Chapter 2 Wisdom
Egwene awoke with a start and found herself gazing up at the tops of trees, with leaves fluttering past as the horse that carried her dodged the wrinkled trunks.
Her initial panic subsided as she remembered who was steering the mare. She lent back onto her fellow villager's shoulder, her head splitting and closed her eyes. Ragged breathing met her ears, startled she opened her eyes to see Nynaeve bent double in the saddle, her face pale and drawn with pain, blood stained her lips. Egwene realised the blood on her own green gown was not hers. Then she saw the arrow shaft protruding from Nynaeve's side.
" Stop!" Egwene cried Light.
"We must keep going," Nynaeve's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Nynaeve al'Meara, stop this horse now," when the other women didn't respond, Egwene snatched the reins from her with no resistance.
When the horse stopped, Egwene slid of the brown mare, gently easing Nynaeve down after her. The shorter Yellow fell immediately to the earthy soil. Egwene dropped to her knees beside the older woman. Gingerly, she peered at the wound and could not repress a gasp. It was bleeding badly and looked infected, far beyond her Healing even if she could grasp the One Power through her thumping headache. Thankfully the arrow was not barbed.
"Nynaeve, I have to take it out."
A woman's cry of pain echoed through the forest where many of the Aes Sedai had gone to hide. Immediately Trollocs ran towards the sound, crashing through the undergrowth with inhuman shouts.
Light burn me, why can't I Heal????? Egwene silently cursed as she looked down at the pained face of her friend. Blood played on her lips as Nynaeve asked to see the arrow.
"Its been poisoned," Nynaeve announced.
Egwene opened her mouth to tell her she must be wrong but she was cut off by Trolloc cries.
"We must leave," Egwene said hurriedly as she bent to help Nynaeve up.
"No," the older woman protested. Egwene ignored her. "No" Nynaeve used all her strength to push Egwene away.
"Caemlyn is 3 days away. I will be dead in tomorrow. The horse is tired there is no way it can carry two. You cannot reach the power and I cannot concentrate on the Travelling flows," listed Nynaeve, "You must leave me."
Egwene's emotional barrier fell away, knowing in her heart Nynaeve's word were true. Tears sprang to her eyes.
"Light blind me I can't, I won't. I will find someone to Heal you and…"
"You know that I speak the truth. I came with you to protect you and the Light burn me, I will." Nynaeve whispered urgently. "Help me to that tree and prop me up."
Egwene obeyed, tears running down her face. Nynaeve's eyes glistened. The ex-Wisdom removed the leather thong that hung around her neck. On it was Lan's ring. She gazed down at it, then, finally, handed it to Egwene.
"Explain to him. Tell him…….." Nynaeve closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, " tell him, my last thought will be of him. Tell him I love him."
Nynaeve then kissed Egwene on the forehead, leaving a red print. As Egwene drew back she saw tears running freely down her face as were her own.
"Look after them," Nynaeve muttered. The Trolloc calls grew nearer. "GO!" Nynaeve al'Meara of the Yellow Ajah commanded giving Egwene a slight push as she drew both her belt knife and Saidar.
Egwene mounted the brown mare and took one teary-eyed look back before kicking the horse into a gallop.
Nynaeve watched her friend ride away and her heart swelled with pride that the child she had watched grow had now accomplished so much. A Trolloc crashed through the bushes and charged at her, sword drawn. Nynaeve weaved crude flows of fire and directed it toward her attacker. The Trolloc erupted into a ball of flame and fell to the floor. Two more careened through the trees. Nynaeve ignored the screaming pain in her side and the growing numbness of her limbs as she channelled more flows. She would buy Egwene escape whatever the cost.
"I have nothing left to lose," she whispered.
Tears streamed down Egwene's face as she felt the use of Saidar behind her. Branches clawed at her face as the horse dodged the trunks. She emerged from the forest but galloped still, urging the mare in a crackly, faint voice. Back in the forest Saidar held. It held until Egwene reached a good few miles from the forest. It was abruptly cut off like a thread severed.
Egwene stopped and gazed back at the forest behind her.
"I promise Nynaeve, by the light I swear it."
Egwene awoke with a start and found herself gazing up at the tops of trees, with leaves fluttering past as the horse that carried her dodged the wrinkled trunks.
Her initial panic subsided as she remembered who was steering the mare. She lent back onto her fellow villager's shoulder, her head splitting and closed her eyes. Ragged breathing met her ears, startled she opened her eyes to see Nynaeve bent double in the saddle, her face pale and drawn with pain, blood stained her lips. Egwene realised the blood on her own green gown was not hers. Then she saw the arrow shaft protruding from Nynaeve's side.
" Stop!" Egwene cried Light.
"We must keep going," Nynaeve's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Nynaeve al'Meara, stop this horse now," when the other women didn't respond, Egwene snatched the reins from her with no resistance.
When the horse stopped, Egwene slid of the brown mare, gently easing Nynaeve down after her. The shorter Yellow fell immediately to the earthy soil. Egwene dropped to her knees beside the older woman. Gingerly, she peered at the wound and could not repress a gasp. It was bleeding badly and looked infected, far beyond her Healing even if she could grasp the One Power through her thumping headache. Thankfully the arrow was not barbed.
"Nynaeve, I have to take it out."
A woman's cry of pain echoed through the forest where many of the Aes Sedai had gone to hide. Immediately Trollocs ran towards the sound, crashing through the undergrowth with inhuman shouts.
Light burn me, why can't I Heal????? Egwene silently cursed as she looked down at the pained face of her friend. Blood played on her lips as Nynaeve asked to see the arrow.
"Its been poisoned," Nynaeve announced.
Egwene opened her mouth to tell her she must be wrong but she was cut off by Trolloc cries.
"We must leave," Egwene said hurriedly as she bent to help Nynaeve up.
"No," the older woman protested. Egwene ignored her. "No" Nynaeve used all her strength to push Egwene away.
"Caemlyn is 3 days away. I will be dead in tomorrow. The horse is tired there is no way it can carry two. You cannot reach the power and I cannot concentrate on the Travelling flows," listed Nynaeve, "You must leave me."
Egwene's emotional barrier fell away, knowing in her heart Nynaeve's word were true. Tears sprang to her eyes.
"Light blind me I can't, I won't. I will find someone to Heal you and…"
"You know that I speak the truth. I came with you to protect you and the Light burn me, I will." Nynaeve whispered urgently. "Help me to that tree and prop me up."
Egwene obeyed, tears running down her face. Nynaeve's eyes glistened. The ex-Wisdom removed the leather thong that hung around her neck. On it was Lan's ring. She gazed down at it, then, finally, handed it to Egwene.
"Explain to him. Tell him…….." Nynaeve closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, " tell him, my last thought will be of him. Tell him I love him."
Nynaeve then kissed Egwene on the forehead, leaving a red print. As Egwene drew back she saw tears running freely down her face as were her own.
"Look after them," Nynaeve muttered. The Trolloc calls grew nearer. "GO!" Nynaeve al'Meara of the Yellow Ajah commanded giving Egwene a slight push as she drew both her belt knife and Saidar.
Egwene mounted the brown mare and took one teary-eyed look back before kicking the horse into a gallop.
Nynaeve watched her friend ride away and her heart swelled with pride that the child she had watched grow had now accomplished so much. A Trolloc crashed through the bushes and charged at her, sword drawn. Nynaeve weaved crude flows of fire and directed it toward her attacker. The Trolloc erupted into a ball of flame and fell to the floor. Two more careened through the trees. Nynaeve ignored the screaming pain in her side and the growing numbness of her limbs as she channelled more flows. She would buy Egwene escape whatever the cost.
"I have nothing left to lose," she whispered.
Tears streamed down Egwene's face as she felt the use of Saidar behind her. Branches clawed at her face as the horse dodged the trunks. She emerged from the forest but galloped still, urging the mare in a crackly, faint voice. Back in the forest Saidar held. It held until Egwene reached a good few miles from the forest. It was abruptly cut off like a thread severed.
Egwene stopped and gazed back at the forest behind her.
"I promise Nynaeve, by the light I swear it."