Time and a Half Chapter 4: Knights and Queens, a ranma fanfic

my apologies for haveing the wrong chapter posted for a bit. I edited choices and accidently updated it to the wrong chapter.

Quick note on what various text types mean: (in case you missed it the first two times)
Italics are direct thoughts or dreams.
Thoughts in dreams 'look like this'.
>This is someone speaking a language that not all present understand.> (stupid site strips out the open bracket so I have to use two close ones.)

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, situations not mine, yada yada yada. Go read the prologue's disclaimer it still applys.

There is a fine line between genius and insanity and I dance on it all the time.

Time and a Half. Chapter 3, Knights and Queens.

It's good to be a guy again Ranma thought as he worked his way through a slow kata that was more of a stretch than anything else. He was practicing this kata simply because it felt good to move around in his male body again. Two weeks was a long time to be stuck as a girl.

They were about a week out from Whitebridge. For a while the party had followed the road east in search of the two boys. Moiraine had found hints that they may have traveled this way but nothing firm. Eventually she had turned the party northward to go after the third that still had his token.

He and Meren hadn't had a chance to get away while they were following the road. There were enough settlements around that they would have to travel for several hours to reach a location where they would not be interrupted. With Moiraine following wisps of a trail they had to stay available in case she suddenly caught a firm trail.

Ranma thought that he and Meren should have just struck out for Tar Valon on their own but Meren had insisted that they had a better chance of finding the information if the Aes Sedai cooperated. Having an Aes Sedai with them for introductions would go a long way towards acquiring that cooperation. In the three weeks that he had known her he had yet to find a fault in her logic and so he went along with her decision.

At least once they headed out into the wilderness again they had the opportunity to break away for a while to do some sparing and a return to his normal form. Moiraine had estimated the boy to be at least five days away possibly more. With the beacon Meren could lead them back to the party at any time and they could send a summons if the two were needed early. They had decided to take a couple day training trip despite Moiraine's objections.

The two had actually just finished a several hour long sparing match. Eventually Meren had had enough for one session and called a break. Ranma glanced over to where Meren was sitting on a large rock working with some of the fabric she had bought back in town. She had proven to be quite adept with a needle and had managed to make several nearly identical copies of Ranma's usual outfit right down to the wooden ties in the front of the red silk shirt. Right now she was working on something else though, when he had asked her what it was she told him to wait and see.

He grimaced slightly as he stretched a particularly sore muscle in his arm. Meren was picking up his style the more they fought and their last session had left him with several nasty bruises. He honestly hoped Meren didn't find out how much he was holding back. He put on a good show of fighting hard but he made a point of only using enough skill to fight her evenly. She was picking up his style and adapting it into her own and would eventually catch up if he didn't find a new source of techniques but that was many months off at least.

The main disadvantage of fighting her evenly was that she had a very devious mind. She liked using sneaky tricks to surprise him. He still wasn't sure how she managed to pull off a few of the moves. Still he had to admit that she was a good fighter unarmed.

He enjoyed the sparing but he found that every day he enjoyed their talks more and more. Even when as they started to stray from the talk of fighting more and more often he found that he didn't mind. She was easy to talk to and generally set him at ease. She teased him sometimes but it was always in a good-natured way. His own attempts at teasing her back were dismal failures as she deftly turned his attempts back at him. Still they ended up laughing a lot together.

He wondered how things would have gone back home if any of the girls there had ever tried to actually talk with him. When he thought back he found that most of them had been to busy trying to either win him over or hit him for some perceived wrong that they never actually listened to him. In fact thinking wasn't something I did much of either back then.

Life had been so chaotic that he never had time to stop and think about what had happened. Every time he weathered one crazy situation the next was hot on the heels of the last never giving him a moments rest. Not that this world was entirely peaceful but being able to go five minutes without being attacked by a crazed martial artist gave Ranma a lot of time to think. He just wished he knew why he spent so much time thinking about Meren.

It was nice being around a girl who apparently had no designs on marrying him either willing or unwillingly. She simply accepted him as a friend and did what she could to help her friend out. She had apologized a number of times when she found out how much it had bothered him when she had seemed to ignore him. She insisted it was a personal problem she had been grappling with and no fault of his own. She wouldn't tell him what the problem was and seemed embarrassed when he asked so he let the matter drop.

Ranma wondered if perhaps that dream he had just before Whitebridge held a clue to what Meren's problem had been. He had meant to talk to her about the dreams but hadn't had a chance yet. Well maybe now would be a good time since I had another last…

"Ranma, catch!"

He whirled and caught a white bundle of cloth that had been thrown at him. Taking a closer look he found he was holding a muscle shirt made of plain white linen.

"Go ahead and try it on for size, I'm pretty sure it will fit but want to make sure." Meren said with a smile.

Shrugging out of his red shirt he put on the white one she had given him. The shirt was snug and was meant to be an undershirt. Ranma wondered why it seemed to be reinforced through the chest region with extra cloth and why there was a pair of strings running down the inside under either arm. "What are these for?" he asked holding up the shirt to show the strings.

Meren beamed "that's the surprise I was working on. Give'em a light tug for now."

Ranma complied and felt the reinforced section of the shirt constrict slightly when he did so but couldn't figure out what it was supposed to do. "Ok what do they do?"

"Well remember how much you balked at having to wear a bra?"

Ranma nodded, he grudgingly admitted that it was more comfortable in his girl form wearing one but that didn't mean he had to like the thing. It was also painful if he forgot to take it off before he changed back to a guy as he found out earlier. His chest was much bigger around as a man even without the breasts and breathing suddenly became a problem when he changed back. "What's that have to do with this?"

"Well when you're in your male form that is just an undershirt. When you're in your female form give those strings a good tug and that extra cloth inside should tighten a bit to give you the support you need as a girl. What's even better is if you change back unexpectedly the pressure should cause the strings to loosen leaving it a regular shirt again."

Ranma looked down at himself dubiously. Despite the fact that the shirt looked normal he couldn't shake the fact that he was still effectively wearing a bra as a guy.

Meren saw his look and quickly reassured him. "Don't think of it as a bra, just think of it as a shirt that can change with your curse a bit."

He still wasn't sure about this but he figured she was right; it did look like an ordinary shirt. "Alright I'll give it a try but I'm not changing right now to test the other part of it." As if summoned by his statement a light rain began to fall. "Someone hates me up there." She said sourly as the momentary downpour stopped as quickly as it started.

Meren was desperately trying to suppress a snicker. "Well give it a try while I get some water heating."

Muttering all the while at how unfair life was Ranma gave firm pulls on both the strings. Sure enough the extra fabric worked just the way Meren said it should. It now felt like she was wearing a bra underneath the shirt. She looked up to find Meren staring intently at a small pile of wood with the tea kettle sitting on top of it. "Don't you need to light the fire first?"

Suddenly the wood burst into flames causing Ranma to jump back in surprise. "How'd you do that?" she asked.

Meren sat back wiping her brow. "I channeled. I didn't spend all that time taking lessons from Moiraine for nothing."

Ranma looked at the now happily crackling fire between them. "I guess that works but wouldn't it have been faster to just light it the normal way?"

Meren nodded, "Yes it still takes me a few tries to embrace the source but I may as well practice when I have the chance. Fire is actually one of the easiest things for me to work with so far oddly enough."

"Why is that odd?" Ranma asked curiously.

Meren simply gave the redhead a smirk. "You really should listen to Moiraine more often. Among women strength in fire is apparently rare. I may have an aptitude for fire if it is so much easier for me to work with now."

"I guess that's neat but I'm still not sure I want to learn how to do that. I'm just going to Tar Valon because you say it should be the fastest way to find a way home. I'm a guy I don't want to learn to channel as a girl."

Meren's eyes turned downward for a moment. "You may not have a choice." She muttered

"What do you mean?" She knew Meren well enough now to know that she wouldn't force her into anything she didn't want to do.

"Well it's just that the libraries at Tar Valon are vast. If none of the Aes Sedai know a sure way to get home it could take me weeks or months to search and find one if I do at all. Moiraine says you have the spark, you'll start to channel on your own possibly soon. Without being taught it could kill you." Meren looked up at her friend. "What if I can't find a way to get you home before you start to channel? Or what if it's possible to channel where you come from? Would you want to take a one in four chance of surviving when some instruction could insure your survival?"

She's right Ranma thought. I have a knack for surviving against the odds but even my luck could run out. "Fine I'll take the instructions but I'm not becoming one of these Aes Sedai. I'm a guy; I'm not joining an all girls club."

Meren laughed, "I'm not even so sure I want to join their club as you put it. I'm learning to channel because I think it might be useful but I want to get home too."

"About that, how's your memory doing?"

Meren sighed. "Not good. I have more of it back than I did three weeks ago but there is still a lot that either doesn't make sense or is missing altogether."

"What have you remembered so far?"

Meren had a thoughtful look on her face as she tried to remember. "Well I got the tail from my father's side. He was from somewhere called Nekota but I don't remember much more than that. I grew up in a land called Hyrule which I assume is my mother's homeland. Unfortunately I can't remember either of their names and I cant even find a face that might be my mother… that bothers me a bit."

Ranma could relate to that. She had always known her father but for the longest time she hadn't even known of her mother. She knew she had to have one but her father had let her assume she was dead. And when mom finally showed up I had to hide from her thanks to that stupid seppuku pledge. Ranma really wished she could see a way out of that; she really wanted to meet her mother as herself.

"Anyway I'd apparently joined the military of Hyrule at an early age and I get the feeling I had moved fairly high up the command structure before I ended up here but I'm not sure how high yet."

"Ya I thought it looked like you were a leader in that army."

Meren eyed her friend curiously. "What do you mean? When did you see me in the army?"

Ranma winced, me and my big mouth. "I guess this is as good a time as any to talk about this. Have you been having any strange dreams? About me in particular?"

Meren shook her head slowly. "Not really, I don't remember much about my dreams lately but I don't think there was anything out of the ordinary. A few that could be memories but nothing about you." She thought about the question for a moment more. "Have you been dreaming about me?"

Ranma nodded "I've had a few odd dreams about you lately. They started not long after we arrived."

"Nothing kinky I hope." She teased.

Ranma's head jerked up suddenly "What? No nothing like that! I'm not a pervert!"

"your too easy to tease Ranma." Meren laughed and gave her friend a light punch to the shoulder.

"Come on, I'm serious here. If your going to just tease me I shouldn't have said anything." Ranma crossed her arms under her breasts indignantly.

"Ok I'll be good. I promise to be serious." Meren turned up the cuteness factor on her smile a few notches. "Here the waters ready. Change back and you can tell me about these dreams."

Ranma shudder as he set the kettle back down. I shouldn't have shown her that. He couldn't resist a cute girl asking him for something. He thought back to the dream he had had that morning as he began to talk.

Ranma was standing on a battlefield. An army was besieging a fortress. Ranma watched as a large armored man gave out orders to his subordinates. Most were wearing matching armor and uniforms except for one teenage girl. She saluted as she acknowledged her orders and ran past where Ranma was standing. The girl was Meren.

flicker the world seemed to blink as the scene shifted.

Ranma was now standing next to the wall of the fortress. Meren ran up to the wall leading a squad of twenty men. She put her hands on the wall and the Triforce marks flared to life for a moment before the wall exploded inwards. She drew her sword as her men followed her through the breach.

flicker

Ranma found himself in what looked like a training yard. Numerous men were practicing with various weapons throughout the yard. Near the center of the yard a young woman was facing off against a young man who couldn't be more than sixteen. Despite the fact that she looked nothing like Meren, Ranma instantly knew it was her.

"Are you hard of hearing recruit? I said attack me." Meren said

The boy took a swing at the wooden sword Meren was holding and she batted it aside with contempt. "That's my sword kid not me. I know your good enough to tell the difference. Now attack me."

"But sir!" the boy complained.

"If you cant follow a simple order you do not belong here. Say the word and I'll wash you out and you can go back to farming. You wont amount to anything with the attitude you are showing."

Meren had pushed the boy as far as he would go. In a rage he launched himself at her. They began to dance back and forth exchanging blows as Meren critiqued his form. As Ranma watched the training exercise the ghostly Meren appeared next to him.

"Dosel was just like many other young hotshots. Too chauvinistic to fight a girl unless provoked. Breaking him of that wasn't easy." The ghostly image commented with a wry grin on her face.

Ranma snorted. He remembered how he had been the first couple times of sparing with Meren. "I guess you get that a lot."

Ghostly Meren ignored him as she looked around the walled practice field. "I remember this place. I always felt at home here, more than I did at home." She started walking around the area slowly occasionally pausing in front of one of the knights. "My fellow knights could accept me even if most other people shunned me because I was different."

The fight between Dosel and Meren came to an end. Meren's form shimmered a bit as her features returned to normal. She looked exactly like she did the first day Ranma met her. 'This must be a recent memory,' Ranma thought. Dosel fell to his knees in shock while the rest of the recruits snapped to attention and saluted. A number of the older knights chuckled as Meren walked off. Apparently this was a joke she pulled often on new recruits and they enjoyed it.

One of the knights clapped Dosel on the back. "Congratulations kid, you just got your ass handed to you by Captain Hotan."

Ghostly Meren smiled. "Good old Dan. He was one of my first friends in the knights. He could not only fight with the best of them but he could also drink an elephant under the table." She chuckled softly remembering something. "He was also the only one with the balls to call me Spitfire to my face. Of course I made him pay for giving me that nickname."

flicker

Ranma was somehow floating along beside Meren as she rode a horse with a group of other men. Ranma recognized one of them as the commander from the siege. A column of men on foot followed the mounted party.

"What is this?" ghostly Meren asked. "This feels like it should be familiar but…" she held her head in her hands. "Why cant I remember." She cried in frustration.

Ranma tried to put his hand on her shoulder but it passed right through her. "Its ok." He tried comforting her anyway. "I'm sure you'll-"

"NO!" she yelled looking up suddenly. "Don't go this way it's a trap!" she yelled at herself. The real Meren continued riding next to her commander looking bored, completely oblivious to the pleas of her ghostly self.

Suddenly the ground exploded under the mounted officers. Ranma yelled in surprise as he saw huge fireballs sailing in from a distant hilltop as an army swarmed over the hills. "No not again!" ghostly Meren wailed as the world faded to black.

"Well," Meren said as Ranma finished telling her of his dreams. "You're defiantly seeing memories of mine. I can remember most of those situations. Haven't a clue how your doing it though."

"I'm not doing anything. It just happens. It's not like I want to peek into your memories like that." Ranma said defensively.

"Easy, I'm not accusing you of anything."

"You mean you're not upset about this? Aren't you concerned I might learn something private from this?"

Meren shrugged. "It's not like you have any control over it. I find it kind of weird knowing you're having dreams about my memories but we should be used to weird by now.

"So what should we do about these dreams?" Ranma asked. He was slightly confused about why Meren wasn't upset. True he couldn't help it but it seemed to be an invasion of privacy to him.

"Nothing. I'm not sure if there's anything we could do anyway. Unless these dreams start giving you trouble its probably best to just leave them alone."

"Your sure you don't remember any of these dreams yourself? You don't see me or this ghostly image in your dreams?"

Meren shook her head. "I remember that dream you had this morning but it was all as if I was reliving the experience. I didn't see you or another me."

"Then who is that ghostly version of you?" Ranma wondered out loud.

Meren chuckled "got me, they may be my memories but she's part of your dreams. You figure your half out. To be honest I wish I had another me narrating. It might make piecing these memories back together easier. It's hard to know what I was doing without knowing the why."

Ranma frowned as he thought about the dreams. "About that last one. What happened? The ghostly Meren seemed upset."

"A lot of people died. How'd that shirt work out?" she asked.

Ranma started at the abrupt change of subject. "Uh it worked just like you said it was. Thanks. How'd you figure out how to do this anyway?"

Meren smiled. "I'm glad it works. I picked up a bit of needlework repairing my own cloths in the army. May not be up to the standards of a seamstress but its sufficient. The rest just takes a bit of ingenuity. I'll make a few more of them so you have some changes. You want any other colors?" she asked rummaging through her pouch. "Let's see I got White Red black, some blue, some green, some er never mind you don't want that one."

Ranma just shrugged. "It doesn't matter as long as it isn't pink." I guess she doesn't want to talk about that memory.

Meren nodded, "Ok that's easy enough." Yep he defiantly doesn't want the last one.

"You rested enough for another go?" Ranma asked pointing his thumb over his shoulder towards where they practiced.

"Eager for me to kick your ass again eh?" she laughed.

"Ya Ya well see who cries uncle first." He said flashing his most arrogant grin. The grin slipped a little at the predatory look on Meren's face.

"Is that a challenge?" she asked as her tail uncoiled.

"Ok snort you win let snicker me up already." Ranma was currently face down in the dirt. Meren was sitting on his back with her tail running up over her shoulder tiring his hands behind his back. His legs were bent and immobilized under each of Meren's arms and she was currently finding out how ticklish he was.

"Come on, ha-ha, this is no fair."

"Say uncle." She commanded coyly.

"Uncle!" he cried out before she finally released her hold on him. "That was cheating." He said indignantly.

"Hey anything goes." She said making a jab at the name of his style.

"Hmph." He crossed his arms looking away. Meren had tried that aerial stunt with her tail again. This time he had managed to grab the end of it before she could pull it away but that turned out to be a mistake. She had just looped her tail around his wrists wrenching them back over his head as they tumbled to the ground. She had landed on top and immediately grabbed and pined his legs completely immobilizing him.

"I did say you were welcome to try when you suggested countering that move by grabbing my tail." The grin on Meren's face was purely insufferable.

"I'll find a way to beat it." He insisted.

"You're cute when you pout."

"Guys don't POUT! I'm not Pouting!" he yelled at her to no effect, she was rolling on the ground laughing."

I don't pout he thought again with a sigh. It was dark out now and he was laying on his back next to the fire. He belched softly and was treated to a retaste of a bit of the rabbit they had eaten for dinner. He sighed as he listened to the gentle strains of music coming from the other side of the campfire.

Meren was sitting on the rock form before plucking out an aimless melody on her guitar. Occasionally she would play an actual song but usually she just played whatever she felt like at the time. Most of the time this spontaneous music was even more enjoyable to listen to than the songs. Ranma found it quite relaxing to listen too.

The music session was something she started the first night out from Whitebridge. Ranma hadn't even known she was carrying that thing around in her pouch until she just pulled it out and started playing. It did help relieve some of the tension the party was feeling at not having located any of the others. She even had that flute from the dream in her pouch that she pulled out sometimes while they were on the road.

He found himself thinking about home. He was a bit homesick but he wondered if he would even be happy back home now. This world wasn't perfect but it did have a lot going for it. No school, no fiancés trying to merry him, nobody in particular trying to kill or maim him at all hours of the day. Why did he want to go back? How bout family honor? A small voice asked. That was it wasn't it, if he didn't go back it would tarnish his families honor by not fulfilling the arranged marriage contract.

Then again pops sold me to so many people is there any family honor left? He couldn't merry them all and either way he couldn't please everybody. Maybe he should just stay here. No! Pops may have no honor but I do. He didn't know what he could do back home but he wouldn't run from it like his old man always did.

"What you thinking about?" Meren's voice drifted across the fire along with the melody of her music.

"Home. Family. What I'm going to do when I get back."

"Feeling homesick?"

"A bit," he sighed. Another thing home didn't have was Meren. Maybe she could visit from time to time. He would enjoy a training journey or two with her. Heh Akane would love that not to mention the others. Shampoo would probably try to give Meren the kiss of death. Ranma doubted the results would be pretty although he didn't doubt Meren would win that fight.

"Anything you want to talk about?" The music didn't stop as he thought about his answer.

"Not right now, I need to think about it some more."

"Whenever you're ready you know where to find me."

Yes he would defiantly need to find out if Meren would visit. If nothing else it would give him someone to talk too. He slowly drifted off to sleep listening to the gentle notes that drifted across the plains.

"What's up?" Meren asked as she and Ranma ran up to the others. They had been out for a couple days when she had felt the beacon trigger. Lan gestured to the terrain indicating she should look for herself.

"It looks like a small army came through here." She said looking around. "Men on horseback, about two hundred or so. Maybe fewer depending on how many remounts they have." She knelt down examining some of the signs more carefully. "Passed by about two days ago heading eastward." She concluded. A nod from Lan indicated he had concluded the same. "What does that have to do with us?"

"The boy is about two days travel in that direction" Moiraine said pointing off to the east. She was pointing almost directly down the line of travel the army had taken.

"You believe they have been captured." Meren said not needing to see the others nod to know the truth. "Let's go get him back."

Meren snorted in contempt as she surveyed the layout of the Whitecloak camp. "Those guards would make good decoys to draw attention from the real guards… to bad they are the only guards." She whispered shaking her head. Blindingly white cloaks stood out like a sore thumb in the night as the guards marched precise and unvarying patrols around the camp. "I could sneak in and out of there drunk and blindfolded."

"But can you do it with two rescued prisoners in unknown condition?" Lan asked gruffly. That was the rub getting in and out was easy, getting in and out with the prisoners without attracting attention wasn't.

Meren shook her head with a sigh, "Well need horses for those two as well and preferably do something about the Whitecloaks horses as well." She thought about the situation for a moment before asking "Ranko how good are you at sneaking around unseen?"

In response Ranma used her Umisen-Ken technique and faded from sight completely. "This good enough?" her disembodied voice was heard.

Meren nodded in admiration. "Neat trick, it does a good job of hiding even from the Trimirida. I can only see the air rippling when you talk, probably could see you if you moved to fast too."

After a few minutes a plan was decided on. Moiraine would prepare a diversion to cover their escape. Meren and Ranko would get Nynaeve in to the picket lines where she would weaken them and prepare to steal two horses when the diversion started. While she was at that Ranko would roam the camp and do what she could to cause as much chaos when the diversion started. Meren would help Lan free the prisoners while watching for any trouble.

Meren crouched near the tent where Perrin and Egwene were being held. A man was inside holding Perrin's axe and looked like he was about ready to use it. He's going to kill them! She thought urgently as she sprang into motion. She dropped the guard on the left with one well placed fist to the head and darted through the tent flap as she heard Lan dealing with the other.

The man with the axe spun and tried to strike her with the axe but was to slow. She dashed inside his reach as her tail wiped out snagging him around the waist. Spinning as she flew past the man was wiped around to smash down flat on his back as Meren delivered a vicious axe kick to his abdomen. She was rather surprised to find him still conscious as she knelt down and jabbed a pressure point on the side of his neck to knock him out. "Nighty night." She whispered as he lost consciousness.

Meren moved to cut the ropes holding Perrin and Egwene as Lan doused the lantern. She moved to the entrance of the tent as Lan prepared the other two for travel. What the heck is he doing? She thought as she caught traces of Ranma bouncing around the camp wildly but apparently unnoticed by any of the Whitecloaks. Looking up she saw Moiraine's weave taking shape. "Here it comes" she hissed seconds before the first lightning bolt crashed overhead.

Knocking out a few more guards along the way the group quickly made its way outside of the Whitecloak camp. Ranma appeared halfway back to the rendezvous point carrying what looked like a huge sack on her back. "What's in the bag?" Meren asked.

Ranma was wearing a huge grin on her face as she dumped the bag on the ground and showed the contents to Meren. She couldn't help but laugh as she saw what was inside. "Ha-ha that will slow them down. How many did you get?"

"Every one that wasn't being worn at the time and a good number that were."

"Well get rid of them and lets get back to the others." Meren was still laughing as Ranma swung the sack around a couple times and hefted it off into the distance. A few hundred yards away the bag smashed into a tree spilling hundreds of left boots onto the ground.

Lord Captain Geofram Bornhald was studying a map in his tent. The chances of his force reaching their destination on time had been slim before tonight. Now with most of his men unable to travel and their horses scattered failure was all but guaranteed. Someone had mounted a rescue of the prisoners that much was certain. A very effective rescue that left no opportunity for pursuit even if he had the time to spare. He was contemplating his next move when a voice interrupted him.

"Your sentries are worthless you know."

Looking up he saw a young woman standing in the corner of his tent with her arms crossed. She was wearing a red leather jerkin, green pants and brown boots with a sword strapped over her right shoulder. Her stance suggested she was ready for a fight but not interested in starting one. "It would appear so considering you are here and no alarm was raised."

The girl simply shrugged he shoulders. "It wouldn't have really mattered I could get in even if they were competent but it would have been harder."

"I suppose you have a better way?" He leaned back in his chair. He did not feel threatened by the girl, if she wanted him dead she could have killed him before announcing herself.

She seemed to consider that for a moment. "Why not. Try posting a few more that are actually hidden. By that I mean loose the ridiculous cloaks and no announcing their presence with that touch-phrase your patrols are using. That might make it harder for someone to sneak in here. Leave the worthless ones they might distract someone trying to get in from the real guards."

Bornhald chuckled at the concept of receiving sentry advice from a girl that could almost be a granddaughter to him. "I had considered that after what happened tonight. May I presume you had something to do with that?" A smile and a slow nod was her response. "Then why have you returned? You escaped cleanly with my prisoners I might add."

"Mostly I was curious. I wanted to meet the commander of this force. Considering what happened I expected a bit more chaos but it appears that your men were trained better than I gave them credit for."

He nodded at the compliment, "Geofram Bornhald Lord Captain of the Children of Light."

"Meren Hotan, Captain and commander of the Knights of Hyrule." She introduced with a slight bow.

Bornhald was impressed. A military commander at such a young age and one of the most senior by the way she phrased that, assuming it was the truth. "I'm afraid I have never heard of your land. Where is it?"

Her smile asked what kind of fool he took her for. "Let's just say that I doubt you will find it on any map you have access to. If it makes you feel any better I had never heard of the Children until this last week."

A cryptic response if ever he had heard one. "You are a long way from home then."

"You have no idea," She muttered. He suspected he wasn't really meant to hear that.

"You're rather brash for a darkfriend. Raiding an army of the Children to rescue two darkfriends. Returning alone to converse with me."

Meren snorted at the accusation. "I'm no darkfriend, neither are Perrin and Egwene. I suspect they would be dead or worse if a darkfriend got their hands on them."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Would a darkfriend have spared your men? We could have killed a number of them but didn't." she suddenly smirked. "How's Byar?"

Bornhald chuckled, Child Byar's description of the one who had defeated him could be her, although by his account she was male and much larger. "Nursing a headache but otherwise he'll live."

She smiled and nodded, "Good it's the least he deserves. I understand he was mostly responsible for the injuries to Perrin."

"Child Byar can be overzealous at times but considering what the boy was charged with-"

"Which is?" she interrupted.

"Running with wolves, creatures of the dark one. Killing two of the Children. The second would send him to the gibbet on our return to Amador."

"He was acting in defense of himself and his companion." She pointed out.

Bornhald shook his head. "That may or may not be true however our laws are clear on this matter."

She nodded her understanding with a grim expression. "I see. I can not let you have him in any case."

Bornhald had not expected any different. "Would you satisfy my curiosity about one aspect of your raid?"

Meren cocked an eyebrow and nodded.

"How did you manage to steal all those boots?"

Meren laughed, a small tear of mirth forming in her eye. "I honestly don't know how he pulled that one off. His job was to find a way to delay pursuit beyond scattering your mounts."

"A brutally effective execution of his job then." He commended grudgingly. "It is difficult to mount a pursuit with only a dozen pairs of boots shared among two hundred men and fewer horses."

She chuckled, "That is true, still-"

"You!" She was interrupted as Byar stepped into the tent. He was unable to say anything further as he doubled over with her fist firmly planted in his gut.

"Ahh, I hadn't planed on paying you another visit but since you're here." She quickly jabbed a series of pressure points along his spine before grabbing his hair pulling his face up to met hers. "Sweet dreams." She said sweetly as she jabbed the sleep point sending him under once again.

Bornhald didn't move, Light she is fast. There was no doubt in his mind that there was little he or his men could do to stop her. "What did you do to him?" he asked cautiously.

She smirked a bit. "Oh just knocked him out again and gave him a little present. Sitting will be quite painful for him for at least a week."

Bornhald was beginning to believe that she may not be a darkfriend. No darkfriend of her strength would have left Byar alive in her position. "I see, what do you intend to do now?"

"Well my curiosity is satisfied and I even got a bit of vengeance for Perrin. It has been nice meeting you." She started to leave but paused. "My friends should have enough of a lead by now. You can find your boots about a mile southeast of here, the horses you'll have to find on your own."

"What about yourself?" Bornhald asked before she left. "Are you not concerned that I will raise the alarm and you will be captured?"

Meren chuckled softly without turning around. "We both know how empty that threat is. Don't bother following us. My friends are long gone and you couldn't catch me even if I gave you a head start." She stepped through the tent flap and vanished into the predawn light.

Bornhald stared at the entrance to his tent for several long moments. This encounter was beyond anything in his experience. His gaze fell to the unconscious form of Byar. Meren had proved beyond a doubt that she was dangerous but Bornhald had trouble believing that she was truly evil. He stepped out of the tent to send some men to retrieve their purloined footwear and to drag Byar back to his own tent.

Ranma glanced over at Meren walking beside her. Her friend had disappeared without a word the night before but had been sitting next to her when Lan woke them to continue their journey. She had offered no explanation to where she had gone and had been introspective ever since. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Meren looked up startled. "Hmm? Oh, I'm fine, I'm just thinking."

"About what?" Ranma asked curiously.

"I was thinking about last night and trying to piece together some things." She said staring off towards the horizon.

"Where did you go last night anyway?"

"I went back and had a little chat with Bornhald, the commander of the Whitecloaks. It was-"

"You what?" Egwene interrupted. "Why would you go back there?"

Moiraine was also leveling a stern look at Meren. "That was a foolish risk to take. You should have consulted with me first."

Meren met the Aes Sedai's eyes with a hard look of her own. "You are not my mother nor do you have any say in what I do. Now if you don't mind this is a private conversation." Her gaze turned to Egwene at the last who didn't even look abashed at interrupting.

Meren shook her head and decided not to even give them the opportunity to eavesdrop by shifting languages. >Anyway it was an interesting meeting, not at all what I expected.>

>Really? How so?>

>Well Bornhald was not what I expected considering the Whitecloaks' reputation. I had a nice long chat with him and even got to give Byar a bit of payback for how he treated Perrin.>

Ranma snorted, >do I even want to know what you did to him?>

>oh nothing too bad> Meren laughed. >Lets just say that hell be walking for a few days. I suspect that riding a horse will be too painful with the pressure points I hit.>

Ranma made a mental note not to get Meren truly angry with her. >That explains where you went but what has been holding your attention all morning?>

Meren glanced up at the sun to gage the time; she seemed surprised to find it after midday already. >I guess I had more to think about than I thought. That encounter sparked some memories and I've been trying to piece together more.>

>Oh? What did you remember?> Ranma asked hopping to find out a bit more about her friend.

>You remember how I told you I thought I was an officer in the army? Well it turns out I wasn't just an officer in the army, I led the army.>

Ranma thought about that for a few minutes, something about that statement bothered her. >How? I mean you're so…> she trailed off looking for the right word.

>Young?> Meren offered. >I don't know that's what I've been trying to figure out. By all rights there is no way I should have been able to rise to that position by my age and yet I know its true.> I know the old captain died in that ambush but surely there must have been someone older and more experienced to fill the role.

>Maybe it's because you're such a good fighter.> Ranma had no problem acknowledging Meren's skill at this point. She was sure that Meren could easily go toe to toe with any of the martial artists back home.

Meren shook her head. >Fighting skill alone does not make someone command material. At best it qualifies one to lead a small group of elite fighters. No my ability to fight would only be enough for leading surgical strikes or to just be a weapon, not command an army.> the last bothered Meren a bit. Am I a weapon she thought? She was insanely strong compared to what a normal person should be and her memories hinted that some of her powers were absurdly strong. What if someone or something designed me to be the ultimate weapon? She shook that thought off. There would be no reason to put her in charge of an army if that were true.

>Its more than that, I just know things. Last night when looking at that camp I thought about how I would deploy sentries to keep a small raiding party out. Even that wouldn't have stopped me or you from getting in but it likely would have thwarted any rescue attempt by anybody else. I also knew how to move a force of that size in combat, how to protect supply lines, a hundred other details necessary for operating an army. I know everything that a military commander needs to know except how I could possibly have all that knowledge at my age.>

Ranma didn't have much experience in this field but it did sound like it was too much to learn so young. Only one possible explanation came to mind. >Could you be older than you look?> the old ghoul was quite well preserved for her age although she still looked old. Meren on the other hand looked to be the same age as Ranma.

>No I'm quite sure my seventeenth birthday was only a few weeks before we arrived on this world.>

Scratch that idea Ranma thought although she found it strangely comforting that Meren was only a few months older than her. >I don't know what to tell you then.>

Meren sighed, >Thanks for trying. Hopefully more memories will explain things a bit better. I find it interesting that talking to Bornhald sparked the memories of being a commander myself.>

Ranma perked up as an idea struck her. >Do you think other situations will spark other memories?>

Meren nodded >I hope so; the memories that return over time are coming so slow that it could take years to remember it all. If we can spark them faster it could take us less time to get home.>

>Well let me know if there's anything I can do to help.>

Meren gave Ranma a little one armed hug. >I will. Thanks for being here for me.>

Ranma was positively beaming although she wasn't sure if it was from the thanks or the hug.

"Can we talk Perrin?"

Perrin looked up from his sullen musing to see Meren standing in front of him. He didn't know her well having only just met her before the party separated but she had helped free him. He really didn't feel like talking but not wanting to be rude he waved a hand to an open spot next to him on the log. "I guess."

Meren took a seat next to him. "I noticed that something is bothering you and I suspect I know what after my talk with Bornhald last night. Is it true?"

Perrin wondered what she was talking about. There were several possibilities but one likely one came to mind. "About the Whitecloaks? Yes." He replied sullenly looking at his feet.

Meren nodded in understanding. "It was the first time you've killed a man isn't it."

"I didn't mean to, I don't even remember doing it."

"Easy I'm not condemning you for it." She said trying to calm him down. "Tell me one thing though. Where you defending yourself or someone you cared about?"

Perrin nodded still not looking up.

"I see, then you did exactly the right thing."

Perrin finally looked up at this. "How can you say that? Two men are dead because of me. You don't know what that feels like."

Meren blew out a long sigh before responding. "I know exactly what it feels like. Taking a life is the hardest thing a person can do. Well that's not true, it's actually easy to do but it's the hardest to live with."

Perrin just gaped at her. "How can you be so casual about this? Were talking about men's lives."

"I know that. I have killed before and I would do it again if I was faced with the same situation. I kill to protect myself or those I care for. This doesn't make the act easy to live with but it does make it bearable. Don't beat yourself up for doing what you had to do, its hard enough without making it worse." She rose to leave.

"That still doesn't make it right." Perrin said to her back.

"No" she sighed "only necessary. Sometimes necessity forces choices on us that we regret for the rest of our lives but the alternative is often worse. Just think about it, it may help you live with yourself." She walked off and left Perrin alone with his thoughts.

"Come on Meren play us something." Egwene pleaded.

Ranma looked at the girl trying to figure her out. To her Egwene seemed a bit flighty, prone to having her attitude shift suddenly. Just the day before she had refused to speak to Meren at all after finding out that she had gone back to the Whitecloak camp. That changed after Meren's nightly music session. Apparently Egwene liked listening to music and that was enough to forgive Meren.

"Alright already," Meren said with an amused smile pulling out her guitar. They had just finished the evening meal and she usually waited a bit longer to start playing but the other girl was insistent. "Any requests? And don't forget I don't know many songs from this world."

"How bout a song about love?" Egwene asked.

Ranma wasn't sure which upset her stomach more. The request or the fluttery expression on Egwene's face. Figures she'd like mushy stuff. Ranma hoped that Meren would decide to play a song about almost anything else.

Meren had a thoughtful look on her face as she tried to remember a suitable song. "Well there is one I know but it won't translate well and still fit the melody."

"That's ok what is it about?" Egwene asked.

Meren started strumming the opening cords of the song. "It is about a woman searching across time for her lost love."

Yep mushy stuff Ranma thought as she prepared to suffer through the song. Meren seemed to avoid the subject of love when possible and would likely play something else afterwards. Ranma was looking forward to that when Meren began to sing.

The melody was soft and gentle but upbeat as well as if speaking of hope for the future. The exotic words seemed to have an enchanting quality to them as they seamlessly mingled with the music. Even Ranma found herself enjoying the song. All those that listened could almost see the towering mountains and vast plains that the search progressed across. They could feel the woman's sorrow at being separated from the one she loved but could also feel the hope of being reunited. So powerful was the effect that nobody noticed as tears started traveling down Meren's face.

Shortly after starting another verse Meren's voice broke and within seconds the melody fell apart. Everybody glanced around somewhat confused as if a spell had just lifted. Quickly all eyes fell on the softly weeping Meren.

"What's wrong Meren?" Ranma asked but received no response. She must be upset about the song going bad Ranma thought. She knew Meren was something of a perfectionist but she shouldn't react like this. Maybe she got half way and couldn't remember the rest, gota cheer her up. "Come on there's no need to cry. It's just a song, its not like someone died or something." She said comfortingly.

The next thing Ranma knew she was sprawled on the ground several feet from where she had been with the stinging palm print on her cheek. "WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT IT YOU INSINSITIVE JERK!" she herd Meren scream at her. Looking up she saw her friends face awash with a mixture of rage and grief with tears streaming down her face. Abruptly Meren stuffed her guitar back in her pouch and bounded off into the night.

"Meren wait!" Ranma yelled after her as she leapt to follow. She soon had to give up the pursuit as fruitless. There was no way to track Meren in the dark and by what she felt with her Ki senses before Meren moved out of range Meren was moving much faster than Ranma could. She slowly turned around and made her way back to the others in defeat.

Why did she hit me? Was it something I said? Ranma wondered. This was the first time Meren had struck her outside of a sparing match. Ranma had made her angry before but Meren had never hit her. Didn't she say friends shouldn't hit friends over words? Ranma thought in confusion. What was different about this time?

"What happened?" a voice asked. Ranma looked up and started when she found she had just walked back into camp.

"I don't know" she said sullenly. Suddenly several facts clicked together in her mind. A month ago Ranma would never have made a connection, even a week before she might have missed it but now, "oh…"

"What is it?" several voices asked.

"Well I was just thinking about something Meren told me the other day." Ranma started to explain. "You see she said that sometimes her memories return in batches sparked by something she does or sees. I think that just happened." She looked around at the others to see if they understood. Both Lan and Moiraine had their unshakeable expressions firmly in place but the others looked confused.

With a sigh Ranma elaborated. "I think that song reminded her of someone, probably someone she loved." She took a deep breath before finishing. "By the way she reacted to what I said I think she remembered their death." The silence that filled the clearing could be cut with a knife.

"I shouldn't have slapped him," Meren muttered to herself as she wandered into the city of Camelyn. She had run for hours before finally breaking down and crying herself out. The memory that had surfaced had not been pleasant at all. When she finally stopped crying it was nearly dawn and the city was in sight.

She sighed as she wondered how to explain to Ranma. There was no way to excuse her actions but she hoped he would understand. Even with everything that happened at the hands of his father he would probably be pretty upset to find out he was dead too. She thought sullenly forcing back the tears that threatened to flow again. The memories that had returned had all been primarily from the fight that had ended with her coming to this world. They included how her father had died.

As if that wasn't bad enough to remember the memories were also useless for getting home. There were still some gaps in her memory of the fight. All she knew for sure was that she had unleashed some massive attack on N'mer. I don't think I intended to survive that blast either she mused weaving her way through the excited throng. She couldn't say for sure what it was she did but she was pretty sure getting blasted through to different worlds was a random side effect she couldn't repeat. At least I got the bastard.

Her thoughts were interrupted as someone rudely bumped into her, hard. "White or Red?" the man asked gruffly as she regained her balance. Meren found herself facing five young men wearing white armbands and each had a ridiculous white feathered plume sticking out the top of their hats. They were also all armed.

"Excuse me?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

"You heard me I said White or Red."

Meren sized up the men facing her. She estimated their skill ranged from proficient with a blade down to at least able to tell which end went in the other guy. The whole group was no threat to her and they were arrogant to boot. "I neither know nor care what you are talking about, now get out of my way." She said trying to shoulder past the men. They moved to block her path.

"This one has a mouth on her." One of the men said with a chuckle Meren didn't like the sound of.

The leader of the group apparently decided to enlighten the bumpkin in front of him. "Do you support the queen and her Aes Sedai advisor or do you believe that her involvement with them is a mistake."

Meren pinched the bridge of her nose. I had to walk into the makings of a civil war didn't I. Getting involved in political infighting was the last thing she was interested in but these men needed to be taught a lesson in manners. "I assume White is the faction that does not support the queen?" she asked

The young man nodded. "Yes, and if you know what's good for you you'll put on the white instead of the red."

A smirk slowly spread across Meren's face. "Oh I don't know about that. This isn't my fight but I would be more inclined to side with the queen of the land. I wouldn't want arrogant useless pricks such as yourselves on my side anyway."

The man had never heard that insult before but it was obvious the meaning wasn't lost on him. He reached out and grabbed her arm roughly "Why you stuck up little…"

Meren glared at him coldly. "Remove your hand or loose it." The chill in her voice surprised him and he quickly released her. Meren noted two large men with the look of brawlers making there way across the street. Reinforcements but for who, she wondered but didn't have time to think about it.

Shaking off his surprise the young man drew his sword. "Get her!" he and the others started to attack her. Bad move Meren thought smugly as she drew her sword.

She parried the leader and lashed out with her foot delivering a kick to the chest that caused him to stager backwards. She had recognized him as the largest threat and wanted him out of her way while she dealt with the goon squad. Her first slash found one mans leg biting deeply into his thigh, he fell to the ground clutching his wounded limb. The next attempted a diagonal slash that would have bisected a training dummy from shoulder to hip. Unfortunately for him she actually could fight back. She blocked high and brought the hilt of her sword up to smash into his chin sending him sprawling unconscious.

The next two attacked at once. She dodged a thrust from one and pivoted inside his reach grasping his arm. She drove that mans sword through the other mans foot embedding the sword deeply into the paving stones. That man dropped his blade and screamed as he tried to remove the sword from his foot. Meren dispatched the man behind her by snapping her head back into his face breaking his nose. With the goon squad out of the way she turned her attention back to the leader.

He approached slowly recognizing her as dangerous. "What's wrong afraid of a girl?" she goaded. Throwing caution to the wind he launched a wild attack at her. Meren bated the strike aside contemptuously and delivered a counterblow that removed the man's sword hand cleanly at the wrist. He hunched over his mangled limb until the point of Meren's sword under his chin forced his face upwards.

"I suggest you leave now and be grateful your hand is all you lost." She said darkly. He nodded as much as he could from that position and Meren lowered her blade. She swept a glare across the others but it was obvious they had no interest in continuing the fight… those that were conscious anyway. Meren turned her attention two the two brawlers she noticed before. They had stopped just outside the clear area surrounding the combatants. She gestured with her sword to the young men that were dragging themselves away, "you better not be with these fools."

One laughed and began walking back to the building he was guarding the other shook his head with a smile. "We were coming to help you but you don't need help obviously."

Meren shook her head and smiled. "Not against this riffraff." She bent down and whipped her sword clean on the coat of the man whose nose she had broken. The others had left him laying unconscious in the street. "I don't suppose you know someplace I could go to clean up would you?" she asked sheathing her blade.

The guard jerked a thumb over his shoulder to the building he was guarding. "You should talk to my boss, I think he'd help a good queens man…er woman that is."

Meren looked at the sign over the door. The Queens Blessing eh? "I'll do that, thank you." She found the innkeeper standing in the doorway looking out at her. He was a fat pink faced man with graying hair combed over a growing bald spot and was sporting a starched apron.

"I saw how you handled those men. Cant say it was any less than traitors like them deserve." He said before offering his hand. "Basel Gill, pleased to meet a good Queens ma- er Woman."

She took the offered hand and gave it a firm shake. "Meren Hotan, and to tell the truth I'm really not interested in supporting either side in this political mess. I'm just passing through and this isn't my fight. Those jokers just had that coming." She noticed Master Gill's expression darken a bit at first but that changed to a jovial chuckle at her last statement.

"Ay that they did. Are you one of those who came to see the false dragon?" he asked leading her inside.

Meren shook her head. "No I'll be meeting some friends later today but I might go take a look while I'm waiting. I was wondering if you might have a place I could freshen up a bit. I have been traveling for a while." She pulled out a few coins but the innkeeper refused them.

"Nay tis the least I could do for a fine young lady. Besides regardless of weather or not you support the queen those traitors have been bothering my customers all day. That's why I had to hire the guards, you've done me a favor taking care of them even if more will show up eventually."

Meren nodded her thanks, "If I had to support a side I would choose the queen unless she has been mistreating her people. However as I said this is not my land nor my fight and I would prefer to remain neutral if I can."

"I can understand your sentiment from an outlander. Tis an Andorran affair as it should be. The queen treats us right; those fools just want to blame her for everything from the weather to false dragons. You can clean up in here." He said showing her into a room.

"Thank you Master Gill. If you could I would like a meal once I'm done." She said pressing a few coins into his palm.

"Of course." He said bowing out as she shut the door. If she had been a few minutes sooner or later she would have seen a tall young man come down the stairs and leave by the back entrance.

Meren made her way through the crowed and wondered if this was worth it. She had had a nice chat with Master Gill over her meal and now knew much more about the political situation in the city. She suspected that there was a good chance of a civil war flaring up in the city at any moment and she hoped they found the others before then. A quick check of the beacon had shown that the others were hours away at best. She had decided to do something to pass the time which lead to her current situation.

Maybe coming out here to see this guy was a bad idea. It wasn't like she really wanted to see this false dragon, she didn't care, and it was just something to do. The fact that she had bloodied at least ten more men along the way didn't help her mood any. Some of the fools took her red jerkin as enough for picking a fight. She would have changed but it was either red jerkins or that dress in her pouch. That dress was a bit over the top in this crowd.

With a sigh she forced her way back out of the milling throng into a clear ally. There was no view of the street which was the reason nobody was here trying to get a position. She was about to leave when something caught her eye. Moving back to the end of the ally she spotted a familiar tall man with reddish hair. Rand She thought.

Meren couldn't believe her luck; she hadn't even been actively looking for him. She had been slightly disappointed when the information she gathered only confirmed what Moiraine already knew. It would be interesting to see her face when she walked in to find Meren sitting with Rand and Mat in an inn somewhere. Unfortunately Rand was on the other side of the wide street full of people. She was trying to find a good way to reach him when she heard a yell over the babble of the crowd.

"Where on Earth am I now?"

Meren turned to see a young man with dark hair sporting a black and yellow bandana and a huge backpack with an umbrella strapped on. She was stunned when he smashed his fist against the wall in frustration and the brick wall partially collapsed on him. She immediately started digging him out of the ruble and was shocked to find him unhurt. "Are you alright?"

The man shook some ruble out of his hair as he replied. "Ya I'm alright, thanks-" he started babbling incoherently as he noticed Meren was a girl and was helping him out of the ruble.

He's an interesting fellow. She thought still amazed that he was alive. "Well you should be more careful; I'm amazed you survived that although that wall must not have been very sound." After all it didn't look like he hit it very hard.

"Oh right," he said putting a hand behind his head and laughing showing off a rather impressive set of canines. Defiantly interesting. "I guess I don't know my own strength. Can you tell me how to find Furinkan High school?"

Meren shook her head. "I'm sorry I'm not from around here. I'm Meren by the way."

"I'm… I'm… rrr" he stuttered before turning away blushing.

Meren stared at his back, what's his problem?

Suddenly the man stood up strait and thrust a fist into the air. "You can't run from me forever Saotome, prepare to die!" he yelled. Dashing off down the ally.

Meren just shook her head at the strange man. Poor guy's lost it- wait a minute Saotome? And didn't Ranma say he went to a school named Furinkan? She dashed after the retreating man as he turned a corner. She rounded the corner only seconds after him but he had vanished… into a dead-end ally. "What in the…?" After a few moments of searching she determined that there was absolutely nowhere the man could have gone.

She gave up looking for him although she was still thinking about the encounter as she went back to look for Rand. She finally realized that the whole conversation had been in Japanese which nobody on this planet knew besides her and Ranma. Could that have been Ryoga? She wondered remembering Ranma's description of the lost boy. Naaa, he may have had a bad sense of direction but there's no way it could be bad enough to end up on a different planet.

She returned to the spot she had seen Rand only to find him gone. Rats I lost him. She set out looking for him figuring it was a more important use of her time than waiting to see a false dragon she didn't care about anyway.

An hour and fifteen white feathered fools later a very frustrated Meren was wandering the streets of Camelyn. She had even tried picking out Rand's aura with the Trimirida but as of yet she hadn't succeeded. She barely knew him well enough to recognize it from a distance and even someone she knew well would be difficult to pick out of the crowds in the streets that day. Unless he gets out of the crowd there's no way I'll spot him in this.

No sooner than this thought crossed her mind than she spotted a familiar aura with only two others near it. There he is. As she made her way closer she was finally able to pick him out perched on top of a wall just as he fell over the other side. "Wonderful… Just wonderful" she muttered as she ran over to the place where he had fallen. One jump took her to the top of the hill and another left her perched on top of the wall.

She looked down to see a girl about her age with honey red hair tending to Rand's injured head. "Is he alright?" she asked from atop the wall. Rand, the girl and another young man that looked to be the girl's brother looked up startled.

"M-m-Meren?" Rand asked.

"You know this young man?" the girl asked.

"We've met although I haven't seen him in a month." Meren replied.

"Well he took a nasty blow to the head but he should be alright." The girl replied.

Meren nodded as she hoped down from the wall and examined the bandaged wound. The scarf was a bit gaudy to use as a bandage but it worked. "An excellent job, you're a fine medic." She nodded in approval.

The girl smiled "Thank you, I'm Elayne Trakand and this is my brother Gawyn."

"Meren Hotan," she introduced with a slight bow. "Trakand isn't that the name of the queen's house?" she asked.

"Yes she's our mother." Said Gawyn.

"The queen?" Rand muttered in numb shock.

Meren laughed, "You don't do anything small do you? Falling into the queen's garden and being tended by the daughter-heir.

Rand tried to head back to the wall but was stopped by Elayne. "You mean you really didn't know? You climbed up on that wall to get a look at Logain without knowing where you were?"

"I don't like crowds." He muttered. "Thank you my lady but I really should go now."

"Without even telling us your name? You know our name courtesy would suggest that you tell us yours." Said Gawyn.

"Rand Al'Thor, of Emond's field in the two rivers."

"Ahh from the West, far to the west" he muttered thoughtfully. The description he soon gave of two rivers people set Meren laughing. Yes stubborn would describe that whole bunch. "And what about yourself Meren? I don't recognize your accent at all."

"Hyrule but you won't find it on any map here. I'm from a long ways off." She replied somewhat cryptically. No point in telling everybody that she was from a different planet.

Gawyn nodded slowly. "I see. Well I n-"

"What's this?" he was interrupted by a tall handsome man with dark hair and eyes. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword. "Stand away from them Elayne, you too Gawyn."

Wonderful, another pretyboy with a sword, at least he looks like he might know how to use it. Meren thought as Elayne and Gawyn put themselves between Rand herself and the newcomer as they protested that they were under their protection. Galad eh? That would be their half brother. Then something Galad said caught her attention.

"I don't appreciate being called a 'Stray'" Meren said stepping out from behind Gawyn who tried to hold her back.

"Enough they are hear as my guests Galad. You may leave me. Now!" Elayne commanded.

After a look that said Elayne was too stubborn for her own good he bowed gracefully and left. Meren watched him go only half paying attention to the conversation next to her. Where's he going in such a hurry she thought as she watched his aura. She had found that she could use the Trimirida at a low power level with no change to her eyes appearance. The range was only a couple hundred meters but it was enough for this. Oh that's what he was doing. She thought ruefully as she shook her head.

Elayne was once again stopping Rand from climbing the wall. "We've got company." Meren noted seconds before soldiers started pouring into the garden. It didn't sit well with Meren when Gawyn moved to cover her with his body as arrows were leveled at her and Rand.

"My lord my lady, Down Quickly!" the officer in charge shouted. Elayne started arguing with the officer which lowered a few of the bows but not all. I've had enough of this Meren thought as she stepped around Gawyn.

"Are you crazy?" he asked stepping in front of her again.

"I know what I'm doing stay out of the way." She ordered stepping past him once again. He looked like he didn't want to listen but there was little he could do if she wouldn't cooperate. "I don't appreciate being threatened at arrow point. Lower them, Now!"

"You are not in any position to give orders." The officer commented dryly.

"Things are not always what they appear." She said slowly grasping the hilt of her sword but not drawing it. Now nearly all the bows were pointed at her. "I said lower those Arrows."

"Don't even think about it Girl." Ordered Tallanvor, the name Elayne had used finally registering in Meren's mind.

Meren glowered at him. "Last chance." She said and heard Gawyn gasp behind her. Meren smirked knowing that he probably spotted the glowing Triforce mark on her hand as she primed the Hotan Striker with her sword still sheathed. She mentally locked on to each bow that was raised. She could use her attack for precision and thought it would be bad form to kill men only trying to protect their princess. Destroying their bows would be sufficient.

"That's enough Tallanvor. You will order your men to lower their weapons Now and conduct all of us to my mother. It is either that or take us all to the cell you want to throw them in." said Elayne.

Meren smirked at the double-blind the daughter-hair had put the officer in. The queen was busy and throwing the daughter-heir in a cell would not go over well. Tallanvor smirked as well.

"The queen, your lady mother, commands me to bring the intruders to her immediately. It is also the queens command that Lady Elayne and my Lord Gawyn attend her. Also immediately."

Ok maybe that wasn't so effective she thought as the soldiers surrounded them. She released the hilt of her sword when the bows were lowered however. The swordsmen were less of a threat in her opinion. Oh well I get to meet the queen, that could at least be interesting. She thought.

They were led swiftly through the palace but Meren didn't have a chance to admire the architecture. The sights had been somewhat familiar and had sparked another memory burst. She mentally groaned at what she was remembering. Why me? I really didn't need this. I'm a solider not some blue blooded-

Her thoughts were abruptly cut off as she suddenly found herself grasping a hand that had been reaching for her sword. "They are my guests, and by custom and law they may enter even mothers presence armed." She heard Elayne say. Meren released the man's hand who started to shake it out. She had not been gentle.

They were escorted through the doors. Elayne dropped into a deep curtsy and held it. The men knelt formally. Meren gave a small bow but stood up strait immediately and enjoyed the murmurs she heard from the guards behind her. The bow she had given had been suitable to a visiting dignitary who she appeared to be. A show of respect for an equal, not a show of fealty.

She looked strait into the queen's eyes from across the room. The queen looked back studying her intently. An older man to right wearing the uniform of the queen's guard whispered something in her ear as she nodded slowly in agreement. Breaking eye contact she looked to the other occupant of the room. The woman who was presently knitting had an ageless face that marked her as an Aes Sedai. The advisor and the general, she thought idly wondering how events would play out

"You may rise" the queen commanded and began lecturing her children about their inability to obey her commands. Eventually Elaida addressed Elayne and Meren instantly disliked her. Moiraine may be slightly stuck up but this one holds her nose so high it's a wonder her forehead isn't touching her heels.

The conversation continued for a while eventually turning to Rand culminating in Elaida spouting prophesy. "the dark one stirs in Shayol Ghul, the Shadow lies across the Pattern, and the future is balanced on the point of a pin. This one is dangerous." As she pointed at Rand. Elayne dropped to her knees and started begging for her mother not to hurt Rand.

Meren frowned, she did not know how valid her 'Foretelling' was but the wording could mean almost anything. It was obvious that she was implying that Rand should be held captive at the least. I don't think so lady. All eyes turned to her as she laughed while slowly clapping her hands.

"An entertaining performance but you need to work on your technique. I have heard better fortune tellers on the street. They only charge a few copper pennies for that kind of babble." Meren said controlling her mirth.

"The foretelling is not some parlor trick performed by street urchins girl" Elaida's gaze was level, her face a picture of Aes Sedai calm, only a hint of indignation in her voice betrayed her feelings. "True prophesy then?" Meren asked raising an eyebrow. "I have found little use for it in the past. The events foretold seldom occur as any would expect no mater how clear the prophesy seems. Prophesy causes more harm than good in my opinion."

"And just who are you girl. You have no concept of what you speak of do you?" the emphasis Elaida put on girl bothered Meren.

Meren slowly strode towards Elaida. "I am Meren Hotan, Captain and Commander of the Knights of Hyrule." As she moved the Triforce mark on her head flared. A circlet of woven bands of gold and some dark blue crystal encircled her head and framed the golden triangles in the front. A wave of energy washed across her body, in its wake her normal cloths vanished being replaced by an elegant blue white gown. "Daughter and only child of Ardall Hotan, the late king of Nekota. I am the heir apparent to the Nekotan throne. I will not be spoken to in that tone of voice ADVISOR!" she finished with harsh emphasis placed on exactly what Elaida's position was.

The transformation drew gasps from all but the Aes Sedai. If the display unsettled her she gave no hint. "Even queens listen when Aes Sedai speak girl. That display was impressive however it is easy to claim the thrown of lands that do not exist. What proof do you offer to back your claims? Where are these Lands you supposedly come from. I think this story of yours is nothing more than that, a fantasy."

"My homeland is not on this world. I am not from this world." Meren said flatly. How did I end up dressed like this? She wondered. She had felt her powers touch the retrieval matrix surrounding her pouch but was still unsure how that managed to put her in the dress. She pushed those thoughts aside to deal with later.

Elaida laughed. "How convenient. Because you are from another world there is no chance of verifying your claims. And I suppose you similarly have no proof that that you are from another…" she trailed off as Meren brought her tail into the Aes Sedai's field of view flicking it in irritation. Had Elaida known Rernil she would have found what Meren had just told her to do with herself physically improbable. As it was she gasped in shock. Facing her as she was Elaida was the only occupant of the room that had been unable to see the tail up till this point. "Shadow spawn!" she whispered hoarsely and channeled.

Meren felt flows of air bind her tightly and a shield drop in place blocking her from the source. She didn't care about being shielded; she couldn't match a trained Aes Sedai in the power anyway. Seeing the weaves however was all she needed. The Trimirida flared to life in her eyes. "Mimic!" Suddenly the bindings of power around her disappeared as Elaida found herself shielded and similarly bound.

"How? You were shielded. I see the flows but you're not channeling?" Fear was showing plainly through her Aes Sedai calm.

"I am virtually untrained in the use of your One Power. That name is inaccurate as it is not the only power there is. I do not appreciate being called shadow spawn either. The people of Nekota have tails as do I. My tail no more makes me Shadow spawn than the ability to channel makes you a darkfriend as the Children of the Light claim." Meren turned away from Elaida acting for all the world like she no longer existed. She addressed the queen. "I apologize for my outburst your majesty; I however could not let your advisors slight stand unchallenged." She said with an apologetic curtsy.

"Yes, quite understandable." The queen said slowly as she regained her composure. "Your claims are too fantastic for belief however after that display I can believe they may be true."

"Every word I have spoken is the truth your majesty." Meren said with a slight nod. The fact that she had not remembered much of it until a few moments before and that she wasn't particularly pleased with the truth didn't matter.

"Very well Meren. May I ask why you are here? By your account you are a long way from home."

"Certainly. A short while ago an accident left me stranded on this world. I have since been traveling in search of a way to return home. I was just passing through your fair city when I recognized Rand. I met him shortly after arriving on this world. My finding him resulted in my meeting the daughter-heir and eventually this meeting. As to Rand's story I can verify most of it as the truth the remainder I simply have no first hand knowledge of. I do not believe he would try to harm you or yours."

"Morgase, you can not possibly believe any of this?" Elaida asked incredulously.

"What I choose to believe is my choice alone Elaida. And I find Meren's story to preposterous to be a lie. What evidence I have seen leads me to believe that she tells the truth."

"Your majesty if I may?" At the queen's nod Meren continued. "Many of my claims I can not directly prove, the evidence I offer is circumstantial at best. There is one aspect however that I believe I can prove with the good Captain-General's help."

Morgase nodded, "Proceed."

Meren turned Gareth Bryne unconsciously shifting back to her normal attire in the same fashion as she did before. The circlet remained however. "Lord Gareth. You lead this countries armies do you not? You therefore are well versed in military strategy. I request that you pose questions that only a military commander could answer satisfactorily. My answers should verify that I do know how to command an army."

Bryne nodded with a smile. "Very well…" for the next half hour he listed off various scenarios and listened as Meren provided her solutions. He also asked questions about logistics and maintaining an army that only a commander with field experience would be able to answer. Finely he nodded in respect. He turned to the queen "She has convinced me. Every one of her answers was almost exactly how I would have handled the same situation except for the last." He turned back to Meren. "A siege is the only viable option in that situation. How do you intend to get a force past the wall to lower the drawbridge as you propose? Against a well defended fort such a feat is impossible."

Meren smiled and suddenly jumped up and grabbed hold of a rafter high overhead. She laughed at the gasps of amazement as she hung their twenty feet off the ground. "Who said anything about sending a force over the wall? I intended to go myself. My skills are not limited to theoretical strategy and turning an Aes Sedai's own weaves against her. I could take on small armies on my own if necessary. I've always preferred small surgical raids over massive armies clashing anyway. I can deal with large armies but they tend to be too ungainly for my tastes." She dropped to the ground and turned to Tallanvor.

"That is why I said appearances are not always what they seem. Had Elayne not intervened when she did your men would have been holding kindling instead of bows." She said with a wry smile.

"That's impossible. There were twenty broad heads trained on you. You could not have disarmed them all that quickly." He replied.

Meren chuckled. "I jump seven paces strait up as if its nothing and you're telling me what's impossible. At best only one or two of your men could have released before their bows were destroyed if they had fast reflexes. One or two arrows I could have picked out of the air easily." The look on his face showed he was unconvinced. "I would be happy to give a demonstration later but I'll warn you it isn't pleasant to be holding a bow under tension when it is split."

"Very well" Morgase said with a smile. "You have convinced Lord Gareth that you are what you say you are and that says a lot about your ability to command. I am convinced as well even if my advisor is not."

Meren smiled and glanced at Elaida. If looks could kill Meren would have been dead long ago but Elaida tried anyway. She probably doesn't like the taste of that rag. After being interrupted one too many times Meren had finally gotten tired of listening to her. She didn't have the skill to gag her with the power but a rag tied into her mouth had proven just as effective.

"If you do not mind your Majesty…" Meren began.

"Please call me Morgase."

Meren nodded. "Morgase if you please I have taken enough of your time already and should be departing. I would appreciate it if I could take Rand with me. I will of course take full responsibility for him."

"You may depart if you wish. You are of course welcome to say here in the palace. Rooms can be made available for you immediately."

"Sadly I must decline your gracious offer." Meren replied with a shake of her head. "I must continue my journey soon and I would prefer if word of who I am did not spread beyond this room. A traveling fighter draws far less attention on the roads I must walk than a queen."

Morgase frowned slightly. "It is highly irregular for a visitor of your stature to not be a guest here in the palace. Surely you would find yourself more comfortable here than in some inn in the city."

Meren smiled softly. "Don't concern yourself with my comfort. I have been a member of the army since my thirteenth name day. I'm quite used to rough accommodations, and remaining here there would be no chance of concealing my identity.

"Very well you may leave and we will keep your confidences. All of us," she said sternly in Elaida's direction. "I release young Rand into your custody although I would ask that you ensure that he does not trespass again. Tallanvor. Escort our guests from the palace and show them every courtesy." The queen commanded.

Tallanvor saluted "Yes my Queen."

The queen looked back to Meren. "If you pass through this city again you are welcome to stay here at the palace. I would greatly enjoy speaking with you in the future."

Meren bowed to the queen. "I do not know where my search will lead me in the future. However I will gladly accept your gracious offer should my path lead me to your fair city once again and I find no need to hide who I am."

They made their goodbyes and soon Meren and Rand were out on the street. " Rand do you know where Mat is?"

Rand nodded numbly. "He is at the Queens Blessing."

Meren smacked her forehead. "You're staying there? I must have just missed you this morning I ate breakfast there. How come I didn't see Mat?"

"He won't leave his room. He isn't feeling well..."

Meren pondered this and then remembered why she had ended the audience with the queen. "Let's go get Moiraine and the others I'm sure shell know how to help him."

Rand stared at her. "Moiraine is here? The others are they alright?"

"Yes everybody is fine and they are all with Moiraine except for Thom I don't know where he is."

"He's dead." Rand said a bit forlornly.

"Whitebridge?" when he nodded she continued. "I suspected that fight might have been him. You may be right but nobody there knew what happened to him. And I didn't hear about a body either. There is a chance he made it. Still let's go get the others. Would you mind not telling the others what I said about myself in there?"

"Why not?" Rand asked.

"It may be who I was born to be but not who I am now. They don't know they don't need to know. To them I'm a solider and I would like to keep it that way." She looked at Rand for a few moments. "I wouldn't have even told them if I saw any other way out of that situation. I don't believe a word of what Elaida said about you but I was afraid that the queen might. Discrediting her was the only way I could see to prevent that and that required me to reveal who I was." Meren suddenly chuckled.

"What is it?"

"Oh I'm just thinking about how weird my life is. Last week I was a lost solider trying to get home. Three days ago I find out I'm a military commander and three hours ago I find out I'm an uncrowned queen. I hope I don't have any more surprises hiding in my memories. I'm not sure what could top being the heir to a country butt I don't want to find out."

Rand thought about what she said before nodding. He had enough questions about who he was. He wouldn't want his friends to treat him differently if it turned out he was someone other than who he thought he was. "I won't tell them unless you do."

Meren smiled at him. "Thanks, let's go, Moiraine is this way and I know you're anxious to see the others." Meren thought that Rand, happy as he was could have kept up with her no mater how fast she moved right then.

To be continued…

Well that's another chapter in the bag, And yes before anybody asks I know Meren ended up with a lot more screen time than Ranma in this one. Originally chapter 3 and 4 were one chapter. When it grew too large and I split them most of Ranma's stuff ended up in 4 and Meren's in 3. it was either leave it as is or start writing useless scenes just to give them extra time in each chapter.

I've been too busy to work on this the last few days so it took me a while to get this out. Expect chap 4 in a day or so, I just want to give it another once-over before I post it but that will have to wait on my schedule.

Few quick answers. Will Ranma end up learning to channel as a girl? Yes. As a guy as well? Haven't decided yet. Will Ranma end up perma girl? No although obviously turning guy in the WT will be bad. Got something planed to allow him to lock/unlock his curse at will in chap 5. since he doesn't want anybody else finding out about the curse hell be semi stuck as a girl for a while however and will be forced to deal with his girl side.

Don't think I've read a WOT/Ranma crossover by someone named Strider. I've seen a few that could have been good but only one over 3 or 4 chapters. Cant remember what the name of it was but most of the cast was involved and somehow Akane and ukyo both ended up with drowned man curses and Akane ended up becoming a false dragon for a while and ukyo was Ranma's warder. You'll have to give me more info on finding that fic for me to find out if I've read it or not (do you realize how many hits I got putting in Strider as a pen name?)

Malichite: good things come to those that wait. Skill wise Meren using sword vs Ranma going full out no neko the fight would be pretty even. Of course at the moment if Meren really wanted to kill him she could using that crowd pleaser attack she used in the prologue assuming she didn't mind wiping out everybody in the general area as well. Still in a non lethal match they will be pretty close to even particularly once Ranma learns to channel. The disparity your noticing up to chapter 2 is Ranma holding back against Meren going full out unarmed while occasionally surprising him with sneaky moves. I also have non channeling powers in store for Ranma but plot wise it doesn't make since to give them to him soon.