Raekal
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(11/1/05 11:01 pm)
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A NEW DAWN HISTORY
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
Down through the sharp mountains the wind swept, easterly through the long foothills and through the area once known as the Two Rivers, now home to the long-dead nation of Manetheren Reborn. Through fields and across farmhouses the wind swept, creating little stir as it past over those working tirelessly to make their livings. Through small villages springing up like wildfire that now dotted the once-barren landscape, the wind moved north-easterly and across the town of Baerlon.
Once home to a thousand types of crime, unlawfulness, and disease, Baerlon was now several times larger than it had been and much richer. Trains of caravans moving in and out of the city constantly proved such. Men leading the trains clutched a flapping cloaks as the wind whipped past, picking up speed as it moved across the loarge stone walls that now surrounded the city, making it resemble Caemlyn more and more. Across fields still marked with the signs of battle, where once the Band of the Red Hand, the military might of Manetheren, had faced the hordes that had flocked to the False Dragon, Ksathra's, banner.
The wind picked up still more speed as it raced across the land, through the slowly thinning signs of life that truely marked Manetheren, and out to Whitebride and beyond. To Caemlyn it swept, pulling with it now clouds and the dark promise of rain. The Queen, standing on one of her many balaconies, clutched her skirts tightly as the wind whipped about her ferociously, watching the storm come out of the west as a foreboding sign. Slowly, she turned and walked back indoors. Servants flocked to her at once as she slammed the doors closed behind her, the wind beating at the panes, frustrated at being locked out.
"Milady," one said, dropping a quick curtsy. "Generals Romison and Aargath are waiting in the Map Room."
"Of course they are," she muttered bitterly, but couldn't be overly displeased; she had, after all, told them to come as soon as they could. Romison had been in the field for so long that he had to have some idea of what was happening, and Aargath had been in Baerlon for very nearly three months, being her eyes and ears within this "Manetheren."
"They send word that they carry good news."
"They had better," she murmured, but her words fell on deaf ears. One servant was alreayd pulling open the doors. The sudden roar of rain drowned out the other servant's words as they hurried into the hall and down the long corridor, the servants leading her along. Outside, she was cool serenity at it's zenith. Inside, she was a broiling hive, boiling with intense longing and anger . . . mainly at herself, for longing so for a man.
It had been only days since Raphael had vanished, leaving no note or word, but in those days, the nobles had pulled back together around her and she was truely realizing how tenuous her rule had become. Restabilizing was not easy, but it was necessary. And figuring out what under the Light that Raphael had been keeping from her was something else equally necessary.THey reached the Map Room and in they swept, the Queen's regal bearing dominating in the room and commanding instant respect. Both generals rose and swept bows at the waist. Both professed to be loyal Queen's men . . . she would see now how loyal they were.
"I have no time for nonsense, gentlemen. So if you will, Aargath, tell me all you have learned." She dropped into a seat without another word. Her instant descent to business brought both men ramrod straight, but then Romison dropped into his seat as well to leave Aargath standing to make his reports.
"My Queen Saveena. I have spent much time in Baerlon, and have learned much about this 'Lord Mandell' and his group he calls the Band. He has amassed a huge following of rebels, misfits, and mercenaries that have all gathered seemingly for the promise of Manetheren Reborn, which is, of course, ridiculous, though the men there seem absolutely adamant about it. They do not talk as loyal Andormen should, but as the pests that they are."
"How do they fare?" Saveena demanded, her eyes boring into the man, demanding honesty in his reply.
He visibly wilted. "Well, milady. This Enlan fellow Mandell found seems to have plenty of money to go around. They have grown an army of around fifty thousand men, all together, though at the time they are scattered throughout the land in what Mandell has termed 'training camps.' The farmers that haven't joined up have increased their yields exponentially, and the markets around Baerlon are thriving. Traders in Caemlyn are even begin talking about how much more profit it is to go west rather than east . . . even with Aringill and Cairhein closer here."
She nodded. So Mandell was improving the country, was he? All the better. When she reassumed control of his petty rebellion, she would be able to swell the ranks of the Queen's Guard with his men and claim the riches of Baerlon as Andor's as well. The man could not honestly expect her to merely hand over such a large portion of Andor uncontested. "And what of the lands beyond? What went on in Tear and beyond?"
"Wild tales come from the south, milday." Aargath hesitated for a moment. "They say the Children of the Light have seen the last of their days and that their order is decaying into chaos. Their Lord Captain Commander was slain during the fighting, and their military decimated between the Band and the Tairen, Illianers, and Ksathra's sworn men battling on the grounds. They say that the sky rained fire and lightning, that men fired by the scores, and that never before has there been such devastation. The Stone never fell, proving that Ksathra was a False Dragon."
"As we all knew."
"Yes, milady. It is said, as well, that Asha'man and Darkfriends mixed within the Heart of the Stone, however, and that Ksathra died at the hands of some Eldrie . . ."
"The M'Hael of the Black Tower?" Saveena questioned.
"The same." Aargath dry-washed his hands. "Well, the Aes Sedai that were there joined with the Asha'man and ended the fighting shortly thereafter, but thousands upon thousands were dead or dying. They tore the land itself apart in order to part the armies."
"A tremendous feat."
"Yes, milady."
"And what became of this Eldrie? My eyes and ears say that an Aran Alandar has become M'Hael, and that his First is Raekal Dunshain."
"Eldrie was captured by the Red Ajah," Aargath went on, glancing at Romison, who steepled his fingers under his chin and returned his look coolly, with no intention to interupt on his face. "Lead the Band and Asha'man on a merry chase, it was said, but one of the Reds seems to have . . . ah . . ."
"Killed him," Romison said suddenly.
"What's this?"
"There was talk of Eldrie being the Dragon Reborn. To prove that he was not, and in a foolish attempt to throw the Asha'man coming after them off their trail, a Red had Eldrie poisoned, and he died."
"What happened to these Reds?"
Romison smiled, somewhat cruelly, and folded his hands on the table, leaning forwards. "Well, Dragon Reborn or not, the Asha'man loved Eldrie. They were not happy about what happened, and neither was Mandell. They and the Asha'man descended upon the Red's camp at night, found it guarded by some Aiel. As messy a sight as I've ever seen. They fought all night long, but then the Aes Sedai with the Asha'man showed up, and it got all confused. Well, to end it, the Aiel that weren't dead were sent running back across the Dragonwall, and a few of the Reds were found unconcious among the carnage. The Asha'man stilled these sisters, and killed one that they assumed poisoned Eldrie in a most horrible way. The others escaped, somewhere. They're most likely still running, haunted by that night's fighting."
"Light," Saveena whispered. "The world seems upside down."
"That's only the half of it," Romison said, and his eyes flashed. He almost seemed to ENJOY this sad news. "All the players in the fight went home afterwards. Seems the Asha'man have some talents in the areas that Aes Sedai don't yet, they all just made weird holes in the air, and away the Band and they went. The Aes Sedai hopped on a boat and sailed back to Tar Valon, but on their arrival . . ." he laughed, low in the back of his throat. "They found their Amyrlin dead, and her Warder, the Grounds Commander, seemingly went mad and hung himself. To make matters worse, the battles in Tear and Haddon Mirk with the Reds seemed to have addled a few Aes Sedai brains, and a few just wandered off into the countryside, dragging their Warders along. One such was Kamariana. A Sitter in high standing, bonded to the Master of Arms. No one's seen her since they returned. Too much even for Greens, it seems."
"I thought you all said that you have good news," Saveena muttered darkly. "So far, all you've told me is how well Manetheren is thriving and how chaotic the White Tower is right now. I suppose you'll say next that the Black Tower is doing well, and that the Trollocs are aiming at Tarwin's Gap once more."
"The Black Tower is doing well." Romison shrugged. "No point in denying that. They've raised a real tower to compete with the Aes Sedai, one that really is black and towers over everything, and they've fought and survived more battles than anyone else has in the land. Rumors say that they've begun raising a army of foot soldiers with the men that they turn away that can't channel."
"Great, another army in Andor. Just what we need," Saveena glowered.
"As for Tarwin's Gap, milady," Aargath suddenly interjected, "It is said that the King of Shienar has indeed sent word to his neighbors for aid to hold soon."
"But they all have problems of their own." Romison's eyes sparkled gleefully. "Tracing everything back to Haddon Mirk, of course. Laura, Eldrie, and Caladin, the three people who can rightfully claim the Sun Throne in Caihein, all died there. Yasha Murikovine, Queen of Saldaea, freshly married to Caladin, seems to have died in Haddon Mirk as well, though her body was never found. But the evidence points to that it was simply buried alongside others without rightful identification."
"Leaving Saldaea and Cairhein both in states of suspension," Saveena muttered. "Light. Amadicia's ruling power cut apart, Tear torn asunder, Shienar facing a growing threat, Cairhein incapcitated, Saldaea leaderless . . . what of Kandor and Arafel? I have heard rumors that Arafel recently acquired a new king."
"A civil uprising that put some young Rahien lad on the throne." Romison shrugged. Arafel is unstable. And Kandor has all but closed it's borders, and no one knows why."
Saveena dropped her head into her hands and stared out a window at the rain lashing the window. And now a storm out of the west, she thought. That can only mean one thing. The final days are coming, and Tarmon Gai'don is approaching. But will the land be united at all to face it?
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man
Bonded to Brenna Selanos
(Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren
(Rahien Shan) -- King of Arafel
(Kylan Du'Val) -- Dreadlord of Mesaana |
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