Memories of a Time of Sadness

[Edvar alGiven]

Edvar was on his way back from his lesson in history with Sereth. On his way back to the Barracks he idly realized that he was passing by the area where he had first come to this place. Others came and went through those strange doorways. Some opened to places around the world, others opened to blackness. He wondered briefly what the difference was. Both weaves were fairly complex and he doubted he could replicate them yet.

 

Suddenly, he noticed a woman dressed in green stepping out of one of them. It was odd seeing woman here at all. There were a few, but mostly men lived here. However, this one was different. For one, she had that ageless look on her face that he knew belonged to an Aes Sedai. There was something else though.....a memory. It tickled at the back of his mind and he struggled to recall. Then he did. It came to him abruptly, almost like a vision.

 

They were passing through Kandor on their way to Fal Dara in Shienar and they were closer to the Blight than any of them would have liked. He and the other guards of the merchant's train were more vigilant than normal, constantly searching the northern horizon for any signs of Shadowspawn. One of the others pointed and called out. They had seen something. Edvar scanned quickly and found what they had seen. A lone figure, stumbling wearily out of the Blight just ahead. He called out to two other men and they rode out to meet the traveler. As they rode he realized it was a fiery haired woman, she looked like she had been through much, and he could still see the wet tracks smearing her face from where she had been crying.

 

This was that very same woman. They had helped her to a town in Arafel, where she had booked passage to Tar Valon. He had never thought to see her again, but she stood now, before him again. Not knowing exactly what he was doing, he approached her and said "We meet again. Is there anything I can help you with Rasheta Sedai?" Yes....that was her name. Rasheta. And she had lost her Warder on that day, almost four years ago. He wished he could think of something more to say to her, but he seemed oddly flustered as her gaze fell upon him.

[Rasheta Ardashir]

Rasheta was being sent to the Black Tower for no good reason and she knew it. She had just been told to go and no extra reason had been given. She sighed as she walked toward the Traveling square, the last years had been a trial for her but now she supossed she was being forced to move on. She nodded to some of the people she knew and some of the Novices who passed her but otherwise ignored the rest of the people there. She wasn't interested in talking to anyone she wanted to get to the Black Tower and back quickly. The men who could channel didn't bother her but some in the tower were weary of them. She wondered what she was supossed to do at the Black, she supossed she would soon find out. She stepped into the traveling square and instead of making the weave herself nodded to others to do it. She stepped through the gateway and then came out in the Black. She looked around herself in puzzlement, she had never been here before and she was curious about it. Before she could take in to much of her surroundings a man walked toward her. He was taller then she was he was tanned and had dark hair and blue eyes. He reminded her a bit of her old Warder she wondered what he wanted as he came up to her.

 

"We meet again. Is there anything I can help you with Rasheta Sedai?"

 

She frowned in thought, did she know him? If she did she couldn't remember where she had seen him. She answered him "Just Rasheta is fine. I do not know what I am doing here. Something about checking on progress." She shrugged her shoulders and added "Where do I know you from?" He looked a little familer yet she couldn't place it. He told her briefly of there last meeting and she felt the loss of her warder again, yet the pain wasn't as strong as it had been. She nodded to him and said "Your name is Edvar? I had forgotten you could channel. How do you like the Black Tower?"

[Edvar alGiven]

He nodded, strangely reluctant to talk about it, but answering her question anyways. "We met almost four years ago, near the Blight. You had just lost your Warder my lady." She nodded and said "Your name is Edvar? I had forgotten you could channel. How do you like the Black Tower?"

 

He was a bit surprised and a bit elated that she remembered his name. "Yes, I can channel." he replied. "I only just arrived here the other day though. So far  its.....a bit overwhelming. I hope to learn quickly though and start putting my gifts to proper use."

 

Enough babbling he told himself. She's here on business. Shrugging uncomfortably, he thought about how to help her. She said she needed to check on some sort of progress. He recalled passing by some offices yesterday as Sereth showed him around a bit. He decided that he should probably take her there. "If you will follow me.....Rasheta, I will take you where you should be able to take care of your business."

 

She nodded and he started walking in the direction he hoped the offices were. "So.....how have you been since we last met? You look like your feeling much better than when we last saw each other." He closed his mouth tight, stopping himself before he made a fool of himself. He had always lived in fear of these woman, but this one had been different and he no longer had any reason to fear them. She had discovered his secret, but for some reason had kept it to herself, when she could easily have had him Gentled. Why? he asked himself as the walked down the crowded streets.

[Rasheta Ardashir]

"I only just arrived here the other day though. So far  its.....a bit overwhelming. I hope to learn quickly though and start putting my gifts to proper use."

 

Rasheta laughed out loud and nodded in understanding. The White Tower was the same and so she could understand Edvar saying he was feeling overwhelmed. She said "I was really overwhelmed when I first came to the White Tower I understand your feelings. I believe you will be dedicated in a short time." Edvar nodded and told her to follow him. She nodded and they set off he looked at her as though he was searching for something to say and then said a bit hesitantly

 

"So.....how have you been since we last met? You look like your feeling much better than when we last saw each other."

 

Rasheta's eyes turned sad. "I am feeling the loss of my warder during the night mostly." She hated sleeping alone and had taken to staying up till she could hear others moving around and talking. "I am feeling slightly better it has been a few years since I saw you last." She stopped and studied him for a moment "You have grown more handsome." She laughed and then continued walking with him. "I hope someday that I will be able to find another warder, but not for a time yet." She eyed him for a moment and said "Never bond if you can help it, if you lose them the loss is almost more then you can bare." She shivered and then tried to change the topic as they walked. "What have you been doing since I saw you last." She paused and added with a smile. "Besides being trained by the Black Tower."

[Edvar alGiven]

He smiled as she laughed and said she understood how he felt, then shrugged uncomfortably at her confidence in him that he would make Dedicated soon. It would be difficult, perhaps the most difficult thing he had ever done. He hoped she was right though. After he asked after her, she suddenly became sad. So sad it seemed to radiate from her, and affect him as well. It seemed she was still feeling the loss of her Warder.

 

Then, she suddenly stopped and he turned in surprise as she said "You have grown more handsome." He felt his face burn at the unexpected compliment and he mumbled a reply, but wasn't even sure himself what he said. She laughed and started walking again. Then said "I hope someday that I will be able to find another warder, but not for a time yet. Never bond if you can help it, if you lose them the loss is almost more then you can bare."

 

He considered this, then replied "I hope that you someday find another Warder as well, and I shall remember what you said. Though I doubt anyone would want to Bond a man like me. No, I have little to fear in that regard." They continued walking a bit, and he started to recognize buildings. They were close now. As they turned down another street, she asked him what he had been doing the last few years. Well Rasheta, I continued to guard various merchant caravans until I heard of the Lord Dragons amnesty. Then I sailed to Tear and here I am, and here we are." he said as they arrived at the buildings he had been told were the offices. "I believe you will find what you are looking for here. I will wait for you until you return so that I may escort you back to where you came here."

[Rasheta Ardashir]

"I hope that you someday find another Warder as well, and I shall remember what you said. Though I doubt anyone would want to Bond a man like me. No, I have little to fear in that regard."

 

She doubted she would ever find another warder to match her last one but she nodded and smiled her thanks anyway. Edvar underestemated the appeal of a handsome man, plus he could channel but that didn't mean anything nessecarily. She had a hard time believeing no one would bond a handsome man like him. He spoke again saying

 

 

"I believe you will find what you are looking for here. I will wait for you until you return so that I may escort you back to where you came here."

 

Rasheta nodded her head and walked in to the building. She passed several men in black coats some with one pin and some with two. She made a mental note to ask Edvar what the pins were about when she returned to him. One of the men stopped her and asked her what she wanted. She said she was here to check on progress of some kind. The man bowed to her and told her to follow him, she nodded and followed, after a few moments she was led into a room where another man with two pins was seated he nodded to her and she asked after the progress she was told that things were coming along and that the White Tower should not worry. Rasheta nodded and then was dissmissed. She came back through the building and eyed Edvar who was, as he said he would be, still waiting for her.

 

"Do you not have better things to do then wait for me." She was smiling remembering her time as a Novice and if the Black Tower ran things like the White he could very well be in trouble for waiting for her rather then getting on with his duties. She started walking and asked curious. "I have been in the White Tower to long, as well as fighting in the borderlands I am afriad I do not know much about the Black Tower. What do the pins mean?"

[Edvar alGiven]

He waited outside the offices for her, feeling a bit like a fool, but waiting still. It wasn't long though, before she came back out. "Do you not have better things to do then wait for me." she said with a smile. He shrugged. "I have just finished a lesson my lady. I have another one to attend shortly, but I have a little time. Allow me to escort you back, then I will be about my duties."

 

She nodded and he turned and led the way. "I have been in the White Tower to long, as well as fighting in the borderlands I am afraid I do not know much about the Black Tower. What do the pins mean?" she asked. He nodded in understanding. He knew little of the White Tower himself, except what he had heard in whispered rumors and what Sereth had told him earlier. He suspected that much of what he had heard from rumor was only half true or even outright wrong.

 

"When a man first comes here, he gets a black coat." he said, tugging on his own collar. "When a man reaches a certain level in his skill, he is given the silver sword and called a Dedicated. When he reaches the next level of skill, he is given the dragon pin and called Asha'man. Any man with stuff on his sleeves is a commanding officer I suppose, not exactly sure about that part though." he finished with a slight grin for his own ignorance. "Is it the same for you in the White Tower? Or similar at least?"

[Rasheta Ardashir]

"When a man reaches a certain level in his skill, he is given the silver sword and called a Dedicated. When he reaches the next level of skill, he is given the dragon pin and called Asha'man. Any man with stuff on his sleeves is a commanding officer I suppose, not exactly sure about that part though."

 

Rasheta nodded her head and made a note about that information. A sword was like an Accepted and both pins meant that they were like the Aes Sedai. She really had to pay closer attention to things other then things going on within the tower. She watched Edvar wince and almost gave him a pat on the arm and told him not to worry about his ignorance, but she didn't she only gave him another smile.

 

"Is it the same for you in the White Tower? Or similar at least?"

 

Rasheta nodded and explained. "If you see a girl in white she is a Novice and girls in White with seven colored bands around the hems of there skirts are Accepted. The Aes Sedai wear what they like and usually have shawls on." She noticed they were coming back to the traveling square and she said "Thank you for escorting me, I would hate for you to be late to your next lesson. If it is anything like the White Tower you could be punished. Maybe when you are an Asha'men you can come and visit the White Tower, it would be good to see you for a little longer."

[Edvar alGiven]

Edvar chuckled a bit. So, Novices wore white and Soldiers wore black. Though the two towers were so different, on some level they were so very similar. It seemed a huge joke to him. As he considered it though, it seemed to make a strange sort of sense. They sort of balanced each other. They were alike, yet different. He shook his head at the thought. It was a bit confusing. He determined that he would have to learn more about it, but for now, they had arrived where they were going.

 

"Thank you for escorting me, I would hate for you to be late to your next lesson. If it is anything like the White Tower you could be punished. Maybe when you are an Asha'men you can come and visit the White Tower, it would be good to see you for a little longer." the Aes Sedai said.

 

He smiled and said "It will be good to see you again too. I will come to visit you when I am able. Until then, take care of yourself." He waited until she had stepped through the gateway, he really had to learn to make one of them, and then turned and broke out into a run, holding his sword tightly at his side. He had indeed taken too long and would not be able to stop and clean up as he had intended. It had been well worth it, even if he got into trouble over it. He had never expected to see her again, but he was glad he had.