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Running. Moiraine was used to running. Over the years, she had stopped counting how often she and Lan had been running from someone. It seemed like there was always someone after them. Whitecloaks, bandits, mercenaries, Darkfriends, or Shadowspawn. But never had they been hunted by such a large group. And usually, Moiraine and Lan were on their own.
Now, they had four children with them, who definitely didn’t completely trust the pair. Yes, they had fought against the Trollocs in the Two Rivers, and Moiraine had gotten injured during the attack, but they were still strangers to them.
Grimacing, the woman of the Blue Ajah dismounted Aldieb. Blood and ashes! Her shoulder was killing her! How long would she be able to continue riding? If they didn’t find a sister soon, the Trolloc poison would kill her!
Of course, Lan felt her pain. Worry filled the bond, and the Cairhien woman felt him closing in on her. She didn’t have to read his mind to know what he wanted to tell her. He wanted her to take it slowly. But they couldn’t go slow. Not with those Trollocs following them.
So, instead of letting her Warder scold her, the Aes Sedai handed him Aldieb’s reins and went straight for the ferryman, who was obviously sleeping. Moiraine had no idea how that position could be comfortable, but didn’t say anything.
The ferryman lifted his hood when Moiraine approached him. “Well, you’ve woken me then.”
Moiraine almost snorted. That man should be thankful. The Trollocs would’ve killed him in his sleep if they hadn’t stumbled over them.
“We need to cross the Tairen. Immediately.”
At first, the man seemed surprised, but then he nodded. “Of course, Mistress, of course.”
Lan appeared beside Moiraine. Someone else must’ve taken Aldieb’s reins. The Aes Sedai didn’t ask and simply looked at her Warder. They didn’t need words to communicate. That ferryman wouldn’t help them because he had a good heart. He would want money to bring them across, and it wouldn’t be a small amount. After all, they had woken him, and it was in the middle of the night.
Sighing, the uncrowned king of Malkier pulled out his bag of coins. He would pay the man.
“My son will be here soon, and then we can….”
The sound of clinging coins caught the ferryman’s attention, and he stopped talking. Moiraine almost chuckled but kept her face calm. “Twice that when we’re safe on the other side.” It couldn’t hurt to give the man a good motivation to hurry. The Trollocs were close, and it would take a while until they were on the other side.
Suddenly, a horn sounded behind them. The children gasped while Moiraine’s stomach twisted painfully. Blood and ashes! Those creatures were closer than expected! They had to hurry!
“Have I not made myself clear?”
This time, the ferryman actually got to his feet. Maybe it had been the horn that made him feel uncomfortable.
“You’re not the type of woman that hears ‘no’ often.”
Amusement filled the bond, and the Aes Sedai almost growled at her Warder. Was that really the time now to be amused?! Besides, why was he amused? Did he agree with the man?
“I am not,” the Cairhien woman responded calmly.
People usually didn’t start an argument with an Aes Sedai. But that man didn’t know who she was. She hadn’t revealed herself to him or shown him her ring.
The ferryman didn’t even listen to her response. He walked to his ferry while Moiraine and Lan returned to the horses.
“Come,” Lan said to the children. “Quickly now.”
Moiraine had only thrown one glance at the children. The fear on their faces was visible, even in the dark. Had they ever crossed the river? Had they ever left their home before? Moiraine doubted that they had. They had only stayed for a day with the people of the Two Rivers, but it had been enough for her. Those people didn’t travel through the world. They stayed in their little village, unbothered by what was happening in the world.
The ferryman looked at the little group when they approached him, then shook his head. “We have to go twice to bring you over. I can’t pull that many-“
“There won’t be a second round,” the woman of the Blue Ajah interrupted the man rudely. “You will take us all with you.”
The man grimaced. “Mistress, I understand you want to travel fast, but I’m one man. I can’t pull the ferry over the river with so many people AND horses on it. If my son were already here-“
Moiraine sighed and nodded at the Emond’s Fielder. “The boys can help you.”
This time, the ferryman looked angry. “Those boys?! They don’t know how to use a ferry! I will not-“
Angrily, Moiraine stepped closer to the man, showing him the golden serpent ring. “We don’t have time for that. The boys will help you. Do you understand?”
The eyes of the man widened when he saw the ring. “You… you are…” Again, the sound of a horn echoed through the air – closer this time.
A shiver moved through the ferryman, then he nodded. “Alright. Let’s get you on the ferry.”
Moiraine released a relieved sigh when the man turned around to prepare the ferry. Yet, she heard him murmur something about ‘bloody Aes Sedai’. Anger filled her, which increased when she felt Lan’s anger through the bond. He must’ve heard the ferryman’s words and wasn’t amused.
The Aes Sedai turned to her Warder and touched his arm. “Peace, Lan. We don’t have time to knock some sense into this man. We need to run.”
Lan didn’t look happy about her words, but nodded. That ferry was the only way to get distance between themselves and the Trollocs.
Moiraine should feel relieved when the ferry was making its way over to the other side of the river, but she couldn’t stop feeling anxious. She tried to focus her eyes on what lay ahead of her, but her body always tried to check on what lay behind them.
They hadn’t heard the horn again, but that didn’t mean the Trollocs had given up. Where were they? Would they close in on them while they were on the water? Would they try cutting the rope? Moiraine could use Saidar to bring the ferry to the other side, but would rather not. The Trolloc poison was moving through her body, and she felt weaker by the minute.
Her hand touched the solid wood. It was an interesting invention. An easy way to cross a river if you couldn’t build or afford a bridge. Had there been ferries in the Age of Legends? Or did they have other inventions? – Things that were long forgotten by now? It would be interesting to hear what people used back then. Surely, it would be mind-blowing to listen to what people had been able to do.
The Aes Sedai had lost much of their knowledge over the centuries. Abilities that got lost, and objects whose functions weren’t known. The White Tower possessed countless Ter’angreals, which no one knew how to use. Sisters – especially of the Brown Ajah – had been killed when they had tried to study them.
Something nudged Moiraine’s shoulder gently. Surprised, she turned her head to see Mandarb pressing his head against her arm. Immediately, Aldieb came from the other side, so the woman of the Blue Ajah was caught between their warm bodies.
Moiraine allowed herself to smile since no one could see her. She leaned against Aldieb’s flank and stroked Mandarb’s head gently. “Thank you,” she whispered.
It was hard to imagine the stallion hadn’t accepted her beside Lan when the Malkieri bought him, back in the days. Whenever she had stepped within reach of his teeth, Mandarb had tried to bite her.
A wave of love rolled through the bond. Automatically, Moiraine’s eyes searched for Lan. He watched her interact with the horses. There was no smile on his lips, but she saw the love in his eyes. He enjoyed seeing Moiraine and Mandarb like that.
The Aes Sedai sent her own love back through the bond, letting her Warder know that she appreciated his reaction. Light! What would she do without that wonderful man by her side?
Suddenly, Egwene gasped. Immediately, Moiraine and Lan were on high alert again. Anxiously, they turned toward the shore they had just left, and Moiraine’s stomach twisted. An army of Trollocs rushed toward the pier with torches in their claws, roaring. Within a few minutes, the entire pier was filled with those creatures. Once there was no space left, they positioned themselves at the shore. It was a frightening picture.
Moiraine’s shoulder started to throb at the sight. They couldn’t fight against so many of those creatures. The army in the Two Rivers had already been almost too much for her. But that… no. She couldn’t fight them, especially not with that injury of hers.
Suddenly, the roars of the Trollocs turned quieter, and the creatures parted to let… Moiraine gripped the railing to steady herself, grimacing when she recognized the hooded figure. Blood and ashes! The Myrddraal had found them. It would force the Trollocs to cross the water.
Of course, Mistress, of course. My son will be here soon, and then we can…
The uncrowned king of Malkier faced the Cairhien woman. She felt his question through the bond. Apparently, he thought about the same thing as she was. They were safe for now. But what should they do once they leave the ferryman? The man had admitted that his son was on his way. When his son would aim for the other side of the river where the Trollocs were waiting…
Moiraine grimaced. The ferryman wouldn’t hesitate to bring the ferry back to the other side to save his son. The Trollocs would kill both men and use the ferry to cross the river.
Sighing heavily, the Aes Sedai locked eyes with her Warder, then nodded. They had no choice if they wanted to increase their lead. She had to destroy the ferry. Blood and ashes! What a waste!