Mardius slowly made his way back to his society house, leaning heavily on a practice spear. Only three weeks before, he had moved into the large stone building from under his father’s shade. Three weeks ago, he had finally been old enough to join a warrior society; three weeks ago his father had stood by his side with pride as Mardius walked to this very building and asked to be accepted into training as a Cor Darei, a Night Spear. Three weeks of bruising and training.

Mardius lowered himself to the bottom step of the building, glad to be off his feet for the first time since dawn. The hot sun of the Three Fold Land had set a good hour earlier; most of the boys he practiced with had hurried back and would be asleep by now.

“Mardius, why do you sit there? You have a long day ahead of you, boy.”

Turning his head, Mardius swore under his breath for letting someone sneak up on him and then bit back that swear when he saw Rykourd. Rykourd was said to have fought at Tarmon Gai’don with the Car’a’carn, yet only appeared to be in his mid-twenties. He was one of the most feared and respected members of the Cor Darei, respected even by Rhuarc, clan chief of the Taardad.

“I see you, Rykourd. I’m sorry I am late.”

“It is ok, although the other boys have been back since right after dusk.” Rykourd sat down beside the boy, “You wanted to be late, didn’t you? A little ashamed of how your training is going?”

Mardius pushed a pebble around with the butt of his spear, “The other boys are so much stronger and faster than me. I didn’t manage to hit Jurack once today.”

“They maybe stronger and they maybe quicker, but is that all there is to being a warrior? You have keen ears and even keener eyes, boy.” Rykourd tapped him on the top of the head, “And you are smarter and wiser already then most of the others. You are brave, not everyone can walk up those steps to become an Algai’d’siswai. Mardius, I am going to be watching you. I expect you to become a great warrior, maybe even a clan chief someday.”

“Me? A clan chief? But I couldn’t be a chief, I’d be afraid that I would make a mistake that could harm the clan!”

Rykourd chuckled, “Good! Because the boy who wants to be chief and thinks he could lead better than anyone else, is the one who shouldn’t be allowed to lead. Now get some sleep.”

Mardius sat watching the sunrise with his mentor. He should be getting some rest, but he was too excited. Last night he had been joined in sentry duty for the first time. Nothing had happened, but to the Mardius it meant he was that much closer to dancing the spears for the clan.

“Rykourd, did you see Jurack’s neck last night?”

“Yeah, what do you suppose happened to him?” said Rykourd, as he looked over to the left to hide his smirk from the boy.

“He was out playing Maiden’s Kiss, and not too well by the look of it. He’s a fool for playing that game.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I’d be afraid that if I played too well, I would have a bridal wreathe at my feet. The Far Dareis Mai who play that game seem to be looking for a reason to give up the spear. The only Maiden I would trust is a fierce one, one wedded to the spear so closely that there would be no chance of her wanting to give it up.”

Rykourd burst into laughter and pounded Mardius on the back, “You’ve got it all wrong. The fierce ones, those are the ones you have to be afraid of! They may not look or act like it, but give them a little too much attention and that wreathe you fear will be around your neck before you know it! And all that effort she put into the spear and the dance, she will put into controlling you, young man!”

Mardius felt a pit growing in his stomach, he had been practicing unarmed combat with a couple of maidens, ones he had been sure wouldn’t ask him to play Maiden’s Kiss. Oh, they were nice enough… but he was too young to have a bridal wreathe at his feet, much less his neck.

Rykourd looked at the very pale warrior, “Mardius, have you heard the Tamyrlin Seat is sending a small group of Aes Sedai here next month.”

Mardius looked up, “Why are they doing that?”

“Oh, just to keep up relations. The Tower likes to keep their fingers in everyone’s business, so they send ambassadors every now and then, but the Wise One’s are good at slapping hands.”

Mardius was waiting on the bottom step of the Cor Darei house when Rykourd came walking up.

“I see you Mardius”

“I see you, Rykourd. That was impressive, I didn’t know the Tamyrlin Seat would be here.”

“Yes, it was quite a surprise.”

“Why did were you there with the chief to greet her?”

“I suppose she wanted to see someone who had fought at Shayol Ghul, you know my reputation as a great warrior must be known everywhere, right?” Rykourd chuckled.

Mardius smiled, Rykourd had been fairly silent the past week and it was good to hear him joke around once again. Mardius looked at the two pins Rykourd wore on his Cadin’sor, a spear and a dragon. He had never seen those pins before, and had noticed that the Asha’man wore similar pins, but they had a sword instead of a spear. “Why did some of the Aes Sedai and Asha’man call you ‘brother’ after the greetings? They called the Wise One’s ‘Wise One’ and the everyone else ‘child’.”

Rykourd looked closely at the young warrior and placed one hand on his shoulder. “A sign of respect. Mardius, listen carefully. A day will come when you will have to make a decision, and one of those options will cause you to have toh to the Cor Darei, the Taardad, even the Aiel people themselves! It may not seem like it, but that option will also bring you much honor in the long run. You don’t know what I am talking about, but you will. If you take the path that cost you toh, go before the Wise Ones before you do it. They will know you are coming, and will be ready to have you meet your toh to your people. If you remember nothing else of this day, remember that. Now go, tomorrow I am sending you to the Cor Darei house at the Black Rock sept, the Shaarad Night Spears wish to see an example of our young warriors and you have been chosen.”

Mardius smiled at that last part, although the rest confused him. He bounded up the steps, but as the door closed behind him he thought he could hear Rykourd say to himself, “I will not let them have you yet, Mardius. Two more years they have given me, and it will take the full might of the Tower and the Wise Ones for one day less.”