WOT Adv 232 (Vaid and Eliessana)

--- The Wheel Turns ---

Vaid's heart pounded... He laughed nervously. "Ha... that's funny, husband." He wanted to really laugh it off, but he just felt embarrassed.

Eliesanna smiled shyly at the woman and glanced at Vaid, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Good husband, should we perhaps give a few coins for this poor woman?"

"Light, coin, yes... of course!" Vaid smiled, and winked, momentarily forgetting his troubles. Feeling Eliesanna's nearness made it that much easier. He dug into his pocket and handed the woman a few silver marks. "Go do what you can with it... I don't have much, but I can spare a little. Best of luck to you!"
Eliesanna, smiling, followed his lead, and also dug out some coin, passing them to the unfortunate woman.
The woman's face went from stark disbelief, to a radiating smile that grew larger and larger when she examined the gold and silver coins pressed into her hands.
The boy stopped crying, sensing the joy and disbelief in his mother's countenance. "Oh, the light shine upon you both milord! Milady!" She cried out, stuffing the coins into her worn pockets. Tears of joy streamed down her face and she reached up and touched Vaid on his shoulder. "May the Creator shelter you both for your generosity! Thank you!"
Still crying out gratefully, she sang their praises and disappeared into the crowded streets, laughing with joy.

Happy with himself, he turned back to chat with Eliesanna. It did only a little to lift his dampening spirits. What was he doing? Was he actually going to warn the Panarch? Of all people to get involved with, the Panarch and Aes Sedai had to be the worst. They'd have his head for sure.
He didn't have long to focus on this line of thought however; for he soon noticed a crowd had gathered around him. Startled, he interposed himself between them and Eliesanna, his hand instinctively on his sword. Then he noticed they were all of them beggars. Their clothes were worn to rags or patched cloaks. Their faces desperate for hope, for some solution to their disparate circumstances.
Perhaps nearly fifty or more beggars, most of them women and children, swarmed around him, their hands outstretched eagerly, grasping like pale tree branches yearning for spring, clasping at his and Eliesanna's clothes. "Please sir..." One called out. "Please show mercy!" said another. "Milord! Might I have some coin." Added third. More and more their pleas surrounded him a babble of confusion.
The press of the crowd became stronger as others came from side streets pressing the bulk of their bodies against the others.
"My child. Get off my child!" A woman yelled frantically from somewhere nearby. You're crushing him!" Vaid spun, where in the crowd, Vaid couldn't be sure. Someone was clawing at his belt.
"Vaid!" Eliesanna screamed as a skinny man with claw-like hands grabbed at her hair, then clawed at her pouch, greed written plainly on his face.
"Give it here, my pretty! You've got plenty to share. I saw you handing out fistfulls to that other woman!"
--
Some distance ahead of them Maeslyn turned, at the rising commotion, a spiced roll in her hand, chewing slowly, one bite already in her mouth.
"Light!" Maeslyn said, hurriedly swallowing her morsel. "What the blazes happened?"
Maer was holding a parcel of a few additional rolls, standing nearby, when he too heard the sounds of the crowd. Turning, he too saw Vaid behind him, perhaps hundred paces away, now completely surrounded by scores of beggars and more seemed to be coming, drawn like moths to a flame, streaming out of side streets.