last breath!

 

 

Kathleen, as a Battle Ajah Sister, shared some of that passion, he felt, from their conversations and their time together, even if she was very different in nature and personality from Leandreen. Their Bond was still fresh and he still felt that distance between them at times that he had felt at the beginning, but he thought they were complementing each other well so far as Warder and Sedai and, hopefully, meeting each others’ expectations.

 

He did not really know how she felt about his ‘performance’ as her Warder, but he presumed she would tell him if she was unhappy about something. For his part, he was not out to impress her with how he carried out his duties as a Bonded Gaidin. Not at all. He had a job to do, and that was to serve, protect and keep his Aes Sedai alive. He would always strive to do it proficiently and well. It was his sacred purpose and duty.

 

And I will not fail again.

 

That final thought echoed in his mind.

 

 

“How is your memory, Elessar?” Kathleen asked in a whisper, bringing him out of his partial reverie, as she handed the note from Nyriana, High Lady of House Vandahr, to the Warder.

 

“I’d prefer not to have to take this when we leave”, she added, “but we will need the information later if we are to fully decipher the message. Let’s move along quickly now, we still have to get back through the whole bloody building and outer grounds when we finish in this study.”’

 

“My memory is excellent”, he replied honestly in a low voice, holding the letter. “I have always had a knack for remembering details, a very useful skill when one has an interest such as mine in history and stories. I will remember.”

 

Even as a child he had always had an exceptional memory. He remembered his mother, and his other teachers, commenting on it many times throughout his childhood. It had also helped him later during his Warder training in the White Tower, not needing to be told things twice. His Warder teachers had been quite impressed.

 

Neither of his parents nor brothers had this ability so he had no idea how he had come to have it or why, but he was grateful since it was a useful skill to have.

 

 

Elessar scanned over the letter, many thoughts passing through his mind. There were many clues here but they were difficult to decipher. There was obviously another Noblewoman involved which was not that surprising as they would run in the same circles and could talk without anyone finding it suspicious. Two Houses, even if minor ones, plotting for the Shadow could give them many advantages and a fair amount of power, at least locally.

 

Who was the sister that the letter mentioned? It could be another Noblewoman or an other associate in the Darkfriend circle, someone they thought of as ‘one of their own’. It could, of course, also be code for something entirely different. The two dots before ‘sister’, did that have special inference? And the Black Rose, what was that? Or rather, perhaps, who? Someone to be sacrificed in some way but how and why? Was it someone who had betrayed them, betrayed the Shadow? And who had ordered it?

 

A rhyme he had read once - somewhere, somewhen -  slipped into his mind for a moment.

 

 

 

 

Three for three, the Silver weds

Three for three, the Princess sheds

One is true, the Prince she chose

To the world, he was Black Rose

 

 

 

 

It was a nice little rhyme, he thought, like a children’s rhyme and suitably intriguing, but he highly doubted it had anything to do with the Black Rose of the letter. Rather some of these Nobles had probably heard the rhyme at some point and used ‘Black Rose’ as a code name for someone or something.

 

 

Reading on he wondered who this ‘Our Friend’ could be. Special care had obviously been taken to avoid revealing who or what this person might be and if he or she was a Nobleperson. He got the impression this was someone special though. Then there was the mention of emeralds and what a ‘princely’ gift they would make. Was this a hint somehow that someone in Royalty was involved, or was it just a way to describe that the emeralds were worth a fortune, ‘worthy of a prince’ as it were? Was it a bribe since there was mention of ‘leverage’? As for the ‘guests’, it seemed highly probable to him that he and Kathleen were the ‘guests’ they were referring to, though there was no proof after all and no date on the letter. But was it truly likely that these two Noblewomen had two other ‘guests’ who they had to watch and take care around at the moment? Elessar doubted it very much.

 

He also noted that the High Lady Nyriana had signed the letter ‘Yours in the Faith’ which was somewhat unusual in his experience. ‘Yours in the Light’ was the common way to end a letter, at least between Nobles and other officials, so using ‘Faith’ instead was unusual. Of course it could be nothing more than a personal way of signing off their letters, he thought, but it caught his attention as something a little out of the ordinary and he wondered if it somehow were a hint at their somewhat darker association.

 

So many possibilities and clues which said so much and at the same time so little. They would need to go over these elements in the calm and privacy of their temporary ‘home’ in Whitebridge, their base of operations, and see where the clues led them. There might, he thought, still be time to stop some of these events from happening if that was what Kathleen and the White Tower wanted. But in order to do so they needed to decipher the clues, and that would be far from easy as the Warder saw it.

 

Summarizing it all in his head, the Warder did not think this was factual proof of Darkfriend association on the part of the High Lady Lyndelle - it could be the usual devious plotting among Noble Houses - but it certainly was a strong indication as he saw it. He did not know how Kathleen viewed it and there was no time to discuss it here; they would need to consider the matter later. As she had said, it was time they move along quickly before they were discovered.

 

 

Kathleen put the letter back in the envelope and the envelope back in the small drawer. She closed it and stepped back as Elessar used his lockpick to close the small drawer-lock again. It was a trick he had been taught by a locksmith once upon a time.

 

Just as they were about to move toward the door leading to the Great Hall, holding the candle light high for added light, a soft sound made them stop in their tracks. They exchanged a quick glance.

 

The door from the Great Hall slithered open and someone, they could not at first see who, stepped into the room.

 

“Now then”, a sly voice said in the semi-darkness “What do we have here..”

 

High Lady Lyndelle, wearing a Black dress with a matching top, looked at the two intruders, her right eyebrow lifted, her smile smug.

 

“Breaking in, in the dead of night, going through my private things.” Her azure-blue eyes glittered with dark amusement. “Is this what.. friends do, Kathleen Aes Sedai?”

 

Two Andoran guards in formal attire with swords unsheathed and malicious stares followed her into the room. The door was closed behind them.

 

The High Lady’s cold and inquisitive blue eyes fastened on the Sister of the White Tower, waiting for an answer.

 

 

 

The ball of light that Kathleen had weaved using Saidar partially lit up the dark cave where the two of them remained in silence for a while, the filthy words of the Poem of the Shadow echoing in their minds.

 

They were also considering their next step.

 

They had checked the cave as well as they could and there was always the chance that some of the Darkfriends would return. Not that Elessar doubted that the two of them could take care of such a situation - they were both seasoned warriors - but he felt it was best to return to the house they had made their new base of operations in Whitebridge and Kathleen agreed with his suggestion. As they left the cave, the ball of light winked out of existence and they headed into the night, walking resolutely in the direction of the town.

 

 

They crouched in the shadows outside the Great Hall, the silence deafening. It was past midnight and the Manor House belonging to House Serevan was quiet. Elessar looked behind his shoulder at Kathleen and the glint in her stare made him guess that she was wondering how she had been persuaded by him to go ahead with this daring venture.

 

In truth, he was wondering himself if breaking in, in the dark of night, with the intent of finding evidence of Darkfriend association on the part of the High Lady was such a good idea after all.

 

 

The idea had seemed a good one at the time.

 

The day after their return from the cave they has sat discussing their options in the house they were based in and both had agreed that the situation was complicated. There was danger but also excitement that both felt, eagerness to succeed in this mission but also a sense of prudence. The signs were clear that there was Darkfriend activity in the area as they had been led to believe, but they had no factual evidence as of yet. And the question was, how to obtain such evidence? Elessar had at one point suggested questioning their Darkfriend prisoner some more, pressing him for information, but they had agreed that it was highly unlikely the man would admit to any more than he already had, and uncertain how much more he actually knew. Torturing the man like a Whitecloak Questioner might have done was out of the question. Pressing a prisoner hard was one thing, torture quite another. After a long discussion Elessar had come up with a bold and daring idea: to break into the Manor House of High Lady Lyndelle during the night and look for evidence that proved she was a Darkfriend.

 

At first it had seemed a somewhat rash, desperate idea with far too many downsides (the risk of being caught red handed at a private property in the middle of the night foremost, as well as the strong possibility that they would find no factual evidence after all), but the longer they considered it the better the idea seemed to the Warder. They had to do something and this was a bold move that the High Lady would never suspect. If they were careful, they could pull this off, he argued. He had to admit it sounded exciting as well, a clandestine operation and challenge where they would need to show honed skills and great care. Kathleen seemed to him not totally convinced by the idea but in the end she had agreed, also because they had not come up with any better alternatives.

 

 

Perhaps this wasn’t my best idea. The Warder now thought in retrospect.

 

Elessar considered the situation in the darkness. He had picked the lock to the huge main entrance door with relative ease (it was a practical skill learned many years before as a young Warder) and fortunately there had been no guards around, nor any alarm sounding. Sneaking into the hallway they had walked down some days before during their visit to the Manor, they had hidden in the shadows, waiting for an inside guard to appear at any moment. After a minute crouching in a corner they had walked slowly and silently down the hallway. Candle lights on the wall at regular intervals lit the way forward and Elessar glimpsed in passing the historical paintings he had seen on the walls before and the crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Stopping at a corner, the Gaidin had peeked into the next corridor and seeing no movement had motioned to Kathleen and continued forwards. Half-way along this passageway there had been sudden movement coming from some way ahead and they had rushed in behind a pillar, moving as silently as possible, in time to hide from whoever was approaching. It had been a guard with a sword at his side and the middle-aged Andoran had passed them by without seeing them. It had been a close call though, Elessar had thought, and they had taken great care as they had continued toward the Great Hall.

 

And now here they were, waiting patiently in the shadows outside the Great Hall of the Manor. They had agreed that it was most likely that any papers or other forms of evidence would be found in the private office where they had had their conversation with the High Lady. And to get to that room they had to go through the Great Hall.

 

Elessar exchanged another look with his Bondholder and her stare was hard to decipher but he thought she was not overly amused. Turning back to face the large pair of doors with the House sigil embedded into the oak woodwork that were the entrance to the Great Hall, he considered whether there would be any guards in there. Since they had only seen one guard so far there was every chance there would be more around. Then again, it could be that the High Lady did not see the need for having more than one guard in the Manor at nighttime.

 

It was time to roll the dice.

 

 

Nodding to Kathleen, he finally crept up to the large oak doors and turned the door handle. He half expected the door to be locked but was pleasantly surprised when the door sliced open almost soundlessly. He waited a few seconds, alert and ready for movement inside but there was only silence. They moved quietly into the Great Hall, closing the door softly behind them. The Great Hall had fewer candle lights along the walls but sufficient for them to make their way across the large room and toward the door at the back which led to the office room which was their destination. When they arrived outside the office room, they stopped and waited. He whispered a few words to Kathleen and she replied with a nod. If any room had occupants at this late hour, it would be this one. They had both agreed on that. They did not expect the High Lady to be up so late and working (which was part of the reason they had come this late) but one could never tell. Perhaps the High Lady enjoyed plotting at night.

 

Placing his ear close to the door, the Warder listened for any sound. There was nothing. Waiting a few more moments, he then tried the door handle. Unsurprisingly it was locked. He had expected as much. Removing his lockpick from his pocket he had the door opened in moments. He pushed the door inwards ever so slowly, ready to pounce on whoever was inside, but there was no one there. The room was dark with no lights at all and only slivers of silver light coming through the window at the end. Waving for his Aes Sedai to follow, they crept into the room and closed the door silently behind them.

 

 

They waited until their eyes had adapted to the near-darkness of the room, listening for any movement out in the Great Hall, then they walked past the big table where they had conversed with the High Lady and up to a cupboard in the corner. Elessar had noticed the cupboard on their previous visit but had thought little of it then. When they had discussed the most probable place messages and other evidence could be found in this office room, however, the cupboard had come to mind. It was at least the first place they would check. A small voice in the back of his head whispered that the High Lady would not be so stupid as to let compromising evidence be lying around, but then again he knew that people - also Nobles - made mistakes and were not always as careful as they ought to be.

 

Perhaps we are lucky, Elessar thought as he stopped before the cupboard, lighting a small candle for them to see. Kathleen joined him and he watched as she waited a second, then carefully opened a small drawer on the cupboard, shuffling through several small pieces of paper. Then she opened a second small drawer which only contained a few trinkets.

 

The third drawer was locked.

 

They exchanged a quick glance, thinking the same thing. This would probably be where any important papers were stored.

 

The Warder removed his lockpick set again from his pocket and chose a small lockpick this time. Inserting it into the small drawer-lock, he moved it around inside the lock with twists and turns until a small click sounded. Nodding to Kathleen, he put the lockpick set away and watched as she carefully opened the small drawer. Inside was an envelope with a letter inside. The envelope had not been re-sealed so the Aes Sedai was able to remove the letter with ease. Holding it up near the candle light, she read the flowing script. Afterwards she handed it to Elessar without a word. He read it in silence.

 

 

It said:

 

My High Lady,

 

I bring you good tidings.

 

The plans we discussed some weeks ago have been set into motion. Our Friend sends his regards and says that the Black Rose will be sacrificed. It has been ordered so.

 

Let me also add that the emeralds have been received and will be a princely gift indeed. They should give us the leverage we need.

 

As for our.. guests shall we say.. keep a close eye on them. We must not let them interfere in our plans. Nothing must come in the way now. Remember what happened to our.. sister who failed. Her misjudgement almost destroyed everything. We must be careful.

 

 

Yours in the Faith,

 

Nyriana

High Lady of House Vandahr

 

Delete

Well, actually I do have the time and interest ? but after I posted I thought perhaps it was better to talk off board by PM (was going to send you a PM but you beat me to it) and so I edited the post. If you are interested, send me a PM okies ?

Em! *huggles*

 

Kinda quiet, yeah but some of us are still around. Good to see ya! ?

 

They watched the cave from a distance, waiting silently in the Shadows.

 

They had received the ‘tip’ from the informant earlier that day, that ‘persons of dubious allegiances’, as the old man had delicately termed it, were rumoured to be meeting that evening in a cave in a hillside just outside Whitebridge. It had sounded somewhat dubious to Elessar, a bit too obvious and possibly also a trap, but then again this informant was trustworthy, or so Kathleen’s contact had said, and so they had, after some debate discussing the possible danger and risks involved but also the upsides, decided to check it out.

 

From their vantage point they had seen several secretive dark cloaked figures enter and leave the cave in the past hour or so, some with burning candles, though what business they had inside the cave was anyone’s guess. The Warder did find it suspicious though, also with the late hour, and wondered if this really could be a Darkfriend meeting place or, perhaps, a hideout. Whispering some words in Kathleen’s ear, he turned back to gaze at the opening of the cave. They were on a small hillside with a path leading up to the cave. Since it was dark it was not easy to see much more than a dozen or so figures coming and going. It was noteworthy though that all the figures wore dark cloaks which hid their faces from the little light that shone down from the moon above. Elessar wondered if their High Lady was one of those figures but it was impossible to tell, or find out right then.

 

Kathleen had made it clear that they were just to observe this night, not intervene in any way. They had, after all, no proof of any wrong-doing by anyone specific so far, just rumours and indications, also it was unwise to jump into any danger without preparation, even if they both were more than capable of defeating many foes. And so they lay silently watching, out of sight for any of those present.

 

Finally, a good while later, two cloaked figures left the cave, throwing their burning candles aside as they walked down the path. They were whispering to each other and one of them was gesticulating but it was impossible to tell what they were saying. From the way they carried themselves Elessar guessed they were males, though he could not be sure. Was there any reason to believe all these people were up here meeting in this out-of-the-way cave near midnight with no dark intentions? The local history club on a late night outing, perhaps? Somehow it seemed very improbable to the Warder. They waited a while longer to ensure there was no one left in the cave. There was no movement in the darkness, only the soft breeze touching their hair, and finally they agreed that the last of the people attending the cave-meeting were gone. Were they to go and check the cave? Kathleen and Elessar discussed the matter in lowered voices (just to be on the safe side), whether there could be anything to be found in the cave or if it represented some danger to them. They ended up agreeing that it was worth taking a look, both excited at the prospect of doing something, and they were not defenseless after all.

 

 

Creeping forth from the place they had been hiding on a small elevation a little to the side of the cave-opening, they walked down to the path and up to the cave. Peering carefully inside, Elessar saw nothing. It was pitch black. Exchanging a glance with Kathleen, he stepped aside as she made a light appear. It was still semi-dark further inside the cave but the light made it possible to see some details of what was within. Checking for any boobytraps, the Aes Sedai then nodded that it was safe as they went inside. They walked slowly, Elessar vigilant as always and ready for any sudden danger. Nothing happened, the shadows surrounding them as they went deeper into the cave. They stopped and gazed at a wooden table and some old chairs on one side. Further in were some more chairs and the legs of a broken table, but nothing else. Just the rock walls and the stone ceiling.

 

The cave was larger than they had anticipated, the temperature sinking as they went further in, and at one point it branched into several smaller passageways. The Gaidin wondered who had dug out this large cave once upon a time and for what purpose. There were no animals of the four-legged kind either in the dark cave, some who might frequent this western Andoran region, for which they were both grateful. Then again, Elessar might have had more sympathy for a bear or a stray wolf than for the filthy animals of the two-legged kind that they were hunting.

 

They studied the rugged walls and ceiling of the cave, both wondering if this place hid any secrets that could give an indication of what all those people were doing here and who they were, but they found nothing important. A broken cup on the floor of the cave, a piece of glass that had fallen off something, a torn piece of clothing, and the remains of some burned-down candles. They seated themselves in two of the old wooden chairs, Kathleen studying the piece of glass, and exchanged views and thoughts. Elessar thought he felt renewed excitement through the Bond from Kathleen and he guessed she felt the same from him. Hunting Darkfriends was exhilarating; dangerous yes but also exciting and fulfilling. To Elessar this was the most important duty they had as Guardians of the Light, as he liked to think of them.

 

 

Studying his Bondholder as she spoke now, he thought they were making a good team so far. The Bond was fresh, however, and he knew from his former Bonds that it took a while for Warder and Sedai to learn each others’ subtleties through the Bond and know each others’ moves almost before they made them. The Bond would also be tested at some point, they would disagree and have to work through their differences, he knew this from experience and Leandreen had also spoken of it, but so far he was pleased. It felt much as it had with Leandreen in those early days: two dedicated partners in the Light, learning to think, act and work in tandem, and united in common purpose.

 

Finally, after some minutes of deliberation, they agreed to search some more, this time separately. Elessar stepped over to one rock wall a little further down the passage to check while Kathleen went the other way. They searched for some time without luck, feeling with their hands along the rugged walls and looking into the small crevices that were found intermittently. It was not easy with the lack of light in the cave but his eyes had become accustomed to the semi-dark and he kept on looking for some time. Elessar was beginning to give up, resigning himself to the fact, when he suddenly encountered something. He spoke her name, not too forcefully (still being careful) and waved her over.

 

 

“I think I found something”, Elessar said over his shoulder to his approaching Sedai.

 

Squeezed in between two rocks on the side of the cave in a corner was a smaller stone pitched at a strange angle and behind this a dark gap. Another stone, flatter, stood against the rock in that place , as he reached in, and when he touched it he felt it give way. Behind, in what was obviously a secret compartment, there was a steel box (with some decorative signs on top which bespoke of age) which he pulled out, excitement building inside him. Could this be something important? Hidden away as it was, his hopes rose. As Kathleen joined him from farther inside the cave, he opened the steel box (it had no proper lock, just a steel bar which he pushed to the side) and pulled out a small, bound parchment. It was old, showing its age. He opened it eagerly, but careful not to rip it, and read it quickly, barely breathing, before handing it to his Bondholder. His eyes then fastened on a small dark stone with an almost illegible inscription that also lay in the steel box.

 

His eyes were wide, his mouth open in disbelief.

 

It cannot be..! How is it possible?!

 

 

A memory took him back into the past.

 

A long time ago…

 

.. a young boy had found an old, strange document in a cave in the hill-country of northern Kandor. It had been buried in a steel-like box and only by chance had the young Kandori boy come across it as he had dug for ‘hidden treasures’ like most boys at that age. Excitedly he had shown the box to his father, who had remained at the opening of the cave - having first, of course, checked that the cave was not the home of any dangerous animals - and his father had managed to force open the box by using a knife he carried.

 

Hoping for a treasure of some sort - perhaps some gold crowns! - the young boy had been mightily disappointed when the box had only contained a small dark stone with an almost illegible inscription and an old, bound parchment. His father, however, had looked carefully at the stone, and in even more detail at the parchment, noticing its old age, speculating on its content, and had pocketed them, without a word, for later study. Only later that day, as they had headed back south toward their estate, had the boy noticed a strange, dark, uncompromising look on his father’s face but as young boys were want to, his thoughts had drifted, distracted by all the exciting countryside they were riding through, and he had thought no more about it.

 

Elessar remembered..

 

 

That evening, however, a day’s journey or so north of the Telcontar Estate, in their makeshift camp in the lee of a hillside, his curiosity had gotten the better of him. Seeing his father sleeping soundly beneath his blankets a few paces away, Elessar had crawled, making as little sound as possible, across to their belongings and to his father’s travelling cloak. Checking carefully in one of the cloak pockets, he had felt the stone and the parchment beneath his fingers. He had disregarded the stone. The parchment, however, had been of more interest to him. Taking it out, carefully removing the soft binding, barely able to read the front of the parchment by the light from their camp fire, he had read: “Glory to the Shadow’.

 

Finding it a strange and exotic - more than frightening - title, his curiosity had grown. Opening the parchment, glancing back at times to make sure his father was still sleeping, he had started reading. His eyes had grown wider and wider as each verse had registered in his mind, but it was only later, much later, when he had admitted to his father having read the unsigned Dark Poem in secret and had been chastised for it, that he had understood, at least to some extent, what a rare - and despicable - document he had found in that cave that day.

 

Elessar would never forget those Dark words and that ‘filthy Poem of the Shadow’ as his father had called it, before handing the document over to the local authorities, spitting the words in great distaste.

 

Only years later, as his own interest in history, poetry and stories had grown, had Elessar truly understood what a rare find they had made in those northern Kandori hills. Poems praising the Dark One, or the ‘Great Lord’ as worshipping Darkfriends termed him - poetry of the Shadow - were really rare (at least outside Darkfriend circles) and very rarely spoken of, if at all.

 

The Warder had often privately speculated that the White Tower probably kept some historic documents of the Shadow hidden in their secret vaults, be they any rare Dark poems, stories, proclamations or even, perhaps, prophecies of a sort, but he had never shared his suspicions with his Aes Sedais, knowing they would very probably never reveal any such secrets, if they existed, even to their Bondmates..

 

 

And now, having read the words on the parchment, he knew it was the same words, the same filthy Dark poem he had read all those years ago. And the same dark stone accompanied the parchment.

 

He could not quite believe that for the second time in his life he had found one of the rare - as far as he knew, at least (though more learned men might, of course, know better) - Poems of the Shadow. Shaking his head, he wondered if this was an omen of sorts. He had always hated the Shadow and had dedicated his life to fighting the Darkness, to fighting Evil wherever it may be found, the main reason why he had left his Borderlander home around the age of 17 and travelled to Tar Valon to become a Warder in the Light. In all the years since he had stood proudly and defiantly at his various Bondholders’ side in the eternal struggle against the Shadow.

 

Kathleen finished reading the old parchment and handed it back to him in silence, picking up the small dark stone with the almost illegible inscription from the steel box. She studied it for some moments, running it through her fingers, before placing it back. The emotions coming through the Bond were muddled. He was unable to read her eyes but he thought she looked somewhat questioningly at him. She had probably seen or sensed his reaction and understood that there was much more to this, at least for him. He met her eyes and nodded affirmatively.

 

 

“As you may have guessed, I have seen this.. filth before.” Elessar said. There was still disbelief in his voice. “I know such.. poetry.. if we can call it that.. is rare. At least that is what I have picked up from books over the years. But I have actually seen this same poem before. And a similar dark stone. In a hidden steel box. A long time ago..”

 

He told his story and Kathleen listened attentively without interrupting him. Afterwards she gave him a strange look, a look he could not quite understand, but she did not question him about the matter, keeping her thoughts to herself. Instead her eyes returned to the old parchment he was holding. He looked down at it again, his fingers touching the flowing script, and his eyes darkened.

 

Filthy words. Dark words. Words of praise to the Shadow and their Master. It made him sick, but at the same time he knew - and he knew that she knew - that this was another piece of evidence that there were indeed Darkfriends in this region if there had been any doubt. Servants of the Shadow. Men and women with black hearts and devious minds. Enemies of the Light. Enemies of the White Tower.

 

The letters of the Dark poem, the zealous words of devotion to their evil Master of Darkness, almost leapt from the page in Dark whispers and echoes to surround them there in the partial darkness of the cave.

 

 

‘Glory to the Shadow’

 

Glory to the Shadow! Our day is Near!

When Darkness will cover the Land in Fear

To you, we Pray, to ignite the Spark

Arise, our Master, Great Lord of the Dark!

 

Glory to the Night! We will Hunt in Strength

Covering the World, in its Breadth and Length

Destroying the Lightfools, wherever they Be

Drawing their Blood, on the Land and the Sea

 

Glory to the Darkness! Our Great Lord’s Return!

For Victory, Immortality - Let the whole world Burn

Oh, Lord of the Grave - we Salute you, we Obey!

Your Triumph we await! On that Final Day!

 

 

Kathleen and Elessar remained standing in the semi-dark cave in silence for a long time, lost in their own thoughts as they considered the implications of this latest find, two beacons of Light among threatening Shadows.

 

 

The deadly knife whistled through the air, making a whooshing sound that slithered through the darkness, embedding itself with an emphatic thud in the old wooden building within a hairsbreadth of Elessar’s head!

 

 

The day had started nicely with a good breakfast at their inn and pleasant light conversation. Their Darkfriend-prisoner was bound (in more ways than one) in the closet of Kathleen’s room and the innkeeper had been informed that the room was out of bounds for any inn staff. They were considering whether they would get any more useful information out of the Darkfriend, and what to do with him afterwards, though Kathleen had raised an eyebrow at some of Elessar’s more.. colourful suggestions regarding getting their captive to talk. He had made those suggestions partly in jest, and would never resort to torture even if interrogation sometimes meant being forceful. One had to draw the line at some point, he remembered his Warder-teachers had emphasized early in his training, keeping morality and ethics in mind. It is one of the things that distinguishes us from our evil enemies, Elessar. Never forget that. He did, however, make good use of his ability to lie (falsify the truth) to a captive whenever necessary, knowing one of the Aes Sedai Oaths prevented Kathleen from doing the same. It often produced results, in his experience, and was a useful and important tool in interrogations.

 

The Warder had been in a good mood as they had departed the inn in late afternoon to do some errands. Soon though his mood had changed. It had started some time later with the horse and carriage almost running them over. Accident or mishap perhaps, but Elessar found it highly suspicious that the horse driver had swerved into their path as he had done. Then, as they were rounding a corner five streets or so southwards of the inn, three huge blond-haired brutes had jumped them without provocation. Elessar had reacted quickly, Kathleen as well, and after some well-aimed blows the men had run off cursing down the street. The Warder had not considered it worth running after them though he had cast them black looks over his shoulder. They might be ordinary thugs but he highly doubted it. He was not a great believer in coincidence. They had retreated to a bench in a small plaza where they had discussed the situation and how to respond. Excitement was good but he wanted to be in charge of events, things happening on their terms; acting, not reacting.

 

It had been near sunset, twilight quickly approaching over the horizon, when they had begun the long walk back towards the Western Bridge inn. Darkness was quickly falling over Whitebridge as they had headed down the town streets, Elessar keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings. A few streets from the inn they had stepped into an alley which led to a side-street that ended at the inn. It was dark by then and the two had walked carefully forwards along the buildings, keeping to the shadows.

 

And that is when it happened!

 

 

It had been instinct, perhaps, that had made him cry out a warning to his Sedai just in time, leaping in front of her to shield her - and Kathleen had thrown herself to the side and out of danger’s path. Instinct, or perhaps a feeling of imminent danger, an added sense which Warders often seemed to possess and which was particularly sensitive in Elessar after the occurrences earlier that day.

 

Throwing himself to the ground, he now checked on Kathleen asking if she was ok - she lay a little off to his left in the dark, partially stunned but seemingly uninjured - before raising his head to look across the alley from where the knife had been thrown. It was difficult to see in the darkness but he glimpsed that some of the buildings had doors partially open, with a little light coming from within, and there was a small staircase leading down from one of the houses, but he could see no movement anywhere. Just then, as he was considering their options, a second knife flew through the air and barely missed the Warder. Retrieving it carefully from the wall beside him, touching only the handle, close up Elessar thought he saw dark wetness on the blade. Poison without doubt!

 

Darkfriends!

 

It’s bloody well happening all over again! Elessar thought angrily, as he cursed loudly. He remembered a similar episode with Carys, his former Bondholder, some years before, then too Darkfriends had tried to kill them. A different place, but the same enemies. He felt sure of that. The same bloody vermin.

 

Cursing again, Elessar threw the knife away. He took a moment to evaulate the situation. How was it he could be taken so unawares? Again?! He blamed himself for not sensing and discovering the danger; whether he was, in truth, to blame was less important to him right then. He felt responsible for Kathleen’s safety, it was his duty as her Warder, and it was only his quick instinctive reaction combined with some luck that they had not been seriously injured so far. Whatever powers, skill and experience they both had, when taken totally unawares those things did not count for all that much.

 

Turning quickly to check on his Sedai again - she had found her feet and now met his eyes calmly, her look focused and determined; he guessed she was holding the One Power, in readiness -,  he turned back to the alley before them. He regretted now taking this route, seeing that it was a good place for an ambush, especially in the dark. He should have taken the long way around to the inn, he thought guiltily. It was easy to be critical in retrospect. Pushing those dark thoughts away, he considered what action to take. Speaking a few whispered words with Kathleen, they moved slowly forwards keeping to the shadows. They were half-way along the building when the Gaidin stopped, Kathleen just behind him. In the silence that followed Elessar gazed into the blackness, searching for their foe. Suddenly there was a sound coming from ahead of them to their left on the other side of the alley. Not a loud sound, the shuffling of feet, but enough to stand out in the silence. Elessar had an idea now where their foe was. The assassin. Whispering to Kathleen again, he began removing one of his own knives - a well balanced piece that would function well as a throwing-knife - from his coat. He waited and waited.. counting on the man out there becoming impatient.. and after a few minutes his tactic succeeded. There was visible movement in the darkness and a shadow detached itself from the building opposite. It was not much of a point to aim at but enough for the seasoned Warder. He took careful aim, waited and then threw the knife hard at the shadow.

 

 

His aim had been good and there was a gasp of pain followed by a curse coming from the shadow as the knife hit its target. The shadow went into motion, gradually showing the contours of a human figure, and scrambled hurriedly away from them down the alley and into the adjacent street. Elessar was about to follow but Kathleen put a hand on his shoulder whispering that they were to let the man go. He nodded, accepting the decision. The man had gotten a big head start anyway and would perhaps not have been caught. Also there could be other assassins about. His first priority was keeping his Aes Sedai safe. Casting a long glance around them, he searched for any additional threats in the dark.

 

“He is gone, but there could be more than one”, he whispered as he stared vigilantly around. “We should get moving. It seems our enemies - probably our bloody Darkfriends! - do want us dead.”

 

Kathleen nodded in silent agreement, keeping her private thoughts to herself, and they headed swiftly back to the inn, both vigilant and careful, keeping an attentive lookout in the dark, intent on not being caught unawares again.

 

 

The man with the scar cursed as he half limped, half ran along the alley, turning at intervals to check if he was being followed. The pain from his leg coursed through his body and it took a strong effort of will to avoid screaming out in agony. The knife protruding from his leg had to be removed but that was a job for a healer man. He would not risk removing it himself. Main thing was to get to the safe-house; he would get help there. At least the knife had not been poisoned; had it been, he would have been dead by now, of that he felt sure. Cursing again, the man’s piercing blue eyes stared fixedly ahead. He turned a corner, looking into the distance for the building he sought. His faltering steps made a clicking sound on the cobblestone path. Finally he saw it. Hurrying past a couple of rough-looking men who looked strangely at him, with great suspicion, he half-limped, half-dashed inside the building and up a short flight of stairs. Stopping before a nondescript door he banged on the door with both fists, breathing hard, sweat pouring down his face, pain making him grimace. He clenched his fists as he waited for someone to open the door.

 

There was movement from within, then a cold voice called out: “Who is there?” The man with the scar cursed again. “It’s me. Open the door! I am bloody hurt.”

 

There was a moment’s pause, then the door opened slightly and a pair of cold blue eyes looked out from a heavily scarred face. Apparently satisfied with what he saw, the man - a middle aged Andoran by the look of him with predatory eyes and a twisted mouth - opened the door wide and helped the injured man inside. The door shut closed behind them.

 

 

It was a good while later, after a healer man had come and had removed the knife, cleaned the wound and bandaged part of his leg, that the man with the scar was able to think through what had happened. The short truth of it was: he had bungled the job. His masters would not be pleased. Not pleased at all. Thinking back on the pain - the hideous unending pain! - from that night not so long ago made him shiver.

 

Before that night, he had for a time considered breaking his oath. He had simply been tired of it all; tired of his work, tired of all the death he spread, wanting only to have it done with. But then he had been warned, first with the note slipped unsuspectedly into his coat pocket, and then - more firmly - with the torture.. His body almost shook again. After that all doubt in his mind had been removed - or repressed. He realized he had been a fool to think he could get away with breaking his oath to the Great Lord. He would carry out his assignment as he had vowed.

 

 

But he had failed.

 

The Warder and his accursed Aes Sedai woman, snooping around where they were not wanted, were still alive, his knives had missed their target from what he had seen and heard. And to make matters worse, he was the one who had gotten injured. Angry at himself for his failure, and for getting himself injured, the man’s eyes tightened. Had the Gaidin not somehow sensed the danger coming, screaming out his warning just in the nick of time, the knife would have hit the woman in the chest, of that he was sure. The Warder himself had been lucky to have escaped with his life. He had run straight into the knife’s path.

 

Running a nervous hand through his long blond hair, he shifted his eyes to the cloaked figure, with a heavy cowl hiding the face, standing still in the corner of the room. That figure had been silent ever since it had arrived. The man with the scar almost wished it would stay silent forever. His wish was not to be. The cloaked figure beckoned him forwards and he stood up from where he lay, gritting his teeth against the slight pain in his leg. Facing the cloaked figure he lowered his eyes in deference. A cold whisper came out of the black hood.

 

“We do not tolerate failure”.

 

Pain erupted in the scarred man’s head and he cried out in agony. He could not tell whether he had been physically struck or not; the pain was sudden, the pain was everything. He fell onto his back and tears of pain streamed down his cheeks. His arms shook and his screams became ever louder. After a few moments - or an eternity -, he could not tell which, the pain lessened somewhat. He tried to stop his arms and legs from shaking but was only partially successful. He registered the voice in his mind. He could not say if the words were spoken aloud or not. Pain and confusion ran through him - and he only wanted it all to stop.

 

“You will have one final chance to please the Great Lord. This is what you will do.”

 

He listened carefully to his instructions, taking note of every detail in his mind, but soon he was awash once again in oceans of pain.

 

 

Back in their rooms in the inn, Kathleen and Elessar sat for a  long time discussing the seriousness of their situation, and why things has escalated as they had. They both agreed that it had to be the Darkfriends wanting to rid themselves of the White Tower threat that the Aes Sedai and Warder represented. But it seemed overly drastic for their enemies to attack so openly. Either it was a sign of desperation, Elessar suggested, or of great confidence in themselves. For whatever reason, Kathleen and Elessar had to reassess the situation and consider how to meet this open threat. Retreating was out of the question - they were seasoned warriors both - and neither were they enthusiastic about asking for reinforcements. This mission had been given to Kathleen and she intended to carry it out and complete it. Elessar agreed full heartedly. They would finish what they had started. At the same time it would be prudent to be a little more careful when they ventured outside. Kathleen saw that Elessar blamed himself for not having prevented the attack but assured him that it was impossible to be ready for every eventuality. He nodded in response, though inside he still felt guilty. A Warder’s guilt. He swore to himself that he would do better next time. He would not fail. He had failed enough in his time. He brushed the destructive thought away, listening carefully to Kathleen’s words about their next move.

 

The following morning they met up in the Common Room for breakfast. After some decent food, drink and pleasant chitchat Kathleen retired to her room (she had some things she needed to take care of, she said) while Elessar went into the streets to have a look around. He wanted primarily to get an impression of whether they were being watched. Heading to a spot by a building on the other side of the street, which had a good view of the entrance to their inn, he stopped there and pretended to be looking through a shop window at wares. In the reflection from the glass he stared, however, at a scruffy-looking young man a little way down from the inn who kept glancing that way. As he had expected, they were being watched. He turned his gaze down the street to see if anyone else suspicious was taking an interest in them. He then turned in the other direction. He did not see anyone else though people and carriages were passing and it was not easy to tell. He considered jumping the scruffy-looking spy, but decided against it. They already had one spy in captivity; a second one might become too much to handle at that moment. Kathleen had said go look about and report back and that he intended to do.

 

 

Walking across the street, he entered the inn and went up to Kathleen’s room and reported what he had seen.

 

“I think we should find some other place as base of operations”, he suggested when he had finished reporting, and Kathleen agreed after considering the matter.

 

It seemed prudent and also practical to find some place their enemies did not know about. Somewhere less conspicuous. A private place, not an inn or similar establishment. Kathleen left to contact the Eyes and Ears and later that day the local woman that Kathleen knew came to visit. They spoke for a while in private and not long after the Aes Sedai, the Warder and their captive (unconscious and back in his leather-sack, carried by two trustworthy men associated with the local woman) left the inn by the back door and were brought to a secret place in town by their familiar horse driver with his carriage. Elessar caught the eye of the horse driver before entering the carriage and in the older man’s eyes he thought he saw a blend of honest fear and dedicated willingness to serve. He had seen the same look in others who served Aes Sedai and the White Tower. It did not surprise him.

 

It was shortly after they had settled in their new temporary abode, a nondescript old house on the eastern outskirts of town, that the local woman took Kathleen aside and told her of the informant who wished to speak to them. They spoke to the man, an almost toothless old Andoran with a rugged face and only one eye, discussed this new situation in light of the new information, and considered whether this ‘tip’ was something to disregard or if it was an opportunity they should not miss.

 

Kathleen finally made her decision, thinking the matter over, and Elessar nodded in agreement.

 

Wonderful post, Tyrell ^^

 

When you put it like that, we are probably all here a little nuts to enjoy this great fantasy-saga as entertainment.. *dark grin* It is certainly adult in most respects, and often extreme (though the consensual sex-part, as you say, is modest [mostly off screen] compared to similar works; personally I approve of that but, like others, think that part will be much more prominent in the tv-series).

 

At that moment a crashing noise came from the forge followed by a shout, and he saw the stranger watching the forge almost jump as he stared intently in that direction, wondering what on earth was happening.

 

This was Elessar’s chance to catch him unawares! If the man saw him coming, he might get enough of a headstart that the Warder would be unable to catch him. Springing into action, Elessar ran in great leaps toward the man, keeping to the shadows of the buildings, and was almost upon the stranger before he was spotted. The man yelped and tried to make a run for it but to no avail. The Gaidin caught him before he had made a dozen steps and swung him into the wall between two buildings. The man cried out at the pain in his back but managed to swing his fist at Elessar. The Warder saw it coming, however, and deflected the punch and delivered one of his own into the other man’s stomach. The man bent over in pain and another deft punch in his neck-region by Elessar knocked him out cold.

 

Gazing up and down the alley, Elessar saw no one who appeared to be interested in what was going on and he nodded to himself, pleased. They wanted to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. Not long after, Kathleen came walking up to him and looked silently down at the unconcious man at her Warder’s feet. She nodded to him, and he lifted the man’s body onto his shoulder - no mean feat considering the weight of the man - and carried him deeper into the alley and down some dark stairs on the left to a locked cellar-door. The room behind was a cellar and storage area for the blacksmith and Kathleen opened the door with a large key. They dragged the unconcious man into the dark room, which was half-full with crates of all sizes, and locked the door behind them.

 

 

The blacksmith had only been too glad to aid them, letting them use the cellar-room for whatever business they had, when Kathleen had explained to him that it was Tower business (but giving no details) and that they would be grateful. It was a risk, perhaps, but the older man seemed dependable and dragging their victim through the streets and into the inn constituted an even greater risk. Kathleen had agreed when Elessar had suggested it. They needed to get some answers from this man, and quickly. The Warder felt sure this man was involved somehow.

 

We do need answers, he thought to himself, as he watched the contours of the man on the hard earthen cellar-floor. Then there was sudden light and Elessar studied the man more closely.

 

He was Andoran without doubt, blond hair, half-long though greasy-looking. The man wore ordinary Andoran workman’s attire though he was a bit scruffy-looking. His face was rougher than normal, several scars running down the side of his left chin. His nose had been broken several times as well and would never be quite straight again. Are you a Darkfriend, I wonder? Elessar thought darkly to himself as he studied him. Or just a rough-looking street villain hired to spy on people? The Gaidin checked the man for weapons, removed a knife the stranger had in a pocket of his vest, tied his arms and legs tightly with a rope, and then slapped the man’s face hard a few times - and finally the man regained conciousness. He struggled against the ropes for a moment but to no avail. Cursing, the man turned his face up at whoever was standing before him, and then scowled.

 

 

“You!” he spat and tried to lunge for the Warder though he was bound and unable to move more than a few inches. Kathleen remained silent but watched carefully as their captive gradually quieted, his back to a large crate. He stared sullenly - and angrily - at the Warder and Aes Sedai.

 

“Good!” Elessar said in a hard voice, the man’s knife in his hand. “Now then, we are going to have a nice little talk.”

 

His no-nonsense tone could not be missed, though the man did not react to his words.

 

“You have been following us”, the Gaidin said squarely. “And I, or rather my Aes Sedai here” - he nodded at Kathleen beside him - “wants to know why.”

 

“Please take you time, if you wish.” He added smoothly. “We have all day. But do speak truthfully. We do not deal well with lies.”

 

 

A dangerous glint came into the Warder’s eyes as he studied their captive, his fingers brushing the knife’s edge almost nonchalantly.

 

As a Warder of many years, he had experience in interrogation and questioning. The threat of violence was always preferrable to the real thing, he had found, but a Warder did what was necessary to keep his Aes Sedai safe.

 

In their fight against the Shadow - and other enemies of the White Tower - sometimes harsh measures and methods were necessary. He hoped Kathleen, as an experienced Battle Ajah Sister, understood this, just as his dear Leandreen of the Green had done many years before.

 

Studying the rough-looking, angry and tight-mouthed man on the ground, the Warder’s eyes hard and uncompromising as stone, Elessar of Kandor wondered what it would take this time.

 

 

“I will tell you nothing!”, their captive spat, looking angrily at the Warder.

 

Elessar shook his head, his eyes narrowing.

 

“That is not very productive”, the Warder said in a hardened voice. “Nor very wise.”

 

The Andoran man chuckled. “You don’t scare me.”

 

There was spite in his voice when he added that he had done nothing wrong. He was innocent.

 

“Innocent, eh?” Elessar mumbled wryly as he felt the sharp edge of the knife along his finger. “Innocent of what exactly?”

 

The man only glowered at the Warder and Sedai and kept his mouth shut.

 

“I think you are many things”, Elessar continued, “but innocent is not one of them.”

 

The man’s eyes tightened but he remained silent.

 

 

“So tell us”, the Gaidin demanded, “who sent you to spy on us?”

 

The man looked up at them and grinned darkly.

 

“Who said anything about spying on you, ..Warder!?” The man spat.

 

His emphasis on the word ‘Warder’ made it sound foul the way he said it.

 

“Oh stop these bloody lies!” Elessar shouted, and in a sudden move rammed the knife into the crate beside their captive’s head. The man’s eyes widened, the rapid move taking him by surprise.

 

Elessar exchanged a glance with Kathleen, hoping she would understand that this was part of the ‘interrogation game’ he was playing with this man. He would deliberately ‘lose his cool’ at intervals to put the man on edge. It was one of several techniques to be used in situations like this. The Warder remembered from his time with Leandreen that she had complimented him on his interrogation-skills, also adding that he was so good at it that she sometimes feared he might go too far. Kathleen had not seen this part of him before, and he hoped she would understand and approve of his methods.

 

Turning back to their captive, he saw sweat bead on the man’s forehead. His eyes were angry still but the Gaidin thought he detected some uncertainty in the man’s face though he tried to hide it.

 

“Next time”, the Warder said icily, “that knife will be embedded in your shoulder. To make another scar which will fit well with the facial scars you wear so proudly.”

 

 

The man cursed and then stared at the Aes Sedai with hatred in his eyes.

 

Kathleen stared back at him, her face seemingly unaffected. It was hard for Elessar to tell from the Bond what she truly felt. Turning from the man on the ground, the Gaidin walked up to his Bondholder and whispered something in her ear.

 

Was he to continue this line of ‘questioning’, or did she want to take over?

 

She nodded that he could go on, which he interpreted as trust in what he was doing. If he went too far, he was sure Kathleen would let him know in no uncertain terms.

 

Turning slowly back to the man on the cellar-floor, Elessar considered his next words.

 

“Let us begin again. Why are you following us?”

 

“I will tell you nothing!”

 

“Which House do you serve?”

 

“I serve no House!”

 

“Stop with your lies!”

 

“I am no liar! You bloody White Tower stick your noses in everyone’s business and always think you know best.”

 

“What have you got to hide? Tell the truth!”

 

“I will tell you nothing, White Tower lackey!”

 

 

A sly look came upon his Warder’s face as he studied the Andoran man. The man was getting agitated and nervous, as Elessar wanted, and if coaxed in the right way, he might let slip something they could use.

 

“You are afraid, aren’t you?” Elessar continued after a moment. “That’s why you are so evasive.”

 

“No, I am not! You can’t frighten me!”

 

“Oh, I can see in your eyes that you are fearful. Fearful that we are going to reveal your secret.”

 

“What secret do you mean!? What rubbish is this? I have no secrets!”

 

“Are you sure about that? We will inform everyone on the street that you are a snitch.”

 

“I am no snitch! Your White Tower lies will get you nowhere!”

 

“You wanna bet!? And we will reveal your true allegiance!”

 

“You have nothing on me! Nothing!”

 

 

The Gaidin smiled darkly at the man, and then suddenly levelled a hard kick at the man’s stomach. He half-doubled over in pain, coughing and cursing. When he had caught his breath, he straightened, his back again against the crate, and looked balefully at the Warder.

 

Elessar stared back icily at the man.

 

“Now then.. that I do have your attention.” He began. “We know all about you. You are a traitor.”

 

“I am no such thing. Bloody lies!”

 

“Oh, yes you are. And not only to the House you serve. But also to the Light!”

“You know nothing! You bloody White Tower are meddlers and fools!”

 

“Oh please shut up! We know it all! Most importantly, we know that you are.. a Darkfriend!”

 

They had no such knowledge, in fact, though the man did not know that, but Elessar had a hunch. This man would be the type of individual Darkfriends would use, he thought. And the man’s seeming antagonism towards the White Tower, the spite he felt, appeared more than normal. If Elessar was right in his suspicion, this would be an important catch indeed on this mission. And if he was wrong, perhaps this villain could at least give them some useful information. The clue was to trick the man into saying something he would not normally reveal. He hoped this last accusation would rattle the man somewhat whatever his true allegiances.

 

“You have no proof! Lies!”

 

“Oh, we have proof alright. And we know how to deal with Darkfriend-scum like you.”

 

“Lies of the bloody White Tower!”

 

“How long have you been a servant of the Dark One?!”

 

“Bloody lies! You don’t know what you are talking about!”

 

“Oh yes, I do. How long have you served the Dark One. For years perhaps!?”

 

“Lies! I am telling you, I am not serving the Great Lord of the Dark! All you have is bloody lies!”

 

 

He stopped of a sudden, his face twisting, realizing that he had fallen into the Gaidin’s trap.

 

His eyes tightened in rage and his face was flushed. He looked as if he wanted to spring at them, but was unable since his arms and legs were tied tightly.

 

Elessar’s grin widened as he turned toward Kathleen behind him. Her face was as smooth as ever, but he thought he saw approval in her eyes, the same feeling coming through the Bond from her.

 

Turning back toward their captive who now sat cursing himself for his stupidity, the Warder’s grin widened even further.

 

Gotcha! he thought with great satisfaction. He had always hated the Shadow and capturing Darkfriends always gave him immense gratification.

 

For only Darkfriends would say ‘Great Lord of the Dark’, everyone else called him the Dark One, though Elessar knew that their eternal enemy of the Shadow had several other names as well.

 

So this man who had spied on them was indeed a Darkfriend. There was no doubt.

 

And they had caught him.

 

Seeing as they were hunting Darkfriends in this area, seeking the Darkfriend cell they were sure was here, this was a major step forwards in their mission. He knew it and Kathleen did too. The question now was how to proceed. This Darkfriend captive could be even more useful to them than either of them had expected.

 

Facing the Darkfriend’s angry expression, Elessar nodded.

 

“Well, we are glad that you have now confirmed your true allegiance.” His voice hardened, his eyes like stone. “The White Tower particularly enjoys.. dealings with people of your.. persuasion shall we say.”

 

 

The man cursed and spat, his eyes wild and almost feverish now, saying they had tricked him. White Tower tricks, he said. Bloody White Tower tricks.

 

“Now, now.. behave yourself.” The Warder said, shaking his head. “You are in the company of a Lady. Don’t forget your manners.”

 

The Darkfriend cast another baleful glance at them both, but said nothing more.

 

“Good. Kathleen Aes Sedai now wants to ask you some questions as well”, Elessar added. “Answer truthfully and politely or you will feel my fist in that head of yours.”

 

He did not intend to smash the man’s head in, the Darkfriend was too valuable to them now, but he hoped the threat would make the man behave, at least to some extent. If he did not, the Darkfriend would regret it.

 

Their captive Andoran agent of the Shadow stared angrily and hatefully at Kathleen as she stepped forward.

 

 

It was dark outside, evening turning into night, when they lifted the large leather sack containing the unconcious Darkfriend into the horse-driven carriage in the alley. There were sounds of stray dogs and drunk people coming from further down the alley but the Warder could not see anyone close by. Kathleen stepped swiftly into the carriage and Elessar followed, closing the coach-door behind him. The driver pushed the horses into action and they headed promptly down the alley toward the street behind. It was not ideal but they had to get their Darkfriend captive back to the inn, preferrably as unnoticed as possible. He could have friends nearby, looking for him. And they could not stay in that cellar. Kathleen had told him that the carriage-driver was to be trusted, a man loosely associated with the Green Ajah’s Eyes and Ears, but even so the Gaidin wanted as few people as possible to observe them and their business.

 

They did not talk as the carriage headed toward their inn, both lost in their own thoughts after the ‘interrogation’ of before, and when they arrived at the stables behind the inn Elessar jumped off the carriage and greeted the waiting innkeeper. A backdoor to the inn stood open a little further back and Elessar lifted the large leather sack onto his shoulder and carried it inside, up a back-staircase and into Kathleen’s room. He threw the heavy sack containing the unconcious Darkfriend onto her bed, panting from the exertion, and stepped back. Kathleen soon joined him and closed the door behind them. The innkeeper had only been told that they were on Tower business and had some items of importance to bring back to the inn, and they wanted it done discreetly. The look Elessar had given him, when he had explained earlier that evening, had been enough.. encouragement.. for the innkeeper not to ask any more questions. This was a confidential matter, Elessar had pointed out, and the innkeeper had bowed respectfully - and perhaps a little fearfully - in understanding.

 

“Well, that went as well as could be expected”, Elessar said once he had regained his breath, meeting Kathleen’s eyes. “I think we managed to do it without unfriendly eyes catching on, but one can never be certain.” The Aes Sedai nodded, casting a glance at the leather sack with their dangerous captive.

 

“The innkeeper will keep quiet.” He added. “He knows nothing in truth, just that it is Tower business, but I made sure he understood the confidentiality of the situation.” Kathleen cast him another glance but said nothing. The Aes Sedai had made sure their captured man would remain unconcious throughout the night and he lay still as death inside the large leather sack which had a few breathing holes cut out on the side.

 

 

“It has certainly been an interesting day”, the Warder said with obvious understatement, studying the leather sack with their Darkfriend captive. “A touch on the boring, uneventful side perhaps”, he added with a lopsided grin, “so let’s hope tomorrow will be more exciting.”

 

He did not see the glance Kathleen gave him, but the emotion coming through the Bond gave him a good idea.

 

 

The private conversation with High Lady Lyndelle of House Serevan was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. The High Lady’s eyes swept to the door, obviously surprised by the interruption. Instead of going to open it herself, however, or asking whoever it was to enter, she gave a nod to Elessar who politely rose and went to open. Outside stood a young nobleman in his early twenties with fair skin, short blond hair and the characteristic blue eyes of Andor. He gave a bow to the High Lady who he saw seated by the table, excusing himself for interrupting, but it was the Borderlander Warder in front of him whom he adressed. “Master Gaidin”, he said squarely, “my message is for you.” His eyes swept for a second to the Aes Sedai present but swiftly returned to the Warder.

 

Elessar looked back at him with surprise in his eyes, but then - receiving a nod from Kathleen and also from the High Lady - excused himself from the proceedings and followed the man outside, closing the door. The young Andoran bade him follow as they made their way through the reception room and the other nobles and into the corridor beyond. He led the Warder down the corridor to an empty corner, making sure no one was close enough to listen, as he leaned over and whispered in the Gaidin’s ear:

 

“Your Aes Sedai is in danger.”

 

 

Elessar’s eyes widened slightly at the statement but he showed no other reaction. The younger man’s face betrayed little of his feelings though Elessar thought he looked perhaps a little nervous. “In danger from whom?” Elessar whispered back, his dark eyes hardening. The other man did not reply but turned quickly and hurried down the corridor, away from the Borderlander Warder. In three long leaps Elessar had caught up with him, however, and pushed him against the wall, not too gently. “Now then”, he said in a harder voice. “I asked you a question.” The young Andoran struggled to get free, his face flushed but soon understood that the Gaidin had him pinned and that he could not escape. He gave up stuggling and his face now had a sullen look as his eyes met those of his captor. “I cannot say”, he replied at last. “I was just told to give you this message.”

 

Elessar looked long and hard at him, considering whether he believed the man or not. “By whom?” he added, his voice harsh. A couple of chatting noblemen further down the corridor turned in their direction at the sound of the Warder’s louder voice, wondering what this was all about, but one hard no-nonsense look by the Warder made them turn away and go about their own business. There was sweat beading on the young Andoran’s face now and he was unable to meet the Warder’s eyes. “I don’t know”, he said looking down, his voice full of gloom. “A piece of paper with the warning and my instructions was left in my room, I don’t know by whom.” Elessar thought this sounded somewhat dubious, but he pushed on. It was important to find out if this was a true threat to his Aes Sedai or a prank of some kind. Or perhaps a Game of dark intrigue such as Noble Houses liked to play. Daes Dae'mar. The Game of Houses.

 

“And where is this piece of paper now?” He asked, inquiringly. The young Andoran bit his lip but finally replied. “I destroyed it.” He said. Seeing Elessar’s eyes darken, he quickly added that he had done so since he did not want the piece of paper found on his person, implicating him in any way. It was a plausible explanation, the Warder thought to himself, but also very convenient. He pressed the man further. “Who has access to your room and would have been in a position to leave the piece of paper there?” The young Andoran sounded fearful now as he replied that he lived in a smaller Manor on the other side of town and that only his family and a few servants had access. But, he emphatically pointed out, it could not be any of them.

 

 

Elessar did not think he would get any more answers from this young man, but there was a final question he needed to ask. “I see”, he said icily as he pushed away from the Andoran nobleman. “One final thing. You obviously took this message seriously since you approached me here. Was there a warning also in your piece of paper, that not delivering the message would have consequences for you?” The young man’s eyes fell to the floor and there was fear in them as he looked up into Elessar’s face. “Yes”, he replied, his voice weaker now. “I was warned that were I to disregard the message, it would have.. dire consequences for me.”

 

The Gaidin nodded to himself, still unsure about this whole business, but thanked the young Andoran for delivering the message and then told him he could go, adding that they might have to speak more to him later. The nobleman gave him his name and address, then huried away, relief eminating from him, not looking once over his shoulder as he disappeared quickly down the corridor and around a corner, leaving a thoughtful Warder behind. Considering the matter for some moments, he did think the young man had told the truth or at least some of the truth. People could be liars - and good ones at that - but over the years Elessar had become a fairly good judge of character and he did not think this young Andoran nobleman was a clever manipulator. He had clearly been frightened by the whole affair. Whether this threat was real or not, however, it was something Kathleen needed to be told. All Gaidin were protective of their Bondholders but none so much as newly Bonded Warders. Elessar swore to himself that he would do anything necessary to keep his Bondholder safe.

 

 

Returning to the reception room, he walked down the aisle between Andoran nobles who glanced at him in passing, their eyes speculative and full of intrigue as often was the case with nobles everywhere. Coming up to the door to the room where Kathleen was conversing with the High Lady, he was about to knock when the door opened from the inside. Kathleen stepped outside, exchanged a quick glance with Elessar, then walked down the aisle. The Warder caught up with his Bondholder, seeing out of the corner of his eyes the High Lady seating herself on her ‘throne’ again, and walked beside her, a touch behind to her right, as they left the reception room - nobles bowing to the Aes Sedai from both sides - and entered the corridor behind. They walked in silence along the corridor and out of the building. Outside in the darkness of late evening the carriage driver was waiting, as arranged, and they stepped quickly into the carriage and soon were travelling back toward their inn. Only then did Kathleen meet Elessar’s eyes and ask him about the ‘message’. The Warder gave her some details of his meeting with the young Andoran nobleman. Kathleen listened attentively but did not speak at once, mulling over what she had been told. They exchanged a few thoughts as the horse-driven carriage carried them through the streets of Whitebridge, then agreed to discuss the matter in much more detail once they were back in the privacy of their rooms at the inn.

 

A little later, they sat in Kathleen’s room deliberating the matter. She had woven a ward around the room to prevent anyone from listening in, a prudent precaution, Elessar thought, in the circumstances. He was seated in a wooden chair he had fetched from his own room while she was seated in her own chair opposite him. Kathleen agreed with him that this could be anything from Noble House intrigue, a prank played on the White Tower, to a threat to be taken seriously. Seeing as they were hunting Darkfriends, and the strong indication that there was a Darkfriend cell in the area, Elessar did not want to take this potential threat lightly. Who or why someone wanted to warn them, though, was another matter. Friends of the White Tower would usually be open about it if bringing information or warnings to Aes Sedai, and enemies would surely keep any sign of their dark intent secret. But perhaps someone had come across information that Kathleen was in danger but did not dare inform openly, and so did it in this roundabout fashion? Whoever it was perhaps found it important and necessary that someone else, perhaps this young nobleman, deliver the message, and it was vital that it was delivered, thereby the words of warning should he not carry out the task? People did things for different reasons and in different ways, they both knew; some driven by desire, some by need, some by fear and others by reward.

 

All they could do was speculate on this possible threat, consider it as best they could, but Kathleen listened carefully as Elessar, when asked, repeated what he had told in the carriage, adding some details, and gave his impression of the young Andoran nobleman. They discussed the matter and what options they now had; Kathleen also added some of what had been said in her private meeting with the High Lady after Elessar had left. Their discussion ended without any decisions made, they would sleep on it, they agreed, and talk more about it the next day. When the Warder added, somewhat uneccesarily, that they would have to be careful and alert, she gave a quick nod. He closed the door behind him, bringing his chair with him, and went to his own room next door. Once there, placing his chair in the corner, he lay down on his bed and lay thinking for a long time. Feeling Kathleen through his Bond, he wondered for a moment if they were in any danger here at the inn. Before he went to sleep that night, he opened his door and gazed intensely into the dark corridor beyond, looking both ways, listening for any sound out of the ordinary. There was nothing, just darkness and silence. Nodding to himself, he closed the door and jumped into bed. There was silence coming from Kathleen’s room as well and he thought she was asleep. Entering the half-sleep, half-aware state of Warders at rest, he closed his eyes and light dreams soon enveloped him.

 

 

Elessar suddenly woke from his half-sleep and stared coldly into the darkness of his room.

 

Staring out the small window to his right, he saw that it was night outside.

 

Something had brought him out of his restful state.

 

Was it a sound, or his Warder’s intuition? He listened carefully but there was no sound coming from Kathleen’s room.

 

Nothing.

 

But a few seconds later.. he heard a soft sound coming from the corridor.

 

His attention intensified.

 

Elessar stepped quietly out of his bed, quickly put on his shirt and pants and moved silently toward the door.

 

He heard it again. A creak in the floorboard from the hallway outside.

 

 

It could, of course, just be the wooden boards adjusting as wood in old houses sometimes did.. but then again, it could be something else..

 

Or rather.. someone else..

 

Their conversation of the evening before, as well as their mission, came into the forefront of his mind. A potential threat, a possible danger to his Aes Sedai.

 

His eyes hardened.

 

His swordblade was in hand as he softly, silently pushed the doorknob down and opened the door. The Warder opened himself to the Flame and the Void, entering that state of emptiness and cold focus which enabled all his senses to function at their optimum.

 

Another creak..

 

Peering into the dark corridor, adrenaline now flowing through his veins, Elessar saw slight movement outside Kathleen’s door. His eyes became gradually accustomed to the darkness and he studied the shadows, looking for the possible threat.

 

Peering into the darkness, Elessar took a soundless step into the corridor.

 

 

He thought he felt something through the Bond from Kathleen; was she awake? It was hard to tell, as he focused on the darkness before him.

 

Holding onto his blade, he readied himself to act.

 

Another small movement outside Kathleen’s door..

 

A shadow among shadows..

 

Elessar was a miniscule moment away from leaping toward whatever or whoever threatened outside his Aes Sedai’s door when..

 

Another movement..

 

 

Just as the Warder began his movement forwards, carrying his momentum into whoever was in the blackness outside his Bondholder’s door, the shadow detached itself from the shadows around..

 

A sound erupted from the black creature’s mouth..

 

Tiny globes of half-light where its eyes were..

 

And it leapt straight at Elessar!

 

He jumped in spite of himself, a gasp of surprise! escaping his lips .. his dark eyes widening..

 

 

It was only as the creature sped past him with a feral scream, that the Warder realized that the intruder, their dangerous foe this dark and creepy night, was in fact.. the innkeeper’s huge black cat Spike.

 

Chuckles of mirth escaped his lips and he shook his head, his pulse slowly going down.

 

Dangerous foe indeed!

 

The cat had disappeared down the corridor and would probably not return. At least not at once. Perhaps it had been terrified of the lurking giant with a deadly blade standing there in the dark corridor. Or perhaps it had just been amused that this human creature would be interested in his, Spike’s, nightly hunt for mice in the deserted hallways of the inn. Who knew the thoughts of cats.. They were, after all, Masters of the Universe.

 

 

Still chuckling wryly to himself, the Warder knocked softly on Kathleen’s door and when he heard her say enter, he opened the door and stepped inside. She had swiftly pulled on her dress and stared back at him, a candlelight on a small table in the background flickering, giving off some light. She asked what had happened, why he was up at this time of night. It was difficult to read her thoughts from the way she spoke and the Bond between them did not let him know what she had sensed.

 

“No danger, all’s fine”, he said at once, wanting to put her at ease in case she was more concerned than she seemed. “I heard a suspicious sound from the corridor”, he informed, “and thought it prudent to check it out, with all that’s going on.”

 

“It turned out to be just the innkeeper’s monster of a black cat”, he added with a lopsided grin.

 

“So much for danger”. There was mirth in his voice but also great amusement as he thought of what had occurred.

 

Then his eyes hardened and his tone turned more serious. “But he is not the only predator out there. The others - the real ones - will be more dangerous.”

 

They exchanged another look, all mirth gone, knowing of what he spoke, and then Elessar left her to sleep, closing the door behind him. It took him a long while to enter the half-sleep again, and when he did, it was a dreamless rest.

 

 

The following morning they met up in the Common Room for breakfast. While they ate some bread and eggs with bacon, and had some kaf, they chit-chatted about everyday things. Half the tables around them were empty, and the few other guests were focused on their own business and did not pay attention to the two from Tar Valon. Even so, it was not the place to discuss the matters of the evening before and so they waited until they were on their own a little later, seated on a bench in the town’s plaza, before speaking of important matters. It was a gray morning with clouds drifting in from the east and with a soft breeze, but no rain in the air as of yet. A few passers-by threw them a quick glance as they hurried past, but most were intent on where they were going.

 

Just behind where they sat there was a couple of trees and a green area with some birds walking back and forth on the lawn looking for food. The plaza had cobblestones in various patterns and was in a decent condition, Elessar thought. He turned his focus from the cobblestones back to his Aes Sedai. She had woven another ward around them, he felt pretty sure, though she had not mentioned it. She knew the importance of being careful. She had just asked him something and he had only half-heard, so he had to focus on what her words had been.

 

“I am not sure”, he replied. “Perhaps we should visit our young nobleman informer and see if he perhaps remembers more that is of use to us.”

 

 

His attention was drawn then to a man standing by the corner of a local shop. The man was almost crouching, seemingly staring through the shop window at what was inside the store, but the Warder was pretty certain the man was, in fact, watching them though trying to hide it. He studied the man without seeming to, taking note of the man’s posture and clothes. He was ordinary looking at least from a distance, perhaps a bit on the rough side Elessar noted but otherwise not someone who would stand out in a crowd.

 

“We are being watched”, he whispered to Kathleen as he stared past her in the other direction. “At the corner of that local shop on my right.” He added. “I am pretty sure he is keeping a watch on us, though he pretends otherwise.”

 

The Aes Sedai gave an almost imperceptible nod but did not turn in that direction, not wanting to let the man know he had been spotted. “It could be one of the High Lady’s men”, Elessar said as he appeared to study the street in front of them. “She could be interested in our activities.”

 

Picking up a small stone from the cobblestones, he ran it between his fingers. “Then again, it could be some other party keeping a close watch on us. Should we say hello to this stranger, do you think?”

 

 

He phrased it as an open question, but it was obvious from his tone that he thought it might be a ‘good idea’ to do just so. There was a real possibility this watcher was a threat to them, or represented parties that were a threat to them, or to their mission. Kathleen quickly agreed, having reasoned similarly, and they left the bench and headed toward the street at a slow walk. This would have to be done in the right way; they could not simply walk up to the man and ask him to join them. That would never work. Out of the corner of his eye Elessar noted that the stranger followed them though at a fair distance. They walked down the street from the plaza and into an alley on the right that had a blacksmith’s forge near the end. Walking up to the forge, the Warder picked up a sword that hung on a shelf near the open-air entrance and took a closer look at it. Balancing it in his hand, he swung it to the right and then the left, feeling the quality of the steel. While doing so he kept a lookout for the stranger, without seeming to, as Kathleen walked over to study some of the other weapons there.

 

The blacksmith, a man with arms the size of logs and with some grey in his hair, approached them carefully, bowed and said what an honour it was to have a Warder and an Aes Sedai visit his small forge. Elessar complimented him on his work, which in truth was pretty good from what he could see, and continued testing some other swords. One was a huge two-handed broadsword of some quality, an other a smaller and lighter sword apt for fighting in close quarters. Elessar liked the look and feel of them both. He then asked if the blacksmith had some other weapons at the back. The older Andoran man nodded and led him to the back of the forge. Elessar saw that he was now out of sight from the stranger watching them and turned toward the other.

 

“Is there a back door in your forge, master blacksmith?” He asked, looking at the wall which stretched to the right and left behind them. The other man nodded and pointed to the right behind some more weaponry. “Thank you”, Elessar said and returned to where Kathleen was gazing into the red flames of the forge itself. He whispered to her and she swiftly joined him at the back. Quickly he told her of his plan to catch - and take - the stranger, or rather spy, unawares and she nodded her assent. She returned to stand beside the red flames while Elessar picked up a sword and pretended to be talking with the blacksmith, while he tried his hand at the weapon, in sight of the stranger standing opposite them by an antiques shop on the other side of the alley.

 

The Warder then moved out of sight and quickly headed out the back door. It led to a smaller side-alley which opened onto the main alley thirty yards further up. Elessar was pretty sure the stranger had not caught on, and as he stood close to a shop window, gazing down the alley at the watching man, he considered the distance between them. If the diversion worked, he was certain he would reach the man before he was spotted. If he was quick. Waiting in the shadow of the building, the Warder stood ready to spring. His reflexes were sharp, he knew, and his agility good.

 

Now, Kathleen. He thought as he stood ready. Do it now!.

 

 

Handing the letter back to Kathleen, they exhanged another significant glance.

 

Then Elessar spoke. “I particularly like the ‘In the Light’-part”, he said with a lopsided grin. “If what we suspect is true, her real allegiance will be somewhat.. darker in nature.”

 

“Somebody obviously observed us when we entered the town”, he continued. “And the High Lady wishes for your presence, no doubt to increase local prestige and gain a little added power and influence as all Nobles do, here as everywhere else.”

 

Kathleen nodded but remained silent, considering the invitation and its implications. “For whatever reason”, he added, “it is very convenient since this High Lady is top of our list. This gives us a chance to speak to her and get an impression of what kind of character we are dealing with.” His eyes darkened momentarily with a speculative glint. “Perhaps she will reveal more than she intends.. that happens sometimes when one is not careful enough. If we ask the right questions.”

 

They sat and spoke for a long while, going over their options. This was an opportunity too good to ignore. They would have to be careful, of course, and it could be a trap of some kind - though it seemed unlikely - but this was a good way of getting an insight into this potential Darkfriend. And by having the High Lady invite them, a visit would not be suspicious. Elessar advised for her to accept the invitation, going over the arguments again, but it was Kathleen’s decision to make and they would do as she decided. She considered the invitation again and nodded. They would attend the social reception. She wrote a short message, accepting the invitation, and placed it in an envelope she carried which was given to a servant downstairs to be delivered at once to the High Lady Lyndelle of House Serevan.

 

The following evening Kathleen and Elessar waited outside the inn for the horse and carriage to arrive. They had learned that the Western Manor House was on the other side of town and so this means of transportation seemed apt to the Warder. The Aes Sedai wore a green dress which Elessar thought looked stylish and proper for an Aes Sedai at such an occasion, while he was all in black, in his Warder finery which was stylish as well as practical should the need for agility arise. Soon the carriage arrived driven by four black horses attended to by a local horse driver. The Warder opened the door for Kathleen to step in, then followed her inside the carriage. A few moments later they were headed towards the distinguished home of the High Lady Lyndelle of House Serevan. Not one of of the nineteen strong Houses of Andor, it still had some power and influence especially in the western part of the region. Many would consider it an honour to be invited to her special reception, they had been told by the knowledgable innkeeper when they had mentioned the High Lady’s name.

 

 

A little later the carriage came to a stop in front of the Manor House. Elessar stepped onto the ground and held the carriage door for Kathleen. He then closed the door and waved to the horse driver that he could leave. As the four black horses headed down the street, the Gaidin thought with a wicked grin how appropriate it was that the horses had been black and that he was dressed all in black, now that they were hunting people with black hearts.

 

The Manor was an imposing building, a clear statement of intent, wealth and power in this town. Compared to the major Manor Houses and palaces in great cities this mansion looked poor and simple, but here in Whitebridge there was hardly any building to equal it. The second Noble House in the town was probably of similar stature, but apart from that this would be the place to be for any person of power and influence in Whitebridge. Nodding to Kathleen, they stepped up to the entrance and knocked twice on the huge oak door. It had a sigil imprinted on it - Elessar guessed it was the sigil of House Serevan - which the Warder had not seen before. It was a little worn but looked like the head of an eagle from what he could determine. Soon steps could be heard from inside and then the massive door opened.

 

Kathleen showed her invitation and they were politely invited inside by a doorman who almost looked like a ceremonial guard. The hall they walked down, following the heavily dressed servant, was quite impressive as well with fairly expensive historical paintings on the walls and also some crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. It looked like the inside manor of a smaller Noble House in cities like Caemlyn and Ebou Dar, Elessar thought as he walked beside Kathleen. He could feel through the Bond some excitement coming from her and he felt much the same himself. There was nothing to tell whether this evening would be productive, but it felt good to finally be starting this mission in Whitebridge. If everything went according to plan, they would at least gain more knowledge leaving than they had when they arrived. It was a good starting point.

 

 

As they came up to a large pair of doors with the House sigil embedded into the oak woodwork, like at the entrance, the servant or guard (Elessar was not quite sure which this middle-aged blond-haired Andoran man was, perhaps a little of both) stopped and knocked once. The doors opened and what looked like a Master of Ceremony, an older man with grey in his hair but strength in his arms, bowed respectfully to the Aes Sedai and nodded politely to her Warder. The Warder had not expected a Master of Ceremony here at this Manor House, they were more common in the cities and among the wealthy Nobles there, but perhaps this High Lady had a high opinion of herself and her House, he thought, and wanted or needed to copy the style of the 19 strong Noble Houses of Andor. For whatever reason, it made Elessar wonder if this ‘social reception’ was what they were expecting or, perhaps, a grander event. They would soon learn the truth. He exchanged a quick glance with Kathleen, wondering if she were thinking the same. His thought was interrupted as the Master of Ceremony banged three times on the floor with his ceremonial baton before announcing her name and entrance in a loud, carrying voice.

 

The words Aes Sedai where whispered around as Kathleen glided into the reception room beyond as if she owned the place, Elessar proudly and steadfastly at her side. It was, in fact, a small ballroom and it was filled with Andoran Nobles or so it seemed. Not to the extent that it equalled similar events in Caemlyn, this was smaller scale, but certainly more prominent and affluent than the Warder had expected. Nothing showed on Kathleen’s face as she passed the local Nobles, receiving bows of respect and honour from Lords and Ladies alike, some with a shrewd glint in their eyes, and she was welcomed warmly by the High Lady of the House who rose from her throne-like chair at the end of the room. The Head of House Serevan curtsied smoothly (not deeply but just correctly) and with shrewd eyes expressed what a great honour it was to have an Aes Sedai of the Battle Ajah present.

 

The Warder walked a little to the side as Kathleen spoke with the High Lady.

 

 

Elessar stared around the room, as he had done on similar occasions in his years as a Warder accompanying his Sedais, gauging if there was any open threat in this nest of vipers as he thought of it. He had been around scheming, cunning and dangerous nobles before - and told himself that he intended to make sure Kathleen was not caught in one of their traps. There were perhaps 20 or so nobles gathered, wearing their fineries, and he presumed they were all allies or friends of House Serevan. Perhaps not very powerful ones or wealthy, but they strutted around, drinks in hand, caught in their self-importance, as Elessar saw it, and reminded him that nobles were nobles everywhere.

 

The fair-skinned blue-eyed male Andoran nobles were wearing shirts and trousers with a coat over all. The coat was made with turned-back cuffs and an upstanding collar. The material was silk, Elessar was sure, and embroidered in metallic threads. He had seen simmilar style on common men but theirs was made of serviceable wool. The female Andoran nobles wore dresses with square-cut necks showing little (scandalously little if you asked an Arad Domani woman) if any cleavage, and fitted sleeves. Some of the silk dresses were embroidered with flowers and leaves, and a belt in metallic threads worn at the waist. The clothing spoke of the power of these men and women and the standing they had in local society. As he studied them obliquely he wondered how many, if any, of these men and women were, in fact, Darkfriends with black hearts.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed Kathleen giving him a little nod, the signal for him to join her, and when he did she spoke a few more words with the High Lady and then she and her Warder followed the Noblewoman out of the reception room or hall and into a smaller chamber beyond. He closed the door behind them and sat down at one of the chairs by a large table while Kathleen seated herself opposite him. The High Lady sat down at the end of the table, her blue eyes fastening on the Aes Sedai. She smiled but it was a sly smile, the Warder thought; the smile of a somewhat devious person pretending to be welcoming. He was sure Kathleen observed the same. Aes Sedai were very good at reading people; they had, after all, long experience over many years of service.

 

Elessar’s face was smooth as he took in everything in the room. Besides the table and chairs, there was a huge cupboard on one side filled with what looked like expensive antique figurines, while on the other side there was a bookshelf with many, many books. The style of the room was affluent but not overly so. This was a kind of work-room, Elessar deduced, a place where meetings (also secret ones) were held and deals made. He wondered if this supposedly dubious Noblewoman was going to propose any deals this evening. He waited, as did his Aes Sedai, for the haughty fair-skinned, blue-eyed, blond-long haired woman in her early fifties or so to speak.

 

 

When she finally did, Elessar was surprised to find her voice weaker than he would have imagined. In his experience Heads of Noble Houses often had voices used to command, but this High Lady’s voice was demure if such could be said. Her eyes were not, however. They were the eyes of a predator.

 

“Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you in private, Kathleen Aes Sedai”, the High Lady said with a (fake) smile as she gave the Sister of the White Tower a polite nod.

 

Her blue eyes switched to Elessar for a moment, as if to add that it was not as private as she might have wanted with the Warder present but she would have to accept it as things were. She silenced the thought though and met Kathleen’s eyes again squarely.

 

“Alliance with the White Tower has always been important for House Serevan”, she added smoothly. “We might not be the most powerful House.. but we are loyal. There are mutual benefits.. important in these.. volatile times.”

 

Kathleen remained silent and her face betrayed nothing. Through the Bond Elessar thought he felt.. excitement and also amusement.. though he could not say for certain. The non-reaction of the Aes Sedai made the High Lady’s face tighten slightly but then she quickly smoothed her features.

 

“Friends are valuable..” she continued, her voice gaining some strength as she spoke. “Strength is often measured in one’s friends. Don’t you find?”

 

The High Lady’s azure-blue eyes glittered as she waited for the Sister of the White Tower to respond.

 

 

 

“You are no longer a son of mine!”

 

His father’s piercing words - filled with accusation - crashed through Elessar.

 

Of all the brothers, Elessar had always resembled his father the most, also becoming the martial son his father had always wanted - and nurtured. Elessar, however, thought it might be this very sameness - almost like a mirror image - that had driven his father from great pride in his son, as he had travelled to Tar Valon to become a Warder of the White Tower, to great, unyielding anger at him - and perhaps himself - for Elessar being unable to save the youngest brother and son Vehran from drowning.

 

It had happened on his first visit home a few years after finishing Warder training, during a forest trek in one of Kandor’s several valleys. Vehran and he had gone swimming in a Borderland river there, the currents had been strong - stronger than they had anticipated - and Vehran had accidentally slipped and knocked his head on a rock, disappearing flailing into the rushing water. Elessar had heard his brother’s scream but had been too far away to do anything, and by the time he reached his brother’s body, carried by the frantic stream further downriver, and got it out of the water, it was too late. His father had never forgiven him for not saving Vehran’s life.

 

“You were the older brother, it was your responsibility to take care of him, Elessar! How could you not see the danger!? How were you, a trained Warder, unable to save him!? It is on your head. You are no longer a son of mine!”

 

The harsh, bitter words rang in Elessar’s head. And perhaps his father was right. He blamed himself for his younger brother’s death, even if perhaps unfairly, another sin weighing down on his soul..

 

 

Elessar woke up abruptly from his painful dream-memories, eyes tight, muscles rigid, as dawn was breaking over the region. As his muscles gradually relaxed, his eyes fastening on the thick layer of branches overhead, with tentative sunlight beginning to sift down from above, he thought again that he wished his dreams would go away. Those painful dreams. Painful memories. A painful past.

 

He had begun to have them more often lately.

 

And he did not know why.

 

Sighing heavily, clearing his head, he pushed his blanket aside and got to his feet. In half-sleep he had sensed Kathleen moving away from camp a little earlier, probably to practice her weaves as she had done many times before during their journey, and he felt her safely away a little to the south of camp. Walking across to a small brook close by he threw some water on his face and body, used a small towel to brush off the water, and then pulled on a shirt and pants. Returning to camp he collected his things and saw to it that they were packed and ready to leave. They wanted to get an early start this day, their horses fresh from rest and ready to go. He left a cup of kaf for her to drink when she returned, saddled their mounts, and sat down to wait for her. Soon she joined him, appearing out of the trees.

 

Kathleen thanked Elessar for preparing everything and accepted the remaining cup of kaf that Elessar had saved for her to drink before they left. When they mounted Kathleen followed the Warder as they traveled toward their destination.

 

 

As they left the woods and rode away under a blue morning-sky, dust rising in the air behind them, Elessar’s mind turned to what Kathleen had told him of their mission the evening before. He had felt her excitement through the Bond when she had talked about what waited ahead, her face had also betrayed her eagerness to get on with the work to be done. He had felt much the same, anticipation building in him for the task at hand. She had not had much information to share but now at least he knew a little more of what awaited them. Her words whispered in his mind.

 

She told him that before they left the Tower she had received word that her presence was needed in Whitebridge. She added that she wouldn’t typically go on so little information but that she quite frankly wanted an excuse to get out of Tar Valon for a while. She had been cooped up too long and wanted a change of scenery, and perhaps some excitement. He couldn’t have agreed more. She also said that she knew that the woman who sent the request would not have asked for presence if presence wasn’t necessary. She had been receiving messages aslong the way, but nothing in depth. She was sure it had been limited in case of the messages falling into the wrong hands. All she had learned was that there had been suspicious activity in Whitebridge.

 

The nature of the limited messages she had received had led her to determine that there may be a Darkfriend cell at work. She could not say how many people were involved at this time or what their goal was. She did know that her contact was continuing to gather information and she hoped they would find her intact with useful information when they arrived. She added that it went without saying, but as they approached Whitebridge they ought to be on the alert. The more they gained on their own on their way the better.

 

They had stayed up late going over the little information they had and Kathleen had accepted all questions and input from Elessar, ranging from safety issues to scouting to the Warder’s previous experience of Whitebridge, before they had turned in for the night.

 

Riding down the westward road now, Kathleen a little behind to his right as was usual, the Warder’s thoughts turned to Whitebridge and what he recalled of his previous visit to that western Andoran town.

 

 

Days later they left the tiny village of Deyton behind, after a short stop having gathered the provisions they needed, and continued along the dusty road that led toward Whitebridge. There were few travellers on the road though they came upon some carts driven by oxen at intervals and local farmers giving them bland looks as they passed. Elessar did not perceive any danger at any point but they were still a few days’ ride away from their destination. The Gaidin kept up his vigilance, knowing from years of experience that it was always better to be safe than sorry, danger could appear at the most unexpected moments.

 

Finally, on a late afternoon under a sapphire-blue sky with plenty sunshine, they came into sight of Whitebridge. They were still a distance away but the imposing, dazzling structure ahead of them grabbed all their attention. There were more travellers on the road now, coming to and fro, some foreigners by their clothing but mostly locals who stared at the Warder and Aes Sedai with a mixture of wonder and suspicion (something they had gotten used to in their line of business) and so they rode more slowly as they got closer to the town.

 

Some time later, Elessar Gaidin and Kathleen Aes Sedai rode slowly into the town of Whitebridge. The wind was blowing from the south-west, making their travelling cloaks flap against the side of their tired mounts. Both travellers were weary from a long day’s ride and looked forward to some rest before getting on with their mission.

 

Riding across the huge white glass-like bridge - from which the town took its name - which spanned the River Arinelle, Elessar recalled what knowledge he had of this impressive structure. The bridge was believed to date all the way back to the Age of Legends, thousand of years before. It looked to be made of impossibly fragile white glass - almost as if carved from one piece -, yet of a type so strong even a chisel and hammer would not mar it. Furthermore, despite its glasslike surface it never became slick, even in the hardest rain. The White Tower knew, perhaps, more of its origin, and the look Kathleen cast at the bridge as they crossed it gave him the feeling she did, but even with Elessar’s limited knowledge he was mightily impressed. He recalled riding across this magnificent bridge some year before, in the company of his then Bondholder Carys of the Yellow Ajah, and felt just as impressed by it now as he had been then.

 

 

The town of Whitebridge grew up around the large stone-paved square at the bridge’s eastern foot. With its imposing bridge being the only span crossing the Arinelle south of Maradon in Saldea, Whitebridge town had from early on flourished in trade. Most buildings in the town were made of stone and brick, and the docks were made of wood. From what the Warder had read, all social classes were represented in Whitebridge - from merchants in their shiny lacquered carriages and velvet coats to farmers and peasants in rough wool.

 

Elessar did spot several merchants in carriages and a few local farmers passing, as the Warder and Sedai headed toward one of the town’s inns a little further up the road. They dismounted outside the “Western Bridge”, one of the better inns in town if the locals were to be believed, and Elessar took their horses to a stableboy at the back of the establishment before returning to join his Bondholder. They quickly found the innkeeper, a somewhat overweight, blond-haired man of middling years with sunken eyes and cheekbones but a welcoming smile wearing a white semi-clean apron, standing at the back of the room, who seemed suitably impressed at having an Aes Sedai visit his humble inn. A short while later they were settled in their adjoining rooms (one of the inn’s best rooms for the Aes Sedai, of course) and it was time for a well earned rest.

 

 

That evening, after they had rested for a while and enjoyed a warm bath, they met up in the Common Room for some food and entertainment. The Common Room was only half-full but some rather boisterous locals made up for the lack of customers. A pair of big-muscled bouncers stood by the entrance door ready to throw them out if they became too rowdy. After the meal and a decent, but by no account great, gleeman’s performance they retired to a small lounge which was empty. They locked the door and sat down in two of the dozen chairs. The room had a table, paintings on the wall (from Andoran history, Elessar thought), a couple of shelves with books and what looked like old maps but nothing else. It was quiet though and apt for conversation.

 

They talked for a while, small-talk mostly, and then were intererrupted by a knock on the door. Elessar got to his feet and opened the door. A stranger stood outside, a woman. She was nondescript, ordinary looking, probably in her thirties and with the look of Andoran origin. She nodded swiftly to Elessar, then peeked past him to Kathleen who got to her feet. Elessar understood that this was the woman his Aes Sedai had talked about, from the local Eyes and Ears for the Green, and been waiting for. He gave her a polite nod and then moved aside as she entered the room.

 

“Kathleen Aes Sedai”, the woman said respectively, giving the Sister of the White Tower a curtsy as she came up to her. Kathleen nodded with a smile and asked the woman to join her. Elessar nodded to his Bondholder and then left the room, leaving them to speak in private, closing the door behind him. He remained standing outside, not letting anyone in, until the local woman opened the door a little later and left. He then re-entered the small lounge and closed the door behind him. Seating himself opposite his Aes Sedai he waited for her to speak. Kathleen considered her words for a while and then began to speak. She had hoped the local woman had more additional information than turned out to be the case, but they would have to work with what they had.

 

Elessar listened attentively and asked some questions and shared his thoughts. A partially incriminating letter had been intercepted. One thing stood out from what the Gaidin could see: there were strong indications that there was indeed a Darkfriend cell here in Whitebridge and that one of its members was a certain High Lady Lyndelle of House Serevan.

 

Now, at least, they had something concrete to go on.

 

 

They had stayed up late discussing the situation and considering their next step, but had made no decisions and retired to bed to get some much needed sleep. They had ridden hard the last days to get to their destination and now they needed to rest and clear their thoughts. As Elessar closed his eyes that night, slowly entering that half-awake, half-sleep state he as a Warder had long experience in, he went over in his mind potential ways to deal with this specific situation. He had a few ideas, but needed to mull them over to see if they were doable.

 

The problem of what steps to take next was, in fact, solved the following afternoon. A messenger came to the inn with a letter for ‘the Aes Sedai’, as he called it. The innkeeper brought the letter swiftly to Elessar, who was seated in the Common Room sipping from a drink at the time, and he took it to Kathleen who was up in her room. She opened the letter carefully, studying the wax seal at the back.

 

On the front, in flowing script, it simply said ‘To Kathleen Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah’.

 

Someone obviously knew they were in town. She read its contents and then handed the letter to Elessar. It was an invitation to a social reception at Western Manor House the following evening. He exchanged a quick glance with Kathleen before he continued reading. They would, it said, be honoured to welcome the esteemed Kathleen Aes Sedai to Whitebridge and to a meeting that could be mutually beneficial.

 

 

The invitation was signed:

 

 

In the Light,

 

High Lady Lyndelle of House Serevan

 

 

 “This is a famous place in Andoran history”, Elessar said a little later as he looked around him. “Truly not much to look at right now”, he added smoothly, “but once it was a place of a famous battle.”

 

Kathleen saw that he was eager to tell his story and asked him to tell it. He grinned back at her and began, his eyes lighting up at his passion for history and stories.

 

“Well”, he said,”Maragaine was the fifth Queen of Andor, succeeding Queen Termylle in FY 1054.”

 

The Warder’s voice took on a lecturing tone as it often did when he spoke of history.

 

“There is uncertainty as to whether Maragaine was Termylle's daughter, but she was without doubt a descendant of Queen Ishara Casalain, the founder of the Kingdom of Andor. In FY 1063, during the War of the Hundred Years, Andor faced the gravest threat to its survival since its founding when four rival kings, envious of the growing power of Andor, united their armies and invaded the kingdom from the west, marching on Caemlyn.”

 

 

Elessar stopped for a moment as a carriage drove past driven by four black horses. Dust rose in swirls in the road behind them and the Warder gazed at the driver, a middle-aged man with a hat of sorts and a whip in his hands, as he passed them by. Perhaps it was a local nobleman on his way to some errand or other, he thought, as his attention was grabbed by a small child walking towards them.

 

It was a blond-haired girl of five or thereabouts and she came forward hesitatingly, eyes big as saucers as she watched the Aes Sedai lady by his side. A woman in her early twenties, the child¨s mother apparently, ran forwards to catch the girl as she was half-way across the street, casting a quick glance at the imposing man and elegant woman standing on the other side, then hurrying back to the other side. Elessar and Kathleen watched as the mother and child disappeared swiftly into a building.

 

 

“Now, where was I..” Elessar began, as he faced Kathleen again. “Oh yes, the battle. The battle that ensued was to be known as “The Battle of Four Kings”. Queen Maragaine bravely led the Andoran army into battle, meeting them some distance west of the River Cary.”

 

“In a furious battle, in which Queen Maragaine is often depicted personally leading a charge”, he continued, “the Andorans broke the invading force and routed it, securing the future survival of the kingdom.”

 

“The battle is, furthermore, noteworthy as one of the two most serious recorded threats to Andor's survival during the War of the Hundred Years, the other being the invasion of Andor from the south thirty years later by Esmara Getare, a southern noblewoman who succeeded in conquering much of Illian and the Plains of Maredo before setting her sights on Andor; she was defeated in battle with the Andoran army and became a prisoner of the Andoran Queen Telaisien, it is said.”

 

“The Andoran village of Four Kings later grew up on the site of the battle”, Elesar ended, “thereof its name. Maragaine of Andor ruled for nineteen years (FY 1054-73), and was succeeded by Queen Astara .. but that is another story.”

 

“So we are actually standing in the middle of history as it were”, the Warder added with a small grin, “and it is filled with memories of the past..”

 

 

He turned his head upwards for a moment, gazing long and hard into the sky, and for a moment it was almost.. as if whispers from the past embraced the present, echoes lingering on the winds of time.. 

 

“Forward Andor!” Maragaine, sword at the ready, shouts mightily as she grabs the White Lion banner and raises it high..

“Forward! To our Queen!” her first officer bellows, as he tries to gather their forces..

“To me!” Maragaine screams, as she charges forward, long blonde hair streaming in the wind behind her, a storm unleashed on their enemies..

A Warrior Queen, eyes blazing, she storms forward to save her kingdom..

“For Andor! For the White Lion! Chaaaaarge!” her first officer shouts..

 

Battle-cries roar across the field as her army responds, following their brave Queen in a charge to the death.. a thunderous sound is heard as the armies clash, the proud banner of Andor flying high..

 

 

They continued their journey westwards in the direction of Whitebridge. Many days on the road lay ahead of them but as the leagues passed by he felt excitement building for reaching their destination. He thought he felt something similar from Kathleen through the Bond but it was always difficult to say for certain since emotions through the Bond often felt muddled to him. They did not speak much as they travelled, exchanging some words during their intermittent stops but hurrying on as swiftly as need be, and they covered a fair distance in the days that followed. The weather changed from sunny blue skies to clouds and rain with the wind picking up at times and the road went from dry to muddy and back to dry again during their journey.

 

On one late afternoon, around halfway between Four Kings and Whitebridge, they stopped near some woods and led their horses away from the road and in among the bushes and tall trees. Kathleen followed Elessar as he led the way towards an area apt for making their makeshift camp. The Warder tethered their horses and brushed them down before joining his Bondholder around the small campfire. They all needed a rest having travelled hard the past days. Stopping early that day would give them time to rest, eat, drink and sleep before continuing the next day. Perhaps it would also give them some time to talk as well, Elessar thought as he accepted the cup of kaf from Kathleen. They had spoken very little of her mission in Whitebridge and now that they were closer to their destination he felt the time had come for her to give him some more details. He did not ask straight away, however, but ate their meal in silence, sipping from his drink, thinking about their journey so far.

 

When they had eaten, he went to see to their horses again to give them an apple each. He smiled to himself as he saw the mounts munch hungrily on their treat, giving them each a fond pat on the back, then returned to the fire and his Aes Sedai. Sitting down opposite her he picked up a twig and rolled it between his fingers for a while. Twilight was approaching, day gradually turning into evening and night. Embers glowed in the fire, sparks intermittently flying, as his eyes met Kathleen’s.

 

 

“We are getting closer to Whitebridge”, he began as he sipped some more from his drink. Kathleen nodded but said nothing. “Still many days of riding ahead of us, but we have covered a good distance in the past days.”

 

“Our horses needed a little rest now though”, he added, “so it was a good idea to stop early today.” He kept rolling the twig between his fingers, almost as if it were a ritual. “Our provisions are holding up”, he continued, “and we will only need to re-supply once before Whitebridge. There is a small village a couple days down the road which will serve our purpose.”

 

Kathleen nodded again, sensing that he had more on his mind. She let him talk, sipping from her kaf.

 

“The weather seems better now, more stable if such can be said.” The Warder said as he looked up through the branches of the overlaying trees to the sky above. “If we are lucky, perhaps it will remain so until we reach our destination further west.”

 

“As for Whitebridge”, he added after a short pause, “perhaps this is a good time to share some more details about what lies ahead of us.”

 

He phrased it carefully as a suggestion, which it was. It was her choice though, if she wanted to share more information regarding their mission. Perhaps she wanted to wait until they arrived in Whitebridge, but he thought it wise to be prepared and hoped she would see the wisdom in discussing the task at hand now.

 

He took another sip from his drink as he met her eyes across the glowing fire, waiting for her reply.

 

 

 

I am come late to this topic/discussion, mainly because I primarily RP-write at DM these days. Here are, however, some reflections (note: long post).

 

[I have not read through this thread so things I mention may have been discussed before and there might be more information regarding details around the tv-series etc, so these are my general thoughts and opinions]

 

I am tbh somewhat conflicted with regards to this tv-series. On the one hand, I am excited that the masterful ‘The Wheel of Time’-series seems to get a tv-series production and wonder what they will be able to make of it. If there is any fantasy-series (not filmed yet) that deserves a tv-series, it is this one. On the other hand, I fear whether they will be able to do it justice and not ‘just’ make a dumbed down, overly-simplified politically-correct version which perhaps works for a mainstream audience (who never read the books and perhaps never intend to) but which will be somewhat painful for us hardcore-WoT’ers to experience.

 

I had the same fears back in the day when I heard that ‘The Lord of the Rings’ was being made into movies, fearing that they would be inferior, unworthy simplified versions of what I considered a fantasy-masterpiece. Thankfully, and much to my relief, Peter Jackson made 3 films which (especially in the extended versions) imo were an excellent rendition of the books, keeping most of the story, changing little and with some additions (f.ex. including Arwen Evenstar and her relationship with Aragorn) that I think actually made it even better. Also with ‘Game of Thrones’ the production is excellent imo, based on George RR Martin’s ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’-books, despite some changes (especially in later seasons) in the narrative. This is probably partly due to the huge budget spent on this mega-popular tv-series (money often, though not always, means quality) and a professional production.

 

I must admit that when ‘Game of Thrones’ began on HBO I thought to myself hypothetically filming ‘The Wheel of Time’ would be a different, more complicated, prospect. Part of this is because more of this huge fantasy-series takes place in the characters’ heads (internal) and also that it is a lot larger tapestry in detail and all ways than ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, not the least in world building and close to twice the size book-wise. The danger is therefore even more so imo with ‘The Wheel of Time’ that it may end up a dumbed down, very simplified version of Robert Jordan’s huge fascinating universe unless the producers do this right. And that will probably mean high budgets (closer to ‘Game of Thrones’ than ‘Chronicles of Shannara’) and many seasons. I would be less concerned if the tv-series got say 10 seasons for the 14 books than if they condensed everything into say 6-7 seasons, so the question becomes how ambitious will the producers be, how much money is there to spend, and how high ratings will the series get.

 

Obviously there is even greater need in this tv-series than ‘Game of Thrones’ to leave out characters and lesser storylines since the amount of Aes Sedai, for instance, and lesser characters is far too large to include. I do, however, sincerely hope the producers will include the 40-50 most important characters in the books and will keep to the major storylines. I am not a ‘purist’ who expects everything in a book to be the same in a movie or tv-series - some things do work better on screen and similarly on the written page - but at the same time I am no fan of changing important/vital things in a tv-series. (I was for example fine with Starbuck becoming a woman character in the last ‘Battlestar Galactica’ tv-series though it surprised me at first, but would be far far less accepting if for example Mat suddenly was changed into Mandy in this tv-series (since ‘The Wheel of Time’ means much more to me)). The closer they stay to canon (the books) the happier I will be, though there is no need (or want) to include Robert Jordan’s huge descriptions in parts of his huge story of course.

 

I also hope they won’t change things to be politically correct (with a view to race/gender/sexual orientation etc), there is plenty diversity already in Robert Jordan’s world imo. Excess nudity (like in ‘Game of Thrones’) is not necessary either as I see it, though nudity and sex 'sells', as we know, so I would not be surprised if there was more of that in the tv-series than in the books. The same goes for excess brutality and blood (though HBO take that further perhaps). I read somewhere that they are considering a ‘feminist’ angle with so many female main characters (Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne, Min etc), but I think these characters are strong in themselves in the books (as Robert Jordan deliberately wrote them) and I see no need to emphasize ‘girlpower’ in the tv-series (though I would not be surprised if it happens considering the times we are living in).

 

As for casting I have no thoughts on the matter as of yet. I cannot quite picture in my mind who I can imagine playing a good Rand, Egwene, Moiraine etc but they did a good job casting the ‘Game of Thrones’-characters so if these producers do a similar job I would be pleased. I do hope they will keep to the characteristics/looks from the books though, having a blond Nynaeve for example would not work so well with me.

 

I believe the reason for the enormous success of ‘Game of Thrones’ besides it being a big-budget production with quality script, actors, cinematography is that it appeals to several groups of viewers at the same time; those who love high fantasy, those who love Middle Ages-type Castles and Knight-stories, those who love historical drama, and those who love zombie-type stories. It is quite a feat to appeal to so many groups at the same time. It also was/is the first big-scale fantasy-type series on tv (smaller-scale tv-series in the genre have, of course, been aired before, including the aforementioned ‘Chronicles of Shannara’) and for that reason also it will probably be impossible for ‘The Wheel of Time’, I think, to compete rating- and popularity-wise.

 

What one can hope for, I think, is for a tv-series which gains ratings/popularity say half-way between ‘Chronicles of Shannara’ and ‘Game of Thrones’, sufficient enough to get many tv-seasons and to get a worthy, quality and reasonably popular high fantasy-series. The excellent and momentous ‘The Wheel of Time’-saga by the late Robert Jordan deserves no less.

 

"No, I don't believe I have."

 

Kathleen’s dismissive remark when he had asked her about her mare’s name, stuck in his mind.

 

He could not say why, but it did.

 

Perhaps it was because he himself felt such respect and, in a way, love for his valiant warhorse of many years Stormbreaker. Perhaps because he had expected her to give the name of her mare and she did not. Perhaps because he began to wonder if she had named her mount at all. Not that this was very important in the grand scheme of things, but for some reason it mattered to Elessar. He thought their horses were like close companions on the road, companions who deserved respect and friendship. And the least they deserved was a name. It was what friends had. It was part of their identity.

 

Kathleen’s remark had certainly taken him by surprise. But there was a story there, his intuition told him. A reason. He guessed that Kathleen had perhaps had experiences with horses before, as most Green Sisters had, perhaps riding them into danger as would often be the case for the Battle Ajah. Perhaps the loss of horses had made her steel her heart against them, a kind of emotional defence-mechanism? It would not be surprising after all. He decided not to probe Kathleen about it; if she wanted to tell him at some point, then that would be her choice.

 

The Warder stared out of the small window in his room in the Rose Crown inn. It was early afternoon and the sun was shining above the Andoran Capital of Caemlyn. Some clouds were drifting in from the south but much of the sky was blue. A large bird of prey floated on westerly winds as it flew across the city high above and Elessar watched it as it gradually disappeared in the horizon. His hands placed on the windowsill, he gazed at the buildings across from the inn. In one of them he saw a young child leaning over the edge of a small terrace, staring wideeyed at the buzzing activity in the sidestreet below. He smiled to himself, thinking of the innate curiosity of children and also of the innocence they displayed, an innocence that often was destroyed when they came into contact with the dangers of the world later in life.

 

 

“Nothing is ever easy”. He mumbled the words almost like a whisper as he turned away from the window and stared at the wall separating his room from Kathleen’s. He felt her there on the other side through the Bond. Sighing to himself, thinking of the complexities of openness and trust, of shared emotions and feelings through the Warder-Sedai Bond, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes for a moment.

 

There was a.. distance between them.

 

He had felt it on their journey south into Andor and he felt it now. Despite their talk. Despite everything. He had studied her during their journey when she was not looking, trying to get an insight into her, but she was not easy to read. Not that she was ever unkind in any way, or that she was not polite, and he did enjoy the journey, being on the road again and being in this new Bond, but he sensed that she was a little.. closed off from him in a way. Not for the first time he wondered why. Perhaps she was a little uncertain, he thought, when it came to their new working partnership, or perhaps it was just the way she was, he did not know. This was, after all, a new situation for them both. Though they had developed a kind of friendship over time in the Tower, with several pleasant and interesting conversations, it was something different with a Warder-Sedai companionship and the mutual responsibilities of a Bond. He knew it and he felt sure she did too.

 

Also, he guessed that the matter of her other Warder, her first Warder, was playing on her mind. He did not know much beyond the fact that Nevuel Gaidin, a fellow Borderlander, was off on a matter somewhere in the North - Kathleen had not shared any details and he had not asked - but he sensed that this made her uneasy somehow or at least less comfortable with the situation than she would have been with him also by her side. Elessar liked Nevuel, they had talked in those several visits he, Elessar had made to Kathleen’s quarters for conversations, they both were Northerners and shared the same sense of humour, and he hoped the man was well.

 

It will sort itself in time, he thought to himself with some confidence, putting the matter of the seeming distance between himself and his Aes Sedai out of his mind for the moment, as he opened his eyes and got up from the bed.

 

It was time to do some sightseeing in Caemlyn.

 

A smile came upon his face. He knew Kathleen had been looking forward to it.

 

 

The evening before, after the gleeman’s performance of the moving poem of bygone Manetheren, Kathleen and Elessar had retired to the small private library at the back of the inn. It was a small room but it was empty, and private, and had several bookshelves with a few dozen books, maps and other artifacts from history. As they seated themselves in a couple of wooden chairs, they chitchatted a little first, talking about the story of doomed Manetheren and of the heroic desperation of its Aes Sedai Queen, echoes of the poem they had just seen performed in song still in their minds, before moving onto other subjects. They talked some about the coming journey westwards past Four Kings toward Whitebridge and of the provisions they would need to buy.

 

Then Kathleen paused for a moment, and seemed to weigh her words. She went on to express her thoughts to him on Tower expectations, public perception, and personal preference, the differences between personal service and professional service and ended by asking for his thoughts on the subject. 

 

He considered what she had said for a moment before replying. He then thanked her for her words - and thoughts - on Tower expectations and public perception. He recalled a similar conversation with Leandreen many years before, as well as with his other Sedais. Though they had said much the same things, there was some difference in emphasis and presentation as was to be expected from women with different personalities. Leandreen’s more exuberant way of expressing herself was a contrast to Kathleen’s somewhat colder, more factual way. He replied honestly, as he had done with all his Bondholders, sharing his thoughts and values. He spoke of the importance of duty for a Warder, that he did feel it right that he besides protecting her from all threats as was his paramount duty he also took on menial but necessary tasks such as carrying her bags and their packs, seeing to their horses when out in the wild, setting up camp, patrolling the camp area and so on. As Aes Sedai she had more important matters to focus on, he said.

 

 

“As for the Warder being a servant”, Elessar added with some amusement in his voice, “that reminds me of a lesson I once had as a Warder-trainee. The class was discussing what it means to be a Warder.”

 

Kathleen could see that he was going to enjoy telling this story.

 

“It was many years ago”, the Warder said, reminiscing, “but I remember it as if it were yesterday.”

 

His dark eyes took on a faraway look, bringing the past into the present as it were, as he shared the details from his memory with his listening Aes Sedai.

 

 

..Facing the class, the old Gaidin-teacher began. “The lesson today is the history of the Gaidin. Tied in with this is the question of what it means to be a Warder”.

 

He spoke in a lecturing tone and it was obvious he had long experience on the subject. The Warder-trainees listened attentively, or at least some more than others. A young Elessar was seated off to the right in the classroom and was the first to raise his hand when the teacher, some way into the lecture, asked for an opinion. “Yes, Elessar isn’t it?” the teacher said. Elessar nodded and then spoke. “From what you have said, Master Gaidin, it seems unsurprising that some would have looked at the Warders as slaves to the Aes Sedai.” Someone made a gasping sound, it was hard to tell who, but Elessar went on without stopping. “To obey commands without question, to lay one’s life on the line for someone else, to give up one’s own freedom for someone else would by many be seen as almost becoming a slave to them. At least a servant, and much inferior than whom he serves.”

 

The old Gaidin came across to where his student sat and stopped before him, looking long and hard at him. “Even today, some think so, you know. That we are bowing servants to the Sisters. Those who do not understand that we give willingly, protect proudly, serve humbly but strongly.” There were nods around the room, it was obvious many of the other students agreed and liked what they heard. “In our service we are dutiful and strong, we serve indeed and humbly, dutifully, loyally, but through our protection we give the Aes Sedai the opportunity to serve the Light and the World.. and to fight the Shadow.”

 

“We all bring what we are into the role of the Warder”, the teacher continued after a pause. “We are all individuals and that diversity enriches us, it makes us stronger, it makes us wiser. And then through training we learn more and gain experience and wisdom in all the ways important to make a good Warder”. “And in case some of you think all that matters is to be proficient with a sword”, he added as he raised his eyebrows, “think again. A Gaidin must besides being a proficient fighter and warrior be knowledgeable about the world since he and his Sedai will travel often in their service, he must know first-aid, several languages, history, politics and all the other things necessary to become a Sedai’s protector, advisor and trusted friend. That is why Warder-training is rigorous and only the best of the best manage to come through it to gain the Gaidin’s fancloak.”

 

 

Looking at his students he could see different reactions. Some were unsurprised, others not. Others again seemed slightly bored. As was to be expected. He had just spoken about diversity, and here his words were manifested in reality.

 

“Ok then, who here thinks a Warder’s chief attribute is his strength with a weapon?” He saw several hands in the air. “You are young and inexperienced so you can be forgiven for that view. Others, supposedly wiser, also make this mistake. The Warder’s chief attribute”, he said this with emphasis, “is .. his mind.”

 

There was silence though a few heads nodded in understanding or perhaps it was wonder.

 

“Your mind is your strongest weapon”, he went on. “With your mind you can reflect, you can make a decision, you can act and choose a path, you can control your passions, you can make for the best protection of your Bondholder and the wisest course. With your mind you can control urges of endangering pride or ferocious viciousness; you can keep fear and emotions in check; with your mind you can focus on the task at hand and nothing else .. and cloaked in the Oneness, the Flame and the Void, at least for those of you who choose that path, you can direct you sword where you want, in the perfect and controlled execution of the Dance of the Blade.”

 

“The Strength of a Gaidin comes from his mind .. and it flows into his Sword”.

 

“Remember that”, he ended, “if you remember nothing else from this lesson. It is who We are..

 

 

A couple days later Kathleen and Elessar rode out of the Capital heading westwards. It was late morning and the sky was grey. There would be rain later in the day, of that the Warder felt certain, but for now it was decent travelling weather and they wanted to cover as many leagues as possible before the weather turned. They had collected provisions in Caemlyn and their valiant horses were full of energy and pleased to be on the road again. Elessar could feel Stormbreaker’s pleasure at running again as they galloped along the western road and a smile came upon his lips. Kathleen rode just behind and to his right, her green travelling cloak billowing out behind her. Glimpsing her face out of the corner of his eye, he was reminded of her pleasure as they had visited all the famous - and also some less famous - sights in Caemlyn. Not that she had shown it, her face Aes Sedai-smooth as always, but he had recognized the glint in her eyes and felt her excitement through the Bond as they had walked the streets of the Andoran Capital. There were many things he did not understand about his new Bondholder, and there was that distance between them that he often pondered on, but he was starting to pick up on some small things, and hoped - in time - to know her better.

 

 

On a late afternoon some days later, under a partially blue sky and with a soft wind in their backs, they reached the village of Four Kings. It was located at the junction of the Caemlyn Road and the road leading south to Lugard. The village had a proud history, Elessar knew, but it still looked the same drab, careworn place mostly used as a stopover by merchants’ wagon trains that the Warder remembered from previous visits.

 

They stopped by a merchant’s shop at the end of a dusty street to rest their horses for a few hours. Dismounting quickly, Elessar took Stormbreaker’s reins as well as those of Kathleen’s mare and tied them to a pole nearby while Kathleen studied their surroundings.

 

The village was certainly quite a change from the splendour of Caemlyn.

 

“So what do you think?” Elessar asked with a lopsided grin as he joined her. “Not quite as dazzling as Caemlyn perhaps”, he said as he stared at the shabby-looking buildings opposite them, “but it certainly has potential.”

 

His grin widened as he half-turned to see her reaction to his words.

 

 

 

Riding through the streets of Caemlyn, Elessar was hard pushed to hide a grin at Kathleen’s obvious pleasure at being in this wonderous city. Not that she showed it openly, her facial features as smooth as that of any Aes Sedai, her posture proper and regal. But through the Bond the Warder felt some of her excitement, and he remembered how in awe he had been the first time he had visited the spectacular Capital of Andor.

 

The city was a wonder - and Elessar could imagine how Kathleen looked forward to seeing the city sights and learning even more of the city and country’s history. He looked forward to this time in Caemlyn too; no matter how many times he visited the city, it never ceased to amaze him.

 

 

Finally they reached the Rose Crown inn. They dismounted outside the building, which had a painted sign depicting said rose and crown above the entrance, and Elessar took their horses back to the stables behind the establishment. Stormbreaker and Kathleen’s mount were ushered into stalls under the watchful eye of a young Andoran stableboy, and then the Warder returned to where his Aes Sedai waited.

 

“Our horses will be taken good care of”, he said to Kathleen as he walked up to her. She had appeared a little.. distant - that was the best word he could find to describe it - with the animals during their journey, but perhaps she was not as used to horses as he was. Even so, he knew that she also cared that their valiant mounts were looked after. “Did you ever tell me the name of your horse?” he asked, as he picked up their belongings “I am glad that your mare gets on well with Stormbreaker”, he added with a small smile. “Being a warhorse, he can be a little feisty at times.”

 

He carried their packs and supplies as he followed his Bondholder into the building. They quickly found the innkeeper, a slightly balding man of above average girth wearing an apron. He had a rugged face that had a small scar on the side. His eyes were deep-set in his face but he had a friendly if somewhat smug smile. He was standing behind the bar watching his staff cleaning tables, serving food and drink and doing all the little things that needed to be done to keep an establishment of some repute running smoothly and well. The innkeeper recognized the Aes Sedai and Warder for what they were and greeted them politely.

 

Soon they were upstairs in adjoining rooms unpacking. Kathleen did not hide her contentment at being able to sleep in a bed again after many days on the road and sleeping in makeshift camps in woodlands, and Elessar was not unhappy either. Not for the first time he thought he was going ‘soft’ in his ‘elder’ days. They agreed to meet downstairs for a meal in the evening.

 

Throwing himself on the bed in his room - a smaller room but with a southern-facing window, a cupboard in the corner and a shelf with a couple books on the wall - the Warder from Kandor closed his eyes and reminisced. His thoughts went back to another visit to Caemlyn. A visit made with Carys, his former Aes Sedai and Bondholder.

 

And to their meeting with dear Old Celter.

 

A smile came upon his lips as he re-lived the moment in his mind.

 

 

..A tiny bell had sounded as the door to the Caemlyn Antiques-shop had clicked shut. Carys had looked around, her nose twitching at the dust in the air. There were objects on tables all around, small plaques in front describing why they were important. Paintings had hung on nearly every inch of wall space, making the small shop seem even smaller. The Aes Sedai had begun speaking, and then the shopkeeper had come upon them. He had been whistling a tune, unknown to Elessar, and now he stared at them with wide eyes, holding tightly onto a plate of steaming food, his words drifting away like whispers..

 

He was a very old man, wearing a woolen shirt which had once been colourful but where the colours had faded over time, and trousers which had not been in fashion for over a century. He had a prestigious girth, and a wrinkled old face, grey hair, crystal blue eyes with bushy eyebrows, big ears and a large nose. He wore ancient glasses -and- he looked positively shocked to see them there.

 

Elessar and Carys exchanged a quick look and the Warder tried for the second time that morning not entirely successfully to hide a grin. Light, the man looks like an ancient scholar! he thought with kind amusement. He must be as old as some of the books in here! Carys met the old man’s eyes and answered him that they were visiting the city and had seen his shop as they were walking by. “We’re students of history, my good man” Elessar added, his gaze eagerly taking in the room with all its objects of great age. “We’re interested in Andoran history and traditions”, the Aes Sedai said and smiled.

 

The old Andoran scrutinized them, noticing the woman’s fair skin and complexion, then nodded to himself, murmuring under his breath. “History and traditions you say?” he said and a wide grin came upon his lips. “Well then, come in, come in strangers”, he said as he started to walk back in the shop, bidding them to follow. “Old Celter will give you some of our history”. He chuckled a little, then added: ”Come now. Hardly anyone visits my shop nowadays anyway, so little chance we will be disturbed. Come follow me. Follow me to the back. Follow old Celter.” They exchanged a quick glance, shrugged, and followed the old man to the back of the shop.

 

He placed the plate of steaming food on a shelf in the back room and it was soon forgotten as he motioned for the two of them to sit down in a pair of heavily decorated brown wooden chairs that looked as old as the Trolloc Wars. The ancient chairs creaked slightly as they seated themselves and Carys and Elessar exchanged a silent glance which read: ‘please, let these antiques carry our weight!’ “Traditions... yes”, the old man mumbled to himself as he ran a finger down the side of his chair. “I don’t often get visitors”, he said and he pushed up his glasses that had fallen down on his nose.

 

“History is all about us here”, he said, “but no one seems to care.” He shrugged. There was regret in his voice, but then, as if a switch had been turned, his eyes lit up and he studied them closely again. “But you do, strangers”, he said and a playful grin came upon his lips. “So all hope is not lost.” He smiled in a strange way but Elessar was charmed by this old man, who, he somehow felt, was more than your everyday shopkeeper and antiques-dealer.

 

What is your history, old man, I wonder? the Warder thought to himself. I bet you have seen many things in your long life..

 

 

They met up downstairs at the appointed hour that evening. Taking a table at the back, they waited for the serving woman to come with drinks and a meal. The place was slowly filling up with a mix of locals and strangers (some more boisterous than others) and Elessar and Kathleen made some small talk as they waited. A smiling young woman with long blond hair, a lopsided saucy grin and a twinkle in her blue eyes served them drinks (Elessar winked back at her which made her grin broaden) and left to sort their meal-order. Meanwhile a gleeman entered the Common Room from the side door and stepped up to the stage at the end. He bowed to those sitting closest and received cheers from several. Soon Elessar and Kathleen got their meals. It was roasted meat with potatoes, vegetables and gravy and the Borderlander Warder found it quite delicious. 

 

The gleeman, a young blond and blue-eyed man of Andoran origin, wearing the cloak of many colourful patches of his profession, turned out to be more talented than his fairly young years might indicate. He played several jaunty tunes on his flute to great applause (and some banging on tables from some of the rowdier guests) and then sang several songs which the locals obviously knew and appreciated. Elessar, sitting at the back with Kathleen, clapped as well, always enjoying entertainment of this kind. After a ten minute pause or so the gleeman returned to the stage and, with some dramatic hand gestures and a theatrical voice, said he would now sing a song out of history. New cheers followed this pronouncement. When he said the name of the poem and song, Elessar’s smiled broadened. This was one of his favourite poems which he would never tire of, no matter how many times he read it or saw it performed.

 

“I love this poem”, Elessar whispered to Kathleen with a glint in his eyes. “It never ceases to move me.”

 

 

It was called “Rose of the Sun (The Fall of Manetheren)”, author unknown, and was an old heroic and sad story about the ancient nation called Manetheren, in what was now a region of Western Andor, and its legendary Aes Sedai Queen Eldrene ay Ellan ay Carlan (the “Rose of the Sun”) who led them in their valiant fight against the Shadow. Not all historians considered it fully authentic material, but whether fact or myth, or a mix of the two, it was a great story, Elessar thought. He was pretty sure Kathleen, with her similar interest in history and stories, not to mention her Aes Sedai background with regards to the subject matter, would enjoy this performance as well.

 

Echoes of the Past reverberated in the Common Room as the talented young gleeman wove his tapestry of history and myth, drawing in his spellbound audience.

 

 

►▼◄

 

‘Rose of the Sun (The Fall of Manetheren)’

 

“Carrai an Ellisande!” For the honour of the Rose of the Sun!

The Shield against the darkness, the Hammer weight to Stun.

The Sword that could not be broken. Was shattered in the End.

As valiant Manetheren, no longer could Defend.

 

Brave fighters of the land. Fought with pride and with Heart.

Under Red Eagle banner, they resisted Shadow’s Start.

Until Mountain Home was taken. Noone came to their Aid.

Weep for Manetheren!, all their allies were Afraid.

 

King Aemon and his men ran to aid from Field of Blood.

Countless miles they covered, daring river huge and Flood.

Slaughtered beasts of Shadow. Crying battle cries of Might.

“Carrai an Ellisande!” echoed everywhere in Sight.

 

Brave warriors, brave King! They fell to Darkness’ Yoke.

When Aemon husband died, Queen Eldrene’s heart Broke.

Woe to the Shadow! With anger, grief and Pain.

An Aes Sedai of might, she struck out like Insane.

 

She filled herself to bursting. The Power oh so Sweet!

The Sa’angreal beside her, glowed brightly with its Heat.

She was an awesome figure. Her arms she lifted High.

And then she threw her Balefire and Storms of Lightening Nigh!

 

A harbinger of death. She destroyed the Shadowspawn.

The messengers of Darkness disappeared from Battle’s Lawn.

But her body came on fire. Flames of Saidar burned her Soul.

In her agony she cried out, for Manetheren, her Goal!

 

The destruction levelled all. Old Manetheren was Dead.

The Rose of the Sun, she was gone, it was Said.

But she would live forever. In many people’s Hearts.

And Manetheren’s bravery, is eternal in its Parts.

 

Oh Ellisande! Greatest Queen, we won’t Forget!

Your fight against the Shadow and the death you Met.

Mourn for Manetheren! The bravest place of All.

Honour to the Mountain Home! Your enemies shall Fall.

 

►▲◄

 

 

 

This RP is continued in the following RP-thread (Part 3) ->

 

 

 

The words reverberated in his mind.

 

We stand ready.

 

It was one of the first things Leandreen had said to him after they were Bonded those many years ago. 

 

He remembered her words, her voice, the intense sparkle in her eyes, as if it had been yesterday.

 

“To be a Green,” she had said, “means to Stand Ready. In the Trolloc Wars we were often called the Battle Ajah. All Aes Sedai helped where and when they could, but the Green Ajah alone was always with the armies, in almost every battle. We were the counter to the Dreadlords. So we Stand Ready, for the time when the Trollocs come south again, for Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle. We are the Battle Ajah. We will be there. That is what it means to be a Green.”

 

His eyes lost their distant look and he focused again on Kathleen.

 

“As for the Brown, I am not sure if you recall,” he said, “but in one of our first conversations in the White Tower I told you of an.. interesting experience with a Brown Sister.” He grinned in rememberance, as Kathleen gave a small nod and a touch of a smile, sipping to her kaf. He retold the episode, trying to recapture the slight hilarity of the situation, his voice filled with amusement as he reminisced.

 

For a Brown Sister had a long time ago ‘pounced’ on him when she had discovered him in the History section of the great Tar Valon Library, seated at a table all on his own with six thick volumes of Sethad’s grand “History of the World: Truth and Myth” before him, intently reading. Whether her interest came from the oddity of seeing a Warder in the library with a nose deep in a set of thick books, something which might give her reason for intense study for the next few years, or from his impressive memory when he recited a long and intricate poem by heart when she asked, something which also would make for a deliciously long period of study for the Brown, Elessar did not know. In truth, he was just as glad when she was gone. Being Warder to a Brown had to be a very.. interesting.. experience.. but Elessar was frankly not quite sure he was up to it.

 

 

It was many days later, with the sun shining down on them from a partially blue sky, a soft northerly wind in their backs, when they finally got Caemlyn in their sights. The sight of the splendrous city never ceased to amaze him. They rode very slowly along the main road, Kathleen’s horse walking alongside Elessar’s warhorse, the Warder speaking as they rode, sharing his knowledge of the city and history, Kathleen listening with interest.

 

“Many consider Caemlyn the second grandest city in the lands”, he said as they passed some weary-looking people heading toward the Capital, “only eclipsed by Tar Valon, if not its equal. The city is actually made up of two sections, the New City, built well under two thousand years ago by the hands of man alone, and the ancient Inner City, much of which bears the mark of Ogier stonemasons. A great fifty-foot wall of silver white stone surrounds most of the official perimeter of the city, broken by tall round towers that flank massive arched gates.”

 

It was clear from the way he spoke that this was a subject of great interest to him. Kathleen smiled to herself as she listened.

 

“Outside the wall,” he continued, “buildings cluster thickly like lichen to a log, spreading outward from the glittering mosaic of the city in a gradual dispersion. Within its outer walls the city is laid out in a crazy quilt of streets and byways, with its respendent towers and domes. You will enjoy the sight, of that I am sure”, he said with a knowing smile as they continued down the road.

 

 

They rode for a while in silence, contemplating his words and casting glances at the city in the distance, and then Kathleen asked if he could tell her some of Caemlyn’s and Andor’s history. Elessar nodded approvingly, saying that he would tell her much.

 

“It is a story worth telling.. an important part of Andoran history that I have come acoss several times in my reading.” He smiled. “A lot happened in those bygone years, and there are people and episodes and facts and trivia aplenty, but since you confirmed that you share my interest in these things, I am sure you will not be bored.”

 

They passed a slow-moving ox-cart driven by what looked like a local farmer and some more travellers walking in the direction of the city, before the Warder from Kandor stepped back into the echoes of history..

 

“During the first millennium after the Breaking”, he said to Kathleen, “the territory of Andor was held by two of the Ten Nations, Manetheren in the west and Coremanda in the east. The city of Hai Caemlyn was founded as one of Coremanda's major strongholds, a large city close to the River Erinin, which was important for trade. During the Trolloc Wars both kingdoms were destroyed. After the conclusion of the wars, the kingdoms of Farashelle, Aldeshar, and Caembarin arose out of the ruins of the two older kingdoms. Aldeshar and Caembarin, named for its capital at the rebuilt city of Caemlyn, were two of the most militarily powerful nations of their time and sent armies against the false Dragon Guaire Amalasan in the War of the Second Dragon, although it was actually King Artur Paendrag Tanreall, known as Artur Hawkwing, of the small kingdom of Shandalle, east of Caembarin, who defeated Amalasan.”

 

 

“Too many facts for you?” The Warder asked with another grin. This pleasant telling of history had certainly lightened his mood, something he were sure Kathleen felt. She gave him a small grin back and told him to please continue. It pleased him to note that she was interested in all the facts of history, facts others might have found tedious and complicated, and that she appeciated his telling of the story.

 

“Alright then”, he went on. “What happened next is that Caembarin attacked Shandalle a few months later and Aldeshar followed suit the following year, allegedly due to the manipulations of the Amyrlin Seat, Bonwhin Meraighdin.” His eyebrow rose slightly and he glanced across at the Green Sister, knowing that she probably knew even more of (secret) Tower History - and of the infamous Bonwhin, one of a very few Amyrlins ever stripped of stole and staff - than he did from his Warder training many years before. “During the Consolidation”, he continued after a moment, “Hawkwing conquered Caembarin early in his campaign, but Aldeshar did not fully surrender until FY 963, the last nation to be added to his growing Empire.”

 

“Blaming King Joal Ramedar of Aldeshar for the murder of his wife, Amaline Paendrag Tagora, three years previously, Hawkwing put Ramedar to death and scattered the people of Aldeshar across the Empire. This period of rage, the Black Years, ended after Hawkwing's aborted invasion of the Aiel Waste and his marriage to the lady Tamika. Hawkwing set about organizing his Empire into provinces. The Imperial Province of Andor was created early on, spanning the central regions of the Empire. The precise borders of Andor Province are unknown, but Caemlyn was the ruling city. The first governor was Jeorad Manyard (who, it was speculated, was more interested in creating a translation of The Prophecies of the Dragon), but his rule did not last long.”

 

 

Elessar paused there, letting all the facts and trivia sink in. They were getting closer to the city gates now, the wind was picking up with dust flying about and more people, both locals and foreigners, grown ups and children, were on the road, some also coming from the city. Kathleen was very impressed by Elessar’s knowledge and memory for detail and though she knew some things from before there was plenty of new knowledge to absorb as well. She rode mostly in silence, asking a question now and again, but he could hear in her voice when she spoke that she was captivated by his story.

 

“Alright, the last part now”, he said. “Displaying regret for his harsh treatment of Aldeshar, Hawkwing permitted its people to return home and appointed Endara Casalain, King Ramedar's daughter, as the Imperial Governor of Andor in FY 967. In FY 975 Hawkwing's armies besieged Tar Valon,” - they exchanged a quick glance again, both knowing this part of Tower History -  “a siege that was to last for the remaining lifespan of the Empire. Endara's daughter, Ishara Casalain, began an intriguing - and ultimately defining - romance with General Souran Maravaile, the Commander of the siege, in the early FY 990s.”

 

“After the death of Artur Hawkwing in FY 994, Ishara and the new Amyrlin Seat, Deane Aryman” - another shared glance - “persuaded General Souran Maravaile to lift the siege of Tar Valon. Ishara and Souran returned to Andor and subsequently married. Endara withdrew any claim to the governorship or crown and swore fealty to her daughter Ishara. Ishara then declared herself the first Queen of Andor, establishing an unbroken bloodline of female rulers.”

 

“And that’s the short version”, the Borderlander Warder added with a chuckle. He could not say for certain but he thought he heard a slight chuckle coming from his Sedai, though it could have been the wind.

 

Kathleen thanked him for the story and for his attention to detail, thinking about all she had been told as she rode beside Elessar as they approached the Capital of Andor.

 

 

Soon the Warder and Aes Sedai, their travelling cloaks flapping in the wind, rode through the city gate, beneath banners of the White Lion of Andor rippling proudly on the walls, and headed into the center of the Capital.

 

Good to be back, Elessar thought silently, not for the first time, as they rode slowly into Caemlyn.

 

And like a whisper out of history, carried on winds of rememberance, he almost thought he heard the words Forward, the White Lion of Andor!, the famous battle cry of the Queen's Guard, pass through the air behind him as he guided his warhorse down the city streets with his Battle Ajah Aes Sedai riding by his side.

 

 

The sounds of the waking woodlands surrounded them as they talked around the small campfire that morning.

 

Elessar sipped from his cup of kaf as he listened to Kathleen speak. He enjoyed kaf but Kathleen truly loved it. She had not said so, but the way she savoured her kaf as some would a fine wine, her eyes almost lighting up whenever she had a cup, made him certain of it. Ale was the drink he preferred, but never in the morning. Kaf would do nicely.

 

Watching his new Aes Sedai, he wondered again what kind of person she was. Yes, they had talked many times and shared some experiences and he did feel a kind of ‘rightness’ about this Bond same as he had felt with Leandreen many years ago, but he did not really know her. That would take time.. time and shared experiences. The Bond did not tell him much about her. Strong emotions came through, as had been the case with his former Sedais, but as for the rest, those tentative sensations or feelings..it was hard to describe them.. that came through most of the time told him very little about how she felt. He was positive that she as Sedai felt - and understood - more of his emotions through the Bond than he did hers, he had suspected so ever since his first Bond to Leandreen, but none of his Sedais had ever answered him when he had asked that question though their faces had looked at tad secretive, if such could be said, and with a hint of amusement which had reinforced his suspicion.

 

Some impression of stress and restlessness had, however, bled through the Bond from her at times which made him suspect that she too could be carrying concerns or burdens. He did not know what they were, and he felt he needed to know her better before approaching her about them, but perhaps she felt less comfortable on the road without her usual companion and Warder Nevuel, or at least that was a thought he had. He hoped in that case that he, Elessar, would fill the role on this journey and that she would adapt to the situation.

 

He too had to adapt, of course. A new Bondholder, a new mission, and out in the world again. No longer trapped in the Tower. That made him think of Carys, his previous Sedai, wondering how she were doing with her busy life in the Infirmary in the White Tower. I hope you are happy, Carys. My friend. He felt a moment of sadness thinking of her and of what had happened, then his attention re-focused on the here and now and something Kathleen had just said.

 

 

She had mentioned, to his surprise, that this would be her first trip to Caemlyn. He had been used to Green Sisters travelling the world on missions from his time with Leandreen so this was unexpected, but from what Kathleen said it was clear that not all Greens were as well travelled, perhaps having duties in the White Tower same as Sisters of other Ajahs. She had added that she had always wanted to go but hadn’t found a reason yet. She had been hoping, if he did not mind and they were able to, to spend some time in the city as a ‘tourist’.

 

Now she added: “I know we have to get on with the mission and the city is on the way to the destination, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the journey getting there. How familiar with the city are you? I would love to see the sights and hear some history.”

 

He nodded with a smile. He too wanted to spend some time enjoying the sights of Caemlyn. Their mission would allow it and their valiant horses needed a couple of days rest before the next stage of their journey toward Whitebridge.

 

“I know you a wealth of historical knowledge.” She added. “Did you know that even the night before my raising I spent the hours debating if I would take the Green, or the Grey, or the Brown shawl? Information, history, trivia and stories all fascinate me. This city will be teeming with it and I'd enjoy hearing about and experiencing a part of it.”

 

“Sure”, he replied, giving her a broad smile. “Caemlyn is a city worth spending some time in. And our mission will allow some time spent there as you have described it.” He took another sip from his kaf. “Also, I think our valiant mounts will appreciate a couple days rest after all the hard riding since leaving Tar Valon.”

 

The two horses, safely bound to a tree not far away, whinnied in agreement.

 

 

The Warder’s eyes took on a faraway look for a moment. “I have been fortunate enough to visit Caemlyn several times in my years as a Gaidin, with several of my Sedais, and I have treasured every visit. Caemlyn is a beautiful city well worth a visit. I know it well.”

 

His eyes met hers again across the embers of the small campfire. “I am no historian”, he said with a lopsided grin, “but I have long been a student of history if you will, and I have acquired a good share of historical knowledge over the years, yes. I will be happy to share some of the history with you as we get nearer to the city.”

 

Not for the first time he thought of how pleased he was that she shared his passion for stories, poetry, fact and history. He had had that passion from his early years and it had never stopped. Listening to her tell how she had been uncertain right up until the last minute which Ajah to choose, echoes of a previous talk in his mind, and that she had almost become a Brown Sister instead, made him wonder if his former Sedais had had the same uncertainty. He could not recall either of them ever speaking about it, but perhaps he had simply forgotten.

 

In some ways he could almost picture Kathleen as a Brown; she did not seem, from their time together, to have the fiery nature often seen in Battle Ajah Sisters, of which impulsive and temperamental Leandreen had been a good example, nor have the flamboyant and frivolous character that Greens often were associated with. Then again, it was very easy to stereotype. He had not known that many Greens, in truth, and despite the stereotype they probably differed (somewhat at least) in temperament and behaviour like all other Sedais and women in general.

 

That said, every single White Sister he had ever come across, be it in the Tower with his Sedais, in Tar Valon city streets, or out on missions in foreign lands, had been just as cold and deafeningly, logically serene as the White Ajah Sister stereotype. He sometimes wondered if there was any other kind.

 

 

“In a way I can almost picture you as a Brown”, he said. “You seem certainly calmer in nature, less impulsive than some Greens I have come across in my time” - he did not need to name the one Green he especially had in mind - “and seem to me to have greater patience for, and interest in, history, facts and stories.”

 

Leandreen had had very little patience for such things, her interests lying elsewhere and primarily to do with hunting Darkfriends, battle and fighting skills. She had teased him on several occasions, calling him ‘her Warrior-Poet’, to which he had teased her about her utter lack of patience and tact. The memory was bittersweet as always. Carrain, being a Yellow Sister and healer, had focused on healing and remedies and such and had had little interest outside that area, very much like her Ajah-Sister Carys in fact. Elessar recalled though Carys intermittently drawing in a notebook she had carried with her on their early journeys, but it had been private and she had kept her drawings to herself.

 

“But I think you chose correctly in the end”, he added with a small smile and a glint in his eyes, always having had a special affinity for the Green Ajah.

 

“We stand ready”, he whispered, and Kathleen gave him an affirmative nod.

 

There was pride in her eyes.

 

The darkness of the night matched the darkness of Elessar’s soul.

 

He had entered the Blight a few days before, that nightmarish land north of the Borderlands which was corrupted by the nearby influence of the Lord of the Grave, the Shepherd of the Night, the Dark One. It was a region where all the vegetation was toxic and home to insects that could cause a hideously painful demise. There were other dangers there too and any traveller had to tread carefully in this land to avoid a quick and sudden death.

 

Death was what Elessar sought, in fact as many deaths as possible.

His own would be among them.

But he could not die before he had his vengeance.

 

Though walking a thin line between sanity and madness, reason and rashness, he was not so lost in himself that he did not take some care of his movements. As the days and hours had lengthened his outward fury had subsided somewhat, changing from a frenzy of ideas and confusion and hate and grief into a single-minded fiery dark purpose of how he would inflict as much damage as he possibly could when he brought his wrath upon the Shadow. For his wrath was not gone, though it lay dormant inside him now, like an animal of prey. Waiting. For release.

 

 

They will pay. They will all pay.

And that will be the end of it.

 

At night, in that half-awake, half-sleep state Warders were so practiced at achieving, never losing total vigilance even when resting, his thoughts went often to his many years protecting his Sedai. Other times he thought of his years in Warder-training, and how hard he had worked to excel, to become the best. He had worked relentlessly toward that end.

 

But still I failed you, my Sedai, he thought with anger and bitterness as he clenched his fist, staring darkly into the night.

 

For that, forgive me. But I will avenge you!

 

The following day he saddled Stormbreaker early and set off toward the north at a gallop. His bottled up rage threathened to erupt as he raced across the desolate lands, Death’s Messenger. His eyes had become almost feverish again and he felt his tight reign on his sanity begin to slip. Not that far now, he thought to himself, trying to focus his anger. Soon now. The trail he had found a few days before had been clear and he thought it unlikely they kept lookouts. Why should they? Only madmen travelled these lands of death and none survived long. When he overtook them he would bring death to them all. His eyes intensified and his inner fire blazed.

 

To death!, a scream came from within his soul. To death and vengeance!

 

 

He was riding at a hard gallop, just topping a small rise and still half a mile behind his prey, his body almost trembling in anticipation! of what was to come, when abruptly a heavy shadow came at him from the side, brushing his horses’ flank, making him swerve in his path and forcing him to slow down. Only as Elessar swung his mount angrily around and, with death in his eyes, brought out his sword to strike, did he see that it was another mounted rider!

 

The rider hailed him but it took him a moment to register what was being said. He did not lower his blade but frowned with strong suspicion - and undisguised anger - at the woman, for it was a woman rider who faced him from across her own mount. And not just any woman rider, but an Aes Sedai. There was no doubt.

 

Her commanding words echoed in his turmoiled mind.

 

“Halt! Gaidin, halt!”

 

 

..Carrain Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah looked at her newly bonded Warder, feeling his pain. She had Bonded him forcefully to save him from throwing away his life in a futile death at the hand of the Shadow. She did not know if he would thank her for it, though. Perhaps he would have preferred death. Perhaps he would never truly heal from this deep wound of the soul.

 

She kept her thoughts to herself, however. "You share your Leandreen's loyalties, I see." She said.

 

His eyes met hers and his unbalanced gaze intensified as he said, with strong emotion, ”I hate the Shadow, always have, always will. So did Leandreen. Our lives were formed around fighting the Shadow at every step, every corner. And in the end, she died fighting the Shadow. Those trollocs and their human allies, Darkfriends!. I just wish I had killed them all.”

 

I should have saved you, Leandreen. My life before yours. Forgive me.

 

 

Later..

 

He stood together with Carrain Sedai watching Leandreen’s burning funeral pyre lighting up the darkness. She seemed so regal laying there, her emerald green eyes closed and her fiery red hair embracing her so familiar face, ready for the final journey. Soon she was enveloped in flames, in a blaze of light that defied the night.

 

Oh Leandreen, forgive me.

 

...Words whispered on the winds of time…

 

“You were a brave fighter, Leandreen”, he said, speaking words of strong emotion. ”As brave as they come. You fought the Shadow ‘till the end. Just as you always promised you would.” A short pause followed. Then he added, “Your courage shall not be forgotten, your sacrifice will be remembered. You will be remembered. Rest in peace, Leandreen Aes Sedai of the Battle Ajah. May the last embrace of the Mother welcome you home.”

Goodbye Leandreen.

                                         

 

Elessar crashed out of another painful dream-memory and shook his head. His eyes were wide and his hands trembled slightly, sweat beading on his brow, as he tried to collect himself.

 

Leandreen.

And Carrain.

 

Staring intensely into the blackness surrounding their woodland camp, the darkness of the night a canopy above the majestic oaks that ringed them, the Warder breathed slowly in and out to regain his equilibrium. Gradually his pulse slowed and he lay his head back again on the small pack that served as his pillow out here in the wilds.

 

Echoes of the dream.. of that former dark reality.. of what felt like a previous life.. lingered for a while in his mind but finally lessened and he could breathe a little easier. Casting a quick glance across at Kathleen off to the side, he saw no movement from her blanket. He did not know if she had sensed his reaction and emotion through the Bond.. he hoped not since he wanted her to get as much sleep as possible on this journey southwards which consisted of long and hard days of riding.

 

Leandreen.

And Carrain.

 

My Sedais.

 

The Warder from Kandor sighed and closed his eyes, pushing away more vestiges of those painful dream-memories that would never completely lose their grip on him. Instead he focused on other things, to get his mind to circle in on the here and now.

 

To his life and service with Kathleen.

 

His Aes Sedai.

 

 

It brought back thoughts and memories of their time in the ‘Wild Boar inn’ in the village of Stounton a week or so earlier. The delicious meal. Their pleasant talk. The wonderful performance by the gleeman. The poetry-song of Tarabon.

 

And Kathleen’s poem.

 

He had come upon it by chance in the morning following the gleeman’s show. Kathleen’s door had been open as he had been about to head downstairs to the Common Room to have breakfast, and having felt Kathleen leaving her room earlier he had walked over to her door to check. Stepping inside her room he had looked about and had seen a cleaning girl making the bed. Nodding to himself he had greeted her politely and had been about to leave when his eyes had caught sight of a piece of paper, beside a pen, on the small table in the corner. It could be private so he should just leave it be, he knew, but something drew his eyes to the flowing script and he saw himself walk across and pick it up.

 

It was a poem and a well-written one at that. Feeling a little guilty, the Gaidin read through the whole piece and was unable to put it down. Finally he did so and turned quickly to see if the cleaning girl had observed him. She seemed busy with her work and so he left the room swiftly, his mind going over the words in the poem time and time again. He had always had excellent memory for detail and poems stayed in his mind for ages. He could not quite say what was so special about Kathleen’s poem but there was.. something about it that made him curious, made him think..

 

He had known from their earlier talks that she shared his passion for poetry and stories: for ‘the power and magic of words’, as she had aptly called it. He had, however, not seen one of her own written poems before. Elessar too dabbled in poetry now and again, but mostly he enjoyed the poetry of song and stories and history written or performed by others. He quickly decided he would not tell, or ask Kathleen about her poem, at least not yet. It could, after all, be private, for her eyes only, and he still felt some guilt at having read it without her permission or knowledge.

 

 

Turning his thoughts to the road ahead, he considered the next part of their journey. They planned to follow the main road south into Andor and to the Capital of Caemlyn. They needed to buy some new provisions there. Then they would head straight westwards past the historical town of Four Kings and all the way to Whitebridge. Their destination. It was a long journey and he did not know how long it would take, that would depend on the weather and riding conditions and on how many stops they made along the way. Their first aim now was to reach Caemlyn and to rest there a couple of days before going onward.

 

Caemlyn.

 

Elessar had many memories of the Andoran Capital, having visited it many times through the years on missions with his several Sedais. The last visit had been with Carys, his former Bondholder. He recalled it well. A beautiful city, well worth seeing again.

 

Calmer now, the Borderlander-Warder entered the half asleep, half resting state he had become so used to over the years in service, and the painful echoes of the past were gone, at least for a little while.

 

 

The following morning, as they faced each other over the small campfire, munching small bits of dried beef and drinking some kaf, Elessar asked Kathleen:

 

“Have you visited Caemlyn many times over the years?”

 

“I recall the poetic way some historians describe the Andoran Capital”, he added with a knowing smile, waiting for her to reply.

 

“‘..Like a gleaming crown upon its gently rolling hills, the City of Caemlyn, with its beautiful ancient Ogier-built Inner City, impresses immeasurably, there with its towers and domes gleaming white and gold in the sun..’”

 

“They are not far wrong”, the Borderlander Warder said and his eyes glinted.