Fanfic:Aynaiss Gaidar
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Aynaiss barely made to the door of her quarters, the tea kettle brewing over her small hearth shrilling and steaming loudly. She opened the door with a frustrated face, although her face melted at the face of the Gaidin facing her. His look was blank, as they usually were, and he handed her an envelope of smooth parchment with a large seal protecting its contents. Ignoring the height of the Warder, she ripped open the side of the envelope and scanned the scrawl written across the parchment. A summons. She looked back to the Warder, but he was gone, leaving her more frustrated. Whoever wanted her could wait while she drank her tea.
She hurried over to her hearth and unhooked her kettle and poured the tea into a cup. She looked at the envelope in her hands, rubbing the parchment with her fingers and thumb. It was surprisingly smooth, almost too formal for a summons. And the seal? The Mistress of Arms did not usually seal her summonses. Perhaps this is important? Maybe I should go… Aynaiss looked wistfully at the wisps of tea coming from the clay mug, and twisted her lips. She grabbed her tunic, slipping it over her shirt, and left her room.
She arrived at the Training Yard and met the Gaidin that had given her the letter. He brushed aside her greeting and said, “Follow me,” in a monotonous voice. Aynaiss frowned and followed in the wake of the fluid Warder. She found herself in the Channeling Yard after the moments of irritated walking, which surprised her once the Warder stopped.
An Aes Sedai stood silent and peaceful around the center of the yard, dressed in formality with her shawl draped precisely over the round of her shoulders, the fringes swaying as she moved. In the corner of Aynaiss’ eyes a gateway appeared. As if turned around by someone, she swiveled around and walked towards the large square of somewhere else. Hesitating, she looked behind her and was pushed through the gateway by the Aes Sedai, and once she was fully through, the gateway closed.
Thoughts furious and both wondrous left her mouth gaping open like a fish at a stonewall which was where the gateway had been. Aynaiss closed her mouth, a small burst of color rising in her cheek, and then turned around. Her green eyes availed a table with armor and weapons. A small ray of light opened in her mind, a question which she was certain was true. Is this the Raising test? Am I to be a Warder? The thought of becoming a Gaidar banished all thoughts of irritation and were replaced by feelings of curiosity, joy and also ones of fear. What if I fail? Light, I can’t fail…
Her eyes rested on the armor and the array of weapons. If they provided her with armor and weapons, there was surely to be combat. A small feeling of nervousness wormed itself in her gut, but she shoved it down. Aynaiss smoothed her face and ignored the flood of emotions within her. Moving the table she surveyed the armor and chose what she would use.
Aynaiss removed her tunic, tossed it aside and took a leather surcoat. After she laced it, she put on a boiled leather chest piece, as along with leg guards and arm guards of the same armor. Aynaiss removed her boots to bare her feet and began to wrap them with linen. She put her boots back on and started to wrap her hands with the linen wrapping, then fastened hand guards onto them. Once she was finished she looked at the spray of weapons, choices from poleaxes to flails to throwing daggers. Aynaiss quickly picked a sheathed katana, then a quarterstaff with a back harness. She buckled the sword on her left hip and shrugged into the quarterstaff harness that held the weapon diagonally across her back.
Time passed slowly as she stood in her armor, perspiring lightly even with the temperature change. Doors opened behind her with a quietness that surprised Aynaiss, making her jump slightly. She put a hand to her head and realized that she was not wearing her helm, a mistake that could take her head. Scrambling to the table, she donned a metal helm with leather padding and then followed the ushers. Aynaiss was led into a courtyard, Of the Citadel, she noted as saw the impregnability of it.
Five figures waited for her, four of them she recognized as the Warder Council. Gaidin Captain, Mistress of Arms, Master of Training and the Warder-Channeler Representative. The other she did not know was an Aes Sedai she did not know, a gray fringed shawl cradled by her elbows. She bowed low to them all, puzzled by this. Was an Aes Sedai suppose to be a witness? Before she could absolve her thoughts, the Gaidin Captain began:
“Who comes before the Warder Council?”
Light, what was she supposed to say? At that moment, nervousness clutched her belly harder than ever. Words came to her lips, “I, Aynaiss Cuelaen, Ji’alantar of the Grey Tower, come before the Council.” Her heart raced, but the words came out smoothly. The ceremony continued.
“You have trained in our ranks and have been deemed worthy of a final assignment,” said the Master of Training. “Ji’alantar,” he continued, “you are called to prove yourself worthy of the fancloak in the wilds of the Blightborder. You have three chances to approach this task. If you choose to step down today, you may come before us twice more. Once you agree to continue your test, however, you may not turn back without immediate failure. Once you accept your test, you must complete the test or you will be put out of the Tower permanently. Do you wish to continue?”
Heart beating faster, Aynaiss answered with a moments pause. “I do.” Silence followed and Aynaiss felt as if her fate had been sealed, like the contents of the envelope she had ripped open this morning.
“You are called to protect this Aes Sedai, the symbol of your desired duty.” He gestured to the Aes Sedai waiting, a Gray by the fringe on her shawl.
“Return with some token of your struggle; do not return to this fortress until you can bring some proof of your protection before the Council,” he said simply. “If you return without such proof, or if you fail in your protection of this Aes Sedai—if she falls under your defense—you will be put out of the Tower permanently.”
Aynaiss nodded.
“Light guide your sword, and may your test be one of enduring strength.”
Aynaiss looked over on her temporary Aes Sedai, the fringes of her shawl swaying with the gait of her mare. Her riding partner’s name was Amani; a Gray Aes Sedai recently journeyed from Tanchico. She volunteered for this duty, although she had a Warder named Beric, who was probably worrying like mad over his Aes Sedai. Averting her green eyes from the multi-plaited Aes Sedai, she looked straight ahead into the wooded distance. Nothing had happened yet, something that Aynaiss was glad for, and annoyed about at the same time. What token was she to give to the Warder Council?
The Aes Sedai beside her neatly smoothed her skirts and spoke, “Stop worrying, Ji’alantar Aynaiss. Everything will follow as it should, but you should not fail.”
Aynaiss gritted her teeth. That was the third time she had said precisely that, in the same calm voice as each time before. How could the women be calm? She could die in the hands of an untrained trainee and yet, she had a Warder to protect her! How her Gaidin must be hating his mistress’ actions right now!
Spurring her own mare onward, she noted a small trail to her left. “Amani Sedai,” Aynaiss called. “I have found path. Should we follow?”
“Go on,” Amani Sedai ordered coolly, using the reins gracefully to turn her chestnut mare. “Let us see what is down there.”
Aynaiss took a breath, taking in the scent of the area. Natural decay filled the air, the smell of rotting leaves and wet ground. She was glad nothing had triggered her Talent, Sniffing. The last thing that she wanted was to run into a troop of Shadowspawn. However, she doubted that that wish would be granted because she was rather close to the Blight. Sliding off of her saddle, she landing on the damp leaves and unsheathed her katana, taking on the characteristics of the form “Cat Crossing the Courtyard”.
Her ears pricked as she heard a crunch of leaves ahead of her. Waves of something foul wafted past, the unmistakable smell of Shadowspawn filling her nose. She gasped for clean air, but her Sniffing Talent allowed her no such luxury. “Amani!” she warned, “A group of Shadowspawn ahead!” Her Aes Sedai nodded and urged her mare forward. Aynaiss released the reins of her own horse and gave her a gentle slap on her rump to send her over to Amani.
Easing her sword in her hand, Aynaiss entered an opening with a flock of Trollocs huddled in a group. They looked like they were conversing, but when a few shifted positions she noticed the bloody, gorged body in the center of the group. Light! One Trolloc shifted its gaze upon the Aes Sedai and Ji’alantar and snarled something to its comrades. All turned around and brandished their weapons.
Aynaiss glanced to Amani, but she had a look of concentration upon her face. Looking back upon the Trollocs, they charged. Running, they came towards the two women, but were met halfway by a burst of earth under their feet. Several were felled, but many were not stopped. Aynaiss took the sword in her right hand and took form into Apple Blossoms in the Wind, holding her sword in low position. Forming her mind to her sword, she watched the Trollocs come and then struck as she lunged forward and brought out The Swallow Takes Flight, thrusting shortly at the end of the form into the chest of a Trolloc.
She turned and Parted the Silk across the belly of another, blood washing her sword as it parted through leather and flesh alike. She stabbed through the same Trollocs armor, her helm being dusted with the earth that flew with the One Power. Aynaiss pulled out her sword and met with the Grapevine Twines with an axe to her right. She pushed out and down as she twisted her sword over it on a pivot point. As she rearranged her wrist, the axe flew out of the Trolloc’s hands and she let Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose finish it.
In the flurry of swords and weapons, Aynaiss shot a look to her Aes Sedai, still standing, untouched in the rear of the clearing. Her look was still determined, hands held out in front of her, pointing to where future showers of earth would sprout as if in a Novice exercise. She quickly met another sword and then led Arc of the Moon, opening the Trolloc neck. She did Courtier Taps His Fan to another, but was slashed in the ribs by yet another Trolloc. Blood blossomed on her surcoat and she grunted with the pain. Opening with Ribbon in the Air, she fell into a flurry of attacks with Wind and Rain.
Blooding pounding in her ears, nostrils burning with the stench of death and vileness and body aching with numerous cuts and bruises a good deal later, Aynaiss noticed the figure stalking toward her Aes Sedai. Earth showered her helm again as she gazed at the Fade approaching from the woods, eyeless face sending waves of ice along her spine. Something took Aynaiss in the ribs again, over her cut, but this was with a blunt weapon. Pain seared into her brain as she collapsed several feet from her original standpoint, her sword knocked from her grasp. The remaining Trollocs tried to hit Aynaiss, but she rolled over and stood up with a gasp of pain. She brandished her quarterstaff, and ran toward Amani Sedai.
Words leapt from her throat as she sprinted, “Myrddraal! Amani, to your right!” The Aes Sedai looked to her side and the eyes in her smooth face widened. “You focus on the Trollocs, I’ll take the Fade!” Light! I’ll take the Fade? I’m mad! Blood and bloody ashes! After the first words escaped her lips, the Myrddraal turned its sightless gaze upon Aynaiss, his soul-seasoned sword glinting in the twilight sun. “In the crossroads of twilight…,” she began to repeat the old saying, but stopped herself. No, she wanted live.
She held her quarterstaff diagonally, the tip above her right shoulder, butt adjacent from her left knee. Somehow, she felt better protected with this stick of wood than her sharp katana. Her rib throbbed with pain, as if in warning, then the Murk attacked. The Fade struck like a cobra, lashing out with his steel, but was met by her quarterstaff each time. She shoved down and out with difficulty, the Fade much stronger and quicker than she.
Each time the Myrddraal struck, a jolt vibrated up her arm and through her body, causing her ribs to scream. Her teeth ground against each other as she parried the Fade over and over again, never an opening for her to attack. A cloud of dirt drifted over toward her, blocking her view of the Fade. Aynaiss retreated back, nervous about the visibility. The Fade’s sword pierced the cloud, the blade coming dangerously close to her gut. Retreating farther, the Fade eventually followed her out. It was barely blinded by the dust, but there was enough of an opening for her to strike.
Aynaiss feinted a jab to his right side with the tip, then feinted again to his gut, then swirled her staff around to switch the ends of her staff and stab his knee, but was met with his sword again. Dread filled her as the Fade pushed his sword toward her, although with little avail. He slid his sword off her staff and tried to behead her with a horizontal slash, but she moved her staff up and over to meet his sword.
She lept back to regain herself, but was shocked to see a jagged bolt of lightening hit beside the Myrddraal, throwing the Fade across the clearing. She looked to Amani who sat in her saddle, smiling back at her contently. Aynaiss re-harnessed her staff and stooped to gather her sword that had been disarmed. She dashed toward the Fade with her sword in hand.
The Fade lurched back to a standing position, his leg bent at an odd angle. He was still alive enough to be a fight. Darting in, Aynaiss performed Bundling Straw, thrusting her sword in several times to its chest, only twice parried. The Fade staggered back, vainly trying to cut her, but she dodged and cut off the sword hand with her finishing arc and beheaded the Fade on her paired return arc. The head fell onto the damp leaves with a squish, the owning body falling as well.
Aynaiss panted as she wiped the sweat and blood off her brow with her arm. A small smile crept onto her lips as she wielded around toward Amani. The body of the Fade still squirmed as Aynaiss walked toward her Aes Sedai, eyes searching Amani for any signs of injury. “Are you alright, Amani Sedai?”
“I am in sound condition, Ji’alantar Aynaiss. Gather whatever tokens you may like and let us return,” Amani Sedai replied smoothly, tugging on dark green riding gloves.
Two sacks and a single bundle were tied tightly to her spotted mare, one of the sacks wriggling as the mare trotted down the small dirt road. Covered in sweat, blood and dirt, Aynaiss could have felt none better. Her ribs pained and her rump was saddle sore, but she was never happier. Well, except when I was wedded to Jerid… Breathing in the sweet air, she spied the Citadel looming ever closer. Aynaiss glanced at her Aes Sedai, making sure everything was in order, making sure she wasn’t hurt, making sure that everything was still safe. She clucked to her horse and moved over to Amani. “Everything is alright, Amani Sedai?”
“Yes, Ji’alantar Aynaiss, I am safe and well. Now hush, we are near,” Amani said as she looked serenely ahead.
They arrived later at the gates, opening just precisely for them. Aynaiss was commanded to dismount then commanded to show her tokens. She slid from her saddle and unfastened her tokens. From the first sack, Aynaiss produced the Myrddraal’s head, still writhing. She set it upon the ground, taking no notice as it rolled itself around in the dirt. “I come bearing my first token, the head of a Myrrdraal."
