All the Right Places

[U4ea]

Dusty roads welcomed her home and Olmena smiled slightly as they approached the gates of Mardecin. She hadn't been home for more than fifty years, so there was little chance of being recognized by anyone here. The last she heard, most everyone who knew of her "affliction" had fled Mardecin soon after she'd left to go to the Tower for one reason or another. For years she'd dealt with guilt over their lives being threatened for daring to protect her for so long.

 

"I don't have to tell you to be careful," she said softly to Kathleen, her eyes scanning the streets. She cloaked it in a wonderous expression, as if she couldn't get enough of the sights that met her gaze. To be truthful, little had changed in fifty years. It made her look a little harder for anything that might be different. Once they were settled, they would set out to start gathering information, but she would at least know where to start.

 

They passed the cobbler's shop and Olmena scanned the front window for any sign that a message awaited them. There was nothing, but truthfully, she hadn't expected there to be. They'd been the first to leave camp, so the first to arrive here as long as their path had been smooth, which it had been. Unremarkable felt good to her, though she was sure Kathleen would've enjoyed a little bit of excitement on the trip. There'd be time enough for excitement, later, though. In a few days, Loraine and Kynwric would arrive, which would signal the end of their time to search for their target. She nodded towards the cobbler's shop, wordlessly giving Kathleen the location of their contact here in the city.

 

"If memory serves, there's a good inn around the corner here. It's not close to anything you'd have seen back home, but the sheets are clean and the food is good and around here that's about as good as it gets." She smiled at Kathleen, feeling at home, though far from comfortable. "It's probably best if I don't negotiate for the room. I'll explain why later. Go ahead and let them charge you too much without much of a fuss. We don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves and everyone expects a mild protest."

 

She nodded towards the inn that stood on the corner of a cross roads. Mardecin wasn't large, so there weren't that many cross streets. "If you handle it right, we may get a room that fronts the street for a better view." Or, in Aes Sedai terms, they'd be able to keep an eye on the cobbler's store front without looking too conspicuous. She stopped in front of the inn and felt her lips twitching again at the familiar storefront. Her best friend's father used to run this inn. "Let's see if we're going to be ousted just from my face, shall we?"

 

~Olmena

[Kathleen]

Kathleen walked most of the way in silence but every so often she tried to strike up conversation. It was an awkward mix trying to seem like this whole thing wasn't completely knew to her and still trying to be pleasant company. If it had been Rasheta, or even Loraine she had been traveling with it would have been easier. She wasn't too close to either them really, but she had spent more time with them than she had with Olmena. Lor's warnings to watch the experienced woman for signs of lost stability didn't help her to relax as they walked alone together.

 

By the time they made it into the village Kathleen was more comfortable and the two looked much more natural together. It must have drawn attention to have the woman walking through as they did get a few looks, but it would have looked more odd to have them traveling together with one all but ignoring the other. During the days of travel alone with Olmena Kathleen had found the woman growing on her. She wasn't chatty or cheerful, but then not many Aes Sedai were. Olmena was an experienced Green Sister, and that was enough to make Kathleen respect her more than most women in the world.

 

Kathleen's breath quickened as they came into the more populated area. It wouldn't do be to found out before the others made it to town. Kathleen was new enough to the shawl to not have the ageless face but Olmena had the look of Aes Sedai. She had the look of Aes Sedai and of Mardecin. Either one of those two factors could be cause to root them out for what they were, and perhaps Olmena was experienced enough to difuse such a situation, but Kathleen feared that she was not. But she could not show her nerves. At least her Tower training had her hiding her emotions well.

 

 

 

 

"I don't have to tell you to be careful," the woman spoke softly but it was enough to bring Kathleen out of her thoughts. They passed the cobbler's shop and Kathleen saw Olmena's eyes glance across the front window and Kathleen almost passed it over before realizing why the woman was looking. She had to remember these things! Its one thing to know them when someone tested her in the halls of the tower, but she was in the real world now and this is where every action counted. She too scanned the windows but she found nothing. She was hoping Olmena hadn't found something she missed, but they'd discuss it when they were settled in.

 

"If memory serves, there's a good inn around the corner here. It's not close to anything you'd have seen back home, but the sheets are clean and the food is good and around here that's about as good as it gets.It's probably best if I don't negotiate for the room. I'll explain why later. Go ahead and let them charge you too much without much of a fuss. We don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves and everyone expects a mild protest."

 

Olmena gave the instruction and pointed out the inn that stood on the corner of a cross roads. "If you handle it right, we may get a room that fronts the street for a better view.""Let's see if we're going to be ousted just from my face, shall we?"

 

So, the woman was still testing her, making Kathleen get the room. Or was she just trying to keep from interacting with too many people who may recognize her? Kathleen looked around the quiet village, full of every day people doing every day things. No matter how simple a mission sounded on paper, or looked in setting, Kathleen realized that every time she was to leave the tower for the rest of her life there were be dangers of enormous purportions. There really weren't any 'simple' missions for the greens. They were after a book for lights sake and they were all but running in screaming to a Whitecloak camp.

 

"I'll be right back help you take your bags our room." Kathleen looked up at the window which would have the best view. She had meant it to show that caught the point the other woman was making, but she feared it came out as arragant and too sure of herself. As she entered the inn she only hoped that she could work out a way to get it.

 

With a smile of pride Kathleen came back only a few moments later. "You were right about the price, but it was only a little bit higher then the quality is worth. I don't mind a little extra for the rooms it got us." Kathleen gave the other woman her key and showed her up to the adjacent rooms overlooking the cobbler's shop. Test number one in the real mission was completed successfully. Kathleen knew it wasn't a difficult test, and the others probably wouldn't think twice about the achievement, but she so far she had been useful and that was a start.

 

Kathleen

Initiate of the Green Ajah

[U4ea]

Olmena watched Kathleen walk into the inn, her chin in the air and a a determined glint in her eye. She shook her head and almost pitied the poor inn keeper as she pulled the cowl of her cloak down to hide her eyes. There was much to fear for her, here, and she didn't mean to let something as silly as her smooth face to give her away. When Kathleen returned a few moments later, a broad smile on her lips, Olmena found herself smiling in return. The girl was infectious with her good mood and Olmena didn't argue as she lifted her bag to follow the newest Green up the stairs. She didn't say a word until they were safety ensconced behind the closed door.

 

"You did very well, Kathleen, this is perfect," she said softly as she moved towards the window. The street below was clearly visible and they wouldn't have to stand too close to the window to see the cobbler's shop, either. She sighed and laid her hand on the window frame. "I was born here," she said quietly. "My father ran the inn just down the street until..." She looked over her shoulder and her lips quirked. "I tried to hide what I could do as long as I could, but the sickness that came after was hard to hide for long. Light, the first time I channeled I nearly lit the stable on fire." She laughed softly and moved away from the window, setting her bag on the floor by the small table. "Then I spent three days curled up in a fetal position praying I would die and get it over with. My mother was so afraid someone would come by. She wasn't sure this was the problem, but she used to be one of the eyes and ears for the Green Ajah here in Mardecin, so she knew just enough about Aes Sedai to be dangerous. Of course, even if the person visiting didn't know the signs, word that I had some insane disease would spread like wildfire and no one would stay in the inn or stop by for supper in the tavern. There was really no good end to that story, I guess. I managed to get through the first bit with little notice, everyone seemed to accept that I was just ill. Mother kept me pinned up in my room and life went on for everyone else."

 

She paused, tracing the wood grain on the top of the table. "When it happened again, it wasn't so easy to disguise. I was young and stupid and one of the local boys had started calling me silly childish names because..." She laughed softly and gestured down the length of her body. "Let's just say I'm hardly the object of much attention and leave it there, shall we? At any rate, I finally had enough one afternoon and blasted him with a wave of Air so strong, he struck his head on a water trough and was knocked out cold for about three hours. I did it right in the middle of the street, in the middle of the day, where I was sure to be seen by everyone. It wasn't on purpose, of course, but a bit of bad timing and short temper."

 

Her eyes grew vacant and her expression stiffened. "My father tried to cover it with a few little lies about the boy tripping off the sidewalk. It didn't work, though, and my mother got word from one of her more gossipy friends that word had been sent about me to a neighboring town where a few White Cloaks were said to have been holed up. I'm honestly not sure if that was true or if it was just an attempt to get rid of us, since I think it was the cook here that told her. One less bit of competition was good for business, right? We had to slip out in the dead of night. We traveled for days, just the three of us, until we ran out of money and had to stop. We were out of Amadacia by then, so we were safe enough. Once we had enough money, we continued on, traveling all the way to Tar Valon where they left me for training in the Tower. Afterwards, Mother and Father returned here to Mardecin." She tilted her head to the side and looked at Kathleen. "I received word a few years late, that they had 'met an unfortunate end,' but no amount of research has told me any more than that. I couldn't find them. The one time I returned to Mardecin, desperate for any word, Mellie, the cobbler's wife who took up Mother's post with the Greens, told me they were attacked right outside the city and..."

 

She blinked back tears and crossed her arms, returning to the window. "It wasn't a pretty story," she said softly. "I'm telling you this so you understand the danger of my face around here. This is the best inn in the city and I want to keep my eye on the people who are the most dangerous to us. In this case, the ones that might know me on sight and ruin our plans. That is why I sent you inside to get the room. The less I talk to people, the better off we're going to be. It will draw a little attention, but I will try to blend in as much as possible. Please don't think I'm being rude or trying to see if you'll get us hung with your inexperience. I'm far from the best teacher in our little group. It's simply that you stand a better chance of not being noticed than I do and we need to find that book."

 

~Olmena

[Arath Faringal]

After the hunting incident at the start of the trip, Arath had done his best to remain unobtrusive. For the most part, he had faded into the background, doing whatever was asked of him but not drawing any attention to himself, or his abilities. As a result, the group seemed to ... maybe not trust him, but they didn't exactly shun him either. Resigned acceptance perhaps?

 

The last few days had been even more silent than usual, almost to the point where his two companions seemed to forget him for a time. He couldn't really blame them. Kathleen seemed to be having a difficult enough time getting used to Olmena, let alone adding an Asha'man to the mix. For the most part, Arath was content with being ignored again, but now that they had reached their destination it seemed less than ideal. At least until the others arrived.

 

After securing his own room at the chosen inn, Arath made his way down the hallway to where the Aes Sedai's rooms were. Tapping on the door, he cracked it open and poked his head inside. Ignoring the look that plainly told him he was interupting something, he simply asked, "What happens now? Bide our time and wait for the others, or ... what?"

[_Kynwric_]

Olmena turned towards the door as it cracked open, a weave twisting itself together faster than she lightning and she had to force herself to stop it before she let it fly towards the head that peeked in the door. She closed her eyes, seeing it was Arath. "Do you have a death wish, boy?" she hissed, her fear over almost hurting him causing her irritation to show through. She waved him inside the door and didn't say a word until the door was closed behind him. "To answer your question, we need to see what we can find out about our target. That means checking in with our contact here, first. Then we need to start watching everything around us for a few days. We wait for everyone to be in place before we do anything else. As volatile as this little trip is, that may be easier said than done."

 

 

 

She sat down in a chair at the little table and folded her hands on the table. "Under normal circumstances, I would never let you find out who our contact is, but these are hardly normal circumstances. If something goes wrong, we'll need all the help we can get, so we'll need you along, Arath." She looked from Kathleen to Arath and back again. "We need to set up a watch after that, so that we each take a turn at the window keeping an eye on that blue door across the street," she said, pointing over her shoulder out the window. "Anyone have ideas?"

 

 

 

~Olmena

 

(posted this for Lor... sorry about the login)

Edited January 24, 2012 by _Kynwric_

[Kathleen]

Kathleen heard the door's latch click open and she instantly held saidar. In the split second she did it she regretted it. How easy it would be to blow their cover if they were going to be going around channeling. It was likely just the innkeeper's staff come to check that they were settled or to offer fresh cleaning water.

 

The ashaman stuck his head in and Kathleen let out an audible groan of annoyance and relief as she let her hold on the source go. Years of training and having noticed that Olmena had jumped reached for the comforting safety of saidar too was all that stopped her from turning red in the cheeks over being so quick to embrace. The lecuture from Loraine on accepting the man and going easy on him was the only thing that stopped Kathleen from scolding him for his awkward entrance.

 

It didn't seem that Lor's early advice had the same effect on Olmena and Kathleen let her speak her piece as she scolded the man. When he was in the room the other Green began to lay out the plan.

 

"I am sure you would be safe in our contact's presence even if you were to be recognized. You also have more knowledge of this area, so perhaps it would be best if you were to reach out to our contact." Kathleen was going to offer to meet with the contact herself, but she wasn't a Green yet, and she wasn't sure that they would give up their contacts to one not yet in their ajah.

 

"I can take the first night watch and let you two get some rest after our long travel." Kathleen hoped her offer was taken as the real help it was meant to be and not as a way to take the easier night shift over the day where more would happening.

 

~Kathleen

Initiate of the Green Ajah

[Arath Faringal]

For the hundredth time since he'd joined this strange little expedition, Arath was struck by the sheer difference between the Aes Sedai and the Asha'man. Did they never think to use the One Power? The entire trip, they had used the Power very little, other than for Kathleen's evening lessons. They had always seemed so shocked every time Arath had used Saidin for the most menial tasks, from hunting, to cleaning his boots. It should have come as no shock to him then that neither of thought to resort to the One Power for this task.

 

After Kathleen offered to take the first watch of the door, Arath shook his head. "Why not use a ward?" He paused as both sets of eyes turned on him. "If I had a good enough description of your contact, I'm sure I could construct a ward that would let us know when a specific person passes the threshold." He shrugged. Spirit was one his greatest strengths. There were few, if any, who could match him with that element, and wards were composed almost entirely of spirit. "Just an idea. Unless you really want to sit here and watch through the window all day. Less chance of being seen from the street as well."

 

"Other than that, I want to find out about the Whitecloak presence in town. They seem to be the biggest threat here ... especially to you," he added, nodding toward Olmena. Her ageless face would make her stand out, whereas Kathleen didn't seem to have the Aes Sedai look yet. For a moment, Arath idly wondered if Asha'man would ever develop any distinguishing feature like that. Other than the rotting death of course. It had been millenia since any male channeler had lived long enough to find out. "It always pays to know where your enemies are."

[U4ea]

Olmena nodded at each of them, her thoughts turning. Kathleen keeping watch and Arath scouting for White Cloaks would leave her time to check in with their contact. "Then, I will set out to make contact with our connection. I will arrange a time for the four of us to discuss why she's contacted us. She will recognize me, so it will make those arrangements easier to make."

 

She paused, tracing her fingertips on the table for a moment. "I will take the second watch, as it will be the busiest out the window when the sun begins to set and that's the worst time for my face to be out there." She nodded to Arath, acknowledging his acceptance of the trouble her face could cause. "That being said, I will make my way to the cobbler's place in just a little while."

 

"Check in at sunset?" She asked, her eyes swinging from Kathleen to Arath and back again. "I'll bring dinner...?"

 

 

~Olmena

[U4ea]

*ooc- posting to get this moving again. I want to kill something soon!*

 

 

IC- Olmena ducked between the shadows in the alley between their inn and the store next door, intent on keeping herself hidden. It had been three days since they'd entered Mardecin and she'd kept regular contact with their contact since slipping into the cobbler's shop that first day. The cobbler's wife had let her know when each of their parties checked in and Olmena felt the tension of hiding for three days aching in her bones. She hadn't ventured out, much, and had made sure to do it in the brightest part of the day, so that the cowl of her cloak riding low on her eyes wouldn't be so suspicious. Today, the urgency was at its greatest and she hurried back to the inn, silently slipping through the common room and up into the room Kathleen had procured for them.

 

The last of their party had arrived the evening before and had stopped to talk to her for information today. From her description, Loraine and Kynwric had made it to Mardecin, at last. Rasheta and Visar had arrived the day before, so all of the players were ready to pounce on the little blue door. She smiled a bit at that as she slid into the room. Loraine had already left hints of her plan with the cobbler's wife, hints that only another Green would've picked up. They were going in tonight, after sunset. "I have news," she said quietly, crossing the room and sinking into a chair at the table.

 

 

~Olmena