What would happen if Moiraine and Lan had not reached Emond's Field in time? This is an AU. In this story Rand, Perrin, and Mat leave Emond's Field one night searching for adventure. When they return almost a year later something is different about Rand, but none of the three are willing to discuss it. Sorry for any Nynaeve haters out there cause this story is going to be mostly her point of view because she is my favorite. There will most definitely be some Lan/Nynaeve scenes in future chapters. Rating will most likely go up. I hope you guys enjoy!
Chapter 1
Death's Eyes
Nynaeve al'Meara, Wisdom of Emond's Field, stood watching the three young Emond's Fielder men. Since returning from wherever they had gone seeking adventure, Perrin and Mat were for the most part unchanged. That figured in her opinion nothing could make those wool-heads mature. Rand was a different matter, however. He hardly ever smiled anymore. The other boys tried to cheer him up, but he would just give them a sad half smile and go back to staring blankly. Only when she gave her braid a sharp tug did she realize that she had been holding on to it with both hands. She would find out what was wrong with him, and she would fix it. She would.
"Good morning, Nynaeve," said a familiar voice behind her. She turned and saw Egwene al'Vere walking up to her. Since she had been training as Nynaeve's Wisdom apprentice, Egwene had become one of Nynaeve's closest friend. "Frustrated?"
Nynaeve gave a start and threw her braid back over her shoulder. She did not care what anybody said, she did not always pull on her braid when she was upset. She sniffed. "I don't know what you mean."
Egwene did not quite succeed at covering up a laugh with a cough. If she was not such a good friend Nynaeve would… well she did not know, but Egwene would not like it.
All of Egwene's mirth vanished though when she caught sight Mat, Perrin, and Rand. Nynaeve knew it was really only Rand that she worried about though. "What's wrong with him?" she asked despairingly.
Nynaeve shook her head sadly. "I wish I knew. Have you tried talking to him?" Nynaeve knew the answer before Egwene opened her mouth.
"More times than I can count, Nynaeve! He just won't say more than three or four words at a time. Something's changed in him." She shivered. "It's like he's a totally different person. I don't even know him anymore."
"Mat and Perrin will not talk either?"
"No. They are as closed mouthed as he is. Something happened to him on that journey."
Nynaeve nodded. That was obvious. No matter how much Mat and Perrin denied that anything was wrong, Nynaeve knew that something had happened. She left Egwene where she was standing and began making her way towards the three boys. She tried to put on a cheerful face.
"Good morning," she said with a smile.
"What's gotten into you, Nynaeve?" Mat asked incredulously, "I haven't seen you this cheerful since… well, ever."
Nynaeve's smile slid off her face and she felt a hand reaching up for her braid, but she quickly pulled it down. "Can't a woman be cheerful, Matrim Cauthon?" she snapped.
"That's the Nynaeve we know," Perrin mumbled under his breath.
"I would expect better from you, Perrin Aybara," she growled as she turned her glare to him, "You boys will just never grow up."
It was then that she realized that Rand had yet to say anything or look up from the ground for that matter. "Rand…?" she said softly, "Rand?"
Then he looked up at her. She wished he hadn't. His eyes were cold, as cold as death.
How was that for a first chapter? Sorry it was so short. I should have the next chapter up really soon. Read and review!
