Consorting with Enemies

[Jay Carpenter]

Jai

He looked up once. To find Nythadri’s back turned, scrubbing herself over the basin. It didn’t occur to him to let her have first pass at the water. She didn’t complain. Not that she ever would. A lump threatened to close his throat tight, and he looked back to his hands. Warmth brushed his arms. Once again, Nythadri was before him, coaxing him back to the shore on which she waited. How many times would they find themselves in this same place. The night he fought with Andreu, she performed much the same miracle, signaling through the darkness, calling him home.

Did he even deserve to go? Well. We all knew the answer to that question.

He found her gaze. So close, he could see the veins in the white of her eyes, probably as red and broken as his own. But it was the colors streaking her sea-colored irises that made him stare. Her quip made him sincerely chuckle.
“You know how I like drama,” he murmured in response, but the humor was cut short by the admission that followed.

Prior to waking up in a pool of Daniel’s blood, there was nothing. Emptiness and blackness. It was strange. Like how time passed when asleep. You rest your eyes for just a second and next thing you know, six hours lapsed and you’re late for duty. He remembered the treaty though. Remembered it loud and clear. The square. Watching the parade of ceremonies and trade of treasures. Nythadri knew about the treaty then. Of course she would. She was Aes Sedai now. Inevitably his gaze fell to the ring on her finger. He almost rubbed the place it previously occupied on her left hand, a wall that kept them apart, but stilled himself from the motion. Mostly because her hands cupped his arms and he didn’t want to break free.

“You heard about that…? Suppose an Aes Sedai would,” he swallowed, speaking aloud the mirror of the thought that just passed his mind.

Then his gaze lifted up and away, it occupied the space above her shoulder. A frown took his expression like he was concentrating, but it didn’t work.
“The last thing I remember is being in the palace. I remember being so angry I could level a mountain. Is that why? Is that why I tried to do — what I tried to do?” Was it madness? Had he finally cracked? His jaw was slack despite the admission like he was willing to accept this part of himself. Like it was only natural. 

Her promise went unacknowledged. Back.. back there, he said he would never leave her alone. But he could see no other future but that they must part again. Tonight or tomorrow it would happen. 

So he said nothing, slipped to the floor with her and wrapped her into a tightly bound hug.