Moiraine tries to solve her situation with Rand's help.


Rage rolled through Lan's veins when he left the throne room. Nothing went as planned! Moiraine had revealed to her sisters that she couldn't channel anymore. He was forced to leave her side, though he had sworn not to take his eyes off her. She had been attacked by the False Dragon, and now, they couldn't even leave that place because Siuan wanted Moiraine to stay. What was she thinking?

"Lan."

Perhaps he should consider pulling Siuan's anger on himself. How bad could it turn out? She wouldn't separate him from Moiraine, right? He knew too much about them and their mission.

"Lan."

Well, whatever he decided, he would have to wait until night had fallen, and Siuan paid them a visit. Otherwise, she would send all available sisters and Warders after them.

"Lan."

The touch of Moiraine's hand on his cheek pulled the uncrowned king of Malkier out of his thoughts. The woman of the Blue Ajah had placed her head in the crook of his neck, feeling so fragile in his arms. "I'll get you to your room. There, you can rest before she checks on you."

"No."

Surprised, the Warder stopped and looked at his Aes Sedai. "What do you mean 'No'?"

"Not my room. The kitchen."

"What do you want there?"

Moiraine sighed and moved her thumb gently over his cheek. "Siuan's plan wasn't bad. It was just… the wrong man."

Finally, Lan understood what she was saying. She wanted to see Rand, and since the sheepherder worked in the kitchen, she wanted him to get her there.

"Later. First, you need rest." He continued his path until Moiraine pulled at his earlobe slightly. "What was that for?"

"You know Rand as well as I do. Now that we know about him working here, he will disappear to get away from me as soon as possible."

Growling, Lan stopped. Why did Moiraine always have to be right? "What makes you think that Rand can help you? Logain said he didn't see any weaves."

"Logain has been gentled. Like me, he is stripped of…," Moiraine gulped. "… the One Power. He probably can't see the weaves anymore. But Rand can still channel. If someone can see what has happened to me, it is the boy."

The Warder turned silent for a moment while organizing his thoughts. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Can you still see the weaves of your sisters?"

The Aes Sedai bit her lip. She knew where Lan was going with his questions. "I can still see but not touch them." Immediately, Lan opened his mouth, but she cut him off, "It could be because Saidin and Saidar are very different. Or something totally different. We probably will never know."

Again, she was rewarded with silence. In the end, he lowered his shoulders in defeat. That woman wouldn't give up until she got exactly what she wanted.

"I need you to guide me. I have no idea where to find the kitchen, and I can't ask anyone."

"At the next crossing, you need to turn left." Moiraine smiled at her victory.

Sighing heavily, Lan started walking. "If the boy tries to strangle you, too, I will get you to your room and tie you to the bed. And everyone who dares to enter has to fight against my sword."

The Aes Sedai chuckled and stroked his cheek. "My overprotective Warder."


Moiraine felt her strength returning slightly while she guided Lan through the corridors to the kitchen. It was a long way, but they couldn't wait until she was rested. She was sure the boy from the Two Rivers would disappear tonight if he hadn't already. And she couldn't let him leave without trying what Logain just did – well, except for the strangling part. She didn't want a repetition of that.

Lan had turned quiet, simply following her directions, but she saw the grim line around his mouth and the fire in his eyes. Her Warder wasn't happy about the situation. Was it a mistake to go to the kitchen? They still hadn't talked about Rand being alive.

"Lan, I-"

"Not here." She winced at his harsh tone, which he noticed immediately, and his face softened. "We talk later. Let us find Rand first before he disappears, and then we talk afterward."

Moiraine nodded and hid her face in the crook of his neck again. "Next one right."

"This place is a bloody maze," Lan grumbled, making Moiraine chuckle. "I don't know how you still know your way around after all these years."

"Something you never forget. Besides, the tower isn't much better, and you're doing quite fine when you're there, though we barely stay there."

"That's different. I needed to know every corridor in the tower to always know the shortest way to you, should you need me."

Moiraine didn't know how she should respond to that. He had done that for her? – To protect her? "Left one," the woman of the Blue Ajah said in a raspy voice. "And then the kitchen is behind the third door on the left."

Lan nodded and quickened his pace. He probably hoped to put her down soon.


The heat in the kitchen was almost unbearable when they entered. The kitchen staff was cleaning up the kitchen before they would start preparing dinner for the king and his guests. The cook furrowed her forehead when her eyes fell on Moiraine and Lan. Not everyone was accepted in the kitchen.

"Can I help you?"

"We search for someone who is working for you. A redhead," Lan explained calmly. "His name is Rand."

At the same time, Moiraine brushed a lock behind her ear so the cook would see her serpent ring.

The eyes of the woman widened at the sight of the golden jewelry, then pointed to the next room. "He just quit his job, Aes Sedai, and gathers his stuff. Is he in some kind of trouble?"

"No," Moiraine answered with a firm look in her eyes. "I need a moment alone with the boy."

"Of course, Aes Sedai." The woman didn't waste much time to throw every servant out of the kitchen.

Rand, who had noticed the sudden uproar, stuck his head into the kitchen. His eyes widened when he saw Moiraine and Lan.

The Warder carried his Aes Sedai to a chair and placed her gently on it.

"What happened?" Rand asked while joining them. "Why does she look so pale? And why do you need to carry her, Lan?"

Moiraine waved his worries aside. "I'll be all right. Now, I need your help. You have to-"

"First you answer my questions, Moiraine! Or else I'm out of here! I'm not your lapdog, which you can order around!"

"Watch your tone, sheepherder!" Lan growled. He didn't like it when someone talked to Moiraine like that.

The Aes Sedai and the boy glared at each other until Moiraine gave up. They didn't have all day, and she couldn't risk letting Rand leave. Not if there was the slightest chance he… "Logain tried to strangle me."

Rand's eyes widened. "How did he get that close to you? And why didn't you stop him with the One Power?"

Moiraine took a deep breath. Rand was already pushing their conversation in the right direction. "I can't channel anymore." The boy's mouth opened again, but the woman of the Blue Ajah needed him to focus, so she continued, "Since you fought against the Dark One at the Eye of the World, I can't touch Saidar anymore, which is why I need your help. The Dark One is a man who uses Saidin like you."

Immediately, Rand's face darkened. The boy wasn't stupid. He knew where Moiraine was going with that.

"I hoped you could touch Saidin and take a look at me. Perhaps you can-"

"No!" The boy from the Two Rivers stepped back. "I won't use the One Power! You know what happens to me when I use it, Moiraine! I turn mad the more often I use it!"

"You just started to use it. And I don't need you to use much." Moiraine noticed how desperate she sounded. "And it's possible that nothing is there." Her voice turned into a whisper, then she rubbed her forehead tiredly. "It's probably a waste of time."

Rand's eyes turned to Lan in shock. "Nynaeve told us Logain tried to kill himself after he was gentled. Is the same thing happening…?" His eyes went back to Moiraine, who glared at him.

"I can hear you."

Rand's ears turned red in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to insult you. You just sounded… not like yourself, and I worried you might…."

Moiraine sighed heavily. "It is painful for both men and women once they are cut off from the One Power." Absentmindedly, the Aes Sedai looked at her hands. "We would do anything to feel the One Power again."

The shepherd let his eyes move over the woman before him, who had acted so strong and brave since he knew her. But now, she was only a shadow of herself.

Sighing, he took the seat opposite the Aes Sedai. "What do you need me to do?"

Moiraine's eyes lit up at his words, yet she wasn't fully convinced. "You will touch Saidin? – For me?"

"You stood by my side when I fought against the Dark One. That's the least I can do."

Moiraine took a trembling breath. A chance to repair what had been broken. Or maybe it is a waste of time because there is nothing there to be healed, you bloody fool! Logain didn't see anything. Why should Rand find something?

"It's possible that there is nothing to find." She had to warn him. He deserved to know the truth. "It's possible you touch Saidin for nothing – a dream, a wish of a desperate-"

Suddenly, Lan placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping her rambling. Moiraine took a deep breath, then grabbed Lan's hand and held on to it.

The boy of the Two Rivers smiled at her sympathetically. "I believe I understand what you're trying to tell me. I will try it anyway."

"And it would be good if you hurried," Lan said seriously. "Who knows when the cook wants her kitchen back? We can't risk anyone finding out about Rand being able to channel. The Red Ajah would start hunting him."

Moiraine nodded. "Liandrin would love this kind of information."

Rand gulped, and the woman of the Blue Ajah could have sworn his cheeks lost some color at the mention of the Red Ajah. "Let's start then," he said.

Curious, the Aes Sedai watched the Dragon closing his eyes. She knew women couldn't see Saidin, yet she was curious about Rand's way of approaching the One Power. He closed his eyes. Did he imagine a flower? – Or anything at all? Would she feel the presence of Saidin? And if she could, would her sisters notice anything unusual? Perhaps Lan should wait outside, warning them if someone tried to enter the kitchen.

A shiver ran through Rand's body, and he grimaced.

"What is it?" Moiraine wanted to know, sounding alarmed.

"It's…." The boy opened his eyes, and the Aes Sedai felt her skin tickling. There was no doubt. Rand had embraced Saidin. "Whenever I channel, I can feel the taint. It feels terrible."

"How long can you hold it?"

Rand smiled at her. "We don't have much time if I remember it correctly."

Moiraine almost snapped at him but remembered at the last moment that she needed him. She would never know if Rand had been able to help her. He would leave this place, and she had to search for him again.

So, she swallowed her pride and said, "You're right. I want you to look at me. Not just with your eyes but with Saidin, too. Is there anything unusual? Something that doesn't belong there? Or maybe it is hidden?"

The Dragon lifted his hand to Moiraine's face, but before he could touch her, Lan's free hand grabbed him.

"Be careful when you use the One Power on her, sheepherder. If you hurt her…." The Warder didn't finish his sentence and left the rest to Rand's imagination. And if his words weren't already a threat, his glare spoke more than a thousand words.

"Lan."

Calming, Moiraine touched Lan's arm. "Let him proceed."

Reluctantly, the uncrowned king of Malkier pulled his hand back. The Cairhien woman saw the tension in his body. He wanted to protect her and knew he was helpless against a power he couldn't see.

"Lan, maybe you should go-" Moiraine started but was interrupted immediately.

"I'm not leaving your side!"

The Aes Sedai winced at her Warder's glare. He wasn't amused by her suggestion. So, she nodded. "All right." Then she faced the Dragon again. "Please, continue."

Rand licked his lips and threw a nervous glance at Lan before he spoke. "I can't see anything out of the ordinary. You look like you."

A flash of sadness moved over Moiraine's features, though she had expected that answer. "Can you… I don't know. Can you use Saidin… on me?" Lan stiffened beside her, but Moiraine continued, "Can you let it circle me? Maybe it reveals something hidden? – Something invisible to the naked eye?"

"I can try," Rand responded slowly. "But… I don't know what's going to happen, Moiraine. It's not like I practice the use of Saidin very often."

Moiraine nodded. "I understand." Then she remembered Lan standing beside her. "Lan, take a step back."

"I told you I'm not leaving your side!"

"I don't want you to leave. I asked you to take a step back."

"Why?"

Moiraine sighed. "Rand can't control Saidin very well. He may can focus enough not to hurt me, but I don't want him to hurt you by accident."

Lan growled. "I don't like the sound of 'He MAY can focus enough not to hurt you'!"

"Lan, please. It's just one step." She heard him cursing, though she didn't understand a word. The important part was him obeying… "Are you serious?"

In disbelief, the Cairhien woman turned to the Malkieri. He had taken a small step – a baby step, really! – backward.

"You said one step. That was a step," Lan defended himself. "You never said how big it had to be."

Angrily, Moiraine pointed at a basket filled with apples. "Get over there!"

Lan's face darkened. "That's further than a step!"

"I don't care! I don't want you to get hurt, so get some distance between us!" When Lan didn't move, she glared at him. "Now, Lan! We don't have all day before someone comes looking!"

Finally, the Warder obeyed and went to the basket. But when he faced her again, she saw the tension in his body. He was ready to throw himself between herself and Rand if necessary.

Relieved that the stubborn man was out of harm's way, Moiraine turned to the Dragon and nodded appreciatively.

Rand took a deep breath, then moved his hands toward Moiraine. He didn't touch her. There was always a handspan between them while he moved his hands in front of her.

Fascinated, the Aes Sedai watched the boy. It was interesting to watch him channel, which seemed so different than any woman using Saidar.

Moiraine gasped when something cold touched her. Immediately, Lan reacted and crossed the distance. The Cairhien woman held up her hand to stop the Malkieri. She wasn't hurt, just… surprised. Her Warder obeyed, though he refused to step back again. He remained frozen.

"I'm sorry," Rand apologized. "I'm trying not to touch you with it."

"It's all right, Rand. You didn't hurt me. You simply caught me by surprise. I never assumed… it feels so different than Saidar – rougher and wilder."

"Saidar isn't like that?"

"No." Moiraine smiled sadly when she remembered the warmth of the One Power running through her body, then shook her head. "Can you see anything?"

Rand kept moving, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Moiraine. There is nothing which… wait. What was that?"

The woman of the Blue Ajah stopped breathing when the Dragon moved his hands back over her chest. She didn't dare to hope, yet there was that small trickle moving through her – wishing to hear the words she wanted to hear.

"There is… something. It slips from me like it doesn't want to be found." A deep frown appeared on Rand's forehead while he tried to catch the 'something'. "Got it!"

"What is it?" Moiraine asked breathlessly.

"It looks like a knot. Well, a bundle of endless knots. And the strings… look like weaves."

Moiraine wet her lips anxiously. "Can you undo it?"

"I don't even know where to start. How do you solve such a puzzle?"

"Moiraine," Lan interrupted gently. "Maybe we should stop. What if he unties a wrong knot?"

"He can't. This bundle shouldn't be there, and-"

"What if he unties our bond?!" Lan couldn't hide the sharpness and his worries in his voice.

Moiraine's eyes widened when she finally understood what worried her Warder, then her face softened. "He can't break our bond, Lan. Remember, the bond is created by Saidar, and Rand can't see those weaves."

The uncrowned king of Malkier bit his lip while he thought about her words. He wasn't convinced.

The Aes Sedai turned back to Rand. She had to help him with that knot! "Rand, I need you to loosen this bundle. Can you send your weaves into it?"

"It looks pretty tight."

"Try it. There must be a hole even when it is small."

Rand nodded, then focused, and everyone turned silent.


A few minutes passed, and Moiraine was ready to interrupt the boy's concentration when his face lit up suddenly.

"I'm in!"

The woman of the Blue Ajah released a trembling breath. "Good. Can you get some air into the bundle so it expands? This way, you could work more easily on the knots."

"You do realize I have no experience with Saidin, right?" Rand laughed but tried anyway. "It… fights against me."

A part of Moiraine wanted to know what he was talking about, but the boy looked already troubled, so she stayed quiet.

The next few minutes were a true horror for the Aes Sedai. She was damned to watch Rand fighting against those foreign weaves while being damned not to do anything to help him. Even Lan hadn't moved anymore, and she dared not move. What was Rand doing? Had he already untied a few knots? Or was he still working on the first one? Could he do it?

Suddenly, the kitchen door opened in their back, and Moiraine heard someone enter.

"What in light's name is going on here?!" Siuan! And she didn't know about Rand being alive! Moiraine hadn't told her!

Suddenly, the boy from the Two Rivers released a relieved sigh, and Moiraine gasped at the same time. The sweet, intoxicating feeling of Saidar filled her veins, and Moiraine couldn't stop herself from drawing more just to feel it.

"What…?!" Siuan asked, then Lan was by Moiraine's side.

"What is it?" His hand lay on Moiraine's back, but his eyes were on the exhausted Rand, demanding an answer.

"The knots are gone." The boy even sounded tired.

Worried, the Warder turned to his Aes Sedai. Silent tears ran down her cheeks, and he cupped her face in his hands. "Please, talk to me," he begged.

"I… I can feel it again." Moiraine smiled. "I can touch Saidar again, Lan."

The uncrowned king of Malkier released a relieved sigh, then pulled the crying woman in his arms.

Thankfully, Moiraine returned the hug. She had her power back! She hasn't been stilled! Finally, she could see a light at the end of the tunnel! – An end to that misery!


The next chapter will be uploaded on Wednesday.

I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a review.