The One... Or Two?

Recovery

Secily was taking thirty second naps where she wasn't awake and then looked around at the group. They'd circled around the fire and Lan was nowhere in sight. She perked up at his disappearance and looked around.

A hiss on the wind woke Egwene up. She looked around, spotting Secily who delivered a smile. The woman returned it before glancing about more deeply. She looked up and gasped. "Sis!" she called.

The monster on a horse screamed and Lan reappeared, urging, "We have to move. Up. Up. Wake up. Hurry. They found us." He knelt by his Sedai as the others prepared for departure. "Moiraine. You have to wake up, Moiraine."

Secily was firmly on her horse and the nearest one to Lan as he came racing out, holding the Sedai. The white mare kicked up, making noises of complaint. Her name came to the redhead easily as Aldieb's mistress was placed in her arms. "She can't move. We need to get her out of here. Ride!"

Secily wrapped her arms around the brunette, grabbing the reins with her right hand. "Where?"

"East. To the fallen city of Shadar Logoth. Go! Now!" he ordered.

They all rode off, racing away from the Trollocs new army. Egwene had Aldieb as she led. Secily stayed just behind her, needing the support should they get knocked down or get close to attack.

A few steps more and Egwene's horse freaked, jerking to the side and refusing to continue.

"What's happening?" Rand demanded.

"I don't know. She just stopped."

Rand's own horse started circling. "Steady. Steady."

"Bela, come on," Egwene tried to order.

"What is that?" Mat demanded, looking ahead. A doorless wall stood before them, only a few meters of crack in one corner of the imposing structure.

Perrin redirected, looking at their former attackers. "Wait, look! The Trollocs. Why are they all just standing there?"

"Good question. Better demand, go!" came a brilliant idea to the redhead. She forced Arthur forward, not that he'd been resisting. They entered the structure.

Lan followed. "She's right. The Trollocs won't follow us inside. Hah!" he called softly, following right behind the new guardian of his Sedai.

The place felt dark, lifeless. Secily held the brunette more securely at the feel. "Oh..." she breathed. It was cold, not just temperature-ly. It chilled her spine and the blood around it.

Luckily, one of her friends' voice pulled her from the spiralling depression that was Shadar Logoth. "Listen. There's no birds. There's no bugs. There's nothing."

They came before a holy place and Lan reined his horse, standing by the redhead.

She slowly moved Moiraine's feet to give him that end first. She kept the woman's head straight so as not to hurt her as she handed the woman over to her Warder. "She's barely breathing," she reported grimly.

Lan felt it. "Yeah." He carried her inside. "We'll stay here." He laid her up at the where a throne would belong and Secily knelt beside her, helping Lan. "She needs to be kept warm." He peeled off her bandage and gazed at the wound. "Oh, Moiraine."

Egwene stepped up as well, gazing about the architect. "Shadar Logoth," she repeated from before. "Sounds like the Old Tongue."

Lan told them another side of Manetheren. The promisers of the mysterious aid that never came, this was their castle. Their people locked themselves in their mighty palace and all disappeared. It felt almost poetic. "Not even Trollocs will step foot behind these walls."

Mat leaned forward, his arms on his knees. "Couple of things. Um, one, that's... more words than you've said all day. Probably ever. And, two, why in Light's name did you bring us here?"

Lan stared at him. "Touch nothing. Eat only the food you brought."

"Well, you two are nothing if not consistent," Secily sighed. She leaned forward. "Ok, I had an idea about a treatment. But now we're stuck. How long, do you think, before it would be safe to venture out?"

Lan thought before tipping his head. "They will not near the Shadow City. Take someone with you but try to find what you can nearby."

Secily nodded before standing and pulling Perrin with her. "Stay by the gate's. Spot me. Nothing more."

Perrin nodded, staying just at the stone wall's entrance. He nearly raced out a few times before she came back, her hands empty.

*~*

Back in the church/throne room hall, Secily sat beside Moiraine. She'd used a mortar and pestle from her bag and ground up ingredients she'd also stashed in there, and made some backwater, gelatin substance. It didn't look particularly healthy, but Secily looked quite sure so Lan felt it best to let her do her stuff.

The sun set and Secily was still beside her, watching carefully. Her fever had gone down and she had a bit of color back, but she hadn't yet woken. She seemed to be headed that way, but hadn't yet reached. Lan watched silently as Secily hovered around Moiraine, seemingly worrying as much as he was, but more actively. He could feel her strength gaining. These ta'veren were strange and unusual in many ways.

Neighing drew Secily away from her worrying and she ventured to the middle of the room and watched the children huddle at the entrance. They jumped outside it and darkness scattered along the walls of their building.

Secily retreated from the darkness, racing back. She fell and the darkness couldn't pass her to go further in the room.

"It's all right. I'm here," Lan mumbled to the waking Moiraine.

"Where are we?" came an accusing whisper. "You've killed us all."

The darkness retreated from the room and flowed out into the city. Secily brought herself to stand and followed determinedly. She ran from the building and saw the dust scattering down opposite paths. "Rand," she whispered.

"Now, we must escape ourselves," came Lan's order.

Secily whirled around, prepared to face him sternly. She flinched when she saw Moiraine awake. "If they die, you two die," she threatened, mounting her horse.

"Will you take her again?" Lan asked, avoiding that last part.

Secily sighed and pulled her necklace down, tucking it into her cloak. She reached down and Moiraine met her half way. She wrapped an arm around her middle, her leg over Moiraine's two to strap into its stirrup. She rode off, Lan and Aldieb following closely behind.

They rode well into the forest before Lan declared safety.

Disgruntled yet resigned, Secily gazed about blankly. She could feel Rand's fear. He still had adrenaline going, but he was safe. But they were apart. Really apart. Neither one had an anchor. She turned Arthur to look back in the direction they'd come before having him walk backwards. She turned again, back to the Warder and noticed his staring. She uncovered Moiraine's legs, passing her down much the same way. Only difference was, two arms fell from around her: one from her neck and the other from a half hug. And Moiraine moved her arms to hold him, barely clinging to consciousness. She was laid down and soon passed out.

Secily looked down at the woman in worry. "I'll have a look-around; more herbs maybe, watch for Trollocs." She nodded, taking off.