Lysander Kinsani

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Lysander Kinsani ~ Springs Hope

As a small boy in Kandor, son of a minor Noble establishment he was taught the way of battle and swordsmanship at a young age. He was rather clumsy and could barely wield a weapon. His childhood friend, a girl in fact, named Ryer would always defeat him in their spars when they did battle with their sticks. He was short and dependant. Never far from his mothers skirts if he could help it. His father had little hope in him ever becoming a great Captain like himself but be did not give up, and always pushed his son forward. Not long after Ryer left for Tar Valon did Lysander truly come into his own. He trained relentlessly with the blade with the dream of one day being the girls Warder, seeing her as a big sister. Yet regardless of his dream his life would take a drastic turn.

As time went on and as he grew into a young man, almost reaching his twenties he had become an expert with a sword, even training as a blademaster. As a minor noble he was given a rank within the Kandori army and fought in countless battles on the borderfront. Lysander earned his Heron after a large war on the blight front, where his master saw his skills and decided to test him afterwards. He passed his test and was given the sword he had fought so hard to earn.

However something else had occurred. During a skirmish North of the city of Cachin he began to feel a change in himself. His eyes grew more and more golden throughout the journey. His senses heightened. Dreams of being a rabid wolf filled his mind. In one battle he lost control as the images in his head took over and he tore into the trollocs him and his men, including his father, fought. Due to his complete recklessness his father was unfortunately slain and his older brother took over the House. Out of shame he fled Kandor to the South and into the wild, thinking he was no better than an animal.

Lost and losing his humanity he began to dive deeper and deeper into the unknown. His dreams became more frequent and each time he became more like a wolf. Until the day a strange man befell him. The man was dirty, older and covered his hair all over his face. The man took him in and tamed him, teaching him the ways of the Wolfbrother. The wolves took him into the Wolf Dream and taught him more. Eventually he was able to return to mankind, enter towns and cities without being in fear that he was some sort of beast to be put down. Lysander became a known finger around Andor, fighting strange creatures in the shadow sometimes with Wolves at his side. Even spending some time in Two Rivers waging battles there from strange monsters, half man and half beast.

Now he returns North, to Tar Valon to seek Ryer Sedai….

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Aes Sedai and her Pup

The city of Tar Valon lay ahead, no more than a mile from where Lysander Kinsani stood. He could see the White Tower piercing the sky, the shining walls defending all those who called it their home. He had been there before. It was a bustling city with many goings on and people rushing around all with their own separate businesses to attend to. Aes Sedai kept themselves to the Tower and the courtyard for the most part but he caught sight of a few during his visit. Now he was going there for a particular reason, two in fact. One to see his old childhood friend, Ryer, who was now an Aes Sedai herself to his knowledge and the second, was the whispering of a girl with golden eyes. It was not his job to take her under his wing but the others had shown an interest in her so he had taken it upon himself to investigate. Men and women like him were rare, very rare. In fact he was only aware of two others who were alive. Perrin, the man from Two Rivers also known as Young Bull. The other was like him but more of an extreme, hidden in the forests. If there was another it would have been rude to not at least get aquatinted.
The dark haired man, tall and athletic sat on his brown steed, Jip, his long brown cloak covering his shoulders and hiding the Heron Marked Blade at his hip. His leather piece kept him warm in the cold nights he spent in the woods as did his long fur cloak. For a man who used to wear expensive armor and clothes of noble colours he looked somewhat common, though it was not like he had any link to that life anymore. His life was now a man who travelled with Wolves, who fought the shadow wherever he could find it and protect the innocent. He did not spend all his time with the Wolves but they were part of his family regardless. The blademaster glanced to the hills on his right; the tress covered the higher ground. At the edge of the forest a large grey wolf stood, golden eyes locked on the man before it turned away and disappeared into the shadows of the forest. Lysander let a small smile grace his lips and whipped his steeds’ reins.
“I know. I will be back.” He muttered to himself yet as if someone had spoken to him. The brown horse galloped towards the city.

It was not long before he arrived at the city. Passing through the large gates once reaching the bridge that lead from a small town on the other side of the river to the main city. Men in grey and silver armor known as Defenders were all about the city. Watching the people who came and go with a keen look, as if they remembered every face that passed them, never forgetting a troublemaker if they saw one. Lysander slipped into the crowd, leaving his horse at the town wishing to remain as hidden as possible. After being caught in a large crowd of people crossing the bridge he was soon on the other side. It was difficult to follow any sort of scent in this city with the amount of men and women trudging about. It was crowded, too crowded for his liking. Too much stone. Too many people. Too closed off from the outside. The wolfbrother let out a small groan and wrapped himself in his brown cloak. Well he was here now; it was only a little longer before he could leave.
The market place bustle with people shopping and selling, everyone with stalls was trying to push their wares. Various objects were held in front of his face but he did his best to ignore any interaction with the. He simply gave a small shake of his head and a smile if he had to. After he had escaped the market north of the city he eventually found his way to the courtyard outside the White Tower itself. He had taken the long way round to get a grasp on his surroundings. When you were somewhere new and unpredictable it was good to know where you would be able to escape and hide if you had to. In a nutshell this was a city he would need to be on his best behaviour in, there were very few ways he could escape unscathed if he had to. If everything went swimming there would be no need. It was always better to be safe than sorry after all. Once he was in the courtyard it did not take long for him to pick out the woman he was hunting. Ryer Sedai as it was now. She had grown too, taller and wiser, still slim and attractive. Though she did not know he had seen her more recently than she had seen him, not in person however.
“Hmmm… pretty much as they picture her, covered in grey and all.” He said to himself. It was time to see if he was as memorable as her.

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Lysander lay in the Grove of Tar Valon. His meeting with Ryer Sedai had gone smoothly. It took a bit of time for her to remember him but they got there in the end. To think her daughter was the one he had heard about, the golden eyed girl. While one may have said it was a coincidence the borderlander would have disagreed. The think that images of Ryer Sedai had been fed to him and that this wolfbrother was Elenera, her daughter. Things did not fall into place as easily. Perhaps they had used Ryer as a way to lead them towards Elenera yet that would not have explained the pain Ryer was in during this image. They were always so cryptic when it came to humans. Was it a warning or just a metaphor?
‘Perhaps I will find answers when I sleep. It can not be the future, perhaps it is a message they picked up and wanted me to know. Whatever it is they are not sure, and I am completely in the dark. Blood and ashes.’ In any case he was here now and he would remain until Elenera was comfortable with what she was and to wait and see what would befall Ryer Sedai, if anything…

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Preparations for the Wild

It had been some time since Lysander had arrived in Tar Valon. During the war to the North he had done as Ryer had asked and had kept a defensive watch over the Waygate in the Grove. Luckily there was neither action nor concern. The Waygate remained quiet as they expected it would. He felt bad not involving himself with the fighting on the borderlands but he had remained and left it to the soldiers this time. It was not that he could not fight; it was that he avoided fighting for the most part unless he had no choice bring forth his blade. He was a blademaster, he was skilled. There was no need for him to fight unless there was absolutely no choice. In any case it seemed there was no need for him this time at least. The battle had ended in the Gap and did not stray any further south again for him to be worried about. After the Aes Sedai, defenders and Younglings returned he made sure Ryer was still fit and well. He had not known she had left, he had thought the Mistress of the Novices would have remained but he was unaware of the recent replacement of positions.
‘It is better to never assume anything with Aes Sedai I think, for future reference.’ He noted down his head. Such things would land him in trouble one day. The images of Ryer in peril still haunted the back of his mind but it seemed as if whatever it meant it was not related to the war.

The Wolfkin strode out of the Grove. He had been making it his home for the past few days. It was surprisingly comfortable. He had noticed on occasion the odd young woman finding his presence and quickly taking leave. Some giggled as he practice by the water with his Heron, others tried to pry information about his eyes, and Eleneras when they could get him alone. On that subject his lips were firmly closed. He had said everything he was going to say to those who were not involved, if Ryer did not know everything. One important detail he had kept out of every conversation.
“Make sure nothing happens to her Lysander, I do not think I could forgive you if it did.”
“Of course, she is in safe hands.”
He remembered that conversation with his childhood friend. The truth was not completely out. There was a chance she would not return. If the young woman lost herself, joined the pack and never returned there was nothing that he could have done. He labelled it as the choice, as he felt that is what he had to do. Give into the Wolf or balance it with his humanity. He hoped she would take the same choice as he though there was always a small chance she would not. If that is what occurred he would need to explain that to Ryer, and then he too would never return to Tar Valon. Lysander had faith in her however. Faith that her connections to her friends and family would force her to find a balance. She had more reason to than he did at the time, as well. At the time he had to make the choice he felt he had nothing to stay human for. Yet at the back of his mind he knew it would be the right decision. The walk from the Grove was not long before he found Elenera with Master Khallen. He had heard much about this man and knew him as a competent blademaster like himself.

The discussion was not long, Khallen did not really understand what was happening to Elenera or why she needed to leave but that was to be expected. No one would truly understand apart from those who were going through it. Permission was granted and Elenera was ready to leave. She wanted to say goodbye to her loved ones first naturally, but at this time he felt it sensible to reveal to her the chances of her not returning.
“Do you understand? If you make that certain choice, if you join the wolf pack you will never return home. Do you still wish to go?” He asked her after explaining it as detailed as he could. She was taking it very well, better than he had expected.
“I do… if I stay I will never feel whole, it is something I must do.” Lysander smiled and ruffled her hair through her hood before he took his leave, He would go prepare for their departure. There was no need to pack much food; they would be hunting for most of it. Water was easy to come by as well but to be on the safe side he would pack enough of that. It was time to take his place of the White city. It had been an interesting stay and a pleasure to see Ryer once again but he was glad to return out into the world. Would be return after they were done? He was not sure. The image of Ryer in danger was still there in the back of his mind, but it was there for a reason. He would act upon that when the wheel decided it was time for him to. The wolves were waiting for him in the forests outside the city, he could feel it…