As usual all speech in italics is in the Old Tongue.
Chapter XXII - The Great Hunt for the Wonder Girls
Taija spent the first few days after her arrival walking around Falme, exploring and watching. She'd seen too many operations go horribly wrong in the past to just charge in blindly when she had no idea what was going on. Charging in could come later.
So she walked through the streets and alleys and talked to anyone who seemed willing to speak with a slightly confused traveling merchant. Coincidentally she frequently found herself walking past the palaces and other civic buildings occupied by the Seanchan, watching and noting everything she saw.
As she'd been reminded by her time in the White Tower, Taija wasn't a very good spy, but being there without support, without anything other than her own wits and the Power meant she had no choice.
A few things stood out, the sheer number of Seanchan soldiers, there must have been an army garrisoned there. It really was an invasion like Siuan had said. Also the grolm, horrible creatures just like in the mirror world with Mierin. Taija shuddered to herself whenever she saw them. More for the reminder of Mierin than their own unpleasantness - she'd seen far worse. Luckily that wasn't an uncommon reaction to the creatures from the other inhabitants of Falme, so she didn't stand out.
However, the thing that struck Taija most was the leashed. Women in gray dresses, cloaked in diffidence and submission walking around with their eyes downcast. A silvery leash connected them to some kind of handler wearing a bracelet. The handlers also had their own uniforms, which Taija noted with a certain degree of anticipation would make them easy to identify. Every leashed could channel. Most were relatively weak, but some were not insignificant.
Imitating the people around her, Taija refused to look directly at the leashed and their handlers, but she saw enough. The easy confidence of the handlers, even occasional signs of affection, like you might give a dog. The way that their eyes scanned the crowds. Also the utter submission of the leashed, who rarely took their eyes off their feet, their body language completely broken.
Taija quickly learnt that sometimes the leashed would point a woman out and she would be grabbed and a collar put around her neck, never to be seen again. No one could tell her why for sure, although one shopkeeper did admit in a whisper that he saw a woman taken and then reappear in a gray dress walking tamely behind a handler a month later. From the dead look in his eyes she suspected he'd known the woman.
Of course it was fairly clear that this happened when the leashed felt another woman who could channel. Taija silently blessed the webs she'd spun around herself. Otherwise she suspected half the city would be on fire.
More worrying was the leasheds' willingness to betray other women. That suggested either a terrifying level of control over them or that they were so broken into their position that they would fight to stay in enslavement. Taija had seen it before, in people who'd been in the hands of the Shadow for too long. Semirhage and Graendal were particularly… she shuddered again.
As she explored the town Taija could feel her anger bubbling away underneath her outwardly placid exterior. What were these people doing to Egwene? Every day she was having to work increasingly hard to keep her temper under control and whenever she saw one of the leashed it would spike, threatening to boil over.
It was on Taija's fourth day in Falme that she saw a familiar shock of curly red hair over a stained brown dress ducking down an alleyway. Could it be? Without breaking stride she turned on her heel and headed after the girl.
A minute later and she was almost certain it was Elayne. It was a little far, but Taija thought she could feel the ability to channel in her and she knew from Asne that Elayne hadn't been captured.
Taija wanted to shout out, but at the same time she didn't want to draw attention to the two of them, so she quickened her stride to catch up.
Elayne turned down another alley and then a third. Then to Taija's relief she slowed to examine something on the ground.
"Elayne!" Taija reached out to her as she started to speak only to have to twist aside with a shriek of surprise when a knife flashed through where her stomach had been a fraction of a second ago. Thought instantly became action and the air solidified around Elayne before she could even withdraw her arm.
"Fuck! You could have killed me!" Taija hissed at her, struggling to keep her voice down as Elayne frantically struggled against her bonds. Taija looked down and saw a slash down the fabric at the front of her dress, "fuck! What the fuck would I have done if you'd stabbed me there's no one who can even heal me here!"
Elayne's struggles slowed at that and she looked at Taija sideways. "Taija sedai, is that you?" Her voice got louder and more excited as she spoke.
Great, now you recognise me," Taija grumbled, but she did release the web around Elayne only to be almost bowled over as the girl threw herself at her, burying her face in Taija's hair.
"Oh Light you came! I didn't know what to do, they got Egwene and me and Nynaeve were going to free her, but then they caught Nynaeve too. Min's here," who was Min? "She's working as a servant in the leashed kennels and the stories she tells me. They're hurting them. She's not even telling me everything. I just know it, but they're hurting them they're training them…breaking them… like dogs… " Elayne's voice trailed off into sobs as she shuddered against her.
It sounded worse than Taija had feared, or maybe better if Egwene and Nynaeve were still holding out. She didn't know how they broke their slaves, but she'd seen enough over the years that she didn't want to imagine.
One thing was for sure though, she couldn't leave anyone in those kinds of conditions. Frankly it would be better to be dead. If someone was exposed to them for long enough they might as well be. As Taija stood there awkwardly patting Elayne on the back, she was already accelerating her plans.
A quick look around to check for witnesses and Taija opened a gateway straight to the abandoned farmhouse she'd turned into a base outside the town, gently tugging a still sniffling Elayne after her.
The poor girl was unsurprisingly exhausted and hungry. A warm meal, gentle deflection of questions about how Taija could channel in Falme without being caught - if she could hide her ability why wouldn't she be able to hide her webs - and a warm bedroll and Elayne was quietly snoring away in no time.
Taija on the other hand still had work to do. It was back to Falme for her. She needed one last bit of information before she was ready to act.
Taija emerged from the alley back in her merchant persona.
It wasn't long before she found a suitable target. A patrol of five Seanchan soldiers with their weird insectile helmets coming marching towards her and, more importantly a handler and a leashed walking behind them. Taija gave the soldiers a low curtsy before ducking into an alley. This was going to be tricky.
She waited an endless feeling couple of seconds, the timing had to be just right. Wait. Wait. Now!
Taija drew hard on saidar inverting webs even as she spun them splitting heavy flows four ways. A barrier against sound briefly appeared between the leashed and the soldiers. At the same time she slammed a shield of spirit into the leashed and grabbed her and her handler in great fists of air before yanking them back into the alleyway with her. They barely had time for a shout of surprise before Taija was opening a gateway, letting the sound barrier dissipate and stepping out of Falme again.
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However, when Taija emerged from the gateway with her squirming, air-wrapped packages floating behind her, she found she was not alone in the dimming evening light. A group of armed men wheeled to face her drawing swords with shouts of surprise and the light of saidar sprung up around a small, plump woman with an ageless face.
She was strong, too strong for Taija to just shield her, she must have had an angreal. Of course Taija had her own, but she also needed to keep the leashed shielded, hold off the soldiers and protect Elayne.
Taija carefully spun a nasty pair of inverted webs while holding her hands out in front of her, palms open, "there's no need for violence I can explain." She tensed her leg muscles, ready to dive aside as soon as she threw her opening shots.
Before she could move, Elayne came running out of the farmhouse with a familiar face in tow. "Wait! Don't kill her, she's a friend!"
Taija's irritation at the idea that they would be able to kill her broke into a smile when she saw the man with Elayne, "Rand!" She took a step forward only to be faced by what felt like a wall of drawn swords. It was very annoying, it wasn't like they were actually a threat to her anyway.
It took a little while, but eventually everyone calmed down. The Shienarans Taija of course knew once she recognised them under their armour and Rand was there with his friends. The aes sedai was new, but she introduced herself as Verin with a slightly absent-minded smile declaring that she'd, "heard so much about you."
It was good to see them all, but particularly Rand who when he realised who Taija was under her web illusion actually picked her up in a bear hug and swung her round, ignoring her protests.
As soon as he put her down he was embarrassed and blushing, "I'm sorry Taija sedai, I thought you were dead. After… after the stone and…," he hesitated, "the woman, I just didn't see how you could have survived!"
Suppressing both the creaking in her ribs from where he'd squeezed her, he was a big man, and the irritation at being grabbed without warning Taija smiled warmly at him. "I'm surprisingly hard to kill," her smile faded a bit, "I've heard that from a few people recently. Hopefully there won't be any more. Anyway, what have you been doing? What are you doing here? I thought you were on the other side of the continent. How did you get here?" There was something missing too.
Rand winced and the chatter around them paused for a second at that question, "I ah… that is… another stone…" He clearly didn't want to talk about it, but it got Taija's mind wandering. Surely he hadn't brought all of these people… she'd have burnt herself out even with an angreal! "We were in Cairhien and we even had the horn. And Mat's dagger! But Fain took it back and we're still following him. He's in Falme and we're going to get them back!" Mat did look even sicklier than before actually.
Rand leaned in closer and lowered his tone, "also that woman… she told me Egwene is being kept prisoner here." He looked around nervously as if mentioning Mierin might make her appear.
"For fuck's sake, why does Mierin fucking ruin everything," Taija caught herself and switched back to the Common Tongue. Mat seemed to be staring at her, he really didn't look healthy. "So you're saying she might turn up here?"
Rand shrugged helplessly, "I don't know, she told me that she was doing me a favour and then would leave me to it… But I don't exactly trust her."
"Well at least you're not a complete fool," Taija gave him a small smile to take the sting out of the words. On the inside she was thinking hard. If Mierin was going to interfere then her plans would fall apart, violently, but it sounded like she wasn't planning to do anything… She had no choice she needed to go ahead anyway. She stopped herself from shuddering. She had an angreal now. That would make it ok, it would have to. Surely. She wanted Lanfear dead, more than almost anything else in the world. If she could have that and Tel back, she could die happy, but Lanfear was… She was very strong.
Rand gave her an unamused look. "But Taija, you haven't said, what are you doing here?"
"Funnily enough I'm here to rescue Egwene too and Nynaeve it would seem. It's a small world." He gave her a confused look. It seemed like that was another expression that didn't carry over properly to the Common Tongue.
After a second Rand seemed to properly process what Taija had said. "Nynaeve's been captured too?"
She nodded. "I've been in the White Tower, helping… yes let's say helping the Amyrlin with some tasks and when the girls were kidnapped and brought here. I followed."
She hadn't realised Verin had been listening until she asked curiously, "if you do not mind me asking, why would the Amyrlin send you instead of a full party of sisters?"
Taija frowned briefly and then give her an innocent smile, "I think I was all she could be spare." The dumpy aes sedai looked a bit perturbed at that.
She turned back to Rand, realising what she was missing. "Rand, where's Aleksi?" Taija desperately hoped he was ok, he should have been with the Shienarans.
Rand saw her worried face and laughed happily, "don't worry, he's just getting water, he'll be back any minute."
As promised Aleksi did return a few minutes later for another happy reunion. He even treated Taija with the dignity she expected settled for a tight hug. Light it was good to see the first person she knew in this world again.
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The interrogation of the leashed and what Taija found was uncreatively called a leash holder didn't take long. They were both trembling with fear and begging to be protected from the one who must be leashed and even more so the man who'd imprisoned them. The leashed one was violently shivering and kept crying that she couldn't see the weaves.
They seemed terrified of Verin, it must have been something to do with her being an unleashed channeler. Taija couldn't see any other reason. They also shied away from any of the men, presumably convinced that one of them was channeling. Taija on the other hand didn't scare them as much. As far they could tell she couldn't channel after all. So when she decided to swallow her disgust and play good cop to the threat of a power-mad channeler's bad cop, it was surprisingly effective.
Taija quickly established that the woman in the gray dress was called Suki and the leash holder was Corrine. Promises to protect them from punishment by the ones who must be leashed got her tearful explanations of their frankly disgusting philosophy and how the leash holder was able to train and restrain the leashed using her leash. The whole thing repulsed her. It was as bad as anything the Shadow did to people, just with a veneer of civilisation painted on top.
When Taija had heard enough she released the web of air around Suki, reassuring her that soon she would be free. She started to explore the contours of the collar round her neck using both her fingers and tiny flows of the Power. That quickly came to a halt when the woman started to cry and beg Taija not to free her.
Corrine's voice was proud, defiant. "Suki is a good leashed. She knows what is right. Oof!" She was cut off by a web of air from Verin striking her in the stomach.
Taija glanced at the aes sedai to see a look of repulsion on her face before looking back at Corrine, all pretense of kindness gone. "I find every word that leaves your lips disgusting. If you're not a darkfriend then doing this to someone is the next thing to it." Unlike her words, her tone was conversational. "You're currently walking on very thin ice so I would choose your words carefully, or better yet not speak unless spoken to. If not, I can give you to the one who must be leashed."
Corinne's mouth snapped shut and Taija went back to examining the collar, doing her best to ignore Suki's sobs until her probes of the Power found a hidden mechanism. A small flex and it sprang open to a cry of despair from Suki who threw herself at Corinne's feet and clung onto them babbling about how she would be good and not to let the one who must be leashed take her.
Verin seemed to be taking notes now, a small notebook in her hand. She looked up when Taija turned away from the weeping leashed In frustration. "So you're the Taija I've heard much about you from the men." Her tone was curious but vague, like she had other things to think about.
Taija offered her a shallow bow. "At your service Verin." The woman hadn't been rude to her, yet, so she wouldn't stand on formality and insist on titles. "How is it that you joined up with the group?"
"Oh, well," she smiled if she just realised, "I thought I could offer them some assistance in their hunt. Sadly my efforts have been a bit limited, but it has certainly been fascinating. Who would have thought so much could happen with so few people and three people who alter the pattern too."
"Mmm well I'm sure they've been glad of the help."
"Oh hopefully, so tell me Taija," her tone was guileless, all innocent curiosity, "where are you from, I do not recognise your name?"
Taija offered her an awkward shrug, "I've been known by other names too, but originally I'm from a small village in the Mountains of Mist, I doubt you'd have heard of it."
"How fascinating I would love to hear all about it!" Her enthusiasm seemed unfeigned.
"I'd be delighted to tell you," Taija deflected, "but I think is time too short. The men are planning to make their attempt for the horn tomorrow and I think some more discussion is needed. Will you be assisting them with their mission?"
"Oh no, I would just bring the leashed down upon them, more of a hindrance than a help, especially limited as I am by the Three Oaths. Vile as the actions of the Seanchan are, not all evil comes from the Dark One."
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That night found Taija sitting with the three boys, Aleksi Ingtar and his lieutenants Masema and Uno, with Verin listening interestedly. They had what sounded to her like a very shaky plan to break into the palace that they knew contained the horn and presumably Mat's dagger.
Normally she'd have preferred to attack at night. The advantages of technology meaning that she could see like it was daylight, but in this place and time that wasn't an option for her. While there were webs that would allow her to see in the dark, they weren't good enough for a combat situation and the biggest risk she was likely to face was someone being able to sneak up on her. No, better to go in full daylight.
Taija had channeled a small model of Falme's most important buildings into the dirt. "So you're saying that this is the palace with the horn in it?"
At the mens' nods she smiled, "good. I'm not interested in that one. Here's what I want from you."
A circle formed around another, slightly smaller palace, "this is the palace of the High Lady Suroth. Don't go near this building under any circumstances." Another formed around the leashed kennels, "this is where they keep the leashed. Keep away from here too for your own good."
Ingtar dipped his head, "peace Taija sedai, we are no fools, we do not wish to fight their collared aes sedai." He missed the sharp look Verin gave him.
"Good. Keep away from those two buildings whatever you do. Now my other request is that you wait for my signal before you act. I will also be going into the town," Taija glanced at Rand, "seeking to rescue some wayward girls from the Seanchan. I can't directly help you, but what I promise is that if you wait for my signal, the guards in your palace will be distracted."
A bit more planning wrapped up the evening and they all retreated to get what sleep they could. Now that they were united again Taija took the opportunity to ward Rand's dreams along with her own.
Fortunately before Taija went to sleep she remembered that Elayne's friend, the Min girl would also be in Falme. She certainly didn't want her dead for the bad luck of having been caught by the Seanchan. Luckily she had Aleksi and a whispered conversation with him and Elayne meant he could go into the town tomorrow morning and get her out before everything started to happen.
After a final promise to Aleksi that she'd tell him everything that had gone on once they had a bit more privacy, Taija tried to fall asleep.
Maybe the aes sedai had a point about warders being useful.
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Taija slept fitfully, her rest interrupted by both the noises of the night and bad dreams. However, the next morning she rose early. During the sleepless periods of the night she'd been thinking.
She'd had enough of hiding. Enough of dancing around, permanently in disguise, pretending to be something she wasn't. She was never made for subterfuge and it had been wearing on her, adding to the long long list of things that were grinding her down.
It would always have its place, but after today it was going to be much harder to stay hidden anyway. Taija knew she'd be giving away advantages with what she was planning to do, but spending them to rescue Egwene from being turned into some sort of pet for the Seanchan didn't seem like too high a price. Nynaeve too she supposed.
After her morning ablutions Taija spun a mirror into the air in front of her and then untied the web changing her looks. Her features rippled briefly and then she was facing her own familiar deep brown eyes. It was good to be back.
Taija's momentary satisfaction was quickly doused in cold water when Elayne who'd been watching curiously said, "I thought you'd be taller," in a disappointed tone before clamping her hands over her mouth in horror and muttering something about people who alter the pattern.
Taija gave her a deeply unamused look and stalked off to get changed. There were perils to always walking around under illusion, but still!
Out of sight of the rest Taija pulled the trousers she'd had made in Tar Valon out of her packs. It might be socially inappropriate for this time, but she needed to be able to move freely and quickly. Also, frankly, she was tired of dressing like she was in a medieval fantasy.
Sturdy brown trousers, riding boots, a light blue blouse and embroidered brown woolen overcoat completed her outfit. It wasn't what she really wanted to be wearing, but going into combat it was an infinite improvement over the floor length dresses she'd been stuck in.
Ignoring the looks from the men and Elayne's gasped, "Taija sedai!" Taija strode out of the farmhouse, her mind already on the day ahead. It seemed there'd been some discussion during the night while she'd slept and she thought Rand stayed up practising with his sword.
Whatever had happened, only five of them headed towards Falme to rescue the horn. Rand, Perrin Mat, Ingtar and Hurin. Verin smiled enigmatically when Taija asked her why and said, "some things are simply meant to be."
Taija shrugged, refusing to take the bait of aes sedai mysteriousness and just exchanged a glance with Aleksi who nodded, before giving her a salute, Shienaran style, and then jumping onto his horse to head for the town too. She hoped they hadn't rubbed off on him too much.
After the five (plus Aleksi) had gone, Taija turned to Elayne, Verin and the others. "I will be making my own move shortly. Masema, Uno I would be very grateful for you and your soldiers' protection for a while. I'll be… working with the Power but won't have any concentration to spare."
They replied instantly with fists to breastplates and calls of, "honour to serve Taija sedai."
"Verin sedai, as you're unable to fight, would you be able to stay here and guard Corinne and Suki," she'd left them in a tied off box of air with the shield on Suki also tied off, although she'd suspected that even without it the former leashed wouldn't have channeled.
Verin nodded, seemingly unperturbed by her taking charge. Taija continued, "I'd also be grateful if you could keep Elayne safe and make sure she doesn't do anything foolish."
Elayne leapt up from the stump she'd been sitting on practically vibrating with outrage, "Taija! I'm going to help, you need me!"
Taija shook her head and spoke gently, but firmly, ignoring Elayne's failure to use her title, "Elayne, I know you want to help and your bravery does you credit, but you are a child." She held up a hand to stop her immediate protest, "you would be in great danger and I don't put children in danger by choice. I'm proud of you for what you've done to try to rescue Egwene and Nynaeve, but I'm here now and I will not let you or them get hurt."
"But I can help. Taija sedai, please! You know I'm one of the strongest women in the Tower. Only Nynaeve is stronger than me."
Taija shook her head again, "Elayne you're strong and one day you'll be stronger no doubt, but you're not ready for this. Verin?"
Verin nodded in agreement putting a comforting hand on Elayne's shoulder, "Taija is quite right child, you will be much better staying here with me and helping guard the leash holder and leashed. That town is no place for a novice. I am sure Taija will be back with your friends in no time." She looked at Taija quizzically, "what exactly is it that you are planning Taija?"
Taija smiled and turned to look towards the town, "I'm going to Bring the Light to Falme." Annoyingly no one reacted to her words, other than to look at her confusedly. "Light Bringers?" She added in a slightly questioning tone to no better reaction, although Verin looked intrigued. Oh well, she sighed. It had meant something once.
Taija glanced over at the prisoners and then called out, "Shienarans with me!"
Spinning an inverted gateway she quickly stepped through, followed by nervous troopers, clearly uncomfortable with the One Power. Verin's fascinated gaze followed her through the hole in the air.
Taija had chosen a spot a good few kilometres from the town, shielded from direct sight by the rolling hills surrounding it. More importantly she was also a good way away from where she'd left Verin and Elayne. She wanted to attract attention away from them, not towards them.
"Once I begin, I'll need total concentration for an hour, so I'll need you to guard me from any Seanchan patrols. You know your trade better than me, I leave how you do it in your hands, but if I'm distracted the effects could be catastrophic." Taija paused, "to be clear, I mean all of us die kind of catastrophic." The soldiers blanched before saluting and assured her nothing and no one would bother her while they lived. There were advantages to the way people saw the One Power in this time.
"Thank you. One final thing, once you see the light, do not look in my direction under any circumstances, not if you value your eyesight." Taija met each of their eyes emphasising the point with her expression.
Orders given she continued her preparations while nervous looking Shienarans spread out away from her. She suspected they were going a bit further away than military tactics would strictly require, but there was no harm in that.
A simple web of earth rapidly excavated a large hole in the ground, building up a solid rampart of leftover dirt around it. Taija smoothed a small spot into the wall of earth for herself and then scrambled up onto it.
Complex calculations flashed through her mind, location, direction, movement, other variables. Almost time to begin. After a few minutes she was satisfied and waved to those of the Shienarans that were still in sight before sitting down cross legged on the wall of earth, staring down into the hole.
A deep breath and Taija opened herself fully to saidar drawing through her angreal to far beyond her normal full strength. She was deliberately close to Falme to create more of a distraction for the leashed, but it was a calculated risk. Doing that during the War would have been fatally stupid, but these people couldn't Travel. She really hoped not anyway.
First was the framework, a spherical lattice of all five elements. Its complexity was extremely taxing even for Taija and she was conscious that the amount of saidar she was channeling might well have already been felt if any patrols were between her and Falme.
Slowly she built the lattice, labyrinthe thick flows of saidar coming together forming an ever stronger shell. She didn't realise she was biting her bottom lip as she sat there in utter concentration, staring into the hole, no attention to spare for anything other than this intricate task.
Bit by bit the sphere solidified before Taija's eyes. She didn't try to invert it, she didn't have the concentration, it was taking every bit of her skill to hold the web in place and keep adding to it without making the task even more complicated. Anyway it wasn't like anyone in this time would have much chance of replicating it. Each time she completed a part, she carefully tied it off, she couldn't channel anywhere near enough to actively hold the whole web. She doubted anyone could without a sa'angreal and if she'd had one of those there would have been easier, better options.
It was a cool autumn day, but Taija was sweating as the sphere of saidar grew thicker and thicker. Complex flows of spirit wove control inputs into its surface. Arm thick, ultra dense webs of all five elements wrapped around it, tightening in place. One mistake in this web and she knew she'd kill herself and probably everyone near her.
It must have been nearly an hour before Taija was done, letting the torrential flow of saidar through her ease off a bit. She realised she was gasping for breath and drenched in sweat, but she'd done it. Surveying her work with careful eyes, she couldn't see any flaws. If she was honest, she doubted she'd see them until it was too late anyway. At least if there were any she wouldn't need to worry about it for long.
Survey complete, Taija gave herself a couple of minutes to recover. Soon things would be happening fast.
When her breathing was back to normal she drew heavily on saidar once again and directed the Power with exquisite care at the sphere in front of her. This time it was only fire that she channeled. One heavy flow straight into a precise point in the sphere designated by a beautifully intricate pattern of spirit.
Where before it would have been invisible to anyone who couldn't channel saidar, now a gradually increasing glow could be seen. Once it got going, the air inside the sphere heated rapidly, quickly going from glowing, to fiery, to white hot, to blinding. Absently Taija spun a web over her eyes blocking out most light, but she still couldn't look directly at it and she was very conscious that there was a beacon of light blazing into the sky above her. Nothing she could do about it, but the Seanchan would certainly be on their way now. That was part of the plan of course, to draw them away from Falme.
Taija held the flows for long minutes of heavy channeling, feeding more and more fire into the sphere until she decided it was ready.
Reaching out with spirit, she tweaked one thread in the intricate web. Immediately the sphere started to collapse, falling in on itself at an achingly slow pace. There was no going back now. Despite that Taija couldn't help but have doubts. But no, she needed a distraction and this would provide that. Assuming she survived the next hour, the Forsaken would be hearing about it soon enough anyway and it really would be the return of a classic.
Taija stopped feeding in more fire. Her eyes were now screwed shut, but she could still see the glowing sphere through both her web and her eyelids. Numbers flew through her head, nearly there. Two seconds, one, now!
Simultaneously she opened a small inverted gateway in front of the sphere, spun protection around her ears, tugged on another thread of spirit on its surface and dived backwards off her earthen embankment tumbling roughly to the grass below. There was a moment of nothing and then there was only light and sound.
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Paitr was pulling his cart into one of Falme's many squares, ignoring his aching back. His mind was already on what he might be able to sell today. Muttering to himself about stingy Seanchan and penniless locals he came to an abrupt halt when he saw a small hole open in the air between him and the High Lady Suroth's palace.
He shook his head, this was probably Seanchan business, something to do with their filthy damane and he wanted no part of that. He'd just turn around and…
There was only blinding light.
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The High Lady Suroth dismissed the da'covale with a gesture of her fingers, soon she would have to go and speak to
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He stood on the balcony overlooking the town sipping from a goblet of more than adequate wine. Things were coming together nicely. The boy was in Falme and would soon be in his hands or failing that at least another step further down the road to turning. The girls would be shipped off to Seanchan. They couldn't support the boy there and something useful could be made of them, two birds with one stone. Then, once he had the boy, it would be the beginning of the end…
His musings came to a crashing stop when he saw a gateway open in the square below. He felt nothing. Saidar then, or possibly inverted saidin. It couldn't be the boy, or one of these so-called aes sedai, but none of the Chosen would come here when he'd made it clear that he had private business to attend to. Concerning, he'd have to investigate. With a sigh he put his goblet down. Then a thought struck him an almost forgotten memory.
With a curse he dived for the floor spinning a sphere of protection as he fell and throwing his arm across his eyes.
Then there was only light and all encompassing sound, his bones, the very building shaking with the shrieking roar that tore through at his ears.
An endless second later it was over. He picked himself off the floor, letting his web dissipate but already suspecting what he would see. On the other side of the square, the High Lady Suroth's palace had simply ceased to exist, an upward sloping gouge carved through the ground and then the palace leaving nothing at the front and only a few feet of heat warped walls at the back. The square itself seemed to be transformed to black fused glass everywhere in front of that gateway.
His face hardened, this would have to be dealt with. Was it an assassination attempt? If that attack was what he thought it was… Well there were not many people capable of it and even fewer left alive, perhaps only Lanfear.
He turned to leave, ready to bring death on whoever had had the temerity to interfere with his plans and then hesitated, would he have time before the boy? The boy was the most important thing…
That was then he heard the voice.
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When she heard the voice Renna sprang to her feet along with a number of other sul'dam. Clearly the Return was under attack by marath'damane. She would be needed.
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As soon as Taija could safely open her eyes she was channeling. A small gateway into the air above Falme, a web to amplify her voice to deafening proportions. She left the protection around her ears in place even as she released the web shielding her eyes.
She'd seen that Suki had fought to stay enslaved. What was more she'd seen it too many times with others in the past. Give someone to the Shadow, or to anybody brutal enough she supposed, for long enough and they'd break. Stop being the person they once were and do anything for their enslaver, fight to stay in captivity.
She needed to move fast and there'd be no time to stop and persuade anyone. The leashed were the biggest threat Taija would face and however tragic it might be, if she wanted to get out alive, let alone bring the girls with her, she'd need to keep moving.
Taija wasn't normally one for drama, but perhaps this was a time that deserved it. She was bringing a bit of the "Age of Legends" back today. With an internal wince at how pompous she was going to sound she opened her mouth and began to speak, her tone urgent.
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Nynaeve sat on the bed in her small room, staring at her hands clasped together in her lap. Her knee was jiggling up and down and she couldn't stop it. She needed to stop it, but she couldn't.
She'd thought she'd had hard times, when her parents died, when she first became wisdom, trying to protect the children from aes sedai manipulations, even facing the Forsaken at the Eye of the World.
They were nothing. One mistake two weeks ago and that was it.
She walked in the Light, she knew the world was no paradise, but there were limits to what would, could be inflicted on another person. Now she was in hell and had quickly discovered that, no, there were no limits.
Nynaeve bit her lip. She wouldn't cry, they could make her wail when they punished her, but she wouldn't give them that victory until the agony became too much.
They'd started with soft words, treating her like a… like a pet dog. That had quickly changed though. She'd thought she was strong, refusing to bend an inch. They'd punished her of course, but she'd known she was strong enough to take it. Sooner or later she'd escape. Every prison had its weaknesses.
She'd been so foolish in her arrogance when she was first taken. There was no escape. There was no end. Her only hope was rescue and every worried visit from Min, every extra day of abuse and, she shuddered, every training session with the sul'dam killed a little more of that hope. She'd rather die than give in, but she knew that that wasn't a choice available to Livy the damane.
She was rocking back and forth. Stop. She couldn't show weakness. One crack and they'd be in, prising it open bit by bit. The sul'dam had cut off her braid after the first week and taken her name, but she hadn't broken.
There was no hope left, just her determination not to be broken. All she could do was survive tomorrow without breaking. Then the next day. And the next. Even when the hope had died in her heart she would not break.
They'd said if she didn't do as she was told they would take her hands or her tongue. Damane didn't need them to channel. She wanted to scream at the thought, but she must not give in… She didn't realise she was rocking again.
Then came a brief flash of light brightening the room through her small window, followed by a roar of the Creator only knew what, so loud that the whole building shook, dust falling down on her from the ceiling beams.
Nynaeve looked up with dull eyes for a second before looking down at her hands again. Something had happened, but it wasn't anything to do with a badly-trained damane. Her world ended at the walls of her room.
That was when she heard the voice, booming out across the town unnaturally loud. So loud it must have shattered windows. Even through the thick walls of the damane kennels she heard it clearly, the oddly clipped words of an accented woman's voice, echoing through her body and lodging itself in her heart.
"SEANCHAN. SLAVERS. YOU ARE AN ABOMINATION AGAINST THE LIGHT. TO THE DAMANE AND OTHER SLAVES I AM COMING. DON'T FIGHT ME. WHEN YOU SEE ME, LIE DOWN SO I KNOW YOU WANT TO BE FREE AND YOU WILL NOT BE HARMED. HOLD ON I AM COMING."
As the ringing of her ears died away Nynaeve felt a glimmer of hope.