h1 style="line-height: normal;"a name="_Toc171706268"/aspan lang="EN-GB"#*#16 STONE/span/h1
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"WoTtober 2023 #16 Stone/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"Moiraine could see him holding onto one of those secret pockets hidden in his voluminous cloak. This atrociously looking thing was hiding more secrets than one could imagine, she has found since her rescue. The first being packets of her favourite tea. Thom always had at least several, able to service her if she needed it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"Now, however, he was guarding a completely different pocket. She knew it was a pocket from the way it refused to stay flat exactly. What he had inside – it wasn't very big, not by any standard, but every time Thom fingered the patch, he smiled. She would give him this secret... for now. It made him so happy even she was tempted to smile at moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"She waited until they were in the room assigned by the innkeeper before touching on the subject. "You've been allowed some time to bask in your secret," she said, "but happy as I am to. feel your happiness, I would like to know what it is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I was surprised you've lasted that long, my dear." Thom threw his coat over the lone chair and stood in front of her. "So very patient of you! He held her neck with his hand and kissed her sweetly. "I assumed you would be demanding to see it at least a week ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""You were testing me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Never, my dear. Sit." She did sit on the bed, couldn't wait. Through the bond she could feel his hesitation. He knelt before her. "I just wanted us to be far from the capital, to be truly alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"They have been on the road for two weeks. With Thom staying and playing in the inns they encountered, they hadn't made much progress, really, but such was a gleeman's life and she promised they would do this first thing. Everything was raw, but people came back home gradually and needed a touch of normalcy. Thom gave them that with happiness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""No need to be scared, my dearest Thom? She put one hand on his cheek, the other winding into his white hair. "Whatever it is, can't be that bad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"He pulled the hand from his hair and pulled it down. She kept looking at his eyes since he seemed to expect that, but her concentration slipped, when she felt stone and metal hit her palm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Oh, Thom..." She couldn't say anything else./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I hope you-"he started, but Moraine cut him off with a kiss, then another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Where did you get it?" Her notice returned to the small blue stone encased in a delicate golden chain. It was perfect, but she couldn't say a word for all the feelings overwhelming her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I know yours got lost when... It got lost and it was always such an important part of you, something I came to associate with you. I hope it doesn't bring any painful feelings."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""You know perfectly well what feelings it does bring, my dearest, dearest warder." She felt him wiping tears from her cheeks now that both his hands were free. "But..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I admit to asking Elayne for help. She directed me to an appropriate jeweller, let me use her name to make it a priority and seek in Cairhienian coffers for the right jewel-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I will have to thank her when we next see her. But you," she said, looking to Thorn from the stone, "You are the one I need to thank most, for even thinking it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"They kissed for a moment, but her heart seemed too full after a moment. She had to stop. The small dulling coldness she felt on her forehead since she was brought back called to her. With fingers proficient after years of practice she fixed her new kesiera in her hair in moments and instantly felt better. She didn't know how much she had been missing the small weight on her forehead. She was glad they were in a place people didn't know them. There was no need to pretend. She fingered the stone on her forehead once more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Come to sleep. It's late and we're both tired..." But Moraine was reluctant until he added, "You don't have to take it off, woman?" He smiled and started changing into nightclothes. Then helped her change and after she slipped under the covers after him, released a deep breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"His relaxed heartbeat lulled Moraine to sleep, with her hand still touching the stone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"WoTtober 2023 #16 Stone/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"Moiraine could see him holding onto one of those secret pockets hidden in his voluminous cloak. This atrociously looking thing was hiding more secrets than one could imagine, she has found since her rescue. The first being packets of her favourite tea. Thom always had at least several, able to service her if she needed it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"Now, however, he was guarding a completely different pocket. She knew it was a pocket from the way it refused to stay flat exactly. What he had inside – it wasn't very big, not by any standard, but every time Thom fingered the patch, he smiled. She would give him this secret... for now. It made him so happy even she was tempted to smile at moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"She waited until they were in the room assigned by the innkeeper before touching on the subject. "You've been allowed some time to bask in your secret," she said, "but happy as I am to. feel your happiness, I would like to know what it is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I was surprised you've lasted that long, my dear." Thom threw his coat over the lone chair and stood in front of her. "So very patient of you! He held her neck with his hand and kissed her sweetly. "I assumed you would be demanding to see it at least a week ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""You were testing me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Never, my dear. Sit." She did sit on the bed, couldn't wait. Through the bond she could feel his hesitation. He knelt before her. "I just wanted us to be far from the capital, to be truly alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"They have been on the road for two weeks. With Thom staying and playing in the inns they encountered, they hadn't made much progress, really, but such was a gleeman's life and she promised they would do this first thing. Everything was raw, but people came back home gradually and needed a touch of normalcy. Thom gave them that with happiness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""No need to be scared, my dearest Thom? She put one hand on his cheek, the other winding into his white hair. "Whatever it is, can't be that bad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"He pulled the hand from his hair and pulled it down. She kept looking at his eyes since he seemed to expect that, but her concentration slipped, when she felt stone and metal hit her palm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Oh, Thom..." She couldn't say anything else./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I hope you-"he started, but Moraine cut him off with a kiss, then another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Where did you get it?" Her notice returned to the small blue stone encased in a delicate golden chain. It was perfect, but she couldn't say a word for all the feelings overwhelming her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I know yours got lost when... It got lost and it was always such an important part of you, something I came to associate with you. I hope it doesn't bring any painful feelings."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""You know perfectly well what feelings it does bring, my dearest, dearest warder." She felt him wiping tears from her cheeks now that both his hands were free. "But..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I admit to asking Elayne for help. She directed me to an appropriate jeweller, let me use her name to make it a priority and seek in Cairhienian coffers for the right jewel-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""I will have to thank her when we next see her. But you," she said, looking to Thorn from the stone, "You are the one I need to thank most, for even thinking it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"They kissed for a moment, but her heart seemed too full after a moment. She had to stop. The small dulling coldness she felt on her forehead since she was brought back called to her. With fingers proficient after years of practice she fixed her new kesiera in her hair in moments and instantly felt better. She didn't know how much she had been missing the small weight on her forehead. She was glad they were in a place people didn't know them. There was no need to pretend. She fingered the stone on her forehead once more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB""Come to sleep. It's late and we're both tired..." But Moraine was reluctant until he added, "You don't have to take it off, woman?" He smiled and started changing into nightclothes. Then helped her change and after she slipped under the covers after him, released a deep breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span lang="EN-GB"His relaxed heartbeat lulled Moraine to sleep, with her hand still touching the stone./span/p