A New Player in the Game

by Teebs6

Taija Kosola was one of millions forced to fight the Shadow when the War of Power erupted around the world. The Age of Legends was coming to an end and she should have died with it, but what if instead the Forsaken found they weren't the only people who remembered the Age of Legends. Culture clash, battles with the One Power, misunderstandings and sheer loneliness.

144. The Aftermath

As usual all speech in italics is in the Old Tongue

Chapter CVII - The Aftermath

As the sound of partying echoed across the Hall late into the night, Taija was lying in bed with Tel still feeling a bit stunned. Healing severing and Taim, both in one day. What could be next? With a sigh she spun a web against eavesdropping around the room and the sound faded away. A good night's sleep would help settle her mind.

=======

One consequence of Nynaeve and Damer's discovery was that Taija needed to consider what to do about the aes sedai that she'd severed for their crimes against Eben and Noruan. It kept her up the night before, thinking about what she wanted, but obviously it wasn't just her decision. The Hall wasn't the White Tower, decisions like that required some level of consensus.

That was why the next day she was sat down with Tel, Aleksi, Nynaeve, Rand and Damer. It was lucky Rand was around actually, he was becoming quite hard to get hold of, but Taija did feel this was something that he should get a say on since he was actually a victim of their crimes, although not the one they were severed for. While Cadsuane had been one of the judges, Taija didn't invite her, the meeting wasn't judicial and it was purely the Hall's business. Damer on the other hand, despite not being aes sedai had been invited since Nynaeve insisted it was just as much his discovery as hers.

The arguments went back and forth, Taija's comrades' positions weren't what she'd necessarily expected. Rand and Tel were inclined towards mercy. Rand mostly because the Light needed every channeler available to it. Tel because he thought they should have the chance to redeem themselves, which made sense although Taija prefered not to think about that.

Aleksi on the other hand, despite his usual compassion had no sympathy. As far as he was concerned they'd made their bed and they could sleep in it. Nynaeve had a similar view, although Taija suspected it was because she'd spent so much time with Eben and Noruan trying to heal them and saw the way they suffered. Beneath her gruff exterior she was a deeply compassionate woman, but Taija supposed that was manifesting itself in a lack of sympathy for the severed aes sedai on that occasion. Damer leaned towards Rand's point of view, maybe it was his age that made him more sympathetic to the aes sedai's failings. The others, excluding Tel, really were quite young.

As for Taija, well she was torn. On balance though… Severing was a terrible fate, if those women were left as they were they'd most likely be dead soon. Was that excessive given that Eben and Noruan had been healed? Maybe. What swung it for her was Rand's arguments. She had limited sympathy for the aes sedai, they'd fucked around and they'd found out, but the Light did need every channeler that it could get. If they'd accept the same punishment as Turanna then they could be healed that was her view.

Nynaeve wasn't so against it that she was unwilling to heal them, Taija wouldn't try to force her. However, with Damer having a more moderate view it made sense for him to do it. It would also make a nice point to those aes sedai that they were only regaining their channeling by the grace of a man like the ones they'd severed.

With that proposal from Taija, the consensus was that she should make the offer, although no one was desperately enthusiastic about it.

She'd have to set up a meeting with Siuan. At least that would be one where the White Tower would probably actually like her more afterwards.

========

The next day Taija was pondering who to send to speak to Siuan when a breathless aspirant ran up with a Tower aes sedai… Maigan. She looked like she was on the verge of collapse. Not as fit as she could be clearly. As soon as Maigan saw Taija she started to talk a garble of words.

"Stop, take a breath, slow down!"

"Sorry…" She breathed deeply. "The White Tower is under attack. The Seanchan, I do not know how they reached it, but they're attacking it. Hundreds of leashed. Please, we need your help."

"Oh fuck me." Taija's mind flashed back to Falme. Had the Seanchan discovered Traveling? It didn't matter. She couldn't let the White Tower fall. Taija briefly considered whether it was a trap for her and then dismissed the idea after discretely running an inverted slicing web across Maigan. The aspirant should have done it when she arrived, but it was good to be careful. "Of course, we're coming. As soon as possible." She turned to the aspirant. "Please find Maigan sedai some water and anything else she needs."

What did Taija need? How much dud she want to take? After a moment's thought she spun a web so that her voice boomed out across the Hall. "All aes sedai and aspirants please come to the assembly hall immediately." It was nice having a proper hall to gather in now, although her little band of channelers was already starting to outgrow it. Luckily it was very easy to build bigger when one had hordes of channelers eager to practise using the Power.

Now where was Aleksi? She was going to want Callandor for this and it would be better not to have him waste time looking for it. Then Tel. He was better placed to command a big force. She'd need to leave some heavy hitters behind too. Just in case it was a distraction. She couldn't leave the Hall undefended. Fucking Seanchan.

========

Half an hour later Taija was alternating between jogging and Traveling to the edge of the Hall's anti-Traveling wards with about thirty aspirants beside her, along with Nynaeve, Aleksi and Maigan. It was a small force, but highly skilled.

In the end she needed to leave at least one full aes sedai behind to protect the Hall and Tel seemed to be the best one. She couldn't have him in charge of the rescue force without her there, given the Tower's possible reaction to him. Nynaeve Taija wanted for her healing skills. The severed aes sedai could wait, but there would no doubt be large numbers of injured people. Aleksi she wanted for Callandor. It would be a waste of Tel's capability to have him sitting at the back in a circle led by someone else, so Aleksi was a better choice there. Unfortunately with Rand and the girls away that was it for full aes sedai.

========

Taija stepped out of the gateway outside Tar Valon, already feeling for the anti-Traveling wards Siuan had no doubt put up. They were gone. Some of them anyway. She needed to be careful, she didn't want to end up in a friendly fire situation with the Tower. It was lucky the Seanchan couldn't really disguise their leashed. For a moment Taija paused, listening. She couldn't hear the sounds of battle, could it already be over?

Another more difficult consideration was that she didn't want to leave aspirants fighting on their own. It might be necessary at some point, but some of them were basically kids.

"We're going to have to go in unsubtly. Silenen, Calon, you Travel with Maigan to let them know we're coming. You're to obey her orders until the battle's over. The rest of us will Travel into Tar Valon and then make to the White Tower on foot. Nynaeve, you take the Callandor circle, keep us covered from any attacks. The rest of us will provide offensive capability. If we come under heavy attack I'll give the order to split and then we fight in small units like we trained. I'm hoping there's nothing there that can come close to stopping us while we're together though."

Everyone nodded and Maigan opened her gateway followed by Silenen and Calon. A few seconds later Taija opened her own gateway into the city, a safe distance from the Tower. As she emerged everyone was on high alert, scanning their surroundings and there was a haze in the air from whatever barrier Nynaeve had spun around them. With that in place they advanced on the worryingly quiet Tower. Passing through streets littered with the bodies of Tar Valoners.

=======

Siuan breathed a sigh of relief when Maigan stepped out of a gateway, accompanied by two young men. She had survived. Thank the Light.

She curtsied and the two young men gave deep bows. "Mother, Taija and the Hall are in Tar Valon. I fear we are too late though."

"Sadly so, the fighting is largely over. However, it was a victory. The Seanchan have fled. There are just a few hold outs and the Tower has survived." She resisted the urge to look around at the rubble and still burning fires that polluted much of the space around her.

One of the young men stepped forward and bowed again. "Mother," he hesitated slightly at the title, "Taija sedai has brought a number of skilled healers, I can fetch her to the Tower and we can also help with any hold outs."

"Thank you," Siuan resisted the urge to call him son or child. She knew the Hall did not like that and now was not the time to play games. "If you could bring her here we can coordinate better."

With a final bow he stepped away and wove a gateway.

========

When a gateway opened in front of her, Taija held up her hand, everyone coming to a halt, ready to lash out with the Power. Fortunately it was just Calon who stepped through it, hurrying up to her with a bow to explain the situation.

In no time they'd all Traveled to the Tower proper. Taija hurried over to Siuan and gave her a perfunctory bow. "Siuan, I came as fast as I could. What can we do? We're at your disposal."

Siuan gave her a relieved look. "Thank you Taija. If you have healers, Romanda is organising the efforts, send them to her. There are also a couple of places where there's still fighting going on. If you have some way of dealing with those…" She glanced at Aleksi holding Callandor.

Taija started barking orders, there was no consensus decision-making in a combat situation. "Nynaeve, drop the link with Aleksi, take the aspirants who are skilled at healing and go to Romanda. Please do whatever she asks, she'll have a better idea of the situation than we do." She paused and glanced at Siuan, "if she gives you any disrespect just… put up with it, this is too important."

Siuan's face darkened briefly. "She will not, rest assured. Maigan please accompany them and let Romanda know they are here at my request." Nynaeve gave Taija a quick bow before heading off with Maigan and about twenty of the aspirants in tow. Taija really hoped none of the aes sedai would have issues with being healed by men.

That left her, Aleksi and another ten or so of the aspirants. "So where do you want us?"

Siuan hesitated then says, "there are two places. One mansion in the city where we think a number of them have holed up and there's an annex of the Tower that they are still occupying. We are reluctant to risk more casualties attacking them when so many of us are already dead or injured."

Taija nodded at that. "How many did you lose?"

"I am not entirely sure yet, but I think around thirty aes sedai dead and some captured."

Taija winced, that was a devastating number considering the Tower's already diminished position. They'd all have lost friends. "I'm sorry Siuan. Do the remaining Seanchan have any prisoners?"

"I think the ones in the Tower have, the ones outside, I would be very surprised."

"Fine." Which one of the female aspirants was the most responsible… If she didn't trust them she wouldn't have made them aspirants, but still… No, she didn't have time to worry, efficiency was needed. "Dolena, you're to lead the link with Aleksi sedai, but he's in charge. You'll obey his orders to the letter. I'm giving you a great responsibility, don't abuse it."

The middle aged woman gave Taija a low bow. "I won't disappoint you Taija sedai."

"I know,"Taija looked them over and then pick out six more aspirants to go with them. "Aleksi, take them and deal with the mansion. Don't risk yourselves. I'll deal with the Seanchan in the Tower myself, we can't just batter them with a sa'angreal without risking their captives." Taija pointed at the last two aspirants. "You're with me, keep behind me and watch my back." Orders given, she whirled around and headed for the Tower. If the situation wasn't so serious, she'd wish she had a cloak to swirl.

==========

Aleksi stepped out of the gateway, saidin hammering through him. It was becoming a little frustrating always acting as the battery for Callandor. He understood the reasoning. He was one of the few people trusted to hold the sa'angreal and it was dangerous to use outside a circle. However, rationality didn't erase all of the frustration. Oh well. He knew his duty and there would no doubt be more aes sedai who could take his place soon enough.

Several aes sedai huddled behind cover, occasionally poking their heads out to throw a fireball at a scarred, ornately decorated house.

Dolena already had a barrier of invisible air up, using saidin. Excellent. She'd been a good choice. "Keep the barrier up, let's make this dramatic." He strode over to the aes sedai, not bothering to take cover, Callandor blazing on his hip. Several fireballs shot out from the mansion and spattered against the barrier to no effect.

He gave the three aes sedai a short bow. "I'm here from the Hall of Servants, my name is Alek…"

"I know who you are," the aes sedai interrupted him rudely. "We are glad you are here, any help you can provide will be gratefully received." Given those words he decided not to be offended at the interruption.

He glanced at the mansion. "Are there any innocents inside and do you care whether you get the Seanchan alive or not?"

She glanced at the glowing crystal sword on his belt and then back up at him. Was that a smile? It was always hard to tell with Tower aes sedai and her face was covered in dirt and blood. "They have been killing everyone they could find, there are likely no innocents left there, except the damane of course. If you can, it would be better to take them alive, but if not I believe few tears will be shed."

"Fine." Aleksi gestured with his head to Dolena. "Let's go." They both walked out in front of the the mansion, blasts of the Power sparking against the barrier she had woven. "Take it down, gently."

Dolena drew on saidin through him, mixing it with unseen saidar. Callandor blazed brighter. In front of them the mansion started to come apart. Flagstone by flagstone, but with terrifying speed, it almost seemed to unravel as Dolena deconstructed it from the top down, stacking piles of detritus beside it. As she worked Seanchan were revealed and bound in air, shielded where necessary. With the amount of saidin available through Callandor the Seanchan's attempts at stopping her were about as effective as a toddler trying to overpower a fully grown man. A couple of minutes later, with nothing left of the mansion, Aleksi turned away and returned to the aes sedai with a small bow.

"Your prisoners." He gestured behind him at the bound Seanchan.

=========

Taija followed the aes sedai assigned to lead her to where the Seanchan were holding out, pondering her options. They'd said that some of the leashed were quite strong, but it seemed that the anti-Traveling wards were still in place over this annex, so they couldn't Travel away like the rest of the surviving Seanchan. She had to wonder how many leashed the Seanchan had thrown at the Tower, it seems to have been a devastating battle.

She quickly reached the area, there were a few aes sedai around, although they didn't seem to be doing much to try to defeat the remaining Seanchan. She supposed if they were trapped there then there wasn't much point in the aes sedai risking their lives to try to get rid of them. Better to let them stew. Fortunately Taija was a bit more capable.

This wasn't going to be something for the aspirants though. "You two stay back with the aes sedai. If I need help I'll shout."

Taija got a quick briefing on the layout inside and where they thought the Seanchan were in the rooms ahead of you. She'd need to be careful. She really didn't want to kill any captured aes sedai and she'd rather not kill any of the leashed. It wasn't their fault. She'd killed more than she really wanted to in Falme and while she didn't think she could have done anything differently, that didn't mean she didn't sometimes wake up in the night thinking of them.

Taija cast those thoughts out of her mind, it wasn't the time. She'd passed under the limits of the remaining anti-Traveling wards already. So she could just use a gateway to get amongst them, but without line of sight that was a lot harder. She could just walk in and trust that she could take anything they could throw at her, but that was a bit risky. Taija expected she could, but the last thing she wanted to find was multiple leashed in there who could match her for strength. That left shock and awe.

No time like the present, Taija glanced round the corner, saw empty corridor, scarred with potshots taken from both sides. Great.

"Cover your ears." She waited a second and then spun a gateway, sending another web through it to go off as it closed. She didn't see the flash of light round the corner, but the thunderous crash of the explosion shook the walls around her. Taija was already moving, round the corner and then sprinting.

A leashed and leash holder staggered out into view, bleeding from their ears. Taija lashed out with the Power. The collar came open, a shield forced into place on the leashed and air around both.

She skidded into the first room. Clear! The room across the corridor's door was shut. It crumpled in front of her. That one was clear too. Forward!

Taija ducked a razor sharp web of air, fire following it. Crude and slow. She sliced the following webs, hooked an inverted web of air round the leashed's feet and pulled them out from under her. Her collar came off in mid air and Taija had her shielded and bound before she hits the ground next to her leash holder.

In front of Taija the final two stepped out, they were quite strong. Maybe on Egwene or Elayne's level. They were also slow, responding to commands from the leash holders. Seconds later it was all over. In less than a minute Taija was helping a weeping, captured aes sedai to her feet muttering comforting words to her as she led her back out.

========

Samitsu shook her head. "She is too far gone, I cannot help her." As she straightened up Romanda sighed. If Samitsu could not do it then no one could.

"Stop! What are you doing?" She resisted the urge to sigh as Nynaeve, the wilder runaway shouldered her way in.

"We cannot spend the effort on someone who will not survive. There are too many wounded."

The girl just gave her a look and came closer. "I'll be the judge of that thank you very much." She looked down at the aes sedai who lay there, pale from loss of blood, a deep gash across her belly and one of her legs missing above the knee. The light of saidar never lit up around Nynaeve, but then a storm of threads came out in a weave of incredible complexity. All five elements coming together in an explosion of saidar. In front of Romanda's eyes flesh knit together, colour returned to the injured woman's cheeks. It was impossible. Not that the wounds could be healed, but that it could be done without killing her.

"How…?" That was Samitsu, Romanda wanted to echo her. "Did Taija teach you that?"

Nynaeve gave her an annoyed look, "no she's a terrible healer, this is all mine." She ignored Samitsu's gasp and hurried over to another injured person. This time a Tower servant.

Samitsu started to follow and then headed for another one of the wounded, but she could not resist calling over her shoulder, "you must teach me!"

Nynaeve ignored her and Romanda realised that she too was neglecting her duties and moved on. All of the channeling she had been doing today was very much wearing on her, but if she rested people would die.

The next one she came across was another aes sedai, one of the Tower's few surviving reds. She was about to shake her head and move on when she reminded herself that Nynaeve was here. "Nynaeve sedai," she made herself add the title, she had heard the Hall could be prickly about it, "would you be able to…" She hated to admit weakness, but these people's lives were more important than petty pride.

"Just Nynaeve is fine for you. Damer, could you help her please."

"Of course Nynaeve sedai." The grizzled, ageing man hurried over, Nynaeve was busy healing someone else, but she must have felt Romanda's scepticism because she spoke without looking back at her. "Damer is as good as I am, he might be better, I'd trust him with my life."

Maybe better? Surely that was not possible. The man gave her a small bow, "Romanda sedai." His attention was already on the injured woman lying in front of them. A moment later her wounds began to knit together, with none of the signs of the stress caused by the White Tower's healing. Had Nynaeve, an aes sedai by the Hall's measure, no an aes sedai in truth, just suggested a man who was not even aes sedai might be better than her? That was madness, you did not say such things to accepted, or aspirants or whatever he was.

"How are you doing that? You will tell me!" Samitsu was suddenly in front of Damer staring up at him. "I will do whatever you ask, bear your children, but you will explain exactly what you did!"

"Samitsu!" Romanda could sympathise with the sentiment, but there were people to heal.

========

Taija ended up staying the night in the White Tower, sending one of the aspirants back to the Hall to let Tel know what was going on. There was just so much to do. Those that could heal were exhausting themselves with all of the work. Those who couldn't heal were working on rebuilding. All around her aes sedai who were probably half dead from exhaustion were doing their best to clear things up, help the injured and rebuild what they could. How could she do anything but stay and help?

There were Seanchan prisoners. Terrified leashed who were demanding to have their collars returned. Angry leash holders shouting abuse and even a few soldiers. Taija left them to Siuan, they weren't her problem.

She did send another message to Tel asking him to send the older more experienced initiates the next morning. She wouldn't want them working unsupervised, but they could do construction work and provide strength through circles for the healers. The number of injured Tar Valoners was huge, on top of all of the injuries to people directly involved in the battle.

It was late in the night when Taija decided it was time for her and the Hall's party to rest. Siuan looked dead on her feet, but as Taija headed inside she called her over. Someone had taken the time to find a gigantic banner with the Flame of Tar Valon on it and hung it from the Tower. Taija would have called it a waste of time when there was so much work to do, but there was a certain poignancy to it hanging there. The Tower still stood, after the Forsaken, the Black Ajah and now the Seanchan. It was just a pity that she didn't overly like what the Tower had stood for. But then its current leadership were so much more tolerable than the average Tower aes sedai and maybe their general attitude would improve over time. Sometimes people just needed time to adapt.

When Taija came over Siuan pulled out a small flask from somewhere in her dress, unscrewed it and took a deep swig before passing it to her. Taija took a sniff and then raised her eyebrows at Siuan.

"I didn't know you drank."

"I do not. Not normally, but when your ship has survived a storm…"

Taija shrugged, took a swig and immediately start coughing. "Fuck me, how strong is that?!" She took another smaller sip, ignoring Siuan's small smile when she passed it back.

"I just wanted to thank you for coming. While the battle was largely over by the time you reached here, without your assistance far more aes sedai would be dead. Many of them owe their lives to you."

Taija shrugged slightly awkwardly. "Of course I came. Just because we don't see eye to eye on some things doesn't mean we have to be enemies. The only true enemy is the Shadow."

"Well said." The two of them spent a silent moment staring at the night sky.

"So how bad was it in the end?"

"Forty two dead or missing aes sedai. More warders and hundreds of guards, civilians and servants."

Taija hissed. "That's… a lot. What about the accepted and novices?"

"One accepted died guarding the bridge, other than that they all survived."

That was a relief at least. "How many of them did you get?"

"It is hard to say, we estimate perhaps five hundred leashed attacked the Tower. We have found more than three hundred bodies and have captured almost twenty of them." There was a certain pride overlaying the sadness in her voice. "We sent them running back to their masters."

"Yes," Taija nodded. "You won this battle decisively. But even the greatest of victories hurt when it's your friends and comrades dying to achieve them." She couldn't quite keep all of the sadness out of her voice. Antero's last words echoed through your head. The last thing she heard in her own time, one of her best friends desperately shouting them before he died.

Siuan glanced at her. "Yes you of all people would understand that. To absent friends." She took another swig and passed Taija the flask.

"We'll never see their like again." Taija took a sip of her own.

=======

In the end Taija stayed in the Tower for three days, with a large party of aspirants and initiates helping. Her strength with earth and her angreal helped and she spent some time teaching some of the webs she knew for shaping and strengthening stone to the Tower aes sedai. With circles providing strength it already looked somewhat recovered from the devastating battle.

Taija had discussed it with Siuan and agreed that it would be the last day before she headed back to the Hall. There'd be plenty more to discuss in the near future, including what to do about the Seanchan, but she had her own affairs to deal with.

If the Seanchan had Traveling something would need to be done to prevent a repeat of their attack. One thing they'd both agreed on already was a faster communication system. Someone capable of Traveling waiting at the edge of each of their respective wards ready to immediately go to the other's home to ask for help if needed. All it would take was a flare of the right colour being sent up from the Tower or Hall and off theydl go.

Really after this Taija felt much better about the Tower. It was hard for the Tower aes sedai to keep up their haughtiness when they were exhausted and her people were helping them to rebuild their home. It was also hard for her to dislike them as much when she was there with them at such a bad time.

Before it was time to leave Taija just had one more thing to discuss with Siuan. She took her aside, pulling her away from a group pushing stone back into place in the Tower's walls.

"I wanted to tell you, Nynaeve and Damer have worked out how to heal severing."

"Excuse me?"

Taija repeated herself, trying hard not to look smug. "We have healed severing."

"So Eben and Noruan…"

She nodded. "Yes." Well . She'd never seen Siuan look this stunned before. "We've also discussed the aes sedai that we severed as punishment. We're willing to heal them as a gesture of good will."

Siuan's eyes widened and Taija quickly added, "subject to a few conditions."

Siuan sighed. "Of course, what are they?"

"Nothing unreasonable. They agree to accept the same punishment as Turanna, they're tested for being darkfriends with the oath rod and they'll be healed by Damer."

"By Damer, not Nynaeve?" Of course Siuan jumped on that one.

Taija wasn't going to say Nynaeve didn't want to. "They were severed because they couldn't accept that the taint has been cleansed and hurt innocent men. If they can't accept healing from a man then they won't be healed."

Siuan have her a long look. "Very well. Those are reasonable conditions. They will be presented to them." She paused, "actually, there was one aes sedai who was stilled during the battle, we had thought it was impossible, but if you can…"

"Oh. Yes. Of course! No conditions! I think Nynaeve's over there. Let's grab her and go now!"

=======

Alivia followed the crowd of people through the city's gates. She didn't really feel that she fit in there. She stood out in her simple grey dress, stained with dirt and burn marks from the battle. Everyone else was dressed neatly, either in simple brown wool or in more colourful wool or silk. Still, hardly anyone looked at her. She wanted to cringe whenever anyone did. They would know she was, had been, damane. They might tell her to go back to the sul'dam. She wasn't ready for that yet. She wanted to experience freedom first. Just for a little while before she was sent back. Someone jostled into her and scowled at her, she looked down and muttered a profuse apology. To her surprise they were gone a moment later.

The city had so many sights and sounds for her to see. It was nothing like Seandar. Much dirtier, far smaller, but it was still hugely exciting. To be able to walk wherever she wanted, without being directed, without having to keep her eyes on the ground. There were no punishments here when she stopped to admire a hawker's wares. No one tugged on her leash to move her along when she decided she wanted to walk slowly.

She wasn't sure how long she walked for, gawking at her surroundings before she realised she was actually very hungry. She'd been fed by Erulin in the World of Dreams, but it had been some time since then. She would need to find something to eat. This presented something of a dilemma. Her sul'dam had always made sure that she was well fed. Nothing particularly tasty, unless she deserved a treat, but plenty of good healthy food to maintain her. But there were no sul'dam here. Was that a problem with freedom? What did normal people do? She tried to think back to her childhood, but it was so long ago…

What did people do here? There were lots of stalls with delicious smelling food. People lined up, they talked, and then the stall holders gave them food. She had even seen her sul'dam do that on occasion, although obviously that food was not for damane. But she wasn't damane right now, was she? Maybe that was a solution.

She turned her eyes towards a stall selling some delicious smelling roast meat. That one had a long queue. Did that mean it was good? It smelt good. After a moment's thought she joined the queue. Hopefully the stallholder wouldn't realise she was damane and would still give her food.

It took a little while to make her way to the front of the queue, her stomach rumbling as she went, but finally she was there. She looked over the man's goods and then did her best to meet his eyes, eventually settling on somewhere around his collar bone. "I would like two of those please." She pointed at skewers of meat cooking over his fire.

He looked at her, a hint of contempt in his eyes. "That'll be two silver pennies."

Silver pennies? What were those? She looked around in confusion, not sure what to say. Was that a free person thing? She didn't remember anything about pennies from when she was a child, although it was all a bit foggy, but she was sure her parents just gave her food.

Maybe she should ask? She didn't want to reveal her ignorance, but the man was clearly getting impatient. "What's a silver penny?"

There was a moment of stunned silence and then someone behind her started laughing. The stallholder however was not amused. "Get out of here wench! I don't have time for beggars. Go! Before I call the guards!"