Mashiara

In the Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan, one of my favorite characters is al'Lan Mandragoran (Lan). If I was to be completely honest with you I would go so far as to say I wish there was a book devoted completely to him. Lan's side story is incredible and full of un-tapped potential. He is all things and nothing at the same time. The quintessential dark and mysterious stranger.

Lan is a king with no throne. A warrior seeking shadows. An orphan of a forgotten people.

He is completely devoted to his cause until he meets Nynaeve.

(Yes, I like a good love story.)

Nynaeve and Lan have every reason to not be together and yet they struggle to overcome a growing devotion to one another. They are bound by duties that are continuously driving them to opposite ends of the world and yet their loyalty to one another grows. Through it all they stubbornly deny, to themselves and others, that anything is happening. It's great.

From the book:

She was not about to admit to avoiding him. "We said all we needed to say long ago, you and I. I shamed myself--which I will not do again--and you told me to go away."
"I never said--" He took a deep breath. "I told you I had nothing to offer for brideprice but widow's clothes. Not a gift any man could give a woman. Not a man who can call himself a man."
"I understand," she said coolly. "In any case, a king does not give gifts to village women. And this village woman would not take them." . .

His eyes blazed like blue ice in the sun. She stiffened her legs to keep from stepping back, and met him glare for glare. . . .
[He pressed] something into her hand, "I will make you a gift and you will take it if I have to chain it around your neck."
She pulled her eyes away from his. . . . In her hand was a signet ring, heavy gold and worn with age, almost large enough for both her thumbs to fit through. On it a crane flew above a lance and crown . . . Her breath caught. The ring of Malkieri kings. Forgetting to glare, she lifted her face. "I cannot take this, Lan."
He shrugged in an offhand way. "It is nothing. Old, and useless, now. But there are those who would know it when they saw it. Show that, and you will have guestright, and help if you need it. . . Send it to me, or a message marked with it, and I will come to you, without delay and without fail. This I swear."

. . . "Take it for my sake, as a favor to me. Or throw it away, if it displeases you. I've no better use for it." He brushed her cheek with a finger, and she gave a start. "I must go now, Nynaeve mashiara. . ."

Mashiara. Beloved of heart and soul, it meant, but a love lost, too. Lost beyond regaining. -The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

From Say by John Mayer:

Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you'd be better off instead,
If you could only . . .

Say what you need to say

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over

You'd better know that in the end
Its better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say


Book: The Great Hunt book 2 of the Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan
You might also be interested in: The Wheel of Time Comic
Music: Say by John Mayer