As usual all speech in italics is in the Old Tongue.

Interlude XXIV - Two Forsaken and an Aes Sedai Walk into a Bar

Moiraine kept her face schooled in its usual mask of calm composure as she made her way past the two Aiel maidens standing guard into Rand's room.

He was staring at the wall, clearly brooding. He had been doing far too much of that recently.

After a moment she broke the silence. "Thank you for taking the time to see me Rand." She gave him a very small curtsy. He had grown up so much since she first met him in Emond's Field. A far stronger, harder man than he had been. She was not sure she liked all the ways he had changed, but it was what it was.

"Yes, what is it Moiraine? It's late, so please could you make it quick."

He would never have dared to speak to her like that before Tear. "I wanted to speak to you about Taija, she…"

He cut her off angrily. "Not you too! Like I said to Edram, I'll apologise to her tomorrow. Now was that all?"

Moiraine did not allow her surprise to show. "I was not coming to ask you to apologise to her, although if you have wronged her then of course you should."

Rand blinked, "then what about her?"

Moiraine took a breath, this was going to be delicate she would have to reveal at least some of what she knew. "Today, after she had shown you and Edram what she had achieved with the taint, he spoke to her and she came away in great distress. She does try not to show it, but we both know she can be less than adept at covering up her emotions. You need to control that man better around her. I had been sceptical about her efforts, but now, well if she can succeed at what she is doing with the taint then it will transform the world, transform things for you. Nothing can be allowed to interfere with that."

"You think I don't know that?" Rand gave a frustrated growl. "You think I don't feel the taint every… Wait, you know Edram can channel?"

Moiraine gave him a serene nod. "Yes Rand. I know he can channel and more than that too. You need to be careful around that man. I cannot say I approve, but I can understand the need."

"You know…?"

"Tel Janin, yes?"

"Don't say that name out loud!" Rand grimaced and ran his hand through his hair. "I've no idea how you know, always poking your nose into my business! Look, the truth is, I think I can trust him. Light burn me, but I think I can. I didn't at first, but since he came here… The way he came here… He's taught me everything he knows and when the Forsaken attacked here, he took a sword blow for me. He didn't need to, he had no way of knowing Nynaeve would reach him in time. I don't understand it, not really, but he truly does seem to have had a change of heart."

Moiraine was sceptical, but that was not why she was here. "Be that as it may, you need to rein him in around Taija. You know their history and you know the pressure she is under, you of all people must understand pressure."

"I understand Moiraine I do, but…" Rand sighed, "in this case it was my fault. I said something I shouldn't have to her. Something deeply unpleasant, I didn't mean to, but it just came out. I think Edram was trying to comfort her, but either way I've already had a lecture from him on my behaviour."

That was not what she had expected him to say, not that she would show it. "Very well then, I shall not repeat it. I shall trust your judgment about Edram, much as his presence here worries me. Just do not let your guard down too far. One does not become one of the Forsaken without betraying everything that is good in the world. Most importantly, do not allow him to associate with Taija. If she finds out about him, I fear it will break her."

"I know! Believe me I know! So does Edram. For what it's worth, he really has done his best to avoid her."

"Very well Rand, I shall allow you your sleep. Tomorrow morning we can continue your lessons on Andoran politics."

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Moghedien stepped out of her gateway, back in the Waste yet again. The Great Lord knew she hated this place, but needs must. Of course she looked nothing like herself, instead transformed into a woman of the so-called Dedicated, all red hair and cotton clothing. It would have broken the Dedicated to Peace's hearts if they'd seen what had become of their descendants. She smiled briefly to herself, it was rather amusing in fact.

Of course her amusement didn't show on her face once she started to make her way through Cold Rocks Hold. Long experience helped her to avoid close encounters with anyone and in the evening gloom she had little fear of any of these barbarians thinking she didn't belong.

Of course she'd checked her apparent outfit with one her servants here. It would be foolish to have her presence revealed because of an avoidable error. Blending in was key. Look at what had happened to Asmodean! Leave the arrogance to the other Chosen, she knew her limits and in many ways that was her strength.

There weren't many people around at this time in the evening, which was just as she'd intended it, but there were still some. Moghedien suppressed a wince when she saw Taija Kosola stride past, muttering to herself about something. She was likely the most dangerous person here for her. Not the strongest of course, that would be Lews Therin, but if anyone was likely to recognise Moghedien's presence it would be her.

While Taija Kosola hadn't been particularly well known in the Second Age, it was Moghedien's business to know everything there was to know about forces of the Light and one thing she was sure of was that she wanted no part of a fight with that woman.

They'd met once in fact. In the Hall of the Servants, one of many drinks receptions. She'd seemed so empty headed, or maybe better to say a head full of useless ideas, a true ivory tower academic. Lillien Moiral as Moghedien had been known then, had disliked her immediately. She'd always preferred the more practically minded. The Great Lord only knew how the woman had transformed herself into such a dangerous fighter. It wasn't like she was any stronger in the Power. In fact they were very closely matched on paper. However, Moghedien was under no illusion how that particular fight would turn out.

It was probably Sammael's fault, he'd likely bashed the clouds out of her silly little head. They truly had been inseparable until Taija Kosola's early demise.

That had been the result of one of Moghedien's earlier intelligence coups in fact. Not that she'd been targeting Taija Kosola in particular of course, she wasn't that significant, but Ishamael had been there because of Moghedien. All because she'd been able to identify the weaknesses in the Light's forces there, a perfect point at which to apply pressure. The collapse in their lines had definitely helped her standing among the Chosen.

Anyway she had more important things to do than worry herself about ghosts from the past.

It didn't take long to find her first contact. A tall man in the white of the sworn to peace. With a thought, she reached out and tweaked the inverted web layered over his mind and he gave a start, looking at her wide-eyed.

"Excellent, now tell me everything of importance that has happened since I was last here." She still had four other people to speak to, intelligence gathering was so much more tedious in this time when she lacked a network of lesser channelers to do the grunt work for her.

"Great mistress," he looked adoringly at her, speaking quickly out of eagerness to tell her everything he knew. "The Chief of Chiefs is planning to go to the Golden Bowl next week. He has had an argument of some sort with the aes sedai Taija, although I do not know what about." He looked like he wanted to cry at the admission of ignorance. "I also think Edram, his swordmaster, may be able to channel."

Oh now that was interesting. Perhaps that would be enough to trade with Mesaana for some of her pet aes sedai. Moghedien leaned in, a predatory smile gracing her lips. "You have done well. Tell me more about this Edram."

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Rahvin stalked back and forth in what he now considered to be his throne room, fuming. His men still hadn't found that bitch Morgase. He'd announced her death, of course, but it was deeply inconvenient to his plans. Worse, it was an insult to him. That she'd outwitted him. An ignorant barbarian from this time, and a woman too.

Even with his compulsion she still hadn't known her place. With a growl he threw himself into a chair. This was messing with his focus. He was losing his energy.

The Lady Rosua, head of some Andoran house or other, immediately fluttered over to him in concern at his obvious annoyance. "My Lord Gaebril, you look tired, let me comfort you." She leant in, her dress exposing a generous amount of cleavage and started to rub his shoulders through the tight material of his black shirt.

It was pleasant, but not what he wanted. He wanted that whore Morgase back in his bed. Not because she was anything special, he'd had better, but because she'd defied him. She needed to learn her proper place.

She was probably dead though. Lying in some gully unable to survive in the wilderness like the weak woman that she was. No one would help her after the mess she'd made of the realm after all.

He needed to think, to come up with a solution. Men weren't just there for their muscle after all, they had the strategic minds necessary for success in the world and his was certainly sharper than most.

He'd lost his pet queen and that was causing him problems, both for his self-actualisation and also for his political position. What could he do to deal with that?

Of course the solution came to him quickly once he'd devoted some of his considerable brainpower to it. Morgase had a daughter, a great beauty by all accounts, all the better.

She could solve his political problems and even be an upgrade on her mother. No doubt she'd even be more biddable given her age.

Moghedien had been hinting that she had information on the girl. It would likely cost him some concessions, but he could live with that. Of the female Chosen, ridiculous concept as that was, Moghedien must be the least offensive. At least she realised her place was at the back, skulking in the shadows, not in a man's place trying to lead.