Missing and extended scenes of Wheel of Time - TV series

3x04 - Story C - No permission

Lan sits in front of the Wise Ones' tent, waiting for Moiraine's return.

Lan sat in front of the Wise Ones' tent. They are the ones who had told Moiraine about Rhuidean. They are the ones who had allowed her to enter the city in the clouds while denying Lan access. They are the ones who had seen Moiraine and Rand for the last time before they had entered Rhuidean. Surely, Moiraine and Rand would search for them. But since Lan didn't trust the Wise Ones to inform him about their return, he had decided to sit in front of their tent, watching that annoying ring of spears around the city.

Seven days. Seven days had passed since Moiraine and Rand had left them. And with every passing day, Lan became more impatient.

He could still remember the last glance he and Moiraine had shared after they had talked to that Aiel man, Couladin. Bair had told him to leave, and the Warder had known that it was the moment when he had to leave his Aes Sedai's side, knowing she would go to Rhuidean with Rand.

Moiraine had prepared him for that moment. She had told him about her plan the night before, and that he wouldn't be able to follow her. Yet, the preparation hadn't helped to swallow the fear and panic easily. Every cell in his body had screamed at him not to leave her. He still remembered very well how he had lost her after Fal Dara. It had been a terrible feeling to discover she had left without him and had masked the bond.

But it had been nothing against the feeling when she had left him in Alanna's care. For weeks, he had worried sick about her, no matter how angry he had been at her. He simply wanted her close to him. He was her Warder. It was his duty to protect her.

Yet, there he was. Although he hadn't wanted to, Lan had agreed not to try stopping her from going to Rhuidean. When he took her hat, he had opened his side of the bond, sending her his love and trust. He had wanted her to know that he still believed in what she did and that he trusted her.

The only thing the uncrowned king of Malkier had wished for was that he could have had another moment with the Cairhien woman alone. He had wished he could hug her one last time before she would enter that cloudy city. But they hadn't been alone, so their eyes and the bond had been the only possibilities for them to communicate.

Moiraine must've felt his longing for a private moment because she had opened her side of the bond as well. Her love for him had intertwined with his, filling them with a wonderful kind of warmth. She had appreciated his concerns and his trust in her.

Cursing inwardly, Lan closed his eyes. If only he had known back then how long she would be gone. And he could still not say how much longer it would be.

Subconsciously, his hands reached for his father's sword that he had placed before him, touching it with his fingertips. He should go after her.

His eyes opened, and he stared at that ring of spears again. Lan had thought about countless ways to get to Rhuidean. But the Aiel...

Footsteps approached from inside the tent, and the Malkieri straightened his back. He hoped it wasn't Melindhra again. That woman had tried countless times to move him, inviting him to training sessions or a hunt for food. No matter how often he declined, she always returned.

Luckily, it wasn't Melindhra. Egwene didn't say anything when she stepped beside him. They had sat there a few times, staring at the ring of spears, as if that would help Moiraine and Rand to find their way back to them.

Sighing, she sat down, but Lan refused to look at her. He didn't want her to see the pain in his eyes.

"It's been seven days. Aviendha came back two days ago. We should go in after them."