"I don't know Maer. I don't know. Come, it's time to dance the spears." Vaid motioned towards the sacks on the ground. "They still need saving. " He pulled his crossbow from his belt, and moved to a place where he could see the men.
He turned to Maer once more, "Maer, please, for now, can you keep this to yourself? If they find out too soon, it could be... complicated."
Maer continued to watch Vaid carefully, his bow trained on him, his veil still covered his face. He was on the balls of his feet ready to leap in any direction.
"You say it is time to dance the spears, but there is much I do not know about you, Vaid Al'Hain. Must to distrust. You who comes in the dark of night and now wield Sightblinder's own tainted power. You who are fated to go mad and destroy those around you. You who are gentled by the White tower travel in company of one I have pledged to serve.
"We of the clans also have seen such men among us. When these are found they leave of their own accord, and go into the blight to spit in Sightblinder's own eye. They never return!" he paused and looked at Vaid. "As is proper. For now, I will keep my own council as to this secret you asked me to keep. If I break promise, I will owe t'oh to you, but what I do is not yet decided. For now, I will help you free Sabira and these others." He lowered his bow, but his face remained veiled and his eyes narrowed.
A great sound of a bell pealed forth a few blocks away, broke up the talk. It sounded like an alarm bell. Lights also began coming on in nearby houses. Doors were starting to open, owners peering out with lanterns raised, children were crying and dogs were barking. They would have to move swiftly.
--
Fiznak and Maeslyn were only a couple of streets away now and also heard the tolling of the bells and the general activity level increasing in the neighborhood.
"You say it is time to dance the spears, but there is much I do not know about you, Vaid Al'Hain. Must to distrust. You who comes in the dark of night and now wield Sightblinder's own tainted power. You who are fated to go mad and destroy those around you. You who are gentled by the White tower travel in company of one I have pledged to serve.
"We of the clans also have seen such men among us. When these are found they leave of their own accord, and go into the blight to spit in Sightblinder's own eye. They never return!" he paused and looked at Vaid. "As is proper. For now, I will keep my own council as to this secret you asked me to keep. If I break promise, I will owe t'oh to you, but what I do is not yet decided. For now, I will help you free Sabira and these others." He lowered his bow, but his face remained veiled and his eyes narrowed.
A great sound of a bell pealed forth a few blocks away, broke up the talk. It sounded like an alarm bell. Lights also began coming on in nearby houses. Doors were starting to open, owners peering out with lanterns raised, children were crying and dogs were barking. They would have to move swiftly.
--
Fiznak and Maeslyn were only a couple of streets away now and also heard the tolling of the bells and the general activity level increasing in the neighborhood.
Vaid nodded. There wasn't much more that he could reasonably expect.
Light! What was he thinking? What chance did he have, rubbing elbows with those pledged to serve the white tower? Surely no madness could be greater than this.
He stepped over the bodies in the street. He saw the charred body of a man, his hand still miraculously intact, reaching out. How had it survived the blast, when the rest of him had died? When the rest of their bodies were burned by the fire he had created. Images flashed through his head. Memories of others, burned..
There was no chance for him here. He would have to run... As he always had. He could be alone. He had before.
Vaid nodded and moved up to the wall, pulling out his crossbow and fitting a bolt as he did so. He could see the three remaining hooded shapes crouching uncertainly about their prizes. They, of course, hadn't seen what had happened, not in the way Vaid had anyway. Perhaps they had seen a flash of orange flame above the ruined wall, perhaps they had felt a wave of heat. They certainly had heard the noise of the explosion and but probably didn't know the fate of their comrades.
Maer moved to Vaid's left to another break in the wall, raising his bow in one swift motion, he shot with deadly accuracy, taking a man in the chest. The man yet out a gurgled yell and pitched forward into the weeds. The other two kidnappers, with started yelps, started to run--away from them--pulling and jouncing two of the three prizes across the ground.
"The Lady of Shadows does not accept failure!" they both said, as if reciting a mantra.
Vaid wound his crossbow as Maer dropped his bow, and yanking out a spear, ran forward.
Vaid aimed and fired, taking one in the back, the bolt instantly dropping him.
The remaining man did not flee, instead he grabbed his cudgel and managed to connect with Maer, but only enough to bruise some ribs, nothing more. Then it was over, even as Vaid fitted another crossbow bolt and began winding, Maer smashed aside the man's cudgel, knocked the man backward into a tree with the butt end of the spear, then in a spinning attack, sent the spear point through the neck, impaling the man to the tree. The man's hands batted weakly at the spear as his life fled from him. He gurgled once weakly and then hung limp.
Peering about in the garden for any other attackers, Vaid saw none and ran forward to help. Untying the three sacks he saw Sabira and two other young women equally as graceful in face and figure. All were motionless. He quickly determined they were unconscious. Investigating the bodies of the three men he saw they carried no money, some simple weapons, rope, rags, and that each a heavy clear bottle, stopped with corks, with some dark, heavy liquid in it.
Shouts were heard. Screams. A door slammed. Dogs continued to bark.
Maer moved to Vaid's left to another break in the wall, raising his bow in one swift motion, he shot with deadly accuracy, taking a man in the chest. The man yet out a gurgled yell and pitched forward into the weeds. The other two kidnappers, with started yelps, started to run--away from them--pulling and jouncing two of the three prizes across the ground.
"The Lady of Shadows does not accept failure!" they both said, as if reciting a mantra.
Vaid wound his crossbow as Maer dropped his bow, and yanking out a spear, ran forward.
Vaid aimed and fired, taking one in the back, the bolt instantly dropping him.
The remaining man did not flee, instead he grabbed his cudgel and managed to connect with Maer, but only enough to bruise some ribs, nothing more. Then it was over, even as Vaid fitted another crossbow bolt and began winding, Maer smashed aside the man's cudgel, knocked the man backward into a tree with the butt end of the spear, then in a spinning attack, sent the spear point through the neck, impaling the man to the tree. The man's hands batted weakly at the spear as his life fled from him. He gurgled once weakly and then hung limp.
Peering about in the garden for any other attackers, Vaid saw none and ran forward to help. Untying the three sacks he saw Sabira and two other young women equally as graceful in face and figure. All were motionless. He quickly determined they were unconscious. Investigating the bodies of the three men he saw they carried no money, some simple weapons, rope, rags, and that each a heavy clear bottle, stopped with corks, with some dark, heavy liquid in it.
Shouts were heard. Screams. A door slammed. Dogs continued to bark.
Vaid looked over at Maer, "I don't think the neighbors are still sleeping. We'd better move." He stooped down and took one of the bottles.
He stood for a moment, scratching his head. He wasn't strong enough to carry two by himself. They could fashion a sling, but that would take time.
"Maer, I think we had better not be seen here, if we can help it. Can you help me carry Sabria? I think these others will be well enough. They'll be found soon."
Just as Maer and Vaid hoisted Sabira and left the walled garden, they ran into the rest of their party. Fiznak had his sword out and was peering down the street. Maeslyn followed closely behind, her eyes quickly surveying the smoking charred corpses, the shattered windows, the buckled doors that had taken the brunt of the explosive shock.
"Maer, Master Vaid," her eyes sought his out. "What happened here?" she asked intently but quietly.
"Maer, Master Vaid," her eyes sought his out. "What happened here?" she asked intently but quietly.
Vaid stopped. He hadn't expected them so close, or even known they were following. He looked at Maer for a moment, then at Maeslyn. This was madness.
The best falsehood is truth. "Lady Maeslyn!" Vaid huffed, nodded at Fiznak, "We heard the explosion. There were only 3 men guarding the women inside this garden. Maer took care of them in short order. We thought we'd take only Sabira for now, so we aren't mistaken for more of the kidnappers."
Vaid paused for a moment, catching his breath. His only chance was to get her thinking about something else, and quickly. "I think it would be best if we weren't seen here." He leaned closer, lowering his voice, "They spoke of serving a Lady of Shadows, and they carried only this. "
Vaid presented the bottle to her, then looked over his shoulder and gestured to the noise rising around them. "We should go."
Vaid stopped. He hadn't expected them so close, or even known they were following. He looked at Maer for a moment, then at Maeslyn. This was madness.
Reunited with Eliesanna and Maer, they hurried back to the inn. Terise, now conscious, stood at the doorway. "My Sabira! Have you seen my Sabira?" Tears streamed down her face and her eyes had a wild look. "She has been taken!"
"Rest easy, Lady Terise," Maeslyn said gently with a small smile. "She is well, only unconscious, thank the light."
Terise nearly collapsed from relief and Fiznak helped her inside as Maer lowered the girl onto a low couch in the common room.
"Master Vaid here, along with Maer rescued her from kidnappers." Maeslyn continued.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Terise clasped Vaid's hands in hers.
The best falsehood is truth. "Lady Maeslyn!" Vaid huffed, nodded at Fiznak, "We heard the explosion. There were only 3 men guarding the women inside this garden. Maer took care of them in short order. We thought we'd take only Sabira for now, so we aren't mistaken for more of the kidnappers."
Vaid paused for a moment, catching his breath. His only chance was to get her thinking about something else, and quickly. "I think it would be best if we weren't seen here." He leaned closer, lowering his voice, "They spoke of serving a Lady of Shadows, and they carried only this. "
Vaid presented the bottle to her, then looked over his shoulder and gestured to the noise rising around them. "We should go."
The party began moving back toward the inn. Hugging the side streets and avoiding the broad avenues, they sought to avoid squads of soldiers who were apparently responding to the explosion and were sweeping along several streets, moving to the very spot they were trying to escape from.
At one corner, a few blocks from the inn, pair of soldiers spotted part of the group. Eliesanna and Maer had managed to duck out of sight in time, but the remaining three Maeslyn, Vaid, and Fiznak were spotted.
"You there! Halt!"
"Light!" Fiznak groaned under his breath, his hand starting to drift towards his sword hilt.
But Maeslyn shook her head and stepped forward and looked at the man serenely.
"Yes? What seems to be the problem, good sir?" her face was hooded, but she approached and asked politely enough.
The soldier seemed taken aback at the directness, not to mention the unexpected polite response.
"There... uh...seems to have been some sort of disturbance near the outskirts. What is your business this time of night? Honest folk are all indoors!" His manner was gruff, but he swallowed slightly when he noticed her gaze did not waver. His knees started to tremble when she moved her left hand with the serpent ring on it and pulled her hood back, revealing her face entirely and he felt her commanding presence.
"Shall I answer to you? Have a care good sir, for would you delay an envoy of the White Tower on official business?"
She ensured her serpent ring was clearly visible in the torch light as her hands clasped an onyx brooch that clasped her cloak together. The brooch seemed to flicker with an inner light for a moment, and Vaid thought a felt a chill creep along his skin.
"Uhh. Mistress Sedai--That is, Lady Aes Sedai. Ummm. Please!" The man fairly cringed. "I meant no disrespect... you must not think that I--" he gulped goggling at her, and back peddled into his companion. The two of them, in their haste to escape, crashed into a crate in the side street and went sprawling. Calling out apologies they backed around the corner and then all the party could hear was the their receding footsteps as they ran down the street.
"Quickly!" Maeslyn commanded once they were gone. "They'll be back searching for us and with greater numbers, once someone with more authority find outs. And they have our descriptions now too. We would do well to lie low for the time being."
At one corner, a few blocks from the inn, pair of soldiers spotted part of the group. Eliesanna and Maer had managed to duck out of sight in time, but the remaining three Maeslyn, Vaid, and Fiznak were spotted.
"You there! Halt!"
"Light!" Fiznak groaned under his breath, his hand starting to drift towards his sword hilt.
But Maeslyn shook her head and stepped forward and looked at the man serenely.
"Yes? What seems to be the problem, good sir?" her face was hooded, but she approached and asked politely enough.
The soldier seemed taken aback at the directness, not to mention the unexpected polite response.
"There... uh...seems to have been some sort of disturbance near the outskirts. What is your business this time of night? Honest folk are all indoors!" His manner was gruff, but he swallowed slightly when he noticed her gaze did not waver. His knees started to tremble when she moved her left hand with the serpent ring on it and pulled her hood back, revealing her face entirely and he felt her commanding presence.
"Shall I answer to you? Have a care good sir, for would you delay an envoy of the White Tower on official business?"
She ensured her serpent ring was clearly visible in the torch light as her hands clasped an onyx brooch that clasped her cloak together. The brooch seemed to flicker with an inner light for a moment, and Vaid thought a felt a chill creep along his skin.
"Uhh. Mistress Sedai--That is, Lady Aes Sedai. Ummm. Please!" The man fairly cringed. "I meant no disrespect... you must not think that I--" he gulped goggling at her, and back peddled into his companion. The two of them, in their haste to escape, crashed into a crate in the side street and went sprawling. Calling out apologies they backed around the corner and then all the party could hear was the their receding footsteps as they ran down the street.
"Quickly!" Maeslyn commanded once they were gone. "They'll be back searching for us and with greater numbers, once someone with more authority find outs. And they have our descriptions now too. We would do well to lie low for the time being."
Reunited with Eliesanna and Maer, they hurried back to the inn. Terise, now conscious, stood at the doorway. "My Sabira! Have you seen my Sabira?" Tears streamed down her face and her eyes had a wild look. "She has been taken!"
"Rest easy, Lady Terise," Maeslyn said gently with a small smile. "She is well, only unconscious, thank the light."
Terise nearly collapsed from relief and Fiznak helped her inside as Maer lowered the girl onto a low couch in the common room.
"Master Vaid here, along with Maer rescued her from kidnappers." Maeslyn continued.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Terise clasped Vaid's hands in hers.
Vaid looked at this feet, saying nothing. All he could think about was the fire, the charred bodies. He deserved to be alone - far away from other people.
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