01x02 - Shadow's Waiting

[bunniefuu]

The Dark One

is waking.

But there will be one
who can stand against him.

Where next?

The Two Rivers.

There are rumors
of four ta'veren there,

all the right age.

Nynaeve.

She thinks I'll be able
to listen to the wind

if I work with her.

It's a lonely life,
being a Wisdom.

- I love you.
- I know.

Do you hear that?

It sounds wrong.

You show up.
Then these things the next day.

They're here
for the same reason as I am.

The Dragon has been born again.

And it's one of you.

We leave now.

From the Lord, Captain.

For your victory today.

May you always walk
in the Light, sir.

Have you ever tried this?

Mmm.

There's a brutality to the dish.

Because the flavor
doesn't come only from the bird.

Its bones and beak and feet

cut the inside of your mouth.

Not so much that it hurts.

Just enough that you bleed.

Don't be afraid, girl.

An Aes Sedai should know,

above all others,

that, sometimes,
brutality is the only path

to mercy.

Hyah!

How much time?

Not enough.

Then we need to move faster.

- Hyah!
- Run!

- Hyah! - Hyah!
- Hyah!

Come on! Come on!

Come on!

Draw rein.

The town's just up there.

Would it not be a good idea
to head inside some walls?

Walls won't stop Trollocs.

The only thing they fear
is deep water.

No wonder they smell like piss.

Well,
you've woken me then.

We need to cross the Taren,
immediately.

Of course, mistress. Of course.

My son will be here soon,
and then we can...

Twice that when we're safely
on the other side.

Have I not made myself clear?

You're not the type of woman
that hears no often?

I am not.

Come. Quickly now.

What-what are they?

Servants of the Dark.

The riders of Fade.

A Fade can force a Trolloc
to do most things,

but they won't cross that river.

Come, we'll take you safely
to the next town.

What? No. No! My family!

- There's no going back now, master.
- My son is on his way already.

He'll be there in a moment.

You have to help me!
We can't leave him!

If you go back,

you'll give them a way
to follow us.

I can't allow it.

No. No!

It's the only way
to get my son across!

The Whitecloaks are right.

You Aes Sedai,

you're monsters!

- Stop!
- Don't!

We need to help him. He's...

He's gone.

This will slow them,
not stop them.

We can lose them before
they reach another crossing,

but we need to move fast.

- Come on.
- Come on.

Let's go.

- Hyah!
- Hyah!

We've lost them.

Come, we'll find a place
to rest while we can.

Be careful, everyone.
There are things more dangerous

than Trollocs in this world.

They need their strength.

So do you.

Just imagine
if Nynaeve was here.

She'd spend every waking moment
disagreeing with the Aes Sedai.

She'd make Moiraine's life
utter misery.

I saw it.

Nynaeve get taken.

One of those things
just picked her up

and tossed her away
like she was nothing.

Something that quick,

I promise you,
she didn't feel a thing.

We need a plan.

You saw what Moiraine did
to the ferryman.

What happens to us
if we step out of line?

What happens if she's right?

If one of us is the, uh...

the Dragon Reborn?

The most powerful channeler
that ever lived?

Moiraine said
the Trollocs came for us.

And when we left,
they did follow us.

Come on. Who even knows
what the truth is?

They say the last Dragon
broke the world,

but the next one will save it.

Well, I heard
the Dragon's gonna have wings.

Looking around at you lot,

I don't see a feather.

Forget what you've heard
about the Dragon.

For she or he will be all
of those things

and none of them.

Now sleep.
You're going to need it.

We leave at first light.

It's all right.

Come.

Sit.

Are you going to k*ll us,
like you did that ferryman?

What do you know
of the Three Oaths?

Uh...

they're the promises

made by the Aes Sedai

to end Artur Hawkwing's siege
of the White Tower.

And what are they?

To not k*ll,

- to not lie.
- Exact verbiage.

Words are important, and how
we use them is important.

I don't know.

One,

to speak no word
that is not true.

Two, to make no w*apon

with which one person
may k*ll another.

Three,

never to use the One Power
as a w*apon,

except in the last
extreme defense of her life

or the life of her Warder

or another Aes Sedai.

These oaths are bound
by the One Power itself.

It's not
that we do not break them,

it's that we cannot break them.

I did not k*ll that ferryman.

He wasted his own life
on a foolish cause.

He was just trying
to get to his family.

If I had allowed him to take
his ferry and cross the river,

what would have happened?

The Trollocs
would have k*lled him.

Yes. And then?

- Followed us.
- Exactly.

The Power inside you

is the smallest part
of your strength.

It's your mind
and how you use it

that will mean much more
in the battles to come.

The Power inside me?

What do you call it?

This skill that Wisdoms have
to predict the weather?

- They listen to the wind.
- You see,

women all over the world
have different names for it.

But it's the same thing.

It's the same thing
for all of us.

One thing.

One Power.

And women like you and I,

we are lucky enough
to be able to touch it.

I'm no Aes Sedai.

But you could be.

Touching the Source
will come to you

whether you want it to or not.

Look at the stone.

Look at its surface.

It's clear and opaque,

like the water of a river.

Imagine yourself floating
in that river.

As the water moves,

let it take you.

No thoughts.

Just let yourself drift.

Clear your mind of everything.

There are no woods.

There is no hunger,

no exhaustion.

There is only the stone

and the sound of rushing water.

Let it take you.

Surrender.

Let yourself drift.

Drift.

I thought...

I-I thought I felt something,
but...

Those first two,

those were mine.

That last, that was yours

and yours alone.

You don't listen to the wind,
Egwene.

It's the wind
that listens to you.

- Sorry. I...
- It's all right.

I just, uh...

I-I came out here to be alone.

Egwene, I...

It's all right.

I understand.

- Laila!
- Perrin!

Perrin.

Are you all right?

Do you think we'll ever go back?

Home?

No.

No.

- How did...
- You saw them, too.

But it was a dream.

Did you do this?

Did you put this in our dreams?!

Who saw this?

Who? All of you?

What did you see?

Bats.

Their necks just snapped.

Right in midair.

Like someone had them
in their hands.

I could feel the cr*ck.

Was there anyone in your dream?

Did anyone speak to you?

There was a man.

Eyes like embers.

He didn't say anything though.

If this happens again,
you tell me straight away.

Dreams have power.

More than you know.

What does that mean?

Come.

The horses are rested.

No, no, no. No!

Where are we going?!

East.

To the river crossing
at Whitebridge.

And then?

And then to the White Tower.

I've told you this.

And then what?!

Why should we trust you?!

There's a place for Egwene,
maybe.

But what does a man do
at the White Tower?

Other than become an errand boy
for the Aes Sedai.

Go where you will then.

See, how come I don't believe

you'd actually let me do that?

I've run out of patience.

And time.

Hah!

Well...

you got a reaction out of her.

Happy?

Suit yourself.

One conversation,

one conversation
and you're on her side now?

What did she promise you
last night?

That you're the one?

Come on, do you really think

she's any better
than what's chasing us?!

Of course I do!

Those monsters
k*lled Nynaeve and Laila

and half the people
we've ever loved.

Moiraine has done nothing
but protect us,

try to keep us safe.

Don't you see how pale
she's getting, how weak?

She's using the One Power

to keep our strength up
at the cost of her own.

And she does it,

even with you being
the stubborn bastard you are.

If I were her,
I'd leave you behind, too.

You already did.

Don't be an ass.

We've got each other. That's it.

You're right.
You're right about Moiraine.

She's not doing any of this
for our benefit.

She's got a reason
she's keeping us all alive.

And, soon as that reason's gone,

we're as good as dead.

Till then,

the lady does sh**t fireballs,

so let's try...

And stay on her good side.

Coming?

Hyah!

Whitecloaks.

Do not speak
unless spoken to.

And try to answer any question
as truthfully as you can.

Do not mention the White Tower
or Aes Sedai.

I am a lady from a fallen house.

You are under my care.

Good afternoon.

If you would be so kind
as to dismount your horses.

Are you headed to Whitebridge?

Yes, sir.
I have a sister in the city

who we... hope will let us stay.

It's a dangerous time
to be on the road.

w*r in the south.

The Aes Sedai heading in force
from the White Tower.

Wars and witches
don't concern us, sir.

We are just hoping to find

a safe place to settle
for the night,

before the light fades.

Best be on your way then.

I'm sorry.

If you would indulge here
a moment longer,

we have...

one of the Questioners
with us today.

He will be thorough...

...but brief.

All those who seek passage
through our land

must be properly...

questioned.

This isn't your land.

Children of the Light hold sway

wherever men walk in the Light.

Where did you say you were from?

I didn't.

But I am from the Borderlands,
where men know

how to keep their hands
to themselves,

lest they lose them.

Search the horses.

They say the White Tower

dispatched eight Sisters to deal
with Logain's army to the south.

They can't help
but get their fingers

in others' business.

And those others
usually end up dead.

I... Sorry, sir.

I have a wound.

The pain, it...

It's not healing well.

What happened to you?

You wouldn't believe me
if I told you.

It was a monster, sir.

Eight feet tall, with a...

with a mouth like a boar.

It, uh...

A group of them overtook
the village we were in.

This was in the Borderlands?

No, sir. No. West of here.

Near the Mountains of Mist.

Can I see your wound, madam?

Trollocs this far south.

The Dark One's eye
is truly upon us.

What was the name of the town
where you came from?

Taren Ferry.

There were many people
hurt there.

Perhaps you can help them.

Mm.

We Children try to steer clear
of the Aes Sedai where we can.

When you get to Whitebridge,

find one.

Only one of those women
can heal this wound.

- Light be with you.
- All clear, sir.

The Light is always with you.

It needs no instruction.

I will not forget your faces
should we meet again.

Sir, I will take a contingent
of Questioners south.

The woman said
the Trollocs went west.

You are meant for battle.

We Questioners have a...

higher purpose.

You said you couldn't break
the Three Oaths.

I can't.

You did today.

I did?

That Whitecloak,
you lied to him.

You can heal that wound.

We can only heal others,

not ourselves.

It's why
we usually travel together.

And you have a sister
in Whitebridge?

All Aes Sedai are my sisters.

We will always tell the truth.

It just may not be the truth
you think you hear.

So listen carefully.

It's good
to remember Manetheren.

It's just a song.

No idea who Manetheren is,
anyway.

In the Old Tongue, "Manetheren"
means "Mountain Home."

Used to be the name of the place
you now call the Two Rivers.

During the Trolloc Wars,

the army of Manetheren
was small but strong.

A thorn in the Dark One's hand.

So he sent the entirety
of his forces to destroy it.

But when this massive host
arrived,

the women and men of the
Mountain Home stood before it,

the shallowest bend of the river
at their backs,

ready to fight.

Their king, Aemon,
like in the song,

had sent messages

to the neighbors
they'd fought for in the past,

and they were promised aid if
they could hold for three days.

And somehow, they did.

Against that monstrous host,

they held.

For an hour.

Then a second.

Then a third.

For three days, they fought.

And though the land became
a butcher's yard,

no Trolloc crossed the river.

But on the third night,

no help had come.

So they fought on, alone.

For six days.

For nine.

And on the tenth day, they knew.

They knew no help was coming.

From the city, Queen Eldrene
organized her people

to take the children and find
refuge in the mountain keeps.

Though many of them
went not to safety

but to join the army
fighting for their home.

Not a step of ground was given
up until it was soaked in blood.

But on the 13th day...

...the army of Manetheren

was gone.

Queen Eldrene
felt her husband die.

Driven by grief, she reached out

and she hurled the One Power
at the Trolloc army.

A hurricane of fire washed
across the land.

The Dark One's host
ran like beasts,

but they were not fast enough,

for the flames caught them,

consumed them.

But Eldrene had drawn more
of the One Power

than any woman
could ever hope to wield,

and it burnt her right through,

from the inside out.

But the children

and their minders,
hidden in the mountains,

had been saved.

There was nothing left
of their farms,

their villages
or their great city.

But they returned,

and they held the land

that was theirs.

That is why the song says,
"Weep."

"Weep." Weep for Manetheren.

Weep for what is lost forever.

The old blood runs deep in you.

Remember that.

You'll need it
in the days to come.

We can rest here the night.

I haven't seen sign
of Trollocs for days.

Perhaps it's how close
we're skirting Shadar Logoth.

Is that purposeful?

It is too dangerous
in the shadowed city.

We cannot go there.

That Whitecloak...

You think he's the one
who k*lled the others?

Did you not see
my sisters' rings?

Seven now.

He's not the only one who met
a face he'll remember today.

Rest.

And, tomorrow, we'll figure out

where to find a Sister
who can heal you.

Do you want to talk about it?

About what?

Come on, Rand.

What do you want?

You want me to just go back
to the way everything was?

No. I...

Because we can't.

You made your decision.

You get it, right?

I'm not going to be Nynaeve's
apprentice, because she's dead.

And so is Laila.

And... and here we are,
in the middle

of nowhere, being chased by
the monsters that k*lled them,

and you won't even look at me.

And I just want you
to look at me.

And not hate me.

I don't need anything more
than that.

I could never hate you.

Is she going to be all right?

She needs sleep.

You all do.

We have to move. Up. Up.

Wake up. Hurry. They found us.

Moiraine.

You have to wake up, Moiraine.

- - Hyah!
- Carry her!

She can't move.
We need to get her out of here.

Ride!

- Where?
- East.

To the fallen city
of Shadar Logoth.

Go! Now!

Hyah!

Hyah!

- Whoa. Easy, now.
- What's happening?

- Easy, now.
- I don't know. She just stopped.

Steady. Steady.

Bela, come on.

What is that?

Wait, look!
The Trollocs.

Why are they
all just standing there?

Come. The Trollocs
won't follow us inside.

Hah!

Listen.

There's no birds.

There's no bugs.

There's nothing.

- She's barely breathing.
- Yeah.

We'll stay here.

She needs to be kept warm.

Oh, Moiraine.

Shadar Logoth.

Sounds like the Old Tongue.

It means "Shadow's Waiting."

But it was once called Aridhol.

During the Trolloc Wars,

it was the richest,
most powerful city in the world.

But when the world
needed them most,

they built their wall
with no gate,

locked themselves inside

and let the other nations
of man burn.

It was the people of this city
who promised Manetheren aid.

And they were the ones
who let them die.

When the Trolloc Wars ended,

the survivors came here,

to find food, shelter.

When they knocked,
no one answered.

When they finally broke
through the wall,

there was no one inside.

It is said that evil itself

grew from the city's heart
and consumed everyone

and everything that lived.

Ever since,

the city has been abandoned.

Not even Trollocs will step foot
behind these walls.

Couple of things.

Um, one, that's...

more words
than you've said all day.

Probably ever.

And, two,

why in Light's name
did you bring us here?

Touch nothing.

Eat only the food you brought.

You should have this.

Laila made it.

She always said
she didn't make weapons;

she made tools.

And that I'd probably use it
a thousand times for...

chopping apples
or whittling wood

before I ever needed it to...

defend myself.

But to keep it sharp...

keep it clean,
so that if I ever...

did need it...

It'd be ready.

A tool though,

still.

To save my life...

...or the life
of someone that I loved.

And she thought that would
probably be you.

Since she seemed to think if...

you ever got into any trouble,
it would...

probably be my fault.

Although,
to be perfectly honest,

can't see how anyone

could reasonably blame me
for any of this.

Thank you.

The girls are gonna be fine.

My parents will be over
at yours,

checking on them.

Rand's and Egwene's, too.

I know.

What is that?

No! No, wait!

It's all right. I'm here.

Where are we?

You've k*lled us all.

What in Light's name?

Let's get out of here.

Go!

I'll find you.

Come on! Rand, let's go!

Let's go.

There!

- Which way?
- I don't know!

Here! Come on!

Hyah! Come on!

Hyah!

Look!

- Hoist me up.
- Why don't you hoist me up?

Come on.

Ow.

Hurry.

Hurry!

Hurry!

Hyah!

Hyah. Hyah!

Rand!

Rand, come on!

Now!

Rand!

Now!

Come on.

You ready?

Let's go.

We-we can't leave without them.

Pretty sure we can.

- Rand?!
- Mat!

Rand!

Mat!

If you don't take me to them
right now,

I'll slit your throat.