Fanfic:The road to the Grey Tower

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The road to the Grey Tower
Author(s)
  • Christopher
Character(s)
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In the throws of the Battle...

"The Yellows are going to love you." The stern look she in her eyes was replaced by amusement, or maybe it was more like pleased. She followed the Aes Sedai and her Warder; if that was what the man was that carried Isaac. The Yellow strode into a cutlery shop like she owned it.

There were men that appeared to be asleep; if not for the blood that covered most of them. The would be Warder, set Isaac down carefully, and stepped away to make room for the Aes Sedai. She knelt and placed her hands on Isaac's forehead. Isaac jerked momentarily, and was unconscious again. Aiko wanted to reach for him, but the Yellow's eyes made her stay were she was.

"We are going back out there child. Stick to your herbs. I wont have you trying to burn yourself out, or worse killing somebody blindly using weaves you apparently know nothing about." Aiko turned to Look down at Isaac. Perhaps he was safe here, for now. The Aes Seda must think it so, and there were more wounded. It tugged at her heart, but she went back out into the chaos.

She worked on man after man that had been injured. She watched the Yellow, who had been joined by a man in black, and another woman in a beat up dress of emerald green. They were all standing in front of the western gate. They stood still just staring.Aiko did not know what to make of it. The just stood there.

As she worked, she started seeing flashes in the corners of her eyes. It was like staring into the sun and seeing spots afterwards. They lasted only a heartbeat. When she turned to see what it was, it was gone in a flash, but just like the spots they seemed to stay there like an imprint. Strange things followed Aes Sedai.

She didn't know when the noise had stopped. When she realized there was silence, it was like a weight was pressed on her. She was exhausted. Her eyes felt like they were full of sand and grit. Her muscles were water, she could barely stand, but she forced herself to go to her feet. She ignored her wobbly knees.

She looked around the courtyard through blurred eyes. Hadna and a few others were giving orders were to take the wounded. There were more ageless faces than she could count. Shienaren soldiers were running here and there helping where they could. If only she could close her eyes for a moment.

She only thought of that for a blink of an eye. The Yellow was talking to Hadna. The strange thing of it was Hadna was talking to the woman like she knew her. Hadna had said she had trained at the Grey Tower ninety years ago. Wait, Ninety years? She had been so angry she didn't listen to her. Hadna was over a hundred? She could also channel?

Aiko felt hot. She was burning up. A wave of dizziness hit her. Her vision tunneled, and she couldn't breath. Her head spun. The last thing she saw was Hadna, and the Yellow running toward her. All went dark...

What will be...

Aiko woke to a dark room, she was startled at first until she realized she was in her own bed. She had the most terrible dreams of a battle, and commotion. She took a deep breath, and dressed herself. She had to shake this dream. After she had washed her face and was clothed, she left her room. When she left her room everything came rushing back to her. The Yellow Lieselle was standing near the fire, and Isaac was on a cot near them. It wasn't a dream. She felt faint again. She crossed the room.

She ignored Both of the women, and place her hand on Isaac's head. She did exactly what she had done during the battle; she let instinct take over. The feeling flowed through her, and into him. He was stable, and sleeping. Lieselle yanked her hand off violently.

"You idiot, you have know idea what you are doing. Do you want to damage him. Can you even see the flows that you are weaving? You are trying to guild a boat through the fingers of the dragon blind folded. Everything that can be done for him has been done for now.He is sleeping, and healed. I want you to come here with me and Hadna; there are so many things that are going to change for you, from this point on, and you have no choice in this."

Aiko's eye brows drew down. She could be more stubborn than a mule. She took one last look at Isaac, and reluctantly followed the two women to the table.There was tea, and it was poured without so, much, as a Would you like a cup? Aiko poured her own. Both women had serious looks on their face's. The Aes Sedai was more like a bird of prey looking right at a rabbit. Handna look more like a mother that was about to announce something.

"Well, out with it! I am tired of the stares! I am tired of all these stories!" Lieselle Sedai hissed. "You can wait your turn Aes Sedai. I am no novice yet! I have had it with this! Now I want you, Hadna to explain some things to me! Now!" The Aes Sedai was throwing daggers with her eyes, but she was silent. Aiko was not backing down. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. Hadna stared at her tea for a moment, she looked like she did not want to go forward with the conversation.

"I told you most of your story already. Your mother was an Aes Sedai. You and Isaac are twins, and I placed you here, and that is that." Hadna looked to the Aes Sedai for help. Leiselle's face was emotionless, but her eye's had fire behind them.

"Child I am going to tell you once, and once only. You ever use that tone with me again, I'll turn you upside down and make you wish you had no tongue." Aiko had a defiant face, but it was stilled by the arch of the Aes Sedai's brow. "Your story is not going to change. I knew your mother. I'll give you her name, but she disappeared from the Grey Tower going on twenty years ago. You lashing out in anger is not going to change that fact." Her eye's hardened, to drive her point home. "Now, you only have one choice in this matter. You have to come with me to the Grey Tower. This you must know; the Grey Tower lets no one slip through there fingers. You may not even become an Aes Sedai, but you will be trained until we know you will not hurt others, or yourself. The ability to channel is a powerful responsibility, and you will learn it." She arched her brow once more to see if Aiko would resist. "Now, do you understand everything I have said?" Aiko still had a defiant look on her face, but she was slowly backing down.

"Aes Sedai, is Isaac going to be alright? He is still unconscious. If I Healed him shouldn't he be awake by now?" The Aes Sedai looked at Isaac.

"I can tell you this. He should be fine. During your Healing on him,you lost control. You were just about to burn yourself out. I had to shield you, but I think your connection had already been broken. What I saw you weave was almost a crude form of a weave I learned long ago. You wove it like someone that was already trained. I will be bringing your brother and you with me in the morning when I leave. When we are on our way I am going to teach you things that most novices can do after a few months of training, and a few things about Healing. I and do not know how long you have been channeling. I want to make sure if you have a block, that it is gone by the time we arrive at the Grey Tower. Hadna is joining us, as well to help me with the both of you. Now, try and get some rest, we leave in the morning."

Aiko's mind was spinning; she was to go to the Grey Tower, and she was going to learn to channel? She stood, with one last look at Isaac, she went to her room.

She laid awake most of the night. It was morning before she knew it. It was going to be a long trip.

She packed Sluggishly, and she packed light; per the Aes Sedai's instructions. She had been told to pack only her warmest dresses and cloak. Lieselle told her she would be provided the necessities, if Aiko did not posses them. When she was sure that she she had everything she needed, she looked around the small cottage,and turned her back on it. I twas not to be her home any longer. She shut the door behind her, and made her way to the main courtyard of the outpost.

To Travel...

Aiko was standing in the courtyard in front of the Stronghold. She was dressed in her heaviest woolen dress. The was a sharp wind coming from the north; it was chilling to the bone. She was holding the reigns to her Grey and white spotted horse; named cloud, for the patterns on the mare. She stood there in silence watching the bustling that was going on around her.

There was a steady stream of people coming in and out of the stronghold. The Aes Sedai were in a circle conversing. Their mouths were moving, But Aiko could not here a sound coming from the circle. There was gesturing between the Greens and the Yellows. Heated more on the Green's side. There were a few Blue's that held up fingers,and a couple of Browns; one writing in a book, the other tapping her finger to her lip.

Aiko really did not care what they were saying. Her brothers and her fate were sealed. She was going to go to the Grey Tower; tied up in a bag if must be. Her brother was going just in case he could channel as well. She looked to the cart that was going to transport him. His color was the same, and he was still unconscious.

She was so worried that she had hurt him. Lieselle said that he was healed, and her connection to him was broken. Lieselle was an Aes Sedai, and she could not lie, so she had to be right; it did not stop Aiko from worrying about him.

Aiko noticed the Aes Sedai and the Ash'man moving in different directions. The Greens and the Blues were headed back into the stronghold. Lieselle and the other Yellow Asha'man were headed toward her; they were followed by the two Browns, and all of the warders. Aiko wondered what she was going to experience next.

"OK child, we are going to be on our way in a moment. There are some rules that must be followed. Once we enter the Gate way you will not go near the edges. You are to stay in the center with the cart." Lieselle's predatory gaze tried to nail her instruction's home. Aiko was to tired to argue with her. She just nodded slightly; she would do as she was told.

"We are not going directly to the Grey Tower. We are going to skim to somewhere near Maarken." Aiko was lost to all of this. She raised a brow. "Hadna has resources there." Aiko nodded once again without feeling.

The Aes Sedai all move to the center of the of the courtyard. Aiko thought she saw a brief flash of light around one of the one of the Brown sisters. A bright line of silver slashed into view. It rotated in the oddest way; Aiko could not explain that rotation, but once it rotated there was an opening into complete blackness. A dark that seemed so black that it would devour all light.

"Aes Sedai?" Lieselle Sedai turned. Her eye's were still Stern. "Are we safe in there? It is darker than a moonless night." Aiko shivered when she stared into the opening. The Aes Sedai just stared into Aiko's eye's for a moment; perhaps try to word what she was going to say.

"Child you will learn all these things once you are safe at the Grey Tower. There is none among us here that has the talent of full Traveling. Saraea Sedai does have a slighter gift in something called Skimming. That should be an oddity, because they are almost the same thing; they a have studied it,but could not come up with an reasons about this anomaly." Aiko's confused look must have spurned her to add to her description. Skimming is a way to carry us a long distance in a short a amount of time. It is much safer and faster than riding all there way there with wounded. Concern yourself with that right now, and be silent!" The Brown that was named Saraea. Motioned every one forward.

Everyone moved in silence, and in apprehension. The wounded were led into the hole in the air. Then the Aes Sedai flank them,and direct he rest of them into the center. Aiko was amazed there was light surrounding the barge that she stepped onto. She felt someone grab her hand, and squeeze it. It was Hadna. She was wearing a slight smile. It did not change Aiko's mood. Even though there was light to see around them, that darkness that surrounded them made her hair stand up.

When Saraea swung the gateway shut, the barge felt like it was moving. There was nothing to suggest it was moving, she just knew it was.

Hadna broke the silence. "Girl, I never deceived you. Master Navoo was the first to ask to care for you has his own. His family was taken by deadly fevers. He lost his wife, and one of his sons. He had Elias left. I assure you he loved you, and Isaac, as his own." Aiko eyed her with contempt. "When you are ready Lieselle, and I will divulged the name of your mother. She told me that she has not been in the Tower for at least twenty years, but if she is alive, she can be found."

"Hadna, that is the least of the worries on my mind. You made everything I have known all my life, fade away like smoke in the air. My brother is hurt, and it was mostly likely, my fault. On top of everything else, I am being shipped away from my home to study in a strange place, and I do not even know if I want this cursed gift. I would rather be at the outpost doing what if have training to do the last few years." Aiko's voice held no heat of anger; no quite the opposite, it was so cold, Hadna she be a block of ice. I need a few days to contemplate this, so let's forestall any more explanations for now." Aiko let go of the woman's hand, and turned her back on her.

Aiko had a lot of time to think. The barge seemed to move, but it was not moving at all. They stayed surrounded by the eerie darkness, floating peacefully; like there was anything peaceful with the looming darkness. She tried to focus on her immediate thoughts instead of her surroundings. When that did not work, she went inward to deal with her struggles for the moment.

She was on her way to the Grey Tower. She was able to Channel. Her younger brother was her twin. Her father was not her father, and her older brother was not her brother. Her mother was an Aes Sedai.

She could not dwell on this. She was strong and she knew she could overcome this. She was not a little girl. Pouting did not make the rain stop. She decided to face Hadna.

"So, they thought Aes Sedai were not supposed to have children when I was conceived?" The look on her face was still cold; she wanted answers that only the woman in front of her could answer.

Hadna had struggle painted across her face. Aiko was not about to let her wriggle out of this. She was about to speak up, when Hadna spoke in soft tones that were riddled with compassion.

"When me and your mother went to the Grey Tower it was almost unheard of for an Aes Sedai to be with child. Aiko I am only going into a little detail until you know what the Grey Tower is like. There are customs that are so deeply ingrained to the Initiates of the Tower that they might has well be laws. Your mother did what she did because of those customs. If your mother would have been born, in the here and now, I would never had had the chance to have a daughter to call my own. I consider you mine." Aiko felt tears run down her face. They both were teary eyed, as they embraced.

Aiko was being so selfish, she had not realized that she was cared for better than a real mother or father, and she was spared ridicule.

"I am sorry Hadna. I could not think through all of this. I don't know about you, but I am exhausted." Hadna's weary eye's were more than just a spoken word. "When does this barge..." She felt a slight slowing. Nothing that could be described. It really was not moving. She slash of silver light swerved, and there was daylight. The was also snow swirling.

They exited the same way they entered; first they moved the injured, then the people, finally the Aes Sedai. She shivered when the slash winked out. She thought she could still see the slash, but she dismissed it, for spots from the sun.

Lieselle seemed to take the lead. She barked orders to lead the injured west. They were all to be mounted, and were going to surrounded by the Aes Sedai, and their Warders.

Aiko and Hadna mounted. She pulled her hood up against the wind, and snow. She could see mountains in the distance. That was were they would end up. Somewhere there. She sighed. She could do this.

The third Camp...

The third day that they made camp was even more frigged than the first. Aiko and Hadna sat in silence. They had been given a steaming bowl of lentil, and carrot stew. She was listless. She was no longer angry with Hadna, or with the situation. She was resigned to it. The only thing that was her concern was Isaac.

He had yet to become conscious. He laid there, as silent as, a dead man. She was loosing sleep over this. How could she rest until he was better. Her thoughts were disturbed when a blast of cold air ripped through her tent. Saraea Sedai smiled, as she entered the tent.

"I forget how cold it can get sometimes." She sat gracefully. "Child, I am here to test your abilities. I wont take any fuss. This is something you need." She gave Aiko a playful look of sternness. Aiko was doubtful that there was anything playful about this Aes Sedai.

Hadna stood to leave, and Saraea motioned her to sit. "You should be here. You have known her all of her life. She might feel more comfortable, and comfortable is what we want after all..."

The more Saraea pushed her to be calm, the more she became enraged. There was all of this guiding by surrendering nonsense. How do you do anything by surrendering? It sounded like a bunch of goat's gas to her, but she went along with it until the Aes Sedai left her tent.

Aiko twisted herself into her blankets. She was told to feel this, and imagine that; she felt like they were telling her to hold fire with her bare hands. She had felt nothing; maybe they were all mistaken about her channeling. She had almost waited for someone to ask her to croak like a frog.

"Before you say anything. I do not want to talk about it. I want sleep.

When she finally drifted to sleep, all of her dreams had to do with battles. Men dieing, or being wounded. She saw miles of terror. She wanted to help them all, but there was so many of them.

"Help!' She sat up, sweating. Sure, she thought one night I can sleep, and nothing except nightmares. Hadna was already up; her bedroll was rolled and packed. Aiko dressed quickly, she had no idea if she had over slept. They would not have left her. No, they wanted her, but were was everyone?

She exited the tent, and looked around. Everyone was gathered around one area. There was a commotion. She lifted her skirts, and ran. When she broke through the lines of people, she was mortified. There were injured. Lieselle turned, and looked her up, up and down; something like a blacksmith looked at a hammer he was about to use. She backed up from the gaze.

"Child I need your help. They may have been attacked last night on patrol. You can Heal, but you must surrender." Aiko had failed to embrace for hours the night before. She could not do this!

"I could not Aes Sedai. I couldn't do it. I felt nothing."

"You healed the night I met you. Are you going to help me? Or are you going to stand there. Just do what you did that night." Hadna handed Aiko her bag of herbs. Lieselle was already working her way through the men.

Aiko went to the first. It was a man. That was all she could tell. There was so much blood. She tried to feel around for broken bones; she felt nothing broken. There was blood everywhere. Where was it coming from?

Something opened inside Aiko, she knew the feeling; that feeling was there when her brother was wounded. She was grateful for it, and she let herself unfold. That sweet light filled her. Her eyes opened to five ethereal threads wove into a pattern of lace. When the lace work touched the man, she was confused.There did not seem to be...

Aiko looked at Lieselle. Then she looked down at the man. Everything shifted. There was no blood, no wounded... Aiko saw dark and passed out.

The fourth Camp...

When Aiko had came to the next day, she was in her tent. She could feel the cold baring down on the walls of it. The wind was blowing in gales.She shivered, and tucked herself deeper into her blanket's.

She replayed what she had went through in her head. She was in shock. There was nothing to heal. It was all a staged illusion. She had to admit she felt free of restraint. She did not know if that scared her to death, or excited her to disbelief. She sat up.

She had know idea how this worked, but she had been taught by Saraea how to achieve it. She closed her eye's and took several deep breaths. She had no image of a flower, and no creeks or rivers. In her she was the calm; a motionless body of water. The light flickered, one moment there, and another not. She kept the smooth plain of water that was her calm. There was nothing, but the smooth plain of water, and a light that formed in her minds eye. She felt something in herself unfold, and open. The light rushed to fill that open space in her.

When she opened her eye's, everything was amplified. She could smell the fires burning like they were in the tent. She could smell Hadna's scent heavily. Her sight was amazing, she could see everything ten fold. She was in the Creator's hand's. She savored every moment.

One moment of joy, and everything started to flood. The light was filling her rapidly, and pleasure turned to pain. It was like she had needles piercing every part of her mind. She started to drown in the lake she imagined. She tried to let go, but she was sinking. Lieselle rushed into the tent. Aiko was panicked. Something pried her from the light, and she fell into the Aes Sedai's arms. She was panting for breath that was not coming easily.

"Do, you want to burn yourself out? Do you have a death wish? The life after touching Saidar, and then you you do not feel anything. It is more than most women can take. Sometimes the Grey Tower arranges a marriage. Sometimes it works, but most times the woman burned out dies; either they refuse to live, or they kill themselves." Lieselle was stroking her hair, as she spoke. "You are not going to be one of those. You are going to make it." Lieselle lifted Aikos chin so that they were look in eye to eye. "You are now considered a novice. Your name might not be in the book, but you are under my care." Tears fell from Aiko's eye's she was so scared. " Now, sit here with me, and attend. I am going to walk you through the most basic of exercises. You will only focus on what I say, and nothing more." Aiko did as she was told. The lesson was grueling, but she had finally learned how to regulate what she held to a certain degree. She was sweating at the end of it, but she did it.

The next few Weeks...

Aiko was on her horse riding slowly, and dozing off; every nod of the head, she blinked her eye's. Last nights lesson lasted until hours before the sun would rise. Lieselle and Saraea were pushing her hard. She was asked to embrace. Then she was asked to watch their flows. Everything they were making her do was to prepare her for the Grey Tower. She was told every night, that this was nothing com paired to what she would go through once there.

She turned to Hadna riding next to her, "Are they going to ride me to death at the Grey Tower? I am falling a sleep in my saddle." Hadna turned with a look of compassion.

"It will be harder than anything you can imagine. I think you can succeed. I have seen the small things you can do, and I have seen the potential for something good. I was at the Grey Tower for eleven years, before they released me." The regret was plain on her face. "I want you to focus. You have it in you, and I have seen you pick up on the weaves Lieselle Sedai has shown you, especially the Healing weaves."

"I can do it she nodded off again. She just needed sleep, but she was doubtful if she would get any of that tonight.

The village of Maarken...

When Aiko saw houses in the distance, her heart raced. She imagine a bath so hot it turned the skin pink. She also though about food. Something out of an oven; it did not matter what it was, as long as it did not have ash and soot in in it.

The whole group of them approached an Inn. Lieselle made her commands, and entered the Inn. Aiko wanted to be inside. She stayed on her horse. She was wondering if the Aes Sedai could accommodate the entire group, and the injured. She was surprised when the Aes Sedai, and her Warder following behind; announced that they were to turn their horses to the stable. They were all weary. They did, as they were told.

Aiko was escorted to her room. She and Hadna would be Chang the bed. There was a bath drawn, and there was steam floating from the surface of the water. She looked at the bath, and then looked at Hadna.

You can take the bath, I am going to go down stairs. I need to catch up on somethings. She left, and She undressed. The water was scented with rose oil. She let the heat melt her bones. She felt all the weight of the journey melt her. She ran her fingers through her hair, and rolled a towel to tuck underneath her neck. Peace!

She felt a tingle. It was something she felt when she was learning to channel. She crack one eye open, and there was nothing in the room except her. She closed her eye; she needed peace, and quiet.

The door to her room creaked. Aiko imagined the peaceful body of water. The light was there. She embraced. She stood, opening her eye's. She wove a flow of Air. She was not exactly sure what she was weaving at; other than the direction of the door.

She watched Lieselle hit the ground. Aiko formed something she could not describe, But if Lieselle wanted to attack her she was ready. The halo of light surrounded the Aes Sedai. Her pale eyes, looked up at her. A thick flow of Spirit shut off her connection to the source. Aiko was helpless.

Aiko jumped from the tub. She could reach her belt kni...

Aiko never had a chance to reach her knife. The air around her froze solid. She was in the middle of a step; one of her legs was raised, the other was still in the tub.

Lieselle Sedai stood, and walked right up to Aiko to stare into her hazel eye's. She smiled. The predatory look in her eye's never wavered. Aiko gritted her teeth. She was neither ashamed of her nakedness, or the fact that she was bested by this woman.

"Well, you have been paying attention. You embrace without a thought. That means I am doing my job. I want you down stairs. Now. you need to eat and we need to make plans. The Grey tower is three days ride, and the progress you are showing, I want you there yesterday. Get dressed.

The air was not solid, the second the door was shut, and she fell face first to the floor. Great, She thought, it is time to become a slave. She dressed quickly, Lieselle was not known for her Patience.

When she entered, all eyes turned to her. Se felt heat in her cheeks. Se wondered if the Aes Sedai told everyone what transpired upstairs. She sat in the only empty chair. The food had not been brought in yet, but she sipped a glass of wine.

"We have decision to make," Lieselle announced. "The boy would be safer here for now. Hadna has agreed to care for him. He doesn't seem to be enraged around her; maybe due to knowing her, or other things that are not spoken. I will take the girl to the Grey Tower. Saraea is going to stay, and aid Hadna; she is well versed in trauma victims. She also has some degree of talent in Healing. Once the girl is safe, I will return, and see what we can do to bring him out of this. I also..." Aiko broke into the ramble of words.

"I am that girl! That boy is my brother! I happen to be sitting in is room Aes Sedai! Speak to me what you plan! If it concerns me, and my brother. You address me!" Aiko was beyond angry, she wanted to smash the woman's face into the table, until she was a bloody mess. The cold gaze that came from Lieselle, and Saraea shut her mouth.

"What have you been told about speaking to an Aes Sedai before you are addressed?" Saraea had a stern look that might have been motherly if she did not have fire behind her eye's. "You may not be signed in the novice book, but you are a novice. Be silent, and let us decide what to do." Saraea waited until Aiko's lips shut, before she continued.

Sister, I know enough to know the boy is suffering from delusions. I have seen warriors go through pain, and even relive them over, and over again. This child is not is not all the way in our reality. I think he may have been influenced by the One Power. We were both in that battle. There were volleys thrown back and forth, but the soldiers were right in the mix of things. He could have suffered a mental attack." She frowned in disgust.

Lieselle nodded. "I have a few friends in the Yellow that are experienced in this type of healing. I will send out word for them. The best thing we can do right now is keep him safe from himself, and us. I will leave Afron here, and I want you to skim us the rest of the way to the Grey Tower. The faster we get Aiko there, the better it will be for her." Saraea nodded.

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow. I think that is best."

Aiko tried to eat, but everything turned to dust in her mouth. She was going to a place that was undesirable for her, and they were separating her from her brother.

The state of Isaac's Mind...

Aiko tossed, and turned. She had too many things going through her head. here was so much that she had to do, and learn; not by choice, she would give this up to go back to her life. Se needed sleep.

She decided to run through the calming exercises that she had been taught. She was drifting on placid lake. Her thoughts slowed. She was drifting in the peaceful lake. She fell asleep with dreams nagging her, but she slept.

A great crack of thunder shook the roof. Aiko sat straight up in bed. Hadna was woken, as well. Another bolt shook the sky; it lighted up the room enough to see Isaac standing in the room. Aiko got out of the bed. Hadna tried to grab her arm. Aiko snatched it away, and muttered that it was her brother. She approached him slowly, she did not want to scare him; he was delicate.

"Isaac, it is me Aiko." The restraints were frayed, and dangling from his wrists and feet. There was blood dripping from them. She was frightened, but she kept her slow pace toward him.

There was another lightning flash, and a boom of thunder that shook the roof. He had the look of an animal, that was about to devour his prey. He was panting like he had ran a mile. There was something wrong with him, but if only she could get to him.

"Isaac, let me help you. I will take you back to bed. Your are not well right now. You need your rest. She reached out her hand.

He was swift. He snatched her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back. Aiko thought he could break her arm with the force he used on her. She stayed still, and made no move to defended herself. He began to whisper into her ear. The voice was not Isaac.

"I know you. You hurt me, and you tried to kill me you witch." Aiko could feel his breath on her neck. Do you know what I will do to you instead? I am going to cut you from head to toe. I will only inflict superficial wounds. You can die slow. You wanted me to. So, who is the strongest now?"

Aiko did not know what to do. She was trapped. Hadna was on her feet,and trying to edge her way along the wall. She had succeeded get halfway to the door, before Isaac turned his hazel gaze upon her. He turned with Aiko.

"You must die too old woman. You take a step further I'll snap her neck, and you know you can not make it to that door before I'll get you." He whipped Aiko to face him. "You will die either way you witch!"

His large hand's gripped her neck, she struggled at first, but she had something he did not. She was seeing black and silver specks of light. She felt herself unfold inside. Saidar flooded her. She remembered what Lieselle did to her earlier. She looked through foggy eyes, and she thought Sorry, Isaac.

She flung a flow of Air at his chest. He flew against the wall, and his head rebounded against the wall. She did what Liselle had done to her; she bound him. Tears were streaming down her face. Hadna rushed to her, and wrapped her arms around her.

"Did I do that to him? Please say no. That is not Isaac. That is not him.she turned and hugged the woman that had been her mother. The door opened, and the two Aes Sedai rushed into the room.

"What happened? We felt channeling."

"My brother tried to kill me. If you do not figure out how to heal him I will. I want to go to the tower."

Skimming to the Grey Tower...

Aiko walked her horse through the the gateway. She had nothing on her mind. Her brother was lost, and she had to find someone to find his way home. If that was not possible; then she would find her own way through to him.

They were all silent. She was glad for it. She did not to hear a word o what happened last night. She took a deep breath. This would be fine. She wiped a tear from her eye. The Gate Way opened. She mounted, when Lieselle was ready, and she tucked herself into her cloak.

"We are an hour's ride away from the Grey Tower. You will be signed in the novice book. It is where you belong Aiko. You Have something I wish I had; you have the talent that is only matched by your instinct. Let us get on with this. I have messages to send, and you to be in white.

Aiko rode in silence. She was going to figure out a way to heal her brother.