I Must Not Fear

Chapter Two

He didn't account for it to take time. When he returned to the palace, she has already arrived and brought to his office to wait for him.

"Dear Light, you made her wait in my office?" he asked Ingtar.

"Her bedchamber is being prepared and of course, her luggage is still being inspected. Your office is much nicer than an empty dining hall",

Lan marched towards his office as his mind works on strings of apologies for the poor welcome she received.

Bukama was right.

She is stunning.

As soon as his eyes laid upon her, he is lost. Could it be witchcraft? That is another rumor surrounding Aes Sedai but has never been proven. It couldn't be. They just met...literally. No, she's just simply stunning, breathtaking.

In their short time together, he gathered that she is unlike what was expected of her at all. All the rumors surrounding her, they're not true.

She is sharp and witty. She is incredibly observant. She also thinks that she is good at masking her heart, but her eyes give her away. The sadness, the confusion, and the little joys.

It saddened him how she views herself and her role in Malkier. He wondered if that is what was taught in the White Tower and if so, his blood boils at the thought. The idea that what she feels does not matter, it's outrageous. She is not a tool. She is a person. He will be damned if he proves the tower's teachings right. He will not do that to her. She deserves more and he will ensure that she receives more.

"You gave her a tour of the palace", Ingtar stated.

"I did. She spotted Bukama and Uno too", his friend chuckled. "She is different, Ingtar. I cannot quite figure it out but she's not what you think, not what the others think",

His friend hummed.

"We see that. Still, we do not know her or why the tower chose her to be here. It wouldn't hurt to be careful. That is all",

"I know. In the meantime, she is to take the role of the Lady of Malkier. Let's see from there how we proceed next",

The next few days, Moiraine has proven to be well-suited for the role of the Lady of Malkier. She has surpassed him when he used to do those tasks himself.

Mostly, their designation of chores, domestic choices, social function planning, and supervising the palace staff. Moiraine did it all with flying colors.

Soon enough, the whispers around her died down in the palace. She earned the respect of the staff in a matter of days. Everything is running smoothly in the palace. No incidents.

During dinner, they're joined by his friends Bukama, Ingtar, and Uno. It's the first time that they're all at the same table.

Moiraine, as usual, picked on her food as she makes conversation mostly with Bukama since the other two are still wary of her. Lan noticed that she's not into food. She lives off tea or soup or small bites of bread but that's just it. No matter the delicacies in front of her, it's never enough to entice her.

"How's your time in Malkier, Lady Moiraine?" Uno started.

Moiraine turned to her with a surprised look on her face but quickly recovered. "It's been great, Master Nomesta. At first, the tasks were overwhelming but I had help and everyone has been kind and patient with me",

"Any information you relayed yet to your tower?"

Lan glared at his friend. "Uno",

"What? I am just asking since no one wants to ask her. We know that the White Tower is more than just a school for concubines. They may be rumors but they always stem from some truth", Uno pointed out.

It was a mistake. He shouldn't have invited his friends. He turned to Moiraine. Her face is now unreadable. It is quite unsettling to see the transition between warmth and light to complete stillness. It's the first time he'd seen it.

"I doubt the Amyrlin Seat would be interested to hear about the kitchen's menu or the schedules of the palace staffs. The only interesting information I can share with her is that Malkier's library has the first edition of the Golden Age of Legends", she responded rather coldly.

Even Uno was taken aback by how she delivered it.

"You did well on your role, milady. To be honest, you did it better than I do. It suited you well and the staffs are happy", Lan intervened.

Moiraine glanced at him and her expression changed once again. The warmth returned to her face as she smiled a little.

"Thank you, my lord", she said.