Tending The Flames [Marla]

The World outside the Grey Tower is a vast place.
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Andy
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Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Andy » April 20th, 2017, 5:46 pm

It had been but a few days since his talk with the Mitress of Arms, looking back he was wondering why he was still breathing. He had been not jsut rude but had been a split-second from fighting her head on. The sorrow and emptiness inside had not dissipated at all, if anything it had grown worse and he was finding it even harder to see a point to his trying to finish anything. Especially training that made him ache for days at a time. Yet there was right in one thing - it was his home. Now. The other one, estrangd or not, as no more. The people at least.

And it's people that make a place home, isn't it? All this time we think it is things. Clothes, trinkets, your favourite candlestick. Take them away and you're annoyed but move on. Take away the people and... his thoughts were usually quite morbid of late, it was to be expected he had been told. A Gaidin had been assigned to make sure he did nothing stupid but mostly he had gruffly talked with him most of the days about everything.

It had been a good way of getting insight on things, a stranger and a distance that he had used to climb somewhat out of his hole. At least enough not to go around fighting everyone. He didn't know how long it would last but at least he had no new wounds. He did enough wincing as it was recovering from the others and so he was grateful of that small respite. He sighed as he waited, fingers drumming upon the leather of his pack absently. He had been told to wait here to go to Arafel, that was all. He was growing bored and despite his dislike of returning upon such dire times he wanted to be back upon familiar soils.

"No horses though," he muttered to himself thoughtfully, "mans we're going by Gateway. Means a channeller but I don't see one. And this is the stables, not the usual Gateway place. Means...something" he scratched his short, rough beard and made the assumptions.

Got my clothes, weapons, bit of money from myself and the Tower - thank you Tower - and the letter. And his...dagger. Parchment and things in case I need to take anything back with me. Deeds or something maybe. Not likely but gave me an extra bag just in case. Rations too, which means...maybe not going just for me? Might spend some time out of town? Ria's a damned spider I swear he continued his musing as he tried to work it out.

He eventually came to the conclusion that he was over-thinking things and that Gaidin were always prepared and so that was probably all it was and he was just waiting for someone important to be free to make the Gateway and being asked to wait somewhere alone meant no chance of a fight happening.

"Smart woman, knows me and knows how to stop me being me. For now. I'm a quick learner though" he told himself darkly, he would figure out a way to sneak out to the taverns again soon enough - one way of the other.

And so, for now, he waited and gazed into the middle distance, lost in his own world.
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Sunny » April 30th, 2017, 10:09 pm

Since gaining her shawl Fiona had enjoyed a degree of freedom she had never known existed. There were limits to it, of course; as both the youngest and weakest Aes Sedai currently in residence at the Tower, she was at the bottom of the authority stack. When members of the Ajah met it fell to her to fetch papers, serve tea, and smile warmly to hide her grinding teeth. None of that truly mattered in the grander scheme of things, because the Andoran was finally free to make her own decisions.

Cake for breakfast? Frequently. Spending days at a time at the archery butts, shooting until her fair skin peeled from the heat and her softened hands gained ‘unsightly’ calluses? Certainly. Wearing whatever she bloody well pleased, and going wherever whimsy directed her? Oh yes. The young woman found fierce joy in every choice she had the right to make. She avoided taking on obligations beyond the infirmary and steered clear of anything resembling political intrigue. The time would come when she had to pick up that weight; for now? I am young, and the world is waiting. If the bloody Stair was to be believed she had plenty of sacrifices to make in her future, after all.

Her mad revelry came to a stop one morning, though she had little enough reason to believe it would when the day began. She took her pony out for a ride before the sun rose, returning just after breakfast with a flush in her cheeks and her hair a mess of wind-tossed curls and flower petals. She had just handed the reins to a stablehand when she heard someone approaching behind.

“Fiona.” The young Green turned away from Plumpy to look up at the Mistress of Arms with a smile. Even now it took an effort not to bow; the woman wore authority like a cloak. She also didn’t waste time with pleasantries, it turned out. “I am told you know Alrim Farshara rather well.”

“I consider him a friend,” Fiona responded, searching the older woman’s face. “I haven’t seen him about in a while, Braw- Dedicated Nate said he’s been in the city. Is he well?” It had been nearly two weeks since she’d seen the Ji’val, but she’d assumed he was simply busy with the increased responsibilities of his new rank.

“He has been in the city.” The Gaidin’s voice was grim. “Drowning himself in drink and getting beaten to a pulp in street fights.”

The Andoran blinked. “That seems rather out of character,” she said cautiously, pulling her gloves off and tucking them into her belt. Beneath her calm Aes Sedai mask, concern and guilt began to bubble and grow. “Do you know why?”

“He received word that his family has passed-” Fiona’s hands flew to her mouth, serenity forgotten in the face of abject horror. Whatever else was said faded into nothing as her mind flipped back to the very first conversation she had had with the man, when he had told her why he left Arafel.

“He wanted to prove himself and now...oh, Alrim!” The Gaidin gave her a curious, if rather bemused, look. “He came here to earn back their esteem after a terrible mistake,” Fiona explained. “But that isn’t my story to tell. Does he need Healing? Please tell me he isn’t alone, Mistress.” Did Nate know everything he had been up to? Probably not or Alrim would have had company.

“I found him some days ago,” the Saldaean responded. “He’s been taken care of and is well in body, if not in heart. He wants to go home-”

“I can go this afternoon, unless you have objections,” Fiona interjected, her rude interruption balanced somewhat by the genuine distress on her face and in her voice.

“I thought you might be amenable.”

---

The morning passed quickly enough, though the Andoran’s desire to see her friend with her own eyes grew with every passing minute. She packed frugally and with care for speed and ease of movement; there was a time and a place for frippery, and traveling in the Borderlands was not one. When at last she locked her chambers and walked away, she carried only a small shoulder bag, her bow, and quiver. Other supplies were already safely delivered to the stable.

The Aes Sedai found her way there herself soon enough, though she took a route that brought her there from the west, rather than the south. Thus she spied the grey-clad figure before he saw her. Alrim was facing the opposite direction, somehow managing to broadcast impatience and dejected apathy at the same time. She paused a moment, gnawing on her lip, then padded closer, grateful for the breeches that allowed her to move quickly and relatively silently.

“"Smart woman, knows me and knows how to stop me being me. For now. I'm a quick learner though,” the Ji’val muttered as she approached.

“I rather like who you are,” Fiona said quietly as she circled him. “but good luck getting me to let you drink yourself to death.” She reached up to brush his cheek with her fingertips. “I’m here to take you home.”
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Andy » May 5th, 2017, 8:41 pm

If he had been asked who he would have wanted to take him back to his homeland a number of faces and names would have flickered in his mind's eye. He had garnered some friends in his time at the Tower, some were closer than others but truly just a friend would have sufficed. Nate, Fiona, Alric could all channel and as such would have been the ones he might have had the pick of. Of the three two he knew most of all and one had sent them into a battle the last time he had tried to make a Gateway. Alrim smiled softly at that memory, a hard and confusing time but looking back he had to laugh. It was pretty much all he had these days.

And even that is fading and...burn me...shut up he snapped at himself, stopping the darker thoughts from rearing their heads for the moment.

He didn't hear Fiona approach, he was too busy inside himself to notice. A poor Gaidin he made right then but then again the woman was mischievous and talented at tracking by hr own admission. He started in recognition and was conflicted - on the one hand he felt better that she was there, he could rely upon her and she knew enough that he trusted her. Yet she would see him at his worst, had already heard about his actions from her words. It was his first taste of shame, slight as it was, for some time.

"I don't like me much anymore and I was my best advocate" he sighed before smiling wryly and looking at her, "I don't suppose that we could play a game for just a little bit of drinking? No?" he pushed himself up, taking her fingers in his hand, holding them and her gaze slightly longer, silently thankful despite the circumstances.

He let them go and picked up his pack, slinging it across his shoulder and testing to see it was easily discarded in case of trouble. He trod towards the allotted mount and tried to at least act as if he was relatively normal as he checked the straps and secured his pack to the saddle. His last check, pulling the blade from the sheathe over his shoulder and eyeing the edge before slipping it back and turning to look at her with a sad expression.

"Not home remember? I go back to...I don't know. Not even sure there's bodies. I suppose they will want to make sure all is in order before the estate goes to whoever else survives. Doubt I even have and inheritance," he rubbed his cheek and winced slightly from the bruises, "seems like a big joke really. I shouldn't be surprised you're here. We've both been there before" he shook his head to himself, forgetting she wouldn't know what he was talking about.

That was yet another thing that had happened in his Test, Fiona had been his Aes Sedai when his family had been killed or kidnapped. At least there would be no conflict of interest this time he reasoned as he approached her again and took a deep breath.

"I am...glad you are here though. I don't really have much to offer in the way of good moods these days but you are a nice light in the shadow. I..." he stopped, leaving anything more unsaid, he didn't have the energy.

"Home then? I can show you where I grew up and you can finally learn everything else there is to know about Alrim Farshera," he pursed his lips, "after you, my lady?" he offered her his hand to help her into her mount.
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Sunny » May 13th, 2017, 7:48 pm

Fiona’s fair brows drew together as Alrim checked over his mount. Not in anger (if not directed at a true enemy, her rage tended to manifest as an embarrassing display of pink cheeks, stammered words, and frustrated tears), but in true concern. How would I react, if I learned my family died? She didn’t have an answer to that. Even after the years she spent in the Tower pretending the Trakands did not exist, she could not imagine a world without her mother and father. She filed away the comment about playing games for drinks...perhaps with the right timing she could make him smile.

Alrim came back and she stared at his bruised face with worried blue eyes. When he reached for her hand she bypassed his fingers and reached up, once more cupping his cheek. She had to push herself up on her toes to reach now that he stood at his full height. “I’m glad I’m here, too,” she said in a gentle tone. “You may not feel you have the right to call our destination home, but...it is, isn’t it? And everything has gone terribly wrong in the blink of an eye. While I doubt you’ll ever admit it, you need care right now- and that’s why I’m here.” That was the truth. The Ji’val was an expert at deflecting conversation away from himself, at giving to others what he would not accept for himself, and ignoring his own feelings in favor of caring for another’s.

The Andoran let her hand drop, accepting his assistance into her saddle. Then she arranged her skirts with nervous fingers as he went to mount his own horse. Plumpy made a plaintive whickering noise, as if to say “didn’t we just do this?” and Fiona stroked her dark mane comfortingly. “Just a few more hours, girl,” she whispered softly.

They left the stable side by side, Fiona indicating they should go to the Traveling Yard that lay to the east. When they arrived she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small figurine of a woman with her legs crossed and hands pressed palms together in front of her face. Alrim gave it a dispassionate look and the Aes Sedai turned a pretty shade of pink. “I am not a strong channeler,” she explained in a low voice. “This is an angreal. It will help me make the Gateway so if there is trouble on the other side I will not be a liability.”

“Why would you-”

“I am your friend, Alrim.” Her voice was firmer than it had ever been in his presence, her gaze shifting away from him to the place where the Gateway would be. “That’s all that matters.”

The Five Powers flowed through the angreal and for a few precious moments the Andoran could pretend she was the match of any normal Aes Sedai in the Tower. A breath later and a line of light appeared, rotating open to reveal a tree-dotted landscape she had never seen before. It was certainly colder in the north, and dusk had already fallen. She had forgotten about that particular aspect of Traveling to a different nation. Ah well.

“We will be a few hours south of your land,” she said. “Do you need anything else before we go?”
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Andy » May 14th, 2017, 9:31 am

He felt like he should say something further but Fiona's tone was firm and sharp, brooking no further argument or statement. He held his counsel, he had fought with a friend the last time he had used one of these Gateways and he had no desire to repeat the experience. Especially given the fact that Fiona would likely win that battle quite easily. He would never live it down. Still he did find a flash of amusement with the idea that she was using her 'royal' voice. He doubted he'd survive if he mad the jest but it was tempting. He did notice the blush at her admission of weakness - or at least that's how it seemed she thought of it.

"I'd take strength of heart over power any day," he noted as he watched the glistening line appear, spread and ripple slightly as it formed the picture of their destination, he patted the neck of his mount affectionately, "and the only things I need I have already" he finished, leaving her to interpret as she willed.

He nudged heels and walked his mount forwards, hand on the hilt of his sword as he exhaled and went through tot he other side. One thing he had learned was that he instinctively inhaled at the other end and the cold air filled his lungs. He looked around and saw nothing to concern them and let his hand fall to his saddle as he waited for Fiona to come through. His gaze met a sparser and more rugged landscape, his home, and for the first time in a while he felt like he was home.

Suppose she was right, it'll always be hope regardless. Two homes. But one life. There is no more life here, just duty he thought to himself sadly.

"You were right," he said as they began their journey at a gentle pace, his eyes alert and shifting just in case, "this will always be home. Even if I cannot live here anymore. I suppose you know how that feels too"

They would have some time together and so he knew he should at least try to be good company and make some conversation. He had the feeling he wasn't very good at fun conversation right then but h resolved to try. As they moved memory stirred and even in the gloom he knew where everything was. He had sent much time here when he was younger, mostly messing around and hiding from authority he had to admit but there were pleasant memories amidst the bad.

"You know, it's funny you took us here," he piped up, "this region is where I spent half of my life. Running from jobs, hiding from the guards, bragging about tricks, heists or fights. I discovered half of the things I know with that group," he looked up at the sky and sought out star points, casting his gaze around he tried to remember directions, "there was a cave around here somewhere and we really should have been caught from the amount of noise we made in it but we never were. Once I ran away here, now I come back for duty's sake. Who'd have thought?"

His tone was distant but fond, he knew what he had done was wrong. He had wasted his life up until his arrival at the Grey Tower. Yet those times, the people and the escapades were things to be proud of in some ways. They had thought differently, invented things, always looked out for each other. At first at any rate. Toward the end it had been ugly but for a while he had felt truly alive.

"I found out later my Father knew where I was and never told anyone. He thought I would mature into him, he had been that way too apparently but had used the things learned to create a business. It surprises people to know quite a few peddlars and merchants started out thieves and rogues" he did smile then, a genuine smile for once.

His father had been a good man for his faults and h had understood Alrim's behaviour even if he hadn't condoned it at the end. He sighed.

"But enough about me," he said, there would be enough time for reminiscing, "you're an Aes Sedai now, very important and influential. How have you been? Haven't seen you in a while, I suppose you've been fighting the Shadow in your battle gear? I'd imagine the Gaidin have been forcing the doors down to try to befriend you by now too, no?" he tried for humour, she deserved some levity for the companionship.
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Sunny » May 29th, 2017, 4:25 am

Alrim seemed a little more alive now they were away from the Tower, but Fiona couldn’t be sure how much of it was an act for her benefit. It didn’t matter really. He spoke of his life and his family, and regardless of intention, it might help him. That first half hour of riding certainly showed her more of his life before the Tower than any of their tavern talks had.

When he spoke of the cave and his father, she found herself smiling. It reminded her of the clearing she had made her own as a young woman and the way her own father had turned a blind eye to her escapades in the forest and village. She had not discovered gambling until she won a horse off a man in Tear with her luck, but she had certainly found plenty of other unproductive ways to fill her time.

“Your father loved you,” the Aes Sedai said softly. “He wanted you to be the best you can be, but knew he couldn’t force you there. He knew you would find the way yourself, he simply had to be patient. He was right.” The Arafellin changed the subject quickly, a trick Fiona was beginning to recognize as defense, or perhaps a sign that he needed time to think. Very well.

“I’m still me,” she told him. “I still care too much about all the wrong things according to the older Aes Sedai who counsel me. I am certainly able to play the Great Game, but usually choose not to. Why dance around for hours when I could just ask a question? Many -not all, but many- find my behavior distressing.” Mischief tinged her voice, and then it hardened to firm resolve. “I will not make a difference in this world by playing the same games that I ran away from Andor to escape. I refuse to even try.”

She looked up at the Ji’val thoughtfully. “I have fought some, yes. The most obvious way for a new Green to make her mark is to go to the Citadel to assist with the battle on the Border, and so I have done. I am hesitant to go off on my own until-” she cut off, hastily reformulating what she had been about to say. Until you are raised, she had nearly told him. With great power came great assumptions, it seemed. Who was to say the Arafellin would even want such a bond? “Until I have appropriate protections,” she said instead.

“Which leads to your final question, I suppose. I have had inquiries, yes, though mostly from other channelers. It seems I am just as unpredictable and frustrating in that arena as I am with politics, however.” Her laugh chimed softly in the darkening twilight. “I do not mind waiting for the right bond. If I am to link my soul with another’s for the duration of our lives, I want to be sure I will not regret my choice.”

They had reached a road while she spoke; now she followed Alrim north. “What of you?” She asked. “You are Ji’val now, and I can only assume you have an Aes Sedai fanclub at this point. Do you have plans for when you earn your cloak?”
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Andy » June 5th, 2017, 9:09 am

“Probably,” he conceded at her words about his father, she was undoubtedly smarter than he was though he would never admit that to her, “but I think getting run ragged around the Tower probably helped too. I think, after this trip, I will have to try to live up to that more. Riahana Gaidin suggested as much too” he reflected as they turned onto the path and made their way, slowly but steadily, North.

He fell silent as she continued talking, it was a pleasant distraction and gave him something to muse upon that joined up with something that was looming large in his future – Aes Sedai and their lives. He had avoided the topic for a while no though there had been no ending of prodding from his instructors and others for him to learn and integrate. He supposed he was afraid, deep down, that he would not be good enough. Failure meant death for someone else and he was not sure he was ready for that responsibility.

“I am glad you are still you, it would be upsetting if you were someone else,” a small smile of amusement flashing through his expression, “I don’t know much about politics, though I could always learn, but I might make the suggestion that you have the best of both worlds. You can be direct and indirect. From what I hear that is rare. I quite like games myself, I remember one which worked out quite well,” he noted gently, “either way perhaps it is time they were a bit distressed. Comfort breeds sloth, as I well know”

He fell silent for a short while longer in further consideration, the steady rhythm of the hooves upon the ground almost hypnotic in the relative quiet of their surroundings. The path seemed a metaphor for his life – or both of their lives. Always working, going somewhere and doing something. A life of service and sacrifice some said. He wondered, briefly, how many had found it too difficult to carry on the trudge. Was that why they settled at the Tower after a while, for a rest? Had they given up and let the youth forge the path further? Did the path ever end? Many things were unanswered of late. It seemed, from the quick change of her speech that perhaps she was filled with such questions herself. He would not be surprised.

“A wise move, to wait for such a time. The Shadow is not something I think anyone should face by themselves if they can help it,” he stated simply, his feeling quite clear on the matter in his tone, “there are too few of us to waste us as a certain giant told me once. Soppy thing” he shook his head slightly and flicked a stray bell from his face.
“You make it sound almost poetic you know,” he looked at her for a while before continuing, “though I agree. There is no sense Bonding for the sake of Bonding. Every person I have asked has said as much. Even the mute ones. I think the Fancloak may come quicker than I am probably ready for and with it comes more thinking than is sometimes comfortable” he sighed slightly, it was unavoidable really but he had gone in circles for weeks about such things. Her comment about a fan club made him snort though despite his previous mood.

“You think so?” his voice filled with amusement, “a few, perhaps. Accepted and Novices mostly but I think they just like anyone shirtless with a sword. Aes Sedai, not so much. No one has approached me at any rate. Closest was in my test though I am told that it not real so…” he trailed off.
“Perhaps they will once I am raised. I think many of them assume I am not reliable and I can’t blame them for that. Though it’s not very fair considering not many of my rank have already taken a blade for a channeller, but still,” he shrugged, “as for what I will do…I honestly don’t know. Probably head to the Citadel for a time. I know un-Bonded act as guards when required and practise would probably be the smart thing to do. Teach the younger ones how to not get themselves killed, I am quite good at that apparently. I think, on the whole, I will just keep myself busy and wait until something presents itself. Or someone. Then again, I could do that until I am too old to do it. Sometimes you have to roll the die” he ended with a thoughtful tilt of his head.

He listened as he thought he had heard something but after a few moments of nothingness he let it slip by but made a note of it. There were still youngsters who came to this area for the same reasons he had. They usually hid but he wasn’t about to take chances so he kept his attention on the surroundings as he wondered upon the future. He increased the pace ever so slightly just to be on the safe side, it was always harder to keep up with a horse when on foot and with what had happened to him of late he was perhaps more cautious and cynical than he had been before.

“What do you hope to do now that you are Aes Sedai?” he asked her, he was genuinely interested, “travel the lands perhaps? Find Darkfriends and foil dark plots, bringing order to the land like in the stories? I am told there are many tales of nobles doing such things. Princesses even, especially ones in disguise” his tone and grin would tell her he was teasing her, perhaps more back to his old self now that the worries brought on by isolation were slowly being eased.
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Sunny » June 30th, 2017, 9:42 pm

Although Alrim said nothing, Fiona did not miss the slight increase in pace. Her fair eyebrows lifted ever so slightly and she glanced around thoughtfully, taking in each tree, boulder, and bush with careful attention. They were that close to the Blightborder, so whatever he looked for, it hardly seemed likely to be Shadowspawn. No threats presented themselves; gradually the Green relaxed.

Alrim seemed to have the same idea, and soon they bantered as usual. When he asked what she planned to do as an Aes Sedai, Fiona laughed. “Perhaps I shall found the first ever school of Shadowspawn etiquette,” she quipped with a toss of golden curls, “as I’m so very fearsome, I’m certain they will listen.” Laughter tinged her tone. The horses hooves clipped at a steady rhythm in the darkness.

The shadows caused her to sober. “There is always need for soldiers and medics in war,” the Andoran commented, “and the war with the Shadow never ends. I imagine I will spend a great deal of time up here, to be truthful. I will never be a battle channeler, but the Light needs tacticians, strategists, and people with blind luck leading its armies. I have the last in spades,” she wiggled her fingers with a small laugh, “and the first two will come with time as I study. It is the least I can do.”

Chill air stirred, causing the hair to lift on the back of her neck. She shuddered, one hand rising instinctively to brush the odd feeling away. As she moved, the sound of clicking hooves once again drifted through her consciousness. But we’re on grass. The incongruous thought brought her attention right back down to earth. Not hooves. Not horses. Not even a real sound.

The dice in Fiona’s head began to spin faster the moment she realized they had tumbled. She closed her eyes and the chill shifted and changed, tugging at her with dogged persistence. For a moment she remembered a strange day with Murdock when the fog had tried to kill them. The same feeling of dread had risen when-

Realization struck, and the Aes Sedai’s hand flew to her bow scabbard, yanking the clasp free and pulling the yew weapon free. “Alrim,” she murmured in a voice pitched to reach his ears alone. “There are Shadowspawn to the west. I don’t know how many, but they’re headed this way.” Stringing a bow on horseback remained one of her least favorite activities, but instinct kept her in the saddle. Grumbling indistinctly, the small Andoran prepared for battle.
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Andy » July 1st, 2017, 8:51 am

He didn't laugh when Fiona mention the etiquette school, though he did enjoy the sound of her laughter, but he did smile a grim sort of smile. Yes, please teach them to be polite and allow themselves to be killed and for them to die quietly. The Eyeless especially. It was an attractively foolish idea. He had missed this, the small talking whilst travelling. He had been many places with many channelers but not a lot of them seemed to talk on the travel path. He considered her words upon the Shadow - she was correct of course. However he focused more on her words about herself. If part of his future job was to advise - so the Gaidin were at pains to point out - he should learn to think up such advice.

"You know I had a spar with Paks once, not too long ago now. She was teaching me some dagger work. I was taller, bigger, stronger and definitely better with a sword. A much larger, stronger, fearsome weapon most would think," he spoke slowly as he thought, almost in rhythm with the pace of the hooves, "we were a match after a while, or at least that's what I and the gathered watchers thought. She won in the end and managed to embarrass me at the same time. It is funny looking back now. She always was a trickster" he chuckled.

"Point is...even if you aren't the biggest, strongest One Power user out there, a small and agile blade with a dextrous wielder can do things us lumbering ox can't do," he smiled, "never a battle channeler my foot. Though I can see you ordering people around most certainly. It's the voice, very stern" he nodded theatrically.

"Still, if you ever want someone to study with come find me. They keep telling me that I should know about battles and wars and tactics. Funny that they didn't tell me that when I was just supposed to be learning how to not get killed" he snorted to himself.

He noted that Fiona shivered and closed her eyes after a few moments of silence. He wondered if she were cold and began to tug at his cloak as if to give it to her for the rest of the journey. He was used to the colder, crisper weather in the Borderlands after all, the day currently was not so bad. Far from the worst chill he had experienced. When she almost sways he reached out to steady her but her eyes flew open and her words brought an oath to his lips. He did tear his cloak off then and stuffed it into his saddlebag - it would have got in the way.

He drew his blade and eyed the sky, finding west and putting himself between Fiona and the direction. She was stringing her bow as they moved and he increased the pace once more ever so slightly. Once she did accomplished it he increased the pace almost to full speed. If they could put some distance between the Shadow and themselves then they might give up, Trollocs were known to be lazy creatures that he knew well.

"What did you want to do?," he asked her as soon as he had gotten a better look at the sky, his tone just high enough to get across the sound of hooves, "We could run the horses, see if we can out distance them?" he asked her just as several shapes loomed out of the darkness ahead and to their left. Just a few - not a whole Fist.

Too late to avoid them and they were like as not scouts and would just let however many others were with them have a reason for pursuit. He pulled ahead of Fiona and the clash of steel filled the air soon enough. Five Trollocs, smelly and bestial. Scouting party indeed. His blade bit into the first's chest as he tried to get his mount to circle. He was no true horseman though and so he lost the opportunity for maximum execution but he did slice the face off of another before cutting down across its throat. His mount reared and backed up from the other three, hooves lashing out at them as it did so but not truly injuring. A third came in and he barely had time to block it's blade and lean out of the way as it's free hand reached for him.

"Burn me" he muttered to himself.

At least Fiona had had warning, her luck or whatever it was that blessed her. Still he was not in the mood for the games of the Dark One. His anger was mounting and he had quite a deep reserve of it that had built over the last few days. It was all he could to keep himself from shouting and drawing any further attention to them than this skirmish would already bring. He almost wanted the fight as it began to heat his blood, to fight a whole Fist. But mostly he was angry with himself. Blades met again in a strangely beautiful pattern as moonlight reflected off of metal. Like triangles almost as they met, reversed, slide along each other for purchase and then him flicking the Trolloc's blade aside and lunging for the thrust. It bit deep but into the shoulder, not a kill.
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Arafel Will Rise, Kick Matty's Butt & Be Totally The Most Awesome Land Evar
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Sunny
"Knife of Dreams"
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Re: Tending The Flames [Marla]

Post by Sunny » July 5th, 2017, 8:57 pm

It had been years since the first time Fiona laid eyes on Trollocs and she still could not quite quell the sickening turn in her stomach at the sight. Wrong, they’re wrong, they’re all wrong. Twisted and corrupted, neither human nor animal, their presence brought a feeling of filth, as if she had not bathed for a month. One of the many gifts and curses of being a channeler, she had learned in her studies with the Green Ajah as an Accepted.

“I suggest killing them, unless you'd rather invite them to tea,” Fiona told Alrim in a facetious tone as her fingers fumbled with her bowstring. “It’s too dark and the ground’s too rough to run.” The length of yew went behind her back, arms twisting and pushing at the wood until she could push the opposite loop of the string into the nock. I just need a few clear shots.

She had reckoned without Plumpy’s reaction to Shadowspawn. No amount of training could prepare a southern-bred steed for that scent. Forced to devote all her attention to staying in the saddle, Fiona had no choice but to watch Alrim take on the Trollocs on his own. Don’t be an idiot, the Andoran admonished herself. She was no longer a useless noble girl, even if she was too tired to channel more than a trickle, and Alrim was far from the no-good slouch about he liked to present himself as.

There were benefits to being an archer, especially when the enemy towered over her ally. Fiona let Plumpy lead them away a short distance, then put an arrow to string and turned to face the fighting group. There had been five, she thought; now there were three outlined in the moonlight and a fourth to the side, making a noise like an injured boar. She closed her eyes and counted to five, then opened them, drew the arrow to her ear, and released.

The howling Trolloc toppled, and Fiona’s attention turned back to her companion. The Arafellin was facing off with another she saw, his blade flashing in steady rhythm. A third circled him as well, but the fourth…the Aes Sedai frowned. Where-?

A big figure lurched away from the tree it had crept behind, axe raised as his wolfish snout looked toward Alrim. “Oh, no you don’t,” Fiona muttered. “Not him.” Her first arrow flew wide as Plumpy pranced sideway, and the second slid off crude plate armor unnoticed. The third caught the beast in the throat, however, and he fell to his knees with a gurgling groan.

Trollocs were not human, the Aes Sedai reminded herself. They had never been human. Killing them was a mercy, a necessity, a requirement. They would destroy the world if given half a chance. The assurance of those facts did nothing to help Fiona’s heart ache less as she reached for her next arrow. Trollocs were proof positive that the Shadow was the embodiment of evil and must be stopped, she thought. No force for good could ever forcing a living being into such a state of existence.

Could they?

She remembered the Seanchan as she aimed and suddenly wasn’t so certain.
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