I received a request to extend the flashback from story F, so I wrote two more chapters for "Really listen".
A hot bath helps in every situation.
Together, Moiraine and Lan returned Stepin to his tent and made him as comfortable as possible for the night. Once they were done, a Warder from one of Moiraine's Green Sisters appeared to take over, giving Lan the chance to get some sleep.
When the Aes Sedai and Warder returned to their own tent, they seemed calm as always. Lan walked one step behind Moiraine, keeping an eye on their surroundings. The sudden appearance of Logain's army had made the Warders oversensitive to further possible attacks. No one wanted a repetition of that fight.
Shortly before Moiraine and Lan entered their tent, Nynaeve crossed their path, glaring at Moiraine like she could erase the Cairhien woman like that.
Luckily, Lan's Aes Sedai was too tired to argue with the young woman and simply disappeared through the entrance of their tent, leaving Lan with the furious Wisdom. But Lan was also too tired to listen to Nynaeve's endless tirades about Moiraine's terrible character, so he wished her a good night, then followed his bondholder inside.
The Cairhien woman raised an eyebrow in surprise when the Malkieri followed her so quickly. Obviously, she hadn't expected that.
"What?" Lan asked in amusement while taking off his belts.
"I…." Moiraine shook her head, then rubbed her hands over her face. "Never mind."
Quietly, the uncrowned king of Malkier stepped behind the Cairhien woman and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close against him. Moiraine sighed with a smile on her lips, tilting her head backward until it rested on Lan's shoulder and placing her hands over his. Their bond lit up with the love they felt for each other, and for a few moments, they forgot the world around them and simply enjoyed the close contact. It was their little moment of peace.
The Malkieri moved his nose from the woman's ear over her soft cheek and then to her exposed throat. His lips felt the strong, beating pulse under her skin. Alive. Moiraine was alive. Light, it felt so good to have her in his arms!
"What do you think about a hot bath?"
Moiraine stiffened, then turned her head until she could look at him. "Is that your way of telling me nicely that I stink?"
Lan chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Silly one. This is me, asking you nicely if you'd like a hot bath to relax after riding on horseback for days."
Carefully, the Aes Sedai watched her Warder, listening to the bond. When she was satisfied with what she had found, she turned her head away. "There is only one bathtub for the entire camp."
"I remember."
"We didn't inform anyone that we would like to reserve it for tonight."
"Which doesn't mean that it is reserved. I didn't hear anyone talking about using it tonight. Actually, it's used very seldom by anyone if we're honest."
Moiraine opened her mouth, then sighed in frustration. Lan was right. The bathtub had barely been used in the last few weeks. It was highly possible that it wasn't used tonight, either. But did she want to ask Lan to leave and get it?
"Would you like a hot bath?" Lan asked gently.
"That thing is heavy, and we don't know where it is right now."
"That wasn't the question." The Malkieri brought his mouth closer to the Cairhien woman's ear, tickling her with his hot breath. "Would you like a hot bath?"
Moiraine shivered. The thought of a calming, hot bath was… "Yes," she sighed. "That would be wonderful."
Contently, the uncrowned king of Malkier pressed a kiss on the back of her head, then released her. "Good. Then I will go and get it."
"Lan…" Moiraine started and tried to stop him, but the man from the Borderlands was faster.
"I'll be back." Smiling, Lan left the tent, feeling Moiraine's frustration through the bond. He would ensure that his bondholder would get the opportunity to relax.
Finding the bathtub was easy. As Moiraine and Lan had predicted, no one claimed the wooden thing for the night, so Lan told the servants – who were responsible for the inventory of the Aes Sedai and building the tents – where to bring it. Meanwhile, he left with the rest of the servants to organize water. Within record time, the bathtub was filled with fresh water, and Lan sprinkled some herbs into it. Then, it was up to Moiraine to heat the water until steam appeared on the surface, and the tent was filled with the scent of the herbs.
Lan inhaled deeply with closed eyes. Even the simple smell of the herbs was calming him.
Moiraine chuckled beside him. "Shall I give you two a moment?" She mocked him.
When the Warder opened his eyes, he saw how his Aes Sedai pulled her long hair up so it wouldn't get wet. Quickly, he interfered and pulled out the hairpins, letting her dark locks fall down her back again.
"What are you doing?" Moiraine wanted to know.
"Don't put it up. I like your long hair."
"Well, it's not helpful when I want to take a quick bath."
Lan moved his fingers through the woman's hair. Light, he loved her! "Let me wash it for you."
"Wash it? My hair?" The Cairhien woman was confused. "It will take forever until they're dry again."
"You're right. If only there is an Aes Sedai around, knowing the weave to pull water out of clothes… and hair." This time, Moiraine couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes at Lan's words. Smiling, the Malkieri leaned his forehead against hers. "Please, let me do it."
"I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing bath."
"It is. You relax while I take care of your hair." Lan felt the hesitation in his bondholder so when she sighed heavily, he quickly ended her protest before one word could cross her lips. "Please, Moiraine."
The uncrowned king of Malkier knew the Cairhien woman well enough to know that the frustrated small sigh that escaped her lips was her way of agreeing to his bidding. Smiling, his fingers went into action, helping her undress. He had won.
Moiraine growled at his broad smile, then pushed his hands away from her tunic and started to pull the fabric out of her pants. "Insufferable man."
Lan knew she wasn't angry with him. She was angry with herself for giving in to his plea so quickly. He kissed her cheek, then his fingers moved on to her pants, ignoring Moiraine's protests about not needing his help. Taking care of Moiraine was his favorite thing to do.
The uncrowned king of Malkier gave the Cairhien woman time to enjoy the warm water without him interfering. He wanted her to have a moment to herself before he would disturb her. Meanwhile, he took off his own tunic and checked on his sword.
Once he only received relaxed feelings through the bond, Lan stood up and walked to the bathtub. The water was still warm, and the steam rising from the surface.
Admiring, Lan let his eyes wander over Moiraine's face and her exposed arms. He liked seeing her in such a good mood.
Suddenly, the Cairhien woman opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. "It's impolite to stare, Gaidin."
"Am I not allowed to look at my Aes Sedai?" Lan reached out and let his fingers move gingerly over the soft skin of Moiraine's arm. "Am I not allowed to admire the woman who is bonded to me?"
His words brought a smile to the Aes Sedai's lips. She dipped her right hand into the water, then splashed some droplets on Lan's naked chest. Mischief gleamed in her eyes while she waited for his response.
Slowly, the Malkieri lowered his head, watching the droplets running over his muscles before he locked eyes with the Cairhien woman again. "And now she declared war against me."
Smiling, the Aes Sedai bit her lip, then splashed more droplets on her Warder. "What shall I say? You look like you should wash yourself."
"Hmm," Lan hummed, agreeing. "And I think your hair looks still too dry to be washed properly."
Moiraine had a second to understand what Lan was saying, but then it was already too late. "Lan-!" Her sentence was cut off when the Malkieri pushed her head entirely underwater. Coughing, she broke through the surface. "Bastard."
"Hm. Not wet enough." Lan didn't wait until Moiraine was done wiping the water out of her eyes. He simply pushed her head back into the water.
The man wasn't in the least afraid when the woman resurfaced, and her angry glare hit him. This time, she didn't waste a few droplets on him. No, this time, she splashed a lot more at him, drenching the front of his pants so the fabric stuck uncomfortably to his skin.
When she prepared another wave, Lan quickly grabbed her hands to stop her. "I believe that's enough. The water is supposed to stay in the tub."
"There's plenty left," Moiraine hissed, trying vigorously to free her hands.
"Well, it's your choice. The more water you spill, the more I have to replace." The Cairhien woman stopped fighting, and the Malkieri smiled in amusement when he finished, "And it won't be warm."
"You wouldn't." Instead of an answer, the uncrowned king of Malkier smiled dangerously, allowing her to see the gleam in his eyes. He knew she didn't react well to cold water. "Lan." There was a dangerous warning in her voice.
"It depends on how much water you intend to spill."
"If you do that, you will have to beg one of the other Warders to let you sleep in their tent, Gaidin."
Lan chuckled, then held up his hands in defense. "All right, Aes Sedai. I surrender. May I now take care of your hair?"
Carefully, the woman of the Blue Ajah narrowed her eyes at him. "Who promises me that you won't push me underwater again? I don't think I should allow you-"
"Please, Moiraine." Gently, Lan cupped her cheek, stroking her skin with his thumb. "You know I wouldn't do that."
Finally, the Cairhien woman nodded, and the Malkieri started to prepare everything.
With gentle movements, Lan rubbed the soap into Moiraine's hair. They had stopped talking since the Malkieri had started his work, but Lan felt that his bondholder was enjoying the treatment. The gentle movement of his fingers and the light pressure on her scalp helped to calm her wild thoughts.
Carefully, he washed out the soap. Moiraine didn't flinch – not when Lan tilted her head back to wash out her hair or when he rinsed some water over her face to erase the last traces of the soap before it would get into her eyes.
"Are you still with me?"
"Hmm," Moiraine hummed though it sounded like she was close to falling asleep.
"Very convincing," Lan chuckled.
Sighing, the Cairhien woman opened her beautiful eyes. "And what kind of reaction would have been more satisfying to you?"
Smiling, the uncrowned king of Malkier helped her sit upright and wrung out the water from her hair. "That you're actually able to speak is already more convincing than your tired humming."
"I'll try to remember it the next time."
"Thank you." The Malkieri pulled her hair up and used two hairpins to hold it together. "All done."
Moiraine lifted a hand to touch her wet hair, then smiled at him. Yes, Lan could see the tiredness in her eyes. "Thank you."
The Warder couldn't resist touching the soft skin of her cheek. He loved seeing the color in her cheeks and feeling the warmth of her body. Sadly, the memory of her lying cold in his arms and her skin turning pale still haunted him. Never did he want to experience that again.
"Do you think this bathtub could take two persons?"
"Two persons?" Moiraine raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess that's possible. I could ask Alanna if she wanted to join me – or Liandrin. I bet she would be thrilled-"
Playfully, Lan splashed some water into his bondholder's face, cutting her off and making her giggle. "You would rather share a bath with Liandrin than with me?"
Smiling, the Aes Sedai motioned for her Warder to get into the wooden tub. "Get in here, Gaidin."
Lan took off his boots, then got rid of his wet pants – which were still sticking uncomfortably to his skin – and climbed into the tub behind the woman of the Blue Ajah.
Moiraine growled when she had to move to give him some room. "There was so much space on the opposite side of me. You have to use the uncomfortable way, don't you?"
"Well," the Malkieri said when he pulled the woman back to him until she sat right between his legs with her back against his chest. Lan's arms moved around her to hold her close and he pressed his lips against her right cheek. "This may be the more uncomfortable way, but also the position to have my Aes Sedai close to me. I will always choose you over uncomfortableness."
A warm feeling rushed through Lan's veins when Moiraine sent her love, admiration, and gratitude through the bond. She obviously enjoyed their close contact, too.
The pair turned silent again. Both didn't want to disturb their peaceful bubble. The woman of the Blue Ajah only moved once to add new heat to the water with a weave, then the two were lost in their thoughts and feelings.
Lan didn't know how much time had passed but felt Moiraine giving in more and more to sleep. He had to get her out of the water before she lost the fight entirely. Besides, the water had turned colder by now, and he didn't want her to catch a cold.
"Moiraine."
"Hmm."
Her reaction was even worse than when he had washed her hair earlier. Chuckling, Lan kissed her cheek. "Do you need my help to get out of here, or can you do it by yourself?"
Frowning, the Cairhien woman opened her eyes and blinked. "What are you talking about?" She murmured.
"Can you move your arms and legs, or do they need help to climb out of the bathtub?"
"Why do I need to move?" Automatically, she snuggled closer against his chest.
"Because the water is getting cold."
"Then I channel it warm again."
The uncrowned king of Malkier saw how his bondholder moved her hands and felt her opening herself to Saidar. She was tired yet determined to keep them warm. Gently, Lan grabbed her hands to stop her. "Don't," he whispered.
"But you're cold," the Aes Sedai protested. Slowly, the fire in her returned, bringing back her spirit. "Let go. I can't heat the water like that."
"I didn't wake you to heat the water. I woke you so you would get out of the bathtub."
"Can't we stay in here?" Instead of an answer, the man from the Borderlands showed the woman her palms. Her skin was wrinkled from the time she had stayed inside the water. "Oh."
"Are you now willing to get out?"
This time, the Cairhien woman nodded. When she tried to get on her feet, Lan helped her to stand since he was afraid that she would fall. Once she stood safely on her feet outside the bathtub, the Warder followed his bondholder's lead. Tomorrow, he would empty the bathtub.
When Lan turned toward Moiraine, his eyes fell on her naked backside. She had found a towel to dry herself, presenting her butt to him. A memory crossed Lan's mind of a younger Moiraine who had thrown everything within her reach at him after his younger self had suggested sharing a bath.
Apparently, the Cairhien woman must have felt his amusement because she turned her head toward him. "What?"
Admiring her, the Malkieri let his eyes move over her body and smiled. "Do you remember how I suggested we bathe together for the first time?"
"Yes," Moiraine answered warily, wrapping the towel around her body to cover herself.
That simple action increased Lan's amusement. The Aes Sedai had gotten better with her nudity around her Warder – and she had stopped throwing things at him when he suggested bathing together – but sometimes her Cairhien nature broke through.
The uncrowned king of Malkier couldn't help himself but felt the urge to play with her. Like a cat he walked toward the woman of the Blue Ajah, who watched every movement warily with her arms crossed before her.
"You threw the entire inventory our room had to offer at me."
"And you deserved it. You didn't suggest sharing a bath. You announced in your best harsh manner that I had to undress to get into the bathtub with you."
"We were soaked to the bones from the rain."
Moiraine raised an eyebrow. "You tried to rip my clothes off me. Stop smiling."
Lan was now close enough for her to give him a gentle slap to the chest. His grin had gotten bigger at her words when he remembered how his younger version had used the wrong way to take care of his young bondholder. "You refused to take them off, and I didn't want you to catch a cold."
"I'm from Cairhien. We don't share baths with men who aren't our husbands – or share a bed with them. I've never seen a naked man before and had been scared."
The uncrowned king of Malkier placed his forehead against the Cairhien woman's while his hands grabbed her hips. "Are you still scared?" He wanted to know, whispering.
This time, Moiraine smiled and wrapped her arms around Lan's neck. "No." She flooded their bond with her love for him.
"No, hmm?" The mischief was clearly audible in Lan's voice, yet Moiraine seemed clueless about his intention.
"You're my Warder. I know you for twenty years now. I learned to trust you a long time ago."
Suddenly, Lan grabbed her thighs, lifted her up, and wrapped her thighs around his waist. Moiraine shrieked but held on to him. "Lan!"
The next chapter will be uploaded on Sunday and will be the third chapter for story F, "Really listen".
I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a review.