Disclaimer: I do not own the wheel of time or Ranma.
Chapter TWO: Strangers? Hey look money!
When Ruby had finished rolling the last cask to Mat she saw that the normally empty Inn common room had several people in it. The whole of the village council was sitting around and talking. They all seemed worried, but worry wasn't uncommon for the village council these days.
Two of the men were sitting at the fireplace, a big thing that came to most men's shoulders. Those men were Jon Thane, the miller, and Haral Luhhan, the blacksmith. The later seemed to be frowning at the two friends. Master Luhhan straightened and turned back to the conversation.
Ruby caught a few snippets of the talk and started walking forward, until she had to bite back a shout. Mat had kicked her ankle hard, and it had hurt. Her friend nodded toward the door and walked quickly. Muttering Ruby started after him but she was limping slightly.
When she met up with Mat outside she slammed her uninjured foot on his. "What was that for?"
"I guess I deserved that."
"Yes, you did. Now please explain why you kicked me. I got better hearing than you and you know it. I would have heard them."
"It's old Luhhan, I think he suspects I was the one who-" He cut off and began looking around as Mistress al'Vere walked out with fresh baked bread. Ruby's stomach began to grumble as she caught a whiff. That morning she only had a bite or two of bread heel. Besides, she like Mistress al'Vere, she was one of the few that didn't try to get her to take out the braid or marry off Tam.
"There's more of this in the kitchen, if you are hungry, never knew boys your age who weren't. Oh, sorry Ruby dear."
"I don't mind Mistress al'Vere."
"Anyway there are also honey cakes when you're done." At this point she looked in to the cart and noticed that it was empty. "By the light that was fast! You two go in and help yourselves." She flashed them a brilliant smile and carried her tray into the common room.
Mat and Ruby proceeded to the kitchen completely missing Ewin Finngar who stalked down to the cellar. When they got there Mat grabbed two mugs and filled them with water, Ruby got two plates and piled some of everything on them, mostly honey cakes.
"Honeycakes." Said Mat as he took his own food filled plate and handed Ruby her mug.
"You know Mat maybe I should learn to make these." Ruby replied between mouthfuls.
"If you do I'll be the first taste tester." They finished eating and Ruby patted her stomach. She leaned against Mats shoulder.
"Mat, were friends right? You can tell me anything, I promise I won't tell." Ruby inquired.
Mat was startled, Ruby was one of his best friends, and they had pulled of countless pranks together, him, her and Perrin. He looked at her. Mat took her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes, she was a girl true, but she never kept secrets and wasn't hard on the eyes. Truth be told he thought her the prettiest of all Emonds Field, but he would never think about her in THAT way. "Ruby al'Thor I have no idea what you're talking about. We are best friends."
Ruby gave him a dazzling smile. "So what did you do that you have to avoid Master Luhhan?"
Mat shrugged and searched for more food. "Nothing, really. I told Adan al'Caar and some of his snot nosed friends-Ewin Finngar and Dag Coplin- that some farmers had seen ghost hounds, breathing fire and running through the woods. They ate it up like clotted cream."
"He's mad at you for that?"
"Not exactly." Mat paused and shrugged. "You see I covered 2 of his dogs in flour, so they were all white. Then I let them loose near Dag's house. How was I to know they'd run straight home?" Mock innocence took his voice. "It really wasn't my fault. If Mistress Luhhan had not left the door open they couldn't have gotten inside. It isn't like I intended to get flour all over her house."
Ruby started giggling in that way only girls giggle. At the next statement they were both laughing. "I hear she chased old Luhhan and the dogs, all three, out of the house with a broom."
Both stopped laughing at the same time, and turned to look out the window, to the trees. They saw Ravens staring at them.
Ruby growled, "Bloody birds."
"I'm tiered of being stared at." They both noticed the wrinkled apples set aside. Both friends reached for one. Mat had a thought. "Pssst. Ruby hey I'll throw first if it moves you throw to the side."
Mat cocked his hand back, the apple sailed out the window and aim was true. Luck for the bird it hoped to the side. Unluckily however for the Raven the apple thrown seconds after the first collided with its head instantly killing it. The body dropped. Ruby was about to walk out when she saw the most uppity dressed person in her life. The lady had a dark blue cloak and a gold braided belt. The dress was of a weird looking material, (in Ruby's opinion.) it looked easily rip able. The lady was short, barely coming up to Ruby's chest, with a golden chain and blue sparkling stone on it.
Ruby backed up and ran into Mat. "Hey, Watch where you're going."
"Sorry Mat, Who's that?" Mat looked out the door and backed up. Both took positions by the window crouched down trying to be unnoticed.
"Remember when I told you there were strangers." Ruby nodded. "That's Moiraine I think she's noble born or something. She's also got a hired man I think, don't know his name." They watched as Moiraine walked over to the raven they had just killed. "The guy she is with has got this cloak that changes color. It blends in the background. Ewww, she aint gonna eat it is she?"
"I don't know. come on Mat." Ruby grabbed Mat and walked to the back exit.
***Moiraine POV
She looked up to see a raven. "A vile bird, to mistrusted in the
best of times." She muttered to herself. It hopped aside as
something whizzed by it. The bird seemed to be staring at something.
It was so intent on it's target that it completely missed the next
throw. Before she could track its gaze an apple collided with its
head. Moiraine blinked and walked over to the body. She scanned the ground and saw another apple a few meters off. "So they already knew it would move." A slight smile blossomed on her lips. She looked in the direction the apple came and found the window to the mistress al'Vere's kitchen. Moiraine looked passed the window and saw a door closing.
*** Back to Ruby and Mat
"Sorry Ruby but I can't believe a lady like her would eat that bird."
"I think she spent all her money on fancy clothing and was starving. Her 'hired' man is probably indebted to her or something."
The two walked out of the Inn and Mat walked over to Moiraine. Ruby was going with him when she noticed a man leaning against the wall. She had almost not seen him but her gut had told her to look closer. "He must be the guy with the cloak," she thought. Tapping Mat on the arm she walked over to the man.
The man took no notice of her until she held out her hand and said, "Hi! Good Morning, I'm Ruby al'Thor." Ruby smiled cheerily. The man looked surprised for an instant-only an instant. He nodded.
"Lan Mandragoran"
"Well Lan, its nice meeting you. That Lady Moiraine, Mat says she's rich, I think she blew all her money on clothes. You can tell me, which is it? She has to be poor, why else would she be looking at that raven, was she going to eat it?"
Lan was speechless, he had not noticed this girl until she introduced herself, and then she spoke of Moiraine like some silly poor child. Moiraine wore slight blush as she looked up from her conversation with Mat and another boy.
"She is neither Miss. al'Thor, she is merely a collector of stories."
"So she expects us to give her everything? Weird."
Moiraine walked over having regained the little composer she had lost. "I do not believe we have met, I am Moiraine Damandred (sp.?) You can call me just Moiraine."
Ruby arched an eyebrow. What was it with most female sex and breaking into conversations? Here she was talking with a nice looking guy, trying to get info, when Mrs. Look that ravens sure looks good shows up.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ruby al'Thor."
"As I understand it women here where their hair in braids, how long have you had it?"
Mat laughed. He likes to tell about this. It was one of the best jokes that could be pulled. "You see, Ruby here was 7 when she came into town with her hair in a braid. He father and her live out on farm a ways back. Well the women's circle was furious, but when they tried to take it out she ran off when they got too close. Master al'Thor didn't say anything against it so she kept it."
"I see" Moiraine walked/glided away with Lan following.
"Mat! Why did you tell her?"
"No reason," he paused and shooed the other boy off, who was muttering about gleemen. "Anyway look at what she gave me."
"Blood and ashes." In Mats hand was a silver coin. ".Mat you could by a good horse with that. And still have coin left over."
"I know, but something just doesn't want me to use it." He pocketed the coin.
"Well, I suppose it's best to save it for an emergency." A moment later they heard shouting and the two turned around. The peddler with the fireworks had arrived.
END.
A/N The mushiness with Mat and Ruby, I couldn't think of a different way to stress it. All of them are good friends, in my story there are going to be no secrets they keep from each other. Ruby doesn't get all huggy with strangers, just with friends.
Also most will be told from Ruby's POV I might do Mats' or Perrins' if I am bored, Possible Lan later on. Should he hook up with Ruby?
Special Thanks to Mr. Pibb Extra who gave me the caffeine high to stay awake and Finnish the chappie.
Chapter TWO: Strangers? Hey look money!
When Ruby had finished rolling the last cask to Mat she saw that the normally empty Inn common room had several people in it. The whole of the village council was sitting around and talking. They all seemed worried, but worry wasn't uncommon for the village council these days.
Two of the men were sitting at the fireplace, a big thing that came to most men's shoulders. Those men were Jon Thane, the miller, and Haral Luhhan, the blacksmith. The later seemed to be frowning at the two friends. Master Luhhan straightened and turned back to the conversation.
Ruby caught a few snippets of the talk and started walking forward, until she had to bite back a shout. Mat had kicked her ankle hard, and it had hurt. Her friend nodded toward the door and walked quickly. Muttering Ruby started after him but she was limping slightly.
When she met up with Mat outside she slammed her uninjured foot on his. "What was that for?"
"I guess I deserved that."
"Yes, you did. Now please explain why you kicked me. I got better hearing than you and you know it. I would have heard them."
"It's old Luhhan, I think he suspects I was the one who-" He cut off and began looking around as Mistress al'Vere walked out with fresh baked bread. Ruby's stomach began to grumble as she caught a whiff. That morning she only had a bite or two of bread heel. Besides, she like Mistress al'Vere, she was one of the few that didn't try to get her to take out the braid or marry off Tam.
"There's more of this in the kitchen, if you are hungry, never knew boys your age who weren't. Oh, sorry Ruby dear."
"I don't mind Mistress al'Vere."
"Anyway there are also honey cakes when you're done." At this point she looked in to the cart and noticed that it was empty. "By the light that was fast! You two go in and help yourselves." She flashed them a brilliant smile and carried her tray into the common room.
Mat and Ruby proceeded to the kitchen completely missing Ewin Finngar who stalked down to the cellar. When they got there Mat grabbed two mugs and filled them with water, Ruby got two plates and piled some of everything on them, mostly honey cakes.
"Honeycakes." Said Mat as he took his own food filled plate and handed Ruby her mug.
"You know Mat maybe I should learn to make these." Ruby replied between mouthfuls.
"If you do I'll be the first taste tester." They finished eating and Ruby patted her stomach. She leaned against Mats shoulder.
"Mat, were friends right? You can tell me anything, I promise I won't tell." Ruby inquired.
Mat was startled, Ruby was one of his best friends, and they had pulled of countless pranks together, him, her and Perrin. He looked at her. Mat took her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes, she was a girl true, but she never kept secrets and wasn't hard on the eyes. Truth be told he thought her the prettiest of all Emonds Field, but he would never think about her in THAT way. "Ruby al'Thor I have no idea what you're talking about. We are best friends."
Ruby gave him a dazzling smile. "So what did you do that you have to avoid Master Luhhan?"
Mat shrugged and searched for more food. "Nothing, really. I told Adan al'Caar and some of his snot nosed friends-Ewin Finngar and Dag Coplin- that some farmers had seen ghost hounds, breathing fire and running through the woods. They ate it up like clotted cream."
"He's mad at you for that?"
"Not exactly." Mat paused and shrugged. "You see I covered 2 of his dogs in flour, so they were all white. Then I let them loose near Dag's house. How was I to know they'd run straight home?" Mock innocence took his voice. "It really wasn't my fault. If Mistress Luhhan had not left the door open they couldn't have gotten inside. It isn't like I intended to get flour all over her house."
Ruby started giggling in that way only girls giggle. At the next statement they were both laughing. "I hear she chased old Luhhan and the dogs, all three, out of the house with a broom."
Both stopped laughing at the same time, and turned to look out the window, to the trees. They saw Ravens staring at them.
Ruby growled, "Bloody birds."
"I'm tiered of being stared at." They both noticed the wrinkled apples set aside. Both friends reached for one. Mat had a thought. "Pssst. Ruby hey I'll throw first if it moves you throw to the side."
Mat cocked his hand back, the apple sailed out the window and aim was true. Luck for the bird it hoped to the side. Unluckily however for the Raven the apple thrown seconds after the first collided with its head instantly killing it. The body dropped. Ruby was about to walk out when she saw the most uppity dressed person in her life. The lady had a dark blue cloak and a gold braided belt. The dress was of a weird looking material, (in Ruby's opinion.) it looked easily rip able. The lady was short, barely coming up to Ruby's chest, with a golden chain and blue sparkling stone on it.
Ruby backed up and ran into Mat. "Hey, Watch where you're going."
"Sorry Mat, Who's that?" Mat looked out the door and backed up. Both took positions by the window crouched down trying to be unnoticed.
"Remember when I told you there were strangers." Ruby nodded. "That's Moiraine I think she's noble born or something. She's also got a hired man I think, don't know his name." They watched as Moiraine walked over to the raven they had just killed. "The guy she is with has got this cloak that changes color. It blends in the background. Ewww, she aint gonna eat it is she?"
"I don't know. come on Mat." Ruby grabbed Mat and walked to the back exit.
***Moiraine POV
She looked up to see a raven. "A vile bird, to mistrusted in the
best of times." She muttered to herself. It hopped aside as
something whizzed by it. The bird seemed to be staring at something.
It was so intent on it's target that it completely missed the next
throw. Before she could track its gaze an apple collided with its
head. Moiraine blinked and walked over to the body. She scanned the ground and saw another apple a few meters off. "So they already knew it would move." A slight smile blossomed on her lips. She looked in the direction the apple came and found the window to the mistress al'Vere's kitchen. Moiraine looked passed the window and saw a door closing.
*** Back to Ruby and Mat
"Sorry Ruby but I can't believe a lady like her would eat that bird."
"I think she spent all her money on fancy clothing and was starving. Her 'hired' man is probably indebted to her or something."
The two walked out of the Inn and Mat walked over to Moiraine. Ruby was going with him when she noticed a man leaning against the wall. She had almost not seen him but her gut had told her to look closer. "He must be the guy with the cloak," she thought. Tapping Mat on the arm she walked over to the man.
The man took no notice of her until she held out her hand and said, "Hi! Good Morning, I'm Ruby al'Thor." Ruby smiled cheerily. The man looked surprised for an instant-only an instant. He nodded.
"Lan Mandragoran"
"Well Lan, its nice meeting you. That Lady Moiraine, Mat says she's rich, I think she blew all her money on clothes. You can tell me, which is it? She has to be poor, why else would she be looking at that raven, was she going to eat it?"
Lan was speechless, he had not noticed this girl until she introduced herself, and then she spoke of Moiraine like some silly poor child. Moiraine wore slight blush as she looked up from her conversation with Mat and another boy.
"She is neither Miss. al'Thor, she is merely a collector of stories."
"So she expects us to give her everything? Weird."
Moiraine walked over having regained the little composer she had lost. "I do not believe we have met, I am Moiraine Damandred (sp.?) You can call me just Moiraine."
Ruby arched an eyebrow. What was it with most female sex and breaking into conversations? Here she was talking with a nice looking guy, trying to get info, when Mrs. Look that ravens sure looks good shows up.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ruby al'Thor."
"As I understand it women here where their hair in braids, how long have you had it?"
Mat laughed. He likes to tell about this. It was one of the best jokes that could be pulled. "You see, Ruby here was 7 when she came into town with her hair in a braid. He father and her live out on farm a ways back. Well the women's circle was furious, but when they tried to take it out she ran off when they got too close. Master al'Thor didn't say anything against it so she kept it."
"I see" Moiraine walked/glided away with Lan following.
"Mat! Why did you tell her?"
"No reason," he paused and shooed the other boy off, who was muttering about gleemen. "Anyway look at what she gave me."
"Blood and ashes." In Mats hand was a silver coin. ".Mat you could by a good horse with that. And still have coin left over."
"I know, but something just doesn't want me to use it." He pocketed the coin.
"Well, I suppose it's best to save it for an emergency." A moment later they heard shouting and the two turned around. The peddler with the fireworks had arrived.
END.
A/N The mushiness with Mat and Ruby, I couldn't think of a different way to stress it. All of them are good friends, in my story there are going to be no secrets they keep from each other. Ruby doesn't get all huggy with strangers, just with friends.
Also most will be told from Ruby's POV I might do Mats' or Perrins' if I am bored, Possible Lan later on. Should he hook up with Ruby?
Special Thanks to Mr. Pibb Extra who gave me the caffeine high to stay awake and Finnish the chappie.