A Day of Chaos

Jack Tobin stood outside his tent, watching the unusual Trolloc sitting quietly in the tent Jack had let him have. The Trolloc had only asked for a pitcher of water and things to write with since he had come earlier that morning. It had been about eight hours now, and the sun was beginning to set when finally, a silvery light slashed through the air and expanded into a gateway. This gateway was a bit different though from the one Jack had entered. This one was not bright white light blaring into the camp; no, it was black, and on the other side, Jack could see Rand Al'thor stepping through. The Dragon seemed to have many secrets he kept himself, as well he should too.

When the gateway closed, Jack immediately bowed to the Dragon and said, "Lord Dragon, the Trolloc has done nothing but write and write since you left us."

"What is his name?"

The question caught Jack of guard. His name? "What do you mean my Lord Dragon?"

The man looked directly at Jack with a stone cold smile. "Surely you didn't just let him sit in his tent all alone. Surely you gathered a little information for me."

Jack was shocked and could only reply, "Well… no sir, I didn't think…."

"That's just it commander, you didn't think."

With that, the Dragon began an arrogant walk towards the tent which the Trolloc sat in. Jack only stood there for a second, and then hurried after the man. Every time he thought he knew the wishes of the Dragon, he learned he was completely wrong. Jack realized that he had been off guard ever since the Dragon Reborn entered his camp.

No matter though, because when Jack arrived at the Trolloc's tent, he heard the Dragon asking, "Would you like some tea?"

To which the Trolloc replied, "Water is fine, thank you."

Water is fine? Thank you? This was no Trolloc, it couldn't be. Water was never fine with a Trolloc, and they were never polite. This world has been turned upside down! "Odd isn't it." Came a voice from the shadows.

Jack turned to see Sal staring into the Trolloc's tent. "What is odd?"

Sal smiled and said, "First, we go out and find that there are a few civil and good fighting Trollocs, and now the Dragon Reborn has come to our camp. I don't know, but I would definitely say that it is odd having both of them here."

Jack knew exactly what the man meant, and said so, "I don't understand what this world is coming to. I mean look, the Dragon Reborn is in the world which means the Last Battle is coming. That in itself is strange to me, but now, as if to make things worse, we have discovered that there are also civil Trollocs in the world. This Age has to be the oddest that the Wheel of Time has spun out."

"Indeed." Sal paused, and then he said, "Do you think that if the Dragon trusts these Trollocs, then he will station us on the frontline soon?"

Jack had been wondering the same thing earlier that day, and said, "I don't know. Though I have been around the man for a good deal of the day, I still couldn't say if he likes honey in his tea or lemon."

Sal just stood there, pondering Jack's response, until finally he said, "Well I initially came here to tell you that it's your turn at watch."

A commander also doing watch duty was indeed odd, but Jack couldn't stand just sitting in his tent all night, and made it a point to put himself on the watch duty roster, which pleased the men most of the time to get a night off. Now it was time to think.

---Graendal approached the camp south of Baerlon slowly, her silk, nearly see-through shift exposing her dark smooth legs to the night. She could feel the mind of Rand Al'thor in the camp ahead, and her heart began to race. She did not like the boy as did Lanfear, but the thought of killing him excited her. Her information had told her that the boy had become close to the commander of the camp and trusted in the man. His name was Jack Tobin and would be the perfect acquaintance for the job.

As she neared the camp, Graendal opened herself to the Power, which flowed smoothly into her. She loved the feel of the Power, and often held it just to feel its exuberance. But that was not her aim tonight. She walked into the camp, and the men that saw her near naked body gaped just long enough for her to work her Compulsion on them. It was with the twisting of the mind that she made them forget that they had seen her, hard as that may seem. She challenged even Lanfear at the art of beauty. Lanfear was revered as the most beautiful, but Graendal knew that it wasn't true. Graendal did not maim herself, as Lanfear did, with love for Lews Therin; instead she strengthened herself with hate for the man.

Such thought disappeared as Graendal approached a lone man stationed in a make-shift watchtower. She worked Compulsion just long enough to get close to the man. His hair was a dark brown, and he had lightly tanned skin. There were only a few scars on the man and he had green, attentive eyes that widened when she let him see her. She continued to work Compulsion with the pretty man. "Good evening husband."

The man was confused for a moment, then realized his mistake when Graendal flowed more weaves of Compulsion into him. "Oh, I'm sorry Mashiara I didn't recognize you in the dark." He paused and admired her beauty, then asked, "Why have you come?"

More Compulsion, "To see you." She moved closer, undoing the straps on his armor, which fell to the floor with a clank.

He was entranced now, no more need for so much Compulsion, and she began undoing her shift. Graendal knew she could use Compulsion to send the man on her mission, but then where would the fun be in that. This would be the calm before the storm… so to speak.

---Something prickled the back of Rand's mind as he sat with the Ma Mael. Then a lump formed in the back of his throat and Lews Therin cried, She's here! She's going to kill us! We're going to die, finally!

Rand thought to Lews Therin, Who's here? Who are you talking about?

Lews Therin answered, Its her! Its her! She'll kill us and we'll be free!

Rand hated the riddles Lews Therin played in his head, and before he let Lews Therin gain too much control, he pushed him to the back of his mind, the lump going with him. The man was obviously mad… which would make Rand mad! When he laughed at the thought of it, the Trolloc looked up startled and asked, "What is it?"

Rand regained his composure and replied hurriedly, "I was just thinking, to no offense, but how odd it is that you are a Trolloc, having a drink and a chat with me. Before today I would not have thought it possible."

The Trolloc grinned, as well as any Trolloc could, and he said, "Yes, it is odd."

Then Rand said, "After reading your history and after our talk tonight, I do not see why we cannot keep this alliance. However, there is one thing. You should not go near people or cities; it will only cause trouble"

The Trolloc nodded in agreement, then stood saying, "Well then, I suppose I should get back to my camp. It was good meeting you Lord Dragon. I hope our relations get better as the Ages advance."

All Rand said in reply was, "As do I."

With that, they shook hands the Trolloc left the tent and Rand alone in it. Rand instantly forgot the Trolloc as the prickle came back, this time it touched the back of Rand's neck. There was only one thing that did that, a woman touching Saidar. Rage rushed through Rand as he strode out of the tent, where Sal was waiting in the shadows. "Where is your commander?" asked Rand excitedly.

Sal seemed relaxed, which was an odd thing these days for Rand, a man to be relaxed around him. Sal replied, "He is on watch…. Is there something wrong?"

Rand ignored Sal's question and said, "Take me to him."

Sal lazily stepped into the moonlight, his bow in hand, and then motioned for Rand to follow. Rand followed, and let Saidin rush into him. He fought of the initial blow of the rush, and then held the flood at bay as he followed Sal through the night. When they approached a watch post, the prickling had gone, and the commander stood still at his watch. Either he had gone out of range of his ability to sense a woman channeling, or the woman had seen Rand and had stopped. In case of the latter, Rand channeled a simple weave of fire incased in a more complex weave of air, then sent it high above their heads. The result was a brilliant blue light that only left slivers of shadow. When he saw nothing, not even a stray animal, Rand wove a weave the sent a many colored wave across the land, telling Rand if there was anyone who could used the One Power nearby. When there was no one, Rand turned to Commander Tobin and asked, "Have you seen anyone on your watch tonight?"

The commander replied very calmly, almost too calmly, "No."

Rand knew the man was lying by the way he replied, and Sal noticed it too because at such a spectacle of lights, even he was surprised. There was something odd about Jack Tobin, and Rand was going to find out what exactly that was. First though, he was going to get some sleep; light sleep though it may be and start fresh in the morning.