Chapter 2
All Roses Have Thorns
Even if she weren't an Aes Sedai she would be one of the most exquisite women Sha'Mad had ever seen. He features exquisite and perfectly proportioned, body of a goddess beneath the flowing leaf green dress she wore. She looked Sha'Mad up and down as she passed with a small smile gracing her luscious lips. Her ageless features the trademark of an Aes Sedai did not hide that she was also young. She was of the Green Ajah even after Tarmon Gai'don the Greens continued to fight against any form of the Shadow that still wandered the earth, even now there were still roaming bands of Trollocs lead by the occasional Myrddraal and it was the Greens duty to battle these evils until all were destroyed. But she was not the woman Sha'Mad would want to see go into to battle she was just too beautiful. Without thinking and without hesitation he called after her
"Excuse me Aes Sedai." Sha'Mad almost regretted saying anything and almost thought of running but he held his ground. She turned around almost without stopping in her graceful glide and looked at him one eyebrow raised waiting for Sha'Mad to say something. A lump rose in his throat when he looked upon her face but he bowed with the grace that a nobleman would be proud of and said
"May I ask you your name Madame Aes Sedai?" She looked at him coolly
"And why should I tell you young man?" Smiling a smile that would warm and woman's heart he replied
"So that I know the name of the Aes Sedai that I would hope to be bonded to." He said still smiling. To this she let out a tinkle of laughter.
"You are very direct at such a young age and I do see great potential in you, very well I am known as Flaye, but be warned not all Aes Sedai will tolerate your direct attitude as I have so be warned." Her last words came out as if covered in ice and she turned and continued down the hall her hips swaying almost hypnotically.
"Flaye" he whispered to himself as he turned and went the opposite way to the Aes Sedai. Before he realized it he was at the doors to the barracks, he stopped in surprise, the barracks was a good hour a way from where he was and he felt like it had just been a few minutes. Dismissing the thought he went inside.
The barracks was a three room building in the grounds below the White Tower, The main room looking more like a giant hall was lined with bunks for the soldiers and trainees, everyone was equal in the barracks and everyone slept in the same room even Dracnor Master of Warders slept in this room at the far end of the hall. Sha'Mad turned left into the eating hall about the same size as the sleeping hall but instead of bunks had long tables and a large kitchen at one end maned by trainees who were doing kitchen duty. It was just before the lunch break and Dracnor was at one of the long tables with a mug of ale and was talking with some warders. It was easy to tell they were warders, the way they just held them selves, like a spring held taught just waiting to explode into action.
Dracnor looked up and saw Sha'Mad at the hall doors and called him over.
"Ah Sha'Mad come have a seat and some ale we were just discussing something that you might as a warder in the making might like to hear about."
Sha'Mad took a seat along side Dracnor and took a swig from the mug in front of him and listened to the conversation.
"As I was saying a large force of trollocs was seen coming out of Tarwins Gap and simply heading past Fal Dara, they didn't attack the walls they moved so fast that no one had a chance to muster a force to take chace before they were gone." One of the Warders said.
"This is very strange Trollocs don't really have a habit of avoiding combat, was a Myrddraal seen with them?" Dracnor asked.
"Not that I know of but your right those beasts wouldn't do anything like this unless they were being commanded by something, there are very few Myrddraal left now days so we really don't know unless someone catches up with the force or they attack, there was a substantial Shieneran sent after them but no news of what has occurred has reached my ears so far." There was a silence for a while as the men peered into their ale cups, then as one the three warders rose as one.
"Feels like she is in a rotten mood better see what has happened, good to see you again Dracnor." Dracnor nodded his head in farewell and the Warders left the hall moving with that deadly grace all Warders had. Dracnor looked to Sha'Mad.
"Looks like you have something on your mind Dragon speak up." Sha'Mad hesitated for a second wondering how he should form his question.
"Do you know much about the Aes Sedai Flaye?" Dracnor suddenly burst into laughter and still smiling said
" So once again a young man has been caught up in beautiful spiders web" Dracnor said and continued to laugh.
Sha'Mad's face reddened and he peered into his mug in embarrassment. Dracnor slapped his back almost winding him.
"Do not be embarrassed young Dragon many a man and even a few warders have held Flaye in their dreams but no one has been able to hold her in reality, why do you ask?" Sha'Mad passed on the story of their meeting in the hall and Dracnor listened occasionally drinking from his mug. Once Sha'Mad had relayed the story Dracnor was slow with a reply.
"You better be careful young Dragon." He said with a serious look on his face.
"Why what is the matter?" Sha'Mad asked nervously. Dracnor looked him in the eyes and said
"Because she is going too be after you like a hungry wolf after a rabbit." He laughed and slapped Dracnor on the back.
"Congratulations you might be a warder sooner than you think." Sha'Mad choked on the mouthful of ale he had just taken and caughed loudly.
"Why do you say that?" Sha'Mad asked between coughs.
"Flaye even for an Aes Sedai is as cold as ice, getting a smile out of her is like seeing a whiteclaok help the poor."Dracnor laughed half at Sha'Mad and half at his own joke. Dracnor rose still laughing.
"As she warned you I warn you if you don't want to be bonded before you have a chance to blink young Dragon you steer clear from Flaye. Remember all roses have thorns." Still laughing he walked of with the deadly grace of a warder but with a little bounce in his step as he laughed leaving the hall.
He needed to get his mind off that woman and there was only one way he could do it. He went back into the sleeping hall and headed to his bunk pulling a hard leather case about as long as himself he slung its strap around his shoulder and headed to the training grounds.
Once he reached the large green of the training ground he put the case on one of the weapon stand and flicked the latches on it and opened it. The other soldiers and trainees watched as he pulled out his weapon. It was a Kalindori a staff with two leaf shaped blades on either end about the length of hand to elbow, with a reinforced with two grips and a metal bar in the middle used for blocking. None of the soldiers or trainees had seen anything like it. He removed the sheaths on the blades and they glistened in the sun the blades were forged with the Power, never will they blunt and never will the break. He moved into an empty space on the field and began his practice.
The Oneness came over him; he was one with the blade one with his surrounding and one with the people surrounding him. The Kalindori began to spin around his head slowly then faster and faster till it was almost a blur then he began his forms. Totally different from those used for a blade the forms used for the Kalindori relied more heavily one balance flexibility and not so much on strength. It was based on fast quick attacks not lethal in one stroke but will slowly dwindle your opponents' strength with strike after strike. Soon he forgot all about Flaye and her lucious lips and all was about the forms and the blade. Suddenly he stopped holding the blade behind himself low with one hand knees bent ready to strike.
"Dragons Fire!" he shouted and suddenly both blades of the Kalindori burst into flame, spinning the Kalindori around him self quickly he then stabbed forward a lethal blow then there was a searing flash of light and everyone yelled out in shock and covered their eyes. Once the light had dissipated all people could see was Sha'Mad standing with his blade dug into the ground and in front of him a large arc of the green was scored with burn marks but not a flame was to be seen.
Suddenly two Aes Sedai with four warders came forward and surrounded him Warders swords drawn and Aes Sedai ready to strike if necessary. One of those Aes Sedai was Flaye.
"Is there something I can do for you Aes Sedai?" Sha'Mad asked in the emotionless voice that came from being in the Oneness.
"Who or what are you child?" Flaye asked, she gave him a look that could make a king think twice but all it did was make his heart melt and make it unable to hold the Oneness. He slumped as if defeated and sighed heavily looking up into Flayes eyes with a pained look that made Flayes face soften with pity. But then he pulled himself up and hardened his features
"I am Sha'Mad bearer of the Dragon Flame second to Shar'Aman and rider of the Gold Dragon." His clothes shimmered and changed spreading over his body with it came the dull shine of armour.
"I will answer only to one among you, I will only answer to Flaye."