Here are some of the roleplay-posts I have written in my 5 years of fantasy-roleplaying. They have been written in connection with my roleplaying on the Internet at Dragonmount and Trolloc Wars Roleplay-sites. In these written posts I have roleplayed with my former bondholder and Aes Sedai Leandreen Sedai \ Cyane Adelle Sedai and also at times with other roleplaying-friends.
I love writing and creating , and hope I have managed to write some good stories during my time roleplaying with these two characters : Elessar Gaidin and Celahrion Gaidin , both Warders of the White Tower in Robert Jordan`s magical Wheel of Time-world.
Glory in the fight against the Shadow ( an imagined story )
It was a day of death. Elessar looked about him , eyes dazed by blood and sweat , and he shook involuntarily. Behind him he sensed more than saw his Aes Sedai struggling to stay on her feet. Leandreen was exhausted and frail , but proud as a Queen of Battle she had fought to the bitter end , savouring the victory over the vanquished Forsaken : Mesaana had gone to her death in a blinding light of Balefire , never more to practice her evil on the unwary children of the world evermore. Staring around him , trying to move his painful shoulder , pictures of the battle entered Elessar`s mind
and soon he was back in the middle of the war once again
screaming his defiance he throws himself in front of the Mhyrdraal , gaidin-blade hissing against the dark blade of the Fade , entering a dance of death in a fight for survival. The Fade moves swiftly but Elessar parries deftly , attacking all the while. Around there are fireballs flying about , the Battle Ajah fighting proudly against the Dreadlords and Forsaken and other Shadowspawn , but to Elessar the rest of the world is in a different place as he fights He parries a daring strike from the Fade and counters with a thrust which changes in midair and catches his opponent on the side. On and on they battle , the sword-forms flowing in a neverending display of endurance and excellence and finally he strikes a deadly blow to the Mhyrdraal which falls to the ground , writhing Elessar seizes the moment and slashes the Fade`s head off , the only way to kill the beast , with the Shadowspawn taking a long way to die
and then Leandreen has her hands raised , a ferocious smile on her face , as she faces the Forsaken. Mesaana lookes at her and grins. "Who are you to defy me , Aes Sedai!" she says with scorn in her voice , as she throws a saidar-wrought ball of fire at Leandreen. She in turn shields herself and the ball disintegrates , doing no harm - though she lookes a little haggard where she stands Elessar knows that she is daring too much and is in grave danger ; he senses that the Forsaken is indeed the stronger of the two , but Leandreen never gives up , that he knows , and will try to defeat her foe to the bitter end. "Leandreen " Elessar begins , but she waves him away. "Stay out of this , my Gaidin. This is between her and me." There is iron and stubbornness in her voice and Elessar knows that nothing he says will change her mind. He sighs and turns to look at the battle around them. Off to the left Dreadlords are fighting more of the Green Sisters whereas off to the right trollocs are combating other Warders. A trolloc runs up to Elessar right then and tries to hack him in two , but Elessar has already seen the eagle-muzzled beast and runs it through with his sword , moving to the side just at the right instant to take it in the stomack. He grins darkly as he looks down at the dying monster. A voice borne on the wind by saidar makes him turn around then , and he watches silently , not wanting to leave his Bondholder behind , wanting to keep her safe from any other threath as if facing a Forsaken was not enough
"Aes Sedai , what do you think to accomplish here , beside your own death?!" Mesanna`s voice is full of scorn still , as if she is facing a little school-girl who has come up with the foolish notion of standing up to her elders. Leandreen stares back confidently and defiantly , inwardly cursing her own stubborness which will probably end in her own death , and replies in sure and defiant tones : "Do not understimate my power , Forsaken. You might meet your Master of Death sooner than you think!" Mesaana laughs at that , a low gurgling laugh which remains deep in her throath , and seems very amused indeed by the courage - though foolish - of this young Aes Sedai. "See if you can match this then , Aes Sedai!" With those words she channels and a whirlwind erupts around her , shining ever brighter ! And behold ! Out of the whirlwind shoots forth a shining star which heads straight for Leandreen , standing twenty paces or so away. She tries to shield herself in time but is thrown to the ground by the force and has the wind knocked out of her ! Blackness envelopes her then a little light comes to her eye and she feels the pain in all her body. Atleast I am alive! A little voice says the words in the back of her mind , but she does not listen. She lifts her head from the ground , agony shooting through her , and then feels Elessar`s hands cradling her , his voice entering her conciousness as if from far , far away. "My Lady , careful now. Careful." She looks up at him then and sees a tear flow down his chin , mixing with the blood there. His eyes look horror-stricken and she turns her head to stare at the Forsaken watching from afar. She stumbles shakily to her feet , feeling very groggy and shaken indeed , but then finds strength hidden deep inside her , and empties her mind of all thought save her one : her deadly foe Mesaana. Elessar remains by her side , looking as if he is on the verge of attacking the Forsaken with blade alone for almost destroying his bondholder , but Leandreen restrains him.
The battle around them seems to take place on a different plane altogether and suddenly Elessar realises that the Forsaken has raised a saidar-wrought dome of light around them , shielding them from the outside ; from any outside-interference. His eyes widen slightly and so do Leandreen`s before she can stop herself. Mesaana smiles darkly and says in her ice-cool voice : "Yes , my naughty children. I am going to teach you the meaning of suffering now. This is what comes to children who do not know when to behave themselves." She lifts her hand once again and a light shines forth from her palm. Leandreen watches , still feeling rather too weak and powerless for this fight , but not about to give up whatever the cost. Whatever the cost! But she is so strong! She brushes away the voice in her mind , focusing instead on the shield she puts up around her. This must work ! Only once before has she tried this extremely dangerous weave , and that time it almost killed her. To invert the weave in this way was illegal indeed in the Tower but it was one of her talents , one of her little secrets , and it could be the only thing that stood between death for her now and life. The weave uses much spirit and is taken just so creating an illusion behind a mirror of light , causing a backfire. Attack you evil woman! She screams defiantly in her mind , wanting to hurl the power back at the Forsaken. And then Mesaana attacks with the power.
The light in her palm turns black as night and she throws it at Leandreen who just at the last instant raises her shield to wrap around the piece of darkness. She is forced several steps backward however and shudders as the darkness disintegrates in her palm , becoming somehow deeper more intense . Crying in defiance , she hurls the darkness-now changed-entity back at the Forsaken and feels her weave taking hold as it leaves her hand , streaming back inverted at a shocked Mesaana , who dives to the right and barely avoids the deadly strike! Blood flows down Leandreen`s face but Elessar , standing a little to the side , marvels at her composure and bravery. He looks at her beauty too and his heart constricts for a moment but then he hardens his Gaidin-heart and grins darkly at the Forsaken who stumbles to her feet some way off. Still , he feels through the bond that Leandreen has very little strength left and he steps toward her. Again however Leandreen waves him away. "This is my fight , my dear Gaidin. You cannot protect me here." There is deep caring in her voice and Elessar stares back at her with passion in his eyes. He will die for his Aes Sedai if necessary and has to protect her till death even if she does not see the need herself. He knows - and so moves to her side as she faces the Forsaken for the final time. Mesaana brushes the dust off her dark coat and stares hatefully at the Green Sister clothed in her dark green coat. "Not bad , little sister. You have learned some power it seems. I did not expect you to know a trick like that I am surprised they allowed you to learn that in this pathetic Age where there are rules for anything and everything concerning real power." Her voice took on a lecturing tone once again and was anew filled with deep scorn. "But now the lesson must end. Farewell , my dear sister." She pronounced the word "sister" with much distaste. "Now learn the folly of facing the Chosen!" She raises her hands a final time and Balefire streams forth right toward Leandreen. Elessar anticipates the danger , however , and throws himself atop Leandreen at the last instant , pushing her onto her side and away from the light of molten fire which streaks into the ground beyond them , removing that piece from existence from having ever been.
Tumbling to her feet Leandreen turns angrily to face her Gaidin who lies beside her , but then her words halt in her mind as she realises that she would have been too late to counter that attack by Balefire. She shudders and gets to her feet , seeing Mesaana ready for another throw of the forbidden Balefire. The dome around them never moves and is intact , Elessar realises , as he gets to his feet himself. They are doomed , either to die in this place facing this Chosen or to conquer somehow but how ? "You are stubborn indeed , Aes Sedai." Mesaana`s voice comes at them from all sides at once , modified by the One Power , but Leandreen remains silent. In her mind she fumbles for a way to defeat this Forsaken , but she is not strong enough. I am not strong enough! She screams inside her head in frustration and tries in vain to come up with a way to win this battle but there is no way. Resignation enters her eyes at last and Elessar sees it , making his heart constrict. She looks him deep in the eyes and says in a low tone : "My dear Gaidin , this is a fight we cannot win. I am so sorry." Elessar touches her face tenderly and smiles into her eyes. "It is not over yet , my Lady. And should it end with death , I am proud to have fought so valiantly beside you on this day of battle against the Shadow. Your valiant fight against the Shadow will be remembered in song an Age from now , of that I am sure." She stares into his eyes then , unshed tears making her own eyes glitter emerald green , and she kisses his brow. "And I am proud to have fought with you at my side , my dear Gaidin. You make the Warders proud." He kisses her forehead carefully once , a tear glistening in his eye , before he turns to face the Forsaken , standing some way from them , confidence streaming from her in waves. He knows one thing : on this day of days they are not going to die ! They are not ! To scream in the face of Shadow ! That is his way. Till death.
He faces the Forsaken , stepping in front of his Bondholder. She tries to move past him but he stops her with his hand. "Evil one , this is the day you die. No more children for you to turn to the Shadow." His voice has a taunting edge to it and Leandreen quickly realises that he is trying to make Mesaana angry enough to create an opening for Leandreen somehow Her Gaidin is putting himself in danger so that his Aes Sedai may have a chance. To serve and protect. To die for his Aes Sedai so that she may live. She shakes her head , trying again to come past him but he is too strong for her. Stubborn man ! Mesaana laughs back at the Warder but says nothing. He continues with his taunts. "You Forsaken disgust me. You think you are so strong and superior , but when it comes down to it you are nothing but clever manipulators and pawns of the Dark One. You are pathetic!" Anger flares in Mesaana`s eyes then and she raises her hands , ready to destroy this puny man before her! "So you wish to die for your Aes Sedai ? Your wish will come true then." Elessar listens to the words and is calm in the Void. He knows what he must do ; now he knows. And if his life saves that of his Aes Sedai , his purpose has been fulfilled. He walks toward the Forsaken , eyes cold as death , staring at the Shadowsouled before him , grim hate on his lips. And then all happens so fast that it is hard to describe it at all ... Mesaana , scorn on her lips , throws a swirling something Elessar cannot say what it is , except that it is burning with an inner fire and it moves hurriedly towards him right at him and at the last instant he deflects it with his blade , throwing himself to the side , blade flying through the air to land some way off , so that it swirls off to the right and away from Leandreen standing some way behind him. He rolls , dives for his sword , and comes to his feet some ten feet away from the Forsaken , who seems stunned by his sudden appearance so close to her , and then he throws with his last strength the sword at her and sees it strike into her left leg before she can throw up a shield of protection around her. She stumbles backwards and screams in pain , shock painting her face - and at that moment Leandreen strikes!
She hurls a bolt of Balefire straight at Mesaana and she is not fast enough to counter ! The light hits her square in the chest and she screams for a second a second which turns into an eternity and her howl echoes in the dome of saidar enveloping them all as she slowly disintegrates before their eyes , Mesaana`s disbelieving eyes widening in terror disappearing and finally gone into the beyond as if she never was at all. And then Leandreen stumbles bleeding to her knees and all Elessar sees before blackness takes him is that the dome disintegrates slowly but emphatically with Mesaana`a power gone - and all is blackness. Forever. His thoughts returned to the present as Elessar watched the battlefield around them. He felt Leandreen`s hands on his neck as she stared into his horror-stricken eyes and she said in exhausted but caring tones : "My Gaidin. My brave but foolish Gaidin. Were you going to leave me behind in this world on my own ?" He stared at her but could not reply that moment. She embraced him and kissed his cheek , holding him tight to her , as she helped him to his feet. He felt a trickle of power enter him , the little healing Leandreen was capable of at that moment , and he felt somewhat stronger afterward , the deadly wounds gone from his body though many shallow wounds remained. "On my honour I swore to protect you to death and beyond , my Aes Sedai. That is who I am and to that purpose I act. Your life means all , mine nothing. I am a Gaidin. " She stared at him then , so proud of her Gaidin and the vow they took for their Bondholder , and she could not find the words. She gave him a huge hug which he returned and so they stood together , in the midst of the carnage of battle , savouring their victory in this battle against the Shadow. But most of all : savouring being alive. And together.
"Leandreen Stormbringer : on a day of Battle" ( a moment in time )
She was a Queen of Battle. This was what she was born for. Striding confidently at the head of the Aes Sedai-prosession walking up the battlefields of K`haron in the Blight she shone with purpose and self assurance. The Battle Ajah was in front , of course , and Leandreen Stormbringer , Aes Sedai of that Ajah , their proud leader , lead them. Her hair of flame streamed down her back , cascading in waves that flowed in the soft wind , and her beautiful emerald green eyes were bright with focus and inner strength. Those eyes were now very much focused on the approaching army of Shadowspawn some way off to the north. A grim smile came upon her lips and saidar shone around her , powerful as no other in the Light , as she raised her arms to the heavens above. Stormbringer she was called , and she was aptly named. She wove the weaves to make the soft wind turn into stronger currents , feeling the cold air in her face , exilerating as she worked , creating a storm in the horizon. None in the White Tower had for generations had her talent with weather and she channeled with such speed and efficiency that her Sisters following watched half in awe. The storm began off to the west , swirling dust into the air in a whirlpool of chaos and little by little it grew into a ferocious darkness , moving across the skies with great speed. Leandreen smiled as she saw her handiwork take form. She opened herself to the others then and they linked , with her controlling saidar flowing through them all. The storm had now reached its full strength and swirled off toward the forces of Darkness.
And then it enveloped the Shadowspawn , creating havoc and confusion - and at that exact moment the Aes Sedai struck ! Leandreen threw a fireball straight at the forefront of the oncoming trollocs and they were destroyed by the dozen , going up in flame. Again she channeled and this time a bolt of lightning struck from the sky , hitting right in the middle of the trolloc horde , killing many and wounding even more. Now fireballs came back at them too from the opposing force , Dreadlords fighting back with the One Power , and the Aes Sedai had to shield themselves or perish. Leandreen let go of the linking and now together with seven other Green Sisters she strode forwards , hands raised , while some of the other Sisters headed off to the sides to attack from there. Fireballs flew everywhere , flames striding across the skies , to land on both sides of the field in places of blood and death. In Leandreen`s palm a light then started to burn with an inner fire , blazing like a star , revolving around itself , and with all her strength she threw that powerful and deadly weapon straight towards the Dreadlords she saw at the back of the army , hands raised. The ball of light the Thveh`rouka , for those who knew the making of it , not many in fact in this Age since it was a Talent thought lost in the Age of Legends - sped across the space between the opposing armies almost like Balefire and like Balefire destroyed all in its path ! As it hit the dozen Dreadlords a boom so loud shook the area that there were tremors and all on the battlefield were thrown to the ground ! Light burned everywhere for a second , a second which seemed to last an eternity , then darkness was everywhere darkness and screams until ordinary light returned at last to those whose eyes were not blinded.
Leandreen picked herself up from the ground and saw that the opposing force was destroyed , all but a few dead or mortally wounded. The rest were fleeing northwards in desperation. The storm was dissipating slowly , throwing gusts of wind among the dead and wounded , but the feriosity of before was gone. The ground around where the Dreadlords had been gathered was however blackened , something she could see from quite some way off , and the surrounding area was burned. To extinction. She had stopped this force of Shadowspawn just as she had promised she would but at what cost ? At what cost ? She looked around and saw that several of her Sisters were dead , killed by the backfire from the blast. She knew also that something inside her was different as well. She could not at that moment say exactly what but something hurt Channeling in this way might have changed something inside her The thought made her a little wary Still , she had had no other choice. To use this forbidden weapon had been the only option , so the Hall of the Tower had agreed upon , in this time of dire need. Still , it was perhaps to ask too much. That thought did not leave her for some time. Staring off to the left then she spotted Elessar among the Gaidin , standing straight and proud , and she smiled. She could have pointed to him blinded through the bond , and she had known all the time that he was alive , though slightly wounded. Not seriously though. He had survived , that was the main thing. It would have broken her heart in a way , she guessed , had he perished in this battle but her duty to the Tower came first. Always.
And so Leandreen Stormbringer , Aes Sedai of the Battle Ajah and now acting Amyrlin Seat of the White Tower , Watcher of the Seals and Flame of Tar Valon , gathered her Sisters around her , tended to the wounded and then stood looking across the battlefield at the destruction she had caused. It was a time of war and death and the Last Battle was coming very soon. They would be ready. She would be ready. And so with a regal look upon her face , the Warrior-Queen of the Aes Sedai planned ahead , hardening her heart against all emotion and possible distraction , focusing all her vision and strength on their next battle against the Shadow , on the Dawning of a New Day - in the Light !
Elessar al`Dain
Gaidin
Child of the Borderlands
Bonded to Leandreen Sedai ( "Leandreen Stormbringer" in this little story
out of time )
The following are TRUE roleplay-posts from the boards at Dragonmount
"In the Light of the Fire"
The fire threw orange flares of warmth and light across the darkening night and painted their shadowy figures in hues of light and red. A small haven of sunshine in a world of shadows - and silence. Elessar drank liquid from a tree-cup as he stared reflectively upwards at the thousands of stars that made a canopy of brightness far , far above. Asandir was scouting the surrounding area and would be back in a while , and Leandreen sat opposite from the Warder , also seemingly deep in thought. She drank from her cup too and her eyes flicked towards Elessar for a second , then returned to her study of the fire-embers , burning with intensity and reflecting what she was feeling deep inside at that precise moment. Alizanth , where are you ? Are you in danger ?!? Frustration painted her features for a second , but she smoothed it away , achieving again what she hoped would be taken for Aes Sedai-calm. I am Aes Sedai ! I must be able to master my emotions ! Slight anger at herself made her frown and her eyes went to Elessar once again. This time he noticed her look and smiled. He seemed to see something in her eyes then , because he said : "My Lady , you must be tired from the hard ride today. We covered much distance , as you wanted. You just go to sleep , if you wish - and I will take care of the fire." She saw that he meant well , but she did not want to go to bed just yet. She needed to talk , to get her mind off her worries. "Thank you" , she said facing him , "but I think I will sit here for a little bit more. Would you like to talk a little ?" She looked at him , the firelight reflecting her emerald green eyes , and he could see that she wanted someone to talk to. And he would like nothing better than to share a few moments by the fire with this beautiful woman whom he felt drawn to somehow connected to in a way he could not describe in a few words. "I would love to , my Lady" , he said smilingly. She smiled back.
"Elessar" , she began , wondering how to frame her thoughts , "how would you feel if Kandor were under attack by the Shadow and you were unable to help defend your family because of Tower business elsewhere ?" That was not exactly what she wanted to say , but it would have to do for now. The Borderlander looked at her carefully and replied : "The Tower is my home now. The Tower - and my future Bondholder - is my family. And life. That is who I am. " He said the words with passion in his voice and she saw that he meant every word. He added that he would of course mourn his family deeply if they were killed by Shadowspawn in an attack , but he would never forsake his duty to the Tower. He was Gaidin now , first and foremost. She nodded and smiled at his deep commitment , inwardly admiring such proud sacrifice as a Gaidin made to the Tower and to his Bondholder. "I think of my own people sometimes too ; the Aiel , I mean. I would have liked to have known them better. Perhaps I also have family there family like Aliz " She stopped abruptly , her words making her think of her sister once again , her beloved Aliz who could at this very moment be a prisoner of darkfriends , or or " Tears welled unbidden in her eyes and she turned away from Elessar lest he see her weakness. He had noticed , however , and without thought as to what he was doing he moved around the fire to sit beside her. With his finger he tenderly brushed aside a tear from her cheek , the tear glistening in the light of the blaze. "Neither you nor I are made of stone , my Lady" , he whispered with understanding and affection in his voice , "we are not always strong and hard , though we sometimes pretend - and must pretend - to the world that we are."
The words and his boldness might perhaps have offended her had they come from someone else , but coming from Elessar she did not feel offended in the least. She knew that he cared and she appreciated it. He suddenly seemed to realise what he was doing , however , and he made as if to move away. She clasped his hand in hers, however , and held it for a long moment , looking deeply into his eyes. As she had felt the first time they had met , she felt safe close to this man who was both hard as iron and tender and kind , as the situation itself dictated. Safe and content. She felt a nearness to him that was hard to define , they shared something. Some common bond , some understanding that she had felt with no other except her bonded Warder Asandir. She brushed away her tears unadshamedly with her other hand. "Thank you" , she finally whispered into the night to him and gave him a look and a grateful smile she hoped he would understand. He smiled back caringly , feeling again that tugging at him that she always seemed to bring forth , that feeling of common ground , of friendship and understanding of oneness ... He wondered at that as he looked at her , and said : "You are always welcome , my Lady." He smiled and gave her hand a soft squeeze , and then released it , moving back to his seat once again , opposite from the Aes Sedai.
Wanting to make this Lady laugh and forget her worries for a moment , and to regain hope and purpose , Elessar thought of a way to change the topic tactfully and elegantly. "My Lady , we shall see this through and we shall find your sister , I promise you that - on my honour." He said the words with such fierce determination that she just had to grin. "You are strong , Aes Sedai of the Battle Ajah - and I am proud to accompany you on this journey into danger !" Her composure brightened by every word and by the end of the sentence she was smiling again , determination and purpose shining now from her eyes too. "I am glad you are with us , with me , on this quest , proud warrior of the north!" , she said mock-formally and they both chuckled lightly. They stared into the flames for some time then , before Elessar had an inspired thought and said : "My Lady , have I told you of the boar-hunt I took part in when I was a youth ? The one where I saved my life , very heroically , by climbing a tree ?" He grinned , reminiscing the episode and she shook her head , leaning forward to listen. She grinned too , seeing from his mischievious grin that this was worth listening to.
"Well" , he began ," I was 13 years old at the time , brave and daring as all 13 year olds are , and I had joined my father and my elder brother on a boar-hunt. I had never hunted boar before , they do not exactly abound in southern Kandor , and I was excited to be a part of the hunting-party. After a long trek we finally trapped the boar , or so we thought." He paused to make the tale a little bit more dramatic in the telling and Leandreen waited eagerly for what was to come. "But" , he went on finally ,"just as my father was aiming the spear to kill the beast , it charged off to the right , just where I stood ! Paralyzed by the beast coming toward me , I panicked , dropped the bow I was carrying and sprinted away , in the direction of a huge tree close by. The boar almost caught me then , but I just managed to throw myself onto a branch some way off the ground and to safety as it charged right into the tree ! The boar tried to climb the tree , but fortunately boars are not the best of tree-climbers , and so after some grunts of displeasure it headed off again and indeed got away before my father and the others in the hunting party caught up with it." Elessar laughed by the end of that and Leandreen joined him , picturing in her mind the "brave" or rather more scared youth up in that tree. "That was my first brave hunt - my earlier ones can hardly be described as "hunts" , I guess - and as you understand I was already then the strong and fearless warrior I am today " He grinned and she chuckled anew at his mock-irony. He was pleased ; his story had made her laugh - and in a way it was humourous talking about it now , years later , though at the time he had been scared stiff having that charging boar after him. His father had laughed off the whole incident , saying that fierce Elessar would kill the charging boar the next time , and the young Kandor-man had beamed at the words , having felt rather ashamed at his cowardice. "I have killed many boars since then ", he added ," but I remember that first boar-hunt the best." He smiled in remeberance.
Leandreen watched him as he told his story and she wondered anew at this man. So full of surprises , was he. At times hard of heart and passionately concerned with duty and honour and with formality , and at other times understanding and charming , caring and humourous Yes , he often made her laugh , he had a gift in that area , that was for sure , and she thanked him silently for that. She cherished the laughter in a sometimes dark world. When he had finished his tale and they had laughed for a while , enjoying it , Leandreen faced him , wanting to share something with him , and said : "Elessar , you know I cannot reveal much of what I have experienced on my journeys for the White Tower." He nodded , understanding well. "But I want to tell you something that happened before I came to the Tower , when I lived in Caemlyn " She smiled , reminiscing. "You see " She began and Elessar listened carefully , staring at the proud and regal Aes Sedai sitting across from him as she spoke , very pleased that she had "changed back" to her own beautiful self again as they had made their fire that evening - from her saidar-induced illusion-masked woman of their ride. Elessar Gaidin stared into those warm eyes of emerald - and listened.
Elessar al`Dain
Gaidin
Child of the Borderlands
To Bond beneath a Star of Hope
Elessar listened with a grin upon his face as Leandreen told the story of her childhood. He laughed with her and smiled , seeing her enjoying her rememberance. When she had finished her story , and their joyous laughter was borne away on the wind , there was a moment of silence and Elessar just sat there staring at the beautiful Lady before him. A feeling of rightness made itself felt throughout his being and he knew what it was. He was a Gaidin , sworn to the Tower - and his life was to be a protector to an Aes Sedai. That was who he was. And he knew now who that Aes Sedai would be. He had always known , in a way - and there was no doubt in his heart. She smiled up at him then and he felt again the connection between them that he had felt the first time they had spoken , what now seemed an eternity ago. He could see in her lovely emerald eyes that she felt the same - he was sure of it ! - and so he opened his mouth to speak the words. They were on his tongue. "My Lady , I would ask you , it would be the greatest honour if you would bond me as your Warder." He never got to utter those words , however. Just at that moment Leandreen spoke , smiling at him : "Elessar , I
" She stopped , as if she were unsure of how to finish the sentence - but Elessar understood. He could see it in her eyes and sense it in her. He would have bet three hundred silver coins that she had intended to ask him to bond her , or atleast ask him if he wanted to. There was nothing he wanted more , he knew that now.
A warm smile spread across her face as she realised that Elessar understood - and felt the same way. She was sure of it ! Without any more thought she got to her feet and approached him. Elessar knew this was the moment and he went to a knee before her , in part awed at the importance of the moment and in part joyous that she had chosen him. He smiled where he knelt , oblivious to the world outside ; all that remained for him at that moment was Aes Sedai and Gaidin , Leandreen and Elessar. As she placed her hands on either side of his forehead a thrill went through him and then she wove the intricate flows of Spirit that would bond him to her forever. In that moment Elessar was in a timeless place. He could not afterwards say whether the many colours and feelings and emotions coming through the bond had lasted a few seconds or an eternity. He was lost to time just then. But then of a sudden it was done and he felt happiness streaming into him , through the bond , from Leandreen. Or perhaps it came from inside of himself. He could not tell for sure. He could feel her in a way that was new to him he was in a way one with her , though apart at the same time and he knew this was the oneness he had always felt in a way , now manifested and strengthened through their bond. He knew that from this day forward he would feel pain and joy , laughter and tears , happiness and sadness through the bond from Leandreen - and vice versa. He also felt strength pouring into him , as if from a well deep inside her , and knew that her strength now added to his own strength in a combat-situation. He was one with her and he knew deep inside that this was meant to be.
Elessar rose carefully to his feet then , holding Leandreen`s hands in a firm grip. He stared deep into those emerald eyes and a warm smile spread across his face. A tear of happiness glinted in Leandreen`s eyes then and he knew it mirrored one in his own. He gave her hands a soft squeeze which she returned. So they stood for long moments , looking into each other`s eyes , no words needed saying. Time stood still and the world went by around them. With affection in his voice , Elessar at last said : "My Lady , you have honoured me beyond words by letting me become your Warder. I promise you I will serve and protect you to death and beyond , never fear. On my honour. I am yours , Leandreen Aes Sedai." He gave her a slight bow of respect with his head and Leandreen smiled at him affectionately. "My Gaidin." The words felt so right on her tongue and made her feel safe and warm inside , as she had known they would , somehow. "I know you will serve me well. As a Warder and - I hope - as a good friend too." Her smile widened and Elessar gave her hand another soft squeeze , in affirmation. "I am yours , whenever you need me , my Lady." She could hear the honesty and determination in his words and knew that he would stand by her as her protector and good friend until death tore them apart. She valued such commitment and appreciated his trust in her. She wanted to share the happiness and contentment she felt with him. And so she carefully released his hands , smiled at him with affection , and then gave him a big hug. It was perhaps not the Aes Sedai-thing to do , but it was her way of thanking him. He hugged her back , carefully at first but then more firmly , understanding well and appreciating it too , and when they separated again , she could see that it had been a special moment for him too.
She moved a little away then and her look turned towards the east. Towards where Asandir was at that moment. Through the bond she could tell at any given time where her Warder was and now she sensed him some way off in that direction. He knew what had just happened through the bond. And she hoped he truly did understand , and did not mind. She thought of him with affection and a warm smile , and considered for a moment how fortunate she was now to have two such good protectors , caring companions and good friends. Not all of her Sisters were that lucky. "But then again , not all of my Sisters place so much importance on that either" , she thought with a rueful grin. She turned back to Elessar and saw that he was looking eastwards as well. "My Lady" , he said and his voice had that formal tone again , "I shall wait for Asandir to return. You may safely take the night if you wish." She looked at him with a seemingly flat stare and raised her eyebrows. "May I now , Gaidin ?" She gave a sniff and headed away toward her blankets , but spoiled it by grinning too early. Elessar saw and grinned himself. "Sleep well , Leandreen Aes Sedai - pleasant dreams , my Lady " - he whispered softly into the night after her , but he was sure she did not hear him.
And as he turned to stare up into the sky , where a thousand glittering stars shone in unison , like fireflies blazing against a backdrop of never-ending darkness , he knew that a new time in his life was beginning. He was now a bonded Gaidin , sworn to this beautiful and proud emerald-eyed Lady of the Battle Ajah , ready to protect and serve her against all enemies and against the Shadow. He would always be a Child of the Borderlands ; that was his heritage. But now he was also a bonded Warrior of the White Tower. A shooting-star crossed the canopy of darkness just then , a star seeming to leave its eternal place in the heavens to stream across the sky on a journey untold and wonderful , and Elessar smiled , taking it as a good omen of what had transpired this day of days - and of what was to come. They were walking into danger and Shadow , to find and to free another wonderful Lady from possible chains of evil , and the star was in a way like a shining light in the darkness of the world , a beacon of hope - a messenger of truth and triumph. They would succeed on this quest , Elessar promised the night - as he stared at the disappearing star far away in the horizon. A beacon of hope - on the path that lay ahead.
Elessar al`Dain
Gaidin
Child of the Borderlands
Bonded to Leandreen Sedai of the Battle Ajah
Southwards on the tides of fate
Elessar stared into the night , listening for sounds of Asandir. He should soon be back from scouting the area. The light from the fire threw shadows across the clearing and a gust of wind stirred his Warder`s cloak where he stood , one hand held on the hilt of his sword. He did not truly expect any danger this close to their makeshift-camp , but one could never be too careful. He had his Aes Sedai to protect and that came before all else. In his mind he felt her ; it would take him some time to get used to having the intimacy of an other presence within him as well
Even in the calmness of the Void Elessar felt the joy inside that he had felt when bonding this beautiful Lady of the Battle Ajah
a residue from earlier that night perhaps , or simply a feeling that was there to stay. Whatever , it made him smile with joy. He sat down by the fire again and waited. Suddenly he had the feeling of being watched
and his body tightened in readiness. He felt
something
through the bond
and turned around , slightly startled to find Leandreen standing a few paces away. She smiled at him. "Good night , my Gaidin." Elessar bade his Lady a good night too and smiled back affectionately. She returned to her blankets and Elessar watched her as she lay down , feeling different emotions coming through the bond. He could not say how he knew but he could in a way separate the various emotions coming from his Bondholder. Hope and affection , mixed with some fear and uncertainty
and foremost determination and expectancy. He smiled warmly in her direction and thought for a second that she turned toward him once more , a warm smile upon her face , before she turned onto her side and went to sleep.
Some time later , Asandir came into view from a slightly southerly direction and Elessar grinned. "The area is safe" , Asandir said simply but confidently and with a grin - and Elessar could see how much his friend had grown into a true Warder in the past weeks. He hoped he himself was becoming just as true a Gaidin. "That is well , my friend." Elessar smiled and clasped the other`s shoulder. "The Lady is asleep , I think." He pointed toward the blankets where Leandreen lay and they did not stir , indicating that the Aes Sedai was asleep or almost so. Asandir nodded with a smile and sat down with Elessar around the fire , accepting the cup with deliciously cold water from the creek nearby. "Asandir , I have been thinking about our route southwards. Has the Lady spoken to you about that ?" Asandir replied , looking into the embers of the fire as if seeking answers therein. "Not much , no. But I take it we are heading for the town of Whitebridge , southwest of the Braem Wood." This was not in fact what Elessar really wanted to talk with Asandir about , but he was unsure of how to say what was truly on his mind. And so he tried again , in a slightly different way. "Yes , I guess you are right. Then we three can continue south-westerly all the way down to Ebou Dar , if the Lady wishes it so. It would be wise to find the safest route , so we can protect her from all danger." There. He hoped that would bring the opening he needed. Asandir nodded , drinking softly from his cup , but did not add anything. Elessar sighed inwardly and made as if to say what was on his mind , but just then Asandir got to his feet and faced Elessar. There was a strange look in his eyes and Elessar headed him off "Asandir , I hope " He got no further , because Asandir grinned widely and clasped his friend in a huge bear-hug , almost lifting him off the ground. "Elessar , I am happy for you. Light , I couldn`t wish for a better brother-in-arms and friend to bond Leandreen." Elessar grinned happily and clasped him back , relieved that his friend was taking it so well. "Thank you. I am proud to be your brother , Asandir" , he said with affection in his voice , "and I shall help protect our Aes Sedai with my life." Asandir grinned back and finally let go off Elessar , then added : "You better , `cause if I fall protecting her and she dies , I will return to haunt you to the end of your days , my friend !" They laughed a little at that , seating themselves by the fire once again , with Elessar adding ruefully that he did not care too much for ghosts of the vengeful kind.
The laughter soon died away , however , as both thought of the journey ahead into danger. They were both Warriors of the White Tower , Gaidin sworn to protect the life of their Bondholder , and both knew his duty. They were honourable men and strong fighters and the foe would have to be formiddable indeed to get past the two of them. As they sat for a while in silence , listening to the muted sounds of the night beneath the star-studded sky , Asandir thought about how he truly felt about Leandreen bonding another Warder , and Elessar at that. He had , true , felt a little possessive at first with his Aes Sedai , he had special feelings for her after all , and had not liked the idea too much of her bonding an other. But she was a Green and in time he had realised that her happiness and wishes of course had to come first - and truly it came in very handy to have another Gaidin by her \ their side , protecting her against all enemies. And Elessar was a very good friend - and Asandir couldn`t have hoped for a better brother-Warder. He understood that Elessar had special feelings for Leandreen too , and that the Aes Sedai had special feelings for them both so this was in a way the best solution possible. He grinned a little at that thought and looked fondly toward where Leandreen lay in her blankets. "We will protect you `till death and beyond , Aes Sedai - never fear!" The thought was in his head and though he had not voiced it aloud , he saw Elessar nod slightly and smile as if he had heard somehow , and agreed wholly.
"Tomorrow we leave early at dawn" , Asandir said finally ,"so get some rest , my friend. I will take first watch and I`ll wake you in a couple of hour`s time." Elessar nodded and got to his feet , gave his friend a comradely pat on the back and then went to where his blankets lay. Before he left he said , however - in a mock-serious tone : "If I am killed in my sleep , Asandir - stabbed by an outlaw`s sword because you fell asleep on your watch , I will come back to haunt you too , you know !" He chuckled at that and Asandir joined him. "I wouldn`t want it any other way" , Asandir said finally with a huge grin as Elessar , smiling just as widely , headed for his blankets and a few hour`s rest from the cares of the world. The next morning at dawn , just as the sun was rising in a clear blue sky , the travelling-party broke camp and rode on southwards , in a fairly direct line towards the Andoran town of Whitebridge. That morning , as they were rising to a new day , Leandreen had given each of her Warders an affectionate hug and a warm smile , almost as if she had known what had transpired in the two Warder`s conversation the night before and approved greatly. Then she had taken on her more serious Aes Sedai-look and had ordered that they be quick about breaking camp , since she wanted to cover many miles of travelling that day. The two Gaidin had been efficient with that task and now they were riding down a road much travelled up through the years but at the moment silent and empty. Asandir rode in the front with Leandreen just behind him while Elessar brought up the rear with their pack-horses. Leandreen`s mind was once again on Ebou Dar and what she would find there. "Am I too late ?" That thought was too painful to follow so she discarded it straight away. They would find her darling sister safe and sound and that was that ! They would - if it were the last thing she ever did ! She looked at Asandir riding strongly and proudly before her and she smiled. She knew Elessar was riding just as strongly and proudly behind her and could have pointed to him blindfolded if need be. She smiled anew. For the hundreth time since bonding Elessar she thought that she was indeed very lucky to have two such committed Gaidin and companions on this journey.
And they would succeed on this mission , which she feared would take them into the jaws of the Shadow. She would scream her defiance at any enemy of darkness that threatened Aliz or them in any way. She was of the Battle Ajah - and would face any such threat proudly and strongly ! Fierce determination shone in her glittering emerald eyes as she rode onwards toward Whitebridge with her two valiant companions by her side , a Warrior Queen riding into battle - on the tides of fate.
Elessar al`Dain
Gaidin
Child of the Borderlands
Bonded to Leandreen Sedai of the Battle Ajah
Hide & Seek : More pieces fall into place
Elessar grinned when Asandir returned from his walk around the area and they remained standing outside the dining room for some time talking. "Well , what do you think ?" Elessar`s question brought a grin to Asandir`s face. "What do I think ? Well , except for five dozen thieves , cutthroaths and bullies sneaking about in the alleys , a couple of vile-looking Whitecloaks parading around pretending to own the place , several guards of the watch who seem none too friendly to strangers of any kind , and several hard-looking Ebou Dari ladies with marriage-knifes hanging between their breasts who look ready to use them on anyone given the chance , especially other women , I believe this to be a very friendly and peaceful place where nothing untoward at all could happen
" Elessar couldn`t stop the laughter that escaped his lips by the end of that and Asandir joined him. "Just what I thought. A nice and quiet place." He grinned even more and looked past Asandir at a serving maiden who stopped a few doors away from them and entered that room , carrying a pitcher of wine. Asandir looked at Elessar then and the door to the dining room and asked : "What`s up here then ?" Elessar told him that Leandreen was seeing a visitor. Asandir raised one eyebrow when he heard that it was the rather voluptous dancer from downstairs who was in there with their Aes Sedai. "I know. A little strange." Elessar`s voice was neutral but also tinged with surprise. "I wonder who she can be
" They agreed that Leandreen knew many people from her many travels for the White Tower and this was perhaps one of her Ajah`s eyes and ears or such. An amused grin painted Asandir`s face and it mirrored one one Elessar`s face and he knew his friend and fellow Gaidin too was thinking of that Ebou Dari dress
Soon however they were stone-faced once again and vigilantly kept the guard on the the dining room and their Bondholder , one on each side of the door.
Obediently they waited but when quite some time had passed without any sound coming from within the dining room , they exchanged a look and nodded as one. Elessar knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter. For a second there was no sound from within but then he heard Leandreen`s voice. "Enter." He opened the door and looked into the room , the rest of him but his head hidden by the door. "My Lady , is everything ok ?" He looked at the lady who was seated opposite from Leandreen and again wondered who she might be. Leandreen smiled at her Warder and replied that everything was fine indeed. "Everything is wonderful , in fact." She gave a fond smile at the lady opposite her and Elessar wondered anew. Leandreen gave a short laugh before she could stop herself - the other lady grinning widely , also with an amused look upon her face - but then her face took on more of the Aes Sedai-look once again. Still , there was a hint of passion in her voice as she faced Elessar. "There is nothing to worry about." Elessar nodded and started to withdraw behind the door again and to close it , but Leandreen`s voice stopped him. "My Gaidin , please come in. And bring Asandir with you , if he is also outside." Elessar nodded , spoke to Asandir behind him and they both entered the dining room , remaining by the door after it was closed. Aliz watching from her seat saw how warrior-like the two looked , how big and strong She blushed a little , thinking about her getting a Warder herself. It would indeed be very handy to have one such as these around A mischievous grin passed her lips and she glanced at Leandreen , who seemed to read her thoughts - as she so often did - and it resulted in Leandreen blushing a little too. She hid the blush behind her hand as she picked up the glass with punch and took a sip.
Then she faced her two Gaidin and said : "Elessar , Asandir. Please meet my darling sister the Lady Alizanth Aes Sedai." She nodded at the lady seated in the other chair and Elessar couldn`t keep the surprise from his eyes. They widened and it took him a moment to regain his calm again in the Void. Asandir grinned beside him but said nothing , but Elessar knew him well enough by now to see that the slight tightening of his eyes bespoke og surprise and wonder. Elessar walked up to the lady then and came to a halt before her , then went to a knee. "My Lady , Alizanth Aes Sedai" , he said formally , "I am Elessar Gaidin. It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I am sorry I did not recognize you when you arrived " He blushed a little in shame too , thinking of his thoughts of her in her Abou Dari dress Alizanth waved that away , however , saying that there was no way that he could have known. Elessar gave a slight smile in gratitude. "I will protect you too with my life , sister of my Bondholder." He gave a slight bow in respect and she smiled back at him with a friendly smile , amused and somehow also pleased at his formality. One did not see that too often these days. As Elessar walked to stand off beside his seated Aes Sedai , Asandir went up to Alizanth too and introduced himself. "Aes Sedai , I am Asandir Gaidin. I too am happy to see you safe and sound. Like Elessar I am a Borderlander and we live by duty and honour. I will protect you with my life too." He bowed , going to stand on the other side of Leandreen from Elessar , and Alizanth smiled back at him as well. Then she spoke. "I am happy to meet you two Gaidin of my beloved sister" , she said - and added with a little grin - "and I can see that she is well taken care of." Leandreen couldn`t but blush slightly by the comment and both the Warders tried unsuccessfully to hide parallell grins. Elessar looked at the Aes Sedai and replied cooly : "We live to protect and serve , Aes Sedai." He bowed once again and this time both Alizanth and Leandreen sniffed , a very Aes Sedai-like sniff which he recognized. He managed to hide his grin better now and added : "We are yours to command , Aes Sedai. You only have but to ask. " This time Alizanth broke out in open laughter and Leandreen joined her , and both Warders grinned openly. "You sure know how to pick`em , sister dear" , Alizanth said to Leandreen between streams of laughter , and Leandreen nodded. Soon the laughter died away however , and the two Gaidin excused themselves and left the room , sword on hips , stone-faced as ever , and very lethal-looking , to stand guard outside once more.
When they were alone again , Alizanth grinned at her sister. "You do know how to pick`em , sister dear." Leandreen raised an eyebrow but the motion was spoiled somehow by the amused grin on her lips that accompanied it. "And what do you really mean by that , sister dear ?" she returned sweetly. Alizanth smiled back fondly but there was also a touch of wickedness in her eyes as she next spoke. "Oh they are fierce protectors , I can see that. They will die for you if you ask them to. And I bet they can be good " she seemed to search for the right word "companions on the road too , I am sure " She grinned at her sister who looked back with a simmilar grin. Leandreen blushed a little then "I told you they are a part of me now but .." She blushed even more. "Light Aliz , what has gotten into you ? You have become forward , haven`t you ?" She chuckled for a moment and Aliz stared back at her with mock-innocent eyes. "Aliz" , she said then a little more sternly , "They are my Warders , not " She couldn`t complete the sentence Aliz grinned even more widely. "And you haven`t been tempted ?" She did not finish the sentence , but saw that Leandreen understood straight away. "Aliz!" , she replied almost shocked , "how can you think " Aliz looked at her a little exasperated and said cooly : "Oh come on , sister dear - you Greens are hardly the least bunch in the White Tower to take a special interest in your Warders " She laughed a little at that understatement and Leandreen blushed even more. Aliz saw that her sister , however , would rather let the matter lie and so she ended by saying : "Nevermind. I am sure you are getting along very well with your Gaidin." She smiled fondly and leaned across the table to hug her sister and they shared that hug for long moments , giving Leandreen time to regain her composure somewhat.
Silence followed then for some time , Leandreen`s thoughts both on what Aliz had told her about the diary and - Light burn her ! - on what Aliz had implied about her and her Gaidin. She brushed the last matter aside then , though not without a fond smile and grin , and concentrated on the important matter at hand : the diary. "Aliz , you must read that diary. I know you ; you won`t have peace of mind before you do." She smiled lovingly at her sister and Aliz returned the smile. "I know. I guess I will have to take a look at it " They sat so talking for a long while , enjoying each other`s presence , before at last Leandreen walked up to the door to peek outside. "Elessar , Asandir - please have some food brought up to us here. We will need to make plans." She smiled warmly and patted both her Gaidin affectionately on the shoulder as they made their way downstairs. As she closed the door behind her once again she thought for the hundreth time that she was indeed very fortunate to have two such dedicated , able and dutiful protectors and companions by her side. Very fortunate indeed. And then she blushed anew.
Elessar al`Dain
Gaidin
Child of the Borderlands
Bonded to Leandreen Sedai of the Battle Ajah
Now also Protector of Alizanth Sedai
Echoes of the mind
The darkness was everywhere , like a canopy cloaking reality , covering all hints of light , all signs of life , all threads of existence
all that was. Or atleast so it seemed to Elessar as a sliver of conciousness slowly returned to him. There was no sound , no smell , almost as if he were outside of time , a passive onlooker on a path of night.
He fumbled around in his mind for direction , for comprehension
and struck a wall , an obstacle hindering him from getting onto the other side , that side where he knew the answers were , where he knew he had to go
His Warder-trained calmness in the Void battled hard with frustration as he tried to reach across that wall , tried to see
But something stopped him. Something born of darkness. Voices reached him from far away , almost like echoes of the mind , echoes of thoughts streaming through mirrors , soft and unintelligible but with purpose hidden deep within , changed somehow as they pass through the mirror`s surface , becoming something other than what they were
Echoes from the past
Echoes "Elessar , wake up !" His mother stares at him with frightened eyes as he lays unmoving on the bed. Tears flow down her face and she turns to her husband who watches as helpless as everyone. "My son , come awake ! Please !" Elessar is , however , deaf to all sound , a helpless wanderer in a world of darkness , nothing registering in his mind , the hard blow to his temple from his bad fall the day before throwing him into a state of deep unconciousness. Slowly , after a long time , many hours in fact , he feels rather than hears echoes along the rim of the night surrounding him echoes that register somehow in his mind and he fights to get into the light again , to come awake to come aw And the echoes float on on
Echoes
"Elessar you will make us proud by going to the White Tower ! Serve the Light and fight the Shadow , son !" His father looks at him with pride in his eyes as Elessar readies himself for the southward trek from Kandor towards Tar Valon. "You are strong , my son. Show them what you are made of. Show them !" The echoes linger ... Show them show .
Echoes
"Darn you , Whitecloaks ! You think you know the truth of all , we are no darkfriends !" Elessar looks harshly at the Questioner who grins back darkly at the young boy. "Careful with your tongue , boy. We will always find those who have foresworn the Light , wherever they might hide." As his fellow Children of the Light take away several of Elessar`s neighbours for questioning , he tries hard to hold back angry tears. They are no darkfriends ! A boy no older than him , a boy he knows well , starts screaming as he is being pulled away , and Elessar in anger and frustration tries to hit the Whitecloak - but to no avail. The Questioner grabs his arm in midair and throws him hard to the side , cursing loudly , so he falls and hits his head on a stone he feels conciousness slipping , slipping darkness comes and covers all , all all . And in the distance he hears screams in the night. Before his mind is gone. And the echoes are there echoes on the wind
Echoes
"To be a Warder means to forsake your freedom." Elan Gaidin watches his student well as he continues the lecture. Elessar nods , understanding well. "A Gaidin must be strong to protect his Aes Sedai , and he must be wise. He must always be vigilant and must forsee all threaths Do not take this lightly. Your duty to the White Tower and your bondholder is paramount in your life now , Elessar - never forget that. You live to protect and serve , to protect and serve that is all and that is also everything " The echoes drift along words from the past words for the future wisdom for the Gaidin on his path his path
Echoes
Through the curtain of darkness covering all , Elessar suddenly felt the wall before him cracking up , the obstacle crumbling almost as if the focus of power holding it up was being changed somehow , lessened in a way And a little bit of light streamed through just as the echoes of the mind faded away on the winds of memory , fading almost as if they never were at all Elessar sighed. His mind slowly returned to the world of the senses again , though he truly felt as if has been hit by a mountain. He heard voices some way off then , threaths being delievered by the rising volume of the voice or voices , but he could not tell for sure. His left eye opened and the dizziness dissipated a little as he tried to orient himself. His thoughts cleared and he felt some strength coming through the bond. His mind was still in disarray but he understood that. His other eye opened then and he moved his arm.
Life was returning to him and he somewhat shakily stumbled to his feet. He saw Leandreen and Alizanth on their mounts , and felt Leandreen`s tightly controlled fury through the bond , and before the two Sisters , a little distance away , there was another figure , cloaked and unrecognizable. The cloaked figure was exchanging harsh words with the two Aes Sedai. Asandir was already moving towards them , as far as Elessar could see , and so he picked up his blade from the ground a few feet away , shaking his head , knowing that his bondholder was in danger.
He moved hurriedly toward them , head clearing even more as he moved , his trained Gaidin-sight taking in all their surroundings and seeing only one threath in the form of this cloaked figure of shadow.
Elessar Gaidin
Child of the Borderlands
Bonded to Leandreen Sedai of the Battle Ajah
Protector of Alizanth Sedai
*Claim victory in your heart , and the universe will follow*
*Warrior of blade and Steel. Fighter who will never Kneel. To the Shadow , in the Night. Will forever fight the Blight.*
Departure below the swirling banners of Tar Valon
It was early morning , the sun rising beautifully in the horizon , and it was the day of departure for Caemlyn and Andor. Elessar Gaidin stared southwards , wondering what they would encounter on this new journey. They had in fact not been back in Tar Valon for long at all from their Ebou Dari-trip and whatsmore neither he nor Asandir were completely back in top shape after the injuries they had received in those fatal moments with Damia. Elessar tried not to think back on that. Still , they were back on their feet - having been healed by Soraya Sedai of the Yellow upon their return - and he felt he could protect his Aes Sedai well in his present condition. He stared at his bondholder who sat upon her own mount looking about the party gathering there outside the gates of the city and he smiled with affection. Where his bondholder went , he went - and he would die for her , if necessary , to keep her safe. He was a Gaidin , her Gaidin , and he knew his duty well. His hand strayed to the hilt of his blade and he grinned slightly. The Warder`s sword was part of him now , like an extension of his swordarm , and he felt almost naked without it. He could draw the blade in the blink of an eye , if needed , and in the Void he knew he would feel no emotion , only calm and focus - as he moved the blade with precision and accuracy , with purpose and deadliness , all in a dance of death. Early that morning he had in fact practiced his sword forms , though not overdoing it since his strength was not fully recovered yet. Still , it had felt good to go through the forms again
In the pre-dawn hour Elessar unsheathes his sword , beginning to go through the forms. A Warder must practice often to keep that small edge , that extra piece of sharp attentiveness and excellence as he flows from one form into the next Unfolding the Fan , the opening move , which flows into Low Wind Rising , a diagonal slash which begins low and rises cleanly , and is followed by The Boar Rushes Down the Mountain , a vertical slash starting high and which in this case alters course in midswing , paired with Tower of Morning , a verticle slash but this time beginning low and ending high. In the Void he feels complete calmness and truly feels one with his sword , a participant in a never-ending dance of motion. A few pearls of sweat bead on his bare chest , arms and forehead as he moves efficiently through the forms , his focus all on his imagined opponent before him. The Falling Leaf and then straight into The River Undercuts the Bank. For quite some time he moves from one form into the next , until at last he ends the session with Folding the Fan , sheathing his blade. The sword is smoothly swung around from guard stance and sheathed , all in one motion. He breathes a little heavily , perhaps a tad more heavily than he would have had he been 100 % fit , but that is to be expected after this exertion and he is well pleased with the practice session. Not too bad , considering the injury not that bad at all Grinning to himself , he returns to his quarters and starts preparing for the journey ahead
His slight grin was quickly replaced by the stone-hard Warder-look as he looked about at the gathered Aes Sedai and Warders. There was hustle and bustle all about as everyone readied for the departure. Several Sisters stood cooly by their mounts , their Gaidin by their side , while others walked briskly back and forth , giving messages and making sure nothing had been forgotten. Above them all the sun was climbing in the horizon , shining down on the City of Aes Sedai and the island which stood in the middle of the river by the huge mountain called Dragonnmount. It was a pleasant day on which to travel. His eyes swept over the whole gathering once more , stopped for a second at the figure of Alizanth Sedai , his bondholder`s sister , whom they had found in Ebou Dar and returned with from the far south , and came at last to rest on Leandreen once again. His bondholder. She looked so beautiful and regal and in full command there she sat atop her black horse and he was proud of the fact that his Aes Sedai had been given the responsibility of leading this party of the White Tower until they reached the Andoran Capital. He did not let his pride show , however , his cold Warder`s look dominating his face and making him look as hard and solid as a rock. His colour-shifting cloak stirred in the slight morning breeze , blending in with the background , shifting by the flows of air which also made the banners atop the gate swirl and dance , giving sudden and unexpected life to the symbol of Aes Sedai depicted on those banners.
He saw his Aes Sedai pull down the hood of her dark green dust cloak then and turn towards him and Asandir beside him. "Is everything ready ?" she asked and Elessar nodded grimly , seeing Asandir nod too out of the corner of his eye. They were ready to depart ; the journey was beginning. Leandreen nodded , heeled her horse gently which made him prance forward a little , and then raised her hand for them to move off. Barks of orders were uttered and soon the whole party was underway , heading down the road to Caemlyn. Behind them , the banners continued to dance on the wind above the stunningly beautiful city of Tar Valon , with all its splendour and power , giving the party a farewell of sorts , a wave of good luck on their journey and mission to Andor.
Elessar al`Dain
Gaidin
Child of the Borderlands
Bonded to Leandreen Sedai of the Battle Ajah
Hobby-poet from Winterland
*Claim victory in your heart , and the universe will follow*
Changes on the wind
It was a beautiful morning , the sun shining in a clear blue sky , and a pair of swallows flew through the air high above Tar Valon , chasing each other in a dance of joy , in a flight of wonder on the light breeze , two soulmates together , passing well above the tall spires of the White Tower , on their way southwards to warmer lands. Celahrion grinned as he watched the birds fly off into the horizon , content beings free of the troubles of the world of men , unaware of the winds of change that were encompassing the lands , the hint of upheaval , the possibility of war. Or perhaps the swallows did feel the danger on the winds and so were deliberately heading south
who could say ?
Turning his attention toward his Bondholder coming down the path to join him , he gave a Warder`s salute as she halted before him. He had been bonded to Cyane Sedai for many years now , but he had kept his formal way through all the years and was not about to change now. "My Lady, it`s a beautiful day , is it not ?" Grinning , he looked at her and thought that she had not changed much since the first day he had laid eyes on her as she had come up to the Warder`s yard looking for a potential Gaidin. She was a slender woman of average height, with thick shoulder-long raven-black hair which tended to curl around her cheeks when moist. Her face was heart-shaped with a proud chin and high cheekbones and she had a slender nose. Her eyes were large and light blue but they turned almost black when she was angry , which did in fact not happen very often since she had a very firm control on her emotions. To many she seemed cold and hard , her face a mirror of Aes Sedai-coolness , but Celahrion had come to know her through the years and knew that beneath that cold exterior lay also warmth and compassion. His Bondholder was a determined woman , however , who worked hard at achieving her goals , and she was a skilled player in the Game of Houses , Daes Dae`mar , having been in contact with that game of intrigue and politics from an early age in her native Al`cair`rahienallen. It had made her a good tactician and strategist , qualities which had aided her well in her years as a Grey Ajah-negotiator between nations. She was good at what she did , Cyane was , and she knew it.
She looked cooly at her Gaidin now and gave a small grin. "It is , my Gaidin." She looked at him more closely. "And why the mysterious grin ? What is on your mind ?" Celahrion grinned even wider and could not stop a chuckle from escaping his lips for a second. "You know me too well , my Lady. I was in fact thinking about the first time we met , what seems like an Age ago , in the Warder`s yard." She nodded back , smiling slightly in rememberance. "An Age , yes you have served me well for many years , my Gaidin." She gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder and he smiled back. "I live to protect and serve , Aes Sedai. I am yours to command , always." He gave another bow and she nodded , hiding the smile that was almost upon her lips. The Gaidin are too proud by half , she thought to herself wryly , as she had thought many times before. But they are very useful indeed. Very much so. "Come , my Gaidin , we don`t have much time." He walked a few steps ahead of her as they headed out of the Tower-grounds and she looked at his proud Warder-bearing as she followed closely behind , and as many times before a picture came to mind of a proud and strong and deadly wolf on two legs. He had in fact not changed much either in the years they had been Aes Sedai and Warder , Celahrion. He was a tall man , about 6 ft 3 , and strongly and powerfully built , he had short dark hair and dark eyes , eyes which were cold and hard to view - as often the Gaidin`s eyes were - but which she knew also could be compassionate and with emotion. He was from Coremanda and was a valiant warrior trueborn , a man of honour , who in his heart yearned to strike a blow at the Shadow , and so perhaps better suited to accompany a Green in battle - she had thought at times in her heart. But she was very glad that he had chosen her as his Bondholder , for he was like a solid rock at her side , a dutiful , trusted and steadfast companion and protector on her many travels as a peace-negotiator through the nations. And the way the winds are changing , and war approaching - I can feel it in my bones - there is no doubt that my negotiation-skills will be needed in the days ahead. And you will be by my side , my Gaidin. As ever.
Entering the City of Tar Valon , Celahrion headed straight for the Inn they were to meet the informant. Cyane had over the years had good use of the information coming through the Grey Ajah`s Eyes and Ears , but she had also deemed it prudent if not also necessary to also have a few of her own personal Eyes and Ears. One of these now had news from the south which she was very eager to hear. Although it was early morning , Tar Valon was already partially alive with the sounds , smells , people , stalls opening and the huzzle and buzzle that were found in any city of some size in the nations. Keeping a vigilant look about him , as always , Celahrion lead the way into the "Servant of the Light"-Inn which was pretty quiet so early in the morning. Cyane followed right on his footsteps and immediately walked to a corner-table at the back of the Inn , a part which was almost hidden in shadow , where she sat down , spreading her skirts in the regal manner which Celahrion recognized so well. He in turn talked for a few seconds with the Innkeeper , asking that they not be disturbed , and then joined his Aes Sedai at the table , his eyes keeping an eye on all movements in the place. True , this was Tar Valon - the City of Aes Sedai - but it never hurt to be vigilant , even here.
They did not have to wait long before an ordinary-looking fellow in his middle years , who would not have stood out in any crowd , entered the Inn and headed for the bar , asking for an ale. When he had been served , he sipped for a few moments in silence , his attention seemingly all on his drink , then he turned to look toward the dark corner where Cyane and Celahrion waited and walked slowly across to them , his ale all but forgotten. Cyane gave a curt nod as he came up to them and he sat down in silence , passing a quick glance across Celahrion`s Warder-blade and hard stare before his eyes met those of the Aes Sedai. "I have news to share. Things are indeed happening in the world."
In the Light ,
Celahrion Mehran
Gaidin
Bonded to Cyane Adelle Sedai of the Grey Ajah , Sitter in the Hall
Warrior from Coremanda
OOC : This is a kinda introductory post for Celahrion Gaidin and Cyane Sedai :) Please continue the thread , my dear Lady and Bondholder ;)
"Let me sing of bygone Years
"Let me sing of valour Great
"Let me sing of hope in Heart
The Gleeman told tales of wonder and valour , of laughter and tears , of battles and wars. Many in the inn were spellbound by his droning voice , which in a magnificent way captured every little moment in the story ; every drop of rain from the sky on a battlefield of blood , every drop of blood spilled by a valiant soldier fighting vicious Shadowspawn with weapons of poison , every drop of poison dripped from dagger or blade onto skin or clothing with death in its grip. Celahrion had heard many of the tales before , but had to admit that this Gleeman was good. Cyane sat beside him with Larinzya opposite them and both seemed also to enjoy the performance ; a few moments of peace and entertainment , away from the troubles of here and now , away from the threath and reality of war in the lands. Cyane`s informer`s words kept running over and over in Celahrion`s mind and he knew there was much truth in them. Trouble in Manetheren , unrest other places. There was danger on the wind and soon it would all erupt , he could feel it deep down inside him. War and battle. Chaos. Applause greeted the Gleeman as he finished his reciting and he took a long sip of ale before facing his audience once again. He grinned widely , appreciating the response to his tales.
"Hear now all of Star and Moon , of the Queen of the Sky
" Many grinned happily , recognizing the almost mythological tale which it was said had originated in faraway-lands far to the west of Tar Valon. The Gleeman`s voice took on a higher pitch now , and this time the whispers of myth and legend took on a life of their own , dancing on the winds of the Ages
"Beautiful she was to See
"Then the darkness fell on All
"Heart was broken and the Mind
"Mourning hard the people Cried
"In the sky a star was Born
"Tears from heaven , from the Queen
"But alone she was in Truth
"And the moon would glow with Life
"Praise be Light for fairness True
"That is for true a wonderous tale with poetic qualities , my Lady" , Celahrion whispered to Cyane as the applause came to an end , and she smiled back nodding. She knew of his passion for poetry gotten from his early years - he had told her as much finally , after keeping it a secret for many a year , to her great amusement - and knew also that he had a good ear for good story-telling. "Yes , my Gaidin - and the Gleeman is not bad by half . I have heard far worse." Celahrion nodded agreingly and so did Larinzya , the Brown Sister having seemed captivated by the words of mystery , myth and history. Browns were indeed renowned for their seeking of knowledge and they stored every piece of information well for later study. The words of legend from the Gleeman`s rendering remained in Celahrion`s mind as the two Aes Sedai talked on for some time , and the whispers seemed to float in his conciousness , like ripples on a summerday-pond , spiralling ever outwards in wonderous waves of calm and purity.
In the Light,
Celahrion Gaidin
Echoes of Bygone Years
The sun was still shining brilliantly in the ocean-blue sky above the city of Tar Valon , as the two Aes Sedai and the Warder made their way toward the "Shining Walls-inn" at the east side of the city. They had strolled around for a while and now Celahrion lead the way , keeping that vigilant look about him that Gaidin were so good at - seeing everything without seemingly looking - as he walked with Cyane and Larinzya just behind. Opening the front door to the inn , the sound of voices drifted out and also some music in the background. They found a table at the back of the place and settled down there , Celahrion seating himself so that he had a good view of the whole inn. Laughter and banter could be heard at the bar , with the rather fat innkeeper running about with a white apron , keeping an eye on his serving-girls to ensure that they did not dawdle in their duties. Master Kazdar as he was called , was far from displeased to see so many customers in his inn at such an early hour , and his grin broadened even more as more customers came in from the street. Music was played by a flutist - of moderate talent , to tell the truth - on a small platform not that far from where Cyane and the others were sitting. It only took the Gaidin a few moments to get a complete overview of the place.
Times of heroes and of Fears
Of the Shadow and of Tears
Tales of war from Bygone Years"
Times of struggle , hardship`s Weight
Memories of land and State
Not forgotten , be it Late"
Times of yearning for a Start
To a peace for land and Part
Joy and laughter from the Heart
""Star and Moon"
Fell in love one autumn Night
Great were days of joy and Smiles
Both together through the Miles"
Handsome man was also He
Perfect couple for the Lands
Wedded true and holding Hands"
In the war , the Prince`s Fall
Tore her heart , the Princess Sad
In her grief , she went all Mad"
Death a solace , far Behind
But at last she passed Away
To the lands beyond , to Stay"
Hope and beauty had now Died
Then one evening up they Stared
Wonder great , the night-sky Fared"
Brilliant it shone , Forlorn
And the people felt in Heart
She was back , a brand new Start"
Of the sky , of beauty Seen
She would watch the land till End
Came to all that was , my Friend"
Missed her loved one , and her Youth
Where was Prince and all Delight
Then she saw him , moon in Night"
Her great Prince with his dear Wife
Both together , far Above
Star and Moon , forever Love"
Loving couple , wonder New
There together , heaven`s Fore
Shining brightly , ever More"
Shining brightly , ever More"
Bonded to Cyane Adelle Sedai of the Grey Ajah, Sitter in the Hall
Warrior from Coremanda
Hobby-poet