Sickness

[Iris 0]

Lan’s eyes scanned the wooded horizon, the lower rim of the sun starting to sink behind the silhouettes of dark trees. Mandarb’s hooves crunched in snow that nearly rose to the stallion’s knees. The air was crisp and cold, though the cold didn’t touch him. That was one piece of knowledge he could never be thankful enough for—the knowledge of how to ignore the heat and cold. Odd to think he had lived for twenty five years enduring bitter cold winters in the Borderlands, their iciness threatening to freeze the very marrow of his bones. Now, his bones may have been nearly as frozen, but they felt comfortable to him inside his flesh.

 

 

 

“We had better find shelter soon,” came Moiraine’s voice from his left side. Her white mare walked trudged more slowly, the drifts coming up to Moiraine’s toes in the stirrups. Her face peered out expressionless from the cowl of her light blue cloak, framing her pale skin and dark eyes. Perhaps it was merely the cold, but her face looked even more pale than normal, if that was possible. She looked almost as white as the snow itself.

 

 

 

Lan said nothing but continued to peer about cautiously as they entered the treeline. Even with the ability to ignore the cold it would be no holiday having to camp out in this weather, but they were left with no choice. They had fled the last town they stayed at and for all they knew Darkfriends,---or worse, Shadowspawn—were on their trail. Darkfriends would be easy to handle, considering most were about as skilled as farmers with swords compared to Lan, but Shadowspawn would be an entirely different problem. Still, there had been no sign that anything was following them. Moiraine still held the power now, obscuring their tracks with gusts of air.

 

 

 

Less snow covered the forest floor, although a horse could stumble easily in the forest with only a small blanket of snow hiding fallen branches and animal holes. Darkness was falling now due to the shortened days of winter. Even if a good portion of the day was left, they would need to make camp quickly if they wanted to do it in any remnants of daylight.

 

 

 

Lan pulled rein and looked around carefully. Moiraine’s mare came up beside him. He could just make out her profile but his eyes quickly glanced over her and around the wooded area. To the left was a stone bluff rising out of the earth and on its gray suface were a few dark gaps that would be caves.

 

 

 

Lan nodded toward the dark openings. “I think one of those looks more inviting then making camp on the snow.” Lan didn’t needed to see Moiraine’s small nod. He had been bonded to her for so many years now, he could feel her agreement through the bond, a small, clear vibration. As Lan focused on the bond though, he noticed a sensation of weakness. And heat. He said nothing until he drew rein and tied Mandarb to a tall pine that was shaded by a stone outcrop. He quickly moved over to Moiraine’s mare, where she had only just begun to swing out of the saddle. He reached her just in time to take hold of her elbow, reinforcing her balance as she swayed momentarily. He looked down into her hood and saw a face that definitely looked paler than normal, and two cheeks flushed with red.

 

 

 

“Are you well?” Lan asked. He didn’t need her to tell him she wasn’t, but it still seemed natural to ask. He could feel feverish weakness from her.

 

 

 

“I think you already know the answer to your own question,” she said with small smile, but even that looked weak.

 

 

 

“Come,” Lan said, putting an arm around her as if to steady her.

 

 

 

She lowered his arm from her, giving another small smile of appreciation at the worry he displayed, which was confirmed by his bond. “I’ll settle myself. Why don’t you bring our things.” With that she moved alone into the dark opening of the cave. Lan untied their bundles from the horses hurriedly. He could feel her temperature rising. Was she aware of herself, or did she somehow manage to ignore that along with the cold?

 

 

 

Lan entered the cave to find Moiraine reclining against the rough, stone wall, her cloak draped over herself. Lan set their bags down, although he felt the urge to drop them and rush to her. Instead he glided over to her and knelt down, appearing completely unflustered. “Moiraine, you look awful.”

 

 

 

Moiraine gave an amused smile. “Why thank you, Lan. I think that’s the nicest compliment you’ve paid me in some time.” The fact that she could say it proved it was joke. It was hardly a time for joking, but Moiraine could be like that sometimes, when she wanted to downplay something serious. Or hide something. With anyone else she was all cool serenity, but she had to use different tactics with a man who could read her from the inside out.

 

 

 

Lan said nothing but brought his hand to the side of her face, his fingertips sweeping over her forehead. Moiraine pulled back slightly with a wince. He knew his fingers were cold, and on her hot forehead they must have felt like ice. Lan sighed. “What shall we do?”

 

 

 

“What is there to do?” Moiraine replied coolly. “We camp here for the night. And pray. Perhaps it’s nothing serious.”

 

 

“And if it is?”

 

 

 

Moiraine studied his face. While she suffered, he suffered, in a way. And if she died…She didn’t want to think of that. Not for herself, not for Lan, and for the future of the world. “Just pray I get better. In the mean time, why don’t you make us some tea?”

 

 

 

Lan made the tea. He also brought out the food they had packed, but Moiraine was only interested in the tea. She cradled the cup in her hands for a while before drinking it. He could feel she was worsening.

 

 

 

“Sleep now,” he told her.

 

“If I begin hallucinating, please try not to listen,” she said with another small smile. “Even you don’t know all my secrets.” With that she settled down onto her blankets and closed her eyes. Her humor only worried Lan, though. He sat staring at her for a long time, before turning his gaze to the mouth of the cave. Usually fevers had to spike and break before they got better. Light, please let her get better.

 

 

 

Lan had been closing his own eyes when Moiraine stirred in her blankets. Aware of her through the bond, her small body was like an inferno of heat. His heart seemed to jump into his throat as he hurried over to her. He felt helpless. This wasn’t something he could treat, like a wound, and there was no help to be had from others for miles. He always hated to see her sick, when she could always cure him so easily. But he had never seen her this sick before, and all she had was him.

 

 

 

“Moiraine,” Lan said, kneeling down cradling Moiraine’s head in his arms. He smoothed back her dark hair, which was damp with sweat. The fact that she was sweating in this freezing air was madness. “I should light a fire,” he said. She needed to stay warm, even though she was sweating with fever, right?

 

 

 

“No fire,” she said hoarsely. “It will draw attention. Plus, I already feel like I’m next to a fire. Too close to one, to be precise.” This time there was no smile to accompany her witticism. Perhaps she was being deathly serious.

 

 

 

Lan’s forehead creased in worry. And thought. He brought his cold palm across her forehead and she winced, but he needed to bring the fever down. She closed her eyes as if taking in the cool. Beads of sweat were forming along her hairline. Lan realized that his legs were damp where her body pressed against him. He felt her dress. It was soaked and quickly taking in the chill. She would be wearing a dress of ice that she would be thawing with a fever.

 

 

 

Lan pursed his lips and lifted Moiraine up to his chest and began undoing her buttons. “Lan, what under the Light?” Moiraine asked.

 

 

 

“Every stitch of you is soaked, Moiraine,” Lan said pointedly. “This is no time for modesty.” He removed her dress only to find that her shift was even wetter. He looked at, inwardly puzzled.

 

 

 

“And now?” Moiraine asked.

 

 

 

He thought on it for moment. He had already come up with an idea, but he deliberated, wondering how Moiraine would react. It didn’t matter, he decided, this was no time for modesty.

 

 

 

Lan stood up and removed his sword. She wouldn’t think that strange. Then he began removing his boots, then his shirt. By now Moiraine’s eyebrows had nearly climbed to her hair, but she said nothing. He didn’t look at her face. He didn’t want to meet her eyes. It was awkward. Especially as he began to take off his pants.

 

 

 

He knew once he got to his pants she wouldn’t remain silent. “Lan, if you mean to undress yourself completely and lay with me…”

 

 

 

Before she could protest further Lan got under her blanket. He kept his small clothes on. No need to remove that. After all, he wasn’t the one freezing in his underwear. He pulled up the blanket as high as it would go, just under Moiraine’s chin. He finally met her eyes, and his blue were stern looking into her brown. “Take off your shift.”Moiraine’s eyebrows rose again at his command when she was commander between the two. But Lan was determined. The woman could kill herself being modest. “Either you take it off, or I’ll take it off. You’re probably moments away from convulsion. Please.”

 

 

 

Moiraine felt herself soften at the look of worry in his eyes, but she played at being vexed. It was extremely uncomfortable. But he was right. She really had no choice. She couldn’t let herself die because she didn’t want to lay naked with her own Warder. Other Aes Sedai bedded their Warders, and she was simply doing was what necessary because she was ill. She convinced herself as she pulled her shift over her head. The thing was saturated, and she gave small shiver as it left her body, wrapping her arms around herself under the blankets.

Edited November 26, 2009 by Iris

[Iris 0]

:Lan had one more remedy but he knew she would object, so he just did it without saying anything. Reaching a massive arm out he wrapped it around Moiraine back and pulled her bare body against his. Her face seemed redder than before, and he didn’t think it was from the fever alone. She said nothing but laid there as stiff as a poker. For that matter Lan didn’t say anything either. He merely looked away at the dark opening to the forest outside while Moiraine closed her eyes. She knew he knew she wasn’t asleep, but what was there to do?.

 

 

 

Tiredness did start to roll over her, but it was a fitful tiredness that comes with fever. Her breathing had become shallower and she moved her head from side to side against Lan’s chest. She felt pain reaching up through her skull and down through her stomach. Unaware she had pressed her palms into Lan’s chest, her fingernails pressing down. Lan ignored the discomfort of the situation, his mind a storm of worry to contradict his placid expression as he continued to watch the dark forest. Shadowspawn could show up at the most inconvenient times.

 

 

 

Moiraine gave a small whimper that creased Lan’s forehead as he looked down at the little Aes Sedai. Sweat from her face had slicked his chest. He reached over to the tea kettle and poured a cold cup. He wished he could have given her a warm drink. He wished he could heal her, the way she always healed him.

 

 

 

He propped himself up and laid Moiraine back, lifting her head. She had no protests now for the fact that he was seeing her bare-chested. “Drink this,” he said, bringing the cup to her lips. She drank gratefully and weakly. Then he brought her head back down to his chest. He took up her shift, which was coldly damp, and pressed it against her forehead and the side of her face. She couldn’t die. She had to come out of this. Oh Light please let her come out of this.

 

 

 

Moiraine laid there breathing weakly. Lan felt an ocean worry flooding him, as his free hand gently stroked Moiraine’s dark curls of hair. He would try to comfort her. He only wished he could do more.

 

 

 

Finally she fell asleep against him and slowly the fever subsided. He looked down at her pale face, the red flush vanished from her cheeks. She slept peacefully now. Had he almost lost her? He held her tightly against him. It was a terrifying thought.

 

 

 

He could have covered her and left her to sleep while he dressed, but he didn’t. He laid there with her and let his eyes close. Sleep was always light for him, but even a Warder needed sleep.

 

 

 

A small, blue glow of light began to illuminate the cave as early dawn came. A few birds began to call their song, the ones that ventured to leave their nests in the cold. Lan woke as Moiraine also began to stir. She opened her eyes and Lan found himself looking down into those two dark pools. He had woken this way with many women, but with Moiraine the prelude had certainly been different. Still, laying there holding her naked body now felt different than it had last night, when his veins seemed to flood with worry. Now his veins flooded with the heat of his own blood, looking down into that beautiful face that he loved so much. One he really could never live without.

 

 

 

Before his mind could even move to the next thought he was kissing her. She might have been surprised for a moment, but she kissed him back fully. His hands found his way into her hair, then down her back. He didn’t’ let them roam elsehwere, although he wanted to. Instead he just kept kissing her deeply. He felt hard against her, and when she didn’t pull away after another minute, he let his hands move across her more intimately.

 

 

 

Finally the kiss broke, though her face was still close. Light, she had just been sick and now she was breathless, and all because he couldn’t control himself!

 

Awkwardness seemed to creep in again, with Moiraine blushing now. He thought he saw her suppressing a small smile though, for all her bond felt like it was blushing in addition to her face. “I should dress,” she said, her eyes slipping to the side and not meeting Lan’s. “Don’t look.”

 

 

 

Now it was Lan’s turn to suppress a small smile. “Okay,” he said. And was true to his word as he felt her stand.

Edited November 27, 2009 by Iris

[Aleyna 1]

I really, reeeeally liked it!

Oh, the horny, yet blushing Moiraine! xD

You've done a great job with keeping them in character:

 

With anyone else she was all cool serenity, but she had to use different tactics with a man who could read her from the inside out.

 

The woman could kill herself being modest.

 

...so true. xD