Synopsis: A fictionalized version of a series of duels fought between Linka and Melosa. Writing approved by both parties.
Participants: Melosa and LInka
Liquid fire snapped through the air. Linka sur Torrens Mecades pia Soventa, heir to House Torrens, Ward Primary of House Mecades, and Novice of the White Tower was blasted from her saddle. Air exploded from her lungs as she landed on her back on the stony path. Her palfrey whined in confusion, having never known its mistress to lose her seat. Linka gritted her teeth, unwilling to surrender what little dignity she had left by crying. Melosa Beshar, a young Green sister, came down the trail at a slowing canter, unconcerned for any harm she had done to the Novice. Linka had to admit that Melosa had a fine seat on horseback, even if her style lacked the refined polish of life long familiarity. The Green gripped the reigns in one hand and held her other aloft as though ready to form another weave.
“Dead,” Melosa pronounced for the fourth time in under an hour.
“Why?” Melosa demanded. Linka ground her teeth in frustration. It was a hot day even before the series of mock battles, and the woods around the Island of Tar Valon were muggy and close. Innumerable small animals chittered in the trees and brush, as though forming an audience to the ersatz violence that had rent their normally uneventful lives.
“I followed two quickly and ran into your earth weave,” Linka replied as she dragged herself back up into her saddle. Her ribs ached and her legs trembled with fatigue. It had been a hard few hours since Melosa Sedai had suggested they take the theory of the class out into the world.
“Well, you have proved that you can learn one thing at least,” Melosa grudgingly declared, arching an eyebrow as though inquiring if Linka wanted to stop. Linka ground her teeth, determined not to give any satisfaction, even at the cost of her own collapse. The Green Sister wasn’t even sweating, though she had a bruise on her cheek which filled Linka with a certain malicious pride. Their eyes remained locked for a moment and then Melosa lifted her chin.
“Again.”
The two horses canted to opposite ends of the lane and wheeled to face each other. A wind tickled the trees bringing the soft smell of trees and leaf mold. Melosa lit up in Linka’s mind's eye, a strange perception she had developed in the months she had been a student here. Linka drew deeply on the Power herself, filling herself with its sweetness. Fire blazed from Melosa’s hands as they charged towards each other, Linka wove a knife of spirit parting the weave as they raced past each other. Melosa’s staff clattered off her shield and she struggled to call up her own fire but the older woman was already behind her, wheeling her horse. Linka had at first wanted to practice without horses or weapons but Melosa had sneered at the idea. What use was training if it didn’t prepare you for the real thing? Linka hauled on the reins, vaulting her mount up over the shoulder of the gravel path a moment before a shuddering earthquake ripped down its length. Flights of birds lifted from the trees cawing angrily at this new tactic. Linka finally got her weave together, much too late, and hurled it at the Green Sister, a clumsy tangle of fire and air. It was Melosa’s turn to part her weave with Spirit as she turned to pursue. Linka spurred her palfrey deeper into the woods, gaining a few seconds to compose herself. The Green was relentless but not rushed, as patient as an avalanche if somewhat less forgiving of mistakes. Linka reached out and wove a net of earth, inverting the flows as she had been taught. Melosa came through the trees at a gallop, weaves of Spirit forming like great scythes. Linka released her weave and the Green flinched back as the ground beneath her trembled violent, her mount stumbling as pine cones and leaf litter rained down from above, without thought Linka wove the striking flames again and scored a charred line across Melosa’s arm as the other woman spurred through a thicket and out of sight. Linka felt a surge of elation, drumming her palfrey into a gallop that took her through the copse at a sprint, whipping leaves plucking at her white dress. She burst through the treeline, eager to finish the duel and… A wave of ice swept up from Melosa’s outstretched hand, the miniature blizzard aimed directly into the narrow gap in the trees which had been Linka’s only path. Hoarfrost coated the bark pieces of ice the size of oranges pelted Linka’s upper body. She felt her nose break as she was pitched from the saddle to crash down among the bracken, the dense undergrowth saving her from further injury if not indignity.
“Dead,” Melosa pronounced, her voice containing an odd combination of satisfaction and respect as she rubbed the burn on her forearm.
“How did I do that?” she demanded. Linka ground her teeth so hard she felt certain it was audible. She could taste the coppery flavor of blood and cuffed at her bloodied nose with the sleeve of her dress, now little more than rags.
“It was a trick, a cheat,” Linka responded, her temper beginning to flare in spite of herself. The Green’s attack had been a feint, she had used weaves of fire to cover the beginnings of a much longer weave trusting that the impetus Novice would rush after her into the teeth of the trap. Melosa laughed, a sound which had more in common with a hunting jackal than a song bird.
“A cheat? Novice, when you face a Dreadlord, a man or woman who has sold their soul to the Shadow, who has lived for perhaps thousands of years. Do you really think they are going to give a Tinker’s damn about fighting fairly. They will boil the flesh from your bones and leave your charred body for trollocs to feast on. When they are done the only thing left of you will be bones in a midden heap. Do you understand that?”
“Yes Aes Sedai,” Linka replied. The words were bitter in her mouth but she had learned that pride was a luxury in the White Tower.
“So what are you going to do?” Melosa pressed mercilessly.
“I’m going to get up,” Linka replied, her battered body already screaming in protest at the idea.
“And?” Melosa asked, arching an eyebrow.
“I’m going to learn to cheat Aes Sedai,” Linka replied.
“Very good Novice, you have now shown that you can learn two things in one day.”
“Again.”