Moiraine took Thom's offer and used his strength after they got up. She knew she would need it. Now, walking between the tents she wondered if she shouldn't have taken more. She was clinging to his arm, needing all the encouragement possible. Deep down she knew this was the best possible idea, but still, she was far from liking it. Thom gave her all the time she wanted before going inside. She had to give him that, he did act with all the respect. But this was not easier whatever the circumstance.

"She will keep it between you two," Thom said, smiling, "and she will heed your wishes. Besides, she's the best known healer. And you've heard she managed to heal stilling and gentling."

"What I need her for has nothing to do with my strength in the Power."

He decided to take a deep breath instead of answering and she was grateful. They were still learning each other and it would probably take a lot to complete this process, judging from her history with Lan.

Lan. What a strange thought to have here of all places. Person, who clearly had had enough of her and every reason to do so. She was now standing in front of the man's wife's tent to ask for her assistance. Thom was right, it was at least reasonable. She hoped she would be strong enough to go through with this.

She didn't know how long she stood in front of the tent before Nynaeve looked out from the inside.

"Are you coming in or did you come just to see my place?" she asked, before disappearing inside. "Come in."

Thom pushed gently against her waist where his hand stayed through the whole walk through the camp. It gave her a physical kind of support. She needed it with her feelings raging inside, making feeling anything from Thom impossible.

"What brings you here, Moiraine?" Nynaeve asked as soon as the flap was once again secured.

"Like I said," Thom started, but halted, when Nynaeve put her hand up.

"I need to hear it from you, Moiraine." The words were as sharp as her look. "What do you want from me?"

Want was the operative word and Nynaeve must have known what she was doing wording her question like that. Moiraine tried to wet her lips, but there was almost no saliva on her tongue. She had had nothing to drink since the very morning, she was not able to.

"I need your help," she said eventually, not sure if the Oath would let her say anything else. "I need healing for some… problems started by my… being away."

"What do you want?"

"I want to be myself again!" Moiraine snapped and raised her voice. "I want to be able bodied and powerful as I once was, but that is impossible! So I want to not be a burden at least."

The last sentence she whispered, too tired to even argue. She could feel Thom start to protest, but she shook her head almost imperceptibly. She knew he would not call her a burden, but she was enough of a realist to know he had time for nothing more than nursing her so far.

"May I offer you healing?" Nynaeve asked, pointing to the cot.

"Please," Moiraine whispered.

She was grateful Thom didn't need to be asked to help her to the bed. She was barely standing. Beaten by her circumstances, she felt there was no choice left.

"Moiraine?" Thom asked her frantically, pulling on her chin to meet her eyes.

"Yes?"

Thom was still worried.

"Do you want me here?" he asked. "Did you hear anything Nynaeve said?"

She could only shake her head. Sha wasn't even aware that the younger woman was talking.

"Can you take strength from Thom? This would make everything much easier."

Nynaeve. Ever straight and blunt in her words.

"Please, Moiraine?" Thom pleaded.

When she nodded, Thom took her hand and put it close to his heart. It took Moiraine only some subtle finger moves to weave the right strings of Power and she could feel her concentration returning.

"More," Thom whispered, when she was about to stop. "Healing can be a taxing thing for the healed."

"Moiraine? Nynaeve asked and waited until Moiraine actually looked at her. "I need to check you over and I prefer to be alone with my patient. Thom, however, insists on having an eye for you. I can allow him to stay, if you need him here."

"I will be fine, Thom," Moiraine said, much stronger already, at least for the time being. "Go and entertain, I think people are hungry for something positive which you are uniquely able to provide."

"I would rather stay close."

"Whatever!" Nynaeve said, clearly loosing her patience. "Just decide already."

"Go, Thom." Moiraine said that much softer. "I need to do this myself and I would feel much better if you could do something productive."

Thom huffed and she could feel his annoyance. He did, however, turned after taking a deep breath and walked to the exit. She knew she was going to anger him even more with one other thing.

"I need to blur the bond for this, dearest."

He stopped, but did not turn. She doubted the added endearment sweetened the message. Thom was against and there was no way to block out his resentment for her decision. Moiraine worried it would seep into their relationship, but there was no way she would go through with this knowing Thom felt it all. Some things were just too much.

"You do whatever you need," he said after a short pause. "I'll be waiting for your signal to rejoin you."

It was almost painful to see him go and Moiraine struggled with putting the veil over their bond, over the love and support she grew to depend on.

"You and Thom," Nynaeve commented, drying her hands in a towel after washing them. "Who would have thought…"

"Min, for example…" Moiraine whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Okay. Thom told me something. But I need to hear it from you."

"I'm having trouble eating." This was a little easier that she anticipated. "And drinking. I need that fixed so I can be of use."

Nynaeve grabbed a stool from the far side of the tent and sat in front of Moiraine looking straight at her.

"I've been taught how to properly delve, and I like how it gives me accurate information. Thom mentioned you were against delving, though, so I can do the exam the old-fashioned way. I did that for years."

There it was, her next choice. She could preserve at least part of her dignity. A big breath and recall of Thom's face and she knew what needed to be done.

"I trust you to be discreet. Do what you need to do." Then, only after saying this she understood it was not the whole truth. There was something that needed clarifying. "I trust YOU, Nynaeve, period."

She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the icy feeling that came with delving. Nynaeve put her hands on both sides of her head and Moiraine could feel the amazing power the younger woman wielded. And then she felt the threads of all the elements go through her body, warming her, searching.

She pulled back, when she felt them reach the centre of her channelling. It was still sore, raw since she woke up after the rescue.

"Oh, Moiraine…" Nynaeve whispered with tears in her eyes. "I had no idea…"

"I hope you've found the problem with my eating." Moiraine had to gather all her strength to continue. "Everything else is inconsequential for my role here."

"Your eating should be easily fixed," Nynaeve said, her voice a little trembling, "but your body…"

"It's not new and it's healed on its own in the past. There is nothing you can do to old damage.

This shut Nynaeve up for a moment and gave Moiraine time to breathe through the anxiety that came over her. The phantom pain that came every time she was reminded about the time those injuries occurred. She pushed it down as she used to do before the Sindhol and it finally disappeared.

"When did it happen?"

"Like I told you, it's inconsequential, Nynaeve. It happened, healed and there is nothing more to do about it. You already did what you could there."

She knew she'd said too much the moment those words left her mouth. Nynaeve understood the implication immediately and reached for Moiraine's hand.

"The Eye?" There was a definite horror in her tone. "The Forsaken? When you kept him from getting to us? Lan said… Lan said you had been exhausted from overchanelling. That you needed help with superficial burns and lots of rest."

"IT was all you could provide at the time. There was no Aes Sedai close to do anything more."

"You had him lie to us."

"To tell you what you needed to know at the time. And you helped a lot. Made my recovery possible, even. Something I need again now."

She hoped this would anchor Nynaeve again. The young woman's tears were a testament to how young, passionate, but also inexperienced she still was. Frankly, Moiraine hoped she would never loose this innocence.

"Would you help me and heal my ability to eat?"

Nynaeve nodded and lifted her slightly trembling hands to Moiraine's head again. Moiraine smiled and covered them with her own. Delicately, to keep from interfering with the weaving. The healing swept through her body, filling her insides with warmth. She felt physically sick and had to gather all her White Tower training not to act on it. Nynaeve's weaves touched briefly on her old wounds, but backed off, before disappearing altogether.

Nynaeve moved out of her grasp, but Moiraine didn't open her eyes. The bile in her throat rose and it took all her concentration to keep it down.

"Let it out," Nynaeve said, guiding Moiraine's head down and to the side. "This will not be pleasant for a while, but is completely normal."

She felt Nynaeve move her hair so it got out of the way. She was embarrassed but followed the instruction. It actually felt better to het rid of those contents.

"I've seen some people struggle with eating after a long period of famine," Nynaeve said, when Moiraine was finally ready to straighten up and look at her. "I assume you haven't been fed for a while."

"I don't recall eating, no. Or drinking."

"I know you wanted just to fix your eating, but… Well, could I examine you? There are some bruises I might be able to help you with. Salve will be enough, maybe a hot water bottle."

Moiraine smiled and turned her back to Nynaeve to let her undo the ties of her dress. She could feel the young Wisdom tun her hands over her body. She was aware how bony she had become and how many places held very recent bruises, some of them from that very morning.

"You don't have to contain your gasps, Nynaeve."

"Moiraine, those…" a slight touch to her hips brought both pain and a flash of fear that Nynaeve must have noticed. "Those are very fresh. They're growing even now. I don't want to, but I need to ask. About Thom. If there is anything untoward going on…"

"Thom is the gentlest caretaker, I can assure you."

"Well, by the way, you smile saying this, I would think so, but those bruises are not normal."

"I've been getting them from even slightest touch, really. Yes, some of those are from Thom's hands, but I don't want to warn him. He will not even touch me if he knew. And sometimes it's the only thing keeping me up." It was her turn to tear up. "I feel like I'm being selfish chaining him to me."

"Why?"

"He deserves someone better than this dried up, barely functioning husk."

"Don't talk of yourself that way!"

Nynaeve turned her around after helping her pull the sleeves of the dress up.

"You've felt how empty I am. I don't see what I can offer him. It's him giving all the time."

"Don't sell yourself short," Nynaeve said, patting her hand. "It's not up to you to decide if you're worth it to him."

"Are we done?" Moiraine asked, not really that comfortable with the direction this talk had taken.

"Unless you want anything more from me, then yes, unmask the bond, so Thom can barge in."

They shared a smile and a small laugh, when Thom indeed came in breathless and started checking her over.

"It's nothing," Moiraine said, putting her hand on his cheek. "Just some residual discomfort from healing."

HE reached behind her and pulled on the strings to secure her outer dress while she kept her hand moving over his smooth side jaw. There was still a bit of soap on the edge of his moustache and she wiped it with her thumb and kept with the motion. Thom closed his eyes and she could feel him growing hotter.

"Do not tease me so, woman," he growled quietly. "I'm tempted enough on an hourly basis as it is."

"It seems, Moiraine, that he sees something there," Nynaeve laughed. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Worry?" Now it was Thom worrying. "Is there some cause for concern?"

Nynaeve left them and rummaged in her bags. Moiraine shook her head and sent as much calm as she possibly could toward Thom. His love and concern warmed her instantly. She should let him go, maybe, but she didn't want to. She was already used to having his support.

"Dring this three times a day, just like you would normal tea." Nynaeve handed her a thick pack. "It will help with those blemishes. Will make you stronger as well." Then Nynaeve handed Thom a jar of blue substance. "This is to apply to her skin, twice a day, if you can manage it. Thick layer, left to be absorbed. Should help clear everything already present."

Thom looked at her, with questioning gaze. Moiraine was grateful for being asked directly.

"And, Thom," Nynaeve said and waited until he looked at her fully, "don't lace her dress this tight. I used to say this to some husbands, new husbands mostly, but I guess a passionate warder is close enough. Those tailored pieces tend to form some hard ridges that might push into the skin in a very much an uncomfortable way."

Thom looked to Moiraine with a look of horror and regret.

"Do not worry about it, nothing's happened."

She could tell she didn't manage to assuage his guilt, but there was nothing she could really do about it. They were due a talk about the bruises, but it could wait until the evening. Evening they were set to spend alone with each other, hopefully uninterrupted, not needed anywhere.

"I don't mind company," Nynaeve said, pulling her from a private moment between her and Thom, "but you might want more privacy than a wisdom's tent. People come here frequently, you know. For different kinds of help and assistance."

Moiraine could feel Thom's thinking shift. He got thoughtful and then almost giddy.

"What is it?" It was her turn to ask. "What are you thinking about?"

"Marry me," he said with a wide smile. "Marry me today, if you're still willing."