Danos slept upon his pallet in the room with the other apprentices. Although he had obtained his Uncle’s approval of his work, until he married, he would remain with the apprentices and help ensure they were not up to mischief in the room.
The morning sun had no yet risen, when suddenly the village square erupted into chaos. The sudden noise and clanging of bells awoke Danos with a start, and he could see the other apprentices startle out of their pallets as well.
“Keep calm all of you, let’s see what the clamour is about before we start acting like a room full of hens,” snarled Danos as he quieted the apprentices. His head was sore from the sudden awakening, and the noise of gossiping apprentices did nothing to improve his mood.
As they exited the Cooperage, Danos saw that the villagers were lining in a row, the fire buckets already being passed as the men rushed buckets of water from the well towards the village square. He could see smoke rising over the rooftops of the other shops nearby, and wondered where the blaze was.
Grabbing an apprentice by the shirt, he quickly had them added to the water line, passing buckets and following the direction of the black smith, Jon Adelman. “You follow his orders, and the Light help anyone who leaves this line before it’s done,” said Danos before he ran with towards the square, rounding the corner past the row of shops.
A towering flame greeted Danos’ eyes as he emerged onto the Village square. The Argent Inn, and the adjoining stables were ablaze, the fire raw and hungry as it consumed the hay and straw within. The fire was a living beast, hungry and fierce and as Danos joined with the other men, who were frantically trying to spread the water on neighbouring roofs, he could feel the heat reaching with it’s anger.
As Danos was labouring, his strong frame spreading bucket after bucket without ceasing, he heard the screams of animals. Turning, he could see several horses, trapped inside and fighting frantically to break through the collapsed boards to escape the flames. Without thinking, he went to charge into the flames, when two of the Men’s Council stopped him.
“Light boy, you be a flaming corpse if you go in there. The fire’s going to spread soon if we can’t stop it. They’re dead Danos, fight for the living,” said Cal, one of Jornhill’s vineyard owners. His men had been in town to discuss trade with the travelling merchants, preparing for when they would barge the barrels full of wine down the river.
Danos struggled for a moment, but as the flames continued to climb, he allowed the men to convince him, and so he set to work on the bucket brigade, the screams of dying animals ringing in his ears as he and the other men of Jornhill let the stable burn.
That afternoon, once an Aes Sedai had arrived and smothered the flames quickly in water and air, the men of town set to the grizzly task of dragging the carcasses from the stable. As they roped the animals, the men dragged and heaved the bodies out of the ash and coals, Danos helping the other men pull the heavy horses onto the wagons.
As the wagons rolled out of the Village square, Danos looked around and was glad none noticed his tears through the ash on his face. He could see the men of town, each of them concentrating on aiding the Innkeeper and his niece Verala, but deep in his heart Danos felt a pit of cowardice for having let the other men talk him out of trying to save those animals.
The morning sun had no yet risen, when suddenly the village square erupted into chaos. The sudden noise and clanging of bells awoke Danos with a start, and he could see the other apprentices startle out of their pallets as well.
“Keep calm all of you, let’s see what the clamour is about before we start acting like a room full of hens,” snarled Danos as he quieted the apprentices. His head was sore from the sudden awakening, and the noise of gossiping apprentices did nothing to improve his mood.
As they exited the Cooperage, Danos saw that the villagers were lining in a row, the fire buckets already being passed as the men rushed buckets of water from the well towards the village square. He could see smoke rising over the rooftops of the other shops nearby, and wondered where the blaze was.
Grabbing an apprentice by the shirt, he quickly had them added to the water line, passing buckets and following the direction of the black smith, Jon Adelman. “You follow his orders, and the Light help anyone who leaves this line before it’s done,” said Danos before he ran with towards the square, rounding the corner past the row of shops.
A towering flame greeted Danos’ eyes as he emerged onto the Village square. The Argent Inn, and the adjoining stables were ablaze, the fire raw and hungry as it consumed the hay and straw within. The fire was a living beast, hungry and fierce and as Danos joined with the other men, who were frantically trying to spread the water on neighbouring roofs, he could feel the heat reaching with it’s anger.
As Danos was labouring, his strong frame spreading bucket after bucket without ceasing, he heard the screams of animals. Turning, he could see several horses, trapped inside and fighting frantically to break through the collapsed boards to escape the flames. Without thinking, he went to charge into the flames, when two of the Men’s Council stopped him.
“Light boy, you be a flaming corpse if you go in there. The fire’s going to spread soon if we can’t stop it. They’re dead Danos, fight for the living,” said Cal, one of Jornhill’s vineyard owners. His men had been in town to discuss trade with the travelling merchants, preparing for when they would barge the barrels full of wine down the river.
Danos struggled for a moment, but as the flames continued to climb, he allowed the men to convince him, and so he set to work on the bucket brigade, the screams of dying animals ringing in his ears as he and the other men of Jornhill let the stable burn.
That afternoon, once an Aes Sedai had arrived and smothered the flames quickly in water and air, the men of town set to the grizzly task of dragging the carcasses from the stable. As they roped the animals, the men dragged and heaved the bodies out of the ash and coals, Danos helping the other men pull the heavy horses onto the wagons.
As the wagons rolled out of the Village square, Danos looked around and was glad none noticed his tears through the ash on his face. He could see the men of town, each of them concentrating on aiding the Innkeeper and his niece Verala, but deep in his heart Danos felt a pit of cowardice for having let the other men talk him out of trying to save those animals.
Several weeks later, Danos was standing upon the rafters of the new stable. Danos quickly helped lash the ropes together, and watched as the men hoisted the next truss into position, deftly slotting his end into the notch he had carved. The sun beat down upon him, and he could see there was three more to position before they were done for the day.
As he stood, and tried to climb over the rafter, he could feel his feet slip on the beam and he grabbed the rafter in terror. Heart pounding, Danos could feel the fear claw its way into his chest as he clung to the wood. Finally after several minutes, he was relaxed enough to continue his journey, his face red and full of shame as he waved away the concern of the other men.
“Danos, you got to relax. Everyone has times when they are afraid, everyone hates something. So what if you don’t like heights,” said Dug as he clasped his friend on the shoulder before draining his goblet. Waving to the barmaid, Dug hid a belch before his hand, and waved towards one of the women weaving her way through the crowd. “Bet she could make a man forget his worries,” his friend hinted as he ordered more wine.
Danos followed Dug’s hand, spying Rose as she was deftly avoiding the pinches from some of the wagon drivers, while pausing to let each of her regulars have a chance to feel special. “I think you’re right Dug, Light knows she’s a sight for these eyes every day after work,” thought Danos as he enjoyed the sight of her. He didn’t know how to tell his friend about his fear, the quakes he would get in his hands at a sudden noise, or the fire of anger he could feel building in him. Fear and anger were a storm inside, and he knew the seed had been planted that moment he decided to be a coward.
Rose looked up, turning as if she felt eyes upon her and Danos could see her smile before he ducked his head down and nursed his cup.
As he stood, and tried to climb over the rafter, he could feel his feet slip on the beam and he grabbed the rafter in terror. Heart pounding, Danos could feel the fear claw its way into his chest as he clung to the wood. Finally after several minutes, he was relaxed enough to continue his journey, his face red and full of shame as he waved away the concern of the other men.
“Danos, you got to relax. Everyone has times when they are afraid, everyone hates something. So what if you don’t like heights,” said Dug as he clasped his friend on the shoulder before draining his goblet. Waving to the barmaid, Dug hid a belch before his hand, and waved towards one of the women weaving her way through the crowd. “Bet she could make a man forget his worries,” his friend hinted as he ordered more wine.
Danos followed Dug’s hand, spying Rose as she was deftly avoiding the pinches from some of the wagon drivers, while pausing to let each of her regulars have a chance to feel special. “I think you’re right Dug, Light knows she’s a sight for these eyes every day after work,” thought Danos as he enjoyed the sight of her. He didn’t know how to tell his friend about his fear, the quakes he would get in his hands at a sudden noise, or the fire of anger he could feel building in him. Fear and anger were a storm inside, and he knew the seed had been planted that moment he decided to be a coward.
Rose looked up, turning as if she felt eyes upon her and Danos could see her smile before he ducked his head down and nursed his cup.
Danos sat down at the table with a groan, pulling his shirt sleeve up to his elbows as he washed the sawdust and tar off of his hands.
“Couldn’t you do that at the pump, you know I hate when you get that tar in the wash basin,” said Rose as she tended to supper on the stove.
Danos bit down a curt reply, tamping down his temper as he hugged his wife tight. Her head rested on his chest, and he enjoyed smelling the soap she used in her hair, feeling her warmth before she pulled away to tend to the oven. “Sorry love, I’ll go rinse it out now,” Danos said as he headed out to the porch, pipe and tobacco in hand.
Danos sat down, unhappy in his heart, and unsure why. He had never mastered the feelings of doubt, the lack he sometimes imagined he saw in other’s eyes when they looked at him. Packing his pipe, he lit it and enjoyed the smoke as it rose into the cool air. He couldn’t place the discontent inside of himself, he knew that he had a good trade. His uncle had often remarked that the vineyards grew faster than they could train apprentices to make the tight staves and barrels required. Each was a work of many hours, planning and shaping then banding so they would store the wine and keep it safe as it aged.
But part of him nagged that it amounted to little in the end. He had heard some of the apprentices whispering of battle, glory and other tales gleaned from the peddlers and merchants that came to Jornhill. Part of him ached to go, prove himself to his imagined doubters, but he knew Rose would never forgive him if he left.
“Dinners ready love, come on in,” called Rose’s clear voice. Danos could hear the warmth in her tone, and as always, her cheerful smile and womanly curves brought a smile to his lips.
“Couldn’t you do that at the pump, you know I hate when you get that tar in the wash basin,” said Rose as she tended to supper on the stove.
Danos bit down a curt reply, tamping down his temper as he hugged his wife tight. Her head rested on his chest, and he enjoyed smelling the soap she used in her hair, feeling her warmth before she pulled away to tend to the oven. “Sorry love, I’ll go rinse it out now,” Danos said as he headed out to the porch, pipe and tobacco in hand.
Danos sat down, unhappy in his heart, and unsure why. He had never mastered the feelings of doubt, the lack he sometimes imagined he saw in other’s eyes when they looked at him. Packing his pipe, he lit it and enjoyed the smoke as it rose into the cool air. He couldn’t place the discontent inside of himself, he knew that he had a good trade. His uncle had often remarked that the vineyards grew faster than they could train apprentices to make the tight staves and barrels required. Each was a work of many hours, planning and shaping then banding so they would store the wine and keep it safe as it aged.
But part of him nagged that it amounted to little in the end. He had heard some of the apprentices whispering of battle, glory and other tales gleaned from the peddlers and merchants that came to Jornhill. Part of him ached to go, prove himself to his imagined doubters, but he knew Rose would never forgive him if he left.
“Dinners ready love, come on in,” called Rose’s clear voice. Danos could hear the warmth in her tone, and as always, her cheerful smile and womanly curves brought a smile to his lips.
Danos walked with Rose through the market, stopping as his wife paused to inspect the cloth being offered, or simply pausing to speak with farm wives not often seen in Jornhill. The festival was considered a social event, the fall grape harvest complete and the crushing not yet begun. For two days the people of Jornhill drank, feasted and enjoyed games and dancing.
Danos was happy, his mood light as he bought his wife the cloth she selected, knowing she would want a new dress soon. Rose was beautiful, her hair done in a braid and showing off her pale skin and slender neck. Danos surprised her with a kiss upon the skin of her shoulder, and from the playful look in her eye, he could tell she was enjoying the atmosphere as well.
As Danos walked through the festival, he saw the young men of the Village rolling logs on the river, each pair trying to knock the other off the log and into the waters of the river. Spreading a blanket out, he cheered and jeered with the crowd, snacking on treats with his wife and making friendly bets when his apprentices were on the logs.
Later in the afternoon came the contests for men, and Danos watched as the archers plied their sport, cheering when his friend Dug took home the prize for second shooter. He knew his friend was an excellent shot, but the Adelman boy had become a class unto himself.
Danos had never seen such focus and dedication , the arrow seemingly placed wherever the boy wished it to be.
Danos had often competed in the wrestling and quarterstaff contests, but at Rose’s insistence he had abstained from joining the staff this year. Instead he had promised to only wrestle, thereby freeing up much of the morning to enjoy with his wife.
As he snagged a sprig of flowers from a nearby booth, and threaded it into the hair by Rose’s hair, he knew he had made the right choice.
As he progressed through the wrestling, Danos easily defeated the first two opponents. One was aging fast, a wagon driver Hatch that Danos had known for many years. The two men laughed and jeered each other companionably when the contest began, but with his reach and strength Danos was easily able to pin the other man down.
His second match was much tougher. A younger man , Danos did not recognize him. As he circled his opponent, Danos could see the tanned skin and taut forearms that spoke to a life of labour. Must be one of the farm youths from nearby thought Danos as he circled the youth. As Danos watched, he could see the young man dart his eyes to the side, and Danos advanced. Soon the men were wrestling, each hand trying to grasp a handhold as the other attempted to pry their arm out of the grip. Danos swept the other man’s legs and soon the men were on the ground , rolling and twisting before Danos was able to use his long legs to pin the man in a hold.
Danos waited and watched with Rose as the other pairings wrestled, his wife contentedly holding his hand as he intently watched each pairing, trying to determine the winner. Danos could not explain the fire that rose within him when he was wrestling, he merely knew that being able to control his opponent gave him a rush that he could not quite describe.
Eventually his next opponent emerged from the other pairings, and Danos was again unsure who this man was.
Danos entered the circle of rope, the sands spread out on the green to help the men keep from slipping, and he noticed the sneer on his opponent’s face as he went to shake hands in a friendly greeting. Danos could feel his anger rising from the slight, and as he considered his opponent, he could see the scars of weapons upon his arms and legs. This man’s a veteran Danos thought with a frown as he felt the nerves rising through his stomach once more.
The man wasted no time in charging forward, a bull rush clearly meant to overpower Danos and knock him to the ground. Danos dropped his shoulder and met the man head on, his shoulder crashing into the other man’s midriff as both of them scrabbled for a handhold or leverage. The crowd could quickly sense that the contest was becoming a truly violent struggle as each man refused to back down, and the elbows and fists began to strike more than search for a hold.
Danos struggled mightily, his opponent strong and fierce while Danos had size and weight to his advantage. Finally as the two men were struggling together, Danos seized his moment and brought his knee up sharp and fierce into the other man’s stones. This brought him to his knees, and Danos quickly used an arm bar to stop the fight.
The rush of victory was soon tempered by the disappointment in Rose’s eyes as she took in his torn clothes, bruised cheek and disheveled appearance. Danos could feel his anger rising, didn’t she know he needed to prove himself. At least now the village men would know him as more than a tradesman, they would know he was a force onto himself.
“Hey you flaming son of a goat, you cheated my friend out of that purse. Now I suggest you let Merrin get his coins from you,” called a rough voice from behind the couple.
Danos turned and saw a pair of soldiers, their gear rough and travel stained emerging from the crowd as Merrin, his opponent stepped forward. Danos could see the man wince in pain as he left the ring, and he clenched his jaw in anger as they stepped forward to impose upon him and his wife.
“Rose, why don’t you go and see if that lace you liked so much is available,” said Danos as he clenched and unclenched his fist in anger.
Once more fear and anger warred within him, much like that day so long ago when he had stood before the towering flames, and this time he knew he would not let the fear stop him.
“Danos…”, began Rose, her voice taut with fear.
“Damn it Rose, I told you to go,” snapped Danos as he could see the men stretching, Merrin cracking his knuckles in intimidation. But Danos was too far gone into the fire within, his rage would not allow him to back down in front of Rose, the only one he saw no imagined judgment within when he looked at her eyes.
As Rose left with tears, Danos charged the men, catching Merrin by surprise as he struck a powerful blow across the man’s jaws. Danos put his full weight and anger behind the blows, as he knocked the man down and struck once more in anger. But against three, and veterans at that, Danos stood no chance. Soon he was held by one as the other two beat him, taking their own anger and surprise out on the village man before leaving him bleeding and lying on the ground.
Danos was happy, his mood light as he bought his wife the cloth she selected, knowing she would want a new dress soon. Rose was beautiful, her hair done in a braid and showing off her pale skin and slender neck. Danos surprised her with a kiss upon the skin of her shoulder, and from the playful look in her eye, he could tell she was enjoying the atmosphere as well.
As Danos walked through the festival, he saw the young men of the Village rolling logs on the river, each pair trying to knock the other off the log and into the waters of the river. Spreading a blanket out, he cheered and jeered with the crowd, snacking on treats with his wife and making friendly bets when his apprentices were on the logs.
Later in the afternoon came the contests for men, and Danos watched as the archers plied their sport, cheering when his friend Dug took home the prize for second shooter. He knew his friend was an excellent shot, but the Adelman boy had become a class unto himself.
Danos had never seen such focus and dedication , the arrow seemingly placed wherever the boy wished it to be.
Danos had often competed in the wrestling and quarterstaff contests, but at Rose’s insistence he had abstained from joining the staff this year. Instead he had promised to only wrestle, thereby freeing up much of the morning to enjoy with his wife.
As he snagged a sprig of flowers from a nearby booth, and threaded it into the hair by Rose’s hair, he knew he had made the right choice.
As he progressed through the wrestling, Danos easily defeated the first two opponents. One was aging fast, a wagon driver Hatch that Danos had known for many years. The two men laughed and jeered each other companionably when the contest began, but with his reach and strength Danos was easily able to pin the other man down.
His second match was much tougher. A younger man , Danos did not recognize him. As he circled his opponent, Danos could see the tanned skin and taut forearms that spoke to a life of labour. Must be one of the farm youths from nearby thought Danos as he circled the youth. As Danos watched, he could see the young man dart his eyes to the side, and Danos advanced. Soon the men were wrestling, each hand trying to grasp a handhold as the other attempted to pry their arm out of the grip. Danos swept the other man’s legs and soon the men were on the ground , rolling and twisting before Danos was able to use his long legs to pin the man in a hold.
Danos waited and watched with Rose as the other pairings wrestled, his wife contentedly holding his hand as he intently watched each pairing, trying to determine the winner. Danos could not explain the fire that rose within him when he was wrestling, he merely knew that being able to control his opponent gave him a rush that he could not quite describe.
Eventually his next opponent emerged from the other pairings, and Danos was again unsure who this man was.
Danos entered the circle of rope, the sands spread out on the green to help the men keep from slipping, and he noticed the sneer on his opponent’s face as he went to shake hands in a friendly greeting. Danos could feel his anger rising from the slight, and as he considered his opponent, he could see the scars of weapons upon his arms and legs. This man’s a veteran Danos thought with a frown as he felt the nerves rising through his stomach once more.
The man wasted no time in charging forward, a bull rush clearly meant to overpower Danos and knock him to the ground. Danos dropped his shoulder and met the man head on, his shoulder crashing into the other man’s midriff as both of them scrabbled for a handhold or leverage. The crowd could quickly sense that the contest was becoming a truly violent struggle as each man refused to back down, and the elbows and fists began to strike more than search for a hold.
Danos struggled mightily, his opponent strong and fierce while Danos had size and weight to his advantage. Finally as the two men were struggling together, Danos seized his moment and brought his knee up sharp and fierce into the other man’s stones. This brought him to his knees, and Danos quickly used an arm bar to stop the fight.
The rush of victory was soon tempered by the disappointment in Rose’s eyes as she took in his torn clothes, bruised cheek and disheveled appearance. Danos could feel his anger rising, didn’t she know he needed to prove himself. At least now the village men would know him as more than a tradesman, they would know he was a force onto himself.
“Hey you flaming son of a goat, you cheated my friend out of that purse. Now I suggest you let Merrin get his coins from you,” called a rough voice from behind the couple.
Danos turned and saw a pair of soldiers, their gear rough and travel stained emerging from the crowd as Merrin, his opponent stepped forward. Danos could see the man wince in pain as he left the ring, and he clenched his jaw in anger as they stepped forward to impose upon him and his wife.
“Rose, why don’t you go and see if that lace you liked so much is available,” said Danos as he clenched and unclenched his fist in anger.
Once more fear and anger warred within him, much like that day so long ago when he had stood before the towering flames, and this time he knew he would not let the fear stop him.
“Danos…”, began Rose, her voice taut with fear.
“Damn it Rose, I told you to go,” snapped Danos as he could see the men stretching, Merrin cracking his knuckles in intimidation. But Danos was too far gone into the fire within, his rage would not allow him to back down in front of Rose, the only one he saw no imagined judgment within when he looked at her eyes.
As Rose left with tears, Danos charged the men, catching Merrin by surprise as he struck a powerful blow across the man’s jaws. Danos put his full weight and anger behind the blows, as he knocked the man down and struck once more in anger. But against three, and veterans at that, Danos stood no chance. Soon he was held by one as the other two beat him, taking their own anger and surprise out on the village man before leaving him bleeding and lying on the ground.
“Light your face is a mess. Now hold still love, the Wisdom said this would sting,” said Rose gently as she washed the cuts and scrapes with a stinging mix of herbs from her basin. Danos had trouble seeing her out of one eye, the flesh purple and swelling with an angry bruise where he had been struck repeatedly.
“I’m sorry love, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel like a coward, I jump at shadows,” said Danos quietly as he winced with each sting from the cloth.
“Hush love, you know I’ve never thought that. Oh I know you’ve a temper, anyone who knows you knows you’ve always had an ember smoldering in you. But you carry that damn stable fire around like a wound. Do you consider the Mayor a coward, the vineyard owners?” demanded Rose, her voice firm as she attempted to talk sense into her husband.
“Well no, no one does. I just know that I could have done something, and I chose not to. It eats at me sometimes Rose. What would the Pattern have given us if I had just followed my gut?” asked Danos, weeping softly as he finally vented his frustrations and fear to his wife.
“Weeping won’t put the milk back in the basin Danos. I love you, and if this fight has finally lanced the boil you’ve carried within you I’m glad. But the Wheel Weaves as it will, and you know it,” said Rose gently, as she straddled her husband’s lap and cradle his head on her chest in a tender embrace.
“I’m sorry love, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel like a coward, I jump at shadows,” said Danos quietly as he winced with each sting from the cloth.
“Hush love, you know I’ve never thought that. Oh I know you’ve a temper, anyone who knows you knows you’ve always had an ember smoldering in you. But you carry that damn stable fire around like a wound. Do you consider the Mayor a coward, the vineyard owners?” demanded Rose, her voice firm as she attempted to talk sense into her husband.
“Well no, no one does. I just know that I could have done something, and I chose not to. It eats at me sometimes Rose. What would the Pattern have given us if I had just followed my gut?” asked Danos, weeping softly as he finally vented his frustrations and fear to his wife.
“Weeping won’t put the milk back in the basin Danos. I love you, and if this fight has finally lanced the boil you’ve carried within you I’m glad. But the Wheel Weaves as it will, and you know it,” said Rose gently, as she straddled her husband’s lap and cradle his head on her chest in a tender embrace.
