From the corner of his eyes, Lan saw the Emond's Fielder, who were gathered around a small campfire. The young villagers were obviously not happy about their involuntary journey. And unlike Moiraine and himself, they weren't used to it being on the run from Trollocs. They had lived an easy and calm life in the Two Rivers. How long would it take until they couldn't keep up with them anymore? The Aes Sedai and himself couldn't leave them behind. No, Moiraine wouldn't leave them behind. They had been searching for the Dragon Reborn for twenty years. All those false dragons, and now it was possible that it was one of those kids. His Aes Sedai wouldn't risk it to lose them, which meant that he had to be very careful or she would do something foolish. She would rather die than give those children to the servants of the Dark One. And that was something, Lan couldn't let happen. He would keep her alive, even if it was the last thing he would do.

The warder kept moving between the trees looking out for any danger coming their way. The Trollocs were still after them, and he was sure that it would only be a matter of time until they were chasing them again.

Moiraine stood at the entrance of the cave and watched the young Emond's Fielder. They had been very quiet since Lan had made the campfire. Everyone was lost in their thoughts. Was this still because of the dead ferryman? They had turned silent since then and had kept their distance. She had seen the shock on Egwene's face and the anger on Rand's. None of them had approved of what she had done. `No. In their eyes, I have proven that the Aes Sedai are monsters, who kill innocent people like this ferryman. Foolish children!´

Suddenly, pain spread from the wound on her shoulder. Moiraine leaned back against the stone wall, closed her eyes, and breathed through the pain until it returned to a dull throbbing. Quickly, she dove into her bond with Lan. Had he noticed? No, Lan was as calm as always. He was securing their camp by searching for threats.

Relieved, Moiraine released her breath. Her warder was watching her every move, since the attack of the Trollocs. Although she tried to ignore most of the pain by keeping her calm Aes Sedai face and focusing on the Emond's Fielder, Lan was no fool. He was able to read her like an open book.

When she felt a small glimpse of guilt, she opened her eyes in surprise. Guilt? What was bothering him? Again, she dove into their bond, but this time, she moved around his calm feelings and went deeper. Finally, she found the hidden feeling, which was pounding in him, and it was connected to the sense of failure and loyalty.

`Oh, Lan.´, Moiraine sighed `How many times do I have to tell you that it wasn't your fault? That you didn't fail me?´

Would she ever be able to get it into his stubborn head? This wasn't the first injury she had received on their journey and it probably wouldn't be the last one. They needed to concentrate on their task and not on what had happened in the past. `We need to keep moving as soon as possible. I have to take care of the horses and the children. They need their strength to keep up with Lan and me.´

Slowly, Moiraine left the cave. She would start with helping the horses since they needed to carry them onward.

Lan finished his round when he suddenly felt Moiraine's joy from touching Saidar. Alarmed he took a look at his surroundings, but he couldn't see an enemy and he also didn't feel the servants of the Dark One. Why was she using the One Power? Quickly, he mended his pace to reach his Aes Sedai. What did he miss? Was one of the Emond's Fielder hurt?

The warder found his Aes Sedai with their four-legged companions. She was kneeling in front of a horse, which was lying on the ground, and immediately, he understood what she was doing. She gave the horses their strength back! When she raised, the horse got back on his feet as well. Strong and refreshed, while Moiraine needed a moment to regain her composure. Lan felt how she was getting weaker by the second.

Slowly, he approached her when she turned to the next horse. She felt his presence, and he sent her his worries through the bond. This was madness, and she needed to see it. Lan's face gave nothing away when she faced him, but he noticed her pale skin, her tired eyes, and her weak condition. Stubborn woman!

"They need their strength.", Moiraine tried to defend her actions.

"So do you.", he replied and pulled up the rope for her to dig under it. She needed to save her strength.

Her eyes hold his gaze for a heartbeat, then she gave up. Relieved, Lan watched how she dug under the rope and walked to their saddlebags, then he followed her.

"You need to rest."

"How are the children?" Lan resisted the urge to shake the woman. He would be getting nowhere. Instead, he concentrated on her question.

"Scared. This whole situation is new to them."

Moiraine nodded, while she watched the Emond's Fielder from afar. Everyone was still caught in their own thoughts. "The villagers of the Two Rivers were ignorant. Pretending like the rest of the world doesn't matter to them. That they would never be harmed. They were fools."

"They paid the price at Bel Tine."

"Have they spoken to you? They have been awkwardly silent since we have left Taren Ferry behind us."

"It's because of the ferryman."

"They think that I killed him. And now they are afraid that I will kill them too?"

Lan didn't answer. He knew that it was a silly assumption of the children. Moiraine had made it clear that she would protect them at any cost. But she was an Aes Sedai. And like the Trollocs she belonged to the old stories. It would take a while until they would trust her – probably never.

Moiraine nodded when Lan's silence was all the answer she needed. Sighing, Lan grabbed the water bag and handed it to Moiraine. "Drink."

Again, it looked as if the woman of the Blue Ajah would like to protest, but then she sighed heavily and took the leather object. "Would you stop being overprotective?"

"How is your shoulder?" Lan ignored her comment on purpose. When Moiraine didn't answer, he reached for her shoulder, but she took a step back.

"As long as I don't move it, I'll be fine.", she hissed angrily, then she took a gulp from the water bag.

"Can I see the wound?" Instead of an answer, she threw him an angry look. Every other man would have run by now. Afraid of angering a powerful Aes Sedai. But Lan was no ordinary man. He was a warder. HER warder. "Please."

"No." At least, she was finally giving him an answer before she took another sip and turned to their companions again.

Suddenly, Mat started to speak. "Just imagine, if Nynaeve was here. She'd spent every waking moment disagreeing with the Aes Sedai. She'd make Moiraine's life utter misery."

Apparently, the boy tried to cheer up his friends without knowing that the Aes Sedai and her warder were standing nearby. His words were quiet, but Moiraine heard him anyway. While Mat's friends started to talk to him, the woman of the Blue Ajah closed the water bag and handed it back to Lan. "I will talk to the children. We need to leave tomorrow at first light. I don't want to stay here any longer than we need to. The Trollocs are still after us."

Lan nodded, while he watched their companions. "They need to sleep."

Moiraine made a step towards the campfire when Lan was calling for her attention. "Moiraine."

Her eyes found his' and again he saw how exhausted she was. How was she even holding herself upright? His admiration for her moved through the bond, and she tilted her head questioning when she felt it, but didn't understand where this was coming from. "Don't use the One Power on them. Don't take their exhaustion. Let them sleep and allow them to regain their strength on their own."

Moiraine hesitated for a moment, but then she nodded and walked to the little campfire. The Emond's Fielder were divided in their opinions if they should trust the Aes Sedai or not. Lan hoped that they would soon see that Moiraine and he were their only hope to survive. It would make their traveling so much easier if they would come willingly. Egwene seemed to believe Moiraine, but the boys… especially Rand was very suspicious about everything Moiraine said and did. Lan had seen the look on Rand's face after the ferryman had drowned in the whirlpool. In his eyes, Moiraine had killed the man, who had helped them to cross the Taren.

Carefully, the warder watched how his Aes Sedai gave their companions the order to rest, then she returned to him. They should eat something before the night was there, although Lan knew that he wouldn't sleep tonight. Not while the Trollocs were still that close to them.