undefined

     Many years ago after the breaking of the world, the remnants of the Aiel people wandered the land in search of a safe place for their families and their precious cargo.  The years were very hard on them, and during this time the generosity of others was very lacking.  During some point in their nomadic existence, the Aiel people’s wanderings led them near to the spine of the world.  It was there that the leader of a palisaded town agreed to let the Aiel have as much water as they water as long as they dug the wells themselves.  This act was later to become known in Aiel folklore as the Water Gift.  Due to the leaders generosity, many years later, in 556 NE when the Aiel people discovered the descendants of those people they granted to the merchants of Cairhien the exclusive right to travel the Silk Path from the Jangai Pass through the Aiel waste.  At the same time they also gave to the king of Cairhien Avendoraldera, the only surviving sapling of Avendesora.
 
 

     “But, my king,” the gardener sputtered. “You can’t be serious.”
     “Do not but me.  I am well aware of what my orders are and I want them to be followed.  Now!” King Lamen bellowed.
     The gardener bowed quickly the quickly ran off to find some men to assist him.  It wasn’t until several weeks later that the king of Cairhien sat upon his new throne, made from Avendoraldera, the only know sapling of the last Tree of life.  He sat upon it unaware of the consequences his actions would bring upon him and his people.  All about his court men muttered and others schemed, for some had already received word of the Aiel people, but even they could not fathom what was about to happen.  Blinded by some ignorance king Lamen saw only a sturdy chair from which he could rule upon.  In those dark wooden curved arms of his new seat he could not see the destruction of his city.  In the high back which he rested against he could not see the war that was to come.  In the smooth finish and gold gilding of his new throne, he could not see his death.
 

     “He must pay for his sins,” The tall clan chief bellowed and all about him there was full agreement.
     All the Aiel had learned of King Lamen’s terrible deed and several clans were already rising to exact their revenge for Avendoraldera.
     “The clans stand behind you Janduin, the Nakai stand ready,” The broad shouldered clan chief of the Nakei boomed.
     “As do the Reyn,” A second said.
     “The Shaarad follow you as well,” said a third.
     Janduin, of the Taardad clan, smiled.  He had not been sure what he was to expect from the other clans, but he knew four would be enough to pit against any wetlander resistance.
     “Go then and prepare your warriors, the tree killer must not go unpunished for long.”
     The others nodded and then after saying their good-byes they left.  Janduin remained sitting where he was for some time thinking of what would come of the actions he was about to lead his people to.
 
 

     “Hey!”  The Guard on watch yelled to several of his companions in the courtyard below him. “The Aiel…” The words cut short as the man toppled forward from his post an arrow through his chest.  Several of the guards rushed to the main door and others to raise an alarm but all fell dead whit in seconds.  The Aiel forces were already in the outpost and with in no time they had captured the fort.  No word of the Los was sent to King Lamen, the Aiel had been quick and silent.  Three other outposts had fallen already as they moved closer to Cairhien.  The Aiel forces took only a fifth of what treasures that was there.  The amount allowed by Aiel law to be taken from a captured area.  They moved on after re-supplying their food stores.  Cairhien was close now, and soon the Aiel would have their revenge.
     King Lamen paced the floors of his royal chamber where he usually preformed his official rulings.  His new throne sat on a small dais behind him.  The room, normally filled with nobles was now empty.  No one wanted to approach the king when he was in such a temper.  As he paced the king mumbled aloud, sometimes he spoke to his advisor who huddled in a corner trying to remain unseen for the most part, and sometimes he was merely rambling to himself.
     “Five days, five days and still no word from the outer territories.  How can this be?  What have the messengers I sent out had to report.”
     “None of your messengers have returned yet my lord,” The small dark hared man said hoarsely.
     “None?  What could be taking them so long?  They had fast horses, and could have found others if they needed.  What about the scouts I have sent out?”
 “They have not yet returned either my lord, but it was only a few days ago,” the man said trying to shrink even more in his hiding spot.  “I have heard it whispered that before we had lost contact with the outer regions there was a heavy activity amongst the Aiel.”
     “The Aiel, those barbarians?  What threat could they be to my army?  Why would they attack us anyway?”  King Lamen suddenly turned to his throne and finally he saw what he had done.
     “I must make plans to leave suddenly,” He said like a fact well known by everyone and then he left the audience chamber.

     “There it is,” Janduin said pointing to the city of Cairhien, which lay still many miles off, little more than a blob that did not fit into the natural landscape. “Soon me.  The tree killer will be dead and we can return home.”
     There was a banging of spears but other than that it was almost silent.  In long quick strides the Aiel force moved forward towards the city of Cairhien.  They had made their plans the night before.  Janduin was sure it would soon be over. The guards of the city were shocked at the sight.  Bells rang loud through out the city, raising the alarm.  Soldiers rushed to their posts swords and arrows in hands.
     “It looks as if the whole bloody Aiel nation has come down upon us,” one man said in despair
     “Stand fast soldier, they are savages against well trained fighters.  This city will not fall no matter how many there are,” His captain shouted back at him.
     The Aiel forces rushed down upon the city and the city guard fought bravely but it was not enough.  They broke into the city looking for King Lamen but he had already fled during the time of confusion when the Aiel were breaking through the cities’ defenses.  They took only a fifth once again of the riches of the city and then they burned it.  Only the library was spared and it was not by accident that this occurred.  The Aiel took great care to make sure that the building was left unharmed by the flames.  The rest though they cared nothing for and it was burnt to the ground.   They Aiel moved on after that in search of the tree killer.
 

    A white clad gai’shain entered the clan chiefs meeting tent and presented to Janduin two rolled parchments.  They had been scouting across all across the country following king Lamen far already and spent much time in searching him out but he had disappeared suddenly and their scouts had been having problems finding the trail again.  Already they had traveled south down to a land called Tear by its natives and back up a river, which Janduin had discovered, was called the Erinin.
     “They have found him.  He has entered into a land called Andor,” Janduin said as he read the first rolled parchment. “Make ready to be on the move with the sun’s rising tomorrow.”
     “All will be taken care of,” one of the clan chiefs said but Janduin was not paying attention, his eye were reading carefully over the second letter.
     It was from a maiden of the spear who went by the name of Shaiel who he had taking an interest in and she in him.  She was a strange woman, a wetlander discovered by a group of maidens who had ranged close to the dragon wall. One day they saw a woman, a golden-haired wetlander dressed in silks riding on a mare and had a packhorse with her. The maidens followed her at first wondering where she was going.  To them it seemed she was looking for something and they wanted to know what. She was very determined to find whatever it was, never stopping until finally her animals had all died, her food and water had run out and she collapsed to the ground.  The maidens decided to give her water and ask her story. Shaiel was the name she took for herself. She had never said much more about her past then what she had to.  Speaking mainly of a child left behind and a husband she did not love.  Janduin did not know her reasons but she had been desperate to join the maidens of the spear.  It took her a year before she made her vows to the spear, but she was accepted, being adopted into the Chumai sept of the Taardad.
     He finished the not quickly to himself then with a slight smile carefully tucked away within some hidden pocket in his clothing.  The other clan chiefs had already emptied the meeting tent.  He left quickly to return to his own clan’s part of the camp.  As he walked to the middle of the Taardad’s camp, a small boy rushed past him carrying some message or something in his hand.  Janduin watched him until he disappeared beyond his vision.  Janduin saw things in the boy that reminded him of himself when he was younger, but he wore a frown on his face.  He was too young to be out in the wetlands hunting with the warriors.
 “Renal Duron, who is that young boy who just tore through here?  Surely he can’t be old enough to be among a warrior society?” Janduin asked the man sitting out side his tent.
     “The lad is Cor Dazar.  The wise ones sent him for some reason.  It is not my place to question their decisions.  His family had to stay behind.  He does good work though.”
    Janduin nodded and then continued on his way not quite sure what he should do about the youth. Probably nothing if a wise one was so set on getting the poor lad sent out here that she couldn’t be talked out of it.  The sun was already gone from sight, only and darkness was closing in quickly.  Janduin passed into his tent quickly, sitting down long enough to remove his boots before he lay down to sleep.  He kept his clothes on incase of attack or any other surprises that might be in store.  He would need all the rest he could get in the next weeks to come.
The Aiel followed Laman through out Andor and the rest of the lands until finally, three years after they had first crossed the dragon wall they caught up with him in Tar Valon.  By now every nation had sent and army against the Aiel to stop them from coming into their lands.  It was tell years later that people discovered that they had only been following King Laman.  The winter weather that had set on the land had only slowed the Aiel but it did not stop them. Years after they would still speak of the white flakes that fell from the sky that the wetlanders called snow.
     The battle of Tar Valon, also called the battle of the shinning walls, the battle of the nations, the battle of the red snows, the battle of the blood snow, began in the morning on the day before Danshu in the year of grace 978 of the New Era. The Aiel were brought to battle by a loose coalition generally called “the Grand Coalition,” or “the Grand Alliance.”
     The messengers moved in and out of the Aiel camp like water reporting what they had seen and then leaving to scout the land once again.  The warriors were anxious to finally exact their revenge upon the treekiller and return home to their families.  Janduin controlled it all, and where he walked people took heart even though the reports of the large army that had massed against them sounded almost too large for them.  In addition to the remains of the Cairhien army, was Shienar with twenty-nine thousand men, Andor with twenty-eight thousand, Illian with twenty-six thousand, Tear with Twenty-four thousand Arafel with twenty-one thousand Ghealdan with five thousand, Amadicia with four thousand, Murandy with four thousand, and Altara with roughly thirty-five thousand.  Tar Valon had also supplied twelve thousand men. An army of close to one hundred and seventy thousand men, the size of which had not been seen since Artur Hawkwing’s day.  The Aiel themselves only had seventy-eight spears at Tar Valon, only half the number of the wetlander army, but Janduin would not give up and neither would his people.
 The day before Danshu began the first of the three days of heavy fighting.  The snow wiped about the soldier’s ankles and the wind howled past their ears.  The snowstorm had been fierce but quick.  The men of the combined army stood with sword and lances at their sides.  Most did not fear the Aiel yet, they had not seen what they could do, and rumors still circulated that they had twice as many people with them as their own army now assembled.  They where not aware of the pivotal point they held. The bridges crossing the Alindrelle Erin were to be the start of it all.
     Yells where heard off in the distance muffled slightly by the wind.  There was also the very dull sound of metal clashing together.  Not stopping to think the men took up their weapons and dashed across the bridges to help their companions on the other sides.  Those in the forefront where cut down quickly by the Aiel arrows and the rest were forced to face their black veiled opponents, sword to spear.
     “It has begun, he will not escape us this time,” Janduin said as the first lines of his warriors surged onto the bridges to meet their defenders.  He only stood for a second to watch then he too veiled his face and swept forward with the second assault.  All across the river the Aiel pushed to cross the bridges and gain access to the other side where the rest of the wetlander forces waited, and with them Laman.  There were countless skirmishes that day, hundreds dies and the deep snow turned red.
 The battles had lasted all day; Janduin and his warriors had gained access to the other side quickly.  It was after wards that they had been hard pressed to hold their position until finally night came on and the wetland forces retreated.  Reports from the others were still streaming in.  All had crossed if not as quickly but they had made it.  Janduin set his plans quickly.  The Aiel would march briefly that night to a point he felt was secure enough. It would be there that the Aiel forces would converge again.
    “Cor, come here for a second,” Janduin said as the young boy he had first encountered years earlier.  He had taken the child under his protection, using him as a personal messenger and also making sure he was well away from the fighting when it took place.
     “Yes?” he asked as he approached.  A determination lit his eyes, a light that promised he would not fail in any task given to him, no matter how great.  He go to the blasted lands themselves and hunt myrddraal and die before he could ever come to manhood, Janduin often said, but as he looked at the young lad already tall and strong even for his young age, he reconsidered the statement.
     “I need you to take this message to Shaiel for me,” Janduin said, handing Cor a small slip of paper. “He she is well enough escort her back here to me.”
     Cor took the paper and was off like a rabbit.  Janduin knew he would not have to wait long for his return, although he would have to go slower if Shaiel was able to come.  It had been almost nine months since Janduin had bedded with the women and a child had begun to grow in her but she would not leave and he could not make her no matter how he tried. Tonight would be his last attempt to dissuade her from fighting.  As he waited he toyed with different ways to approach her that he had not used yet.
     “How many times must I tell you.  I must fight with my sisters tomorrow and the next day,” Shaiel’s voice cut into Janduin’s thoughts.
     “What?” He asked.
     “I know what you asked me here for and it will not work, I must be in the battle,” She said staring angrily at him.
 He opened his mouth to speak but realized that he had nothing to say.  He could deny her nothing. If she were to ask him to take the moon from the sky and put it on a necklace for her she would have tried.  Instead of speaking he stepped froward and took her hands in his.
     “Just be careful, and come back to me,” he said smiling.
     She opened her mouth to protest once again, but it just hung there instead. Janduin gave her a gentle kiss and the pushed her gently to arms length.
     “We are going to be moving soon.  You better return to your sisters.”
      Shaiel only smiled and turned.  Cor shadowed her as she left the tent.  Janduin had given Cor orders to always make sure she remained safe and so he was never far from her.  Janduin watched her leave. Finally turning after she had been gone for several minutes.  It was many more before Cor returned a waiting any other orders.  Janduin watched the young man approach again, and wondered what would become of him when he returned to the three-fold land.
     “The messengers have returned and all is in ready to move,” Cor said as he entered.
     “Good.  Let us get ready then,” Janduin replied motioning for Cor to go take care of his own possessions.
     The march did not last long but it was still tiring after the long day’s battle.  A light snow began to fall, gradually gaining force through out the night.  It continued on into the next day when the second day of heavy fighting began.  Aiel warrior and wetland soldier clashed in more fierce skirmishes through the day.  The snowstorm blasted at the continuously until mid-day when the clouds began to break.  Soon the snow had stopped completely and the warriors fought on under a perfect clear blue sky.
 The carnage continued on during the day.  It was so intense and no one could ever recall much of anything during that day.  Blood covered the men’s arms and legs.  It was in their hair and spattered on their faces.  The ground only had small blotches of white left on it but the Aiel fought on with a ferocity that the wetlanders could not explain.  King Lama still lived though and so the Aiel pushed ever forward. Finally night crept over them and the forces pulled back to rest their forces.
     Janduin did not sleep that night, he went over their attack plans and the Aiel’s plans for defense if it was needed over and over.  Perfection was the key to getting to Laman, and he would accept nothing else.  It was in the very early morning when the sun’s rays where just beginning to peak over the horizon that he noticed your Cor Dazar sleeping in the corner.  The young lad had tried to stay awake with the clan chief but he had been unsuccessful. Calling in a gai’shain Janduin had the white clad man lay the boy in his own bed.  Janduin went out of his own tent though and walked amongst his men, those already rising and those still asleep.
     With dawn of the third day the Aiel swept down upon the wetlanders army.  It was the fiercest yet of the three days; so much blood was spilt that it melted the snow in places as the warm liquid leaked from dying men.  Janduin danced the spears that day like he had never danced before.  Ever forward he pushed his men, forcing them closer to the area where the commanders of the armies would be.  Where King Laman, treekiller, would be hiding.
     The Aiel were unstoppable that day, and the combined armies were pushed slowly back.  Dusk began to descend upon the battlefield, but the intensity and not yet died.  With one last great effort, Janduin and twenty other men broke through the treekillers bodyguard and laid hands upon him.  His head and sword were taken to show that they had succeeded.  As the night set in the Aiel found themselves trapped on the wrong side of the river.  They had traveled far wide of the bridges which were sure to have been retaken by now.
     Janduin cursed out loud as he paced the small space of the meeting tent.  The other clan chiefs where as stuck for ideas as he.  They had pushed their forces hard to reach the river but now they were stuck with their backs to the river and no way to cross.  Janduin’s anger died suddenly as he looked towards one of the corners of the tent and was surprised to see the young Cor Dazar standing there.  No one had said anything when the child had entered and Janduin had not noticed tell now.  The boy seemed to be waiting for something but Janduin could not have said what it was. He walked over to where the boy stood and bent to look him in the eyes.
     “Why are you hear boy?  This is a meeting for the clan chiefs.  We have important matters to discuss, like how we are to re-take the bridges and get back across the river,” Janduin said in a kindly voice hoping the child had not learned too many of the choice words he had just used and not wanting him to hear anymore.
     “We do not need to bridges to get back across,” Cor said without moving.
     “We don’t?” Janduin asked surprised. “And how would you suggest we get back to the East Side? Swim perhaps?”
     “No, we could use the boats that lye farther North of here.  They appear to be waiting for the fighting to break for some reason.  I have already managed to get aboard one unseen.” Cor said with a sparkle of pride in his eyes.
    The other Clan chiefs had heard parts of the conversation and were moving closer to hear.  Janduin smiled at the boy who had probably just saved several hundreds of lives that would have been lost in the re-taking of the bridges.  That is if his plan worked.  Janduin picked up the lad and carried him to where several maps where spread out of the land and Cor began to explain his plan to them all.
     By mid night half the Aiel army was across the river.  Using the small boats on shore and even logs the Aiel had swum out to the waiting boats and quickly taken control of them.  Using heavy ropes the pulled the captured boats, filled to sinking with people to the opposite side of the river.  As soon as the main body was across they began moving again to put more distance between them and the wetlanders army.  The rear guard reformed slowly as orders where given out and then they too began to move.
     In the excitement Janduin lost track of the young Cor Dazar whom he never saw again. Cor ended up with a small group of the rear guard that got sidetracked by the wetlanders and ended up far to the North in a land called Shienar.  He had also lost Shaiel, during the last battle before the shinning walls she had been lost to them and he could never forgive himself. Upon his return he gave up his place as Clan chief and went into the blasted lands with a group of young men to hunt trollocs and myrddraal in the blight.  It was there where he died, when a man, killed him.  They said that the man looked like Shaiel and Janduin did not even raise his spear to protect himself.
 

    Tam al’Thor, and blades master who fought amongst the ranks of the Cairhien soldiers stumbled towards the screams of the child.  He had been trying to escape the horrible smell of death that had covered the field.  There on the slopes of dragonmount he found a young woman lying dead in the snow.  A child lay next to her still crying.  She had given birth to the babe alone on the mountain and had tried to wrap in her cloak but the wind had blow the cloak away.  The child should have been dead as well but it wasn’t.  Tam took up the child in his arms and kept it warm that night.  He took it back to his wife Kari who had always wanted a child and they decided to raise the child as their own.  After the Aiel’s retreat Tam and his wife and new son returned to his farmhouse in Emond's field.
 

Back