"Good Morning Lord Rand," Lord Dremenden greeted cheerfully. He was a dark haired may with sharp eyes and while yesterday he had been wearing expensive silks, today he was wearing battered armour and a large broadsword. Next to him, his wife wore armour and a short sword at her waist, while twenty horsemen wore heavy chain mail and carried thick and long lances. Only Jania, Dremenden's child, wore clothes of comfort, a loose fitting dress. But even she had a belt knife tucked away,
"Good morning," Rand greeted, somewhat awkwardly. He had chosen to wear his noble clothes at the insistence of Tallanvor, and looked and definitely felt out of place. He still had his sword strapped to his waist, a knife or two up his sleeves, a buckler in his saddle and several pouches of powders, some poison and some sleeping agents. But he looked like a fool, and Rand didn't miss some of the looks the soldiers were sending him, bordering between amusement and scorn.
"I compliment you on your silk-weavers," Lady Dremenden said, eying Rand up and down. "Those are fine clothes. Why, they appear to be identical to the ones you wore yesterday."
Lord Dremenden gave a refuel look to Rand. "Wife! Be silent towards my guest!" He spoke sharply.
Lady Dremenden nodded meekly, bowing her head and Lord Dremenden shifted in his saddle, looking faintly satisfied.
Rand masked his shock by inspecting his saddle. Nobody he knew would ever talk to a woman like that! But Lady Dremenden did not look shamed, or embarrassed. In fact, she eyed her husband akin to pride and love; as if she was pleased he had taken his tongue to her. The Shienar's were a strange folk.
"Where is your manor?" Rand asked Lord Dremenden.
"Tis half a days ride south-east. Trollocs have not appeared in that region for several decades, so I only bring a few men with me." Lord Dremenden said. He turned to Rand, eyeing his horse. "Are you ready to depart now?"
"Whenever you wish to leave, I will follow." Rand answered awkwardly.
Lord Dremenden eyed him shrewdly. "You do not sound like a southerner Lord, you are much to humble."
Rand shifted under his gaze, but the man turned back and spoke in a loud voice. "Be prepared to depart!"
The ride was very long and the scenery changed as the hours went past. Trees that were brown and sickly near Fal Dara became green and lively, with flowers blossoming everywhere. Birds chirped and butterflies flew, streams trickled and rivers burbled. But no matter how deceptive or peaceful the foliage looked, Lord Dremenden's armsmen were always alert. Their heads snapped around at the slightest sound, and some men continually kept their arrows notched in their bows, as if expecting the worse.
Lord Dremenden was also wary, but his wife and daughter did not seem to share that concern. In fact, occasionally Jania would ride off ahead followed by six guards and five minutes later, she would be waiting with bracelets made from pink and red flowers, a huge smile on her face.
"She is adorable, no?" Lord Dremenden said wistfully. "I have kept her from the horrors and evils of the Blight. She knows, of course, about Trollocs and Shadowspawn but she does not comprehend. Such innocence is rare this far north."
Rand nodded, eyeing the girl. He wondered if he had ever been as innocent or happy before but dismissed the thought.
Jania handed her mother the flower bracelet and galloped her horse off ahead, followed by the fond grumbled of the six guards that followed her.
"There she goes again," Lord Dremenden said wistfully. He and Rand rode at the head of the column, side by side. "So, you seek the Eye of the World?" He suddenly asked abruptly.
"Yes." Rand answered slowly.
"Most people don't know what the Eye of the World is, and if they did, would be far less eager to find it." Lord Dremenden said. A wind blew through the trees, sending a wave of leaves falling across the covey of horses.
"What is it then?" Rand asked.
Lord Dremenden bore his eyes into Rand and a small smile came onto his face. "Long ago, during the Breaking of the World, a group of female Aes Sedai worked with male Aes Sedai, those who were still sane, to create the Eye of the World. They all died in the effort, but they succeeded. What they created was a cavern, and in that cavern was a pool of silvery liquid. This silvery liquid was Saidin, pure and untainted. A male channeller could wield the Eye of the World for there own purposes. Some tried, but the amount of Saidin was too great for them and they brunt the ability out of themselves. It was almost…as if those who created it had created it for one person. In my library, I have a copied message, ripped and torn. On it, it says that the Aes Sedai who created the Eye had seen many possible futures for it, but in all of them, the Eye was needed for…" He stopped speaking, scratching his chin.
"Needed for…?" Rand asked, a bubble of dread and excitement flowing into him.
"The message ends their." Lord Dremenden said. "Anyway, a male channeller could use the Eye for his own purposes without the risk of taint. Is that why you seek it?"
Rand shifted in his saddle, almost squirming under the gaze Dremenden was giving him. "I was gentled a long time ago," Rand admitted. "I couldn't channel the Eye even if I sought to. I was told to go there and meet somebody by the name of…"
"Slayer," Dremenden cut in. "Yes, I and Lord Agelmar heard that you were the nephew of Slayer."
"Only by his word alone!" Rand objected strongly, a scowl appearing on his face.
"To find the Eye, you need to seek the Green Man." Lord Dremenden continued.
"The Green Man!" Rand exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't he a myth? The man who makes plants grow with his hands, which creates gardens from rocks and dirt, I didn't think he existed!"
"To find him, you must have a need. Thoughts of glory and fame will not do, there must be a great need. Maybe you seek his wisdom, maybe you wish to gaze upon his gardens before you die. Even then, that is not always enough. I can count using one hand, the number of Borderland folk who have visited the Green Man in the past hundred years."
"Where is the Green Man's garden?"
"Anywhere in the Blight," Dremenden answered. "It has been entered from many places, that I do not know the answer for."
Rand opened his mouth to ask another question, when a high pitched scream echoed in the forest.
"Jania!" Dremenden breathed with his eyes wide with horror. "Armsmen! To her, to Jania!"
As soldiers started to gallop off ahead, blurry figures leapt from the trees. Lances stabbed and impaled them, but more and more of the creatures came from nowhere, wicked scythe-like swords in their hands. Rand started at the sight of one of them. It had to be a Trolloc, a half-human and half-animal creature. Unlike the Myrddraal, the Trollocs needed to power to make them appear frightening. A wicked curved beak was this Trollocs mouth, two horns on his head and hooves for feet. Burning red eyes stared behind a large iron helmet and it raised his sword, bringing it down on Rand.
Rand unsheathed his sword, his hands a blur and metal rang as the two swords clashed. Rand pushed off the other sword and swung it, severing the Trollocs head in a single blow. He twisted on his saddle as something struck him, a large shape pushing him off the horse and onto the ground with a painful grunt. His sword stabbed deep into the Trolloc above him as he fell, and the creature was impaled. Dark blood gushed from the wound, staining Rand's clothes, but he ignored it as he wrapped his mind in the void and pushed the creature off himself, staggering up. Two...four…seven…nine Trollocs leapt at him, their sword swinging. Rand performed Darting the Nets, his sword knocking several blades back as he ducked the rest, before Slicing the Silk and the Headsmen's Axe, followed by Parting the Weaves, left Trollocs dying or dead around him.
"Form ranks!" Lord Dremenden called loudly, his broadsword stained with dark blood. Calvary formed in a circle around the Lord and Lady, lances out. Arrows flied from the archers as Lord Dremenden entered the circle, using his broadsword to kill any Trolloc that came near. Trollocs fell, but so did humans. Rand battled Trollocs alone, his skills with the blade the only thing saving him from death. Anything within the range of his sword fell in a flash of metal, bodies piling up together. He deflected blades with his sword and buckler, his arm aching with the vibrations.
Suddenly a horn blew loudly, and another. Red, gold and white armored men on horses charged into the clearing, their swords up and attacking the hundreds, if not thousands of Trolloc, from the rear. There were guttural cries of pain and animal shrieks as Andorian Queens Guard, led by Captain Tallanvor, battled fearlessly against creatures they had heard from horror tales. As Rand held his sword out, stabbing and slashing anything that came close to him, the Queens Guard joined with the Shienar Lord's armsmen just as arrows flew at the Trollocs from the trees. Rand stared in surprise as suntanned skinned Aiel, their faces donning the black veil, leapt from the trees with spears flying. There were only a few of them, maybe thirty, but Trollocs fell in numbers that the horsemen couldn't match as the Aiel flanked the Trollocs from the east, the Calvary from the west and the Shienar horsemen in the middle of it all.
"For Andor! For Shienar!" Somebody yelled over the fighting. Rand suddenly felt a surge of pain rack his body as something bit into his side, and the void wavered. Rand grasped it, stumbling along the ground as he stared at the arrow implanted into his side, before the void disappeared and the overwhelming wave of pain swept through him, his side aching as he fell unconscious.
Rand awoke with a groan, his side aching unbearably as he shifted. The ground beneath him moved at a rumbling pace, bumping on something every so often and sending another lance of pain into him. A face appeared above him, Lord Dremenden.
"Lord Rand!" He exclaimed, gesturing for somebody. Another face appeared, a dark haired woman with green eyes, dressed in green silks. Her face was neither young nor old, and the familiar signs of Aes Sedai agelessness were apparent, but only just.
"It has been a long time," The woman said gently, placing her cool hands on his forehead. She closed her eyes, her lips parting and her brow frowned, and suddenly Rand yelped as an icy cold feeling tingled down his head and back, dropping to his feet and springing right up again. He had only been healed once before by an Aes Sedai, Elaida, just after the attack at Caemlyn. He hadn't been awake to feel it though. Suddenly the sensation was gone, as well as the pain from his side.
"What happened…?" Rand began, trailing off as his memory caught up with his body.
"A Trolloc Raid, at least a thousand." Lord Dremenden said grimly, his eyes haunted. "Twenty four are dead, including the Andorians. Not a single Aiel though…"
Rand sat up, glancing around. He sat in a slow moving cart, with sleeping men beside him. Blood stained his shirt but the skin was unbroken and clear, without a single blemish. He shifted his eyes on the woman, something about her seemed familiar. Perhaps it was the hair…
"Do you not remember me?" The Aes Sedai asked lightly.
Rand shook his head as he jumped off the cart, his side in perfect condition. Horses trotted by him, Andorian and Shienarian in the saddles. A large manor house loomed up ahead, thick stone walls surrounded by a small moat. Towers jutted out from the manor, large fires burning brightly. Rand tore his eyes of the impressive house and back to the woman.
"It was a long time ago, in the White Tower. I met you in the gardens and took you…" The woman started.
"Alanna!" Rand suddenly exclaimed.
Alanna nodded, pleased.
"Milord?" An approaching soldier called out, a grizzled and scarred man with a limp. "Horsemen Morigon is awake sir, almost at death. But…you need to hear him."
Lord Dremenden glanced at Alanna briefly.
"His wounds were too deep for my skills in healing," Alanna said, her face suddenly emotionless and calm. "I did ease his pain though,"
Dremenden walked briskly towards another cart. Alanna followed and Rand hesitated, before following as well. When he arrived, he saw Lord Dremenden walking alongside the cart, holding a hand.
"I…tried…to fight them," The wounded man gasped. Rand recoiled at the sight; his face was a mess with one eye gone and several teeth missing. One ear had been torn off, as well as a leg and half an arm. Blood stained the man's clothes, his armour gone, and flies buzzed around if they weren't aware that he wasn't dead yet.
"They…Jania…" The man struggled for breath as Alanna placed a hand on his forehead. He suddenly shivered, a tiny spark of life retuning to his eyes that started to diminish almost instantly.
"She is not dead…Trollocs took her and three others…some wanted to kill us…eat us…but leader said…needed…souls of the blade…Shayol Ghul…taking us to Shayol Ghul…"
The man went limp, the life from his body vanished. Lord Dremenden staggered back, his hand over his eyes.
"No, no, no!" He moaned pitifully. "Better be that she was dead! No, not this!"
"What is it?" Rand asked in surprise. "Isn't this good news? She is alive…we can get her back!"
"NO!" Dremenden screamed loudly. Soldiers twisted on their saddles to watch their Lord sob.
"What is it?" Rand asked loudly, his teeth clenching.
Alanna spoke up. "Souls of the blade…there is a story that tells of how the forgers at Shayol Ghul make the blades of Myrddraal so powerful. The story said that every time a blade is finished, a human is killed with it and their soul is drawn into the sword, in torment and agony, feeling everything the blade inflicts. Myrddraal blades do not last forever, so the forgers need new lives to take. People have gone missing and no body is ever found, no remains or bones. They vanish, never to be seen again. That is said to be the work of the forgers. This is why the Trollocs came this far south. They came here looking for those lives. It makes sense in why the Trollocs hesitated, held back. If they had pressed their advantage, you would dead. But they needed you alive…some greater force, possible a Myrddraal, forced their killing instincts down. What is a few hundred dead Trollocs compared to twenty new blades?"
"Can't we catch them before they reach Shayol Ghul?" Rand asked desperately.
Alanna blinked, a frown marring her beautiful face. "I…" She trailed off. "It could be done, but only in smaller numbers. A party of ten, maybe, as to not attract the attention of the Dark Ones spies. But this search would take us into the Blight, maybe to the slopes of Shayol Ghul itself. Who would volunteer?"
"I would." Rand said boldly. "I have no fear."
"Then you are a fool." Alanna said sharply, but Lord Dremenden looked up, hope in his eyes.
"The Aes Sedai made me this way. They gentled me and took away the part of me that cares if I live or die." Rand said angrily. His eyes flashed as he rounded into Alanna. "Now you criticize me for wanting to save a child?"
Alanna drew herself up, appearing to double in size and stature. Her eyes flashed and power laced her voice. "Do not dare imply that I would complain in somebody saving a child! I was merely saying…"
"You tricks don't scare me!" Rand snarled.
"That's enough!" Lord Dremenden boomed, his voice washing over the anger Rand was feeling. He backed down, ashamed at his irrational behavior and looked up to se that Alanna had returned to normal size, looking chagrined. "This close to the Blight…it can cause anger and rage if you let it. Lord Rand, were you serious about your offer?"
Rand nodded and Dremenden smiled grimly. "Good. You will accompany me then…"
"Lord Dremenden!" Alanna snapped. "Do not be a fool! Wandering into the Blight is idiotic at best, but with your injury you are lucky to be alive. I was not able to heal all of the heart, you need rest!"
"She is my daughter!" Dremenden growled desperately.
"Then give her the best chance you possible can." Alanna said, her voice leaving no room for complaints. She turned to Rand. "I will come with you and my warder as well. That is three…bring no more than seven more."
Rand blinked as she stalked away, her back straight and head high. "That was odd." He muttered. He turned to Dremenden, who he noticed was leaning on the cart. "I need a tracker, supplies and the fastest horses you have."
"It is done." Dremenden said instantly. "I…I will see to it now. I would come, but Alanna Sedai...…get my daughter back and I will give you anything! Land, money, titles…anything!" He turned away, limping slightly to the nearest horsemen to give his messages and orders.
"I see you Al'Thor," A cool voice greeted from behind him. Rand turned, his mind flashing back to the battle as he remembered the Aiel.
"I see you Enaila." Rand replied automatically. The petite redhead scowled at him, her eyes flashing.
"You left us in shame and dishonor!" She spat out. "A gai'shain refused by the one who defeated them is the ultimate rebuke!"
"So you came to make me use you as a gai'shain?" Rand asked bewilderedly.
Enaila nodded and threw down her spear. She unattached her buckler and dropped it to the ground, reaching to remove the other spears strapped to her body.
"Wait a moment!" Rand broke in, grabbing her wrist. Her eyes burned into him, full to the brim with outrage. "I am leaving soon…"
"Then I shall follow, and regain my honour!" Enaila said heatedly.
"If you are to follow, then pick up the spear and buckler. I am leaving for the Blight, to rescue a child from the Trollocs and shadowspawn. There is much honour in this quest and those who accompany me to carry it out." Rand said a touch cunningly.
Enaila hesitated for a second, her hands resting on the straps for one of her spears.
"If you want to be gai'shain, then you will have to stay with Lord Dremenden. He could use another servant…" Rand trailed off, feeling slightly smug. He knew that Aiel considered those who served for their entire lives to be dishonorable and found the concept quite strange.
That did it for Enaila and she sent him a dark look, picking p her weapons.
"That's four…" Rand muttered to himself.
"Five." Came a cold voice, tinged with anger and loathing.
"I see you Aviendha." Rand said, sighing slightly. The girl hated him; there was no question about that.
"It is a folly to attempt this, no Aiel has ever returned from Leafblighters Slope." She said; her reddish-brown hair longer than he remembered. "But…" She continued grudgingly. "There is honour in trying, so I shall come. I came to bring you back to our camps, and I can not do that if you lay dying."
"So, you are leaving." Captain Tallanvor remarked from his horse an hour later, a freshly groomed steed that snorted impatiently.
"You have heard then?" Rand asked him, watching men scurry about to check horses and harnesses and supplies. Nearby, Aviendha and Enaila spoke with the other Aiel, no doubt explaining what was happening and why they could not follow. She would have bought an entire Aiel War clan if it meant gaining honour, but she understood the need for obscurity.
"I had orders to retrieve you and bring you back to Caemlyn. Lord Gawyn, Lady Elayne, Gareth Bryne and even Queen Morgase were all clear on that." Tallanvor remarked.
"I'm not leaving Tallanvor." Rand said firmly.
"I know. It's strange, isn't it?" Tallanvor mused. "That I find myself drawn to you. I will come with you."
"Why?" Rand asked in astonishment.
"I do not know. I…I just need to." Tallanvor muttered. "Strange…"
Rand watched him wander off while Lord Dremenden limped towards him, with a small man beside him. He had dark hair and one blue eye, the other green.
"This is Huin; he will track the Trollocs for you." Dremenden introduced.
"We are ready then." Rand said, gripping the hilt of his sword. "Everybody, prepare to leave!"