"No," Liaran said quietly, though she didn't think she sounded very convincing. "I'm supposed to stay where I was assigned this morning....and I can't avoid the sisters from the White Tower forever." She knew that was true, but Liaran couldn't claim she liked it much. Determined to deal with her fear as well as she could, Liaran returned to where they had been working earlier to find Orinna already busy. She got back to work herself, and while she did, she wondered why Haeden had chosen to work here instead of going on patrol. She hadn't missed what he'd said earlier, strongly suggesting that he would go wherever she went. Surely he didn't come here just to be near me. Since she had no way to know what he was thinking, Liaran decided that the Gaidin's motivations would just have to remain a mystery to her.
Regardless of Haeden's reason for being here, she was grateful that he was. She'd come here alone, knew that she could have managed by herself, but Liaran had to admit it was far easier to work, especially here, with a friend beside her. She kept working, opening bags and boxes and passing out supplies, until she was distracted by the sound of a wagon rumbling through the streets. It was a sound Liaran remembered well from being brought here in one, and she lifted her head to search for its source. As she did, the ruins of the White Tower were clearly visible before her. Some of the walls remained standing in places, and when she caught sight of one of these sections, Liaran couldn't stop herself from recalling the first time she'd been brought here, when the White Tower had been whole.
The Aes Sedai shuddered, and the sack of pears she'd been holding fell from her hands. Fruit spilled from the bag to roll across the ground, but Liaran did not notice. She continued to shake, though she stayed on her feet. Her dark eyes, unblinking, remained fixated on the ruins. Her memories threatened to consume her, of being held, helpless and paralyzed in a wagon like the one she'd heard, and of the taste of forkroot forcibly poured into her mouth. Worse yet was recalling her arrival here, being imprisoned, with no knowledge of her eventual fate. She shivered, feeling nothing but the fear she could still clearly recall, and felt her breathing begin to speed up until she was nearly panting. The harsh sound filled her ears, and when Orinna asked her if she was all right, Liaran did not hear. She had ceased to be aware of anything outside of her memories and the fear they still brought her.
Regardless of Haeden's reason for being here, she was grateful that he was. She'd come here alone, knew that she could have managed by herself, but Liaran had to admit it was far easier to work, especially here, with a friend beside her. She kept working, opening bags and boxes and passing out supplies, until she was distracted by the sound of a wagon rumbling through the streets. It was a sound Liaran remembered well from being brought here in one, and she lifted her head to search for its source. As she did, the ruins of the White Tower were clearly visible before her. Some of the walls remained standing in places, and when she caught sight of one of these sections, Liaran couldn't stop herself from recalling the first time she'd been brought here, when the White Tower had been whole.
The Aes Sedai shuddered, and the sack of pears she'd been holding fell from her hands. Fruit spilled from the bag to roll across the ground, but Liaran did not notice. She continued to shake, though she stayed on her feet. Her dark eyes, unblinking, remained fixated on the ruins. Her memories threatened to consume her, of being held, helpless and paralyzed in a wagon like the one she'd heard, and of the taste of forkroot forcibly poured into her mouth. Worse yet was recalling her arrival here, being imprisoned, with no knowledge of her eventual fate. She shivered, feeling nothing but the fear she could still clearly recall, and felt her breathing begin to speed up until she was nearly panting. The harsh sound filled her ears, and when Orinna asked her if she was all right, Liaran did not hear. She had ceased to be aware of anything outside of her memories and the fear they still brought her.
