The Aiel had positioned themselves around the little group, while they guided them over their land. Loial had dismounted his horse since they weren't moving very fast, but Lan was back in the saddle behind Moiraine. The sun was almost gone, and the warder didn't know if his Aes Sedai would fall unconscious again.

"Do you recognize anything?", Moiraine whispered.

Carefully, Lan looked at the mountains behind them, then he took in the surroundings close to them. "It's definitely the right side of the spine of the world. But otherwise… I don't know enough about this land to be sure. Maybe, when we reach the village, I can say more."

Moiraine tilted her head to tell him that she understood. Lan used the opportunity to take a closer look at her. She was pale, and he had the feeling that she was trying to hide from him that her hands were shaking.

"How are you doing?"

She gave him one of her faked smiles, which were usually reserved for the people, who didn't know her too well. "I'm good."

With his knuckles, he stroked gently over her cheek and was immediately concerned when he felt how cold she was. She was leaning into his touch, so, he didn't pull away his hand. "I'm sure that we are almost there. And then you will be able to rest."

Moiraine nodded, then she concentrated on what was laying ahead of them.

They needed another hour until they reached a little village. Lan recognized the cottages from his visit to Moiraine's brain, but then he scolded himself. He knew too little about this land to be sure that this village was the same he had seen with Moiraine. It was possible that all the villages of the Aiel looked like this one.

The leader of their Aiel patrol – his name was Grievan – turned to Lan. He had taken off the fabric around his head. This way, his red hair was visible. Additional with his brown eyes, it was creepy how much he looked like an older version of Rand. "Would you please dismount your horses? My people will take care of them."

"I've heard that before.", Nynaeve whispered beside Lan, and both the warder and the Aes Sedai threw her a warning look. They weren't safe yet. Just because Grievan had decided to bring them to his village, it didn't mean that the Aiel wouldn't kill them.

Lan dismounted his horse, then he helped Moiraine down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, they gave in, and only Lan's strong arms prevented her from falling to her knees. The warder tried to carry her, but she stopped him. "Just give me a minute."

So, he shielded her from the eyes of the Aiel, while the others were giving their reins to the Aiel. "Nynaeve, could you bring me Moiraine's horse?"

The wisdom furrowed her forehead. "The Aiel…"

"I need to tie the reins to someone else's saddle. He didn't allow Tarin and his men to lead him. I don't want to anger the Aiel, because this horse likes to sink his teeth into an arm."

Finally, the wisdom understood and obeyed. While Moiraine was leaning against the flank of Lan's horse, Lan tied the reins of his horse to Moiraine's saddle.

"This is not necessary." Grievan appeared with an amused smile on his lips. "I have enough people to take care of your horses."

"With all due respect, my horse can be… difficult with strangers, and I don't want you or your people to get hurt, because he doesn't behave."

"That is very thoughtful of you. If you would follow me?"

Lan nodded, then he went back to Moiraine and steadied her by taking her arm, while his other arm lay around her back. Nynaeve walked on the other side of the Aes Sedai, and the rest of their group followed them.

"Mother Fiosä needs to approve you before we can allow you to stay with us."

"What happens if she doesn't approve us?", Nynaeve asked, but she got no answer. Nervously, she threw a look at Lan, whose whole body was tensed. He had left his sword with the horses, but he was obviously not feeling well. They were outnumbered – again – and the Aiel wouldn't be so kind to let them leave.

A woman with shoulder-length, white hair stepped out of one of the cottages and her blue eyes moved observing over the companions. Other than Grievan and his group, she wore a green tunic and a dark blue skirt. Grievan held up his hand to stop the little group, then he bowed before he spoke to the woman. "Mother Fiosä. I found these people on our land. They say that they are searching for a friend. A man with the name Rand."

"It's alright." Rand stepped out of the cottage behind Mother Fiosä. The redhead wore a blue tunic and brown pants. Obviously, the Aiel had given him some new clothes. "I know them."

"Rand!" Egwene was the first, who was able to move and threw her arms around her boyfriend. "I was so worried!"

"I can't believe that you followed me here." Rand sounded tired, but he hugged Egwene tight to him. Then his eyes fell on Moiraine, who hadn't moved, but a weak smile laid on her lips. "Especially, since I asked someone to tell you I died at the eye of the world."

"I tried, but…"

Nynaeve didn't let the Aes Sedai finish. Angry, she put her hands on her hips. "Do you really think that I'm this easy to fool, Rand al'Thor?! Besides, you ask HER to lie for you?"

At least, Rand looked ashamed at Nynaeve's words. Egwene cupped his face in her hands. "We are your friends, Rand. We want to help you."

"Don't you get it, Egwene? I don't want to hurt any of you. I can't say what the madness will do to me now that I have channeled."

"Then we will find it out. Together."

While the companions were focused on Rand, no one had an eye on Mother Fiosä, who was now walking to Moiraine and Lan. The warder noticed the old woman out of the corner of his eyes, but it was already too late. With her bony hand, she grabbed Moiraine's face and took a closer look at her eyes. Lan wanted to step between the two women, but Grievan was suddenly by his side and held him back.

"So, you are the one, who is bonded to the boy."

"What?!" Rand's angry eyes fell on the Aes Sedai. "What have you done to me?!"

"Shut up, boy. She is suffering from this just like you. She didn't do this."

Lan furrowed his forehead. "How do you know this?"

Mother Fiosä's eyes fell on the warder and she smiled. "Do you really think that I wouldn't recognize an Aes Sedai when I see one? Especially, when she has a warder? You would like to rip my head off for just touching her, young man."

Lan gritted his teeth, but he didn't move. Mother Fiosä nodded at Grievan. "Let him go, Grievan. He is just protecting his woman. And when I look at her, then she needs to rest. This woman is exhausted and barely able to stand on her own feet." The old woman looked Moiraine directly in the eye. "It seems as if this connection is draining you as well."

Moiraine didn't answer and she didn't have to. Mother Fiosä released the face of the Aes Sedai and pointed at her cottage. "Come with me. You too, Rand. Tonight, I will watch both of you."

Carefully, Lan pulled Moiraine closer to him, but Mother Fiosä gave him a punch to the arm. "Don't be silly. You can feel her exhaustion. How long do you think she will be able to keep going on like that?"

The old woman smiled when she saw how the warder was fighting against his instincts, then she patted his cheek. "Don't worry, nothing will happen to her." With those words, she grabbed Moiraine's arm, but Lan refused to let go.

"I'm not leaving her."

"You will or Grievan will help you to stay outside."

"Lan." But the warder didn't respond to his Aes Sedai. Instead, he kept staring into Mother Fiosä's eyes, who was staring back. "Lan, please."

He took a deep breath, then he turned his head. Moiraine gave him a reassuring smile, then the old woman guided her to the cottage. "I don't like to repeat myself, Rand."

The young man sighed and kissed Egwene before he followed the two women inside the cottage. Grievan chuckled. "Well, you are approved then. Let's get you something to eat."

The Aiel man didn't look if the others were following him and left. Perrin laid his arm around Egwene, then he guided her after Grievan, while Loial was right behind them. Nynaeve stepped to Lan, who hadn't moved and whose eyes were locked on the closed door of the cottage. "She'll be alright, Lan. Come on, let's eat something."

But the warder shook his head before he sat down on the grass with his legs crossed. "I'm not leaving. I may not be allowed inside, but she can't force me to leave."

"This is ridiculous. You need to eat."

"I'm good."

Nynaeve growled, but she gave up. She knew his stubbornness, so, she went after her friends and left the warder alone. There was no way, she would be able to change his mind.

An hour later, the wisdom returned to the cottage of mother Fiosä and found the warder, where she had left him. She was impressed by how calm he remained, although she assumed that it was only a farce. In her hands, she carried a plate with meat and some bread. Against what he had said, she knew that he needed to eat.

Lan looked at her when she approached him. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought you food since you are too stubborn to get it yourself."

"I don't need anything."

Nynaeve sat down beside him and handed him the plate. "I came all this way to bring you this. Now, don't be unpolite and eat it."

For a moment, Lan just looked at the food, as if he didn't know what to do with it. Then he smiled at Nynaeve, which made the young woman blush. "You're right. Thank you, for bringing me this."

"That's better.", Nynaeve answered arrogantly, but she couldn't suppress her smile "How long do you plan to sit here?"

"Until I'm allowed to see her."

"You know that this won't happen tonight?"

"Then I'll sit here until the sun rises and longer if I have to."

Nynaeve observed the door, while Lan was eating beside her. When he put down the empty plate, she said: "Grievan offered us two cottages. One for Egwene and myself and the other one is…"

"Perrin and Loial can have it. I won't sleep tonight."

"You're an idiot."

Lan raised an eyebrow, but he didn't scold her. After all, he knew that he wasn't acting reasonably. But he couldn't get it over himself to leave his Aes Sedai in the hands of this Aiel woman, while he knew nothing about what was going on in there. Moiraine could be in pain, and he wouldn't know it because of the masked bond.

Suddenly, the door of the cottage opened and Mother Fiosä appeared with her hands on her hips. "What are you two doing out here?! You will catch a cold! Hasn't Grievan give you a cottage?!"

"How is she?" Immediately, Lan was on his feet, although he didn't dare to move closer to the door.

"They are both asleep. And you should rest, too. In the cottage, which Grievan was supposed to give you."

"As I told you before, I won't leave her."

Mother Fiosä sighed deeply, then she looked at Nynaeve. "And what is your excuse?"

"I will keep him company." The wisdom was still sitting on the ground, but her eyes were daring the old woman to give her a reason to fight her.

"Why am I surrounded by stubborn children?", Mother Fiosä mumbled to herself, then she stepped back into her cottage "In the light's name, get in here before you get sick!"

Lan helped Nynaeve to get up, then they followed the Aiel woman inside and closed the door behind them. It was a small cottage, but there was enough space for three beds. Two of them were occupied by Moiraine and Rand, who were both asleep like the old woman had said. Lan was by Moiraine's side in an instant and kneeled beside her. His right hand grabbed one of her hands, while he put his left hand on her hair. She looked fine. Obviously, she wasn't in pain and she didn't have a nightmare. Whatever this Aiel woman had done to her, it was working.

Curious, Mother Fiosä observed how Lan was reacting, while Nynaeve did her own observation with Rand, who was also sleeping peacefully. "What did you do to them?", the wisdom wanted to know.

"I'm afraid that's not my doing. The Aes Sedai is the reason, that the Dark One can't reach Rand. As long as she is present, they will be able to sleep without him showing up."

"But Rand was blocked from the influence of the Dark One before we arrived here.", Lan said confused "How did you do that?"

"It wasn't easy and it took a lot of my energy. But most importantly, it was only temporarily." Mother Fiosä sat down on her bed. "That's why I told Rand that I need to know how this happened. I felt that someone was bonded to him, but I couldn't see or reach her. Sadly, the boy is extremely stubborn. He refused to tell me what happened to him. Any chance you could give me the answer?" Lan threw a look at Nynaeve and shook his head very slightly. It wasn't their place to tell this story. Nonetheless, the old woman saw both the look and his shaking head and sighed, before she lay down on her bed. "That's what I expected. Well, feel free to stay in here, although you have to sleep on the floor since I can't offer you another bed in here. I need to get some rest."

With those words, Mother Fiosä closed her eyes, and the cottage turned silent. Lan sat down at the wall beside Moiraine's head, then Nynaeve moved over to him. She urged him to lie down and to use his cloak as a pillow. Lan put his arm protectively around Nynaeve, then they gave in to the sleep.