Moiraine, thinking that Lan knows something about what the Aes Sedai in the city are up to, follows him, Bukama and Ryne. After some time spent traveling, Lan goes off on his own into the woods and makes camp. Moiraine attempts to surprise him, but Lan’s lightning reflexes land Moiraine in the waters of a freezing cold pond.
I’m trying to remember if it was ever mentioned in the rest of the books that I read in the series precisely what the circumstances of Lan and Moiraine’s first encounter was. Did they, at some point, tell an amusing story involving a sharp-witted young Lan, a dauntless young Moiraine, and a pond whose waters were still freezing cold in the new spring of Kandor? It’s possible I will encounter this eventually, but for the time being I don’t recall.
When Moiraine reaches the city gates in the morning, they are still barred against the terrors of nighttime in the Borderlands. She notices Lan and his companions waiting impatiently to depart. She had seen them at the inn speaking with some of the Aes Sedai there. As a crowd gathers at the gate waiting for it to open, Moiraine gets the idea that she wants to ask the men about their dealings with the Aes Sedai. So she tails them for the entire day as if they aren’t going to notice. They stop briefly, and Lan breaks off to trek into the woods while Bukama and Ryne continue on.
Lan sits at the edge of a pond when Moiraine finds him, sword on the ground by his side. He is doubtless in meditation when Moiraine reaches out with the One Power to pull his sword away from him. But Lan moves with his trademark lightning reflexes, grabs both the scabbard and the front of Moiraine’s dress, then flips her through the air and into the water. Ever the gentleman, Lan lifts her from the pond and builds a fire to help her dry off, but Moiraine’s pride is severely bruised.
Ryne and Bukama return a short while later and the group settles in for the evening. Moiraine gives them Tar Valon marks in return for seeing her safely to Chachin. Frustratingly, she is able to learn absolutely nothing about the sisters back in Canluum. Upon hearing Lan make a remark implying that he doesn’t trust her, Moiraine’s inner pot of rage boils over and she channels a flow of water out of the pond and straight at Lan, soaking him wet and outing herself as an Aes Sedai.
Ah, what a “first meeting” story to tell — it must have been a question asked and answered at some point during the rest of the books. I’ll be watching for it.