Returning...

[Phelix]

OOC: I've been gone for a long while, so I thought to get back into the game by just posting a free flowing RP. It will end when it's done, and anyone can join in. :)

 

Horses were the spawn of the Dark One. Elin was sure of it. The blasted things simply could not be creatures of the Light with how uncomfortable they made Elin. The dress she was wearing was a dark red, per tradition, and it matched the fringe of her shawl. It gave her some satisfaction to ride into Tar Valon, boldly proclaiming both that she was Aes Sedai and that she was of the Red Ajah. Too many weeks spent in the central lands had taught her how unpopular her chosen vocation could be.

 

The Children of the Light did not hold any official sway in Murandy, but they were everywhere. Like roaches. The few good men who joined up with that organization soon found themselves twisted by those lesser men surrounding them. Her time in that country hadn't been entirely wasted. She'd managed to have a few conversations with nobles in the Royal Court, and she had planted the ideas of laws regarding protecting girls with the spark. Of course, she hadn't mentioned boys with the spark... deliberately not condemning them. There were some in the Ajah who would declare her actions treachery, but she'd outlasted them all so far.

 

The city was pleasant, but it wasn't home. Gathering her will, she encouraged the beast she was riding to move faster. She was competent, as a horse-woman, but she would never understand why some nobles thought riding to be among the greatest pleasures. Fools, the lot of them. It was only a short while ago that she learned the truth about her Ajah, but here she was, coming back to the Tower. This time of her own volition.

 

Inside the Tower's courtyard, she smiled as a groom helped her dismount. She was sure he knew an Aes Sedai face when he saw one, but he blushed still. Elin quashed her own desire to blush. Even after more than a century of being Aes Sedai, she still felt the occasional lurch of desire. A Tower stablehand was not an appropriate outlet for that emotion, though. There weren't many appropriate, and discreet, outlets though. Sometimes, and usually for more respectable reasons, Elin wished her Ajah would allow its members to take Warders.

 

After directing a pair of novices to take her minimal baggage to her rooms and to assist the servants with airing them out, Elin decided to stretch her bones by walking around the Tower. It would do her no harm, and she wasn't in dire need of a bath. It would feel good to see her home, again, with fresh eyes.

 

So she began to wander the grounds. There were novices and Accepted at their chores and errands, other sisters who acknowledged her with polite nods. Luckily, Elin was of average strength. Most women in the Tower were around her level, so she needn't defer to too many women. Her age would help her with the rest.

 

OOC: Feel free to jump in... want to chat with a middle aged, cranky-pants Red sister?

[Kathleen]

Kathleen set her papers aside and let out a yawn. It wasn't late in the day, but she was already tired of sitting hunched in her desk going over the letters she had in front of her. This could all wait and she needed to get away from it. Some fresh air would do her good. Light how she despised being cooped up. She straighted her desk and glanced around to make sure everything was in order. Pleased that everything was in its place Kathleen readied and left her rooms. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she made her way outside. Just being in the sun, feeling the wind stir around her, made her feel so much more herself. The noise of the day to day work around the tower grounds was refreshing. Kathleen usually had something to do when she was out on the grounds, she would have a book to read most times, and she was starting to feel a little out of place. It wasn't often that she didn't have somewhere to be or something to do, and though she was mostly enjoying it she couldn't help but feel the oddity in it. She sat on a bench and just watched the world around the tower move in front her, and tried to soak up the atmosphere. It wasn't the same as being out in the world but it was its own little world, and any life was better than the walls that she had been closed up in all morning.

 

She watched a group of Novices as they made their way past her, clearly trying to look busy as they dipped their quick curtsies and hurried off. Kathleen settled back into the bench she was on and glanced around again, she noticed another Aes Sedai who looked to be soaking the atmosphere as she walked closer to the bench Kathleen was on. When the woman made eye contact Kathleen fought off a blush. She hadn't realized she had been staring so intently at the woman, but clearly the woman had noticed it. "Welcome back to the Tower Sister, you have that look about you. How long have you been away?" Kathleen hoped her friendly tone would make up for her rude staring. It would be nice to have someone to chat with but she had left the comment open for a passing answer if the other woman wanted to carry on and ignore her.

 

~ Kathleen Vandiar

Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah

[Phelix]

As Elin wandered, she noticed another sister sitting on a bench, looking like she was soaking in the atmosphere as much as Elin was. Even though she rarely stayed in the Tower long, Elin felt some sympathy for the other sister. If she were cooped up in the Tower, she would take advantage of every opportunity to escape... even if it was only to the gardens. With a small smile, Elin moved closer to the other sister, who was staring at Elin by now. If Elin were more prickly, she could press the situation and claim a minor insult... some sisters would do that just to show others who was in charge. Elin wasn't quite that prickly though.

 

When she was too close for it to be by chance, the other sister startled just a bit, but covered it well. "Welcome back to the Tower Sister, you have that look about you. How long have you been away?"

 

"Thank you, sister, may I sit with you?" Smiling, Elin sat not waiting for permission. "I've been away most of the years since I gained my shawl... but it's only been a handful since I was last here. The mid-lands have been interesting these last few years... though, I must say the Children are growing quite bold farther away from the reach of the Tower."

 

While she chatted, Elin did her best to remember the other sister. Kathleen Vandiar, Green Ajah, raised some fifty years after Elin had been raised. That was all Elin could dredge up. One major flaw in her chosen lifestyle was that she didn't know the sisters in the Tower anymore. Yes, she could tell you everything about the sister who helped break her block, but Elin couldn't tell you more than a sentence about the woman sitting in front of her. Well, there was only one way to change that.

 

"Tell me, what project has you so thoroughly wrapped up that you found refuge out here?" Hopefully the younger sister would take it as friendly conversation and not questioning. While she was a Red, Elin never did develop the normal dislike of Greens that most of her Ajah held deeply. Years ago, had things gone differently, she might have chosen the Green herself.

 

Elin Hawes

~Aes Sedai of the Red

[Kathleen]

Taking her question in stride the Red sat on the bench beside Kathleen. It had been a while since Kathleen had conversed with sister out side of her Ajah in such a way, and she couldn't recall the last time it was a Red, but the conversation was welcomed, and it was about time she had nice friendly chat with someone.

 

"Tell me, what project has you so thoroughly wrapped up that you found refuge out here?" From the tone in her voice Kathleen knew the other woman wasn't fishing, not that she would get much if she were, and she wished she had something more interesting to answer with than what she did, but she said it anyway, "Just correspondence, and marking papers from Accepteds. I wish I could say it was something more interesting, but if it were I wouldn't be out here trying to stop myself going mad with boredom. Oh, its not all that bad really, but I would much rather ride out and meet with people to discuss things than read over a two page message that says nothing is going on. Of course I know how impossible it would be to really do that, but at least I would get the enjoyment of the journey there and back. I suppose I just wasn't made to sit around. It is funny how we never seem to want what we have while we have it. You seem pleased to see these walls again, and I am daydreaming of being out where you were. Just as soon as we have what we think we want I'm sure we'll turn around and wish we had it the other way round. If you don't mind sharing what had you out of the tower this time?"

 

She was a little nervous asking that, so many Aes Sedai looked too far into things and she didn't want the Red to think she was fishing for anything, she really was just making conversation and she was curious. The woman would know what she could say or was willing to share and Kathleen knew that. She wasn't pressing for more, and she had no reason to, but it was something to talk about if nothing more. She was never very good interacting with others. As a young child she was quite popular but she closed off when she became a Novice and as much as she wanted to be a social person she always felt quite awkward when talking to new people until they got a feel for one an other. Talking to an Aes Sedai was trickier than talking to anyone else, even when one was an Aes Sedai them-self.

 

~Kathleen Vandiar

Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah

[Phelix]

Elin laughed gently, smiling at the Green. "I definitely do not envy you that task. I distinctly remember being told by a Mistress of Novices some years back that if she could get me to stay in the Tower long enough she would have me teaching before I knew it. I took her at her word and haven't stayed put since."

 

"If you don't mind sharing what had you out of the tower this time?" The Green's words gave Elin a small pause. Some sisters would be fishing, trying to discern Elin's plans and goals... she didn't think that the Green was trying that this time. It seemed to be simply an honest attempt at conversation. It made Elin smile. Years back, when she was a Novice and an Accepted, she had been friends with girls who became Greens. Unlike even her own Ajah Head, Elin didn't hate the Greens. She thought they were misguided, and that they thought like men too often to be truly useful... but she did not hate them.

 

"This trip began like most of my trips do... I heard about a trial. Some poor woman in Murandy was tried for being a Darkfriend simply because her neighbors thought she could channel. I wasn't in time to do anything for the woman, but I took a record of her story and proceeded up the Murandian peerage." Elin wore a small smile, though it was tinged with sadness. That woman should not have been murdered... though, she had enjoyed working her way through the nobles of Murandy, forcing them to confront the injustice that had been done in their land and in their name.

 

"In the end, I found myself in the Royal court, but unable to meet with the King. Apparently he has been taking the advice of a Lord Captain of the Children, and Aes Sedai are in disfavor in his court. I could have forced the issue, but instead spent a few months convincing his most powerful nobles that new laws were needed to protect innocents from spurious claims about being darkfriends. Yes, there are fools who serve the Dark One, but even one who is accused of such a crime deserves the full justice under the law."

 

Elin stopped suddenly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't go on like that. Justice is a passion of mine. Is there any news that I wouldn't have heard in Murandy? Any events shaking the Tower up?"

 

Elin Hawes

~Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah

 

 

[Kathleen]

Kathleen was quite intrigued by the tale the Red told. It seemed something she would have done herself. "Are you sure you're a Red?" Kathleen joked, "You sound much more like a Gray on a mission! Though that is definitely a mission I could get behind. Those foolish Whitecloaks don't know half the damage they are doing. Righteously doing the work of the Light my backside! More like ignorantly torturing and killing good people because they don't take up the the cloak themselves! They don't even listen, or try to find out the truth, they just look at a person and condemn them on the spot. But I could go on for ages about the whitecloaks, I'm sure they started from good with a good cause, but I think they just got power hungry and lost their way."

 

Kathleen realized she was getting a little emotional, she always did when the Children were brought up, but there wasn't much to say to get of the topic. She had let herself go on about the whitecloaks as she tried to think of a ways to get around the tower news. The one think of interest was one thing she didn't feel she should be discussing with anyone out of her Ajah, no matter how well they were getting on. She just didn't know the girl well enough, and she didn't know the news in enough real detail to spread it.

 

"As for what you missed around here, the Tower stands firm in the ground and the days go by. I'm sure many people get news but you know how no one lets it travel too far. I'm sure your Head will know more information that concerns the Reds that you need to know than I would ever know to tell you, just be sure to ask to be updated and if she knows of anything going on I'm sure she will inform you." She hoped she didn't come off too rude, but hoped the woman the would pick up the hint that there was news be found out. Even saying that much may have been going too far but they couldn't keep the news hidden forever and Kathleen knew she couldn't just lie and say there was nothing going on. Something was definitely going on and she wished she could figure out what it was.

[Phelix]

Making no effort to cover her smile, Elin listened to the Green go on about the Whitecloaks. Her ideas were very similar to Elin's own. Yes, there were good Whitecloaks, and their organization had sprung up with good intentions, but somewhere along the line they had lost their way. The seed of an idea began to plant itself in Elin's head. Their two Ajahs, Red and Green, often served similar purposes in the world. It wouldn't hurt for the two to be seen together in public collaborating. Of course, before she could suggest such an adventure, she would need to get approval from Zarinen. The Highest was well known for her rabid dislike of the Green Ajah.

 

It was a small worry. Years ago, Elin could have stood for election to the Highest. She had the seniority in pure years, but the fact of the matter was she spent too many years outside the Tower. She didn't know the internal politics or the sisters of her Ajah well enough to serve as Highest. Perhaps that would change. She had to smile to herself.

 

You can't have it both ways, Elin. Either go on adventures, save the innocents, and make the world a better place, or you can fight to become the Highest. You can't do both.

"Thank you, sister, on both counts. I'm glad to hear there are sisters who see more than the threat posed by the Children. I will also make sure to speak with the Red leadership in regard to news. It's good to hear that the Tower still stands." There wasn't a hint of sarcasm in her voice. For all that she had been born a baker's daughter in Amadicia almost a century and a half ago, the White Tower was her home. Hearing that it was still standing strong against the Shadow put a thrill of strength through her core. The Tower stood, so the world could be saved.

 

With a small nod and a genuinely warm smile, Elin stood. "I should go now. The servants are sure to have my rooms properly aired and livable now."

 

Then Elin turned and walked back into the Tower, leaving the younger Green in the garden. It had been a good idea to stroll a bit before going to her rooms.

 

Elin Hawes

~Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah