An old friend

[Wayfarer]

Smiling as she came to a stop, Lillian took a moment to look at the White Tower she stood at the base of.  Her home for over thirty years, it was good to be back within its sheltering embrace.  While it was all well and good going out into the world and getting things done, it was also good to have time for herself.  Not to mention time to catch up with those she had to bid farewell everytime she left on a different task or other.  Gone for months at a time, it was surprising to see how much had changed within that timeframe.

 

Walking into the Tower, Lillian smiled and nodded at those who recognised her, waving to those who did not.  Sometimes she was gone for long enough that when she returned, people tended to mistake her for someone other than Aes Sedai due to the lack of her ageless face.  Not wearing a shawl and, indeed, wearing a dress of green and brown with a wide brimmed hat of crimson, didn't help in that respect.  Still, it amused Lillian because occasionally someone did challenge her and ask who she was to be flouncing about the Tower without permission.  When they realised it was a sister, the reactions tended to vary from embaressment to amusement depending on who it was.

 

But this time she wasn't stopped on her way as she ascended the levels until she found the Yellow Ajah quarters.  A few of the sisters recognised her and greeted her immediately, between classes and time at the infirmary, she had come to know a good number of them.  But, the sister she was after wasn't in the corridors, hopefully she would be in her room.

 

Stopping before Nynaeve Sedai's door, Lillian winced as the smell of horse hit her.  She should have probably gone to her own quarters and taken a bath first, but she wanted to drop off her gift as soon as possible.  Besides, she missed Nynaeve, and it would be good to see how she was.  Removing her hat, Lillian slipped her leather backpack off her shoulder before knocking on the door with a free hand.

 

Definitely good to see her again.

 

 

Lillian Tremina

Sister of the White Ajah

[Nynaeve]

Nynaeve kicked the covers off the bed and burried her face in the pillow, muttering. She didn't manage to get any sleep during the night and the air of the night seemed to have earned her a cold. Looking like a frog wasn't a big attraction, but sounding like one was far worse. She knew she should have closed that window. She considered going to the infirmary for a moemnt, but decided against it. She didn't like using healing for such mild discomforts. She was tempted, though.

 

Sitting up, Nynaeve flinched at the sudden pain between her shoulder blades. Slumping, she sighed, feeling quite misrable. On the other side of the bond she could feel Damian quite happy with himself. By the burst of excitment and anticipation she could tell he was training. She frowned at the sense of his aching muscles. She had enough of her own to deal with.

 

Putting on her robe, Nynaeve walked slowly towards her night stand and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her hair was wild. She splashed some water on her face, savoring the refreshing feeling of cold water against her skin. Not quite fully functional, Nynaeve walked towards the door as she heard someone knocking. She opened the door passively, not bothering to straighten her appearance beofrehand. At that very moemnt, she did not care for appearance and ceremony.

 

She opened the door. Someone was standing there. A woman. She Narrowed her tired eyes to focus on the face of the person in front of her. The fuzzy image finally cleared to Lillian's face. A weak smile was all Nynaeve could master at that moment. "It's a delight to see you back, sister. How was the journey? I trust you found what you were looking for?". Nynaeve gestured Lillian to come in and asked a Novice that passed by to fetch tea.

 

 

 

Nyn

Yellow

[Wayfarer]

Lillian was surprised to say the least to see the state that Nynaeve was in, she looked shocking!  If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that Nynaeve had been crying but Nynaeve seemed more tired than anything else.  She was about to respond to Nynaeve's greeting when her sister caught a Novice walking by and told her to fetch some tea.  Tea would definitely be welcome after all her travel, as well as a chance to sit down and just be for a bit.

 

"I'm well Nyna.  Tired, but well."  Stepping forward and wrapping her arm around Nynaeve to give her a hug, Lillian grinned as she stepped inside and closed the door behind them.  Her room was the same as ever, and the table with its chairs were luring her with a siren's call that preyed on her weariness.  Traveling hard before the sun had even risen, more than anything she could have used a nap, but that could wait.

 

"I managed to find some success during my trip, so the time gone wasn't time wasted at least though I missed you and others."  Sitting after Nynaeve had, Lillian smiled as she put her hat aside and sat her backpack in her lap.  "In fact, I managed to pick up something while I was traveling, good price too.  Lets see, where is it..."

 

It didn't take long to find, and she withdrew a small brown parcel that she handed over to her sister.  "Open it."

 

 

Lillian Tremina

Sister of the White Ajah

[Nynaeve]

Nynaeve hesitated for a moment before taking the parcel from Lillian's hands. She did not expect a present and while normally she would be speculating over the deed, at that moment her mind may as well been deattached from the rest of her.

 

Opening up the parcel, Nynaeve eyed it. Her eyes narrowed in thought. No matter how out of it she was, her mind always worked when it came to herbs. She examined it for a few moments, having several suspicions on what kind of herb it was. But when she smelled its scent, it cleared away any doubt in her mind. Eyes widening, she smiled at Lillian. "Is this Tremalking Black?!?!". Lillian smiled knowingly and nodeed.

 

"You are truely a mind reader. This is exactly what I need, when I need it. Thanks you, Lillian." The door opened to admit the Novice that Nynaeve sent off for tea. She set down the tray and curtsied. "Next time knock, child." The Novice blushed and curtsied again. "Oh, fetch me a pot of boiled water. After that you may return to your activities." The Novice nodded and ran off, closing the door behind her.

 

Turning her head to Lillian, Nynaeve smiled excitedly. "You must tell me, where did you get it from? And most importantly, what did you do to get it?" Nynaeve laughed softly and awaited Lillian's response.

 

 

 

Nyn

Yellow

 

 

[Wayfarer]

Laughing as the questions began to fly, Lillian was glad to see that Nynaeve seemed more focused and awake.  She'd thought that a bit of Tremalking Black might go a long way, it would want to as hard as it was to get.  Only grew on Tremalking, was expensive, and the seafolk only traded so much of it to the mainland.  Never in quantities for it to be considered as anything other than a luxury item.  And, like any luxury item, securing it was normally a difficult task.

 

"I was in Altara for awhile in Ebou Dar, spent some time trying to keep the peace as it were while I took on some other tasks.  After one of the mediations, one of the parties, a well placed merchant in fact, offered to make available his full stock at a discount.  I saw the Tremalking Black and immediately thought of you.  He was a bit anxious when I asked for the Tremalking Black, but I didn't deplete his stock of it entirely so he didn't have much cause to complain."

 

Falling silent as she heard a knock at the door, it seemed the Novice was willing to wait for Nynaeve to call her in.  A pot of boiling water brought in, Lillian smiled and gave her thanks even as Nynaeve did.  Watching the girl leave, she couldn't help but feel a little old, but that feeling passed quickly enough.  Watching as Nynaeve took a couple of leaves and threw them in the pot, Lillian poured their tea and served a cup to Nynaeve before helping herself to one.

 

"So tell me, how have you been?  Its been five months now, and I only have a month here before I travel north, not nearly enough time to get acquainted with everything that has been happening."

 

 

Lillian Tremina

Sister of the White Ajah

[Nynaeve]

"So tell me, how have you been?  Its been five months now, and I only have a month here before I travel north, not nearly enough time to get acquainted with everything that has been happening."

 

Nynaeve took a deep breath. "The usual. Running the infirmary the best I can. Dealing with pig headed people. Healing said pig headed people. It's like a cycle that never ends." Nynaeve smiled widely and took a sip of tea. She always complained about her day to day activities in the infirmary, but anyone that knew her well enough knew she loved it.

 

"I've been wanting to leave the Tower for a while now. Break from the routine before I drown in it. You probably remember the feeling from back then when you were a Novice and then an Accepted and couldn't just go your way. It can be tiring." Nynaeve raised her eyes to meet Lillian's. "Who knows, maybe you'll have some company in your next journey. I'll of course have to drag Damian along. It's about time the man does something useful."

 

"How's Damian then? Has he been up to no good?". Nynaeve smiled at Lillian's question in rememberance of their little "encounter" years ago when Nynaeve suspected that Lillian wanted to steal him away. "Actually, he's been on his best behavior lately. Which can only mean that he's done something bad and is trying to keep it from me." Nynaeve snickered.

 

"But he's been good. Better then. He has proven me without a doubt that he loves me and he's been there for me when things were impossible to bear. I am grateful to have him. There are certain things that I cannot talk about with others. I know he's there to lean on for support. And that feeling makes me feel safe."

 

 

 

Nyn

Yellow

[Wayfarer]

Grinning at the idea of Damian's mischief, it softened to a smile as Nynaeve confirmed that Damian was there for her as always.  Despite his penchant for trouble, Damian was a good man and a good deal more understanding than most.  The fact that he always stood by her sister had ensured that Lillian held him in high regard.  Besides, if it wasn't for Damian, she might never have gotten to know Nynaeve nearly as well as she had.  Still, that was only one of two boys that mattered to Nynaeve.  "And Denoven?  How is the clever little rascal?"

 

Nynaeve was trying to avoid the subject of Denoven at all times. Mostly, she got away with it effortlessly since so few knew of his relation to her. She hoped Lillian would not ask about him, but deep inside she knew it was a matter of time before they would have to touch that subject. She loved her son. He wasn't some sort of painful memory she wanted left behind. She wanted to be there in his important moments. Watch as he grew up. And while she had all that, she didn't have the one thing she wanted the most. To hear him call her Mother. Instead she had to hear him calling someone else that. Giving someone else the affection she craved for. But she couldn't be selfish.

 

Denoven was all that mattered. He needed a stable home. Away from tensions, plots and manipulations. He was were he was supposed to be. So close yet at the same time so far away. "He's well. I've asked Thelma to be hard on him when it comes to studies. I want him to be well educated and intelligent. Thelma has assured me that aside of some minor pranks here and there he's rather well behaved. I've paid him a visit a few days ago. He's growing up so fast."

 

"I'm glad to hear he is well."  Lillian reached over and squeezed Nynaeve's hand, it hadn't been an easy decision on her part and Lillian had said nothing of it.  But it had been a long time now and on the way back, it had been one of the things she had decided to speak with Nynaeve about.  "I try to find out how he is everytime I return, although he doesn't show it often I suspect that he has more of his father's mischief in him than he lets on...  I assume he still doesn't know?"

 

Nynaeve smiled sadly. "He's too young to understand the situation. Telling him would mean robbing him of his peace of mind. He's in good hands. He's happy. I don't have the right to take his world away, when I was the one who put him there in the first place."

 

Getting up, Nynaeve peered out the window, an excuse to escape Lillian's eyes. "I thought that with time I will learn if the choice I made was the right one. But even after all these years, I'm uncertain. Back then I had all the freedom to make my choice because only Damian and I were part of the equation. But now Denoven is part of it as well. So I have to think twice as hard before I take a step." Turning around, Nynaeve locked her eyes on Lillian's. "I don't want to lose him."

 

"You won't lose him."  Standing, Lillian walked over to Nynaeve as she spoke.  "You're doing the right thing, though maybe one day it won't hurt for him to know the truth, when he is ready for it.  And you.  I guess what I'm saying is that just because he can't know now, doesn't mean that there won't be a day in the future where he could understand who you truly are.  And either way, if you ever need me all you would have to do is say the word.  Alright?"

 

Nynaeve nodded. "I've done all of this so Denoven could have a good life. And the only way he does is if no one knows he's my son. Even though sometimes I wanted to shout it the top of my lungs for everyone to know. The only reason I haven't is because I have you and Damian to share this secret with. You're the pillers I lean on. Without your support I would have collapsed so many years ago." Nynaeve hugged Lillian tightly, holding the tears in. "I will always appreciate the friendship you offer me. Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve it."

 

Lillian had not thought that her friendship had meant that much to Nynaeve, that she stood close to Damian in Nynaeve's reckoning.  Hugging Nynaeve back as she was embraced, Lillian laughed at Nynaeve's confusion as to why they were friends, that was something she could answer easily enough.  "Because you give the same back, you goose."  Squeezing Nynaeve tightly, Lillian relaxed her grip and stepped back, a smile on her face and her eyes a little moist.  "Tea is going to get cold."

 

Nynaeve smiled. "Yes. Tea would be a splendid idea. Especially when I'm sharing it with you." Nynaeve sat back down next to Lillian as she started telling her about her next journey.