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Moiraine followed the two girls into Siuan’s study. Lan had trailed behind the trio and took up post outside. If anyone passed by and recognized him, they would believe Moiraine was making a final plea of her case before the Amyrlin. Closing the door solidly behind her and trusting Lan to keep away eavesdroppers of the conventional sort—their own power would tell them if someone was eavesdropping with the One Power—Moiraine turned to the group.
She watched in muted amusement as Siuan coaxed the two girls—no, young women—closer before glancing at Moiraine herself. “So, these are your two, Moiraine.”
Automatically, she bowed in acknowledgement. Not as deeply or with nearly as serious an expression as she would maintain in public but still. This was Siuan as the Amyrlin, not her lover, and she deserved the proper respect of that station.
She smothered a smile as Egwene glanced over and, despite edging slightly closer to Nynaeve, she also bowed awkwardly to Siuan. Moiraine had to smother an even broader smile at Nynaeve’s stubborn refusal to follow suit, simply glaring at Siuan as if attitude alone could solve the problems of the world.
Siuan studied the two girls for a moment then continued. “Welcome to the White Tower. I’m the Amyrlin Seat. But for today… you can call me Siuan.”
She’d barely finished speaking when Nynaeve suddenly spoke, clearly startled, “Wait, you’re Siuan?”
Moiraine arched an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Siuan. She’d clearly called Siuan by name when leading the two to meet the Amyrlin. Why was the girl now surprised?
“Yes… you seem surprised. Am I… am I not what you expected?” Siuan replied, clearly amused, scratching at her nose.
Nynaeve’s answer caught Moiraine off guard. “More like who. I… I didn’t think you were that Siuan.”
Siuan raised an eyebrow, straightening slightly in her chair. “Who? Which Siuan? Explain.” Her voice took on a hint of the command of the Amyrlin.
Moiraine frowned faintly in confusion. Had Nynaeve heard something about the Amyrlin in the Tower? Was there a plot against her lover she was unaware of?
Moiraine watched as Nynaeve seemed to answer almost in spite of herself, responding to the command in Siuan’s voice whether she wanted to or not. “I heard your name… before…” She abruptly looked awkward.
“Where?” Moiraine broke in, voice carrying a clear tone of command. If there was a threat to Siuan’s life, she was going to find out about it here and now.
Nynaeve looked over at her. “From you.”
Moiraine blinked. What? She’d never spoken of the Amyrlin with this girl. Much less called her “Siuan.” She didn’t even use that name with Lan most of the time for fear of being overheard. “When?” she demanded, taking half a step forward.
Nynaeve glared, challenging her. “When you were dying.”
Moiraine stopped, blinking again in surprise. When she was… oh Light. Had she been muttering Siuan’s name? Out loud? Vaguely, she recalled some of her dreams, or hallucinations, she wasn’t really sure which they counted as. Siuan had figured prominently in most of them, Moiraine clinging to their love as she faced death, hoping Siuan would forgive her for dying. She knew she hadn’t done so in Kerene’s presence, or the rest of the Aes Sedai for that matter. Nynaeve’s poultice had given her enough alertness to prevent that. But still… that meant this girl…
Siuan’s laugh broke her train of thought. “That’s um… sweet, darling.”
Moiraine glared at Siuan without heat. “I—”
Siuan arched an eyebrow and continued without waiting for her to respond. “Dying, hm? You failed to mention that.”
Moiraine flushed, just a little. “It was just a wound. You wanted to see us, Mother.” She emphasized the title slightly, trying to deflect the conversation back to whatever Siuan had wanted to talk to the girls about.
Nynaeve scoffed and both Aes Sedai looked at her. Siuan gave her a clearly questioning look, making a small beckoning motion with her hand.
Nynaeve looked between them again. Moiraine sighed at the look in her eyes. The girl may like Moiraine’s Warder, but Moiraine expected she was about to get revenge for Moiraine’s comment about exercising wisdom. “It was after I found them in the woods. Moiraine had been injured by a Trolloc blade. The poison was killing her.” She hesitated, then added, almost as if it pained her, “If we hadn’t found the Aes Sedai when we did, she would’ve died.”
Siuan pursed her lips, gazing at Moiraine sternly. “When were you planning to tell me about this?”
Moiraine gazed back steadily, calling on her years in the Tower and Cairhien before that. “I was in good hands.” She gestured vaguely at the door and Nynaeve. “And Kerene healed it.”
Siuan’s eyes narrowed. “That’s the wound. The one you claimed was just minor and ‘Lan took good care of you’ wasn’t it?”
Moiraine shifted, searching for a way to avoid confessing. Siuan had asked about the scar the night before and she’d managed to deflect with a few vague comments implying it was an older wound that healed on its own.
Siuan didn’t bother to wait for an answer. “Fish guts, Moiraine! I should feed you to a school of silverpike after all!”
Moiraine sighed again, soundlessly. “I’m—”
“If you tell me you’re fine, I’ll stuff you in the bilge myself.”
Moiraine couldn’t help the smirk. Light, she missed Siuan’s colorful language when away from the Tower. “My deepest apologies, Mother.”
Siuan stood, looking affronted. “You did not.” The smirk broadened, starting to turn into a laugh and Siuan reiterated her words from the previous night. “Don’t smile.”
Nynaeve and Egwene looked between the two women, uncertain. “What the hell is this ‘mother’ thing?” Nynaeve muttered. Her mind flashed back to that first night around the Warder’s fire and she blushed slightly. Is this a sex thing?
Egwene leaned in and whispered, “It’s what the Aes Sedai call the Amyrlin Seat. What’s going on?”
Nynaeve felt a wave of relief. It was short lived, however, as she continued to watch the exchange unfold.
Moiraine’s smirk had widened slightly, and her gaze hadn’t moved from Siuan’s. “Am I forgiven, Mother?” she murmured.
Siuan’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me, Lady Damodred.”
Nynaeve blinked. Okay, maybe it was a sex thing. That was really more than she ever needed to know about Moiraine. Egwene poked her in the side, and she looked over. “What?”
Egwene was watching the two older women in fascination. “What’s happening? Why is she calling Moiraine ‘Lady Damodred’?”
Nynaeve looked back at the Aes Sedai that seemed to almost be measuring each other up. “I think… I think they’re together.”
“Should we… leave them?” Egwene asked, unsure if they should leave the Amyrlin’s presence without leave. Even if she did seem far more interested in Moiraine now than them.
Siuan was approaching Moiraine now, almost looking like she was stalking the other woman. “I should require a penance from you, Moiraine Sedai.”
Moiraine merely gazed back, still smirking. “As you wish, Mother.”
Something flashed in Siuan’s eyes at the term. “Stop calling me that, you bloody noblewoman, or I’ll string you out for bait.”
Whatever Nynaeve had expected from the Amyrlin Seat, this woman that used endless fishing analogies and was apparently in some sort of relationship with one of the most aloof women Nynaeve had ever met was not it.
Abruptly, Lan poked his head in the room. Nynaeve watched as he took in the tableau at a glance and sighed heavily. She wondered what the hell he had sensed through the bond to make him suddenly intervene. A glance at the two women, still engaged in a staring match with similar matching smirks on their faces answered that.
Looking at the younger women, Lan waved them over. “You should… go.”
Nynaeve scowled. “She’s who summoned us.”
“She’ll call you back. Eventually.” The last part was muttered as Lan started to pull them both into the hall. He suddenly stopped, releasing their arms.
Nynaeve turned to see Siuan had raised a single finger in their direction, though her gaze never left Moiraine. “Don’t you dare, Lan Gaidin. I have things to say to them.”
He bowed. “Of course, Mother. It just appeared you wished to speak with Moiraine… privately.”
Both Aes Sedai looked at him, Siuan appearing almost amused and Moiraine the opposite. Siuan glanced from him to his Aes Sedai. “Oh, I do. But it can wait until after.” She raised her finger at Moiraine this time. “This discussion is not over, Moiraine Sedai.”
Moiraine smiled slightly and bowed, far less deeply than she had before. “I’m at your service, Mother,” she murmured.
Siuan huffed and rolled her eyes, beckoning Nynaeve and Egwene back into the room. Once they were both in their previous places, Siuan flicked her hand at Lan, causing him to bow again and duck back out. As soon as he was gone, she pinned them with an icy stare. “You will tell no one of what you have just learned. If even a whisper of a whisper gets out, I will hunt you both down personally and turn you into fish bait.” She smiled, but it was a dangerous smile. This was the Amyrlin Seat. The most powerful person in the world. “Do you understand?” Her voice was soft, heavy with threat.
Nynaeve swallowed her instinct to challenge the statement. One look at those hard eyes, and a glance at Moiraine’s equally icy gaze and she had no doubt these women would follow through. And for all her bravado, she had equally no doubt they would find a way to succeed. She nodded shortly, seeing Egwene do the same out of the corner of her eye.
The smile abruptly, jarringly turned friendly. “Excellent. I do thank you for bringing those details to my attention, Nynaeve al’Meara.”
Nynaeve nodded again, uncertainly. She wasn’t sure what to think of this woman and still didn’t trust either one of them. She watched and listened, glowering, as the Amyrlin, alternating between being the warm, friendly woman that had introduced herself as “Siuan” and the icy Aes Sedai that ruled the White Tower, talked to them about wanting different things and the Wheel. She watched as Siuan occasionally glanced at Moiraine and a glance herself at the other Aes Sedai during one of those showed Moiraine’s gaze fixed on the Amyrlin, a tender and sorrowful look on her face.
“You may go.” The dismissal pulled Nynaeve abruptly back from her thoughts.
Siuan flicked a hand at the door, clearly dismissing them.
Nynaeve bristled, about to retort when Lan pushed open the door. He bowed to the Amyrlin then raised a single, questioning eyebrow at Moiraine. Nynaeve watched as Moiraine smirked ever so faintly and nodded slightly. Lan nodded back then looked over at Nynaeve and Egwene expectantly.
Nynaeve was tempted to stay, challenge the Aes Sedai for more details, but Egwene grabbed her arm and tugged her out of the room. Moiraine and Siuan simply watched them go, expressionless looks on their faces that nonetheless managed to convey their complete faith that what they were asking would happen.
As Lan closed the door, Nynaeve heard Siuan speak again, “So, Lady Damodred, I believe we needed to discuss this information you decided to keep from me.”
Lan shut the door with a faint wince. “Right. I’ll show you the way out. Quickly.”
“Why is the Amyrlin calling Moiraine ‘Lady Damodred’?” Egwene asked.
Lan looked over at her as he escorted them both down the hall. Eventually, he answered quietly, “She is of House Damodred from Cairhien. Once in line for the throne before she became an Aes Sedai. It’s…” He glanced around. “A long standing… joke… between them.”
Nynaeve snorted. “You mean it’s a pet name.”
He glanced at her sidelong but didn’t reply. He stopped them at the end of the hall, looking back toward the Amyrlin’s chambers. Apparently comfortable with what he saw, he looked at them again. “Follow this hall. Take a right at the end and it’ll bring you back to the Hall. Follow the hallway around that and it’ll lead you to the entrance.” He paused, then continued. “I trust I don’t need to remind you to keep anything you have learned to yourselves.” He pinned them with a hard stare that clearly warned of their deaths should they do anything to endanger his Aes Sedai.
Egwene nodded but Nynaeve couldn’t help but ask, “Or what? You’ll kill us, Lan Mandragoran?”
He abruptly smiled. “No. But I know the best spots to use fish bait around here.” He sketched the briefest of bows and headed back the way he came.