An unbreakable bond

Chapter 1

Slowly, Lan Mandragoran took a last look at his surrounding, but still, there was no sign of Rand. Not a body, nothing. He gritted his teeth angrily. Nynaeve wouldn't be happy when he would return to Fal Dara. She had asked him to bring back both of them. Moiraine AND Rand! But Rand was gone and Moiraine alive. The wisdom would think that he only cared for his Aes Sedai and not the boy.

Sighing, the man with the black hair and the hadori around his temple laid his hand on Moiraine's wet cheek. He couldn't even say how much it had shocked him to see this strong woman, who was by his side for twenty years, crying, because she couldn't touch the source anymore. Especially, since he couldn't feel her anymore, which he didn't like at all.

Slowly, her blue eyes left the piece of the heartstone, which he was still holding in his hands, and looked at him. Lan's heart ached when his brown eyes saw how broken she was. This wasn't the Moiraine Damodred he knew. This wasn't his strong Aes Sedai, who was able to hold her ground against Liandrin from the Red Ajah.

So, it was on him to be the strong one for both of them. Gently, he stroked a loose lock of her brown hair behind her ear. "Let's get back to Fal Dara."

Moiraine closed her eyes, but he saw the doubtful look on her face. She didn't think that this was a good idea. Obviously, she knew she would have to deal with Nynaeve and her outburst.

"They deserve to know what happened here. He was their friend."

"She won't listen."

He didn't need a name to know who they were talking about. Nynaeve was the only one in the group, who was having troubles with the Aes Sedai.

"I assure you that she will listen."

"I don't..."

"Stop searching for excuses." Her eyes returned to his', and he saw how uncertain she was. She felt powerless without her access to the One Power. Lan smiled at her, while he stuffed the piece of the heartstone in his pocket. Then he grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet, although he felt the resistance in her body. She didn't want to return to Fal Dara, but Lan wouldn't leave her here. He intertwined his right fingers with hers, then he gently pulled her to the stairs.

This time, Moiraine was resisting harder. Her whole body went stiff and she didn't move at all. Sighing, Lan stepped forward again, until he was standing nose to nose with her.

"Moiraine." It was only a whisper, but she heard what he was saying with it. That she could trust him. That he was there for her. But most of all, she shouldn't be so stubborn.

He saw the defeat in her sad eyes immediately, so, when he pulled this time, her feet moved forward until she was following him to climb the stairs to the top. Lan's hand never let go of hers. He was too afraid that she would run away if he would release her small hand.

It felt like ages when they finally reached the top of the eye of the world. Lan turned to Fal Dara immediately, when he felt how Moiraine was holding back again. Her eyes moved carefully over the Blight around the hole as if she was looking for something. Was she looking for a way to escape him?

Lan's grip tightened around her hand, and her eyes were on his' in an instant. He gave her a questionable look, but she turned her head away as if she was afraid of what he would see in her eyes. But he didn't need to see it. The warder knew his Aes Sedai well enough. He was not just able to read in her eyes but to read her every move. Since she was avoiding eye contact, she gave him everything he needed to know. She had been looking for a way to escape him. Well, this only meant for him that he would have to be more careful not to lose her.

Without a word, Lan went into the Blight, ignoring the little resistance from her and pulling her with him. Although he was a little exhausted as well – after all, he had been on his feet since yesterday to get here as fast as possible – he didn't slow down. The Blight wasn't a place where you stay very long to rest your aching body.

Sadly, soon the warder had to stop since Moiraine wasn't able to hold up with his pace. She was stumbling and when he had to catch her for the third time before she would fall to the ground, he realized that he couldn't keep going on like this. He saw a big rock, which would be a perfect spot to rest for a moment. Carefully, Lan pulled the exhausted woman to the stone, before he sat down on it and pulled her onto his lap. There was no way, he was letting go of her hand.

Luckily, the Aes Sedai was too weak to protest. She just laid her head against his neck and closed her eyes. Lan realized that she had been on her feet longer than he had been since she had left Fal Dara in the middle of the night to bring the Dragon Reborn to the eye of the world.

Rand. Lan's thoughts were turning to the young redhead, who had always questioned Moiraine's moves in the past. The young boy, who had been obviously in love with Egwene. He had been the Dragon Reborn, and now he was gone. He had saved his friends from death by telling only Moiraine about his true identity. Lan sighed heavily. How he wished that Rand would have had come to him first and not to Moiraine. This way, he would've been there to protect them both. He would have made sure that Rand would still have a future with his friends. Light, maybe Moiraine would still be able to touch the source.

"Stop it." Her words were only a whisper. Confused, Lan looked down at her, but her eyes were still closed. "There was nothing you could have done."

Of course, she knew what was going through his head. For a moment, he was impressed how well she was still able to read him without feeling him.

"If I wouldn't have been distracted, I would've noticed earlier that you had masked our bond."

"It wouldn't have changed anything. I would've been gone before you would've reached my room."

"I would've found you."

"You..."

"I would've found you.", Lan interrupted her and his voice didn't leave any room for uncertainties. He knew what he was able to do. And Moiraine knew it as well since she turned silent.

Lan gave Moiraine a few minutes to rest, then they were on the move again. He saw the dark circles under her eyes, but she didn't complain or said anything. She didn't even try to free her hand from his grip.

They needed four more stops before they finally reached the end of the Blight. Moiraine sank to her knees as soon as they were standing outside of the rotten trees. Lan saw that she was barely awake. Her eyes were closing over and over and with every time it took her longer to open them again.

Sighing, Lan released her hand, kneeled beside her, and then he pulled her against his chest. She wouldn't be able to move any further. Yet alone run away from him.

"I..."

"Shhh." Lan softly stroked over her hair, while his mind was already working. They couldn't stay here. He would have to carry his Aes Sedai back to Fal Dara since he hadn't used a horse to come to the Blight. The warder noticed Moiraine's steady breathing. She finally fell asleep. He gave himself one last moment of resting then he laid Moiraine's upper body over his shoulder and stood up.

The rest of his way would still take him hours and he couldn't carry his Aes Sedai in his arms this long. After all, this would be painful and exhausting enough. The warder placed one foot in front of the other, slowly making his way back to Fal Dara.