A/N Jackalyn: thank you. Didn't know that, which book is it that she comes up?
Magical-flyingdragon: This chapter is for you. I plan on later writing Loial up a girlfriend.
Frodofreak88: yeah, I got big plans for jealous a Mat... big big plans....
As always, thank all for reviewing!
Chapter 21: Logain AblarRuby moved from one form to the next. Her sword hummed through the air as her feet stepped backward. She rolled to the side and brought up the blade to block an invisible blow.
The sun was not high in the sky yet, but it was hot. Loial was in the library reading one of the many books, while Master Gill was off fixing one thing or another for the cook. Lamgwin was watching the red headed girl practice. He and the other hired guards had been skeptical at first, but after seeing her throw a drunk out the door for taking unwanted liberties, they had accepted it.
"Nice form, but what if you lose your weapon?" Lamgwin asked. He eyed a few white cockaded men who passed by.
"I do this." She tossed her blade into the air, and flipped backward to catch and sheath it. As the dust settled Ruby wiped her sleeve across her forehead. Sweat was mixed with dirt. "It shouldn't be this hot at this time."
"True. The streets full of traitors," he glanced at people wearing white, "and false Dragons seem to pop up every year."
A horse nickered from the stables. Ruby kicked a pebble in the ground. "Sometimes I just wish I knew why."
"Why?"
"Why."
He leaned back and a gray cat jumped into his lap. The cat mewed as it bumped it's head into the mans body. Ruby took a small step back. She eyed the animal then shrugged.
"They say the false Dragons going to get here today."
Ruby placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head. "Today. I think I'll kick Mat out of bed, we'll go see this 'false Dragon'."
"Careful."
"Thanks."
She went inside and up the steps; Mat was snoring on the bed. His bow was propped up in corner of the small room. The wood needed to be waxed, and the string replaced, he had been getting lazy. Ruby walked over and started poking him. No reaction. She snatched the blanket off, but it was so hot it didn't make a difference. "Mat. Wake up. Don't you want to see the false Dragon?" She asked while shaking him.
She was answered with a mumbled, "I promise the weed the vegetables tomorrow."
"Mat, you leave me no choice." She rolled up her sturdy brown sleeves, and pinched his bottom. A minute and shouted oath later he was up and dressed.
Ruby pulled out an old black long skirt and white blouse. After rummaging around in her bag she found her brush.
"What are you doing?" Mat asked.
"I stink. I am taking a bath. After I am going out." She leaned over and sniffed him. "You stink too."
He smiled with his hands behind his back. "You wash my back and I wash yours?"
Ruby blushed. She went down the stairs with her bundle followed by Mat. They went to separate rooms, and cleaned. Ruby's bath water was cold, but clean. The soap was a fat yellow chunk with strains of smoky gray. It smelled like bacon. Ruby plunged it in the water and proceeded to scrub off the few days worth of sweat and grime. She would remember to ask Chelsa to change the sheets.
After bathing she dressed and brushed out her hair. It was longer. Lose it hung to her stomach, only a few weeks ago it had been at her sholders. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Whats happening to me?
Ruby pulled it back into a braid. She planned to cut it back later. You always wanted long hair didn't you. Now you have it, but it's not natural. Nothing's natural. Everything is changing. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
The door creaked open to admit one of the serving maids. The maids hair fell around her head like a waterfall. The serving girl spread her skirts. "Master Mat says...he says hurry it up or we'll bloody well miss it."
Ruby wracked her brain but couldn't remember the girls name. "Thanks you." She pulled up the knee-high boots and laced them. "Tell him to shush it."
"Yes Mistress." Once again she curtsied, her steps picked up as she hurried to the door.
"Are you SURE you don't want to come Loial?" Ruby asked. Her hands were on the arm of the over stuffed chair. Loial shook his shaggy head and moved a white stone across the board.
"No. I think the crowd would be rather wound today, and I like to attract no attention if possible."
"OK." She turned to see Mat waiting in the doorway. Master Gill shifted in his chair and moved a black stone. He commented on how he wanted to hear everything-down to the last fistfight- about what happened. He would have gone to see the false Dragon if not for tending to his patrons and the inn. "Right."
The Emonds fielders headed out into the crowded streets, Lamgwin nodded with his head as they left. People flowed past in a never-ending stream toward the main roads. Streets were packed and, for a time, it was as if all differences were put aside. Red and white people bumped and pressed sometimes apologizing and sometimes not caring. Occasionally there was a fist shake, but it was quickly carried away with the urge to see the false Dragon, the man who had commanded armies, the man who could channel.
Mat took Rubys hand and stepped into the river of bodies. Gaps and rows would open up to allow passage, as long as you went with the current. When they got to the road, they could see it was clear. Lines of red armed pikemen and queens guards held back the pulsing crowd. People were yelling and screaming, Ruby planted her feet on the ground and winced as someone next to her shouted.
Something pulled at her arm. "I'm going to find someplace else, you coming?" It was Mat.
"No thanks, I can see just fine from here." She flashed a smile. Height had advantages.
As Mat hurried off the crowed shifted once more and Ruby found herself at the very front of the crowd, only the pikemen stood between her and the main road, where Logain would soon come by.
A gap spread from the other side of the road. It looked like people were jumping out of the way of, whatever it was. Ruby could see the guards faces cringe as the subconsiuosly moved to allow the thing by. It was a person, who stank of alcohol and piss. Clothing was nothing more than tattered rags, and it appeared to be sniffing at the ground, much like a dog.
The person shrieked and shot pass the guards to Ruby. She jerked back at the feel of a hand around her wrist. "Go away, take a bath, anything." She shook her arm, hoping to dislodge the man. She could see now it was a man. The beggar! A dim memory of master Gill telling them about a crazy man looking for her and Mat, she could remember the taste of the ale clearer.
"Now tell me where he is girl. Tell me Ruby, and you will be greatly rewarded." He spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, and the crowd had pulled back away from him. She knew that voice, but not the mind of the owner. Ruby shifted her held arm up and brought her elbow crashing down on him.
He let out a whimper and hissed. "You'll pay for that girl!" He called out as a pair of Queens's guards approached and took his arms. They had a coil of rope that was used to bind his hands around his back.
One other guard came toward her. "Do you know him?" Ruby narrowed her eyes and massaged her wrist, ridding it of the nasty feeling she got when he had touched her. "No."
"Thank you." He turned and used some form of hand signals to let the rest know to cart him away. Padin Fain kicked at his jailers, spat, and cursed. It only took a minute for the people to forget that the beggar man had passed by.
Trumpets and Drums could be heard in the distance, steadily getting closer. Ruby stood on her toes in an effort to see them. The trumpets came first, followed by banners of Caemlyn; behind them more pike men and archers. They got closer, and soon passing by, Ruby felt amazement swell. Since leaving two rivers she had come to accept that lots of people could live in one place, she also accepted that she was in Queendom. Now she saw who represented her country, horses marched past head erect, armor gleamed in the sunlight. Foot soldiers looked straight ahead, ignoring the screaming masses, only thinking of how far to go before they reached the gate.
The crowd grew silent. A wagon had followed the foot soldiers, a massive wagon pulled by sixteen horses. In the middle was a cage, in the cage a man. Logain. Eight Aes Sedai sat on benches in the wagon. Each one focused on the man in the cage. When Logain's gaze passed people fell silent, and some even looked down. It was not a captured man, more like a man with nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
The wagon was almost to where Ruby stood, she was rooted to the spot. A cage. Like an Animal. Something pulled inside her. Swirled and beat against the walls of her soul. Heat built up. Logain's eyes widened when her saw her. She clenched her fist, and the ground shook.
)()()()()(Meanwhile back with Mat....
Mat heard the drums and trumpets. Blood and Ashes! I should have just stayed with Ruby. He ran down the empty streets, pausing to admire the backside of a woman with a basket, before racing on. Most of the time since they had arrived he spent his time gambling with Loial, Master Gill, and any other person who liked dice. All in all he had doubled what they came with; that after giving most of the earnings to the innkeeper.
Mat stopped short when he came to a dead in. He couldn't here the drums, so he had some time left, but the trumpets were barely audible. He ran his hand along the wall and realized that it had a rough surface. It sloped. It was also very natural, like a cliff face.
He took a step back and covered his eyes with his hand. It didn't look too high, but his eyes had been acting up lately. With a shrug he reached for a crack and pulled himself up. Time. There wasn't a problem yet. He took his time remembering climbing the cliffs with Ruby and Perrin. He laughed and almost fell off the wall from the effort. He had been the farthest up, and Ruby had been in the middle. Some rocks broke off causing her to dangle, at the same time a gust of wind blew through. Perrin had been looking up asking if she needed help, and saw her small clothes. Perrin had been blushing all day, and after that she stayed up that night to change the skirt to makeshift breeches.
Drums could be heard now, so Mat sped up. He blinked and heaved himself up over the top. He was speechless, behind him he could see the city, streets crisscrossed like a spider web, buildings rose and slumped like hills. It was amazing.
A tree branch moved, Mat spun and barely caught himself from falling. "Red or White?" A girlish voice asked from behind the leaves.
"What?" Mat asked stupidly. He tried walking along the wall, but it gave way and he crashed, falling inside the wall. He twisted his body, barely missing a branch to the head. The ground was coming up fast, "This is gonna hurt."
He blacked out.
)()()()()(Back to Ruby
The ground began to shake. The wagon wheels stalled and broke. Horses whinnied and stomped, snorted, and pulled. Ruby glared at the Aes Sedai, she had a new reason to dislike them. The Aes Sedai were tossed from their seats, half of them scanned the crowd panicking. Warders rushed to their Aes Sedai, swords at the ready. Anarchy was rampant.
When the ground stilled people ran in every direction, the Pikemen couldn't hold back the flow any longer. The Wagon was avoided if possible. One of Aes Sedai screamed, "Watch him!"
Logain tossed his head back and laughed. Tears fell from his eyes as he laughed. Ruby's head ached. She raised her hands and rubbed her eyes, a bright flash went off that blinded everyone. It was like a firework had gone off. People now screamed for another reason. "The false Dragon can still channel!"
Someone could be trampled to death in the throng. The lucky ones had blinked when it happened and were unaffected; all of those had been commoners. "Shield him!"
"He is! He's not even fighting it!"
"It has to be someone else!"
Ruby glanced up. The cage. She snarled at no one and shouted as many curse words as she could think of. "He's not shielded!" One of the blind Aes Sedai screamed frantically.
"Who isn't?"
"Neither! I can't support it if I can't see him!"
Logain regained his composer and moved from his spot. He sighed in relief as the shield melted away. He griped the iron bars, and bent them; the one power had already been used to weaken them. People milled about screaming. He easily slipped into the crowd, and disappeared.
)()()(POV Change
Mat rolled over and sat up. His arm felt sore, like he had been sleeping on it. A girl in expensive clothing dropped down from the tree followed by a boy. They were just a year or two younger than him.
"We will never hear the end of this, Elayne, if mother finds out," He let the threat hang. Mat knew the punishment a mom could dish out, he wondered why the girls always had gotten off lighter than him.
"Be quite Gawyn." She ordered. Clearly younger, she seemed to take it for granted that he would do it. The boy, Gawyn, fiddled with his dagger like it was a habit, but he didn't say anything. The girl had long red-gold hair. Her eyes reminded him of Egwene. "Are you all right?"
Mat blinked. She was talking to him. "Give me a moment." He answered and looked himself over. Besides being banged up from the climb, he was fine. Now he knew why Ruby had wanted him to jump out of those trees. Nothing was broken. "I'm fine. I'll just climb back over the wall." He got five steps before turning back, he had been heading away from the wall. "Sorry about that."
"You are hurt." She rushed forward and took his head in her hands. Mat jerked away with such force that she stumbled backward. Her eyes grew wide. She was surprised. "Stay still." She came forward again and Mat took just as many steps back toward the wall.
Uncontrolled laughter came from the boy. Gawyn was clutching his stomach and kneeling on the ground. Elayne momentarily stopped her pursuit of Mat and turned to her brother. "What is so funny Gawyn?"
"It's just that," he broke off into laughter again, "I don't think I've seen anyone disobey you before." He looked at Mat. "You do know who we are."
Mat arched an eyebrow as he fended off Elayne's reaching hands. Five more feet to the wall. "No. Have we met?"
Elayne finally stepped back and Gawyn stopped laughing. "I doubt it. I am Gawyn Trankand, future first prince of the sword."
"Elayne Trankand, Daughter-Heir."
"Mat Cauthorn, from Two Rivers."
Gawyn leaned back in thought, "Two Rivers, Tabac and Wool. I have to know the principal products of every part of the Realm. Of every land for that matter. Part of my training. Principal products and crafts, and what the people are like. Their customs, their strengths and weaknesses. It is said Two Rivers people are stubborn," he grinned as Elayne gave up. "I'm inclined to believe that. She should choose her husband from there, it would take a will like stone to keep from being trampled by her."
Mat stared at him. Elayne stared at him. He was composed, for the most part. A sudden voice called out that made all three jump. "What's this?"
The man who spoke wore clothes similar to Elayne and Gawyn, and like them he acted as if they were of no importance. He had dark hair and eyes, a sword on his hip with a hand on the pommel. Mat did a double take. He was slim, so handsome it bordered on feminine. The man looked remarkably similar to Ruby. They could have been brother and sister if it weren't for the obvious hair, eye and skin color.
"Stand away from him Elayne, you too Gawyn."
Elayne puffed up, but in such a way it looked regal. She spread her arms infront of Mat protectively. "He is a loyal subject of our mother, and a good Queen's man.(A/N isn't that a bit repetitive? If he is loyal that would make him a good queens man. Bah.) And he is under my protection Galad."
Galad. Master Kitch said that Galad was always well thought of. If I remember, he's the son of Tiringail Damodred.
Galad shifted into a more comfortable position as he reguarded the Daughter-Heir. "I am well aware of your fondness for strays, Elayne," he took a breath, "but the fellow may be armed, and he hardly looks reputable. In these days we cannot be too careful. If he is a loyal Queen's man, what is he doing here where he does not belong. It is easy to change the wrappings on a sword, Elyane."
Mat noticed how Galad never said 'My Lady' or referred to her as Daughter-Heir, he was also openly arguing with her, something her own brother didn't do. Mat muttered "I don't have a any sword wrappings..." just as Elayne retorted, "He is here as my guest, Galad, and I vouch for him. Or have you appointed yourself my nurse, to decide whom I may talk to, and when?"
Galad remained cool with indifference. "You know I make no claims for control over your actions, Elayne, but this... guest of yours is not proper, and you know that as well as I. Gawyn, help me convince her. Our mother would—"
"Enough!" She opened her mouth to say more, but the sound of running footsteps stopped her. A pair of Queen's Guards came running. They rushed toward Galad after sketching quick bows to Elayne and Gawyn.
"My Lord, your needed at once," they turned to face the other two royalty the higher ranked one spoke, "My Lady, My Lord, your mother wishes your presence immediately. She has the entire palace up and looking for you."
"What? Why?"
"Logain has escaped."
Mat stepped out of the shadows. "Well seeing as how you all are busy, I'll just be leaving."
"Wait." Galad was looking at him. "You'll be coming with us. In times like this one cannot be too careful."
Mat looked longingly at the wall. He shrugged. "Right." Elayne argued about having Mat have to turn over any weapons. Mat suggested they search him for anything, and they did finding nothing. He grinned at her stupid look. The trip through the palace was uneventful. Floors and walls were of polished marble, servants scurried back and forth, looking relieved when they saw the Daughter-Heir. Along the way the small group of six grew to a round dozen.
Mat walked calmly, like he owned the place. Galad walked next to him. "You seem different from most commoners. Why?"
"Dunno. Could it be my handsome features?"
"This is a serious matter, you could be killed or thrown in prison."
"I know." Mat looked up for a minute before facing him. "It's that sometimes things happen for no reason at all, and some people don't accept that. You look familiar. I got a friend who looks a lot like you."
Galad gave a start but quickly turned it in to just moving back into the wall of soldiers. They came to a giant pair of dark double doors. Loins were engraved into the rich wood. "Announce the Lady Elayne and Lord Gawyn to Her Majesty, also Lord Galadedrid, and guest."
)()()(POV change
Ruby bumped against the stonewall. It was cool in the shade; the bricks of the building were like ice in the heat wave. Her head swam and she tripped to land behind a barrel.
A spider crawled along the dirt, marching to an unknown tune. Ruby blinked at it. Suddenly there were two spiders. She rubbed her eyes and had to blink dirt out of them. Four spiders. They stopped marching and faced her, and doubled again. Eight spiders spoke in tiny voices. "Cheese puffer balls and Fried eggs will rule in place of roses and moons!"
After bowing and being frozen for about five minutes Mat got his first good look at a Queen. She was beautiful, and she glowed with her own light. Queen Morgase was also obviously distressed. She glared at her daughter and son.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is? No. If you did you would have never gone out there. Now you will never have a look at Logain. You are to be accompanied by an armed guard at all times, and not to out into the city until you leave for Tar Valon."
"Mother, I must point out,"
Morgase held up a hand. "You must not do anything Elayne. Logain had an accomplice. Two men who can channel in the city. Two who can easily blind Aes Sedai, shake the ground, and cause riot. Every gate in and out of the city will be watched for him. I do this for your own good. Now be silent."
Elayne sniffled and bowed. Mat looked at the person knitting in the small chair next to the thrown. He recognized the face. Aes Sedai agelessness.
Morgase turned to Mat with a ghost of a smile. "Now there is the problem of this young man, and how and why he came here, and why you claimed guest-right for him and your brother."
"May I speak mother?" Elayne asked in a small voice. Morgase nodded and Elayne began. She told of how much she learned from Mat, about how she learned what kind of people lived in Two Rivers. She said that it was her fault he hadn't left, and how everything was one big coincidence. She ended with, "Mother I beg you not to misuse a loyal subject."
"A loyal subject from Two Rivers. My child, you should pay more heed to those books. The Two Rivers has not seen a Tax Collector in six generations, nor the Queen's Guards in seven."
The woman knitting rose and walked over. She looked in his eyes. Her eyes glazed over as if she saw behinds him. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion, then she sighed. "This I foretell, and swear under the light that I can say no clearer. From this day Andor marches toward pain and division. The shadow has yet to darken to its blackest, and I cannot see if light will come after. Where the world has wept one tear it will weep thousands. This I foretell."
She dropped into a lower tone, so that only Mat could hear her. "This too I foretell. Pain and Division come to the world, and this man stands with the heart of it."
Morgase griped the arms of her throne. "Lord Gareth, I need the advice of my Captain-General."
The man to the right of her shook his head. "Elaida Sedai says the lad is dangerous, My Queen, and if she could tell more I would say summon the headsman. But all she says is what any of us can see with our own eyes. There's not a farmer in the countryside won't say things will get worse without any foretelling. Myself, I believe the boy is here by mere happenstance, though an ill one for him. To be safe, My Queen, I say clap him in a cell till the Lady Elayne and the Lord Gawyn are well on their way, then let him go. Unless Aes Sedai, you have more to Foretell concerning him?"
Elaida bowed her head regally. "I have said all I have read in the pattern Captain-General." She smiled warmly at Mat. Her teeth flashed briefly, the smile looked strange but fitting on her face. "A few weeks imprisoned will not harm him, and it may give me a chance to learn more. Perhaps another foretelling will come."
The Aes Sedai turned back to her chair beside the queen. She calmly picked up the almost-black yarn and renewed her knitting. Her eyes were kept down, but Mat could feel all her attention on him. Morgase sat; chin on hand, staring for a time.
"Suspicion is smothering Caemlyn, perhaps all of Andor. Fear and black suspicion. Women denounce their neighbors for Darkfriends. Men scrawl the Dragon's fang on the doors of people they have known for years. I will not become a part of it."
"Morgase-" Eladia began, only to be cut off.
"I will not become a part of it. When I took the throne I swore to uphold justice for the high and low, and I will uphold it even if I am the last in Andor to remember justice. You say you climbed the garden wall only to gain a look at the false Dragon?"
"Yes, Queen Morgase." Gareth arched an eyebrow at he answer.
"Do you mean harm to the throne of Andor, or to my daughter, or my son?" Her tone was a threat, if he gave the wrong answer.
"Not at all, Queen Morgase."
"Then I give you justice Mat Cauthorn, of the Two Rivers. I will uphold the laws I have made. I give you freedom, Mat, but I suggest you take care where you trespass in the future."
END
A/N
Yeah, okay, This chapter toped 4,000 words! I think I should have this book finished in about 6 more chapters... Review!!!
Omake: "A loyal subject from Two Rivers. My child, you should pay more heed to those books. The Two Rivers has not seen a Tax Collector in six generations, nor the Queen's Guards in seven."
Mat had had enough of all this talk. "And whose fault is that? Yours. It only takes about three weeks to travel there. THREE! Five if your going slow, two if your moving fast. In six generations we could have fortified the place, staged a revolt, and kicked all your lazy city people out." He wanted to laugh at all the looks he was getting. "But, all us in Two Rivers don't care about you guys."