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sixth-light · 4 months ago

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WoT 3x01-3x03 thoughts

Book spoilers aplenty! Cut for those and length because I had more to say than I thought.

These are basically random things that stood out to me, assume I really enjoyed all 3 episodes and think the show has really hit its stride as of this season, as someone who has enjoyed it from the start and is a book fan from way back.

I continue to just be deeply, deeply grateful that my very first early-teens fandom is giving me a big-budget adaptation which is almost perfectly tailored to my interests and tastes as a middle-aged queer woman - like, that certainly hasn't happened with other adaptations of stuff I've loved, I know this adaptation doesn't hit that way for everybody who loved WoT as a teen, but it is more or less perfect for me and what a profound gift that is.

On to random thoughts:

These people like each other!!! Possibly the key reason this show works so well for me is the script and cast sell 100% that these are people who like and care about each other, not just in the big moments but the little stuff. The platonic chemistry is so bonkers good across the whole main cast. There was a bit of tonal whiplash in 3x01 from big setpiece battle to People Just Chillin' but I am willing to forgive it because I love the Just Chillin' bits so much. Mat making a dick joke about the White Tower and Egwene/Rand/Nynaeve reacting perfectly in character? No notes.

Much has been said about that big setpiece battle because it's been out a while but I genuinely do appreciate a show that lets a bunch of middle-aged women go to town in mortal magical combat - it makes me think of that infamous anecdote about the MCU female actors being told to not move their faces in big fight scenes because it looked bad - this is like the polar opposite of that. Love it.

Controversial take but I do think the choice to only show one key part of Egwene's Accepted test was the right call. Doing a whole episode focused on Nynaeve's means we know how it works, and they did one very effective scene to ram home the key conflict for Egwene right now. They get eight hours a season, it's fine.

The bubble of evil (with the twist of Lanfear doing it with Moiraine's contrivance!!!) was so well done. I was a bit confused by Mat and Nynaeve's scene because as a book reader I fully expected the cards to attack him but on a second watch I don't think I would be. The axe cutting off Perrin's wedding ring???? goddamn.

I was spoiled (happily) for the Avilayne hook-up scene (!!!) and it is early for that, but I like that it was played very much as a hook-up where both parties would like to take it further if they get a chance but can't be in the same place right now, I think that's going to lead both to some sweet future romance and some very funny Elayne-Aviendha-Rand dynamics. If we ever get Aviendha extolling Elayne's skill in bed to Rand in an attempt to get them to hook up, or vice-versa, I will die (complimentary). MAKE IT HAPPEN R2J2.

They're really letting the weight of compounding trauma hang on all the main characters, not just Rand, and it's making the big fantasy arcs feel grounded. But also...oh, babies, you've got so much more to come.

I'm glad Moghedien is very effectively creepy (it is so easy to forget HOW creepy she is at the start) but I hate and am bored by torture scenes so like...less of that in future I hope, except we're getting Semirhage, so probably not less. Sigh.

The show continues to use book canon in such fun ways to create show-specific plots - in the books Morgase does come to Tar Valon to demand Elayne back and leaves Elaida behind, it creates a rift between Andor and the Tower, it just happens off-page and before Elayne returns. This is such smart re-writing!

Tsutama survived!!! I am obsessed with all the Red Ajah stuff, yes it's setting up for the Coup but it is also setting up for a Black Ajah Hunters/Asha'man Warders plotline and they've established Tsutama really clearly as a level-headed and reasonable Red sister. Whether she ends up standing in for all the 'good Reds' (mostly Teslyn and Pevara, maybe Silviana as well?) I don't know but I like that we've got an early start on that. Yes, I love all the minor Aes Sedai plotlines, no apologies.

Fascinated by how show!Elaida seems to have a very similar backstory to book Lelaine and Romanda - an older sister who had semi-retired but used to hold significant power, was an almost-but-not-quite Amyrlin Seat, and sees opportunity in a time of crisis. It will I think make either Lelaine or Romanda seem obvious foils for her and Egwene's position more obviously precarious.

The way the Waygate opens when not channelled open is fucking cool, the VFX have stepped up a level even on last season.

Also obsessed with the way they've done Rahvin's plot - the long pauses before Leane and Elayne are caught were perfect - and the way he's been positioned, in an extremely Hugh Jackman Magazine Cover way, as a powerful woman's dream later-life partner instead of the somewhat generic rapist of the books (who is nevertheless an accurate portrayal of a kind of man who specifically enjoys abusing powerful women). Book!Rahvin would have been way creepier with Elayne, show!Rahvin is cosplaying Best Stepdad with her even when he has all the cards. And this too is an accurate take on how abusers are good at showing a caring face to people they need on side. It's going to make the reveal much more insidious. Now regretting my former takes that show!Morgase needs to die. I think she probably will but it's going to be so awful.

RYMA ISN'T A DAMANE FUCK YEAH. NGL this was also necessary (along with Tsutama) to balance out the show's very real S1 colourism issue which casting Alviarin as another dark-skinned Black woman would otherwise have, uh, not helped with. I mean maybe she still dies in the Coup or something but at least she's alive and free now.

Elayne with that line about the novice rooms being small - lmao ok I know this is an exigency of TV sets where they can't be that small but that room is HUGE compared to the book descriptions, like twice the size of the Accepted rooms. I guess she's a princess but still.

Galad literally white knighting his way around the Tower - there is a Character Arc coming here, I think it will also be very significant that the cold open for 3x02 set up the precedent of the male relatives of the High Seats murdering them to make peace with Morgase and Trakand and we'll see an explicit plotline about the Whitecloaks intervening in the Succession. Anyway he's not pretty enough but he's exactly annoying enough and I'm ready for his full fall and rise arc. Gawyn...was also there? Sorry Gawyn fans I'm sure he'll get more of a glow-up once his love interest status comes into play.

Everything in Liandrin's plotline is building towards her getting murdered by Moghedien so Moggy can win that promotion to Nynaeve's #1 Enemy status. Given that she's already sent Grey Men after her twice I am currently betting on Liandrin dying to try and save Nynaeve and Nynaeve having to live with that (and being mad about it forever, like HOW DARE LIANDRIN DO THAT).

Shout-out to the Evil Glow-ups Nyomi and the other Black sisters got in Tanchico. Is it a bit silly? Yes. Is it also fun? Yes. The costuming is so good this season, it's always been good but it continues to be spectacular and a real and heartfelt thanks to the costume team for deciding that in this turning of the Wheel, even though it's a fantasy show, women can wear trousers. (Butch Tower servant disguise Min? Impeccable).

Lots of scenes straight from TDR/TSR, all very well-executed (Siuan and Mat a stand-out) but I have fewer notes on those simply because they're doing what already exists well, it's the new or changed things which excite me. If I want to read the books I can read the books. Which doesn't mean I don't want those key scenes done well but there's just less to say about them.

Final note: I can't believe Nyomi had a non-book-character name so they could hide she was Black Ajah, I fully thought it was so she could die in the Coup. Good job writers there. I hope she adopts some cats, though, Marillin and her cats constantly outing them is one of the funniest subplots of the whole Liandrin crew storyline because it's so deeply exactly what some real person would do.

#wheel of time #wot tv show #wot spoilers #wot book spoilers #oh wow I had more to say than I thought

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butterflydm · 4 months ago

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Fractures in the Aes Sedai (WoT 3x01 cold open)

How incredibly heartbreaking all this is for Siuan.

I'm going to focus in this post on the reactions from our Aes Sedai and Warders, and just what a tragedy this day ends up being for Siuan, who thought that she was ahead of the game (I really see why they named this episode "To Race the Shadow").

This is show-focused and I am going to avoid anything that hasn't been revealed in the show, at least in this specific post, though I am going to talk a bit about some backstory that was brought up back in s1.

It's clear from the way that this was arranged that Siuan didn't think any of the Sitters were Black Ajah (any of the non-Red Sitters). I think that she's been thinking of the Black Ajah as a Red Ajah problem, and probably has been leaning in that direction that for a few years, or however long ago it was that she first heard whispers that the Red Ajah were gentling men without trials.

Because that's a Dragon Reborn hunt.

This is something that was revealed to us back in the first season - the audience has it confirmed for us on-screen -- that Liandrin and other Red Sisters were hunting down men and gentling them without bringing them back to the White Tower for trial. They did it to Thom's nephew, as he told Mat and Rand, and Moiraine and Lan watched them do it to another poor man while they were on their way to the Two Rivers.

And I think that Siuan's belief that the Black Ajah was centered in the Red Ajah has driven some of the factionalism that has been developing over the past few years (and that the Black Ajah surely encouraged). She's been thinking like a Blue, not like the Amyrlin. Because she was never actually Amyrlin because she believed in the job and duty -- she was Amyrlin as part of her plan with Moiraine, to guide the Tower to work with the Dragon instead of trying to cage him. She was an Amyrlin in service to her cause, not in service to her daughters and the White Tower.

We don't know how long this plan to catch Liandrin has been in the making (it's been one month since Falme) -- we walk in on the last few moments before the trap springs. What's made clear is that Siuan was briefed on the important events, about Liandrin and the Black Ajah (as much as Moiraine & co knew), about the Seanchan, and about Rand. I'm guessing this information was transmitted via Nynaeve, who probably volunteered, since she knew the most about Liandrin and to save Egwene & Elayne from needing to be witnesses in Liandrin's trial.

Siuan brought in other sisters that she was likely told by Nynaeve that Moiraine had said they could trust -- Verin and Alanna -- and also entrusted Leane with the plan.

They keep the Red Ajah Sitters out of the Hall, but want the rest of the Sitters there to see Liandrin exposed. Alanna, Leane, and Siuan were prepared for something of a fight, but the magnitude of the Black Ajah infiltration into their Halls was something they were deeply unprepared for. They weren't just facing Liandrin, but several other Sisters, from every single Ajah (including Blue).

I've seen some book-reader youtube reactors wonder why Ihvon and Maksim thought they would be of any use in an Aes Sedai vs Aes Sedai fight but... no one in the White Tower is used to AS vs AS fights! It doesn't happen! The one group of people who do go out and regularly fight other people who can channel are the Reds, and they're usually facing people who have only recently come into their power and can't do much. Against the sort of dangers that Alanna normally faces, Ihvon and Maksim can be helpful. They're there to watch her back while she channels.

And that goes for the non-Black Ajah Sisters as well - they are not prepared to use the Power against other Sisters (and they're limited by the Oaths as well). It takes them time to react once they realize what's actually going on because this is so far out of the sphere of what they're expecting.

It's a brand new world for all of the Aes Sedai now.

Okay, taking a step back and starting from the top. We start with the springing of the trap for Liandrin - Moiraine and Lan wait and watch on the outside, while Leane lets Siuan know that things are ready. The robe that Siuan is wearing here is gorgeous btw (all the clothes are SO gorgeous).

Our first dynamic is the three Reds, assuming that Liandrin is being unfairly targeted by the Amyrlin, and who assure Liandrin that they are on her side "no matter the charges". Given that all three of these Aes Sedai are confirmed NOT Black Ajah by the events that follow, this would not have actually been true, but it tells us the general vibe of the Red Ajah in the Tower. Now, something that I'm wondering is if any of these Red Ajah Sisters are aware that Liandrin has been gentling men without bringing them in for trial -- would they see that as extreme but necessary or would they disapprove?

At the same time as this, Verin and Adelas are traveling with Nyomi to unlock the 13th Depository -- now it seems that both Verin and Adelas are aware of their destination, with it being Nyomi's first visit (she thought it was a myth -- or so she claims here, but we do find out later that she was lying and this was her goal today). Verin and Adelas were both in semi-retirement and have been around for a long time. Is that how they know about the 13th Depository? The secret must get passed down -- maybe between the highest levels of the Brown Ajah?

Now Alanna heads towards the Hall and she is walking with purpose (to battle). She is one of the few people who knows what Siuan will be revealing today. Maksim worries that others are working with Liandrin and maybe she needs more backup but she tells him & Ihvon that they need to stay outside -- no men unless authorized. We see the three Yellow Sitters enter in a clump and see the White Ajah Sitters talking to some other White Ajah Sisters. Alanna assures them that Siuan "has a plan" -- which appears to be not letting the rest of the Red Ajah Sitters in with Liandrin. Again, going back to Siuan having the assumption that the Red Ajah is the source of the problem.

You can understand why -- at this point, Siuan only has confirmation that there is a single Darkfriend among the Aes Sedai, and she has a history of the Red Ajah acting beyond the bounds of their authority. She is deeply and painfully wrong, but I understand why she made the assumptions that she did.

"Only eleven Sitters are required by tradition" - that's the reasoning that Leane gives for excluding the Red Sitters from the Hall right now. That is a deep insult to give to the Red Sitters, who get shut away from the action just the same as the non-Sitters and the Warders, which had to sting.

On a rewatch, I notice that the camera makes sure to let us see each of the eventually-revealed Black Ajah Sitters as they enter the Hall.

The smug grin that Alanna gives Liandrin as they all walk in hurts on a rewatch. They were so certain that they had a handle on the situation and that they were about to nip this problem in the bud before it became unmanageable. Not knowing that it is all too late.

Once again, I really love the variety in the costuming of the Aes Sedai! There are just so many amazing outfits of all different kinds!

Both Alanna and Leane look towards Siuan as Liandrin lays out her case against Siuan -- neither of them look surprised, but they are keeping an eye on the situation and waiting for Siuan's cue. We cut to various short snippets of the Sitters gossiping about this, with the Black Ajah Sisters right in the mix of the gossip and doing a great job looking "concerned" over the "revelations".

Siuan lets us know here that if Liandrin had been able to prove her accusations -- that Siuan let a male channeler (one who has now declared himself the Dragon Reborn) walk free -- then she could face censure from the Hall, and possibly be deposed. This is something that Moiraine and Siuan also talked about back in s1 -- about how if the White Tower found out about their secret plans to find the Dragon Reborn but disobey Tower law when it came to handling him, that they would be stilled. In this instance, Siuan is able to swat the accusations away by declaring Liandrin a Darkfriend who is capable of breaking the Three Oaths, but she doesn't actually deny the accusations. She avoids them.

I am fascinated by the Yellow Sitter who laughs after Siuan declares that Liandrin is a Darkfriend and who seems to think all of this is a game, because she's not one of those who gets revealed as Black Ajah. Does she survive? I'm going to try to keep an eye out. (update: I think I see her on the ground after the initial attack, so she might be dead; she's definitely not the Yellow who healed Liandrin or the one who healed Siuan)

Once Nynaeve shows up and Liandrin realizes that Nynaeve was able to escape from the Seanchan, she knows that the game is up (we actually see her take a couple of steps back as Nynaeve enters the room). There's no point. If Nynaeve's account gets doubted, she can just take the Oath against lying and say it again. Nynaeve no longer being a prisoner of the Seanchan means that Liandrin's goose is cooked and it's time to change tactics.

Now the shredding begins.

When Liandrin initially tries to attack, Alanna is right there with a counter, since she was prepared for an attack. But their attention is 100% on Liandrin, who they believe is the only threat.

Given that Nyomi was working on finding a way into the 13th Depository (confirmed at the ending of the scene), Liandrin was definitely planning to flee at some point in the near future (probably with Jeaine and Chesmal), but maybe not with any Sitters, as having Black Ajah Sitters in the Hall would be a useful thing. But once Siuan threatens to still Liandrin and find out from her all the rest of the Black Ajah, their own covers are threatened, and they exchange glances and spring into action when Liandrin asks for aid.

There are four Sitters who stand up to defend Liandrin -- Yellow, White, Gray (Joiya), and Blue. We do have semi-confirmed names for the Blue Sitter, but it hasn't been said on-screen yet, so I won't say. But Joiya was one of the sisters who was in Cairhien last season.

When Liandrin calls out "Join me", you can see the shock on Siuan's face. She 100% believed that all of the non-Red Sitters were trustworthy. This is not just a Red Ajah problem.

Yellow-Black Sitter and White-Black Sitter immediately stand up and attack, and Leane moves to defend Siuan. Blue-Black and Gray-Black (Joiya) are the next to stand up to attack and now Alanna must shift her focus away from Liandrin and towards the new threats. So Siuan is now the only person focusing on holding Liandrin's shield.

The rest of the Sitters are pretty fucking stunned, as you would imagine. Nothing like this has ever happened before, so they are slow to react, as the Black Ajah Sitters now turn and attack their fellow Sitters.

One attack leaves one of the White Ajah Sitters covered in blood. One of the Brown Sitters is cut in half. Nynaeve tries to channel but can't get past her block. And the Blue-Black Sitter brings down part of the wall (it looks like she's trying to get Nynaeve).

So the rest of the Sisters who were previously out in the hallways in front of the Hall have left, but the Warders were still hanging around and are now trying to get inside. The three Red Ajah sisters from earlier try to get past them to get inside the Hall but Maksim and Ihvon are still assuming that the danger of the Black Ajah is entwined with the Red Ajah, and refuse them entry. And this is a place where the Red Ajah not having any kind of relationship with the Warders makes it so much harder for these two groups to find the common ground to help each other.

Joiya is able to get Siuan to drop her shield on Liandrin by using the Power to just chuck a huge-ass piece of rock at her. That's one way to do it! And both Liandrin and Siuan fall to the ground injured, and we get a neat moment where we see both of them getting healed by a Yellow Sitter.

Jeaine (and her two Warders) and Chesmal show up. Green and Yellow. Maksim recognizes them and greets them as allies but is soon disabused of the belief, and the two of them have gone mask off and aren't pretending anymore. They are ready to get out of here. Jeaine kills one of the Red Sisters, then her two Warders are killed and we see her disturbing reaction to feeling their deaths, and Maksim and Ihvon realize that it's Jeaine and Chesmal who are the Black Ajah Sisters.

At the end of this part of the scene, we do still have one Red Ajah sister standing against Jeaine and Chesmal.

Inside the 13th Depository, Nyomi reveals herself as Black Ajah and attacked Verin and Adelas with something that appears targeted at their minds -- Verin does seem to do something that helps counter it, but Adelas takes the full brunt and it appears to affect her memory (she doesn't recognize her sister). Then Nyomi loots the 13th Depository, taking several of the ter'angreal.

Leane takes down the White-Black sister, caving her head in with her staff, pretty brutally. Joiya gets knocked down by Alanna but is able to get back up.

After being healed by their respective Yellow sisters, Siuan and Liandrin face each other again, and Liandrin links with her three surviving Black Ajah sisters and creates a boom in the hall to open themselves an exit, while Leane and Alanna act to protect Siuan.

Liandrin's crew then all heads towards the docks. They meet up with Nyomi, who confirms that she got a specific thing they were looking for and "anything else I could carry".

I do think it's possible that at least one of the Red Sisters survived here, since we know that Maksim and Ihvon both survived and they were also in the hallway when it blew, but we will see! Yes, we see their bodies but, you know, they could be unconscious! Live in hope!

A very traumatic day for all involved, and it isn't over yet! We don't get a final death count in this video, but several of the Sitters are still alive and moving at the end.

Looking at the line-up of Black Ajah that we have at the end... Joiya is missing but so is the Yellow Sitter who stood up to defend Liandrin (there's a Yellow there, but she's Chesmal, who arrived with Jeaine). So Joiya and the Yellow-Black Sitter are doing something else. What are those two up to?

#wot #wheel of time #wot on prime #wot s3 spoilers #wheel of time s3 spoilers #wot 3x01 spoilers #the wheel of time #my wot meta #wot meta

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moghedien · 4 months ago

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its gonna be so funny being a book reader this season specifically because after this first episode show onlys are gonna be like "well at least they got the black ajah out of there right" and we know there are at least four other black ajah members in the series so far, three of which were in this episode

#wheel of time #wot book spoilers #wot show spoilers #wot on prime

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roseandxanderfics · 3 months ago

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The White Flame in Battle - AesSedai!reader x Warder!OC

Summary: A White Ajah Aes Sedai isn’t meant for battle—but here she is, fighting with cold precision. An unbonded Warder saves her, drawn to the way she wields logic like a weapon. Others say they fight like they’re bonded. They aren’t. But what

———————

The ground quaked beneath her boots, a low, rolling tremor that spoke of death on the horizon. The air was thick with the copper tang of blood, the acrid burn of charred wood, and something deeper—something wrong. A sickness clung to the wind, a stain of Shadow pressing against the fabric of the world itself.

She stood upon the ramparts of the crumbling fortress, her white-fringed cloak abandoned in the dirt somewhere behind her. There was no use for the formalities of the Tower here. Not when battle loomed, an inevitability stretching across the valley below like the tide before a storm.

Trollocs. Hundreds of them. Their hulking, misshapen forms lurched forward, a sea of bristling armor and blackened blades. The earth trembled beneath their charge, a grotesque harmony of snarls, shrieks, and the rhythmic pounding of hooves and clawed feet.

She felt saidar rise within her, cold fire threading through her veins, burning at the edges of her vision. It was intoxicating, the sheer power of it, and yet she held it steady, forcing herself to remain the eye of the storm. Aes Sedai did not panic. Aes Sedai did not falter.

Below, figures moved—Aes Sedai and Warders, preparing for the onslaught. Swords gleamed under the failing light, shifting cloaks blending into their surroundings. The Warders stood as an unbreakable line before their Aes Sedai, some already bonded, others unbound but sworn to fight.

And among them…

Her gaze caught on a single figure.

He moved differently than the others, his stance loose but measured, every motion economical, controlled. His sword rested easily in his grip, but she could see the tension there, the readiness to strike at the first sign of weakness. His dark hair was tied back, sweat-soaked but unruly, and his cloak barely stirred as he moved—silent, a shadow in the coming storm.

An unbonded Warder.

She had heard whispers of him before. A man who had once fought for a Green Ajah sister, lost her in battle, and never sought another bond. He drifted from battlefield to battlefield, fighting where he was needed, protecting those who could still be saved.

And now, here they both stood—two warriors of different kinds, about to be swallowed whole by the tide.

The first wave struck with the force of an avalanche.

She did not hesitate.

Saidar roared through her, and she reached for the threads of Air and Fire, weaving them together with the sharp precision of a knife. A single gesture, a twist of her fingers, and the air around her compressed—an invisible wall slamming into the front ranks of the horde.

Trollocs screamed as bones shattered, bodies hurled backward as if tossed by a giant’s hand. She shifted, weaving again, this time splitting the ground beneath them. Earth buckled, jagged rock spearing upward, impaling some of the creatures where they stood.

Still, they came.

A Myrddraal slithered through the chaos, its eyeless face twisting in a grotesque parody of a grin. It moved unnaturally, flowing like liquid shadow, black blade raised in a killing arc.

She turned to strike—

Too slow.

The Fade was faster. Closer.

And then—

Steel met steel, ringing sharp in the air.

The Warder was there.

He had moved faster than she could track, intercepting the Myrddraal’s strike before it could reach her. Their blades clashed in a deadly dance, his movements precise, methodical. The Fade hissed, recoiling, but he did not give it a chance to recover.

A step forward. A feint. A twist.

And then his sword drove through its heart, twisting as black blood sprayed across the stone.

The Myrddraal’s shriek was an unnatural, soul-rattling sound, one that sent a ripple through the battlefield as its dying thrashes sent its bonded Trollocs into frenzied agony.

For a brief moment, there was stillness.

Then, he turned to her, breath heavy, sword dripping with darkness.

“You’re White Ajah,” he said, voice edged with disbelief. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

She lifted her chin, breathing hard. “And yet, here I am.”

He exhaled sharply, eyes flickering over her. “I’ve fought beside Blues, Greens, even Browns before. But never a White.” There was something unreadable in his expression—something akin to fascination. “Your sisters are usually confined to the Tower, buried in books and philosophy.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. She had heard this before, the quiet dismissal, the assumption that the White Ajah existed only in the cold halls of Tar Valon, debating logic while the world burned.

But logic had brought her here.

“I do not fight without reason,” she said simply. “And I do not waste my time on things that do not matter.”

His gaze held hers for a long moment before he let out a low, amused sound. “I suppose I should be grateful, then.”

The battle raged around them, and there was no time for argument. Another wave surged forward, and this time, they fought together.

She wove, striking with Fire and Air, driving back the horde in controlled bursts of destruction. He moved with lethal efficiency, his sword finding weak points between armor, felling enemies as quickly as they came.

It was seamless.

As if they had fought together before.

As if—

No.

She did not dwell on that thought.

The battle stretched into the night, until her limbs ached and her mind was raw with the strain of holding the Power for so long. But she did not stop. Neither did he.

By the time the final Trolloc fell, the fortress walls were slick with blood. Bodies littered the ground, the acrid scent of death mingling with the first hints of dawn on the wind.

She exhaled, releasing saidar, the loss of it leaving her hollow, drained.

The Warder stood beside her, his sword still in hand, though his grip had loosened. He was watching her.

She met his gaze, something unspoken passing between them.

“You fight like one who sees the battlefield in numbers and logic,” he said at last. “Like a puzzle waiting to be solved.”

She tilted her head. “And you fight like a man with nothing left to lose.”

A ghost of a smile touched his lips, wry and tired. “Maybe.”

Silence stretched between them, weighted but not uncomfortable.

Finally, he sheathed his blade. “I’ve fought beside many Aes Sedai,” he said. “But none quite like you.”

She did not know what to say to that.

Another Aes Sedai passed by, glancing between them. “You fought like you were bonded,” she mused, before moving on.

The words lingered.

Neither of them acknowledged them aloud.

Instead, she turned to leave, but as she did, she felt the weight of his gaze still on her back.

She told herself it did not matter.

And yet, for the first time in a long while, she wondered what it would be like to fight alongside someone not out of necessity—

But by choice.

#the wheel of time #wheel of time #the wheel of time x reader #wheel of time x reader #aes sedai! reader #aes sedai #Warder!OC

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darkfeanix · 2 months ago

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A couple of stray The Wheel of Time observations from season 3

1. Gawyn. Oh, Gawyn. By the end of the book series, his two primary traits are: failing to realise that he ISN'T the hero of this story, and being Egwene's overbearing love interest. In the TV show, he shows up too late to catch Egwene, who has already washed her hands of the White Tower, and so his main purpose seems to be to get the snot beaten out of him by Mat. Classic Gawyn, never change.

2. Aram, my beloved. I will admit, I was disappointed at first that he didn't seek out the sword and instead basically had it thrust upon him in a life and death situation. I felt like that took away some of his agency. But then I realised that it creates an even greater impact when he is rejected by Ila. This isn't a case of an angry young man picking up a sword and joining the army. He was alone in the dark with a monster bearing down on him and a baby in his arms that he had to protect. If there ever should have been an exception to the Way of the Leaf, I feel like that would have been it. But Ila has been clear from the start that there are no exceptions to the Way of the Leaf, and Aram made his choice. Even though the alternative was unthinkable, from the perspective of the Tuatha'an, he chose violence. I really hope we get a season four, and that they continue to explore Aram's arc.

And number 3, I'm putting under a cut, because it contains major book spoilers for a certain character.

3. Alviarin. We, the book readers, know that she was able to execute Siuan with the One Power because she is Black Ajah and not bound by the Three Oaths, but nobody else in that room knows that, and I am fascinated by the implications of them just sitting there and watching her do it.

Per the show's wiki, the third oath is as follows:

Never to use the One Power as a weapon, except in the last extreme defense of her own life, or the life of her Warder, or another Aes Sedai.

And in the comparison to the books, we have this note:

Shadowspawn - In the books, the Third Oath includes the exception that Aes Sedai may use the one power against Darkfriends and Shadowspawn. However, Robert Jordan did not explicitly mention this prevision in the earlier books, either.

So I think it's within the realm of possibility that the oath does include the Shadowspawn and Darkfriend prevision. Which means Elaida and her pocket Sitters all must believe that Alviarin, at least, is convinced of one or more of the following:

Siuan is Black Ajah.

She poses such an immediate and existential threat to them that the use of the One Power as a weapon does not trigger the Oath.

And then there's a third option, which ties into the fact that Elaida also executed Amico in the same way. I'm put in mind of Egwene in the previous season, being unable to pick up the jug of water until she has convinced herself that it is not a weapon and will never be a weapon. I wonder if Elaida, and perhaps other Aes Sedai who know this this decapitation Weave, don't even view it as a weapon but simply as a tool of execution? In the same way that, for example, a hangman's noose isn't technically a weapon?

It would cast the White Tower of the show in a much darker light than the book version, if such a thing were true.

#wot on prime #wot prime spoilers #wot book spoilers #gawyn trakand #aram #and i'm not tagging the third character #because i feel like even using their name #would suggest that there's something major to spoil

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highfantasy-soul · 4 months ago

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WOT BOOK SPOILERS in regards to the Black Ajah as they stand in the show:

So in the cold open, we see the Red Sitters fighting Chesmal and Jeaine as they try to get into the Hall - and it looks like the Irish one (we now know is Galina) is killed and lying dead among the other warders - BUT for book readers, we know Galina is also Black Ajah.

We also know Alviarin is Black Ajah and matching her clothing from Egwene's Accepted test to one of the Sitters in the Hall during the shredding, we know she, also, didn't join Liandrin.

Jeaine immediately knocks Galina to the side when she comes in, so maybe they were in a Heart together and they knew Galina would need to stay hidden in the Tower, so knocking her out first and pretending she's down for the count could have been a ploy to engender trust for her, not a 'the showrunners just like a lot of fake-out deaths'.

After all, before knowing it was Galina, I saw a lot of reactors - book and non-book readers alike - pointing to the Red Sitters that were excluded as 'see, they were good but bias against Reds will hurt Suian, etc' and it will probably be assumed that since Alviarin didn't join Liandrin, that puts her in the clear, too (just like Verin is 'in the clear' because Nyomi attacked her).

Idk, they've really stepped up the Tower intrigue this season and I'm LOVING how intricate it is!!!

#wot book spoilers #wheel of time spoilers #wheel of time #wot on prime #wheel of time on prime

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funnypages · 4 months ago

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youtube

So finally got around to watching the 10 min sneak peak for Wheel of Time S3E1

Awesome! For toes of you who didn't follow my old blog I do reviews of some fantasy series I like, and provide some commentary for show onlies. As some are avoiding the sneak peak and waiting till the epidote to drop in full my notes will be bellow the break

So this whole scene is something that is described in the books but we never see in person. Book 3 begins with Nynaeve and the girls returning to the tower and finding out that Liandrin and several Black Sisters have fled. They also actioned up the fight, I believe only 1 or 2 warders die in the book

I love the decision for Siuan to exclude the Red Ajah from the trial for a few reasons. 1, is like Siuan we have a bias against the Reds up to this point. They are the token assholes, the Slytherins, maybe the infiltration of the Dark Friends is limited only to them. But when shit breaks out we see no, all 3 of those Reds defending Liandrin were all good, and that all Ajahs have been infiltrated. The Reds might be assholes, but they serve a purpose in the order, and in the books as it goes on we meet several friendly and sympathetic Reds (who I hope will be introduced earlier)

The exclusion is also going to backfire on Siuan and inflame tensions in the Tower. The Reds will rightfully point out if they weren't excluded they could have helped put down the attack, and that the Amerlyn is supposed to be above biases and represent all Ajahs. The non Red sisters are then likly going to be divided between toes who agree the Reds cant be trusted and the ones who agree with them

Going back to the Black Ajah, love the little we see of Olivia Popica, the Green/Black Sister Jeaine Caide. In just two lines I saw so many people love her psycho energy

We see the Thirteenth Depository, the secret vault in the tower where they keep their most powerful and dangerous magical items as well as records they dont want the general tower to know about. Several of the items stolen are things book readers will recognize, namely the circle and the bracelet, but the big thing some may have missed is the red doorframe with foxes and snakes carved into it. That story line doesn't look like it was cut

#the wheel of time #wot on prime #wot #wheel of time #wheel of time season 3 #wot season 3 #wot s3 #favorites #Youtube

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lovers-paradise · 2 years ago

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Let the world around us//Just fall apart//Baby, we can make it//If we're heart to heart - Liandrin Guirale/Reader

A/N: Written for an Anon Request.

Denial has always come easily. Red ajah are prone to it after all. Liandrin Guirale had caught your eye the first day you both came to this place, trained to be who you now are. Aes Sedai. You still push away the feelings deep down. She’s too cold to know better and you will never tell her, you’ve been rivals for everything. Battle changes things. Forsaken, not Liandrin’s, you think almost idily. Lanfear is not here. Oh, she’d thought she was so smart, so slick, you had known anyway, but the battle still comes and Liandrin still falls. She’d hidden it at first, battling back to her feet before her body collapsed under the pressure. Her shield, already thin, is close to cracking and without thinking you throw all you have behind the shield you build from the Power, pressing it to protect you both even as your hand covers her bleeding wounds, ignoring her protests. She heals slowly, so slowly that you are nearly hit when your shield breaks, rescued only when Liandrin whispers Lanfear’s name into the air between you, hiding her face in your hair all the same. You are left alone hours later. Liandrin had cursed quietly when you pulled her to her feet and you can see the healing job is barely holding, inches from tearing. You mirror her now, red clothing slashed and torn, ragged marks over your collarbone. She allows you to heal, first her, then yourself, her eyes focused on you in a way that should make you nervous. It doesn’t. She seems curious, even as you shift to find clothing, wrapping yourself in fresh red shirt and then move to find her something, helping her change quietly. “You would you…” “Liandrin…” “You could have…” “Lia. Please.” You move on instinct this time, run a hand into her damned blonde braids, tug firmly and kiss her when she turns her chin up at the perfect angle to let you meet her mouth with your own, your free hand cupping her cheek, brushing blood and a few strays tears away. “I love you… you stubborn fool.” You mutter the words against her lips, barely hiding your smile when she shifts away, looks up at you again and then sighs, rising to meet you when you turn away, suddenly unsure. “I love you too.” Four little words. Innocent but spoken with such feeling that you can feel a sob threaten to escape. You turn in just enough time to see her knot her fingers together, squeezing tightly. She’s nervous, even after you admit to loving her and you move closer in three short strides, tuck her into your arms and let your lips find her ear. “Come to bed?” She nods, short, shy and you smile, leading her to the bed and settling, coaxing her down beside you to wrap her closer again, holding her steady even as she knots her fingers into your shirt. “Rest, Liandrin, I won’t push you.” You mean it. Here, held, is enough. You will never once push her beyond what she feels able to give, building her back up with your gentle care and fierce loyalty. She had strayed to the Black, you think, but so had you, for her sake.

#liandrin guirale #f!reader #red ajah reader #black ajah reader #liandrin/reader #liandrin/f!reader #the wheel of time

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pillowfriends · 5 months ago

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The Gathering Storm new reader thoughts: Chapters 11-15

Overall thoughts followed by favorite moment.

Chapter 11 (The Death of Adrin): Me 🤝 Aviendha: having no fucking idea what she's doing wrong with the Wise Ones. Speaking of Wise Ones, Melaine was in this chapter! And a bubble of evil! Great day for me.

🖤 Rand just yelling at the sky

Chapter 12 (Unexpected Encounters): THIS CHAPTER IS SO FUCKING GOOD. At risk of becoming a broken record EVERY EGWENE CHAPTER IS PEAK NOW. Somehow this plot just keeps getting better - now she's with the Black Ajah hunters!! Oh my god. Give me 100000 pages of this please.

🖤 Every single second of this chapter was my favorite. Egwene ily

Chapter 13 (An Offer and a Departure): Gawyn. I sleep. Apparently bro didn't even LIKE Elaida (he says she was always cold to him) and just had misplaced beef with the Tower. Also he was like "yeah I killed my mentor but I wouldn't take his sword, that would be disrespectful!" Get away from me I hate you you're so annoying. I refuse to pick a favorite moment.

Chapter 14 (A Box Opens): Every time I see the word "box" now, I get stressed. Cadsuane POV slays as always, and I love her relationship with Sorilea.

🖤 Cadsuane confiding in Sorilea and Bair about the male a'dam

Chapter 15 (A Place to Begin): Finally Moridin and Rand content. Also, happy that Min and Rand had an honest conversation about Rand's madness - such a rarity in this series. I've been pondering and I think I've figured out the Aviendha thing - she needs to push back against the Wise Ones to show them she's matured and no longer should be treated like a child/apprentice.

🖤 "Faith in a madman, Min?" / "Faith in you, sheepherder" was pretty cute even though I kind of hate their relationship.

< last | next >

#eve reads wot #eve reads tgs #wot book spoilers

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just1alien · 4 months ago

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hiya have you seen the new episode? if yes can you please write female black ajah x liandrin where they fight side by side against alanna and afterwards they take care of each other's injuries too please

Now we are talking! 🫦

Your request is an order, dear anon 🙂‍↕️

#liandrin #liandrin guirale #liandrin guirale x female reader #black ajah #smut #wlw #twot #the wheel of time #sapphic #older female characters #kate fleetwood #liandrin aes sedai #red ajah #liandrin sedai #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic

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ahsokazworld · 2 years ago

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So my other obsession of the month is wheel of time and I saw episode 7 and boy o BOY do I have major thoughts and I need to get them out.

Siuan?? What the hell? Following LONG ass post is in defence of Siuan because the general consensus there is right now about Siuan just doesn't rhyme for me.

ONE thing all of Siuan actions did, it brought out SO MUCH .

Liandrin drew out 1 dark friend (Moiraines nephew) and he consequently got locked away (or killed).

One Forsaken showed herself to an entire city, no more hiding or denying (at least not from the Aes Sedai because there were like 14(!) there)

Siuan clearly has doubts about Verin and Verin acted exactly as expected (now I think Verin has a lot more going on but hey 🤷🏼‍♀️)

When Siuan shields Rand, she pushes Moiraine to say all of her intentions with Rand and their decades build plans in front off Rand as if he is not there. Which Moiraine does to protect Rand from Siuan.

Siuan asks Rand if he has channelled carefully and deliberately (not verbatim but this is the general idea), which he hasn't. She scolds him for it and says that he hasn't learned much in 6 months, which is absolutely true.

Which leads to:

Moiraine is shielded (something I do not think Lan figured out on his own) and subsequently released of said shield by Rand when she tells Rand that she trusts him. When last season Moiraine very clearly showed that she doesn't. Rand needed to hear that from Moiraine. It pushed Rand to actually use the one power very DELIBERATELY and CAREFULLY otherwise, Moiraine dead. Now who again scolded Rand about that I wonder hmmm 🤔

Which brings me to the following and perhaps most important point:

Rand now 100% trusts Moiraine, he believes Moiraine does want to protect and guide him to save the world, which previously he didnt. He was confused about what was going on and felt like a toy being played from all sides. Siuan put Moiraine in an impossible situation and Moiraine chose Rand, the dragon reborn because she knows that is the right thing to do. Rand needed to be shown Moiriane will give everything to save the world including turning away from Siuan and being made to do something she does not want (closing the gate).

It is VITAL that he does because Moiraine will be the only one capable of providing Rand the protection and guidance that he needs to save the world. He only does at the end of this episode, which is nearly at the end of this season. They already lost too much time. Drastic extreme measures are unfortunately required because Siuan was right, Moiraines way wasn't working.

At the end of this episode due to Siuans actions, he doesn't trust any Aes Sedai, which is good because you know Black Ajah and doesnt trust the Forsaken, but he very clearly does trust Moiraine, and that WILL set him on the right path.

If I can trust book readers, Siuan is a very powerful channeler. However, like Egwene, it's her intelligence that is actually her greatest power. She is a crazy smart woman and nowhere near as impulsive, brash and stubborn as Moiraine, aka Pufferfish.

Something that stuck by me is that Siuan said "you have given everything, Im going to row beside you now". Siuan knows Moiraine will absolutely not let her. Moiraine is like Nyneave in that way. She would rather die than let anyone she loves do that.

Siuan has given up a lot this episode and put power back with Moiraine, leaving herself incredibly vulnerable, having lost her one true ally, Moiraine. Going back to a tower filled with enemies, she's f*cked, and she knows it, but she needs Moiraine focused on her mission, not on Siuans' potential downfall. Because that will definitely be a distraction for Moiraine.

There is no way in hell a Master chess player like Siuan would move her pawns so early and openly like she seems to be doing in this episode. That is not Siuan. Everyone in WOT world, though, needs to believe that she is (including Moiraine).

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suckerforcate · 1 year ago

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Lover to Lover

Chapter 1: The Arches

Pairing: Liandrin Sedai x Reader , Alanna Sedai x Reader (platonic)

Word Count: about 3300

Warning: character death, rape, vomiting, choking, bleeding

Summary: You're a novice in the tower and are ready to go through the Arches. You face your biggest fears, past, present and future and have a talk with Liandrin afterwards. Chapter 2

A/n: So, yet another Liandrin fanfic, I'm just absolutely in love with her!! Obviously, she isn't part of the Black Ajah here. Next, I'll probably write a Moiraine fanfic again, which is already in the making. Hope you like it <3

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Alanna stepped forward and helped you take of your dress and your shoes. You stood in front of them in nothing more than your chemise. Before Alanna stepped away with your clothes she leaned a little closer.

"You can do this, don't doubt your ability." You smiled at her weakly and turned around to look at the Arches again. Your hands were trembling, and your heart was racing. There was no doubt about it: you were scared even before you had to face your greatest fears. This is going to be such a disaster, you thought.

"Whatever awaits you, you must face it with nothing but your wits. Not even the one power will be available to you inside the Arches." Sheriam Sedai softly spoke, and you looked at her over your shoulder. All three of them looked like they were just as scared as you, which didn't really lift your spirits.

You saw them close their eyes, concentrate and start to channel. Your eyes found their way back to the Arches.

"The way back will come but once." Sheriam Sedai said behind you and you saw their weaves flow around you and activate the Arches. The ornaments started to glow blue, and it looked like a blurry mirror had replaced the empty air of the first Arch.

You looked over at Alanna, who nodded reassuringly and slowly walked through the Arch. The first thing that you saw was darkness, presumably the ground that you had just fallen onto face first.

Slowly you stood up and knocked the dirt off your clothes. You weren't wearing the white chemise anymore. In its place was a dress in sage green with a white apron tied over it. You recognised the clothes immediately. You had worn them only once, when they had been freshly bought and never again after that day.

You started to panic, you had an idea what you would have to experience again. And you definitely didn't want to. You looked around you, immediately recognising the forest you were in. It was the forest just by the village you had grown up in. It wasn't particularly big but beautiful to walk through, with a little clearing to sit in the grass.

You and your sister had loved exploring the forest when you were little. Looking at all the different plants and flowers, learning what they could do, what they could heal. Observing the birds and animals.

"Faile! Where are you?" You started to scream for your sister, hopeful that it wasn't too late yet. That, with your knowledge, you could still save her. Like a maniac you started to run through the woods and screamed her name again and again. You couldn't find her and secretly thought that maybe you had been wrong about the day. About what was going to happen.

You weren't. Just as you wanted to leave the forest you heard a scream, high-pitched and most definitely from your sister. Your heartbeat increased immediately, and you turned to the direction of the sound. Another scream, and your name. You started running rather uncoordinated and nearly tripped over a stone.

The screams became louder and suddenly you saw her. She lay on the ground between leafs and wood, a hooded man bent over her. His hand was on her throat and Faile was gasping, she obviously couldn't breathe. Her dress was shoved up, and the man moved between her legs. Faile tried to kick him away, but the man held her down. You felt sick, like you had to throw up. Turning away, you tried to tell yourself it wasn't real. But it looked real, it felt real, it was real.

"Don't touch my sister." You shouted, and the man's head shot around, he stopped moving though his hand still strangled Faile. You approached him and tried to get him off of your sister, but he just shoved you away. You felt grown up, but that day in the forest you had just been nine years old. Small and easy to shove away for a grown man. You fell backwards into the mud, tears streaming over your face. A streak of blood flowed down your arm where you had cut yourself on a stone.

Your sister was turning pale, she didn't gasp as much anymore, and you knew what was happening. You had seen it before. Her whole body was trembling, though not for much longer. You screamed for her, for your mother, for your father, hoping they'd hear you. But no one came.

"The way back will come but once." Sheriam Sedai's voice faintly echoed through the woods and you shot around. A few feet behind you an Arch appeared. It was a little translucent and looked like it could disappear any second. The edges glowed blue just like they had in the tower, when the Aes Sedai had activated it. With a panicked look back at your dying sister you stumbled over wood and mud through the Arch and fell onto the stone ground, crying.

Not a second later you felt cold water fall on you. Looking up a little, you saw Leane Sedai through tears. A big stone jug in hand and looking down at you, she spoke.

"You are washed clean of your sins and the sins committed against you. You come to us pure in heart and soul." Leane stepped away, a sob escaped you, and you whispered your sisters name into the cold. She was dead, and dead she would stay. Forever.

Alanna was at your side and helped you stand up. Her eyes conveyed pure sadness and understanding, but her mouth spoke something else.

"You're brave, you have to go on. Through the next Arch." You stared at her, like you had forgotten there even were more Arches. Slowly you looked behind you and saw the other two. Could you really do this again? Tow more times?

"Was it real? Could I have changed something?" You whispered to her, voice still thin and quivering. She gently shook her head.

"No one knows." She let go of your arm and stepped back to her sisters again. You turned to face the second Arch as it started glowing just like the first had done and Sheriam spoke.

"The way back will come but once." The second Arch was ready, and you bravely stepped through it against all your instincts.

For a moment all you saw was light and suddenly, like it hit you right in the face, you knew where you were. You were standing at your sisters grave. Although it was not closed and decorated with flowers like usually, it was open.

Carefully, hesitantly you took a look inside. There wad nothing but dirt. No corpse, that was good. Wasn't it? But why was it open then? You turned and looked around you, there was no one. No one on the whole graveyard. So you started walking in the direction of home. Of your parents, of presumed safety.

You left the graveyard and walked up the little hill that separated the graveyard from the village. It was just a little trail in the grass that people had used for decades. On top of the hill you had a good view of the village, it looked just like always. Just like the last time you had been there. Nothing seemed to have changed at all.

Last time you had sent a message home, your parents had told you everything was fine. Everyone was well. Your brother's apprenticeship with the baker was going well, and he liked the job. Your grandma hadn't gotten any sicker. The village was just like you had left it. Though that last message had been three months ago. A lot could happen in three months, you knew that.

You slowly started walking down the hill towards the village. Half way there you spotted someone. No, not just someone. Your grandmother. She was walking slowly, head down and heavily leaning on a walking stick. You wanted to shout, let her know you were there. But the words got stuck in your throat as you realised who followed her. Six people, one of them your little brother, carrying a wooden board. It was filled with flowers that were overlapping at the sides. Most of them were chrysanthemums, your dads favourite flowers. Between the flowers you could faintly make out the form of a person. It didn't take a lot of hard thinking to understand who that was.

A scream escaped you as you fell to your knees. At that your grandmother looked up and from behind your brother, your mother looked at you. As she saw you, she came running towards you, falling to her knees at your side. She pulled you into her arms rocking you gently as you cried. Her hand softly stroked your back, she didn't ask questions. She didn't ask how you had come here, why you had come, she simply held you.

A few minutes later, your grandma, the six carriers and the rest of the village that followed them walked by you. On shaky legs you stood up, your arm linked with your mother's. Together you followed them to the grave. Your brother and the other five men let the wooden board down and set it next to the grave. In mere seconds your arms were wrapped around your brother. He was crying, you were crying, and suddenly you felt nine again. Taking your big sister to her grave with your little brother by your side. He had been just two at the time, not really understanding anything.

You felt for your grandmother, taking her only son to the grave. That's not how it was supposed to. But, her son had taken a child to her grave as well. Maybe that curse just ran in your family. Maybe that would happen to all of you one day. She stood bravely, didn't cry, didn't complain. She simply embraced you and told you everything would be alright.

"We missed you, little bird." She whispered into the hug and more tears found its way down your cheeks. You freed yourself from the hug and turned to your father's corpse. Just as you wanted to kneel down, say a farewell you heard something.

"The way back will come but once." It was faint, like a whisper in the wind. And yet you understood. You had to leave. And you would never see your father again. You blew him a teary kiss and whispered a goodbye, before walking towards the glowing Arch. You heard your brother asking where you were going, why you were leaving again. You didn't dare turn around, or you would have stayed.

Stumbling though the Arch, you came to an abrupt halt as you saw Alanna. She noticed the tears on your face and her features softened, smiling sadly before she washed you clean with water, just like Leane Sedai had after the first Arch.

"You are washed clean of your sins and the sins committed against you. You come to us pure in heart and soul." She spoke and checked you for injuries but found none. Stepping back she put down the jug and stood back in line with Leane and Sheriam.

"My father-... He..." you croaked out, desperately wanting to tell someone. Desperately wanting to hear that it wasn't real, that he was still alive. But you remembered Alanna's words. No one knows.

Alanna gently shook her head to silence you and, just like her sisters, turned to the last Arch. The middle one. You wiped away your tears and turned to the Arch as well. Taking in a deep breath you tried to straighten yourself up. I didn't quiet work.

"The way back will come but once."

This time you walked through the Arch slowly, tired of the pain, tired of seeing your loved ones die around you. Again light hit you, and you blinked a few times to see your surroundings. A little surprised you realised that you were sat on a horse. You looked down, and saw that you weren't in clothes of a novice anymore. Your sleeves were embroidered with the colours of the different Ajahs. You were an Accepted.

A look around told you that you were on some sort of mission. You could see Alanna and her warders, Maksim and Ihvon. Next to her on a horse was Moiraine followed quietly by Lan. A few Reds and a yellow sister also accompanied you. The Reds of course didn't have any warders. One Red in particular caught your eye. It was Liandrin. She looked ahead proudly, picture perfect posture and didn't talk a word with anyone.

You wanted to ride a little faster and catch up with her but at that moment you heard an awful sound somewhere between the trees. It sounded very close and yet you couldn't see anything. Everyone's heads snapped around and stared into the direction of the sound. The sound was easily recognisable as Trollocs. Panic rose in you, you had only ever heard of them, and that had been enough for you. You had no desire to actually meet them.

The sounds got louder and there was most definitely something coming towards you. All the Aes Sedai got ready to channel, and their warders pulled out their weapons. You faintly heard Alanna say something and a second later Maksim was at your side.

"I don't need your protection. You're Alanna's warder. Not mine." You snap at him, you hadn't meant to sound so mean. But you were scared and probably did need his protection, though you didn't want to admit that. Her looked at you and grinned, he looked right through you. In all the time that Alanna had taught you, Maksim and Ihvon had spent a lot of time with you as well and you had become close.

"Sorry, maybe I do." You mumbled a little sheepish and he laughed. Before he could say something a Trolloc roared through the woods and shortly after that you also saw it. It was a horrible sight. It was huge and had tusks like a boar, just three times that big. It was partly covered in fur, which looked like it was covered in blood in some parts. You practically felt your pulse and heartbeat quicken. Behind the first Trolloc you could see many more that all ran towards you. The earth seemed to tremble under their steps. Your horse instinctively took a step back, but you didn't complain.

Everyone around you had started to channel and use their power to protect the group. Lan and Ihvon had jumped off their horses and stood in front of you with their swords in hand, ready to fight. You closed your eyes and concentrated on your weaves, everyone else was fighting, why not you? As you opened them again and expected to see weaves around you, you were momentarily dumbfounded when you couldn't see any weaves of your own.

You tried again, nothing. Why the hell couldn't you channel? You looked around again, everyone else was doing it. You straightened up and concentrated very hard, but not even a single spark appeared. You looked at Maksim, who raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I can't channel." You stated, as if that wasn't obvious even to him. He just wanted to answer as your head shot a little further to the side, and you looked past him. It was Liandrin who had caught your eye, she had just been in the middle of channelling as a dagger hit her right in the stomach. A dagger full of Trolloc poison. She gasped and fell of her horse backwards. In mere seconds you had jumped off your horse and ran to her. Maksim was shouting something but you ignored him.

You fell to your knees at her side and stared at her bleeding wound. You didn't know what to do so you just pulled the dagger out, hoping that the poison would maybe not become too much then. She groaned as the dagger once again moved through her flesh.

"I know, it hurts. Someone'll help you, I'm sure. Hold on, Lia." You felt hot tears run down your cheek and your hands were covered in blood, the blood that kept soaking Liandrin's clothes as it left the wound.

"I've never learned how to... I can't help you." You desperately sobbed, while Liandrin tried to speak. No words came out, she was choking on her own blood that seemed to make its way up her trachea. Maksim stood behind you, you could feel it. He kneeled at your side and put a hand on your shoulder. You violently shook it off.

"Help me, get Alanna or the yellow sister. Please, Maksim." You stared at him, completely panicked, but he just shook his head. The battle was still going on, though you didn't notice any of it. It felt like the world had stopped around you. The only thing you saw and heard was Liandrin, her blood, her choking.

"You stupid Reds, if you had warders this wouldn't have happened." You snapped at her, though your heart wasn't behind it. The words came out rather wobbly and full of tears. You could practically see Liandrin slip away in your arms, by now not just her clothes were covered in blood but yours as well.

"Maksim, do something. Please, I know you don't like her but..." you sobbed but Maksim just gently held your arm. He knew it was too late for Liandrin, and deep down you knew it as well. You just didn't want it to be true. Someone interrupted you and you looked up confused.

"The way back will come but once." Sheriam Sedai's voice rang out. You slowly looked ahead and again saw the glowing Arch. You looked down at the dying Liandrin and, leaning down, you gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. As you stood up Maksim's eyes followed you, but he didn't say anything. You felt sick as you fell through the Arch and immediately threw up on the stone ground. Luckily the water that hit you washed the vomit away.

"You are washed clean of your sins and the sins committed against you." Sheriam Sedai spoke and stepped back. Alanna helped you stand up again and looked you up and down, a shocked expression on her face. You looked down as well. Your chemise was completely covered in blood, as were your hands and arms.

"It's not my blood." You croaked out and nearly didn't recognise your own voice. Relief washed over her face. Though you weren't relieved at all. You felt like someone had pulled all your organs out and had left you completely empty.

Sheriam stepped forward and Leane stood by her side. You had the faint idea that Alanna was probably supposed to step away from you and stand at Sheriam's side as well, but she didn't move one millimetre. And you were thankful for it.

Sheriam smiled, for you there was nothing to smile about. You had just seen three of the most important people in your life die. And it had felt as real as this moment right now. Still you tried to look a little more confident, straightening up and wiping some tears away.

"You come to us pure in heart and soul. You are (Y/n) (L/n), Accepted of the White Tower." Sheriam Sedai spoke and reached out to you, holding a great serpent ring in her hand. It was still empty, without any sort of indication to an Ajah as you yet had to choose one.

"You may wear the ring on the third finger of your left hand, and only there." She spoke, and your trembling hand took the ring from her and put it on. You looked at it, it seemed to small, so banal compared to what you had just been through.

"Thank you, Sheriam Sedai and Leane Sedai." You spoke quietly. And looked over to Alanna. All you wanted right now was to leave. Thankfully she understood.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She softly spoke, got your dress and shoes and led you to her own room. Soon you would get a bigger room as well, all the Accepted had bigger rooms. But right now you still had the small room of a novice, which meant no bath. And Alanna understood that you weren't in the mood for a public bath. Luckily she had her own bath.

For you, everything just happened in a daze, and suddenly you felt yourself being covered by clean and soft linen and your head hit a pillow.

#the wheel of time #wheel of time #liandrin guirale #liandrin guirale x reader #liandrin sedai #liandrin sedai x reader #alanna sedai #alanna mosvani

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