Stranger

[Andrew]

Sam pulled the reins loose against the wooden collumn as the last thing he needed was for the reins to be too tight. He did not need another Whitebridge incident on his hands. Giving Chameleon a once over, he made sure that there were no problems with his faithful horse. He was not looking forward to having to replace her, but the years of travel had not been kind on either of them. Brushing his hands through his salt and pepper hair, as he was common to do now, he let the thought die away. Someday he would put her to out to pastor and enjoy some type of retirement with her remaining years, but that day had not arrived yet.

 

As he started to walk down the mainstreet he could not help but feel the memories come back to him about all the "mainstreets" he had walked in villages smaller and larger then this. They were by no means large and could hardly compare with the main cities, but they were comfortable. Though thankfully not as comfortable as he rider clothes, as they were almost thread bare. Still, it protrayed an image that he liked, as people were more amble to notice someone in new clothes then not. It was a far cry from his days in Tar Valon, but then he had an image to live up to then. Now all he cared about was going unnoticed. The last thing he needed was to be recognised as the former Master of Arms of the Warders. Still his disguise had held up for years now and he had almost become accostumed to it. A clean shaven image had been replaced by a shaggy appearance, one that befit the station he was passing himself off as. Horse trainers afterall did not make gold, they delt in coppers and that's just how it was.

 

Coming to the local inn and bar, Sam hoped that there was work available in this town. Otherwise he might have to make his way to Cairhien, while that would provide work, it would present a whole bunch of problems for his disguise.

 

 

~Reikan Souvan Incognito

[Matalina]

Midday was nearing close as the school bell tolled end of their day. Cari waited in the Silver Bow where she always did for Aiden, Kate, Seira and Taylor. She rode them home everyday since the four children started school. They could have waited for Petra to take them home, but they would rather get to their chores and homework before the sun set so they could play while it still shone brightly.

 

Fairhaven saw few visitors so when strange men walk into the Silver Bow it's the talk of the town. The disheveld man held a grace that was not fit for his character, but few other than Cari would have noticed. Years of training in the Tower Yards had taught her to be observant of everything, including how a man walked. The same grace could be said of her, a former Warder, but few actually questined her grace. She used the deadly walk to manipulate a man to other things, and even women if they so desired. It mattered little to Cari, or rather Matalina, Cari was a straight arrow. Clean cut, loving mother of two who worked hard for a living. Matalina was another story. While still a loving mother, she had much more to lose from her former life being revealed. Cari wondered where the man hailed from and why he was here. There were always whispers of newcomers and few beleived them, but this one had it's truth to it.

 

Cari's clothes were tarnished with a days work, she still had hours of work to do before she could come back to the Silver Bow and enjoy the festivities. This was the only night of the week the Ranch hands came to town for fun, Nathan ran a tight ship, and an even tighter one for his assassin's on hand. Glen and Cari were both kept near and away from the drink. Nathan feared them talking and someone discovering who they had worked for. Cari nor Glen would talk, their own lives depended on it much more than Nathan's business.

 

The man sat down at the table in the corner and was waited on. She smiled and walked over to the man. It was good to be friendly, especially when the town folks expected it of Cari Namere. "Mind if I join you while I wait for my children and their friends to arrive?"

 

Cari

[Andrew]

It had been a few years since he had gone by his real name, not that the name Reikan would be recognised anywhere outside of Tar Valon, but it was better to be safe then sorry. Sam was a name that his great grandfather had used before coming to Tar Valon to train and eventually become a Warder to Lanfir Sedai. Reikan had had no luck finding an Aes Sedai to bond, but then again he never felt comfortable enough with Aes Sedai to actually bond one.

 

Taking a seat, he was careful to thank the server who came to him and would have to remind himself to leave a copper for her afterword. Not that he wanted to short change her, but he had to keep up appearances. Brushing a hand through his hair again, he tried to subvertly take a look around the room. A few noticeable eyes were on him, most likely not used to seeing strangers, but one in particular caught his eye. He could not place her nor recollect her silhouette from this distance, but it appeared he would not have to as she made her way over to him as soon as their eyes caught. She had a sultry walk, something he expected to see in a large Inn in Cairhien then in a small town. His experience told him she was a working woman, but his instincts told him to be careful around her. Appearances weren't everything, he mused to himself.

 

"Mind if I join you while I wait for my children and their friends to arrive?" She said to him.

 

The words were not sooner out of her mouth then he thought that his first impression might have been more accurate then his instincts. Maybe she got pregnant and had to give up the trade, but again he might be jumping to conclusions to soon.

 

"Not at all," he said as he motioned for her to have a seat with his hand. He could use this opportunity to find out if there was any work in this town for him. If not, at least he could move onto the next one before his dinner got cold. The thought had no sooner crossed his mind then the server was at his table with the food and drink he had ordered. "I hope you do not mind if I eat in front of you," he said to the woman who had invited herself to his table. When she nodded that she did not, he took a bite of the gruel in front of him. Surprisingly it tasted much better then it looked. As he dipped the bread into the bowl he asked casually, "since I've got you here, you would not happen to know of any work for horse trainers?"

[Matalina]

Cari nearly laughed at the man's comment. His voice rang familiar but she couldn't place it. Something was oddly familiar, but she let it pass and answered his question. She smiled. "Actually my employer is always looking for good men to train his horses. I cannot speak for him, but I can introduce you and he'll make the judgement himself."

 

The door to the Silver Bow opened and loud raucous children entered the inn with out a care in the world. The looked around quickly and soon spotted Cari sitting with the stranger. Aiden and Kate nearly tripped over each other trying to get to her first. She smiled as the embraced her from behind. "Well I see the children have arrived. We are heading back to the ranch now, would you care to finish your meal and then head in that direction? I can bring you back after I do a few things. It is our night to have fun in town. There will much merryment and I have a need to change clothes." Cari stood up and smiled. "These rags will hardly do." It was still an odd sensation for Matalina to care about her appearance and her looks, but she managed to pull off the female side of her very well when she got the chance.

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Sam tried not to let the kids stop him from enjoying his meal. It was not that he did not like kids, he just had not become accostumed to their presence in awhile as their energy could grate on the nerves if you were not used to it. He glanced only briefly at the two kids, just enough to give them each a nod, before he answered her question. "I guess I'll see you in a little bit." He said nodding at the woman in front of him. "Though before you go, I should probably introduce myself so that you have a name to go with the face," he said with a smile on his face. As it would do her no good to say to her employer that she had found someone to help work his place, but had not had the foresight to ask what his name was. Then again he had not thought to ask her name either, "my name is Sam."

 

~~~

 

The introductions lasted longer then he had expected as Cari had taken the time to introduce her two kids. Not that he minded, as he would probably see Aidan and Kate around, but it had delayed him eating long enough that his food had gotten cold. He shrugged off the hindsight as the introductions length was not that long. It had delayed him a few minutes, hardly worth mentioning, but enough to lower the sun in the sky to the point where the warmth of the day was starting to evaporate.

 

Turning a corner he headed down the driveway to the farm Cari had described. It didn't look like much, but then again farms hardly did. He was not down the road more then a few feet when he noticed someone approaching to meet him. From this distance he could not tell who it was, but he hoped it would lead to work for a good time as he and Chameleon needed a break from the road for the wet spring months.

[Matalina]

Cari saw a horse approaching and knew it must be Sam. It hadn't taken very long, and he'd found the place rather easily it seemed. She curtsied to him. "Nathan is waiting for you in the stables." She had a chance to tell him of Sam's inquirey and instructed her to have him brought to him in the stables.

 

Cari took the reigns of the horse to lead the steed to the stables. She wouldn't make Sam dismount and it was in her job description anyway as a horse trainer. Nathan was busy dolling out hay to the stallions in their bays when Cari and Sam arrived.

 

"Nathan Rashad, this is Sam, the man I was telling you about. Sam this is Nathan Rashad, my employer."

 

Nathan looked the man over and nodded. "You know about training horses?" When Sam nodded. "We can use a hand like yours. Can you start tomorrow? Cari will take care of your lodgin, she knows her way around, and discuss your compensation. We'll give you a shot." Nathan didn't wait for an answer Vik called for him to come see about the mare in the adjacent barn.

 

Cari laughed after Nathan left. "Well he's not usually like this. Vik's been handling the mares over there and one is about to give birth to her first colt and is a tad scared." She smiled at Sam. "First order of business, your pay, I can't say exact amount cause alot is taken out. You will get enough pay to brush up your wardrobe and have plenty yet to save for the big expenses. Nathan's more than fair, he takes out room and board for you and your horse and gives you the rest of your keep."

 

Cari indicated a stall for Sam to put his horse. "You can use this stall for your animal. We all help tend the horses in the morning and night, so if he is intolerable of others you need to let us know. Tain Cor bit Taylor his first time he fed him." Cari giggled slightly. "There are serveral places you can stay. There are rooms in the main house and there are a few out buildings left unoccupied. They aren't much but they are doable. Come I'll show you mine."

 

Cari led the way to her small house and let Sam in. "Take a look around, I'm going to change right quick. As I'll be going back to town for the festivities, you are welcome to join me."

 

Cari went into her room and closed the door part of the way to change. She intended to wear the backless blue saphire dress Aki had made for her. The diagnoal scar on her back from Reikan didn't bother her much anymore and she rather enjoyed showing off the grim and tribal tattoos found there.

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Festivities..., he grumbled to himself as he finished dressing himself in his "good" clothes. They were a far cry from his old outfits, but it would do in this little town. Clipping the belt around his waist, the outfit was only a little better then his riding outfit, though it was much clearer. Boy did he hate festivities, but it was too ample an opportunity to get to know a few people around the farm, especially when the alcohol got flowing. He would guard himself, at least for now. The issue was which tale to use. He could say he was a traveling horse trainer with some common soldiering experience in his past, as that would explain any one who noticed his unusual grace of movement. Try as he might, he just could not hide that grace, but he could cover it up slightly with his garb.

 

Clearing his throat and brush a hand through his salt and pepper beard, he tried to play the role. Moving to the window he waited for Cari to return while he watched the horses. He had a feeling that he had been here before though not in this particular farm. This stance, this pose of looking out the window was too clothes to what he used to do in the Master of Arms office as he watched the training. He had mesmerized a few times in his old office by doing just this. Heck, he had even been startled a few times to find people in his office who he had not heard come in while he watched. Matalina had been the best at it, though Lyv was a close second. Old and forgotten times, he mused and pushed the thoughts away.

 

Live in the now, he told himself and turned around to find Cari staring at him.

[Matalina]

Cari curtsied as Sam turned around. "We'll have to do something about the garb." She smiled playfully at the man she'd just met. "You must speak with Aki at a later date for some new outfits. We must keep up appearances here."

 

Cari watched as Sam mounted his horse, too many things felt familiar and yet so different. It had been many months since Alexander had come and unfortuantely passed. Cari didn't like to think about it, the memories were hard, and the pain was still unbareable. The heart bond being broke was just as painful as a real bond breaking. Pain stained Cari's eyes as she mounted Tain Cor. "Shall we."

 

Cari heeled her black stallion into motion and he took off at a slow pace, he was in no hurry, he'd lost that lust now that he was ridden nearly every day. Cari felt eyes on her as she left the stables. She wondered if Sam was getting a nice view. She smiled to herself and lead the way out of the ranch and to town.

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Sam decided that the best way to proceed once they mounted their horses was to let Cari lead the way. It would keep up appearances that he was just another lowly servant being lead by another servant. Keeping up appearances had worked for too many years to keep him out of trouble and as far away from his old life as possible. Unfortunately for Sam, or rather Reikan, the Wheel had other ideas.

 

His eyes locked on Cari's back as soon as she road back. He thought of himself as unobtrusive observer when he wanted to get the lay of the land, but in this case all his training and experience went out the window. The scar... He had given a wound like that to a woman that had died a long time ago. Could it be? No, impossible, yet...I never saw a body. All these thoughts raced through his head and he could not keep up with it all. Sam did not want to assume anything about this woman even if she did bare the same type of scar that he had given a woman a long time ago. His memory might not be remembering the wound the same way that he was seeing it, but was that enough to go on. After all the woman in front of him hardly appeared to be anything like the woman from his past. She carried herself, dressed, and acted differently.

 

They were outside the farm's grounds when he decided to pull his eyes away from her back and move them to the horizon.

 

"About time," a voice said to him.

 

Sam turned to see Cari smiling at him. Her face held makeup and her hair was different, but behind that mask he could see glimpses of the woman he had known. Yet, she was dead. You better say something, he thought though he only reacted with a whimsical look on his face. "Sorry, been a long time," he said trying to be somewhat vague about why he was staring, as the staring could have been taken that he had not been with a woman for awhile and not that he had found a woman that he thought dead. The question was, why did she fake her own death, if indeed this was the same woman? Further, and an even more troubling possibility, this meant that her Aes Sedai knew that she was alive as well. Could she be on some kind of secret task for the Tower?

 

"Long time you say?" Cari said with a smile. "You could probably fix that problem in the town, if you pursue the issue enough."

 

Indeed, he thought and smiled back at Cari or should he think of her as Matalina? He did not want to bring up the name unintentionally before he was ready, so he would have to think of her as Cari and not Matalina. "You are probably right Mat," he said casually and swore to himself rather vulgarly under his breath.

[Matalina]

Cari stopped Tain Cor in his tracks at along past name flew threw the air. She turned to him, "What did you call me?"

 

Sam looked back at her but said nothing. "How do you know that name?" She looked back at him, "And I suggest you never utter it's sounds again in my presence." It was meant to be a threat, but he stared back at her with a bleak smile. She knew that smile.

 

She didn't know whether or not to be angry. The man before her rang of familarity and she wanted to know why. Cari ran through her memories, trying to place the man, this Sam claimed to be. She got off of her horse and stood at his side. "Only my friends ever called me by that name. Tell me who you are, that you know it." She said it as a threat but it came out sweet. Cari was anything but nice, and there was no call to dig into her mind and bring out the darkness that lay hidden.

 

Cari wondered who knew what he knew. She wondered if the Tower suspected that Raeyn had released her bond. Why was he here?

 

Cari

[Andrew]

The next few moments happened in a fog for Sam as Cari, or rather Mat, processed what he had said and immediately confronted him about it. There was no doubt in his mind that this woman before him was Matalina, thought to be long dead to him. What was curious was that she did not recognise him as his disguise was meant to make him unmemorable, but anyone who actually knew him would be able to see through his subterfuge.

 

The threats were no sooner out of her then curiosity must have gotten the better of her as she asked, "only my friends ever called me by that name. Tell me who you are, that you know it."

 

Sam smiled to her again and atop his heeled horse and looked down at her. "I'm the one that gave you that souvenir down your back," he said and heeled his horse into movement again. Better to let her think on what he said and hope that she would come to her senses; still he was going to have to be careful around her as she might try something foolish. Moving ahead he kept an eye on her as he reined in beside her horse to look back at her. She was looking at him oddly, but a grin seemed to be slowly materializing on her face.

[Matalina]

Surprises? The words were no sooner out his mouth and she mumbled his name. Why was Reikan here? And working in the same place? Cari smiled, she had her own surprises to reveal, but not now, not until later.

 

She got back up on her horse, Tain was eager to get to the inn so he could graze. The warhorse was getting fat in his old age. "So Sam, why are you here and not in the Yards looking over innocents young men and women under your charge?"

 

He only smiled at her. "You are suppose to be dead."

 

Cari nodded. "Yes, I am dead. Rather Matalina is dead, I am Cari Namere." She wouldn't tell the man she'd slept with the reasons why she was here, or that it had been their last encounter that had made it clear to her to leave her former life. "No one here knows, and I'd appreciate you keep that to yourself."

 

Cari hoped that Achet would not make tonights events. Spending time with two men, one who'd get jealous of even a unnoticeble man she might be interested in, not to mention the father of her children.

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Reikan nodded at her. He would keep her secret to himself, as he fully understood the need to escape the clutches of the Tower. "It appears we both have reasons why we are not in the Tower any longer Cari," he said trying to remain vague about why he had left.

 

"I won't give away your identity and I prefer it if you did not give away mine," the words were no sooner out of his mouth then he added, "though we are going to have to talk about both reasons sometime." He did not say when he wanted to talk, just that he would need to talk to her. It was not often you found a friend alive and well who you thought dead. "I must say that your appearance is quite...different Cari, but you probably have your reasons and I look forward to hearing them." Matalina in a dress and looking sultry was something he was going to have to get used too. To think he thought she was a working girl at first.

 

"The years apart have been kind to you."

[Matalina]

Cari smiled, if he only knew. The town approached and Cari left Tain Cor tied up outside of Achet's shop. Tain wasn't very friendly to other horses on most occasions and it was safer for him there. "If you are staying at the inn tonight you can go on. If you'd rather not, we've got room for you on the ranch. Might as well make yourself at home sooner rather than later."

 

The lights in Achet's house were on, he didn't appear to be at the inn... yet, she hoped he'd stay away today. She didn't need to men around.

 

Cari waited at the Silver Bow for Sam. It was difficult to call Reikan Sam, but she would live with it. She wondered when to tell him about the twins. She smiled softly to herself. He would be surprised. Cari wondered if he'd want to stay then.

 

The inn was filled with all the town folks and Cari walked in and received nods from her friends. She was handed a glass of lemon water and Cari went to take a seat against the wall to watch the goings on. She smiled at Sam and patted a seat next to her. "Come, sit, drink!" And Cari took a swig of her water to indicate she was drinking only water. She'd not be repeating her trainee days.

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Reikan took a seat beside Matalina and motioned for a drink. A pint of something would go down fine, but after that he would stick with water. He had found that the older he got the less he was able to bounce back from the night of drinking. Besides, while he knew Matalina to some extent, he did not trust her just yet. As the pint of ale was placed in front of him, he turned his attention to Mat to say casually, "I see ale disagrees with you." He wanted to add the word 'still' to his last sentence, but thought better of it as he had no idea who was listening in on their conversation.

 

Matalina seemed to agree with his suspicions and simply nodded back at him, as being any more vocal about it might open up a can of worms. "So, what is a lovely lady like yourself doing in a backwater place like this?" As soon as he asked that question he realised it applied just as appropriately to his presence as well.

[Matalina]

Cari smiled. She knew the topic would come up and she could easily answer him with out any lies. "I will tell you if you tell me in return." Cari leaned in and kissed his cheeck teasingly and smiled at him.

 

"I came to find myself." She smiled at him in hopes the rest would sound familiar. "I almost killed a man, a man I ... " Cari paused, she didn't want him to get the wrong impression about "... a man I cared for." She looked at him. "He was a good friend of mine, and my own hesitation almost cost me my own life. It did in another way, but one I am happy with."

 

Cari continued slowly. "I now stay because I've found home, a family that loves me despite not being of the same blood, and the twins enjoy their lives. It's the first time I've been able to be mother to my children." Memories of Jeffery Kincaid and Fawne perculated through Cari's memories, they were grown now and either in no need of their mother, or they would never return to her. And then a thought came to her, Sam didn't know he had children or at least didn't know of any he knew of. They hadn't spoken in over ten years.

 

"What brings you to Fairhaven?"

 

Cari

[Andrew]

"Nothing in particular brought me here," he said. He had come this way simply by chance, choosing to go down one fork in a road instead of another. Strange that when he made this choice he had gotten a strong feeling to come this way. In the 5 years since had had left the Tower he had never felt much towards one particular direction over another, yet this time had been different. The Wheel apparently had decided to spin him out from hiding in the backwaters of the world. The question was why. Why here? Obviously Matalina must have something to do with it, but what?

 

"I am glad you have found happiness, as you deserve to be happy," he said and then mulled about whether to say more, but his gut told him that it was probably the right thing to do. "Honestly, the happiness in you shines right through to those that take a look at you." He refrained from saying anything more then that, as he did not want people to know that he had had a past with her. "I am glad to have run into you Cari," he said with a smile.

 

He wondered if she saw a change in him, like he saw in her. He did not feel different, but then he had gotten quite used to hiding his true self from others. His appearance might have changed, but he was hardly in the same place as the person before him. He had given up the idea of settling down and starting a family, as it was just not for him. He had this drive that pushed him towards something, though he wished his knew what that something was.

[Matalina]

Sam and Cari talked of things around the ranch, he wasn't drinking anymore than she was and that was probably a good thing. Secrets were easier kept when you were both sober. Cari got up from her chair and mingled with her friends. Achet hadn't arrived and for that Cari was thankful, having to explain Sam might be a bit difficult. It was hard keeping things from Achet, he knew Cari well enough to know when she felt something for someone. Granted Cari didn't feel anything for Sam other than a fondness and willingness to share a life with him for the sake of the children. And with that thought Cari stood behind Sam and laid her head on his shoulder and kissed his neck. She enjoyed toying with men, and Sam was no different. "I've a secret to share with you."

 

Cari moved closer to Sam's ear and nibbled at his ear lobe. She hoped he would get the wrong ideas, it might lead to a fun night at home, but her motives would be a bit more family oriented. Cari whispered in his ear. "You have two children."

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Blood and bloody ashes!

 

The thought to question what she had told him never even entered his mind. Reikan felt light headed all of a sudden and his knees started to buckle under him as the words Matalina had spoken sunk into his soul. I have...? The only thing that was keeping him from falling flat on his face was Matalina's arms around his body. I have...kids. He felt a slight sweat start to break out over his body and could almost feel the blood rushing out of his face. He did not know how long he stood there motionless, to him it felt like an eternity, but most likely it was not more then a few seconds. How, when, why... were the thoughts that raced through his mind as it spun around the world that he thought he had known and he had no idea how to stop it from spinning beneath his feet.

 

His body on the other hand took over for his mind, as it immediately performed a relaxation technique to calmed his muscles. Taking a breath he turned to look at Matalina and saw Cari staring back at him. She wasn't Matalina anymore and of course he was no longer Reikan. He was Sam now or at least that who he had been, but it appeared she was also more then just Matalina. She was Cari and the mother of his children as well. His children! The very thought scared him to death as he had no idea how to be a father. Kids were so undisciplined, emotional, smelly, and noisy.

 

"Umm," was all that he could muster for a few minutes as he looked at Cari. It didn't help that she just smiled back and him and ruffled her fingers through his hair. She was so calm! For an instant all he could think about was how it would be much easier to face a hundred Trollocs in battle then be a father. At least you could kill Trollocs if they got to close with their horrible smells, but a child? The best you could hope for with them was that a change of small clothes was close by. Wait a second, he realised that he had not seen Matalina in years, so the kids would be past the smelly stage. "Thank the wheel for that..."

 

"Thank the wheel for, what?" Cari asked him.

 

Did I say that outloud? He could not remember, but he quickly replied, "that I choose this path otherwise I might not have ever known I was a father." The look he got back from her was one of the knowing womanly looks, the ones that saw right through you and made you feel like you were a child all over again. He laughed at that as he had never known Matalina capable of that look, but he guessed raising their kids had taught her a few new facial expressions. Suddenly he felt very awkward being around her as they had had a few experiences together, but nothing like the last time. It had been a very frustrating time for him and her, a few months before her 'death'. Convenient that, he mused as he realised all the lost time, but then he knew that even if she had tried to contact him about it, would he have left the Warders? He could not answer that at the moment and that said enough about his frame of mind. To think that he was a father!

 

"You milady are full of mysteries," he finally said trying to bring things back down to earth.

[Matalina]

Cari watched as Sam fumbled around in his mind for the things that he was feeling. She smiled at him when he finally found his voice. Cari kept her arms around him, almost as if she was holding on to him, to make him stay. "I'm not asking anything of you Sam." She whispered in his ear. "I just wanted you to be aware that Aidan and Kate are yours by blood, and if you wish it so you are welcome to be their father. If not they will never know until you are ready."

 

Cari let go of Sam and turned the chair to face him before sitting down. "You need to be comfortable with the idea before I tell them." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Let me know when you are ready if ever." Cari sat back in the chair and watched Sam. She found it intriguing that he was here in Cairhein, and that she'd not seen him in Tar Valon a few months past. The wheel weaved as it wills.

 

Cari

[Andrew]

"I don't know if anyone is every ready," he said to Cari as she sat across from him with a smile. The wheel weaved as it willed and he guessed that pleasurable night years ago between them was not just for immediate satisifaction. Having their kids certainly had changed Matalina into the woman Cari and he wondered if it would have the same affect on him as well. "The issue of whether to tell them or not is not something I think that only concerns me, as would not having their natural father around affect your life or theirs?" He left the question floating there between them, as he did not know if Cari or the children had other men in her life that might not take to kindly to his presence.

 

He could not tell if Cari had a man in her life, at least not the way she had hugged him and kissed him, but then he did not really know Cari as he had Matalina. She had changed enough in her appearance that it could be quite possible that other changes were present, just not as easily apparent. "I can not say whether or not I'll be able to stay, as who knows what the Wheel has planned, but I'll be involved in their life as much as possible."

[Matalina]

Cari smiled at his reguard for her current life. "Stay as long as you like and return just the same. Anyone knowing you are their father is going to change things, but they need to know who their father is. I can deal with everyone else in my life who would take you in the wrong light." Cari grinned as she stood up and walked behind him again wrapping her arms around his shoulders and laying her head on it to speak in his ear. "The only relationship that will affect others is the relationship we have, friends, lovers, a couple. Those decisions we can make later. But a father should never come into play with any of the men in my life." Cari nibbled on his ear and whispered. "And there are other men in my life."

 

Cari then wondered if he'd heard of Alex's death. She would not bring the topic up and there wasn't time anyway. Glen interrupted them. "Sam, it is Sam right?" Sam nodded and looked up at Glen. "I'm Glen Triad, Nathan says you will be working with us." Glen indicated Cari and himself. "Don't mind the lass too much, she flirts with everyone here." He grinnd, "Well except Liam and Franc."

 

Cari giggled. "No my flirting would do no good there." She smiled at Glen and moved into his arms. Glen had chosen an oppurtune time to show up, Cari really didn't want Sam thinking she wanted more than a father to mother relationship with him. She'd take more, but she wouldn't expect it.

 

Cari hugged Glen and sat back down in her chair. "So where are you staying tonight Sam, there are several options? The inn has lovely rooms but I wouldn't suggest there beds for long. On the Ranch we've spare rooms in the main house, or you can have a house of your own." Cari smiled playfully, "Or you can stay with your children. We can manage arrangements easy enough. But the choice is yours." Cari would wait for an answer she was eager to be back home and with her children. Tomorrow would be a bright new day for them.

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Reikan mulled over the choices he had ahead of him. It would probably be too presumptions of him to think about staying with Cari and their children, as he had enough troubles dealing with his own household messes. "I'll probably stay at one of the houses," he said to Glenn and Cari then added quickly, "if that is alright with Nathan and everyone else."

 

"Good, good." Glenn added then asked, "so what brings you to Rashad Ranch?"

 

Reikan answered Glenn immediately as he did not want it to look like he was searching for an answer. "I'm just a wonderer looking for some steady work, though I do have hopes of settling down here as the town seems quite nice and looks like it will provide lots of work." He didn't want to add much more then that, though he figured it might not be a good thing to expand on the idea that Cari and he had children together. At least not yet, as he wanted the kids to get used to the idea before they let anyone else know. Knowing that Matalina was alive and had assumed a new role was giving him hope for the future. He had spent so much time escaping his responsibilities the last few years that he thought the Creator was telling him something by letting him return to some semblance of a family. It was odd to know that he had kids and suddenly realise that he had more to think about then just himself.

 

Taking a seat besides Cari, he politely shoved her over with his rear to make room for him. She in turn wrapped an arm around his waist and pinched him which made Glenn laughed when he jumped out of his seat somewhat.

 

"Don't worry, you'll get used to her pinches soon enough." Glenn said with a smiled and shook his head. "It appears our Cari has taken a shine to you!" He said and started to laugh again. "Maybe she might even calm down a little especially when her two kids look up to her so much. We wouldn't want them to be shameless flirts too!" He gave Cari a wink and smile and then turned to start talking to one of the waitresses.

 

Reikan shook his head and felt Cari give him a hug before she started to whisper into his ear, "Sam..."

[Matalina]

Glen had stuck around and sat with Cari and Sam, it was odd having Glen around with the Master at Arms sitting next to her, but then the irony wasn't lost on her either. Glen had after all helped Matalina become Cari, and fake her death to the man sitting next to her. Glen also had a few likes in common with Reikan Souvan. Cari only shared Glen's bed once, and that was out of a moments weakness on Glen's part. Cari smiled at Glen knowingly. Though, Glen prefered to dish out pain instead of sleeping with a woman. Both had the same affect and Glen and Cari enjoyed the sessions, probably a bit too much.

 

Cari hugged Sam, it was time to tell him to be careful around Glen, for more than one reason. Cari started to whisper in Sam's ear, "Glen knows of my former life." She kissed him full on the lips before he could say something. Cari pulled back slightly and stared Sam in the eyes. "He knows nothing about me beside being a former warder. He helped me send my death notices home." Cari moved over into Sam's lap. "He won't be a bother to you or the children."

 

Cari

[Andrew]

Sam nodded at Cari after she pulled her lips away from his. He tried not to smile at her too much as he was enjoying this a little too much for his own good, after all he had only just found out she was alive and was raising their children. Still that thought did not stop him from placing a hand on her hip and slowly caress it under the table. "Good," he said in response to Cari and their children's welfare. It was strange to feel himself becoming slightly protect of them when he had only just found out about their existence.

 

The conversation moved back and forth a few times about nothing much in particular. Cari never moved far from him though and he guessed she still felt a close connection to him after all these years apart. Glen excused himself after about an hour of conversation saying something about having a errand to run for Nathan before bed. Cari nodded at that with a smile and itched even closer to Sam.

 

Once Glen was out of earshot she said, "I thought he would never leave." Cari leaned into to nibble on his neck for a moment then just leaned her head on his shoulder, using it as a pillow of sorts. "Sam I never thought I'd admit this, but it's nice to have someone else around who knows who I was before this town."

 

He wrapped an arm around her waist and said, "I'm glad you feel that way, as I've always felt close to you even back to our early days hanging around together. Though the last few years we spent together were dark times for us both," he said trying not to reference to much to their past. Cari had always been fairly quite and distant back then. When he looked back on it and their last few years in the Warder's Yard together, he could not help but feel that this new life of hers had changed her for the better. She had a very dark edge to her character then and it had always worried him, as the only people he had ever connected that streak with were Darkfriends. Thankfully Cari's bonding to Raeyn Sedai had removed that possibility from his mind. While he had never been bonded he knew enough to understand that you could keep no secrets from an Aes Sedai, so a darkfriend could never hide themselves from an Aes Sedai. That was at least one advantage Aes Sedai had in keeping their secrets hidden from the Dark Ones minions.

 

"You definitely look a lot lightier of heart," he said with a smile.