I usually don't do the same exact event twice in a story but Lan's view is important in this part, and I didn't want to have to explain the *entire* thing later. So here it is.
Chapter 11- Protective Pursuer
Lan saw her from a distance, but he still knew her immediately. She was headed into the city…
He should continue training. But he couldn't. She had hardly been outside the tower since she had returned. Inside the city there were dangers she knew nothing of. Inwardly sighing, he sheathed his sword and followed her out.
Keeping to the shadows, he pursued her through the city. He wondered what Myrelle would have to say about this…that was an amusing thought. Myrelle knew beyond doubt that he would never be as dedicated to her as he had been to Moiraine, as he always would be to Nynaeve, but he still had a Warder's obligations.
He did not want to follow her up onto the wall. Resignedly he climbed up, not hurrying but walking steadily. By the time he reached the top, Nynaeve was nowhere to be seen. Lan scanned the walls for her, to no avail. He saw a small figure moving below, and pushed himself against the edge of the wall. Nynaeve was making her way out, toward a figure slumped on its side about a mile out. Cursing his luck, Lan sprinted from the wall and out after her. The guard did not even attempt to stop him.
Nynaeve was already at the limp figure when Lan burst through the gate. He ran silently after her, quickly gaining ground. When they came within clear view, Nynaeve had revived the other, and Lan now saw that it was Perrin.
Lan knew Nynaeve and Perrin were too intent in their conversation to have seen the Trollocs approaching them. He laid a hand on Nynaeve's arm when he reached them, but she pulled away.
"Al'Lan Mandragoran, what are you doing here?"
"Nynaeve, this is no time for you stubbornness…" Before he could warn her, she had interrupted. They argued for a minute, until they saw exactly what he was looking at.
Nynaeve found something else to argue about in record time. Perrin refused to leave, however. Lan only half listened, intent on observing the progress of the Trollocs.
Not remembering having drawn it, he felt the hilt of his sword in his hand. When the first Trolloc came within reach, he cut it down, first severing its arm, then thrusting his blade through its chest and into the one behind. He whipped around, slicing into the thigh of the next. The Trolloc tried to block his next motion, but he cut into its neck easily, and it fell to the ground.
He saw limbs ripping themselves from the Trollocs, skin peeling off in swift movements. He knew it was Nynaeve's power. The battle sprayed blood all over them. The acrid stench of Trolloc blood seeped into the air. Lan spun, sweeping his sword across the shoulders of a half-goat. Its head flew off, leaving its body to flail on the ground for a few seconds before becoming still.
Lan saw Perrin bite into the throat of a Trolloc. Nynaeve saw as well, and she took it upon herself to save the man from her home village. Lan wanted to tell her to stop. She was already drained from healing and fighting. He did not have energy to spare, however. Trollocs kept coming toward them in waves, no matter how many they killed. Dead Trollocs, and pieces of them, lay strewn everywhere, their blood soaking the ground, and his and Nynaeve's clothes. They kept fighting. The lifeless bodies piled up.
Nynaeve swooned. Rushing to her, Lan caught her just before unconsciousness swept over her. He looked at the approaching Trollocs. Holding Nynaeve tightly with one arm, he continued to hack at the creatures with his sword.
Suddenly the Trollocs stopped fighting. Warily, Lan stopped as well, though he held his sword ready. A Myrddraal stepped through the gap made by the Trollocs. It held its Shayol Gul-forged sword toward them, using it to point.
"Surrender, Human."
Lan stared blankly. He clutched at Nynaeve, a deadweight in his arms.
"Surrender and you will not be hurt. They want you unharmed."
"Who?"
"They want her."
Lan wanted to laugh derisively at the suggestion that he give up Nynaeve. Glancing around, he saw that the Trollocs had closed in behind. They were trapped. There were too many to fight off, and Lan knew it. A Myrddraal would have no reason to be lying.
"She will not be harmed?"
The eyeless face of the Fade twisted into a mirthless smile. "She will not be harmed."
End Chapter 11
Review. Please? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzze? Pleezee? Now I'm just being silly. What was I saying? Oh, yeah. Review? Please? REVIEW, I SAY.
Ahem.
Chapter 11- Protective Pursuer
Lan saw her from a distance, but he still knew her immediately. She was headed into the city…
He should continue training. But he couldn't. She had hardly been outside the tower since she had returned. Inside the city there were dangers she knew nothing of. Inwardly sighing, he sheathed his sword and followed her out.
Keeping to the shadows, he pursued her through the city. He wondered what Myrelle would have to say about this…that was an amusing thought. Myrelle knew beyond doubt that he would never be as dedicated to her as he had been to Moiraine, as he always would be to Nynaeve, but he still had a Warder's obligations.
He did not want to follow her up onto the wall. Resignedly he climbed up, not hurrying but walking steadily. By the time he reached the top, Nynaeve was nowhere to be seen. Lan scanned the walls for her, to no avail. He saw a small figure moving below, and pushed himself against the edge of the wall. Nynaeve was making her way out, toward a figure slumped on its side about a mile out. Cursing his luck, Lan sprinted from the wall and out after her. The guard did not even attempt to stop him.
Nynaeve was already at the limp figure when Lan burst through the gate. He ran silently after her, quickly gaining ground. When they came within clear view, Nynaeve had revived the other, and Lan now saw that it was Perrin.
Lan knew Nynaeve and Perrin were too intent in their conversation to have seen the Trollocs approaching them. He laid a hand on Nynaeve's arm when he reached them, but she pulled away.
"Al'Lan Mandragoran, what are you doing here?"
"Nynaeve, this is no time for you stubbornness…" Before he could warn her, she had interrupted. They argued for a minute, until they saw exactly what he was looking at.
Nynaeve found something else to argue about in record time. Perrin refused to leave, however. Lan only half listened, intent on observing the progress of the Trollocs.
Not remembering having drawn it, he felt the hilt of his sword in his hand. When the first Trolloc came within reach, he cut it down, first severing its arm, then thrusting his blade through its chest and into the one behind. He whipped around, slicing into the thigh of the next. The Trolloc tried to block his next motion, but he cut into its neck easily, and it fell to the ground.
He saw limbs ripping themselves from the Trollocs, skin peeling off in swift movements. He knew it was Nynaeve's power. The battle sprayed blood all over them. The acrid stench of Trolloc blood seeped into the air. Lan spun, sweeping his sword across the shoulders of a half-goat. Its head flew off, leaving its body to flail on the ground for a few seconds before becoming still.
Lan saw Perrin bite into the throat of a Trolloc. Nynaeve saw as well, and she took it upon herself to save the man from her home village. Lan wanted to tell her to stop. She was already drained from healing and fighting. He did not have energy to spare, however. Trollocs kept coming toward them in waves, no matter how many they killed. Dead Trollocs, and pieces of them, lay strewn everywhere, their blood soaking the ground, and his and Nynaeve's clothes. They kept fighting. The lifeless bodies piled up.
Nynaeve swooned. Rushing to her, Lan caught her just before unconsciousness swept over her. He looked at the approaching Trollocs. Holding Nynaeve tightly with one arm, he continued to hack at the creatures with his sword.
Suddenly the Trollocs stopped fighting. Warily, Lan stopped as well, though he held his sword ready. A Myrddraal stepped through the gap made by the Trollocs. It held its Shayol Gul-forged sword toward them, using it to point.
"Surrender, Human."
Lan stared blankly. He clutched at Nynaeve, a deadweight in his arms.
"Surrender and you will not be hurt. They want you unharmed."
"Who?"
"They want her."
Lan wanted to laugh derisively at the suggestion that he give up Nynaeve. Glancing around, he saw that the Trollocs had closed in behind. They were trapped. There were too many to fight off, and Lan knew it. A Myrddraal would have no reason to be lying.
"She will not be harmed?"
The eyeless face of the Fade twisted into a mirthless smile. "She will not be harmed."
End Chapter 11
Review. Please? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzze? Pleezee? Now I'm just being silly. What was I saying? Oh, yeah. Review? Please? REVIEW, I SAY.
Ahem.