The Man Who Fought
Reflections of the Robert Jordan book Winter's Heart
Chapter12 A Lily in Winter
"Just things that men talk about," Lan replied. "You wouldn't understand," Rand said. She sniffed at that. Gossip and idle chatter that was what men's talk was, nine times in ten. At best. Wearily, she let go of saidar. Reluctantly. She did need to protect herself against Rand, certainly, but she would have liked to hold on a little longer, just to touch it, tired or not.
."You'd be surprised what my Asha'man would dare," he said dryly after a minute. "I suppose Mat is with Egwene's army?" Putting a hand to his head, he staggered.
"Use them?" she said suspiciously. Why did killing anyone have to come first? That was hardly the important question though. "For what? Are they ter'angreal?" He nodded. "With this you can touch the greatest sa'angreal ever made for a woman. It's buried on Tremalking, I understand, but that doesn't matter.".
Nynaeve bit her lower lip. She supposed Rand made this a public occasion - shifting from public to private, deciding which was which, made her dizzy sometimes - but she did not care that Lan had spoken out of turn.
As the three of them entered the empty room where they could talk privately, Cellorin slouched in a seat at the end of the long table, with one foot resting on another seat. He peered at the three of them as they came in.
So this is Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, Wielder of the Nine Rods of Dominion, the Light personified. A little taller than I thought he was, but nonetheless lanky, he thought. It's amazing how well you can go unnoticed by simply sitting still, he thought to himself as he watched them move to sit down at the far end of the table.
Choosing his words wisely he said just loud enough to be heard from across the room, "Using the Choedan Kal is dangerous, Dragon. What gives you the right to risk the world on a half thought out plan?"
Suddenly Rand stood up, clearly surprised, and his hand shot towards Cellorin streaming with half made weaves of fire. Lan was quicker. His chair kicked behind him as he jumped with sword outstretched towards Cellorin. Lan held his sword as if to stab him in his chair. Cellorin ducked out of his chair, unsheathing his Nagasaki as he rolled across the room.
"I just want to talk, Dragon.", but they didn't seem to hear him. Lan darted left, towards him, ready to strike. Lan hesitated for a fraction of a second, and that was all Cellorin needed. He brought his Nagasaki up to guard just as the sword came crashing down. Using his legs he forced himself up to face Lan. The man's eyes were uncanny; the coldest depths of a freezing planet wouldn't come close to the ice in that man's eyes. Desperate Fox into the Bushes met Three Women on the Hilltop. Bending Tree to Three Fish in a River. On and on they fought down the long winding room. Birds in Flight met Three Pronged Spear which met Boar Charging down Hill. On and on they fought, slicing through chairs and parts of the long table. Cellorin could vaguely feel Rand's eyes on him, trying to find an opening to wield saidin on him. Through strokes and stabs, Cellorin breathlessly said,
"I am not here to hurt Nynaeve, Lan." The man did not seem fazed at all by Cellorin's words. He didn't seem to hear either. "Did you hear me?" he screamed desperately. "Will you just listen?", but the man would not stop swiping that bloody sword. Cellorin did not want to destroy the confidence the other man had in his own skills with a sword, but their was no other choice left to him. Cellorin deftly picked up the pace of the fight. His strokes and stabs came faster two fold. He had Lan retreating. Lan was weaving his sword as if it was only an extension of his arm. He brought up the challenge; by again raising the speed twice fold. The two of them were only a blur now. Guard, block, slash, parry, slash, parry, slash, riposte -guar-bloc-slash-par-par-slas-stab-guar. Finally he had Lan against the wall, but the man would not let up, finally Rand jumped into the fray with his own heron marked sword. Cellorin saw his shadow as the man came for a sneak attack. Cellorin pulled out his long sword at his hip and twisted around to block Rand's swipe. He somersaulted backwards, landing halfway on the other side of the room.
"Please hear me out?" he said calmly, between breaths. "I'm not here to kill anyone. Just.talk." With that said he plopped down in a chair, his swords touching the ground in a sign of surrender. Seeing their cold eyes, unwavering, he dropped them to the ground and rounded the table, and sat in a different chair. His arms crossed. Through all this, Nynaeve sat in her chair, mouth open wide in silent awe at the display of sword work she had just witnessed. She promptly closed her mouth, hard enough that her teeth clicked together.
"You almost scared me to death with that first strike, al'Lan Mandragoran, Diadem Warlord, Uncrowned King of Malkier, home of the fabled Seven Towers. You gave me a good workout, but next time give me fair warning, huh?" Cellorin took out a handkerchief from his coat pocket of his purple vest and dabbed his head. Instead of Lan who spoke, it was Rand.
"Who are you and why did you sneak up on us?" Rand said with that trademark cold expressionless tone. His face was fit for a dead person. Cellorin decided to give him no nonsense.
"Cellorin Sobe Anasta'God, Last of Many, Eighth of Sword Bards, at your service milord Dragon," he couldn't help but add that last bit mockingly. Rand was not amused. "And you are Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn of the Third Age, Car' a Carn of the ferocious Aiel, whose women are wondrously energetic, and Coramoor of the revealing women of the Athan' Miere, wielder of Callandor, and a few other things. Glad to meet you, milord Dragon. Did that servant bring any punch in here? It's swelteringly hot." Rand channeled the pitcher of melon juice over towards Cellorin. He obviously tried to instill some kind of fear into Cellorin, through the fact that he could channel tainted saidin. Cellorin caught it and channeled a glass towards him. The sweet stench of saidin filled him as the glass hovered towards him on intricate weaves of air. As he poured the melon juice, he said "As I was saying, using the Choedan Kal is dangerous. What gives you the right to risking the world on a half thought out plan?"
"What reasons there may or may not be, are none of your concern.Sword Bard." Rand replied with a bit of amusement in the choice of naming him. Rand moved from standing next to Lan to sitting across the table from Cellorin. Rand channeled a seat to himself; the chair came violently, one of its legs landing in his outstretched hand. His eyes did not come off of Cellorin. Those cold dead eyes, of a man who was deathly tired and had still more to do.
I guess he's trying to intimidate me, Cellorin thought. I'm going to play with his mind a little before getting to business. Lan, seeing Rand at ease, or at least sitting down, took a chair equally distanced between Nynaeve and Cellorin. The move was obvious, only reinforced by the fact that Lan still had his sword in his hand. Nynaeve still had not spoken. She was eyeing Rand as if she had never seen him before. Cellorin assessed the situation and said, "You know that everyone on this side of the world will know that you are wielding an unimaginably immense amount of power in your hands. The rumor or fact that you are insane will not help your chances of people not interfering in what you plan to do. Noble cause it is, but is it worth the world and the one chance it has for sealing away the Dark One?" The comment of insanity made Nynaeve tense, as to see what Rand would do because of the utterance of his lack of sanity. Lan just seemed to wield his sword in a tighter grip. "We can sit here all day if you want Rand al'Thor. That stare will not intimidate me. I have looked into the eyes of the Dark One himself and have known his anger. I am no more intimidated than Cadsuane Melaidhrin. I would like to take that woman down a peg or two hundred, and some other women I could name." Rand's eyes did not change one iota but his lips unmistakably twitched upwards.
"I have heard of a man who traveled the land, lending help and information where needed. Single handedly trying to keep a boat from sinking when it has a dozen holes. Darting from one hole to another stopping the water, just as another hole appeared. Is this man you?", again the expressionless tone of voice.
"Yes, I am just like you, single handedly trying to keep a boat from sinking. Only difference is that I do this on a smaller scale, and you do it with crew members who fight amongst each other rather than helping you try to save them all. I have met your friend Aybara, and he is quite a nice fellow. Although always has this hunted look on his face, likely looking over his shoulder to see if his wife is there to beat him to a pulp. I have also met your one time lover Egwene al'Vere, Amyrlin Seat to the rebel Aes Sedai. A fiery temper, yet Gawyn is lucky." He said this in a friendly tone, with a chuckle at the end. "I know you'll never come to trust me al'Thor but just listen for a moment. I am here to be your advisor, even though I may slip in and out of the circle of fate spun by you taveren to do some field work, I mean to help you on the way to Shayol Ghul." A look of pity crossed Cellorin's face. It sounded as if he was leading the man to his coffin. "I know that there is an endless line of Aes Sedai all fighting to be at your side to advise you, ever since the supposed death of Moiraine Sedai. A nice woman, however fanatically focused, as you well know, Lan. Think of me as men's answer to Cadsuane Melaidhrin and her numerous competitors to be your right hand lady." There was another slight twitch of Rand's lips. Nynaeve snorted and finally turned to Cellorin saying,
"Only Aes Sedai has the prestige and intelligence of advising the Dragon Reborn. He does not need intruding sniveling men such as you to tell him what the hair on his chest says to do.", Nynaeve retorted rather a matter of factly.
"Aes Sedai pride and womanish stubbornness will not win Tarmon Gaidon, Nynaeve al'Meara, Wisdom of the town of Emond's Field, false Aes Sedai. Aes Sedai pride will only try to push itself into where it does not belong, and make a mess of everything just as they think they can take over the situation. And just as they make a mess of things they'll blame it all on the men. Remember meeting the Prophet, Nynaeve? Merillin and Juilin came back all bloodied up because you decided to storm off into a village filled with cutthroats and pad foots. Remember? Now be quiet." Nynaeve's face became redder and redder until she looked as if she would faint. Lan's eyes grew colder and colder, and he seemed to edge out of his seat, threateningly.
"How can you possibly know such things?" Nynaeve said faintly. Cellorin paid her no mind. If Rand could not intimidate him, what chance did Lan have? Cellorin turned back to Rand in a business like tone he said,
"Now, your three lover girls will come bursting through the door any moment now, and I believe you would like to see them with no interference from me. I will await your decision on the advising job. Tomorrow. I expect you'll be busy tonight, with other matters." Cellorin pursed his lips into a smile. "You don't have to be so hard on yourself Rand; those three do not love you for your coldness and efforts to become hard as diamond. Stay human. If you get any harder we'll all die for it. Be strong, not hard. Strong endures, hard shatters." With that he turned to round the table and grab his swords and returned them to his hilts. "That was quite a match al'Lan Mandragoran. With practice you might be a great swordsman." Lan finally couldn't take it anymore and stood, his chair falling with a loud clack.
"I'm just kidding, Lan. I only meant that you put up a fabulous fight. I haven't had one like that in years. Usually I can take ten at a time, but when Rand went for me as well I don't think I could have held up. I would like to practice with you after the girls come in and spirit Rand away. How about it, Malkieri?" Cellorin said lightly and with a friendly tone. Lan only nodded.
"I know an empty room where we can practice." he said quietly. Nynaeve only put hands on her hips and looked at Lan. She would see that he did no such thing. Obviously, because it wasn't her idea.
"What do you mean they are going to spirit me away?" Rand said. It was uncharacteristic of him to sound as if he was squealing. "Oh, light. What will I do?"
"Don't make a gateway. What will happen here will be important for years to come, and is also crucial to your victory over the Dark One. It will also help fulfill part of the Prophecies of the Dragon.I shouldn't have told you that. I really shouldn't, but it's too important for you not to know.Lan will I see you in the hallway after this little bit?" he asked the tall cold eyed man. The Malkieri only nodded.
Cellorin nodded as well. He went for the door just to find it slam into his face. He let out a moan as he staggered backwards into the table. Nynaeve gave a giddy laugh as he fell onto the table top, blood streaming everywhere.
"That's only what you deserve Sword Bard.", she said in jubilation. He gave her a withering look and stood to see three women crowding into the room. He tried to dodge past them through the door, but they simply looked at him.
"You're the one Egwene has been talking about. You are the one who told Bryne all those things about the Borderland forces coming south. You were right. I will talk to you very soon.Sword Bard is it?" the one called Elayne said.
"I will talk with no Aes Sedai unless I have to, and never under interrogation. If you will excuse me, I must get through." He said curtly and politely. Blood was still streaming down his nose. They simply looked at him with enough emotion for a stone. Cellorin looked at Rand pleadingly.
"Let him go," Rand said without a hint of coldness. They made just enough of a way to let him through sideways. He staggered out and down the hallway. Nynaeve was still laughing.
"Just things that men talk about," Lan replied. "You wouldn't understand," Rand said. She sniffed at that. Gossip and idle chatter that was what men's talk was, nine times in ten. At best. Wearily, she let go of saidar. Reluctantly. She did need to protect herself against Rand, certainly, but she would have liked to hold on a little longer, just to touch it, tired or not.
."You'd be surprised what my Asha'man would dare," he said dryly after a minute. "I suppose Mat is with Egwene's army?" Putting a hand to his head, he staggered.
"Use them?" she said suspiciously. Why did killing anyone have to come first? That was hardly the important question though. "For what? Are they ter'angreal?" He nodded. "With this you can touch the greatest sa'angreal ever made for a woman. It's buried on Tremalking, I understand, but that doesn't matter.".
Nynaeve bit her lower lip. She supposed Rand made this a public occasion - shifting from public to private, deciding which was which, made her dizzy sometimes - but she did not care that Lan had spoken out of turn.
As the three of them entered the empty room where they could talk privately, Cellorin slouched in a seat at the end of the long table, with one foot resting on another seat. He peered at the three of them as they came in.
So this is Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, Wielder of the Nine Rods of Dominion, the Light personified. A little taller than I thought he was, but nonetheless lanky, he thought. It's amazing how well you can go unnoticed by simply sitting still, he thought to himself as he watched them move to sit down at the far end of the table.
Choosing his words wisely he said just loud enough to be heard from across the room, "Using the Choedan Kal is dangerous, Dragon. What gives you the right to risk the world on a half thought out plan?"
Suddenly Rand stood up, clearly surprised, and his hand shot towards Cellorin streaming with half made weaves of fire. Lan was quicker. His chair kicked behind him as he jumped with sword outstretched towards Cellorin. Lan held his sword as if to stab him in his chair. Cellorin ducked out of his chair, unsheathing his Nagasaki as he rolled across the room.
"I just want to talk, Dragon.", but they didn't seem to hear him. Lan darted left, towards him, ready to strike. Lan hesitated for a fraction of a second, and that was all Cellorin needed. He brought his Nagasaki up to guard just as the sword came crashing down. Using his legs he forced himself up to face Lan. The man's eyes were uncanny; the coldest depths of a freezing planet wouldn't come close to the ice in that man's eyes. Desperate Fox into the Bushes met Three Women on the Hilltop. Bending Tree to Three Fish in a River. On and on they fought down the long winding room. Birds in Flight met Three Pronged Spear which met Boar Charging down Hill. On and on they fought, slicing through chairs and parts of the long table. Cellorin could vaguely feel Rand's eyes on him, trying to find an opening to wield saidin on him. Through strokes and stabs, Cellorin breathlessly said,
"I am not here to hurt Nynaeve, Lan." The man did not seem fazed at all by Cellorin's words. He didn't seem to hear either. "Did you hear me?" he screamed desperately. "Will you just listen?", but the man would not stop swiping that bloody sword. Cellorin did not want to destroy the confidence the other man had in his own skills with a sword, but their was no other choice left to him. Cellorin deftly picked up the pace of the fight. His strokes and stabs came faster two fold. He had Lan retreating. Lan was weaving his sword as if it was only an extension of his arm. He brought up the challenge; by again raising the speed twice fold. The two of them were only a blur now. Guard, block, slash, parry, slash, parry, slash, riposte -guar-bloc-slash-par-par-slas-stab-guar. Finally he had Lan against the wall, but the man would not let up, finally Rand jumped into the fray with his own heron marked sword. Cellorin saw his shadow as the man came for a sneak attack. Cellorin pulled out his long sword at his hip and twisted around to block Rand's swipe. He somersaulted backwards, landing halfway on the other side of the room.
"Please hear me out?" he said calmly, between breaths. "I'm not here to kill anyone. Just.talk." With that said he plopped down in a chair, his swords touching the ground in a sign of surrender. Seeing their cold eyes, unwavering, he dropped them to the ground and rounded the table, and sat in a different chair. His arms crossed. Through all this, Nynaeve sat in her chair, mouth open wide in silent awe at the display of sword work she had just witnessed. She promptly closed her mouth, hard enough that her teeth clicked together.
"You almost scared me to death with that first strike, al'Lan Mandragoran, Diadem Warlord, Uncrowned King of Malkier, home of the fabled Seven Towers. You gave me a good workout, but next time give me fair warning, huh?" Cellorin took out a handkerchief from his coat pocket of his purple vest and dabbed his head. Instead of Lan who spoke, it was Rand.
"Who are you and why did you sneak up on us?" Rand said with that trademark cold expressionless tone. His face was fit for a dead person. Cellorin decided to give him no nonsense.
"Cellorin Sobe Anasta'God, Last of Many, Eighth of Sword Bards, at your service milord Dragon," he couldn't help but add that last bit mockingly. Rand was not amused. "And you are Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn of the Third Age, Car' a Carn of the ferocious Aiel, whose women are wondrously energetic, and Coramoor of the revealing women of the Athan' Miere, wielder of Callandor, and a few other things. Glad to meet you, milord Dragon. Did that servant bring any punch in here? It's swelteringly hot." Rand channeled the pitcher of melon juice over towards Cellorin. He obviously tried to instill some kind of fear into Cellorin, through the fact that he could channel tainted saidin. Cellorin caught it and channeled a glass towards him. The sweet stench of saidin filled him as the glass hovered towards him on intricate weaves of air. As he poured the melon juice, he said "As I was saying, using the Choedan Kal is dangerous. What gives you the right to risking the world on a half thought out plan?"
"What reasons there may or may not be, are none of your concern.Sword Bard." Rand replied with a bit of amusement in the choice of naming him. Rand moved from standing next to Lan to sitting across the table from Cellorin. Rand channeled a seat to himself; the chair came violently, one of its legs landing in his outstretched hand. His eyes did not come off of Cellorin. Those cold dead eyes, of a man who was deathly tired and had still more to do.
I guess he's trying to intimidate me, Cellorin thought. I'm going to play with his mind a little before getting to business. Lan, seeing Rand at ease, or at least sitting down, took a chair equally distanced between Nynaeve and Cellorin. The move was obvious, only reinforced by the fact that Lan still had his sword in his hand. Nynaeve still had not spoken. She was eyeing Rand as if she had never seen him before. Cellorin assessed the situation and said, "You know that everyone on this side of the world will know that you are wielding an unimaginably immense amount of power in your hands. The rumor or fact that you are insane will not help your chances of people not interfering in what you plan to do. Noble cause it is, but is it worth the world and the one chance it has for sealing away the Dark One?" The comment of insanity made Nynaeve tense, as to see what Rand would do because of the utterance of his lack of sanity. Lan just seemed to wield his sword in a tighter grip. "We can sit here all day if you want Rand al'Thor. That stare will not intimidate me. I have looked into the eyes of the Dark One himself and have known his anger. I am no more intimidated than Cadsuane Melaidhrin. I would like to take that woman down a peg or two hundred, and some other women I could name." Rand's eyes did not change one iota but his lips unmistakably twitched upwards.
"I have heard of a man who traveled the land, lending help and information where needed. Single handedly trying to keep a boat from sinking when it has a dozen holes. Darting from one hole to another stopping the water, just as another hole appeared. Is this man you?", again the expressionless tone of voice.
"Yes, I am just like you, single handedly trying to keep a boat from sinking. Only difference is that I do this on a smaller scale, and you do it with crew members who fight amongst each other rather than helping you try to save them all. I have met your friend Aybara, and he is quite a nice fellow. Although always has this hunted look on his face, likely looking over his shoulder to see if his wife is there to beat him to a pulp. I have also met your one time lover Egwene al'Vere, Amyrlin Seat to the rebel Aes Sedai. A fiery temper, yet Gawyn is lucky." He said this in a friendly tone, with a chuckle at the end. "I know you'll never come to trust me al'Thor but just listen for a moment. I am here to be your advisor, even though I may slip in and out of the circle of fate spun by you taveren to do some field work, I mean to help you on the way to Shayol Ghul." A look of pity crossed Cellorin's face. It sounded as if he was leading the man to his coffin. "I know that there is an endless line of Aes Sedai all fighting to be at your side to advise you, ever since the supposed death of Moiraine Sedai. A nice woman, however fanatically focused, as you well know, Lan. Think of me as men's answer to Cadsuane Melaidhrin and her numerous competitors to be your right hand lady." There was another slight twitch of Rand's lips. Nynaeve snorted and finally turned to Cellorin saying,
"Only Aes Sedai has the prestige and intelligence of advising the Dragon Reborn. He does not need intruding sniveling men such as you to tell him what the hair on his chest says to do.", Nynaeve retorted rather a matter of factly.
"Aes Sedai pride and womanish stubbornness will not win Tarmon Gaidon, Nynaeve al'Meara, Wisdom of the town of Emond's Field, false Aes Sedai. Aes Sedai pride will only try to push itself into where it does not belong, and make a mess of everything just as they think they can take over the situation. And just as they make a mess of things they'll blame it all on the men. Remember meeting the Prophet, Nynaeve? Merillin and Juilin came back all bloodied up because you decided to storm off into a village filled with cutthroats and pad foots. Remember? Now be quiet." Nynaeve's face became redder and redder until she looked as if she would faint. Lan's eyes grew colder and colder, and he seemed to edge out of his seat, threateningly.
"How can you possibly know such things?" Nynaeve said faintly. Cellorin paid her no mind. If Rand could not intimidate him, what chance did Lan have? Cellorin turned back to Rand in a business like tone he said,
"Now, your three lover girls will come bursting through the door any moment now, and I believe you would like to see them with no interference from me. I will await your decision on the advising job. Tomorrow. I expect you'll be busy tonight, with other matters." Cellorin pursed his lips into a smile. "You don't have to be so hard on yourself Rand; those three do not love you for your coldness and efforts to become hard as diamond. Stay human. If you get any harder we'll all die for it. Be strong, not hard. Strong endures, hard shatters." With that he turned to round the table and grab his swords and returned them to his hilts. "That was quite a match al'Lan Mandragoran. With practice you might be a great swordsman." Lan finally couldn't take it anymore and stood, his chair falling with a loud clack.
"I'm just kidding, Lan. I only meant that you put up a fabulous fight. I haven't had one like that in years. Usually I can take ten at a time, but when Rand went for me as well I don't think I could have held up. I would like to practice with you after the girls come in and spirit Rand away. How about it, Malkieri?" Cellorin said lightly and with a friendly tone. Lan only nodded.
"I know an empty room where we can practice." he said quietly. Nynaeve only put hands on her hips and looked at Lan. She would see that he did no such thing. Obviously, because it wasn't her idea.
"What do you mean they are going to spirit me away?" Rand said. It was uncharacteristic of him to sound as if he was squealing. "Oh, light. What will I do?"
"Don't make a gateway. What will happen here will be important for years to come, and is also crucial to your victory over the Dark One. It will also help fulfill part of the Prophecies of the Dragon.I shouldn't have told you that. I really shouldn't, but it's too important for you not to know.Lan will I see you in the hallway after this little bit?" he asked the tall cold eyed man. The Malkieri only nodded.
Cellorin nodded as well. He went for the door just to find it slam into his face. He let out a moan as he staggered backwards into the table. Nynaeve gave a giddy laugh as he fell onto the table top, blood streaming everywhere.
"That's only what you deserve Sword Bard.", she said in jubilation. He gave her a withering look and stood to see three women crowding into the room. He tried to dodge past them through the door, but they simply looked at him.
"You're the one Egwene has been talking about. You are the one who told Bryne all those things about the Borderland forces coming south. You were right. I will talk to you very soon.Sword Bard is it?" the one called Elayne said.
"I will talk with no Aes Sedai unless I have to, and never under interrogation. If you will excuse me, I must get through." He said curtly and politely. Blood was still streaming down his nose. They simply looked at him with enough emotion for a stone. Cellorin looked at Rand pleadingly.
"Let him go," Rand said without a hint of coldness. They made just enough of a way to let him through sideways. He staggered out and down the hallway. Nynaeve was still laughing.