Moiraine keeps drinking, though she is doing worse with every additional glass of wine. Will she be able to survive the ball?
Hours went by, and Moiraine started talking to other highborn ladies. It was exhausting, but at least the headache didn't get worse and stayed as a dull throbbing in the back of her head. She ensured that she drank a couple of glasses of water now and then while holding a glass of wine in her hands to fool the guests and nip at it occasionally.
Yet, the woman of the Blue Ajah couldn't stop herself from watching the crowd. She should be happy that her headache was better. Nonetheless, she kept searching for Lia. Maybe a second meeting would help her to forget about her nightmare.
Lan was still stuck with Lord Agelmar and the other lords, but Moiraine felt his worries through the bond. He didn't know what had happened to her and couldn't free himself from his conversation.
And the Cairhien woman noticed something else. Although she only had two glasses of wine and was only nipping on her third, she started to feel the effect of the alcohol as if she had had six glasses. Was it possible that Lan… But he knew what happened to her when he drank. No. He wouldn't do that.
"Moiraine." Growling, Moiraine searched for a way to escape, but Caraline was faster. She grabbed her cousin's arm before Moiraine had a chance to take a step. "There you are. I've been searching for you for hours."
Quickly, the Aes Sedai forced a smile on her face. She had to get rid of her cousin. "Caraline. Forgive me. I have been busy. The guests… you understand."
Caraline nodded. "Of course, dear cousin. Does that mean you feel better now?"
Lady Diyana appeared on Caraline's side, and behind her stood… Lia. Swallowing hard, Moiraine forced her eyes on her cousin before new images could appear. "I… Yes. My headache is better now." Smiling, she lifted her glass. "I didn't drink much today, which is not a good idea when you attend a ball and shall talk to your guests."
"Then you should drink that glass of yours. We don't want you to faint."
"I'll be alright. I take it slowly and drink now and then."
Caraline snorted. "Nonsense. For how long do you carry that glass now?"
Light! Did Caraline try to make her drunk? "I didn't count the minutes since I-"
"Which means it's already longer than is good for you. Drink. I'll order you a new one." Moiraine's cousin already gave a servant a sign, who obeyed immediately.
Sighing, the Aes Sedai emptied her glass and accepted a new one. She needed support. Where was Lan? Caraline would notice that Moiraine only nipped at her glass.
"Now, I couldn't stop wondering. Before your friend took care of you, I thought I heard you saying the name of Lady Diyana's maid. How do you know her?"
Of course, Caraline had listened carefully. And since she knew about Lady Diyana's distrust of Moiraine, she was stirring the fire. Moiraine wanted to strangle her when she saw Lady Diyana's eyes narrowing on her. The Tairen woman was dying for an answer.
Even Lia furrowed her forehead in confusion, though Moiraine turned her eyes away quickly. Forget about the nightmare. This is real. This is your life. Escape Caraline.
"Why should I know a maid from Tear? People who can channel are not welcomed in Tear."
Lady Diyana stepped before Moiraine, not bothering to show her anger openly. "Maybe you arranged for her to end up in my service. Or maybe it was Siuan Sanche. Lia could be an informant of the Aes Sedai, reporting our weaknesses to you."
"My Lady!" Lia was shocked. "I assure you, I'm not-"
"She isn't an informant of the Aes Sedai," Moiraine responded. "We have no interest in what you're-"
"Or do you use her position to gain my trust so you can murder me?"
Moiraine's eyes widened. Was that woman even listening to what she was saying?! Murdering her? Why in light's name should she murder her? She didn't even care about her!
"Lady Diyana, I have no interest in murdering you, nor do I care about your weaknesses. Lia is not-"
"Maybe that's the real reason for summoning us here!" The angry Tairen woman stepped into Moiraine's personal space. She was out of control. "We're supposed to feel safe while you use your magic to kill us all! This is all a trick to-"
"I think that's enough, ladies," Caraline interrupted, stepping between the two angry women. "This is a party – not a battlefield."
Now her cousin cared about not fighting each other?! After it had been her who brought up that subject? It wasn't easy to keep calm. Moiraine wanted to strangle Caraline, but the woman was already preparing her next move.
"Come on. Let's wish each other a pleasant evening and drink. The wine is too good to be wasted." Caraline held up her glass, waiting for Moiraine and Lady Diyana to join her. Grimacing, both women followed her example, then emptied their glasses in frustration.
Moiraine shuddered when she felt the liquid running down her throat. Blood and ashes! She had to be careful! She wasn't good with alcohol, and if Lan didn't stop drinking, she… Suddenly, the Cairhien woman wasn't sure she would see the end of that ball tonight. Would the guests be offended if she went to bed at some point?
Moiraine lost track of time but noticed talking to the other ladies became easier. She couldn't remember what they talked about, but they laughed a lot, and she did as well.
After a while, she had stopped counting how many glasses of wine she had had. Caraline had ordered more, and the alcohol helped against Moiraine's headache. Her body tingled, and she felt warm.
When the room started to sway, someone grabbed her arm. "Careful, my Lady. You don't want to faint in front of your guests, do you?"
Lia. Lady Diyana's maid had come to her rescue. She took the full glass out of Moiraine's hand and gave it to a servant.
"Come on. You need to sit down. And I suggest you move on to water before you start singing songs like a gleeman."
The Tairen woman guided Moiraine toward an open window, and the Cairhien woman simply followed. She really wasn't feeling well. Worried, she waited for the images to appear, but they didn't. Surprised, she sat on a bench. Why weren't the images coming? Was it because she was drunk? Was her mind too busy adjusting to the alcohol that the images couldn't appear?
"Drink this." Suddenly, Lia had a glass of water in her hands. Moiraine didn't know where she got it but drank. "It's good that you're not a sailor, my Lady. You could never keep up to their drinking."
"I can cast a net," Moiraine declared in defense, then stopped. Cast a net? When had she learned that? Did Siuan show her?
Lia raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's impressive, but it still doesn't turn you into a sailor. But I guess every little fish has to start small."
Little fish. Something flickered before Moiraine's eyes but never turned into a clear image. Frustrated, the Aes Sedai placed her hands over her eyes. She didn't want to see those images. Why couldn't they stay away? She was happy with Lan and their life. That strange attacker, whom she first had thought of as Lanfear, had ruined everything.
"Why don't you use your skill to get sober?"
Surprised, the woman of the Blue Ajah lifted her head. Had Lia really suggested that Moiraine should use the One Power? A Tairen woman?
"We can only heal others, not ourselves."
"Oh." Lia wasn't looking at Moiraine. Her eyes were fixed on the view outside the window. "I didn't know that."
"You're not scared?"
The older woman licked her lips, then let her eyes move over the guests. Was she searching for Lady Diyana? "I know… it can be like a storm, sending wind for a ship to sail faster or bringing waves to drag it under. With the right training…" Lia bit her lip, then whispered, "You learn how to use this power at the White Tower, right?"
"We do." Was that sadness on Lia's face? Moiraine couldn't trust herself. The alcohol influenced her senses. "You know someone who… has a skill like mine? Someone who needs… training?"
"I did." Now, Moiraine was sure she heard unshed tears in Lia's voice. "A long time ago." That didn't sound good. "She was young and untrained. I assume she wanted to show her parents what she could do and set the hut on fire by accident. When I got there, I could hear her parents scream, begging her to stop." Lia took a deep breath. "They all died in that fire."
Tear. That family could've been saved if they wouldn't have been so scared about channeling. "I'm sorry. That's horrible."
The older woman nodded, then moved her hands over her skirts to smooth the wrinkles. "Well, it happened decades ago."
"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt anymore or that they are not missed deeply." Another thought crossed Moiraine's mind. It was ridiculous, but she needed to know. "Have you ever been to Falme?"
Surprised, the Tairen woman looked at her. "Falme? Not that I can think of. Why should I go there? What could be waiting for me in Falme?"
Seanchan. Whitecloaks. Death. Moiraine winced when she allowed her thoughts to remember the nightmare, and a sharp pain exploded behind her eyes. Blood and ashes! Why couldn't she stop?!
"Moiraine." Lan appeared, cupping the Cairhien woman's face in his hands. Immediately, the pain was gone. "What happened?"
"Hello, my love." Moiraine smiled. Light, she had missed him. It was a shame his face was constantly moving. "I think it's possible that I'm drunk."
Guilt moved over the Malkieri's handsome face. "I tried not to drink too much, but Agelmar… he continuously found new things why we had to drink."
"Oh, it wasn't just you. Caraline did her best to make me drink glass after glass. Honestly, I stopped counting at some point, but now, the room is moving."
"You need to rest."
"We have guests."
Lan snorted. "We entertained them for hours. I think they survive without us."
Lia cleared her throat, pulling Moiraine and Lan's attention to her. "Apologies, my Lord. But I think you forget something important."
"Who are you?" The uncrowned king of Malkier asked suspiciously.
Luckily, the older woman wasn't offended. Instead, she curtsied respectfully. "Lia, my Lord. I'm here with Lady Diyana from Tear."
"She saved me from fainting in front of our guests," Moiraine explained.
Her words calmed Lan, and he addressed Lia more friendly. "What did I forget?"
"This is a ball, my Lord. And a ball includes dancing."
At that moment, music echoed through the air, inviting the people to dance. Moiraine felt sick. How could she forget about the dancing?! Blood and ashes! That wasn't good.
"I need Alanna. Or Egwene," Moiraine said while watching how their guests gathered and created room for the dancers at the same time.
"I don't think we have time for that, my love," Lan murmured, pulling the Aes Sedai to her feet. "We are expected to start the dance."
"Lan!" The man ignored her hissing and led her toward the dancefloor. Light! Was he serious?! "Lan, I can't! I'm drunk!"
"We'll make it work."
They would make it work?! Moiraine had no idea how her husband thought she could manage a dance in her condition. The room was already spinning, and he wanted to make it worse?
The uncrowned king of Malkier gave the musicians a sign, then pulled the Cairhien woman close against him. "Just hold on to me."
The first tones sounded through the air, and Moiraine noticed the tune was slow. A song to glide comfortably over the dance floor. No spinning. No quick moves or direction changes. When Lan started to pull her over the dance floor, it felt like floating. "Clever," she whispered admiringly.
Lan smiled broadly. "Anything for my wonderful wife."
It was a relief when other guests joined the dance, though Moiraine started to forget about them quickly. She only had eyes for Lan, who safely moved her over the dance floor. Maybe it was because of the alcohol in her veins or because she was truly happy that she finally realized how handsome the Malkieri was.
Obviously, she had known that before since she married the man, but it was the first time that she noticed since the attack on her life. His black hair had grey streaks, but they made him even more attractive. Pure love shone in his dark eyes, adding to the love and admiration she felt through the bond.
A beautiful warmth filled her body. Lan loved her. There was no doubt about it. He would move a mountain for her and protect her from any kind of danger coming her way.
Guilt rolled over the Aes Sedai when she remembered how poorly she had treated her Warder after waking from that terrible nightmare. She had physically attacked him and hurt him with her words by telling him that their life together wasn't real. Light! How could he ever forgive her?
"What is it?" Lan whispered, feeling the change in her emotions.
Moiraine opened her mouth, but no word crossed her lips. It was like her emotions cut off her tongue. She had so many words – so many things she would like to tell him – but there were only three little words that really mattered.
"I love you." She should say it more often. The Malkieri deserved to know how she felt about him. He should know how incredibly happy he made her. There was no one else she would rather want to spend the rest of her life with. "I can't imagine my life without you."
Lan's entire face lit up, and his love for her pulsed in their bond. Moiraine swayed dangerously when he stopped dancing, but in the next second, Lan's hand laid on her neck, pulling her in for a kiss.
Moiraine's stomach was turning, and she was certain it had nothing to do with the alcohol. It was pure happiness that filled her veins. A feeling she hadn't felt for a while.
Way too soon, Lan ended the kiss but didn't move. They waited until they both had caught their breath, then the Malkieri led her toward a window.
"Beautiful. Wasn't it a beautiful dance?"
Lord Agelmar appeared beside Lan with more lords at his side who agreed, mumbling. Moiraine groaned when the man handed her husband another glass of wine. She was already not feeling well. Light, she should find Egwene or Alanna to help her with that dizziness.
Lan called one of the servants to them and placed his glass on the tray. "Could you bring me two glasses of water?"
"Water?" Lord Agelmar laughed loudly, which rang painfully in Moiraine's ears. "What do you want with water, my Lord?"
"As you may remember, my Lord, my wife and I are bonded, and my drinking affects her. So I move on-"
"Nonsense." The ruler of Fal Dara took two glasses of wine from the servant's tray and handed them to Lan and Moiraine. "You can't drink water with those fine men. Your wife will feel better when she drinks, too."
Lan wanted to protest, but Lord Agelmar was already talking to the other lords, telling them about Lan's incredible victory over the Trollocs. Moiraine wondered how often he had told that story that night.
Sighing, the woman of the Blue Ajah looked at her glass. Maybe she should search for Egwene or Alanna. But if she left now, it was highly possible to run into Caraline again, and she couldn't survive another meeting.
Both Moiraine and Lan learned that it was impossible not to drink when you were with Lord Agelmar. Apparently, he hoped the lords would be more open to his and Lan's plans when they were drunk. And Lan and Moiraine had to drink as well so the lords wouldn't find the behavior suspicious.
Lan didn't have a problem, but Moiraine was doing worse with every glass. She started to lean on her Warder, who wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her upright. Shortly after that, she began to smile about almost everything Lord Agelmar said, followed by turning those smiles into giggles. And the worst thing was, she couldn't stop.
Moiraine didn't know what Lord Agelmar had said that started her giggle, but it was absolutely impossible to stop once the first giggle occurred. Drinking more wine didn't help, and the lords didn't seem to like it at some point.
Under normal circumstances, the Aes Sedai would've been ashamed of her strange behavior, but with the alcohol in her veins… it didn't bother her. And Lan… she couldn't say how he felt about her behavior since she couldn't focus on his emotions through the bond.
"I think your wife isn't feeling well, Dai Shan." Was that Lord Agelmar? Moiraine couldn't focus anymore. "Shall we call a Healer?"
"It was a long day, and she is exhausted." That was definitely Lan's voice. Someone took the glass out of her hand. Surprised, Moiraine looked at her empty hand. Where did the glass go? "Would you excuse me? My wife needs to rest."
"Can't someone else help-"
"I'll take care of my wife." Lan sounded pissed.
Why was he angry? His face was hard when Moiraine lifted her eyes. Smiling, she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. "So strict." Another giggle left her throat, and she kissed him again. "I like you better when you smile."
"Come on, my love. You need a break."
"Ookaay," Moiraine sang, allowing her husband to guide her through the crowd. She had no idea where they were going but trusted Lan to know what was best for her.