Disclaimer: Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan. Ranma ½ belongs to
Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 13: In which we almost get killed, again.
To say the city was abandoned was truer than one would think. No living organism could be seen beside the 8 people who had entered. What remained of the city took the Emonds fielders breath away. Ruby openly gawked at the place. And I thought Baerlon was a city! Burn me, but Thom must have been laughing up his sleeve. Moiriane and Lan too.
Lan stopped in front of a white stone building. Moiriane nodded. "This will do."
"Bring the horses inside," he commanded, "Find a room in the back to use as a stable. Move farm boys. This isn't the village green."
Ruby followed the other women in. Nynaeve opened her bag and began to shift through it. Lan looked over inside it. "Be careful with those herbs wisdom."
"I may not like her, it's true, but I help anyone who needs my help, weather I like it or not."
"I made no accusation wisdom. I only said..." Ruby didn't feel like sticking around to here an argument when she knew who would win. The Wisdom. She took the reins from Mat and walked the horses to a back room following Thom.
They were unsaddling the horses and Mat moved by route. Ruby left the horse she was working on and snuck up behind Mat. She whispered, "Are you all right Mat? Mat? Mat?" She giggled and flicked the back of his head.
Mat nearly dropped the saddle and spun to face her. "What was...Oh, " he blushed slightly. "I was... just thinking."
"Thinking?" Perrin laughed. "You were asleep!"
Mat sighed. "I was thinking about what happened back there. You know, those words. It was like some dead guy was controlling my mouth. I don't like that idea." He scowled and glared at his friends.
Perrin rubbed Mandarb down and said, "Aemon's war cry, right? Maybe you're a king reborn. They way you talk about how dull Emonds Field is I would think you like that."
"Laugh now 'Ryo'. But, I just feel, what if it's me that there after? What if is my fault the trollocs attacked Two Rivers?"
Ruby snorted and popped her neck. "Well now, if that's the case then we will just have to hang around and be your bodyguard. hmmm?"
Perrin smiled. Mat and Ruby were like bread and butter. He was glad to know them and have them around. Ruby would turn any situation, no matter how dire, to their advantage. Mat could take the most serious threat into a joke.
Thom puffed on his pipe. "The old blood she said. I heard it can happen sometimes, never saw it before. Well, now you know your families old boy. You ought to let it go, leave it at that." With that the gleeman turned and left the room.
They finished rubbing down the rest of the horses. "Since were all in this together, now that were done, why don't we see more of this city?" Mat suggested with a twinkle in his eye.
Ruby bobbed her head. "Great, no crowds, this is the perfect time."
"And think of the treasure." Said Mat.
"Don't you two think? What about trollocs?" Said Perrin.
"Don't you listen?" retorted Ruby, "Trollocs avoid this place."
"What would a trolloc have to be afraid of?" Perrin whispered.
Ruby crossed her arms over her chest and marched over to the large boy. "Stop being like this, if something happens we'll get through it. Beside, when would we get a chance like this again?"
"Don't forget the treasure!"
The group tiptoed out the door, and headed out into the streets. Mat danced around and keep saying 'free! We're free!' Outside there wasn't much to see. The place was deserted; even the insides of the buildings were bare.
Ruby and Perrin wanted to get back to the others but mat insisted on staying. "It's a ruined city! There must be treasure here somewhere!"
Perrin and Ruby said in unison, "Come ON Mat!"
"Fine, but first I want to climb one of the towers. That one there is whole." He only took one step toward it when a voice came from the shadows.
"Towers are not safe." Ruby spun, her hands placed in front of her in small fists. The speaker was a short man, bald, and had a funny accent. He wore the most ridiculous clothing, but Ruby wasn't going to say that.
"Forgive me, I have been long in the dark, my eyes are not yet used to the light."
"Who are you?" asked Ruby as she put her arms down.
"I am Mordeth. It is a pleasure to meet a lovely young lady as yourself..."
Ruby blushed and as the man kissed her hand. She jerked it away. "Ruby, Ruby al'Thor."
Mordeth smiled. "Ruby fits you. You do remind one of a precious gem." Ruby blushed harder. Mat walked right up and coughed.
"I'm Mat, and this is Perrin." The small man had a knowing look on his face. "What are you doing here, we had thought this place was empty."
"I could ask you the same thing." He kept smiling at Ruby and that made her want to hide behind Perrin. "I am a treasure hunter of course, but it appears that there was too much for me or my horses to carry. It would be a great help if you would help me carry it to my horses. I will also let you have whatever you would like, there is so much."
"Did you here that? TOLD you there was treasure! Lead the way." Said Mat with a grin.
The man took them inside a building and down a staircase. The stairs seemed to go on forever. Ruby felt an itch on her back, she suddenly felt like they were going to their doom. After what felt like eternity the three friends emptied out in a room filled with gold and gems. Torches lit the room and made the piles of gold sparkle.
"Sacks!" cried Mat, "Well need sacks to carry all of this!" He started shuffling through one of the piles.
Mordeth laughed. "I said there was too much didn't I? Take what ever you want." He walked over to one of the piles and took out something.
Ruby felt a tap on her arm. It was Mordeth and he was holding a belt made of chains of rubies. "For you, it does fit I hope."
She took it and felt as if burned. She jerked her hand away for a moment before focusing on her hands. "It is truly beautiful Master Mordeth." Her chi spread out over the belt as clipped it shut around her waist. Ruby fiddled with it a second as she transferred her sword from one belt to the other. "Thank you."
"Not at all my dear."
Mat was fingering a dagger with a large ruby on the hilt. Ruby walked over to him. "Look! We match." She giggled and pointed to her new belt.
Perrin was inspecting a jeweled axe. "Perrin, looks like we all found something! Guess we should start carrying it out."
Perrin shook his head. "We would have to do it tomorrow. It must be dark by now." Mat and Ruby met up with Perrin at the entrance to the room.
"Is that okay Mordeth? We need to get back to Moiraine and Lan." Said Mat as he toyed with the dagger.
"You are not alone? Who else is with you?" he asked urgently.
Mat said, "Moiraine and Lan. Then there's Egwene and Nynaeve. Thom too, he's a gleemen. They want to go to Tar Valon."
"Tar Valon! Tar Valon!"
Perrin set the axe back down. "If you want we can come back tomorrow and help you. That is if you still want."
The man was breathing hard. "No... that's fine...take anything you want except...except..."
Ruby was looking around, for anything she might want to take with her, when she noticed something about the man. 'I can't believe I never noticed before...' "Um, Master Mordeth, did you know you don't have a shadow?"
Mat dropped the goblet he had been holding and Perrin backed away from the man. Mordeth said, "Is it that obvious? I thought I worked it out so no one would see that. Oh well, I guess it is decided. Can't have you getting away can I? Warning your friends..."
Then the man grew and bulged. His body swelled like a balloon. Ruby jumped back and crashed to the floor when huge hands gripped for her. "You are all dead! All dead!" Wailed some unearthly voice. The body then flowed through a crack in the wall and disappeared.
Survival senses over rode greed and Mat raced for the exit closely followed by Perrin and Ruby. They got out and kept running. Out side Ruby swirled in the sea of emotion and ran a bit ahead of her friends. She felt eyes watching her, laughing at her. At last they came to a stop in the building with the rest of their group.
Mat had at sometime tucked his dagger away, and Ruby's blouse had been tugged free of the belt and hug over it. Neither object from the treasure could be seen.
Ruby was faintly disappointed to find that everyone but Lan was there. "You Wool Headed Witlings! I expected better of you Ruby! And you Two! Why under the light did you run off like that? Are you all right? Have you no sense at all!" The Wisdom huffed and glared. Ruby found herself flustered, but this was the Wisdom at her best and after what happened in that room it was understandable.
The Aes Sedai had a cool and calm face as well as voice. "You should not have done what you did. Something happened out here or you would not be falling over each other like this. Tell me."
"You said it was safe, you said it was safe." Mat muttered over and over before sitting down. Ruby glared murder at the Aes Sedai and plopped down next to him. Perrin shrugged and decided he should tell what happened, from the begging so the others knew what was out there.
Moiraine listened, and seemed little concerned. She then began to tell about Aridhol, and how it was consumed by suspicion and hate until the whole place killed itself from the inside out. When she mentioned the man Mordeth, Ruby rubbed her new belt beneath the wool material. 'And he seemed so nice too.' She placed her hand in her hands and rolled on her back.
She took a nap, and waited for Lan to return. While she slept she had the strangest dream. She had been a little girl again, running trough a huge city with Tams sword strapped to her back. There was a boy running beside her with a small smile on his face. They were being pursued by a mob of strange people. "Do you know me? I know you." The boy said before she woke up.
When Ruby did wake she couldn't get back to sleep. She had thought she should know who he was. It must have been important. Lan came trotting in breaking off her trail of thought.
"There are trollocs inside the walls," Lan said. "They will be here in little more than an hour. And the Dha'vol are the worst of them."
Moiraine asked, "How many do they know we are here?"
"I don't think they do. There are well over a hundred, frightened enough to kill anything that moves, including one another. They are going out of their way to search, and they're so slipshod that if they were not heading strait for us I would say we have nothing to worry about."
"If the Myrddraal forced the trollocs what forced the Myrddraal?" Asked Ruby. She was answered with silence. Thom walked up and patted her shoulder. "Best not to think about it girl."
They packed and got on the horses, heading for the river. There they were to make rafts and cross, while Moiraine would ward off the shadow spawn.
The horses passed through the streets with Aes Sedai and Warder leading. Perrin rolled his eyes when he saw the gap between the two groups. "Come on were falling behind." He booted Cloud ahead.
"Stop!" Cried Moiraine as a silvery-gray fog swirled in the space between them. It slowly fattened. The horses pranced uneasily. Nynaeve looked at the fog curiously. "What is it?"
"The evil of Shadar Logoth. Mashadar. Unseeing, unthinking, moving through the city as aimlessly as a worm burrows through the earth. If it touches you, you will die." She said in a voice devoid of emotion.
'Good news piles on good news huh..' Ruby thought. The Aes Sedai shook her head. "I do not like it, but this thing will not be above ground everywhere. Some streets will be clear. See that star, the red one? Keep on toward that star, and it will bring you to the river. Whatever happens, keep moving toward the river. Go as quickly as you can but above all make no noise. There are still trollocs remember. And four Halfmen." She was about to turn when Egwene spoke up worriedly. "How will we find you again?"
"Rest assured I will find you. Now be off, this thing is utterly mindless, but it can sense food." With that Moiraine and Lan left.
"Nothing is mindless. Look, it's following them." Said Ruby. The tentacles of fog were no longer wavering. They were slowly turning after the one who insulted it.
Ruby turned Bella round and started trotting off. Everyone followed, making her the leader. Several times they had to go back from dead ends. She focuses on her breathing, and the void. She didn't notice immediately when a pair of trollocs spilled out of the road next to them. Both parties stared in shock at the other. More trollocs appeared behind the first two.
Panic took over as six voices shouted "This way!". She turned to look behind her and only saw three trollocs in pursuit. Ruby leaned down on Bella and held one hand on her sword. The mare plunged wildly through the streets. Ruby peered ahead to find the fog. It glowed with its own inner light. Mashadar filled the entire street. Ruby pulled her horse to a stop and spun to face the trollocs. She saw that they were accompanied by a Fade now.
The silvery mass reached out and surrounded her. Ruby screamed. Then it opened a pass to the other side, and closed in on her. It wanted her to leave the city, that much was clear. Ruby wheeled her horse around and thanked Mashadar. She didn't know why it did that; this was another thing that the Aes Sedai had been wrong about.
Once she cleared Mashadar she heard screams. A quick look back showed her the fog was killing the shadow spawn. Ruby plowed on, she kept going until she no longer could here the Fades scream. She saw a shaft sticking out behind the corner. After a closer look she realized it resembled a bow.
"Psst! Mat!" She trotted up announcing her presence. "Have you seen anyone else?"
"I...I... just trollocs. You?"
"They must be trying to reach the river. We better do the same."
They moved at a brisk walk, and Ruby could see small bits of silver in the shadows. "Mat, I think Mashadar wants us to hurry and get out of the city. Maybe we should follow it?"
"You too? It saved my life when I was cornered by some trollocs. But it just turned away from me, I was following it, it led me to you."
Ruby showed her belt for a moment. "Do you think these protect us from it?" Mat flipped his dagger out for a second before tucking it away again. "Perhaps. What ever the reason I just hope that it doesn't decide to kill us."
They had only just cleared the gate when they heard rapid hoof beats. "Run, You fools!" Thom rushed ahead of them with trollocs trailing him. Ruby dug her heals in Bella. The mare was followed by Mat's mount and both followed Thom as best they could.
They learned that trollocs could keep up with horses, but not for long. Ruby stroked Bella's neck and whispered reassurances in her ear. Mat had one arrow knocked and tried to look all directions at once. Thom and Mat were arguing. "I still say it's over there." Mat pointed to the left. "We were going north at the end and that means east is that way."
Thom rubbed his chin before triumphantly saying, "There it is." He pointed right through the branches.
Ruby felt a shiver run down her spine and dug her heals in just as a trolloc leaped out from behind a tree. She greatly cleared the distance of the catchpole and pranced over to Mat. A arrow shaft buried itself in the eye of the trolloc. They all raced toward the river as more trollocs popped out of the woodwork. Thom was nowhere to be found, one minute he was there and the next he wasn't.
Suddenly Thom burst out behind the trollocs and in one quick motion had knives in the backs of all the trollocs. One wasn't completely dead and ran off into the woods. Ruby and Mat stared at the gleeman.
"My best knives." He muttered. "We best get to the river. Hope it isn't far. I hope..."
They started following the star, at a quick pace. Soon they reached the river. Trees and brush grew nearly right up next to it. Back in the direction of Shadar Logoth, a trolloc horn sounded. Ruby hoped Perrin had not been captured.
"No use staying here all night. Pick a direction. Upriver or down?" Thom said.
"Got a coin on you Mat?" Asked Ruby. He pulled out the silver coin Moiraine gave him and tossed it in the air.
"Tails we go downriver, heads we go upriver." The coin spun in the air. It came down on its edge, and didn't fall. Ruby looked up to see a pale yellow pinprick light against the blackness. "Downriver." She said. Then the coin fell on tails. Mat blinked and picked up the coin.
They followed Thom. It was a trader's boat that made the light. The whole thing was tied up to some bushes. The boat was about 80 feet long but there could not be anyone seen atop it. "Now that," said Thom smugly, "is better than an Aes Sedai's raft isn't it. It doesn't look as if this vessel is made to carry horses, but considering the danger he's in, which we are goingto warn him of, the captain may be reasonable. Just let me do all the talking. And bring your blankets and saddlebags, just in case."
Ruby patted Bella before giving her strict instructions to go home. Bella reared and pushed Ruby down on her butt as trollocs spilled out into the clearing. "Onto the boat! Quick, leave all that!" The horses ran, as well as the people. Ruby scrambled to get up as a trolloc grabbed at her ankle. She kicked his face before jumping up onto the boat. "You on the boat! Wake up you fools! Trollocs!" Shouted Thom. Ruby dropped her pack and drew her sword as soon as she hit the deck. One hairy goat head looked up over the railing. Ruby rushed toward it with one motion sliced its head off. The body fell into the water.
She saw men hurrying around the boat, getting it moving. One group of three struggled with a trolloc. She hurried over to help them with it, and quickly they killed it and pushed the body over. Ruby glanced at a man she almost stepped on when she came over. He took one look at her sword and whimpered. "Spare me! Take anything but spare me!" The boat lurched forward and Ruby stumbled. A sudden shock went through her back; she rolled to the side and did parting the silk. The trollocs feet separated from its legs as it crashed to the deck. She stood over it and jabbed her sword into it's back. It gave one last shudder before lying still. Ruby wiped the blood off on her skirt and sheathed the sword.
She found Mat and they helped throw dead bodies over. When they finished, she turned to see a man glaring at her. He was stocky, had long hair and a short beard. "Gelb!" he bellowed, "Fortune! Where do you be, Gelb?" he spoke fast, so rapid Ruby gave up trying to understand him. "You can no hide from me on my own ship! Get Floran Gelb out here!"
Two men hustled a third out. He was the man who offered Ruby anything. The man didn't look anyone in the eye. The other man, the Captain, said "Gelb, you been sleeping on the watch again!"
"I was no sleeping Captain, I was standing guard, when she sneaked up on me and threatened with that sword of hers." He rubbed his neck. Ruby scowled. "She be in league with the trollocs. A darkfriend! I tried to fight her! But then the trollocs came."
"In league with my aged grandmother! Did I no warn you last time, at Whitebridge off you go! Get out of my sight before I put you off now." Gelb darted off and the Captain muttered to himself.
Ruby picked up her pack. Thom started forward, "Captain, allow me to("
"You come below, where I can see what manner of thing be hauled up on my deck. Come." They followed him to a small cabin that went the length of the ship. He took the only chair and motioned for them to sit.
"My name be Bayle Domon, Captain and owner of the Spray, which be this ship. Now who be you, and where be you going out in the middle of nowhere, and why should I no throw you over the side for the trouble you've brought me?"
They let Thom do the talking. He told a story that was a complete lie, but not far from the truth. Mat was his apprentice, and Ruby the girlfriend who refused to be left behind. Ruby snuggled up to Mat, whispering they needed to play the part. After the two men spoke of the price of passage. "...I see the girl has a sword, and a fine fellow that I be, I'll let you have passage as far as Whitebridge for it."
Ruby clutched it. "NO!" Mat held her close, she looked ready to bolt of someone took her sword.
"Well, if it be no, it be no. But Bayle Domon don't give free passage, not even to his own mother."
Ruby sat, thinking about how much she could get for her belt when Thom spoke up. They made a deal, Thom would entertain the crew every night until Whitebridge. Mat supplied the silver coin Moiraine gave him to pay for the damages to the ship.
The Captain led them to a small room just big enough for the three of them. It had two beds built into the wall, and a small table as well. Ruby went to the smaller bed and curled up, Mat and Thom shared the slightly larger bed.
END
Chapter 13: In which we almost get killed, again.
To say the city was abandoned was truer than one would think. No living organism could be seen beside the 8 people who had entered. What remained of the city took the Emonds fielders breath away. Ruby openly gawked at the place. And I thought Baerlon was a city! Burn me, but Thom must have been laughing up his sleeve. Moiriane and Lan too.
Lan stopped in front of a white stone building. Moiriane nodded. "This will do."
"Bring the horses inside," he commanded, "Find a room in the back to use as a stable. Move farm boys. This isn't the village green."
Ruby followed the other women in. Nynaeve opened her bag and began to shift through it. Lan looked over inside it. "Be careful with those herbs wisdom."
"I may not like her, it's true, but I help anyone who needs my help, weather I like it or not."
"I made no accusation wisdom. I only said..." Ruby didn't feel like sticking around to here an argument when she knew who would win. The Wisdom. She took the reins from Mat and walked the horses to a back room following Thom.
They were unsaddling the horses and Mat moved by route. Ruby left the horse she was working on and snuck up behind Mat. She whispered, "Are you all right Mat? Mat? Mat?" She giggled and flicked the back of his head.
Mat nearly dropped the saddle and spun to face her. "What was...Oh, " he blushed slightly. "I was... just thinking."
"Thinking?" Perrin laughed. "You were asleep!"
Mat sighed. "I was thinking about what happened back there. You know, those words. It was like some dead guy was controlling my mouth. I don't like that idea." He scowled and glared at his friends.
Perrin rubbed Mandarb down and said, "Aemon's war cry, right? Maybe you're a king reborn. They way you talk about how dull Emonds Field is I would think you like that."
"Laugh now 'Ryo'. But, I just feel, what if it's me that there after? What if is my fault the trollocs attacked Two Rivers?"
Ruby snorted and popped her neck. "Well now, if that's the case then we will just have to hang around and be your bodyguard. hmmm?"
Perrin smiled. Mat and Ruby were like bread and butter. He was glad to know them and have them around. Ruby would turn any situation, no matter how dire, to their advantage. Mat could take the most serious threat into a joke.
Thom puffed on his pipe. "The old blood she said. I heard it can happen sometimes, never saw it before. Well, now you know your families old boy. You ought to let it go, leave it at that." With that the gleeman turned and left the room.
They finished rubbing down the rest of the horses. "Since were all in this together, now that were done, why don't we see more of this city?" Mat suggested with a twinkle in his eye.
Ruby bobbed her head. "Great, no crowds, this is the perfect time."
"And think of the treasure." Said Mat.
"Don't you two think? What about trollocs?" Said Perrin.
"Don't you listen?" retorted Ruby, "Trollocs avoid this place."
"What would a trolloc have to be afraid of?" Perrin whispered.
Ruby crossed her arms over her chest and marched over to the large boy. "Stop being like this, if something happens we'll get through it. Beside, when would we get a chance like this again?"
"Don't forget the treasure!"
The group tiptoed out the door, and headed out into the streets. Mat danced around and keep saying 'free! We're free!' Outside there wasn't much to see. The place was deserted; even the insides of the buildings were bare.
Ruby and Perrin wanted to get back to the others but mat insisted on staying. "It's a ruined city! There must be treasure here somewhere!"
Perrin and Ruby said in unison, "Come ON Mat!"
"Fine, but first I want to climb one of the towers. That one there is whole." He only took one step toward it when a voice came from the shadows.
"Towers are not safe." Ruby spun, her hands placed in front of her in small fists. The speaker was a short man, bald, and had a funny accent. He wore the most ridiculous clothing, but Ruby wasn't going to say that.
"Forgive me, I have been long in the dark, my eyes are not yet used to the light."
"Who are you?" asked Ruby as she put her arms down.
"I am Mordeth. It is a pleasure to meet a lovely young lady as yourself..."
Ruby blushed and as the man kissed her hand. She jerked it away. "Ruby, Ruby al'Thor."
Mordeth smiled. "Ruby fits you. You do remind one of a precious gem." Ruby blushed harder. Mat walked right up and coughed.
"I'm Mat, and this is Perrin." The small man had a knowing look on his face. "What are you doing here, we had thought this place was empty."
"I could ask you the same thing." He kept smiling at Ruby and that made her want to hide behind Perrin. "I am a treasure hunter of course, but it appears that there was too much for me or my horses to carry. It would be a great help if you would help me carry it to my horses. I will also let you have whatever you would like, there is so much."
"Did you here that? TOLD you there was treasure! Lead the way." Said Mat with a grin.
The man took them inside a building and down a staircase. The stairs seemed to go on forever. Ruby felt an itch on her back, she suddenly felt like they were going to their doom. After what felt like eternity the three friends emptied out in a room filled with gold and gems. Torches lit the room and made the piles of gold sparkle.
"Sacks!" cried Mat, "Well need sacks to carry all of this!" He started shuffling through one of the piles.
Mordeth laughed. "I said there was too much didn't I? Take what ever you want." He walked over to one of the piles and took out something.
Ruby felt a tap on her arm. It was Mordeth and he was holding a belt made of chains of rubies. "For you, it does fit I hope."
She took it and felt as if burned. She jerked her hand away for a moment before focusing on her hands. "It is truly beautiful Master Mordeth." Her chi spread out over the belt as clipped it shut around her waist. Ruby fiddled with it a second as she transferred her sword from one belt to the other. "Thank you."
"Not at all my dear."
Mat was fingering a dagger with a large ruby on the hilt. Ruby walked over to him. "Look! We match." She giggled and pointed to her new belt.
Perrin was inspecting a jeweled axe. "Perrin, looks like we all found something! Guess we should start carrying it out."
Perrin shook his head. "We would have to do it tomorrow. It must be dark by now." Mat and Ruby met up with Perrin at the entrance to the room.
"Is that okay Mordeth? We need to get back to Moiraine and Lan." Said Mat as he toyed with the dagger.
"You are not alone? Who else is with you?" he asked urgently.
Mat said, "Moiraine and Lan. Then there's Egwene and Nynaeve. Thom too, he's a gleemen. They want to go to Tar Valon."
"Tar Valon! Tar Valon!"
Perrin set the axe back down. "If you want we can come back tomorrow and help you. That is if you still want."
The man was breathing hard. "No... that's fine...take anything you want except...except..."
Ruby was looking around, for anything she might want to take with her, when she noticed something about the man. 'I can't believe I never noticed before...' "Um, Master Mordeth, did you know you don't have a shadow?"
Mat dropped the goblet he had been holding and Perrin backed away from the man. Mordeth said, "Is it that obvious? I thought I worked it out so no one would see that. Oh well, I guess it is decided. Can't have you getting away can I? Warning your friends..."
Then the man grew and bulged. His body swelled like a balloon. Ruby jumped back and crashed to the floor when huge hands gripped for her. "You are all dead! All dead!" Wailed some unearthly voice. The body then flowed through a crack in the wall and disappeared.
Survival senses over rode greed and Mat raced for the exit closely followed by Perrin and Ruby. They got out and kept running. Out side Ruby swirled in the sea of emotion and ran a bit ahead of her friends. She felt eyes watching her, laughing at her. At last they came to a stop in the building with the rest of their group.
Mat had at sometime tucked his dagger away, and Ruby's blouse had been tugged free of the belt and hug over it. Neither object from the treasure could be seen.
Ruby was faintly disappointed to find that everyone but Lan was there. "You Wool Headed Witlings! I expected better of you Ruby! And you Two! Why under the light did you run off like that? Are you all right? Have you no sense at all!" The Wisdom huffed and glared. Ruby found herself flustered, but this was the Wisdom at her best and after what happened in that room it was understandable.
The Aes Sedai had a cool and calm face as well as voice. "You should not have done what you did. Something happened out here or you would not be falling over each other like this. Tell me."
"You said it was safe, you said it was safe." Mat muttered over and over before sitting down. Ruby glared murder at the Aes Sedai and plopped down next to him. Perrin shrugged and decided he should tell what happened, from the begging so the others knew what was out there.
Moiraine listened, and seemed little concerned. She then began to tell about Aridhol, and how it was consumed by suspicion and hate until the whole place killed itself from the inside out. When she mentioned the man Mordeth, Ruby rubbed her new belt beneath the wool material. 'And he seemed so nice too.' She placed her hand in her hands and rolled on her back.
She took a nap, and waited for Lan to return. While she slept she had the strangest dream. She had been a little girl again, running trough a huge city with Tams sword strapped to her back. There was a boy running beside her with a small smile on his face. They were being pursued by a mob of strange people. "Do you know me? I know you." The boy said before she woke up.
When Ruby did wake she couldn't get back to sleep. She had thought she should know who he was. It must have been important. Lan came trotting in breaking off her trail of thought.
"There are trollocs inside the walls," Lan said. "They will be here in little more than an hour. And the Dha'vol are the worst of them."
Moiraine asked, "How many do they know we are here?"
"I don't think they do. There are well over a hundred, frightened enough to kill anything that moves, including one another. They are going out of their way to search, and they're so slipshod that if they were not heading strait for us I would say we have nothing to worry about."
"If the Myrddraal forced the trollocs what forced the Myrddraal?" Asked Ruby. She was answered with silence. Thom walked up and patted her shoulder. "Best not to think about it girl."
They packed and got on the horses, heading for the river. There they were to make rafts and cross, while Moiraine would ward off the shadow spawn.
The horses passed through the streets with Aes Sedai and Warder leading. Perrin rolled his eyes when he saw the gap between the two groups. "Come on were falling behind." He booted Cloud ahead.
"Stop!" Cried Moiraine as a silvery-gray fog swirled in the space between them. It slowly fattened. The horses pranced uneasily. Nynaeve looked at the fog curiously. "What is it?"
"The evil of Shadar Logoth. Mashadar. Unseeing, unthinking, moving through the city as aimlessly as a worm burrows through the earth. If it touches you, you will die." She said in a voice devoid of emotion.
'Good news piles on good news huh..' Ruby thought. The Aes Sedai shook her head. "I do not like it, but this thing will not be above ground everywhere. Some streets will be clear. See that star, the red one? Keep on toward that star, and it will bring you to the river. Whatever happens, keep moving toward the river. Go as quickly as you can but above all make no noise. There are still trollocs remember. And four Halfmen." She was about to turn when Egwene spoke up worriedly. "How will we find you again?"
"Rest assured I will find you. Now be off, this thing is utterly mindless, but it can sense food." With that Moiraine and Lan left.
"Nothing is mindless. Look, it's following them." Said Ruby. The tentacles of fog were no longer wavering. They were slowly turning after the one who insulted it.
Ruby turned Bella round and started trotting off. Everyone followed, making her the leader. Several times they had to go back from dead ends. She focuses on her breathing, and the void. She didn't notice immediately when a pair of trollocs spilled out of the road next to them. Both parties stared in shock at the other. More trollocs appeared behind the first two.
Panic took over as six voices shouted "This way!". She turned to look behind her and only saw three trollocs in pursuit. Ruby leaned down on Bella and held one hand on her sword. The mare plunged wildly through the streets. Ruby peered ahead to find the fog. It glowed with its own inner light. Mashadar filled the entire street. Ruby pulled her horse to a stop and spun to face the trollocs. She saw that they were accompanied by a Fade now.
The silvery mass reached out and surrounded her. Ruby screamed. Then it opened a pass to the other side, and closed in on her. It wanted her to leave the city, that much was clear. Ruby wheeled her horse around and thanked Mashadar. She didn't know why it did that; this was another thing that the Aes Sedai had been wrong about.
Once she cleared Mashadar she heard screams. A quick look back showed her the fog was killing the shadow spawn. Ruby plowed on, she kept going until she no longer could here the Fades scream. She saw a shaft sticking out behind the corner. After a closer look she realized it resembled a bow.
"Psst! Mat!" She trotted up announcing her presence. "Have you seen anyone else?"
"I...I... just trollocs. You?"
"They must be trying to reach the river. We better do the same."
They moved at a brisk walk, and Ruby could see small bits of silver in the shadows. "Mat, I think Mashadar wants us to hurry and get out of the city. Maybe we should follow it?"
"You too? It saved my life when I was cornered by some trollocs. But it just turned away from me, I was following it, it led me to you."
Ruby showed her belt for a moment. "Do you think these protect us from it?" Mat flipped his dagger out for a second before tucking it away again. "Perhaps. What ever the reason I just hope that it doesn't decide to kill us."
They had only just cleared the gate when they heard rapid hoof beats. "Run, You fools!" Thom rushed ahead of them with trollocs trailing him. Ruby dug her heals in Bella. The mare was followed by Mat's mount and both followed Thom as best they could.
They learned that trollocs could keep up with horses, but not for long. Ruby stroked Bella's neck and whispered reassurances in her ear. Mat had one arrow knocked and tried to look all directions at once. Thom and Mat were arguing. "I still say it's over there." Mat pointed to the left. "We were going north at the end and that means east is that way."
Thom rubbed his chin before triumphantly saying, "There it is." He pointed right through the branches.
Ruby felt a shiver run down her spine and dug her heals in just as a trolloc leaped out from behind a tree. She greatly cleared the distance of the catchpole and pranced over to Mat. A arrow shaft buried itself in the eye of the trolloc. They all raced toward the river as more trollocs popped out of the woodwork. Thom was nowhere to be found, one minute he was there and the next he wasn't.
Suddenly Thom burst out behind the trollocs and in one quick motion had knives in the backs of all the trollocs. One wasn't completely dead and ran off into the woods. Ruby and Mat stared at the gleeman.
"My best knives." He muttered. "We best get to the river. Hope it isn't far. I hope..."
They started following the star, at a quick pace. Soon they reached the river. Trees and brush grew nearly right up next to it. Back in the direction of Shadar Logoth, a trolloc horn sounded. Ruby hoped Perrin had not been captured.
"No use staying here all night. Pick a direction. Upriver or down?" Thom said.
"Got a coin on you Mat?" Asked Ruby. He pulled out the silver coin Moiraine gave him and tossed it in the air.
"Tails we go downriver, heads we go upriver." The coin spun in the air. It came down on its edge, and didn't fall. Ruby looked up to see a pale yellow pinprick light against the blackness. "Downriver." She said. Then the coin fell on tails. Mat blinked and picked up the coin.
They followed Thom. It was a trader's boat that made the light. The whole thing was tied up to some bushes. The boat was about 80 feet long but there could not be anyone seen atop it. "Now that," said Thom smugly, "is better than an Aes Sedai's raft isn't it. It doesn't look as if this vessel is made to carry horses, but considering the danger he's in, which we are goingto warn him of, the captain may be reasonable. Just let me do all the talking. And bring your blankets and saddlebags, just in case."
Ruby patted Bella before giving her strict instructions to go home. Bella reared and pushed Ruby down on her butt as trollocs spilled out into the clearing. "Onto the boat! Quick, leave all that!" The horses ran, as well as the people. Ruby scrambled to get up as a trolloc grabbed at her ankle. She kicked his face before jumping up onto the boat. "You on the boat! Wake up you fools! Trollocs!" Shouted Thom. Ruby dropped her pack and drew her sword as soon as she hit the deck. One hairy goat head looked up over the railing. Ruby rushed toward it with one motion sliced its head off. The body fell into the water.
She saw men hurrying around the boat, getting it moving. One group of three struggled with a trolloc. She hurried over to help them with it, and quickly they killed it and pushed the body over. Ruby glanced at a man she almost stepped on when she came over. He took one look at her sword and whimpered. "Spare me! Take anything but spare me!" The boat lurched forward and Ruby stumbled. A sudden shock went through her back; she rolled to the side and did parting the silk. The trollocs feet separated from its legs as it crashed to the deck. She stood over it and jabbed her sword into it's back. It gave one last shudder before lying still. Ruby wiped the blood off on her skirt and sheathed the sword.
She found Mat and they helped throw dead bodies over. When they finished, she turned to see a man glaring at her. He was stocky, had long hair and a short beard. "Gelb!" he bellowed, "Fortune! Where do you be, Gelb?" he spoke fast, so rapid Ruby gave up trying to understand him. "You can no hide from me on my own ship! Get Floran Gelb out here!"
Two men hustled a third out. He was the man who offered Ruby anything. The man didn't look anyone in the eye. The other man, the Captain, said "Gelb, you been sleeping on the watch again!"
"I was no sleeping Captain, I was standing guard, when she sneaked up on me and threatened with that sword of hers." He rubbed his neck. Ruby scowled. "She be in league with the trollocs. A darkfriend! I tried to fight her! But then the trollocs came."
"In league with my aged grandmother! Did I no warn you last time, at Whitebridge off you go! Get out of my sight before I put you off now." Gelb darted off and the Captain muttered to himself.
Ruby picked up her pack. Thom started forward, "Captain, allow me to("
"You come below, where I can see what manner of thing be hauled up on my deck. Come." They followed him to a small cabin that went the length of the ship. He took the only chair and motioned for them to sit.
"My name be Bayle Domon, Captain and owner of the Spray, which be this ship. Now who be you, and where be you going out in the middle of nowhere, and why should I no throw you over the side for the trouble you've brought me?"
They let Thom do the talking. He told a story that was a complete lie, but not far from the truth. Mat was his apprentice, and Ruby the girlfriend who refused to be left behind. Ruby snuggled up to Mat, whispering they needed to play the part. After the two men spoke of the price of passage. "...I see the girl has a sword, and a fine fellow that I be, I'll let you have passage as far as Whitebridge for it."
Ruby clutched it. "NO!" Mat held her close, she looked ready to bolt of someone took her sword.
"Well, if it be no, it be no. But Bayle Domon don't give free passage, not even to his own mother."
Ruby sat, thinking about how much she could get for her belt when Thom spoke up. They made a deal, Thom would entertain the crew every night until Whitebridge. Mat supplied the silver coin Moiraine gave him to pay for the damages to the ship.
The Captain led them to a small room just big enough for the three of them. It had two beds built into the wall, and a small table as well. Ruby went to the smaller bed and curled up, Mat and Thom shared the slightly larger bed.
END