Lan talks to Siuan.

kawaiibobby: These two are the best. I can't wait until it's Friday and I get more scenes with them, even though I'm certain they will make me cry. Thank you for reading and your review ❤️

Haldir Potter: You're very welcome. I'm glad to hear you enjoy this story, and I wish you good luck with your project. I hope I can continue to give you some treats for finishing another piece of your project. Thank you for reading and your review ❤️

When Lan entered, Siuan stood behind her desk, still wearing her calm Aes Sedai mask.

"I thank you for your time, Mother." Lan's bow seemed more formal this time than when he had addressed Alanna, Sheriam, or Leane.

The Amyrlin moved her hands, then made a 'come closer' gesture, and the doors between her and Leane's room closed with a pang.

Yet, Lan didn't wince. Calmly, he watched her move her hands again before she placed them on her side with her palms facing the walls. The Warder had seen his Aes Sedai weaving a privacy shield many times in the past, so he recognized the movement.

He also knew when the shield was in place because, at the same time, Siuan's shoulders lowered, and her Aes Sedai mask fell.

"Where is she?"

Fear was written all over Siuan's face. She was afraid of what Lan would tell her – afraid of what had happened to her lover. Her eyes moved over Lan, searching for an indication of pain – of losing a loved one. But he didn't look differently than usual. It was always hard to guess what Lan Mandragoran was thinking or feeling, but would he be able to keep his posture if he had lost his bonded Aes Sedai? The only good thing was, Siuan couldn't see the golden serpent ring around his neck.

"Is she…?" She couldn't say it.

"She is alive."

Siuan released a shaking breath, then had to sit down. She was trembling and didn't know how long her legs would continue to carry her.

Alarmed, Lan took a step forward – ready to catch her if needed – but she stopped him by lifting her hand. "I'll be all right. I just… need a moment."

Lan understood and waited for her to regain her composure.

Finally, Siuan repeated her first question. "Where is she?" Her voice still sounded shaken, but she seemed better.

"Not in Tar Valon."

"Where?"

"Outside of the gates."

Light, this could be anywhere! Was it so hard for this man to speak more than five words?! "Lan, I swear I will pin you to this wall like a worm on a hook if you don't start talking. Where is Moiraine? Who is with her while you're here? What has happened since you left Tar Valon? Does she know who the Dragon Reborn is?"

The uncrowned king of Malkier sighed heavily. Questions over questions, and he didn't have time for that. He needed to search for his Aes Sedai! But first, he needed to fill in Siuan like Moiraine had wanted him to. So, he went back to the beginning.

"After we left Tar Valon, we used a Waygate to get faster to the Eye of the World. An Ogier helped us, but the Ways aren't safe anymore. Trollocs found a way to enter the Ways, and one attacked us, so we had to leave earlier than planned."

Siuan pulled her lips into a grim line. "Trollocs in the Ways. Let me guess, Moiraine used Saidar and pulled the attention of the Black Wind on you."

But Lan shook his head. "It wasn't her. Egwene channeled the One Power unconsciously. The girl was scared. She didn't mean to harm anyone."

Siuan rubbed her temples. She had heard the stories about the Black Wind but, luckily, never experienced it on her own.

"We escaped and found shelter in Fal Dara."

The Amyrlin nodded understanding. She knew Lan was from the Borderlands and that Moiraine and her Warder had made friends during their countless stays.

"We decided to stay for the night, but when I woke in the morning, Moiraine had masked our bond and was gone."

Warily, Siuan narrowed her eyes at the man before her. Why should Moiraine mask her bond? Fal Dara was very close to the Blight, and she needed Lan to protect her. "What do you mean she was gone? Where did she go?"

"The Dragon had revealed himself to her, so she decided not to risk any other life and brought him to the Eye of the World."

"No," Siuan breathed, her eyes wide in shock. Moiraine wouldn't… Maybe the children, but never… He had saved her so many times by now! It was suicidal to confront the Dark One with nothing but a child who had never used the One Power in his life!

"She left? Without you?"

Lan's facial muscles twitched in anger, and there was a grim line around his mouth. The woman of Tear could only imagine what he must have felt when his bondholder had disappeared without notifying him.

"But you said she is alive. Does this mean the Dragon won? Did he defeat the Dark One?"

"She told me he fought against the Dark One, though she couldn't see anything since they used Saidin. When I finally found her, the Dragon wasn't there. She sat on broken pieces of Cuendillar, and…."

Immediately, Siuan was on full alert again. She didn't like Lan's hesitation. This man rarely hesitated with anything. When he did it now… "Speak!" She knew she was harsh on him – something he didn't deserve – but her worries started to make her want to throw up.

"She can't touch the One Power anymore."

Siuan stopped breathing. Her hands gripped her dress so tight her knuckles turned white, though she didn't notice. This couldn't be true. Moiraine couldn't be stilled. They were in this together from the day they had heard Gitara's vision about the Dragon being reborn again.

"Apparently, the Dark One did something to her, but she doesn't know what it was. Whatever he did, she can't use Saidar since then."

The Amyrlin jumped to her feet and walked to the window while taking deep breaths to suppress the upcoming panic attack. "I need to see her. Maybe Leane can help me to get out of the tower unseen. If you get her to a tavern close to the gates, I can meet you there. There must be something we can do to…."

Her heart sank when she turned around again and saw Lan staring at the floor. "What aren't you telling me, Lan?" Slowly, her steps brought her back.

"She isn't doing well without her power. And I can't help because I can't feel her, and she pushes me away."

Confused, the woman of Tear furrowed her forehead. "You can't feel her?"

"Like I said, she masked the bond before she left and can't unmask it without the One Power."

"Fish guts!"

Anxiously, she started to walk up and down to order her thoughts. "How could she be so stupid?! She doesn't need anyone to cut the ropes which connect her boat to others! No, the foolish woman cuts all the ropes herself!"

Suddenly, another thought crossed her mind, and she turned back to Lan. "Who is with her when you can't feel her?"

Again, Lan's facial muscles twitched, which wasn't a good sign. Siuan's stomach turned at this sight, but she forced her voice to stay calm but couldn't keep the threat out of it. "Lan? Who protects Moiraine while you're with me?"

He couldn't look her in the eye. When he finally spoke, the woman of Tear heard his voice was pressed. "We decided to return to Tar Valon so Nynaeve and Egwene could become Novices, and I… thought we would come here to ask for help. I hoped someone – you or maybe a sister of the Yellow Ajah – could help her to get her powers back."

Siuan took a step toward the Warder. No word crossed her lips. Her presence alone spoke more than a thousand words.

"But when we had almost reached Tar Valon, Moiraine stopped, pretending she needed a break." Lan released a frustrated chuckle. "She never had done that before – not since I know her."

Another step, and finally, Lan lifted his head, meeting Siuan's eyes. "She ORDERED me to bring the girls to the tower and to inform you about what had happened. She wants you and your sisters to find a way to…" The Amyrlin saw how the Warder struggled with his words. Moiraine's wishes were clearly not his, and the thought hurt him. "…to RELEASE me from my bond."

Before she could think about what she was doing, Siuan pulled back her hand and slapped Lan in the face. The uncrowned king of Malkier didn't wince, nor pulled a face, or got angry. He simply accepted it.

"Forgive me," Siuan whispered, shocked. "I didn't mean to- "

"I deserved that, Mother. I left my Aes Sedai alone without any kind of protection, knowing she doesn't even have Saidar to protect herself. I failed as her Warder."

"No!"

Siuan touched his arm gently, but Lan pulled back. Well, he didn't know Siuan when he thought he could escape her that easily. Determined, she stepped right in front of him and grabbed both his arms, keeping him from running from her. "This is not your fault!"

"I shouldn't have-"

"You had no choice! She gave you a direct order! You obeyed your Aes Sedai! This is not your fault!" She lowered her head, and the tension left her body. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have slapped you. I'm just…."

Anger rolled through the woman of Tear again, so she let go of Lan and stepped back, afraid of what she could do to him. "That foolish turtle can not honestly believe that I'm asking our sisters to break her bond!"

Warily, Lan watched her returning to her pacing through the room. She ensured to stay away from the Warder, and he was thankful for that.

"What is she thinking?! We've been in this for decades, and now she decides to abandon the ship?! – Without talking to me?! We're a crew! She can't just leave us just because something unexpected has happened! Fish guts! This woman is worse than a pike! Does she truly believe she can survive without the shoal?! We need-!"

Lan sighed and stopped listening. He had embraced Ko'di after Siuan had slapped him. His cheek was still burning – the woman wasn't reluctant. Although he really wished she would stop touching him. It wasn't that he didn't trust her – she was Moiraine's lover for decades and her accomplice – but her touch felt different than Moiraine's did.

His heart ached when he remembered his bondholder's soft and comforting touch, longing for it. Light, he missed her! Why did she send him away? Was she disappointed in him? It couldn't have anything to do with Nynaeve, right? Yes, he liked the Wisdom very much and enjoyed her company, but Moiraine was his soulmate. He couldn't just leave her behind and move on to the next woman.

But what would Moiraine do should he return to her? Would she send him away again? Maybe ordering him to return to the White Tower and to stay there? Light, how could he convince her that she had made a mistake? – That they belonged to each other?

"Lan?"

The feeling of Siuan's hand on his arm pulled the uncrowned king of Malkier out of his thoughts, and he stepped back. He wanted Moiraine not Siuan.

Luckily, this time, the Amyrlin didn't follow him. But the pity on her face stayed nonetheless. She must have noticed his pain about Moiraine's absence. "How are you doing?"

Lan hesitated for a moment. Usually, he didn't talk much to anyone, especially not about his feelings or wishes. Moiraine was the only one who knew what he felt inside – well, she had known before she had masked the bond. But he needed Siuan's help if he wanted to see the woman of the Blue Ajah ever again.

Determined, he locked eyes with the Amyrlin. "I don't want to be released from my bond. I have an Aes Sedai, and her name is Moiraine Damodred until the day I die."

Siuan nodded. "Did she order you to speak to anyone else about your bond?"

"No. I was told to talk to you and no one else."

"Good." The woman of Tear sighed, relieved. "I have heard her request about finding a way to release you and will decline it hereby. I forbid you to talk to any other Aes Sedai about Moiraine's insane plan."

"As you say, Mother."

When Lan wanted to bow formally, Siuan waved her hand at him. "Enough with this nonsense, Lan. No one can hear us, so I don't want you to call me 'Mother' again." He nodded, and she continued. "Now, we must find a way to get you back to her. This bloody silverpike doesn't see the storm she is sailing into and can't stir without you by her side."

"I may have an idea, but I would like to hear your opinion on it."

Siuan raised an eyebrow in surprise, then motioned at the Warder to continue. "Moiraine ordered me to bring the girls to the White Tower and to inform you about what you have missed, and in my opinion, I have carried them out. But she never told me what I should do after fulfilling all her orders."

The Amyrlin Seat understood his thoughts immediately. While she was clearly thinking about his words, she started pacing through the room again, mumbling to herself. Again, Lan watched her moving from one side to the other until she faced him.

"This could actually work. She didn't give you a final order to stay put, and you fulfilled all her orders. You should be able to follow her without any consequences."

Lan saw the fire in her eyes. Apparently, she liked his way of thinking, which gave him hope. Could he have found a solution?

"You can take Aldieb with you." Now, she definitely had Lan's attention and smiled. "The horses returned to Tar Valon shortly after you had left. Aldieb and your stallion are unharmed, and I ensured they were taken care of. Yes, that's an excellent plan. I can't believe Moiraine didn't think about it." Siuan shook her head in disbelief. "I can't imagine how painful everything must feel to her if she didn't think her plan through."

Suddenly, she held up a finger – silently asking Lan to wait for a moment – then walked back to the door which connected her and Leane's room. Although the privacy shield was still intact, the Amyrlin Seat opened a door and stepped outside.

"Leane? Find Alric and tell him to saddle Moiraine Sedai and Lan Gaidin's horses. He'll know what to do. And arrange a bag with provisions. Lan Gaidin will leave us tonight."

Then she closed the door again. "Leane and Alric will prepare everything for your departure. Do you have any idea where she will go?"

"I can find her. I… discovered a new way to find her even when I can't feel her."

Siuan raised a questioning eyebrow, then shook her head. "That can wait. Now, I want to know everything that happened with the Dragon Reborn. Who is he? Where is he now?"

Lan opened his mouth to protest – he wanted to leave this place – but the woman of Tear held up her hand to silence him. "The preparations for your departure are happening right now. Now speak while we wait. I need to know everything." She returned to her chair and pointed at the one across her table. "Sit."

For a moment, the Warder eyed the door desperately. The longer he stayed, the more time he gave Moiraine to run. But she had given him the order to inform Siuan about everything. He couldn't leave as long as the Amyrlin wanted more information.

Sighing, the uncrowned king of Malkier sat down and gave the Amyrlin Seat a full report on the events which had happened in Fal Dara and the Eye of the World.

Moiraine's deep breaths told Lan she had fallen asleep on his chest. Her hand lay over his heart, and she was snuggled up against him. Smiling, the Warder stroked over her hair. Listening to his voice had made her sleepy, though he knew she had wanted to stay awake for as long as possible, hearing about her lover's reaction to what she had done. Obviously, she had lost the fight against sleep.

His Aes Sedai. His soulmate. Finally, she was back where she belonged – in his arms. Contently, Lan buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her familiar scent. Home. It felt almost like nothing had changed. The feeling of her slender frame pressed against his body filled him with love and warmth. They belonged together, and he wanted to be damned if he allowed her to push him away ever again.

Carefully, Lan steadied Moiraine's head, then rolled her on her back, carrying his weight on his arms. The Aes Sedai growled, then opened her eyes, heavily clouded with sleep. When she recognized Lan, her arms moved around him to hold him close, and tears built up in her eyes. "No," she whimpered. "Don't leave me. Please."

Cursing inwardly, the Warder realized what was happening. Each night, the Cairhien woman had cried herself to sleep because she had missed him. And now, he had pulled her out of sleep, and she thought he wasn't real.

"Shh. I'm not leaving, Moiraine."

"Please, forgive me. I shouldn't have masked our bond. Forgive me."

Lan leaned his forehead against Moiraine's. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

He didn't know if she couldn't hear or simply not listen to him. One of her hands stayed on his back to hold him in place while the other cupped his cheek. "I miss you. I shouldn't have let you go. Forgive me."

"Oh, Moiraine." Tenderly, the Warder kissed the cheek of his Aes Sedai. Couldn't she feel his presence in her sleepy condition? – Smelling him? He wanted to help her. He didn't want her to be in fear of losing him. He would never leave her again.

"Don't leave me." Moiraine's whimper turned quieter. "I won't do it again."

Instead of answering her, Lan continued to cover her cheek with tender kisses, feeling her relaxing beneath him. It seemed like sleep pulled at her again.

"Lan." The pain in her voice when she whispered his name nearly broke his heart. How had she been able to sleep since they had separated? "I need you."

Her breaths became deeper, and her grip loosened. She was finally asleep again.

Lan didn't move. His heart was still aching. It pained him to see his Aes Sedai like this – to hear the desperation in her voice. Light, had he ever heard her whimper?

Tenderly, he pressed a kiss against her temple, then pushed himself off her. The Cairhien woman mumbled something but didn't wake up. Carefully, the Malkieri helped her to move on her side until she faced the wall, then lay down behind her and pulled the blanket over them.

Moiraine opened her eyes when Lan arranged their positions. "Lan?"

"I'm here." He ensured her body was pressed against his, his hand placed on her hip, and his nose buried in her dark locks.

"Don't leave." She took his hand and pulled his arm subconsciously around her, pressing his hand against her chest.

"Never," the Warder whispered in her ear, and a shiver shook her body when his hot breath tickled her ear. Never – he wouldn't leave her ever again.

Not even two days left until Season 2 premieres.

Since the next chapter will be uploaded on Sunday, enjoy the first three episodes on Friday, everyone.

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