Chapter 3 Sanctuary
The water stung the scratches on Egwene's face as she drank from a small stream. Her splitting headache had relinquished and Saidar had returned but even its sweet taste did not wash away the grief. Two days had passed and Egwene's eyes could produce tears no longer.
She mounted the brown and trudged northeast. Soon Caemlyn would be in sight, soon she would be safe.
By midday Egwene had announced herself at the city gates and was riding as fast as she could to the royal palace, ignoring the shouts and curses of the people she almost trampled.
The palace guards opened the gates as soon as she reached them. Obviously she was expected. Panic seized her heart. How was she to tell Lan? Even telling Elayne was going to be hard enough but she couldn't imagine what it would be like to tell Nynaeve's husband.
She dismounted in the courtyard and her steed was taken to the stable.
"Look after her," Egwene informed the stable hand as she pressed a coin into his palm. She then made her way up the step and entered the grand palace that was Elayne's home.
A tall servant with skin so pale it was almost see through led her to her rooms which were large and lavishly decorated.
"I wish to see the Queen, as soon as possible," Egwene said firmly.
"Queen Elayne is in a conference but she told me to tell you she will come as soon as she can," replied the servant in a strong Andor accent.
"I will see no one unless it is the Queen," Egwene ordered. "Understand?"
"Yes Mother. Is there anything you need," inquired the servant.
"No, thank you. You may leave," Egwene dismissed the servant and crossed the room to a mirror. She regretted the decision of not ordering hot water when she saw her reflection. Her hair was in disarray and her face was red and puffy with dust all over it. She sighed and sat on a chair to await Elayne's arrival.
Elayne resisted the urge to tap her foot in frustration. Lord Drugan was talking about how the men on his land were leaving to join the Dragonsworn in his boring, drawling voice. Elayne had other matters to disscus with the just arrived Amyrlin.
Aes Sedai were arriving in ones and twos after the attack on the camp but none of them knew what had happened to Nynaeve and Egwene. Now Egwene had arrived Elayne didn't know whether to shout herself hoarse or break Egwene's ribs in a hug.
She was musing on this thought when Lord Drugan finished talking. Quickly she rose from the Lion throne before the other nobles could think up something else to say.
"My Lords and Ladies, I must retire. We shall continue this discussion after I thought on Lord Drugan's argument some more," she said graciously. The nobles knew they had been dismissed and they left all the time bowing and wishing her good health to which she inclined her head. Aviendha rose from the seat next to her and smoothed the green dress she wore.
"Did you actually listen to a word that wetlander said," she asked flipping her long red hair over her shoulder.
"Sort of," Elayne admitted to the Aiel, "come, lets go talk to Egwene."
Birgitte joined them half way down the corridor.
"She didn't look happy when she arrived," the golden haired woman announced her face creased with worry. "She arrived alone."
"No Nynaeve?" Elayne said startled strange.
Birgitte shook her head. "I talked to Sheriam, 3 sisters are still missing, including Nynaeve."
"She will be fine," Aviendha piped up, "she wasn't even there."
"Your right." Elayne sighed. "Here we are. Lets hope she's in a good mood." Elayne pushed the door open to find Egwene sitting in a chair, eyes bloodshot and unfocused, her clothes torn and bloody with scratches marking her face. Elayne rushed to her side as Birgitte hurriedly shut the door.
"Egwene………… Egwene what's wrong. This isn't your blood is it?" Elayne shook her friend gently. Egwene's eyes focused and she saw Elayne. She burst into tears.
"Oh Elayne, she's gone and it's my fault," Egwene sobbed.
"What is? Who's gone? Egwene, please calm down. We can sort this," Elayne begged.
"No you can't. You can't Heal the dead."
Elayne stopped stroking Egwene's hair and took her by the shoulders
"Look at me. Look at me. Who's dead?" Panic set in. Egwene looked straight into Elayne's eyes.
"Nynaeve," she whispered before she burst into another torrent of tears.
Elayne knelt in shock before sitting on the floor tears running down her face until she too began to sob.
The water stung the scratches on Egwene's face as she drank from a small stream. Her splitting headache had relinquished and Saidar had returned but even its sweet taste did not wash away the grief. Two days had passed and Egwene's eyes could produce tears no longer.
She mounted the brown and trudged northeast. Soon Caemlyn would be in sight, soon she would be safe.
By midday Egwene had announced herself at the city gates and was riding as fast as she could to the royal palace, ignoring the shouts and curses of the people she almost trampled.
The palace guards opened the gates as soon as she reached them. Obviously she was expected. Panic seized her heart. How was she to tell Lan? Even telling Elayne was going to be hard enough but she couldn't imagine what it would be like to tell Nynaeve's husband.
She dismounted in the courtyard and her steed was taken to the stable.
"Look after her," Egwene informed the stable hand as she pressed a coin into his palm. She then made her way up the step and entered the grand palace that was Elayne's home.
A tall servant with skin so pale it was almost see through led her to her rooms which were large and lavishly decorated.
"I wish to see the Queen, as soon as possible," Egwene said firmly.
"Queen Elayne is in a conference but she told me to tell you she will come as soon as she can," replied the servant in a strong Andor accent.
"I will see no one unless it is the Queen," Egwene ordered. "Understand?"
"Yes Mother. Is there anything you need," inquired the servant.
"No, thank you. You may leave," Egwene dismissed the servant and crossed the room to a mirror. She regretted the decision of not ordering hot water when she saw her reflection. Her hair was in disarray and her face was red and puffy with dust all over it. She sighed and sat on a chair to await Elayne's arrival.
Elayne resisted the urge to tap her foot in frustration. Lord Drugan was talking about how the men on his land were leaving to join the Dragonsworn in his boring, drawling voice. Elayne had other matters to disscus with the just arrived Amyrlin.
Aes Sedai were arriving in ones and twos after the attack on the camp but none of them knew what had happened to Nynaeve and Egwene. Now Egwene had arrived Elayne didn't know whether to shout herself hoarse or break Egwene's ribs in a hug.
She was musing on this thought when Lord Drugan finished talking. Quickly she rose from the Lion throne before the other nobles could think up something else to say.
"My Lords and Ladies, I must retire. We shall continue this discussion after I thought on Lord Drugan's argument some more," she said graciously. The nobles knew they had been dismissed and they left all the time bowing and wishing her good health to which she inclined her head. Aviendha rose from the seat next to her and smoothed the green dress she wore.
"Did you actually listen to a word that wetlander said," she asked flipping her long red hair over her shoulder.
"Sort of," Elayne admitted to the Aiel, "come, lets go talk to Egwene."
Birgitte joined them half way down the corridor.
"She didn't look happy when she arrived," the golden haired woman announced her face creased with worry. "She arrived alone."
"No Nynaeve?" Elayne said startled strange.
Birgitte shook her head. "I talked to Sheriam, 3 sisters are still missing, including Nynaeve."
"She will be fine," Aviendha piped up, "she wasn't even there."
"Your right." Elayne sighed. "Here we are. Lets hope she's in a good mood." Elayne pushed the door open to find Egwene sitting in a chair, eyes bloodshot and unfocused, her clothes torn and bloody with scratches marking her face. Elayne rushed to her side as Birgitte hurriedly shut the door.
"Egwene………… Egwene what's wrong. This isn't your blood is it?" Elayne shook her friend gently. Egwene's eyes focused and she saw Elayne. She burst into tears.
"Oh Elayne, she's gone and it's my fault," Egwene sobbed.
"What is? Who's gone? Egwene, please calm down. We can sort this," Elayne begged.
"No you can't. You can't Heal the dead."
Elayne stopped stroking Egwene's hair and took her by the shoulders
"Look at me. Look at me. Who's dead?" Panic set in. Egwene looked straight into Elayne's eyes.
"Nynaeve," she whispered before she burst into another torrent of tears.
Elayne knelt in shock before sitting on the floor tears running down her face until she too began to sob.