Disclaimers: Do I really need to repeat myself? Well, I don't owe the WoT series, nor do I make money out of it, so there.
A/N: Wow! Never before has anyone reviewed my story so fast! Thank you, guys! I just love you!
And since you have been so very kind with me, and really enjoy my writing, I will now give you, the newest and longest from the author, the long-expecting…
*dam, dam, dam, daaaaaa!*
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Chapter 4 – Dreams and Interpretations
"This is called Caressing the Child," Elayne explained, while weaving something that reminded Nynaeve too much of Delving. "It is to check on the child or children's health and sex. A Wise One did it on me when I was expecting Rand's children." She still felt sad, but then again, she could not help to think this was very exciting. She was actually having Lan's babes! There was nothing else she wanted more than see Lan's kingdom raise again, and now the chances was even higher for that!
*******Flashback*******
"What is it, Egwene?" Nynaeve looked at the dark-haired woman with a seven-striped stole around her shoulders. She had responded differently to the news of Nynaeve's children than the others. The others had at first been happy, then sad, and then comforting, but Egwene had all the time sat still and lost in thoughts.
"Your news has brought some answers to a dream I had last night," Egwene replied quietly and rose up; everyone's eyes were on her now. Nynaeve sent her a confused look. "I dreamt about you, Nynaeve. Lan too, although I never saw him, I knew he was a part of it."
Nynaeve just stared at the woman. What was she talking about? Was there something wrong? Or had she had a prophetic dream? "Well, spit it out, Egwene…Oh, sorry…Mother," she added when she saw other woman's automatically raised eyebrows. Her apology also drew attention from the others in the tent, but Nynaeve did not care. After marrying Lan, she had gone softer, that she knew very well.
"You are my friend, Nynaeve, you don't need to call me Mother when we're not in public." Egwene's voice revealed her amusement. Nynaeve just glared at her, and the woman smiled back. "Well, my dream. There were actually two, but I know they are related. In one, you were out in the desert, and in the distant you could see the silhouette of something large, several silhouettes, in fact. You held something in your arms and as you came closer to the dark shadows, I saw it was two bundles, and they began to move more and more for every step you took. The dream ended there, with you walking closer to the silhouettes, and just before everything went black, I saw someone or something was following you, but I didn't knew what it was. Somehow I got the feeling of it wasn't something good, and that it wanted to stop you before you reached your destination, but you kept a good distance to it." She paused, looking around to see if anyone understood the meaning of it. None answered her unasked question, not even Nynaeve, who suddenly realised she understood a bit of the dream, as it reminded her of Min's viewing.
***It was all shining like gold, and I could swear that I saw seven dark silhouettes rising up from the ground, almost like towers.***
She knew what the golden light meant; she was with child, well, Min said children, so maybe that was the real meaning. And the dark silhouettes…it could not mean anything else than the Seven Towers of Malkier would raise again now that she was expecting.
Egwene's dream had not been so much different; the bundles was probably her children, and as they grew more and more alive, she came closer to the silhouettes. The silhouettes –if you compared it to Min's viewing– could be the Seven Towers, but Nynaeve did not know. It could also be something else, but what? And the thing that wanted to stop her…Could it be the Last Battle? She felt worry fill the pit of her stomach as her thoughts brought her elsewhere, and she unconsciously stroked her belly, not aware of the smiles it attracted from the other women.
"Nynaeve?" She jerked her head to the owner of the voice; it was Elayne.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just thinking." The words blurted out of her before she could stop herself, and she blushed slightly. She had really gone softer now that she was married. 'Light! What is it that wool-headed man of a bloody fallen kingdom has done to me?' She glared at the wall before turning to Egwene, her eyes still blazing and her voice snapping.
"Well? What was the other dream?" The others smiled amused at each other and Birgitte even winked at Aviendha; this was the Nynaeve as they had always known her.
Egwene sent her a bright smile that made her glare even more piercing, before opening her mouth to speak again. "The other dream, yes…Well, it was very much like the other –you walking with the bundles towards the silhouettes, with the follower close behind– but this time your stalker caught up with you, and you were swallowed by shadows, disappearing from the dream. Then the silhouettes suddenly burst into a thousand pieces, and at that time I knew they would never raise again." She stopped, studying her open mouth –she understood everything perfectly now– and the other women who sent confused stares at each other. Then reality dawned to them all, and they looked sadly at her, Elayne even coming to embrace her.
Nynaeve did not push her away as she felt the Andoran woman's arm comforting her. She didn't realise that she had sat down on the floor, tears silently falling down her cheeks.
'If I die in the Last Battle, Malkier will never raise again; Lan will not survive my death for long, and he will never marry someone else. Then the royal blood line will be broken, and the kingdom of Malkier will forever be a myth, for none else will have the right to build up again the Seven Towers.' Her tears fell down in long streams, but not a sob escaped her lounges. Suddenly all this responsibility lay on her shoulders, and she didn't know if she had the strength to carry that burden.
*******End Flashback*******
Nynaeve shook her head slightly to forget about Egwene's dream for the moment. After she had finished crying, they had talked for what seemed ages, and in the end they had all agreed that she should not dwell her thoughts on the future, and in stead on the present. First then did she allow herself to be happy. And besides, she thought with a smile. Egwene said that it was two possible outcomes, and for all you know, el'Nynaeve Mandrogoran, she blushed inside at the name; she had still not got used to it, but loved it with all of her heart. It is quite a high chance that you survive.
*But what if we loose the Last Battle?* that little voice at the back of her head said.
Nonsense. Rand will win, of course. I've never seen him so good before, he's in fact excellent in both channeling and the sword-dance now that the taint is gone.
*Not as good as Lan with the sword, though.*
She smiled. Well, there's something we can agree about. The she was suddenly drawn away from her thoughts, as Elayne looked expectantly at her.
"What? Oh, I'm sorry, what did you say?" The women burst into a laughter.
"That's the third time only today that you have apologised, el'Nynaeve Mandrogoran!" Birgitte cried between her giggles, and Nynaeve could not help but smile and blush at the same time. She really should have kept her own name, then at least she wouldn't blush every time she was reminded at her marriage she to Lan. The other women laughed again when she began glaring at them, but in the end the giggles drifted off, and they wiped tears away from their eyes. Elayne turned to Nynaeve, her grin still in place.
"Sorry that we're laughing at you, but it's still unusual to hear you apologising." A few more giggles, but Elayne straightened and smoothed her skirts, her eyes becoming serious. "Enough laughing." She moved around the table to stand before her. The other women silenced and began to listen as carefully as the earlier Wisdom of Emond's Field was. "I was going to tell you what I discovered." Suddenly her whole body tensed, and fear of something was wrong with her children crept into her bones. Please let everything be alright! she pleaded inside her head, her hands clutching her skirts nervously. Elayne saw that movement, and placed her own hands onto of Nynaeve's, comforting her friend.
"They're both fine, Nynaeve," the Queen of Andor grinned, and Nynaeve felt her fear disappear and leave only relief. She sighed loudly and her whole body relaxed, her eyes closing, only to open again as Elayne continued to speak. "It's not possible to see the sex yet, but I can say that they're seven weeks old and healthy."
"Seven…seven weeks?" she asked in surprise. Elayne nodded excitedly, still grinning, and held out her arms to her. Seven weeks and I didn't realise? Light! Getting sick, yeah, good one, Nynaeve. She mentally slapped her head, then grinned at the others in the tent –who grinned back– and threw herself into Elayne's waiting arms.
The next few moments were filled with tears of happiness, congratulations, and little jokes, as everyone was happy on behalf of Nynaeve and Lan.
And now I have to tell my loving husband. Even though he hasn't said it out loud, I know he want children, and now he gets two at once! Light, I'm going to be exhausted! Nynaeve remembered when Elayne had given birth. It had been painful, tiring and absolutely wonderful. The memory swam before her eyes, and her ears caught the sound of new-born babies letting out their first cry. It was almost like she was back there in the room where the birth took place, going through those moments all over again. She smiled when she remembered Rand holding his children, sitting by Elayne's side and watching her sleep, slowly lulling his son and daughter to a peaceful sleep as well. Now she and Lan would experience the same moments, and she began imagine his large arms holding his son, or daughter, smiling at her and telling her how much he loved her.
Then suddenly she was thrown out of her thoughts, as she discovered it was unusual silent in the tent. Her eyes studied the expressionless faces of her friends, everyone staring towards the tent flap behind her, at someone, she realised.
Confused and curious, Nynaeve turned around, expecting to see an Aes Sedai or a Wise One, or maybe an Asha'man –none else would turn their happy faces to blank stares– and jumped a step back in surprise. A pair of cold, ice blue eyes were staring straight at her, and she felt suddenly growing smaller from that expressionless, yet piercing stare.
al'Lan Mandrogoran was a handsome as ever, but the way he stood –towering, still, and silent, with that cold, expressionless stare– made Nynaeve believe it was no longer her husband, but that stranger that had waltzed into Emond's Field four years ago, together with a woman who could channel. It frightened her, and she didn't realise she had taken a step back before her thigh hit the sharp edge of the desk.
Light, he knows already…
Suddenly she was terrified.
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A/N: Yes! I made it! A long chapter, and even a cliffie! Woo hooo! Now what do you think? Review and make my day! I don't even care if they're flamers, as long as I get feedback! :) And I think I'll reveal now that I plan a sequel, but I'm not telling you who it's about….*grins mischievously*
***Response to reviews***
Eonwe – Please let me know when you've written that story –I would love to read it!
Ilona1 – Don't you worry, I'll keep this story going for a long, long time. I'm so glad you enjoy my story, and I really hope you'll continue liking it! :)
ufoapresident/Lara Roberts – *blushing when reading the review* Well, thank you! It really warms my heart to know that people appreciate my story, especially since English is not my first language. ^_^
Zero Bahumut – *blushing again* I say the same to you: Thank you very much! I hope you will continue to give such emotional reviews! *grins*
Burning Flame of the Phoenix/Silver Flame of the Phoenix – Nynaeve and Lan is my favourite characters too, and I have to say I actually celebrated myself when they finally got married! So tell your friend that he or she is an absolute idiot who can't see how cute they are together.
Adelaine – Don't you worry either, I'm not going to stop updating unless I'm seriously sick or dead, and maybe not even then! *grins* Hope you will continue reading. : )