Curiosity Killed the Cat (open)

[Jagen Sedai]

Celestine only nodded as he spoke, that he had no answers--no, she supposed that only the upper ranks of their Black Tower would know those answers. And the White Tower, of course. She took a bit of soup in her spoon, blew at it to cool it, and sipped. She certainly agreed with him on fear of the Asha'man; she had just been thinking of that herself.

 

"I'm sure that's not all your questions, why else come home with the crazy Asha'man you just met." Nox was grinning again. She was beginning to wonder he he grinned so much. Was he hiding something? But what could be be hiding? Or did he grin so much because he was mad? Or was he trying to impress her?

 

She let her spoon sit on the rim of the bowl. "It is the 'crazy' part that interests me." She paused, "And... saidin, I suppose." She titled her head slightly and studied him. "Healing involves both body and mind, and I have much to learn yet. But..." Celestine shifted in her seat before stopping herself. "Do you mind if I Delve you? It won't do anything, and you won't really feel anything, but I may be able to..." she cleared her throat lightly, "see something... there." She almost grinned herself; the possibility of being one of the first--perhaps the first--to Delve a man who could channel would be a great opportunity indeed.  She could not recall of women in the past did it with False Dragons, but if they had, she had yet to hear about it. The only thing the Tower ever taught novices was that once gentled, the men died soon after no matter what other efforts were taken. That would imply the Yellows had tried, but Celestine didn't care for implications; she needed to know first hand.

[Matalina]

Nox cocked his head to one side.  She was interested in the taints affect on men.  Interesting but Nox wasn't sure he wanted an Aes Sedai probing his body with Saidar.  He didn't want to end up bonded, or worse killed because she didn't know what she was doing.   The grip on his spoon grew tighter and he could feel the blood listing away from his pressure.  

 

He dropped the spoon in the bowl and put his hands on his lap, what he wouldn't give for his coat right about now.  The warmth and comfort would help in this situation.  But he wasn't afraid of her, he'd let Adrim heal him.  He'd been unconscious at the time but still he'd done so and not died.  He could focus on that.  She wasn't going to do anything else.  Nox didn't even try to hide the fear in his voice as he spoke quietly "As long as you do nothing other than look no matter how messed up you think I am."  

 

Nox clasped his hands under the table and looked across at her.  "I will warn you now, that I had issues before I touched Saidin.  I've always been one way, it's worse now with different symptoms, but i'm probably not your best study."  He meant that in so many ways, there was no idea what she'd find.  He remembered being a child and curling up in a corner out of fear and anxiety crushing his chest.  He remembered the feeling of utter loss of hope.  He remembered the first time he thought someone was following him after he'd touched Saidin.  Adrim had been in reality but the paranoia became more - so much more after the taint sank into his bones.  She would find something but Nox wasn't sure exactly how much of it was from Saidin pre-cleansing.

 

[Jagen Sedai]

Celestine listened to him carefully--or tried to--as he mouthed something, and all she picked up on was the first part of the sentence. Of course she would only Delve him, what else would she do? Even men who can channel are afraid of Aes Sedai when they have no reason to be anymore. The Yellow put on a friendly, small smile, though it faded as he explained he had issues. That she very carefully listened to.

 

Celestine stood to move her chair closer to him, across from him, and she sat down again and arranged her skirts. "Just so you know," she said, tapping her ear, "I'm a bit hard of hearing, so you'll have to not speak so quietly." She embraced saidar and slowly reached up, "I have to physically touch you, okay?" Her fingers were gentle on his temple, and her look became concentrated as she began to weave a Delving.

[Matalina]

That was good to know.  Nox nodded in acknowledgment but he doubted he'd change his habits, he hadn't meant for her to hear anyway.  That's usually why people spoke low.  At least that's why he did.  There were things about himself that he didn't want others to know.  Others to find out but sometimes it was necessary.

 

The panic started to rise when she embraced saidar.  That chilling touch of his skin just knowing she was holding the power.  He much preferred the menacing presence of a fellow man nearby.  It wasn't comforting but at least it didn't send him into a panic attack.

 

Then she touched him and Nox did everything in his power not to recoil.  Instead he screwed his eyes shut and focused on breathing.  That always helped.  In.  Out.  Iiiiinnnnnn.   Ooooouuuuut.  Nox started counting backwards from one hundred in his head.  The words barely audible as he progressed lower while she looked inside him.  The thought sent his heart rate soaring and Nox took a deep breath and started backwards again.  One Hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight. 

 

The lower he counted the better he felt.  The more he concentrated on the numbers and his breathing in on even out on odd.  And on and on until Celestine was done.  Whenever that would be.  

[Jagen Sedai]

Celestine frowned as she Delved him. Her type of Delving focused more on the body. Accepted only recieved so much training in that, and none with the mind; that was left to full sisters, and she had not been a sister long enough to receive much more training in such weaves. Not yet anyway.

 

She tried to focus, on his mind more than anything, but nothing out of the ordinary came to her attention. But more than that, she took note of Nox's subtle stiffening, of his breathing changes. Perhaps he was not so comfortable with this at all. I suppose I should be grateful he let me do this at all, but I should stop.

 

Suddenly the door came open and two of the men from outside were there. Celestine blinked and pulled back from Nox, letting go of the Source.

"An Aes Sedai?" one asked, angrily.

Celestine looked at Nox, then back at the men. How did they know? Could they sense her channeling? "May I help you?" she asked coolly.

"Nox, are you alright?" the man asked, regarding Celestine with suspicion.

Celestine drew in a breath and let it out slowly. Now she was the one who was nervous, but she fell back on her training to appear in control.

 

[Matalina]

Nox knew how it looked.  He pulled himself into the void to let the emotions he was feeling roll off of him.  Fed them into the flame and then nothing bothered him.  He hated this feeling even though it was the only way to reach Saidin.  But it came in handy when he needed to be normal and was not functioning beyond breathing and sitting. 

 

There was a smile on his face that Nox knew didn't reach his eyes.  They'd know the void as soon as he spoke.  "The good Aes Sedai was just taking a look at the damage in my head.  But I doubt she'll be able to fix me either."  It was a joke and the other two men laughed.  Self depreciation at its finest and Nox knew how to make fun of himself and make others think he didn't care.  He didn't care most of the time but sometimes it still stung.

 

Benny was the first to smile at him.  Nox wasn't sure but there was that off chance he had flirted back when Nox first met the other man.  "You shouldn't have brought her here."

 

Nox shrugged.  "It's not like the Sisters don't know we are here.  Now they just know were to look.  Besides, it's good to know a Yellow.  In case one of you lummoxes stab yourself in the foot again and no one is around to heal you."

 

Afram frowned.  "That only happened once when I picked up a sword the first time."

 

Nox grinned.  "Maybe.  Maybe not."  He winked at the two men.  "Now if you wouldn't mind, you are interrupting my alone time."  He gave the men a knowing smile.  He hoped they'd catch his drift and they'd leave.  The words were surrounded with innuendo but they didn't need to know that part was just a ploy.

Edited March 22, 2018 by Matalina

[Jagen Sedai]

Celestine watched the exchange in silence, and calmed only a little when a joke, then two, passed between the men. At least they became relaxed though, that was the important thing. One really stabbed himself picking up a sword? She kept her expression neutral. It was a little funny, but she found herself too nervous with three of them around her. Still, she doubted they would harm her at all.

 

"Now if you wouldn't mind, you are interrupting my alone time."  At Nox's words, at least one man grinned, but they both shuffled off. Celestine found herself frowning.

 

"That was hardly an appropriate joke," she chided. "I am Aes Sedai. We don't... do such things." She shifted. "Anyway, I found nothing in your mind," she went on, wanting to change the subject. "Perhaps with more time, but I think I should... figure out a few things first." She didn't want to let on how new she was to the Yellow. "I should look for some papers, anything I can find that may help. Writings of the mind. And talking to my fellow Sisters."

 

She definitely thought it was high time to be going. Really, why had she let herself run off so easily? Her curiosity was going to get her in trouble one day. "I should be off. It was nice to meet with you Nox, and I thank you for showing me your... house." The Asha'man house. And so close to Tar Valon; who would have ever thought! "If you do not mind, I'll be going back." And she took out her vined shawl and ring and put them on, wrapping herself in the thickness of the fabric.

[Matalina]

Nox sighed when she berated him about sex again.  As if Aes Sedai were not human.  He tried not to roll his eyes and he kept his comments to himself.  If she 'never' did those things it was her loss and such a boring life.

 

Aes Sedai were boring folks, Nox came to the conclusion.  When things got good they left.  Granted the last one he'd ruined with his panic attack.  He probably ruined this one.  The fact that she didn't find anything should have been heart warming but it wasn't.  She either didn't know what she was doing, or he was just that messed up.  Nox sighed as she pulled on her shawl.  He followed her to the door and out the iron gate.  "I'm sorry you didn't learn anything. Have a great afternoon Celestine Sedai."  He gave a flourishing bow with his words.

 

He waited at the gate for her to complain to him about his manners.  He could hear Adrim yelling now.  Walk the woman home.  But Nox was fairly certain the woman wanted away from him and the others.  And he wanted to go home.  Back were people didn't jump out of their skin at the mention of sex.  Even the married women on the Farm didn't scurry away when he made a joke that was obviously said to remove the men from their presence.  He'd thought he had done the right thing protecting her from the others.  Maybe he'd been wrong.  

 

Nox's mind still was processing the idea of a sexless life.  He'd grown in a brothel, but still to claim 'we don't do such things' had to be a boring life.  There was only so much serving one could do without taking care of your own needs.

[Jagen Sedai]

Celestine followed him in a stately manner. At least the one she practiced since becoming a novice. Running around was strongly discouraged, so she appeared in no rush to leave. Goodness, but it had been so long since she interacted with any men beyond a few servants in the Tower, and she nearly found herself blushing. Perhaps Aes Sedai did do such things, but it wasn't proper to talk about them, especially with a stranger! And a man who can channel at that. I'm almost as mad as he probably is, for coming here.

 

Still, they showed some basic decorum at least. And perhaps they weren't all friendly, but there was some respect there. She could hardly blame them. When they reached the gate she turned, and gave them all a friendly smile. "Thank you, Nox. It truly was quite an experience meeting and talking with you today. And I do not blame you for being on your toes, considering recent history. However, know that the White Tower has formed an alliance with you, and sisters of all the Ajahs are looking for Warders. Having men and women who can channel, working together, could be very beneficial--perhaps even necessary--for Tarmon Gai'don." She was surprised by how steady she sounded. But this was something she had been thinking about since rumors of the alliance, and sisters taking these men as Warders--even the Reds!--and shocking though it was, she truly could see no other option, as if it was a natural course of things since the taint was cleansed away from saidin.

 

"Perhaps we shall see each other again. Good day." She turned and swept off towards Tar Valon.

 

Edited March 23, 2018 by Jagen Sedai

[Matalina]

Nox watched as the Aes Sedai headed back towards Tar Valon proper and the White Tower that towered above the city.  He stood there watching until she walked out of sight and then he turned to head back into the house and out the back door.  

 

Benny and Afram were snickering as he walked past them.  "That was quick."

 

Nox laughed, "She shot me down.  I guess I'm not as pretty as I think I am."  Nox quipped back with a grin as he stepped into their back garden and opened a gateway to Tear.  He had a few things to do there before he want home to his bed.