<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">The Story That Wasn't Told..Wheel of Time. </span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/><br/>Orphaned by a Trolloc horde when he was only eight, Sam ... or at least thats what the band of soldiers called him who found him lost and starving in the woods eventually named him as far as they knew he either couldn't speak from birth or that he was able to speak but just...well didn't, after they found what was left of his village they understood why. Fortunately the soldiers had pity on him, and kept his around, each one giving him food and bits of things in exchange for watering horses, polishing boots, and armor, and helping the cook... there was no shortage of work to be done.<br/><br/>In a way they became Sam's new Family, a host of older brothers teaching him everything from caring for horses, tracking, foraging, building, cooking, anything that an army needed... and Sam eager to learn, he was like a sponge, never speaking but taking it all in.  Unfortunately these soldiers were also White Cloaks... Children of the Sun and also taught him to fear and hate Aes Sedai witches whom perhaps were either working with or worse than the Trollocs!   At age twelve, although he wasn't old enough to officially join yet, he was acting as a scout, and earning money by bringing rabbits and birds anyone one willing to pay for them... by now they were looking at him a potential recruit and had already been teaching grappling, knife, blade techniques... he was a prodigy in the making...<br/><br/>However while returning from a observing a forward location, his family, the men who slaughtered and their dead bodies being dragged to the trolloc cooking pots.  Despite the overwhelming odds, Sam charged forward in a hell bent quest to parish in the melee along side his brothers!<br/><br/>While he had chosen death...the horse however decided that it didn't want to charge into a row of pikes and be Trolloc stew, reared up in protest! Same managed to stay on, but just barely as lost his sword in the process! Despite his efforts to turn back around the speckled grey mare was not concerned about his desires to die in battle! no she wanted life! Sam turned back... to see the trolloc horde hot on their trail...when he looked forward... he saw a tree branch! Then blinding pain as he was knocked off his horse now wheezing for air from several cracked ribs and horrible concussion! Staring up at the blue sky...and hearing the excited howling and gnashing of teeth as they raced one another to be the first to impale the fallen ride...Same waited to die, the Trollocs had killed his family, his friends....and now...it was his turn...it was really only a matter of time.<br/><br/>Suddenly he heard hooves... hooves coming for the other direction! More Trollocs he thought, then a blur of a dozen men  men in armor, followed by two women green gowns who seemingly came out of no where encircled him!<br/><br/>They were Aes Sedai!<br/><br/>Sam panicked, but when he looked up they were not after him, and the Trollocs were not obeying them... The Aes Sedai slew dozens at a time and any of the trollocs who got close, or tried to attack from the side their faithful warders skillfully them cut down like dried out hollow reeds!<br/><br/>Sam couldn't help but be thankful that he wasn't wearing any sort uniform that would suggest that he had been with the White Cloaks, but now that the Aes Sedai had made quick work with the Trollocs, their attention now turned toward him. Sam tried to run only to find to collapse back down into the dirt. He closed his eyes and covered his face with his arms fearing the worst, but instead of hurting him or enslaving him to their will, he felt a warm sensation flood through him, from the top of his head to the tip of his toes....his ragged painful labored breaths slowed and when he finally had the courage to slowly  peak out from his raised arms, he saw their expect faces... one was smiling... the other giving him a little more of a critical look.<br/><br/>"Whats your name?"  the Aes Sedai on the left asked.<br/><br/>Sam gulped and glanced around at the larger warders nervously, but he didn't speak... The Aes Sedai reached out to his forehead...Sam leaped up from the ground like the newness and vigor of startled cat and quickly backed away! his dark ebony black eyes were wide with terror and uncertianity!<br/><br/>"Its alright... I won't hurt you... I just..." The Aes Sedai assuring him in a soft soothing voice the moment she reached out to him, Sam bolted!<br/><br/>The warders burst out into Laughter! "Run faster!" they laughed.<br/><br/>Sam did run, but after a few miles, he quickly realized that he hadn't any place to run to.  He was an orphan and everyone he had ever known was dead. He wasn't sure how he felt about the Aes Sedai...but he hated Trollocs, and it seemed like that the Aes Sedai did as well...only they were much better at killing them than the Whitecloaks.<br/><br/>-<br/><br/>Later on that night, to the Warders frustration, and amusement from the Aes Sedai who had naturally already  been alerted by the protective weaves around the camp, but chose to enjoy the startled abashed look on the mens' faces as Sam quietly strolled into the camp...carrying the field dressed and plucked ducks that he had taken with a sling around the river bend.<br/><br/>They tried to ask him what he was doing, who he was, where he was from, his name...but Sam didn't respond, he just focused on cooking.  The next morning, their boots, armor was polished, the horses were fed and he was examining one of the Warder's swords...which was quickly confiscated! They questioned him again, who was he, what he was doing. Sam just looked up at them, with deep dark thoughtful and very intelligent, yet haunted black eyes...  he said nothing.<br/><br/>They rode on, Sam followed, and returned with this time with rabbits, another time with deer... which the Warders were had mixed feelings about as each time he managed to  slipped past them!  and it was a little embarrassing to awaken to the sound of their swords being sharpened each morning... and of course the Aes Sedai thought it was so hilarious they he insisted that they shouldn't ride too far unless they lose him.   Sam never spoke, but he followed, he followed them all the way to Tar Valon! and the White Tower!<br/><br/>Always seemingly ten pace behind them... Sam was nicknamed as their Shadow... and the name stuck.<br/><br/>Not sure what else to do with the young boy and not wishing to merely caste him out into the streets, and secretly hoping to possibly groom into a potential warder, the Aes Sedaia temporarily found Shadow a job helping in kitchens in exchange for room and board... they of course didn't have any intentions on leaving him there... no...but they did have a premonition that the young boy would be drawn out to the Warder sparring and training the newest recruits.<br/><br/>Naturally the Aes Sedai wanted to let both the Master at Arms and Shadow to think this was all their own idea... men always liked it when they thought they were in charge!<br/><br/>As expected, each day after working in the kitchens, Shadow could be seen quietly watching at distance the other males sparring out in the training yard.  It didn't take long for Weapons Master to take notice the kitchen boy quietly staring at the rack off wooden swords... this of course was normal. What wasn't normal was finding him out alone in the middle of the night practicing on his own what the Master of arms had just taught to all the other students his age... and well... actually doing it half way correctly!<br/><br/>One thing led to another, and few years later Coulin had a prodigy in the making... well at least he thought he did. Shadow worked harder, trained longer than any of the other cadets.<br/><br/>-<br/><br/>But now that he was Eighteen and the Aes Sedai and accepted were not gathering around like vultures to watch the senior class competing against one another for attention... Somehow... Shadow started doing worse! Coulin couldn't help but feel a little bit perplexed, Shadow had been doing so well! Naturally the new arrivals were now taking the Limelight, Gallad and Gaywane stole the show. Which was very frustrating, Coulin new if anyone who could humble them it was Shadow... but he never did....<br/><br/>Which well stung the Master at Arms pride a little.  Gallad had been trained in the palace, where as Shadow had been trained by him, a poor orthan kitchen boy that new what it was like to fight for his life!<br/><br/>Coulin  just didn't understand it.<br/><br/>It was then he noticed... Shadow was training and Sparring Left handed, and when ever the Aes Sedai came around...magically he tripped over something, or hesitated making Gallad the sepreme victor again, and agian... He couldn't help grin when Matrim Cauthon made short work of both Gallad and Gwayne with only a staff!<br/><br/>-<br/><br/>Unlike the other students, who fought to get the attention of the Aes Sedai and Accepted and went running to the healers for every little bruise and scratch, Shadow did his very best to stay under the radar.  When he wasn't in amor, he wore long sleeved clothes even on the hottest of days to hide the massive bruises and welts all over his body...it wasn't easy to pull off a good convincing loss as he was getting really good at using his left hand...sometimes he almost accidentally won!<br/><br/>-<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Sam/Shadown<br/>Current day... Now Eighteen  </span></span><br/><a class="postlink" href="https://www.clickthecity.com/img2/articles/CTC-3060-image4.jpg">[ img ]</a><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>That night in the barracks, while the cadets boasted about who they thought was watching them, their latest exploits while sneaking off to get drinks at the tavern... naturally without permission, but that never stopped them, they came up with this great wonderful... horrible ... dangerous idea! it was called capture the flag... not just any flag, but the on top of the white tower! right above the Amyrlin Seat! One by one they attempted...Some chickened out...Some were caught...some had to be rescued like cats frozen in fear half way up a tree...and some fell and got hurt.<br/><br/>By this time, three cadets had been caught attempting to climb the towers after curfew, two more caught half way up and forced to climb back down and four cadets...which the Aes Sedai had to use air weaves to lower them down, and after the second serious injury....the news of their childish and potently deadly game was eventually leaked to the Yellow Ajah Sisters whom brought to the Amyrlin Seats attention!<br/><br/>And the Amyrlin Seat promptly notified the  Cadre and his Aes Sedai and gave them both a stern tongue lashing!<br/><br/><br/>The Master of Arms Coulin assembled the cadets....and gave a very stern lecture public and loud ranting lecture.<br/><br/>"Now listen here! Of all my years of serving the Tower I have never! never seen such fooolish and reckless behavior! by gods! Some one could have been killed! two of you almost where! I am out raged and disgusted as this brash bravado and negligence!  IF any one! Any one so much as looks at that flag side ways I will have one of Aes Sedai come out here and beet with your own sword! IF you even touch that tower of after hour I will have you put in stocks for a week! IF you are caught climbing I will have you in the stocks and flogged!"  He blustered he ranted and railed! Until the  The Aes Sedai turned to let Coulin take care of his own. Once they had left the barracks,  Cadre Coulin leaned in and in low voice, "But if some how any of you sorry sods capture the flag I'll throw in a gold coin into the pile," he whispered... and then added, a caveat "Course if any of you lot get caught.... this conversion never happened now file out to the sparring yard with your heads low, and look horribly ashamed of yourselves," he whispered and then opened the door and glowered at the cadets as they sheepishly filed out one by one with their heads bowed...<br/><br/>While the council of Aes Sedai looked on from a distance, Coulin shook his fist into the air and added loudly! "The next Cadet who is caught or rescued by another Aes Sedai is going to have hell to pay! You here me! Such behavior is not tolerated here! Now get going on the double, we are late!" he shouted at the top of his lungs and then stormed out of the baracks...the council of stern faced cross armed Aus Sedai gave a nod of satisfaction!<br/><br/>"Well that should make those wool-headed idiots to give up their silly little game!" nodded a yellow and several of her sisters hurumphed in agreement. Coulin gave a wave and then and they gave a satisfactory nod of approval. Publicly Coulin made sure show his condemnation for such silly games, but in truth, even though a cadet could fall to their death, there was a lot worse and more dangerous games to play. At least this little game kept them nearby healers. Such silly missions had other good character building lessons as well. First, they would find their limits. Secondly, to give the cadets something else to focus on besides hitting each other on the head to impress the girls or sneaking out to the tavern. Third, indiscretion if they did get caught, or injured they had developed their own code on not ratting out their own even while being questioned by an angry Aes Sedai....which unfortunately not all of them proved to be strong enough....and well being a Warder himself he didn't quite blame them.<br/><br/>Fourth, while Coulin could teach a Cadet to wield a sword... there was much more to being a warder than fighting... sometimes they had to be to be quiet, sometimes there needed to be endurance, concentration...stealth.<br/><br/>The next morning the flag was missing!   It took a while before anyone noticed...eventually questions started to be asked...then the Aes Sedai noticed the Cadets standing around pointing upward... then the Councel was assembled  and judgement was swift and the swirling rainbow funneled out the tower like angry beehive, a dozen warders rushed to their bonds side to publicly show their support as they marched straight to into the cadets quarters and raided the barracks! Aes Sedai demanded answers, Warders flipped bunks ... The first year cadets Cadets stood at attention at the foot of their beds wide eyed and confused as they started from the ground level up... the senior cadets being at the top level.<br/><br/>To their Cadre's secret amusement and feigned horror at his prized student's amazing feet, they found the flag nearly folded and tucked away under Shadow's Bunk!<br/><br/>"By the light! ..." Coulin marvelled and then quickly changed his tone, "I  mean! I can't believe you would do such a dangerous and irresponsible thing!" he bellowed... The Aes Sedai echoed their contempt!<br/><br/>Shadow stood at attention staring blankly at the wall...but the blank look of stoic indifference as he looked right past them suddenly turned one of panic as he was lasooed with tight weaves of air lifted him off the ground hauled him to the tower directly up the Amyrlins study. Blood and bloody Ashes they were acting like he had claimed to be the Bloody Dragon Reborn and had caught channeling! It had just been a flag!  A game!<br/><br/>Shadow kept his head down, his dark blue hood covering his face as he was led up to the tower like a condemned prisoner up to the gallows until finally they set him down. Shouted at him some more and informed him of the scathing wrath of the Mother that he had brought upon him.<br/><br/>At last they left him outside to be summoned!<br/><br/>When the door opened, he stoically marched forward  and faced the Amrlin who stood up near the window behind her desk...fuming... giving him the silent treatment.<br/><br/>Shadow kept his head down, his hood up and facing the stone wall upright at attention...stoically indifferent and eager to get his punishment over with.<br/><br/>Finally the Amrlin moved forward... she started off quiet... then she raged, she fumed! she demanded answers! b<br/><br/>Then finally she remembered that feeling a bit silly that this was the orphan boy... the one that couldn't talk... she had never personally met him but the way the two Aes Sedai had spoken about him there could be no other. She might have been trying to shout at a fence post!<br/><br/>"Fish guts boy! At least you can nod! and take off that hood!" she snapped impatiently!<br/><br/>Shadow didn't move... never once saying a word... this of course only infuriated her all the more and when stormed to yank off his hood,  she suddenly stepped back and gasped in shock when she had seen Shadow's black eye and swollen bruised left side of his face and down his neck...<br/><br/>"What...take of your shirt!" she snapped, Shadow looked away. "Its just your tunic dammit! don't be shy!" she snapped at him angrily. Shadow let out defeated sigh and reluctantly obeyed.<br/><br/>Upon further investigation, rage turned to horror and pity when she saw the mass of welts, new old green, freshly red, deep blue bruised all over his chest and arms. Naturally men were thick headed mules, but this was uncalled for!<br/><br/>"By the light! You have nearly more lumps and bruises than fish have scales!" she exclaimed and turned to her assistant,  "Get me Cadre Coulin, now! at once immediately with out delay!" she snapped and the Accepted bolted out of the door.<br/><br/>Moments later Coulin walked, or rather slinked into the Amrlins study and was about to assure the Amyrlin that he was going to make sure that this would never happen again and then he stopped and stared dumbfounded when he saw Shadow standing with his head drooped and his large shoulders slouched in embarrassment.... saw the horrid deep bruising and welts and then quickly tried to regain his bering.<br/><br/>"I see the Amrylin has already take the switch to you! When you get the barracks the worst is yet to come!" he thundered and wagged his finger.... and was about to keep berating him when he was silenced.<br/><br/>"Coulin!" The Amylin exploded<br/><br/>Coulin snapped to attention and gave a quick bow, "Yes, Amrlin," he replied smartly.<br/><br/>"How long has this been going on?" she demanded.<br/><br/>Coulin frowned, "I...I...Errrr... he has never complained before," he began.<br/><br/>"Of course he didn't say anything because he can't talk you flying fish monger!" she shouted him down.  "I...I well there is bruise and but this...this not unacceptable! why haven't you sent him to a healer?" she demanded. Shadow slowly began attempting to inch for the door, but hard glare from the Amrlin froze him in his tracks!<br/><br/>"You! you fish for brains are still trouble! IF you didn't have such potential as a Warder I would throw you out, but now I have to make an example of you so that the other cadets don't continue this horrible! horrible childish game!" she snapped. Shadow however didn't so much as blink!<br/><br/>The Amerlin sighed in frustration... "Just...Just.... Coulin! go to take him to the healers! I will find a fitting punishment later."  she commanded and spun around glowered at Coulin, "For you both!" she added.<br/><br/>Cadre and Cadet quickly bowed and hurried out of the study.  On the way to sick bay, Coulin publicly berated him, while discretely give him a wink and slipping him a gold coin into his hand!<br/><br/>Shadow smiled and slipped it into his pocket and headed back to the barracks...on the way, he was ambushed by Three yellow sisters who demanded that he strip down to his small clothes to make a thorough examination to the extent of his injuries as instructed by the orders of the Amyrlin Seat!<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>After he was healed, he was forbidden from going the sparring yard with the rest of the cadets for an entire week! and a month of hard labor cleaning.  Doing the worst chores that the accepted or any Aes Sedai could throw at him.<br/><br/>-<br/><br/>The next morning, Shadow was set to task to scrub the dining hall floors before food was being served... after they where scrubbed, they were mopped, after they were mopped they were waxed, after they were waxed they polished until they glittered like never before!<br/><br/>Shadow glanced up at his work and sighed...knowing it would all be for nothing when breakfast was over...and then he would do it all over again.  He glanced outside the window, he could here the cadets practicing with their wooden swords....just when he wished he was out on the training field, he heard a gaggle of excited female voices talking about potential warders stampeding towards the window.  Shadow pulled the hood over over his face and quickly attempted push grab the bucket and carry the mop to and bucket to another location without being noticed! He wanted to be a warder... its was just well....a little nerve racking to think about... and to be bonded with a someone that he didn't know that could turn him upside and shake him like a salt shaker if she wanted...well it was a scary thought... the last thing he wanted to be was stuck guarding the library and making Tea!<br/><br/>Shadow made his way across the pretine dining hall floor and set about trying to look busy...mostly going round in circles mopping the same place over again... if he looked busy, then maybe he wouldn't be told to do anything else...Maybe he would be first in the breakfast line! The accepted where scolded and shooed away from the window and several other Green and blue Aes Sedai took their place ooohing and awing! and pointing out their prospects....<br/><br/>Shadow felt his stomach twist into knots when he overheard them asking the yellow where the Cadet that had stolen the flag from on top of the white tower had gotten to?<br/>"Well he better not be out there! If he is, he'll be getting breakfast served to him in the stocks!" hurumphed a short stout yellow sister.<br/>"I don't see him, but the Amrylin has appointed me to personally check to him to see he isn't avoiding us like last time! Can you believe defied the Amrylins command to be healed!" she huffed.<br/>"Oh my! perhaps...if you need help holding him, I could assist you," A blue attempted to offer as innocently as possibly.<br/>"One of my green sisters who brought him in said that he can't speak is that true," A green added said a little over excitedly,<br/>"Does he listen is the real question!" another chided.<br/>"What did you think was his most striking feature?" probed a green who gathered around the yellow sister whom has healed him.<br/>Enjoying the attention the brunette sister in the yellow shawl shrugged, and smiled as she held her head up high as if she was bearer of privy information, "Well, besides his long flowing dark hair," she mused... the green sisters leaned in closer.<br/><br/>"Yes... his eyes I suppose his eyes," she said smiling as the, the green sisters bulked for more details!<br/><br/>Needless to say, Shadow slowly began mopping behind the large stone pillar and began looking for a way to escape.... he wasn't hungry anymore! why did he have to go and climb the tower and take the flag! he should have planted it under Gallad or Gwayne's pillow!... oh to see their pompous stiff upper lips quivering as they Amyrlin laid into them.<br/><br/>His ears turned red as several of the greens sisters tried ask if less discrete questions, and if they could observe the next 'examination' to make certain that he wasn't trying to hide any more injuries.....or any signs of swelling.<br/><br/>Shadow blushed as they erupted into giggling laughter.... oh he was doomed!<br/><br/>"Oh stop it! perhaps he might not be good at sparring but I think he has very intelligent eyes! Maybe a Grey or Brown Sister will find him of service! not all warders need to be sword wielding brutes," A Brown Sister chastised them and then returned back to her book occasionally looking up trying spot this...Shadow boy amongst the cadets.  "I could use somebody who is quiet and good at climbing ladders and pulling heavy books from the high shelves," she mused out loud.<br/>A green smirked, "My Warders inform me... from my green sister's Warders who found him that he is an exceptional forager and woodsmen !...and a good cook," she added with an impish grin. "But I agree with Sister Trisha, there are plenty of brutes...but having a warder who actually cook a  good decent meal and keep things nice and tidy and the tent warm...now that would be something," she remarked and several of the other green Aes Sedai hummed in agreement.<br/><br/>Behind the pillar, Shadow's knuckles turned bone white and the wooden mop handle creaked under his death grip...<br/>Tent warmer! Librarian!  it took every ounce of strength in him to resist the urge to throw down the mop and storm out into the sparring yard and show what he was really capable of!  Stupid! Stupid Flag! This little ploy of going under the radar was all coming back to flaming bite him!   There was really only four exits... the kitchen he would be spotted by the early rising Aes Sedai flocking around the window. The main entrance where at any moment a flock of somber faced soul freezing ancient Aes Sedai were going to come pouring in! The Third would only lead him to the Accepted ...and the fourth on the other side of the main entrance would be the Novices... Although Cadre Coulin might turn a blind eye to certian things... being caught climbing in or out of Accepted or Novice corridors was an unforgivable offense!   Shadow grimaced and continued furiously mopping around and around the same little circle behind the stone pillar trying his best to keep a low profile.<br/><br/>Sam/Shadown<br/>Current day... Now Eighteen<br/><a class="postlink" href="https://alchetron.com/cdn/prince-caspian-character-3b940442-bc5c-4cb3-87f0-a633e398a87-resize-750.jpeg">[ img ]</a>