Gwen had always loved the gardens. Ever since she was small and was still living at home. Whenever she had some free time, what seemed like was never with the new novice, and classes. Today was different though, it was a slow day and she was enjoying it. The day was almost over and all the novice and accepted were leaving to back to the tower, Gwen took this to be the perfect time to take a walk in the garden.

Walking to the garden as Novice and Accepted were giving her bows, she really didn’t pay them much mind to busy thinking of other things. She found her perfect spot that she has been so many times. Setting down on a bench of stone, Gwen just though of all the times when she herself had taken her nightly trips out here, and of course being caught of course. The sun was setting and Gwen watched it. You can never watch the sunset to many times, and to let your mind wonder.

That day had been a particularly stressful one. He had been called into the M’Hael’s office to talk to him about his little exploit with the Dedicated Canyale. Apparently, the M’Hael liked the idea of actual in battle training, but he wasn’t too partial to Rialt having dismissed and embarrassed the poor boy, whom had since returned to the Tower. So it was a bit of an odd scene to say the least. He had arrived in the office, actually in a good mood for once, wondering what the M’Hael needed from him that it required a formal meeting.

“Father.” He brought his hand to his chest in salute, and kept it there until his M’Hael released him to being at ease.

“Rialt.” The M’Hael did have a sense of humor, so without showing disrespect, he chuckled inwardly at the joke. It had often been that Rialt regarded the man with one-word responses and simple phrases, to which the M’Hael would respond just as concisely as he did to poke fun at Rialt’s formality both in private and in public. He couldn’t help it really. But when his commander spoke again, he was glad he had not laughed. “I heard about your exploit with the Dedicated.” He did not say anything, knowing that the M’Hael was going to explain his point. “I do think its quite a brilliant idea, however, I have to ask if it was particularly necessary to “kick” him out of the Tower.”

At that, Rialt straightened even more, his tall frame not loosing an inch of its pomp and circumstance. He knew he was not being reprimanded; the man was probably just looking for a rational as to why he did what he did, so he could better understand and make his own ascertains on it. He responded, “It was to make an example, that way, they will take the exercise more seriously if I choose to implement it again.” At that, he merely nodded, and dismissed him. He left the office, not feeling overly proud of his actions, and not understanding what the M’Hael’s reservations on it were.

So he walked away from the Black Tower, and sought that of the White, which had always seemed to be more peaceful and lovely than the harsh, male dominated of the Black. The Tower Gardens, he loved, because they spoke volumes of the beauty and charm that he had sacrificed his life to save and protect. Always to protect, that was what Asha’man meant, Guardian in the old tongue. It was late afternoon, so the sun seemed to cast this ethereal red and orange glow on everything it touched.

Rounding a corner, he saw before him, an old friend; his former counter part and now part time prankster, Gwenhwyfar. He knew it was her from her black hair and calm disposition. That and the fact that Novices and Accepted were bowing their way past her. That little tidbit could get annoying fast. After all, to him, you didn’t bow to your commanders on a battle field, that gave them away and created a target for the enemy. Oh you are an idiot today Rialt, this is the Tower, stop being so foolish. There aren’t trollocs waiting to kill you in the foliage. He raised his voice, using the power to accentuate the deep baritone that was his own and to frighten her if he could, “Gwenhwyfar WHAT are you DOING out of the White!?” It was an old joke between the two, he often referred to her as the eternal Novice for her aloofness and attitude.

Gwen could hear the voice of her friend, she had known that he had tried to scare her but had failed. Not looking back she smiled. They had shared so many things in common. Turning around ever so with a slight smile she had asked.

“ Rialt I know you didn’t come to find me for me to heal yet another on of your trainees?”

Turning around all the way she could tell that he was tired and something was on his mind. Getting up to meet him half way and to get the Novice and Accepted out, It was pass there time to be out and about.

“Rialt, you look tried and upset do tell me what is wrong or I will have to heal you” she gave a slight chuckle with that last part letting him know that she really didn’t mean it.

As Gwen calmly looked over to where he was approaching her, he sighed; of course she wasn’t going to fall for that again. Though he did find it rather amusing that the late stragglers jumped when they heard him. Novices and Accepted, easily frightful, he mused. He approached where she was sitting, as she spoke. “ Rialt I know you didn’t come to find me for me to heal yet another on of your trainees?” He unconsciously snorted out loud. One of his trainees? Hardly! He was the best teacher in the whole Black Tower, everyone knew that… He quieted his pompous thoughts, he really was getting too full of himself, and responded with just as much sarcasm as she had met him with, “You had better respect those Trainee’s missy, they are the only thing standing between your Novice and Accepted’s demise. I mean, we both know that your own Yellows would be completely doomed if I wasn’t for us N’Door al’Modero."

As he spoke, she rose and they greeted each other with a warm hug, and he giving her a kiss on her hand. “My dear, it has been too long.” And it had. All of his duties left him no time to fraternize with his old friend. They hadn’t played a single joke on anyone since the incident with the Amyrlin and an invisible dress. He smirked at the memory. Of course that one was carried out in private, he had never laughed so hard in his life it seemed. Her face, and the way she turned beat red. It was a moment to remember, if she didn’t skin Gwenhwyfar and himself alive for it. But he managed to escape with assurances that if they ever did anything to that extent again, they would find themselves on the other side of a weave of balefire.

“Rialt, you look tried and upset do tell me what is wrong or I will have to heal you,” The woman before him spoke. “I am afraid my dear, that what plagues me this evening, is business of the Black Tower, and not meant for frail ears such as your own. Though I am sure, your beauty would heal even a dead man, so you need not threaten what already has come to pass.” That was another thing he liked to do. He liked to embarrass her in public by constantly making passes at her.

Gwen had remember when they had first meet the he had always tried to make her turn red, and of course it had happen only a few times, she always had to be careful. Only to make him feel a little better about him self, like he really needed it she tilt her head down with a smile.

“Now Rialt must we have that little talk again about who is the better healer? I mean it is alright that I am we both know that.” Taking him by the hand she had lead him to her quite stone bench. Taking a seat and forcing him to seat with just a tinny bit of the Air weave. She had sighed as she looked out to the sun were is more than half way gone.

“Rialt I do not care that you come to see me, I know that is why you have come all this way. But if you are going to seat here in this lovely garden you are going to smile even if I have to force you.” turning to him she had thought about all the little prank that they had once pulled together, it did seem like it was forever seine they had pulled one. She had remember one of her favorite pranks that had involved the Amyrlin.

Laughing out loud, she had known that Rialt had thought of the same thing for he was laughing too.
Just setting there on the bench was good for the heart, or at least that is what Gwen liked to say, thinking of old times with no one better than the best healer of The Black Tower. All Though she would never really tell him that. His Ego would really get bigger, though she had known that he all ready knows that he knows that he is the best of the Black Tower and her of the White. That was brought them so close to begin with. Not looking at Rialt she had asked him.

“Do you remember when we had first meet?” There was a smile to her face to that though he would have to look at her to see. Gwen had remembered it like it was yesterday.

Rialt knew he had gotten the gears spinning in her head, he knew that the second he belted out a witty comment that she was in the process of creating one to throw right back at him. Light, she was a fast one when it came to that point. “Now Rialt must we have that little talk again about who is the better healer? I mean it is alright that I am we both know that.” The better healer indeed… they both knew he was clearly much better than she, and he said as much. “Oh I’m sorry, I thought I heard you say that you were more adept in healing than I? I must be going delusional, perhaps the taint wasn’t truly washed from the Source after all.” His tone played sarcasm to its fullest, and held a hint of mockery. She let his comment go, and led him over to the bench. They sat, the last of the Accepted making their hurried curtsies to the two as they made their way back to whatever chores awaited them inside the Tower that night.

Gwenhwyfar turned to him, and regarded him in a slightly exasperated manner. He was an infuriating man, he knew that. He was good looking, he was all powerful, AND he couldn’t keep the ladies off of him. He however, forced himself to not show any sign of mirth at his egotistical thoughts. That wasn’t really what he believed, he just thought it was a good idea to puff up one’s own ego before using it on another. “Rialt, I do not care that you come to see me, I know that is why you have come all this way. But if you are going to seat here in this lovely garden you are going to smile even if I have to force you.”

“Is that so? And how exactly would you go about that if you are say…. Shielded!” At that moment, he grabbed the Source and tried to slam a Shield on her. It was done all in good taste however, she knew he was going to do that, and had prepared the perfect deflectory weave. Maybe she wasn’t so bad… But she was right, he hadn’t come to the White Tower on whim, he had come to see her. She was always a calming force in his life, and he thanked the Creator for such a wonderful friend, and a female at that. It was a good feeling to stop feeling so caught up in the world of the Black Tower, and get a breathe of fresh air from the White. Ah estrogen… He was starting to break though; her constant badgering was beginning to make him show the smallest tweak of a grin, just at the corners of his mouth. When he noticed that familiar look of mischief in her eyes, he broke out into an honest burst of laughter.

“Do you remember when we had first meet?” She asked him, mirth lacing her voice. He did, but what fun was it to simply admit that he did. “When we first met….um…you must refresh my memory, my 179 years are beginning to take their tole on an old man’s mind.”

“Right Shield me, that will just do wonders” Gwen smiled still not looking at him, his ego was big enough without her help.

Gwen turned her face to Rialt and smiled. She had known that he really did remembered but there was something that he didn’t want to talk about and was just trying to forget it. That would be fine she could play around.

“Oh yes you are old, I really can’t believe that I would ask you that. What was I thinking?” Gwen did a very good job at holding that laugh in though she knew that he could still hear it or no it was going to come sooner or later about his age. Although she wasn’t the first one that brought it up. Though she knew that he would remembered like it was yesterday too.

Smiling to herself she looked out and watched the world take the last bit of the sun rays. “ I was setting on this very bench, at night as a novice.” Just that though made her bust out laughing. When she finally stopped she had seen Rialt looking at her with a smile, She knew that she would get him to smile on way or another.

“May I help you?” She asked tilting her head to one side. When he shook his head Gwen went on.

“I was so upset that I was unable to something that had to do with the Fire weave.” Grabbing on to the Source Gwen played with the Fire weave, she was able to get a control of it now all though she was not as strong in as she had wished she could be.

“You were walking around in the garden ‘calming’ yourself from the wonderful days of the black tower. You didn’t really see me until I walked out of the bushes. Oh I thought I was in so much trouble. But when I saw it was you I just came out and sat beside you, both not saying a word. I had noticed that you were bleeding. I had grabbed your head without asking and healed you, you were so surprised that I did something like that. Well I was too for only being a Novice. But you had told me that I was a great healer. I knew from that day that I was going to be a yellow and that we would be friends.” sighing to her self Gwen turned her gaze back out to were the sun once was. Sighing to herself that she soon would have to go back to the tower although she didn’t want to, she loved it when she got to be out here, and loved it even more when she was her friend.

“I know that you have something on your mind so it would just be best for you to talk, it helps you know it does” She didn’t look at him and there was nothing that her face was going to give him any clue what she was thinking. Gwen wanted to help him in any way that she could even if it meant tying him up with Air and waiting until sun rise. And Rialt know that she would do it, she had done it before.

He remembered the day very well actually. He remembered being completely startled when a Novice had approached him so openly, most of them were probably afraid of him, and grabbed him by the head without even a by your leave. He had instantly embraced the Source, thinking that she must have been some poorly trained Darkfriend, but when he felt her Delving into him, he didn’t channel any flows of air to restrict her. He could have shielded her, but he didn’t, he waited to see what she was going to do. It made sense that she did so as well, he was bleeding rather profusely. He had been practicing his Sword forms in the training yard and gotten quite a wound from his sparring parter. He had grunted when it happened, and remembered startling the newly appointed Asha’man who was working with him that day. He was not a good healer, so he could do nothing. Rialt told the man not to worry about it, as he had clutched his gaping side, and said they would just have to finish their little spar another time, after Rialt wasn’t bleeding to death. So he left and sought out an Asha’man, who healed him correctly and promptly. But the wound was only scabbed over at his request; he liked to remind himself that he was a human being, and human beings lived with their ailments, instead of always being healed.

He had remembered the shock of his honor guard when they later found out they had almost let the Seeker die. Well, they had not let it happen, it just kind of did, and it was his own fault for not seeking out Lindalin or someone similar to fix his problem. So he had been partially healed and made his way over to the tower to relax, or just as she had said, to calm himself. He had been minding his own business, and was deep in meditation when he felt the Novice grab his face and perform a rather strong healing on him. There was not even a scar where he had been stabbed. He looked at the young girl, proud and stubborn where painted all over her. “You are a very brave one indeed to handle the Seeker in such a manner Novice.” He was not angry and did not mean to intimidate, he just wanted to see what her motivations were for. “You are quite the healer, how long have you been a part of the white tower my dear?”

He pulled himself out of that memory, and listened as she spoke with concern in her voice. “I know that you have something on your mind so it would just be best for you to talk, it helps you know it does” She was right, there was something on his mind that had been bothering him for a long time now. Today’s events with the M’Hael only seemed to upset that old burden. He nodded at her, she had been his friend since she joined the black tower, and if he could not trust her, than he could trust not another soul. “I have bound myself to another, under pledge and oath. And that allegiance is not of the Black Tower.” He watched her startlement as she realized what he meant. He was not bonded physically or in a way of Warder and Aes Sedai, but by word. “I pledged myself to the Queen of Andor and all of her descendants, until the earth take me. It was before I came to the black tower, but I am pledged in my hope of salvation and rebirth to protect that. That is on top of something else I have brought upon myself.” He did not mention that he had pledged himself to the M’Hael, that was between the two men solely, but she must have been able to understand what his problem was. He felt conflicting loyalties, he felt like he was betraying his life at the Tower for holding true to that oath he had made so long ago. “I do not know what to do anymore Gwen.” It was unlike him to expose himself to others like this, but he needed someone to know, someone to share the burden even if it only knew about his problem.

Gwen watched as Rialt re-lived the old memory in his head. As she looked out the final rays had ended and the night sky was clear. She waited until Rialt was ready to talk, she had rushed him once with something that was on his mind and only made the matters worse. In there own little way it was like the two were bonded to one another. Smiling at the thought Rialt stared to talk. She knew that in due time she would get him to talk now or be asked to see him over at the black tower or somewhere else that he thought would be best.

She listed with eyes and ears, she was going to read his face and everything else that he was doing.
“Well my dear…” she had started to say than leaned over to give him a hug.
“You know that you are able to do whatever you wish to do. And knowing you, and I do know you quite well.” Letting go of him she went on.

“You may pledge yourself to as many people or bond yourself to as many people as you want. You will get everything down in due time, step by step. Does not sound like it is the best thing to hear but trust me, you can do both.”

She looked at him her eyes searching his face to see if he felt any better, in a way he did but she could still tell that there was something on his mind. Sighing out loud so he would hear her.

“That is not everything is it? But when you are ready you know were to find me” And she left it like that. Looking back out at the sky the stars started to twinkle one by one on. The moon was full and so bright. She smiled oh how much she loved it here.

“And I do believe that I was only here for about 2 weeks before I first meet you” Gwen said than bust out laughing. Oh how good it was to laugh she really hasn’t laugh in long time.

“You may pledge yourself to as many people or bond yourself to as many people as you want. You will get everything down in due time, step by step. Does not sound like it is the best thing to hear but trust me, you can do both.” That was the truth…He HAD been doing it! But it was driving him into the ground. He hated having two oaths, there might come a time when he was going to have to pick one or the other, and then he was be doomed to the pits of Shayol Gul for breaking the oath. Unless one of them released him from it. And he did not think either was going to.

He didn’t need to speak anymore; she had spoken her piece on his problem. Or at least on that one. Was she perceptive! In the space of only a few sentences she could tell that he was holding back, but his problems were not something that he would speak about to anyone other than the M’Hael and Kiren about. She was off somewhere, it felt like the Training Grounds, and she seemed rather determined. So he gathered she was in the midst of a spar with someone. She was wrong, he would never tell her. He couldn’t…even if he wanted to he couldn’t. But she would understand that, and said nothing when he offered no response to her statement.

“I was only here for about 2 weeks before I first meet you” That was the truth, though he had not known it at the time. She seemed to be so full of joy and pride at being able to help him, even if it had been without his consent. He often found himself enjoying teaching the classes on healing. She had attended them often, and he knew that she showed talent for it. “You were quite an interesting Novice Gwen..” He responded.

It didn’t hurt Gwen when Rialt didn’t say thing when she was done what she saying. More things were still going though his mind and she would let them be at that. When Rialt was ready to talk to her, he knew were to find her. Gwen was glad that he could trust her and she was glad that she could trust him in so many other things as well. They had been good friends after she was sent to the Mistress of Novices for being out to late and using the one power. Gwen would never change anything about that day, even if she had to scrub pots until the day that she died, She had truly found a friend for life, along with Alucard.

When Rilat did finally say something it was about how she was a interesting Novice. Though that was true enough. She really didn’t think anyone got sent to the Mistress Of Novices as much as she did when she first started to be around Rialt. Though once again she would never change it.

“And I am sure that you had nothing to do with me being interesting?” Gwen asked. Turning her head to look at him with a shy smile.

“And I am sure that you had nothing to do with me being interesting?” Rialt snorted. “Of course I didn’t! I told you I would teach you, but it was your job to make sure you didn’t get in trouble.” He clearly remembered that she had spent many days in the Mistress of Novices office because she was too headstrong to really back down. She constantly wanted to learn and keep on learning so he had embraced that. He could only teach her what he knew about herbs though, noting he could do with Saidin would ever help her with Saidar.

But even then, he had not taught her everything that he knew. Some of the things he could not even will himself to teach Dolon, the Rei al’N’Dore al’Mordero. Of course that man probably had some of his own concoctions that Rialt knew nothing of, but that was to be expected. All of the Shen heads had their secrets. At that thought, his entire mood turned a little bit darker and he grew silent. Kiren stirred through the bond at that and he did something that he normally didn’t resort to, he suppressed the bond. It was a slight tweaking that he had invented. It didn’t mess with the actual bond, but was rather a weave he placed on top of it to lesson the impact of the emotions he was feeling. He often used it while experiencing emotions even too private for her... but they became more of a low buzz than a loud shout. He didn’t want her to worry, that was why he chose to use it now.

As Rialt sat on the bench with Gwen and he seemed to visibly slump down. Even remembering those times, he was too down this day to really enjoy seeing Gwen again, even after so long. He felt a little bad for it, because he did love her presence… but even she could not make him feel a little better. That was one thing about himself that he didn’t particularly care for. He often found himself in a foul or sad mood when a moment before he had been quite uplifted. A mystery that neither he nor Kiren had ever been able to figure out. OR at least not that he knew.

Gwen started to get a little worried about Rialt though if she told him, he would just wave it off as if he was tried. He had been doing that all, and she didn’t like it. She really didn’t know what to say to make him feel any better. Though he was in that mood that nothing would make him feel any better. She knew in a way that he would say something and leave and to her that would be fine, She never had liked seeing any one that she had cared for sadden by something that they don’t know or don’t want to talk about. Though in another way she knew that talking about it was the only way it can help, that or writing it down than burning it so no one was able to read it.

Looking out into the midnight sky Gwen was thinking of all the time that she had left her novice room to come out here. She was lucky that half of the time that she had caught up with Railt and they would talk about what she had learned in her healing classes and what not. A smile rose on her lips, than a giggle. Though it was always bad when you heard Gwen giggle. It either meet that you were getting yourself in trouble or you have gotton your self in trouble and didn’t even know it. And the smile with the giggle was even worse.
Gwen had always had good ideas about things when she was a novice but Railt always had the best ones. Though this time the thought neither one of them did anything it was another Novice.

“Rialt do you remember when I was just raised, and I came to find you, to tell you that I was Accepted to the yellow.”
Gwen waited to see if he did? And if he did this was sure to bring a smile to his face or anyone who know about it.