Agents in the Dark

[CorenYi]

Fior struggled slowly to pull himself from sleep. His training of late with Cairma had been incredibly intense. Today he was practice the forms while she was striking him without pulling on the Void. He felt as though he should be able to hear his sore muscles creaking as he swung his feet down to the cold stone floor. A movement from across the room caught his eye, and it took him a second to remember that he had recieved a new roommate yesterday. Standing, he tested his muscles carefully, checking for cramps or knotting of any kind. But the Healing had done its work well, and the only thing that remained was a soreness and a sense of overall fatigue. Pushing aside the later, he made his way to the wash basin across the room and began to wash his face.

 

The shock of the cold water pushed away the last remnants of sleep, and his thoughts wandered to Sahra and what she was doing. He couldn't help but wonder if she was alright, and, with a twinge of jealousy, his thoughts wandered to what she and Sana might be doing out in the wilderness, alone. His eyes caught the window as he turned, and he realized that it was only just past moonrise. He must have slept the day away. Nevertheless, he was restless, and decided that a midnight run would probably do him some good.

 

He pulled a shirt over his aching torso and decided against changing from the breeches he went to bed in. Grabbing an unembroidered red jacket to fend off the worst of the cold, he pulled the door quietly shut behind him began jogging through the hallways of the barracks to warm up. As he broke into the brisk night air, he began to push himself, and sprinted towards the track. He maintained his pace for the first two laps, before slowing to a steadier pace that he could keep up for longer.

 

In the middle of the tenth lap he felt a pain running down his right side and quickened his pace, determined to push through it. But something caught his eye, and he stopped suddenly, his breathing ragged from the sudden change. There was a woman walking towards him. He wasn't entirely certain if she'd seen him, and something about her demeanor made him want to stand to the side. Nevertheless, he stood his ground as she approached. As she closed the distance between them, he realized that she was staring at the ground, apparently deep in thought. Her demeanor and the age-less look on her face marked her as Aes Sedai, and he called out softly, so as not to alarm her.

 

"Is there anything I can help you with Aes Sedai?"

 

Fior Canain

Trainee

[TaeaDawn]

There were never enough hours in the day, not the night, Aramina thought as she walked from her rooms in the Tower. She took a deep breath and tried to slow her mind. There was just too much happening these days, too many factors that were forcing themselves onto the face of the world too quickly. Some days she wanted to run and just bury herself away from it all. Closing her eyes, she thought of a place far from where she stood, a place where green woods and strong arms surrounded her. She opened her eyes again, feeling calmer and colder. Those woods were gone, as were the arms and she had work to do.

 

She had been extremely upset to learn that one of her agents was coming to Tar Valon in person. He'd become certain that someone was out to kill him and he'd come with news and thinking to get her protection. Light, why did the man have such a sudden lapse in judgement? She needed to keep his visit quiet and see what she could do to make it all seem legitimate without her being involved.

 

She found herself striding across the Warder's Yard without noticing that she had come there. She was just walking to try to think things through. Why had she come here? Old memories perhaps? New ones? But when she felt the walls pressing close and the news of the world tormented her, Aramina had always been able to get grounding here. Here where mean trained in the art of war and death, here she had first found life. She had been found by it and though she had never been able to fully embrace it, she had loved it all the same. On these grounds she had been led to Orion who had trained her. He had introduced her to Alric who had given her the first taste of life outside the White Walls. And here she had first met Michael who had given her love and life and everything she could have asked. These grounds had given her Aran too, these grounds that had once been protection and haven for him that had become... home she supposed. Aran who knocked her off her dainty pedastool and threw her into everything. When Aramina had said it was enough, Aran had said no it wasn't and always pushed to get through her walls. These grounds had given her as much as the White Walls and tonight the peace that came with it settled into her bones, as if they were an oath etched into her.

 

She was taken out of her thoughts when she heard a voice. "Is there anything I can help you with Aes Sedai?"

 

She hadn't expected to see someone out here at this time of night. Surely the walls were occupied but the grounds were usually empty. "Thank you, but I was just taking a walk. I find that many late night problems seem to come together better with a little fresh air." She said, giving him a polite smile.

 

Light, she needed to find some way to make this bad judgement work to her advantage. She couldn't go to her agent in person and he was waiting on a ship at that moment until she came. A smile crossed her lips as she looked at the young man before her. She said a thanks to the Creator for what the grounds had once again yielded up for her.

 

"And it seems you needed the same. I can give you something even better if you are willing. A chance to prove your training and gain a little coin if you do it well." Aramina offered. "I have a man at the docks that needs escorting to an Inn. I cannot go to him myself for a number of reasons and I need a discrete person to help me. Are you that sort of man?" She asked. giving him an appraising look.

 

Aramina sur Dulciena

[CorenYi]

The Aes Sedai's request surprised him. He was, in truth, only being polite. He thought carefully on her offer for a few moments, weighing the the possibilities. He was supposed to meet up with Cairma later this morning for the next stage in his Ren'Shai training. But surely an Aes Sedai wouldn't be asking a trainee to do something wrong, and it only took a little more than an hour to walk to the docks from the tower. Surely he could make it there and back by the time he was supposed to meet his mentor.

 

Nodding slightly to himself, he smiled up at the Aes Sedai. "I can be, sister, when the occasion calls for it. How will I know this man, and to which Inn should I take him?"

 

Aramina smiled at him.  "I hoped you would be the right man for the job."  It only took a moment to give him directions to the dock his ship was anchored onto.  "You'll recognize him by the bald head and the overbearing manner.  He's convinced someone is out to kill him so he'll be a bit overwrought as well. Tell him that Mina sent you and that you are to take him to a safe place."

 

She handed him a small bag of coin as she continued.  "The Silver Lady is a good inn.  He'll be happy enough there and let him know I will send further word to him when I can make arrangements for him."

 

Fior and Aramina