These tests were shit. You and the Accepted you'd been paired with, some noble of Cairhein, were wandering the woods.
As a part of your training, you had to be able to work with a channeling woman and she had to be able to work with you. Without the two of you killing each other. That last bit was the difficult one.
She was noble and acted like it. She didn't talk much which continually pissed you off. You weren't a mind reader. You weren't magical at all.
An explosion to the right sent the two of you into a basic partner formation. Moiraine Damodred, a name she hated to be called so you loved calling her, summoned a sphere of light between her hands while you brandished your sword.
"And what, exactly, is that supposed to do?"
Moiraine, as ever, didn't answer. She just rolled her eyes. She caught a loose arrow with it so you stopped asking questions, racing at the golem conjured for the lesson.
A knee to its gut did little to slow it down so you instantly striked. Parry, parry, strike. Parry, parry, strike.
"Duck!"
You obeyed, ducking under its arm to go for the next. She handled that one, something you confirmed with a glance over your shoulder, and you slid between another golem's legs. You sliced the limb clear off with smiled, getting back to your feet. You turned back to her, still in the light headed glee of battle. "Behind you!" you shouted.
She turned in time for a mudman to stab her with his weapon. It was right on top of her hip; they weren't designed for kill-shots.
You were beside her faster than you thought possible, watching the creature try to retreat. You knelt by the fallen witch, observing the steady blood-flow. You got your own clean cloth and applied pressure. "You can heal, right?" you asked.
"Not... m'self," Moiraine grunted out. At least she was answering. "Need 'nother." The ground beneath her was slowly being soaked. Deep red coated your boots and the knees of your slacks.
You nodded. "We need to get you back to the Tower, then, yeah?"
The brunette tilted her head back to watch the retreating golem. "Finish-"
You looked up as well. A swift nod and you were leaving her side for the final attacker. There were only three per hunt. You had simply been unlucky that they converged together. It had just finished climbing down the mound of dirt and you didn't have time to follow carefully. Jumping, you brought your sword above you and inserted the metal into its spine. It fell limp and you picked up the crystal left in its place.
Racing back to the Sedai in-training, you picked her up like a husband would his new wife. "Not far," you tried to comfort her.
She smiled from your arms. "Not bad," she added.
"Yeah, you'll stop bleeding before we get there."
Long limbs brought up, she held your shoulders. "Not what I meant."
You held up the crystal. "Will this-?"
She was already bringing magic into her arms, tapping into the crystal. The world spun and you re-settled in a Yellow tent. Most others were injured, laid up as well.
"Okay," you laughed.
A Yellow Sedai came up and guided you two to a bed. You set Moiraine on it and watched them heal her wound.
*~*
The healing process didn't take long, but the evaluation took forever.
Siuan and the new Warder in-training, the former horse tamer, were laid up as well and you two had actually come out as the top of the class. The others had returned early, using a cheat you hadn't known about (Of course, Moiraine did). And they were escorted out, leaving the tent empty save you both.
Your own arm had gotten scratched, likely from a piece of woodland during your slide, and Moiraine had made the biggest deal of your "first battle wound". You'd nearly taken her head off. But, now, the two of you were in the quiet, given time to decompress from the legitimate fear you'd faced.
"Oh, yea, I'm proud. Are you proud?" you asked Moiraine.
She smiled up at you. "Entirely," she answered.
You settled beside her and the light air vanished. Suddenly very tense, you murmured, "Glad you're not dead."
Another smile. She did that a lot more often now. "Me too."
You fiddled with your fingers in your lap. "Woulda been disappointing."
She smile was less gentle and more sharp now. "Whoever would drive you insane then?"
You nudged her new scar. She winced. Your face fell at the show of pain.
A dramatic intake of air startled you into looking at her. Oh, no. She looked far too please. "You like me."
"What? Do not," you retorted.
"Oh, but you do."
You narrowed your eyes down at her. "Do not."
"Do too."
"Nu-uh."
"Uh-huh."
"Nope, not a chance."
Without you having seen, Moiraine had sat up, clearly feeling much better. Her... unbelievably long fingers trailed your jaw.
You lifted your chin to escape those tempting digits and turned away. "I'll not be used, not for my fighting skills nor my unmatched wit."
Fingers tightened and she brought you to face her. "Come now..." she drawled slowly. She leaned in and kept her grip on your chin firm.
The lavender scent which seemed to be just her, no you hadn't noticed that over time, wafted through your nose and that was suddenly all you could think about. Your own eyes slipped shut, but nothing came. You looked and she stared with a grin. "Oh, I hate you."
She took your head in her hands. "No, you don't." Bringing you close, she finally met your neglected, cold lips with her own insanely warm ones.