I do not own the rights to The Wheel of Time, even though just a tiny percentage of the profits would be very welcome. Ah, well…

Elanora found the Southlands a new experience. Knowing no one, she started out to make her own way in the world as best she could. She ended up in Caemlyn, looking for work.

The tall man in the torn cloak helped Ela to her feet. She'd been staring around her at the huge number of people in Caemlyn. Though she'd seen other cities on her way south, none of them had nearly the number of people in them as Caemlyn. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't be meanin' ta run inta ya that way." She sketched a little bow to him the way she'd seen her father bow to the House Seat when the man had ridden past their fields. He smiled down at her.

"Well, lad, just be careful. Not everyone would believe that you ran into them by accident. Some might think that you did it deliberately – to rob them. Especially as close to dark as it is." The man waved off Ela's hurried denials. "I know you didn't mean to and that you weren't trying to rob me. Trust me, I'd have known if you were." He grinned wolfishly. "I did enough of it growing up in Lugard to be able to tell."

Ela nodded, still trying to interrupt to say that she'd run into him unintentionally but the tall man continued, "Now, where were you headed? Do you have a place to stay?" Ela shook her head. "Well then, follow me, lad. Malk's always got a place in the back room for someone to sleep for a couple of days. Just until you learn your way about. And don't think that he does it out of the goodness of his heart. You'll earn that bed. He'll have you sweeping, washing dishes, any kind of work that he can think of while he swaps lies with his friends."

A sudden chuckle drew Ela's glance up to the tall man's brown eyes. "And here you don't know me or Malk or even if you can trust us, do you? Well, to make you feel better, Malk's my father. My adopted father. He runs a bar here in Caemlyn when he's got an inclination for it. Me, I'm Janarc. I do… a little of everything. Some trading, some fighting, some doing small jobs for others. But you can ask around. Malk's well known here in Caemlyn. Even the Lion Wardens will tell you that Malk runs a clean business. At least as far as they can tell. If you like, I'll take you to a Warden so that you can ask. There's nearly always one around the central square."

"No, sir, that's aight." Ela couldn't explain why she trusted him. He didn't look like one of the decent folk of the town, not with the ragged cloak and simple clothes that he wore. As a matter of fact, the crooked grin and the tattered clothes made him appear more than somewhat wolfish. Ela could sense that he wasn't an easy man to be around but there was something in his look that made her willing to trust him, if only until he proved her wrong. "I'm right glad of a place ta sleep, sir. But just fer the night. I'll be findin' a job tomorrer so I kin be outta yer way. I ain't takin' no charity. I'll pay yer da back after I start earnin' the money."

Janarc looked down at Ela and grinned again. He reached out and ruffled her short, spiky dark hair which, along with her height of 5' 4" and her slight build, as well as the baggy shirt and pants she wore, enhanced her appearance as a boy. She'd used the disguise on the road and cut her hair even shorter once she'd seen how some men thought a woman traveling on her own was easy prey. "Take what you want and pay for it, that's my motto, lad. I'm glad to see that you intend to pay for what you get," Janarc said as he turned and headed for the southeastern quadrant of the city. As he stretched out his arm, Ela had seen the glint of burnished metal through a tear in the cloak. "So I ain't th'only one who ain't exactly what I look like," Ela thought as she fell into step beside Janarc.

Turning into the doorway of a shabby building on the road near the eastern wall of the city, Janarc led the way into the bar. He glanced around the room. "Malk's not here now," he said over his shoulder to Ela. Calling over to the woman who was standing behind the bar, he said "Pils, when will Malk be back?" At the woman's shrug and muttered "Light knows but sometime tonight, he said", Janarc waved his hand at Pilana and led Ela through to the back room of the bar. He indicated a cot in the corner and said "Toss your things there and we'll get you some food. Then you can get a good night's sleep, lad before you start looking for a job." Janarc headed back for the common room but stopped suddenly in the doorway. "I've just thought of something, lad. I'm off on a trip to Tear in the morning. Would you like to go with me? I need someone to help with the horses and to run errands. You'll earn your way and a little besides if I'm successful."

Ela nodded. "I can do that, sir. I never been ta Tear though." Janarc waved away the thought dismissively and disappeared into the common room, leaving Ela to stow her few possessions under the cot. Janarc returned several minutes later with a tray. Setting it down, Janarc took the paper and ink off of it and shoved it across the table. "Here lad, there's some supper for you." Ela walked to the table and sat down opposite Janarc, watching him carefully as he reached across to take the pen and began to scrawl a note to Malk. "Now if you need anything, just ask Pilana for it," he said distractedly as he re-read what he'd written. "I'll be out till late. Or maybe early." He grinned across at Ela. "There's a woman that I need to see before I go. She's likely to keep me out all night. But I'll be back in time to get us an early start. Be ready."

When Malk entered the bar later that night, he stopped in the back room, staring down at the cot. "Hmm, don't remember this one being here when I left," he thought. He glanced around, seeing on the table the folded paper addressed to him in Janarc's sprawling script. Malk read the note and nodded. He picked up the pen and another sheet of paper, taking it with him to the common room to jot down his reply. "If you're taking the young one that you left in the back room with you to Tear tomorrow, I think that you're right. There is quite a lot that one can learn from you. Handling a sword is a good start. You know where I keep some of the training weapons. If you need a place to rest along the way, use my house outside Tear," he scrawled on the page. Malk stared down at the page and nodded to himself. He grinned sardonically at what he'd written, chuckling as he looked down at the letter, "And I thought I raised you better, Janarc. If you can't see the lass under those shapeless clothes she's wearing, you deserve the shock that's coming to you, son."