They All Die the Same (Attn: Bella/Mia)

[Locke]

Alric

Life at the Citadel was harsh, but familiar. Hospital corners and early morning PT were just the things a man like Alric needed to clear his mind. He’d never done garrison duty, but it wasn’t too much of a change. Though he was a Dedicated, he chose to live and train alongside the tower soldiers. Admittedly, he’d put some of his own personal study on hold when he signed up to be stationed up here, but he needed it. With the constant threat of trolloc raids, he didn’t have time to think about Affie or Andra or anything else. Just scouting and patrols. When he wasn’t in the field, he worked with a small team devoted to tracking and predicting trolloc movements. The veterans up here knew so much about trollic psychology. Having spent most of his life believing trollocs were little more than peddler’s tales, he found them both fascinating and terrifying to learn about.

“Peace, this isn’t good,” said the slight man pouring over maps with Alirc. Kassin was a few years younger than Alric, but he’d been part of his first expedition into the Blight while Alric had been studying the rigid little “cells” that made up leaves under Javier.

“What’s not?” Alric asked peering over his shoulder.

“These raids, they’re following a pattern. I think a large force is out there somewhere. They’re looking for supplies before heading south.”

“Are you sure they’re headed south?”

“I’m not, but I’d rather err on the side of caution.”

“Reasonable, get your theory to Miahala Sedai, I’ll see if there’s anything else I can scrape together for a briefing. Numbers estimates maybe.” Alric could feel the growing excitement. Miahala was a Green. Even if they were headed back north, he doubted the woman would let a large force of trollocs run free in her precious borderlands.

As Kassin sprinted for the door, Alric turned his attention back to the maps. Where are you, you horn headed freaks? Trolloc’s don’t like to cross deep water…. But a campsite should be near a water source. Hmm… Ooh, there’s a shallow stream over here. That’s not to far from the last raid. Now, how many of you can fit around here?

[Bella]

Miahala Sedai had not been at the Citadel for long, but she was not an infrequent visitor. She preferred to take a turn there every now and then, do what she could whether it be within the building or without, although never part of a "regular" rotation. She was Aes Sedai, after all, and came and went as she pleased.

This time around, she and Ravak were only recently arrived. It had been just long enough for their presence to be known when a young man came rushing to find her. Her sharp blue-green eyes zeroed in on him like a hawk for a moment, her senses always heightened so close to home...and the Blight.

"At ease, son," she said simply. "What is it?"

After catching his breath, he related what he and Dedicated Alric had noticed while examining information about Trolloc movements in the area, as well as their theory as to what it meant. Mia exchanged a look with her Gaidin and then nodded. "We will be there momentarily," she told him and nodded for him to leave.

Once he was gone, Mia sighed. "More movement," she said simply, her eyes distant with her thoughts. "Hopefully we won't find the same as we did before..."

With that, she turned and followed in the direction the young man had gone. In a few minutes, she arrived where the Dedicated was still looking over the maps. "I have been made aware of what you've seen so far," she said without preamble or niceties. It wasn't her style, after all, when there was work at hand. "What else have you found?"

[Locke]

Alric

As Kassin sprinted from the room, the rest of the small team leapt into action. Renner the one-eyed sargent nominally in charge of the center joined Alric by his map.

“About how much does a single trolloc need to eat a day?” Alric asked the more experienced scout.

“Hard to say, we tend to assume maybe twice as much as an average man, but they can also eat pretty much anything. You’ll have a hard time guessing their numbers from how much food they took.”

“It’s a place to start. They might have brought some food from the blight, but if we look at the estimates from their raids and the sizes of the targets they’ve hit, we can at least get some high and low ends of the figure. What’re witnesses saying?” Alric asked furrowing his brow at the stretch of map where the trollocs were most likely camped.

“Rough accounts say upwards of two hundred, but these are civilians not actual soldiers doing the counting”

“It’s something to go on, do you think they’re stealing enough food to support two hundred trollocs?”

“There are a number of remote farms that might have been wiped out but yes, two hundred. Maybe more. With a Myrddraal pushing them, I’d say between three and five hundred,” Renner said thoughtfully.

“You think they have a lurk? Why?” Alric asked, truly curious. This assignment was about learning after all.

“It’s a large group pushing south. They wouldn’t come this far without one. Probably after prisoners or something.”

Alric grunted trying to remember how far a band of trollocs could march in a day. “Ok, until we get eyes on, we have four hundred fifty trollocs and a myrddraal, headed south. They aren’t just out for a hiking trip, they’ve got a goal,” Alric said glaring at the map. He reached down and traced an arc with his finger, with their current location in the center. “That’s about how far they can march in a day.” He drew another arc, “And that’s two days. I’m ignoring the north. They didn’t come this far to march back north.”

“Unless they plan to double back,” Renner offered, in the role of Shadow’s advocate.

“Ok, there’s a village called Jorrel a day’s march south,” Alric said, consulting a census book, “They raise cattle in the surrounding countryside. I suspect the cattle farms might be a target, but I think their final stop is Brennen. This walled town they could reach later that evening. Judging by their numbers, they’d want to attack after dark.”

Their discussion was interrupted by Kassin’s return with Mihala and Ravak in tow. “This way please,” Alric said gesturing them to the map. “We’re estimating about four hundred fifty trollocs moving south about here,” he said pointing to the map well within Shienar’s borders. “Our best guess is that they’re headed for Brennen. I’d say expect a night attack in two days. Oh, and they might have a Myrddraal,” he added as if it was the least important thing in the world. “Either way, we don’t have the numbers to go toe to toe with them in the field without being surrounded. Even if we did, we’d have to find their exact location first. The walls of Brennen are our best option if we’re going to fight.” Alric looked around at the other soldiers in the room and flashed a sardonic grin, “Well, we have another option. That is to say, we could stay home and polish our armor. I don’t think anybody wants to do that though.” The others looked up from their maps and ledgers to murmur their assent.

[Craig]

Ravak

Ravak followed after Miahala in silent acknowledgement. If 'the same as we did before' was to blame, someone ought to have spotted it. Or perhaps they have just now spotted it. He really didn't fancy going up against channellers sworn to the Shadow, nor did he want to learn any more about their... experiments.

He placed that all aside when they entered the room. They were directed toward the map, with both the Green and the Gaidin having clear and equal access to the assembled information. Ravak listened without a word, although his brow slowly descended until it settled into its usual shape.

Frowning, he spoke loud enough for the room to hear, although his words were just for his bondmate. "Two fists, maybe three, depending on how they're organised. I'd be impressed if there was only the one Fade, but..." He paused, scowling down at the image of Shienar. "If they're hungry enough. Or if something else is driving them." He didn't have to verbalise what 'something else' could entail, and he wouldn't in front of this group. The Light send that they only had Trollocs and Myrddraal to deal with.

Scratching at his beard, Ravak angled himself towards Mia. A few solutions bounced around in his mind, but he kept those to himself. He knew the theory, but his love knew from greater experience. He merely ventured, in a soft tone: "The Captain-General has her work cut out."

[Bella]

As she listened to what information the Dedicated had to offer and she looked over the map, she at least did not see the same "pattern" to these movements as she had when she and Ravak had traveled to Shienar on behalf of her old friend. This looked...well, more straightforward was one way to put it.

Several hundred Trollocs. A couple of Mydraal. All in the day's work for a Green of her power, right?

"The Captain-General always does," she said idly, her blue-green eyes not lifting from their keen studying of the map. "I would say that your assessment is sound, Dedicated, on both target and timing. Barring some force that we cannot properly account for or guess, which can never be entirely ruled out." She knew that one all too well.

She considered. She knew how to Travel, but did not know this area well enough to achieve it safely. They would have to travel by conventional means, unless Alric knew it. "Do you know the area well enough to get us there quickly, or will we be traveling by standard means if we plan to confront them at Brennan?" she asked him plainly.

The Green was smart enough to know what she did know and what she didn't, and more information was always better.

[Locke]

Alric

Traveling by horse was the last thing Alric had in mind. If Miahala Sedai hadn’t been here long enough to learn the traveling grounds, he’d just do it. The plan was put forward and accepted. A contingent from the Citadel would leave through gateways after dark. As preparations got underway, Alric sought out Captain Edson the man commanding the troops on this expedition. After a quick conference, Alric was loaned a hand full of soldiers.

They rendezvoused outside the quartermaster’s store room and Alric proceeded inside alone. “Sargent Delfin, I have an unofficial request of sorts,” he said finding the reedy man ensconced between shelves of uniforms.

He straightened, more unfolded, and surveyed Alric with a beady eye. “The way you say that… I doubt I’ll like your request, will I Aurella?”

“You won’t, but you’ll say yes because it’ll save lives,” Alric pressed on. The request wasn’t official because Edson didn’t have the authority to make such a request, but both men agreed that it might be better to just ask forgiveness later. “Bandages, spears, crossbows, needles and gut, bolts… I’d even say see what shields and armor pieces you can spare.”

The quartermaster seemed to wilt under the deluge of requests. “And how many do you need?” he asked cautiously.

“As many as you can spare. Oh, and that wagon. Don’t worry we’ll bring back as much as we can and anything we can’t just bill the Tower for.”

“It’s not that simple, sometimes resupplies take ages.”

“If they can’t work out a decent supply chain with gateways, then somebody needs to be fired. Look, we’re headed to a fight where we’re heavily outnumbered. If we manage to get weapons into the hands of a few more experienced townspeople, we’ll have a better chance of holding them at the walls.”

“And you’ll make sure my supplies are replenished, right?”

“I’ll do as much as a Dedicated can,” Alric said truthfully. If some Aes Sedai decided to stonewall him, there wouldn’t be much he could do.

“That’s not good enough,” Delfin said with a glare.

“And I don’t like to promise more than I can actually guarantee. Just trust me, I’ll do my part here and raise a ruckus if I have to to get your orders filled.”

“Did Edson say it’s ok?”

“Well, he couldn’t make it an official request, but he wants it done.” Alric didn’t want to shift the blame to the man, but he also thought the plan would have more weight coming from the Captain as opposed to a mere Dedicated. Even if that Dedicated had once held the same rank.

“Well, get started, it’ll be several trips, even with a gateway,” Delfin said leading the way back to his office. “Don’t forget to log everything you take.”


Afternoon turned to evening as Alric and his team continued to collect and catalogue supplies. It was familiar work. Even with the looming battle ahead, Alric felt at home in a way he hadn’t since before coming to the Tower. Carrying bundles of arrows, his thoughts drifted to the future, beyond the battle. He wouldn’t be a Dedicated forever, and when the time came, he would have to make a choice. What did he want to do. Who was he? Passing Miahala Sedai saddling her massive black stallion, he wondered. This was all part of a day’s work for a Green right? He wasn’t totally sure it was what he wanted though. He’d relished the opportunity to pursue scholarship again since he’d come to the Tower. He wouldn’t have to give them up if he became a Green, he just needed to determine who he was in the end: Soldier or Scholar?