Chapter Text
One: Poor judgement
“What do you think?” Lan asked.
Moiraine didn’t need to look up from her work to know she wasn’t going to like it, whatever it was. She could feel it through the bond. Lan was wasting his time, and he wanted her to join. “Your poor judgement is your own,” she said. “This research is important.”
“Moiraine.”
“Fine.”
She looked up to see Lan holding a plate containing two decadent cake slices.
“There was a party downstairs.” He smirked, knowing he won. “But you’re busy.”
“On second thought…” She eyed the cake hungrily. “Your poor judgement is my poor judgement.”
Two: He is my home
“Do you miss your home?” Egwene asked as she and Moiraine rode ahead of the boys. “I’m not saying I want to turn back, but I already miss it, and I’ve only just left.”
“Sometimes I miss the land where I was born, and sometimes I miss the White Tower, but I cannot truly call either of them home anymore.”
Egwene’s face fell, pity overcoming her.
“Don’t be sad for me, not for that.” Moiraine turned to see Lan following dutifully. “He is my home, and he has been better to me than the White Tower or Cairhien ever were.”
Three: You came back (Set many years before the series, very early in their relationship)
Moiriane felt Lan approaching through the forest, but she couldn't believe it. After everything she said to him, his loyalty was undeserved.
“You came back.” Her voice was soft with regret.
“I swore myself to you.”
“I know.” She forced a steady breath. “But if you want to leave-”
“Moiraine,” Lan interrupted. “You refuse to believe my words, so I hope you can believe this.”
He took her hand, silently connecting with her through their bond, a communication deeper than words could ever convey. Their emotions blended together, blurring until they were practically one and the same.
Finally, she understood.
Four: Who did this to you?
Moiraine bolted upright in bed, feeling his pain, feeling the blood draining from his body, so fast, too fast.
She ran from their room, still in her night clothes. She couldn't lose a second, modestly be damned.
When she found him lying alone in a field, she dropped to his side, her hands on his skin, pouring all her energy into healing him until his pulse steadied, and she allowed herself to take a breath.
“Who did this to you?” she asked.
With a sheepish smile, Lan responded, “The fence broke.”
And for the first time, Moiraine noticed their surroundings.
Five: I only did that once
“Do you think I should have shown him more patience?” Moiraine asked.
Lan watched the disgruntled villager sulk away, his pride wounded by Moiraine’s fervent dismissal of his concerns.
“I think…” Lan considered his words carefully.“... you didn’t set his basket on fire, so you could have handled it worse.”
“Basket fire? That's really the standard?”
Lan gave her a knowing look.
Moiraine rolled her eyes and said with exasperation, “I only did that once. Fifteen years ago. I was young…er than I am now.” She paused. “And if he weren’t so frustrating, I wouldn’t have considered doing it again.”