Missing and extended scenes of Wheel of Time - TV series

1x01 (Story A) - Exhaustion

They stayed inside the bathtub until the water turned cold. Moiraine was lost in her thoughts, which wasn't unnoticed by Lan, but the warder didn't interrupt her. He knew her well enough to know that she would talk to him if she was ready to share her thoughts. When he left the bathtub, she didn't even look at him. She was used to him walking around her, while she was thinking. She trusted him to take care of everything.

After he was dressed again, Lan looked at his Aes Sedai, who still hadn't moved. Obviously, he had to pull her out of her thoughts or she would stay in the water for the rest of the night. The warder grabbed a towel and returned to the bathtub. Gently, he touched her shoulder to get her attention.

Moiraine blinked a few times, as if she was finally seeing the room again, then she turned her head to Lan. "How long?"

"A while." She nodded at his words and a shiver went through her body when she finally realized how cold the water was. Lan grabbed her upper arm and helped her out of the bathtub before he put the towel around her.

"Thank you." Moiraine dried herself then she put on a nightgown.

The innkeeper, Mrs. Al'vere, had given them a room with two small beds, which were separated with only two little nightstands in between. Lan was used to sleeping on a bedroll, but even he was relieved that they would finally be able to have a night in a comfortable bed and not under the stars. From the corner of his eyes, the warder noticed how his Aes Sedai was rolling her shoulders twice before she pulled back her blanket. Carefully, he tapped into their bond, but her exhaustion was overlapping every other feeling. She was clever.

"How are your shoulders?"

Moiraine sighed and slipped under the blankets. "It's late, Lan, and I'm tired. Can we please just sleep?" She turned her back to him to show him that she wouldn't discuss this any further. But it also gave Lan an opportunity. He moved over to her bed and made her roll on her stomach before he straddled her. "Lan...!"

The rest of her sentence was lost in a loud groan when his hands started to work on her shoulders. Lan had the magical ability to find the knots in her back with ease every time. And although she was exhausted, there was no way she was able to sleep while he was attacking her back. Moiraine tried to stay as quiet as possible, but after their long ride, she knew there were a few knots, which would need his attention, and some of them were hurting.

After a while, Lan's kneading of her shoulders became smoother since there weren't any more knots and the woman of the Blue Ajah relaxed under his touch. Lan continued with his calming strokes until he felt through the bond how she drifted off to sleep. Carefully, he got back on his feet and pulled the blanket up. He was able to take one step backward when she suddenly raised her head and turned her head to him. "What are you doing?"

"Sleep, Moiraine."

"Stay."

"I'm here."

"That's not..." She sighed heavily then she pushed herself into an upright position. Lan was immediately by her side to urge her to lie down again. But Moiraine had different plans. She took his hand into hers and looked at him through tired eyes. "I know that the bed isn't big, but would you stay with me?"

She felt Lan's surprise through the bond, although his face wasn't giving anything away. Carefully, he sat down on the edge of the bed, while his thumb was gently caressing the back of her hand. It was his way to buy himself some time to think about an answer.

"Is there a particular reason I should know of?"

Moiraine sighed heavily. "Is that a 'No'?"

"Have I ever denied you anything?"