Lan has always been the one with whom Moiraine can talk about her worries.

Silence filled the house while Moiraine and Lan stared at each other.

If your life is on the line, I will do anything to save you.

Moiraine's words were still ringing in the air, and she saw how Lan tried to find a different meaning but couldn't find one.

"Rand is the Dragon Reborn." The Malkieri chose his words carefully, though she heard the wariness in his voice.

"I know."

"He is the only one who can defeat the Dark One."

"I know."

"Without him, we'll lose the Last Battle."

"I know."

Again, Lan stared at her like he expected a different answer from her or an explanation. His grip on her hands loosened.

Moiraine, who didn't know how to get out of that situation without making it worse, decided to use the opportunity to heal her Warder.

But Lan felt through the bond when she embraced Saidar. Quicker than she was able to create the necessary weave, the man intertwined their hands.

"Not so fast."

"You need healing."

"First, we talk."

"You agreed to let me-"

"And you didn't promise me not to do anything more than healing that cut, so we talk first."

Moiraine gnashed her teeth angrily. Why couldn't Lan forget about that stupid promise? "I promise I will simply heal that cut and nothing more. I won't delve you or search for other excuses to use Saidar." She couldn't keep the growl out of her voice. As much as she hated to give that promise, she wanted to heal his injury. She wouldn't risk for it getting infected because Lan acted careless.

Besides, there was still a loophole in that promise, which she intended to use if necessary. Lan didn't forbid her to use Saidar later should she discover other injuries once he left the bathtub.

"Good," the Malkieri said. "Yet, we finish our conversation before you heal me."

"We talked about your healing before we got distracted."

"Distracted?" A chuckle escaped Lan's lips. "We didn't get distracted. Some things just need to be said, and apparently, we need to talk about what you just said."

Moiraine tried to free her hands, but Lan ended her attempts by turning them on her back. "Lan!"

"In Cairhien, you told me that protecting and guiding Rand is more important than any of us."

"He is." The Cairhien woman continued to struggle while the Malkieri didn't even seem like he noticed.

"Then how can you say you would have made the same choice as I did? That you would do anything to save me – even when that means losing the children?"

Finally, Moiraine accepted that she couldn't free herself, so she turned her head aside. She couldn't look Lan in the eye.

Sighing heavily, Lan lowered his head and pressed his lips to the scar on her shoulder. The insufferable man wouldn't push her to talk but knew how to get his way. His hot breath floated over Moiraine's skin, making her shiver.

"Stop," the Aes Sedai whispered.

Instead of listening to her, the Warder continued to kiss the scar. The kisses were as light as a feather and made Moiraine squirm. Tears started to build up in her eyes, and her throat became tight. "Please."

Lan released her hands, but only so he could wrap his arms around her waist to keep her in place. Meanwhile, his mouth stayed connected to the scar.

Moiraine couldn't stop herself but threw her arms around Lan. One hand landed on his back while the fingers of her other hand moved into his hair. Softly, she pressed a kiss on his hair, then placed her cheek on top of his head.

"I could never forgive myself if anything happens to you because of me." The Malkieri's sweet kisses stopped when he heard her whispered words. Obviously waiting, if there was more, she was willing to share. "I love you."

Three little words, yet they held so much power. Love had so many faces and didn't always mean bedding each other. And the love between an Aes Sedai and her Warder… it went deeper than any love between husband and wife.

Slowly, Lan lifted his head, breaking free from Moiraine's embrace until they were able to look at each other. The Cairhien woman had no doubt the Malkieri could see the tears in her eyes but didn't mention it.

Their foreheads connected, and Lan cupped her cheek lovingly. Love rolled through the bond, and Moiraine shivered when she felt it.

"I love you, too."

There were no more words needed. The Aes Sedai and Warder stayed in that position, exchanging feelings through the bond and enjoying their closeness until Moiraine found her voice again. "Can I now please heal you?"

Lan's chuckle filled the air, then he pressed a kiss on her forehead before giving her room to channel. "You may." He splashed a few drops of water on her face when she prepared herself to embrace Saidar. "As long as you remember your promise."

Moiraine glared at the Malkieri but refused to answer. Saidar filled her veins, and her hands quickly started to weave. The cut on Lan's arm closed. The harmed skin disappeared until it looked like nothing had happened. Only the dried blood stayed, but that was something the hot water could help with.

"Thank you," the uncrowned king of Malkier said after she released the One Power.

Tiredly, the Cairhien woman nodded, rubbing her fingers over her forehead. It wasn't because she had used Saidar much today. Today had been emotionally exhausting, and Moiraine realized she should go to bed. Lan would probably be thankful to have the tub to himself.

Gently, the uncrowned king of Malkier took her hands and brought them to his lips. "You look tired."

A small smile appeared on Moiraine's lips. Of course, Lan had noticed. He had always been good at reading her. Far better than she was at reading him. "It was a long day."

"And you're freezing."

Confused, Moiraine furrowed her forehead. Freezing? Why should she…? She followed Lan's amused gaze down her body. Her nipples were hard, and her exposed skin was covered with goosebumps.

"You better not tell Nynaeve you look at other women's breasts," the Aes Sedai said jokingly after fighting down the urge to cover herself. It had taken her years to be comfortable with being naked around her Warder.

"I don't intend on telling her anything like that," Lan responded, sighing. "I like having my head on my shoulders."

A chuckle escaped Moiraine's lips. It wasn't hard to imagine Nynaeve ripping off someone's head. "I should go to bed."

"Not yet." The Malkieri helped her to turn around, then pulled her small body against his muscular chest.

"Lan," Moiraine protested but didn't fight against his movements. "It's late, and I'm tired." Yet, her traitorous body melted against him, and a content sigh crossed her lips when the man wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face against her neck, inhaling deeply.

"Hmmm," Lan hummed, agreeing, yet didn't let go of her.

"Nynaeve will kill me when-"

"Shh," Lan whispered. "No more thinking."

"If I stop thinking, I'll fall asleep."

"And that's a bad thing?"

Moiraine laughed. "My very protective Warder wouldn't be happy about me drowning in the bathtub."

Again, the man from the Borderlands hummed, agreeing. "Then it's a good thing that said Warder joined you for a bath and keeps your head above water."

"And you wake me when it's time to get out?"

"Absolutely not."

"What?" Shocked, the Cairhien woman tried to free herself but had to realize quickly that her strength was still no comparison to the Malkieri's. Growling, she gave up. "You do realize that the water will get cold at some point, and I can't channel when I fall asleep. We will both get sick if we stay in the cold water all night."

"And do you realize I can carry you out of the bathtub when the water turns too cold to stay in it?"

The image of a pissed Nynaeve appeared before Moiraine's eyes. That was not a good idea. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

"Do you always have to think about Nynaeve's reaction?" Lan groaned. "Why can't I just do something without getting reminded what she could do?"

Because one day, she will be bonded to you.

The thought made the Aes Sedai sad. She didn't want to lose her Warder but also didn't want to stand in the way of his happiness. He deserved to be happy.

Apparently, Lan felt her sadness through the bond because he hugged her tighter. Moiraine appreciated his support and snuggled closer against him. Her Warder was right. This was not the time to think about Nynaeve's possible reactions. This moment only belonged to them, and after today, she needed a peaceful moment.

"Will you tell me what happened at the infirmary today?"

Angrily, the woman of the Blue Ajah growled. She should've known that the Wisdom wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut. How long did she wait until she ran crying to Lan, informing him about his terrible Aes Sedai?

"I should've known she would come running to you. I won't apologize to her, no matter what you say."

So much for having a peaceful moment. Frustrated, Moiraine tried to free herself from Lan's embrace. She couldn't stay in the bathtub with him any longer now. Rage rushed through her veins. What had she done to that girl that she couldn't leave her alone?

"Moiraine." The uncrowned king of Malkier ignored her escape attempts. Calmly, he continued, "No one came running to me."

"How much did she tell you? That I tried to use Saidar to save someone? Or that I started an argument with a Whitecloak? What else did I do in her version? She wants you to turn away from me, so I bet she had some stories to tell."

Lan stayed silent, but Moiraine felt how he took a deep breath to calm himself. The man fought hard with himself so he wouldn't explode. "There were no stories, and I wasn't told what happened at the infirmary. But you informed me now. Who did you try to save? And why in light's name did you start an argument with a Whitecloak? Wasn't the one in the morning already enough?"

With every word, Lan's anger started to be audible. Apparently, he truly hadn't known about today's events, or else he would've been angry from the moment he set foot into the house.

"Let go of me." Light! How many times did she have to repeat that phrase today?

But Lan wasn't Nynaeve or Elayne. He was bolder than the women and didn't shy away from going against Moiraine's wishes sometimes. "The Whitecloak, Moiraine."

"They kill people!" Again, Lia's image appeared before Moiraine's eye, but she couldn't hold back her tears this time since she was exhausted. "They kill innocent people, Lan."

Immediately, the Malkieri's grip tightened around the Cairhien woman. "At the infirmary? They kill people there?"

Moiraine nodded. It was a relief that Lan didn't question the truth of her words. He believed her the Whitecloaks had done what she insisted.

"Does Nynaeve know?"

Another nod. "She was the one who stopped me from saving Lia, and it was also her who tried to keep the Whitecloak and me separated."

"Lia?"

Everyone called her 'the grumpy, old fishlady', but you know her name.

Of course, Lan didn't know her. He was barely working in the infirmary. The men were of better use outside with the necessary tools to repair houses.

"The grumpy, old fishlady from Tear." Moiraine didn't doubt Lan had heard about that name before.

"Tear," Lan whispered. The Aes Sedai could practically hear his brain working on that piece of information. He knew about Siuan's hometown. "Nynaeve tried to stop you from healing a patient?"

"She did. As a Wisdom, it is her job to heal people with everything-"

"Was the patient still alive?" Lan interrupted Moiraine's outburst.

"Lia could've been saved. All that was necessary-"

"Was she still alive, Moiraine?"

The Cairhien woman wanted to say 'yes', but the First Oath stopped her. Lia had stopped breathing but could've been saved if Moiraine had used Saidar to extract the poison.

Lan understood the silent answer and pressed a kiss on Moiraine's hair. "Not even Saidar can heal the dead," he said softly.

"I should've saved her," Moiraine protested. "She told me about the Whitecloaks and what they were doing." Lia's face appeared before her, begging her to protect her from the Children of the Light. Then Siuan's bloody face appeared, begging her to save her. Tears rolled over Moiraine's cheeks. "She begged me to help her, and I let her down. I left her bleeding on the ground."

Moiraine couldn't see Lan's confused face and also didn't notice his surprise in the bond. She was completely lost in her memory.

"We've been in this together for decades, and I failed her when she needed me the most."

"You didn't fail Siuan." The Warder had quickly put the pieces together, understanding when his Aes Sedai had stopped talking about the dead old lady and moved on to her lover. "And Siuan will see that too, once she calms down."

"What if no one found her in time? Lanfear hit her pretty badly. She could've succumbed-"

"Come here."

There wasn't much room in the bathtub, but Moiraine wasn't big. The uncrowned king of Malkier managed to move her until he could pull her head against his chest. Her head fit perfectly under his chin.

"Don't you think we would've heard by now about her death? She is the Amyrlin Seat. Your Sisters can't hide her death from the world. They would need to announce a new Amyrlin before anyone starts an attack on the White Tower."

Lan's words made sense. Siuan had to be alive, or they would've heard about it by now. Exhausted, Moiraine snuggled closer against Lan, not trying to stop her tears. In his arms, she could be weak and emotional. Her Warder would never scold her for crying or push her away for not being strong.

Instead, the Malkieri rubbed soothing circles over her back and kissed her hair softly. She couldn't wish for a better Warder.

When the water turned cold, Lan urged Moiraine to get out. It felt like hours since they went in, but Moiraine didn't mind. She enjoyed being close to her Warder without having an annoying Wisdom around them who watched their every move, touch, and glance. It seemed like Nynaeve could never get over the fact that they were bonded or that they knew each other for decades.

The woman of the Blue Ajah used a towel to dry her wet body when she heard Lan leaving the water.

Automatically, her eyes lifted, taking him all in. She didn't mind him being naked. It took her years not to be embarrassed around him any longer. Instead, she searched his body for injuries she didn't know of. She knew the story of every scar on his body and was well aware of where each one was placed. If there was another injury….

"Stop that."

The Malkieri threw his towel, aiming for the woman's head. Moiraine growled when the fabric made her stumble and covered her face. Quickly, she pulled it down.

"I want to know if I missed an injury."

"There are none. You healed the only one I received. Besides, you would've noticed if I got hit."

Blinking, Moiraine realized she didn't know when Lan had received his newest injury. The towels dropped to the floor while she tried to remember when she had felt Lan's pain. Had she truly forgotten about it?

"What is it?" Immediately, Lan stood before her, holding her face in his hands. "Are you not feeling well? Do you-?"

"I didn't feel it when you received that cut," the Aes Sedai whispered, looking at him with big eyes. "I didn't feel it. Why didn't I feel it?"

A sigh of relief escaped Lan's lips, then he pulled her in his arms. "All I know is that you were angry and in shock. I was worried and stopped paying attention."

"You said it was an accident." Moiraine's stomach turned, and she wanted to vomit. She was responsible for Lan getting injured!

"Because it was."

"No!" Angrily, the Cairhien woman gave the Malkieri a push, but it was like trying to move a mountain. The man didn't move one bit! "It wasn't an accident. It was me. You got injured because of me."

"I got injured because I allowed myself to get distracted. This isn't on you, Moiraine." It was useless to argue with Lan. She hadn't done anything wrong in his eyes. "You're getting cold."

Sighing, the Aes Sedai watched how her Warder picked up her towel and wrapped it around her. Her well-being would always be important for him.

Suddenly, Lan tilted her head back with a finger under her chin. Moiraine winced when his fingers touched her exposed throat.

"How is your throat?"

Quickly, Moiraine stepped back and turned her head away. "I'll be alright."

"Did the other Whitecloak…?" Lan didn't finish his question, knowing very well Moiraine understood him.

"He didn't touch me. I guess it helped to have a pissed Nynaeve by my side." Tiredly, she rubbed her hand over her face. "I should get dressed. It's late, and I'm exhausted."

Lan didn't stop her, but Moiraine felt his eyes on her back, following her every move.

They had two beds in the house since Moiraine hadn't wanted to deal with Nynaeve's anger, though they both stood in the small bedroom. Sometimes, the Malkieri slept on their couch in the living room, but tonight, he lay down in his bed.

Silence had fallen over the house once they had blown out all the candles. Although the Cairhien woman was tired and exhausted, sleep didn't want to come to her. Her thoughts were spiraling, and she couldn't stop them.

How long could they stay hidden in Falme? At some point, the White Tower would send Sisters to deal with the Whitecloaks and to catch the Dragon Reborn. If they were still in Falme by then…

And what would Siuan do now that everyone in Falme knew about the Dragon Reborn? Rand wasn't a secret any longer – not a simple prophecy most people hadn't believed in. The boy had defeated Ishamael. Would Siuan forgive Moiraine for failing at the Eye of the World now that the boy had succeeded? Or would she still remember that the Cairhien woman left her injured in Cairhien to follow a Forsaken?

Groaning, Moiraine rolled on her other side. She tried to focus on the sounds coming from the outside, but there were none. Everything was quiet.

It didn't even help listening to Lan's calm breathing. The uncrowned king of Malkier was also still awake, though she felt he was calmer. Was he waiting for her to fall asleep?

Moiraine watched Lan's shadowed figure opposite her. He lay on his back. His chest lifted and fell in a calm rhythm. What was he thinking about? Did he dream about Nynaeve? They didn't have much time together tonight. Was he already regretting his decision?

An image of her and Lan sitting in the bathtub while the Malkieri had his arms wrapped around her appeared before Moiraine's eyes. She had enjoyed the short moment of peace with him. His embrace always warmed her like nothing else in that world. It was a promise to keep her safe.

Suddenly, the Aes Sedai shivered involuntarily. Imagining Lan's arms around her had left her longing for his embrace. Cursing inwardly at herself, she bit her lip, closed her eyes, and snuggled deeper under her blanket.

Sadly, it didn't help. Her body wanted to feel another body – Lan's body. Frustrated, Moiraine's eyes moved to her Warder again. Their beds were small, but they should be able to fit into one. Of course, there was always the possibility of Lan not wanting her in his bed.

Well, you won't find out if you don't ask him.

Before she could change her mind, the woman of the Blue Ajah pushed her blanket out of the way, then quietly moved over to the other bed. The lying Malkieri pretended not to notice her nightly walk until she sat at the edge of his bed.

Immediately, Lan's eyes flew open. "Are you done overthinking things?"

Moiraine snorted. Of course, he had felt her restless thoughts keeping her awake. Did he assume she would come to him ultimately? Shivering, she wrapped her arms around her upper body. She still longed for his warmth.

"Do you think we both fit into that bed?"

Instead of an answer, Lan's hand grabbed hers. "You're freezing." His other free hand cupped her cheek, which was just as cold as her hand. "Light! Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"I'm here now. And I could use my friend's help."

The hard look on Lan's face disappeared, and he placed his hands under her armpits. "Get in here."

Moiraine crawled between him and the wall with her Warder's help. It was something Lan had come up with years ago. He always positioned himself between her and any possible danger so he could protect her if necessary.

Once the woman of the Blue Ajah lay comfortably in the Malkieri's arms, he pulled his blanket over them. "The next time, you tell me straight away when you're cold," he grumbled.

"Usually, I don't get cold."

Lan hummed in agreement, then asked, "Do you think you can sleep now? Or do you need to talk about something to calm your thoughts?"

Moiraine thought about it for a moment, then shook her head when she felt her body relax. "As long as you hold me, I should be fine."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Relieved, the Aes Sedai snuggled closer against her Warder, absorbing his warmth. She had no idea how he did it, but she already felt better.

"Good night, Lan."

She smiled when the man pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Good night, Moiraine."

Silence fell over the house once again, but this time, Moiraine finally gave in to sleep.