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[lastgunslinger]

He'd found an interesting-looking book in the Library -- More Tales From The Corner, But Only If I Don't Find A Better Title, by a man with the interesting name of F.X. Toole.

So now Roland is sitting in his chair by the fountain in the Garden, reading, with the grey kitten batting at the roses floating on the surface of the water.

Morning-glories bloom around the bottom of the fountain.

Comments

[lastgunslinger]

Roland shakes his head. "They're making a life for themselves, as Cuthbert said. It's not one I can share in. Not one I'd want to share in, either."

Pause.

Still matter-of-fact: "We were very young. She still is. And in many ways Cuthbert still is."

[blue_ajah]

The chirping of birds is very loud in the otherwise-silent air.

"It can be difficult indeed, when there is a span of years and experience dividing those who are otherwise... connected. Difficult in many ways."

There is something of knowledge in her words.

[lastgunslinger]

He knows it's hard.

For a moment he thinks that he'd give anything to hear someone speak plainly. Diplomatic doubletalk won't help.

"Yes."

And Moiraine can say no word that is not true, but this doesn't mean that she can't veil her true meaning to the point of obscurity.

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

Need is the key.

"Why the hell am I up a mountain?"

[blue_ajah]

There is a long moment of absolute stillness marked only by the Aes Sedai's visibly evident and complete shock as she simply stares at Joe Manco.

Finally,

"The Wheel weaves."

Her tone is very, very dry, and her smile serene.

[lastgunslinger]

"Can't tell me you haven't ranged over mountains before."

Roland is fighting amusement.

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

Joe laughs, a dry, ugly sound. "You've always got the answer."

He turns from Moiraine to Roland. "You know how you can tell this is a dream?" he says, gesturing at the wheeling birds.

[lastgunslinger]

"Seems to me like you have the answer for that yourself." Not so much with the fighting, any more.

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

Joe snorts. "Not what I meant." He gestures at the rocks now. "No birdsh--droppings." He tips his hat to Moiraine, and hunkers, regarding them silently.

[blue_ajah]

"Also, since we are in the Dreaming," she says calmly, "perhaps the more surprising thing would be if it were not."

"Some things within Tel'aran'rhiod can be more real than those in the waking world."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland is used to reality being a little weird. He doesn't much care one way or the other.

"Where'd you come in from?"

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

Joe shakes his head. "I wasn't even dreaming about being me."

[lastgunslinger]

"And yet you showed up." Roland sounds like he's musing.

[blue_ajah]

A faint smile curves her lips, but she says nothing, simply watching the two of them.

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." Joe nods. "Blame you, mostly."

[lastgunslinger]

"Why?"

Roland leans against a nearby rock.

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm dead." This seems to make sense to Joe. "What's goin' on?"

[lastgunslinger]

A slight shrug. "Couple of things. Wasn't Bound for a while. Found out I was Bound again when I told River -- she's a young gunslinger, born to it, but not sane, so she can't be trained -- found out when I told her I wouldn't always be in Milliways. Cuthbert picked a good time to tell me he planned to ask Susan for her hand. And Moiraine tells me she accepted. Cuthbert asked me how I felt about it dan-dinh, and then got angry when I couldn't give him the answer he wanted. So. I got out."

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

"You do keep busy." Joe fishes out his cigars. "So you got unbound, but you didn't leave. Regrettin' it?"

[lastgunslinger]

Roland shakes his head. "Unfinished business. In River's world they try to turn children into what Ted Brautigan is and what I am both, by cutting into their brains. We're taking the place down." Calm. "Couldn't spend months orchestrating that and cry off at this point."

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

A match flares. "So you made a choice, and the bar took you at your word, and you're kicking up at it. That's the first part."

"Cuthbert and Susan are gettin' married, huh?"

[lastgunslinger]

Roland nods, arms folded.

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

"And it pisses you off." Joe draws smoke and exhales it, hot and fragrant in the cool mountain air. "How come?"

[lastgunslinger]

Silence.

"He punched me once. Told me I was being an idiot over her. Not that he is now. Love's a trap, is all. And then he chose to tell me dan-dinh -- to ask me to make his decision for him, when there wasn't any decision to be made. You don't ask your friend to make your decisions for you, and you don't ask your dinh to tell you how he feels. Not for something like this." A half-shrug. "And you know the tale behind it all. Some of that left, too, a little. It's selfish." His words are offhand.

[joewithnoname.livejournal.com]

"It damn well is selfish," Joe agrees. "They're dead, you know." He says this slowly and deliberately. "Dead. You got a life, and they don't. You're Bound for now. They're done and gone. And both of 'em died for you."