It hadn't take too long to convince Loial that leaving would be a great adventure, and so he found himself in Loial's large bedroom. Large for an ogier, as most ogier were between nine and eleven feet tall the room was made to be accommodating, so naturally for a human it was like a palace hall. It was still funny to Rand that Loial, who was as old as Rand had little hope to reach, was still a child and treated as such. Well, maybe not a child but not an adult.
Rand frowned as Loial set about packing things to leave, was it right to bring loial with him? Loial was hasty as a cat in water but he would never leave his home, not without a push. He was still in love with the trees here, even if he dreamed of the groves. Rand had never loved the trees nor even the stedding, but they were a part of him as sure as his blood. It was a strange feeling, it was as thought the trees were protecting him from something. Now it was his time to leave the shadows of the trees and face the world beyond the Dragonwall.
Loial was rummaging through his wardrobe, he was almost ten feet tall, not even fully grown. He was a peaceful ogier, Rand didn't want to take that from him, and the world was a scary place. Violence was not an issue in a stedding but it was in a city or a village, especially with how the ogier had withdrawn from the world seemingly. No, he would need to protect Loial. Even if Loial was nearly ninety years old and rand was only sixteen.
"Rand, do you think I will need my fine dinner clothes? I have enough for walking around but can I just leave the fine shirts and coats my mother got me? I mean we will be gone for a while so how can I leave behind my fine clothes?" Loial asked in his bumblebee whisper, even though it was not quiet it was his usual whisper. He really had to find a way to keep Loial from saying so much, but then again it was what made Loial ... well Loial, more knowledge than most twice his age and always used it, but he never boasted or made it seem more than it was. Chuckling to himself he turned to Loial and his broad nose and tufted ears quivering in excitement. Oh yes, he will need looking after.
"We will be walking from The Spine of the World to the ends of the world. Keep your bundle light." Rand tried not to sound too impatient, but Loial had tried to convince rand that a whole chest of books would be needed, it took all he had to make Loial agree to only those he could carry in his coat. A bloody big coat it was too.
"But Rand, what if we meet a Lord or a Lady, we need to look respectable." Loial said as thought they intended to stay in palaces and go courting in gardens with fair noble girls. "Elder Haman says 'Human's like their formalities' so if we don't look clean and presentable, we might as well be beggars for all they will care." There was no time to argue with Loial though, if his back hurt it was his own fault.
"Okay Loial, fine but hurry up, we need to be gone before tomorrow." Loial's face spit into his usually grin as he always had when he was happy, and seeing it Rand realized it made him happy to see Loial happy. He really was a big kid underneath all that ogier height. "I need to go to Elder Haman's now Loial, dinner, I have the honor of being formally invited."
Loial only nodded as he was busy folding away his blue coat with leaves and vine embroidered on the sleeves, looking as though he had all the time in the world. Rand only grinned more as he backed out of Loial's bedroom in Elder Arent's house, he wouldn't be surprised if he came back to seeing Loial nose deep in another book of his.
Rand looked down at his own coat, it was a warm green coat but it was fashioned as a mock cadin'sor, Sulin had made sure he knew it was nowhere near as good as an aiel made cadin'sor, but it worked fine in the stedding. With his coat on he could blend into any bush or thicket, luckily there were enough of them around he could walk for days without being seen.
He was surprised to find he didn't even have a belt knife on him, there was no need for one in a stedding but whenever he spent time with the aiel he knew to keep it closer than any other person. It had to be old habit and respect, none of the Elders would take too kindly to seeing him with a weapon. Not that they would discourage him defending himself, just not here in their stedding. It was a sanctuary stronger than the trees it was made of, more so for those who had to travel to any other stedding outside of The Spine.
Stalking through the trees and bushes was easy for him, it had been his home for as long as he could remember, and as long as he could remember Elder Haman had never invited him to dine with him. It sounded too formal. He couldn't know could he? No. He just could not, the old ogier knew more than Rand believed possible but he wasn't omniscient. Was he? Well, there was only one way to find out.
It didn't not take long to reach to house of Elder Haman, much to Rand's annoyance, he was always fast on his feet and faster with his time if Elder Haman had his say. A quick knock on the door and he waited, waited and waited some more. Maybe he should break the door down ... No Elder Haman would make him Sing him a new one, even though he was a human, he would still make him. Maybe he should ... The sound of a large nose blowing into cloth came from beyond the thick oaken door. Light! Rand did not want to catch ogier flu again! Last time he had been bed ridden for weeks!
The door was open and there stood Elder Haman, huge in his thick wool cloak, a deep earthy brown cloak today. His usual long narrow beard was as white as his mustaches, it seemed to complete his image of grand-fatherly old man, if not for the huge arms, legs, chest and terrifying height. He was Elder Haman no more and no less. No one in Stedding Shangtai had a wrong word to say about the fellow, except his wife.
This was Elder Haman but there was something wrong, in his eyes big as teacups, were huge tears. It was beyond rare to see an ogier cry unless a tree had died or another ogier, Rand didn't know which was rarer, but for an Elder to cry there must be a deep hurt.
"Whats wrong Elder Haman?" Rand asked with none of the concern in his voice feigned, and there was a lot. This old ogier had been like a father to him in some ways, he was definitely the main source of Rand's not very vast knowledge.
"I'm sorry Rand, I do not mean to be tearful, it cant be helped thought." His voice was like an avalanche, the words came fast and the tears left just as fast. "Um. Um. Sorry, not the best way to say goodbye. Crying like an infant. Elder Haman you fool. Um. Um. Well, I mean to say that this is or goodbye." He knew ... the thought was like an echo. Was he in trouble or did Elder Haman understand, he must or else he would not be crying, or would he? "I have known you for a very short time, only fifteen years. Not that that makes you very young, for a human you are near man grown now, are you not? Um. Um. As I was saying, we took you in fifteen years ago as a warm little sapling of the greatest tree, and now you must leave. I understand, I really do, humans are not the kind to sit by idle. Most of all around ogier, it must have been hard to not run off before, then again I must thank young Sulin for looking after that. Um. Um. Where was I?"
This was always the way with Elder Haman, he was never interrupted except at great need so he had become accustomed to speaking until he was done, it made for very one sided conversations. Rand could hardly speak, Elder Haman was all over the place, even for him. He sounded resigned to Rand's departure, already, he did not even need to try to convince him, which would not have worked. Elder Haman had the wisdom only great age could bring, whereas Rand hand the self assuredness only the young possessed, and Elder Haman knew both well.
Elder Haman had moved back at some point during his babble and Rand followed him in, shutting the door behind him, no one else needed to see or hear this. He noticed Elder Haman was looking at him mourningly, and guided him into a chair in the next room. Well, as well as he could guild the ogier, he was half his own height taller than him and twice as thick.
"Thank you dear Rand, thank you." Elder Haman mumbled as loud as a fog horn it seemed. " I still remember that day when young Janduin can into the stedding, not wanting to trade or even wanting water. All he wanted in the world was to see the bundle in his arms safe. I wonder why? He was a clan chief, a good one at that too so they say. Um. Yes. He wanted you safe, it went against all we do. For thousands of years we have stayed away from humans for the most part." A far away look came into his eyes as thought he was remembering being there as the ogier said farewell to the humans. "It makes me sad we ogier and you humans cant share our great loves with one another, together I think we would have done much better. The groves alone prove that. But humans don't have the time to care for the lives of trees, they live too short lives you see, how can they find the true beauty without knowing a thing from its start. Either that or they don't see the trees when they are high in the sky, bathing in the sunlight and singing in the breeze. Humans love stone and steel, hard things made for shelter or killing, they don't have the time to love life ... Oh, they love each other but not life. Animals and trees are resources, they don't care to see they keep them safe or whole." Elder Haman blew out his mustaches in what Rand could only call contempt, humans were never Elder Haman's favorite things to talk about but he did like them, but in the same way a collector might like a rare item, something to look at from time to time but never understand fully.
"What about my father Elder Haman?" Rand prodded, any information about his father he had learned from Sulin and the other Far Dareis Mai. He knew he was a clan chief, he knew his name was Janduin, he also knew he led the aiel over the Dragonwall into the wetlands. Elder Haman was never forth coming about his father, not out of cruelness, it just seemed to Elder Haman that Rand was an odd little ogier who needed a bit more education than his age justified.
"Um. Um. He never said why you were to be left with us, but he persuaded me somehow, maybe he was Ta'veren. All he said was to teach you of all things important, and so I did, if you listened more I might have filled your head by now, but you and Loial were always too hasty." He let out a loud but warm and deep chuckle. If it wasn't impossible Rand would have said he was proud, but Elder Haman was nothing if not stern when it came to learning. "I never did see him again."
Rand didn't know when he found the chair he was sitting on, or when he sat on it, but he was grateful for it. All of his speculation as a child, why he was here and he was so close to getting an answer, only to fall so short. To not learn anything but it was for safety, he could not imagine a more safe place than surrounded by aiel. Sulin seemed born to be ready to kill, but then maybe he needed to be safe from them, but then he had met them and they treated him like a long lost brother. Which he might well be after all, there had to be more than that, was this the difference between being an adult and not, understanding these types of messes? He hoped not. "You must know something else Elder Haman. You must."
Elder Haman's eyes met Rand's, grayish-blue eyes drowned in the deep pools of the huge ogier's teacup sized eyes, so full of pity and sadness. "We ogier keep to ourselves, you know that, we don't pry into others business. Janduin came to us for help and we helped, no more and no less Rand. Um. Um. He didn't seem scared, but then no aiel seem scared I guess, but he wanted you to be safe Rand. I don't know how but he was hurt. Not injured no." He added hastily seeing Rands face change. "He was hurting in the way all things do, he was hurting inside. I think that was what he wanted you to be safe from. Safe from the pain of loss, safe from the fear of being human." All of a sudden the old ogier leapt up from his seat. Rand was startled but he looked around for signs of fire or intruders, nothing.
What was Elder Haman up to? Turning to look back to him, Elder Haman had moved quickly and quietly, over to an old book case. He was juggling the books it seemed at first glance, at second he notice he was looking in the front covers of each book he picked up and placed it down in a small pile to the side. When he stopped he was holding a battered copy of The Travel of Jain Farstrider, a Book rand had read more than once. The tales of his capture of Cowin Gemallan, tales of Sharan's and Sea Folk. Oh, how he had daydreamed of them, lived them in his mind as a younger boy. Not for the life of him could he figure out what ... Elder Haman was pulling out a piece of folded paper.
When Elder Haman put it in his hands with a muttered "nearly forgot all about this old thing" Rand saw it was old. It was well preserved though, no creases or rips. There was even a seal, a blazing sun only just rising. It was similar to the Rising Sun of Cairhien, but it would have only been dawn in the sky not morning. He seemed in a trance as he opened it, hardly even noticing the seal break open. He read.
My dearest son
I know that reading these words cannot come close to hearing them, but I did what I did for you. If you have received this letter, and ogier Haman has kept his word, then you are leaving the stedding. I do hope these word will help to find your path. How do I start, with your mother I guess. Shaiel, the shade of my life. She came from the other side of the Dragonwall, A golden haired young woman who never mentioned her past life. She came to us with nothing but herself, and I had fallen in love. She had more spirit than all the aiel that ever had lived and she loved me too.
We crossed the Dragonwall for Laman's crime, Shaiel came too, she had taken up the spear as Far Dareis Mai. She became pregnant with you, I told her to go back to the waste, she should have been Roofmistress of Cold rocks Hold, but she wanted to stay. I could never deny her a thing, and she knew it. So there we were in front of Tar Valon, when I found her dying in the snow with a small bundle by her side. She said one thing to me, she wanted you to know that you had a brother named Galad. That is all I know. She never mentioned he life before the waste. Never. It was important to her.
There was something just as important to me. I saw you, born in the midst of battle, born in the blood of a maiden, born on the slopes of that mountain. Dragonmount.
You will understand one day my son.
When you come back to me, when you come before your own blood.
The sun will rise at your coming and we all shall weep.
Janduin, your father
Rand's brain was either working too fast to help with anything else or it was not working. The letter fell from his hands but as fast as it fell it was caught by Elder Haman who, without a glance at the contents, folded it back up and placed it firmly in his hands once more. A large hand enveloped his back in a soothing gesture, it was then that Rand notices he was removing tears from his eyes with his sleeve.
"I must leave now Elder Haman. I fear I have a long journey ahead of me, and if I am to get anywhere I must take this first step." Rand looked long and hard into the eyes of the ogier who had taken him under is wing, so to say. "My heart weeps at this departure yet I know we shall see each other before time is gone."
"My heart sings at this departure for it is time for you to grow and flourish." Elder Haman replied with a small smile and added with a grin. "May you always find water and shade."
When Rand returned to Loial he was surprised to find him ready to leave at the instant, a smile flittered across his face at the eagerness of his friend. Loial stood tall and proud and Rand had been wrong, he knew Loial would be looking after him on this journey. "Loial I have one last favor to ask of you before we leave." His voice was not as calm as he had hoped.
Loial's long eyebrows raised, his ears quivered to a point and his eyes widened slightly. He didn't say anything though, clearly he had caught Rand's mood with whatever ability the ogier had to sense the mood of a place apparently the mood Rand was exuding was quite telling. A pack he had made for himself was next to Loial's pack, much smaller in comparison but Rand had no doubt that Loial could carry the weight. Lifting the pack and finding a comfortable way of holding himself with it he gestured to Loial to do the same.
Rand looked to south, west and north trying to make his mind up, Mayene first or Tear maybe even Cairhien. Not Cairhien too close, far too close to ... Mayene was too small to be worth an extra weeks walking rand decided, Tear it was.
In his green cadin'sor-esque clothing and his soft steps he would not have been noticed even if there were ogier looking for him, thought he knew there wasn't any. Loial on the other hand, did not sneak anywhere and it showed. He looked like a bear pretending to be a sheep, he had a red cloak around his shoulders and his footsteps could deafen a mouse. It looked like Rand would have to teach Loial a thing or two.
After a twenty minute walk they were not far from the western border of the stedding, Rand hadn't noticed how fast they were going, instead all he noticed was that every breath he took was like a stab, each breath tasted of home. A small part of him told him he would have no home after he left the stedding, and a large part told him the small part was wrong. So maybe he was leaving his home never to return, and maybe he was just going mad.
Stopping in a very small clearing free of bushes Rand turned to watch Loial as he came through the last bush. He was hesitant to ask this favor, as he knew Loial was touchy on the issue. His friend seemed in high spirits though, the promise of seeing the world, of the groves were enough to make him forget that he would be in an impressive amount trouble if his mother caught him anytime soon. She would not Rand knew, how he knew he couldn't say, but he knew.
He lowered his pack from his back and pulled a smaller bundle out from the top of the pack, looking Loial in the eyes he rested it on the ground before them both. "Loial, it was my fathers spear before. I know you don't like Singing weapons but to me this is more than a weapon. Even if it isn't useable could you fix it for me?" It wasn't a big thing to ask for, to a Treesinger with Loial's talents it would be over in no time at all.
Loial's voice was not rude but it was decidedly patient "Rand, its not me who doesn't like it, its the trees. They are not things of war but of life and peace. I can do it for you but you must hold it together for me. I will do my best to strengthen it too." He finished with a face splitting grin that told Rand he had been silly to worry. Loial was a good friend.
Loial kneeled down in front of Rand and rand hastily picked the spear shards up in one hand connecting the two in the centre of his palm. Loial had his eyes closed towards the sky, arms too skywards and he Sung. It was a song that had no words or rhythm. Its was a song only in that it was a music that made his soul sing for joy.
He could feel everything in the world righting its self in the presences of this song. Birds in near by trees sang along with the ogier, the grass and leaves shook in a dance as old as time. His lips had parted almost at the point of joining in, but he could not intrude of Loial's perfect song.
He felt the wood in his hand begin to reshape and mold to a new shape, it was marvelous. It was a feeling he knew he would never forget, that was until it changed. The wood got hotter, much hotter. Rand's teeth clenched and ground in his mouth. He knew if he let go of the spear it would die. Die? His hand was a furnace and the world was cold.
Abruptly he realized Loial's song was done, the spear was cold and his hand still burned.
Loial's big eyes so full of joy and life looked into his own and he frowned, Rand smiled a tight but genuine smile at him and Loial's smile near split his face.
"Light! Rand, it has never felt like that. The wood in the spear and the feel on the air had to be one with each other and you." He looked scared and joyed, it was a new thing to Loial which meant it was new to anybody. Rand let out a short laugh. Oh, he could feel the bloody thing trying to be one with him.
Letting go of the spear, he winced, his left hand hurt like a day old wound left to fester. The first thing he noticed was the spear had all sorts of engravings on it now that had not been there before. Foremost was a large heron, the same as was on a blademaster's sword. Around the top and the bottom of the short aiel spear was a strange serpentine pattern. Worse than any of that he had a rather bad burn forming on his palm, in the shape of a heron. Was this the path set before him? Light Help me!
