Dark was all-encompasing. The literal and metaphorical kind. The sky had turned a deep, dark blue, drowning out everything but the flames overtaking your village.
You weren't the only one to flee, having encouraged many others to have some sense and self-preservation. Many worshiped the two potential Dragons Reborn and fed their ego, making them want to be worshiped.
You knew well how the Dark could twist a good heart. And the both boys were already on the slippery slope. The shabbier one exuded Darkness, but the redhead accidentally set the inn on fire. The monsters hadn't been far behind. You didn't know if the boys made it out of your village, but half of your heart hoped they lay buried in the rubble they brought onto you all.
Though some stayed to fight, many fled the town, seeking refuge far from the monsters. You ran alone. Tree limbs cut at your weak skin as you ran through the forest. You must've lost the Trolloc on your tail twenty towns past, but you'd yet to notice. The woods suddenly opened up into an open space with a road. You stopped, breathing heavily, but trying to deduce your location. It was safe to say you were far from Baerlon, hopefully near the River Haevin.
You couldn't hear the sounds of rushing water so you took your moment to calm your heart.
The heart that leapt from your chest at someone grabbing your arm.
A screech and you turned to attack the person before silver mists grabbed you, flinging you into the air. You were unharmed, but hovering high above the Borderlandian watching you. Surely he wasn't the one holding you. Men weren't permitted to Channel. Not that that did your village a lot of good.
Behind him, a woman in all blue wore a scarf around her shoulders and over her head like a hood. The same mists which held you surrounded her, connecting her to the nature beneath her. Her hand was extended and you saw the large blue stone on her gold ring.
Tensing, you regretted not being able to move. You wished to run even more now. If the Aes Sedai were coming to deal with him, you would pray for every village surrounding yours.
"Moiraine," the man said, pointing to your chest.
You flushed at the move, trying to cover yourself from them. You were merely restrained further and moved lower. In the Sedai's face, you could not move away. You were trapped between a rock and an explosive place.
Quicker than any snake you'd ever encountered, the woman reached out and snatched your necklace. You were released onto the ground and chose a really stupid way to use your freedom.
"Hey!" you shouted, surging even closer to her. "That's mine." Your hand extended to take it back when she shot you a look that froze you in place. Flinching, you glared at her hand holding your necklace. Silver focused around it, her magic circling like vultures and your necklace melted into her hand, dripping onto the ground between you. Your mouth fell open and you dropped to your knees. Your mother's necklace... destroyed. You pawed at the droplets against the dirt and a part of your heart cracked. This night couldn't get any worse.
Tensed once more, you were jerked back onto the grass, arms and legs extended and bent in ways that were deeply uncomfortable. "Where did you get that Dark object?" the woman finally spoke. She had a higher than you tone to her voice, speaking down to you like you were the scum the wheel turned out.
"That was my happiest possession. I don't know anything about the Dark," you pled to the Aes Sedai. She pulled you tighter with your magic, verging your bones to snap. You felt a burning sensation through your abdomen.
"Where! Did you get that Dark object?" she demanded more impatiently.
The fire spread throughout you, turning up in intensity. You cried out as your ribs bend against a great, nonexistent weight. "My mother," you squeaked out. You were forced flat against the ground, limbs flat and internally exhausted.
"Who is your mother?" the aristocratic voice demanded.
You relaxed as her power seemingly dissipated. "Just a woman. She was-" You winced as you tried to move against your soreness. "-just faced with a Whitecloak on the wrong day."
That did not reassure the woman. She was on and in you once more. "Who was she?" she repeated herself more harshly, sending you further against the ground. A rib or two cracked at the force from the small movement, and you screamed out.
Her name slipped from your teeth. You had nothing to hide. "Avene a'Lonche!"
Everything stopped. The pressure, their breaths, your awareness. You blotted back into time and saw the woman kneel towards you, hand out. You jerked back, away from her.
"Please do not be stubborn," the woman requested in a suddenly reasonable voice. So different from the cruel interrogator from seconds ago.
"Bite me," you spat out, moving further back at her second attempt forward.
She straightened, patience once again run out with you, and gestured at her Warder. He came up behind you swiftly, taking your arm and bringing you to your feet quickly. The move sent a wave of nerve-searing pain along your middle and you felt the desperate need to move past it. You elbowed him quickly, turning and jabbing your knife into his bicep before turning on the witch, socking her in the nose and pushing in the direction of the road.
"I believe that was well deserved," Moiraine admitted as she held a finger to her nose. She addressed Lan, watching their newest guest race from her eyesight. She removed his knife, healing him slowly so as to limit his scarring. He already had so many. "The daughter of Avene a'Lonche," she gaped while they were occupied.
"Is now really the time to settle old bets?"
Deep eyes gazed at Lan determinedly. "She is here and she is strong. We can use all the help we can get." They both stood, Moiraine holding the knife in her hand. She looked down at it, hoping she'd had it long enough to track her with it.
"How will she ever trust us?"
Moiraine eyed the path you'd taken. "I'll say please." She approached her horse, mounting quickly before following your path. She hadn't made any obvious wounds, so there was no blood trail. But they were a determined pair.
*
It had been useless. The town was evacuated, except for the tavern, and you'd had to return to the gates at least for medical supplies. There was nothing for two broken ribs, but you stashed extra clothes everywhere you regularly visited. You were quite paranoid in that respect. But, it helped now, didn't it. You gritted your teeth around a large rag in your mouth. It was stupid large but it muffled your whines quite well.
The door of the gate-keeper's nook opened and you jumped. You tried to stand, but were quickly pushed down by a blue blur. You flinched, but were helpless to fight back, another cry springing from your throat.
"While the sounds are delightful, they're more unnecessary," a sound voice insisted. A single hand landed on your shoulder, the deep blue ring shining from her middle finger coming into focus with startling precision. You flinched further away, gazing up at who you knew was Moiraine.
You wanted to jerk back awake, push away from her again. But a warmed lethargy stunned you into stillness. You sank into the seat until she was done. Blinking slowly, you found yourself looking up at her clearer form. She slowly came into focus, her own concentration getting confused with compassion in your eyes. She was startlingly close and, Light, she smelled good. Like all the best parts of the forest and soap. She was dark and earthy, and light and higher than you.
It was a reminder, even as you wanted to fall into her, drown yourself in her scent and very being, she was dangerous. And so outside your league.
You came back into yourself, utterly healed and at the witch's mercy.
"We got off to a wrong start," Moiraine decided.
You didn't know who we was as her Warder was nowhere around and you'd done nothing wrong. You frowned when she held out your necklace.
"It's powerless," she informed you, earning a deeper frown. "Now," she added with complete faith that she was right the first time.
You stared back at her, determined. Moiraine wouldn't admit this easily, but your lack of expression impressed her deeply. A smile tried to pull at her practiced blank face. Her amusement shifted to satisfaction as you raised your arm to take your mother's talisman.
You fist closed around it protectively, transferring the object to your pocket. Deep, dark blue-green eyes followed the movement until you stopped and she met your gaze. You were practically glaring your displeasure at her presence around you. It made her wish she was comfortable enough around you to laugh.
Entirely sure it would come, Moiraine merely lifted her hand once more. Empty, there was only one reason for the action. Oozing defiance, emphasized with gritted teeth, you took her hand and allowed her to pull you up. You stood stiffly and the brunette moved closer.
Moiraine feared you would snap yourself in half with how tense you were growing. Her hand moved to your back and the motion did her no favors. You started trembling at her proximity, prompting her to move away. "May we start over... please," she added hesitantly.
Your e/c eyes slowly shifted to look up at her. "...what?" you managed to blurt.
Eyes you'd once describe as cold and hard were now soft and compassionate as she regarded you. "I-" Her eyes lammed shut in dread of her next words. "...was... mistaken when we first interacted. I felt the Darkness in your mother's pendant and wrongly assumed you were the one to imbue it with such power. She re-entered your personal space, touching you softly. "I apologize." Her hand pressed herder against your arm. "For acting rashly and for frightening you." Smoldering eyes threatened to burn you through with their intensity. "You have nothing to fear from me. You have my word."
You didn't reaction. Well, not physically, though your mind began to race at the implications.
While outwardly disappointed to have no response to her uncharacteristic vulnerability, Moiraine was much more impressed by your stone-strength resolve. The corner of her mouth finally succeeded in forcing a smirk from her. "Now... you seemed intent to escape this town. You returned only when lethally injured." She was so close. You drowned you in the scent of the forest, strong tea and it was so heady.
Luckily, you had a worthy distraction. Your eyes turned from the Sedai, attracted to the flash of red behind her. Anticipating one of her Red sisters, it was severely alarming to see the Dragon Reborn glaring at the woman you hesitantly trusted. Eyes bugging out, you stumbled back, looking for a second exit, which didn't exist.
The Sedai spotted the source of your terror and sensed what you didn't. She pulled you from the guard room and out of the way from a blast of while, demolishing where you'd been. Blue-green eyes explored the wrecked gateway. They shifted behind to spot the destroyed village. It reminded her almost exactly of the Two Rivers when they had left. One part of her melted, realizing Rand was grieving, but a larger part froze when she witnessed the corpses which had not been moved from the hours ago in which you'd run. Having to move fast and keep an eye of Rand, she couldn't spare you a glance.
If she had looked at you, she'd have seen you backing away, prepared to turn tail. Opposing forces of Silver mists raised in the air and you had almost taken off toward the woods again.
Moiraine's hand jutted out behind her, grasping your hand with an unbreakable hold.
Not that you didn't try. "Please-" you croaked out, wishing to run for safety as anyone would in the midst of a Power battle. You were yanked closer behind her, an involuntary whimper torn from your throat. You fisted the Sedai's cloak, watching the powers collide.
You both were thrown to the ground, but Moiraine didn't falter. Her fingers dug into your wrist and you were held as stable as her. She pushed back at him with an unexpected force of Power.
Another whimper tore from your throat, your body feeling out of your control as you were your hands by your side. "Moiraine-"
"Shh," she prompted, her chin propped on your shoulder, face buried in your hair. "I've no time to explain. Just feel," her eyes moved to take in your terrified expression, "and trust me."
That did nothing to comfort your. You might have panicked more so if you weren't overcome with the sudden sensation akin to blood-loss. You'd nearly think you were injured if it weren't for the twice as bright silver light around the pair of you. It spiraled like a vortex at the Dragon. Light bled from your vision and everything went black as you fell into the Blue.
*
You could feel the terror through your veins, urging you to run, run, run!"
You jerked awake, finding a full camp with Moiraine's Warder and a group of young adults, one of them much older than the rest yet not as mature as the group's leaders. A certain redhead stood out, a dark haired woman draping off of him comfortingly. Your eyes bugged more, body moving back, away. A body behind you blocked your exit.You jerked around, coming to your feet.
Moiraine was clearly expecting this negative reaction, behind you in a moment to... handle you. She was already speaking to appease you, likely to calm you down enough to be convinced to join into their madness.
But you were stubborn. And you wanted distance. You wouldn't be still until you perceived yourself for enough far enough away from the Dragon.
"That's enough now." Moiraine was trying to re-establish her control, but you weren't having it. "Remember, trust-"
You jerked your arm from her grasp. "Damn trusting you and to Dark with him!" you exploded, still terrified eyes fixed on the redhead. Your hand traveled under your cloak to pull out a dagger. Both the Sedai and the Warder moved to restrain you, but you flung the blade before they could intervene.
Not that they're intervention, or lack thereof made much difference. The blade froze in air, seized just before drawing blood. You took the moment of awe and duck beneath Moiraine's arm, taking for a random area of woods.
The Warder grabbed your arm as you passed and you spun to kick his witch who came to crowd you as well. "I'd sooner die than work with that... that monster," you vowed.
The woman coddling the Dragon stood quickly. "He is not a monster!" she insisted with naive loyalty.
You faced her sharply, the flames of intensity starting the young ta'veren. "He killed my mother, my father! My best friend." The Warder let you go when your appeared satisfied with your verbal abuse, with the reaction, with the reaction you gained from the Dragon's friends. You turned to look at him, the fire in your eyes no less bright or fierce. "He killed everyone I've ever known and anyone I've ever lover." You faced Moiraine. "You'd have me stay near him-"
"Near me," she interjected softly.
"Who I am well within my rights to consider eerily the same," you snipped plainly pissed. You looked at the Warder then at the witch. "And I'm leaving. Before I kill an "accidental" murderer." You pushed past Moiraine and no one tried to stop you.
Weeks passed with you on the road. You didn't know where to go. You couldn't stand to face your demolished home. You'd never left home so you had no foreign friends. You hadn't spoken since your words to the White Tower natives. You were quite sure your horse was sick of you, of apples, of the forest. But that might've just been the face that you stole him. Her? You didn't care or have the courage to check.
You found or killed your and your horse's food. You felt at one with nature. It would've made you sick if you weren't so overcome with depression. There were movements you weren't directing your horse or even interacting with the world. Grief took you so often, you would return to find you din't recognize your surroundings. One such time resulted in you being surprised by the group of righteous criminals who patrolled the woods all over the continent: Whitecloaks. The flash of monochrome drew you from your thoughts and raised your attention... and heart rate. Everyone knew Whitecloaks were zealots, murdering anyone who didn't line up with their ideals, laws, or expectations.
And you were no conformist. You rarely judged, only the most heinous, and you never harmed. Granted, you'd tried not too long, but you were rarely violent. Harming people never came easy to you - you often got sick afterward.
Their leader emerged from the still massive patrol group, meeting you halfway. "Would you mind dismounting?" he requested with no cause. He was an imposing man, even seated on his horse, dark hair and piercing eyes.
You very much minded, but you knew how that would go over. Nearly immediately, you draped your reigns over your saddles's horn, twisting on your seat to being your legs to one side. Sliding off, you patted the still disgruntled horse's neck to hopefully soothe him/her into normalcy. Whitecloaks always sensed what you least wanted them to. "Is something matter?" you asked in the lightest voice you could muster.
The man met you on your new level, his white clothes' shoulders tainted by his long dark hair, so straight and thin you thought all the hydration had been drained of it. He had cold blue eyes that dared you to lie so he could descend upon you. He was middle aged, though you had no doubt he could and likely would beat you down at the slightest sign of what Whitecloaks were also known for punishing: insolence. "We'd heard tales of a dangerous witch travelling alone. They destroyed a village some time ago."
You looked down, fighting back tears. "I believe that was my village. And your witch is male... and not much younger than me." You were sure you seemed cold and emotionless and... well, guilty.
But for some reason, the man before you didn't see it that way. He glanced behind himself at those he traveled with before facing you once more. "We'd happily take you on."
That raised cold bumps on your arms that chilled far beneath your flesh. "Oh,. I'm alright." You hoped your voice didn't portray your true fear. "I'm fine on my own."
The man seemed genuinely confused. "The many can protect better than the one. And the best way to walk in the Light is to walk with those in the Light. Who would refuse the guidance of the Light? And why?" He frowned further.
You did not like the direction this was taking. Your chest fluttered from below before your heart leapt into your throat. You forced a light laugh and a faint smile you prayed was believable. "Well, I suppose that wouldn't make sense." You hoped you sounded genuine, though a new terror flooded your senses. Once one joined the Whitecloaks, they did not leave.
The man faced his people once more, a jovial grin shining out. He faced you again, visibly pleased. He took your arm, pulling you toward the grip. You grip on your horse's reins was white-knuckled. He didn't seem to notice, thank the- You weren't sure what to thank with this turn of events. "Welcome to the family." His hands moved to your shoulders as you were guided to a group of women. "We'll set up camp here," he grinned down at you from over your shoulder, "and induct our new postulant." You were trying not to tremble, which you were sure made it worse.
Camp was set up quickly and your induction seemed to be simply speaking to many, many, many other Whitecloaks. You terrified shaking was mistaken for shivering your new clothes were piled on. Nothing but white, of course, the sirt crossed in the front and the long sleeves trailed past your wrists, resting between some of your knuckles. Your pant legs were wide enough to be mistaken for a skirt, though it was hard to tell based on the cloak you'd been given to counter your "sensitivity to low temperatures". You were never left alone during all this, but a lower member of the Whitecloaks, you wondered if that would be what you became, brought your escort and yourself two cups. You went to reach for the opposite one on instinct when the man picked them both up, giving you the one intended for you.
Sleep came easy that night.
Camp was packed, you were constantly under watch, and the group moved at a pace not to leave a single person behind. It would be endearing, if you weren't so terrified. They kept trying to feed you that warm alcohol to ease your anxiety, but you feared it was more than mere booze.
It took 3 fays and no sleep or fluids on your part until you saw another living soul. Of course, they were also Whitecloaks and this group had a Questioner, but their General seemed to tempter the aggressive interaction.
You were hardly the only new member as about 30 of you all joined from both groups. You weren't the only scared, like forced novice. It made you feel slightly better. The official members, donned in silver and gold armor plating, had quite the long meeting, allowing you all to get to know each other. The Whitecloaks had saved then threatened a set of twins, and another boy expressed how he'd been feared as a Channeler in his village until the Whitecloaks came and cleared him. He was terrified, but taught about debt. Most of the others seemed to genuinely want to be there, frightening you further still. About four seemed to be heavily dosed and not knowing it. Your blood chilled when you checked for their pulses every once in a while.
Eventually, the higher ups came back to you all and assigned positions. Most of you were assigned regular helper jobs, though one twin was pulled for the Hand of the Light faction and was pulled from her brother kicking and screaming. You feared her brother would be killed with the ferocity he was beaten with. You knelt over the boy and was tending to him as best you could when you were made aware of your status as healer. Others dressed in white clothes and silver armor came forward to help you and you were told to inform the man he would be one of their soldiers. You could only imagine how well that would go over.
You never actually learned how he would deal with the news because that night, as the camp slept, bright orange flashed behind your pretend-asleep eyes. You could feel the fire as if it were your tent aflame. But it wasn't. You and a few healers ventured out into the night, spotting several pure white tents on fire. Your eyes grew wide and your jaw dropped. The more experienced two raced off to be of service and you were grabbed from behind. You nearly jerked and kicked and screamed, but you recognized that forest-y smell. You were pulled against the Blue Aes Sedai and let her drown you. Your relief at her assistance and appearance brought tears to your eyes. You turned and buried your face in her robes. "Thank you," you sobbed softly into her clothes repeatedly.
By the time you resurfaced, the sky was lighter due to the sun still hiding behind the horizon. Now, you were alternating between "I'm sorry" and "thank you". She hushed you gently, pulling you to an equine. You both mounted and rode off to safety together, your grip on her never loosening for more than a breath. As she directed the horse, her hand rested atop yours.