WOT Adv 293 - Back at the Silver Carp Inn

After an outflowing of gratitude from Terise that included much bowing, and beaming smiles, mingled with tears, Terise took a groggly Sabira up to bed, taking a spare room in the attic, avoiding their former room until it was repaired and the blood cleaned up. Maer had said nothing, other than volunteering to keep watch for the remainder of the night by their door. 

The party, all save Maer, sat around the common room fire, lost in their thoughts for several long minutes. Who knew what Maeslyn pondered on. But Fiznak thought of her and the explosion as he puffed on his pipe.

He had been puzzling over the explosion all the way back to the inn and on killing and death. He frowned into the flames. He had been on edge and ready to draw his sword and cut down the soldier who was blocking their path. He shook his head. But that would be of little use to anyone, just senseless killing.

Sometimes that's all he felt he was. A killing machine. He has been trained to wield weapons since before he was even weaned--so people said. He killed with the same fervor now as he had in years past, except something was different now. Where he had only felt a need for vengeance against darkspawn and a longing to bring peace to his country, he now felt a feeling of longing and care for this delicate creature who sat by his side. He would defend her to the end. More fervently than he had ever felt before about anything.

He chewed on his pipe. The explosion had shaken him. What if they had been there a few minutes later? What if vaid and maer had been caught in the blast? Could he bear to lose this woman he loved? He imagined her corpse charred, smoking and ripped bloody as those men in the street, and he had nearly drawn his sword our in a fit of passion. He took the pipe in his hand and noticed it shaking, but only slightly. Light! 

And what had caused that explosion? It was curious. There were no signs of wood splinters in any of the corpses. It was as if fire had just consumed them. The pressure from the blast had ripped them apart and the houses were damaged but it was as if the blast originated in the street. 

He frowned and glanced over at Maeslyn. He saw her pacing back and forth now, glancing now and then out of the window. He wanted to ask her if she knew more of such things, but now was not the time. She was preoccupied and he gathered it had something to do with what had happened out there between the Accepted, Vaid, and Maer. He looked at the tall man sitting nearby. 

"It's been a busy night," Maeslyn finally said. "There is much to discuss, but we will leave that until the morning when we've all had some rest. Fiznak, will you come to my room, please, I would like you to examine this vial with me." 

Fiznak grunted in reply. Clapped Vaid on the shoulder and departed, following his charge. Soon all Vaid heard was the crackling of the logs and the ceaseless ticking of the clock, in time with his own heart beats. Tic-Stay, Toc-go. Stay-Go. Stay-Go. Over and over.  

Vaid stared down at his hands and then into the fire. Fire. He remembered, even now, the rushing feel of the heat and light and life--and also the rank feel of slime and scum on the male half of the source. That latter sensation was from the taint. Courtesy of the Dark Ones own touch on Saidin, he was fated to go mad. He growled inside, feeling a cage slipping around him. How long did he have? Light, how much longer, or was it happening already?

The Dark One or the White Tower--blood and bloody ashes! Either one would do him in sooner or later. 

  

He glanced over at Eliesanna. The young woman, with her golden hair in a bounteous braid, stared into the crackling flames that danced along a brace of logs. 

"Light, but that could have been me that was taken!" she said in a small voice and shivered again. "Who were those men? I think it was Maeslyn who saved me. She said they had tried to enter. I think they were after me." 

She seemed only partially aware that Vaid was in the room. 

----

Upstairs, Fiznak and Maeslyn examined the strange liquid together. It was black, and thickly syrupy. About the bottle there was some cloying scent. But without some experimentation or someone else's expertise, they were at a loss as to its purpose. Maeslyn set the bottle back down and faced him, frowning. 

"Fiznak, what do you think happened out there tonight?"