Chapter 18 Lost?
Yana dug her heals into her mount urging him towards the fort. Smoke was now billowing into the darkened sky, curling upwards to join the clouds, which flashed with lightning created by the One Power. A bird hung in the air, looking at the scene below.
Yana concentrated on reaching the fort careless of her speed. She completely ignored Lord Tarquin, who was someway behind, and concentrated on her main concern. Lan. He was somewhere inside a besieged fort and could be already dead for all she knew yet her mind was full of him. She thrust the thought of him dead aside as she started up the hill to the fort. Men lined the walls, battling others and firing arrows into the courtyard. The giant wooden doors were wide open and Yana stopped to run her eyes over the fray, littered with Saidar, searching for one man in particular. Then she spotted him. His tall frame was slouched on the floor, his leg at an odd angle with an arrow shaft lodged into his shoulder. A Seanchan warrior stood over him, his back to her, with his sword raised, ready to strike a defenceless Lan. Rage engulfed Yana as she kicked her horse forward, not caring who she trampled. She drew her knife from her belt, knowing that any use of the One Power would act as a beacon to any damane, and threw it at Lan's attacker. The blade buried itself up to the hilt in the back of the Seanchan's neck, where his armour didn't quite meet. The warrior toppled forward, dead. Yana drew a short sword from a scabbard on her saddle as her horse charged to where Lan lay.
JJ
Lan was amazed when the Seanchan warrior toppled forward onto him, a knife buried deep in the back of his neck. Lan squirmed out from under him, pain shooting up through all of his body and looked up with blurring eyes. Nynaeve, his love, was riding towards him with a sword drawn. When she reached him she dived out of her saddle and rushed to his side. He heard her talking to him, but he couldn't make out the words, and he saw Elayne and Egwene finally reach him, breathing heavily. He felt the three women drag him into the shadows.
:):(
Yana gazed down at the love of her life. His leg had been broken by the fall and he was bleeding heavily from the arrow in his shoulder. The arrow shaft was in so deep that it would take more than Yana's strength to remove it and Healing while surrounded by damane was like strapping the collar around your own neck. Yana looked up at Elayne and Egwene who were gazing worriedly down at their friend, Egwene mindlessly stroking Cor.
"Stay here," Yana ordered. "Make sure he's comfortable. I'll go see if I can find someone to help. Here," she passed Elayne the sword. "If anyone comes round the corner wave that around. No channelling."
Yana stalked round the corner and tugged her dagger from the Seanchan. Warily she moved around the edge of the battle, looking for any familiar face. A young Seanchan soldier charged out from the battle, sword at the ready. Yana saw him late and only had time to dive out the way, rolling over so she stood facing her attacker. They circled, awaiting an opening. The soldier grew impatient and ran recklessly at Yana, who sidestepped and delivered a smart punch to the back of his head, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Before he could rise, Yana kicked him in the face twice, knocking him out. Before she could turn, someone slammed into her, pushing her to the ground. She lost her dagger in the process. Another soldier, who had lost his sword, had pinned her legs to the ground and was now basically sitting on her. Yana thrust the heel of her hand into the man's nose, making his eyes fill up with tears but he didn't budge. Instead he backhanded her so hard that black spots appeared in front of her eyes. Suddenly the soldier was pulled off her by an unseen figure. Yana scrambled up to see the Seanchan knocked cold by Vlad the jailer. Though the jailer was quite small, he was well muscled with unruly brown hair. He wasn't very handsome with a broken nose marring his features and he always wore a blank look on his face.
"Lady Yana, are you alright?" he said, his hazel eyes full of concern.
"Yes, thank you Vlad," she said as she retrieved her dagger. Vlad's mouth broke into a grin because she could remember his name.
"It's dangerous for you to be out 'ere on your own," he shouted over the din of battle.
"I was looking for some assistance and I believe I have found it," Yana said, looking up at him. He smiled, not quite understanding what she had said. Yana sighed, took his hand and pulled him to where Lan lay.
As they stepped round the corner, Elayne brandished a sword at them before she realised who it was. Egwene looked up from where she was crouching over Lan.
"Nynaeve, we have to leave. Lan isn't looking so good," she said. Yana stopped herself from correcting her name and instead turned to Vlad.
"Please Vlad. I need your help. This man is badly hurt," she gestured to Lan. "The arrow has to be removed from his wound. We cannot do it alone."
"Why are you 'elpin them my lady. They are the prisoners. Why don't we just go?"
"They will die if the Seanchan get hold of them. I will not leave them."
Vlad looked down into the woman's dark eyes that were imploring him top help. Lady Yana was the sort of woman he wanted to protect, look after, love even if those feeling were not returned. From that moment on he was devoted to her. He strode forward to the man on the floor.
Yana had felt her heart almost stop when Vlad paused, considering where his actions then would lead him. She could have kissed him when he stepped forward to take the arrow shaft firmly in both hands. He then looked to her for instructions. Yana hurried forward and knelt near Lan's head, gently stroking his hair.
"Pull it, quickly and sharply out… now."
JL
Lan muffled his cry of pain as the arrow was yanked from his shoulder. The man who pulled it free stepped back so Nynaeve could see the wound properly. Lan heard her cursing under her breath as she studied his shoulder, eyes intent and filled with worry. He gazed into her face, so beautiful, and saw the woman he had first fallen in love with.
JL
Yana was panicking. The arrow had hit a main artery and the wound refused to stop bleeding. He needed to be Healed.
"Vlad, find me three horses. Quickly," she ordered. Vlad immediately sprinted off to find them. Yana covered the wound with her hand, desperately trying to staunch the flow of crimson. Egwene's eyes began to fill with water and Elayne stared intently out into the battle.
"Hold on just a little longer. Hold on," Yana whispered to Lan, who was gazing intently into her face. She bent and kissed his forehead and Lan closed his eyes, savouring the moment. She drew back as she heard horses hooves. Vlad was coming leading three horses, all saddled and ready to ride.
"Egwene, Elayne get on," Yana commanded. "Vlad help me get Lan onto Egwene's horse."
JL
Together Nynaeve and the jailer lifted Lan onto the horse. When he was up Nynaeve took his head in her hands. A cold shiver wracked Lan as his broken leg and arrow wound were healed as if they never occurred. When it was over a weary Lan looked down at Nynaeve.
"Come with me," he breathed. She smiled, went on tiptoe and kissed him hungrily. She pulled away and Lan saw the look in her eyes.
"No!" he croaked as Nynaeve slapped the horse's flank, sending it jumping forward, towards the gates. Elayne galloped after them but Lan could clearly see Nynaeve watching him leave, tears running down her face, before she climbed onto her horse. He stared until his vision was obscured by the battle and the shouting sul'dams.
This is my second to last chapter. There will be a sequel, I promise, sometime in august or September. If you have any questions ask them now!!!
Yana dug her heals into her mount urging him towards the fort. Smoke was now billowing into the darkened sky, curling upwards to join the clouds, which flashed with lightning created by the One Power. A bird hung in the air, looking at the scene below.
Yana concentrated on reaching the fort careless of her speed. She completely ignored Lord Tarquin, who was someway behind, and concentrated on her main concern. Lan. He was somewhere inside a besieged fort and could be already dead for all she knew yet her mind was full of him. She thrust the thought of him dead aside as she started up the hill to the fort. Men lined the walls, battling others and firing arrows into the courtyard. The giant wooden doors were wide open and Yana stopped to run her eyes over the fray, littered with Saidar, searching for one man in particular. Then she spotted him. His tall frame was slouched on the floor, his leg at an odd angle with an arrow shaft lodged into his shoulder. A Seanchan warrior stood over him, his back to her, with his sword raised, ready to strike a defenceless Lan. Rage engulfed Yana as she kicked her horse forward, not caring who she trampled. She drew her knife from her belt, knowing that any use of the One Power would act as a beacon to any damane, and threw it at Lan's attacker. The blade buried itself up to the hilt in the back of the Seanchan's neck, where his armour didn't quite meet. The warrior toppled forward, dead. Yana drew a short sword from a scabbard on her saddle as her horse charged to where Lan lay.
JJ
Lan was amazed when the Seanchan warrior toppled forward onto him, a knife buried deep in the back of his neck. Lan squirmed out from under him, pain shooting up through all of his body and looked up with blurring eyes. Nynaeve, his love, was riding towards him with a sword drawn. When she reached him she dived out of her saddle and rushed to his side. He heard her talking to him, but he couldn't make out the words, and he saw Elayne and Egwene finally reach him, breathing heavily. He felt the three women drag him into the shadows.
:):(
Yana gazed down at the love of her life. His leg had been broken by the fall and he was bleeding heavily from the arrow in his shoulder. The arrow shaft was in so deep that it would take more than Yana's strength to remove it and Healing while surrounded by damane was like strapping the collar around your own neck. Yana looked up at Elayne and Egwene who were gazing worriedly down at their friend, Egwene mindlessly stroking Cor.
"Stay here," Yana ordered. "Make sure he's comfortable. I'll go see if I can find someone to help. Here," she passed Elayne the sword. "If anyone comes round the corner wave that around. No channelling."
Yana stalked round the corner and tugged her dagger from the Seanchan. Warily she moved around the edge of the battle, looking for any familiar face. A young Seanchan soldier charged out from the battle, sword at the ready. Yana saw him late and only had time to dive out the way, rolling over so she stood facing her attacker. They circled, awaiting an opening. The soldier grew impatient and ran recklessly at Yana, who sidestepped and delivered a smart punch to the back of his head, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Before he could rise, Yana kicked him in the face twice, knocking him out. Before she could turn, someone slammed into her, pushing her to the ground. She lost her dagger in the process. Another soldier, who had lost his sword, had pinned her legs to the ground and was now basically sitting on her. Yana thrust the heel of her hand into the man's nose, making his eyes fill up with tears but he didn't budge. Instead he backhanded her so hard that black spots appeared in front of her eyes. Suddenly the soldier was pulled off her by an unseen figure. Yana scrambled up to see the Seanchan knocked cold by Vlad the jailer. Though the jailer was quite small, he was well muscled with unruly brown hair. He wasn't very handsome with a broken nose marring his features and he always wore a blank look on his face.
"Lady Yana, are you alright?" he said, his hazel eyes full of concern.
"Yes, thank you Vlad," she said as she retrieved her dagger. Vlad's mouth broke into a grin because she could remember his name.
"It's dangerous for you to be out 'ere on your own," he shouted over the din of battle.
"I was looking for some assistance and I believe I have found it," Yana said, looking up at him. He smiled, not quite understanding what she had said. Yana sighed, took his hand and pulled him to where Lan lay.
As they stepped round the corner, Elayne brandished a sword at them before she realised who it was. Egwene looked up from where she was crouching over Lan.
"Nynaeve, we have to leave. Lan isn't looking so good," she said. Yana stopped herself from correcting her name and instead turned to Vlad.
"Please Vlad. I need your help. This man is badly hurt," she gestured to Lan. "The arrow has to be removed from his wound. We cannot do it alone."
"Why are you 'elpin them my lady. They are the prisoners. Why don't we just go?"
"They will die if the Seanchan get hold of them. I will not leave them."
Vlad looked down into the woman's dark eyes that were imploring him top help. Lady Yana was the sort of woman he wanted to protect, look after, love even if those feeling were not returned. From that moment on he was devoted to her. He strode forward to the man on the floor.
Yana had felt her heart almost stop when Vlad paused, considering where his actions then would lead him. She could have kissed him when he stepped forward to take the arrow shaft firmly in both hands. He then looked to her for instructions. Yana hurried forward and knelt near Lan's head, gently stroking his hair.
"Pull it, quickly and sharply out… now."
JL
Lan muffled his cry of pain as the arrow was yanked from his shoulder. The man who pulled it free stepped back so Nynaeve could see the wound properly. Lan heard her cursing under her breath as she studied his shoulder, eyes intent and filled with worry. He gazed into her face, so beautiful, and saw the woman he had first fallen in love with.
JL
Yana was panicking. The arrow had hit a main artery and the wound refused to stop bleeding. He needed to be Healed.
"Vlad, find me three horses. Quickly," she ordered. Vlad immediately sprinted off to find them. Yana covered the wound with her hand, desperately trying to staunch the flow of crimson. Egwene's eyes began to fill with water and Elayne stared intently out into the battle.
"Hold on just a little longer. Hold on," Yana whispered to Lan, who was gazing intently into her face. She bent and kissed his forehead and Lan closed his eyes, savouring the moment. She drew back as she heard horses hooves. Vlad was coming leading three horses, all saddled and ready to ride.
"Egwene, Elayne get on," Yana commanded. "Vlad help me get Lan onto Egwene's horse."
JL
Together Nynaeve and the jailer lifted Lan onto the horse. When he was up Nynaeve took his head in her hands. A cold shiver wracked Lan as his broken leg and arrow wound were healed as if they never occurred. When it was over a weary Lan looked down at Nynaeve.
"Come with me," he breathed. She smiled, went on tiptoe and kissed him hungrily. She pulled away and Lan saw the look in her eyes.
"No!" he croaked as Nynaeve slapped the horse's flank, sending it jumping forward, towards the gates. Elayne galloped after them but Lan could clearly see Nynaeve watching him leave, tears running down her face, before she climbed onto her horse. He stared until his vision was obscured by the battle and the shouting sul'dams.
This is my second to last chapter. There will be a sequel, I promise, sometime in august or September. If you have any questions ask them now!!!