OK, I am hopeless at humor, so I am going to start a fic that is one of those good action ones, so check it out! I have read up to about 120 pages in Lord of Chaos, so some things are not acurate to the end of the story as you may know it, but I know a few things in advance because my bro spoiled stuff. PLEASE REVIEW!! Also, my goal in life is to be in an insane asylum by age 80 because im afraid flying flaming squirrels are trying to eat me and stop me from going to the bathroom. In case you haven't noticed, I am a wierd person and proud of it. Lol, to be honest, I am probably the wierdest person you'll ever know because I talk and act insanely, and actually write decent, good stories. 000EJ, Liscense to HEAL! (my motto after I became Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah)
^(triple-oh EE JAY)^
^.^ Disclaimer: I own nothing. Go ahead, call your lawyer. ^.^
*****IMPORTANT NOTE: In every fic I write, I have one line that does not fit the idea/mood/theme/whatever of the fic. That is just something I do, so don't flame for it. I guess you could call it my trademark (that or an idiocincracy).*****
A NEW QUEST: Chapter 1
Nynaeve adjusted the shawl around her shoulders, fingering the yellow fringe. She sighed, knowing that in just a moment she would have to face the Amyrlin. Being a full Aes Sedai after the second Breaking of the World was nothing like before. Full sisters were much more powerful now, and saidin was untainted. Brothers of saidin were very powerful, as well, but now neither had an advantage over the other. She loved the power that she now so openly held, yet hated it all the same.
"Nynaeve Sedai?" a novice in a pure white dress asked timidly, dropping a curtsy. "The Amyrlin Seat will see you now."
Nynave sighed and stood, following the girl down the hallway. The Combined Towers were built after the Second Breaking, and were home to both male and female Aes Sedai. The female side of the large tower with two tops was comfortable and large, but Nynaeve felt suddenly cooped up and small. Every time she thought of the Amyrlin, her thoughts drifted to Egwene.... Tears filled the Aes Sedai's eyes. Quickly, she wiped them away and put her head into the air.
The girl was hardly a woman when she had died. Died from something even Nynaeve could not Heal. Seeing her face in that last moment while she held Gawyn's hand.... That was the worst part. The face that never quite abandoned it's youth, with a look of pain and love to deep to comprehend.... Gawyn had never been the same afterwards, even now, three years later. He had been her Warder and husband, and could not stop thinking of her night and day.
The novice glanced over her shoulder and nearly tripped. Nynaeve scowled and told her to be more careful. Clumsy fool! Tripping over nothing. But she couldn't see the cold, angry fire burning beneath her eyes.
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Myrelle was dead. Moiraine was dead. Nynaeve was all Lan had left now, since his war was no longer in existance. After the Second Breaking, all the Trollocs and Halfmen were gone, and he had nothing to fight. Numbly he climbed the steps to the entrance of the Combined Towers, hoping to find Nynaeve. He dreaded it as much as he wished he could find her; surely by now she had a Warder and had forgotten him. As he entered, a frightened novice and a dark haired, yellow-shawled Aes Sedai passed him. He could not see her face, but he had a feeling the woman wasnt happy.
He continued walking until something seemed to hit him. That dark, plaited hair, clung tightly in her wrist? Nynaeve!
He ran back toward the entrance and further, knocking an idle servant down on his way. "Nynaeve!" The dark haired Aes Sedai turned and gasped.
"Lan!" Her face was so different, yet it could be none but her. He had not seen her in ten years, since Egwene died from that odd illness. But she had not been Aes Sedai then, and now she had that cool agelessness about her that made him shudder.
"Lan, what are you doing here? Where is Myrelle? Oh, Lan... she isn't.... dead, is she?"
Lan nodded. Nynaeve put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
He took her hand and said, "You have a Warder?"
She shook her head. "You... don't? Really?" Two years Aes Sedai, and she didn't have a Warder?
The novice cleared her throat. "Nynaeve Sedai, Lan Gaidin, the Amyrlin is waiting."
Nynaeve looked startled for a second, then nodded. Taking her hand from Lan's, she murmured, "Wait for me? We will talk."
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Mayodin paced his chambers intently. All those years he had hidden because he could reach into saidin, and now he was to be trained. He had on the black pants and shirt of a male novice, though he was one of few. He shook his head as he looked down. He hated the garments, as he hated the Combined Towers. After the Second Breaking, many things had happened, including the Great Lord's death.
Not having anyone to swear to, and not wanting to turn back to the Light, he simply hated all things that were. No more Trollocs, or Halfmen, or anything to command. He had been high on the Council of Darkfriends, and now had nowhere to go but this lousy tower. An Accepted poked her head in. There was only three male Accepted right now.
"Mayodin? You have been summoned to come to the Amyrlin."
Mayodin bowed and followed, while thoughts raced through his head. Why? Had they discovered who he had been? What was going to happen? The male Amyrlin was not yet established, as there were not many men at the Towers. Ten years after the Second Breaking, eight since the Towers were built, five since all the Darkfriends but he had died or turned to the Light, and three since the Amyrlin -Egwene, was it?- had died.
Also, all that talk about "soldiers" and "dedicated" and whatnot had caused quite an uproar, and Mayodin was on the wrong side throughout the entire ordeal. Many believed Rand al'Thor's ideas about saidin should stay, but the majority of the women decided if there were going to be males Aes Sedai, they should be Aes Sedai to represent unity in the Towers. Mayodin had been a major supporter of keeping the Dragon Reborn's ideas, and had, slipping back into his Darkfriend ways, killed a sister who disagreed passionatley with him. Had they found out?
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Nynaeve curtsied deeply, staying in the stance until the Amyrlin commanded her to rise. Dekina Sedai had been a Green before being raised, and was a powerful, wise leader. Nynaeve respected her, and her Warder, Homwen Gaidin. Homwen refused to leave Dekina's side, and Nynaeve doubted whether any but Lan could best him with a sword.
"WAAAASSSSSSUUUUUUUUP?!?!?!?" Nynaeve bellowed, doing the disco to some unheard tune.
"Daughter, do you know why I have called you?" the Aes Sedai asked in a gentle yet firm voice.
"No, Mother."
"Then you shall. In a moment a novice will be here, one with phenomenal abilities. He-" Nynaeve tensed; male?- "is younger than you by quite a few years, but he has a block much like your own was. Since you have overcome that block and risen to the power you hold now, I thought you would be an ideal teacher."
"As you command, Mother, so shall it be," Nynaeve replied in a tight voice.
"Ah, my daughter, but there is more. He is suspected as a Darkfriend. You used to hunt the Black Ajah, so it makes sense that you should be his teacher and keep an eye on him. I will not make you do this if you disagree, Nynaeve."
"I... I will, Mother. Wha-" Whatever she had been about to say was cut off as a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Dekina commanded. A young man in novice's black entered the room and bowed low. His dark brown hair was cut short and was combed neatly. He was probably twenty years younger than Nynaeve, though none could tell if they looked at them in comparison due to Aes Sedai agelessness. In truth, Nynaeve was almost forty years old.
"Rise, my son." The man rose. His eyes were surprisingly light blue, an extreme contrast to his nearly black hair. "Mayodin, this is Nynaeve Sedai of the Yellow Ajah. I am sure you have heard of her; she is well known as the best Healer since the Age of Legends. She is to instruct you on how to get over the block that keeps you from saidin."
"As you command, Mother, so shall it be," came the cool reply.
Nynaeve looked at Dekina, and asked, "May I speak, Mother?" She almost grimaced at her tone. She hated being humble. After the Amyrlin's nod, Nynaeve turned back to the novice. "Mayodin? As your instructer, I expect you to follow what I say and do what I ask."
"Yes, Nynaeve Sedai," he answered. His voice was humble, but he was obviously was not used to and could not like being commanded like she had. She almost grinned. This would be fun!
"You may go, now, children," Dekina announced.
They bowed and curtsied appropriately, and left the chambers. After they left, Nynaeve turned to Mayodin. "We shall begin tomorrow. I have... other buisness to attend to today. Report to me at lunch, I shall be in the cafeteria eating at a table in the far right. I expect to meet you precisely at noon."
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Lan stood waiting as Nynaeve rounded the corner. She smiled and motioned him to follow her. Without saying a word he fell in step behind her. His graceful, deadly prowl had not worn off after Myrelle died; rather he was so used to it for 30 years that nothing changed. He felt the effects of having to eat and rest though, and that had been a hard change. After 30 years of being half mortal, it was hard to get used to being normal. At last Nynaeve stopped and opened a door to a common room empty of people. Nodding to herself, she entered, Lan following only a half step behind.
For a moment after he had shut the door, the pair stood and looked at each other. Nynaeve unconsciously looked down and smoothed her skirts with one hand, the other tugging her braid. When she looked up, it was into Lan's face. They shared a kiss before either said a thing.
"Why did you come to me?" Nynaeve asked quitely, resmoothing her skirts. "Why not go and reestablish Malkier? You know you could. People would rally to the Golden Crane without pause."
"Because... because.... What man would rather be a king than have the woman he loves?"
Nynaeve was silent. To herself, she muttered, "Wisdoms harldy ever marry." Her cheeks brightened. "I thought we agreed that last day I saw you when... when Egwene was still alive... that we would each go our own ways."
"Myrelle is dead, Nynaeve. I have nothing to live for but you. Please...."
"Will you be my Warder, Lan?" There. She had done it. Quitely, timidly, yes, but she had. She could not stand to see him so helpless, and she wanted a Warder. She wanted Lan, too.
"Yes, of course! Light, but I was afraid... oh well. I..." he trailed off, as though unsure what he was going to say. She had never seen him show so much emotion before, exept maybe once. And now she felt so happy that he would be hers forever. She took his head and began the Flows that would bond him to her.
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Elayne looked up in surprise as a gateway opened and Nynaeve stepped through, followed closely by Lan. The feel of saidar left as soon as the gateway closed. "Nynaeve! Lan! What are you doing here?!" She looked curiously at Lan, as though directing the last statement toward him.
The room she was standing in was very odd indeed. It was filled with many small objects of all different shapes and sizes, each sorted and with a label. Ter'angreal, Nynaeve knew. Elayne was famous for making ter'angreal, among other things. The Queen was the first person after the Second Breaking to get a nation together. She called it Andor, of course, though it was not at all like the old Andor.
Nynaeve smiled and hugged the Green sister. Birgitte slipped from the shadows with that deadly grace that all Warders had and gave her a hug as well. Lan nodded to both, his light blue gaze as expressionless as ever.
"Elayne, Birgitte. How good it is to see you! Oh, Elayne, I'm sorry I haven't visited you more often! After... after Egwene, I just couldn't...." She choked and tears filled her eyes. "Burn me, I thought I was over it!" Tears streamed down Elayne's face as well as the Aes Sedai hugged each other and cried. "Three years," Nynaeve sobbed, "and I still cry about her!" When the tears had passed, Elayne wiped her face and grinned weakly.
"Egwene wouldn't want us to cry over her, Nynaeve. She was a heroine, fighting along side Rand and Mat and Perrin, and leading the Aes Sedai back to greatness. Light, but I miss them all! Aviendha... Aviendha is now remembered as a Hero of the Ages, did you know that?" Birgitte smiled sadly in the background. Tel'aran'rhiod had been pleasant for her. "I wonder if we can meet her... and Egwene... in tel'aran'rhiod?"
"You could," Birgitte put in, "but they have to know how to travel around the Unseen World dead as well as alive. They might not know they can meet you, or how. They have been"
Nynaeve nodded, and Elayne brightened as she looked at Lan, as stony-faced as ever. "Well, al'Lan Mandragoran, have you finally given in to Nynaeve?" She grinned and looked at Nynaeve, who grinned back.
"In a way, Elayne, in a way. Myrelle died, so he came to me."
Elayne's grin faded. "Oh. I'm sorry, Lan. I know what it is like to lose one close to you." All Lan did was nod in acknowledgement that she had spoken. "But why didn't you go raise the banner of Malkier? Many would rally to you."
Lan shook his head. "Did you plan this?" Both women grinned and shook their heads. He continued, "What is a king without a queen to keep him in line?"
Elayne gasped. "Are you... did you...?"
Nynaeve smiled, as Lan cleared his throat. "No," she told the Green sister, "we aren't married." She laughed. "Just bonded."
Elayne caught what Lan wasn't meant to (and she was sure he didn't, since he wasn't a woman): that Nynaeve just considered the Bonding as a step towards her higher goal. Elayne suppressed a smile. Who knew? Maybe Nynaeve really would be a queen! Birgitte, apparently, also caught the unsaid words that Nynaeve intended for Elayne only, as she began hacking in what sounded like a change from laughter.
"Are you all right, Birgitte?" Nynaeve asked coolly; her voice seemed to have frost in it. Birgitte coughed louder and nodded. When she finally recovered, she grinned.
"Swallowed wrong," she said, and started all over again. Lan raised his eyebrows, as though he knew what she was doing, but not why, which made Birgitte "cough" louder, and Elayne add her own fits of giggles and Nynaeve hide a grin behind her hand.
"Women," he muttered. All three laughed outright; Birgitte almost fell down from trying to hold onto her sides and a chair at the same time.
When, at last, all three had settled down, Nynaeve jumped suddenly. "Oh! I have to go! I forgot.... I have to teach Mayodin today!"
"Mayodin?" Elayne asked. "Who...?"
"I'll tell you late. Goodbye Elayne, Birgitte." Opening the gateway, she motioned for Lan to go first. After he stepped through and turned to her expectantly, Nynaeve gave both women one more hug, stepped through the hole in reality, and vanished.
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Mayodin looked at the table in the back expectantly. Suddenly, a hole appeared with a man, Nynaeve, and two women he did not recognize on the other side. First came the man- he had to be a Warder, the way he carried himself - and after one moment Nynaeve stepped through and the hole vanished. He blinked in surprise. That was WEIRD. He had heard many things were possible with the Power, but to step across millions of miles? He hurried with his tray to the table.
Nynaeve turned from talking to the Warder in a low voice to smile shortly at Mayodin, who bowed low. The Warder immediatley stepped between the Aes Sedai and the novice, but Nynaeve laid a hand on his shoulder and murmured, "Easy Lan. This is my pupil, Mayodin."
Mayodin couldn't resist. "Nynaeve Sedai, what was that you just did?"
Nynaeve raised her eyebrows and gave the Warder- Lan, was it?- an amused smile. His stoney gaze never left Mayodin, who shivered under that piercing stare. "It is called Travelling, Mayodin. A very advanced use of the Power, and something you will not learn until you are Accepted or even full Aes Sedai. If you can even hold enough of saidin to do it. Very advanced. By the way, Mayodin, this is Lan, my Warder. Lan, this is Mayodin."
Mayodin bowed and murmured, "Lan Gaidin, I wait and serve." He hated saying that. The women novices and Accepted didn't have to say anything to the Warders, but the men did because they also learned the sword under the Warders.
Lan nodded to him. Though he did not show it, Nynaeve was sure he was shocked at least a little. He had not visited the Towers since Myrelle was sent on a mission three years ago to help hunt down the last of the Shadowspawn. After the Last Battle, most of the Green Ajah had been wiped out or had stilled themselves by drawing too much of saidar. All of the ones who had lived through it were sent to destroy the last Trollocs, Myrdraal, Darkhounds, and the lot. Myrelle apparently had died on this mission, though how- surrounded by what, four Warders?- was beyond Nynaeve. The Towers had only recently required the male novices to train.
"Now, Mayodin, tell me how you think of holding saidin." One thing she had learned from Rand was that saidar and saidin were very different.
"I feel I must have it, yet I can't because I don't want to surrender to it."
"Good. Don't surrender. What you must try is ....."
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After being excused, Lan wandered to the other Warders. Many knew him and nodded, some even bowing and murmuring "Dai'shain" as he passed. Many of the Malkieri men had become Warders because there was nothing left after the country fell to the Trollocs. Upon coming to the practice circle, he took off his cloack and unseathed his sword.
Many people had heard rumors of this "Lan". They had heard he was an expert swordsman, probably the best since Rand died. But not many had seen in truth how good he was. Endless drills, stances flowing as fluidly and easily as water. By the time he was done with the normal excersices, he had a large audience.
A young man in Accepted dark blue stepped into the ring, holding up two practice swords. Without a word, Lan tossed his sharp, Heron-branded one to a novice- who stared at it in awe before putting it aside- and caught the practice sword tossed his way.
While he inspected the sword for flaws, he asked casually, "Who are you?"
"I am Mac, Lan Gaidin."
A watcher, probably a novice as the shout came from a band of white-clad, google-eyed girls, yelled, "The best swordsman here, Lan Gaidin, though he would never say to someone's face, yes?." All the girls giggled. "He's beaten all the Warders in one-on-one, save Homwen Gaidin himself."
Lan narrowed his eyes at the handsome, lanky man. Shorter than Lan by a hair, he had black hair, a sharp, hooked nose, and black, tilted eyes. Saldaean. He did seem to hold the sword with a deadly grace and poise to match most Warders.
They squared off, both holding their swords at a perfect angle, with a perfect stance. All the watchers fell silent. The younger man grinned and launched into an attack, which Lan countered cooly and came back with one of his own. The boy was good, but not quite as good as Rand was when he had last taught him. This was easier than he had expected. In his mind, he grinned. He would take it easy, make it look like the other was winning, wear him out. Once he was more tired, his attacks more slow, Lan would still have the energy to give a full-out attack.
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Nynaeve joined the group. Mayodin was nowhere in sight, but she didn't look unpleased. She frowned as she watched Lan fight. He seemed worn out already, but that boy... Mac? She thought that was his name.... Mac didn't seem to be any better than Lan was; she had seen Lan fight, and he could do much better than that. On top of that, she could... sense him. She knew he wasn't tired, and that he had exactly as much energy, if not more, as his opponent.
Suddenly she understood. Smiling to herself, she sat down on a bench with a Brown sister named Chryse. Chryse's Warder nodded to her; she and Chryse had spent a lot of time together studying tel'aran'rhiod and other numerous things, and she knew the Warder well. Chryse herself was absorbed in a book and seemed aware of nothing around her. Feeling a sudden surge of energy from Lan, she looked back at the fight.
Lan had finally done it, tapped into his store of energy once Mac was tired. His practice sword moved in a blurr, and Mac's barely caught it each time until...
THWAP! His sword hit the Accepted's head and the boy buckled. Cheers rose as Lan bent over the black-haired man. With a slightly guilty look in his eyes, he motioned Nynaeve to come. She frowned and walked towards him, and immediatley knew why. Mac was unconscious. Bending over him, she seized his head and Healed, the large lump on his head leaving only blood behind. He stood up, not a bit shakily.
"What... what happened? The world went blank and then......." He caught sight of Nynaeve, and the lightbulb went on. He bowed. "Thankyou, Nynaeve Sedai. I can guess what happened now," he said with a slight grin, then turned to Lan. "Can you teach me what you did, Lan Gaidin? I have never fought someone with such skill."
Lan's stoney face never changed as he eyed the man. "A simple trick. I can teach you. Unless, Nynaeve, we plan to leave the Towers soon?"
She shook her head, and Mac looked at them strangley. "Forgive me, Nynaeve Sedai, Lan Gaidin, but shouldn't you ask Myrelle Sedai?"
"No," Lan said flatly, "I can't. Myrelle is dead. Nynaeve is my Bondholder now."
Mac looked slighlty amused and surprised, but wisely held his toungue and only bowed. Nynaeve didn't blame him, not many knew she had Bonded Lan as her Warder, especially not the Accepted. Many people around the Towers might never know, seeing as so many more people were there. She smiled at the Accepted and told Lan, "I just remembered, I have to talk to Chryse. I'll be back later."
After Lan nodded, she walked back to where Chryse was sitting, still engrossed in her book. "Chryse," she said. The Brown sister continued reading. Nynaeve narrowed her eyes and said more forcefully, "Chryse!" The younger woman never even moved. So instead, Nynaeve channeled and slammed the book shut. Chryse looked up in surprise.
Nynaeve scowled. "You were on page 96," she muttered. Chryse's Warder chuckled, and, upon recieving quite a stare from both Aes Sedai, got up and went out to help teach the gathered male novices sword tricks. "I need to talk to you."
Chryse looked at Nynaeve with her large, cool blue eyes. "What is it?"
"Well, I don't know exactly. But we could start by going to the library." The Brown sister looked regretfully at her book, then nodded and followed Nynaeve to Tar Valon's famous library.
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Chryse opened a book and layed it on the table. Nynaeve sat next to her and looked at the pages with arched eyebrows. The yellow, crinkled look of the book gave truth to the many years it had been around, yet in the back were recent dates and names.
"Taim, Logain, al'Thor... and so it ends. But these are all people who claimed they were- or really were- the Dragon Reborn. I just need Darkfriend listings," Nynaeve insisted. Chryse gave her a look that plainly told her how little she knew.
"Well, you are looking in the back. Darkfriends are in the front."
Nynaeve flipped to the front. At the very beginning were names written in Old Tounge. "How far back does it go?" Nynaeve wondered. She flipped to a random page. "Renora, Bahin, Sammael.... Sammael?! Light, this is old."
Chryse nodded. "During the Age of Legends, the Aes Sedai started this book and kept record in it of all caught and tried Darkfriends. The ancient sisters put a warding on it so it would never crumble or become frail, but that doesn't stop physical signs of aging." The Brown sister sighed. "If only we could still do that." Suddenly she brightened. "I know! I will start to dedicate half my time to re-learning old tricks! Perfect! Now I can....." Her voice trailed off as she saw Nynaeve's flat stare.
"Are you done yet?" the Healer asked, obviously annoyed.
"Actually, I wasn't," Chryse replied, "but we can keep looking."
Nynaeve's smile was not very amused. "Then let's do it."
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Lan came into the library to find Chryse buried in a book as usual and Nynaeve sitting across from the younger sister, slumped over an old, large book. He realized suddenly she was asleep, and snoring, at that, and also that Chryse was oblivious to it all. With a slight smile, he walked to the table and shook Nynaeve awake.
Her eyes opened quickly and she sat up straight, ageless face startled. "What? Where am I? Egwene? Aviendha? Where.... oh." She sat back and sighed. Lan rested a concerned hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, utterly cool, but he saw a deep sadness in her eyes. "They were so real" was all she said, and tears welled up. She forced her face back to smootheness, but did not say anything for a while. Lan thought that if she did, she would end up crying.
When she had choked down the tears, she stood and shook Chryse's shoulders. The Brown sister looked completely vexed at being startled back into reality. "I am going back to my quarters. Can you keep this book out? I will be back later." Chryse nodded, and Nynaeve and Lan set out. Nynaeve had moved to a different room since she Bonded Lan so he could have the room next to hers. She waved goodnight to Lan, closed the door. She sat down on her bed....
...and cried. They had actually been there. It wasn't just a dream. She had to have been in tel'aran'rhiod. Rand. Egwene. Aviendha. They were all there, and Egwene had been in the Amyrlin's stole and praised her upon becoming a sister. Rand and Aviendha stood together, his arm around her waist. He looked at her half the time, and looked around her the other half.
Finally, she had told him if he had a problem, he could tell everyone.
// He looked startled, then smiled and said, "I keep seeing these shimmers around you, like someone else is here, and I think it is because you have a Warder."
Egwene gasped. "Oh, do you? Do you? Who is it? Oh, tell us, Nynaeve!"
Nynaeve smiled as she replied, "Lan."
"Lan?" Aviendha asked. "But he was Bonded to Myrelle Sedai, I thought."
"Myrelle died."
Egwene's long dress shimmered into a black mourning gown, then back to the Amyrlin's robes.//
Nynaeve smiled. Egwene was remembered as the most successful and strongest Amyrlin ever, and was considered a Hero of the Ages after her courageous fight in the Last Battle and reuniting all of the Aes Sedai. Aviendha had died at Rand's side, channeling and fighting until a Trolloc ran her through with a sharp spear. Rand had thrown himself on the Trolloc and killed it quickly, and killed every other Trolloc with the Power that he could reach. Nynaeve had made a specail point of helping him wipe those vile things out.
She shivered as she thought of Rand. In the last moment, he had finally gone insane, yelling, "ILYENA! Forgive me! Aviendha! FOOOORRRGGIIIIVVVVEEEE MMEEEE!!" and those were the last words out of his mouth as he raced into the heart of Shayol Ghul to kill the Dark One. In the end, Aviendha had been his one true love, Elayne and Min's love had faded. People near Rand said he had been muttering things like, "To die forever....", "Ilyena, why? Forgive me!" and "I must end it!! End it and never come back!" through the whole battle.
Nynaeve wiped her tears away, and pulled out a box from under her bed. It was warded so that if anyone but she touched it their, hands would blister and burn until they took them away. Opening it carefully, she rummaged through the contents. Lan's heavy, golden ring, Elayne's recent letters with specail contents, Egwene's letter that she had written to Nynaeve only hours before her death, still after three years unopened, Aviendha's bracelet. At the bottom was Egwene's Amyrlin stole. The late Amyrlin had made sure it went to no one but Nynaeve or Gawyn. Gawyn couldn't keep it, so Nynaeve had agreed to take it. And, folded in the colorful stoles' depths, was a ring. Carved with only one edge, the ter'angreal had not been used for three years.
Nynaeve and Elayne had agreed that they should leave tel'aran'rhiod to Dreamers, but Nynaeve couldn't resist. Putting the leather cord attatched to the ring around her neck, she lied down and sung softly to herself until sleep overtook her and she entered the World of Dreams.
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She looked around and gasped. The Two Rivers! Emond's Field. She went to Bran al'Vere's inn. Walking around familiar ground, she felt safe and at home.
"Back so soon?" Egwene stood in the doorway. Nynaeve smiled.
"I thought I was here earlier. Lan woke me up." Egwene nodded. "Light, I miss you. All of you. Perrin, Mat, Rand, Aviendha, all of you. Three years! Burn me, why couldn't I Heal you?!" She started to sob.
"Oh," Egwene said. "I was afraid this would happen. Oh well, I have to tell you."
"Tell me what?" Nynaeve growled. "If you knew a way to save you......"
"Nothing of the sort. I went through a ter'angreal doorway once. It told me how I would die. I would be poisoned by a Black sister who would not turn back to the Light after the Last Battle."
"But I could have Healed poison!"
Egwene held up her hands. "It wasn't normal. It... well, I don't know what it was. But it was unHealable unless you knew the cure. Normal Flows couldn't have Healed it, Nynaeve. There was nothing you could have done."
Rand suddenly appeared next to Egwene. "Nynaeve. I have a favor to ask. I don't think anyone ever told Father... Tam... who... what I was. Would you... tell him for me somehow? That I am dead? Also, I talked to Perrin. He asked that you tell Faile he loves her and the twins."
Nynaeve swallowed, then nodded. Rand said his thanks, then disappeared. Egwene spoke. "He will never be Reborn. He is destined to be here forever."
Nynaeve nodded sadly. "He will have to wait a long time to finally rest in peace."
"He bounces between himself and Lews Therin sometimes. Lews Therin was handsome." Egwene blushed and smiled. "You had best be going soon. Visit me more often. When you go to the Two Rivers, tell Mother and Father I love them. Tell Gawyn I am his forever." She vanished.
Nynaeve faded into her real self slowly. When she was fully conscious, she got dressed into a pretty blue silk dress and went to wake Lan. When he had dressed, she opened a gateway. Dawn was just coming in the Two Rivers. Emond's Field. Manetheren. Home.
Already men and women were about, doing their chores. Nynaeve approached slowly. Faile was out with her two children, a widow after Perrin had died.
"Lady Faile," Nynaeve called, with a slight curtsy.
Faile curtsied back, with a startled look on her face. "What brings you to me, Aes Sedai? Lan?!" She peered at Lan's face suspicousley. "It is you."
"I am Nynaeve, Faile. We met once, before I was Aes Sedai."
"Nynaeve? Yes, I suppose it is you." Perrin and Amia looked at Nynaeve with wide eyes.
Perrin, the older twin, said curiously, "You are Aes Sedai? Wow! I never thought I would see a real Aes Sedai."
Faile smiled at her son and ruffled his hair. Turning back to Nynaeve, she asked, "Why have you come home, Nynaeve?"
"Faile, maybe we should talk in private," the Yellow sister suggested softly. The noble considered her with those beautiful slanted eyes, then nodded. "Perrin, Amia, why don't you go play with Mistress Cauthon's children?" Amia whooped and started to run, Perrin close on her heals.
"Mistress Cauthon? Mat married? He never told me." Nynaeve shook her head.
Faile slumped. "Yes, he married. She used to be Empress of the Seanchan, but she gave everything up for him, and they came here to settle down for a while, but the Last Battle came so soon. Perrin and Mat both left five weeks after Lunueve gave birth to her second child, Giana. Giana and Samaor are only a little younger than the twins."
They were at the Manor House. Inside a private room, Nynaeve sat down and explained to Faile about tel'aran'rhiod. "People who have departed this world live there, whether they know it or not, until the Wheel of Time spins them back into the Pattern."
Faile gasped. "You mean... Perrin? My Perrin is there?" Nynaeve nodded. "Can I go there?"
"I did. I met with Rand. He said Perrin told me to tell you he loves you and the twins." Faile started to cry. "Did anyone ever tell Tam about Rand?"
Faile shook her head, and, through sobs, said, "I didn't have the heart to."
"Where is he?"
"Old Tam is in the inn where the Wisdom is taking care of him. He is not going to live much longer, I think." Nynaeve stood. Faile sighed. "I suppose you have to tell him, too?"
"I can Heal him. And I have to tell him." She left. Lan joined her outside the door. Faile still sat and cried.
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"Tam? It is me, Nynaeve."
"Nynaeve? The old Wisdom? My dear, you look nothing like her." Nynaeve sighed. At least his memories weren't addled.
"I am Aes Sedai, Tam. I can Heal you."
His eyes grew wide. "No," he murmured after a while. Nynaeve was shocked. But the man continued. "Just... take away the pain? It is time I died. Tell me, where is Rand?"
Nynaeve Healed the man enough to take the pain away. His face relaxed. "Rand is... dead. Tam, Rand is dead." Tam's face never changed.
"I thought so. My poor boy. He was destined to it, wasn't he?"
The old fart never ceased to amaze Nynaeve. She blinked and closed her mouth, then nodded. "He was the Dragon Reborn."
Tam looked truly shocked for the first time. "I knew he was destined to be great, but... to die as Dragon Reborn? I knew the Last Battle had been fought, and the Second Breaking had occured- thank the Light Emond's Field is still here!- but... Rand... Dragon Reborn....." Tam shook his head and settled back. "I am weary. Send the Wisdom in again, if you will...." He fell asleep. Just asleep, Nynaeve noted. Not dead.
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"Faile, I will be back soon. Lan is going to stay here. I have to go back to the Towers to get some things. I won't be long at all."
The Saldeaen gave Nynaeve a funny look. "Tar Valon is very far away. How can you get there and back quickly?"
"Let me show you," the Yellow sister replied. Opening a gateway, she explained, "This is a... fold in reality. On the other side is my room in the Towers."
Faile's wide eyes were amazed. "Can I go with you?"
Nynaeve shrugged. "I don't see why not. Lan, we will only be gone half an hour at the most. Faile, you go first." Faile stepped forward hesitantly. Nynaeve nodded to her, and the woman stepped through and looked behind her.
"I can still see you!" she exclaimed.
The Aes Sedai turned to her Warder. "Stay here, I will return shortly." She vanished through the gap, which vanished as quickly as she.
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Faile walked around in circles. Nynaeve watched her with a grin as the other woman gabbed on and on. "Are we really here? This is so amazing. Why are we here?" Nynaeve went to her bed and pulled out her box. She opened it and took out the ring ter'angreal.
Tucking the ring into a pouch which she slung over her shoulder, she told Faile, "Come with me." She opened another gateway and found Elayne sitting on a throne with Birgitte at her side. Faile stepped through and the gateway with room in Tar Valon on the other side winked out of existence. A gasp rose from the audience as Nynaeve strode right to the Queen's side. Elayne stood.
The Green sister gave her and Faile a confused look, which Faile returned in full earnest. "Nynaeve," she said with her hands on her hips, talking through gritted teeth, "I am kind of busy right now."
"I am sorry, Elayne." Another gasp from the nobles. No one called Her Majesty "Elayne" except Birgitte and other royalties. "I need to borrow a ter'angreal. I didn't know you were doing this right now." Elayne's blue eyes narrowed. Faile was standing akwardly at Nynaeve's side, unsure of what to do.
"Birgitte," Elayne called. The Warder was at her side quickly, one hand on her quiver, the other on the silver bow she carried. "Will you take Nynaeve and... Faile?... to my ter'angreal room?"
Birgitte grinned and nodded. Faile smiled at Elayne. They remembered one another from the Stone of Tear. Once they were out of the throne room, Birgitte burst out laughing. "You caused quite an uproar, Nynaeve! Oh, that was funny!"
"Well, I didn't mean to. And if you have a problem with that, then I will shove some nasty concoction down your throat!" Birgitte hid an obvious smile behind her hand and nodded.
"Where is Lan?" she asked.
"Waiting for me and Faile. And the faster we go, the shorter he has to wait."
"Grumpy, grumpy," the blonde haired woman sighed. She laughed and ran ahead as Nynaeve scowled and opened her mouth. Channeling, the Aes Sedai stopped her in her tracks with a wall of Air.
"Anything else, Hero of the Ages?" Nynaeve grimaced. It was her fault- No! It was Moghedien's fault that Birgitte was no longer in tel'aran'rhiod. Birgitte, however, showed no reaction besides laughing harder and giving a strangled "no."
They finally, after much ado, reached the room packed with ter'angreal. Nynaeve followed the labels until she found the one she was looking for. It was a rectangle with a sleeping woman carved on the inside. "Thank you. Tell Elayne I will return it soon." Another gateway opened, and Lan stood on the other side. He blinked and stepped back. Faile went through with no trouble, and Nynaeve grinned at Brigitte. "See you another time."
Both woman and gateway winked away in a second.
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OK, how was it? I hope it wasn't too long for a chapter... You know how I figured out how old Nynaeve would be? In the 4th book, it says Nynaeve is 7 years older than Egwene, and that Rand is 2 years older than Egwene. In the 6th book, Mat is twenty, and Rand and Mat are the same age. If Rand is 20, than Egwene would be 18. 18+7=25. In this fic, the Second breaking was 10 years ago, so she would be 35, but you have to assume that there was a year or two between the Second Breaking and where I am in the 6th book. So 35= let's say 3= 38, or almost 40. So... for the fics purposes, suppose Lan is younger, because in truth he is way old... like 90 or something. Pretend with me he is only... 45. There. I am SMART! WAAAHOOOO! *cough* the insaneness is coming. HIDE!
Heh... heh... I am ok, no matter what you think. Sorry I dont know the "Daughter of the Nine Moons" real name. I just pushed "Lunar" and "nueve" (nine in Spanish) together and got Lunueve. *grins* PLEASE Review!!
^(triple-oh EE JAY)^
^.^ Disclaimer: I own nothing. Go ahead, call your lawyer. ^.^
*****IMPORTANT NOTE: In every fic I write, I have one line that does not fit the idea/mood/theme/whatever of the fic. That is just something I do, so don't flame for it. I guess you could call it my trademark (that or an idiocincracy).*****
A NEW QUEST: Chapter 1
Nynaeve adjusted the shawl around her shoulders, fingering the yellow fringe. She sighed, knowing that in just a moment she would have to face the Amyrlin. Being a full Aes Sedai after the second Breaking of the World was nothing like before. Full sisters were much more powerful now, and saidin was untainted. Brothers of saidin were very powerful, as well, but now neither had an advantage over the other. She loved the power that she now so openly held, yet hated it all the same.
"Nynaeve Sedai?" a novice in a pure white dress asked timidly, dropping a curtsy. "The Amyrlin Seat will see you now."
Nynave sighed and stood, following the girl down the hallway. The Combined Towers were built after the Second Breaking, and were home to both male and female Aes Sedai. The female side of the large tower with two tops was comfortable and large, but Nynaeve felt suddenly cooped up and small. Every time she thought of the Amyrlin, her thoughts drifted to Egwene.... Tears filled the Aes Sedai's eyes. Quickly, she wiped them away and put her head into the air.
The girl was hardly a woman when she had died. Died from something even Nynaeve could not Heal. Seeing her face in that last moment while she held Gawyn's hand.... That was the worst part. The face that never quite abandoned it's youth, with a look of pain and love to deep to comprehend.... Gawyn had never been the same afterwards, even now, three years later. He had been her Warder and husband, and could not stop thinking of her night and day.
The novice glanced over her shoulder and nearly tripped. Nynaeve scowled and told her to be more careful. Clumsy fool! Tripping over nothing. But she couldn't see the cold, angry fire burning beneath her eyes.
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Myrelle was dead. Moiraine was dead. Nynaeve was all Lan had left now, since his war was no longer in existance. After the Second Breaking, all the Trollocs and Halfmen were gone, and he had nothing to fight. Numbly he climbed the steps to the entrance of the Combined Towers, hoping to find Nynaeve. He dreaded it as much as he wished he could find her; surely by now she had a Warder and had forgotten him. As he entered, a frightened novice and a dark haired, yellow-shawled Aes Sedai passed him. He could not see her face, but he had a feeling the woman wasnt happy.
He continued walking until something seemed to hit him. That dark, plaited hair, clung tightly in her wrist? Nynaeve!
He ran back toward the entrance and further, knocking an idle servant down on his way. "Nynaeve!" The dark haired Aes Sedai turned and gasped.
"Lan!" Her face was so different, yet it could be none but her. He had not seen her in ten years, since Egwene died from that odd illness. But she had not been Aes Sedai then, and now she had that cool agelessness about her that made him shudder.
"Lan, what are you doing here? Where is Myrelle? Oh, Lan... she isn't.... dead, is she?"
Lan nodded. Nynaeve put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
He took her hand and said, "You have a Warder?"
She shook her head. "You... don't? Really?" Two years Aes Sedai, and she didn't have a Warder?
The novice cleared her throat. "Nynaeve Sedai, Lan Gaidin, the Amyrlin is waiting."
Nynaeve looked startled for a second, then nodded. Taking her hand from Lan's, she murmured, "Wait for me? We will talk."
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Mayodin paced his chambers intently. All those years he had hidden because he could reach into saidin, and now he was to be trained. He had on the black pants and shirt of a male novice, though he was one of few. He shook his head as he looked down. He hated the garments, as he hated the Combined Towers. After the Second Breaking, many things had happened, including the Great Lord's death.
Not having anyone to swear to, and not wanting to turn back to the Light, he simply hated all things that were. No more Trollocs, or Halfmen, or anything to command. He had been high on the Council of Darkfriends, and now had nowhere to go but this lousy tower. An Accepted poked her head in. There was only three male Accepted right now.
"Mayodin? You have been summoned to come to the Amyrlin."
Mayodin bowed and followed, while thoughts raced through his head. Why? Had they discovered who he had been? What was going to happen? The male Amyrlin was not yet established, as there were not many men at the Towers. Ten years after the Second Breaking, eight since the Towers were built, five since all the Darkfriends but he had died or turned to the Light, and three since the Amyrlin -Egwene, was it?- had died.
Also, all that talk about "soldiers" and "dedicated" and whatnot had caused quite an uproar, and Mayodin was on the wrong side throughout the entire ordeal. Many believed Rand al'Thor's ideas about saidin should stay, but the majority of the women decided if there were going to be males Aes Sedai, they should be Aes Sedai to represent unity in the Towers. Mayodin had been a major supporter of keeping the Dragon Reborn's ideas, and had, slipping back into his Darkfriend ways, killed a sister who disagreed passionatley with him. Had they found out?
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Nynaeve curtsied deeply, staying in the stance until the Amyrlin commanded her to rise. Dekina Sedai had been a Green before being raised, and was a powerful, wise leader. Nynaeve respected her, and her Warder, Homwen Gaidin. Homwen refused to leave Dekina's side, and Nynaeve doubted whether any but Lan could best him with a sword.
"WAAAASSSSSSUUUUUUUUP?!?!?!?" Nynaeve bellowed, doing the disco to some unheard tune.
"Daughter, do you know why I have called you?" the Aes Sedai asked in a gentle yet firm voice.
"No, Mother."
"Then you shall. In a moment a novice will be here, one with phenomenal abilities. He-" Nynaeve tensed; male?- "is younger than you by quite a few years, but he has a block much like your own was. Since you have overcome that block and risen to the power you hold now, I thought you would be an ideal teacher."
"As you command, Mother, so shall it be," Nynaeve replied in a tight voice.
"Ah, my daughter, but there is more. He is suspected as a Darkfriend. You used to hunt the Black Ajah, so it makes sense that you should be his teacher and keep an eye on him. I will not make you do this if you disagree, Nynaeve."
"I... I will, Mother. Wha-" Whatever she had been about to say was cut off as a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Dekina commanded. A young man in novice's black entered the room and bowed low. His dark brown hair was cut short and was combed neatly. He was probably twenty years younger than Nynaeve, though none could tell if they looked at them in comparison due to Aes Sedai agelessness. In truth, Nynaeve was almost forty years old.
"Rise, my son." The man rose. His eyes were surprisingly light blue, an extreme contrast to his nearly black hair. "Mayodin, this is Nynaeve Sedai of the Yellow Ajah. I am sure you have heard of her; she is well known as the best Healer since the Age of Legends. She is to instruct you on how to get over the block that keeps you from saidin."
"As you command, Mother, so shall it be," came the cool reply.
Nynaeve looked at Dekina, and asked, "May I speak, Mother?" She almost grimaced at her tone. She hated being humble. After the Amyrlin's nod, Nynaeve turned back to the novice. "Mayodin? As your instructer, I expect you to follow what I say and do what I ask."
"Yes, Nynaeve Sedai," he answered. His voice was humble, but he was obviously was not used to and could not like being commanded like she had. She almost grinned. This would be fun!
"You may go, now, children," Dekina announced.
They bowed and curtsied appropriately, and left the chambers. After they left, Nynaeve turned to Mayodin. "We shall begin tomorrow. I have... other buisness to attend to today. Report to me at lunch, I shall be in the cafeteria eating at a table in the far right. I expect to meet you precisely at noon."
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Lan stood waiting as Nynaeve rounded the corner. She smiled and motioned him to follow her. Without saying a word he fell in step behind her. His graceful, deadly prowl had not worn off after Myrelle died; rather he was so used to it for 30 years that nothing changed. He felt the effects of having to eat and rest though, and that had been a hard change. After 30 years of being half mortal, it was hard to get used to being normal. At last Nynaeve stopped and opened a door to a common room empty of people. Nodding to herself, she entered, Lan following only a half step behind.
For a moment after he had shut the door, the pair stood and looked at each other. Nynaeve unconsciously looked down and smoothed her skirts with one hand, the other tugging her braid. When she looked up, it was into Lan's face. They shared a kiss before either said a thing.
"Why did you come to me?" Nynaeve asked quitely, resmoothing her skirts. "Why not go and reestablish Malkier? You know you could. People would rally to the Golden Crane without pause."
"Because... because.... What man would rather be a king than have the woman he loves?"
Nynaeve was silent. To herself, she muttered, "Wisdoms harldy ever marry." Her cheeks brightened. "I thought we agreed that last day I saw you when... when Egwene was still alive... that we would each go our own ways."
"Myrelle is dead, Nynaeve. I have nothing to live for but you. Please...."
"Will you be my Warder, Lan?" There. She had done it. Quitely, timidly, yes, but she had. She could not stand to see him so helpless, and she wanted a Warder. She wanted Lan, too.
"Yes, of course! Light, but I was afraid... oh well. I..." he trailed off, as though unsure what he was going to say. She had never seen him show so much emotion before, exept maybe once. And now she felt so happy that he would be hers forever. She took his head and began the Flows that would bond him to her.
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Elayne looked up in surprise as a gateway opened and Nynaeve stepped through, followed closely by Lan. The feel of saidar left as soon as the gateway closed. "Nynaeve! Lan! What are you doing here?!" She looked curiously at Lan, as though directing the last statement toward him.
The room she was standing in was very odd indeed. It was filled with many small objects of all different shapes and sizes, each sorted and with a label. Ter'angreal, Nynaeve knew. Elayne was famous for making ter'angreal, among other things. The Queen was the first person after the Second Breaking to get a nation together. She called it Andor, of course, though it was not at all like the old Andor.
Nynaeve smiled and hugged the Green sister. Birgitte slipped from the shadows with that deadly grace that all Warders had and gave her a hug as well. Lan nodded to both, his light blue gaze as expressionless as ever.
"Elayne, Birgitte. How good it is to see you! Oh, Elayne, I'm sorry I haven't visited you more often! After... after Egwene, I just couldn't...." She choked and tears filled her eyes. "Burn me, I thought I was over it!" Tears streamed down Elayne's face as well as the Aes Sedai hugged each other and cried. "Three years," Nynaeve sobbed, "and I still cry about her!" When the tears had passed, Elayne wiped her face and grinned weakly.
"Egwene wouldn't want us to cry over her, Nynaeve. She was a heroine, fighting along side Rand and Mat and Perrin, and leading the Aes Sedai back to greatness. Light, but I miss them all! Aviendha... Aviendha is now remembered as a Hero of the Ages, did you know that?" Birgitte smiled sadly in the background. Tel'aran'rhiod had been pleasant for her. "I wonder if we can meet her... and Egwene... in tel'aran'rhiod?"
"You could," Birgitte put in, "but they have to know how to travel around the Unseen World dead as well as alive. They might not know they can meet you, or how. They have been"
Nynaeve nodded, and Elayne brightened as she looked at Lan, as stony-faced as ever. "Well, al'Lan Mandragoran, have you finally given in to Nynaeve?" She grinned and looked at Nynaeve, who grinned back.
"In a way, Elayne, in a way. Myrelle died, so he came to me."
Elayne's grin faded. "Oh. I'm sorry, Lan. I know what it is like to lose one close to you." All Lan did was nod in acknowledgement that she had spoken. "But why didn't you go raise the banner of Malkier? Many would rally to you."
Lan shook his head. "Did you plan this?" Both women grinned and shook their heads. He continued, "What is a king without a queen to keep him in line?"
Elayne gasped. "Are you... did you...?"
Nynaeve smiled, as Lan cleared his throat. "No," she told the Green sister, "we aren't married." She laughed. "Just bonded."
Elayne caught what Lan wasn't meant to (and she was sure he didn't, since he wasn't a woman): that Nynaeve just considered the Bonding as a step towards her higher goal. Elayne suppressed a smile. Who knew? Maybe Nynaeve really would be a queen! Birgitte, apparently, also caught the unsaid words that Nynaeve intended for Elayne only, as she began hacking in what sounded like a change from laughter.
"Are you all right, Birgitte?" Nynaeve asked coolly; her voice seemed to have frost in it. Birgitte coughed louder and nodded. When she finally recovered, she grinned.
"Swallowed wrong," she said, and started all over again. Lan raised his eyebrows, as though he knew what she was doing, but not why, which made Birgitte "cough" louder, and Elayne add her own fits of giggles and Nynaeve hide a grin behind her hand.
"Women," he muttered. All three laughed outright; Birgitte almost fell down from trying to hold onto her sides and a chair at the same time.
When, at last, all three had settled down, Nynaeve jumped suddenly. "Oh! I have to go! I forgot.... I have to teach Mayodin today!"
"Mayodin?" Elayne asked. "Who...?"
"I'll tell you late. Goodbye Elayne, Birgitte." Opening the gateway, she motioned for Lan to go first. After he stepped through and turned to her expectantly, Nynaeve gave both women one more hug, stepped through the hole in reality, and vanished.
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Mayodin looked at the table in the back expectantly. Suddenly, a hole appeared with a man, Nynaeve, and two women he did not recognize on the other side. First came the man- he had to be a Warder, the way he carried himself - and after one moment Nynaeve stepped through and the hole vanished. He blinked in surprise. That was WEIRD. He had heard many things were possible with the Power, but to step across millions of miles? He hurried with his tray to the table.
Nynaeve turned from talking to the Warder in a low voice to smile shortly at Mayodin, who bowed low. The Warder immediatley stepped between the Aes Sedai and the novice, but Nynaeve laid a hand on his shoulder and murmured, "Easy Lan. This is my pupil, Mayodin."
Mayodin couldn't resist. "Nynaeve Sedai, what was that you just did?"
Nynaeve raised her eyebrows and gave the Warder- Lan, was it?- an amused smile. His stoney gaze never left Mayodin, who shivered under that piercing stare. "It is called Travelling, Mayodin. A very advanced use of the Power, and something you will not learn until you are Accepted or even full Aes Sedai. If you can even hold enough of saidin to do it. Very advanced. By the way, Mayodin, this is Lan, my Warder. Lan, this is Mayodin."
Mayodin bowed and murmured, "Lan Gaidin, I wait and serve." He hated saying that. The women novices and Accepted didn't have to say anything to the Warders, but the men did because they also learned the sword under the Warders.
Lan nodded to him. Though he did not show it, Nynaeve was sure he was shocked at least a little. He had not visited the Towers since Myrelle was sent on a mission three years ago to help hunt down the last of the Shadowspawn. After the Last Battle, most of the Green Ajah had been wiped out or had stilled themselves by drawing too much of saidar. All of the ones who had lived through it were sent to destroy the last Trollocs, Myrdraal, Darkhounds, and the lot. Myrelle apparently had died on this mission, though how- surrounded by what, four Warders?- was beyond Nynaeve. The Towers had only recently required the male novices to train.
"Now, Mayodin, tell me how you think of holding saidin." One thing she had learned from Rand was that saidar and saidin were very different.
"I feel I must have it, yet I can't because I don't want to surrender to it."
"Good. Don't surrender. What you must try is ....."
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After being excused, Lan wandered to the other Warders. Many knew him and nodded, some even bowing and murmuring "Dai'shain" as he passed. Many of the Malkieri men had become Warders because there was nothing left after the country fell to the Trollocs. Upon coming to the practice circle, he took off his cloack and unseathed his sword.
Many people had heard rumors of this "Lan". They had heard he was an expert swordsman, probably the best since Rand died. But not many had seen in truth how good he was. Endless drills, stances flowing as fluidly and easily as water. By the time he was done with the normal excersices, he had a large audience.
A young man in Accepted dark blue stepped into the ring, holding up two practice swords. Without a word, Lan tossed his sharp, Heron-branded one to a novice- who stared at it in awe before putting it aside- and caught the practice sword tossed his way.
While he inspected the sword for flaws, he asked casually, "Who are you?"
"I am Mac, Lan Gaidin."
A watcher, probably a novice as the shout came from a band of white-clad, google-eyed girls, yelled, "The best swordsman here, Lan Gaidin, though he would never say to someone's face, yes?." All the girls giggled. "He's beaten all the Warders in one-on-one, save Homwen Gaidin himself."
Lan narrowed his eyes at the handsome, lanky man. Shorter than Lan by a hair, he had black hair, a sharp, hooked nose, and black, tilted eyes. Saldaean. He did seem to hold the sword with a deadly grace and poise to match most Warders.
They squared off, both holding their swords at a perfect angle, with a perfect stance. All the watchers fell silent. The younger man grinned and launched into an attack, which Lan countered cooly and came back with one of his own. The boy was good, but not quite as good as Rand was when he had last taught him. This was easier than he had expected. In his mind, he grinned. He would take it easy, make it look like the other was winning, wear him out. Once he was more tired, his attacks more slow, Lan would still have the energy to give a full-out attack.
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Nynaeve joined the group. Mayodin was nowhere in sight, but she didn't look unpleased. She frowned as she watched Lan fight. He seemed worn out already, but that boy... Mac? She thought that was his name.... Mac didn't seem to be any better than Lan was; she had seen Lan fight, and he could do much better than that. On top of that, she could... sense him. She knew he wasn't tired, and that he had exactly as much energy, if not more, as his opponent.
Suddenly she understood. Smiling to herself, she sat down on a bench with a Brown sister named Chryse. Chryse's Warder nodded to her; she and Chryse had spent a lot of time together studying tel'aran'rhiod and other numerous things, and she knew the Warder well. Chryse herself was absorbed in a book and seemed aware of nothing around her. Feeling a sudden surge of energy from Lan, she looked back at the fight.
Lan had finally done it, tapped into his store of energy once Mac was tired. His practice sword moved in a blurr, and Mac's barely caught it each time until...
THWAP! His sword hit the Accepted's head and the boy buckled. Cheers rose as Lan bent over the black-haired man. With a slightly guilty look in his eyes, he motioned Nynaeve to come. She frowned and walked towards him, and immediatley knew why. Mac was unconscious. Bending over him, she seized his head and Healed, the large lump on his head leaving only blood behind. He stood up, not a bit shakily.
"What... what happened? The world went blank and then......." He caught sight of Nynaeve, and the lightbulb went on. He bowed. "Thankyou, Nynaeve Sedai. I can guess what happened now," he said with a slight grin, then turned to Lan. "Can you teach me what you did, Lan Gaidin? I have never fought someone with such skill."
Lan's stoney face never changed as he eyed the man. "A simple trick. I can teach you. Unless, Nynaeve, we plan to leave the Towers soon?"
She shook her head, and Mac looked at them strangley. "Forgive me, Nynaeve Sedai, Lan Gaidin, but shouldn't you ask Myrelle Sedai?"
"No," Lan said flatly, "I can't. Myrelle is dead. Nynaeve is my Bondholder now."
Mac looked slighlty amused and surprised, but wisely held his toungue and only bowed. Nynaeve didn't blame him, not many knew she had Bonded Lan as her Warder, especially not the Accepted. Many people around the Towers might never know, seeing as so many more people were there. She smiled at the Accepted and told Lan, "I just remembered, I have to talk to Chryse. I'll be back later."
After Lan nodded, she walked back to where Chryse was sitting, still engrossed in her book. "Chryse," she said. The Brown sister continued reading. Nynaeve narrowed her eyes and said more forcefully, "Chryse!" The younger woman never even moved. So instead, Nynaeve channeled and slammed the book shut. Chryse looked up in surprise.
Nynaeve scowled. "You were on page 96," she muttered. Chryse's Warder chuckled, and, upon recieving quite a stare from both Aes Sedai, got up and went out to help teach the gathered male novices sword tricks. "I need to talk to you."
Chryse looked at Nynaeve with her large, cool blue eyes. "What is it?"
"Well, I don't know exactly. But we could start by going to the library." The Brown sister looked regretfully at her book, then nodded and followed Nynaeve to Tar Valon's famous library.
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Chryse opened a book and layed it on the table. Nynaeve sat next to her and looked at the pages with arched eyebrows. The yellow, crinkled look of the book gave truth to the many years it had been around, yet in the back were recent dates and names.
"Taim, Logain, al'Thor... and so it ends. But these are all people who claimed they were- or really were- the Dragon Reborn. I just need Darkfriend listings," Nynaeve insisted. Chryse gave her a look that plainly told her how little she knew.
"Well, you are looking in the back. Darkfriends are in the front."
Nynaeve flipped to the front. At the very beginning were names written in Old Tounge. "How far back does it go?" Nynaeve wondered. She flipped to a random page. "Renora, Bahin, Sammael.... Sammael?! Light, this is old."
Chryse nodded. "During the Age of Legends, the Aes Sedai started this book and kept record in it of all caught and tried Darkfriends. The ancient sisters put a warding on it so it would never crumble or become frail, but that doesn't stop physical signs of aging." The Brown sister sighed. "If only we could still do that." Suddenly she brightened. "I know! I will start to dedicate half my time to re-learning old tricks! Perfect! Now I can....." Her voice trailed off as she saw Nynaeve's flat stare.
"Are you done yet?" the Healer asked, obviously annoyed.
"Actually, I wasn't," Chryse replied, "but we can keep looking."
Nynaeve's smile was not very amused. "Then let's do it."
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Lan came into the library to find Chryse buried in a book as usual and Nynaeve sitting across from the younger sister, slumped over an old, large book. He realized suddenly she was asleep, and snoring, at that, and also that Chryse was oblivious to it all. With a slight smile, he walked to the table and shook Nynaeve awake.
Her eyes opened quickly and she sat up straight, ageless face startled. "What? Where am I? Egwene? Aviendha? Where.... oh." She sat back and sighed. Lan rested a concerned hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, utterly cool, but he saw a deep sadness in her eyes. "They were so real" was all she said, and tears welled up. She forced her face back to smootheness, but did not say anything for a while. Lan thought that if she did, she would end up crying.
When she had choked down the tears, she stood and shook Chryse's shoulders. The Brown sister looked completely vexed at being startled back into reality. "I am going back to my quarters. Can you keep this book out? I will be back later." Chryse nodded, and Nynaeve and Lan set out. Nynaeve had moved to a different room since she Bonded Lan so he could have the room next to hers. She waved goodnight to Lan, closed the door. She sat down on her bed....
...and cried. They had actually been there. It wasn't just a dream. She had to have been in tel'aran'rhiod. Rand. Egwene. Aviendha. They were all there, and Egwene had been in the Amyrlin's stole and praised her upon becoming a sister. Rand and Aviendha stood together, his arm around her waist. He looked at her half the time, and looked around her the other half.
Finally, she had told him if he had a problem, he could tell everyone.
// He looked startled, then smiled and said, "I keep seeing these shimmers around you, like someone else is here, and I think it is because you have a Warder."
Egwene gasped. "Oh, do you? Do you? Who is it? Oh, tell us, Nynaeve!"
Nynaeve smiled as she replied, "Lan."
"Lan?" Aviendha asked. "But he was Bonded to Myrelle Sedai, I thought."
"Myrelle died."
Egwene's long dress shimmered into a black mourning gown, then back to the Amyrlin's robes.//
Nynaeve smiled. Egwene was remembered as the most successful and strongest Amyrlin ever, and was considered a Hero of the Ages after her courageous fight in the Last Battle and reuniting all of the Aes Sedai. Aviendha had died at Rand's side, channeling and fighting until a Trolloc ran her through with a sharp spear. Rand had thrown himself on the Trolloc and killed it quickly, and killed every other Trolloc with the Power that he could reach. Nynaeve had made a specail point of helping him wipe those vile things out.
She shivered as she thought of Rand. In the last moment, he had finally gone insane, yelling, "ILYENA! Forgive me! Aviendha! FOOOORRRGGIIIIVVVVEEEE MMEEEE!!" and those were the last words out of his mouth as he raced into the heart of Shayol Ghul to kill the Dark One. In the end, Aviendha had been his one true love, Elayne and Min's love had faded. People near Rand said he had been muttering things like, "To die forever....", "Ilyena, why? Forgive me!" and "I must end it!! End it and never come back!" through the whole battle.
Nynaeve wiped her tears away, and pulled out a box from under her bed. It was warded so that if anyone but she touched it their, hands would blister and burn until they took them away. Opening it carefully, she rummaged through the contents. Lan's heavy, golden ring, Elayne's recent letters with specail contents, Egwene's letter that she had written to Nynaeve only hours before her death, still after three years unopened, Aviendha's bracelet. At the bottom was Egwene's Amyrlin stole. The late Amyrlin had made sure it went to no one but Nynaeve or Gawyn. Gawyn couldn't keep it, so Nynaeve had agreed to take it. And, folded in the colorful stoles' depths, was a ring. Carved with only one edge, the ter'angreal had not been used for three years.
Nynaeve and Elayne had agreed that they should leave tel'aran'rhiod to Dreamers, but Nynaeve couldn't resist. Putting the leather cord attatched to the ring around her neck, she lied down and sung softly to herself until sleep overtook her and she entered the World of Dreams.
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She looked around and gasped. The Two Rivers! Emond's Field. She went to Bran al'Vere's inn. Walking around familiar ground, she felt safe and at home.
"Back so soon?" Egwene stood in the doorway. Nynaeve smiled.
"I thought I was here earlier. Lan woke me up." Egwene nodded. "Light, I miss you. All of you. Perrin, Mat, Rand, Aviendha, all of you. Three years! Burn me, why couldn't I Heal you?!" She started to sob.
"Oh," Egwene said. "I was afraid this would happen. Oh well, I have to tell you."
"Tell me what?" Nynaeve growled. "If you knew a way to save you......"
"Nothing of the sort. I went through a ter'angreal doorway once. It told me how I would die. I would be poisoned by a Black sister who would not turn back to the Light after the Last Battle."
"But I could have Healed poison!"
Egwene held up her hands. "It wasn't normal. It... well, I don't know what it was. But it was unHealable unless you knew the cure. Normal Flows couldn't have Healed it, Nynaeve. There was nothing you could have done."
Rand suddenly appeared next to Egwene. "Nynaeve. I have a favor to ask. I don't think anyone ever told Father... Tam... who... what I was. Would you... tell him for me somehow? That I am dead? Also, I talked to Perrin. He asked that you tell Faile he loves her and the twins."
Nynaeve swallowed, then nodded. Rand said his thanks, then disappeared. Egwene spoke. "He will never be Reborn. He is destined to be here forever."
Nynaeve nodded sadly. "He will have to wait a long time to finally rest in peace."
"He bounces between himself and Lews Therin sometimes. Lews Therin was handsome." Egwene blushed and smiled. "You had best be going soon. Visit me more often. When you go to the Two Rivers, tell Mother and Father I love them. Tell Gawyn I am his forever." She vanished.
Nynaeve faded into her real self slowly. When she was fully conscious, she got dressed into a pretty blue silk dress and went to wake Lan. When he had dressed, she opened a gateway. Dawn was just coming in the Two Rivers. Emond's Field. Manetheren. Home.
Already men and women were about, doing their chores. Nynaeve approached slowly. Faile was out with her two children, a widow after Perrin had died.
"Lady Faile," Nynaeve called, with a slight curtsy.
Faile curtsied back, with a startled look on her face. "What brings you to me, Aes Sedai? Lan?!" She peered at Lan's face suspicousley. "It is you."
"I am Nynaeve, Faile. We met once, before I was Aes Sedai."
"Nynaeve? Yes, I suppose it is you." Perrin and Amia looked at Nynaeve with wide eyes.
Perrin, the older twin, said curiously, "You are Aes Sedai? Wow! I never thought I would see a real Aes Sedai."
Faile smiled at her son and ruffled his hair. Turning back to Nynaeve, she asked, "Why have you come home, Nynaeve?"
"Faile, maybe we should talk in private," the Yellow sister suggested softly. The noble considered her with those beautiful slanted eyes, then nodded. "Perrin, Amia, why don't you go play with Mistress Cauthon's children?" Amia whooped and started to run, Perrin close on her heals.
"Mistress Cauthon? Mat married? He never told me." Nynaeve shook her head.
Faile slumped. "Yes, he married. She used to be Empress of the Seanchan, but she gave everything up for him, and they came here to settle down for a while, but the Last Battle came so soon. Perrin and Mat both left five weeks after Lunueve gave birth to her second child, Giana. Giana and Samaor are only a little younger than the twins."
They were at the Manor House. Inside a private room, Nynaeve sat down and explained to Faile about tel'aran'rhiod. "People who have departed this world live there, whether they know it or not, until the Wheel of Time spins them back into the Pattern."
Faile gasped. "You mean... Perrin? My Perrin is there?" Nynaeve nodded. "Can I go there?"
"I did. I met with Rand. He said Perrin told me to tell you he loves you and the twins." Faile started to cry. "Did anyone ever tell Tam about Rand?"
Faile shook her head, and, through sobs, said, "I didn't have the heart to."
"Where is he?"
"Old Tam is in the inn where the Wisdom is taking care of him. He is not going to live much longer, I think." Nynaeve stood. Faile sighed. "I suppose you have to tell him, too?"
"I can Heal him. And I have to tell him." She left. Lan joined her outside the door. Faile still sat and cried.
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"Tam? It is me, Nynaeve."
"Nynaeve? The old Wisdom? My dear, you look nothing like her." Nynaeve sighed. At least his memories weren't addled.
"I am Aes Sedai, Tam. I can Heal you."
His eyes grew wide. "No," he murmured after a while. Nynaeve was shocked. But the man continued. "Just... take away the pain? It is time I died. Tell me, where is Rand?"
Nynaeve Healed the man enough to take the pain away. His face relaxed. "Rand is... dead. Tam, Rand is dead." Tam's face never changed.
"I thought so. My poor boy. He was destined to it, wasn't he?"
The old fart never ceased to amaze Nynaeve. She blinked and closed her mouth, then nodded. "He was the Dragon Reborn."
Tam looked truly shocked for the first time. "I knew he was destined to be great, but... to die as Dragon Reborn? I knew the Last Battle had been fought, and the Second Breaking had occured- thank the Light Emond's Field is still here!- but... Rand... Dragon Reborn....." Tam shook his head and settled back. "I am weary. Send the Wisdom in again, if you will...." He fell asleep. Just asleep, Nynaeve noted. Not dead.
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"Faile, I will be back soon. Lan is going to stay here. I have to go back to the Towers to get some things. I won't be long at all."
The Saldeaen gave Nynaeve a funny look. "Tar Valon is very far away. How can you get there and back quickly?"
"Let me show you," the Yellow sister replied. Opening a gateway, she explained, "This is a... fold in reality. On the other side is my room in the Towers."
Faile's wide eyes were amazed. "Can I go with you?"
Nynaeve shrugged. "I don't see why not. Lan, we will only be gone half an hour at the most. Faile, you go first." Faile stepped forward hesitantly. Nynaeve nodded to her, and the woman stepped through and looked behind her.
"I can still see you!" she exclaimed.
The Aes Sedai turned to her Warder. "Stay here, I will return shortly." She vanished through the gap, which vanished as quickly as she.
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Faile walked around in circles. Nynaeve watched her with a grin as the other woman gabbed on and on. "Are we really here? This is so amazing. Why are we here?" Nynaeve went to her bed and pulled out her box. She opened it and took out the ring ter'angreal.
Tucking the ring into a pouch which she slung over her shoulder, she told Faile, "Come with me." She opened another gateway and found Elayne sitting on a throne with Birgitte at her side. Faile stepped through and the gateway with room in Tar Valon on the other side winked out of existence. A gasp rose from the audience as Nynaeve strode right to the Queen's side. Elayne stood.
The Green sister gave her and Faile a confused look, which Faile returned in full earnest. "Nynaeve," she said with her hands on her hips, talking through gritted teeth, "I am kind of busy right now."
"I am sorry, Elayne." Another gasp from the nobles. No one called Her Majesty "Elayne" except Birgitte and other royalties. "I need to borrow a ter'angreal. I didn't know you were doing this right now." Elayne's blue eyes narrowed. Faile was standing akwardly at Nynaeve's side, unsure of what to do.
"Birgitte," Elayne called. The Warder was at her side quickly, one hand on her quiver, the other on the silver bow she carried. "Will you take Nynaeve and... Faile?... to my ter'angreal room?"
Birgitte grinned and nodded. Faile smiled at Elayne. They remembered one another from the Stone of Tear. Once they were out of the throne room, Birgitte burst out laughing. "You caused quite an uproar, Nynaeve! Oh, that was funny!"
"Well, I didn't mean to. And if you have a problem with that, then I will shove some nasty concoction down your throat!" Birgitte hid an obvious smile behind her hand and nodded.
"Where is Lan?" she asked.
"Waiting for me and Faile. And the faster we go, the shorter he has to wait."
"Grumpy, grumpy," the blonde haired woman sighed. She laughed and ran ahead as Nynaeve scowled and opened her mouth. Channeling, the Aes Sedai stopped her in her tracks with a wall of Air.
"Anything else, Hero of the Ages?" Nynaeve grimaced. It was her fault- No! It was Moghedien's fault that Birgitte was no longer in tel'aran'rhiod. Birgitte, however, showed no reaction besides laughing harder and giving a strangled "no."
They finally, after much ado, reached the room packed with ter'angreal. Nynaeve followed the labels until she found the one she was looking for. It was a rectangle with a sleeping woman carved on the inside. "Thank you. Tell Elayne I will return it soon." Another gateway opened, and Lan stood on the other side. He blinked and stepped back. Faile went through with no trouble, and Nynaeve grinned at Brigitte. "See you another time."
Both woman and gateway winked away in a second.
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OK, how was it? I hope it wasn't too long for a chapter... You know how I figured out how old Nynaeve would be? In the 4th book, it says Nynaeve is 7 years older than Egwene, and that Rand is 2 years older than Egwene. In the 6th book, Mat is twenty, and Rand and Mat are the same age. If Rand is 20, than Egwene would be 18. 18+7=25. In this fic, the Second breaking was 10 years ago, so she would be 35, but you have to assume that there was a year or two between the Second Breaking and where I am in the 6th book. So 35= let's say 3= 38, or almost 40. So... for the fics purposes, suppose Lan is younger, because in truth he is way old... like 90 or something. Pretend with me he is only... 45. There. I am SMART! WAAAHOOOO! *cough* the insaneness is coming. HIDE!
Heh... heh... I am ok, no matter what you think. Sorry I dont know the "Daughter of the Nine Moons" real name. I just pushed "Lunar" and "nueve" (nine in Spanish) together and got Lunueve. *grins* PLEASE Review!!
