Tired, Lan stretched his head from one side to the other. He had been standing outside of Moiraine's bedroom for hours. It wasn't long anymore until dawn, but his Aes Sedai was still not back from her trip with Siuan. Lan hoped that she wouldn't forget the time. Today would be a difficult day, and everyone was watching her.

Suddenly, Lan gasped when Moiraine opened their bond, and her presence returned in his mind just like her feelings. `Finally.´ He hated it whenever she was masking their bond. It was as if he wasn't complete without her.

The Warder felt Moiraine's confirmation through their bond. She was practically urging him to go to bed and get some sleep. In a few hours, they had to prepare for their departure. Lan rolled his shoulders, while he moved down the corridor. He couldn't wait to close his eyes. These past days… Lan stopped midway when he noticed that something felt wrong with Moiraine. Usually, when she returned from a night with Siuan, she was filled with joy and satisfaction. But tonight… `There is a certain numbness to her feelings.´ Why wasn't she happy? She had been looking forward to tonight. He had seen it on her face. In her smile when he had ordered her to be back before dawn, and in her eyes when he had told her to give Siuan his love. What had happened since then?

Since there was only one way to find out, Lan turned around and went back to Moiraine's bedroom. He didn't knock when he entered – he never did that. Moiraine knew that he was coming anyway. She felt him getting closer.

"I'm back. Now, get some sleep."

His Aes Sedai lay curled up on her bed, which was also very unusual for her, and her voice sounded muffled. He closed the door behind him and walked over to her bed. Moiraine hugged one of her pillows tightly, while she hid her face in the linen. Lan dove into their bond. There had to be something, which she was hiding from him. A suppressed feeling…

"Stop this, immediately. Go and leave me alone."

Of course, she felt him searching, but Lan wasn't the kind of man, who gave up so easily. Instead of obeying, he kept searching, while he sat down on her bed. His fingers moved gently through her dark brown locks, and she shivered.

"Don't." Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. And light, she sounded broken.

Softly, he pressed his lips against her temple then his other hand found the pillow's fabric and pulled it slowly out of her grasp.

"Please." Another painful plea, but Lan wouldn't give in to it. He needed to hear the full story or he wouldn't be able to help her.

Suddenly, Moiraine released her grip on the pillow. Since Lan was still pulling at it, he nearly threw it across the room before he was able to stop himself. Meanwhile, she turned around and got back on her feet. `No, you don't do that.´, Lan thought to himself, while he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back to him.

He was surprised when his Aes Sedai fought like hell to free herself from his grip, but she couldn't hide the tears on her cheeks. Lan's heart ached when he saw his strong and brave Aes Sedai like that. What had happened between her and Siuan?

Well, whatever it was, Moiraine wasn't ready to talk about it. But he could still be there for her. The Warder pulled the crying woman against his chest to minimize the room to fight against him and embraced her tightly. Carefully, he allowed himself to lay down on her bed, and she had no other choice but to follow him. His lips found her forehead, and Lan pressed soft kisses on her skin. `You're not alone, Moiraine. I'm here for you.´

She started to tremble when he sent her his calm feelings and his strength. So, Lan added his love for her, and then she finally started to cry.

Lan didn't know for how long he was just holding his Aes Sedai until her tears finally stopped falling. She still hadn't said anything, and he wasn't pushing her. All he wanted was for her to know that he was by her side. No matter what.

Moiraine's fingers started moving over his chest until her hand stopped over his heart. The Warder noticed that his Aes Sedai was adjusting her breathing to his to calm herself. So, he rubbed soothing circles on her back to help her.

"Siuan will exile me." Lan stiffened at her whispered words. Siuan would… But why?!

"For what reason?" His voice was calm, though his grip on her became tighter. How could Siuan do this to Moiraine? How could she do this to the woman she loved?

"Maigan wants me in the tower permanently."

"There must be another way."

"It was my suggestion."

Lan sighed heavily, and his anger faded. It wasn't Siuan's fault. His own Aes Sedai had brought this over herself. "Oh, Moiraine. What did Siuan say?"

"She didn't like it. But we have to bring the Dragon to the Eye of the World. I can't be stuck in here."

"Moiraine…"

But the woman of the Blue Ajah didn't want to talk about her exile anymore. She focused on planning their next steps. "When the sun is rising, you need to find the Ogier, who had been with Nynaeve. There is a Waygate close by, which we could use to travel faster."

"And you think he will agree to join us?"

"I will think about something."

"Is there anything else I can do?"

"Check on Mat. I wanna know about his condition. He carried the dagger for quite a while."

Lan nodded then he pressed his lips against her forehead one last time and loosened his grip to leave the bed. Moiraine's fingers grasped his tunic and kept him from moving.

"Don't.", she whispered "The sun won't rise for hours. And you have been standing watch the whole night. Get some sleep."

"Well, my bed is…"

"Stay." This time, her pleading eyes found his, and Lan saw the sadness, that she had tried to hide from him. He couldn't leave her. Not in her condition. Not when she was suffering because of her own plan.

Gently, he took her hand and guided it to his mouth. He kissed each of her fingers. "Come here."

Moiraine only hesitated for a second then she moved closer to him until her head lay on his chest. Lan placed her hand back over his heart and covered her small hand with his own.

"How is Siuan?"

"I remember that I told you to sleep."

"I would rather hear about your night since you had masked our bond."

"Would you prefer that I keep it open?"

His free hand grabbed one of her locks, and his fingers started to play with it. "Yes."

Surprised, Moiraine raised an eyebrow questionably. This hadn't been her first night with Siuan, and in the past, Lan had always wanted her to mask their bond.

Lan sighed when he noticed Moiraine's questioning look. "I hate it whenever you mask our bond. I don't like it not to know how you feel. If you're in danger or… worse. Especially, after what had happened the past few months."

Understanding, Moiraine nodded. She knew exactly what her Warder meant. Although it had been her, who had masked the bond without warning him, it had been a shock to her when his presence had disappeared from her mind. The feeling of Lan dying was still a constant companion in her thoughts. There had been no words of how relieved she had been when Lan had entered her bedroom a few hours ago before she had left her bedroom to see Siuan.

Being with Siuan had helped her to forget her worries for a few hours. But Lan hadn't been so lucky. He had stood watch in front of her bedroom, protecting her secret.

"Since we're leaving Tar Valon tomorrow, there will be no reason to mask the bond again while we're here."

"You won't see Siuan again?"

Moiraine thought about her next words. "Not alone. She wants to meet Nynaeve and Egwene."

"And you think it's a good idea to bring Nynaeve to the Amyrlin Seat? The woman, who hates Aes Sedai?"

"Don't worry. I warned Siuan about her sharp tongue and her… terrible opinion of Aes Sedai. Siuan just wants to talk to them. When they return, they will become Novices."

Lan noticed that Moiraine was only talking about the return of the women. They both knew about the prophecy that everyone, who would come between the Dark One and the Dragon would die. That would include Moiraine and Lan, who would accompany the Dragon to the Eye of the World.

Anger moved through Lan's veins, and he pulled his Aes Sedai even closer to him. Just the thought of her dying turned his stomach upside down. He was her Warder. Her protector. Lan would gladly die during battle if it would save Moiraine's life. But right now, they didn't even know who of the Emond's Fielder was the Dragon. It could be anyone.

"Today will be a tough day. Let's rest for a few hours." Lan whispered and kissed her forehead.

Moiraine, who felt his anger and knew exactly where it was coming from, opened herself and sent her love through the bond. She was thankful to have Lan by her side. She couldn't ask for a better Warder.

She smiled when Lan did the same and showed her his love for her. Then they closed their eyes and lay there in silence, while the time for their departure was getting closer.