Chapter 1: Realizations.
Shan had been worried bout her friend for a while now. Since getting back
from her lil trip, she hadn't had the time to blink, let alone go see how he
fared.
Stepping through the unfamiliar training grounds, mind half on where she was
going, and the other half on making small notes in her ever present book,
Shan tripped over what appeared to be a boot sticking up from the ground
like a smelly tree root.
"Omph!"
Hopping around on one foot, cuase the other had a toe that felt broken at
best, she let her irratated gaze rest on the owner of the naughty boot.
Shoar was sitting under his tree, sharpening his sword and humming a
nameless tune. My tree...? Shoar mused as he glanced up at the leafy
branches above him. Well, I guess it IS mine... Noone else trains in this
particular area.
He critically examined the sharpened edge of his sword and nodded to
himself, satisfied with the edge, then got out his rag and oil and began
wiping the sword down.
He had just started wiping the sword when he saw a familiar figure approach
out of the corner of his eye. The last time he had seen this girl, she was
doing what could only be described as a belly dance in the Tower Basements
during the Rave, and before that the frightened girl whom he and Cameron had
had to rescue in Mayenne along with Reile, Ryell, Akira and the First of
Mayenne.
Now, she was walking along, her nose stuck in a book, not paying attention
to where she was going. Shoar expected her to walk around him, but instead
she tripped over his boot before he could retract it.
She turned and glared down at him. He smoothly got to his feet, inclining
his head and said "I apologise, Shandryll." He then Folded the Fan,
sheathing his sword in a smooth motion and smiled down at her.
Shan blinked at this...this...towering bit of humanity that loomed above her
with a smile on his face. Of course, everyone loomed above her, but that was
beside the point. Not long before, she would have probably feinted dead away
at the mere sound of his voice speaking to her, but time and adventure had
changed her somewhat, so instead she smiled a trifle when she placed her
still throbbing foot on the ground.
"Hi Shoar..Gaidin." She'd almost forgotten that the once ward had been
raised not to long ago. "I'm looking for Halvic, have you seen him?"
Shoar chuckled softly at her hestitation of adding the Gaidin to his name.
He was actually surprised she was talking to him. From what he could
remember of this girl, she had been scared stiff of him when they first met.
She was talkative at the Rave, but she was also drunk. Shrugging his
shoulder's slightly, he looked at the title of the book she was holding.
"A Study of the Aiel" Shoar spoke aloud. "An interesting book I take it,
from the way you were absorbed in it." Shoar chuckled again, then slipped
into the Spring.
His already happy face suddenly became even more animated as the wellspring
of power erupted inside of him, all his emotions conjoining into the flow of
power. "Halvic. Follow me." He turned and walked around behind the tree he
was leaning against.
Behind the tree, Halvic was practising the sword forms Shoar had set.
Shoar leaned against the tree and folded his arms. Pursing his lip, he
whistled sharply. Halvic immediately Folded the Fan and turned to face them.
His face was distant from the Void, and his eyes flickered towards Shandryll
before returning to center. Shoar chuckled and nodded his head. The Ward is
well trained Shoar thought to himself, then said "At ease. Take a break,
Halvic." Shoar still leant against the tree, humming his tune again and
wiping his sword down.
Halvic slowly relaesed the void as soon as he executed Folding the Fan. He
looked a Shandryll for a moment before speaking.
"I found something interesting that you should see in my book." he voice had
a harder edge to it than she had heard before. She looked at him quizically.
He turned without explaination, not that she had really expected one. He
just expected her to follow him and to her surprise she did. He lead he a
short distance to a place near the wall where some of his gear was stacked
neatly. From a saddlebag he pulled out the old book that had been his
mothers, and handed it to her.
"Open it to the back five pages." he said looking over her shoulder at Shoar
who had remained by the tree and had restarted working forms again.
Shandryll opened the old book to the back. And was shocked at what she saw
there.
Shandy looked at the book before her, pages scrawled in some language that
she'd never layed eyes on before. With a blink and a tilt of her head, she
sat down on the ground, uncaring if it was on a small gopher mound, it just
made better cusion for her tush anyhow.
She heard the clearing of a throat, or so she supposed, in the direction of
the tree and then a shadow moved past her, more then likely Halvic going
back to his practicing.
"Let me know what you find out." The voice she guessed was his, inside that
wierd thing that wards and warders called the void.
Nodding absently, she flipped through the last pages where the weird
scribbling was then stood, deciding to check it against a few things she'd
seen in the Library.

********
time passes bars
********

Shan had spent what felt like hours, scouring every part of the library that
she thought she'd seen any sort of references to. Nothing.
With a disgruntled sigh, followed by a yawn, she stretched, moving from the
bed in which she'd been comparing notes to her table, resting the book on
the small surface.
She caught her gaze in the small bit of polished metal that served as a
mirror in her room, wincing at the signs of fatigue she caught within the
reflection. Sliding the book forward so she wouldn't mar it's surface, she
began to place her head down on the table top. "just a little bit of shut
eye....."
Something in the mirror caught her attention, a word on the page of the
book....and she could read it!
Excitement gripped her as she gazed on the page, the once unledgible letters
swimming into focus through the surface of her makeshift mirror.
"Oh my...." her voice a course whisper as she read the contents within the
book.I know my husband is a Darkfriend light send that he does his family no
harm before we can escape him. Shandy read no further, though her curiosity
bade her to know, to search and find out.
Closing the book with a snap, she left it only to find her darkest cloak and
wrap it around herself, then tucked the tome to her chest, placing the
mirror in her pocket, before heading quietly out the door of her chambers.
Sneaking through the near moonless night to the barracks, she was reminded
of a time not long ago of someone beside her, bags of pepper and whatnot
hidden within her cloak, much like the book that was now folded to her
chest. Once the thoughts might have brought a smile to her lips, though her
errand was far from being a prank and held a small ball of cold fear in the
pit of her stomach.
Slipping through the barracks door, she sought the room she knew was her
friends, remembering from that last long ago trip with a twinge of guilt for
the prank she'd leveled on him.
With a stealth she'd learned back home in Mayene, Shandy crept through the
halls, halting finally at a door, turning the latch ever so slowly as to not
wake the inhabitants in the other rooms.
Pausing for a moment, she watched the inhabitant sleep, her heart moving for
him because of what he was about to learn. Taking the book from within her
cloak, she crept forward, then shook Halvic's shoulder gently, surprised
when not only his eyes snapped open, but a dagger point appeared from no
where, leveled at her heart.
Halvic sat up ashamed at the dagger that he held in his hand. Quickly as it
had appeared it disappeared. Even in the dim light he could see her face
well enough to make out the fear that she was trying to hide. From inside
the void which he wore like a cloak he could even tell the she seemed to
tremble a bit. The night was cool but not cold enough for her to be
shivering.
"What did it say?" he asked fearing the answer.
When she looked at him she looked as though she wanted to speak but
couldn't. Her eyes were shining with tears that she had not yet shed. He
knew what the book said then he didn't need to here her say the words, but a
part of him hoped that he was wrong.
"What did it say." there was no question in his voice only demand.
She must have used the one power to light the candle on his table. She put
the book on the table and handed him a mirror. At his confused look she
showed him how to read the words through the mirror. She sat next to him on
the bench as he read. He read several pages as she sat nearly touching him.
She wanted to comfort him knowing how horrible the news was but was unsure
at how to go about it. Men were often confusing to her and Halvic was
perhaps the most confusing one she had ever met.
Finally he closed the book and sat staring at the wall. The typical lack of
expression on his face told her nothing she couldn't even be sure if it was
because he was in the void or not. Obviously though upon receiving the news
that he had nobody could be unaffected.
Tenativelly she reached out to touch his shoulder, but as soon as her hand
touched him he turned his head and glared at her. She shrank back and he
returned to his thoughts.
After a few moments she tried another approach.
"Halvic, I.." she was cut of by his harsh whisper "Get out."
"But Hal.." she stammered.
"Get out" This time the voice was louder.
"I won't leave you, not after what..."
He turned to face her. She knew him well enough that his expression was
slightly differnt than normally nothing she could point out but different
none the less.
"You will leave, and you will leave now or I will report you to the Mistress
of Wards and her bond holder."
Shandryll sat there a moment thinking that he was bluffing, but then thought
better of it.
She turned back to look again as she shut the door. He was once again
setting there stare into nothing.
Shan watched the door for a moment more, until the soft fall of footsteps
was heard down the hall.
"stupid woolheaded fool of a..." her voice trailed off as she opened the
door, escaping the interior of the barraks and taking herself accross the
grounds to the tower proper and the accepted quarters.
Men had always baffled her, having few, if any emotions that didn't include
sleep, food, drink or women. Those who showed nothing as Halvic often did,
eluded her understanding more then anything else. Tonight was no exception.
Letting herself into her room, and allowing the cloak around her shoulders
to fall to the floor, she flopped herself down, thinking over what the
events of the last hour might hold for the future.
Ticking things over in her head, and what she knew of Halvic, her eyes
widened then narrowed with something that could only be described as
irratated pissyness.
Righting herself, she looked around her room then grabbed the saddlebags
she'd used on her trip before.
Stuffing the needed essentials in them, she nodded, hoping she hadn't
underpacked for what she knew was going to be a long trip. Light, she hoped
she hadn't guessed wrong about his intentions.
Penning a note for Carra who always stopped by to wake shan for breakfast,
she slung the pack over her shoulder and made for the stables, hoping the
same sweet mare was there.

Chapter 2: the getaway.

It was several hours until dawn when Halvic snuck out of his room in the
barracks and went to the stables. As queitly as he could he put his saddle
on the large horse he rode during his times of helping his mentor Radzynne
Gaidin teach her horsemanship classes. The horse was intelligent and
resaonably fast, but more importantly for his purposes tonight it had a lot
of stamina. He couldn't be sure that the Tower would send anyone after him
but he needed to get to his destination. He had considered taking another
horse for a spare mount, but he realized that a ward leaving the White Tower
alone in the middle of the night would attract enough attention from the
gaurds as it was, let alone the extra notice a ward with two mounts. Quietly
he lead his horse out of the stable. Trying to appear as at ease as possible
he mounted and began to walk the horse to the gate. The desire to run the
horse to the gate and right on through was hard to resist but was very
nescesary. He was sure he hadn't been seen and was nearly to the gate when
he saw perhaps the most dangerous, if not entirely expected sight of all-
Shandryll, standing along the wall with a smallish horse (with a saddle
hanging off to one side).
"What are you doing here?" he whispered harshly to her, not bothering to
dismount.
"Why Halvic Crowe," she said curtly, "I am coming with you."
Shan's dignity at that point in time was ruined by the mare she held on a
lead. The ghastly animal decided it wanted the apple in her pocket and
nudged her forward, hard enough to cause the girl to stumble a bit.
Waving her hand at the horse, she rounded on the poor beastie like she would
an errant child.
"Now you stop that you hear." her voice was not held at the conspiritoral
whisper it should have been, and shan paid no mind to the narrowed glare
that was shot her way from the Ward.
Turning her attention back, she ignored the look he gave her.
"Now, are you going to help me with this hatefull saddling thing or not?"
His gaze didn't waver nor did he make a move to dismount.
"Your not going."
Oh, now that did it. Rare did the girl have the spine to speak up, even less
did she stand up to someone, but by golly, she would not let him go off on
his own, someone had to keep him out of trouble.
Standing to her grand whoppin 5' height, she gave that look she'd seen Ryell
give her Gaidin more then once.
"I am going. How did you plan to eat on the trail hmm? I don't think that
you have much in the way of currency to buy much if anything at all, now do
you? Besides, it would be a terrible shame if news of this got out to
say...your mentor...." she left the rest of it trail, hoping that would be
enough to bring her along, then went for the ultimate clincher. "Of course,
you could leave without me, and I'd follow." with a shrug and another shoo
at the mare she added. "It's up to you."
Halvic sat on the back of his horse not even looking at her. Shandryll was
beginning to wonder if he might just ride off and leave her after all.
Finally, though he climbed down from the saddle grumbling under his breath.
He didn't say a word to her as he walked over to her horse and began
straigthening the saddle. Shandryll followed him over to the side of the
horse to watch him fix the saddle. He silently went about fixing everything
that was wrong. After he pulled the cinch tight he stepped back for a moment
and looked at the horse. He could see the horse was holding its breath.
Shandryll winced as he brought up a knee into the horse's ribs. Quickly he
pulled the strap tight. Finally he turned to her and spoke.
"You can come with, but you must promise to do exactly what I say, when I
say it."
"But I..." She began to protest but he continued as though she hadn't even
made a sound.
"I will decide where we go and how fast we go. This is something that I am
doing, if you feel the need to come along I can't stop you, but all the same
I won't tolerate you causing trouble." Halvic's stare stilled any arguments
Shandryll thought of before she voiced them. Reaching out and grabbing her
he lifted her into her saddle. After he mounted his gelding he turned back
to her, "When we get to the gate let me do the talking."
His thoughts were whirling through his head, he realized that he might not
return from this and if he did his position in the warders would be very
much in doubt. Know he was going to also be responsible for Shandryll.
His reflection was interupted when they got to the gate. The gaurds posted
there stopped them.
"Where do you two think you are going at this hour." a guard named Jonas
Reltin asked them rather confrontationally.
"We are sent on an errand by Radzynne Gaidin." Halvic said confidently, at
least he hoping he sounded confident.
"She is sending the to of you outat this hour." Jonas seemed rather
skeptical.
"Yes as a matter of fact she did. You want to run to her quarters and ask
her? Your more than welcome to." he gave the gaurd a flat look.
Uncomfortable with the thought of disturbing the Mistress of Wards the two
runaways were allowed to pass out into the night.
"Now where to?" SHandryll asked.
"The docks." Halvic didn't even look back at her as he answered.

Not much time passed as they rode to the docks, though all of it was spent
in silence. Though her butt was already getting saddle sore, she grit her
teeth, determined that she would <b>not</b> be left behind under any
circumstances. Patting the saddle bags behind the seat she smiled, mentally
ticking off the things she'd brought.  That burn salve that Carra had put on
her when someone had pulled that terrible prank was there, it might come in
handy.  She'd been able to sneak out some dried apples along with a small
thing of flour, if nothing else, they'd have breakfast for a day or two.
While they rocked back and forth in the saddle, the road giving way to
docks, Shan took out a thick cord, removing her serpent ring and placing it
onto the rope then sliding the loop over her head, tucking the ring in her
bodice safely.

Once they reached the dockside, Halvic hailed someone, a sailor by the look
of him, feet bare and burly from days doing whatever sailors tend to do.
Shan wondered if she should warn Hal of her seasickness, but thought better
of it, since it'd be one more reason to leave her behind.  The sailor
pointed futher down the dock to a tall robust man in his later years and the
pair followed the guiding hand.  Shan sat back and waited while Halvic went
through the ritual of bartering and bargaining for passage for both them and
thier steeds on the goosefeather.  Begining to wish it was light enough to
read, so instead, she began to chew at a nail, not really noticing what it
was she did.  Heaving one heck of a sigh, she pushed back an errant lock of
straw that was considered her hair back into her hood and wavered in the
saddle, bored to near tears until the tall man tilted back his head and
roared with a raucous laughter that probably shook the tower walls.
Blinking at the pair of them she was thankfull for the hood that mostly hid
her face as the big man waggled his brows in her direction, slapping Halvic
on the shoulder when he dismounted, not seeing the cold gleam in the Wards
eyes as he took it to play along with whatever Charade he'd been putting on
for the man.

Before she could protest, he was pulling more then helping her off her small
mare, setting her none to gently onto the boards and letting her sway there
before her hand found a crate to steady herself with.  The urge to kick him
right square in the postieror was quelled when he tossed her heavy saddle
bags at her, landing them directly to her gut with a loud oomph.  She grit
her teeth and followed, half tempted to shove him overboard if the chance
presented itself.

On deck, the peacefull sway of the goosefeather  made her tummy do a bit of
a flippity flop, but she kept her teeth together and followed, debating
presenting her dinner to the Ward in a most unbecoming fashion.  Again, the
urge was resisted, but oh, the power of temptation.....

Taking up a stance at the front of the boat, Hal stood there like some
derranged and calloused statue, staring North at whatever had brought him
out of the Tower.  Shan decided to make due and grabbed a rail herself,
readying for what she knew would happen eventually.  Thier horses were
brought on board and settled in the small pen that housed beasties on boats
she sposed, lines were cast off and out into the river they went.

Reality to Shan became alot of the ship moving one way, her stomach another,
her lunch up and her head down, resting on the railing that was gripped
beneath her hands till the knuckles shown white.  She thought, when she was
allowed a moment of coherance, that there might be something in her bag that
would help with the vertigo she was experiencing, but refused to let go of
the rail.

Thinking that things couldn't get much worse then they were, the river
decided to prove her wrong as the hull of the goosefeather hit a
particularly dippy part of the water, smacking Shan's nose right into the
railing and becoming the final straw on the proverbial camels back as her
supper flew over the side.  If this wasn't enough, she felt someone's eyes
on her, even as she sprayed the water as surely as it did her.  A gulp of
air and a groan later, the deck below her feet decided to repeat itself as
her hands were busy trying to catch her hair out of her face before they too
became mussed in the most undelightfull of ways.  Never one for having water
legs, she staggered, bumping her already bruised tush into the rail right
below the cheeks, the movement of the boat causing her to lean backwards
over the water.  The mess that had spilled itself onto the boards at her
feet caused her boots to slip and for just a second, she knew what it was
like to fly.  Eyes wide, her scream was cut off mid way as icy water
enveloped her and drew her under.

Halvic turned at the sound of the splash. He immedately saw that Shandryll
was no longer present on the boat. With out hesitation he dove into the icy
water. With powerful strokes he was soon at the spot where she was splashing
around and going under. Quickly he grabbed her exactly as he had been
instructed to in Ghalren's swimming class. She struggled against him in her
panic. He ignored her thrashing and pulled her towards the boat.
Once they were both pulled back on board Shandryll was surprised when Halvic
put her back on her horse. Halvic talked to the Captian of the small vessel.
Shandryll tried hard to listen to there discussion but all that she really
picked up was that they had probably gone far enough south. As surprised as
she was to find herself back on her horse, she was even more surprised when
Halvic mounted hi own horse.
"Umm Halvic, what are we doing sitting on horses in the middle of the river
on a boat." she said through chattering teeth. She was cold enough, and
confused enough to momentarily forget about her upset stomach.
Halvic looked at her, and though she couldn't be sure in the dim predwn
light, she was sure he was grinning at her.
"Hold on to you saddle. as an after thought he added, "Hold on as hard as
you can, no matter what. Horses are good swimers."
Shandryll gripped the saddle for a reason that she couldn't guess. She was
just about to ask for a clear explaination when she heard a slap and her
horse lept from the boat.
Halvic was glad to see that she managed to hold onto the saddle after he
smacked her mares butt to get it to jump in the river. She had only yelped
once and he saw that she was know laying on the saddle holding on with all
her might. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Her horse was nearly to the shore
when Halvic nodded to the Captain of the boat, who saluted him in turn.
Halvic heeled the gelding and joined Shandryll in the river.
About one hour till dawn the two damp cold and damp riders passed by Tar
Valon heading north. Shandryll broke the silence by asking "If we were
heading north then why did we get on a boat going south?"
"To throw anyone who wants to bring us back from catching up to us.
Hopefully they will ask around and find out that we got on aboat heading
south." Halvic answered without looking at her.
"That's what I thought." Shandryll said in a way that made Halvic unsure
wether she had really thought that or not.
Either way it didn't matter he was on his way back to the Borderlands.

Chaper 3: Northbound.

Shan slouched in the saddle, tired, saddle sore and wishing she dared
channel herself dry. The thought never crossed her mind about doing the same
for Halvic, it was mostly his fault, to her way of thinking at least, that
she was the way she was.
Clenching her teeth together to keep from chattering or complaining, Shan
tried to think of nice thoughts, of warm thoughts, of her wonderfull quilt
back at the Tower that kept her warm on those cold rainy nights.
Shan cast a glance at her companions back, still straight in the saddle like
someone had shoved a rod down his spine.or a stick up his... she let that
thought go before it could finish.patience girl, just have patience... this
became her talisman chant as they rode.
Halvic kept riding all day long. Shandryll was surprised that he even let
her stop to eat somethime during the afternoon. He however never left the
saddle.
As Shandryll practically fell from her saddle when he told her to stop and
eat, he wheeled his mount back towards the south and galloped off. He didn't
really like leaving her alone but he would only be gone for a few moments
and he felt the need to make sure that any pursuit from the White Tower. He
rode hard till he nearly crested the next rise where he dismounted his horse
and crept the final few spans to the crest. He studied the countryside long
enough to ensure that they weren't being followed before returning to where
he had left Shandryll. When he reurned she was reading a book, the one about
the Aiel that she always seemed reading lately.
"I hope you ate." he said turning his head toward the sun for a moment
before looking back at her. "Nightfall isn't for another few hours, and I
intend to ride until the sun is halfway below the horizon."
He looked to the norht as he waited for her to mount her horse so they could
continue.
Halvic galloped off back the way they had come, leaving Shan there to fend
for herself. Heaving a sigh she figured she might as well make the best of
the time she had.
Giving the little mare a pat on the nose for being such a sweet, dear thing
so far, she grabbed the stuff from her saddle bag, her spare blue gown she'd
gotten in Andor. It was quite plain, in a pretty sort of fashion, and Shan
hadn't owned something this nice in her life. It had gotten damp and she
sighed. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she took a bit of
fire air and water and pretty much steamed the dress to it's normal shape.
Taking a bite out of the apple she'd brought from her pocket, she changed,
smearing on some of the ointment before donning the dress, glad to be out of
those monotonous whites for once.
Once changed, she scratched the mare behind the ears and fed her the apple
core then settled down on a nice rock to read.
A bit of time passed when he showed up once more.
"I hope you ate." he said turning his head toward the sun for a moment
before looking back at her. "Nightfall isn't for another few hours, and I
intend to ride until the sun is halfway below the horizon."
Looking up from her book, she regaurded him cooly for a moment, tired, sore
and wondering why on earth she even cared what happend to him.
"Contrary to popular belief Halvic Crowe, I am not stupid. I did eat, I did
get out of still wet clothing before I caught my death of cold, something I
might want to point out, you should do as well. I do not have healing skills
in that department."
He looked at her in that now so oh familiar way. "We don't have time."
Setting her jaw she nodded. "I see, very well then."
Embracing Saidar, she wove the same weaves she'd used for her dress, though
this time, the weave of fire was thicker. Using this, she made a surface of
the power the size of her hand, running it over his clothes till they
steamed, sucking the rest of the moisture from anything that hadn't dried
yet.
Releasing her hold on the power, she tucked her book into her pocket and
pulled herself into the saddle then nudged the mare into a walk heading
north.
Looking him over briefly, she repressed the urge to turn around. She didn't,
knowing that was one thing he was trying to do more then likely.
As the steam rose up around him and he gat uncomfortabley warm from her
using the one power to dry his clothes, Halvic didn't move. He didn't even
flinch. He appreciated the fact that she had dried him off, but even that
brief use of the one power let his mentor come that much closer to catching
them. He knew Radzynne well enough to know that she was coming. He hoped
that she wasn't alone, in fact the more people the better. A group of people
couldn't move as fast as a pair. Another thought was that he knew Aes Sedai
could tell whent the one poser was being used, but he didn't know how far
away they could feel it. Though Tar Valon was half a days travel to the
south he didn't want any unneeded risks. He brought his gelding along side
her horse.
"When I agreed to let you come along," he said quietly without looking
anywhere other than straight ahead, "you were told to do as I say when I say
it. I don't want you to channel anymore, for any reason. I also don't want
you to be dilly-dalling around when it's time to move either." he looked at
her out of the corner of his eye.
"I don't know what you think Shandryll, but they WILL send people after us,
and they will drag us back to the Tower. I need to get to my destination
before they catch us."
He turned and looked at her, his face that would intimidate most usually had
no effect on her, this time though it did send a shiver up her spine.
"I won't be denied the truth any longer."
"First of all, your welcome."
no reaction, not like she expected one.
"Second, someone would have to be pretty darn close to be able to feel what
I did. Third, it took less then a minute, less time then it did for you to
bark out your oh so exhuberant command of eat and ride. Third, I have four
friend in this entire world, four. Four people I would rather die then see
hurt and would go to the ends of the earth for. Face it pal, your one of
them. I have an inkling of what is going on in that one track mind of yours,
and what you think you are going to find at the end of the trail and dammit,
you are not going to face it alone."
She looked forward for a moment, struggling to regain some sort of composer
to talk to this brick wall that rode beside her.
"Another thing, don't you think I know they will be after us? Don't you
think for one single second, I've brain enough in my head to come to that
conclusion? Have you even thought about what you are going to do next
besides ride north to what you feel you have to do? and did you consider,
that maybe, just maybe, if you share that plan with me, I can help instead
of feeling like a damn tag along that has to do whatever mr. Halvic Crowe
says to do. I have spent the last fifteen years studying Halvic. Fifteen
years of knowledge about where we are going, the people that are there, and
what we should expect on the road ahead. And not once have you even thought
of making use of it." Shan snorted.
"By the way, there is a village ahead, it's a full days ride from Tar Valon.
Do what you will with that bit of information."
Shifting in her saddle to ease some of the soreness, she looked ahead once
more, doing her darndest to ignore the discomfort.

Halvic looked northward to where Shandryll told him the village was.
"We are too close to pass through that village. Any pursuit will be sure to
learn that we came through this way. We are also too close to stop here for
thew night. We will have to go around the village." he stated.
He glanced at Shandryll and though he wasn't sure whether or not she
approved of his plan, but at least she followed him as he left the road.
As they made camp later that evening, he decided it was time to tell her
everything.
"I know that you saw something of what my mother wrote in that book." he
pointed to his saddlebag, which held his mothers book.
He sighed, looking away from her.
"My family lived near the Blight, one day upon returning from Fal Dara after
dropping off some horses for them, I found my families house destroyed, and
my mother and two sisters gone. My father had a bump on his head, but was
otherwise unhurt. He told my that it had been trollocs. Trollocs that took
my mother and sisters, and fought with my father. It never really occurred
to me until recently that the trollocs had only wounded him and left him for
dead. They should have killed him. That is there nature. I stayed with him
for a time, he often went out hunting for the trollocs that had destroyed
our home. One day a Fade appeared in the cave we were hiding in. My father
told me to run and stayed to fight it. I did as he told me bringing with me
my mothers book, where we found her message."
He paused for a long moment before continuing.
"My mother felt he was a darkfriend, I am going to find out wheter she was
right or not. If he is still in the light I will bring him back to Tar Valon
with me."
Shandryll waited for a few moments before asking "And if he is a
darkfriend?" she asked quietly.
Halvic turned stood and walked away from the small fire they had built.
Pulling his scabardedd sword from the small pile of his belongings.
She couldn't be sure, but she thouhgt that she heard him say something about
sword forms under his breath.
Shan didn't sleep well, if you could even call it sleep. Not only was she
thinking about what Halvic said about his past, half thankfull she didn't
know anything of her parentage, half regretting that she'd never had them,
be they good or bad. There was something else though that kept running
through her mind. Thoughts of her friend would skitter through her state of
half awareness as she drifted on the edge of sleep. She knew that they were
being followed, of that both of them were sure, but it confused her on why
her mind kept turning back to Carra, why she kept getting the feeling that
she was close by. Shan figured that it might be because she knew Carra would
be worried sick about her by now and her conscious was trying to comfort
her, or make her guilty, one of the two.
Thoughts began to slip as she drifted over the edge of conciousness, falling
into that blissfull realm of sleep when someone shook her shoulder.
"Time to hit the trail."
A bit of travel bread was placed in her half awake hands as she rolled out
of her bedroll to find Halvic just tightening the cinches on the horses.
Stuffing the bit of breakfast in her mouth to gnaw on as she rolled up her
blanket, he secured that behind her saddle then all but threw her in it,
both silent and lost in thier own world of thought.
An hour later, dawn greeted them as it cast it's sunny gaze over the horizon
and onwards they trudged, Shan feeling as if she was both preditor and prey.
Halvic had pushed the horses to their limits, but not past. He allowed a
short break again for eating and while Sheandryll ate he practiced with his
staff. He realized that the instruction he had received from Radzynne wasn't
quite completed but he noticed improvements in his speed and technique. He
had practiced his sword forms earlier that morning before he woke Shandryll.
At least she hadn't really slowed him down any.
That evening at camp Halvic told Shandryll to stay put at the campsite while
he rode back a bit down the road to check for any pursuit, and possibly hunt
a bit. He had only used a bow a few times, and that was a couple of years
ago.
Confident that the campsite was hidden well enough and that Shandryll would
be fine until he returned. Looking to the sun he figured he had about two
hours. He turned the horse to the south and rode off.
shan watched Halvic ride off back the way they'd come and flopped herself to
the ground, to damn tired and sore to really care.
Stretching very sore muscles, shan took off her boots and wiggled her toes
with a sigh, it seemed every part of her ached. Leaning back for a moment,
her solitude was disturbed by her angry tummy.
With a sigh, she sorted through her bags, taking up the precious flour she'd
brought with then smiling.
"I'll show that dunderhead I'm good for more then just yelling at."
Making sure her horse would stay put and not eat everything in site, Shan
started off twords some bushes, remembering what Carra said about them.
Ooohh....huckleberries......
Grinning from ear to ear and very very glad to be doing more then nothing
for once on this trip, shan began to pick the berries, putting one in the
dish she'd made of her dress and two in her mouth, one in the dress, two in
the mouth, savoring the tangy sweet berries.
her belly growing full and her dress not, shan yawned, the day taking more
out of her then any class at the tower ever could have. Taking a good look
around her, she blinked. she didnt' know where she was....
"oh bloody sheepdip. he's going to kill me...or worse. breathe shan,
breathe, what to do..."
She judged it would be a good hour till he came back to the campsite.
Figuring that staying put would be her best option, she settled herself
against a tree, absently popping berries into her mouth and nodding off,
only to wake and do so again.
Halvic had managed to shoot a rabbit with his bow though it had taken
several attempts. He had skinned it and was ready to go back to camp and
enjoy a nice warm meal of rabbit stew. His calm ride was interupted when he
saw the camp sight. Everything was in order but only about as unpacked as it
had been when he had left. Usually Shandryll would have had a fire going by
now or at least have he bedroll out and reading a book.
He quickly dismounted and examined her saddle bags. Her books were all still
there, and her bedroll was still tied to the saddle, and there wasn't even
kindling piled anywhere. He stood and listened for a few moments, it was
only then that he realized that the void was wrapped around him. The
heightened awareness didn't betray a songle sound. He knew that if she was
out collecting wood for the fire that he would hear her.
A sudden thought came to him. He had never spent much time around women, and
he was unsure how they took care of there...personal needs. He knew that
most of them liked to keep themselves looking pretty and clean, maybe she
was washing or something that girls do. Forcing the void away he sat down
and started cuttin the rabbit up and preparing a stew. He had just finished
building a fire and putting the stew on when he finally decided no women
took that long to do whatever it was that they did, and Shadryll seemed
somewhat oblivious to her appearance in comparison to other women.
Something had to have gone wrong he looked up to see the sun nearly below
the horizon. Drawing his sword he walked into the woods to begin searching
for his friend. He considered himself to be decent tracker, of course all he
had ever tracked before was horses, and it was usually daylight, not
sundown. He started calmly searching the ground for any sign of her, making
ever increasing cicles around the camp sight. Through the void he finally
heard a low moan. Unfolding the Fan came as easily as drawing breath did
now. He began creeping in the direction that he had heard her moan.
He was afraid that maybe some wild animal or maybe even a bandit had
attacked her while he was gone. If she had gotten hurt while he was awy, and
he had just sat there he would never be able to forgive himself. Bracing
himself for the worst he rounded the tree, only to find her sleeping with
what appearred to be berry jucie droolling out of her mouth.
When he nudged her with his boot it was maybe a little harder than it needed
to be done.
Her eys looked dazed and unfocused as she said "A few more minutes ok?" and
started to roll back over to go to sleep again.
Shan felt the nudge and stirred as she rolled over.
"A few more minutes, okay?"
the nudge came again, harder. "What do you think your doing?"
Shan covered her head with her arm, still half asleep and in an entirely
different world.
"Mira, I don't want to hear bout how big your mouth opens anymore..." shan
mumbled under her breath between snores.
Realizing she wasn't about to wake up, Halvic did the next best thing, he
picked her up to cart her back to the campfire, earning the last of the
berries that were still in the folds of her dress smooshed into his shirt
and a tiny berry belch when he set her down by the fire.
Halvic checked in his stew which was nearly ready before making an attempt
to clean his berry stained shirt. All that he really managed to do was smear
the stain around making it worse. Sighing in vexation he glanced at
Shandryll before dishing up some stew for himself.
He was a little angry about her and the mischeif she had caused on thier
little excursion. First of all falling off the boat and then getting herself
lost in the woods. He new she was tired, that he was pushing he to hard on
the road, but he also knew that thr only advantage that they had over their
pursiut was that they could move quicker with the smaller numbers. That was
an advantage that she might end up taking away from them if she wasn't
carefull. He had known better than to bring her along but he was still glad
that she had come.
Finishing his meal he dished some of the stew up for her and placed the bowl
nearby to where she was laying. He shook her gently to wake her. She stirred
and he told her to eat.
Her eyes opened (mainly because of the good smell from the stew) to see him
walking of a little distance to practice sword forms.
Shan leaned back against a log, patting her full tummy with a grin. There
was barely enough light to read by and she didn't want to strain her eyes,
sides, she was pooped, even with the short nap she'd taken.
Standing, she dusted off her poor rumpled dress and her way over.
"Whatcha doin?"
Halvic turned to her, picking up the quarterstaff that he had been
instructed on while still in the White Tower.
"Practicing." was all that he said and turned back to an old stump which had
apparently been struck by lightining some years ago.
Shadryll was about to ask another question or say something to her quiet
companion, but before she he had the opportunity Halvic had the quarterstaff
whirling back and forth at the stump.
Beginning slowly and increasing in speed with each pass soon the staff was
moving to quickly for Shandryll's eyes to follow, especailly in the near
darkness beyond the light cast off by the small campfire. The staff was
missing the loose bark hanging from the stump by a fraction of an inch.
Soon he was beginning to sweat but he didn't slow down at all. The movements
had if anything become more advanced. Halvic had begun with simple swipes
back and forth across the stump. Now the staff was whirling above his head
and occasionaly behind his back. The direction was sometime reversed in
midstroke, but it always seemed to continue its momentum. Shandryll wasn't
sure how good he wasa with the staff, but she was impressed, at least as
much as she could be by such a display.
After some time she once again attempted to start a conversation.
"Thank you for the stew." she said.
There was no response.
"It was quite good." she said after clearing her throat.
The staff slowly spun to a stop, ending up held in the exact same manner
which he had held it in the beginning. Slowly he turned towards her and
walked back towards the camp, passing her on his way.
"Next time stay in camp when I tell you to." he stated in a flat voice which
was even flater than normal having just released the Void.
She turned on him ready to tell him exactly what she had been doing in the
trees, but all she saw was his back as he was crouched down to stir the
fire.
looking at him just hunched there over the fire and something inside her
snapped. Stalking twords him,she picked up the satchet of flour she'd
brought, hefted it in her hand and narrowed her eyes at him. there he still
sat, stirring the fire like an immobile brick.
"You know halvic, I was wrong. I have three friends, not four, since the
fourth seems to be nothing but an anal ass that has no feelings except for
himself. Excuse me if I thought you might like cakes with dinner, excuse me
if I thought that maybe I could help you with your quest. and bloody well
excuse me for caring!"
The bag in her hand flew on it's own accord, landing with a satisfying thump
in the middle of his chest and sort of ... exploding, leaving him staring
through a cloud of flour.
"there! eat your flamin shirt, cause i'm not going to try to help you
anymore. no one, no one has treated me as low or made me feel as though i
was as ignorant as you have. and i lived in a blasted brothel the first
fifteen years of my life!"
Stalking her way to her horse, she went to tighten the cinch, took a good
look at it, grabbed the lead instead and started off, not looking back or
where she was going, to mad and hurt to care about anything but getting
away.
Halvic stared at Shandryll as she lead her horse out of the camp. He hadn't
realized that he had hurt her feelings, or made her feel unwanted on this
expedition. Though he had not wanted her to come along with him at first, he
had enjoyed the fact that she was with him. He was sorry that her feelings
were hurt, but maybe her going back to the White Tower now was for the best.
He had already failed to protect her as he should have. True, he had told
her to stay in camp while he was gone and she had wondered off of her own
accord, byt still he had left her alone. What if bandits had attcked her or
wolves or any other of a thousand hazards that faced a lone traveler at
dusk. Yes, he decided she would be better off with the protection offered to
her by being in the White Tower. Maybe he could still be her warder after he
took care of this quest that he was on, but for now he was far to intent on
his own personsl goals.
He looked up to see that she was gone from his sight. Suddenly the idiocy of
it all hit home. He felt bad for leaving her in the camp alone, and now he
was letting her wander into the night! Cursing himself for a fool he quickly
leapt up from the fire and mounted his horse. He tore of in the night
looking for her.
He found her quickly trudging down the road leading her horse. He could tell
by the way she carried herself that she was still very upset.
He cleared his throat attempting to figure out how to proceed.
"I, Look Shandryll, I," she looked over her shoulder at him, but didn't stop
walking.
Halvic dismounted so as to not tower over her as much.
"I apologize for making you feel unneeded and unwanted." That sounded good
he thought. Still she kept walking.
"I need you to come along with me." he said.
She stopped walking and turned to face him.
"And anything you want to be included in just tell me and I will let you
come along."
Shandryll seemed to consider what he had told her.
Shan looked at him for a moment, mulling his words over in her mind.
Stepping up so her nose was almost touching his chest, she looked up.
"You know, there were times I wondered if I was keeping company with a rock
or not."
Removing something from the folds of her cloak she wrapped his hands around
it then reached up and patted his cheek with a grin.
"Whether you'd have 'let' me come along or not, I'd have been there. that's
just how friendship works Halvic."
Giving a tug to the lead line, shan began to work her way back to the
campsite, leaving Halvic standing there looking down at his mothers book.

Shandryll was walking back to camp, Halvic hadn't even noticed. His
attention was firmly placed on the book that Shandryll had just given him.
The book that had belonged to his mother. The book that contained the
damning statements about his father written by his mothers hand in the back.
The book that Shandryll had used to teach him how to read. The book that was
all he had left of his family.

The book that Shandryll had been carrying with her when she was going to
leave him.

Normally the book helped him to relax. It reminded him of nights when his
mother would read the stories in it to his two younger sisters. Before
Shandryll had taught him to read, he would just hold it and look at the
words. He still looked at the words, but now they held meaning.

Now, however, the book clutched in his hands brought no comfort. A rage was
beginning to boil over. He had considered Shandryll a friend, and now it
appeared that she wasn't the trusting friend he had origanlly thought.
Leaping on to his horse he kicked it into a full run back to camp.

Shandryll had just sat down by the fire when Halvic came bursting into camp.
Lookng up at him got her a face full of dirt as the horse was brought up
short in a tight half turn less than one step from her. Maybe if she had not
gotten a ton of dirt in her face she may have thought it was something she
would like him to teach her how to do someday. As it was though she sat with
as much dignity as she qould muster after being showered with soil, finally
looking up at him she was amazed that his expression had somehow managed to
get even more fearsome and intense than before. She thought she had gotten
used to his nearly perpetual scowl, with his cold eyes, but this time she
had to swallow hard and brace herself to look him in the face.

"Did you intend to bring this back to the Tower to show everyone that my
mother beleived my father to be a Darkfriend? Is that it, or did you intend
to tell them that I was a darkfriend as well?" his voice wasn't it's normal
bass rumble, this time it was more like the sound of a finely oiled blade
sliding free from its scabbard.
Shan might have been worried when he rode into camp like the dark one
himself was after him, even been nervous at his display of temper, but when
he threw the tantrum Halvic style, she lost those feelings in a swirl of
angry disgust.

"Is that what you think? Is that why you think I took the book you hold so
flaming dear?  Of all the woolheaded idiodic self centered egotistical
stupid things!  Haven't you got it through that thick skull of yours that  I
am trying to help you! That is the only thing I have done on this trip.
that is why I am here.  to help a friend. a friend halvic.  I took the book
so i can find out where you are going and be there when you needed me.  Call
me stupid, but that little six letter word means alot more to me then it
does to others.  You do not betray a friend, you do not treat a friend like
a dog. sit, come, stay, pat it's head and tell them they are good poochies.
you just don't do that.  I wasn't heading back to the tower with it.  I was
heading around to get people off your trail, buy you time and then hopefully
meet you there.  that's what friends do."

Throwing her hands in the air she looked to the sky for a moment.

"Why, why do i even bother re explaining this to you.  all you have done
this entire trip is doubt me, yourself, my intentions and your capability.
That's one sure fire way to fail this quest you've undertaken."

Looking up squarely at him, gone was the demure little girl who squeeked in
panic at the first sign of anything out of the ordinary.  Shan stood
straight, facing whatever hellfire he might throw back at her on her feet, a
stiff backed Sedai in the making wrapped in a pale blue dress.

"Now I'm giving you two choices Halvic.  You either accept my help, trust in
me that I will not fail or betray you, or you can leave me here with the
knowledge that I will follow no matter how hard you try to stop me.  It's up
to you, becuase I am done with this farce."

Folding her arms over her chest she waited.