Fourteen years have passed since Tarmon Gai'don. Rand al'Thor, Mazrim Taim and Logain Ablar were among the great Asha'man that fell that day, along with Cadsuane Melaidhrin, Verin Mathwin, Nynaeve al'Meara and the former Seanchan damane, Alivia among the Aes Sedai. Egwene al'Vere still leads the White Tower as Amyrlin Seat, and Damer Flinn is now the leader of the Black Tower, though he has done away with the title of M'Hael. Mazrim Taim remains the only man to hold that title, though he relinquished it before the day of his death at the hands of the master he swore to serve even beyond the grave, before his abrupt return to the Light. His name is still reviled among the Asha'man as one who swore to serve the Shadow, and to speak of his actions while leading the Black Tower through its birth is taboo, if not formally forbidden. However, Logain Ablar remains a hero to the Black Tower, a man of great strength, not only in the power but also in personality. Though he was never ta'veren like al'Thor, he was a powerful man, and persuasive. For the short while he held the post of Lord High Asha'man, the title now given to the leaders of the Black Tower, he became a living legend once more, a man feared and respected for his prowess as a general and as a wielder of the One Power. It is thought that he gained many new methods of attack from studying the Dragon Reborn, but a huge number of new battle techniques were discovered through him, and he was hailed as the great discoverer of the use of saidin. Since Tarmon Gai'don, however, Damer Flinn has become known as one of the greatest Healers of the age, if not the greatest alive. He is acknowledged as peerless in the field, even among Aes Sedai, and it was under his instruction that the Black Tower was divided into the Sects, the Black Tower equivalent of Ajahs. The Healers, Flinn's own Ajah, currently enjoys a position of prominence, though Flinn is well known as a just Lord, and generally listens equally to the suggestions from each of the Sects. The others, the Warriors, the Workers and the Knights, each hold enviable authority over those Asha'man within their Sect. Flinn, as leader too of the Healers, has absolute authority over any Asha'man who wears the green four-leafed clover of the Healers on his black coat, and as Lord High Asha'man, absolute authority over every single other man who can channel.
This tale, however, is not about Flinn, nor even any of the Healers, but of a single Asha'man, acknowledged as a brave Knight and one of the founding members of the Sect, going by the name of Bran al'Seen. Apprenticed before Tarmon Gai'don by Mazrim Taim, al'Seen was born in Emond's Field in what was then a far-flung backwoods province of Andor, but which is now the very heart of the kingdom of Manetheren, risen again under Perrin Aybara. He gained major recognition at the Last Battle when he opened the gateway that took both himself and Demandred, the dreaded Forsaken, to the very same site where Rand al'Thor had cleansed saidin only the year before. It was at the Aridhol Crater that Bran al'Seen defeated Demandred, sending a bolt of pure, concentrated energy into Demandred's reeling body, shocked by the strength and ferocity of al'Seen's attack.
Bran al'Seen travels alone through the countryside fifteen miles outside the city of Tear. From this far off, even, the Stone of Tear is clearly visible, and the flags flying atop its mighty peak are clear to al'Seen, with saidin enhancing his vision. The Dragon of Rand al'Thor, right beside the banner of Tear itself. Bran looks up, and frowns. The clouds are gathering, and he has not the skill with weather to move them away without ruining the pattern of the skies for miles around in every direction, and such meddlings are forbidden by Damer Flinn in the Black Tower.
Bran al'Seen reaches a farmhouse, and enters, pushing the door open ahead of him with a tiny prod of Air. His strength in the power is little short of phenomenal, greater even the al'Thor, greater than Flinn, greater than Narishma, greater than all of the great Asha'man and Aes Sedai of his age. Thinking of Flinn, al'Seen thinks of the Aes Sedai that has bonded him. Flinn, bound to the great Sharina Melloy, since the death of his first Aes Sedai at the same time as all those others, fourteen years before. Al'Seen thinks of his own Aes Sedai, and she moves out into the kitchen of the farmhouse.
"Welcome back, Bran," says Bodewhin Cauthon Aes Sedai, sister of the great, but sadly deceased, captain Matrim Cauthon, former Prince of Ravens of the Seanchan, murdered alongside his wife by Seanchan High Blood, less than two years after the two of them had reunited the Seanchan Empire, and restored order to Seandar and the lands across the Aryth Ocean. Now an uneasy peace existed between the Seanchan remaining in Tarabon, Altara and Amadicia, and the New Covenant, ten nations who had signed the greatest alliance in history, presided over by Aes Sedai of the Grey Ajah and Asha'man of the Sect of the Knights, those men devoted to justice, chivalry and honour. Bran himself was present at the signing of the New Covenant, as was Bodewhin Sedai as Keeper of the Seals to the Amyrlin Seat, replacing Sheriam Banayar when she too fell in the Last Battle. Manetheren, the great kingdom of Perrin Goldeneyes, the barrier against Seanchan expansion into the easterly nations. Saldaea, under the control of Queen Tenobia still, the only survivor amongst the Borderland rulers from Tarmon Gai'don. Tear, house of Callandor, the sword of Jahar Narishma, given to him by the Dragon Reborn, and ruled over justly and honestly by King Darlin Sisnera and his lady wife Caraline Damodred Sisnera. Andor, province of the Aes Sedai queen Elayne Trakand, watched over by Towers both White and Black, for the children of Elayne Trakand are the children of Rand al'Thor as well. Cairhien, once thought by al'Thor to be given to Elayne Trakand, now ruled over by King Rhuarc the Great, formerly an Aiel Chief, acknowledged as one of the greatest rulers of Cairhienin history, put on the throne after much questioning by the Cairhienin old blood, but with the backing of the young warrior septs of Tairen and Cairhienin noblemen and women. Arad Doman, ruled by Lenar Ituralde, son of the great captain Rodel, born on the day of the Last Battle. Since his father's death the same day, Lenar has been King of Arad Doman, but only recently has he began to exert his own influence over his advisors from the Towers. Shienar, the only other Borderland to survive destruction in the Last Battle, ruled now from Fal Dara by Agelmar Jagad. Rhuidean, the new home of the Aiel who stayed on the west of the Spine of the World after the Last battle, based around the capital city, formerly known as Aringill, extending along the River Iralell right along to the mountains in the east. Mayene, the home of Berelain sur Paendrag, now extended to cover much of Haddon Mirk and the Godan Peninsula, in what was formerly Tairen territory. And lastly, tenth among the Covenanters, but respected equally, Illian. Once Illian was ruled by Rand al'Thor, but now they have turned back to their own people to look for governance, and have a new King, by the name of Darin Carpatheos den Torval.
Bodewhin Cauthon Aes Sedai moves forward into the light. Her delicate features, made ageless by long years wielding the One Power under the influence of the Oath Rod, remain to Bran those of a farm girl he knew while he grew up in Emond's Field. Whenever the two of them have time to pursue their own ends, they meet here, in this farmhouse near the great city of Tear, and then they will go where their sense of duty takes them. Bodewhin Cauthon Aes Sedai, now once again of the Blue Ajah after her short spell as Keeper, has plenty of time on her hands. Their chances to enter the world at large are restricted mainly by Bran al'Seen's duties at the Black Tower, as second within the Sect of the Knights.
Now they go outside once more, and Bran opens a gateway. The two of them glace at one another, and Bodewhin smiles. Bran thinks how pretty her smile is now that she is Aes Sedai, how pretty her smile was even when she was just another farm girl.
"After you, my lady Aes Sedai," says Bran, and Bodewhin steps through the gateway. Bran follows, and the gateway closes behind him.
"So where have you taken us today, my lord Asha'man?" wonders Bodewhin, and he smiles secretively.
"Somewhere desperately in need of justice."