A few added thoughts in view of the last few comments.

 

First we have Canon from Robert Jordan. This is his story to be respected which we are all so lucky to be enjoying. Apart from that vital point, I disagree with those who do not see this as a coming-of-age story. That is how Robert Jordan wrote it and that is what makes it so fascinating and fulfilling as I see it. The fact that the three boys are boys at the start makes their journey all the more satisfying as they mature and grow as persons, with life-experience and responsibility, becoming who they had the potential to be as adults and more. Take that away, make them less innocent and playful from the start in the tv-show, more mature and ‘ready for the outside world’, exemplified by say a 'married Perrin', and you lose that aspect which in my opinion would be harmful to the story.

 

This is particularly important in the case of Rand as his incredible journey - from the innocent young boy at the start to the boy who suddenly gets the impossible burden of having to save the world and not only that but who will go mad doing so to the man who panics and runs but who gradually accepts his fate and gains confidence and learns to rule to the man who becomes affected by the taint and becomes hard as stone to the man who redeems himself in the light and does his duty at the end with his sacrifice - is the nexus of the whole saga and what holds it all together. From innocence to facing the darkness of the world and the darkness within him, from light into darkness and back to light again. That is Rand’s journey.

 

Personally I would also miss the charm and fun of the three boys, young innocents, lamenting that they are not as good with girls as the others, those comments in the books always put a smile on my face and I wish for them to be included in the tv-show.

 

As for it being ‘jarring’ for the actors to play younger/more immature than they are, if that is the roles Rafe wants them to play I can’t see why that should be a problem. These are young but professional actors. Whether they are supposed to be 16, 17 or 18 f.ex. in the tv-show that will not matter, it is the way they act their age which is important as I see it. We know from real life that some 18-year old men are very immature while some 16-year old men might be quite mature, it often depends on a person, personality etc. How Rafe and the showrunners will play this out remains to be seen. Personally I hope they keep these things in mind, in the spirit of Robert Jordan's vision.

 

I see from the discussion here that others disagree with these viewpoints, that is natural since different WoT-fans will have different expectations and outlooks on this tv-adaptation. These are some of my reflections though, added in the spirit of Thrasymachus’s post of before.

On 4/19/2021 at 7:14 PM, Thrasymachus said:

My hope is that she's simply Perrin's sister that they've renamed.  Make her his wife, and kill her in the opening acts, and Perrin's motivation is no longer about protecting his family and village, but seeking vengeance, and his arc of personal growth would no longer be about reconciling his desire for a normal life with his extraordinary, if initially untrusted abilities and the duties of friendship and decency, but instead would have to deal with his overcoming his grief and anger first.

 

It also significantly sets Perrin apart to already be married.  Perrin would no longer be a boy with Rand and Mat, but a married man.  That puts him in a completely different thematic, narrative and social position to Rand and Mat early on, and it's thematically and narratively important for them to all begin in the same thematic, narrative and social space.  This is a coming-of-age story for the boys and Egwene, and to a degree, Nynaeve as well.  It's a story about how they take that last step into adulthood, finally becoming their own persons and earning the self-respect and respect of others that goes with that.  That's a theme that's significantly undermined by having one of them already an adult with a family, even a new family, of his own.

I agree with every single word. Very well put!

.. To Prove One’s Worth ..

►▼◄

 

They spoke earnestly for a while after Myrrhi had shared her thoughts and reflections.

 

Elessar understood and agreed when she pointed out that she needed to know that she could depend on him as her companion and protector, to stay by her side in their service for the White Tower. They needed mutual trust and loyalty. The Warder promised and apologized again for his lapse. He appreciated her understanding when it came to his personal issues and that going through what he had gone through when Leandreen died and the Bond snapped would have a profound effect on anyone.

 

As the minutes went by, he felt they were soon ready to speak of practical matters, the matter of his service and duty dealt with, and when the time came Myrrhi took the initiative.

 

She spoke of the visits in the city that she had made in the past days, the people she had met, and what she had found out.

 

Myrrhi then handed Elessar the note and sat back in silence. He studied it closely, read it several times and then handed it back to her.

 

“It’s obviously a trap”, he said. “They have clearly been observing us since they knew I was not around.” Myrrhi nodded but remained silent, waiting for more of his reflections. It was good to have him back at her side. “It’s cleverly done in fact, a less observant recipient might have been fooled.” He waited a few seconds before continuing, thinking the matter over.

 

“I think we should spring the trap”, he said squarely. “This can lead us closer to the truth behind Lady Semaris and her activities, because she is surely involved in this. If she is a Darkfriend as her Lord husband suspects, she may make a mistake with this scheme and we may catch her in the act.”

 

●

 

“We have to be careful of course”, Elessar added matter of factly, “because if they are Darkfriends there could be danger. However, they don’t know that we know that it is a trap. That works to our advantage.”

 

Myrrhi nodded again, agreeing with where he was going with this. There could be danger but danger was their business when on Tower business. They just had to be careful and now that they were together again as a team she had confidence that they would succeed.

 

“If they have discovered that I am back in the city”, he added thoughtfully, “that could make them hesitate a little. However, Darkfriends are in my experience an arrogant zealous lot who don’t hesitate when going in for the kill.”

 

They spoke some more about the docks, what they recalled about the buildings there and how to use the site for their advantage. That was always important in any conflict: know your terrain well. Then they discussed some practical matters and necessary preparations that needed to be done. When he finally left Myrrhi’s room, Elessar felt better. It was good to have spoken more about his inner pain with Myrrhi and the healing process between them had begun. They would solve the current issue in the Capital - together. He would he at her side, protecting, serving, as he had sworn in his Oath. This was a chance to prove his worth, to show that he had made no mistake by returning to her side. That was important for him but also for her. He ignored the doubts that lurked in the stain of darkness in his soul, pushing them away as he looked with positive eyes on what was to come.

 

●

 

It was nearing midnight and Elessar and Myrrhi were crouching by a fishery building down at the docks. The Warder was keeping an eye on every nook and corner, staring into the Shadows with an intense gaze. So far they had seen no movement, the docks were empty of people, local fishermen drinking at the nearest inn. The sky was black and with a blanket of clouds which made it difficult for the slivers from the moon above to penetrate the darkness. There was little light about and for that reason (but not that reason only) they had arrived early so their eyes could get accustomed to the dark.

 

“Will they be here soon?” Myrrhi whispered.

 

She was going through in her mind how they had agreed to approach this ‘meeting’. She would step forward to speak, pretending her Warder was not around. He would stay hidden in the Shadows but if the situation escalated he would join her swiftly. They had discussed if her confronting the supposed Darkfriends alone was too risky but she had insisted this was vital if they were to have a chance of catching them. If they saw Elessar beside her from the beginning there at the docks, they might deduce that their trap had been found out and might withdraw or, if they kept a lookout, not come at all. Elessar was not too happy about it but accepted Myrrhi’s decision.

 

“They will be.” Elessar whispered back. “They would not have sent you the note if they did not mean business.”

 

●

 

He stared further into the darkness and a few moments later he thought he saw a shadow move off to his right. He touched Myrrhi’s shoulder and nodded in that direction. She looked towards the building Elessar had indicated, keeping their silence. Another shadow moved close to the first one and then they both stepped forward into what minuscule light there was also coming off the water.

 

Elessar nodded to Myrrhi who nodded back. She embraced Saidar, enjoying the One Power flowing through her, then she stepped forwards from the shadows wherein she had waited and walked toward the two men. Elessar studied the darkness in all directions, looking for more men hiding in the Shadows. He kept a close eye on Myrrhi though as she stopped ten paces or so from the men. They wore dark cloaks and hoods but it was hard to get an impression of facial features in the blackness.

 

Myrrhi stared at the men with her cool Aes Sedai-stare, glad that Elessar was nearby if the situation escalated into trouble. “Thank you for your invitation”, she said smoothly. “ I am here. What news have you of my Warder?”

 

The man standing to the right replied, his Illianer accent thick. “I do be having important news.” His voice was deep and raspy. “Your Warder do be with our.. friends. You do be joining us and learn what he will tell you.”

 

●

 

“How can I trust you are telling the truth?” Myrrhi asked, playing along for the time being. She did not feel any danger from her Warder through the Bond which was reassuring. He would for sure be studying the docks closely. “You said nothing about any other place in your message.”

 

The man who had spoken responded. “You do be trusting us.” He said. His voice had a touch of sarcasm as he continued. “You be thinking we are lying? “ Why should we lie? Your Warder sent us.”

 

Myrrhi considered the situation as the silence lengthened. If she went with them, it could be that they would be able to catch many of them. But such action included risk, perhaps too great a risk. Down here at the docks they would stand a good chance against a dozen people if it came down to it, but in close quarters against several dozen..? She felt the risk was too great.

 

“Tell me his message now, stranger”. Her voice was more commanding now, words spoken by an Aes Sedai. “If a message you indeed have.”

 

The man who had spoken exchanged a glance with his companion, then he hissed a warning as something flew through the air close to the Aes Sedai. It was an arrow and Myrrhi reacted instinctively. She threw herself to the side, rolled and then cast a blast of Air at the two men who scrambled to their feet off to the side. Elessar was rushing in from the shadows just as a second arrow whistled through the air. It passed between them but the danger was clear. The Warder had his blade in his hand, his Warder’s cloak blending into the background, as he threw himself at three more men who had appeared from the back building.

 

●

 

Two of them carried swords but he quickly saw that they were no match for him. He was holding onto the Flame and the Void, perhaps a bit too tightly but acceptable in the circumstances, as he flowed in the Forms, attacking, deflecting and parrying. The first opponent fell to the ground with a deep wound in his thigh while the second fellow screamed in pain as Elessar’s sword cut into his abdomen. The Warder’s fist slammed into his face and the man fell to the ground as if felled by a tree.

 

The man with the thigh-wound withdrew off to the side, cursing loudly and throwing obscenities at the Gaidin, but then the third man attacked. He was more experienced with the sword and the Clash of Steel rang around the docks as they circled one another with attacks and deflections, moving back and forth in a Dance of the Blades.

 

Elessar was caught slightly off-balance at one point and cursed as the other man’s sword bit into his back, but it was a shallow wound and did not hamper him much. He struck back some moments later when his blade got inside his opponent’s guard and sliced into his arm. Finally Elessar managed to get the better of his opponent, combining sword forms in an advanced fashion which very few indeed would be able to withstand. The other man’s sword crashed to the ground and the Warder’s blade cut deeply into the man’s side as he finished him off.

 

He had needed to focus on his own opponents, but had sensed Myrrhi’s own battle with more onrushing men off to the side. She was using the One Power in defence of her own life and that of her Warder and worked her weaves of Saidar proficiently.

 

Elessar risked a glance around the docks, looking for added danger, and then it happened..

 

●

 

Off to his right was another Shadow moving close to the nearest building. Several Shadows.

 

A split second - and then..

 

Elessar saw the danger out of the corner of his eye. He yelled a warning to Myrrhi but it was too late. The poisoned dagger was already flying towards its target, the Aes Sedai’s heart.

 

Everything happened as if in slow motion then.

 

●

 

Myrrhi half-turned towards her Warder, her hands upraised as she embraced Saidar..

 

Elessar took a long step towards her..

 

One of the men rushing in from the side screamed something unintelligible..

 

A second man rushed from the darkness toward the Warder..

 

Myrrhi used Air to throw the onrushing man back and he smashed into the dock house.

 

But she was too late to see the dagger.

 

Elessar took another long step towards her and then, using all his remaining strength, he leaped in front of her from several yards away, his arms outstretched, his body a shield for his Aes Sedai, and he took the dagger in his chest that had been meant for his Bondholder.

 

●

 

Crashing to the ground several paces to her side, he hit his head hard, slamming his shoulder as he fell, dizziness enveloping him as he tried to catch his bearings.

 

He felt great pain in his chest and a numbing feeling and immediately deduced that the dagger had been poisoned. Cursing inside he tried to raise himself but was unable to. He heard Myrrhi shout something to him but her words became mixed up in his mind and he was unable to react.

 

A boom sounded as if from very far off but Elessar was no longer able to discern voices or nearby sounds or understand what was going on. He felt through the Bond that Myrrhi was rushing toward him - he thought she was screaming something - but his thoughts were too jumbled.

 

The Gaidin held onto one thought. A vital thought. The most important one.

 

●

 

I saved her life. This time I did not fail.

 

By the creator, I did not!

 

●

 

The last thought that went through Elessar’s mind before he lost consciousness was that he had Proven his Worth as a Warder.

 

A feeling of relief and gratitude echoed in his soul, a blissful contentment, as he gradually descended into an unending blackness.

 

▀▄

This is an interesting topic.

 

I think how you pronouce the WoT and its world comes down to many things: what you feel 'natural', what you feel comfortable with, how you have heard/read it prononuced. For me as a non-English speaker how it feels 'logical' in English also plays a part and I am also influenced (perhaps in part subconsciously) by how I pronounce sounds in my own language.

 

I have found, reading and listening to how English/American WoT fans pronounce things, that my thoughts on how names and places are supposed to be in the WoT world are quite different from the standard. Not that it bothers me in the slightest, but it is interesting to note. 

 

For ex.

 

Lanfear which most pronouce as it stands, lan (a as in can) fear (e as in here) whereas I have always thought of it as lan (a as in car) fear (e as in the name Esther + a as in car + a thin r). A radical approach I guess but that's the way it sounded in my head when I first read about that delicisiously evil female character in Robert Jordan's world.

 

Cairhien, this I have always pronouced cair (a as in car + i as in in) hien (i as in in + e as in end).

 

Tar Valon, here I have always put the stress on tar (the first part) instead of valon (the last part) while I see most English-speaking fans put stress on the last part.

 

Egwene, here I have always pronounced it as eg (e as in end + a soft g sound) wene (wene like ween) but with stress on the last part (the wene), not the first past which I get the impression many do.

 

Nynaeve, this one is especially interesting because I have yet to find anyone who pronounces it the way I do. I have always thought of it as nyn (y as in funny) aeve (eve as in evening) while most seem to use the y in the name as the y in sky.

 

As for the Lan pronouncation debate (a as in can) vs (a as in car) I am firmly in the first camp, but that's just the way I have always pronounced it.

.. A Return and Honest Words ..

►▼◄

 

As Elessar rode toward the Capital that morning, the rain gradually lessened. From a heavy downpour it became a light downpour and then a drizzle. Not that he cared much about the weather. His thoughts were on his return to Myrrhi and on what he would say to her.

 

She deserved an explanation and also an apology, but he was still unsure what words to speak. Though his days with the Illianer stranger had done him a lot of good in many ways, he still carried guilt and the ‘blackness’ - the stain upon his soul - inside him, perhaps he always would to some extent, a consequence of his Bond snapping and madness lurking when his first Aes Sedai died. This left him more vulnerable than he would have liked, but he had lifted himself out of his emotional quagmire before and would do it again. He had taken the first steps with the stranger. He would take the next ones too.

 

More self confident now than he had been in a good while, he felt strongly that he had a purpose: to redeem himself, to show his worth as a Warder. He did not know the specifics of how he would do so, but he would. Somehow.

 

As Stormbreaker galloped down the road that led to the city of Illian, passing carriages driven by oxen and people - locals and travellers - on foot, Elessar focused his mind on what lay ahead.

 

●

 

He left his valiant mount in the care of a stableboy behind the inn and entered the establishment. He knew that Myrrhi would feel his return through the Bond, but felt no emotions coming through. He did not know if that was a good or a bad thing. She will probably be angry with me. He thought as he headed up the steps to the floor above. And rightly so. He went to his own room first, mostly because he needed some moments to prepare himself for the confrontation. For her condemnation.

 

Removing his wet cloak, he lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. He thought about his Bondholder - about Myrrhi - and guilt rose inside him. He had treated her badly, but his inner pain was so personal that he was not sure he could explain it to her in a proper, meaningful way. She was quite young for an Aes Sedai, less experienced than his former Bondholders, and in the past she had shied away from confrontations with him. He guessed that she did not want to anger him, was perhaps a little afraid to as well (he could be an imposing presence, after all) and she did not want ‘bad blood’ between herself and her Warder.

 

At the same time, he thought, she would need to make a stand of sorts, so that he understood that this kind of behaviour could not be tolerated. She depended on him, she needed him to be there for her as she carried out missions for the White Tower. If he was incapable of this, she may need to find an other Warder. She would be unlikely to say so out loud, he thought, but she would be thinking it. And so this was very much in his hands. He needed to give some explanations at least, apologize and swear to be by her side from now on. To be contrite and penitent was not a quality Warders were best at if truth be told, but some of those qualities were needed now to rebuild trust with his Aes Sedai.

 

●

 

He lay there for longer than he had planned, his mind working on explanations to use. Myrrhi could without doubt feel him in the next room, but she did not approach him or give any indication that she was aware he was there. It was his move and they both knew it.

 

For a moment his mind went back to when she had Bonded him, what now felt an Age ago. He remembered it as if it had been yesterday. His emotions of happiness and feeling of Hope. His words, his Oath, as he knelt down on one knee before the young woman, before she placed her hand on his head to perform the Bonding weaves making them ‘as one’, were burned into his memory..

 

 

..In his colour-shifting Warder-cloak and with his sword by his side, he walked up to Myrrhi and stopped a few feet away. There was a smile on his face and his dark eyes glittered warmly.

 

“And so here we are.” Elessar said kindly. She smiled back at him, her blue eyes sparkling.

 

He came a step closer.

 

“I gratefully accept your Offer of a Bond, Myrrhi Morrigen Aes Sedai”, he said formally, as he knelt down on one knee before the young woman.

 

“To Serve and Protect, as your Warder, to Death and Beyond.”

 

He bent his head, pledging his service to her.

 

“My Life before Yours.”

 

And Light streamed into his Soul..

 

●

 

Finally he left his room, closed the door behind him, and knocked on Myrrhi’s door. At first there was no reaction, then after a few moments he heard her voice say ‘enter’. She knew it was him and so did not need to come to the door. Opening the door, he closed it behind him and faced his Aes Sedai in silence. She was seated in the chair by the bed beside a small table on which was her notebook and a pen. He was glad to see her but his face was serious as he went over in his mind how to begin. She watched him coolly, her face smooth in the Aes Sedai fashion. He was unable to get a clear feeling of her emotions through the Bond - perhaps a mix of relief, frustration, gladness and anger?, though he never could really tell even at the best of times - and she was clearly waiting for him to speak.

 

The silence lengthened, the moment awkward, but then he gave her a Warder’s bow of respect and spoke, meeting her gaze squarely.

 

“Myrrhi Aes Sedai”, he said in a low voice, honest with contrition, “I apologize for my absence. I have not done my duty by you as I should and for that I am ashamed.”

 

●

 

He turned away, facing the wall. He did not want to see the condemnation in her eyes. “You have every right to be angry at me. I have let you down.” He paused for a moment. “There are some issues I have kept to myself, for personal reasons. And I am sure you have observed that I have not quite been myself these past weeks. For that I am sorry.”

 

Turning back to face her, he continued. “I have returned to prove my worth as your Warder, to renew my Oath. I will do better in my service to you. That I swear. You deserve better.”

 

“I also have something personal I need to share with you”, he ended. “It might explain a little my behaviour”.

 

He sat down on the bed and related most of the story that he had never told her before. She knew of Leandreen, they had spoken of her back when Elessar had been reluctant to Bond her for reason of not wanting to fail her too. But he now spoke more of the Bond that had snapped when Leandreen died. And of the near-madness in the back of his mind as a result, a stain upon his soul that would never quite go away, and of his struggles over the years to keep it in check. He was still not able to share all his emotions, all the details, and told his story in a Warder-stoic way, but he was sure she would read between the lines and understand how deep this pain in his soul went.

 

“I should have told you more before, especially when you Bonded me”, he said. “But some things were too personal to deal with back then, even with as trusted a person as you. But now you know.”

 

From an early age he had been taught to be ashamed of flaws, of weakness - his father had seen to that, making him hard as steel in every way - and so showing weakness in front of others was hard for him. But he was glad he had finally told Myrrhi about his inner pain and how it affected him, and could only hope that she would react with understanding and empathy and not only anger.

 

●

 

He looked away from her face as he waited for her to speak. He was ready for whatever reaction she would have.

 

▀▄

.. The First Steps to Recovery ..

►▼◄

 

When Elessar next awoke, he did not know how long he had been asleep. Everything was confusing. How he had ended up in this place. Who the graying elderly man was. How he had fallen asleep again so shortly after awakening. Nothing made sense.

 

When he raised his head from the pillow, he saw that the stranger was watching him from across the room. Looking more closely at the man he saw that the Illianer was strong of build, looked fit for his age and had a confident bearing. He was gazing kindly at the Warder in the bed, but his eyes were questioning. Elessar met his gaze squarely, then looked away. He did not feel like talking, but he needed some answers.

 

“Who are you?” He asked finally, taking a sip of water from the cup on the beside table.

 

The man smiled. “Who I do be is of no concern.” He grinned slightly. “Who you do be though, that I know.”

 

Elessar frowned. “You know who I am?”

 

“I know who you do be, yes.” The man murmured. “Or rather, what you do be.”

 

Elessar’s eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”

 

The Illianer chuckled. “Oh yes, you do be unmistakable”. His eyes took on a speculative glint. “You do be a Warder.”

 

●

 

Elessar had not worn his Warder cloak when he had left the Capital, not feeling worthy to wear such distinguished clothing anymore. Instead he had put on ordinary clothes that would not stand out in any crowd. Even so, this man had recognized him for what he was. Or rather, what he had been.

 

Elessar longed for a drink; all this thinking brought his thoughts back to reality, a reality he was trying hard to escape from. It did not matter who this stranger was, or why he had taken him in. Nothing mattered anymore.

 

“No need to confirm it”, the man added with another chuckle. “You may look scruffy and almost downtrodden, but I know a Warder when I see one.”

 

Elessar did not reply, took another sip of water, then placed the cup back on the bedside table. He looked back at the older man then and his voice became suspicious.

 

“Why have you taken me in?” He asked. “Why are you helping me?”

 

“I see a brother in need, I help.” The man answered, his face growing more serious. “That kind of man I do be.”

 

Had Elessar been himself, he would have appreciated the help. He would have replied kindly. But he was a very depressed man, his soul filled with despair, who had lost hope. Had lost himself.

 

And so instead he spat back, “I don’t need any help, stranger. Your kindness is wasted on me. I am no longer a Warder, worthy of the name.”

 

His eyes became harder. “I have failed everything and everyone. I have broken my Oath. Nothing matters anymore.”

 

●

 

The older man’s voice took on a compassionate note. “Nothing is so broken that it cannot be mended.” His face then became more serious. “But I see your broken soul. You have a challenging path to walk, brother. And I do be taking the first steps with you.”

 

Elessar stopped listening when he heard the compassion in the Illianer’s voice. Bitterness took hold of him.. bitterness and shame. A small part of him noted what the other man said though, but his black mood overpowered everything.

 

The Illianer stranger nodded softly as if he understood. He brought another mug of water to the Warder who poured some more into his cup. He was unusually thirsty and took a long swallow before placing his head back on the pillow. For some reason he soon began to feel sleepy again, but his already confused mind was unable to deduct what was going on. The last thing he heard before falling asleep again was the older man’s voice telling him to rest some more.

 

Elessar’s body felt much less weary when he woke up the following morning. No wonder, he must have slept almost a day since arriving in this place. The room was empty now apart from him and he got up, washed himself in a basin at the end of the room, then put on some clothes and looked around. His mood was still black and sour but for the first time in days he felt hungry and his thoughts went to food rather than to drink. When he opened the door to the next room and stepped through, he saw that it was a kitchen. The older man was seated by a table on his own and he smiled kindly when Elessar entered.

 

“There you do be, brother”. He said as he bade him seat himself. “Have some breakfast. You need your strength.” He pointed to a plate with toast, marmalade and some cheese. There was also a mug with water to drink.

 

Elessar gave a brief nod, then seated himself. He ate a few sandwiches in silence and drank some water. The older man watched him from time to time but did not say anything. Only as they had near finished breakfast did Elessar speak.

 

●

 

“You were a Warder once?” He asked the question in an unassuming way, as if the answer meant little to him, but the other man smiled knowingly.

 

“I do be.. many things.. at different times..” the Illianer replied ambivalently.

 

Elessar could not say what it was, but something about the other man reminded him of the Warders he knew back in Tar Valon. The assured bearing. The confidence. The balance.

 

All the things he no longer saw in himself…

 

A Warder did not usually leave service.. but there had been a few reported cases where a Warder’s Bond had been released, Elessar’s with Kathleen being one such. Had this man been a Warder too?

 

The older man’s face turned serious again. “What do be important though, I do be in your dark place before.” His eyes tightened. “You do be lost. But I do be helping you get back, brother.”

 

Elessar did not know how it happened, but before he knew it he began speaking - tentatively at first but then with conviction - of his failures to this complete stranger, telling of the heavy burden he carried for his many losses.. the burden of guilt and shame. His eyes watered, his soul bared, but he did not care. He found that he needed to share his pain with someone and this older man felt earnest and trustworthy, seemed to understand what he was saying, and could identify with the pain he felt in his soul. And so the hours passed as he spoke and the older man listened attentively. Then when the Warder had ‘emptied himself’, no more tears left and his throat dry from all the talking, the older man began to speak, his voice soothing, his tone pleasant as he spoke of adventures and hardships, of failures, struggles and of triumphs. And Elessar no longer cared if some of what the older man told were embellishments or stories, he found a calm in the other man’s voice which lessened the darkness he felt within and gave some much needed solace. That night Elessar slept better than he had done in a while.

 

●

 

The following morning his whole being felt better. His black mood was still there - it would take longer time to heal himself this time, he knew - but he felt calmer and mostly managed to keep the dark thoughts at bay. It was a first step and for the first time since his breakdown he felt ready to take it. After breakfast he spoke a few hours more with the older man, this time touching on happier times with his Sedais, and then the Illianer said it was time to begin the next step in his recovery: physical training and practice. Elessar had let this lapse in the previous weeks and did not really feel up to it now, but the Illianer insisted and said it would help him in his depression. And so for the next several hours Elessar trained physically hard - with all kinds of exercises - in the older man’s huge back yard, feeling the adrenaline pumping in his body, pushing himself hard.

 

Afterwards he felt exhausted, his breath coming in short gasps as he brushed sweat off his upper torso with a towel. But the older man only gave him a brief break. Then he brought a sword from inside the house and handed Elessar one as well. It was time for sword practice, the Illianer said with a lopsided grin. It was time to show him that he - Elessar - had some ability with a blade. Elessar wanted to protest, tired as he was and not feeling mentally ready for a spar, but the older man gave him no chance to back out. Elessar tried to cloak himself in the Flame and the Void, the Oneness, shutting out everything else as he had been taught, but was unsuccessful. I am lacking the balance, he cursed inside. He tried again and managed for a few moments but then it left him. Closing his eyes, he focused deep inside, looking for that icy calm place of focus and clarity and with his third attempt he succeeded. He felt it took more effort than normal to hold onto it, but it would have to do.

 

He was curious how proficient this stranger was with a blade, but he soon understood that the older man was very good indeed, especially considering his age. Soon they were lost in a Dance of the Blade.

 

To Elessar it felt as if he were re-enacting a sword duel from the past. The moves were so similar, the forms familiar.. as if he were in a different time and place..

 

●

 

The Illianer was quick, much quicker than Elessar had anticipated, and soon went on the offensive. Elessar deflected the quick moves, blocking aptly, and countered with forms which the other blocked. Some tentative strikes followed and then Elessar attacked with an impressive combination of forms which brought the Illianer on the defensive. Back and forth it went, both showing skill and endurance. Elessar felt he was not at his very best - he still lacked some balance and the edge which was so important for a Warder - but his skill was at such a level that even at his second best he was a very dangerous opponent for any swordsman. He combined moves again, with several forceful swings, and this time his opponent struggled to defend.

 

Back and forth it went, the battle ebbing and flowing. Strikes and deflections, movement and precision.

 

Attack. Block. Move. Swing. Deflect. Attack. Deflect. Counterblow.

 

They flowed, thrusting and parrying, attacking and spinning out of range and moving swiftly from stance to stance, two opponents locked in combat. Weariness tore at Elessar after a while but also at the older man who became slower in his reactions as the duel wore on. In the end the Warder from Kandor got the upper hand and swept his blade inside the other man’s guard and with a twist of his blade disarmed the man, his sword flying through the air to land on the ground. Panting hard, the Illianer picked up his sword and gave a mock-bow to the Warder.

 

“It seems you defeated me, sir”, the older man said with a grin, trying to catch his breath. “You no be too bad for a rookie.”

 

In his tired state, his body aching all over, and despite the blackness lurking in the back of his soul, Elessar could do nothing but laugh at the ludicrous comment. The Illianer’s grin broadened and he liked what he saw in the Warder.

 

You have still a way to walk, brother. He thought to himself.  But you do be getting there in the end.

 

●

 

They did the same the next day. And the day after.

 

After breakfast, several hours of physical exercise, then after a short break new sparring duels. Pushing himself hard, Elessar felt some of his black moods lessen and this motivated him to work even harder. A light was beginning to penetrate the darkness within him and the older man encouraged him with wise words and advice, helping build his self confidence and self worth. Thoughts of Myrrhi brought back the dark moods and guilt so he tried to keep a distance to that even though he knew she must be very worried by his long absence. He told himself that he needed to build himself up again to be of any worth to her and the Illianer said much the same thing when they spoke at length in the evenings.

 

The older man pointed out to Elessar time and again how strong he had been to overcome Leandreen’s death and keep doing his duty and service for his Sedais and the White Tower, and he had to remember that strength now that he was struggling with life and purpose. His service was appreciated, it was respected. He was worthy, the Illianer persisted - worthy as every man is when standing up from defeat and showing character and perseverance. He was a Warder, the older man emphasised, he was among the best of the best fighters in the land. He was dutiful and honourable. He still had much service to give.

 

He was Elessar.

 

●

 

Elessar was still filled with doubts about his purpose and worth, his black moods not gone but lessened, but the days with the nameless Illianer had done wonders for his self confidence and motivation and he felt stronger, more balanced, than he had in a while in more ways than one. Most importantly, he had hope again that he might still have service to give and with that hope gradually came an urge to return to Myrrhi in the Capital. He had to prove his worth somehow as her Warder, to show that he still was deserving, that he still had something to offer. And he had to overcome his feeling of guilt.

 

And so he took farewell with the kind older Illianer on a grey and rainy morning, thanking him for all his help and advice, appreciating immensely how the older man had helped him on his first steps to recovery.

 

As he walked away from the Illianer’s house in the direction of the village center and the guest house, the older man whispered Forgive yourself after him. The words quickly disappeared on the northern wind but did not escape the Warder.

 

When he rode out of the village on Stormbreaker a little later, uncaring about the rain that poured down from the heavens, there was a small smile on his face. He still had a ‘mountain to climb’ in several ways, the darkness still lurked in the back of his mind, but he was on the right path now and was determined to show his worth.

 

●

 

“Do she be suspecting anything?” Lady Ardhana of House Semaris asked her servant who was also her spymaster.

 

They were seated in her private chamber in the Manor of House Semaris in the Capital.

 

She had spent some time in her private chapel before his arrival. The chapel served several purposes: it enhanced the impression that she was a pious person (which she was not, at least not in the way people thought), it was a private place of solitude which her husband and servants stayed away from, and it was a place where she could work with her darkest plans in secret. She did not use it for clandestine meetings though, preferred instead to use her private chamber for such occasions.

 

“We have been very careful”, the bald man replied squarely. “We have stayed hidden in the Shadows.”

 

The Lady nodded, her dark eyes calculating, her hands touching the sides of the dark blue velvet dress she was wearing. Her long black hair was gathered into a round coil at the nape of her neck and she looked as stately as ever. Appearance was everything, she had learned long ago.

 

Appearance - and Power.

 

“It do be important that nothing be connected to me.” Her voice was soft, but there was iron beneath.

 

She sipped from her drink, a delicious red wine from southern Arad Doman, and considered the intricate plan she had devised.

 

“My stupid husband do be suspecting my involvement in our.. activities”, she added subtly, “and do be asking this Aes Sedai for help. It do be whispered to me.”

 

Her dark eyes hardened. “He will be dealt with.. but first this Green Sister. We do no be needing the White Tower putting its nose where it do no belong.”

 

“We delivered the message to her as you ordered”, the spymaster said smoothly. His piercing green eyes glittered. “The Warder has not been seen in the city for many days, he is probably gone. And this fits well with the message. She will believe it. She will not suspect it is a trap.”

 

●

 

“You do be sure.” Lady Semaris mumbled, studying her spymaster closely.

 

She noted a fresh scar on his left cheek and was curious as to how he had acquired it, but it was not important and so she did not ask.

 

He was from Tear so not an Illianer which would normally have made her highly suspicious of him and his motives, but he had served her well these past years, as one of the central people in her Darkfriend cell, and she trusted him. So far he had made no mistakes.

 

“We are sure”, the older man replied. He was confident that the Aes Sedai would be fooled by the letter. Aes Sedai felt protective of their Warders and valued their advice. She would come when he asked. She would feel compelled to. “She will be there.”

 

“Good.” Lady Semaris’s voice was darker now, and she now emphasized her words.

 

“We must safeguard our position here in the Capital. We must be ready for the Great Lord’s Return.”

 

Her last words, almost like a pronouncement, echoed in the chamber, whispers caressing the Shadows, as she exchanged a knowing glance with her spymaster.

 

▀▄

.. To Fall into a bottomless Pit of Despair ..

►▼◄

 

Elessar was emotionally in a very dark place.. but he did not care.

 

He had just wanted to get away from everything, from the shadows upon his soul, and so he had done the one thing he had never done before in his Warder-life: he had run.

 

Away.

 

Anywhere.

 

Away from the torment in his soul when he looked upon his Aes Sedai who he was no longer able to protect.

 

Who he was no longer worthy to protect.

 

He had run away.. and was blissfully drowning his pain and sorrows in ale.

 

●

 

 

He had never been a heavy drinker, but now it served his purpose. Drunk and heavily slurring his speech, he pushed away the third empty glass of ale from the table in front of him, almost making it crash to the floor, and shouted for a fourth one. The bar maid looked skeptically at him, seeing that he was close to passing out, but it was his business and so she came and placed another tall glass of ale in front of him. “This do be the last one for you, love”, the voluptuous red-haired wench whispered with a chuckle as she winked at him. He ignored her, grabbed the glass and downed half of its contents before placing the glass back on the table with a thud. The bar maid returned behind the bar as the Warder took another long swallow. He was losing himself in drink, driving all pain, guilt, bad conscience and feelings of inadequacy away, washing away his sins.

 

And he was loving it.

 

Pictures of Myrrhi flashed in his mind. Of his other Sedais too. And then of Leandreen, she with her emerald green eyes. Eyes that admonished him in death. But he swept them all away as his intoxication grew, as the world both within and without began to blur, as sound and smell and sight and awareness was slowly pulled away from him, replaced by a deep nothingness which felt blissful.

 

He finally passed out, his head crashing into the table before him, the blackness embracing him in its protective arms.

 

●

When he woke up, his head pounding as if a hammer was attempting to crush his soul, he did not at first know where he was. He lay in the gutter outside a building in a small street with a few buildings on either side. His clothes were dirty, his arms and knees ached and when he touched his face there was dirt smeared on his cheeks. Blinking his eyes, trying to get his bearings, he tried to gain his feet but immediately felt dizzy and sat down again. Soon after he leaned over and threw up. A woman passing by looked concernedly down at this drunkard on her way to an errand while a boy stayed well clear of him as he half-ran down the street.

 

It was mid-morning and the village of Sejhen was awakening to life. Ten miles north and east of the Capital, it was a quiet place with few visitors except for the odd merchant and traveller. It had one inn, one guesthouse, a few shops, a smithy and little else. But for the people living in this small place it was enough. They enjoyed the quiet of the countryside and if they needed to make use of big city facilities the Capital was close by. It was just by chance that Elessar had ended up here; he had just wanted to get away from the Capital, get away from it all, anywhere really - and it was happenstance that he had chosen the road going north-easterly to this village.

 

●

 

Wiping the vomit from his mouth, ignoring the foul taste, he tried to gain his feet a second time. This time he managed, but barely. He was unsteady on his feet as he took in his surroundings. Off to the right lay the inn. He remembered entering the building the evening before, remembered drinking ale upon ale upon ale, gaining the forgetfulness he yearned for, and then nothing. He must have passed out and somebody must have dragged his unconscious body outside and laid him in the gutter. Touching his left arm he felt the abrasions and blue marks he must have received when he was thrown to the ground in the street. Or was it from the bar fight he was in the evening before that? He vaguely recalled getting into a fight with a big brute of an Illianer but could not remember the reason. It did not matter anyway. He had been more than pleased to have someone to lash out at, a substitute to his own inner pain. He had broken the man’s jaw, he was sure of that, but the man had landed several punches in the Gaidin’s face and blood had flowed from his mouth.

 

It is part of my penance, Elessar thought as he brushed his hand through his greasy hair. I deserve nothing less.

 

He took a few steps down the street, then stopped. Another local, an elderly man, walked past him, studying him with skeptical eyes and a disgusted frown. The Warder ignored him. His eyes were on the entrance to the inn a short way away. “The Willful Lass”, the sign hanging above the door read. How many nights have I been drinking there? he wondered, trying to count the days. He had promised Myrrhi to return in a few days, but he was pretty certain he had been here in this village at least five days now though the days were flowing into one another. He did not really care though; that life with its endless responsibilities was over. She should find a new Warder who was more worthy of her. One who would not fail her.

 

Gazing further down the street he saw another building in the distance; the guest house where he was staying. Or rather where he was supposed to be staying. He had only slept there the first two nights. After that, he had slept in the gutter, embracing the dirt and filth as if they were a lover. He had paid for the week in advance though, unsure how long he would stay, so he still had a room there. Stormbreaker would be in the stables behind the establishment. But Elessar felt no need to return there. He was already thinking about the many many cups of ale he would enjoy the coming evening at the inn, another blissful descent into total forgetfulness and apathy.

 

●

 

..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 opened his eyes wide, his pulse racing again.

 

Again. They were there, those painful memories, tormenting him. The recurring dream-memories. Again and Again.

 

Tears were flowing down his cheeks but he brushed them away in anger.

 

It was to escape these agonizing memories that he drank himself senseless each night.

 

Twilight was almost upon the small Illianer village, darkness just around the corner.

 

He must have passed out. The last thing he remembered was buying several bottles of ale and carrying them in a bag (he had no idea where he had gotten the bag) to the outskirts of the village and sitting down by a huge oak tree to drink.

 

To forget.

 

Always to forget.

 

Several empty bottles lay beside him. He felt slightly dizzy and his stomach screamed for food but he ignored it. Ale was all he wanted. To drink and escape from the endless pain in his soul. He stumbled back on the road that led to the center of the village and found his way back to the inn and the blessed drink.

 

When he awoke the following morning, feeling sick in more ways than one, he was however surprised to find that he lay in a soft bed atop clean sheets, in an unknown room, with a complete stranger staring kindly down at him.

 

“You do be safe now, brother”, the elderly man with graying hair said in a kind voice. “Rest now. Rest and heal.”

 

●

 

“She do be the woman you said”, the brown-haired Illianer woman said as she met the older man’s eyes. “I followed her as you ordered. She walked around the city.” Her oval eyes stood out in an otherwise plain face.

 

“Good.” The older man, bald with piercing green eyes, turned away for a moment, staring out at the city of Illian from the balcony of a Manor House. It was late afternoon and the sun was shining in an azure-blue sky. A few clouds were drifting in from the south and there was a cold breeze but otherwise it was a beautiful day. ”Keep an eye on her”, he spoke after a long pause. “When the time is right, we will act.”

 

“What about the man?” the woman added, slight concern in her voice. “The Warder. He was nowhere to be seen. That is strange. He could be a serious threat.”

 

“Forget about the Warder”. The older man placed his hands on the balcony rails. “He is of no importance. She is the one we must neutralize.”

 

“As you command”, the woman replied with some hesitation. She could have said more but she respected her leader’s decision.

 

Closing the door softly behind her, she walked down the corridors of the Manor House and departed the building. In her head she went through the alternate plans that might be necessary should their main plan not succeed. She smiled darkly as she stepped into the waiting carriage. They would succeed. And the Lady would be pleased.

                                                                                                                                     

●

 

Almost a week had passed and Elessar was still not back.

 

Myrrhi was becoming deeply concerned.

 

Where could he be!? What was going on!?

 

He was only supposed to be gone for a few days.. She had felt troubled emotions coming through the Bond and she was becoming more and more flustered. She was tempted to go and find him - she could not tell exactly where he was, but she felt through the Bond the general direction in which he was - but something stopped her. Would she worsen the situation if he did not want to be found? He was not seriously wounded or she would have felt it through the Bond. And he was alive…

 

She wanted to tear her hair out because she felt so useless. She had not moved forward with their inquiries either, fearing that Elessar would not approve her doing so on her own. Walking the streets of the Capital in frustration, needing to get some fresh air to clear her mind and avoid being cooped up in her room at the inn, the days had passed slowly. She had been unable to focus long on any matter, her mind worried what her Warder was up to, concerned about his troubled state.

 

And so it was a week or so after Elessar had left, that a knock on Myrrhi’s door at the inn broke her concentration as she was taking some notes in her notebook. “Yes?” she answered and was surprised when a young man’s voice replied that he had a message for the Aes Sedai. Raising herself from the chair, she walked up to the door and opened it. The messenger, a young local boy with shifty-looking eyes, gave her a small bow, handed her the envelope, then swiftly left without another word. Myrrhi watched him disappear down the corridor, then her eyes gazed down at the envelope in her hands. The name Myrrhi Aes Sedai was written in flowery letters on the front in what she suspected was a woman’s handwriting. Closing the door, she returned to her chair by the table and opened the envelope, curious what the message could be. Inside was a short letter. She read it once, then a second time. Then she placed the letter on the table, her blue eyes taking on a wondering and speculative gleam.

 

For a long time she stared at the letter, her mind considering the worded message over and over again.

 

●

 

Myrrhi Aes Sedai,

 

Your Warder, Elessar Telcontar, has asked us to pass on a message to you.

He says not to worry, he has come across something which is important for the mission.

He said you would understand.

He asks you to meet him at the docks, that you once visited here, at midnight in 5 days.

All will be explained then.

 

In the Light,

 

a Friend of the White Tower

 

●

 

▀▄

Elder_Haman What you write above makes perfect sense from a 'world building take new viewers by surprise' perspective but it makes me concerned that they would be taking the story too far away from canon (incl. Rand taking center stage early on in the books).

 

You know from my earlier comments in this section that I wish for a more faithful adaptation of the books (smaller changes, not major ones). Misdirection can work plot wise in a tv-series (f.ex. at first with Logain as Dragon Reborn, the Saviour and Moiraine as the 'baddy' Aes Sedai) but it does not sit well with me because the changes would be too great for me with regards to Robert Jordan's vision. I know other fans don't mind such changes so it becomes a matter of personal opinion.

 

PS. I recently watched Game of Thrones again (this time in glorious 4K Ultra HD) and again I was so pleased to see how decently faithful the tv-series (esp season 1 and 2) was to the source material (George RR Martin's books, with no major changes). It show it is possible to have a faithful tv-adaptation which (still) captivates audiences though that does (sadly imo) not seem to be the direction Rafe and the showrunners are heading with the Wheel of Time tv-show ref. what we have heard so far and all the discussions in this section.

 

.. Weighed down by heavy Burdens ..

►▼◄

 

Elessar watched silently from the other side of the room as Myrrhi took off her emerald earrings and placed them in a small wooden box on the table next to her.

 

His thoughts should have been on what had happened at the Manor House and what the Illianer Lord has said, but all he could think of was that he was drowning in a black sea of despair. The waves of frustration kept washing over him, showering him with droplets of dejection and despondency, and he closed his eyes and just wanted to retire to his room and hide himself under his blankets.

 

He was brought back to the here and now when his Bondholder spoke.

 

"He doesn't like his wife”, Myrrhi said as she removed the pins that were holding her hair, “and he has a whole bunch of mistresses."

 

Elessar was not surprised. Many men in power had mistresses, balancing (often loveless) marriages with love affairs. Lord Semaris had admitted his was a political marriage. The Warder also knew that many women were drawn to men in power like moths to a flame.

 

When the Warder did not make a comment, she turned toward him for a second as if wanting to measure his mood. Seeing his dark dejected eyes, she turned away again, sighing inside.

 

●

 

Then she went to sit on her bed before going forward.

 

Elessar had always hated his black moods, but though he knew he should be focused on what his Aes Sedai was saying his thoughts were centered on his failures as a Warder. He had failed Leandreen. He had failed Carrain. He had failed Kathleen. Carys had passed his Bond, another sign that he was unworthy as a Gaidin. And he had almost failed Myrrhi. A voice whispered in his ear that it was not all doom and gloom, but he ignored it, too far gone in his depression.

 

The black waves kept crashing over his soul as he studied his Bondholder. She looked older somehow than she had only a week earlier, as if weighed down by heavy burdens. He understood that he was not the only one going through tough times, and that part of the reason probably was his black moods which she would feel through the Bond, but he had no time for her weariness and pain, his own was almost paralyzing him.

 

"He has friends amongst the Children of the Light”, she continued, her attention only partly on what she was saying. “So he could have gone that direction, but he didn’t…”

Talk of Whitecloaks made the Warder more focused and his eyes momentarily lost some of their gloom. He understood that she probably had gotten that piece of information from her Eyes and Ears. His eyes  tightened as he thought of his experiences with the Children of the Light over the years. Fanatics and zealots, they had never been high in the Warder from Kandor’s estimation.

 

“That is indeed interesting”. Elessar said, his voice thoughtful. Myrrhi watched him, glad that he had spoken. “I would not have thought a friend of Whitecloaks would seek out Aes Sedai, whatever the reason.”

 

He did not add anything further though, just turned his eyes away to stare coldly at the wall behind her.

 

The Green rearranged her hair.

 

The atmosphere in the room was so heavy that she wanted to scream.

 

●

 

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 traveler 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.

The echoes of the Bond that had snapped when Leandreen died still lingered in his mind.

Gone.. forever..

Now only time for deaths.

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 with 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 threatened 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!

 

●

 

Elessar crashed out of his dream-memories, his pulse racing, sweat on his brow and chest, short of breath. His eyes were wide, his hands shaking as he raised himself up in his bed and stared into the darkness of the room. A sliver of light crept into the darkness through the small window on the side but did not give sufficient light to penetrate the blackness.

 

The blackness of the room. The blackness of his soul.

 

Shaking his head in frustration and misery, he stepped out of bed and walked across to the small window on the adjacent wall. Trying to get his pulse under control, he placed his hands on the window sill and stared silently up at the moon in the dark sky.

 

Why do I have those recurring dream-memories? That was my darkest moment, when madness almost took me.

 

Clenching his fists, he cursed inside. He felt shame at this weakness, at this lack of self-control. A Warder should be stronger, needed to be stronger. A Warder should me more worthy. The moon was almost full, he could see, and it sent slivers of silver down on the Capital of Illian where most people were asleep in their beds. He remained standing there for several minutes and gradually the wisps of dream-memory dissipated and his pulse slowed to normal rate again. Closing his eyes, he wondered if he had awakened Myrrhi in the next room. Connected as they were through the Bond, it was difficult for him to know how much she felt his turbulent emotions. It was not something he had ever felt comfortable taking about with his Aes Sedais. Neither had they seemed comfortable talking in general about what Aes Sedai could discern through the Bond with their Warder.

 

We all have our secrets, he thought to himself as he moved away from the window and lay down in bed again, pulling the sheets on top of him. Dark secrets and burdens to bear.

 

It took him a long time to fall asleep again and thankfully this time his sleep was dreamless

 

●

 

Elessar was too ashamed to speak to Myrrhi the following morning. He felt shame over the abrupt way he had cut short their discussion the evening before - when he had said he needed some time on his own and had simply left shortly after making a few comments on the Whitecloaks - and felt shame over his dream-memories which had broken his sleep and perhaps broken Myrrhi’s also. He did not have the balance - mentally and physically - that was so important for Warders and that above all brought him most shame. He feared he would not be able to protect his Aes Sedai as he should and the knowledge tore at his soul.

 

Exchanging a few silent glances at breakfast in the inn’s Common Room, he could see in her eyes that she saw the doubt, weariness and blackness inside him - and her concerned look just made it even worse. Finally he could take it no more and excused himself, saying he had some important errands to take care of. Elessar walked hurriedly out of the Common Room, chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind, as Myrrhi stared after him, her eyes filled with concern and confusion.

 

He did not return until late afternoon.

 

●

 

When he did, it was only to tell her - his voice emphatic, his eyes weary - that he had an important personal matter to take care of and would be gone a few days.

 

She looked at him, her stare blank, taken aback by his words. She had so many questions she wanted to ask but understood that she would get no answers in the state he was in. He was there to aid and protect her, he had his Warder duty and tasks, he could not just run off - but even so she would not forcefully stop him. Her concern and confusion only grew as the silence, after his last statement, lengthened and it was becoming awkward for them both. She finally turned away from him, Aes Sedai cool (hiding her real emotions) and said that she would expect him back in a few days since they had important decisions to make and matters to sort.

 

She heard him sigh loudly, then he turned on his heel and left her room without another word, his mind on the tumultuous emotions he was carrying inside. Myrrhi shook her head, frustrated with this turn of events. She had not experienced anything like this before, was uncertain how to act and react (had she acted correctly? or should she had tried to stop him?) and felt pretty helpless in the situation. Elessar was on his way out of the inn right now and who knew where. Her Warder. Her Protector. Her companion.

 

Why did this have to happen to her!?

 

She closed her eyes, sighed, and wondered how she was going to sort this mess.

 

▀▄

.. The Mystery deepens in Illian ..

►▼◄

 

Elessar waited outside the florist shop while Myrrhi spoke at length to the proprietor, who was also one of the Green Ajah Eyes and Ears in the city.

 

He went over in his mind what had brought them to this place a little outside the center of the Capital. It had begun with the letter. The letter that had upset Myrrhi so. When he had read it, he had found nothing there to be upset about and could not understand why she became so angry. She seldom showed her temper and so he found it very peculiar that this seeming small matter irked her so. “Constructive talks” was a common phrase used in invitations where Nobles or merchants were involved, it was a diplomatic way of speaking, a polite way to initiate talks which hopefully would bring a fruitful outcome for both parties.

 

Myrrhi was young as an Aes Sedai; even so he was surprised that she did not see this. He was tempted to say something, but even in his current state of ‘slight unbalance’ he understood that it would probably make matters worse if he indicated that she was reading far too much into things. And so he remained silent with his thoughts, only offering a weak “I am not certain that is what our host meant” in reply.

 

She would hear nothing of it though and he recalled her exact words: "Nonsense! I can't believe it. See how he placed these words, right at the end!" He guessed correctly that a comment about “foolish reactions” would not have gone down well and so he played along, thinking inside that her strong reaction was probably coloured by the current strain on their companionship with his ‘issues’ and all.

 

Without any further explanation, she said "Let's go!", crumpling the parchment before setting it in one of her belt pouches. She grabbed her woolen cape that she hastily set on her shoulders, then rushed to the door. “Where exactly are we going, if you don’t mind me asking”, the Warder asked as they walked hurriedly through the inn’s Common Room, but all Myrrhi said was that they needed to go shopping. She waited to be in the streets to tell her Warder about her plan.

 

"I'm sorry," she said without turning to face him "I didn't consult you on any of this.".

 

No, you didn’t, thought the Gaidin as he followed his Bondholder through the streets of the city. You did not.

 

●

 

Myrrhi’s plan was to go see one of the Green Ajah Eyes and Ears in the Capital to get some information about this Lord on the Illian Council of Nine. She did not say so outright but seeing her angry mood he got the impression what she was really after was to dig up some dirt on the man. Then she needed to buy a new dress, one which would impress, because she had indeed decided to accept the invitation. There were many things running through Elessar’s mind at her words, not the least that she had foregone discussing the matter with him, but he kept silent for the moment, seeing that she would not welcome his input right then.

 

Turning down a cobblestoned side street to the main promenade they passed several antiques shops before they came upon the florist shop. There were flowers of every colour in the shop window, but a knowing eye would take note of the bouquet of green Calla Lilies inside a beautiful wreath up in the right corner of the window. Myrrhi still seemed somewhat agitated but had said little during their walk. Now she stopped before the entrance, half-turned toward Elessar as if to tell him to wait (which he had intended to do anyway) then turned back and walked determinedly into the shop, closing the door behind her.

 

She is definitely not in a good mood, the Gaidin mused as he placed himself beside the entrance, watching closely every person walking by. Several saw his icy stare and stepped out of his way, one woman almost stumbling as his dark eyes narrowed seeing her walk toward him and she apparently changed her mind about visiting the florist.

 

It took a long while but finally Myrrhi appeared, closing the door to the florist behind her. She did not say a word to Elessar, but from the glint in her eyes he thought she had gotten some information that she was looking for. She nodded for him to follow and he did so, trying to ignore the urge to know what she had discovered. Down a couple of streets she found the next place she was looking for: a clothes shop. Again Elessar waited outside while she did her business. He understood well her wish to get an impressive dress for the meeting with the Lord. Aes Sedai had a reputation to uphold and she wanted to look her very best, especially since she was obviously not well disposed toward the man after the invitation she had taken so badly. When she appeared some time later carrying a bag with her new dress, her face looked a little calmer though she was clearly not appeased yet.

 

He followed as she made a couple more errands and then they returned to the ‘Silver Mermaid’ inn. Back in their rooms again, Myrrhi sent for a messenger who was to relay a reply from her to Lord Tarac Semaris. Seated on a chair in her room, Elessar saw the dark grin upon her lips as she worded her reply with distinct intent. Lord Councilor or no, this Illianer man would bow to an Aes Sedai as Kings and Queens had done before!

 

●

 

They arrived at the Manor House a little before seven in the evening. It was nearing twilight and the sky was gradually darkening.

 

Myrrhi had not been much talkative ever since she received the invitation which she had found so disrespectful. She had not ventured much information about what she had learned from the Eyes and Ears either, just saying that it had been a useful talk. When Elessar had shared his opinion that this Lord of the Council of Nine could simply be playing Daes Dae'mar, the Game of Houses - the famed political and social maneuvering employed by the Nobility of various nations to gain status or wealth, or to cause the downfall of others they dislike -, she had replied nonchalantly that Aes Sedai had invented the Game. She had not seemed interested in discussing the intent of this Lord, or if there were any dangers in this meeting, or what might come out of it, and it all pointed to her not being quite herself as he saw it.

 

Brilliant! Now both of us are a little unhinged, the Warder thought darkly to himself as they stepped out of the carriage which had brought them there. Elessar handed the carriage driver a few coins, exchanged a few words, then watched the carriage pull away with the four black horses heading into the city center again.

 

Myrrhi looked resplendent in her beautiful and impressive green dress, wearing an expensive necklace with green emeralds and matching earrings, while Elessar wore his finest, a stylish black suit with a matching cape and he looked quite imposing as was the intention. Looking upon the huge Manor House, the Warder was impressed. It was not quite as large and luxurious-looking as some Manor Houses he had seen in Caemlyn, but it was not far off. This home of this Lord in Illian spoke volumes of his power and prestige here. He was someone to be reckoned with.

 

Which made it doubly interesting why he had invited Myrrhi this evening. Elessar knew of the historical battle of power between the King of Illian and the Council of Nine, a fight for power, prestige and influence that had lasted over time, and wondered if this action by Lord Semaris was part of a power intrigue. If so, the White Tower should step very carefully. He wanted to advise Myrrhi on this, but she seemed preoccupied and so he let the matter be. He would, however, watch everything closely this evening and make sure nothing untoward happened to his Aes Sedai.

 

●

 

Even as they approached the huge oak entrance door which had the Semaris Noble family sigil imprinted, it opened and a finely dressed servant in his mid-thirties beckoned them to enter. With Myrrhi in the lead behind the servant, they walked down several corridors with marble statues at intervals and expensive paintings and other decorations on the walls before reaching a hall. At the end of this stood another huge oak door and before it waited a guard holding onto a spear. Myrrhi gave him a cool look, her face Aes Sedai-smooth though Elessar noted she had a little more colour in her cheeks than usual. Then the door opened and she walked inside a larger room, a Reception Hall, regal as a Queen, proud as Aes Sedai had been for centuries; Aes Sedai who had made empires tremble. The Reception Hall was empty except for a sole occupant at its far end. And seeing the resolute imposing figure that was Myrrhi Morrigen, Aes Sedai of the Battle Ajah, bearing down on him there he sat in his high-backed Lord’s chair, and the almost equally imposing black-clad Warder coming right behind her, Lord Semaris quickly got up from his chair and bowed deeply before her in respect.

 

She barely nodded back, her mind on what she was going to say. Seating herself in the chair the Lord offered, she waited until he had taken his own seat before speaking. Elessar remained standing some way behind her chair and to the side - far enough away to not intrude on the conversation but close enough to listen and intervene should something happen - studying the Lord Councilor. The man was in his early sixties, the Warder guessed, with grey hair, cunning eyes, a double-chin and a body which had not seen much exercise in the past twenty years. Even so there was something about the man that spoke of power and influence. This man was used to get his way. He was finely dressed in an expensive suit of Illianer style, his shirt had silver fringes and there was a medallion on his coat sleeve. The vestment was worn by all members of the Council of Nine. He looked more confident now that they were both seated and waved for the guard to bring them some tea. Myrrhi was not going to let him speak first though.

 

Looking him straight in the eye, she spoke. Her voice was cold but not overly so. Enough so he should understand who was in command here.

 

“Lord Semaris”, she began. “We thank you for your invitation. We are always ready for “constructive talks”, she said, emphasizing the last words. “However, the White Tower has no time for idle chatter. So I hope your reason for inviting us was an important one. We do not want to be wasting our time.”

 

She was pleased with the way he reacted, his eyes widening slightly, as if he had not expected her opening statement to be so forceful.

 

It was nothing less than he deserved, disrespecting her as he had done in his letter!

 

●

 

“Of course, Aes Sedai.” Lord Semaris replied as smoothly as he could. “Of course.”

 

He studied the woman before him. She did not have the ageless look that Aes Sedai usually had which did surprise him, but in every other way she was Aes Sedai: calm, collected, regal, powerful, impressive. Her green dress was resplendent and her matching jewelry the same. Her blue eyes were fixed on him as she studied him back, and he felt as if she could read his thoughts. It made him uncomfortable. He wanted to break the silence but was deciding how much to reveal. He had made up his mind when he had sent her the invitation, but now that she was here he was uncertain how to proceed. This was a very delicate matter and he had to tread carefully.

 

 

“Let me begin by saying I do be honoured that you were able to come, Myrrhi Aes Sedai.”

 

 

He tried to make his voice as smooth and welcoming as possible, though inside he was fuming that he had to ask the aid of Aes Sedai, Aes Sedai who had never stood up for his House before, who had never seemed to care much for his home nation Illian. He had no choice though as he saw it.

 

 

“Let me also emphasize that I do no invite you here on behalf of the Council of Nine. This do be a.. personal matter. A confidential matter. It do no concern the others.”

 

 

Myrrhi nodded coolly, wondering what matter he wanted to speak of. A personal matter? That could be anything. The question was why he wanted Aes Sedai-help. It had to be of some importance. He would know that the White Tower did not involve itself in ‘personal matters’, unless it was of importance to the White Tower, of course. She waited curiously to hear more. At the same time she felt Elessar getting impatient, standing watch off to the side, but she could not do anything about that. Her whole focus had to be on this man before her. She hoped she was not wasting her time here.

 

 

●

 

 

At that point the guard returned with the cups of tea and they each took a cup. Lord Semaris took a moment to sip from his tea as he considered his next words.

 

 

He chose them carefully.

 

 

“The personal matter do be.. delicate.” His voice had almost become a whisper.

 

 

“Yes?” Myrrhi prompted, a little more impatiently than she would normally have done.

 

 

“But as I write in the letter, I believe this do be of mutual benefit and of interest to the White Tower.”

 

 

“And?” Myrrhi prompted a second time as there was a new long silence.

 

 

Lord Semaris folded his arms, his eyes taking on a dark gleam.

 

 

“I will do anything to protect my House.” He began. His voice was more forceful now. “Even from enemies within.”

 

 

He paused for another long moment. There was anger but also a touch of sadness in his face now. Above all, an impression of betrayal.

 

 

“I believe..”, he said, now with bitterness in his voice, “that my wife, the Lady Ardhana of House Semaris, do be.. a Darkfriend.”

 

 

“And that do be why I need your help.”

 

 

●

 

Of all the things Myrrhi imagined she would hear, this was not one of them. She smoothed her features even though she wanted to gape. His lady wife a Darkfriend? The wife of one of the Council of Nine of Illian a Darkfriend!? If it were true, of course. It could all be supposition. It could all be part of some in-House plot and intrigue. Did he have proof?

 

Her face was smooth and cold, however, as she stared back at the Lord. She could feel Elessar’s restlessness through the Bond, but tried to ignore it. She had to focus on what Lord Semaris had said.

 

“Do you have proof of this?” she asked finally, studying the Illianer closely for his reaction.

 

“I have strong suspicions”, he answered, colour coming into his otherwise pale cheeks. “No written proof as such, but she do be overheard by servants. Trusted servants. If this were to come out..”

 

He did not finish the sentence, the implication clear.

 

“I presume you have not shared this information with anyone else”, she said to give herself time to think about what he had told her. This was a matter she was pretty certain he would not dare talk about to anyone. Even the suspicion of being a Darkfriend could be very dangerous indeed.. for everyone.

 

He confirmed that he had not told anyone else. Since Aes Sedai spent time rooting out Darkfriends, or so he claimed to have heard, he thought this was a matter that concerned them as well.

 

“And so if you do be helping me”, he added mock-cheerfully, “we do be killing two birds with one stone.”

 

●

 

This time it was Myrrhi’s turn to stay silent for a while. She took another sip of her tea to give her some more time to think. ‘Two birds with one stone’. But was this one ‘bird’ truly guilty?

 

“Not to impose, but do you love your wife?” Myrrhi asked then, her eyes narrowing, wondering if he had other motivations for asking for her help in this matter.

 

She kept in mind what the Eyes and Ears had whispered about the Lord’s rumoured infidelity and philandering. He did not seem to mind the question and replied that he cared for her as a husband should, but that it had been a political marriage and there was no love there. She had been a good wife per se, but he would not have a Darkfriend infesting his House with her evil ways.

 

What to believe? And was this really something she and Elessar should spend their time on? Then again, they hunted Darkfriends everywhere and wasn’t it their duty to do the same here in Illian and to deliver any Darkfriends into the hands of the authorities? This was an intricate matter and she needed to discuss it with Elessar. She had to involve him again.

 

“Lord Semaris”, she said finally. She looked coolly at him and it was impossible for him by looking at her to know how she had received the information she had given him.

 

“Write down everything your trusted servants have overheard, and all you know about this matter, and let me have the document tomorrow and I will look at your case.”

 

She paused before going on.

 

“I cannot promise that we have the time to look into the matter”, she said. “The White Tower indeed works to put any Darkfriends behind bars,” she added coldly, “but we also have other important matters to attend to. There are many things that need be taken into consideration. We shall let you know.”

 

●

 

The Lord thanked her and promised he would send over the information with a trusted messenger the following day.

 

Standing up from her chair, the meeting concluded, Myrrhi turned toward Elessar and nodded for him to follow. Lord Semaris bowed once again in respect, then - feeling the sweat on his back - he watched as the Aes Sedai almost glided out of the Reception Hall with the ominous-looking Warder right behind her.

 

As Myrrhi stepped into the waiting carriage outside the Manor House, she wondered what would be the next unexpected surprise. When Elessar joined her in the carriage, closing the carriage door behind him, and the carriage driver led the horses away and down the adjacent street, she met his gaze and sighed.

 

“You heard most of that I am sure”, she said, to which he nodded silently. “We find ourselves in strange circumstances once again, Elessar Telcontar”.

 

●

 

She never used his surname when talking to him, so it surprised him that she did so this time. There was no indication why she had done so now, but he took note of it since it was another peculiarity.

 

“The question becomes”, she mused, “do we believe this tale or is the Lord trying to entangle us in some sort of intricate Game?” She raised an eyebrow. “And if we do believe him,”, she said pensively, “what if anything are we going to do about it?”

 

Her Warder remained silent as he considered her words and the potential dangers to his Aes Sedai. He felt his black mood returning, having worked hard to keep it under control this evening, and did not meet Myrrhi’s gaze again as they travelled toward the “Silver Mermaid” inn.

 

▀▄

 

.. Seeing Sights and amid Reflections ..

►▼◄

 

When they arrived at the “Silver Mermaid” inn, Myrrhi promptly asked Elessar whether she could spend more time in this new city’s streets. She didn’t feel like staying indoors, she said, when there were so many things to discover.

 

The Warder nodded, agreeing and said they could stay some days in the Illianer Capital, also to give their tired horses some much needed rest. He did not add that it could be useful to have some days to think, to get to terms with the somewhat.. delicate situation between them at present, but from the look she gave him she seemed to be thinking the same thing.

 

Leaving their tired horses in the care of a local stableboy - who like many stableboys before him looked wide-eyed in awe at the imposing Warder - at the stables behind the inn, they quickly got rooms and settled in. This innkeeper, tall and heavy-set, was a jovial fellow who seemed sincerely pleased to have them as his guests. He assured them he would be at their disposal whatever the matter. Soon Myrrhi and Elessar were outside in the afternoon sunshine again and quickly proceeded to walk the streets of the Capital city.

 

●

 

Staring past the many ships in the city harbour, his eyes fixed on the blue horizon, Elessar’s (dark) thoughts assembled around incidents in his past.. incidents that had formed - and influenced - him as a person, as a warrior, as a human, for good or bad.

 

..He saw himself back in the Borderlands as a young, eager man going through the motions, trying hard to please his father.. and with a burning desire to excel..

 

“Push on, Elessar. Push on!”

“Yes, father.. I am trying..”

“Push on! You must excel! To fight the Shadow, you must be strong!”

“Yes, father.. but I am exhausted..” says a weary young Elessar, his blade feeling so heavy..

“Ignore the pain”, his father shouts, “push on.. show that you are worthy..”

“Yes, father..”

“Yes, that’s the way to do it. Slash! Parry! Thrust! Deflect! Yes, push on, my boy! Push on!”

 

To survive. To excel. To make his father proud.

 

To be alive.

 

But alone in his room at bedtime, a young Elessar often cried tears of blood.

 

●

 

He was back in the Tarasin Palace in Ebou Dar, fighting for his life..

 

..One with his Blade, in this duel with the Shadow, he flowed from one sword form into the next, in an endless graceful movement, Dancing Among Golden Leopards ..

 

There was a Clash of Swords, the sound of steel meeting steel, and sparks flew in the east wing room at the back of the Tarasin Palace, as the Warder’s blade met that of his Shadow opponent. From each corner of the partially lit square room a ferocious looking Altaran golden leopard statue stared intently at the two combatants, as if judging who was the most deserving. Elessar’s dark cloak flowed around him as he moved, as if touched by powerful ripples of wind. His sword was an extension of his arm and he almost floated from one step to the next, eyes intent on the Shadow figure before him, in a deadly Dance of the Blades.

 

Striking out in mid-stride, sword falling in an arc on his Darkfriend-opponent’s neck, the other man somehow deflected the blow and moved out of reach for a moment. Elessar found his balance, the move having carried him forwards at a slight angle, and stopped a few feet off to the side, his blade pointing downwards. His hard focused eyes mirrored those of his opponent - and both men knew, without a word being said, that this was a fight to the death.

 

Elessar was focused as he moved back and forth with elegance, striking out and parrying, feinting and thrusting. He moved with agility and purpose and so did his opponent who Elessar found surprisingly accomplished. It was almost as if there was a driving force behind the Lugarder.. Sweat beaded on the Warder’s brow as he went on the attack once more. His opponent countered well but seemed also to be tiring somewhat, his strokes becoming ever slower. As they dueled Elessar felt the calm of the Flame and the Void filling him and it gave him inner strength.

 

Seeing weakness in his enemy then, he struck out with his blade, moving inside the other man’s guard and slamming the hilt of his sword into the man’s shoulder. The Darkfriend was too slow to defend himself, his sword coming up too late, and screamed out in pain as he fell to the floor in agony. Elessar combined sword forms and smashed his blade toward the man’s body to finish him off, but somehow the other man managed to twist to the side and the Warder’s strike missed. He took a step back to regain his balance and his opponent managed to get to his feet. Elessar  considered his dangerous opponent for a moment, then raised his sword again and they resumed their Dance..

 

●

 

He was back with Carys Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah, he was her protector on this journey..

 

..Morning broke with sunshine covering a blue sky. The breeze from the day before was gone and the fields surrounding the forested area where they had camped looked beautiful. They broke camp in mid-morning and set off eagerly for the farmhouse. Even the horses seemed to sense that the journey was nearing its end as they trotted happily along. Elessar rode in front, as before, with the Darkfriend next and the Aes Sedai at the back. He checked the road both in front and behind at intervals but saw no danger. Even so, a nagging feeling in his gut made him unwary and his shoulders were tight as he rode on. He regretted not having slept more the night before, he did not in truth feel as alert as he normally was, but he had not thought it right to share watch-duty with Carys - she had needed the sleep, as he saw it - and anyways he had had much on his mind. His haunted memories and feelings of guilt were subdued now, pushed back into the back of his mind. He had to focus on doing his job, getting Carys safely to her destination. That was all that mattered. And do not fail her, the small voice whispered in his head.

 

They arrived at the farmhouse a little before midday. Some clouds had appeared from the south and they mirrored Elessar’s mood. His unwariness had grown as they had neared their destination and it frustrated him that he could not pin-point the reason. Dismounting in front of the farmhouse building he had taken a close look around, looking for any potential danger. He had seen nothing. Surprisingly there were neither people nor animals around and that also made the Warder suspicious. Carys dismounted and handed him her horses’ reins. He bound all three horses to a wooden fence and considered their captive. The man was silent now and safely bound. Elessar left him there and walked with Carys up to the entrance to the farmhouse. The door stood slightly ajar and Elessar pushed it open wide. He looked at Carys, who nodded back, and then he entered the building just ahead of her.

 

They had only walked a few yards into the farmhouse when time suddenly slowed for Elessar. Something was wrong! Everything started running in slow motion.. He was just ahead of Carys, stepping carefully around a corner, his eyes watching in every direction, when he suddenly heard the snap of a thread.. the whooshing sound of a drawn bowstring.. and then as his eyes widened in understanding the world stood still .. A trap! He had triggered a booby trap! Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement - something coming toward them - and with an instinctive protective reaction, he pushed the Aes Sedai out of the poisoned knife’s path. It all seemed to take forever..

 

He was, however, unable to move fast enough to avoid the knife himself, as well as a second knife which embedded itself in his chest with deadly precision. Elessar tumbled to the floor, bleeding hard. He got a knock on the head as he fell and as he opened his eyes a storm of pain enveloped him. He struggled to breathe and sensed paralysis overtaking him. Poison! The thought flashed in his mind. He sensed rather than saw a presence beside him. Who was there? Everything was so confusing.. He felt as if he were falling into blackness. I am dying.. A last thought. A bitter thought. The darkness beckoned seductively. The light in his eyes started fading..

 

●

 

Images kept flashing in his mind; of his many deeds as a Warder, of his successes, of his failures; of his Bonds, his service and of his hard work to achieve excellence in sword skill. His past passed before his eyes as the blue-green waters of the Sea of Storms reflected the golden rays of the late afternoon sun.

 

●

 

Finally he turned around and walked back to where Myrrhi was standing further along the dock. She sensed that his mood was unchanged but his dark eyes had a pensive look which made her think he had been reflecting. That seemed a good thing at least. She still wondered what plagued him so, but he would tell when he was ready. She gave him a smile and they then walked away from the docks in the direction of the Square of Tammaz.

 

They had seen many monuments and sights worth seeing and had visited several shops (some of them of great interest to Myrrhi) before Elessar had asked if they could take a walk down to the dockside. Myrrhi had agreed, thinking he perhaps wanted to take a look at the ships anchored there. She had noted the high activity in the harbour and had spoken to a local fisherman about it while Elessar had gone off on his own for a little while. The fisherman, a rugged-looking fellow with a scarred face, yellow teeth and a reddish beard, had not been very talkative, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation, but had in the end mentioned that the seas were unusually dangerous these days. He had been unwilling to say anything more on the matter, but the young Green had had the impression he was talking about more than the weather and natural storms.

 

●

 

Myrrhi and Elessar were standing next to a beautifully sculpted fountain - depicting an ancient warrior queen with flowing hair, visionary eyes and a spear pointing eastwards - discussing where to go next when they saw a formally dressed middle-aged local man, dark of hair, sharp of eye, approach them. From his clothes and the way he carried himself he looked like a courier of sorts, Elessar thought at first glance, and it turned out his presumption was correct.

 

The man stopped before the green-clad Aes Sedai and bowed formally. He handed her a parchment and said it was a letter to her. He would wait for her response which he would carry back to his Master. The courier walked some paces off to the side while Myrrhi looked down at the parchment in her hand, noticing that it was sealed. Only a Nobleman -or Lady would seal a parchment in this way and she wondered who it could be - and for what reason it was delivered to her.

 

Exchanging a quick glance with her Warder, she broke the seal and opened the formal parchment. She then read the letter with Elessar standing behind her, watching the courier closely. She read it a second time, thinking of the implications.

 

It was an invitation.

 

The question was whether to accept it or not.

 

●

 

Myrrhi Morrigen Aes Sedai,

 

 

We would be honoured to have Your company on a matter of some importance.

 

It would be to our mutual benefit.

 

You are invited to our Manor House in the western part of the Capital.

 

Time: tomorrow at seven in the evening.

 

We hope you will honour this invitation and we look forward to constructive talks.

 

 

In the Light,

 

Lord Tarac Semaris

of The Council of Nine

 

●

 

▀▄

.. A Dark Path to the Capital city of Illian ..

►▼◄

 

Myrrhi took a deep breath.

 

"I want you to think before you go further," she told him as quietly as she could. “I understand your feelings but remember who you are and who I am."

 

Elessar felt a soft caress on his skin and knew it meant that she was using the One Power.

 

A reminder indeed.

The Bond told her that this would be a long night. There would be no magical words to calm down the Gaidin unless Lady Luck was on her side.

As much as she had wanted to show empathy earlier that day, she now felt frustrated. "Tell me what's going on here..."

 

●

 

“What’s going on!? We were robbed, that’s what’s going on”, Elessar replied. There was still anger in his voice but perhaps with a slightly softer edge.  “Or at least those bloody thieves tried to rob us.”

 

Myrrhi shook her head.

 

“No, I mean, what’s going on.. with you.” She kept her voice as quiet as she could, watching him intently. Something was wrong with him. She had felt it through the Bond and saw it in his eyes.

 

He looked away for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the question. Then he turned to face her again. “Nothing is wrong with me”, he lied. “I am just upset these bloody thieves caught us off guard.”

 

Meeting his gaze, she saw that he knew that she understood there was more to it. But he was not yet ready to talk.

 

The moment of silence stretched.

 

“Well, main thing is you are safe”, the Warder added finally, unclenching fists that he was unaware he had clenched. “And it seems the thieves did not get to steal anything.”

 

His dark eyes hardening, he said that he would even so look for the two bloody men, as he called them, in the streets.

 

With no further word, not leaving room for an apology (which he was not ready to give yet) nor for Myrrhi to get another word in, he turned on his heels and left the room, half-slamming the door behind him.

 

●

 

Elessar hunted the streets like a predator.

 

He did not know what he would do if and when he did catch one of the thieves, but he kept walking, kept searching, his dark eyes gazing into the shadows, both within and without. Seeing as this place was far from a grand city, it did not take long before he had seen every nook and corner, walked past every house and building, without seeing even a hint of the two men in question. At first he had reasoned with himself that those two could be Darkfriends who might have caught up with them at last, but the logical, sensible part of him knew this was very unlikely. Those were likely local thieves, looking for riches from someone they knew was from the White Tower. For who could tell what an Aes Sedai brought of value on a journey? As he walked, a suspicion rose in his mind that the innkeeper might have informed the thieves of these ‘honoured guests’ from Tar Valon. There was something.. shifty about the innkeeper; Myrrhi and he had felt it upon arrival. Elessar would not put it past him to do such a thing. Perhaps he needed talking to.

 

As he came to the road at the other end of Serdhion, he stopped and listened. There was only silence in the darkness. Turning to face the town, his thoughts were drawn to Myrrhi. His Bondholder. His Aes Sedai. And to the struggles he faced in his mind. Clenching his fists again, he closed his eyes.

 

He had, in fact, never quite gotten used to the darkness within him. The dark that had entered his soul upon Leandreen’s death, when the Bond had snapped. Carrain Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah had saved him from throwing away his life in a useless quest for revenge in the Blight, Bonding him (without his say) and thereby quenching the madness that had enveloped him. But the weight of self-blame, guilt and self-recrimination for being unable to protect his Aes Sedai, as he had sacredly promised, had never left him, had instead become part of his soul there to be kept in check as he renewed his pledge to Warder duty. For long periods of his life thereafter he had managed to control this inner darkness, this inner pain of his soul, but it only lay dormant to be awakened at moments of weakness and despair. He had coped well for a good while now, things working fine in his Warder-Sedai companionship with Myrrhi, but the recent mishap, his inattention, with the brigands had re-opened the doors to his despair.

 

It could have gotten my Aes Sedai killed, after all!

 

He had felt waves of self-blame rushing over him, another failure on his part as Warder and Protector, and he had descended into that inner blackness again that he hated but sometimes was unable to escape.

 

●

 

Thinking now of the disrespectful way he had spoken to Myrrhi, he felt ashamed and that only increased his anger. Picking up a stone from the side of the road he threw it angrily at some trees, cursing inside.

 

Why did this thing have to bloody happen! Will I never be rid of it.. Will I never suffice..

 

When he was deepest in despair, he sometimes wished Carrain had never stopped him from enacting his vengeance against the Shadow, the vindication of Leandreen’s death.. But then, with a clearer mind, he knew he did not wish for death and had much still to do - he had a purpose - in service to Aes Sedai and the Light.

 

His eyes softened as he thought of his strong and brave - each in their own way - Aes Sedai Bondholders over the years. They were so different women in many ways but also all the same woman. In dedication to the Light. In service to Mankind.

 

 

And we, as Warders, serve strongly, proudly, not as slaves as some ignorant outsiders sneer, but dutifully, honourably - for Life.

 

To Death and Beyond.

 

My Life before Yours.

 

So I pledge, on my Soul.

 

 

All thoughts of the thieves were gone from his mind as he sat down with his back to an oak near a picket fence at the end of the town - and reminisced his many faithful years as a Gaidin in Service, trying to push back the inner blackness, the crushing weight of guilt that had overtaken him once again, wanting to fill the void within him with Hope.

 

●

 

It was not that easy, of course. Not that he had expected it to be either. He knew from before that it took much work - and time - to quench the fires of despair and inadequacy that sometimes overtook him. It would be so this time as well. But he did feel a bit less angry, a bit more in control of himself, as he walked back to the inn a little later, pulling his cloak close around him to shield him from gusts from the cold western wind that had picked up. There was no one about and mostly silent as the town citizens were asleep in their beds. The Gaidin saw a stray dog heading down a street, what looked like a bone in its mouth, and heard the meow from a cat sitting patiently beside an old building, but other than that there were no sounds to be heard. Entering the inn, he nodded to the innkeeper half-asleep at his desk (thinking to himself that there might indeed be need to have a closer talk with that rather suspicious man) and headed up the stairs to his room.

 

He sensed through the Bond that Myrrhi was awake and so he walked up to her room, a little calmer now, and stopped. He knew she would feel him standing outside her door.

 

He knocked softly on the door to assure he had her attention, then spoke clearly (loudly enough for her to hear through the door, but not so loud as to wake other guests).

 

“You have my apology, Myrrhi Aes Sedai.” Elessar said. “My words were spoken in anger. The road is dark sometimes and I must walk it better.”

 

He left it at that, many words unsaid.

 

She did not reply but he knew she had heard. He sensed it through the Bond, or at least he thought he did, and he nodded to himself. She deserved a better explanation, but he was not ready to give one yet. He needed time to get to grips with his inner demons again before he could speak to her about it. She would not understand as it was. No one would.

 

●

 

He left her door and entered his own room. Shutting the door behind him, he removed his cloak, shirt and pants and threw himself down on the bed. Closing his eyes, he held his darkness at bay.

 

He hated not being in full control of himself - the way he ought to be, the way a Warder should be, the way an Aes Sedai would expect him to be - and was relieved when at last as he fell asleep he did not have black dreams.

 

●

 

The next morning they met up in the Common Room for breakfast. Elessar’s face was drawn, Myrrhi saw, but at least he was not angry for which she was grateful. She studied him as they ate, wondering what plagued him so. The dreams. His outbursts. It had to mean something but she did not know what. Elessar was not in a talkative mood and therefore focused on the morning meal, his thoughts darker than one might guess. Pushing his black guilt to the side for the moment, he considered the matter of the innkeeper. Could it be that the man had been behind the attempted theft? It seemed strange, no innkeepers would usually dare do anything that could, in consequence, endanger the future of their own establishment, but this innkeeper appeared to be of the slippery kind.

 

Breaking the silence, he whispered to Myrrhi that perhaps they should have a talk with the innkeeper. She understood where he was going with that and nodded. She too had suspicions about the man. And so after they had finished the meal, they headed toward the innkeeper who stood with his apron beside his desk, cleaning a glass. He seemed to momentarily frown as he saw them coming but then smoothed his features in a very fake but effective (for most guests) way.

 

“How do I be able to help you?” The Illianer innkeeper asked smoothly in the local accent, his false smile almost splitting his face.

 

Elessar felt his anger slowly returning, wanting to slap the man. He focused on calming his mood, using Warder techniques, and was partially successful. Even so, he knew it would be better if Myrrhi spoke to the man at first. Pulling back a little, giving her center-stage, he waited for her to speak. She asked the innkeeper if he was aware there were thieves about in his honourable inn? He faked surprise at her question, and seemed properly shocked when she informed him of the attempted thefts from their rooms.

 

●

 

Elessar’s eyes hardened seeing the innkeeper’s fake attempts at innocence and he became convinced the man knew something. Myrrhi said she was deeply concerned with the lack of safety and privacy in his inn, and what was he going to do about it. The innkeeper apologized and promised added security measures would be implemented. What exactly, he did not say. Myrrhi kept holding his gaze, probably gauging the truth of his words, and the innkeeper’s eyes shifted nervously as the moment lengthened. The Warder had had enough. Coming forwards, he indicated to Myrrhi that he would take over. She considered whether that was wise, but came to the conclusion that they needed some answers and even if he was not quite himself these days her Warder was good at getting answers. So she nodded and stepped to the side and Elessar faced the innkeeper.

 

Elessar’s eyes hardened, something which did not escape the innkeeper, he placed his arms commandingly on the desk and then said, his voice cold as ice, “Now tell us the truth.”

 

Myrrhi was relieved that Elessar had managed to keep his temper under decent control during his ‘questioning’ of the innkeeper who had finally admitted that he had mentioned to several locals that an Aes Sedai and her Warder were guests at his inn at the moment. He had not expected anything bad to come of it, he proclaimed. Just that it was not that often that he got such ‘esteemed guests’, as he said, so he was proud whenever it happened. It was clearly a lie but they did not push the matter. Perhaps he had been directly involved with the thieves, or perhaps he had not; it would be impossible to prove. As other guests approached, Elessar let him go, but only after the now pale-faced innkeeper had promised to give them a 70% discount on their stay as reparation for what had occurred and any ‘added inconvenience’ as he said.

 

Heading back to their rooms, Myrrhi had seemed satisfied with the resolution though she had kept much of her thoughts to herself. Elessar had closed the door to his room and had walked across to the small window which looked down on the merchant town, feeling his breath becoming heavy with the strain of having had to stay in decent control during the ‘questioning’. He hid his face in his hands as he tried, in vain, to cloak himself in the Flame and the Void.

 

●

 

They arrived in the Capital city of the nation of Illian on a sunny afternoon beneath sapphire-blue skies. The temperature had risen in the previous days and summer was around the corner. A soft breeze coming in from the ocean caressed their skin as they entered the Capital. The city was buzzing with life.

 

They rode slowly down the city streets, Elessar’s black thoughts momentarily pushed aside for the glorious sights around them. They moved along the multitude of water channels - or canals - that crisscrossed the Capital, over bridges and marble steps and roads of paving stones. Magnificent buildings, many of paled dressed stone, shone in the sunlight and fountains and statues adorned plazas and squares alike. Passing shops and vendors and stalls by the dozen, with shopkeepers and customers arguing prizes, haggling expertly and with barely hidden smiles, discussing also other daily matters, Elessar was reminded of his previous visits to the city.

 

The Capital was familiar to him. He knew that it boasted the largest port in the known world - a giant circular harbour there by the Sea of Storms. To the west sprawled forests and olive groves. The far north on the other hand was quite mountainous, bulwarked by castles and hillforts. To the east was a vast marshland finally opening up to the Plains of Maredo. The city's immediate surroundings were made up of swamps and therefore did not need any protecting wall which a city of such size and importance usually would have had. The city also boasted of the great Square of Tammaz where the Hunters of the Horn gathered to swear their oaths. Two opposing but similar Palaces, one for the King (who wears the famous Laurel Crown) and one for the Council of Nine - both of whom are said to rule the nation - adjoined the famous square. The Council's Palace was just a bit smaller, Elessar had read, but the two Palaces were said to have born witness to the ongoing power-struggles in Illian over the ages.

 

It was, in truth, one of the Great cities of the world, up there with Tear, Ebou Dar, Caemlyn, Cairhien and Tar Valon, or so at least many (especially Southerners) argued. Elessar could not disagree. It was an impressive city and the sight of it helped lighten his dark mood a little, at least temporarily. Myrrhi, riding beside him a little behind on his right, sensed this and was comforted. She gazed at the many wonders this southern Capital could offer, her mind partially on personal matters, as they rode down the busy streets in the direction of the “Silver Mermaid” inn.

 

●

 

Standing at a street corner beside a furniture shop, a pair of light-blue eyes followed the Aes Sedai and Warder closely as they rode past and disappeared into the distance. The scruffy-looking blond-haired man with the scar running down his left cheek frowned, thought for a moment, then headed in the opposite direction of the party from Tar Valon.

 

We must not let those two interfere with our plans, he thought intently as he moved down the busy city streets. By the Great Lord, they shall not!

 

▀▄

 

.. Pulled down by Black Moods ..

►▼◄

 

“God dammit, Myrrhi! He’s getting away!”

 

Elessar swore, casting a black look over his shoulder, as he stormed out of her room and down the corridor in pursuit of the thief.

 

●

 

Some hours earlier they had enjoyed the respite, a welcome distraction in the fashion of a gleeman’s performance. For a time, the Warder had been able to put away his frustrations and doubts, losing himself in pleasant memories and old stories, but it had not lasted. After the performance they had taken a walk in the darkness outside, Myrrhi walking with a smile on her face in her light linen dress of green colour, Elessar in his warder’s cloak, the beautiful poem still echoing in his mind. Soon though his thoughts had returned to his doubts, his failures as a Warder, and his face had darkened. Myrrhi had seen his features tighten and had considered whether to ask him if he was alright. His mood swings lately had made her concerned and she had been waiting for him to open up about it.

 

Walking down the dark street Elessar’s mood had worsened - his self-blame returning, his failures tormenting him - and he had cursed aloud when he had stepped into a hole in the ground by the side of the road. When Myrrhi had kindly asked if his ankle was fine after he had seemed to limp a little after the misstep, he had icily replied “why the bloody hell should my ankle not be fine”, making her blanch at the vehemence in his voice. He had felt bad at his comment, knowing she only wanted to help, but had found no way to apologize without it sounding trite. They had continued walking in dead silence, as if there was a wall between them.

 

Having returned to the inn, they had headed up to their rooms and had gone to sleep with no words said. Elessar had been in a foul mood and had not really been able to deduce why. Perhaps it had been the romantic poem which at first had been welcoming, a lovely distraction from his woes, but which then had become annoying with its beauty and love and serenity while he struggled through his black moods, insecurity and doubts as to his many failures as a Warder. Myrrhi’s temporary happiness (as it seemed to him) had also grated on his nerves, feelings of envy and bitterness enveloping him. Why should she seem so content when he had so many inner demons to face? He had gone to sleep cursing the blackness that was seeping through his blood, hating himself for feeling this way but unable to stop the feeling.

 

●

 

Then a little past midnight he had been awakened by a sound, a scraping sound at his door. He had listened for a few seconds to ascertain that it was not just a person passing by in the corridor outside, then had risen from his bed, quickly put on a shirt and pants and had walked silently across to the door. Picking up a knife in his hand, he had waited for the door to be opened from the outside. When it had opened, a man’s face visible above his hand with the lockpick, Elessar had slammed the door back in his face and he had fallen to the floor with a grunt. The Warder had been upon him in a second, pinning him down. Forcing him to his feet, Elessar had given him a dead-cold stare, then had pushed him against the wall. Demanding to know what the man had been up to, he had struck him across the face, waiting for an answer. Then the Gaidin had realized that the door to Myrrhi’s room was open and he had shoved the man aside and had run to her door, taking a quick look inside to make sure she was safe.

 

Instead of her, he had seen another man going through her private belongings. Cursing, the Warder had taken three long steps, then had leapt at the thief, bringing him crashing to the floor. Smashing his fist into the man’s face, Elessar had brought him onto the bed and had shaken him properly while asking him what he was doing there. Throwing a swift glance around the room the Gaidin had seen that Myrrhi was not there. Wondering where she could be, he had demanded an answer from the scruffy-looking man on the bed. A sound had made him turn and head out into the corridor again. There he had seen that the first man had escaped and as he turned to interrogate the second man this fellow managed to slip beneath him and head down the corridor at a full run. Elessar cursed again, anger in his eyes. Then he saw Myrrhi coming from the other direction and she walked calmly past him into her room.

 

He swore.

 

●

 

Storming down the corridor, he saw the other man sprinting toward the corner that led to the stairs. Elessar followed but was not quick enough. As he reached the corner, the thief was half-way down the stairs. Swearing inside at his slowness, Elessar followed him but the man was gone when the Warder reached the bottom of the staircase. It was dark in the front hall with only a few candle lights along the walls. Bloody hell! Elessar was not a happy man as he returned upstairs.

 

“So, where the hell were you?” he asked Myrrhi angrily as he stepped into her room.

 

A small voice in the back of his mind condemned him for his lack of manners and respect for his Aes Sedai, but at that moment he did not care.

 

His eyes were dark, his stance aggressive.

 

He wanted to smash something to bits.

 

●

 

It took long moments before Myrrhi replied.

 

As he stood there, memories flashed before his eyes.. times when anger and strong emotion had taken him to a dark place..

 

 

-Kandor-

 

..Thinking of his dead younger brother Vehran always brought him inner pain and sorrow. It was a death his father in Kandor would never forgive him for.  Another darkness upon my soul..

 

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“, he had shouted at Elessar in anger and sorrow, “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 even after so many years. 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..

 

●

 

-With Myrrhi-

 

Finally, she asked, "What do say of this?"

 

She had asked him to Bond her.

 

He struggled mightily with the waves that mounted inside him, Crashing upon his ever-weakening defenses.

 

He was silent for a long time, and he quickly understood that he lacked the self-control he would need to explain his reasons to her properly, make her understand.

 

His thoughts rushed through him..

 

My soul could not take another failure, kind, passionate Myrrhi..

 

If I fail you too, in my service as your Warder, as I assuredly will, my soul and heart will be lost with no hope of redemption.

 

I cannot bear the thought of failing another time.

 

I am not worthy, as my life has shown, he thought, blanketed by the darkest of guilt. My Bondholders are either dead or gone. I am a failure.. and I will not have your death on my conscience as well. I am so sorry but I cannot.

 

The darkness and eternal guilt inside him threatened to overwhelm him and he clenched his hands in a final effort to stem the tide.

 

 But it was too late.

 

His self-control was swept aside by Crashing waves as all the pent up guilt, anger at himself, disappointment, frustration and shame Erupted inside him all at once!

 

In his mind..

 

I will not have you die in my arms, Myrrhi.

 

Like Leandreen.

 

It would break my heart forever.

 

 

“Light! I am sorry, but don’t ask this of me!”

 

Elessar said almost in a loud scream.

 

“Not this!”

 

His whole body quivered as his curbed emotions now ran wildly free.

 

“I just cannot! I cannot!” He shouted in desperation.

 

 

With the look of a wounded animal, his eyes panic-stricken, his hands shaking, all self-control lost, he sprang up from his chair in a sudden, abrupt motion, making Myrrhi almost jump out of her skin, crossed the room in long strides without looking back, tore the library-door open, and slammed it behind him on his way out!..

 

●

 

Elessar was brought back by Myrrhi’s voice, the flashes of memories dissipating but remaining in Elessar’s angry eyes.

 

▀▄

 

On 2/19/2021 at 8:38 PM, Thrasymachus said:

I expect that it is.  But the way that it's cut together also gives a certain implication.

 

I think that what's really bugging me about this deep down is the dagger itself, combined with Tam's sword's lack of crossguards, or Thom's lack of a flute.  That dagger does not look like what's described in the books.  The ruby is supposed to cap the end of the pommel.  The handle is supposed to be wrapped with gold wire, not be a cast, or what looks like to me as gold leaf applied over cheap pewter.  The quillions should curve forward and resemble snake heads.  The blade should be broader and strongly curved; it's a slashing and cutting weapon, not a stabbing or thrusting one.  It's a goddamn chapter icon for goodness sake.  I've seen better ruby-hilted daggers at flea markets.

 

And yeah, it's a minor change.  But it's a minor change that doesn't need to happen.  Nothing hinges on whether the ruby is in the crossguards or capping the hilt.  So why not make it look the way it should?  The same thing with Tam's sword.  Thom's harp changing to a guitar is tolerable because there's a halfway good reason behind it: the actor can play the guitar.  Changing Thom himself to be younger and have a more masculine energy opposite Moiraine is likewise tolerable because there's a purpose behind it.  But robbing Thom of his flute?  What's the point of that?  What's the point of making Tam's sword a generic samurai sword with heron embellishment?  What's the point of making the Shadar Logoth dagger into a cheap dollar-store stilleto?

 

Rafe has assured us that they are trying to be aware of when they make things different from the books, and that when they do, they are doing it intentionally and knowingly.  So what's the intention here, with all these minor, pointless changes?  Change for change's sake is rarely good.  And if they can't stay true to the little things that don't really matter, (though I think Thom's flute does matter) it's a lot harder to maintain confidence that they'll stay true to the big things that do.

 

I agree with almost everything in this post (and what you said before in this thread). Changing Mat's story with the dagger (esp how he gets it) changes how we perceive him as a character. It has consequences. I too am concerned that the showrunners will make changes for change's sake and as you say, if they can't stay true to the small detail it's a lot harder to maintain confidence that they'll stay true to the big things that matter. We all know that some changes (not major ones) are necessary in a visual adaptation, but since signs (unfortunately) are that major changes from the books will be made for the tv-show, they ought to at least have reflected canon in props like Tam's sword and Mat's dagger where there is no need for change.

.. A Moment of Serenity ..

►▼◄

 

Elessar could not remember the dream.

 

And that fact annoyed him mightily.

 

Because he knew somehow that it had been important. Profound. Special.

 

Something deep inside him told him the dream had resolved something. But he did not know what and his not knowing gnawed at his temper and well-being for the next several days.

 

●

 

He suspected that Myrrhi sensed his unease through the Bond, perhaps she had even seen him toss and turn in his sleep at night, he could not tell. He did not usually fall into a deep sleep, preferring for safety to enter that half-sleep he as a Warder was so good at reaching, but on occasion his subconscious took him deeper.. as had been the case with that dream.. Myrrhi did not say anything to him but he could discern what he thought was concern in her eyes at times, but he did not comment on it of course, that could make it awkward for them both. His guilt over his failures he carried with him always, pushed to the back of his head but never altogether gone. This latest failure as he saw it added to his doubts as to how worthy a Warder he truly was. As the days passed his need for self-recrimination lessened somewhat, but he knew echoes of it remained in his eyes as he went about his daily Warderly tasks.

 

They camped in the wild at times, sometimes camped with larger groups that invited them in, and other times took in at local inns. The days passed by, new miles covered, weather often changing, and they got closer and closer to the Capital. They chatted less and less as they travelled, focusing on the journey, their own thoughts and looking forward to getting to their destination.

 

A day’s ride or so north of the city of Illian, in late afternoon under a clouded sky, they reached the town of Serdhion. It was a merchant town heavily reliant on the merchant traffic along the main road between Illian and Lugard. It was a busy town with many people about, busy streets and several well looked after merchant’s shops lined up in its center beside dust-ridden old buildings. Behind them all in a side-street lay an old inn called “The Merchant’s Daughter” and it was to this inn the Warder and Aes Sedai from Tar Valon headed. As usual Elessar took their horses to the stables at the back of the inn and handed them to a stableboy of 12 years or so. The boy’s eyes grew when he saw the Warder approaching him, half in fear, half in excitement, his eyes fastening on Elessar’s unmistakable cloak and sword. The Warder told him to take good care of their horses and tossed the Illianer boy a bronze coin which he gathered in his hands as if it were gold. The Gaidin grinned to himself, some of his foul mood evaporating, having seen such eagerness in many a boy’s eyes over the years. Perhaps this was the little nudge that would send this boy to Tar Valon to become a Warder in 5 years or so, one could never tell..

 

Myrrhi waited at the entrance to the inn, gazing up at the sign of a voluptuous young woman with an inviting smile that hung above the wide door. Elessar glanced quickly at it too but then picked up all their belongings and followed his Aes Sedai into the inn. The innkeeper, a heavy-set man of middling years with dark hair and sunken eyes, was busy at his desk but when he saw them enter, straight away recognizing them for what they were, he cursed inside, put on his best fake smile, and headed in their direction, leaving the guest he had been attending in the hands of his head waitress. Welcoming them with a false smile - which Elessar took note of, sensing that this man was in truth not happy to see them there - he found rooms for them and wished them a pleasant stay. Exchanging a knowing glance with Myrrhi he suspected she had felt the falseness in the innkeeper too. He also got the impression she was pleased to see his mood lighten if only for a few moments. Leaving her belongings in Myrrhi’s room, Elessar took his own to the next room and closed the door behind him. Laying down on the bed for a short while, he closed his eyes and tried in vain to remember that dream.

 

●

 

A little later he tried to pick up a book to read on the small bookshelf in his room but he was unable to concentrate on the story. His mind kept returning to the dream which he could not for the life of him remember. He felt somehow that this dream was important to him and so it felt frustrating that he could not recall an ounce of it. It had been that way for him most of life. Some dreams he recalled afterwards, but most were gone from memory, or evaporated a short while after he woke up. Giving up in the end, he tried instead to think of something else, something that would draw his thoughts away, and that made him think of Myrrhi. He could feel her in the next room, he sensed she was relaxing. He knew his recent mood swings had had an effect on her and he was sorry it could make her concerned. He had just not been able to stop his black thoughts. It had made their travelling companionship a little more tense recently, and awkward.

 

He closed his eyes, feeling unhappy that it had come to this. Trying to think of happier times, he thought back on some of their former adventures.

 

His mind went back in time and several memories appeared in his mind. He selected one of the most enjoyable ones as he saw it, and was soon lost in detailed memory..

 

●

 

…She’s a Green, alright! Elessar thought with amusement as he watched Myrrhi seemingly mesmerized by the handsome-looking young Saldaean gleeman on stage.

 

She confirmed it when she added that the young man looked better than most.

 

He better watch his back, the Warder thought with a silent chuckle, or he might find himself Bonded to a certain Andoran Sister.. whether he wants to or not.

 

The way Myrrhi’s captivated eyes followed the young man during his performance made Elessar wonder, wryly, if there was more than a little truth to his thoughts. He grinned and found himself pleased that she was enjoying herself this evening. She needed some enjoyment and merriment after the Dark, dangerous and glum days lately, and therefore he was doubly glad that the Saldaean was putting on an excellent performance.

 

When the gleeman was finished and bowed to salute the crowd, he could see the disappointment in her face. She joined several others asking - and clapping - for an ‘encore’ and met her Warder’s eyes with a slight blush, seeing his amusement mirrored there. She smiled before shrugging in a way to make him understand that even if she was Aes Sedai she could still fully appreciate.. performances like these. Or men.., Elessar thought with even greater amusement.

 

The center of her attention, however, was finished with his performance. He thanked the audience a last time and left the Common Room with a last flourish of his gleeman’s cloak, leaving echoes of Artur Hawkwing’s legend and his other songs and stories in his wake. From Myrrhi’s look as he left, she seemed to him almost ready to run after the young man.. and Elessar was about to comment on it, playfully, when she spoke.

 

She said, her blue eyes sparkling with joy, that she was not sure that she wanted to retire for the evening yet. Not after something like that!

 

It was not easy for her to explain.. but he understood well.

 

He saw the Passion for Life in her, that he had also seen in her before, and also in Leandreen, and in most Greens to tell the truth. It was a joy of life in all its beauty and facets -  a passion for life and fulfillment, to be embraced and nourished - that drove many Sisters of the Battle Ajah; not a passion for war, danger and death as many mistakenly thought.

 

He saw it now in her Eyes - and it warmed his Soul…

 

●

 

She must have felt something through the Bond, because she looked at him intently and smiled.

 

He smiled back, before taking her hand and silently leading her outside. It was dark that evening, the moon shining high above in a canopy of blackness and stars that blanketed the nation of Cairhien. Elessar looked about, gauging the darkness, and then met Myrrhi’s eyes.

 

“There is still time for some more fun tonight”, he said with a glint in his eye. “It will be good for you, for us both in truth, after all that’s happened.” He saw her questioning face, wondering what he had in mind, and he grinned in anticipation.

 

“Have you ever ridden in the dark?” He asked, a mischievous but also excited grin on his face. “When it is solid, stone-wall dark outside?”

 

They had ridden in near-dark on their journey a few times, out of necessity, but had always camped for the night before all light was gone. He did not think she had ridden in total darkness before; many riders had not.

 

Before she had time to reply, he set off for the stables at the back of the building, a somewhat flustered Sedai in tow. She had not ridden in pitch black surroundings before, no - and was more than a little dubious whether it was safe. But at the same time she felt the excitement of the prospect growing in her as she walked, and she felt she needed some more fun tonight, some more elation, to keep those other darker memories and thoughts at bay. And so she followed eagerly, a thrill running through her, with most of her skepticism under wraps.

 

The Warder found the young stableboy who quickly prepared their horses and within minutes Elessar and Myrrhi literally flew down the road, atop Stormbreaker and Tempest, leaving dust in their wake! As the stableboy had finished, the Gaidin had told his Sedai that horses, in fact, could see well in the dark, and as long as they kept to the roads and paths and trusted in their mounts’ instincts, all would be well.

 

Excitement at the fun, but somewhat wild, undertaking flowed through them both, feeding the pulse of life, driving away any doubts or fear, as they pushed their mounts hard down the hill through the darkness, running like the wind, elation and exhilaration making their Eyes shine and their Souls soar!

 

●

 

That evening Myrrhi and Elessar met up in the Common Room for a meal and some entertainment and now they were enjoying roast beef with roasted potatoes, vegetables and a gravy sauce that had some delicious local herbs in it while watching the gleeman perform.

 

He was in his early forties, he wore a perpetual smile on his face and the crowd loved him. His performance was very good and it was obvious he had years of experience in the way he played, drew the crowd in, moved on the small stage and seemed confident in all ways. Having seen dozens and dozens of gleemen over the years in his travels with his Aes Sedais, Elessar knew a an excellent performer when he saw one and he managed to put aside all his self-doubt and worries for that evening.

 

After the man had finished a jaunty melody that brought many of the guests to their feet, the crowd applauded his flute playing, then several guests took up the rallying cry for a story. An old story, they wanted. A really old story.

 

The gleeman loved the center-stage attention as all gleemen in fact did, and made a grandiose and theatrical bow to the crowd - to even more cheering - before he said: “Alright, I will give you a story. A very old story at that” As he spoke his voice changed, as he drew them all in. “It is said it is from before the Age of Legends.” Elessar’s interest increased. He had always loved old stories and he wondered if this would be a retelling of one of his favourites.

 

When the gleeman told the crowd that the story was that of  ‘Star and Moon’ the Warder smiled broadly. This was indeed one of his favourites, he had heard it many times over the years but never tired of seeing it performed. He sat forward in his chair as the gleeman began weaving the tale of sorrow and beauty in an eternal time and place..

 

●

 

►▼◄

 

’Star and Moon’

 

Princess sweet and Prince of Light

Fell in love one autumn Night

Great were days of joy and Smiles

Both together through the Miles

 

Beautiful she was to See

Handsome man was also He

Perfect couple for the Lands

Wedded true and holding Hands

 

Then the darkness fell on All

In the war, the Prince`s Fall

Tore her heart, the Princess Sad

In her grief, she went all Mad

 

Heart was broken and the Mind

Death a solace, far Behind

But at last she passed Away

To the lands beyond, to Stay

 

Mourning hard the people Cried

Hope and beauty had now Died

Then one evening up they Stared

Wonder great, the night-sky Fared

 

In the sky a star was Born

Brilliant it shone, Forlorn

And the people felt in Heart

She was back, a brand new Start

 

Tears from heaven, from the Queen

Of the sky, of beauty Seen

She would watch the land till End

Came to all that was, my Friend

 

But alone she was in Truth

Missed her loved one, and her Youth

Where was Prince and all Delight

Then she saw him, moon in Night

 

And the moon would glow with Life

Her great Prince with his dear Wife

Both together, far Above

Star and Moon, forever Love

 

►▲◄

 

▀▄

.. What the Soul craves ..

►▼◄

 

The outside air was fresh but cold.

 

That was Elessar’s first thought as he stepped outside the inn early the following morning. A wind was drifting in from the west and it made the temperature feel slightly lower than it actually was. Gazing down the village street, his eyes closed on the blacksmith shop which they had passed on their way to the inn the day before. He fancied taking a look at some of the blacksmith’s work and so headed that way, passing several wide-eyed villagers who were clearly not used to have a fully-fledged Warder in their midst.

 

They stared uncomfortably at his colour-shifting Warder’s cloak as he passed them by. Elessar had seen such reactions before. Made of fancloth, using fabric from a special Ter’angreal in the White Tower, a Warder’s cloak had the unique quality that it let its bearer blend almost perfectly in with the background. It also was known to invoke a disturbing feeling on people who see them while the Gaidin is moving.

 

Stopping in front of the smithy, the Gaidin’s eyes fastened on a sword hanging on the wall. He could see even from a distance that it was exquisite work and a small smile came upon his lips. The blacksmith, a middle-aged local man with long hair, brown eyes, a rugged face and arms the size of small logs, recognized the man entering his shop for what he was and greeted him with respect. Seeing Elessar’s interest in the sword on the wall he took it down for the Warder to hold and inspect, and he spoke about its history. It turned out he was not its maker, it had been created by the blacksmith’s mentor, now an old man, and hung there as an homage to his old teacher.

 

Elessar felt the perfect weight of the blade and its perfect balance. He was much impressed and told the blacksmith so. Handing the sword back, Elessar looked around the shop at other weapons displayed - more swords, some axes and many knives of all sizes - and praised the blacksmith for his quality work. The other man smiled in obvious gratitude, and was ready to answer the questions the Gaidin put to him a little later about the region east of the village.

 

●

 

The feeling of guilt he had felt ever since the brigand-attack did not leave him entirely as he and Myrrhi rode further eastwards in Illian, but he pushed the feeling to the back of his mind to be dealt with later. He suspected that Myrrhi had sensed his unease in this matter through their shared Bond - she studied him sometimes in a fashion which gave him that impression - but she had not spoken about it, probably thinking it was a matter he would bring up when he was ready. He found that he needed more time to consider the matter and so kept it to himself and focused on their journey.

 

He was very attentive now, riding back intermittently to check that they were not being followed and riding ahead to ensure no more surprises awaited. He was not going to be taken unawares by any more brigands or enemies of any kind.

 

They stopped at some more villages in the days that followed to rest and get provisions, riding with speed but not pushing their horses too hard, and made good progress. And on a sunny afternoon with a light southern breeze ruffling their travelling cloaks they reached the crossroads of the main Lugard-Illian road which led southwards to the Capital. This road was more heavily travelled and they saw several carriages with horses passing by, also carts driven by oxen, as they began their own trek south toward the Capital.

 

They had calculated that it would take them a week or so from the crossroads all the way to the city of Illian by the Sea of Storms, and the first few days passed uneventfully. The weather was nice though perhaps still a little chilly and the sky was azure-blue for the most part. They spoke little as they rode, Elessar’s mind focused on the safety and protection of his Aes Sedai and Myrrhi’s attention focused on personal matters. When they stopped at inns they chatted casually, but both were becoming a little wary of the long journey and they looked forward to getting to the Capital where they would stay several days, also to give their steadfast horses a longer rest.

 

●

 

It was one of those dreams that seemed incredibly real in most ways but where one still felt something was a little off..

 

..Leandreen’s funeral pyre was burning fiercely, flames dancing in the darkness of the night. He was standing as close to the pyre as possible without being burnt, his new Bondholder Carrain of the Yellow by his side. Leandreen looked so regal there she lay, her emerald green eyes closed in death, her fiery hair embracing her familiar face, ready for the final journey.

 

This felt so familiar.. as if it were a memory of a memory..

 

But as he watched, he felt something change..

 

He was pulled.. and felt himself drift to her side, enveloped by burning flames.. the flames did not hurt him, they caressed his skin like a passionate lover..

 

His breath caught as her eyes suddenly opened, those emerald green orbs fixating on his face.

 

He felt his heart stop for a long moment, frozen in place, waiting for her to speak..

 

.. to forgive him..

 

Oh please forgive me, Leandreen.

 

.. to give his soul peace..

 

I failed you.. please forgive me..

 

.. to give his heart rest..

 

But she did not speak, she just kept staring at him as if she had not seen him for a long time. His mouth opened and closed but no words came forth. They were stuck in his throat.

 

●

 

He could not take his eyes away from the face of his dead Bondholder, rigid but seemingly come back to life, the face he knew so well from his many years as her Bonded Warder.

 

A face that had blossomed with life, borne by one of fiery temperament and passion matched by her fiery hair.. a face that was now serene in a strange fashion..

 

Those emerald eyes kept watching him though, as if not wanting to let go.

 

His eyes met hers.. and in an eternal moment he bared his soul.

 

“Forgive me, my Leandreen”, he whispered, emotions taking him, his eyes filling with water.

 

Needing forgiveness, yearning for salvation, he waited for her reply.

 

She remained silent, but her eyes.. changed. They became more intense, brighter somehow, and a solitary tear rolled down her cheek.

 

Flames danced in her fiery hair, an orange flair embracing her deeper red, but she remained silent.

 

●

 

He was caught in a spell and could only stare at her.. but he knew there was a question he needed to ask her.. something he needed to know..

 

At first it was lost to him, but then he remembered..

 

He closed his eyes, and then asked her. His tone was almost a whisper, as if he needed to ask but was not sure he wanted to hear the answer..

 

“Was it my fault that I put Myrrhi in danger with those brigands? Am I to blame?”

 

Opening his eyes, he met her gaze but she only looked back at him in utter silence. As he watched though a second tear flowed slowly down Leandreen’s cheek.

 

●

 

Staring into Leandreen’s eyes his breath caught in his throat again. Her skin so pale yet so beautiful. The emerald green eyes pulling him in.

 

“Am I worthy?” he whispered finally, clenching his fists. He needed to know.

 

A third tear began flowing down her chin..

 

 

..and then..

 

 

..in a pool of the teardrop there was a silver light which drew him in..

 

..and standing in an ocean of water surrounded by silver light stood Leandreen, the real Leandreen, filled with her Passion for Life.

 

Her beautiful smile beckoned..

 

Her emerald green eyes sparkled with life..

 

And in that emerald gleam, for a glorious moment in time, feeling their souls joined in burning Light, he found Redemption.

 

▀▄

.. Ending the Battle & Questioning ..

►▼◄

 

Thunder crashed and lightning lit up the dark skies, the rain falling heavily as Elessar fought the brigands.

 

His sword clashed against a brute’s blade and then he swept inside the man’s guard, past his armour, and his sword slid deeply into the man’s chest and he was dead before he hit the ground. The man’s horse ran off but the highly skilled Warder was already moving Stormbreaker toward the next brute and swung his blade hard at this other man.

 

The man deflected deftly and swung at Elessar, but the Gaidin had expected that counterattack and proficiently blocked and followed up with a move which the other man was unable to stop. His sword arm tumbled to the ground, blood rushing as he screamed in terrible pain and he fell off his horse when the Warder’s shoulder crashed into him as Elessar rode past.

 

More brigands came through the heavy brush now and Elessar was hard pushed to stop them all, But then the air whizzed with powerful energy as Saidar burned through skulls and chest. 

 

●

 

Myrrhi!

 

She had been closer than he had anticipated and was now joining this battle. Part of him wanted her to stay away, be safe - but another part knew that this was what a Battle Ajah Sister was bred for, and to be honest he appreciated the help.

 

Blasts of Air pushed men and horses alike, but only the beasts were allowed to run. The others found themselves pinned on the dirt, prime targets for the picking.

 

Clearing rain from his eyes, Elessar took a quick moment to glance back at Myrrhi there she stood like a battle-queen of old, arms raised, Fire streaming from her hands. He had jokingly in the past said she was trying to become another Rashima Kerenmosa - one of the greatest Battle Ajah Amyrlins of all time and a grand hero of all Green Sisters - and seeing her standing there he almost believed it. In front of her lay the blooded remains of the big brute who had swept past Elessar to try and get at the Aes Sedai. It appeared he had overestimated his chances.

 

Turning his attention back to the remaining brigands, he saw that very few still remained. He pushed Stormbreaker close to the nearest horse and swung his blade hard in an arc. The man parried but his horse whinnied and came off balance and so Elessar’s second slash tore into the man’s torso and he cursed in pain and when another slick move by the Gaidin sliced off the brigand’s sword hand it was all over. Elessar’s shoulder crashed into his face and he fell off the horse like a stone. Another blast of Air hammered the remaining few brigands and they flew through the air to lie pinned where they fell.

 

The battle was over.

●

 

He thought he felt both satisfaction and relief coming through the Bond from Myrrhi and he turned toward her and gave a smile that reflected the same emotions. He would deal with the small voice in the back of his mind later, the one which blamed him for not having seen or anticipated the attack. Dismounting, he kept his blade in hand as he walked across to some of the brigands laying in the dirt on the ground, pinned by weaves of the One Power. On the way he ended the man’s misery, the man who had lost his arm and who was slowly bleeding to death. Elessar’s face was stone-hard as he faced the first pinned man who stared up at him spitefully.

 

Brigands, bandits, outlaws. There were many names to describe such men. Bands of brigands existed in every nation, consisting of thieves, bullies, crooks, robbers, muggers, rapists and all kinds of unsavoury people who fell outside society or who did not care about rules and laws and rather wanted to make their own. Criminals and outcasts. Authorities in every nation tried to eradicate such bands but were rarely successful. There were simply too many of them. Elessar had come upon such bands before, not the least that despicable lot that had killed his first Bondholder, Leandreen Aes Sedai. And so his disposition towards such bands was not the best to put it mildly.

 

The man on the ground must have seen some of this in the Warder’s ice-cold eyes because he closed his mouth having been about to curse and tell him off.

 

“So”, Elessar began in a much too kind voice, “I guess you made a poor choice trying to rob this Aes Sedai” - he nodded toward Myrrhi - “and myself. A very poor choice indeed.”

 

His face darkened.

 

“As you can see, your comrades are mostly dead.” He saw the man glance at the dead bodies laying next to him. “Give me one good reason why I should not tear your heart out, you scum!”

 

Watching from behind, Myrrhi thought Elessar sounded very sincere in what he said and found it hard to decide whether this was another play-act to frighten this brigand into revealing things, or if there was something personal involved.

 

●

 

The brigand was unable to move a muscle below his neck and Elessar could see the man’s eyes twitching nervously. Water ran down the man’s face and he soon started blinking to get water out of his eyes. The thunder above continued but the lightning had lessened.

 

The Warder walked across to another man pinned to the soggy ground. “How about you?” he asked, pointing his sword at the man’s throat. “Is there a reason why we should keep you alive?”

 

This man had a big scar running down both chins and had a crooked nose. His eyes were green and they looked balefully up at the Warder. “Do what you wish.” He replied spitefully. “I will not beg for my life.”

 

Elessar bent so his own face came very close to the brigand’s. “No, I believe you will not, will you.” Straightening, he exchanged a glance with Myrrhi who had dismounted and now stood next to him.

 

“What we really want to know”, the Gaidin said, looking at all the men pinned down, “is if this attack of yours was ordered by someone else? Or was it just happenstance that you selected the two of us for this attempted robbery or should we say murder?”

 

“Take great care with your answer”, he added darkly, “because the wrong one could end up with you losing one limb or more.”

 

The harshness in Elessar’s voice made Myrrhi think once again how good, how forceful her Warder was in situations with interrogations of all kinds.

 

She was very glad he was not her enemy.

 

●

 

None of the pinned outlaws replied. One raised his head and spat at the Warder. Another cursed.

 

The Warder just nodded, as if he had expected nothing less.

 

“Alright, have it your way.” His voice sounded almost gleeful. “Let’s execute the lot of them”, he lied.

 

Not for the first time in his long life as a Bonded Warder was he very glad that Warders did not have to be bound by the Three Oaths of Aes Sedai. Being able to lie when an Aes Sedai could not, was very valuable in many situations for Bonded companions of the White Tower.

 

“But we must make them suffer first”, the Warder added darkly and there was such viciousness in his voice that even a hardened Myrrhi almost felt a shiver run down her spine. “Let’s cut off their feet first. Then we shall move onto their hands and finally their eyes.”

 

The men nearest did not react to the Gaidin’s harsh words, just continued to stare balefully, but a younger man at the back started coughing hard, seeming to have a sort of panic attack. Elessar moved across to him and gazed down at his face. The man finally stopped coughing but it was obvious from his eyes that he was scared. Rainwater ran down his chin as he stared up at the dangerous man above him.

 

“I will talk”, he said in a shaky voice. “Just spare my life.” He coughed another time and blinked his eyes to get them free of water.

 

“We shall see”, the Warder responded, his voice neutral. “It depends on what you have to say.”

 

●

 

He nodded to Myrrhi, his gesture meaning he was ready for her to take over the interrogation, but she nodded back indicating that he could continue. Elessar nodded another time, then turned to face the brigand on the ground.

 

“Alright, young man.” He began. “What can you tell us?”

 

The man looked to be in his late teens, not long ago he would have been called a boy. His face had scars though and there was something about the way he looked that gave Elessar the impression he had not had an easy life. Even so, he was obviously the weakest of the remaining outlaws, the youngest and least experienced. He had certainly never been up against an Aes Sedai and her Warder.

 

“We had a scout who saw you coming”, the young man said finally, licking his lips.

 

His voice sounded uncertain, as if he did not want to appear weak but at the same time was deeply concerned, both for the fact that he might be killed by these people from the White Tower and for the fact that if he survived and the others did too he might be punished harshly for talking. He had to take the chance though as he saw it. He did not want to die this day.

 

“And then we staged an ambush.”

 

The Warder studied the young man closely, trying to determine whether he was telling the truth.

 

“Alright”, he said - angry at himself if he had indeed missed this scout as well, but leaving that matter too for later - “who ordered you to rob us then? Or should I say kill us, for that is what it seemed.”

 

“It was Harrad”, the young brigand responded. His voice sounded a little more certain this time. “He was our leader.”

 

●

 

Some of the other men muttered darkly, but Elessar ignored them.

 

“Who is this Harrad?” Elessar asked, and the young man just nodded to the dead man at his side.

 

The Warder studied the dead body. A man in his mid-thirties with a scarred face, high cheekbones and a beard. Brown of hair, now blooded and half his face gone. Not a pretty sight. There was nothing to distinguish him as their leader but Elessar had to admit the young man’s voice sounded sincere.

 

“Was there any particular reason why he ordered your band to attack the two of us?” he asked, exchanging a swift glance with Myrrhi. She seemed pleased with the way the interrogation was going, at least that was the impression he got through the Bond. Turning back to the pinned brigand, he waited for his answer.

 

Another of the outlaws spat in disgust and threw the young man venomous glances.

 

“I don’t know”, the young man said. “We carry out our raids whenever we can.” He gazed around him at the dead bodies and shook his head. “If we had known who you were, I am pretty sure the raid would have been aborted. Harrad would have known the cost would be too great.”

 

Elessar considered what the young man had said and wondered again if he was lying. If he was, he was a very good liar. The Warder had become a very good judge of character over the years, having come across all kinds of men in his long service to the White Tower, but sometimes he was fooled like most people. In this case though he felt pretty sure the young man was telling the truth.

 

He indicated that Myrrhi take over the questioning and afterwards they would confer in private what to do with these outlaws that were still alive. The Aes Sedai nodded and faced the young man while Elessar stood a little behind and to the side. Then Myrrhi began with a few more questions for the young brigand.

 

●

 

After the questioning was over, Myrrhi and Elessar moved some distance away from the pinned outlaws. They conferred for a while, considered what the young man had said, and they both agreed he was likely telling the truth. It did seem unlikely that their enemies had planned this attack and this fact was most important now as they would continue their journey. As for what to do with the remaining brigands, they agreed they would hand them over to the local authorities at the nearest village.

 

Returning to the pinned outlaws, Elessar gave them each a hard stare, then said in his icy voice that this was their lucky day and since their youngest member had answered questions honestly they would all keep their limbs and lives. The young man breathed a sigh of relief that could be heard several feet away while the other brigands remained silent, still throwing angry glances at the Warder and Aes Sedai.

 

“We shall bring you to the local authorities in the nearest village where you will face justice”, Myrrhi said, her stance proud as she faced them in a regal Aes Sedai manner. “The White Tower does not look kindly on criminal attacks by brigands and outlaws.”

 

●

 

She released the weaves of Air pinning the men to the ground, then Elessar brought rope from his bags and bound the hands of each of the brigands tightly. Another longer rope he bound around their chests and the other end of the rope to their horses. The men had no serious injuries but had aches and pains having been slammed to the ground. Still, Elessar felt sure they would manage the trek to the village. They might not enjoy it, but that was life for such a despicable lot.

 

They left the dead bodies in the woods, then rode slowly eastwards with their prisoners walking behind them. The village of Aridh was situated some hours east if their calculations were correct. The rain was lessening by now, to their relief, but Myrrhi and Elessar still kept the hoods of their travelling cloaks up to stay as dry as was possible. As they came further east the clouds which had blanketed the skies started to dissipate, and when they finally reached the village in late evening the rain had stopped as well.

 

The young man had remained silent during the long walk but his mates had spat curses at him as well as at the Warder and Aes Sedai. When the brigands were delivered into the hands of the local authorities, Myrrhi spoke to the lawman present and gave him details of what had happened and where the dead bodies lay. The man was shocked at hearing outlaws would attack Aes Sedai, but was less shocked hearing of brigands in that area. They had struggled with bands of outlaws for years, he said. He apologized for what had happened on behalf of the local governor and promised these brigands would meet the justice they deserved.

 

When that was done, Myrrhi and Elessar rode further into the village and found an inn at the far end. It was called “The Golden Swan” and had a sign of a yellow swan in flight above the main entrance. The Warder led the horses to the stables at the back, then rejoined his Bondholder by the entrance door.

 

●

 

“Do be welcome here”, the thin innkeeper said in his thick Illianer accent when he saw them enter his establishment, but seeing a thin innkeeper, which was very unusual indeed, made Myrrhi and Elessar exchange a curious glance. It seemed somehow out of place. Shrugging off the strangeness, they followed the innkeeper up the stairs to their allocated rooms. The Warder carried all their belongings up the stairs and first to Myrrhi’s room and then to his own smaller room next door. Wishing them a nice stay at his humble inn, the thin innkeeper headed back down to his desk.

 

Neither Warder nor Aes Sedai complained at all at being indoors after all that had happened that day. Far from it, it was in truth wonderful. They were wet and tired. Both had escaped injuries but they were weary after the battle with the outlaws and they each had much to think about. Elessar removed his drenched cloak and then sank onto the covers on the bed, closing his eyes.

 

He confronted the small voice in the back of his head blaming him for inattention as cause for what had happened, and after long moments of reflection he was still unable to give an answer.

 

▀▄

.. Reflections as Darkness falls ..

►▼◄

 

Elessar stared out the small window in his room on the second floor of the inn but did not really see anything. His thoughts were elsewhere, thinking back on the last part of their journey here to this small Altaran town of Moisen.

 

He grinned when he thought back on Myrrhi’s reaction to his statement that he would scout the camp area to ensure that there were no hungry wolves nearby. It had almost looked as if she were choking on his words and she had glared at him, saying with clear intent that she hoped it was a joke. Her glare had remained as he returned, assuring Myrrhi the area was safe. She had warned that if she saw even the tip of a wolf’s tail, he would be in trouble. They had stayed silent for half a second, then had started laughing.

 

Elessar hoped she would understand the necessity of laughter in the face of danger when one had escaped its dangerous clutches. The value of lightening the mood sometimes. He had learned how important that was over the years, to keep a sane and focused mind in the midst of the harsh realities of life and death fighting the Shadow.

 

●

 

He also thought back on her Healing. She had not Healed him using Saidar many times in their companionship as Warder and Sedai, but his former Sedais had done so several times over the years and he knew the benefit of such swift and effective action when one was wounded. He had to admit that his wound this time had been somewhat deeper than he had thought at first, so he was grateful that Myrrhi had been able to Heal his leg.

 

He could not be certain but he thought he had sensed through the Bond that she was not entirely certain he would accept the offer of Healing; she was no Yellow after all, the strongest Sisters in that area, but he knew she had skills. He would always trust her with his life, and with his last breath would fight to protect hers. That made him think of his sacred duty as a Warder: to protect and serve his Aes Sedai to death and beyond. For him this also included protecting her name and integrity, and woe to anyone who dared attack either.

 

●

 

It was evening and dark outside as he looked down on the neighbouring buildings, his thoughts returning to the present and now registering the lights in the windows below. Hours had gone by since their arrival, he had taken a bath and enjoyed the luxury of warm water, soap and relaxation before returning to his room and reading for a while. A small book shelf in his room had a row of eight books to choose from and he had selected a thick volume which included poetry and stories from the South. Finally he had set the book aside and walked to the small window, gazing out at the village of Moisen.

 

The moment lengthened, but then his attention was drawn toward the corridor outside his room as he felt through the Bond that Myrrhi was on the move. Nodding to himself, he walked across the room and opened his door just as his Aes Sedai was about to knock. She smiled, far from surprised that he had sensed her, and they walked together down toward the Common Room where they could hear people singing and dancing. He noted that she had braided her hair and that she was wearing a fresh green dress that looked as if it belonged. She looked every inch a confident Aes Sedai as she descended the staircase to the first floor with her dark-cloaked Warder at her side. Other guests coming up the stairs stopped in their tracks when they saw the imposing couple coming toward them and they moved aside deferentially as Myrrhi and Elessar walked past. His face was his ordinary stone-cold and a middle-aged brown-haired man in evening clothes who was just about to step onto the staircase, seeing the Gaidin’s hard features and attire took a long step back, eyes wide and remained there until they had passed by.

 

●

 

The Common Room was almost full, a mixture of locals and foreigners in the crowd, but the fat innkeeper wearing an apron, an Illianer by his looks and thick accent, cleared a table for them near the back when he saw them arrive and they sat down to enjoy the evening’s entertainment and what they hoped would be a delicious meal.

 

The gleeman, a man in his mid-twenties with blond hair, green eyes and a strong build, played several jaunty tunes on his flute as guests danced and sang along, and it was certainly one of the most lively performances Elessar had seen in quite a while. Sipping to his ale, he enjoyed the festivities while at the same time keeping an eye on everyone and everything. The general noise was too great for much small talk so they sat and watched and listened to the performance, ate a very tasty meal, and enjoyed their drinks as the gleeman progressed from playing the flute to telling stories of old. The crowd was very enthusiastic, and as usual, the Warder enjoyed the most the poetry and song out of history and legend.

 

They stayed an extra day in Moisen to rest their horses and bought more provisions in town before beginning the next part of their journey eastwards. They were travelling into Illian which was only a few days’ ride east and then on to Tear and finally Mayene. They spoke about what roads to take and what, if any, dangers might await them along the journey.

 

They were blessed with wonderful sunshine from an azure-blue sky and hardly any wind when they mounted their horses, who were fresh with energy once again, one late morning and rode slowly out of Moisen along the road that led to Illian. They soon picked up speed as soon as they were clear of the town, dust rising behind them.

 

●

 

It was just after dawn a couple days later with the sun slowly beginning its path upward in the partially clouded eastern Altaran sky that Elessar began his sword practice session. They were camped a few miles from the Illianer border in a partially forested area some way from the road and the Warder had decided to step up his training sessions. It was important to hone one’s skills even for a warrior with the mastery of the blade that Elessar possessed and he had to admit that he had been slacking in this area in the past weeks. Myrrhi was still resting on her sleeping mat in the center of the camp while he had found himself a good spot for the exercises close by but far enough away to not disturb her. Throwing off his shirt, he readied himself.

 

Unfolding the Fan, the Warder from Kandor began, unsheathing his blade.

 

Cloaked in the Void, detached from the world around him, totally focused on his task, Elessar flowed through the sword-forms with the precision and agility of an experienced warrior of many years. His blade snapped with speed and strength, when each was called for, and focused as he was he alternated between attack and defence against his imaginary opponent. Combining sword-forms in advanced ways, on the offence but without being carelessly offensive, on the defence but not too defensively, was something learned only through extensive training. Sweat soon ran in rivulets down his upper torso and back and the muscles in his arms and legs felt the strain of strenuous practice, but he kept going, pushing himself to excel as had always been his way.

 

Attack. Block. Move. Swing. Deflect. Attack. Deflect. Counterblow.

 

It was all one long, lethal Dance of the Blades.

 

The sword was a part of him as he leapt to strike, bent to defend, went high and then low, moving from one form into another, slicing through the air with his blade, stabbing, thrusting, parrying an imagined counter-attack. On and on he went, until at last, his dark eyes intense, his face rigid from concentration, his muscles aching, he Folded the Fan, sheathing his blade in one elegant and smooth motion.

●

 

It was mid-morning by the time they broke camp. They had had a quick wash in a nearby brook - Elessar removing the sweat from his morning sword exercises -, they had eaten a light breakfast mostly consisting of dried beef and a few vegetables and with some tea to drink, and the Warder had seen to the horses. The weather had worsened, the sky now clouded from horizon to horizon and there was even a hint of rain in the air. It was not the best of travelling weather but they had to move on and so they led the mounts out from the trees, along the small woodland paths and onto the small country road they had come on. They knew that the main road was a little further south and so after a mile or so they headed southwards through the rugged terrain, riding carefully so as to not injure their horses, with Elessar keeping vigil as always.

 

Some hours later they came upon said road and began following it eastwards. There were a few travellers upon this broader road this day, locals from the look of them, and they stepped deftly aside as the Warder and Sedai rode past. They had considered taking this road all the way from Ebou Dar - it was after all the main southern connection between Altara and Illian - but had chosen the different (not obvious) path in case they were followed by enemies. They picked up speed now as they were on a good, solid road again and around midday, with a steady stream of rain pouring down on them from the dark skies, they passed the border into the nation of Illian.

 

●

 

The rain was pouring down and thunder crashed across the Illianer skies that late afternoon as Myrrhi and Elessar galloped down the road that lead further into the country. There were many miles to cover before they would reach the main Lugard-Illian road. They had decided to stay on the main roads now despite the risk and aimed to reach a village called Aridh by nightfall.

 

They were rounding a corner at a bend in the road when it suddenly happened!

 

An arrow whistled past Elessar’s face and another barely missed Myrrhi. Several riders on horses sped towards them from ahead and as they came closer the Warder recognized their type from their attire and the style of attack. He had seen their lot before.

 

“Brigands!” Elessar shouted to Myrrhi and waved for her to head into the woods with him following behind on Stormbreaker, shielding her from arrows.

 

She sped ahead and he followed, throwing a few glances behind him as he rode. Another arrow flew past him, embedding itself in an oak ahead, and he cursed loudly. He knew they stood a better chance in the woods than in open country since these brigands had bows to use from a distance, but heading into the woods like this also had its dangers. He hoped Myrrhi would manage to traverse the small paths deeper into these trees with sufficient care not to fall off her mare. He heard the brigands riding behind him but did not see them yet through the brush. They were not far behind though and he considered what to do. There were two options only in truth: either ride on and try and find a place where they could make their stand, or to confront them directly, perhaps take the first riders by surprise here among the trees and thereby minimize the threat. The element of surprise was always valuable in any battle, he knew, but it depended on the situation and how it was carried out. These thoughts ran through his head as he pushed Stormbreaker onwards, Myrrhi’s mare a dozen or so paces ahead.

 

●

 

He made his decision in a split second, making his war-horse stop and turn towards their pursuers.

 

Pulling his sword from its scabbard, he faced the dense growth of tall bushes where he knew they would appear within seconds. Cloaked in the Flame and the Void, he was calm and focused and projected all his energy into his blade. As two big ugly armed brutes appeared out of the brush, pushing their horses hard, Elessar drove Stormbreaker into motion, intending to meet them head on. He knew that having momentum would give more power to his sword swing and he raised his arm with the sword as he swept upon the surprised pursuers, swinging his sword powerfully as it cut deeply into the first brigand’s shoulder wounding him fatally, the man screaming and falling off his horse, and then decapitated the man following behind him with a beautiful follow-up strike.

 

This caused chaos among the men at the back, but one pursuer, a big man with a fierce scarred face and arms the size of small logs, managed to break through and headed purposefully after Myrrhi.

 

Meanwhile Elessar fought against several brigands from Stormbreaker’s back, deflecting, countering, striking and slashing, as thunder rolled overhead, merging with the clash of swords in the rain.

 

▀▄

 

 

 

..  In the Aftermath of Battle ..

►▼◄

 

Back to back, the Warder and his Aes Sedai fought off the attacking wolves!

 

They came at them from Elessar’s side, golden yellow eyes fixed on the two humans, sharp teeth flashing, as the Gaidin’s blade swung at them and Myrrhi sent blast after blast at them, Air and Fire wrought by Saidar smashing into the grey beasts.

 

Finally they were all dead and the stench of burning flesh covered the nearby area.

 

●

 

Holding onto his sword in case any more beasts came rushing through the trees, Elessar surveyed the ground and the carnage around them. By his side Myrrhi’s eyes went to the dead creatures as well and he heard her whisper “Such a pity”, a comment which did surprise him somewhat. Having been brought up in the Borderlands he was no stranger to wolves and neither did he have special love for them. He knew they were not evil creatures, but even so they were wild beasts that he felt no remorse for killing when attacked like they had been this day. There were many sides to Myrrhi that he did not understand even if they had been Bonded a fair while by now, but then again to understand women in general was something men were not meant to, he often had thought to himself with a lopsided grin and a straight face.

 

He did wonder why this huge pack - or had there been several? he considered, looking at the amount of dead creatures - had attacked them so ferociously. He noted that the wolves looked well fed and so they had not attacked because they were starving. Even though wolves hunted for food and took the opportunities they got, they did not in his experience hunt to kill humans in this way. He wondered again if some outside.. influence could have spurred them on. Was the Shadow involved somehow? Little was known regarding Shadowspawn influence on other creatures though there had always been rumours among trackers that ravens were used as scouts for the Shadow. Others scoffed at this, but who could tell? Perhaps other creatures as well could be used to further the Dark One’s cause. These were strange times, storms were coming and the world was changing - Elessar felt it in his bones - and so he would not disregard anything.

 

His gaze settled on his Aes Sedai again and now he felt weariness creep up on him. The added strength he got from the Bond meant he could fight strongly and push himself much longer than would be the case without the Bond, but even so there were limits and he now felt the exhaustion of the exertion run through his body as the adrenaline stopped pumping. He also felt the injury in his leg which he had ignored while he fought. Myrrhi saw his face contorting in a grimace of pain and asked him to sit down so she could take care of his injury. He knew from before that she had some Healing skills with the One Power even though she was not a Yellow Sister like his former Bondholders Carys and Carrain had been. It was not a serious injury he knew from experience, but the wound could indeed fester and needed to be taken care of.

 

Opening one of her bags, Myrrhi laughed. "So, what do you prefer? Saidar or good old bandages?"

Her mare neighed, as if to announced that she would prefer bandages.

 

●

 

Elessar gave his Aes Sedai a wry grin. “Bandages, huh?” He chuckled. “Were I in my father’s estate in Kandor having had an accident in the woods, bandages might have done nicely. Out here on the road, in wild country with who knows what waiting for us behind the next corner, I think we need something more forceful and instant. So please, some Healing if you could.”

 

The small grin that was her response was of the kind that men never were able to figure out. For it could mean that she was pleased with what he had said, or that she was amused by it, or that she was laughing inside at him, or that she was considering what she felt about what he had said. Or all those things at the same time. Women! How could a man, a simple being, ever understand them?

 

She did not say anything, and shifted her attention to his wounded leg and pressed her hand over the wound. Filled with Saidar, she let the Healing weaves settle over her Warder’s wound and watched it close and gradually disappear. Elessar felt a rush for a moment as the One Power was being applied on him, then sighed as all pain was gone. He felt added weariness but that was a side effect of Healing and knew that some food and rest would give him energy again. The main thing was that his injury was gone and he thanked Myrrhi for what she had done. She smiled back at him but what thoughts were running through her mind he could not tell.

 

Myrrhi then went to take care of her injured mare. She had run back from the trees some time during their battle with the wolves from what Elessar could understand, but it had all been so confusing so he could not tell for sure. Getting to his feet, feeling a slight dizziness, he walked slowly into the trees still carrying his blade. He could not sense any danger anywhere but would take no chances. He hoped Stormbreaker had not run too far into the woods but was glad that his valiant stallion had escaped the jaws of hungry wolves. He had to cover some ground before he finally found the black horse by a small brook where it was drinking water. Stormbreaker neighed happily when he saw the Warder and Elessar clapped him affectionately on the back before leading him back to where Myrrhi waited. She wore a smile when she saw that Elessar’s horse was safe and well.

 

They sat down to talk a little while Elessar ate some dried beef and bread to regain his strength after the Healing. Myrrhi took the opportunity to ask him about his knowledge of wolves and he shared what he knew. She agreed with him that it was mysterious how these packs of wolves had attacked them in this way, seemingly driven on by more than hunger. They had enemies out there, they agreed, and had to take care in case the Shadow did make use of animals to hunt down adversaries.

 

●

 

An hour or so later they were on their way eastwards again. It was near dark by then but neither of them had any desire to camp so close to a field of battle. They agreed they would carry on carefully for a mile or so through the hill country further east before making camp. And so they rode slowly as Myrrhi’s mare also needed to step carefully after her ordeal. In the light of the moon above they traversed the paths they found, speaking little as they rode, following the terrain as best they could.

 

Finally Elessar stopped and waved for Myrrhi to dismount. They were in a place which would serve as their camp site for the night; it was sheltered in part by trees, in part by a small hillock at their back. Elessar tethered their horses while Myrrhi set up camp. Elessar then walked the perimeter to ensure there were no hungry wolves nearby, as he had said mock-humourously to his Bondholder as he walked away.

 

He neither saw nor heard anything and returned to the camp where Myrrhi had warmed up some tea. They ate a little more and drank some tea together, talked a little about what had happened and what lay ahead, before saying goodnight. Elessar remained in his half-awake, half-sleep state throughout the night which passed uneventfully.

 

●

 

The next day dawned sunny and bright and they were on their way in early morning. They rode slowly at first but picked up speed past midday. The terrain was not the easiest to travel in - they found paths and small roads in places but much of the trek was across country, through woods, up and down hills and through areas filled with brush and patches of grass - but they still believed the journey would be shorter this way than following the main roads further north. Elessar rode back at intervals to check that they were not being followed and sometimes also a little ahead to ensure no surprises were waiting for them. They spoke at times when their progress was slower, but often were lost in their own thoughts as their mounts carried them ever eastwards.

 

A week or so later - or was it two? Time blurred in Elessar’s mind as each day merged with the next in a similar fashion - they arrived in the eastern Altaran town of Moisen. The latter parts of their journey had been through mountainous country which had made their progress much slower since they needed to go very carefully to ensure their horses remained safe, and so they were very pleased when they finally arrived in this small town which was not too far from the border to Illian.

 

They rode into town on an early afternoon as rain poured from the skies and found shelter in an inn that was called “The Southern Maid”. Elessar first made sure their tired and drenched mounts were taken well care of in the stables behind the establishment. He then joined Myrrhi inside and they were quickly led to their rooms, this time by the bobbing innkeeper himself. The Warder carried all their belongings and placed Myrrhi’s bags in her room before going to his own room.

 

The last thing Elessar said, was asking Myrrhi if she was looking forward to a nice hot bath? He could see from her responding grin that she would be in the bath tub within the hour!

 

▀▄

 

..  Dances With Wolves (Redux) ..

►▼◄

 

Elessar was caught in a Dance of the Blade.

 

Several vicious wolves threw themselves at him as he moved aside and his sword blade swung in lethal arcs, cutting into flesh and bone.

 

He had been forced to dismount after the first charge of the wolves, having placed himself in the center of the charge as a protective shield in front of his Aes Sedai, Myrrhi.

 

He had killed two wolves from horseback including their pack leader, but soon saw that it would be easier for him to fight on the ground. His war horse was battle-experienced but even so neighed in protest and some unease at the charging wolves as all horses instinctively would, Elessar therefore sent his valiant mount, with a smack on the rump, into the trees to his right, to what appeared to be safety, and faced the beasts on his feet.

 

●

 

Out of the corner of his eyes he registered Myrrhi fighting, sending wolves flying with what had to be weaves of Air. He had seen Leandreen use those weaves in battle also. He felt Myrrhi’s focused determination through the Bond and he was pleased to see her fighting so proficiently and confidently. Wolves never attack in a single line, the Warder had learned over the years, and it was obvious that this pack had charged from several directions at the same time.

 

His sword swung again and his blade struck into the belly of a charging, snarling wolf. It’s fierce golden eyed stare fixated on him, softened into blankness as it died bleeding at his feet. Turning momentarily to glance over his shoulder at Myrrhi, he saw that she was keeping the wolves there at bay.

 

Another wolf suddenly came in from the left and snapped at his legs. He had to move quickly to avoid those salivating jaws and stepped aside smoothly, at the same time bringing his blade down in a dangerous arc which missed the snout of the beast by an inch. It jumped to the side and the Gaidin struck with the sword again, this time biting into the hind part of the wolf. It yelped in pain and sprang to the side, clearly injured but perhaps not lethally so.

 

The thrill of battle, if one could call it so, enveloped the Gaidin and he was one with his sword, focused and determined, but cloaked in the Flame and the Void. A few more wolves growled off to his right but did not attack him straight away. They circled his position as he took stock of the situation. Looking quickly toward the trees he did not see Stormbreaker which was a good sign. He had hoped his stallion would go further into the trees and brush to apparent safety. The wolves seemed intent on human flesh this day, whether spurred on by instinct alone or by something more who could tell, and did not go after the horses. Myrrhi had also sent her mare into the trees, seeing the wisdom in what Elessar had done.

 

●

 

Standing his ground, he considered the situation.

 

Another snarling wolf flew through the air away from Myrrhi; her weaves appeared effective. He knew from his many years with Leandreen that a Battle Ajah Sister had several different weaves at her disposal and Myrrhi would have other uses of Saidar at hand if necessary. He was still several dozen feet from her and a couple of grey beasts stood between him and her. He resisted the temptation to fight his way through to stand by her side, it was easier for him to fight the wolves with ample space around him when there were so many of them. Though they were a little apart they were fighting in tandem as they should.

 

Two wolves approaching from the other side, golden eyes fierce and jaws snapping, caught his attention and he adopted the right stance, had his deadly blade at the ready, and waited for them to attack.

 

Just as they jumped through the air right at him, a third shadow came at him from the back! He cursed inside, having missed the third beast through momentary inattention, and as he swung his sword at the two wolves coming at him, striking the first with a deadly blow to the ribs and the second with a crushing blow to the skull, he felt the third wolf’s teeth snapping at his leg, biting into flesh. He cursed aloud this time, twisting just in time to avoid those razor-sharp teeth biting deeply into his leg. Swinging his sword he mortally wounded the beast. Breathing heavily from the exertion, he quickly examined his leg in the half-light and tried to ignore the pain.

 

●

 

From the little he could see the wound was shallow, but wounds could easily fester in the wild and his blooded leg would need seeing to. He knew Myrrhi would have felt his injury through the Bond and he thought he saw her turn her gaze toward him for a moment before she had to face another of the ferocious beasts. He put some weight on his leg and was relieved to find that he could move almost as well as normally. Even so, he had to change his balance a little to compensate for the slightly stronger other leg.

 

●

 

The dangerous Dance with the Wolves continued.

 

And then it stopped.

 

They had taken care of most of the pack but a dozen or so snarling beasts, dangerous shadows of grey, circled them now as they both moved slowly toward one another, soon standing back to back, Bonded Warder and Aes Sedai joined in battle!

 

 

”The Wolf fights with its Soul,

So beware, Stranger!”

 

Old Saying, Unknown Origin

 
▀▄

..  Ballad of the Lost Prince ..

►▼◄

 

They stopped another time before they reached the town of Alkindar.

 

Resting their valiant horses by some tall willows enclosing a small piece of grassland, Myrrhi and Elessar enjoyed some light talk while rays from the late afternoon golden sun sliced through the leaves on the trees.

 

The Gaidin’s mind was elsewhere though. He was thinking back on what Myrrhi had told him after they had left camp further south. About her earlier experiences in life with the similar-looking boy that could in part explain her unusual reaction to the interrogation of the Darkfriend in Ebou Dar. He had believed her, but he had also been convinced there was more to it. Battle Ajah Sisters were not squeamish, trained to be hard and efficient in their fight against the Shadow and being ready for the Last Battle, as he knew from his Green Bondholders, and Myrrhi was no different. He and she had after all been through several battles and interrogations in the time they had been Bonded. He hoped she was not ‘losing the edge’, her nerve as it were, which could put their working relationship in danger. Warder and Sedai were an effective and efficient unit in a Bond, working in tandem and dependent on one another, and he was concerned if anything damaged that ‘balance’.

 

Myrrhi did not say anything more, but he felt sure she would add to what she had said later. His mind also returned to his memories of his former Bondholders. He presumed that it was his concern over Myrrhi that had triggered those memories, they were part of him and his history, but he knew that he needed to concentrate on the present. Leandreen’s emerald green eyes flashed in his mind though he pushed them away to focus on what Myrrhi was saying. She probably saw that he was a little unfocused, but maybe thinking of her own challenges while talking lightly she did not say anything about it.

 

●

 

Soon they gathered their horses again, mounted and continued their journey northwards.

 

They arrived in Alkindar as twilight was approaching. The small town was located on the west bank of the River Eldar and they passed several merchant’s shops, a smithy and a couple of inns along the busy main street. Spending the night in one of those inns, enjoying sleeping in a bed once again after several nights on the ground in woodlands - and the pleasure of a bath as Myrrhi had pointed out -, they departed the inn early the next morning and headed for the quay. It was a cloudy day with a strong western wind, the weather having taken a turn for the worse during the night, and there would be rain later in the morning. Alkindar had a sister-town called Coramen on the east bank of the Eldar and there was a ferry connecting the two towns. Myrrhi and Elessar led their horses down the street and onto the ferry and kept them company, soothing them as the mounts were restless, on the journey across the water. There were several dozen other travelers on the ferry as well, locals and strangers alike. They seemed focused on their own business, however, and did not pay the Warder and Sedai much mind. Elessar as always managed to observe everyone and everything without seeming to do so, a very useful Warder trait, keeping alert.

 

When they disembarked and stepped onto the east side of the river, they saw that Coramen looked almost identical to Alkindar in all ways, a ‘mirror’-town in truth. They passed an inn called ‘The Eastern Swan’ which was a mirror image, at least on the outside (and very probably on the inside), of ‘The Western Swan’ where they had spent the previous night. Elessar commented on it as they rode past but Myrrhi seemed lost in her own thoughts and did not reply. Dust rose behind them on the road as they continued onwards.

 

They had considered whether to follow the Great North Road all the way to Maderin a good way further north and then to head eastwards, but after some discussion had decided they would instead turn eastwards after Jurador, a large stone-walled town to the north, which they believed would save them some time. Arriving in Jurador a few days later they saw that there was indeed a large stone wall surrounding the town. It was quite imposing. The buildings were roofed with reddish tiles and they also passed a palace in the town’s main square which they guessed belonged to the local ruler, a person of Nobility. There were many people about as it was mid-afternoon and Elessar and Myrrhi rode slowly past various shops, vendors, carriages waiting for their customers and the buzz of people running to and fro. They found an inn some streets past the main square and left their horses by the stable in the care of a stable boy who appreciatively caught the coin Elessar threw him.

 

Entering the “Southern Rose” they soon found the innkeeper, a heavy-set man with an apron and a huge smile who stood behind a large desk. He soon got them some rooms and directed a maid to help them with their travelling bags. He was polite and welcoming but Elessar, who had seen countless innkeepers on his travels with his various Sedais over the years, recognized the look in the man’s eyes. The man was not overly pleased to have Aes Sedai customers but would not make an issue of it. Finding their rooms, Elessar’s smaller one beside the larger one for Myrrhi, they settled in and met up down in the inn’s Common Room later that evening to enjoy a meal and some gleeman entertainment.

 

●

 

Roast beef with potatoes and gravy plus some vegetables tasted deliciously, Elessar thought and from the look on Myrrhi’s face she seemed to enjoy the meal too. It was a nice change from simpler camp fare. The gleeman, a middle-aged, brown haired, dark eyed tall man with his cloak of many colourful patches, played the flute and the Gaidin recognized some of the melodies. The Common Room was about half-full and they had taken a table near the back. The customers, or guests as the innkeeper pointed out, were the usual mix of quiet listeners, relaxing foreigners, chatting locals and rowdy (drunk) men but they all seemed to enjoy the entertainment and so did Elessar. When the gleeman started singing, the Warder’s attention increased because he loved hearing the poems and stories these gleeman told. Myrrhi could see the glow in his eyes and knew how much such stories meant to him. She enjoyed storytelling too, but her mind was partly on other things.

 

When the gleeman said he was going to sing the ‘Ballad of the Lost Prince’, Elessar smiled in anticipation. This was a song or poem he did not think he had heard before, and it was always a pleasure to learn and see something new performed. He always enjoyed the re-telling of old songs and poems - moments of history and moments of fantasy - they were great to experience time and time again, but it was always a little special and exciting when he learned something new.

 

He listened attentively in fascinated enjoyment while the gleeman spun his tale of the ‘Lost Prince’ and his fate.

 

●

 

►▼◄

 

‘Ballad of the Lost Prince’

 

A Prince he Was, with duties Clear

In Castle Great, there was no Fear

He would not follow King’s Decree

Or from the Land could swiftly Flee

 

For our dear Prince a Love had Found

A Maiden sweet, not Royal-Bound

And so abscond, seemed only Choice

He left his Life, Love oh’Rejoice!

 

The King sent soldiers, searching Far

But found no Prince, ‘neath Heaven or Star

Where could he be? The Prince was Lost

In Land and Time, and borders Crossed

 

But then Afar, a rumour Grew

That Prince and Maiden, people Knew

Were living in a village Small

There hidden from the Royal Call

 

The King sent messengers to Find

His Son and Heir, his Oath to Bind

The Prince, however, ran Anew

Was Lost again, where? no one Knew

 

Years they passed, no Prince was Seen

As if the Heir had never Been

The King gave up, the Queen’s tears Flowed

Duty to King and country was Owed

 

But then one day, a visitor Came

He looked familiar, but wouldn’t say his Name

A farmer of Trade, he had Produce to Sell

And insisted the King should buy as Well

 

And lo and behold, it was their Son!

Come back from Beyond, their eyes to Stun

Embraced he had, new Life and Love

Forsaking his Past, taking solace from Above

 

The King and Queen were shocked but in Joy

Their son was alive, now a man, not a Boy

Forgiven was the Past, now a time to be Glad

And meeting his Wife, a new family to be Had

 

►▲◄

 

●

 

Elessar joined the other guests and customers in the Common Room in giving the gleeman well deserved applause after his performance. The Warder had really enjoyed this new song and poem and the gleeman was quite talented, he had to admit.

 

He and Myrrhi left the Common Room a little later, they had some more light talk and then went to their rooms for the night. They would continue their journey the following morning but for now their beds and sleep beckoned.

 

●

 

It was several days later in early evening, a few hours after Myrrhi and Elessar had turned off the main road to cut across country, that it happened! They were heading eastwards through rough, rugged and wild terrain - part woodlands, part hill country - when they were suddenly and unexpectedly set upon by a pack of wild wolves!

 

“Wolves!” the Warder screamed, the only warning Elessar had time to give Myrrhi, as he drew his sword blade and turned his war horse around to face the oncoming wolves.

 

Their feral eyes glowed golden yellow in the half-light as they came running like the wind.

 

And as the huge grey pack leading wolf jumped at his black stallion Stormbreaker from the side, Elessar’s blade swung in a deadly arc, cutting deeply into the wolf’s neck, almost severing its head.

 

As more grey shadows threw themselves at their horses, sharp teeth flashing, his Warder blade swung again and again in ever deadly arcs.

▀▄

.. Memories of the Past: pain and duty  ..

►▼◄

 

Dawn broke over the woodlands north-east of Ebou Dar.

 

Elessar was already up and about checking the perimeters of their camp area. He had woken early from his half-sleep as he liked to call it, had gone to the brook to wash himself and had then put on his travelling garb. Sword in hand he had walked to the outer limits of the perimeter to the east and had followed it all the way to the western edge. A few forest animals scurried about in the nearby brush but otherwise he saw nothing of interest. When he returned to the camp, Myrrhi still wrapped in her sleeping blanket, he sat down with his back to a huge oak and started polishing his sword blade.

 

His mind wandered - and something made him think of Kathleen, his former Bondholder. It was not the first time this happened. Kathleen had meant much to him, just like his other Sedais through the years. They had formed a good partnership in the Light, but it had ended. She had released his Warder-Bond several years earlier. Kathleen had been - and was - a woman of great honour and integrity. He recalled once again her letter to him, the words formed in black ink, in which she had explained her reasons for doing so. He had received it some time after his solitary return to Tar Valon from the Borderlands, where they had journeyed on a mission of personal import. Her letter had moved him and though he knew how hard it had been for Kathleen to write, he appreciated her words - and explanation - immensely.

 

Thinking of her, brough back memories of their journey north to his homeland of Kandor. He remembered how the weather was that day, the sounds in the air, the sky, the road - and her. It was as if he were re-living the journey in his mind..

 

●

 

..It is in late afternoon on a sunny day, under a clear ocean-blue sky, with strong winds drifting down from the mountains further north, that Elessar and Kathleen pass the frontier into the Borderland Kingdom of Kandor..

 

The evening before, Elessar had shared some of his knowledge about the history of Kandor with Kathleen.

 

“Kandor”, he had begun, “was formed early in the War of the Hundred Years, that devastating series of overlapping wars among constantly shifting alliances that erupted in the wake of the death of the High King, Artur Paendrag Tanreall - or Artur Hawkwing - as his Empire fragmented and collapsed. Born a Royal Prince of Shandalle, and the son of King Myrdin Paendrag Maregore and Queen Mailinde Paendrag Lyndhal, Hawkwing had no designated heir at the time of his death and a prolonged civil war could not be avoided. In this time of chaos and disorder the governors of Hawkwing's five northern provinces met - and agreed to form stable nations to preserve the peace and defend against the Blight..” 

 

“Jarel Soukovni”, he had added, “the Imperial Governor for the Province of Kandor during the latter part of Hawkwings’ reign, was the first King of Kandor and its Founder. History records claim that he was a good tactician as well as a very able leader, who successfully allied Kandor with its fellow Borderland nations against both the threat of the Blight to the north and also from attack by the southern kingdoms. Some historians claim, however, that his importance has been overstated, that he had able and shrewd military and political advisors and accomplished military commanders whose efforts contributed greatly to the end result, but for whatever reason Kandor survived and persevered as a nation and Jarel Soukovni’s name will never be forgotten..”

 

●

 

They had spoken at length about the country - and terrain - they were travelling into, preparing for this next stage of their journey.

 

They rode up and down the many hills that covered this southern part of Kandor, their travelling cloaks flapping behind them in the forceful wind, their loyal mounts carrying them steadfastly onward toward their destination.

 

Elessar was coming home.

 

He had accepted Kathleen’s kind offer to visit his homeplace on this journey into the north, having decided that it was time for him to face his past, time to meet his family again, but at the same time he felt some unease at the prospect. Old grievances could easily resurface. Old pains. Old sorrows. Even so, it was time after so many years.

 

For better or for worse.

 

●

 

Elessar came from a minor Kandori noble House, the Telcontar, which originated  - through inter-marriage - from a subsection of the more famous - and powerful - Kandori House of Arrel. The Telcontar family estate was situated just outside the Kandori city of Canluum, a medium sized city that was walled, with a wide dry moat surrounding, crossed by five bridges. The people of Canluum had always taken pride in the fact that although Myrddraal Shadowspawn had struck as far south and further, none had ever made it inside the city walls. Elessar and his family had shared in this pride, and like all Kandori had staunchly been fighting the Shadow and all it stood for as long as anyone could remember.

 

Though he had not visited his homeland for many years, Elessar had listened with interest when rumours and hearsay regarding Kandor had reached his ears on his travels and - on occasion - from fellow (travelling) Gaidin in the White Tower.

 

They stopped for the night in the hill town of Zimaath,  several days’ ride south of Canluum. It was a small rugged town with two main roads and only about four dozen or so houses, a smithy, a couple of shops and other required establishments - and an inn. A weather-worn sign hanging above the front entrance proclaimed it to be ‘The Northern Blade’, and Elessar and Kathleen left their horses in the stables behind the establishment before entering to get a couple of rooms. The innkeeper, an aging Saldaean by the looks of him - the bold, prominent nose and slightly upturned, almond-shaped eyes were clear indicators of his origins -, bobbed his head in respect at the Aes Sedai when she asked for a room and lead them quickly upstairs to the level above to a pair of adjoining rooms. Elessar brought their travelling bags - and saddle bags - and soon after they were resting each in their own room.

 

●

 

They had agreed to meet downstairs for a meal, after a bath and a little rest, and when the Warder was done with his bath and had clothed himself he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes for a moment. He felt Kathleen through the Bond, in the next room, and he smiled inwardly. The inward smile was accompanied with a sigh, though. Things were always complicated - and that was also the case with his present Bond.

 

He did feel pleased with his Bond with Kathleen. He was out in the world again, no longer ‘trapped’ in the White Tower as he had felt in his former Bond, he was doing something worthwhile, and he felt at home with the Green(s). There was something he shared with Kathleen, something he felt they had in common, something which had ‘clicked’ with her just as it had with Leandreen so many years earlier.

 

Even so, something was not working between them.

 

●

 

It was hard for him to pinpoint exactly what. They spoke and shared stories at times, but there was a certain distance between them. There were many long silences, many unshared looks. And he was often lost in thought, the emerald green of Leandreen often returning in his mind’s eye. Perhaps his lack of total focus shone through. He did not know how Kathleen truly felt though, so it could be that he was reading too much into things.

 

They had had a good moment together that evening, some days earlier, when she had told him of her shared interest in politics and history. It pleased him to have found a kindred soul, passionate about history and stories. From his earlier sharing of poetry and stories with her he had gotten the impression that she appreciated and enjoyed the storytelling, but it was somehow different to get it explicitly confirmed. He had listened with interest as she had told of how she had been drawn to the Browns and Grays when young and of her mission to end a feud between a couple of Murandian noble families.

 

When she had brought forth a journal and pen from her travelling bag, it had made him think of Carys, his former Bondholder, who had also travelled with such a journal in which she had drawn and written on occasion. Perhaps it was an Aes Sedai thing? She had met his questioning look with an explanation that this was the journal she had started during her days as Initiate of the Greens. Elessar had immediately thought of Leandreen and something she had once told him regarding those early days. Kathleen had explained further how she had used the journal to write down thoughts, emotions and fears that she could not share with others. Then she had offered to share some of her own early poetry from that time. Elessar had nodded, excited, showing clear interest, and then she had begun telling her story. He had enjoyed the poem much, the parts about ‘green emeralds’ and ‘the green sword’ resonating especially strongly, and had given her praise afterwards.

 

●

 

When she had finished, she had put the book open in her lap. She had said that it was not as good as those he had shared, nor as good as some of her later things, but there it was, her first poem as a Green.

 

He had praised her again, appreciating the poem - and - her sharing the story with him.

 

For a moment he had felt that distance between them diminish…

 

●

 

Nothing is ever easy, thought the Gaidin now as he reminisced.

 

Warder-Sedai partnerships were not uncomplicated things and demanded work from both parties to function well. At least as long as the Aes Sedai wished for a fruitful, efficient, respectful partnership with her Warder in their service to the Tower and the Light. He knew of Warders who were Bonded to Sisters who treated their Warders poorly, without compassion, without empathy, with little respect, harsh and demanding. The Warders did their duty nevertheless, without complaint, but it was not a meaningful working partnership as Elessar saw it. Thankfully none of his own Bonded Sedai had been like that. They had all been different persons though, just as all men and women were individuals with their traits and mannerisms, and making the partnership work efficiently and well with mutual trust and effectiveness had taken some time and adjustments in each case. And each Bond had turned out well, as Elessar saw it, but never without things to work out, things to smooth over, things to overcome. It took effort and time.

 

But sometimes the difficulties were too large to overcome, as had been the case with Kathleen.

 

And sometimes….. things got much worse. Much more painful.

 

●

 

Turning the blade, he begun to polish the other side.

 

It made him think of Leandreen, his first Bondholder, who had died on him to his everlasting regret and pain. He hid that everlasting pain in the back of his mind, locked into a compartment with ‘iron hinges’, but his soul would sometimes cry out for Leandreen in the deep of night..

 

He remembered..

 

●

 

In that timeless period between one second and the next, the Warder-bond snapped, like a razor-sharp knife slicing through the thinnest of paper, leaving only emptiness behind.

 

Of a multitude of emotions filling Elessar’s mind right then, above all he felt shock.

 

Utter and incredible shock.

 

His world came crashing down upon him.

 

He swayed where he stood above a fallen Trolloc, his sword deeply embedded in the creature’s side. The Shadowspawn, a twisted blend of animal and human stock, with a wolf’s muzzle and beastly features, was huge in stature and like all his kindred had been a ferocious fighter. Though far from bright, Trollocs were sly creatures as Elessar and his Sedai had experienced several times over the years. This one would reap no more havoc in the Borderlands.

 

Rage and anger swept over him then, replacing the shock, and roaring in defiance he moved like a madman, with surprising agility considering his many wounds, swinging his sword in widening arcs, clearing a path to his Sedai. He was unaware of the bodies he left behind, of the redness painting the landscape in the colour of death. All his focus was on reaching his Sedai. All his focus was on reaching her.

 

It couldn’t be.. it just couldn’t be..

 

Oh dear Creator. Noooooo!

 

●

 

Cradling her head in his arms, a moment later, wetness on his cheeks, he saw the lifeless eyes staring into nothingness, the deadly arrows protruding from her ribs.

 

Too late. The thought registered in his mind but he barely noticed it.  I am too late.

 

Staring into her face, the face that had laughed with him so many times during their travels, the face that had scolded him at times, the face that had set him in his place when he had overstepped himself but which had always looked upon him with respect and friendship, he saw that he hardly recognized her now. It was almost as if this was some other woman. Almost as if this was a nightmare from which he would soon awaken. But he knew better. Even now, on the brink of insanity and a path into blackness, he knew.

 

Oh Leandreen.. I am so sorry.

 

So sorry.

 

The bitter irony of it all was that they had chanced upon this group of Trollocs by accident there in the foothills north-east of the Arafel city of Shol Arbela. On their way toward northern Shienar, on a mission for the White Tower, they had stumbled upon the creatures and battle had arisen. Elessar had felt the taint of the Dark One from a way off, as Warders were gifted with through the bond to a Sister, but partially distracted by something Leandreen had commented on he had misinterpreted the direction of the danger - a fatal mistake - and before he could assess the situation further it was too late. Leandreen was a proud and capable Sister of the Battle Ajah and had fought valiantly against the Shadowspawn, shielded but on the attack, felling a huge number of them with the One Power just as others fell to Elessar’s deadly sword-action. A momentary lapse of concentration due to exhaustion, however, was enough for her to let her defences down for just a second and three poisoned arrows found their mark in her ribs.

 

Oh Leandreen.. Forgive me..

 

●

 

Sadness was replaced by grief for Elessar.

Utter grief and a feeling of desolation.

 

Grief quickly turned to anger. At himself for failing her. At the Shadow. At the World.

 

Anger turned to hatred and all the blackness buried deep within him erupted in a roaring scream of incredible fury.

 

His eyes blacked over.

 

And laying his Sedai carefully to rest on the bloodied ground, he picked up his sword and turned to face the remaining half-standing Trollocs off to his left. There was death in his dark eyes and death in his blows as the whirlwind that had once been Elessar Gaidin threw himself into the Shadowspawn with no regard for his own safety.

 

He was a Harbinger of Death..

 

●

 

Elessar’s vision misted over and his dark eyes took on a painful cast..

 

Painful memories where he had danced with madness and death..

 

Carrain Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah had saved him.. had prevented him from killing himself in a mad killing spree in the Blight.. had determined that he still had service to give.. had Bonded him to save him..

 

●

 

His polishing strokes became harder, more vigorous on the steel as he remembered, everything so vividly..

 

●

 

Leandreen

 

..Memories flashing in his mind..

 

Carrain Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah looked at her newly bonded Warder, feeling his pain.

 

"You share your Leandreen's loyalties, I see." She said.

 

His eyes met hers and his gaze intensified as he said, with 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 bandits that ambushed us and killed her were Darkfriends, I am sure of it. I just wish I had killed them all.”

 

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

 

●

 

..He saw himself standing together with Carrain Sedai watching Leandreen’s burning funeral pyre lighting up the darkness. She had 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 had been 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 had 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 had followed. Then he had 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.

▀▄

.. Heading Eastwards for a new Destination ..

►▼◄

 

Dust rose into the air beneath the sunny afternoon sky as Elessar and Myrrhi rode north-eastwards in Altara along the Great North Road that led to the town of Alkindar. The town was located on the west bank of the River Eldar along this main road, between Ebou Dar and Lugard. They had been riding for two days and planned to continue the journey almost until nightfall.

 

●

 

Their plan was to follow the Great North Road to the stone-walled town of Maderin and then to cut across country directly eastward in the direction of Illian. They had considered taking the eastern route out of Ebou Dar via the port village of Nor Chasen, but that road was less travelled and had fewer stop-points for provisions and therefore seemed less appropriate for their purposes. Back in Ebou Dar they had above all discussed going by ship to Mayene, something that would have shortened their journey considerably, but talking to merchants and sailors in Ebou Dar had convinced them that going by sea in these volatile times was riskier. Rumours were floating about storms that were coming and they were not of the natural kind. And so they had decided to go by land.

 

Stormbreaker, Elessar’s staunch warhorse of many years, was in the lead and Myrrhi’s horse kept pace half a length or so behind on his right side. As they rode the Warder kept a vigil, his eyes roaming the land ahead for any potential threats, but there were few travelers on this road this day and they were making good time. As Elessar gazed ahead at a bend in the road a few hundred yards or so ahead, a bird of prey passed them by high in the sky. There were woodlands on both sides of the wide road and plenty of places to hide for potential robbers or bandits. Not that this region was famous for it, but there had been occurrences, Myrrhi and Elessar had been told, and so one should be attentive. Elessar slowed Stormbreaker’s pace as they neared the bend in the road, but seeing all was fine they soon picked up pace again. It was well past twilight before they stopped for the night.

 

●

 

They made camp in the woods a day’s ride south of Alkindar as Elessar judged it. They found a suitable place among the trees several hundred yards away from the road, it was fairly secluded and was near a brook which was practical with regards to easy access to water. The Warder and Sedai set up camp quickly and Elessar took care of their horses, brushing them down and giving them some apples to munch on. Then he walked around the perimeter of the camp area to ensure there were no threats nearby. He had camped out with his various Sedais so many times over the years that this part of his Warder duty was done automatically and always efficiently. When he arrived back at their camp, Myrrhi had a small meal ready consisting of dried beef, some bread and some vegetables. They ate mostly in silence, each tired after the long day’s ride, and then afterwards spoke a few casual words before going to rest. Elessar was going to let his Aes Sedai rest this night while he was going to enter that half-sleep, half-awareness state that Warders were so good at where they got some rest but also kept watch.

 

He watched Myrrhi lay down and cover herself with her blanket, as he stood leaning his back on an oak near their horses. His thoughts returned to that day in Ebou Dar when they had interrogated and broken their Darkfriend prisoner. Something unexpected had occurred with Myrrhi as Elessar had seen it. She had seemed surprisingly.. uncertain after the interrogation had finished. As if doing what needed to be done, to learn the man’s secrets to save lives, had affected her strongly.. He had seen it in her face, even though she had tried to hide it, and heard it in her voice. “Thanks again for what you did, my Gaidin. I would never have managed...” The words echoed in his mind and he remembered the uncomfortable silence that had settled between them. A Sedai’s insecurity affected them both in a Bond - they needed to be strong and trust each other and to be able to count on each other at all times, not the least when dealing with the Shadow - so this matter concerned him somewhat though he had not said anything at the time. It was something they would need to talk about, but Elessar did not feel Myrrhi was ready yet and so he let the matter be for the moment. It concerned him though and remained in the back of his mind.

 

●

 

They had visited the High Lady of House Asnobar who had been overjoyed at hearing that the current assassination threat had been eliminated. She would inform the other Heads of Houses in the city who, she said, would be equally grateful for the successful intervention of the White Tower. Myrrhi had pointed out that they still needed to be alert in Ebou Dar since these were unstable times and the Shadow was lurking everywhere. The High Lady had given them gifts, or ‘rewards’ as she had called it, for the job they had done - probably gifts the High Lady had been given herself and which she wanted to get rid of, Myrrhi had whispered wryly to Elessar while the High Lady was out of hearing - and they had decided that leaving them behind would be seen as a very rude gesture. They had therefore thanked the Ebou Dari Noblewoman for the gifts -  an exquisitely carved wooden sword for the Gaidin which Myrrhi mock-teasingly had insisted had to make him proud, and a certain gift for Myrrhi which she was not that eager to speak much about - which had afterwards been given to the Green Ajah Eyes and Ears to forward to the White Tower. The following morning they had packed all their things, added some further provisions for the journey in saddlebags, thanked their innkeeper for the stay, and had ridden out of Ebou Dar just as the sun stood right overhead in a partially clouded sky.

 

●

 

Later that night in the woods Elessar became aware of a sound which made him get up from his blanket and gaze watchfully around in the darkness. The wind had picked up and now caressed the canopy of trees around them, but that was not what had alerted him. He looked toward their horses which were tethered to a tree some paces off to his right but they seemed calm and quiet. His eyes looked the other way, to the trees off to their left, but he did not seen any movement there either. He grabbed his blade and walked carefully past Myrrhi - who he thought was sleeping - and into the trees, his eyes now adjusted to the blackness surrounding him.

 

The forest was silent except for an owl hooting in the distance and some nightbird activity near the treetops. He walked the perimeter but found no sign of anyone or anything anywhere. Returning to the camp he put his sword down beside him, then lay down again but kept his eyes and ears open for a good while afterwards. It was probably nothing, he thought to himself when he finally closed his eyes. But he would remain alert in the coming days.

▀▄

.. The Results of an Interrogation ..

►▼◄

 

Elessar’s eyes were cold as death.

 

Myrrhi turned sideways and exchanged a glance with her Warder. She saw the look in his eyes and what he held in his hands. She decided to let him have a go at their prisoner and moved a step back.

 

Schirrù turned his eyes on the Warder, saw the icy stare and pretended it did not affect him. He sneered as the slave to the Aes Sedai, as he saw him, approached him.

 

“So now it is your turn, huh?” He spat. “Your witch was unable to break me, and you believe you can?”

 

Elessar placed the equipment he held carefully on the floor and then, in almost the same motion, slapped the Darkfriend’s face so hard that he fell like a stone to the floor still bound to his chair.

 

“I told you to be respectful of Aes Sedai!” He said in harsh tones. “Next time I will not be as lenient.”

 

He felt approval coming through the Bond from Myrrhi. He would never see her disrespected.

 

●

 

Their prisoner muttered some curses, feeling the taste of blood in his mouth, and gave the Warder a baleful glare as Elessar righted the chair and faced the bound man again.

 

“Is that the best you can do?” Schirrù taunted, his voice spiteful. His eyes belied his confidence though.

 

“Actually”, Elessar finally replied, slowly picking up the knife from the floor, “no.”

 

His wide grin and cold eyes screamed of danger and Myrrhi thought again how fortunate it was that this man, Her Warder, was not her enemy.

 

Pressing the knife against the Darkfriend’s chin, the Gaidin moved it slowly upwards towards the man’s left eye. “You know”, Elessar whispered dangerously, “I have always enjoyed using a knife. It can pierce a man’s skin so easily.. and cause soo much harm.”

 

Myrrhi almost believed him.. she knew it was an act, but it seemed so real.. so real..

 

Schirrù tried to appear unconcerned but inside he was trying to keep his fear in check. Not many things frightened him, he had been through too much over the years to be easily scared, but this man.. this man was dangerous. This man could kill him, Warder oath or no.

 

“You don’t scare me, Aes Sedai puppet.” He said mock-bravely. “I have seen knives before, bigger ones, more lethal ones than that one.”

 

He was struggling though to keep his voice steady as the knife circled his eye. He tried again to pull at his restraints but they were fastened too well. He cursed inside.

 

“Yes, I see your scar.” The Gaidin pressed the knife against it. “This must be your pride and joy.” Schirrù’s head snapped back, hate burning in his eyes.

 

“Oh, I have more than this knife for you”, the Gaidin added and his grin became dark and vicious. He put the knife away momentarily and picked up the pair of razor-sharp scissors.

 

●

 

“Scissors can also be useful”, Elessar added, as he showed them to the Darkfriend, “for many things. I could of course cut off that lovely long hair you have” - he grinned as he saw the man’s eyes widen; he was vain, just as the Warder had thought! - “or other more.. vital parts.” The Darkfriend’s eyes widened even further.

 

“Scissors can also be used effectively to cut someone’s throat.” The casual way he said it made it even more forceful and sweat now beaded on their prisoner’s forehead.

 

Placing the cold scissors against the now warm sweating skin of the Nobleman, Elessar whispered, “But none of that will be necessary if you just answer Myrrhi Aes Sedai’s questions.”

 

“The choice is yours.”

 

●

 

Earlier, when they had arrived at the inn, Myrrhi and Elessar had talked a bit before their prisoner had regained consciousness. Once he had taken in his unfamiliar surroundings, he had stared spitefully at his captors. Then he had accused the method of his abduction and pointed out that Aes Sedai had no refined manners anymore. Myrrhi had replied in a cold voice that she could be refined when she wanted to and Elessar had felt through the Bond that she was not best pleased being criticized by such a person.

 

She had adopted a hard grin and a hard stance, saying that she could break his mind if she wanted to, and had felt approval from her Warder through the Bond, supporting her choice to be tough even though it was a bluff. It had strengthened her resolve. Schirrù had kept saying she was lying, she wouldn’t dare, but he had not seemed that convincing to Elessar. Warder and Sedai had known it would be a long interrogation session.

 

●

 

Myrrhi watched with approval as her Warder interrogated their prisoner. He was being hard, forceful as was necessary in the current situation - there were lives to be saved - but would of course not go too far in pressing or torturing the man. There were boundaries they could not pass. There were boundaries they would not pass. No matter what.

 

Elessar moved the scissors to the Darkfriend’s chest and pressed slightly inwards. The man grunted but his eyes remained spiteful.

 

“Who are you, really?” The Warder asked, changing tactic for a moment.

 

“You know who I am, Warder.” The man uttered the word ‘Warder’ with disgust.

 

“Actually, I don’t”, Elessar replied. He moved the scissors casually up to the man’s throat again and drew a drop of blood. “You are not who you appear to be.”

 

Schirrù looked scornfully at the Warder. “Lies. You will not get anywhere with lies.”

 

“In one of your letters”, Elessar began, “there is a mention of a certain Lahrassin. I wonder who that could be?”

 

The Darkfriend shook his head but a vein at the side of his throat throbbed. “I know no such person”, he lied. “Perhaps someone one of my business associates knows.” There was spite in his voice and his eyes burned with zealousness but he seemed less sure of himself

 

“Oh, it is not wise to lie to us, Nobleman.” The scissors drew another drop of blood. “If Nobleman you are in fact.”

 

●

 

The man’s face twitched this time as if the Gaidin had caught onto something. Elessar and Myrrhi both noted the reaction and exchanged a knowing glance.

 

Schirrù remained silent after that and would not reply to any questions asked.

 

Finally Elessar feigned impatience and rage and slapped the man again, this time adding that he was going to chop the man’s right middle finger off. It was a lie of course, but it had the desired effect when the scissors were brought to the man’s right hand.

 

“No, no..” the man uttered, now unable to remove the fear in his voice. “I’ll talk, no need for the scissors, I’ll talk.”

 

He intended to only let them know enough, nothing vital, so they would let him go, but as the Warder and Aes Sedai in turn interrogated him he found himself letting secrets slip that he had not intended to - he did not know how, cursing himself for his weakness! - and in the end they knew almost everything they needed to know about him and his Darkfriend cell in Ebou Dar.

 

He spat in frustration once it was over, feeling they had deceived him, begging the Great Lord to forgive him for his betrayal, and shot stares of hate and despair at the two from Tar Valon as his restraints were removed and he was led away by three armed men to face his fate at the justice of the White Tower.

 

●

 

When they were alone, Myrrhi faced her Warder. “He broke in the end.”

 

“Yes, he did.” Elessar replied satisfied.

 

He was proud of his Aes Sedai, how she had handled her part of the interrogation. He did not enjoy threatening people, prisoners or no, in this fashion but sometimes it was necessary, sometimes it had to be done. Myrrhi knew this also and was impressed by his ‘skill’ in this area too. He was a very intimidating man when he wanted to be, that was for certain.

 

“And now we know what we need to stop these assassinations from happening”, the Aes Sedai added contentedly. Her Warder nodded, pleased that they had been successful.

 

It turned out that Master Schirrù, supposed Nobleman of Ebou Dar, was in fact the man Lahrassin mentioned in the incriminating letter, a Darkfriend spy from Arad Doman who was leader of a Darkfriend cell here in Ebou Dar whose mission had been to assassinate the three heads of Ebou Dari Noble Houses. The man had admitted as much after a particularly harsh session of interrogation where Elessar had threatened to break his arms. The Darkfriend had turned out to be less resistant than he had imagined and had also fallen into traps of words that Myrrhi had proficiently made for him.

 

When it was all done, she had called for the men from the Green Eyes and Ears to take him away and to inform the White Tower of the situation. Local authorities would also be informed and the other members of the Darkfriend cell captured. She and Elessar would later this day visit the High Lady of House Asnobar and inform her of the good news, that the current threat of assassinations by the Shadow was gone, and once that was done Myrrhi and Elessar would start planning for their continued journey eastwards towards Mayene.

 

It felt good to have struck another blow at the Shadow, Elessar thought contentedly to himself as Twilight approached over Ebou Dar. Doing so was always a good day.

 

●

 

Three days later, as darkness blanketed the city of Ebou Dar, two hooded figures moved silently in the Shadows beside an old building. They were near the sea front but neither took much notice of their location.

 

“Lahrassin was captured”, one of the figures whispered in a male voice. “He talked.”

“He will be judged harshly by the Great Lord”, the second figure replied coldly.

“He gave up the names of the others”, the first figure added spitefully. “Most have been captured.”

“His betrayal will be his doom”, the second figure stated. “We will have to begin again.”

“So it shall be”, the first figure concluded. “So the Great Lord commands.”

 

The hooded woman smiled darkly as her male companion disappeared into the night. Something about her unusual features were seen for a moment as her face caught silver gleams from the moon above, but then she was gone in the darkness, a Shadow within Shadows, her Blue cloak swirling in the soft wind from the North.

 

▀▄

.. A Solution to a Predicament presents Itself ..

►▼◄

 

“So”, Myrrhi said, taking a big breath. “This is the time for you to tell me why you know my name.”
 

“Is that so”, the man replied. The corners of his mouth twitched. “This could be the time for you to tell me why you are going through my papers”.

 

●

 

The silence lengthened once again, the flickering of the candle lights breaking the Shadows - and it gave Elessar the moment he needed to settle his mind on a plan of action.

 

If you are hard pressed in a situation, catch your opponent off guard!

 

The words from his old Warder teachers from many years ago whispered in the back of his mind as the Gaidin stared coldly at the man confronting them. He noted the man’s long black hair which only partially covered a cross-shaped scar that marred the left part of his face.

 

This was no regular Nobleman, of that Elessar was sure. He neither looked the part, nor acted it.

 

Do the unexpected.

 

Acting in part on instinct, in part on prior ‘wisdom’, the Warder from Kandor left the papers in his hand on the office table and took two steps toward the Nobleman.

 

“Mind your manners, Nobleman!” The Gaidin said forcefully. There was power in his voice and in his intent. “You are in the presence of Aes Sedai. “Kneel in respect!”

 

●

 

He was pleased to see the man’s face twitch in surprise and his sneer wiped away. He caught himself quickly though and spat the words, “You have no authority here..”

 

“The White Tower has authority whenever and wherever matters of the Shadow are concerned!” Elessar said as if pronouncing a sentence.

 

He leapt forwards before the man had a chance to react, feeling emotions of surprise, approval and excitement coming through the Bond from Myrrhi, and snatched the candle lights from the startled man’s hands, placing them on a nearby bookshelf. The man was pressed to his knees and though he muttered curses under his breath he remained in the abject position as Myrrhi came to a stop before him.

 

She exchanged a glance of appreciation with her Warder, glad that he had taken charge and turned the tables on the Darkfriend Nobleman with his innovative and vigorous act, then she looked down at the man kneeling and repeated her question of before.

 

Elessar felt some of his anger at himself dissipating. He would feel some shame for his blunder, as he saw it, for a while to come - but going on the offensive like this had partially at least extracted Myrrhi from a highly embarrassing and difficult situation. The White Tower were not all-powerful in that they could trample on the rights of individual citizens in independent nations at their will, so what he had claimed was in reality only partially true, but the Nobleman did not know that and they would use that fact for all it was worth. Push him hard, be forceful (within certain parameters of course), keep him on the defensive and he would not be able to climb out of the hole they had dug for him.

 

Knowing Myrrhi, he felt sure she was thinking the same thing as she questioned the kneeling man, her voice sounding very Aes Sedai-like, hard and to the point.

 

●

 

“When an Aes Sedai is in town, word gets around.” The man said, his tone sour.

 

“Is that so”, Myrrhi replied, believing not a word he was saying, “and why should this interest you?”

 

“You have no right..” the man spat in reinvigorated defiance.

 

“I have every right”, Myrrhi responded, her voice determined, “if you are who these papers we read in your work desk indicate you are. The White Tower does not look kindly on Darkfriends.”

 

“I am no Darkfriend..” the Nobleman muttered, raising his head. In the half-light his eyes tightened dangerously.

 

“Keep your eyes on the floor!” Elessar commanded, his face and tone harsh. “Such as you are not fit to look upon Aes Sedai!”

 

Myrrhi smiled at her Warder. She understood why he was pushing the man so hard. They were after all in the Nobleman’s mansion with guards downstairs and were not out of this pickle yet.

 

“So what do you have to say for yourself?” Myrrhi said, her voice cold and now it was as if she were the one pronouncing a sentence.

 

“You have no right breaking in…” the man spat the words again, but was stopped mid-sentence by the knife which suddenly appeared close to his face. The Warder’s eyes were cold as death as he pointed the knife at the kneeling Nobleman’s right chin.

 

“We will tolerate no lies from you..” Elessar said, holding the knife steady. “So be truthful. What is your part in these planned assassinations of Ebou Dari Noblefolk?”

 

“I don’t know anything about..” the man lied, defiance still in his voice.

 

The Warder exchanged a long look with his Bondholder and she nodded once.

 

Elessar’s arm came crashing down on the man’s head and shoulder and he slumped unconscious to the floor before them.

 

●

 

They had both understood that time was at the essence and that they needed to get out of the Manor House before they were discovered by anyone else. They would interrogate the man further later. Collecting the incriminating papers and parchments they had found, Myrrhi’s eyes swept again over the pieces of furniture that definitely looked familiar - a low table, a carpet, an oil lamp - and once again her thoughts returned to the merchant who had been her last contact who was selling the exact same ones, wondering anew if this was a coincidence or if it had been a trap.

 

Elessar threw the unconscious man over his shoulder, feeling the heavy weight but believing he would be able to carry him out of the house and at least to the nearest street. There they would hide him in an alleyway until appropriate transportation could be acquired. Exchanging a few final words with his Aes Sedai, they blew out the candle lights and in the sparse light from the moon outside they moved towards the door. Opening it slightly, Myrrhi now in the lead, they went out into the dark corridor beyond and stopped to listen for any sounds. The Aes Sedai felt excitement again at this turn of events, but focused on the need to get safely out of the mansion. Where there was one Darkfriend, there could easily be more.

 

Only silence met them as they headed along the corridors, Elessar one step behind the Aes Sedai. If there were guards inside the Manor House, they did not appear as Myrrhi and Elessar neared the entrance from the inside. They stopped before opening that final door, the Warder catching his breath for a moment. It was heavy going carrying the big man on his shoulders but exchanging another glance with Myrrhi, his eyes reassured her he would manage. She nodded quickly, then faced the door.

 

●

 

There was still no sound, either from inside or outside. Would their luck run out now at the final stretch? There was only one way to find out. Opening the door carefully, peering outside into the darkness, Myrrhi took a step and then another step. Still no activity outside. Holding her breath, she took another few steps and Elessar followed. Glancing to the left and right, she could still see no one and so she took another few tentative steps. Ahead of them, seventy yards or so, the gate to the grounds beckoned. It was impossible to hide during that stretch of ground, they would be out in the open. Thankfully darkness enveloped Ebou Dar and only the rays from the moon intermittently sliced through the blackness. Elessar looked both ways too, his Warder vision enhanced from the Bond, but could see no one. Myrrhi’s eyes tightened determinedly and she started walking forwards slowly, one step after another, resisting the temptation to run which would have left her Warder behind, at any moment waiting for the alarm to be raised, for the shouts of guards and ensuing conflict.

 

But nothing happened, and as Elessar followed, the Nobleman still blacked out on his shoulders, they soon neared the unguarded gate. Then they were through and they both breathed a silent sigh of relief as they headed down the adjacent street. Reaching an alleyway further down, glad there were no people around at this late hour, they stopped and Elessar unburdened himself with the heavy weight of the Nobleman, placing him in the darkest part partially hidden behind the lower side of a building. Myrrhi checked to ensure the man was still unconscious, then turned to Elessar who was catching his breath and rubbing his sore shoulders. She whispered that she would fetch them a horse and carriage, and he should just wait there with their prisoner. He nodded back in the darkness and watched as she disappeared down the street, determination evident in her steps.

 

A while later she returned, seated in a horse and carriage. She told him that the driver was to be trusted, he was part of the Eyes and Ears network, and the man - a heavy-shouldered Ebou Dari man you did not want to get into a fight with - and Elessar placed the Nobleman inside the carriage before taking off for the ‘Fallen Mermaid’ inn. During the journey the Warder and Sedai spoke little, both lost in their own thoughts thinking about what had just happened and about the further interrogation to come, and they arrived at the inn faster than they had anticipated. The carriage stopped at the back of the inn near the stables where their horses were tethered, it was less conspicuous Myrrhi had argued. Thanking the driver, they lifted the still unconscious Nobleman onto the ground and used a back door (with Elessar making use of his lockpicking skills again; those added skills were in truth useful!) to slip quietly into the inn and silently up the stairs to Myrrhi’s room. Elessar threw the man off his shoulders onto Myrrhi’s bed and then closed the door behind them.

 

●

 

Before she had the chance to speak, Elessar turned toward his Bondholder, his eyes filled with guilt. “I am to blame for the mess I put us in”, he said with honesty. “I apologize. The plan was perhaps too risky, and I should have been more attentive at the Manor House, Aes Sedai. I will do better.”

 

Myrrhi stared back at him, seeing his guilt and shame. “We are all flawed, my Warder.” She thought of her own weaknesses, understanding guilt.

 

“Perhaps you are right.” She added. “But you also got us out of that potentially difficult (and very embarrassing, she was thinking) situation with your quick thinking and swift action.” She smiled disarmingly. “And that is what counts the most, Gaidin.”

 

He looked at her, slightly mollified, appreciating her words. He meant what he had said, he would do better, needed to do better if he were to be her Protector as he had sworn in his oaths. He had always expected much of himself, perhaps too much at times, and had aimed for perfection ever since he had joined the Warder ranks. His failures had become a part of him, a heavy burden he always carried in his service. He had sworn not to fail again and he would not, no matter what it took.

 

“I will do better”, he simply said, but she could see from his eyes and hear from the tone of his voice that he was thankful for her words.

 

●

 

“Now then”, Myrrhi concluded, putting that matter out of her mind, as she looked down at the blacked out Nobleman on her bed, “we have this Darkfriend to take care of.”

 

She wondered how far they would need to go in their interrogation of the man before he gave up his secrets.

 

●

 

Outside, in the Shadows of a street corner opposite the ‘Fallen Mermaid’ inn, a partially hidden figure and a pair of dark eyes watched the silent inn for a long moment before disappearing into the night.

 
▀▄