Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

[Bella]

The relief of his Aes Sedai was shared when she was at his side once again. It had barely been a moment, but he was never more discomfited than when she wasn't near. The only time this wasn't quite as true was when they were both bracketed safely within the walls of the Tower. But they were not in the Tower now.

Haeden met her dark eyes and smiled ruefully. "I am..." he began, the paused. He looked around, taking in a long, slow, deep breath before letting it out. "...conflicted." He turned back to her. "There is a part of me that is glad to be here, because it part of my heritage and it is in my blood. I a child of the Tower, but still born of Saldaea and Arafel. And yet...

"It has been so long since I was here, and my memories of my father are still...difficult, more often than not. I cannot help but be reminded of him when I am here."

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

If Liaran could have reached for Haeden's hand, she would have. Since that wasn't an option from horseback, the Aes Sedai had to content herself with keeping her eyes on him. "If you need to talk, I'm here," she reminded him. With a smile, Liaran added, "Even if it's the middle of the night. And if you change your mind once we arrive, we can always go back to the Tower, just let me know."

With that, Liaran turned her head to look at the path before them. There was hardly a cloud in the sky, suggesting a pleasant ride ahead. Looking back towards Haeden, Liaran asked him, "Are you ready to go?"

[Bella]

Haeden felt his heart once more swell with her words and he smiled in a way that was part abashed and part grateful. Given that he was the better horseman, he was able to hold his reins in one hand and reach out to her. No, he did not reach for her hand because he knew she needed both to help keep her steady. Instead, his hand rested briefly on her shoulder affectionately.

"I am not a man of enough words to convey how much I appreciate your presence. There are many unknown situations that I feel no trepidation to rush into. I'd rather leap into battle with my sword free than walk into this unknown matter of family... I don't really know what to expect..." He smiled at her, however. "But I feel capable of facing anything with you beside me."

The tips of his long fingers brushed her neck as he pulled his hand away. "Yes. I believe I am."

With that, he nudged his horse forward and began their trek through the Arafelin countryside.

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

As they rode away, Liaran managed a quick glance and small smile for her Warder before she had to turn around and pay attention to the road ahead of them. Despite not being able to look at Haeden, Liaran still had a response for him. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here with you," she told him. "No matter what happens with your family, we face it together." She didn't expect the upcoming visit to be anything other than an ordinary family gathering, but she knew Haeden's feelings about it were more complex and wanted to reassure him.

Holding a conversation while riding was difficult enough for her that Liaran didn't try to do so as they rode. Instead, the Aes Sedai stayed quiet and observed the countryside as they passed by. A gentle breeze blew her hair out behind her, and Liaran realized she was actually enjoying the ride. That she was capable of doing so now was something she attributed to the work Haeden had put in to helping her learn. The thought made her smile, even though he probably wouldn't be able to see it. From experience, Liaran knew that the ride would eventually become uncomfortable and then tiring, but for now, it was neither of those, and she was entirely content where she was.

[Bella]

They rode on peaceably and quietly for some while, with Haeden keeping a keen, weather eye on their surroundings at all times... Despite his vigilance--or maybe because of it--nothing happened during this first part of their journey, except perhaps for the weather turning a little warmer and the sun shining a little brighter.

All in all, it was rather nice out. He would wish he could simply not worry about a thing and focus on his Aes Sedai, but he knew he couldn't.

After a time, it was just after midday and he knew that Liaran would be tired with the riding. She was doing so much better than she had been when they'd first met, and he was very proud of her progress in overcoming her uncertainty and fear, but she still did not quite have the stamina of someone who'd been raised on horseback like he had.

"Shall we take a break and stop for lunch?" he offered with a warm expression.

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

The ride continued, and Liaran's thighs began to ache. She shifted her position in the saddle and kept her discomfort to herself. Never having been one to complain much, the Aes Sedai wasn't about to start now. Instead, she simply ignored it as much as she could and let Haeden decide when it was time for them to stop. She was here for him, after all, and did not want to let her own lower tolerance for riding interfere with their journey anymore than was necessary. Still, she was relieved when he suggested that they take a break.

Liaran turned her head, smiling at her Warder, then returned her attention to her riding. "A break and lunch sounds fine, if you're ready for it," she responded, making no comment about her own readiness for some time out of the saddle. Studying the road ahead, Liaran considered where it might be nice to stop for while. Not far from where they were, she saw a few large trees that appeared to offer some shade and possibly even a bit of privacy from anyone else passing on the road. "Do you think those trees by the hill look like a good place to stop?" she suggested.

[Bella]

Haeden followed the line of her gaze to the spot she indicated and took a quick survey. His brain raced through all of the possibilities like he had been trained to do, and he decided that it looked like a good spot. With a smile for her, he nodded once and then gently steered his horse toward it.

Once they were there, he took another look around to survey everything and decide it still looked suitable.

He dismounted first and then stepped beside Liaran, offering her a hand down. Then he pulled out their meal and a blanket off his saddlebags, bringing it over to a dry patch of grass and setting it out. "I'm not even sure what the Mistress of the Kitchens packed," he commented with a wry smile. That woman was the most feared in the Tower, even more than Haeden's mother. "I asked but she waved that giant wooden spoon at me and I fled."

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

Liaran let Haeden help her down, surprised to find that while her legs hurt, she was perfectly capable of walking, something which had not always been true for her after prolonged riding. She hardly wobbled at all as she unfastened Seawind's saddle, placing it on the ground to give her horse a break from it. Only when her horse had been attended to did Liaran turn towards Haeden as he spoke.

Warders were not, generally, a fearful sort, and Haeden certainly was not, which was why the idea of her own Warder running from the Mistress of the Kitchens brought Liaran to momentary laughter. It was very short-lived, however, as she made herself stop, not wanting Haeden to think she was laughing at him. She directed a bright smile at her Warder and said, "I think just about everyone in the Tower has been driven off by that spoon of hers at some point."

She sat down on the blanket and turned her attention to the food Haeden had set down, sorting through the paper-wrapped packages. When she had what looked to be her portion arranged in front of her, the Aes Sedai began to unwrap them. Inside, she found bread, cheese, ham, apples, plums, and a couple honeycakes. She raised her head to check on Seawind, and saw that the horse was peacefully chewing on some nearby grass. With another smile, she laid a hand on the blanket beside her and looked up into Haeden's eyes. "Are you going to sit down?" she asked. She moved her hand from the blanket to rest on her leg, hoping Haeden understood that she would like him to sit down and stay close to her as they enjoyed their lunch.

[Bella]

"Of course," he said once everything was done with the horses and the basket. Seeing that she was settled into a seat and looking at him with those lovely brown eyes, really, how could he resist? If he wanted to. And he didn't. So that all worked out very well, and he moved the few steps nearer to her and sat by her side.

He reached out and helped her unwrap the meal, setting it out. One thing for the kitchen mistress... She was fierce and defended her territory like a borderland soldier fighting back the Blight, but she packed a good lunch.

Putting one hand behind him, he reclined slightly. (This moved his upper body closer to hers, although that surely wasn't intentional...right? He'd never tell.) With his other hand, he began with an apple. "So," he began after a moment, "a little background. My father inherited the lordship. He lost it for a time to family in-fighting but got it back before he dead.

"It went into stewardship after he died, because I was a child and then a trainee. As an adult, I traveled to the manor to sign over my claim to the title. Lord Malen inherited after me, but died after a few years." He paused for a thought. "Now it has been inherited by a...cousin, I believe. Not borne of a sibling of my father but my father's father. His name is Hiron Ives. And now he has a firstborn son, whose naming celebration is what we are attending for."

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

Once Haeden sat down, Liaran moved closer to him, settling in a spot on the blanket where they were almost touching. Reaching for the food, she took some bread, ham and cheese, eating it while she looked at her Warder and listened to what he had to say. He didn't talk about his father's side of his family often, so most of it was new information to her. Her eyes stayed on him, only occasionally straying down to the food in her hand.

Once she'd finished what she was eating, Liaran spoke. "Did your cousin just recently inherit the title? Or has he held it for some time?" she asked, wanting to prove that she had been listening and was interested. Both were true; anything new she could learn about Haeden and the family he'd been born to was something that interested her. She blinked, looked down and picked up a plum. As she bit into it, another thought occurred to her.

Liaran chewed, swallowed, and only then added, "Do you think many of your relatives will be coming?" Though she had long moved past showing any obvious signs of it, the Aes Sedai had never been one to enjoy crowded rooms and large gatherings. For Haeden, she would tolerate it, there being little she would not do for him, but knowing what she might be walking into would still be helpful. Liaran smiled up at her Warder, hoping he knew that the answer would have no effect on her decision to accompany him.