Lan and Siuan develop a plan for how to deal with their tricky situation.

The uncrowned king of Malkier cupped his bondholder's cheek, and Moiraine leaned into his touch immediately. Her eyes were closed, and she moaned gently. Light, she obviously couldn't move a muscle!

With the flick of her wrist, Siuan ended the weave that had tied Moiraine's hands together. Groaning, the woman of the Blue Ajah moved her arms until her hands lay beside her head but couldn't go any further. Siuan chuckled at the sight of her lover. "And that is how she looks when she is genuinely and truthfully spent, unable to move anymore."

"I think I can see that," Lan responded.

The Amyrlin smiled at him sweetly, then pulled Moiraine's underdress down to cover the exhausted woman. "Will you help me to place her more comfortable?"

"Let me do it." The Warder pulled his Aes Sedai's upper body up against his chest, carefully steadying her head, while his other hand moved under her legs. Then he placed her in the middle of the bed, putting her head on the soft pillow.

Meanwhile, the woman of Tear untied her boots before crawling beside her lover, wrapping her arm over Moiraine's belly. The Cairhien woman reacted immediately by turning her face toward the other woman so their foreheads connected. But when she tried to roll on her side in her sleepy condition, it was hopeless.

Luckily, Siuan and Lan noticed her struggle and helped her to turn over so the Amyrlin could pull her properly into her arms.

After that, the Malkieri grabbed the blanket, pulling it over the two women to keep them warm. "I'll light the fire."

But as soon as the Warder left their side, Moiraine turned restless. Groaning, her hand searched for Lan behind her, and she even started to fight against Siuan's embrace when she couldn't find him.

"Shhh, pufferfish. It's all right. I'm here." The Amyrlin tried to calm the woman of the Blue Ajah by kissing her softly and holding her close.

It was hopeless. Moiraine started to whimper and fought against sleep. "Moiraine…," Siuan started when the Cairhien woman finally broke free. She rolled on her back while her right hand continued to search the bed for Lan.

"Fishguts! Lan, come here!" The uncrowned king of Malkier needed one look before he hurried back to the bed. "See? Lan is also here. There is no need to worry."

Lan grabbed Moiraine's searching hand, brought it to his lips, and pressed soft kisses on her knuckles. "It's all right, Moiraine. I'm here. I just need to light the fire. It's freezing cold in here." But when he lowered his bondholder's hand, her fingers automatically reached for his face. She didn't want to let go of him. Her eyes opened and closed rapidly, close to giving in to her exhaustion.

Light, that stubborn woman fights against sleep though she can barely keep her eyes open! Lan cursed inwardly when he saw Moiraine's struggle.

"Moiraine." He used his gentlest tone to calm her and stroked her hair comforting. "Sleep. I won't leave you. I promised I wouldn't."

"Blood and ashes, get in here, Lan!" Siuan snapped at the Warder. "She won't calm down if you don't join us!"

Carefully, the Malkieri turned the Cairhien woman back toward the Amyrlin, ignoring Moiraine's protesting whimpers. "Well, then distract her until she falls asleep again. You know her since you two have been Novices. Do you really want to tell me you don't know how to handle this hardhead?"

Growling, Siuan embraced the restless woman again, giving her no room to fight her. "Distracting Moiraine isn't an easy task, and you should know it. How many times has she gotten her will over the years because you couldn't talk her out of it?"

This time, it was up to Lan to growl over Siuan's question. "I need to light the fire. It's cold in here."

"You and I will keep her warm! She won't need anything else! Just the two of us – warming her with our body heat!"

The uncrowned king of Malkier let his eyes move over Moiraine and Siuan's covered bodies. "I can't… it wouldn't be appropriated… she knows…."

Siuan's eyes widened at Lan's babbling. "Are you serious?!"

"You are still-"

"Fishguts!" Grumbling, Lan closed his mouth and glared at Siuan for her outburst. He knew she was far from being over. "Lan Mandragoran! You just helped me to give our loveable pufferfish a very special yet incredible orgasm! And now, you suddenly don't want to get too intimate with us?!"

Sighing, the Warder supported himself on the mattress. He hated it when Siuan was right.

"Get your well-trained body under this blanket, and calm your Aes Sedai with your presence."

The Amyrlin gasped when the woman of the Blue Ajah fought harder against her lover to free herself. "Now!" Siuan ordered in her best Amyrlin voice, though it didn't have the same effect as usual since the pain from Moiraine's 'attack' was clearly audible.

"Fine!" Lan growled and slipped under the blanket until he lay directly behind Moiraine – spooning her from behind.

When the Warder moved his arm around his bondholder's belly, the Aes Sedai grabbed his hand immediately and held onto it like he could disappear any minute.

Siuan sighed, relieved when she realized her lover had finally calmed, then kissed her softly. "See? Lan is here. Right by your side – right where he belongs. You have nothing to worry about."

Moiraine mumbled something inaudible while snuggling closer to Lan like he was still too far away. But her subconsciousness didn't forget about Siuan. Her free hand grabbed the front of Siuan's dress and tried to pull the powerful Amyrlin closer to her.

The Amyrlin chuckled at Moiraine's reaction. "Sweet pufferfish. Since when do you like to cuddle that much?"

Moiraine didn't answer her. Instead, she finally calmed being caught between the two people who meant the world to her. Sleep and exhaustion pulled her into the world of dreams.

Lan and Siuan watched her quietly until the woman of Tear broke the silence. "How is she doing?" She didn't look the Malkieri in the eye – she couldn't. A loose lock had fallen over Moiraine's face, and Siuan brushed it behind her lover's ear.

"Surviving." Lan's clipped answer pulled Siuan's angry gaze to his face.

"Do you really think I want her to suffer?! – That I enjoy seeing her struggle?! I love her, Lan, and I wish I could send her out of here! But it's not so easy with all those Aes Sedai watching my every move!"

"Then let me handle it! I don't mind pulling their anger on me if it means Moiraine doesn't suffer anymore! Let me get her out of here!"

Both were hissing, trying their best to keep their voices low so they wouldn't disturb Moiraine's sleep. Luckily, the woman of the Blue Ajah was too exhausted to wake up, though she groaned from time to time.

A flash of guilt moved over Siuan's face, which didn't go unnoticed by Lan. "You don't want her to leave."

Tears shimmered in Siuan's eyes, and she leaned her forehead against Moiraine's. "Can you blame me?"

Lan didn't know what to do. Would she like him to comfort her? Should he touch her? Did she expect an answer, or did she want him to listen? She wasn't Moiraine. It was easy for him to know what Moiraine needed from him in such situations – but Siuan? He didn't know what she needed when she was close to crying. He never had seen tears in her eyes. The powerful Amyrlin was always such a strong woman.

"You're lucky," the woman of Tear whispered. "You can always be with her. You feel what she feels, and she can't hide it from you. You can touch her publicly without anyone complaining. Light, you could even kiss her before our sisters should you want it."

For a moment, the uncrowned king of Malkier thought about telling her that he never liked to be emotional in front of other people, but apparently, Siuan didn't want him to answer.

"But me? I have to stay in the tower, pretending not to worry about her all the time while she is out there risking her life. I'm the one who waits anxiously for her return, and then I can't even greet her properly when she returns to Tar Valon because no one can know we're working together. I have to act like I don't care about her and even have to exile her so she can continue with our mission."

Siuan's voice was thick with emotion. The memory of Moiraine's exile from the White Tower was obviously still vividly in her mind.

"Siuan."

The Warder and Amyrlin froze when the woman of the Blue Ajah moaned, tugging at her lover's dress. Was she reacting to Siuan's pain? Could she feel Siuan's sadness though she was sleeping?

"Siuan."

Smiling, the woman of Tear leaned closer and pressed her lips on Moiraine's. The Cairhien woman reacted immediately. She moaned and returned the kiss, leaning toward Siuan.

"We try to keep her warm while she sleeps," Lan reminded Siuan. "No one said anything about arousing her again."

The Amyrlin hummed in agreement yet couldn't stop. Hungrily her lips moved over her lover's, who responded to her as hungrily as she was. The few kisses they had shared since Moiraine arrived in the Sun Palace hadn't been enough to make up for the time they had been separated.

"Enough, you two." Determined, the uncrowned king of Malkier pulled his Aes Sedai closer against his chest, separating the two horny women. "She needs sleep, remember?"

Moiraine growled, protesting at Lan's action, fighting against his grip, but Lan's hold on her was strong. Sighing, the Warder buried his nose in his Aes Sedai's locks, pressing soft kisses behind her ear. "Sleep, Moiraine. You need to rest."

Lan's calm voice and gentle touch seemed to calm the fighting woman, and she relaxed against him. "Lan. Siuan." Their names were a quiet breath on Moiraine's lips.

The Amyrlin pressed her body against her lover so the Cairhien woman couldn't move back and forth anymore. Lan and Siuan's bodies held her in place while reminding her she wasn't alone simultaneously.

But when the woman of the Blue Ajah subconsciously lifted her chin – searching for Siuan's lips – the Amyrlin laughed and pulled Moiraine's head against her chest before pressing a kiss on the crown of Moiraine's hair. "Lan's right, love. Rest."

Silence fell over the room while Lan and Siuan listened to Moiraine's breathing until they were certain she was back to sleep again.

The Malkieri noticed the distant look on the Amyrlin's face and how her fingers moved soothingly through his bondholder's locks. He knew that look from Moiraine. Siuan was deeply lost in her thoughts.

How could he convince her to let them leave Cairhien? – To let him take the blame for their disobedience. He would do anything to protect Moiraine from the Sun Palace, King Galldrian, and the entire citizens of Cairhien.

"Where would you take her?"

Lan heard the pain in Siuan's voice. She didn't like the thought of losing Moiraine again. But she was at least willing to talk about it.

"For a start, I would take her as far away from Cairhien as possible. I don't have a specific place in mind. Everywhere is better than here."

Sighing, Siuan pressed another kiss on Moiraine's hair. "What about the boy? Will you take him with you?"

"I don't think Moiraine will leave him behind."

"But he needs to learn how to control his powers. Logain is the only male channeler we know and who could help him with that."

The uncrowned king of Malkier gnashed his teeth when he remembered how the False Dragon had tried to strangle his bondholder. He didn't want that man anywhere near her again.

Siuan smiled sadly when she saw his reaction. "I also don't like the thought of him being close to her. But she has Saidar back. She can protect herself against him again." The woman of Tear reached out a hand and touched Lan's arm – not caring when Lan winced slightly at the unexpected touch. "And she has you by her side. Logain won't ever get that close to her again."

Lan sighed heavily. He couldn't be angry with that woman now that she actually considered allowing him to get Moiraine out of Cairhien. "I'm sorry you can't be with Moiraine more often."

He received a sad smile, and fresh tears shimmered in her eyes. "Thank you, Lan." The Warder nodded, then lowered his head and pressed his lips on Moiraine's shoulder. He didn't know if Siuan wanted him to see her tears. "I'm glad she has you."

Surprised, the Malkieri looked up. He hadn't expected that after their encounter in the throne room. Siuan chuckled when she saw the surprise on his face.

"Don't be so surprised. You should know by now how much I like you."

Lan raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I remember a time – shortly after Moiraine had bonded me – when you-"

"Dear light," Siuan interrupted him groaning. "You and Moiraine truly share a brain. She also threw that in my face earlier." Lan quickly pressed his face against Moiraine's shoulder to hide the smirk on his lips. "Yes, I hadn't been happy when she bonded you without telling me about it, but I learned quickly to appreciate your handling of our pufferfish. She would be dead by now without you – and we both know it."

Siuan let go of Lan's arm and traced Moiraine's cheekbones with the tip of a finger. Her eyes were sparkling with love. "She would have starved to death if you hadn't fed her continuously."

Simultaneously, the Warder's fingers moved over the Aes Sedai's palpable ribs. It was better now than at the time when he had returned to her after the Whitecloak attack in Cairhien, but he understood what Siuan meant. Moiraine had forgotten to eat many times over the last twenty years, her nose hidden within a book most of the time.

"You keep her sane." Siuan's finger moved on to Moiraine's temple. "Traveling the world for such a long time, wandering constantly from village to village while running from one danger to the next, is exhausting. And I know she has lost hope countless times. Doubts had filled her head – about our cause, Gitara's vision, and if she would ever find the Dragon."

The uncrowned king of Malkier remembered the few conversations he had with the Cairhien woman when she had been drunk. The alcohol had loosened her tongue, and she had poured out her heart to him in those rare moments.

"And I'm glad someone takes care of her needs while I'm not there." A mischievous gleam shimmered in Siuan's eyes, and a playful smile danced on her lips.

The Warder's eyes flicked to the Amyrlin, and he growled. "I swear, I barely touched her in all those years. We-"

"Breathe, silly lionfish. I know you two didn't bed each other on a regular basis. She always worried you could think it is a duty that all Warders had to bed their Aes Sedai – to pleasure her whenever she needed it – and would feel uncomfortable around her."

Lan furrowed his forehead. Moiraine had been worried about them bedding too often? "A year after we bonded, the thought crossed my mind. We had met other Aes Sedai and their Warders by then, who were bedding each other regularly. But Moiraine never showed me she was interested in me, so I never asked her. It took us years before we crossed that line, and only because we had needed the closeness after a terrible day." Lan's gaze moved over Moiraine's face. She looked so peaceful. "I didn't know she was worried she could force herself on me."

"She loves you, Lan. It had always been her greatest fear to lose you."

The Warder kissed his Aes Sedai's shoulder tenderly, filling their bond with his love for that incredible woman. He would do anything for her – anything to make her smile. And he would never decline should she ask him to take care of her needs. Light, didn't she know how much he loved it to take care of her?!

Moiraine smiled in her sleep, and Lan felt her subconsciously sending her love for him back through the bond. It was adorable.

"Tomorrow morning, you come to the throne room," Siuan said quietly. "No one knows about Moiraine regaining her powers yet. I didn't know how to explain it to our sisters."

Lan didn't answer. He had a feeling the woman of Tear wasn't done yet. There was more she wanted to tell him, and he was right.

"The other Aes Sedai will be present tomorrow, too, witnessing how I'm sending you guys away. I will give her an order while everyone can hear me so they keep believing our little masquerade."

"If you give her an order, she will obey it."

"I'm sure you find a way around it." The look the Amyrlin gave the Warder was unmistakable, 'Find a way!'.

"What kind of order do you give her?"

But Siuan shook her head. "I won't tell you now. I want her to react naturally when it happens." When Lan opened his mouth to ask more questions, she continued, "This way, no Aes Sedai will question why I sent her away. She is still exiled, and our sisters will believe I still haven't forgiven her for her disobedience. But some will try to follow you to get Moiraine to talk. I'm sure a certain Red will be one of the first who will leave shortly after you."

"The boy?"

"He said he lives in a tavern, 'The Defender of the Dragonwall'. Get him on your way out of the city. We can't risk that an Aes Sedai finds out about his identity."

The uncrowned king of Malkier turned silent. His thoughts were running. Tomorrow, Siuan would give them a chance to escape that horrible nightmare. He could get Moiraine out of Cairhien, and they could also take the young man from the Two Rivers with them. But there was still one problem.

"I thought you wanted Logain to teach Rand about the One Power. I can show him how to use a sword, but who will teach him anything about Saidin if the man stays here?"

The Amyrlin nodded. "I still want Logain to teach the boy. He had been a strong male channeler, and I don't think we can be very picky, considering the fact that we only have him. So… I will declare that I'm done taking him with me. I'll find a place outside Cairhien where I can hide him from the world and where he won't need Aes Sedai watching his every step."

They both turned silent again, both lost in their thoughts. Finally, it was Lan who broke the silence.

"You are willing to let her go?"

Pain moved over Siuan's beautiful face, and she pressed a soft kiss on the top of Moiraine's head. "You said it yourself," she answered with tears. "This place is killing her. This city isn't good for her. And our sisters are already waiting to get their hands on her to rip her apart. Anaiya and the other Blues will want answers because she has lost her powers. If my plan works, we can calm some sisters by making them believe that I take care of the situation."

Lan felt Siuan's grip on Moiraine tightened. He would suggest to give them a moment but feared the woman of Tear could argue with him about it. He wasn't good at comforting people but hoped Siuan would accept his attempt.

Carefully, the uncrowned king of Malkier pulled the blanket over Siuan's shoulder. "Your plan will work. Now, why don't you close your eyes for a while? I'll keep watch."

"I have to return to my room before anyone starts to miss me," the Amyrlin snuffled.

"You still got time. Close your eyes. Be with Moiraine. You two deserve it."

Sad eyes found him, yet he could see a glimmer of hope in them. "You will stay awake?"

"I rested my eyes earlier. I'm fine. But you are as exhausted as she is. Get some rest while you can."

This time, Lan received a beautiful smile from Siuan. "Thank you, Lan."

"Thank you for letting her go instead of making her suffer any longer."

Suddenly, Moiraine stirred and mumbled, "Crew."

Chuckling, both Lan and Siuan snuggled closer against the woman of the Blue Ajah, then a comfortable silence fell over the room. Whatever lay ahead of them, they would face it together – as a crew.

This was the last chapter of this story.

Thank you all for sticking with me to the end. I hope you enjoyed it.

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Have a great week, everyone.