Chapter 12: A Merlin for a Lady.
"Why do you insist on calling me that?" Yana said calmly.
"Because it is who you are," Lan whispered. Carefully he withdrew his hand and they stepped through the gateway.
The young girl with the feathered mask was being hauled up from the floor and was staring incredulously at Yana, who frowned behind her mask. Instead Yana changed her attention away from the girl to the surrounding countryside. The party of 30 stood on a grassy plane as the moon shone down on them. On a cliff overhanging the sea stood a large fort, complete with high walls and a high watchtower, which had a commanding view of the country and of the waves below. Riders were coming from the fort creating a dust cloud as the horses pounded the parched ground. A cry of a bird echoed through the air causing Yana to look and smile. Her prized Merlin hung in the air, awaiting its mistresses bidding to descend. Gaidin was a present form the owner of the fort and the man who brought his horse up beside her. Lord Tarquin.
"My Lady Yana, I recognised you instantly, even with your face half covered. As always you look heavenly," he said bowing in the saddle. As he straightened he flashed a winning, pearly white smile. When standing Lord Tarquin was tall and handsome, with light brown hair curling to his shoulders and bewitching green eyes that danced in his face. Handsome. Yes. Her type. No, even if he didn't understand that.
Yana removed the mask form her face and smiled beautifully up at the man.
"Lord Tarquin, as always, you seem to sense my presence," she said before turning her eyes skyward. "Gaidin is beautiful. Again I thank you for him, even if it wasn't necessary."
"It was necessary to see such a beautiful smile on such a beautiful face," Lord Tarquin said as he handed a blushing Yana a falconer's glove. Behind her, Yana heard the man in the wolf mask growl and she felt the girl gingerly prod at the shield. Ignoring them both she raised her hand and the small bird streaked down to settle on it. Gently she stroked his feathered chest as she strengthened the shield. With Gaidin still on her arm she turned to Lord Tarquin.
"These three," she said gesturing to the two girls and the man, who glared at Lord Tarquin. "Are our prisoners. I trust, My Lord, you can find suitable accommodation for them."
Lord Tarquin nodded before casting a cold eye over the unconscious Elayne, the still masked Egwene and the glaring Lan. His eyes travelled back to Yana and he smiled. He snapped his fingers. Three men stepped forward leading three horses. Yana chose three men to ride with Lan, Egwene and Elayne. Lord Tarquin extended his hand to Yana, who nodded her consent before releasing the bird and allowing the nobleman to pull her into the saddle in front of him.
"Emailia, pass the shield to me. I can handle them both seeing as ones unconscious," she said, "Velina, you can walk from here to the fort can't you? Good."
And with that Yana, Lord Tarquin, his party and the new prisoners rode off.
"As bad as a Domani," Velina seethed as she and her men trudged up the path to the fort.
JJ
Lan was ready to sink a sword into Lord Tarquin's heart. How dare the man flirt with his wife. How could Nynaeve let him?
They rode in front of him, talking quietly and, occasionally, the Lord glanced back over his shoulder. The man even toyed with his sword hilt. He could feel Egwene staring at him but he ignored her. He was too busy thinking of a way to kill Lord Tarquin when they dismounted.
He was still thinking on this when they reached the gate, which swung open, admitting them into a small courtyard edged with barracks, a prison building and straight ahead stood the main keep. Lan watched Nynaeve slide down quickly and walk over to him, using the same purposeful stride he had seen many a time. She planted herself directly in front of him, hands on her hips.
"Wipe that look off your face immediately," she hissed. "Lord Tarquin is more than ready to run you through. Luckily I've talked him out of it."
"He should not be flirting with my wife," Lan said and he almost smiled at the result. Nynaeve stood there looking gob smacked but she quickly regained her composure.
"How can I be your wife when I don't even know your name?" she whispered.
"Oh you know it," he said as the guards came up to take him away, "just remember."
Yana watched him walk away flanked by guards. Suddenly a word popped into her head.
"Lan."
(A/N Nynaeve is NOT being slutty she is just using her womanly ways. He he he!)
"Why do you insist on calling me that?" Yana said calmly.
"Because it is who you are," Lan whispered. Carefully he withdrew his hand and they stepped through the gateway.
The young girl with the feathered mask was being hauled up from the floor and was staring incredulously at Yana, who frowned behind her mask. Instead Yana changed her attention away from the girl to the surrounding countryside. The party of 30 stood on a grassy plane as the moon shone down on them. On a cliff overhanging the sea stood a large fort, complete with high walls and a high watchtower, which had a commanding view of the country and of the waves below. Riders were coming from the fort creating a dust cloud as the horses pounded the parched ground. A cry of a bird echoed through the air causing Yana to look and smile. Her prized Merlin hung in the air, awaiting its mistresses bidding to descend. Gaidin was a present form the owner of the fort and the man who brought his horse up beside her. Lord Tarquin.
"My Lady Yana, I recognised you instantly, even with your face half covered. As always you look heavenly," he said bowing in the saddle. As he straightened he flashed a winning, pearly white smile. When standing Lord Tarquin was tall and handsome, with light brown hair curling to his shoulders and bewitching green eyes that danced in his face. Handsome. Yes. Her type. No, even if he didn't understand that.
Yana removed the mask form her face and smiled beautifully up at the man.
"Lord Tarquin, as always, you seem to sense my presence," she said before turning her eyes skyward. "Gaidin is beautiful. Again I thank you for him, even if it wasn't necessary."
"It was necessary to see such a beautiful smile on such a beautiful face," Lord Tarquin said as he handed a blushing Yana a falconer's glove. Behind her, Yana heard the man in the wolf mask growl and she felt the girl gingerly prod at the shield. Ignoring them both she raised her hand and the small bird streaked down to settle on it. Gently she stroked his feathered chest as she strengthened the shield. With Gaidin still on her arm she turned to Lord Tarquin.
"These three," she said gesturing to the two girls and the man, who glared at Lord Tarquin. "Are our prisoners. I trust, My Lord, you can find suitable accommodation for them."
Lord Tarquin nodded before casting a cold eye over the unconscious Elayne, the still masked Egwene and the glaring Lan. His eyes travelled back to Yana and he smiled. He snapped his fingers. Three men stepped forward leading three horses. Yana chose three men to ride with Lan, Egwene and Elayne. Lord Tarquin extended his hand to Yana, who nodded her consent before releasing the bird and allowing the nobleman to pull her into the saddle in front of him.
"Emailia, pass the shield to me. I can handle them both seeing as ones unconscious," she said, "Velina, you can walk from here to the fort can't you? Good."
And with that Yana, Lord Tarquin, his party and the new prisoners rode off.
"As bad as a Domani," Velina seethed as she and her men trudged up the path to the fort.
JJ
Lan was ready to sink a sword into Lord Tarquin's heart. How dare the man flirt with his wife. How could Nynaeve let him?
They rode in front of him, talking quietly and, occasionally, the Lord glanced back over his shoulder. The man even toyed with his sword hilt. He could feel Egwene staring at him but he ignored her. He was too busy thinking of a way to kill Lord Tarquin when they dismounted.
He was still thinking on this when they reached the gate, which swung open, admitting them into a small courtyard edged with barracks, a prison building and straight ahead stood the main keep. Lan watched Nynaeve slide down quickly and walk over to him, using the same purposeful stride he had seen many a time. She planted herself directly in front of him, hands on her hips.
"Wipe that look off your face immediately," she hissed. "Lord Tarquin is more than ready to run you through. Luckily I've talked him out of it."
"He should not be flirting with my wife," Lan said and he almost smiled at the result. Nynaeve stood there looking gob smacked but she quickly regained her composure.
"How can I be your wife when I don't even know your name?" she whispered.
"Oh you know it," he said as the guards came up to take him away, "just remember."
Yana watched him walk away flanked by guards. Suddenly a word popped into her head.
"Lan."
(A/N Nynaeve is NOT being slutty she is just using her womanly ways. He he he!)