A Journey North

[Colette Moreau]

For all her attention on slipping out of sight, Nicole had been more concerned with escaping Berin’s search than she had eluding the women around her. She hadn’t noticed Elsbeth until her voice was right behind her. She startled and climbed to her feet as gracefully as she could.

Elsbeth’s concern was writ across the woman’s face, and Nicole frantically thought of an answer to her question that both satisfied her current circumstances but wasn’t so polished a dodge as what an Aes Sedai might say. Corele would never have hid like this, but even if caught, she would simply tell the noblewoman that her behavior was none of her concern. However, Nicole couldn’t be so forward. In lack of any obvious choice, she simply brushed the snow off her knees and stammered vaguely about nothing being a problem.

“I know he was looking for me, and I just… I just don’t want to see them right now. I’m in no fit or form to be presented to an Aes Sedai,” she implied about her appearance. It was the best she could think of in the moment.

Graciela Armendariz

“I am sorry to hear that, my Lady,” she replied. Death was a cycle of life, but it didn’t make the loss any less easy to bear. “Please, I’ll show you the way,” she gestured that they could depart together whenever the Sister was ready.