Never let your children catch you playing the game of houses.

[Vertex 23]

Rand tried to take a step back but found his path blocked by two members of the pack—there really was no other word to describe them. They were seven in all, small but armed with weapons he could not fight. And they moved as if they were all one great being, communicating seemingly by thought alone.

 

“Mother, Her Highness Queen Damodred, says you will play with us,” the one girl suddenly said, making Rand snap his head around to look at her. She was a deceptively beautiful child, with her Mother's soft, delicate features.

 

“You are said to be the mightiest warrior alive,” one of the older boys said, making Rand turn his back around. Rand knew the tone much too well. His reputation seemed to beg people to challenge him for the title but he had never feared defeat before, and he had not been challenged by kids since he himself was a child.

 

“Do we call you uncle?” the girl went on as if her brother had not spoken. “Because we are, after all, related. By marriage, of course.” Her eyes went to his dirty nails as if saying that she couldn't help what sort of creatures loony relatives got in their head to marry.

 

“Uncle Rand,” one of the smallest boys said, trying out the sound and by wordless consensus, they appeared to agree that the name fit.

 

“So, Uncle Rand,” the boy who spoke first went on, “how exactly do you become the mightiest warrior alive?”

 

“Mightiest warrior alive,” Thom's voice laughed from behind. “His greatest skill is herding sheep.”

 

“Thom!” Rand cried with relief, turning to face his old friend. “Your children are...”

 

“Vicious,” Thom laughed as the two men hugged.

 

Bored with the idea of fighting a shepherd, the boys drifted away to the next most exiting thing in the delegation. But the girl glared at the word chosen to describe her and to make things worse, her father saw the look in her eyes and ruffled her hair as if she was still a baby.

 

“This is not how Queen Damodred has decreed foreign dignitaries to be received,” she said, moving out of reach of her father.

 

“Indeed,” Thom said dryly, “but surely, Uncle Rand is not foreign.”

 

“Technically he is since he is not a tax-paying citizen--”

 

“And since he is your uncle, my dearest Sarene,” Thom went on as if not listening, “we can discuss family matters.”

 

Sarene opened her mouth and got half a syllable out before Thom continued.

 

“Such as the trials of potty training. As a father of several daughters himself, I'm sure Rand can offer invaluable insights.”

 

Sarene closed her mouth, turning pink. She was practically a splitting image of Moiraine, Rand thought.

 

“Where is Moiraine?” Rand asked. He had found that if he only met Moiraine once every decade, her mothering was tolerable if not welcome.

 

“Queen Damodred,” Sarene corrected him.

 

Thom gave her a sharp look that threatened to spill the girl's most embarrassing secrets if she didn't show more respect.

 

It looked painful, but she managed the slightest of curtsies, just a bow of her head and the hint of a crease in her dress behind her knees. “Mother is...um.” She leaned close to her father and glanced pointedly down towards the gate off the palace grounds.

 

Rand turned to look. Moiraine was striding towards them, followed by a living sea of people, surrounding her on all sides. It was all her entourage, Rand realized, and marveled at the social machine of her advisors, guards, and even her six boys. The followed behind her, holding hands two and two like the perfect little princes they were supposed to be.

 

“I have no idea how she does it,” Thom said, shaking his head.

 

“She is the queen,” Sarene said, “she does what she has to and people obey.”

 

“Moiraine,” Rand said when she was quite a far bit away, and headed towards her. He found it a lot less awkward to carefully approach her like one of her advisors than have her approach him.

 

“Rand,” Moiraine replied as he got close. She still looked like the first time he saw her, so many years ago. Awkwardly, thinking it was the right thing to do, given their past, Rand wrapped his arms around her in a hug, and thankfully she hugged him back.

 

“How are you?” she said softly as they let go.

 

“Great,” Rand answered and couldn't help glancing around at the myriad of people watching, and then at the kids who still looked and acted like perfect princes.

 

“And your....marriage?”

 

Rand faked a smile. He knew Moiraine never had approved of her niece entering into a polygamous relationship. “Fruitful,” Rand replied shortly. “Although not as fruitful as yours.”

 

Moiraine smiled, she knew very well that people called her The Queen Breeder behind her back, but had never taken it as an insult and welcomed Rand's gentle teasing.

 

“These are my boys,” Moiraine said, standing aside for Rand to see them all. Brilliantly faking shyness, they shifted sideways, as if trying to hide behind their mother. “Thom was bashful as a child,” she said fondly, “when it served his purpose. Yes, I know you already made an attempt to earn his fame.”

 

The two boys standing closest to their mother, and looking the youngest, had not yet mastered the ability to hide their emotions and pouted.

 

“Just know that if anything happens to Rand while he stays here, I will hold you and your sister personally responsible.”

 

“Mother,” the oldest boy said, looking genuinely hurt. He was clearly the leader and the other boy who had spoken to him before had been a tactical diversion. “would you have us all hanged if Uncle Rand is in an accident?”

 

“Not hanged,” the other boys agreed. “We're too young to die, mother. Couldn't we just go to bed without supper?” They all nodded and it was clear they were trying to negotiate a punishment that would make an accident worthwhile.

 

Moiraine laughed softly. “Never let your children catch you playing the game of houses. They learn too fast for their own good.”

[Marie 73]

Awww that's so adorable

[Vertex 23]

Thank you, Marie!

[Deadsy 19]

It was cute but I still can't handle Moiraine having that many kids

[Vertex 23]

If the average woman has fertility for about 30 years, and has in average two kids in that time (I'm using modern, western averages). Then we can assume one kid every fifteen years in average. And an Aes Sedai can easily be fertile for 150 years, so that'd make them in average, mothers of ten. Actually, I'm not sure how long they are fertile, but I suspect they can be for much longer than 150. So, ten children would be a minimum, especially since WoT women might average much more than two kids in thirty years. Moiraine having seven is practically nothing, in other words

[Deadsy 19]

none of that is relevant. I think she'd drink the tea after she had one or two

[Marie 73]

And then Thom replaces her tea with fertility boosters.

[jan 14]

Oh, that was surprisingly good! Surprising because I never went at the thought of Moiraine having so many kids!

[Vertex 23]

I love your comment the most after Marie's because she went "Aww"

[Kaitlin 22]

Seven is a lucky number.

 

Cairhienin need so many children so they can fight it out properly later on. At least some will survive. It's a survival technique!

 

Sarene is my favorite, and the oldest most sneaky son.

Edited November 10, 2011 by ~Romanda~

[Marie 73]

I read again because it's cute.