Freyja raised the black hood or her cloak to cover her face and walked out of the Tower. She wanted to walk in peace for once. Usually bows and curtsies followed her way but this time she wanted to be like everyone else. Not special, just another woman, maybe a noble because of her fine yellow dress.

She breathed the fresh air and took on a quick stroll toward the city. After seeing a city thousands of times she still let out an admiring gasp as she saw the beautiful Ogier-build palaces that lined the wide square. The walls seemed almost alive, carved with beautiful images of trees or flowers or waves. The sunlight flickered in them in a spectrum of colours. There were many people walking around and one or two in horseback, but none of them looked at her twice. She smiled inside her hood and continued her walk.

A woman bumbed into her and mumbled an apology before scurriyng away. Freyja smiled again inwardly. If the woman had seen that I am an Aes Sedai, she would be kneeling in the ground kissing my toes. She enjoyd the feeling of being just another woman.

She saw a promising-looking inn, a clean and quiet one, and headed towards it. Her hand was already on the door, ready to push it open, when she heard a cry calling her. She turned around and searched for the source of the call.