Suravye Ninto Manshima Taishite

Vladamir is the second son of the Lord of Fal Sion, a Fortress Keep along Shienar’s border with the Blight.

They held off many raids throughout their history. When he was 16 years old, the niece and nephew of the King arrived. In company was their daughter, Lady Graciela Togita, aged 14, who was there to meet the two sons of the Lord of the Keep. Whichever of the brothers she was deemed to be most compatible with would become her betrothed. It was an immense honor for Fal Sion, let alone for the Armendariz Household, and they were welcomed with open arms. Xavier, aged 18, was the oldest of the two. He was cool-headed, respectful and honorable, but it was Vladamir whose studious nature she was most comfortable with, and it was him that she chose though he never would know it. The announcement was to be shared at a ceremonial dinner, but a raid befell the Keep. Alarms sounded and all rushed away in defense.

A Sister of the Green Ajah had accompanied the royal family. Her efforts saved the Keep, and she was honored the following day. When the young lord Vladamir presented himself, she stiffened alarmingly. The Aes Sedai had only ever bestowed one other Foretelling in her life, and what she declared would become her second. The young man that stood before her was destined to save the life of an Aes Sedai whose fate it was to save thousands. The prophecy was impossible to interpret except that he felt compelled to become a warder. It was his decision, but the guilt of many lives was on his conscious if he did not walk the road south.

Vladamir was not even 17 when he was taken in by the trainers at the White Tower. His shame was kept quiet. He felt as if he abandoned his life, brother and family at the border, but neither could he live with the guilt of not living up to the foretelling. He didn’t even know if he was suppose to be a warder for an Aes Sedai, but he knew that if he did not try, he would never be able to live with the shame. He severed all ties to Shienar as a trainee in Tar Valon. He shaved the long hair that identified his culture and dropped any claim to nobility. Only his formality remained evidence of his upbringing. He wrote no letters home.

Lady Graciela wed his older brother after she came of age. They went on to have two children, Misaki, a girl, whose name means Blossom in the Old Tongue, and then Kenta, a boy, whose name means Strong in the Old Tongue.

He was eventually bonded to a fierce and formal wolf-sister of the Green Ajah, Caia’li Sedai. Their relationship was one of close friendship but always remained professional and formal. They met in the world of dreams. The wolf-sister Green found a floundering dreamer who knew not how to navigate tel’aran’rhiod. It was her that taught him some of its ways, but she was strict, and she made him swear to never enter the dreamworld until he could control the impulses there. Many years passed before he felt his promise was upheld.

He was honored beyond belief to be considered worthy of serving a Green sister. Pride held his head high at her side, and he felt the hand of destiny when they journeyed to the borderlands. However, his service was relatively short lived as she was soon appointed a Sitter of the Ajah. Vladamir found himself anchored to Tar Valon with his Aes Sedai, far from the cry of battle that his pride said he should defend. Resentment in himself grew, but he suppressed the growing doubt as long possible. He never shared these feelings with another soul.

As Vladamir grew restless in the White Tower, he began to wander the world of dreams more and more. He’d become a staple of the training grounds, mentored many and was a familiar face in the library, where reading poetry and philosophy gave him something to do. But it was a man named Edwin Natin that really began to open his eyes, figuratively speaking. They met in the Dreamworld.

He has yet to discover that Edwin was the dreadlord Arikan in disguise, manipulating and subtly compelling Vladamir into doing his bidding in the waking world. The restlessness in the warder came to a sharper edge, and his behavior was oddly stiff, even for his reputation.

It was when Caia’li finally sensed the growing difference in her warder that she had his mind delved for contamination. Asha’man Kentrillo, whose skill with healing was widely known, performed the deed. Vladamir heeled himself to the probe, but it was not without extreme caution. Arikan’s influence dug deep.