by Laolin » Tue Dec 06, 2016 9:42 pm
Laolin Rainor surveyed the road from his perched position above a small tavern in southwestern Tar Valon. He hated entering this city full of marath'damane, but Bekkar Altani had trusted the task to him alone. As he waited for the tavern crowd to begin heading home for the night, he looked up to see a raven, clutching a small ribbon, fly across the crescent moon. It was a sign any seanchan would know, and signs were never to be ignored.
To remember.
While trying to continue his watch of the road, he remembered first leaving his father's leather shop north of Seandar to join the Imperial Assistants. He remembered it growing into the Imperial Army, where he joined the Mandarb a'Shar. He remembered Tiq Slakto, an old man with stiff joints, that taught him to horse hop across the land. He remembered seeing Karif ride into battle on his raken while juggling colorful balls. He remembered the reclamation of Kirendad and the devastating loss of the Ever Victorious Army's navy and the seanchan continent.
He chuckled as he said softly to himself, "Remember when Takd stabbed me and ran me haggard out of Tanchico and took all of my stuff?"
A voice behind him said, "Ooooooh, I 'member".
Laolin turned around just in time to see Takd's face before a dagger was buried in his heart.
As Takd pulled the dagger free and let Laolin collapse onto the rooftop, he said, " 'Member the Circle of Ravens and the time I killed a seanchan and an aes sedai in the same night?'
Laolin took one last breath and said with a smile, "Oooh, I 'member." He could only hope that Takd would keep his word to kill a marath'damane that night, but as death crept in, his final thoughts went to Raefnal. He wondered if she would 'member him, because he 'membered...
Laolin Rainor surveyed the road from his perched position above a small tavern in southwestern Tar Valon. He hated entering this city full of marath'damane, but Bekkar Altani had trusted the task to him alone. As he waited for the tavern crowd to begin heading home for the night, he looked up to see a raven, clutching a small ribbon, fly across the crescent moon. It was a sign any seanchan would know, and signs were never to be ignored.
To remember.
While trying to continue his watch of the road, he remembered first leaving his father's leather shop north of Seandar to join the Imperial Assistants. He remembered it growing into the Imperial Army, where he joined the Mandarb a'Shar. He remembered Tiq Slakto, an old man with stiff joints, that taught him to horse hop across the land. He remembered seeing Karif ride into battle on his raken while juggling colorful balls. He remembered the reclamation of Kirendad and the devastating loss of the Ever Victorious Army's navy and the seanchan continent.
He chuckled as he said softly to himself, "Remember when Takd stabbed me and ran me haggard out of Tanchico and took all of my stuff?"
A voice behind him said, "Ooooooh, I 'member".
Laolin turned around just in time to see Takd's face before a dagger was buried in his heart.
As Takd pulled the dagger free and let Laolin collapse onto the rooftop, he said, " 'Member the Circle of Ravens and the time I killed a seanchan and an aes sedai in the same night?'
Laolin took one last breath and said with a smile, "Oooh, I 'member." He could only hope that Takd would keep his word to kill a marath'damane that night, but as death crept in, his final thoughts went to Raefnal. He wondered if she would 'member him, because he 'membered...