Chapter Twenty-Four - Epilogue

Bode watched grimly as Zavier was held before Logain, M'Hael of the Black Tower. The False Dragon glared down at the lordling with muted anger and unfathomable disappointment. "Kneel, Karl Zavier," Narishma said, Callandor back in its place on his back, "or you will be knelt." Zavier stood there, both stunned and defiant, and the Telamons forced him to his knees.

"Karl Zavier," Logain intoned, "you have betrayed the Black Tower, the haven for asha'man. You have attacked cities of five sovereign nations, attempted regicide in Malkier and usurpation in both Towers. And that is moving past the destruction, injury, and death your blind actions have caused. These crimes are worthy of death and worse … So you shall be granted worse." Logain stepped back, letting Grady approach with something grasped in his hand. Something familiar.

Grady held it out and Zavier was forced to take it, allowing Bode to see what it truly was: a binding rod, like the Oath Rod. What was going on? She looked to Rif, who was mystified, but the Telamons' faces were tight and grim. The binding rod began to glow ever-so-slightly.

"Swear the Oaths of the Outcast," Logain commanded. Androl had whispered something in his ear a moment before. Zavier's face tightened with rage and he began breathing hard, but one look around the circle of Aes Sedai and Asha'man seemed to show him how futile a fight would be.

"I swear to never again attempt to touch the True Source," he said through gritted teeth and stiffened as if in pain. "I swear to serve the Asha'man to the best of my ability, to never raise a hand against them or the Aes Sedai." That seemed to make him sick and his grimace widened. "And I swear never to take my own life nor to ask or force another to do so." He actually cried out at that last one. The binding rod was taken away and Zavier collapsed, dry sobs wracking his body.

"Take him away," Logain commanded. Two Asha'man took him away through a gateway to the Black Tower. Logain turned to regard Rif, steel in his gaze. Rif swallowed nervously and knelt before him.

"Lord Logain, I surrender myself for disciplinary action. I acknowledge my insubordination and ask no quarter for myself. I only ask that Bodewhin Sedai be granted leniency." Bode choked back a sob as she remembered their first class together, how he had done the same thing for Leane.

Logain's gaze didn't waver. "Riften Arason, you have disobeyed the orders of the M'Hael of the Black Tower. You willingly and with prior planning pursued a dangerous criminal despite orders to the contrary." Logain paused, and the firmness of his glare wavered for just a moment. "Just as I knew you would."

Bode could barely hold back a gasp, and Rif actually looked up in shock, breaching protocol. Logain had planned this?! He knew that Rif would go after Zavier?! On second thought, Rif was young. She supposed it wasn't a difficult conclusion, especially if Logain had meant for it to happen.

"You were instrumental in the capture of said criminal, both in location and subduing," Logain continued, "and this will grant some leniency in this matter. Your sentence will be assignment to the Two Rivers as the Black Tower's envoy to Lord Tam al'Thor, whom has taken over lordship of the Two Rivers in the place of Lord Perrin and Lady Faile Aybara, now King and Queen Aybara of Saldea. Effective immediately." He grinned snidely. "You can deal with those hard Two Rivers heads." And with that, he nodded to the Telamons and Asha'man, who began to return to the Black Tower.

Irella Bathor fought back the tears, tears of shame and guilt and sorrow, and so many other things. And like so many times before, she lost. The tears came spilling down, staining the floor of the stable she was to clean. She was seen as nothing more than a hired hand, now. A traitor to the highest degree.

Irella had been switched fiercely once Sumeko had gotten a hold of her on the Heights of Merrilor. it was like being a novice all over again, only ten times worse. She had been sentenced to forever be at the bottom of the Kin, never to channel without express permission from one of the Knitting Circle. It was like failing her test for the shawl again, stripped of anything she had accomplished.

Irella briefly looked up to the Kinswoman who was keeping an eye on her. She wiped her face and continued scrubbing. And scrubbing, and scrubbing. And it made no difference to the stain on her soul. That could never be scrubbed clean.

Alivia grinned as she, as well as three Asha'man, escorted Riften to his "sentence". Lord Tam had been informed of the appointment and had offered he and Bodewhin a place in the Lord's Manor until they built a home. Bodewhin had graciously accepted, while Riften still seemed stunned at his light punishment. Logain and the Telamons had gone so far as to claim that Riften had been acting on orders (though, in a way, he had).

The Asha'man stopped outside of Emond's Field and nodded before retreating back through a gateway, leaving the trio alone. Alivia cleared her throat to get their attention. "If you will excuse me," she said, "I believe you two have some business to take care of." With that she trekked toward the Winespring Inn.

Or perhaps she would return to the Black Tower and meet with a certain Two Rivers man?

Bode and Rif watched Alivia go, both still feeling guilty about leaving her behind. She had given them quite a rant about being left behind and all they could muster in defence was that everything had happened so fast. Bode grinned and looked at Rif, embracing the Source and weaving Spirit as she did. "She's right. We do have unfinished business." Rif looked at her in question and she quickly kissed him. She pulled back to see Rif with a dazed expression before his eyes widened in realization.

Rif smiled widely and, after a pause, kissed her back. She settled a newly crafted Warder bond over him, just as she felt an asha'man bond settle over her. That sensation of doubling arose as her identity circled in on Rif's and back to hers in an endless cycle that lasted mere moments. And then it was gone, that knot of his emotions back in place where it belonged. Bode smiled at her love and he smiled back.

Bode took his hand in hers and led them to Lord Tam's manor. Best tell him they were there.

As Bodewhin and Riften walked the streets of Emond's Field, hand-in-hand, Rif kept a hand in his coat pocket, fingering the gold ring he had bought at the Black Tower. After all the crazy they had been through and survived through, perhaps it was the Will of the Wheel that he ask this single important question …

As the young couple walked away, Rand al'Thor grinned down at them. They had conducted themselves … perhaps not in the best of ways, but he had to admit he had done far worse in may circumstances. They had done well in a difficult circumstance and he could not be more proud.

Rand turned and vanished into the air. Perhaps it was time he visited Seanchan. He had never been there before …

As Bode and Rif walked the streets, a gentle breeze stirred their hair, rising to grow stronger and pass over the Two Rivers and on to the black tower slowly rising from the land of Shar'aman. It turned and rose north to the Tar Valon, bringing the smell of fall. The wind was not the ending. There are no endings to the Wheel of Time.

But it was an ending …

Thank you all who supported this crazy endeavor. Your support and critique pushed me through the hard times. One story is finished, and more are soon to follow.

I'm thinking of doing a drabble series for this continuity, to see snippets of Bode and Rif's future, such as children. Tell me what you think.

And for those of you who still question Zavier's motives: he was unstable to begin with and it just got worse. not all evil is from the Dark One; men cam be just as bad.

Good night, everybody! I hope to see you all soon!