An unbreakable bond

Chapter 25

They needed the whole night, but finally, they were able to break the bond. Tired and exhausted, Alanna and Leane went to bed, and the Amyrlin sent Rand to bed as well. Moiraine was the only one, who stayed, while Siuan was preparing two cups of tea.

"You really know how to surprise me."

"Believe me, I was just as surprised as you have been. This connection was draining my power. And the worst part was that I didn't know where Rand was. He had left me at the eye of the world." Moiraine sat cross-legged on the ground in the middle of the tent and was slowly rubbing circles on her temples. She was extremely tired, but she needed to explain to her best friend what had happened.

Siuan returned and handed Moiraine their cups before she sat down on the ground opposite her friend. "So, this boy is the Dragon Reborn?"

"Yes."

"And the Dark One?"

"I'm afraid that he isn't dead. This bond wouldn't have stayed if he was gone."

Siuan stared into her cup, while she was thinking about her next words. "You took all five potential dragons with you when you left Tar Valon. I have to say, I'm surprised that everyone is still alive. Why aren't they...?"

"I didn't take them to the eye of the world." Siuan raised her eyebrow in surprise, but she waited until Moiraine continued. "I brought them to the waygate, which is the closest to Tar Valon. The ogier Loial had agreed to guide us through the Ways. Only one of the potential dragons stayed behind. His name is Mat Cauthom. But the Ways aren't safe anymore. The Trollocs use them now, which is the reason why they had reached the Two Rivers so quickly." Siuan gasped, but she didn't say anything. "We went to Fal Dara to escape them. In Fal Dara, Rand came to me and told me that he was the Dragon Reborn. So, I took him through the Blight to the eye of the world. The others stayed behind. Rand faced the Dark One and fought against him. I don't know what they spoke since Rand was unconscious, but the Dark One he..." Moiraine looked at her fingers when she remembered the numb feeling when she suddenly had been cut off from the One Power. It was the worst nightmare of any Aes Sedai. Not to be able to touch the source anymore.

Siuan saw that her best friend was lost in her memories. Gently, she took Moiraine's hand into hers. "You can tell me."

Moiraine closed her eyes in pain. "He kind of shielded me from the One Power."

"You... you mean you can't..."

"I wasn't able to channel anymore."

"Why didn't Lan stop him?!"

"Because I wasn't there." Lan entered the tent, and both women shrugged at his sudden appearance. Siuan was the first, who regained her composure again.

"What do you mean with you weren't there?! You are her warder! You should be by her side every...!"

"And I would've been, but Moiraine decided to mask our bond and left in the middle of the night with the boy.", Lan clarified, while he moved to the two women and stopped behind his Aes Sedai.

Siuan's angry eyes moved back to her best friend, who was staring at the steam of her teacup. "How could you be so stupid?!"

"The prophecy said that EVERYONE would die, who would go with the Dragon Reborn to the eye of the world. EVERYONE, Siuan. I couldn't risk it that Lan would die there."

The Amyrlin looked as if she was going to explode, but Lan felt the exhaustion of his Aes Sedai. "How about you talk about the rest of our journey back at the White Tower and call it a night? It's late, and you all are exhausted."