~Cor~

 

Heat waves shimmered in the distance, the illusory lake providing the only large body of water the Threefold Land had ever known.

 

Cor loped empty-handed through the barren, jaggedly scarred landscape that was home to him and all the Aiel, a broad smile spread across his face, his weapons sheathed. The tall, young warrior wasn’t running alone as had so often been the case in his life, rather he had quite an entourage surrounding him as he journeyed toward Jumai Hold. Directly to his left, Nei’din trotted along smoothly. At two summers of age, the great cat was already large for a lion, weighing six hundred stone and still growing. Cor was incredibly proud of Nei’din, and the big lion was a suitable companion for such an eccentric Aiel. The two deadly creatures glided easily through their natural habitat, confidently surveying all that lay in their path.

 

Surrounding the duo from Deep Shade Hold, a handful of Jumai Rahein Sorei provided an escort as they approached the hold. The Dawn Runners were not empty handed, understandable since he was from a different hold, but since they were all Dragonmount Clan Cor didn’t expect to have to dance the spears today. He had traveled here with his little brother for another purpose. He could still see the smiles on the older warriors’ faces from when he had revealed his presence to them and explained his purpose, and he expected that all of them were eager to see what would happen.

 

Since he had returned from his trip across the Dragonwall, the young Stone Dog had decided to take advantage of his free time while the chiefs discussed the strange portents the Wise Ones had warned of from their Dreams. His reckless, adventurous streak had led him to tour the other septs of the Dragonmount Clan and challenge their best runners to a race. So far, he hadn’t lost, but word had it that there was a swift Maiden at Jumai that would test his mettle, hence his presence here. Hopefully, he would be able to convince her to have a go.

 

As the hold came into view, Cor let loose a wordless shout of happiness in the Aiel manner of respectfully approaching the hold. Alongside him, Nei’din bellowed a roar that alerted the world that they were here to challenge and conquer. Their unexpected appearance certainly got the attention of the residents.

 

Cor laughed out loud. Hopefully, he would find welcome here and then maybe some fun, as well.

 

~Caliendhra~

 

Her hands went to her shoufa, buckler and spears before she knew what she was about.

 

The bellow had startled her out of some seriously deep thought. Caliendhra had been sat alone in the corner while some of her spear sisters played cat’s cradle and talked to each other, some vocally, some using the flashing hand movements of Maiden handtalk, thinking over some things that had been weighing on her mind. She wasn’t usually like this. Her personality was more introspective than some of the other Far Dareis Mai but in times previous when the chance had come to relax, Caliendhra had at least been able to. It was as though she could not allow herself to let her guard down.

 

She knew her spear sisters weren’t to blame for her being unsettled. The blame there lay squarely on the shoulders of those chosen to lead scouting parties and other things, forever passing over Caliendhra in favour of someone with more experience, or better eyesight, or some minor thing that she could not see the point of. And she was not getting any younger… The hustle and bustle of the Jumai Maidens had almost driven her out to seek peace and quiet before the roar had brought their gazes looking around, searching for the source of the noise. It was obvious that it came from outside. Letting her veil hang by the side of her face, Caliendhra rose and padded out towards the source of the commotion.

 

Heat was barely registered outside in the ever-present sun. It beat down its usual torrent of oppressive warmth that would test even the hardiest if caught in it’s radiance for too long without water or shade. They are from another hold, unless I miss my guess. What are they doing here, these men … and a lion? The great cat looked majestic, but what sort of man kept a beast that should roam and hunt freely as a pet? She watched as the group were introduced and supplied their names and clans by return, yet held back from introducing herself. The one that had bellowed almost as loudly as the golden feline was a tall man, and good-looking to her eye. Caliendhra would have liked to have got to know him a little better, but the feeling of being closed in, even in the middle of such a vast open space as the Three Fold Land, was beginning to take it’s toll on her, and she felt the need to get away for a while. The first opportunity she got, Caliendhra vowed to stretch her legs a little.

 

She greeted him, giving her name and clan, and wondered what his purpose was with the Jumai.

The Jumai Dawn Runners had moved off to the side of the gathering, but Cor could still overhear them talking amongst themselves. It sounded as if they were making wagers. Maybe he would place a bet himself, if the Maiden was reluctant to run. Perhaps his Stone Dog brothers could point her out to him.

 

The crowd had grown large at his and Nei’din’s arrival. As he introduced himself, he got the idea that many of the residents had already heard of him. He had never gotten used to the fact that his life was something of a story amongst the Aiel, and he much preferred the attention of several of the Maidens over that celebrity status. If he had known the Jumai had so many attractive women under their roofs, he would have visited long ago. Although it was true that there were a few who looked to have used their faces to break rocks for a living.

 

He smiled at a lovely Maiden who introduced herself as Caliendhra. She had a rather large bosom for a Maiden, and her green eyes were striking. He found himself wondering about a visit to the sweat tent with her after his long run, but before he could respond to her, his attention was diverted by the arrival of the Wise Ones. More specifically, the arrival of the head Wise One.

 

Amid lots of unnecessary shawl straightening, bracelet rattling, and necklace adjusting, the head Wise One strode in front of him with a look of displeasure and several “Harumphs,” ignoring the gathered crowd completely.

 

Staring up her overly long nose from a face that looked made to sour milk, she got directly to the point. “I see you Stone Dog, and just as annoyingly I see a lion with you. Hmph! What do you want here? We have trouble enough without you showing up and causing a ruckus.”

 

“I see you, Wise One. Your gracious hospitality is as great as your beauty,” Cor replied cheerfully. Most of the gathered crowd laughed out loud at the taunt, including several of the other Wise Ones. Smiling broadly, he continued, “I want no trouble. My brother Nei’din and I have run here all the way from Deep Shade, because I’ve heard you have a Maiden here who can outrun the wind. I have come to challenge her to a race.”

 

As one, the gathered Aiel turned to look at the Maiden he had just been about to speak with.

~Caliendhra~

 

As one, the crowd turned their heads to face her. Even the sun-wrinkled visages of the Wise Ones regarded her with a trace more respect now. Not that she really wanted their recognition now. The times she had been passed over previously because her age or lack of experience more than outweighed the times she had been called to represent the pride of the hold. One Maiden, a spear sister scarcely into her sixteenth year made some comment about it being a very silent wind, and that if the man was comparing the wind he spouted in chattering, Caliendhra would have to run very fast indeed! Caliendhra glared at her and calmly uttered her response.

 

“It is the swift, sudden wind that erupts from nowhere that is more dangerous than one that constantly blows.”

 

The Maidens erupted into gales, drumming the spears and slapping their thighs. The newcomer grinned as toothily as his leonine companion. Would she be running against the two of them – man and beast? Well, if it was just the man, Caliendhra knew she had speed and stamina enough to outrun him over a longer distance, but she was not so quick to sprint as she had been. The missions she had lately undertaken were longer range scouting ones that did not leave so much free time to enjoy the peace and appreciative barren comfort of the desert around her. She loved to run at night. No company except the stars overhead, and the added thrill of uncertain footing and nocturnal creatures that would strike the unwary. It was not, however, night-time, and she had been called to race. She nodded.

 

“Well,” Caliendhra smiled and gave an encouraging nod to the man. He would find her a challenge - that was undoubtable. “You would race me?” He nodded; the grin still painting his face like a sunrise. He was confident, Caliendhra liked that. “Name our route, Stone Dog.” The challenge accepted; the crowd started talking excitedly. She would not have been at all surprised if people were placing bets on the outcome and if she had been a wagering person herself, she would have put money on the newcomer. It wasn’t that she would have difficulty in beating him, but she knew her sister would make a profit. This way, if she backed him herself and she lost … Caliendhra would not lose out except in pride, and that was far more important than any trinket. “Name our route, and I’ll happily wait for you at the finishing line.”

Cor smiled. She had a good sense of humor. And she seemed very confident. Both were very good qualities, and he found himself liking the Maiden he had just met. He waited silently as the other Maidens made jests and hurled taunts in his direction. Time for joking would come, but right now he wanted to know if the race was going to happen or not.

 

Caliendrha briefly considered the challenge asking if he were certain that he wanted to race. He simply nodded and bid his time. Finally she spoke, “Name our route, Stone Dog. Name our route, and I’ll happily wait for you at the finishing line.”

 

Excellent! Now that the race was on, the fun part began. His blue eyes twinkled mischievously as he answered.

 

“Are you so certain you’ll lose, that you aren’t even going to bother to run? There’s no need to cheer me on just yet.” The crowd hooted, and his Stone Dog brothers who had finally appeared rapped their spears on their bucklers fervently. Even a few Maidens acknowledged the jibe with a laugh.

 

When the tumult died down, Cor continued, “I came to you with the challenge, so I will race on your terms. You choose whether it should be a short sprint or a long run. You name the course. I am a stranger here, so if I drew it up, we’d both likely end up in the Blight by mistake.” More laughter accompanied his self-deprecating joke. “Also, you may choose when we race. Hopefully, I will be up to the task.” He paused slightly before adding with a devilish grin and a wink, “Although, if it turns out you are faster than me and I’m running behind you, the view won’t be too bad at all.”

 

The crowd burst with laughter.

~Caliendhra~

 

Men! So it was down to her to set the course they would race, fine, Caliendhra did not have a problem with that. She knew the area better than he did, a bonus for her given she was probably outmatched by his stamina. In order to uphold the advantage she had, she needed to use her wits and her wiles. If she chose a course that she was comfortable with, that she knew, then there was far more chance of her winning this race - true, she’d lose her own bets, but it would be worth it to feel the satisfaction of having bested him and representing her hold.

 

Her eyes narrowed; a gesture that almost mirrored the lion for felinity. Caliendhra waited until the crowd had finished its laughter, and regarded the Stone Dog with a hint of amusement. Up to the ridge, then towards the scrubby grass and back – in truth it should not take them more than half an hour if they ran flat out, as Caliendhra intended. That would be a nice little warm up for a longer one another time, perhaps.

 

“There is a flattened path out of the hold, down the way and up to the ridge up there.” Her tanned hand; callused from bow and spear, pointed the direction, and then started to rake through her short reddish-blonde hair. The heat was becoming warmer than usual today – a good job that the nights would be cooler. When the sun retreated, Caliendhra could be found in a sweat tent forgetting the day rather than chatting with the other Maidens. If she wasn’t training, that was. Caliendhra had found all sorts of useful things that she didn’t know by watching people. All done in the hope that eventually some one would find her worthy of command. It was a lonely road, but this was a lonely place.

 

This Threefold Land is as lonely as I am

 

Even if she lost, she was used to losing. Losing here would only make a slight difference in the amount of derision she suffered, because the Wise Ones would add their bit about pride and have her beating carpets, and the other Maidens would snipe because she had let a man beat her. Finding a sweat tent would make life easier until the commotion died down. Even if she won, Caliendhra was uncertain she would be happy to receive their praise. The Wise Ones would still lecture about pride, and the Maidens would still point and laugh, and likely make ribald jokes about the pair’s disheveled appearances. She loved her sisters, but…

 

She could not bring herself to finish the thought. Being a Maiden of the Spear was all that Caliendhra had wanted ever since she had worn her hair in two braids and scuffled in the dirt with her sisters, pretending to be Far Dareis Mai. There was something missing at the moment that Caliendhra hoped leadership would resolve. She continued to give directions.

 

“After the ridge there is a stand of grass – that is where we’ll go around and then return back here via the same way. With any luck it won’t be too much for you – I thought we’d take it nice and easy for you since you’re probably exhausted from the journey here. Rest assured; I’ll not lead you to the Blight, even if you enjoy the view! I’d be more inclined to be in front if I visited the Blight – I hear they pick off the stragglers at the back!” Caliendhra wanted to poke her tongue out childishly, but kept it firmly behind her teeth. It was up to him now as to whether he accepted the challenge or not. She waited.

Cor couldn’t keep the grin completely off his face at Caliendrha’s comments. She has a great sense of humor, and it is only matched by her lovely curves, he thought as he eyed her thoroughly. Her devilishly enticing grin caused a longing inside him to stir, but he shoved down the primal urge and then stomped on it for good measure. The challenge first, then we’ll see what happens after that.

 

“It sounds like a fun run, although short. If you would prefer a longer course, we can wait until you are ready,” he added with a mischievous grin of his own. Continuing, he teased, “It’s very kind of you to consider my safety and not lead me into the Blight. I fear the Shadowtwisted would not be as hospitable as you have been, although they might be nicer than your head Wise One.”

 

At the scattered chuckles from his scandalously funny retort, he heard a loud “Harumph!” from behind him, but he didn’t turn to face the old harridan. He had eyes only for his lovely and gifted opponent.

 

With a warm, slow wink, he asked the quick-footed and quick-witted Maiden, “When shall we begin?”

~Caliendhra~

 

The heat of the day was no more than usual, so it would be a nice run if they started now. It would also get him out of the way of the Wise Ones who would be likely to have him sifting sand to find the red granules they wanted, as they would do to some gai’shain that did not move fast enough to suit their purpose. It would be better to get this out of the way too, so she could go and have a drink.

 

She held his gaze and slowly returned the wink in a very measured way. Humour painted her features at his expression and then Caliendhra turned to the crowd and announced the race would start immediately. He had just run all this way from his hold to challenge her; he should be fine for another few miles. She raised her voice.

 

“If you’re not too tired, Stone Dog, we shall run now before it gets too hot and I have to carry you back to some shade. You look like you would be a pleasant armful, but quite a heavy one and I would hate to break into a sweat.”

 

The crowd hooted with laughter. It seemed she was winning with the battle between them of wits. Her spearpoints were probably sharper than his too, but she did not want to find that one out. Cor was a very good-looking specimen. Caliendhra watched him draw alongside her to line up for their race, and she felt her heart beating in preparation. It would work harder, pumping as her legs pumped to propel her forward, taking her further away from the hold and her competitor. The heat would make her mouth dry, every step invigorating and then tiring, draining from her until she had to call upon every last reserve of strength to keep her going. Breath coming harder and harder, hot air into the lungs but cooler on the face as she ran steadily through it. Yes, she was going to enjoy this.

 

“Ready?” She said to him. He nodded in reply.

 

They ran.

Caliendrha sprang forward swift as a blacklance, her cadin’sor a gray-brown blur as she sprinted away from the hold.

 

Cor followed, confident in his own abilities but welcoming the worthy challenge.

 

He saw immediately that her reputation was well deserved. She ran is if she wanted to leave her shadow behind, as if the wind would be left gasping for its breath. Still, he had some talent as well, and he wasn’t going to give up without giving his best effort. His strategy was simple. He would try to keep pace with her, trailing only slightly as she maintained the lead. This way his lack of experience with the local terrain shouldn’t be as big of a factor in determining the winner because he would follow the same path she chose. Instead, he would try to overtake her when they were on the return leg as soon as the hold peeked into view in the distance. He hoped his closing speed would prove sufficient to earn the victory.

 

It was a simple plan, but executing it against such a talented athlete was something else altogether.

 

For the time being, he lost himself in the rhythm of the run. His body flowed smoothly, his legs covering the rock-strewn desert with easy ground-eating strides. As he found his rhythm, his mind was left to wonder, and most of his thoughts were directly related to the shapely figure in front of him. Being behind the swift Maiden offered its own pleasures, he thought with a slight grin. Caliendrha certainly had a lovely booty.

 

The duo sped through the desert, their bodies vibrantly alive proudly defying the Threefold Land's deadly heat.

~Caliendhra~

 

Their pace increased, flowing from stride to stride and feeling the pull of muscle and tendon. The heat baked around them, making breath difficult. It was the pace with which Caliendhra would run to dance the spears, forward, leading a charge where she was directed, until her dreams were eventually fulfilled and she could run ahead of them all, leading them. She did not look behind her: she could feel the tattoo of his footsteps keeping a careful distance behind her own. And she hoped he was enjoying the view.

 

Halfway around, she thought he was going to overtake her, but it was merely a mock attempt. It was enough to make Caliendhra increase her pace, at any rate. Light, he was good. He increased his speed to match hers, and when it became apparent he was going to try and rush her right at the end, Caliendhra began to develop an idea. She’d test his stamina, and his legs!

 

The terrain changed briefly to become rockier underfoot as they ran, soft boots landing lightly and moving on. Small puffs of dust rose with their passing, and Caliendhra increased her speed to a near dead run. It would be madness to sustain such a pace for too long, and Cor would know this. He held back, conserving his speed and hoping for her to burn out. She could imagine the smile on his face after a few hundred yards when she showed no signs of flagging and in the next stride, slowing dramatically. She let him pass her, feigning heaviness of breath and letting him feel he had the upper hand. It was perhaps a little underhanded, but Caliendhra knew she would never hear the end of it if she were beaten by someone from a different clan.

 

After a while she drew alongside him, matching him stride for stride, their hearts beating probably at the same rhythm. Caliendhra saw her Hold loom on the horizon, framed by the setting sun. If she hadn’t have been racing, she would have sat down and watched the beautiful sight, but as it was she knew she had to reach her home Hold before he did. Cor was an excellent athlete, Caliendhra decided. Her brief stint falling behind him had given her a wonderful view as well, although she’d never admit it. As she ran, Caliendhra realized she had grown in more ways than she had originally thought. Maybe there was life outside her home Hold, and perhaps she might get given more command or missions of more importance if she were willing to venture outside the Threefold Land. She’d mention it to the Wise Ones at the first opportunity she got.

 

The finishing line drew nearer.

Few things in life thrilled Cor as much as a good run, and this race was exhilarating!

 

Caliendrha was swift as an arrow, and she flew across the ground. The ground was a blur under his feet as he matched her, their bodies as much a part of the Threefold Land as the sand and heat. Spears of orange and purple were flung against the blue sky as the sun began to fall below the horizon, having lost the day’s battle with the night and retreating to fight again on the morrow.

 

The smooth, swift tap tap tap tap tap of their feet across the desert floor was a comforting sound. It was a perfect moment of oneness known only by superb runners, with their bodies flowing to the same rhythm as the world, when the adrenaline took them to a higher place untenable by lesser beings.

 

He lost himself for long stretches to the dream of playing another game later tonight with the lovely Maiden. Only this time it wouldn’t be a race to the finish. As his body flowed across the Threefold Land like water did on the other side of the Dragonwall, his mind dreamed of long-lasting indulgence in her arms. Even now that she was alongside him, he could recall the enticing contours of her body from behind. And a man could lose himself in the depths of her eyes.

 

All of that might come later, if he threw his dice well, but now he had a more pressing task. She was fast, but was she fast enough? He didn’t know if she had any reserves left, but he knew he still had saved enough for a burst to the finish line.

 

The jagged spires of Caliendrha’s hold emerged in the distance, and rapidly drew nearer with the incredible pace of their contest. Over the last several miles, they had toyed with one another, each feinting at pulling away and then allowing the other to regain ground. Cor’s plan had worked fairly well though, especially considering the tremendous talent and obvious intelligence that Caliendrha had at her disposal.

 

At the one mile mark, with the unyielding spires of Caliendrha’s looking on haughtily from their vantage point high in the heavens, Cor opened up his speed.

 

This is it. One last burst. Then we celebrate.

~Caliendhra~

 

The hold swam into view. Caliendhra was sure she had lost the race now, her legs feeling not tired, but a strange feeling of victory flooded her. Certain of reaching the finishing line first, her legs found a new strength and propelled her forward. Cor seemed to fade a bit behind her, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before he too found that second wind and was pushed forward. The question lay in whether he would find that before they had reached their goal, as was always the way in a long distance race. The conservation of strength and power until the last possible moment, even to the point of falling behind if necessary to conserve that strength, was just as tactical as any dance of the spears. She had run many races in her history against many different people, and her skills were as honed as they ever would be.

 

Caliendhra was in her prime. Perhaps, when she left this hold to look for water on a mission, she would get the chance to lead the Far Dareis Mai for once. As well count the clouds in the sky that looked like they were going to snow. That mythical substance only heard of from peddlers’ tales falling from the sky? That was unlikely to happen. She put her head down and sprinted, dimly aware of Cor doing the same and the pace of their combined footsteps becoming faster and faster. The race was on.

 

More and more arid scenery flashed by unnoticed, the ground under their feet resounding with their efforts to win this race. It was more than a race: it was a contest of pride between two Holds, one of those defending their own pride, the other come for glory. Caliendhra would rather uphold pride than seek glory, but any win from this would be good. They had broken at the same time, sand kicked up behind them in swirling patterns left to the wind of their passing. Her home Hold came into view and with it, in her mind, all of those eager, anticipating faces, so sure that she would be first across the line.

 

The noise of crowds greeted the pair of them, Caliendhra still marginally in front. She knew that Cor had the advantage of probably having more stamina, but she was used to the terrain and this was her home. Buoyed by that fact, Caliendhra kept running, pulling away from her competitor one stride after another. The pain in her side was almost exquisite; a reminder that she was alive and almost as good as dancing. Onwards, she ran, onwards and homeward bound towards the welcome of her spear sisters and the expressionless faces of the Wise Ones. Her fellow racer probably had a string of wins under his belt, but not this one! Determination propelled her forward, the air warm on her face drying whatever little sweat was raised as a result of their labours and eventually, finally, Caliendhra crossed the line to back where they started off. Cheers and applause greeted them, Cor was only a few steps behind her, and Caliendhra turned around to grin at him.

 

“Well done, you nearly had me, but I know my way around here. Well done, all the same, Stone Dog.” Caliendhra extended her hand to Cor and smiled, thinking how good he looked with the sun catching the angles of his face just so. Perhaps a skin of oosquai would go down well tonight, if he would consent to share one with her. “I’m parched. I could do with a drink – would you share water with me? Or oosquai?

That didn’t go like he had planned it. No, not like he had planned it at all.

 

Still, it had been an excellent race. There would be a celebration in the hold tonight, and judging from Caliendrha’s attitude toward him the celebration might be very fun indeed. Not only was the Maiden faster than a Shaido with a stolen chicken, she was as lovely as newfound water. Smiling, he answered, his mischievous eyes lighting up as his words hinted at things not quite said.

 

“Your invitation is welcome, Caliendrha. Although I hope I don’t have to chase you down to partake of your kindness.”

 

The assembled Aiel laughed, but he thought only she picked up on the teasing in his words. Was that a flicker of recognition in her eyes? Her face was certainly glowing, but it could be from the joy of running or the pride in victory as much as it was from his flirting. Still with her standing so close, he didn’t waste the opportunity to drink in her presence. He was like the parched sand of the Threefold Land, and she the longed for moisture.

 

Standing this close to her, Cor could smell a soft hint of flowers, and the slightest suggestion of cinnamon on her breath. She was still a bit short of breath, and her bosom, quite bountiful for a Maiden, brushed against him as her chest heaved. As he looked into her eyes, he was just about to say something else when several Jumai Stone Dogs grabbed him, forcing him to walk away from Caliendrha and toward their roof.

 

It seems they were amazed that a Stone Dog had nearly outran the fastest runner in all the Taardad and were quite pleased, despite his defeat. From the sound of their excitement, it appeared there would be much drinking of oos’quai and celebrating tonight from his spear brothers.

 

As he was being dragged away by the boisterously happy bunch, he looked back over his shoulder to see Caliendrha ignoring her spear sisters, who were just as excited as his spear brothers, and staring after him. He gave her a smile and a mischievous wink, and spoke over the impromptu festival.

 

“I will look for you tonight, Caliendrha. Perhaps we can share water, and oos’quai, and a bit more.”

 

Trailing along behind the raucous Stone Dogs, Nei’din padded along almost forgotten, except of course for the three boys who were riding him. Like iron shavings to a lodestone, it seemed the great lion and small boys couldn’t resist each other.

 

It was a wonderful day to be Aiel.

~Caliendhra~

 

She watched his departing back, feeling proud that she had upheld the honour of her hold.  And, she privately admitted, it was a very good view.  Finding her breath again, and noticing with a hint of envy that he was scarcely breathing hard at all, Caliendhra spoke up.  “I will look for you tonight, Stone Dog!”  Feeling the sweat that she had generated had all but dried in the baking heat, she decided now would be a good time for a sip of water and a spell in a sweat tent, she ignored the rabble bent on congratulating her; there would be time enough for that later.  She had a lot on her mind that only the throat-cloying heat of a sweat tent could help to dissolve.

 

The Wheel, it seemed, had other plans than her relaxation.  Barely a few strides away from the finishing line a hand caught hold of her arm and wheeled her around to look into the sun-wrinkled face of the eldest Wise One.  There was no getting out of it, and so the Far Dareis Mai gave the Wise One every respect due to her.

 

“You did well there, Caliendhra.”  The voice sounded like dry leather being scraped.  Caliendhra murmured her thanks and mentioned how much of a challenge it had been, to which the older woman laughed.  “You must be in need of a drink.  Come with me; we have much to talk about.”

 

Helplessly caught, Caliendhra followed.  The sun continued to beat down around them, dry dust being kicked up as they made their way towards the tent the Wise Ones convened in.  Children stopped to say “Well done!” to her, and then went about trying to climb on the back of the Stone Dog’s lion.  Doubtless their mothers would not be happy if they knew their children were trying to climb on such an animal, but life was a test and if you chose to take that test, you had to be prepared for the consequences.  It was a happy sight, nonetheless.  She ducked under the tent flap and sat gracefully on one of the lushly padded cushions inside.

 

Four of the Taardad Wise Ones greeted their fellow and a slender white-robed Gai’shain moved from person to person pouring a small amount of water into small metal cups.  At a nod from one of the Wise Ones, a cup was placed in Caliendhra’s hand and water poured into that too.  She thanked the Wise Ones for their hospitality and sipped slowly at the water, feeling the restoration of life to her parched throat.

 

“Caliendhra.”  The eldest began, sipping her water as the one that had accompanied Caliendhra to the tent sat down.  “You are our fastest runner, as you have proven many a time to us.  Now, it is time for you to serve us in another way.”  She paused to let the mystery sink in, or to give Caliendhra time to think – one of the two.  “You must leave us to join those in the Wetlands, Caliendhra.  It is time for us to join everyone on the other side of the Dragonwall.”  Ignoring Caliendhra’s mild look of surprise, the woman continued.  “Times are changing and we must act according to the prophecies.  You will join those in the Wetlands such as have already gone.  Cor,” she said, remembering the Stone Dog she had raced earlier “will guide you there.  You may travel back with him, but you leave tomorrow, at first light.”

 

The topic of conversation drifted into other areas, carefully avoiding anything at all resembling interesting.  It largely focussed on the state of the roads and what Caliendhra should do when she arrived.  She was to deliver a note to someone in Cairhien, the land of the tree-killers, and from there she should present herself to the Far Dareis Mai and join them.  To Caliendhra, it was a mixed blessing.  On the one hand she would get more time to spend with Cor, who had proven to be good company as well as very good-looking, but on the other hand she would have to leave somewhere she was just finding some eminence to become another spear.  As much as she tried to deny that, it was important to her.  There were only so many times a woman could be passed over to lead.  Still, there might be more chances.  She tried to keep positive. 

 

After a time it became clear that the Wise Ones wanted to talk privately again, and so Caliendhra rose at their tacit dismissal and went off in search of Cor.  The Stone Dog was likely celebrating somehow with the rest of the others he had come with.  Outside of the tent, she scanned the darkening horizon and saw a few lone stars up in the heavens.  Night.  Tomorrow she would leave this place, her home.  She did not know what to do.  She should be celebrating her win, but she did not feel like it.  Cor’s unmistakable figure sat not far from the unmistakable figure of his lion, and she made her way over to them both and sat down.

 

“Room for one more?” She asked. 

 

Cor sat alone with Nei’din on an outcrop overlooking the hold.

 

The sun had fallen from the sky, and the night’s fires were just beginning to send their smoky prayers heavenward. The aroma of mesquite and evening meals drifted across the landscape, as did the blue-gray smoke. It was as much a part of the Threefold Land as the brilliant red and yellow spears slashing across the sky in the west, battling the purple and blue shields that were pushing them back in a battle between light and dark that had gone on since time began.

 

The normal routine of the hold was interrupted only by two boisterous groups of warriors celebrating the day’s events. The Maidens and Stone Dogs were both very proud of their member’s performance, and they were getting as loud and drunk as possible to prove it. In addition to the children that flocked to him and Nei’din like Shaido to an unguarded goat herd, the festivities and the crowd had become too much, and he had slipped away to relax without so many eyes and demands upon him. In addition to getting the unexpected news from the Wise One, he still hadn’t even had a chance to go to the sweat tent!

 

The strange turn of events left him much to consider, and it had dulled his sense of enjoyment from meeting and racing the lovely Caliendrha. He didn’t like the idea of going to the Treekillers’ city, or the fact that the Aiel had crossed the Dragonwall. Seeking refuge in solitude, he had found an out of the way perch and was lounging on the still-warm gravel pondering the future and scratching Nei’din’s ears, when she appeared like an unexpected oasis.

 

“Room for one more?”

 

Turning to look at her, he smiled and drank her in. The fading light of the sunset cast a golden glow on her face, enhancing her already breathtaking features. She was a beautiful woman, even sweat-stained and dirty from the run as she was.

 

He was just as dirty, but much less pretty to look at.

 

“Of course, but we might have to squeeze together,” he answered with a jest and a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes, motioning to the drunken revelry below. “Who knows how crowded it might get once they know you’re here.” After a warm laugh from her and a short pause, he asked, “Did the Wise One’s tell you?”

 

She answered with a nod, but didn’t break eye contact. Long moments passed while they just looked into each other’s eyes, motionless as if nothing else in the world existed, him sitting and her standing above him. He had often thought that nothing was more lovely than a sunset, but maybe he was wrong…

 

As the attraction grew, the silence lasted long enough to become humorous. The hungry look in her eyes and the warm smile that spread across her face spoke more clearly than words that she felt the same longing he did.

 

With a wink, he asked, “Would you like to visit the sweat tent with me? I need to get out of these clothes, and we could help each other with those hard to reach places,” he added with a devilish grin.

 

As he took the hand she offered to help him stand, he felt for the first time the fire that her body could send through his.

~Caliendhra~

 

“The sweat tent sounds a good idea, Cor.  I have a particular need to get clean.  Victory may be sweet, but I certainly do not smell it!”  Caliendhra’s good humour was restored by talking to the man she had beaten.  It put things into perspective to see him winking and treating him like a woman rather than a spear.  She forgot about that at times.  Usually dancing the spears where she was told to, it was nice to have a choice.  “I warn you though.  I am bound to leave at first light – you are coming with me to guide me.  You had better not slow me down, Stone Dog.”  There was a hint of warning in her voice, but it was half-hearted.  It had been a long day.

 

She led the way to the sweat tent and disrobed quickly, handing her cadin’sor to the white-robed Gai’shain stood outside.  The woman, a green eyed short thing with red hair, kept her emerald gaze downcast as she took the proffered clothes from Caliendhra and Cor.  Caliendhra noticed how she was trying not to openly admire the toned body of the other Aiel.  Cor obviously noticed, and smiled, but he took Caliendhra’s hand and pulled her into the sweat tent after him.

 

The heat was like a brick wall.  Whereas the dry heat of the day in the Threefold Land would bake the sweat from your body, this was a wet heat that encouraged the deep pore sweating that most Aiel considered a far more thorough cleansing than washing with water.  Caliendhra had heard talk of people washing in water and she could not bring herself to even consider it.  She shuddered.  Having watched friends and sisters die over a puddle of muddy water she could step across, the thought of such wanton and blatant misuse of the life-giving water was abhorrent to her.  Obviously if she was bound for the Wetlands, she had a lot to learn.  Cor might be able to help her there.

 

Taking the staera, Caliendhra sat back to allow some of the sweat to make her skin blossom in cleansing waves before drawing the edge of the small scraper down her skin.  She smiled over to Cor, who was doing the same, and then began asking her questions.

 

“Do you know what it is like in the Wetlands?”

 

Cor smiled at the question. He considered his response for several moments as he savored the humid heat of the sweat tent, scraping the staera slowly over his body and enjoying the view of Caliendrha’s lithe, enticing body, as well.

 

“I have been to the Wetlands,” Cor began cautiously, “but I wouldn’t say I know what it is like there. The people are very different for the most part, and don’t see things as we do… I met some nice folks while I was there, but overall, the wetlanders are a mystery to me.”

 

Pausing, he crossed his legs and propped his jaw onto his fist as he looked into the Maiden’s eyes and thought on what he wanted to say. “But the land there… it is as beautiful as you can imagine. And water flows without a care.”

 

He began telling her of the mountains on the far side of the Dragonwall that were purple in the distance, and often were wreathed with clouds. He spoke of trees so tall he could hardly see their tops, even if he craned his neck up to the sky. Like great pillars of wood that held up the heavens, they were, and many were bigger around than ten men could encircle while holding hands. He told of the vast prairies of grass, that stretched out like a sky of green underfoot, that rolled on and on in the distance. And he spoke of the water, always the water.

 

It was everywhere. In pools, in creeks and streams and little babbling brooks. In rivers so wide, sometimes you could barely make out the land on the far side. In a vast ocean they called it, that was salted and poison to drink and so far it was said no one had ever crossed it. Of the water that even fell from the sky.

 

His throat grew dry as he recounted the breathtaking sights he had witnessed, but it seemed she drank in every word. When the soreness in his throat caused him to stop, he looked at her with a sheepish grin, suddenly embarrassed for having gone on so long.

 

“I am sorry,” he added with a blush. “The Threefold Land will always be home, but the beauty in the wetlands will take your breath away.”