Moiraine needs to take it easy, Lan helps, and Anvaere worries about her sister.
HaldirPotter: I miss those two, too. I keep my fingers crossed for Episode 6, though my gut tells me they will reunite in Episode 7... Thank you for reading and your comment. Enjoy the chapter.
Lan awoke when the sun rose over the trees. Moiraine slept peacefully in his arms, though she had managed to turn on her belly, mumbling something inaudible in her sleep.
Smiling, the uncrowned king of Malkier buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her unique scent while rubbing his hand over her arm.
Suddenly, the Cairhien woman flinched – pulling her arm away from his touch – and an agonized sound crossed her lips. Immediately, Lan moved away from her. What happened? Never before had she flinched when he touched her. Had he squeezed her arm without noticing?
Carefully, the Warder placed his hand on the Aes Sedai's back, but she didn't react. So, it wasn't his touch that had hurt her. Could it have been a coincidence? Had she responded to something happening in her dream?
He let his hand move over her back, and she flinched again. Grimacing, Lan pulled back his hand. No, that was not a coincidence. His touch hurt her. But why?
Pictures of last night appeared before Lan's eyes. The horses, panicking in the stable. The Myrddraals, attacking them. Moiraine, chasing after her sister and an Eyeless. Anvaere, telling him the Shadowspawn had thrown his Aes Sedai around like a puppet. And at last, Moiraine's whimpers whenever she moved.
Last night, it had been too soon to look for any kind of bruises, but now… Eagerly, Lan pushed off the blanket and straightened. He started his examination with Moiraine's legs.
It was a relief when he barely found a bruise. Was it possible Moiraine's pain had come from all the fighting after such a long time? – That her muscles hadn't been used to all the movement? Don't be an idiot, Lan. Anvaere mentioned what the Myrddraal did to Moiraine.
Lan grabbed the hem of the nightgown and pushed it up Moiraine's body. She didn't wear anything but her bare skin underneath it, but Lan didn't care. He only had eyes for all the bruises he revealed the more he pushed up the nightgown. Her back was covered in bruises!
Shocked, he let his hand move over Moiraine's back. He hadn't expected that! The Myrddraal must have treated her thoroughly!
Moiraine's whimpers turned louder the longer his examination took, and she squirmed under his touch until she finally awoke. Complaining, she turned aside, facing him. "Stop that."
"You're covered in bruises."
The look in Lan's eyes was pure hatred. He had already killed the Myrddraal, yet Lan looked like he wanted to kill the creature again with his bare hands.
Growling, he grabbed the nightgown again and revealed her belly.
"Lan!" Shrieking, Moiraine tried to cover herself with the fabric but couldn't pull it out of Lan's hands. He grabbed the fabric so tight his knuckles turned white. Light, he was pissed.
He found the bruise, which was a result of the Myrddraal's foot. Moiraine hissed and swatted his hand away. "I said stop that!"
"That creature-!"
"-is dead! You killed him!" Moiraine swatted his hand again, and Lan finally let go of her nightgown. Relieved, she pulled the fabric down, then continued in a calmer voice, "If you excuse me now? I need to-"
The Aes Sedai rolled back on her belly, then tried to push herself into an upright position. A painful scream escaped her lips, quickly muffled by the pillow when she fell back down.
"Moiraine!" Her Warder touched her back gently, but she rolled quickly around and threw her legs out of bed. Lan saw the desperation on her face. She was in deep pain. "Moiraine, what-?"
Before the uncrowned king of Malkier could finish his question, his bondholder stumbled when she tried to stand up. Growling, he almost jumped out of bed and was by her side to steady her. "Foolish woman!"
Tears rolled down Moiraine's cheeks, and she breathed through the pain, but it was clear that she was in immense pain.
"Sit down."
Gently, Lan pushed her back on the bed, then let his eyes wander over her. She held her right arm extremely close to her body. This had to be the reason for her pain. The Warder took her hand, pulling it toward him, then started his examination.
Slowly, he moved from her lower arm upward when Moiraine touched his arm and shook her head. She didn't want him to continue. "I'll be careful." Even gentler than before, his hand continued its path, and the higher he got, the more tense his bondholder turned. When he had almost reached her shoulder, Moiraine whimpered and dug her fingernails into his skin. Lan had found the source of her pain.
Nodding, the uncrowned king of Malkier moved her arm to see how severe the injury was. "Did you fall on your shoulder when the Myrddraal threw you around?"
"I fell off Aldieb's back," Moiraine hissed through gritted teeth.
Shocked, Lan looked at her. She fell off Aldieb's back?! His Aes Sedai was an excellent rider! She didn't just FELL off her horse's back! "What?!"
"The Myrddraal surprised us. Aldieb got on her hind legs, and I fell."
Lan grimaced. He didn't like when Moiraine collected injuries. "You will have to go easy on your shoulder – no lifting, no big movements." Moiraine snorted at his overprotective behavior but didn't complain. "I'll prepare a bath for you. After what has happened tonight, you need it." The uncrowned king of Malkier placed the hand of her injured arm in her lap, then kissed her forehead and started the preparations.
This time, Lan didn't join his bondholder in the bathtub. Instead, he helped her undress and washed her bruised body and hair. No matter how gentle he was, a few whimpers escaped Moiraine's lips.
After that, he checked her for any kind of cuts – Lan wanted to be certain she hadn't come in touch with the blade of the Myrddraal. The memory of Moiraine dying in front of his eyes because of the Trolloc poison rushing through her veins was still vivid in his mind and something he would never forget. He didn't intend to have a repetition of it.
Moiraine protested against his thorough examination, but in the end, she stood still – waiting for him to finish.
Once Lan was satisfied with his observations, he helped his bondholder dress while trying to go easy on her injured shoulder. She would feel pain for quite a while.
Eliza had prepared breakfast when the Aes Sedai and the Warder entered the dining room. Anvaere already sat at the table, though she looked like she had barely slept and only gave an annoyed grumble as a greeting.
Lan poured Moiraine a cup of tea and handed it to her. The woman of the Blue Ajah smelled at it first before she decided it was safe to take a sip, which earned her a raised eyebrow from the Malkieri, asking her without words if she was serious.
Moiraine responded by raising an eyebrow, too, telling him through her face it was his fault after forcing her to drink that disgusting tea.
The oldest Damodred sister noticed the exchange between her sister and Lan. "Is there something wrong?"
"Not at all," Moiraine responded quickly, taking another sip of the tea while Lan sat down.
"Then why do you two just stare at each other instead of using words?"
"Who is staring?" Eliza returned with a basket full of warm bread, then sat in the chair beside Anvaere.
"My sister and her Warder." It still sounded like Anvaere didn't believe Lan was an actual Warder. Or perhaps she liked to tease him.
"And what are they staring at?"
"At each other."
Moiraine smiled at her sister sweetly. "You look awful, Anvaere. Don't tell me you stayed up all night."
The oldest Damodred sister grimaced. "Have you looked into a mirror lately? You look like a ghost."
Eliza sighed heavily. "Please. It was a rough night, and we're all exhausted. Can't we eat in peace?"
Both Damodred sisters lowered their eyes abashed, then Anvaere started to fill her plate. Moiraine stayed with her tea, though Lan filled a plate and placed it deliberately before her. The Aes Sedai thought about telling him she could never eat that much, but one look in Lan's eyes was enough to let her know he would ensure she ate this time.
Sighing, she straightened – her back protesting at the movement – and put the cup down. Why couldn't her overprotective Warder see she didn't need much food?
Lan waited until he actually saw her lifting a grape to her mouth. The fruit disappeared between her soft lips, and he felt relieved. He hadn't filled her plate entirely – knowing she could never eat that much – but he had seen how thin she had turned. Earlier, it had scared him to feel the thin skin over her rips, and he had sworn to himself to change that. From now on, he would have a close eye on Moiraine's food.
Unlike their last attempt to eat together harmoniously, they ate in silence this time. Not even Eliza tried to lighten the mood. The previous night was still vivid in their minds, and they all were lost in their thoughts.
After breakfast, Anvaere announced she would check on the injured horse while Eliza took care of the dishes. Moiraine told Lan she would help her sister, but the uncrowned king of Malkier shook his head and reminded her about her injured shoulder. She wasn't allowed to do anything which could worsen her condition.
Together, the Aes Sedai and the Warder went to the stables. Moiraine was allowed to help her sister by calming the injured mare with a carotte while Anvaere treated the injury.
In the meantime, Lan started to fix the broken parts of the stable – which the mare had broken during her panic attack and those he had created during his fight against the Eyeless.
Anvaere wasn't happy when she realized what Lan was doing. In her eyes, the silent man tried to win her over by helping wherever necessary. But instead of complaining, she joined him. The sooner everything was mended, the safer it was for her precious horses.
They needed all day – Lan and the Myrddraals had broken a lot, and Anvaere grumbled about the damage. Moiraine had left them once to bring fresh water and some bread for lunch, but otherwise, she had watched them working. Once or twice, Lan had asked her to hand him a nail or the hammer, and the woman of the Blue Ajah knew he had done it to keep her busy, not because he had been actually in need of her help.
As soon as everything was repaired, Moiraine announced she needed to take a walk after doing not much more than watching her sister and Warder all day. Anvaere wasn't happy, but she couldn't stop her little sister. The older woman was exhausted after working all day and felt the lost hours of sleep from last night. She wasn't in the mood to argue with the Aes Sedai. Yet, she couldn't stop herself from warning Lan to keep an eye on Moiraine.
"They haven't returned yet."
"I'm certain they're fine, Eliza. It's a small village. There's not much to see, and as soon as Moiraine realizes that, she will lose interest and return."
The two older women of the house cleaned the house together so they could have a talk while they were still alone. At the moment, they dusted off the common room where the two women usually liked to spend their evenings with a glass of wine.
"What if she fainted? Have you looked at her? She was pale like a ghost."
"If she faints, she has that Warder of hers by her side. He better keeps an eye on her."
Eliza grimaced. "What is it about you and Lan? What has he done that you don't like him?"
"He is here."
Eliza rolled her eyes at the stubbornness of Anvaere. "That can't be everything. He is a nice young man who cares deeply for your sister."
"A nice young man." The oldest Damodred sister snorted while she dusted off a vase. "This nice young man is as needy as every other man, and I'm certain he will soon make a move on her. Moiraine doesn't have much experience with men. While she was still living in the Sun Palace, her nose was stuck in books most of the time while our cousins admired young men giggling. And even when she left for this tower of hers… there are only female Aes Sedai. Not many men there to get to know. My naïve sister won't notice when his needs will get stronger until he uses her to find release."
The vase swayed dangerously under Anvaere's movements, which earned her a stern look from Eliza.
"Be careful. I don't want to buy another vase." Then the woman bit her lip and furrowed her forehead. "But can't your sister feel what he feels? Isn't that what the bond between an Aes Sedai and a Warder is about?"
Sighing, Anvaere shrugged her shoulder. "I don't know. I never asked much about her life in Tar Valon. Moiraine is the only one in our family with the ability to channel. I guess none of us can understand what life has been for her. I was actually surprised when she didn't try to take the throne after our uncle's death."
"She doesn't seem like the type of woman who likes to sit on a throne. Give her a cup of tea and a good book, and I say she will love you for it."
Smiling, Anvaere turned to her friend. She had noticed shortly after Eliza started working for her that the woman was a very smart and attentive woman. "But she can't stay in her books forever. Ultimately, she needs to return to the world of the living and will be confronted with the ugly sides of this world."
"That's what she has Lan for. He protects her from any danger coming her way."
"Except from the danger coming from him."
Eliza rolled her eyes again. "Since he arrived, I haven't seen him forcing himself on her. Instead, he ensures she is taken care of and – light! – he gets that woman to eat something."
"He admitted they have bedded each other before – even though they don't do it on a regular basis. And they sat together in her bathtub! – In their bare skin! I don't care if it's common in the Borderlands to share a bath! We're in Carihien! You don't bathe with someone who isn't your husband!"
The other woman turned to the upset Damodred and pointed with her duster at her friend with a reproachful look on her face. "I still think you shouldn't have entered her room like this. You created this room for her so she has a place to herself should she visit you. And now that she is finally here, you cross the line big time."
"It's still my house," Anvaere defended herself. "I don't need permission to enter the rooms."
"For as long as you give her the room, she has the right to throw you out if she wants some privacy. And taking a bath with her Warder is something she obviously didn't want to be disturbed – which I understand completely."
"You never mind when I enter your room."
Eliza's face softened, and she smiled lovingly at the Damodred sister. "That's different, and you know it."
Anvaere hummed and lowered her eyes. It was hard for her to be around people. She always seemed to cross a line or scare them off. Since Eliza started working for her, the woman had helped her to work on her communication and was always there to calm her heated temper. Yet, the oldest Damodred sister still preferred horses over humans at any time.
The feeling of Eliza's gentle hand on her arm startled Anvaere, but she managed not to pull away. "Give your sister some room. I believe she can handle herself quite well. Didn't you tell me she fought against one of those monsters from last night with nothing but a dagger?"
"And nearly died because of it," Anvaere grumbled, remembering the tiny blade her sister had used. "All because she couldn't draw the sword."
"She is a bookworm, not a swordswoman."
"Well, I'm certain that thing wouldn't have been impressed with her throwing a book at it."
Eliza laughed, and even Anvaere couldn't stop herself from smiling. "You're right. That wouldn't have impressed anyone. Although, I can't imagine her throwing a book."
Anvaere nodded, chuckling. "She would throw herself in front of her precious books, should it be necessary." Then she shook her head. "I need to teach her how to use a sword. She needs to know at least the basics."
"I can't wait to see that. Am I allowed to bring snacks?" Eliza smiled when the Damodred sister glared at her – which wasn't very effective since Anvaere was still smiling. "It's nearly impossible to gather you two around a table to eat together peacefully. Should she agree to your proposal – and I highly doubt she wants to learn to master the sword – I give you five minutes before the two of you move on to yelling at each other."
Sighing, the oldest Damodred sister rubbed her temple but nodded. "Sometimes, it scares me how well you know the people, Eliza."
"I'm just trying to see the big picture." Anvaere's friend pointed at the window. "And now, it's time to continue before our guests return, and we're still not done."
"Excuse me?" The voice of a woman caught the women's attention, and they turned toward the intruder.
A beautiful woman with long, dark curly hair, brown eyes, and green riding clothes stood at the door. She smiled friendly at the two Cairhien women, then brushed a lock behind her ear – making sure the golden serpent ring on her hand was clearly visible.
"Forgive me for entering your house without permission, but the front door stood open, and I heard someone talking."
Anvaere glared at her angrily, but Eliza stepped forward before her friend could insult the woman and bowed formally. "How can we help you, Aes Sedai?"
The woman tilted her head appreciatively. "I'm searching for a woman. Her name is Moiraine Sedai."
The next chapter will be uploaded on Sunday.
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