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Tam's eyes widened in shock even as he said, "Well, I haven't heard anything about you, understandably, but I'm more than willing to hear it now. Sit down," he gestured to a chair at the table, smiling. Bran and Marin glanced at each other, knowing that Tam would not usually violate the rules of politeness in such a manner as to invite someone to a table not his own, but they understood his excited state enough to excuse it.
"Thank you," Selene spoke with a cool dignity as she took her seat. Rand walked forward beside his wife, glancing questioningly at the al'Veres before taking a seat.
"Sit down, Rand," Bran nodded agreeably at the man. This did not seem the boy that they had known, but it was obviously the man he'd become, and thus was welcome at their table. Rand nodded graciously, with the same cool quality he had initially displayed, his momentary warmth in greeting his father draining away, leaving a grim attitude in its place. Bran barely restrained himself from grimacing. Yes, this was Rand, but obviously a great deal had changed with him.
"Where have you been?" Marin, having recovered somewhat from the shock, demanded in her no-nonsense voice, adapt for interrogating members of the Village Council. Rand though simply said,
"Quite a few places, actually."
"When were you married?" Tam asked.
Rand leaned back slightly, ponderously, before saying, "Three years ago this past summer."
Marin gasped, "You've been married for three years, and you didn't even come home to let your father know before now? Where have you been? What have you been doing? And why have you let everyone think you dead!?"
Tam suddenly seemed to sober out of his euphoria, the grim look upon his own face saying that he was suddenly wondering the same things.
"I could not risk coming back here," Rand said, "For the same reasons that I left the Two Rivers to begin with. I have powerful enemies, and I have grown to know them, as they suspected me. Mat and Perrin were caught up in the matter, but I suspect that they have thrown off the mantle of direct danger some time ago. All that is needed to confirm that is the answer to one question: Have they returned to Emond's Field?"
Tam nodded and said, "Sometimes, they visit. They're still out exploring the world, but they do visit. Now, what enemies are you talking about, lad? You could hardly have been making enemies of the sort that were suspected those years ago in Emond's Field itself, so how did it come about to begin with?"
"It was to do with the Dark One," Rand said. Selene suddenly frowned at her husband; he patted her hand. Irritably, she tugged away from his touch. "We are ta'veren, you see, all three of us. If they have returned even once, then what I suspected in true, and Mat and Perrin are no longer ta'veren. The Pattern no longer Weaves itself about them, but I knew that it did about me, and so I could not return. And I knew that should I send notice to you, that my enemies may return to harm Emond's Field."
"What about Egwene and the Wisdom? Ah, Nynaeve. You could have sent notice through them."
Rand's visage hardened without warning to the point of near-shattering with those words.
"That would involve contact with the White Tower," his lips twisted sardonically at those words.
"And I want nothing to do with these "Aes Sedai,"" there was something disturbingly mocking about those last words, as though he disbelieved that they were Aes Sedai. Selene scoffed and said,
"They're nothing but children, playing with that they do not understand. Touch the hot pot, and more than likely you shall be burned."
"Of course, my love," Rand glanced at Selene through the shimmering veil of his eyes, now grey, now blue. She frowned at him once more, and there seemed to be silent debate between them, taking place in the space of several seconds. It ended with her reluctant nod.
"Well, you seem to get on wonderfully," Bran said sardonically. "I can understand about not wanting to get involved with Aes Sedai again, but Egwene and Nynaeve are Emond's Fielders. They would pass on the message, you know that."
"Do you think that the White Tower does not open every letter that passes through the hands of its students?" Selene said softly, but pointedly. "It is but asking for trouble."
Marin shook her head, not sure whether she liked Selene, despite the woman's dignified manner, and the charm of her smile when displayed.
"Well, be that as it may," Tam said. "Do you intend to stay home now?"
Rand's eyes narrowed into slits, sorrow glimmering for a split second before it was covered as though it had never been. "Home. No, Father. I cannot. I have secured matters in such a way as to deter your harm, but I cannot remain here. There are things that I must do, and I cannot do them here. As much as I would like to stay... home," he ended softly, his statement cutting off abruptly, eyes gleaming with sudden fire, black pupils expanding to devour blue irises for an instant, mouth drawing into a straight
spreading out on the table, clenching into fists. His jaw twisted for a brief moment, and then - he completely relaxed, slumping almost bonelessly into the chair.
"You seem agitated," Marin observed, finding his behaviour rather disturbing. "Would you like some tea, the both of you?"
"No, thank you," Selene said calmly.
"I do not intend to be rude, Mistress," Rand said, his voice curiously blank. "But we are exhausted. It would be --"
"Say no more," the woman nodded calmly, "You're travel weary. I'll prepare a room for you. Talk can wait until later," she bustled out of the room, examining them, Rand in particular, with her eyes as she departed.
"This is a surprise," Tam said then, shaking his head. "I never expected to see you again, son."
"I did not mean to worry you, but your life meant more to me than your peace of mind," Rand said calmly.
Bran's eyebrows shot up at this statement, the stout innkeeper was somewhat uncomfortable with the ruthless words.
"I understand that," Tam said. "You did what you had to do, lad. But," he said, now mock-stern, "I want to hear about your travels later."
"Very well," Rand nodded.
Marin returned a few mimutes later. "Your room is ready. There's time to take a nap for a few hours before dinner is ready. What of your travel bags?"
"They're with the horses," Rand said.
"I'll have them brought in," the woman nodded, having suspected as much to begin with. "Now, come with me."
Rand stood and said, "Thank you," in a clear voice. Selene rose gracefully, following them out of the room and up the stairs with a flowing, liquid grace.
The room seemed easier to Bran and Tam once they had departed, as though some darkness had been lifted. Tam frowned at the thought, deeply disturbed, whilst Bran simply stared at the wall.
"Well, she's certainly pretty," Bran said awkwardly.
"She is that. Doesn't say much, but she seems self assured enough," Tam said thoughtfully.
"Your boy is looking well," Bran offered.
"That's true. I don't think I can call him a boy anymore, Bran, but I worry he got more harm than help, out there in the world. He's different now, far more different than the changes that growing up would usually bestow upon a boy."
Bran nodded, and the eyes of the two men met. Silence descended for several minutes until Mistress al'Vere once more returned.
"Well, Tam," she began, "Your boy's grown up, all right, and his wife's pretty enough, but I'll tell you this - there's something more to this than what we see. The way they acted, it say's it clear. I don't like it," she shook her head. "He isn't my son, but this needs a woman to figure it out."
"Maybe," Tam mused, "Perhaps there is something, but it's Rand's business to tell it."
"If the boy is in some trouble, Tam al'Thor, he isn't going to share it. He let you think him dead for seven years to avoid bringing down harm, and if that isn't as mulely stubborn a man's behaviour as I've ever seen, then nothing is," her eyes were stern and knowing.
"Oh, Marin, that's silly," Bran said suddenly, "Rand was travel weary, that's all. He'll be fine once he gets a bit of rest."
"I don't like the way that girl Selene acted, and I don't like the looks they were giving each other. It's like she wanted to say something that he didn't want her to. She slipped up once, though, calling the White Tower a hot pot. No one'll likely deny that, but it was the way she said it. They're involved in something, and it's likely trouble. Probably has to do with that trouble that Rand was in before," she nodded, already having made up her mind.
"If he has something to say, Marin, then I'll give him the chance to say it in his own time," Tam said. "I won't spy on my own son, and I won't have another do it either," his voice was polite but firm.
The Mayor's wife sighed and sat down. "Oh very well, Tam. I hope that he takes that chance though."
"So do I," Tam said wearily.
Then for the second time that day the door opened without warning, and two women filed inside. One, wearing a green silk travelling gown, had dark eyes and equally dark hair, hanging loose about her shoulders, and the second wore her long black hair in a single thick and intricate braid. She wore a blue silk travelling gown, and her face was set and stubborn. On her right finger was a Great Serpant ring.
"Egwene!" the exclamation ran through the room. "Wisdom," all three then spoke more sombrely in looking at Nynaeve.
"Hello," they both spoke almost at the same time, before Nynaeve glanced in annoyance at the younger woman, who promptly closed her mouth. "We decided to take a visit." The expression on her eyes was triumphant, it seemed.
"I'm an Accepted now," Egwene beamed, ignoring Nynaeve's second annoyed look as both young women moved forward to take a seat around the table, their movements confidant. But even Nynaeve could not contain her pleasure at the words that came from Egwene's mouth a moment later. "And Nynaeve is a member of the Yellow Ajah. She's Aes Sedai!"
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