Yup, definitely have a Warder fetish...
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Lain stared out across Tar Valon, the wind whipping his prematurely grey hair. He was only 30. Thirty, and ready to die. His long, sandy locks were stolen from him a year ago, when they stole the love of his life away. They had maimed him, the Whitecloaks, leaving him unable to draw a bow, unable to run properly. He was useless, and ugly besides. His scarred and torn face made sure of that.
Even his Aes Sedai wouldn't have wanted him now. No, that wasn't true. She was his sun, his earth- she's not that petty. Wasn't... he thought painfully. He had nothing left to live for now.
He knew, in part, that it was the snapped bond that made him feel this way. He knew it was common for Warders to want to die after... after...
He couldn't even think it. He stared across the city once more, then climbed over the balcony. He clung to it, facing outwards. It could all end here. The pain would be over, and he could be with Mileni again.
As he was about to jump off the high ledge, something caught both his shoulders, and he whipped around as best he could, angry.
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Tyanna was calmly standing on top of a high ledge. She always liked to come here to get away from the busy streets and areas of Tar Valon and the White Tower. As she stood perfectly still she could feel the light breeze blow her brown hair across her face. She could feel the morning sunlight shinning delicately on the back of her pale green dress. At 27 Tyanna had not yet developed the Aes Sedai agelessness that would come with prolonged touching of Saidar.
What a beautiful morning to be outside in the fresh air. Tyanna thought as she looked to her right. She had not seen anyone else come on to the ledge but she did not mind. It was much too nice a day to be on her own. Tyanna thought the man stood on the ledge was a warder. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see that he had silver hair and looked like he had been in a fair few battles in his time.
Tyanna saw the hem of her pale green dress billow out towards the man as the breeze changed direction. She looked down at the gathering of people at the bottom of the tower she was stood on. Why are all these people gathering around? Tyanna thought as she saw a movement out of the corner of her green eyes.
The warder was trying to jump off the ledge. Automatically Tyanna ran towards the man. Gently but firmly Tyanna placed her hands on his muscular shoulders to stop him from jumping. As soon as her hands had touched him the warder turned around to face Tyanna. The look on the man's face was one of anger. Tyanna calmly looked at him with no emotion showing on her face.
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Lain whipped around, angry words filling his mouth. Seeing a girl's face- Not a girl, he had to remind himself. Almost my age. - a frustrated look found its way onto his deformed face.
"Move, lass," he said impatiently. "You know nothing of this." A hand seemed to clench his heart, tearing it out of his chest. "A Gaidin's business is not yours." Saying this, he tried to pull away, then found his arm and leg wouldn't obey him.
He looked into the girl's- woman's!- face, a slightly frantic look entering his eyes as the wind from the high ledge whipped around his loose cloak.
"Please," he implored her, a desperate note edging into his voice. "I... have to be with... her..." He looked into her eyes, praying that an Aes Sedai who had an interest in 'curing' lost Warders didn't show up. Or any Aes Sedai, for that matter. They would stop him from being with his love...
Why was this- female- staring at him like that? With such a blank face? Almost like the one his love had used...
Oh light...he breathed to himself as he realized who had caught him.
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As Tyanna looked at the Warders face she could see that he would have preferred it if she had not held him back. Her green eyes soften as she looked at him. This is not what I expected to happen today. Tyanna thought as she could see his anger been replaced by frustration in the man's eyes.
The wind blew a strand of her brown hair across her face. All the while Tyanna would not let him go. She could not let him just end his own life for nothing. Tyanna could not believe that he had called her lass. At least he's not called me girl. Doesn't he know who I am. Tyanna thought as she looked at him. She knew that she showed not outward emotions on her face. Tyanna knew her face was as blank and she could make it.
"I will not move just to let you jump off here. What makes you think this is not my business?" Tyanna could feel her anger start to rise. "A Gaidin's business does not involve jumping off ledges to kill themselves." The anger Tyanna had been starting to feel vanished the more she looked at him.
"Would she have wanted you to do this? Killing yourself by jumping off this ledge would not bring you honour. You are a Gaidin. If you have to do this then at least die in battle." Tyanna said softly to him. But she still would not let go of his shoulders. Just to make sure he could not break free of her grip Tyanna opened herself up to the one power. Carefully she wove flows of Air which she would not use unless she had to.
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"Would she have wanted you to do this? Killing yourself by jumping off this ledge would not bring you honour. You are a Gaidin. If you have to do this then at least die in battle."
Lain listened to what he now knew was an Aes Sedai, trying to bring his emotions in check. How little this Aes Sedai knew. Doubtless she was new to the shawl, and didn't even have a Warder yet. She surely hadn't felt the pain of one dying yet. And he had heard that pain was only a faint echo compared to what he felt. And now he had gotten her mad...
Lain sighed, resigned. She probably even held the One Power as she spoke. "This is my only way out, Aes Sedai," he told her, looking into her eyes as he spoke. "I have not the strength to fight anymore."
With dry eyes, he attempted to turn to face her fully. Her iron grip on his shoulders prevented his weakened body from moving. He was a disgrace to the Gaidin's name now. He didn't even have his Warder's cloak anymore; while the Whitecloaks had thought him dead, they had still cut it up. Cut it up and thrown it on the body of...
"Aes Sedai, I cannot... will not jump now. May I please come back onto the ledge?" He looked into her face, shrugging his shoulders against her hands, his body half turned.