Raytheon shifted his sword easily from one hand to the other as he circled the courtyard, his eyes never leaving the man in front of him. Valucia had introduced him to the local swordmaster this morning, with an indication that he was to be trained in all forms of swordplay.

The swordmaster lunged for him again, but Raytheon parried easily. Thrust and parry, thrust and parry, their movements resembling a spontaneous but rhythmic dance as they spun around the courtyard. After several minutes, the master held up a hand, gasping for breath.

Raytheon leaned against his sword and glanced up at the sky. Storm clouds were moving in. He sensed Valucia somewhere to the east? the market, perhaps? He still felt the sadness, but it was dimmer today, a faint sensation that pulsed every now and then. For the moment, the main emotion he felt through their bond was determination and? amusement? He could not imagine why, but the impression produced a smile.

He turned back to the master, who was watching him warily.

?You say this is the first time you?ve used a sword?? the man panted. Raytheon nodded.

The swordmaster leaned over and spat on the ground. ?Boy, either you?re lying to me or you?re a born natural.?

Raytheon shrugged, but secretly he was pleased. The compliment meant little to him personally, but his principal duty was to protect Valucia, and if he was a quick learner, then all the better.

He had come across the body last night. She lay underneath a pile of garbage, the tips of her fingers just visible amid the cracked egg shells, rotting vegetables, and contaminated sewage that had previously run unhindered through the canal, but now dammed up against the mountain of waste, altering its course to trickle out onto the street.

Someone had already removed the Aes Sedai ring, but the mark was still visible on her finger. Ray cast a quick glance over his shoulder, peering into the shadows which stretched up the back wall of the glass factory. Satisfied that nobody was there, he kicked aside a bit of trash, revealing her hand and then her arm, half-hidden by a green cloak. So this was the Green then, he mused. He stepped into the refuse, pushing it aside with both feet now, grimacing as the muck climbed past his riding boots and began to lap at his knees. Finally, he spotted what he was looking for -- a deep gash in the woman's back, the blood still not fully dry. So she had probably been dead for just a few hours and the killer had not used the One Power. For an Aes Sedai to be taken unawares was highly unlikely, so Ray surmised it must be someone she trusted. But if she was indeed Black Ajah, then whom could she truly trust? And why had she ended up with a knife in the back?

A sudden sound down the alley caused him to freeze. Two men in dark cloaks were walking towards him, their voices echoing off the buildings. Ray pulled his Warder's cloak around him and slowly retreated into the doorway of an abandoned house.

"... told me that we'd find it here." The man on the left, who loomed over his chubby companion, pointed at the waste.

"I'm not stepping in that," the chubby one responded, pulling back his hood and eyeing the oozing refuse with distaste. Ray memorized his face -- the pointed goatee, the gap between two top teeth, a small scar along the right cheek -- before slipping deeper into the shadows.

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 trudged away from the practice field, he heard a voice calling him. Turning, he spotted Gavin approaching at a trot.

?Hey, what happened back there?? Gavin demanded.

?I thought I held my own,? Raytheon responded. Sure, he had not been able to defeat all five Warders at once, but he?d taken down three and held his own against the last two for several minutes before one of them finally caught him with a blow to the leg.

?I?m not referring to that,? Gavin responded. ?When did you become an arrogant prick? You are one of the most modest and humble men I?ve ever met. What was that? demanding to fight five Warders at once??

Raytheon dropped his gaze, ashamed. ?The Last Battle is approaching, Gavin. I cannot afford to waste any more time? I need to prepare.?

?Aye, but these lads are on your side, Raytheon,? Gavin retorted. ?You can?t be antagonizing them either.?

Raytheon remained silent, remorseful for his earlier behavior but unwilling to admit fault. Gavin sighed, then said, ?What?s troubling you, lad??

Raytheon glanced away, watching a group of Aes Sedai walking briskly by. He waited until they were out of earshot, then said softly, ?I feel like I have no control anymore. Valucia is gone, you?re telling me that they want to assign me a new Sister, and I?m still not sure what I?m doing here.?

Gavin laid a hand on his shoulder. ?Look around, Raytheon. Everyone here has fears, doubts, and secrets, including them.? He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the group of Aes Sedai that had just passed them. ?So why don?t you tell me what?s really going on??