"I can't. I must not. Do either of you have any idea as to what happens when an assassin marries?" Kris and Adella's faces were blank so Triss continued, "Other people who were effected by me would go out and kill my husband to get revenge. I cannot let that happen, not again. If it did…I don't know what I'd do."
Adella looked rather shocked that Triss had said no. Kris, on the other hand, looked respectably gratified of the answer Triss gave. Triss thought he understood very well that the reason she did not marry Kris was because she loved him.
Adella finally collected herself enough to say, "That is very disappointing, but I can understand it perfectly."
All Kris said was, "Mmm."
"I'm needing to leave for Braem Wood very shortly if you wish to come with me?"
Adella murmured, "And why in the Light would you want to go there!"
Kris just gave a curt nod of his head. Triss had no idea what he was up to, but she knew of a simple way to fix it. But she would have to fix it later. Now was not the time or place.
"I'm needing to go to the Two Rivers, Edmond's Field to be more precise. I want to get some more of the tobacco there. Two Rivers' tobacco is the best anywhere on this side of the Spine, and I know some who would pay a lot for it. I thought about becoming a tabac trader, it would be a better way to live besides being an assassin," Triss stated.
"Okay, I'm with you all the way Triss. I don't know about Kris here, but I'm willing to go with you to death," Adella sounded as if she was trying to egg Kris on. It worked.
Eyes blazing, Kris spoke to Adella as if she had insulted him, "Of course I'm going with Triss! I'd die before I let any harm befall her." Kris turned to Triss, "Yes, Triss, I'd love to go with you."
Smiling, Triss took Kris and Adella, arm in arm out to the stables. They saddled their horses and rode back to Kris' house to gather their belongings that they wished to take with them. Then Triss got her chance after Adella announced that she would be waiting for them outside.
Walking inside with Kris following behind she abruptly turned around, and hugged him. It was more of her holding him, but it looked as if she was hugging Kris. They stayed there for a little bit, then Triss gently pushed away from Kris' grasp. He had begun to hold her and she felt sorry to leave his grasp.
"Kris, in the Inn…you were very quiet. What was wrong? I have never seen you so quiet before. It startled me," Triss said.
"Oh Hun, I'm sorry about that. It's just…I felt something. It was like a feeling of dread. Like the unwanted inevitable was going to happen. Forone of the few timesin my life, I was scared. Not scared for myself, but scared for your well being. I don't want any harm to befall you. Please be careful Triss." Kris really did look fearful,It was shining in his eyes.
"I will look out for myself Kris,"she kissed him lightly on his cheek andgave him a reassuring hug."Now, are you going to pack?" Triss asked with a grin.
Triss gathered her saddlebags as Kris packed and took them to Swallow. After she was done, Triss went back in to help Kris pack. As they came out of the house, Triss gave Kris a reassuring smile.
Eventually, the three of them were on the Cairhien Road traveling south when Kris mentioned something about making a gateway that would take them straight to Braem Wood and they'd only have to step through the bloody thing and they'd be there. Suddenly Triss realized what had been going on! Kris was one of the Asha'man following Rand bloody Al'Thor, the bloody Dragon Reborn!
When she questioned him on the subject he merely shook his head and said, "That was the past. I left them. Now I'm with you."
So she replied back. "Well my dear, they better not chastise us. I have heard tales about men who ran away from the Black Tower. They were put to death. I've run enough. Maybe, should you tell the bloody Dragon Reborn that you've found a new life? Perhaps then he and his other followers will leave you alone and take your name off the Traitor's List."
Kris gave her a befuddled look. "What, how, why?" He took a breath, "How do you know so much about the Black Tower. You seem to know as much if not more about it than me."
"I've…been there a few times. Strictly business, that is, if you know what I mean. I saw…I think it was a man named…Damer Flinn on that list the last time I had been there?" Triss cast a non-believing look at Adella whose face had gone white and was stark still upon her saddle. "So shall we go and pay a visit to Rand bloody Al'Thor? It'll keep you from being killed and then I wouldn't have to go through the pain and sadness of you dying on me because of a stupid mistake you made. So, shall we go back into the city and talk to Rand bloody Al'Thor?" She did not make it sound like a suggestion this time.
"I am going alone. These Asha'man might kill me and I don't want anything to happen to you." Kris was being careful now of his actions. Triss could not die because of a mistake he made.
"No you are not. I am going with you seeing as I thought of it, and that's final." Triss noticeably softened her expression, leaned over on her horse toward his and kissed him on the cheek.
"Oh, okay then. I guess you can come along." Kris suddenly shook his head. Triss really knew how to get the better of him.
There was a bright purple slash of light that rotated into a hole that led to the courtyard of the Sun Palace of Cairhien.
Triss walked through it and found herself facing a tall and wide man with gray (Aiel eyes) eyes and red hair. Screaming, she turned around and almost knocked Kris over and instead of running him down, she held him tight as if she might never let go.
Kris let the gateway close and made a formal bow to the man, or at least as much as one with Triss hanging onto him. Rising, Kris met his eyes and realized that this was the Dragon Reborn. "You are the Lord Dragon Reborn, Rand Al'Thor, am I correct?" The man gave a slight nod of his head and surveyed the three in front of him. "I am Kristopher Albius, one of the Asha'man from the Black Tower. Actually, my name has been put on the Traitor's List when I only wished to lead a peaceful life with my…ah…soon-to-be wife. I wish to quit being an Asha'man and lead a normal life. I don't wish to fight. I want to live for…" Kris trailed off looking down at Triss who was still holding on to him and put and arm around her.
Al'Thor grunted with an understanding expression on his face. "I can understand that, Kristopher is it?" Kris nodded. "I'll go have a talk with Taim as soon as I can. I'll take the liberty of taking your name off the Traitor's list myself. But don't go telling anyone that you had been an Asha'man. More men would leave the Black Tower and I cannot afford that loss." The Dragon Reborn looked solemn, but how he managed to do that Kris did not know.
"Thank you sir, but…what are you going to tell them? You can't tell them I died…can you?"
"I'll tell them I understood your cause for desertion and it was worthwhile. I would do the same, if it were possible. I just have he world on my shoulders and know I will die at Tarmon Gaiden. Now you might want to be going now, with your…wife-to-be. If any of the other Asha'man notice that you are here, it would be too late for you and your wife…and your other friend back there," he said with a chuckle.
Triss finally found her voice, "Thank you sir. I am glad Kris took my advice and came here," Triss said with a warm smile for the Dragon Reborn and a frown directed at Kris.
Kris pretended not to notice the look she gave him and instead replied to Rand Al'Thor, "Thank you. I'll just be off now." And with that he made another gateway in the courtyard that led to a strange little town.
As they rode through, Triss saw houses with tile for roofing and something else. It was the red eagle of Manetheren on a flag, and next to it was a wolf's head. She asked Kris about it and all he said was, "Home at last."
She looked at him sideways and mouthed the word 'home' longingly. The last home she had known was in shambles by now and she was never going to return to it. It was too much for her to handle and she began to cry.
Kris looked over, saw her shoulders slumped with her sobs and carried her until they were about to enter the town. She gave him a kiss, untangled herself from his arms and mounted back onto her own horse.
They rode into the little town and went into the tall, looming brick building that served as the manor house. A man took their horses and ushered them into the sitting room of the house where a maid brought them spiced wine and then went upstairs to announce them to the Lord and Lady of Two Rivers. Triss assumed that Two Rivers was the name of the city and was correct in thinking so.
A woman who looked like a hawk with glossy brown hair and bright hazel eyes walked down the stairs at a quick walk and made a very undignified run towards Triss. She immediately hugged her and said, "I'm so glad you finally came Triss, I'm so very glad!"
Triss of course was extremely confused and did not know why this woman was hugging her when she didn't even bloody know her.
A man with golden-yellow eyes was descending the staircase. "Faile, you should at least tell her who you are. I told you she would not remember you."
Pulling away from Triss, the woman named Faile (Haha. I'm as lost as you are.) spoke, "I don't think you remember me Trisscar. I'm your older sister Zarine. Ever wonder why you changed your name from Bashere to Faile? When I was young and still at home taking care of you, I changed my name from Zarine to Faile. Now that I've married Perrin, I'm an Aybara."
"I never knew I had a bloody sister. (o.o; This is getting very odd, isn't it?) I thought I was an only child." Triss sounded and looked as confused as they come.
"By the time you grew up, I was one of the Hunters for the Horn. You never saw me except for when you were a baby. Mom and Dad were killed a while ago, but you probably already knew that."
"Yeah, I did. It was shortly after my husband and twins were murdered," Triss said sadly.
"I thought that this man here was your husband." Sometime after Faile pulled away from her sister, Trisscar and Kris had twined their fingers together. "I suppose not…so how has my little sister been doing all these years?"
"It's been…tough for me. I never really thought about settling down until now. Is there still a wisdom here?"
"Yes, there is!" Faile gave the two a sly look as if she knew exactly what was going on, and she did.
"Thanks Zarine. Calling you Faile is too confusing for me. I'm going to go over to the Inn now and get settled down."
"You can stay in the manor house with my husband and me. It would be my pleasure," said Faile when Triss opened her mouth to speak.
"Okay then…well…I'd like a bit to talk to Kris if you please." Triss said politely.
"I'll have Mari show you to your rooms," she said with a smile.
Not letting go of Kris' hand, Triss followed the maid up the stairs to the room that was to be hers and Kris'. Adella had her own rooms across the hall.
The room was large with a polished table and two polished chairs to go with it. There was a great wooden dresser and a mirror on the top of it. There was a washbasin and a large, ornate tub that would fit at least two people. The bath would come later.
"Kris, what you said to the Dragon Reborn…was it true? Do you really? I…I think I've decided to quit being an assassin to lead a quieter life. If…" sighing Triss stopped mid-sentence to let Kris tell her what he thought.
Taking her hands in his he kneeled on the ground before her. "I would love it if you'd marry me," he said planting a kiss on the back of both her hands.
Smiling, Triss brought him back to his feet and backed him up 'til he could go back no further. She was positive he had no idea what she was doing. With the bed behind him, Triss pushed him back onto the bed and sat in his lap, still holding his hands. "I want to marry you Kris. I love you so very much," and with that they went into a deep kiss.
Finally surfacing for air, they got up to go tell Adella. After telling her, she was so excited and rushed down to go find the tailor and Wisdom of Two Rivers. Adella came back with the Wisdom and the tailor about an hour later.
The Tailor was making measurements for the Trisscar and Kris while the Wisdom helped them make plans for the marriage. They were to have it in the village around all the towns' people in the next week or so. Adella was beaming like a proud mother by the time the Wisdom and tailor left.
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Sorry that I haven't posted in a while, but I've seemed to lost my love for writing. It may be a while before I get the fifth chapter in, but be assured, it shall come...eventually. I've been a bit busy. Heart-breakers. A new love. Life. I suppose. And not to mention school and friends. Well, again: sorry I haven't posted more.
Kristen