Mineldrin-Do I like Lord of the Rings? Yeah, I guess so. Are you a Myrddraal fan? You just gave me an idea for a plot twist. (

Chapter: 17 A lesson in flirtation

The road was dry and dusty, even though it was sprinkling. The two friends were headed along the road. One lighthearted and the other, not so much. "We should get off the road. The Myrddraal could be anywhere. I don't want to die." Said Mat.

"The roads faster. Would you quit looking around? You're making me dizzy." Ruby looked up and muttered to herself.

"But the fade!" Mat pointed to the road. "Look there! He's coming." Mat held his hands in his head.

"It's probably just a wagon." Ruby pushed him on. There had been considerable traffic on the road. In other words more than Two Rivers saw in year. Ruby adjusted a dark scarf on her head to help keep the rain off. Mat came out of his gloomy revere to wrap his own scarf around his face, to help block dust that was to be kicked up. The cloud coming toward them was revealed to be 7 people with spears and swords.

Ruby smiled and nodded them. Then frowned when one of looked at her and said 'bloody Aiel shouldn't be anywhere but the waste!' When Mat heard that he looked about ready to jump up and stab the man with his Shadar Logoth dagger. Both groups stopped and stared at each other. Mat checked his bow as if it was just a natural habit; Ruby fingered her sword and glared at them all. The men, who looked like merchants guards, shifted their feet and glared back. Ruby remembered a story from an old book master al'Vere had.

She raised her sword in the air and screamed, "Dance the spears! Spit in the sight binders Eye! Dance with me!" Every single of the men took of running. Each of them knew the stories of the Aiel. Once they were out of earshot, Ruby fell on the ground clutching her sides and laughing. Mat looked at her, bemused. "What the heck was that about?" "Oh sorry, laugh It was just ;Laugh to tempting!" She quieted suddenly and looked down at her self. "Crud." Ruby had effectively covered her pants and blouse in dirt and dust, when hit with drizzle became a mud. It was Mat's turn to laugh.

"Hahaha, just walk around for a while, surly it will all wash off." He helped her up. "But it was funny, I thought we would have to fight um. What made you do that any way?" Ruby rung out her braid and scarf. She used it to clean the mud off her hands and face.

"Remember that old book Master al'Vere's got? The one titled 'legends and Myths of the Aiel'." Mat nodded.

"I remember, I also remember he hardly let anyone touch it. It cost him half a year's silver. Mistress al'Vere nearly skinned him alive for doing that."

"Well, I asked Tam to get it for me and, he borrowed it. Very interesting. Aiel call fighting the 'Dance' and that they really hate someone called the sight blinder. The book also said that when it comes to combat, Aiel are the best of the best. I thought it would fit with what he said." "Well, I didn't fancy just staring at each other." They continued walking. Sometimes they rode a ways on the back of a wagon. For the first few days they walked half the night, staying on the road. Rest only came when their eyes threatened to close shut on their own. They slept under the bushes on the side of the road.

Journey Clips

They stopped for the day at a stream. Ruby knelt and cupped her hands to drink. SPLASH. A large fish decided to jump in her face. The splash resulted in soaking her front.

"I don't think this is a good idea Mat." Whispered Ruby. "Shhhh. It's easy. I've done this before back home." He replied. "This ISN"T home." Mat ignored her and lifted the chicken. Said chicken tilted its head before pecking at the strange hand. This resulted a curse from Mat, and an "I told you so' from Ruby. An old watchdog heard the commotion and rushed into the chicken coop barking. Mat slapped the chicken, grabbed the three eggs under it and ran. Ruby followed.

Fin. Clips

Ruby knocked on the door of the house. A plump smiling woman answered it. The woman had long blonde hair and green eyes. "Sorry to disturb you, but we wanted to know if there was any work to be done for a dinner and maybe a bed."

The woman looked them up and down. Mat smiled and rocked his heels. "Just a moment dears." The woman closed the door and Ruby could hear her steps fading away.

The redhead focused a little harder, letting her senses take control. She could hear 4 other footsteps in the house, 6 elsewhere on the farm. "There's a lot of people living here Mat, I don't know if they'll need any other help."

"I could try stealing eggs again." He offered.

"Ahh, No." Two different sets of footsteps could be heard approaching the doorway. The same woman as before opened the door. Behind her was a man, her husband.

"You see, they don't mean any harm. We could use the boy for stable work and I need someone to help with sewing." The lady spoke to her man. He nodded and looked at the two travelers. The man struck out his hand and shook theirs.

"Erin Grinwell, this is my wife Shasta. I believe we can find work for you. You," he looked at Mat. "Can help moving the barrels out of the cellar and into the barn." Master Grinwell then walked out the door-leading Mat over to the cellar. Ruby followed them with her eyes when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on girl, Erin's only going to get those close off that young man, they need to be washed, and so do yours." Ruby followed the mistress Grinwell to a back room and stripped.

"I'm sorry but I don't have any spare with me." She handed the mud stained clothes to her host

. "Not to worry dear,"

"Ruby"

"Not to worry Ruby. I have some old clothes from my great grandmother you might like. They should fit you perfectly. You just sit here and wait, I'll send Else in to draw you a bath. No sense in washing something if your going to get it dirty as soon as you get your hands on it." With that, Shasta vanished out the door taking Ruby's old clothes with her.

"Well, this is a fine predicament." Ruby turned her head to see a girl, not far from her own age, glare at her.

"Excuse me?" Ruby pulled out her braid and noticed it had grown in a short period of time. The girl she spoke to had long dark hair separated in two pigtails.

"It's mother." She wrinkled her nose and walked farther in the room. "She's probably in the attic right now searching through the old chests." The girl began to haul out a copper tub. The inside of the tub had turned sea green. She began to fill it from a pump in the corner.

"Oh, you must be Else!" Ruby moved to help the girl who smiled cockily. "I see my reputation precedes me. Of course, that IS to be expected when you have a body like mine." She glanced at Ruby. "But you shouldn't worry, I'm sure you can snag someone with that body of yours." Ruby let go off the handle on the pump.

"And what's THAT supposed TO MEAN?!" Ruby spat out the words. Else noted the tub had filled. She faced the taller girl.

"What it means is I am Pretty. A Domani taught me. You know what that means."

"Sorry, why should I care if you were taught by a Domani woman?"

"It means I can have any one I want, And-You-Can-Not."

Ruby glared at the girl. "Is that a challenge?"

"You could say that." Mistress Grinwell returned before it could get any worse. Else transformed into a sweet innocent little girl. She kissed her mothers cheek and left the room.

"You best get in bath Ruby." Ruby nodded and plopped down into the water. "COLD!" Her teeth chattered and she thought about using chi to warm the water. Shasta laughed. "That it is girl, but it makes you do a good cleaning. Now these belonged to my great grandmother."

She placed some light brown clothing on the bench. She got a far away look in her eyes for a moment. "Grandma was about as tall as you I believe. I wanted to give these to Else but I doubt she'll grow any more. My Grandma was tall you know. She also had some other things that are useless around the farm."

"W-where was she from?" Ruby asked as she finished scrubbing a weeks worth of sweat and grim off.

"She never said, but I think she was Aiel. It was before the war you understand, when she came over."
Ruby got up and shook. She dried off with the towel Mistress Grinwell offered and put on the clothes. The shirt was made of a smooth fabric that was soft but tough. It had long sleeves that ended just short of her wrist. There was also a pair of breeches made of the same stuff that were just as loose as her improvised homemade pair. It was the boots that Ruby really admired. She never saw the like before. They were soft, probably made from a dyed sheepskin.
"There's a head piece that goes with that. It does look so right on you. A little big but you can grow into it." She nodded to herself and headed to the door. "Right then, you can help me darn some of these old shirts that I haven't had the time to fix."

)()()()()()(

Ruby was alone in the room. She was armed with needle and thread. The Mistress had left to start supper after seeing that Ruby had adequate skill in sewing.
"I can't believe what I've gotten myself into." Ruby said to the air.
"What do you mean?" Ranma asked.

"Well, I got myself in a challenge with Else the cow. What makes me upset is that I don't know squat about what to do." Ruby grudgingly said this and poked herself with the needle she was using.

"That's it? You can't back down from a challenge, it isn't honorable."

"I know that! Light, but I never have flirted before. I seen Egwene do it before, and some of the other girls, but it it looks so stupid. Half the time the boys didn't even notice it."

Ruby felt a stream of smugness in her head. "Don't worry. I actually have some expertise in this area. Just do everything I tell you."

"So long as it isn't wool-headed thing." Ruby finished the last stitch and hopped up. She went to the kitchen to see Mistress Grinwell talking to Else and a small boy. Ruby thought his name was Darren. She undid her hair from its customary braid, per Ranma's instruction.

"You finished all that Ruby? I'm impressed." Exclaimed Shasta. Ruby blushed. She had used a little chi to speed up the work.

"Yes, do you have any other work for me to do?"

"I need you to go with Else to Master Sancasts and borrow a few things." Shasta smiled and had a suspicious twinkle in her eye. Else sniffed and turned her head. She marched out the door with an empty basket under her arm. Ruby just followed and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Asked Else when they were outside.

"Nothing." Ruby walked along behind her. Ignoring the seeming off hand comments on how her barrowed clothes wouldn't help at all with the contest.

"What a pompous idiot." Ranma whispered in her head.

"Tell me about it. I can't lose to her. I would just die." Ruby answered in her head while stepping over a branch.

"Don't worry. I tricked a lot of people in the past."

"Oh? And how did you do that?"

"Err. Um. Hey! Look over there!" Low and behold, the trick worked and Ruby swiveled her head only to see...a large thatched roof house.

"Else, is that it?"

"Of course. You can just try not to embarrass yourself. I'll get the eggs and flour." Ruby let her go and walked over to the goat pen. She leaned over and patted they animal's heads. There was a reflection of a boy in the water trough. He had black short hair and blue eyes.

"Smile." Ruby smiled. "Now tell him your name. And tilt your head a bit when you do it."

"Hi. I'm Ruby, I came here with Else." She tilted her head and waited for an answer.

"I'm Jaric. My father owns this place." He replied while looking at the strange clothes she wore.

"Look down and tuck your hair behind your ear. Smile and walk over to him..." She did so. It only took 10 minutes from Ranma's careful instruction to 'let him go for the bate'. She had, in those 10 minutes, gotten 3 other of Master Sancasts male children (all between the ages of 18-15) to show her around the farm. An earlier peek inside revealed Else flirting with the oldest in the back room. "Her problem," Ranma commented, "Is that she tries to be so subtle. That immediately either prevents the guy from thinking straight, or puts their back up."

Else had finally returned with the basket full of eggs and a bag of flour. She had a cocky grin on her face. "I have won this round girl. Nothing beats Domani tactics!" Else said.

"Oh really? Just what did you do to win?" Ruby asked. Her voice came out slow lazy.

"I happened to have Alex eating out of my hand. He's the oldest by the way. 20 winters." Ruby 'humphed' and turned to face the corner. It was at that point 4 boys came around the corner all carrying garlands of flowers. They rushed up.

"Miss Ruby! Don't go! It's getting late, woods aren't safe these days." One said. "Yes! At least let us go with you to protect you!" They all protested her leaving. She put one garland around her neck and head. Then wrapped the other two around her wrists. It was at that point Alex came out to ask if Else needed anything more. Ruby flipped her hair. She then smiled brightly and bounced over to the boy. He just stared at her.

"Hi, I'm Ruby. You must be Alex." The boy stared at her.

"Your beautiful." Ruby giggled. Else glared and sniffed off. The boys followed Ruby to the road. She ran to catch up with her opponent. "I believe I won this round." Else merely growled and stomped the rest of the way home.

END