Something is coming, Kari. Something that will change everything. Maybe even destroy it. - Oriel

Sunlit Blessings

Summer's end in the year 978NE, and the season rages with its dying breath. Sun-specked children scamper and yip before scuttling, red-cheeked, for the shade. Goodwives huff and huddle as tongues twist scandal from idle words. Sleeves sweep dripping brows, painted fans wick the air like stricken butterflies while parasols bob, hawkers curse and nobles bemoan the charnel stench of the market pens. Summer's end in Tar Valon, 978NE. And it is here that our story begins.

A figure emerges from a dingy den, peering into the sunlight. A quick look into the bustling crowd and then she is among them, darting through the throng like a minnow. The humid air carries the fetid perfume of the river's edge, a pungent stew of fish guts, swelter brine and rotting quench-reed and the girl's nose wrinkles prettily as a childs.

She attracts many a curious eye, this thin, sickly looking creature, her pallor stark against a fall of red hair, but her steps are light and quick on the fouled, gritty cobbles. A hawker, blustering and sweaty, forgets the heat and the suspicion his wares are spoiling as he glimpses her, and could that be a smile softening his lips?

Yes, pretty as a daydream is this pale, merry girl as she arrows through the crowd. Today, the city is a cook pot of curses, odour and ruinous heat, but one thing shines like a single bloom through the cracked cobbles. And her name is Kari al'Thor.

'Kari!'

Her hand pressed to her stomach, Kari turned greet the red-cheeked woman bustling towards her.

'Fie girl.' Una boomed, her formidable frame heaving through the crowd. 'Are you deaf?'

'Sorry. I was a little distracted.'

'I'll say. Light, this blighter gets heavier by the day.' Una hefted her bundle with a grimace. 'I need a favour, Kari. I need you to speak to DuMerle for me.' She lowered her gaze and rocked the baby in fitful jerks. 'It seems the Aes Sedai's charity isn't going to last and…. well, this little one doesn't feed himself.'

Kari felt a pang of sorrow at the woman's dismayed flush. 'I'll speak to DuMerle. Don't worry. I'm sure he will give you more time.'

Una's smile wavered with gratitude and Kari felt another nudge of pain. To see Una, proud, unshakable Una, bent-shouldered and humble was a sight she could never have imagined. She had heard folk mutter that pride was worthless as ashes these days. But now even cinders had their price.

The bundle began to protest at its mother's jitterings, whining and waving its dimpled fists at the air.

Kari reached a finger to stroke the babe's doughy cheek. The child fluttered its feather-fine lashes, mewled a yawn and busied itself sleeping.

She could feel Una's eyes upon her. The weight of that regretful look was unwelcome as the heat.

Kari backed away, her smile fixed. 'I'll let you know what he says.'

'My thanks, Kari. And get some food down you. You're skinny as a bloody corn-stalk.'

Kari flipped a wave and hurried on, but thoughts of DuMerle roiled her innards all the more.

The sun was beating a fresh ache into her pounding head. That, and the stink, was hardly helping her stomach. It sloshed like a washday tub, as though threatening to empty her breakfast onto the greasy cobbles. Kari gulped against the nausea and put DuMerle firmly from her mind.

The feel of the child still lingered on her fingertips. Its skin had been slick, hot as boiled milk and nearly as pale. She was whispering a blessing, one of the oldest and dearest charms she knew, for the frail child when the cat appeared. Black and lithe, its teeth like tiny pearl bodkins, the hateful thing slid into her path and fixed her with a limpid glare. Ill-will seethed from the creature in hot waves. Kari clasped a hand to her belly and jolted into passer-by hard enough to make her gasp. Stammering an apology, she glimpsed the lordling's outrage lapse into a smile, the kind of smile that would have had Tam running for a cudgel. She ignored that oily leer and instead matched the cool, amber stare now tracking her retreat. Breathing a placating ward….

The Light guide me….the Light protect me….

…she swept past both the cat and the now frowning boy.

Her hand still pressed to her abdomen, Kari hurried on as the warmth of her palm seeped through the tender flesh. Despite her foolishness, a smile twitched her lips. It seemed nothing could dampen her spirits today. Not the heat, not Una and her request, not some silly black cat. Even the fleeting image of DuMerle failed to sour her mood.

A surge of nausea nearly overwhelmed her and she quickened her steps. It was not far now. A few more minutes and she would see Oriel. Her smile, sickly and tight, drew even more curious glances. Soon, she would know.

'Hullo?' She edged further into the gloom. 'Oriel?'

Nothing but the whicker of horses and the smell of damp hay greeted her. Kari stepped into the stable, her boots swirling dust motes to drift and shimmer in sunlit streams. Horses snorted and stamped at the intrusion. Kari approached a stall where a sleek head watched her with huge, liquid eyes and smoothed the white star on the beast's otherwise flawless muzzle. Its fragrant breath wiffled at her palm.

'I'm sorry.' She murmured. 'I haven't anything for you.'

'Help you, m'lady?'

She spun to see a young man leaning on a pitchfork, his gaze trawling over her before finally settling on her face.

'No, thank you.' Kari lifted her chin and tried a study of poise. 'I'm waiting for someone.'

She barely had time to consider her words when a slow smile split the fellow's face. Tapping a finger to his nose, the man tipped her a wink. 'I'd better leave you to it then.'

Kari glared at the lout as he swaggered into the courtyard, wishing she had something to hurl at him.

'That shade of red is rather becoming on you.' A cloaked figure stepped in from the light. 'Been out in the sun too long dearest, or did Laertes make you one of his little propositions?'

That low, soft voice melted her scowl. 'I'm glad you came.'

'Have I ever let you down before?'

Tears stung as Kari rushed to her old friend. Oriel clasped her just as warmly, laughing at the fierceness of her friend's welcome.

A perfume of lavender and lemongrass made her head spin, aromas that tugged at warm memories of sunshine and firesides and fits of laughter. But there was something else too, something sterile and cold and so unlike the Oriel she knew.

'So they finally let you out.' Her tone was teasing, once as common as the laughter between them, but Oriel's smile flickered.

'Only if I promised to behave.' She said, a little too brightly. 'Are you well?'

'Fine. You?'

'Wonderful.'

'Liar.'

'That makes two of us.'

And that set them to laughing again.

Typically, Oriel had come prepared. A short trip to the flowering orchard found a small basket in the shade of a ruby-studded Rowan. They were soon lounging in the clipped grass, chattering and giggling like fishwives over cured ham and strange, yellow pickles. A few brandy-soaked cherries warmed their stomachs and fuelled their giggles, prompting a grinning appearance from Laertes until Oriel sent him away with her most arch smile.

Finally, appetites sated and cheeks aching with mirth, the pair set to nursing their full bellies in companionable silence.

'I'm sorry I haven't visited.' Oriel said, her slim fingers idly stripping the flesh from a fallen leaf. 'So much is happening. Sometimes it seems as though the world is going mad.'

'Only sometimes?'

Her friend laughed, a rich, familiar sound. 'It's as though nobody knows what to believe any more. There's just rumour and counter-rumour, all chasing one another until truth become lies and the lies keep twisting, and the Tower…' She gave a gusty sigh. 'It's hard, Kari. Harder than I ever imagined.'

'But surely you'll be raised soon?'

'I test for the shawl next week.' The words had barely left her lips when Kari leapt at her.

Oriel laughed again as she pried free of the younger girl's embrace.

'I can't believe it.' Kari gave her friend a final squeeze. 'You'll be a Green, after all this time.'

She frowned as Oriel pushed her at arms length. Blue eyes stared resolutely into her own.

'I've changed my nomination.'

'What?'

Oriel studied the ruined leaf in her hand, but that look was cold, distant. 'Something is coming, Kari. Something that will change everything. Maybe even destroy it.'

Kari curled her hands in her lap and waited. Oriel's eyes still held that strange glaze as she turned the strip of green over and over.

'There is weakness everywhere,' she said finally. 'Even among the Ajah's. When the time to choose comes, there will be no place for weakness. One life for the sake of thousands. Tens of thousands.' Her fingers closed about the leaf. 'I intend to make sure that choice is made.'

Kari almost cringed from the steel in those eyes and Oriel glanced away, her lips hooked in a wry smile.

'I wouldn't expect you to understand.'

Kari bunched her skirts in fists. It hurt that something should be so closed between them, that there was something in which they could not share laughter or secrets. Not for the first time she felt a surge of loathing for the Tower, for that hateful spike pointing like some accusing finger at the sky.

Her cheeks grew hot. 'You're right. How could I understand? I'm just some silly milksop waiting for her wayward husband.'

'Oh, Light, Kari. I'm so sorry.' A pale hand stroked her shoulder. 'Have you had any news?'

Kari shook her head. Tears welled, from anger or sorrow she couldn't tell.

'It isn't right.' Oriel's pretty face hardened into a scowl. 'Tam should be here, not gallivanting the Light knows where, playing hero while his wife mopes at home.'

'I do not mope.' Kari gave a wan smile. 'I pine. It's a far nobler pastime.'

'It's still not right. Heron-marked sword or no, I'll box his ears when he finally comes home.'

Kari popped a berry into her mouth, not daring to speak lest the tears overwhelm her.

They talked for a little longer, of home and family, things that brought sad smiles and stifled sighs.

Then Oriel gave her shoulder a final squeeze and rose with a languid stretch. 'I should set off.'

Kari hefted onto her knees, suddenly awkward that she should have to such a thing of her friend. 'I need you to do something for me.'

Her face must have looked graver than she intended for Oriel knelt suddenly to clasp warm hands about her own. 'What is it?'

Kari stared at her hands, dark and worn beneath her friend's pale, delicate fingers. 'I've heard that there are things you can do….'

Oriel gave her hands a gentle squeeze 'Go on.'

'To tell whether a woman is with child.'

The rushed words hung in the air between them. Oriel's face was the calm, cold mask of an Aes Sedai.

Kari clasped her skirts until the knuckles blanched. 'I've tried other ways. Old Yureen was last, but she was wrong. The poor thing can hardly tell day from night.'

'All right.'

'And I need to know. I'm just so sure –'

'Kari, I'll do it.'

'Truly?'

The mask slipped into a smile. 'Of course.'

'Wait.' She reached to knock three raps on the tree trunk then blushed at Oriel's raised brow. 'I know. I just want luck on my side.'

Closing her eyes, Oriel murmured a blessing as she thumbed the serpent ring.

'And I'm the superstitious one?'

A blue eye opened to glare at her. 'Hush.'

'Sorry.'

A shiver rippled her flesh when those hands touched her. Kari bit at her lip and tried to breathe.

When she opened her eyes, Oriel had drawn back, her blue gaze calm.

Black specks danced before her. Kari released the breath in a long sigh. 'Well?'

Oriel was shaking her head. Russet strands drifted before her widening eyes.

Something within her faltered and grew still. She had been so sure this time. So bloody sure.

Fingers touched her chin, gently tilting her head.

'Dearest,' A tear mirrored her own. 'You are with child.'

A/N – Oh dear, oh dear. Surely nothing good can come of this little revelation….right?

If you've got this far, then I suppose you must have read the whole chapter.

To you I extend my commiserations and thanks in equal measure.

I wanted to write about a lesser character and, lo, the plight of Kari al'Thor popped into my head.

This story is highly inaccurate and very AU, but I'm not the great Jordan himself so no harm done.

I'd love your opinion, and will gladly return the favour if you wish.

Disclaimer – I do not own or profit from anything connected with Robert Jordan's work.