Sweat glistened on Raytheon's bare chest as he brought his sword up to parry a blow from the burly man attacking him, then swept his arms up in an arc to barely push aside a thrust from a second man approaching from the side. He exhaled quickly, breath frosting the dawn air, then took a step backwards to keep both opponents as much in front of him as possible. The pair glanced at each other and then burst forward in what, to a normal observer, would look like a simultaneous attack. Raytheon, however, noticed that the burly man had moved an instant earlier. Taking advantage, he sidestepped slightly, blocking the man's overhand blow and then dropping him with a kick to the back of his knee. In the same fluid motion, he switched his sword to his left hand, instinctively swinging it around to where he expected the same blow to come. Sure enough, metal clashed with metal, and he had a split second to drive his right elbow into the second man's skull, knocking him to the ground. As both men struggled to stand, Raytheon tapped both of them lightly on the chest with his practice sword. "Well fought, Danem and Matias." Dropping the sword at his feet, he jogged to the fence surrounding the practice ring, nodding to the next pair up. He grabbed a clean towel and wiped his chest, then pulled on a shirt and a sweater while he waited for his next match.
As Raytheon leaned against the fence, watching the two spar in a one-on-one battle, his friend Gavin sidled up to him. "Nicely done, Ray," Gavin said, keeping his eyes on the sparring. Ray nodded appreciatively, glancing over at the tall, thin man next to him. His short-cropped hair had started to turn grey, and he might look like a lanky fellow, particularly given his penchant for wearing his oversized Warder's cloak and baggy pants that seemed at least two sizes too large for him, but Gavin was a blademaster like Ray. In fact, he had been Ray's instructor when Ray had first taken his vows as Warder a few years ago.
"To be honest," Gavin continued, "I wasn't sure you would be up so early this morning."
"I arrived a few hours ago," Ray admitted, adding, perhaps a more defensively than he had intended, "I had to take care of something in Rhydin."
Gavin chuckled, raising his hands to indicate he meant no offense. "It's none of my business."
Ray glanced back towards the sparring match, saying nothing. The two men in the ring were evenly matched, and they continued to circle around, each seeking an advantage to exploit.
"I heard that they may allow one of the Aes Sedai to take you as a Warder," Gavin said softly. Raytheon started, then glared at Gavin.
"They cannot do that!" he hissed angrily. "I am Warder to Valucia."
Gavin shook his head in resignation. "My friend, nobody has seen or heard from her in more than a year. You may be the best fighter among us, and you have skills and knowledge that are too valuable to waste. How many other Warders have spent a year among the Aiel, for example, and can call many of them friends?"
Raytheon shook his head firmly. "Valucia still lives" I can feel it through the bond. I will not allow anyone else to bond me while she lives." But, even he had begun to doubt whether she was still alive. The bond was so faint that he wondered if he was just imagining it.
"Ray, it may not be up to you," Gavin said. "Marita told me that they are openly discussing what to do with you. There are several Aes Sedai interested in bonding you."
Raytheon glanced over his shoulder at the different groups of women standing a short distance away from the ring. Although they appeared to be engaged in private conversation, he noticed that they kept tabs on what was happening in the ring, particularly when their Warders were sparring. He spotted Marita, Gavin's Aes Sedai, wearing her green shawl and talking with a couple of other members of the Green Ajah.
"Apparently, given your fighting ability, it has been decided that a Green sister should bond you," Gavin added. The Green Ajah, also known as the Battle Ajah, were the most tolerant of men. Many of the Green sisters married their Warders, and even those that did not marry their Warders would invite the men to share their beds. Raytheon recalled what Gem had asked him last night, and, despite his frustration with the direction of his discussion with Gavin, he could not contain the giggle that escaped. Yes, Greens would probably not mind if their Warders had "thoughts of hot wild sex" with them.
"You would be okay with that, then?" Gavin asked, misinterpreting Raytheon's laugh. "Anabel apparently has first dibs."
Raytheon's gaze swept over to Anabel. The Domani had chocolate skin, a figure that even her cloak and the Aes Sedai cloak could not hide, and wavy dark hair that fell halfway down her back. Anabel met his gaze, her full lips curving into a warm smile. Raytheon flushed red and averted his gaze.
"I have no interest in becoming Anabel's Warder," he declared. "Besides, Matias is already her Warder." As he looked in Matias" direction, he found the man glaring at him.
As Raytheon leaned against the fence, watching the two spar in a one-on-one battle, his friend Gavin sidled up to him. "Nicely done, Ray," Gavin said, keeping his eyes on the sparring. Ray nodded appreciatively, glancing over at the tall, thin man next to him. His short-cropped hair had started to turn grey, and he might look like a lanky fellow, particularly given his penchant for wearing his oversized Warder's cloak and baggy pants that seemed at least two sizes too large for him, but Gavin was a blademaster like Ray. In fact, he had been Ray's instructor when Ray had first taken his vows as Warder a few years ago.
"To be honest," Gavin continued, "I wasn't sure you would be up so early this morning."
"I arrived a few hours ago," Ray admitted, adding, perhaps a more defensively than he had intended, "I had to take care of something in Rhydin."
Gavin chuckled, raising his hands to indicate he meant no offense. "It's none of my business."
Ray glanced back towards the sparring match, saying nothing. The two men in the ring were evenly matched, and they continued to circle around, each seeking an advantage to exploit.
"I heard that they may allow one of the Aes Sedai to take you as a Warder," Gavin said softly. Raytheon started, then glared at Gavin.
"They cannot do that!" he hissed angrily. "I am Warder to Valucia."
Gavin shook his head in resignation. "My friend, nobody has seen or heard from her in more than a year. You may be the best fighter among us, and you have skills and knowledge that are too valuable to waste. How many other Warders have spent a year among the Aiel, for example, and can call many of them friends?"
Raytheon shook his head firmly. "Valucia still lives" I can feel it through the bond. I will not allow anyone else to bond me while she lives." But, even he had begun to doubt whether she was still alive. The bond was so faint that he wondered if he was just imagining it.
"Ray, it may not be up to you," Gavin said. "Marita told me that they are openly discussing what to do with you. There are several Aes Sedai interested in bonding you."
Raytheon glanced over his shoulder at the different groups of women standing a short distance away from the ring. Although they appeared to be engaged in private conversation, he noticed that they kept tabs on what was happening in the ring, particularly when their Warders were sparring. He spotted Marita, Gavin's Aes Sedai, wearing her green shawl and talking with a couple of other members of the Green Ajah.
"Apparently, given your fighting ability, it has been decided that a Green sister should bond you," Gavin added. The Green Ajah, also known as the Battle Ajah, were the most tolerant of men. Many of the Green sisters married their Warders, and even those that did not marry their Warders would invite the men to share their beds. Raytheon recalled what Gem had asked him last night, and, despite his frustration with the direction of his discussion with Gavin, he could not contain the giggle that escaped. Yes, Greens would probably not mind if their Warders had "thoughts of hot wild sex" with them.
"You would be okay with that, then?" Gavin asked, misinterpreting Raytheon's laugh. "Anabel apparently has first dibs."
Raytheon's gaze swept over to Anabel. The Domani had chocolate skin, a figure that even her cloak and the Aes Sedai cloak could not hide, and wavy dark hair that fell halfway down her back. Anabel met his gaze, her full lips curving into a warm smile. Raytheon flushed red and averted his gaze.
"I have no interest in becoming Anabel's Warder," he declared. "Besides, Matias is already her Warder." As he looked in Matias" direction, he found the man glaring at him.