Work Text:
Prompt: Stop. Calm down.
Warnings: Ishamael/Rand
:Thoughts:
"Speaking"
...
He should not have been surprised to find that the amount of Power being used was coming from Lews Therin. The stupid boy was drawing too much power for as young as he was. Ishamael knew that Lews Therin had only begun to draw upon the Power. When first drawing upon the Power new users needs to take it in small amounts. Even those amongst the Chosen.
Someone had made this boy extremely angry. If left to his own devices Lews Therin would either lose his mind or burn himself. Ishamael was half tempted to leave him to it. It would make their jobs much easier if the boy Gentled himself.
Inside he knew he would not accept such a thing from Lews Therin. Before he had taken a lover and even after that woman they had a relationship. Sometimes he was a confidant. Other times he was a partner. More often than not however he was the one, the only one who could calm him. No matter what had driven him Ishamael could break through the fiery anger and calm him until it was only coals.
Would the man's soul act as it had before? Calming under his words? If not there was always brute force. The first time he calmed Lews Therin the man had to be pinned and shielded. How he fought Ishamael until he ran out of energy and calmed. It took nearly daily meetings for a month to get him to respond to commands. After a year he could tell when Ishamael was approaching and would relax the closer he got. It would have kept going straight into Lews Therin following him into the shadow. Until that woman came.
Ilyena had undone much of his work with Lews Therin. By the end, he could calm him but the trust was gone. And then he had lost his mind.
Watching the flows Ishamael frowned. They wouldn't do anything as it stood out currently. All Lews Therin was doing was wasting his energy. Sighing he approached the boy.
There wasn't a flicker of recognition or calm. If anything the weaves became stronger. Stronger or not they didn't do anything.
Firmly he ordered, "Stop, Lews Therin. You will burn yourself out at this rate."
There was the smallest twitch in the boy. A sagging of his shoulders as his soul reacted to Ishamael's order. Then they came back up and glare was given. Ishamael sighed. Some things never changed.
Ishamael ordered again, "Calm down, Lews Therin. Breathe."
A faint tinge of amusement went through him when he saw the boy suck in a breath. The weaves wavered slightly before they settled again. Really this boy was stubborn.
Ishamael embraced the One Power feeling the taint calm his emotions. Lews Therin flinched and looked at him. Blue-grey eyes caught his eyes. They were dulled with pain and other unknown emotions.
Without saying anything else he threw a few expert weaves at the boys. It caused the boy's weaves to dissipate. Anger flashed in the blue-grey eyes.
"You need to calm down. The amount of Power you are drawing upon is too much. You're still coming into your power."
A wordless snarl escaped the boy and he lunged for Ishamael. A move he had been expecting and turned to the side. The boy stumbled past him and tried to turn back around. Ishamael pushed Air at the boy sending him sprawling on the ground. He waited as the other regained his feet and tried again.
Again he stepped back and again the boy stumbled past him. This went on again and again. Each time he stumbled the boy got angrier and angrier. The angrier that the boy was the easier it would be to calm him. As strange as it was Lews Therin was always easier to calm when he was angry.
To his expert eye, he saw the way Lews Therin was tiring. It was almost time to strike. Once again the boy tried to draw upon the Power. Again he dissipated the weaves easily.
This time as the boy rushed he touched the wrist and tripped him. As soon as Lews Therin hit the ground he wore weaves to keep him there. Then he moved around to the boy's head and bent to a knee. The boy snapped and snarled like a wild or rabid animal.
With more gentleness than was expected of someone in his station, he brought his hand under the boy's chin. Softly but firmly he ordered, "Stop. Calm down."
Ishamael felt the boy's soul react slightly before the mind took back control. Internally he sighed. Foolish boy. Fighting the reactions of one's soul was never a good thing. Eventually, though all would surrender to what their souls wanted.
Staring into the boy's eyes he watched and waited. His patience was longer reaching than any living man. Firmly he kept his presence around the boy. Slowly the boy calmed and his eyes became more blue than grey.
:There we go,: thought Ishamael, :Just as in your last life. Enough patience and you will calm as I want.:
Once the boy was breathing slow and evenly he released his chin. The boy looked up at him curious instead of angry. He had released the Power. Good.
Easily he released the weaves from the boy and allowed Lews Therin to sit up. He sat cross-legged in front of Ishamael and waited. Silence rang between them and the longer they stared the easier it became.
Finally, he asked, "What are you doing here, Lews Therin?"
Dark anger flashed in the boy's eyes as he snapped, "Don't call me that! I am Rand Al Thor. I am not Lews Therin!"
Ah yes, that was his name now. Rand Al Thor, it was a strong name. What had caused such a reaction, however? It was as if he didn't believe it himself. His heart rate and breathing had begun to increase again. He could feel the inner turmoil and his soul showing it clearly.
Ishamael steepled his fingers and laid his chin on them. He said firmly, "Calm down."
The reaction was faster this time. His breathing slowed and his chin dropped. His neck bent ever so slightly. This was good it had taken Lews Therin months to get to that point.
Suspicion entered the blue-grey eyes and he growled, "What did you do to me?"
Ishamael turned his head to the side as he said, "All I have done is calm you. All through the ages and lives, I have calmed you."
"What do you mean?"
Sometimes he forgot how much this age had forgotten. In his age, they knew what this was. Souls that were connected. One that could calm. The other energetic. One thoughtful and the other reckless.
Ishamael sighed, "It would take far longer than I suspect we have. Know this. Every man, woman, and child's soul is connected to another. Just as the Wheel turns, souls are connected and will always be connected. They don't always find each other. When they do it's obvious."
The boy looked sick. Before he could say anything else however there was the feeling of an approaching female channeler. Likely it was the Aes Sedai woman. Time for him to go.
Ishamael stood and brushed the dirt off his pants. Then he said, "This is goodbye, for now, Rand Al Thor. I suspect we will meet again under similar circumstances."
The boy opened his mouth to argue but he was already gone. Oh yes. They would meet again.