The Past Undying, Redeux [Attn: Ravak Darrow Gaidin]

[Bella]

There was no way she could say it in a way that would make him understand. How could she? She didn't understand it herself.

Mia pulled her cloak a little closer around her and stared into the fire. Her thoughts weaved in and out for a moment, but there were no blinding flashes of brilliance to be found. It was what it was. It had been what it had been. Like many things before it, she had no choice but to simply move forward.

This mystery would not be solved. It was a very defeating thought, and it brought up other emotions she had difficultly reconciling.

"I am not at all sleepy," she finally said aloud. "Why don't I take first watch tonight while you go get some rest?" After all, in a review of the day, his efforts had been far more physically intensive than her own. If either of them had a body in need of rest, it was more likely to be his than her own. And her brain still felt aflame.

[Craig]

Ravak

"That sounds like a plan." Rav wasn't in much of a mood to argue, plus he knew the rest would do him some good. The order of who slept first wasn't of any great importance at any rate. Raising from his fireside vigil, the Gaidin made his way to the tent and pulled the entrance flap aside. He took a long glance back at the Green sister, briefly skirting with the thought of not sleeping. Her eyes seemed lost in the cloud of thought. Something about that place really got to you, eh? Rav vanished into the tent before he convinced himself of doing otherwise.

He undid his sword belt, tugged off his boots, and removed his cloak. Then it was a case of getting within the icy sheets before removing the rest of his layers. The faint heat trapped within his clothing disappeared on the instant they were taken off, and only his training and the daft breathing technique kept him from shuddering.

The cold kept the Shienaran from immediate rest. He kept his eyes closed though, and tried to think of what he was going to go on his return to the Grey Tower. He ignored the obvious: reporting to Riahana and returning to his duties. Maybe he would go drinking in Hama Valon, if he could convince Dax to join him. Or maybe he'd seek to get a half-day and while away an evening in the Tower library. That was basically it when it came to options. Somehow his list of friends, whilst never long, seemed a lot shorter these days.

Well, maybe I can the Captain-General to the list, after this. It was a hopeful thought, but it kept his dreams light when they finally came.

[Bella]

Miahala was...disconcerted, to say the least.

She watched him vanish into the tent. This made her both relieved and uncomfortable. It was an odd struggle for her to feel the lingering disapproval of her earlier actions, so relief. Yet she did not want to be alone and she desired his company, specifically, so...discomfort. It was confusing and she didn't like it.

His reaction to her actions bothered her. Why? She had never felt the need to explain herself to anyone nor appease anyone. She barely would explain herself to the Amyrlin Seat, were the woman before her.

Yet she felt the need to do so with him. She couldn't, but she desired to. She... What? What was it? Mia...wanted his good opinion of her, but why? Yes, he was the Gaidin Captain, but again, rank meant little to her. People meant more. There was something about him specifically, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

As the time passed, that began to drive her crazier than figuring out what had happened to her in that building. It certainly helped keep her awake, that was for sure.

Yet time did not bring the answers she sought; only more questions.

[Craig]

Ravak

When he awoke, last night's dream faded quickly as dreams so often did. Fragmentarily details remained: a kitchen table, Kaira, Elia, a meal shared. The rest of it was gone like snow in the Waste, but it gave him a small knot of warmth deep in his chest.

Getting out from bed was a struggle. What rational person would abandon the heat and (relative) comfort for a snow-covered barren hillside in the middle of the night? Ravak Darrow apparently. If you wanted an easy life, you wouldn't have been born as a Shienaran. He tugged the covers off. His skin immediately pebbled, for the tent was next to useless for keeping out the southernly wind. He quickly donned socks and a shirt, then the rest of his attire. Even his gloves were firmly protecting his fingers before he stepped out of the canvas tent.

A face full of frozen air broke away the last vestiges of sleep. Breath misted right in front of Rav's face only to be carted off by the breeze. He took up a spot on the opposite side of the campfire, looking over the low flames at Miahala. "You're up. Sleep well." There seemed little reason to be anything more than succinct at that moment. Tomorrow would give way to further conversation, if required, as they trotted back to the Redoubt. For now, the Gaidin had four more hours to wait, and breakfast to cook.

[Bella]

By the time he emerged, Miahala felt no better off toward the idea of sleeping than she had when she told him she'd take first watch. She knew it wouldn't be right to tell him to go back to sleep, however, so she simply met his gaze as he came out and nodded. All of her muscles felt like they were practically singing with some unmentionable tension.

The Green rose and stepped around the fire. She hesitated beside him but no words came. Her hand brushed his shoulder as she kept moving past and into the tent.

His warmth in the blankets had already been sapped by the chill in the air. She took off her boots and cloak, but didn't bother with anything else and slid into the bedroll. Sleep was a long, long, long time in coming and it seemed like no sooner had she fallen asleep than it was already time to wake up...

Oh, it was going to be a long day.
* * * They rode on through the day and spoke little, although the awkwardness of the silence waned with the passing hours until it returned to something more like it had been before. Soon the Redoubt came into sight and they were greeted heartily by the men and women of the outpost that were happy for their safe return.

Marwen went so far as to break all manner of protocol and propriety and hug the Aes Sedai, who just laughed and returned the gesture. He was simply happy to see them alive.

After that, they told him what they had found. It was news to sober any man up, and fast. He took it stoically, however, as she knew that he would and they made notations on the map about the area. Theories were made, however, that unless the Shadow took up its work there once again, the place would not longer be a "void."

That was happy news, right? The Trollocs would just start coming straight through. Life in the Blightborder, eh?

However, having the mystery solved was something worth noting and Marwen was glad of the assistance. The Trolloc raids would always be a thing and there was little anyone could do about that but to simply fight them back. Miahala wished her friend well and promised that should he ever call again, she would be there.

So it was that they left the border outpost, and then left Shienar, and returned to the Tower.

Riding from the Channeling Yards and the Gateway spot, Mia felt a new knot build in her chest. It was somehow akin to dread, but she couldn't understand the source of it. More questions. She would figure it out later. For now, she just rode alongside Ravak back to the stables where they finally gave their steeds a chance for a real break.

The stable-hands took over and the Captain-General and the Gaidin Captain left the place, leaving those young men and women to their work.

As they stepped out into the Grey Tower's day, she looked up at the building that was so much a part of her and she smiled slightly before turning to look at him. "Thank you, Gaidin Captain," she said, her voice soft but sincere. "Ravak. For your help in this. I could not have done it without you, and I appreciated...the company."