Searching for the New

The night air was cold and damp Quirin sniffed beneath his cloak and sighed; he hated climbing mountains, he bloody hated it. Grendel Sedai was asleep in the tent, she had suggested that they rest for the night instead of venturing any further, Quirin had contended on the principal that the faster they made their way up the sooner they could come back down again but there was no arguing with the Yellow Sister; she had the temper of an angry ass but Light he hated mountains.

Wrapping the fancloth about his body the Gaidin scanned the area once again. Estelle Sedai must have really resented Talaban's decision, to retire from the barracks, to send him here; it was bloody awful. Even in the day time there had been little light and the trees that grew on the mountains edge appeared as though they might fall over any second. Apart from that it was bloody cold.

It would not be long until dawn and then they would begin walking again; Quirin cracked a sarcastic smile at the thought of more reasons for his muscles to ache with strain. The forty year old Mindean man might have possessed stamina with pole arms and in some hand to hand combat but his training had not prepared him for climbing mountains, even the bond was not helping much. Grendel said it was his age, he resented the remark.

Out of the silence a distant rustling sound alerted Quirin and he stared about him to find the source. Quietly and without warning a large glob of snow landed in his hair and eyes and he quickly ran his hands across his face in shock of suddenly not being able to see. Once he had regained his sight and his senses he was able to realise that a bird had simply knocked an overhanging branch but enough was enough for Quirin.

“Grendel, wake up you old fool!” He gave the canvas of the tent and the woman sleeping inside a sharp kick. A loud groaning informed him that he had been successful in his attempt to wake the Aes Sedai and a sharp flash across the bond told him that she was not happy with her rude awakening.

“Quirin, that is no way to treat an Aes Sedai! And I'll have the less of the 'old' please.” Grendel crawled out from the opening of the tent, her hair was matted atop her head and her skin was oily with sleep; she was not at all pleasant to look at first thing in the morning. “And would you stop eyeing me like some cheap Tairen whore; I am not a play thing, I am a woman and I needn't make myself up simply to please you.”

The strawberry blonde haired man folded his arms and chuckled. Grendel Sedai was the only Aes Sedai with whom Quirin shared a happy relationship; he considered the rest of them as bad as Whitecloaks if not worse. The mysterious death of his beautiful wife Anayea, a Blue Sister, some fifteen years ago had been the catalyst for his resentment towards the channelling women. When she had died they refused to tell him if she had passed away in peace and his only comfort was that his decision not to bond his wife had saved him from the experience of her death.

“I'm fed up of this place, so we're going.” He said as he began packing up the tent. “Its not much farther now, I could see the smoke of a chimney rising from just over that ledge a few hours ago.”

He could feel Grendel's eyes burning into his back but still Quirin continued packing up the tent. “And what makes you think that you call the shots, Gaidin?” The Yellow Sister commanded playfully.

“I was sent to find the only Gaidin to shack up on a bloody mountain side, you came along for the ride and since I have some recollection of who he is therefore making this mission mine, I think its up to me when we rest and when we pack up camp, don't you?”

Some hours later a small wooden shack appeared from the gloom of early morning. Wiping the sweat from his brow Quirin lifted the tent pack from his back and left it lying in the snow gesturing for his Aes Sedai to follow after. It had been a long time since Quirin had looked upon the other man and he hoped that he would recognise him. Lifting his fist towards the wooden door he gave three loud, sharp taps and waited.

It was not long before it opened and a man with dark hair and a large nose stood before him. Quirin cleared his throat, "Talaban Moranae Gaidin, my name is Quirin a'Rian Gaidin, I am here by order of the Amyrlin Seat, might I come in please?"

• Posts in this string:
  • MRP: Passing of an era posted by Alisse Sedai  on 02/08/2007 @ 15:22:55
    • Searching for the New posted by Quirin Wallis do Mattei a'Rian Gaidin on 02/09/2007 @ 21:12:45
      • Attending summons posted by Talaban Morenae Gaidin on 04/09/2007 @ 09:39:43
        • RE: Attending summons posted by Talaban Morenae Gaidin on 26/02/2008 @ 12:35:34

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