- For other uses of the word "water," see Water.
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| <<< Pond Water >>> |
| Setting: Kandor |
Summary[]
- Point of view: Moiraine Damodred
Ryne Venamar
After Cadsuane checks on her while she is sleeping, Moiraine packs only a few clothes and heads over to the stables. Master Helvin keeps a log book with descriptions of all his horses. The stableman Kazin saddles Arrow but she leaves her pack horse behind. Cadsuane might have set servants watching for her to show a sign of leaving. In the pre-dawn gray she rides to the city gate and sees lamplighters maintaining the lamps. Borderland cities must keep the streets lit at night to ensure no appearances of Myrddraal. For the same reason, people are surprised to see her ride out before dawn. At the gate she is also surprised to see that she is not the first one there, as there are three men already waiting impatiently. There is a younger and older Malkieri and also an Arafellin who is the man she saw leaving the Gates of Heaven. Wanting to question the latter man, when the gates finally open at dawn she follows them on the road west. They set a fast pace, but this suits Moiraine as she wishes to put as much distance between her and Cadsuane as possible. They pass through a village and Moiraine asks for Avene Sahera, who is not there.
As evening approaches, she almost gives up on following the men, but then the younger Malkieri abruptly leaves the road. She knows something of tracking from her years in Cairhien and notes that the trail is easy to follow.[1] She finds him sitting alone by a pond and thinks about how to ask regarding the meeting at the Gates of Heaven with the unknown Aes Sedai. Approaching slowly, she takes his sword using flows of air, but he "notices" her and acts quickly. He grabs his sword from her and throws her into the pond at the same time. He is puzzled at how she got the sword from so far away before realizing he should help her out of the pond. The man, who she later learns is named Lan, puts up blankets around a fire so that Moiraine can dry herself unseen. Moiraine does use the privacy provided by the blankets, but simply uses the Power rather than the fire.
While she is pretending to use the fire to dry herself, the other two men return. The other two are Ryne and Bukama. Ryne makes a crass comment which causes Lan to draw his sword to stop Ryne from moving any closer to Moiraine.[2] Moiraine peeks out from behind the blankets and sees Bukama defuse the situation by diverting Lan and Ryne to play a game where they practice drawing their swords. Ryne is faster every time. Moiraine remembers what she knows about Malkieri customs and claims the right of a woman alone to ask for escort to Chachin, and Bukama agrees. Ryne is handsome and friendly while Bukama and Lan are exact opposites of him. She never gets the opportunity to ask Ryne about what he was doing in the inn. As they camp for the night, Moiraine weaves wards of Spirit around them so she will know if they move. At one point when they change guard, she overhears Lan saying he doesn't trust Aes Sedai. This angers her and she channels pondwater at him, revealing herself as Aes Sedai. Ryne looks at her with awe or maybe fear. Lan is only stone-faced and returns to his watch, not even bothering to dry off. She goes to sleep thinking about Lan and Ryne.
Characters[]
- Moiraine Damodred
- Kazin
- Arrow (animal)
- Lan Mandragoran
- Ryne Venamar
- Bukama Marenellin
- Cat Dancer (animal)
Referenced[]
- Master Helvin
- Cadsuane Melaidhrin
- Avene Sahera
Places[]
Referenced[]
Concepts[]
One Power[]
- Spirit woven to make wards
