A Day Trip [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

[Bella]

It was just a little day-long outing to Lake Somal and Somal Village, which was a relatively short ride by horseback from Hama Valon and the Grey Tower. The weather was clear and warm, although since it was past the fullest flush of summer, it wasn't too hot.

After a family dinner where Liaran had mentioned wishing to see the lake, having yet to do so despite her time at the Tower, Mia offered to go with her. Naturally, Haeden tried to fit himself into the excursion, but as it was barely away from home and in a pretty, obscure area, Mia insisted that it wasn't necessary.

They were two perfectly capable Aes Sedai, after all, and lakes weren't known for murderous tendencies.

Thus it was that the two women found themselves taking the placid journey first to Somal Village, and then to the lake beyond it. To be fair, these two hadn't spent a great deal of time together without the interceding presence of the one's husband and other's son, they certainly weren't on poor terms, even with that one moment of misunderstanding.

Mia, having always been more maternal than was ideal for an Aes Sedai, was glad to have an excuse to spend some more time with her daughter-in-law. Liaran was the only one she had, presently, with her elder sons long since passed and her younger son still too young.

"I have somehow not previously made this trip," Mia commented idly, "despite how long I have lived here. Strange that there is anywhere I can say that about, after all this time." Light, she could even say she'd been beyond the veil once, but not Somal.

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

As they rode at a comfortable pace towards the tiny village called Somal, Liaran reflected that there could not possibly have been a better day for this trip. The sky was cloudless above her head, the temperature warm but not too hot, and the Aes Sedai was quite looking forward to an afternoon spent walking through the village and by the nearby lake from which the village took its name. It was far enough from the Grey Tower to serve as a short break from her responsibilities, yet close enough that the short time on horseback was tolerable even for her. Still, riding demanded Liaran’s full attention, so much that she had not been able to spare a thought for idle chatter with the woman who rode beside her.

Perhaps that was not entirely due to the demands of riding; Haeden’s mother remained mostly a mystery to Liaran, though she had spent plenty of time getting to know her husband’s family even before their marriage. Miahala Sedai was hardly a stranger, and not at all someone she disliked, yet Liaran remained unsure of what sort of relationship she was expected to have with the other woman. She just barely managed to refrain from glancing nervously at the older Aes Sedai when Miahala broke the silence that had existed between them.

Looking up for just a moment, Liaran offered, “You haven’t?” in a voice she feared didn’t quite conceal her surprise. She had not thought there would be anywhere in the known world that Haeden’s mother hadn’t already seen, but supposed it did make sense. Hama Valon itself was a good deal larger than the lakeside village they were approaching, and the lake, while interesting to Liaran, probably had little appeal to her. Just why Miahala had even wanted to accompany her, Liaran wasn’t sure, but she hoped that spending this time together might help her to overcome the awkwardness she struggled with in Miahala’s presence. Forcing herself to give a small smile, Liaran commented, “Then this will be new for both of us.”