Lews Therin Telamon stretched out on the bed, his mind set on the task ahead. Today is the day, he thought. Do or die, today we seal the bore. A sense of calm spread through his body, as it always did before his appearances, whether on the battlefield or the political stage. He rolled onto his side, feeling the bed's unusual discomfort and hardness, and reached out to embrace Ilyena, only to find that she had already risen.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he sat up. "Ilyena!" he called out. "Where are you? We need to replace this bed, it..." His words trailed off as he looked around the room in surprise. A sweet girl's head, with brown hair in a braid and large brown eyes, appeared in front of his face. She had a worried expression, and her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.
"Rand, oh... Rand, I didn't think you would survive. Nynaeve did everything she could," she said, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.
She spoke in a language he had never heard before, yet he understood every word. Strangely, it felt as though some part of him also knew the girl.
"Where is Ilyena?" Lews asked cautiously.
"Please, Rand, lie down. You're delirious," she urged. She doesn't understand me, he thought as he lay back on the hard bed.
"I'll get your father and some food," the girl said, hurrying out.
Is this a dream, or did I die in the attack on the Dark One and am somehow reborn? No, then I shouldn't have memories from a previous life. He sank into a meditation exercise to examine his subconscious. After a while, he found a part of it that seemed tied to the body. When Lews reached out to it, memories and impressions flooded in. This truly was Rand al'Thor, the farm boy the girl—Egwene—had been worried about. I... Lews Therin Telamon, trapped in a farm boy's body.
Lews summoned the Void. "Damn!" he screamed, grabbing and throwing a nearby vase against a wall as he realized saidin was not there. In anger, he threw aside the blankets, confirming his fears. This was indeed another man's body, though tall and well-built.
The door suddenly burst open, and a short, beautiful woman with dark brown hair and large blue eyes glided into the room. She wore a blue dress with silver embroidery, and an exquisite blue stone hung from a chain on her forehead. As she approached, he noticed her ageless face, marking her a binder bound criminal.
"Why are you screaming? Has something happened?" she asked, her expression indifferent as she regarded his now-naked body. At the same time, Egwene entered, carrying a tray with food and drink.
"Your father will come as soon as the meeting..." she abruptly stopped, her face turning bright red, and she quickly turned around. "Rand..." she gasped.
Lews delved into Rand's memories to ensure his language would be accurate. The boy seemed to have a somewhat rude and unpolished manner of speech. What could one expect from a country bumpkin? "I am terribly sorry. I suddenly felt very hot and did not think at all. I will, of course, cover myself immediately, if you will excuse me."
He began to get up, but the woman in the blue dress elegantly lifted and placed the blankets over Lews' naked body, simultaneously placing a hand on his chest and pushing him back onto the bed. "You should rest. Such a fall could have taken your life," she said firmly. Best to play along until I know more about her.
"I have healed you, and it makes you both tired and hungry. Eat now, and we'll talk more tomorrow," she instructed, gliding out of the room. Egwene placed the tray on a table beside the bed.
"I have to help my mother, but I'll come up again later. Your father will probably come soon." She gave him another hug and then hurried out, closing the door gently behind her. Lews did feel hungry, but he could no longer keep his eyes open. What kind of crude healing is this, making me tired and hungry? He drifted off to sleep, pondering his strange new reality.