Khallayne emerged from the gateway and quickly mounted her horse. After orienting herself, she headed south—toward the Tarasin Palace. Riding right into Mol Hara Square, she addressed a guard coolly.
"Take me to the Queen. It is urgent."
The guard, startled, bobbed his head and motioned for someone to take her horse before leading her inside the Palace. As they walked, Khallayne's eyes darted around, searching for any other Aes Sedai she might run into. She'd heard that Joline and Teslyn were here, although Semirhage had been vague about where the information had come from. Of course, questioning one of the Chosen about anything at all was guaranteed to earn you a very painful death. Obedience was what they required—no, demanded.
Presently, they arrived at Tylin's rooms. The Queen, apparently deep in conversation with her son, looked up with a startled expression as Khallayne swept in.
"What, may I ask, is the meaning of this?" Tylin demanded.
The guard trembled visibly. "B-begging your majesty's pardon…..the A-Aes Sedai s-said it was urgent….."
Khallayne stepped in smoothly. Curtsying deeply, she directed an apologetic smile at the Queen. "I beg you majesty's forgiveness for my rudeness, but this is an urgent matter. I must know where my sister, Nynaeve al'Meara, has gone. Please, Queen Tylin, it is very important."
She could see Tylin's tiny nod at her apology, and noted that her son was regarding her with an admiring look. She sent a small smile his way before returning her attention to his mother.
Tylin spoke, frowning. "I was not aware that….ah, never mind. Nynaeve Sedai left by gateway about an hour ago, and I believe she was heading for some farms to the north, across the river."
Khallayne's curtsy was even deeper this time. "Thank you, majesty," she breathed. "Now if you will excuse me, I really must leave." Before she could go, however, the Queen's voice stopped her.
"Is this about the Bowl of the Winds?"
Khallayne turned. "Yes, your highness. It is," she lied, then left quickly. Once she'd been lead outside, she grabbed her horse's reins and opened a gateway then and there, ignoring the people's shocked looks.
Semirhage wants you, Nynaeve, and I'll bring you to her if it's the last thing I do!
Smiling evilly, Khallayne stepped through.
Nynaeve nodded in satisfaction as she surveyed the farm again. "It looks satisfactory," Elayne murmured beside her.
At that moment, a gateway opened practically on top of them, and they both shrieked and scrambled out of the way. Through it came a beautiful woman in a Green shawl, leading a horse.
"Nynaeve!!!"
Elayne and Nynaeve turned to see Lan running towards them, obviously alarmed at the sudden appearance of the newcomer. Right behind him was Birgitte. They were almost there…
Too late. Without warning, the woman let the gateway close, grabbed Nynaeve's arm, and immediately opened another gateway. Nynaeve only had time to yell, "Lan--!" before the gateway closed behind them.
Elayne, shocked, was struggling to comprehend what had happened. Lan and Birgitte came to a stop where the second gateway closed, both breathing hard. Lan stared disconsolately at the spot where his wife had vanished.
Birgitte put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Nynaeve can handle whoever that was." Elayne looked worried. "That woman was strong, Birgitte," she said slowly. Seeing Lan's near-panicked gaze, she said quickly, "But I'm sure Nynaeve is stronger."
Lan didn't say anything. Standing up, he brushed himself off. "I have to find her," he said flatly. Elayne grabbed his arm as he prepared to leave.
"Lan, we have no idea where she is," she pointed out.
"I'm going to find her."
As Lan went off to the stables, Elayne looked back at where her friend disappeared. "Please be safe, Nynaeve," she whispered.
"Please be safe."
"What is this place? Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Nynaeve demanded, cursing as her attempts to break the shield that had been slammed into her failed continually.
Her captor glared at her, then abruptly gave her a crooked smile. "Who I am isn't important. However, who wants you is the question you should be asking."
Nynaeve scowled. "Why? Who wants me?" Her heart was beating rapidly, partly from fear, but mostly from anger. How dare this…this woman seize her and cart her off to Light knows where? What if….what if this was Shayol Ghul?
She could certainly believe that. Not that she'd ever been to that horrible place, but the gloomy look to this place was somehow the way she imagined the Dark One's lair to be like. Well, this place looked a lot like a prison, but….Lan. What was he doing right now? Was he looking for her? Nynaeve frowned. He'd better be looking for her, or she'll give him a talking-to that'll make his ears glow!
Provided she survive this, of course.
"Great Mistress!"
Nynaeve was startled from her musings as her captor abruptly went to her knees. Thinking this a perfect opportunity, Nynaeve gave everything she had into destroying the shield. However, a new and stronger one replaced it before she had a chance to channel.
"Now, now," a woman's voice said from the shadows, "we can't have you channeling just yet." From nowhere, it seemed, a tall, dark woman wearing black appeared and smiled down at Nynaeve. It was she who held the new shield.
"Who are you?" Nynaeve started to demand, but abruptly cut off as she remembered something Birgitte had told her:
"Semirhage is the one who frightens me the most. She's an absolute monster. She thrives on the pain of others, and is completely merciless. You'll remember her if you saw her even once. For one thing, she's as tall as most men, she has dark skin, she's always wearing black clothes……."
"It can't be…" Nynaeve whispered, eyes widening.
Semirhage's smile grew wider. "Can't be, Nynaeve al'Meara? But it is. Leave us!" she commanded Khallayne, who promptly headed back the way she came. Weaving thick flows of Air, Semirhage lifted Nynaeve off the ground and pulled her along towards a dark room.
"What do you want from me?" There was a note of fear in the patient's voice, but more than a trace of defiance. Semirhage smiled. Yes, she liked it when they were full of spirit. So much more pleasurable to see them hurl their defiance at you, then realize that it was hopeless. Human hope is borne from sorrow. Sorrow and pain. And Semirhage intended to deal out as much of the latter as she could.
She turned to her patient, who was glaring balefully at her. "I understand you have some small talent in Healing. I require your services."
"I'd rather die than help you!" her patient snarled, once more attempting to breach the shield she'd woven. A smile tugged at Semirhage's lips. Yes, she would have a fine time with this one.
For a minute, Nynaeve couldn't understand why the pain stopped. Sweat dripped down her face. Her arms hurt from being strung up so long. Just blinking made her head throb mercilessly and her body ache terribly. Gasping for breath, she braced herself for more of what the Forsaken would give.
"Still you refuse me?" Semirhage was smiling wickedly. "I see I'll have to resort to even more painful methods."
"Do your best, burn you," Nynaeve snarled, or tried to. And again, Semirhage began. Nyaneve heard an annoying high-pitched sound this time. It took a while to realize that it was herself, screaming at her tormentor to stop. Biting her lip until it bled, Nynaeve tried to shut her eyes against the pain, but Semirhage had woven tiny flows of Air to keep them open. So she had watch….so she had…..to…..watch……
"Nooooooooooooo!!! Stop stop stop please no…"
The Forsaken approached her and laid a hand gently on her cheek. "Nynaeve, Nynaeve," she said softly, "why do you struggle so? Just tell me you'll help me, and the pain will stop. I promise."
Nynaeve grimaced as a fresh wave of pain assaulted her. "N-never…." she forced out between clenched teeth, "….no matter H-HOW MANY TAPES OF BARNEY AND THE POWER RANGERS YOU HAVE ME WATCH! I'LL NEVER GIVE IN!! NEVER!!!"
Semirhage's eyes narrowed. This patient was extremely tough. So far she'd watched twelve straight episodes of Barney and Friends, and seven Power Ranger episodes. It appeared she'd have to resort to other means of garnering this one's cooperation….
Nynaeve continued her tirade. "You know what you are? You're an idiot! A moron! A space case! An addle-pated lout! Completely and blissfully free from the ravages of intelligence! The Dark One lost a bet, that's why you're one of the Forsaken!"
"You're thinking of Moghedien," Semirhage replied casually, reaching behind her and grabbing a large rectangular object.
Nynaeve's eyes widened as she saw what Semirhage now held. Smiling cruelly, the Forsaken opened the photo album and showed her….
….a naked picture of Aginor.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"
Unfortunately for Semirhage, Nynaeve had been so traumatized by everything she'd just been through that her adrenaline hormones were working overtime. Screaming, Nynaeve battered down the shield and opened a gateway back to Ebou Dar, leaving Semirhage in a dazed heap on the floor.
"Ahhhhhh!!!" Nynaeve stopped screaming when she slammed into a brick wall.
"Nynaeve! Are you all right?" Lan. It was Lan. Sobbing with relief, Nynaeve threw herself into his arms and promptly fainted.
Lan ran like a madman with ants in his pants without a backward glance (groan!) toward the farm, where Elayne and the others were waiting anxiously.
Semirhage scowled as she scrubbed her back in her tub. "Damn that woman! Why'd she have to escape like that?" Rising, she toweled herself dry and stared morosely at the tiny white flakes on her scalp. "And I really needed someone to get rid of my dandruff…say, wonder if that Aes Sedai's still around?"
Khallayne came running when she heard Semirhage call for her. On the way, she noticed a small piece of paper on the ground. Picking it up, she……..
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"
Semirhage looked out the door just in time to see Khallayne hurl herself out a window.
"Damn that Aginor," she muttered to no one in particular.
author's note: yes, yes, yes….i'm insane. i know.