A Forgotten Past Discovered, Part II

by Cor Dazar

“It seems you have not completely forgotten your roots.” She said but that was all, and so I continued. Finally I came back to entering Cold Rocks Hold.
     “So you see roofmistress, I must find someone who can help me discover even a small bit of my past.  I have memories sometimes but they’re not clear.  I fear I will go crazy without at least learning some small piece of this puzzle.” I had purposefully left out the part of my life where I learned how to channel, and any events that could bring such a conclusion to mind. She nodded to herself thoughtfully and then looked at me again.
     “For five days I have heard reports of your coming, and each day I wondered who you were.  By the descriptions of your looks I would have thought you someone else, but he is far in the East with the Car’a’carn.  When I was told of how you acted though I knew for certain.”  I felt a little bit of pride that instant, I had spotted their watchers as soon as they had spotted me.
     “Why do you tell me this?  What does it have to do with my questions?”  I asked carefully when she lapsed into silence
     “The other man I mentioned, he was also from this hold.  His mother had been a maiden of the spear, so he had been given to another family to be raised.  I had watched him grow up here.”  She paused again, searching for the right words.
     “What does he have to do with me though?” I prodded gently.
     “He has everything to do with you.”  I gave her a puzzled look
    “As I listened to your story, I knew you were not the same man, but your voice your face.  It’s as if I was looking at a perfect painting of him.  Even the way you act is almost identical to him.”  I still did not quite understand though and she saw it on my face
     “Cor, he is your twin brother.  I remember you two well now, always getting into mischief, and then we crossed over the dragon wall to avenge the killing of Avendoraldera, and you were gone.”  I realized my mouth was hanging open and I shut it quickly with a snap.
    “I remember all to well the arguments that took place over the fact that one so young as yourself should not be allowed to leave, but Lirelle, the wise one who wanted you to go, would not change her mind. She would have carried you to the spine of the world herself to get you across.”
     “But what about my brother?”
     She watched me carefully as she said the next part. “He and your twin sister went on with life as if you had never existed.  They seemed to know something was wrong for the first few years…” I cut her off
     “Twin sister?” I gasped in shock. “You said I had a twin brother, how can I possibly have a sister as well?”
     “You were what we call triplets.  It’s a very rare occurrence, but sometimes it does happen.”
     “Where is she now?”
    “She is also with the Car’a’carn, she became Far Dareis Mai as soon as she was able.”
     I could do little more than stare in shock by that point; the fact that I not only had a brother whom looked like me, but a sister as well.
     “Yes I just told you that.  Are you feeling well?”  I had not meant to speak the words aloud but they slipped out before I realized what was happening.
    “I'm fine just a little overwhelmed.  I’m sure my friends back at the tower will be glad to learn there are two others like me with even less wetlander humor than me.  Please continue”
     She gave me a warm motherly smile and continued telling me about my newly discovered family.  My brother, Rahien Dazar, old tongue for Dawn Eagle, was of the jindo sept; he had joined the ranks of the Far Aldazar Din (brothers of the Eagle) as soon as he was allowed.  My sister, Tai Dazar, old tongue for True Eagle, of the jindo sept became Far Dareis Mai the very day my brother had become Far Aldazar Din.  My father, Gartel, the man whose care I had been given to was one of the Aethan Dor (Red Shields), my mother, Sanrel, was not a warrior at all. She had moved to Rhuidean with the others and was staying there now, she had tried to convince Gartel to stay with her but he would not be turned for any reason and crossed the spine of the world with the thousands of others following the Car’a’carn.
 The different tales of their lives washed over me in a blur, my mind saving it all to be processed slowly later.  After a while I looked down and realized that the platters of food had been removed while we had been talking.  The roofmistress, whose name I still did not know saw me looking about and rose to her feet, I did the same wondering what would happen next.
     “It is late and you have had a long journey.  Tonight you will sleep in comfort and tomorrow we will see what else can be done to help you in your search.”
    I opened my mouth to protest still wanting to ask some more questions, but I was surrounded by gai’shain and quickly escorted to my room before a word could leave my mouth.  A pallet had been made up while we had talked. I quickly stripped off my shirt and lay down.  As soon as my head touched down I was asleep.  That night I slept peacefully, my dreams of nothing more than hunting in the three-fold land, stalking my prey in my brown cadin’sor.  I felt the eyes watching me, I knew of the world of Tel’aran’rhiod, and had heard from several people that the wise ones had the ability to travel it.  Why they would be watching my dreams, or how they even knew I was around, I could not guess but I did not like it.  Unfortunately I could no shield my dreams without the one power so I had to let them watch and hope I did not dream of anything I did not want them to see.
     I woke early the next day, dressing quickly I headed back out the main room so I could ask the roofmistress some of the questions that plagued my brain.  Especially what her name was which I still didn’t know.  She was sitting on the floor with an open book in her hands, looking up when I entered the room she gave me a smile.
     “Good, you’re up earlier than I had expected, you will have plenty of time to get ready.”
     “Ready?” I asked puzzled by her words “Ready for what?”
     “For your trip to Rhuidean of course.  There’s a group of Far Dareis Mai, and Far Aldazar Din going today and they agreed to take you with them.  I already explained to them the circumstances and were quite glad to help.”
     I was somewhat thrown off balance, something that seemed to be happening a lot lately.
     “But I still have so many questions to ask.”  I said as I regained my wits. In less than a day this woman had taken charge of my life more completely than any Aes Sedai had ever accomplished.
     “Now hurry along and stop gawking at me.  You might as well get to know some of them now.  I don’t want you to make such a long trip without any companionship. The light knows what can happen to a man who travels his life away with no friends.  No go get your stuff and get out of here.  They should already be gathering down by the main entrance.  They’re leaving in an hour so don’t wander off either.”
     Her instructions washed over me in a flood, she jumped subjects so quickly I had trouble keeping up.  When she had finished giving me instructions on where to go to find my mother in Rhuidean and who to go to if I wanted to join a warrior society, she handed me a small rolled up parchment.
     “This will help you to get into any of the societies you want, make sure you understand what each of them stands for before you just jump into it.  Now get going.”
     She gave me a slight nudge to get me started and since there was nothing else I could do, I went.  I picked up my small bag of clothes that I had brought with me, and one of the Water skins.  My spears and other weapons I secured on my person and then I headed down to where the group was supposed to be waiting.
     Everything was as the roofmistress, whose name I still did not and probably never would learn, had said.  There was already ten or fifteen men standing about and standing slightly to the one side of them was a group of women.  I had met a few Far Dareis Mai in my time in the tower but they had been through novice training, I had severe doubts that these were much like those in the Tower.  I approached cautiously looking for the man the roofmistress had told me I was to meet.  When I came near the entire group of people turned to look at me.  I took it in stride though approaching the group like I belonged there.
 A tall man with fiery red hair stepped from one of the buildings on the east wall.  He walked straight to me stopping when he was within several feet, had he been a hand taller he could have looked me in the eye.  His pale blue eyes looked me over, weighing me like a merchant weighs a piece of gold. I returned the stare equally, my pale gray eyes running over him and then along the others that stood near by.
     “I see you Cor Dazar,” He said abruptly, breaking the silence “May you find shade this day.”
     “I see you Coliran” I responded as if I had actually know the proper response and had been greeting people that way my entire life. “May you find shade this day.”
     It was a more formal greeting than what was probably required but I did not want to ask.  He smiled slightly then, a touch of surprise reaching his eyes.
     “I was told you did not know our ways, or have you been taking lessons?”
     “I sometimes remember things.” I replied honestly  “So are we ready to go, I have traveled a long way and have still many leagues ahead of me before it is all over.”
 Coliran smiled again, this time it did more than just touch the corners of his mouth.  “Yes I believe all is ready.”  He looked over to a man standing near by who nodded. “Just give me a time to round up the rest of my men.”  He looked over at the women who were still watching “Watch yourself with those ones, maidens of the spear are much harder than the wetlander women you are use to.
     I nodded in acknowledgement, and then turned to join the rest of the group.  They welcomed me warmly enough, as warm as an Aiel stranger can be anyways.  I shared a few stories of my past with them and in return they told me about themselves.  The maidens often turned to look at me but they never came near the group of men. Finally the rest of the group had arrived, there were almost forty people when we left, twenty-five Far Aldazar Din and fifteen Far Dareis Mai. Coliran seemed to be the chosen leader of both groups although the maidens did not always seem to do as he said.  He set a fast pace, but I kept up easily.  Just as I had done before, I let time slip past me, I did not care how long it took me to discover the answers to my questions.
     I made good friends with several of the men, especially Coliran, who was more than happy to tell me about the different warrior societies, although I think he talked most about the Far Aldazar Din than any of the others.  I also got lessons from the Aiel men at night on fighting hand to hand, and also in the spear.  They were amazed I had learned so much from what small bits I could remember and from what I read in a book, but I was still not as good as I could have been.  The maidens took their part in that training providing their own comments, which they considered encouraging.  As we traveled I became increasingly more interested in the Far Dareis Mai; their hand talk captured my attention above all else I think.  All the societies had their own signals and communications using the hands, but none were as advanced as that of the maidens of the spear.  I figured out certain signs from watching them, eventually I knew all the signs that showed what tone of voice the talk was supposed to be in.  The groups of men and women still remained fairly separated and I did not get any chance to talk with the maidens.