Nice Morning Breath.. [Annais]

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

Continuing from ... Knife Point Confessions

 

 

Dreams, or the lack there of, for the first time in weeks were a blessed relief to her weary body. The past month had been grating and stressful and with each day took a toll to her mind and her body. She could feel the years of life flitter away with each grain of sand that was wasted arguing or fighting everything that came her way. Battle after battle -but. . .

 

To wake in the Amyrlin Quarters next to a life long friend that you know you could trust with your life. Maegan could think of no better morning than this one. They had a lot of work ahead of them, true, but never had work been daunting to her. It was the process and the people that worked along side of you that made the difference. Turning her head to look at Annais, she stifled a laugh as the new Amyrlin's mouth hung open with a slight nasally snore. Even years after their Raising to the shawl, Annais was still, and will always be, the same as when she had met her. And would deny her snoring to the bitter end.

 

Pushing the covers down her body, Maegan sat up and stretched a little, one arm over the other. Reaching over to the adjourning night stand Maegan placed her spectacles on her nose than turned to give Annais one quick look over. A smile on her lips. "Still a late sleeper, eh, Annie?" If there was ever a difference between them, this was but one. Maegan had always been an early riser while Annais preferred the later hours. Although they would both stay up late -regardless of purpose- Maegan was always the first one awake. It was lick clock work, really. Maegan would wake, be sure breakfast was there and ready along with tea and then would wake Annias up and help her wash away light knows what hangover from the night before to help her prepare for the next day. Not that Annais wasn't responcible. She was the Amyrlin Seat, after all.

 

However, Annais will always be Annais.

 

::Thank the Light!::

 

Exiting the room, Maegan pulled one of Annais' spare robes and pulled it around her otherwise bare body. After healing Annais the night before, stripping to only her shift was all that she had the energy for. About to ring the cord for a Novice to call, a woman entered the room. Surprise on her face, but Maegan made nothing of it. She recognized the serving woman but failed to ever procure her name. The woman curtsied greeting, but kept her face down.

 

"Breakfast, if you please. With a large pot of tea. Sugar for myself. The Amyrlin and I will dine in this morning." Although giving the order there was no finality in her voice. A personal servant of Annais deserved a level of respect. As the woman turned and left the room, Maegan pondered on a thought. She did have scribes in the past, but what of a personal servant? Touching her array of curls that no doubt looked ridiculous in all directions, perhaps Annais had the right way of things. A personal maid to ensure that public meetings were always met with the level of professionalism expected of an Aes Sedai.

 

Tea and Breakfast arrived just before Annais stumbled out of her bedroom door. Maegan was already seated in the soft chair that she had been dragged to the night before. A thoroughly sugared cup of tea in hand.

 

"Good Morning, sunshine. How are you this morning, Mother? I trust you slept well?"

 

Sip.

 

 

 

Maegan Ryanne

Highest

[Arette]

Cold in her feet was what woke up Annais. It summoned memories to her sleep-hazy mind of other mornings when Lia had harrassed her and bullied her to get up in an hour that was not decent for any human being. She fumbled blindly for the blankets when memories of the night before surfaced. Knife on her throat, the Black Ajah, threatening her friend and the struggle. Maegan... she had stayed over for the night. Annais reached for the other side of the bed but the spot beside her was empty. What time was it? It was still fairly dark outside but the Red Sister was an early riser.

 

Likely Mae would soon order them breakfast and that would wake Annais up a bit. Still, she could use some more sleep. Only closing her eyes and curling under the bed covers again didn't help. The Oaths made her skin still uncomfortably tight despite the Healing and the list of undone work and all the duties of the Amyrlin Seat nagged at her. Blood and bloody ashes, she was still dumbfounded that they had made her the leader of the White Tower. But no matter how she wanted more sleep and comfort, the Wheel waited on no woman. There was always the next night and she could rest in the grave. And next night she might not sleep alone but snuggled against strong chest and encircled by muscled arms. No!

 

Bravely Annais kicked the blankets off and shivered a few times before she could steady her breathing and start ignoring the temperature again. Such thoughts were not allowed and discomfort was the punishment for silliness. Wrapping herself into a silk robe and putting a pair of slippers on, the fresh Amyrlin dragged herself into the sitting room. Her eyes were still squinting and she was quite certain that her hair were wild. Not a most dignified sight but Mae would live. Her cheery tone and words, especially the formal title earned her a glare.

 

Annais merely grunted in reply and extended her arms before her and made reaching motions toward the tea pot. "Tea", she droned before collapsing on the sofa. Maegan was kind enough to pour for her and Annais managed a 'thank you' before beginning to slurp down her cup. The liquid wasn't as strong as she usually consumed in the mornings but Lia had been nice for Mae's benefit. The tea still had the hoped effect on her and she was starting to slowly feel awake.

 

"Mornings are not my time of the day as you know. I could be better as no one can take such news lightly as we got last night, but I'll survive. It's going to be a busy day and I can't worry about that today. How about you, Mae Mae? You at least seem awfully chipper and full of energy. What's your plan for today?"

 

Annais Nevell

Amyrlin Seat

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

 

The look on Annais' face as she walked out of her room with 'tea' the first thing on her lips, Maegan forced herself to suppressed the laughter that bubbled up in her throat. Clearing it a little along with sipping from her tea cup, Maegan watched the woman thoughtfully as Annais spoke up first. The woman's demeanor was no different than any other morning and it was, as always, refreshing to know that she hadn't changed. ::Repetative..:: Maegan thought to herself. Perhaps it was because so little stayed the same anymore. So very little.

 

Balancing the cup in her lap, Maegan gave Annais a half hearted smile. "A great many things, I suspect. Anouther meeting with my sisters today, maybe a trip to the Room that bears the three Arches. A great deal of talking is the highest on my priority list as well as giving you a Ter'Angreal and sorting out to do with our mentally unstable Blue Sister. I know I mentioned her last night but after all that passed you were correct in leaving it for today." She tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully with a finger as she thought. The words that came from her lips were said as calmly as if she were placing an order for a book or discussing mathematical terms with Master Wren. Annais, on the other hand, Maegan could just see the woman's eyes bulge.

 

"Of course there is the need to discuss the future of the Red Ajah and the Black Tower. That one I do not think will be a pleasant discussion. Also a small discussion on the Black Ajah. Hardly something worth forgetting about. Of course I will need to update you on the Ter'Angreal I have made since I last talked with you and a few other changes since the last you were in the Tower. Ironically it has something to do with the Three Arches as well as the Blue Sister in question."

 

Maegan paused to drink her tea. "And you, Annie.. Any special plans for the day?" The smile on Maegan's face was the picturesque of innocence. Ironic as there was nothing innocent in any part of her speech.

 

 

Maegan Ryanne

The Highest

[Arette]

Maegan begun to list the things that she was going to do, and Annais admired again how precise and collected she was so early in the morning. The mention of going to see the Three Arches certainly made her eyebrows rise. It was a ter'angreal and Mae had a Talent of being able to make them, but why was it urgent right now? And she was going to give Annais a ter'angreal? Most interesting. And dealing with Estel... her recovery was important but sadly Annais didn't have time for it right then. She would have to go and meet the Blue Sister again soon. She wasn't very much looking forward to the talks about the Reds and Asha'man and the Black Ajah but it was necessary.

 

Maybe it was a coward's way to start with the easiest topics but she didn't want to think anything too complicated until she had downed a few more mugs of tea. "Tell me about the ter'angreal then, please. And changes? What kind of changes? What do they have to do with the Arches and Estel?"

 

"Ter'Angreals." Maegan nodded her head as if confirming a half thought in her own head. "Very well. It came to my attention by that of one of my former Sisters that there is more than one use of the Three Rings that we use to test Novices that wish to gain acceptance. Although I have not stepped through the rings myself - as I do not have the need or desire to go through that again - a number of Sisters have." The surprise in Annais' face was evident. It lightened Maegan's heart that Annais was not schooling her face like most other Gray sisters. "Before there was a need to test those that gained the shawl the Arches were used for Healing. Not physically healing, but Mental Healing. Those that stepped through the Arches were able to confront their fears and various other challenges in a safe environment."

 

Maegan took a moment to refill her tea cup after sipping the last sweet drop from it. Scooping sugar into the dark liquid, Maegan continued, "The weave to active this particular use is different than the one that we use currently It still requires more than one sister to activate it, although with linking only one Sister needs to channel into it." She waited for a moment to let Annais catch her idea. Unless it was still that earily for the woman and she needed to be spoon fed the idea. Maegan hoped it wasn't so. She did not fee like spoon feeding anyone let alone the Amyrlin Seat.

 

It was alot to chew, especially so very early, but it was a fascinating knowledge. And annoying too. Why hadn't these foundings been published? Bloody Aes Sedai secretiveness. Maybe the fact that the Sisters had used it to cure themselves. They wouldn't want that to be known. And maybe it hadn't worked quite so well. But then Mae wouldn't be suggesting it. She had to know more, though. And safe environment... did that mean no risk of loosing patients? "Is it safe? And does it always work? I don't want to loose even one full Sister to an experiment. Can you give me more information about this previous use? Was there someone else with a Talent like yours who kept it hidden or how did they discover this?"

 

Maegan paused, the spoon in her cup also without movement as she thought. "All I know is that the former Red Sister Telcia Sedai, the Brown Sister Kitsune and two other unnamed were part of this experiement. It was not recommended to have one go in more than 3 times, and they all returned. Publication disappeared as well as the knowledge of who were involved." Picking up her cup, she settled back into her seat, re-stirring the sugared tea. She did not sip from it. "Telcia Sedai was rather adamant about its use and not yet sharing it with the Tower for fear of rebuke or other consequences. Each Aes Sedai set their own penance for their experimentations. Why, I do not know. Telcia Sedai said little more on the subject. An educated guess may say that there was an incident of near failure involved during the exprimenting. As a scholar of such objects it is not uncommon for there to be mistakes before a solution is found."

 

Telcia of the Red Ajah... with what had happened to her husband and the incident while she was Acceped, her mental health had come to question. The Brown was not known for instability so she had likely been there to observe. She definately was curious about the two unnamed ones and wondered if Mae knew who they were but just didn't tell. "And has the solution been found? If we do not know what went wrong that time, we don't know how to avoid it in the future. How certain are you about this, Mae?"

 

"We can't." It was a simple answer. "Only by testing it myself would I know for certain the risks, if there were any. Telcia Sedai warned for a test not to be taken lightly, nor for it to be done needlessly." A small scowl formed on Maegans face as she brought the tea cup to her lips. No Aes Sedai would willingly admit an unsound mind. It was simply not done. It placed a small damper on her own experimenting.

 

An honest answer and very much what Annais had feared for. "You are the last person that I want to loose, Mae", she said softly. "Maybe it could work if Estel knew the risk and decided to try it still. But does she want to admit that she has a problem? I would rather use a more traditional method."

 

"If traditional works for Estel than I would say that is ideal." There was a hesitant tone in her voice, "But Estel Sedai's issues are far more deeper than just that of the Black Tower. No, don't ask, I swore I would not speak of it. Although it was not an oath, it was still a promise given in hope of trust." A hand was held up to keep Annais from interrupting. After seeing Estel Sedai on the bed after learning of her loves death and that she was with child, Estel never became of sound mind. General knowledge through Carise Sedai suggested that there was some sanity left, but the Blue Aes Sedai held very little love for others, even less for herself. "But if you feel the need to simply talk it out than I will not push the issue. Just keep it in mind if you find little headway."

 

"I do not know Estel that well so I trust your judgement on that. But I am also not a Yellow Sister and neither are you. I do not know about problems of the mind. But do you know any Yellow Sister who she might trust? And would she go willingly to the Arches? Will she admit that she needs help and would she accept it?"

 

Spending time before hand thinking on the subject, Maegan did not pause. "I believe she will accept it. If anything she wishes to prove her self worth and this trip to the Black Tower had been but one way to do so. The failure probably grates hardest on her, more so because of this. I can not be to certain as it is just an observation." Maegan gaze turned hazy as she tought on Annais' other question. "I do not know of a Yellow that is on close terms to Estel. As you know I have spent time with the Yellow Sisters when I can, but no name comes to mind. Estel keeps to herself more and more each passing year."

 

Stirring her tea Maegan sipped it for a moment and then looked to Annais, conviction deeply set in her eyes. "If there is one thing that I am certain of, for experience to that I will attest, when failure occurs to the extent that it has with Estel a sense of purpose needs to be reestablished." She stressed the word need. "I would wager my life and my Ter'Angreals that Estel is not Black Ajah. Perhaps that is something worth not only the Arches but a more private audience if she were to go through them?"

 

Annais nodded slightly but looked still doubtful. "I agree with you about her needing a purpose. But to involve her with Black Ajah... you didn't see her when she came back from the Black Tower. She tried to kill herself. I could see her going on a foolhardy mission trying to take few of them with her when she goes. Maybe if the healing of the Arches worked it could be considered. It is just unbelievable to me that a ter'angreal could undo something like that. The women who went inside were much more functional and had the will to Heal... But if we did it, how would you suggest that we proceed?"

 

Maegan chuckled, "Like we always do. Lances bare and charging."

 

Annais smiled at that and downed some of her tea. She would like to say that usually they planned better but last night was certainly proved that they didn't. However, they should. "And what exactly does that mean?"

 

Maegan shrugged, "I would recomend playing it by ear. If Estel is as predicatable as I know her we may have to try about 50 different tactics and about 2 other sisters on hand to shield her should she knock one of us on the head with a nearby vase. However, I'd like to think that she is not as volitile as she was when you last saw her. Light pray she isn't." The last was more for her own benefit than Annais'.

 

"I certainly hope that she isn't either. Well, like I said, I trust your judgement. Since you are going to go and speak with her anyway, you can bring up this possibility up with her or act in what ever way you feel is necessary. I... I just pray that nothing happens to Estel. I don't want to loose even one Sister and be responsible for making the decision that got her killed. But that is always the downside of being the poor sod named to be the leader. And this wasn't even the only thing to speak about. There were the ter'angreals you had made. What kind of ter'angreals and how did you decide to create them?"

 

Annais & Maegan

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

Annais' way of directing the conversation back to the Ter'Angreal brought a significant pause as Maegan brought the tea cup to her lips to hide a grimace. Although Maegan was hardly complete on the toping of Estel, it would have to be something that would wait for another time. No doubt Annais had enough to deal with that sticking with simplier conversations may be more benificial. After all, it was still a rather earily hour.

 

Sip.

 

"I have something for you." Leaving the cup in one hand, Maegan pulled a hair pin from the pocket of her skirts, one well hidden among the layers of browns and shades of rich reds. The hair pin was in the shape of a silver humming bird will little else marking it. The sister to the hair pin was also silver but was formed in not only a Cairhien sun but the Tar Valon Flame. An unintentional design, but the hair pin held more sentimental value than Maegan was willing to part with. It had, after all, saved her life.

 

"Close your eyes, Annie. Go through the the novice tricks in order to embrace Saidar but don't. Instead I want you to tell me what you can sense outside of the Source." Maegan watched carefully as confusion crossed Annais' face. Confusion to calm, to concentration to surprise. It was the Surprise that Maegan was hoping to find. Handing Annais the hair pin, she continued. "This is a well. It holds a syphoned amount of Saidar and acts as a portable source of One Power."

 

Maegan's face showed nothing. "It will allow you to channel if shielded, in a Stedding or when in Far Madding. It is very little amount in comparison and does not accomplish as much as you would with the Source. Should you ever need to use it, use it sparingly and know beforehand what you will do. It will save your life if you do not flaunt that you can."

 

Maegan's voice dropped in grave warning. "And do not tell anyone of this. An advantage is no advantage when someone knows about it. If anyone were to look or sense close enough they will know what that is. Always leave it on your person or shielded meticulously is such a way that it guards more than just the Ter'Angreal. I can not stress how important that it is that the knowledge of this Ter'Angreal is not commonly known." A slight vacant expression hollowed her face for a brief second but disappeared as if never there. "I do not wish to have to make any more than the Two that I already made. It was not easy." Fainted twice and out cold for a day after each. No, they were not easily made. Maegan sipped her tea as she watched Annais carefully. ::Let the woman stew on that one for a while and see where things stand after this. Perhaps I may be able to bend her more in my favor than just our history.:: A inward scowl that was hidden well behind a mask of watchfulness, Maegan wished she could say more. ::I am Aes Sedai.:: Aes Sedai do not bend, they mold and weave.

 

Maegan spoke once more, casually, "How many Ajah Heads have approached you, Annais?"

 

 

Maegan Ryanne

The Highest