Change of a ride (WoT FF)

Chapter 5

Lan was happy to see Moiraine almost back to normal the next morning. It took her more time than normal to wake after the sun got up, but it only gave him more time to prepare for the day. He had everything ready and when she washed, he handed her the freshly oiled boots and they departed to check on the rest of children. Moiraine made a quick work of it this time. Her book contained few names as it was – Tear didn't participate in the Aiel War as prominently as other nations and from women that she had noted a lot had given birth to daughters even if they did give birth at almost the right time, and even if the place was mostly right.

Lan was used to accompanying her like that – keeping watch while she checked the children, lying to give her entry to the house they needed. Today he would have liked to be close. He felt in the bond how close to fainting she still was. She would make it through the day and do what has to be done. Then she would be ready to ride for a day. And then... He smiled and felt Moiraine's slight confusion at that. It was gone soon, just like his smirk. He would smile openly two days from now. He fingered the scrap of parchment now residing in his pocket. Yes, just some time and his project would be complete

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Moiraine knew Lan felt how ready to drop she was. She was grateful he didn't bring it up on the way back.

"I will make tea," he said, closing the door. "You prepare for bed."

They had already eaten downstairs – Lan insisted, and she agreed without a fight, even if she was too tired to eat much. Before she could strip for bed, a steaming cup of tea, this time a real, honest tea, stood by her bed and it got to the perfect temperature when she got to it.

"Do we have a good route for tomorrow?" She didn't really doubt. She knew Lan was always more than prepared, but hearing him confirm the fact would make her much better. "How far do we plan on travelling?"

"I hope we will make it long before the light fades." There it was, that strange giddiness from before that surprised her. "I think we will have a good enough place to sleep. Not anything fancy, but it won't be a night under the stars."

This told her absolutely nothing, but would have to suffice. She didn't need more, exactly, to sleep. She's been sleeping on hard ground more than in the inn's beds now. Bathing in icy cold streams was more familiar than she would have liked.

She woke before the sun rose and felt more herself than she had for several days. The Source was so close and her hands itched. She reached and held the One Power for a moment, then released so she wouldn't be tempted to use it. You never knew when that could be dangerous. Lan came to the room shortly after she got ready, carrying his saddle bags packed tight. Food, she knew, for the road. They would certainly need it. And some grain to feed the horses in the middle of the day. She liked to know and participate, usually, but today she was glad to have the luxury of not having to care.

"Do you want to eat before we go?" he asked. He always asked, even though he probably knew the answer. "The Kitchen is already running and we could stop by and..."

"No," she cut in. "I don't need to eat and we should get out of Tear as fast as possible."

He lifted her bags from the bed and threw them over his other arm, then followed her out. The innkeeper nodded at them with a smile and disappeared to the kitchen when they left. Moiraine was sure that Lan felt her hesitate when they went by the alley that might take then towards the horse market. She was glad he didn't react, for she wasn't certain she would be strong enough not to go and just buy the horse, their finances be damned. It was not a good and responsible decision. She would look for a new horse the next time they rode into Tar Valon and she would make some withdrawals from her accounts and look for a suitable animal somewhere where her station afforded reasonable prices for good quality.