Change of a ride (WoT FF)

Chapter 2

It was prudent to stop channelling long before really entering Tear. While it would still be legal until they have actually crossed the border, one never knew who would they encounter. Some Tairens would drag a channeler to Tear even from a nearby village just to put them to trial. Lan and Moiraine stopped for a midday meal and rest in a village inn, but rode on to stay in a desolate place for the night - it was much safer that way. One hot meal a day would suffice and the nights got progressively warmer the closer they got.

"Where to now?" Lan asked, when he made the last check and finally sat down by the fire. "The City of Tear itself?"

"There are some places I would need to check first." Moiraine had the map of Tear spread out in front of her and was consulting an increasingly aging small handwritten book. He got used to seeing ones like it. "Maps from Tar Valon are close to useless when it comes to this area." She was more than irritated and Lan didn't need the bond to recognize that. "You would think with all the money they have there would be a collection of the best ones."

"I doubt any sister really thinks about visiting here."

"They have to, even if just to try and save girls who can channel."

He could feel her being emotional. Tear was Siuan's birthplace. They never said exactly how the young Tairen girl got to the Tower, but it couldn't have been exactly easy.

"Would they need a map for that, really? They could ask for directions. Makes them look more normal, really."

There was no answer for that. Moiraine knew little more than him about the White Tower recruiting in faraway lands. She spent very little time as a sister in the Tower, running instead from what was planned for her. The only real experience she could draw on was Sanche's and hers.

"I think you should hide your cloak," she said, giving him pause. "It will allow us to blend in better." She took her ring off and put it into what he knew was a secret pouch in her bag. After that her hand moved to the horse's neck. It was a soothing thing for her, whenever she chose to conceal her Aes Sedai persona. He couldn't blame her after all he knew about her family and how much her present life meant for her.

She was right to propose their concealment when she did. Some sixth sense maybe, because he noticed voices only after packing his cloak. Riders. And one wagon with them. Merchants travelling, it seemed, in the same direction. Laughter coming from their direction promised a good company and might actually help them it they played it right.

"And who would you be?" A bulky man sitting on the wagon's seat was the first to them. His companions turned to him, then to them from their saddles. "It's not a typical place to find gentle people."

"I'm Andra," Lan said, riding to them first. Then he pointed to Moiraine. "And this is Alys, my cousin, whom I was tasked with escorting." Close enough to keep straight even if Moiraine had to collaborate this version. They've spent most of the first year coining this rouse and learning every little detail so that they could recite it we even in their sleep.

He could feel Moiraine's uneasiness with how the men looked at her and couldn't help but itch to grab his sword. It wasn't an opportunity, looked more of a hindrance. If they break from those people by a wrong given reason now and meet up with them later it might prove problematic. The men looked at him then and backed away, no doubt seeing his protective stance.

"How far are you going?" one of them asked after a long silence. "To the City? Or somewhere local?"

"You think they will be taking that old pony for some long ride?" another one commented, almost openly laughing at Arrow. "It's gonna drop if they ask it to go too far."

Moiraine just kept her face impassive, but was close to boiling inside. One good thing that came from the whole training method at the Tower. "We are, as it happens, travelling for a considerable distance," she said and her face got first a little sad, then apologetic. "My horse is... not best suited to a long and fast ride at the moment and so our journey will probably take more time than we would like."

He was amazed the Oaths would let her say that. It was curiously worded, granted, but it also suggested that she might have come to terms with Arrow's growing limitations. He would have been happy to see that, but they needed to get the situation under control first. "You seem to be travelling at a pretty good pace yourselves" he said, trying to sound like he would have liked to travel at their speed, even though he knew perfectly well that even trying to keep Arrow in good shape without the One Power, they would still travel faster. "And a wagon. Your destination is the City of Tear, I gather."

"It is." A middle aged woman came to the front of the wagon, opening the front hatch. "We have business there. Bluish amber."

Something stirred in Moiraine at that last mention. "I've heard of it" she said. "But I was told it was all kept in flour to keep it white at least until the deal can be made."

"It is. I can show you if you want?

"Another stop, Elwena? "The man in the driver's seat whined. "Tedric was adamant about helping those other ones cross the stream and we've wasted hours on that!"

"A show would not be necessary, ma'am," Moiraine said with a smile. "We don't want to keep you."

In the years they travelled together Lan had learned to defer to Moiraine if she took charge in such situations. And she was definitely feeling that way now. He let her talk.

Elwena nodded and sat beside the driver. "Well," she said to the man, "drive, then." She nodded to Moiraine and Lan then and patted the driver on the arm. "If you ever make it to Tear I would be happy to show you the ambers, my lady."

"I will be sure to seek you out if I do."

Lan could only watch in surprise how the wagon and horsemen left. They too seemed confused, but, unlike him, wore all that on their faces.

"Who was that woman?" he asked in whisper when they were far enough not to be overheard. "A acquaintance of yours?" He didn't want to use the proper term in case someone could somehow hear them. Still.

"I've never met her." It rolled from her mouth with such ease he had no doubt it was Light's honest truth. A practiced one too... "If we make it to the City of Tear we will have to check her merchandise."

"Where to, now?" he asked. The woman gave them the perfect way out of travelling with her companions, but at the same time provided its own challenges. "We cannot go straight there now."

"There are two villages to the east I planned on visiting after. We can start with them." He could feel her irritation, but was grateful seeing signs of it on her face as well. He liked that while her Aes Sedai composure got perfected over the years, she decided to skip it sometime for his benefit. Bond was useful but could, a paradox, feel much less personal. "Here! She handed him a map with three blue dots. "Lead the way, we should probably try to keep off the road."

Forest trails it was, then. Alright, fine for him. Less for Moiraine, despite how she braved it every time, He would have to make sure to choose good tracks for Arrow and make their nights long to keep them both in good shape. And good mood. He could already see tiredness in their bodies.