Morning came, the dawn spilling through the curtains and washing over the bed. Red hair could be seen at the top of the cover and a hand reached up to pull it down. With a groan, Rand shielded his eyes from the sunlight with a hand. He blinked his grey eyes, letting them adjust to the brightness.
He pushed himself into a sitting position and leaned back against the headboard. He turned his head slightly in the direction of the window and caught sight of something that nearly made him fall out of the bed. There was a girl lying next to him, sleeping in the mirrored position of how he had been sleeping only a moment before. She looked to be about his age, with the same ruddy hair that he had, the sunlight making her hair shimmer slightly.
'Who is she?' he wondered. 'And why is she sleeping in my bed?' He hadn't been drinking the night before, so he couldn't have gotten drunk and taken her back to the inn. Shadowspawn, perhaps? No, there was nothing sinister about her. She looked nothing but innocent as she lay there, breathing deeply in her sleep.
As if sensing that she was being watched, the girl's eyes fluttered open. She blinked and was so startled that she did fall out of the bed, hitting the floor with a loud thud. Rand peered over the edge of the bed at her and couldn't help but laugh. "Are you alright?" he asked.
The girl blinked her eyes again, nothing here looked familiar to her. Her grey eyes looked up into his and she rubbed the back of her head absently. "Just fine," she muttered. "Who are you?" she asked.
The Dragon Reborn smirked. "That's strange, I was about to ask you the same question."
The door swung open and two other young men stood in the aperture; one was holding a battle axe, the other with an odd staff covered in runic writing.
"And who are you?" she asked them at the same time they chorused, "What's going on, Rand?"
Rand looked from the girl to his two friends at the door and held up his hands for silence when they both continued asking things pointlessly. He held up his hands for silence. "All of these questions are apparently getting us nowhere. Now," he looked to the girl again, "may I ask who you are?"
She nodded. "I'm Randi."
The other two young men gave her an odd look and she got to her feet. "Is there something wrong with my name, gentlemen?" She arched an auburn brow at them.
Ignoring her, the one with the staff turned to Rand. "Don't you think that's odd, Rand? The girl's practically your double in a woman's body. And she even has a name like yours!"
"Don't talk over my head like I'm a child," her voice was low and dangerous.
The one with the staff winced slightly. "No offense meant," he held up his hands apologetically.
She sighed and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms across her chest. "None taken."
Glad that tragedy had been avoided, Rand walked over to his friends. He could sense some sort of power within Randi, and it had to be at least as strong as his own, if not stronger.
Shrugging it off, he put his hand on the staff wielder's shoulder. "This is Mat Cauthon."
He was a rather emaciated looking young man and his hair was disheveled as though he, too, was just awakened.
Rand stood beside the other boy, a much stockier youth with yellow eyes. "And this is Perrin Aybara."
Randi nodded and walked over to them, shaking each hand in turn. "Nice to meet you two." She sighed and her shoulders visibly slumped. "Judging by the weapons and state of undress you boys are in, I'm not even in my own time anymore."
"Mat's right, Rand. The resemblance between you two is uncanny," Perrin said as he looked Randi over more closesly.
Randi took a step closer to Rand; her grey eyes were exactly level with his, she was taller than the other two young men. Their eyes were unblinking as they stood toe to toe.
"This is very odd," Rand said simply.
"Very," Randi replied flatly.
She took a step back and held her right hand out to the side. "Can you do this?" A small flame flickered to life and floated above her palm.
He smirked and mimicked her position. "Of course." A similar flame appeared above his hand.
"What is she, Aes Sedai?" Mat spat the words as though they were poison.
She closed her hand and the flame extinguished. "In my time, my friends called me The Dragon," she said.
"But how can there be two Dragon Reborns?" Perrin asked.
"The Pattern works in mysterious ways, Perrin."
"Now you sound like a bloody Aes Sedai, Rand." Mat said with obvious distaste.
"Why don't you two go get dressed? We'll meet you down at breakfast."
With a nod, Mat and Perrin left. The Dragon Reborns looked at each other once again, blank expressions on their faces.
Rand broke the gaze and pulled a shirt over his head, followed by a ridiculously flashy red coat with golden dragons embroidered on the arms. He looked almost like a lord. Glancing over at Randi, he couldn't resist a smirk. With the masculine clothes she was wearing, he reminded her of Min. He was sure that a bit of femininity would make her seem very pretty.
"Is there a joke I should know about?" Randi asked as she ran her fingers through her hair.
Rand slipped on his boots and she bent to redo the laces on her sneakers. She was glad that she had fallen asleep with her clothes on the night before, otherwise she'd be very embarrassed at the moment. She was wearing loose, black denim jeans and her shirt was sleeveless and red. A silver chain hung from her belt loop, attached to the patent black leather wallet in her back pocket.
"You know," Rand began.
"Hmm?" she looked over at him from where she now leaned against the wall.
"Those are very odd clothes," he said simply.
Randi smirked. "These are normal for my time. Most clothing is unisex and can be worn by men and women."
He gave her a look as though the idea were ludicrous and he stood again.
The two Dragon Reborns walked down to the dining room together, Randi waving cheerfully at people who gave her odd looks. As they sat down at the table, she smacked her forehead.
"Dammit," she muttered. Rand cast a sideways glance at her. She sighed. "My money isn't worth anything here, I'll bet." She unhooked the chain from her belt loop and took her wallet from her back pocket.
Randi shook the leather wallet and frowned when it made a loud clinking noise. Her grey eyes widened as she opened it. "Holy..." she pulled out a golden Tar Valon mark and looked at it quizzically. "Is this what you guys have for currency?"
Mat's eyes were nearly popping out of his head. "You have a purse full of those?!" he hissed in a voice barely above a whisper.
Randi nodded and Mat looked as though he were about to faint. "She could probably buy all of Emond's Field with that money, Rand! Make her put it away, before someone sees!"
Perrin snorted. "She's sitting right there, you fool. She can hear you just fine."
She dropped the coin back in her wallet and closed it, putting it back in her pocket. She reattached the chain and sighed. She was packing enough money to get mugged, not good. At least she knew that she could get a warmer wardrobe when winter came.
"Hey, guys?" They all turned their gazes to her as food was set before them. "What season is it?"
"Luckily for you, it's summer." Mat said and he began eating.
Randi nodded and they all ate in near silence. She could still feel people watching her, and she didn't eat as much as she normally would. Surely, the men needed more of the food than she did.
Rand looked at her out of the corner of his eye and slid a plate of food in her direction. "Eat," he said simply. "You're going to need it later on."
With a sigh, she consented and ate. The food on the plate disappeared faster than it should have, and Randi smirked. 'I guess that inter-dimensional travel takes a lot out of a person.'
She looked at the glass of crimson fluid before her. 'It may have been normal for minors to consume alcohol once, but I don't know if my body can handle it.' She picked up the glass and took a cautious sip. The wine was sweet, and it felt cold as it slid down her throat.
Perrin smirked and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Minors aren't allowed to drink alcohol in my time," she said indignantly.
"Your time was an odd one, Randi." Mat put in.
Randi scoffed, "Like this place is normal central. I feel like I'm Alice and I've fallen through the proverbial rabbit hole." She said with a sigh, "Don't ask."
They all finished eating and they seemed to be waiting for something. Randi asked what it was, and Mat answered absently, "Someone to come get the dishes."
She shook her head. "Is that all?" She got to her feet and set about stacking all of their dishes into two precariously tall columns. She held one in each hand and carried them to the kitchen, leaving the young men and anyone in sight with stunned looks on their faces. Not only at her odd display of strength, but at her clothes.
A woman in an apron stood in the kitchen, fussing over something on the stove. Randi cleared her throat and the red-faced woman turned around. "Excuse me, ma'am. Where would you like me to put these?"
The woman looked shocked for a moment before coming to her senses. "Heavens, child. Aren't they heavy?"
Randi arched a brow. "Not at all. Now, where did you say you wanted these?"
"Yes, yes. You can set them right here," she patted the counter next to the sink.
Randi carried them over and set the stacks down, never dropping or breaking a single one. The woman stared at Randi and asked, "Who are you, child?"
Randi smiled and held out her hand to the woman. "I'm Randi, the... I'm traveling with some friends."
The woman awkwardly shook her hand. "I'm Eva, Mistress of the Kitchens. How did you carry all of those dishes?"
Randi laughed. People had been so sexist, way back when. "I train my body as well as my mind, ma'am."
"Hmm. Odd thing for a young girl to do. Who are you traveling with, dear?"
Randi walked to the kitchen entrance and pointed at the trio. "I'm with those three," she said as she pointed to them.
Eva frowned slightly. "Off on an adventure, then?"
"More than you could ever know."
The woman patted her shoulder. "I'm sure one of them will make a fine husband for you, Randi."
Randi was speechless for a moment. 'A husband? One of them?! Never!' She put on a smile and said, "Oh yeah. Most definitely."
Eva gave her a motherly smile and Randi had an idea. "Eva, let me do you a favor..." The woman looked at her questioningly.
Randi took one of the gold marks from her wallet and pressed it in to Eva's hand. She looked up at Randi, thoroughly confused. With a smile, Randi said, "I have to much money as it is. I wouldn't know what to do with all of it."
"Thank you, Randi. So much."
"It should be able to pay for quite a few expenses."
Eva nodded and Randi waved as she went to join the boys again. She gave them all a mischievous grin and asked, "So, where are we off to?"
Rand shrugged. "Wherever we want to go."
"You mean to tell me that there's not a specific reason why you boys are so far from home?"
Perrin shot her a look and Mat said softly, "We're not about to say where others can hear."
Randi nodded. "Gotcha." There was silence for a moment and she asked, "Is there anywhere around here where I can get a good cloak or something? I don't want to get soaked if it rains."
"We can stop by a tailor's before we set out."
Having paid for their food and lodging, the four headed to the tailor's. Randi and Rand walked side by side with Mat and Perrin bringing up the rear.
From what she had seen of it, this city was unbelievably large for its time. The cobblestone streets were closer to pavement than she had expected. People were still casting odd looks at she and Rand. She heard muttering about "bloody Aiel."
"Rand?" He looked over at her and she continued. "What are Aiel?"
He smiled. "Warriors from the Blight, a huge desert. They have red hair and grey eyes, like we do."
Randi nodded and they didn't speak again until they reached the tailor's shop.
