Multi-Fandom One Shots

Got You (Moiraine Sedai)

Moiraine and Lan's trek back to Fal Dara was, would you believe it, silent. Both of the them were stuck in their own heads, without the psychic presence of the other. A mistake made by Moiraine. To be fair, though, she'd expected to die and didn't want Lan feeling it. Now, her Warder couldn't feel her nor she him.

The powerless Aes Sedai led the way from the Blight, away from Lan's geographical home, and all she could think about... was you. Well, all of you. Her responsibilities. She wasn't sure she could handle the kids now, without her Power.

You'd help. And Lan. The kids respected the two of you more than they distrusted her.

Her arms ached with the urge to hold you and her shoulders felt cold outside your embrace.

The two of them broke through the Blight and crossed the battlefield. It reeked with the powerful aroma of burnt flesh. Trollocs smelled like rotted flesh from their meals, but they'd been roasted and that took over the odor. They reached the mighty wall and had the good sense to take the path around, their pace sedate.

They came to the entrance into the city and found the kids sitting around the bridge.

You heard them first. Your head shot up and you raced over, picking up Moiraine briefly in your hug. Setting her back down, you burrowed yourself further into her. "You scared the piss out of me."

Moiraine smiled and held you back. "My apologies."

You pulled back, but didn't let her escape your embrace. "Are you alright?" you asked gently. She didn't seem it. She seemed... frail. It was a startling to see that in her.

"Later," she whispered.

"Later is now," you corrected just as quietly. You faced the group. "Not to be insensitive, but we're all shattered and we have a perfectly serviceable palace right here. Evacuated as it is, no black mist is going to attack us this time. Same rooms. We're not leaving until we're all feeling better." You shook your wrists to motion them away. You took Moiraine's hand and dragged her to her room. Once you both got far enough away, you lifted her bridal style.

She screeched your name and clung to you. But she was tired too so she was out by the time you reached the door. You gently struggled with opening the door, but you got it in the end. You set her on the bed and went to pull back when you saw her fist holding the back of your collar. Sighing gently, you climbed in with her, holding her as your Aes Sedai slept.

She slowly awoke, your Sedai. You'd mostly been watching her, worried out of your skull. "Happy wake up," you greeted, not sure it was morning.

She smiled faintly.

"What happened?" you asked quietly, as if the timbre of your full tone would shatter her. Maybe it would.

Moiraine huddled into your hold, hiding from the world. "Rand was the Dragon."

You petted her hair, silent encouragement to continue.

"He fainted soon after we arrived at the Eye. I didn't know what was happening until the Dark One appeared."

Your grip around her tightened. Fear.

"I tried-" Her voice broke. She didn't speak for a moment.

You brought her even closer.

"He stilled me," she admitted.

And your heart stopped. Your blood turned to ice. Her shaking shoulders gave way to freedom for the droplets resting in your eyes. You bowed your head, burying it in her dark hair.

"But Rand chose Light."

You let out a sigh that was nearly a laugh. "So, the Dark One's..."

Moiraine shook her head, actual sobs escaping now. "He weaved with the sa'angreal so it should have destroyed the Dark One, but I think the spell was redirected to a cuendillar so only that was destroyed."

"A seal," you whispered.

"Yes." She pulled herself to sit up.

You followed, not wanting to crowd her, but not desiring to be apart either. She pulled you close and your heart lightening at her own wish's grant for closeness. You scooted closer, wrapping your legs around her. You held her shoulders. She rested her head on your chest. Her sobs wracked the both of you and you just held her through it. She needed to process, understand; you all had to learn to deal with this development.

"Rand's gone," she whispered. "He left. He wants the others to think he's dead, but if this was the first battle, we're gonna need him!" Her voice was so high pitched, she was verging on hysterical.

You held her tighter. "Breathe," was your only order, your only recommendation. You rocked back and forth, bringing her side to side. You'd get through this, you just had to be in the thick of it for now.

The two of you sat together for hours, few words passed between you, the weight of the oncoming war finally unavoidable.

"Ugh," she groaned, decidedly un-ladylike, pulling away from you. It was like a gorge of emptiness between your arms, but you couldn't crowd. Moiraine winced. "I'm caked with filth."

You stood up and pulled the bathing basin into the center of the room. You faced her with a deep breath. "I'll go fetch some water." You turned from the room.

"I can't heat it!" Moiraine called after you.

But you were already out the door. You waved your hand back at her. "La-la! Can't hear you! Too far away."

*

It took a bit of time, but you arrived at Moiraine's door again before the sun rose back over the horizon. You knocked and she pulled it open, surprised to see a long stick over your shoulders, several buckets of steaming water hanging from it.

Awed and concerned, Moiraine moved her hand to levitate the buckets into the room only to find nothing happening. She winced and you moved in. "Not to worry, my love. We powerless know how to get what we need. Or what our love's need. We're good at that." You grinned, filling her basin with those four buckets. "I'm gonna refill these with cooler water, but I have a coal in the fire, a few, actually. We're gonna get it as hot as you need."