The One... Or Two?

Life

Dining in the encampment was an idea proposed by Nynaeve. She'd been given the offer by Lan and called upon the girl code for Secily to become a wingith woman behind her and accept. So, they sat around a fire with a bunch of men, listening to tales of the Warders' youth.

The whole group was constantly laughing. Stepin, as he'd been introduced charmingly, was explaining, "The mare flung him ten feet into a pig trough. And that was the end of al'Lan Mandragoran, tamer of horses."

More mocking laughter.

Nynaeve spoke a little breathily: "Fancy name." Secily hit her leg (she sat at her feet) to tell her to stop. Another part of the girl code. Keep the virgin Wisdom from sticking her foot in it.

"Yeah. For a shit horseman," Maksin added, sending out another peel of laughter to be echoed.

Stepin leaned in to Nynaeve. "So, how'd you get stuck with him, tell me?"

Lan looked up and started a cover story. "Uh, Moiraine and I were traveling past her village, and..."

"I tracked him," Nynaeve admitted brazenly.

A round of mockery commenced once more and Secily face planted. When she started the girl code of Two Rivers, she'd made it clear, she sucked at social conventions. Also, Nynaeve was really stubborn, and brazen, and pig-headed.

Maksim grinned at Lan, tipping his cup. "I like her." He faced Secily. "And you?"

Secily nodded at Lan, continuing his story with a smooth half-lie. "They traveled past my village and saved my people's lives. I'm pretty good at sparring and... Lan, here just couldn't let me go," she fibbed, not mentioning his woman was the reason he couldn't let her go.

This group never did stop laughing for more than 10 seconds. They must've been soused.

Nynaeve grinned at the group, teasing, "You Warders are more fun than you look."

Maksim posed a bit as he leaned over, Ihvon sitting between his knees. "Except me, of course. I look fun."

Secily shook her head, looking at him a bit pityingly.

Ihvon laughed at her glance. "Yes! Don't encourage him," he teased.

Nynaeve looked up when one man left the table when his Sedai showed up. "But you serve them."

The laughter finally died. "We don't," Maksim admitted.

Stepin looked down at his cup. "No bond is closer than an Aes Sedai and, uh, her Warder. Not husbands and wives, not parents and children. Do you know what "Aes Sedai" means in the Old Tongue?"

Secily, frowning at the concept of their bond, answered without thought, "Servants of All."

Stepin nodded, the lot of them looking impressed. "It is they who serve the world."

Nynaeve lifted her head. "And what does that make you?"

"Proud," Lan answered immediately.

They all nodded. But Ihvon spoke up from his spot: "And tired."

They all laughed, each of them understanding a burden only they could understand.

"Especially Lan," Maksim piped up, looking at Lan with a smirk. "How he keeps up with Moiraine."

That was a tease of some sort, but it gave Secily pause.

The others laughed at the tease and she felt she was really missing something.

"You should talk," Lan's comment changed something in the conversation. Or maybe it was just the green clad Sedai who walked up. She grinned at Lan before nodding at the two together boys. Ihvon stood first, looking back at the two sitting women. "He's right. We're exhausted."