A father's child (Attn Elia & Leona)

[Guest Celes]

The letter burned in her hand and her fingers crumpled over the paper as Alex stood there watching her. How could he have been so stupid to think that she would never find out. It was her mother, Elia could never be her mother, no matter how good she played the role. Fawne knew her mother had lived all those years and that her father had lied about it all those years. She looked calm but Alex could tell that the fire blazing in her eyes would soon set off. “Why did you never tell me dad?†she asked and he lowered his eyes, then looked up to face his own eyes in his daughter. “I’m sorry Fawne, I never meant to hurt you, your mother lives far away and has chosen a new life. You could not visit her and I figured this was easier.†Fawne stomped her foot and screamed, “EASIER? For who? Not for me!†she started to tear up and Alex felt his heart break. She had found the letters Matalina sent about once a year, she usually sent them to the inn and he hid them in a box. They were to be Fawne’s when she was older, or when Matalina ever wrote that she would come to Tar Valon.

 

She ran out of his room and he was left alone, he had found her standing in his room, holding the letter in her hand and not actually reading it. For an instant he had had the faint hope that she had not seen what it was yet, but it was clear now that she had read it. Twelve years old, quite a young lady and angry as hell right now. He shook his head and went down to follow her, only to find her just a few steps outside his room, sitting on the ground and crying softly. “I want to go and find her, then ask her why she never came to see me daddy, why she left me here alone,†Alex nodded and kneeled beside his daughter. How long had it been since she was just a little girl, braids in her raven dark hair and a pink skirt that would get dirty within the hour after Lila had so carefully put it on her. “Her life is different from ours, Fawne†he said and knew that it would not matter to his daughter. Even so young she knew exactly what she wanted and had her ways of getting it too. She was not spoiled in clothing or things she wanted, but she did know how to wrap someone around her finger and make use of that as often as she could.

 

Fawne held up the letter again and said, “I want to go look for her, can I daddy?†her eyes turned from cold fire to liquid in an instant. It scared him that young men would soon start looking into those eyes, what would they do then. Melt and be used probably, but what if Fawne was not more careful. He worried too much, as Elia told him often, she said he should be proud of his daughter and cherish those moments they had. Soon she would grow up to be a woman and then he could not get away with calling her his little one anymore. Well, not in front of others, when they were sparring together or talking over dinner he still liked to call her that. He put an arm around her shoulder and felt her place her cheek against his shoulder. As they sat there like that a familiar voice came up from behind them. “Am I interrupting a family moment?†Elia’s voice called. Alex grinned up at her, “You? You are part of the family,†he helped Fawne to her feet and said, “Why don’t I make us all some tea and find us something to eat, you girls go sit in the common room and I’ll be down in a bit,†Elia smiled and put her arm through Fawne’s. Fawne accepted graciously and winked at her father, he had evaded her anger for a bit now. Though he was a bit worried about later on, when Fawne had had time to think this over, or worse, talk to Elia about her findings.

 

Alexander Namere

 

OOC: starting off with Alex and Fawne, then Elia and then moving to you Leona. Smile

 

***

 

It was a lovely scene that she walked into, Alex with his arm around Fawne, her with her cheek on his shoulder - she was going to be taller than her father one day if she kept this up, a thought that made Elia smile with amusement that she'd always hoped for the same as a child. They were on the floor, of course - somehow the little family that they had wasn't quite the same as other families, but she smiled to see it before calling out to announce her presence.

 

"Am I interrupting a family moment?" She reached them and saw Alex grin up at her as he replied, but Fawne's face carried a hint of sourness, and Elia wondered what it was that had happened between them. Alex helped Fawne to her feet and proposed a lovely plan of food and tea, so the Tower Guard linked her arm into the girl's and wandered toward the common room arm in arm with her. They sat and Elia smiled at Fawne, who was looking a lot less irritated now.

 

"You shouldn't get too mad at your father, we both know that boys are stupid." It was a loud whisper, and no doubt some of the men in the room had heard them, but Elia didn't care. Men were complete woolheads at times, they couldn't protest that no matter how much they wished to, but then perhaps it wasn't the best idea to go encouraging ... unhealthy attitudes, or something like that. This whole parent thing wasn't easy, and Elia wasn't even Fawne's actual mother - nor was she pretending to be. "He just doesn't always think the way that you or I would, so what he thinks is reasonable might not seem so to us." She wasn't going to ask what had happened, if either of them wanted to tell her, they would.

 

~Elia

Short but... well, not great, meh. But I didn't want to hold you back any longer. *smooches*

 

***

 

As soon as Alex turned his back, Fawne looked up at Elia and gave her a hard stare. The woman would surely have known, she shared her fathers bed since forever and they were very close. She had to have known, they walked down to settle at a table and Fawne sighed in deep. Her raven dark braid swung over her shoulder and she played with it for a bit, deciding that she could not stay angry at Elia for longer, because the woman had always been like a mother to her, without ever asking something in return. She would forgive her father too, but that would take more time. “My mom sent this letter,†she said and placed it on the table in front of her. She noticed the frown and the woman’s face going a bit more pale and Fawne felt like she was tumbling down a deep hole, further and further down. Elia had known? She had guessed it, could have forgiven it, but now that she had it as a fact, she took the letter back and folded it before placing it in her pocket. “How long have you known?†was all she asked and Elia placed her hands on the table and let Fawne take hers.

 

***

 

Alex took the pot and placed the kettle on the fire, talking to the head cook about the dinner that evening. A group of well known traders was visiting the Tower and would be having their dinner in the inn. The cook wanted to prepare for this and was unsure if she needed to run more errands. Alex went over the list of things and then had a peek at the two women in his life, sitting together at a table. Fawne’s hands were in Elia’s and he nodded in relief. They were talking like only women could, warm and loving, when he arrived with the tea, Elia would have straightened the path and Fawne would thank him for protecting her. He finished the tea and told the cook she would be fine, then took the tray and added some brown cookies from the jar and placed them next to the tea. “Tea ladies!†he called ahead and walked up to the two women. He would have felt the tension if he had not been so hopeful that Fawne was taking it all lightly. He would have seen the look on Elia’s face, shame and sorrow as Fawne kept asking her questions about when she knew, why had she never said anything and where her mother was.

 

“Father, where is my mother and when can I go and visit her? Jefferey Kincaid can take me to see her, he is almost done with his training,†she said and stomped her foot as she rose from the seat. Alex placed the tray on the table and placed a firm hand on his daughter’s shoulder, “You can’t go visit her and Jefferey Kincaid has a life of his own, you cannot ask him to take you to Cairhien when he is so close to his promotion. He is working hard for that,†she frowned and then settled in her seat, sulking at him for not giving her a straight answer. Finally, Alex dropped down in the seat and said, “If this means so much to you, I will take you to your mother,†he did not dare look up at Elia who would not be happy about this. Last time the two women had been together there was a natural animosity that had nearly cost him his relation with Elia. He looked up at Fawne whose face was glowing with a new found energy. “Yes daddy, I would like that very much,†she said and kissed the back of his hands, then nibbled on a cookie and smilingly started to debate how her mother would like it if she saw Fawne again. Alex was not sure that Fawne would be as welcome as she hoped. After all, her mother had left the little girl, only three years old to find a new life, a life that did not include past lovers and children from past lovers. He sighed and looked up at Elia’s face, trying to find help there.

 

Fawne & Alex Namere

 

***

 

Fawne's words shocked her, though Elia had known that the day would come one day when she'd find out about her mother. Most of the Tower thought Matalina dead, and Elia had privately questioned the woman's sanity at sending letters to a small child who didn't understand the situation. Still, she'd disagreed with Alex on keeping Fawne in the dark, but it was hard to tell what age she could be told, what age the girl would be able to keep the secret without feeling a pressure on her. Placing her hands on the table, she let Fawne take them, and spoke quickly before Alex came back.

 

"Fawne, your mother is thought dead by most of the Tower, for what reasons I can't say. But ... when you were young, we didn't know if you could keep the secret, and then it just... became so hard to tell you. Your father is only doing what he thinks is best for you, and obviously he has left it too long to tell you the truth. But try to understand that he was just doing what he thought right, by you and by your mother." She sighed. Before she could say more, Alex was returning with tea and cookies, and Fawne jumper up and stomped her foot. There weren't many people in the common room, it was true, but she'd just been telling the girl... Well, her frustration was understandable.

 

Alex's response made her blanch, though, because Elia knew that he loved Matalina, or had loved her for a long time, and she didn't want to lose him to the former Warder. Still, Fawne was obviously impressed, and she wouldn't deny the pair a moment of happiness. Things were hard enough. Fawne was twelve years old, not a woman, but not the child she'd been when Elia had first come into their lives, and the Tower Guard smiled at the two people she loved most. "If you need some things, I can take you shopping so that you are prepared for the trip."

 

~Elia

 

***

 

Fawne tilted her head back as Elia offered to help her go shopping, her dad wanted to take her to Cairhien, Elia wanted to help her prepare. Why were they so nice to her? Did they want to make up for lying to her all those years? Fawne’s lower lip stuck out as she studied both their faces, then she realized what was really going on, they loved her and they were trying to show that. She was not sure what to do with this reaction, how could she have prepared for her mother to send a letter, her mother who was presumed dead for most her life. Fawne sulked away in thought for a bit when she said, “You could take me to see an Aes Sedai, I might not go back here again after I find my mother, if I can channel it is best I know now,†she found that very smart of herself and shot a proud look at her father. “Dad?†she asked as she saw him turn pale, “Are you ok?†what was wrong? Her father was proud to have been a guard and a warder at some point, he did not speak of it much, but that she did know. “I’ll take you to see an Aes Sedai Fawne, Elia can join us but I’m sure that we can handle your testing,†he said it as if it were a mere examination of a splinter in her finger. Fawne shrugged and said, “Fine, I think the Aes Sedai will be proud to have me as a novice, after all you were a great Warder to them once and they see that in me too,†her father’s lips pursed together and he squinted at her. Fawne was not sure what she had said that made him feel upset, but she did not say anything more.

 

She had never been sure what she wanted out of life and the last time she had talked to someone about being a novice, was with a young woman who had stayed in the Sirens Call inn, she had been tested and was ready to commence training. Fawne had asked her all about it, how she felt and what she expected to do. The woman was more than happy to share these thought with Fawne and deep inside, Fawne had been a little jealous at her for having been tested, and found ready to learn how to channel. Her father rose from his seat and told them he would be right back, Elia looked up and Fawne followed her eyes, wondering what was going on now. “I’m sure he’ll take me this week,†she told Elia with a glint of hope in her eyes. What if she really could channel? Could she go to Cairhien still? Would the Aes Sedai let her leave if she promised to come back real soon to start her training? She was too young now, they would surely ask her to come back, but would they trust her not to stay away from the Tower? Maybe she would bond a Warder herself, she smiled and tapped her fingers softly on the table she went over the endless possibilities this testing could bring up.

 

Fawne Namere

FL

 

***

 

She knew that Alex didn't like going up to the Tower, there was bound to be a few tough memories since he'd once been Bonded when he went up there, and she didn't want to make that worse. But Alex and Fawne needed to spend some time together and sort themselves out before they left on the journey - there was nothing worse than a long, uncomfortable trip. Fawne was happy now, and Elia could see the excitement in her eyes, but it was going to take more than just a few minutes to make her feel better about what Alex had done for all those years. Smiling, and with a kiss on the forehead for Fawne and a kiss on the lips for Alex, Elia spoke.

 

"I think that you two can handle that without me, I want to get some things together anyway, so why don't you two meet me back here?" She was working on the assumption that Fawne wouldn't test true, like her, but what if she did? She was so young, the Aes Sedai would probably tell her to come back in a few years if she did test true, but you never could tell. Would that avert a crisis or begin a new one? The Tower Guard certainly didn't begrudge Fawne the chance to see her mother, but she was worried. Cairhien was a long way away, lots of things could happen, and ... What if Alex decided to stay with Matalina? There was still the chance that Elia was pregnant, she wasn't entirely sure yet, but she would have to go and find out. And decide what to do about it. Plenty of time for that, though, it was only going to be a quick trip. With another smile, not so broad this time, Elia stood.

 

"I'll be back, and I expect to see you both soon enough." With a grin, she left the Siren's Call and walked down the street, her feet on an automatic route to the shops she'd gone to in preperations for her own trips. There were a few things she wanted to get for Fawne, and Elia didn't know how soon the girl would insist on leaving. She only hoped that the two of them would return to her quickly - she did love them both, and if she was right about the baby... They would have a family of their own. The sooner they left the sooner they could come back, so it was with a smile that Elia began making her purchases, the string bag getting it's first contents quickly enough.

 

~Elia

Tower Guard lady... who loves her Freelanders *sniffle*

 

***

 

Fawne’s excitement was clear on her face now, and as Elia said her goodbye, Alex had little time to consider what would happen once his little girl was actually tested by Aes Sedai. He could feel the tension grow as Fawne cast her eyes on him, “Well, let’s go then,†she said and Alex sighed. “Don’t we need to make an appointment?†he asked but she had risen and clasped his hand in her own, “No, and if we do, we’ll make one today,†she said, the stars in her eyes sparkling true. He nodded, there was no way to stop her now and Maggie Mae gave him leave as Fawne made her case about how she was to be tested for Aes Sedai. “I shall one day wear the Shawl and maybe my dad can spar my future Warder then, he can show the young lads what a true warder must be like,†she told Maggie Mae who clasped her hands and laughed at Fawne’s grand stories. Alex thought it was not so funny at all and his face turned more sour with every word his daughter spoke. She was excited and he could not blame her, for she had not idea what to expect in the Tower, nor did he but what he knew, it was all bad. All the memories were bad and he allowed himself little leeway for any other memories to take the place of those bad ones. Once Maggie Mae had assured Fawne that she would look great with the Aes Sedai Shawl and that she was always welcome to come and eat at the inn once she lived in the Tower, Fawne was ready to go. Alex nodded as the innkeeper and followed the bouncing girl outside, the led that filled his shoes dragging him on after her as she seemed to grow lighter with each step.

 

She was even humming a tune as they reached the bridge and when they passed the gates, she was doing little dances in her step, her father watching from a distance, with an odd feeling in his stomach. Why had he not asked Elia to take Fawne to a kind Aes Sedai to test her? Or why did not try to arrange someone he knew from the old days. Although that would link him to Melissande and he was not up for talking about the loss of his bondmate all those years ago. Fawne had no idea why her father was stalling and called after him to hurry. She found the entrance hall with great ease and Alex blamed himself for taking her to see Elia so often she would by now feel comfortable to head up her by herself. He had hoped she might start training with the guards, she would do good and he knew she had a talent for weapons handling. But an Aes Sedai? Alex did not like that idea at all and as they stepped into a small room where two farmers sat talking, he was sure that he would not be able to rise again. They waited a few minutes when an Accepted in a banded dress with a notepad came asking them what they were there for. Fawne did all the talking and told the girl how she wanted to be tested by a real Aes Sedai. The girl scribbled something down and then talked to the farmers about their case. She then told them all to wait and was gone before Fawne could ask her how long they would have to wait. So she started to stalk up and down the small room, her eyes shooting from the farmers, to her father, to the door. Until it finally opened and the Accepted appeared.

 

“Master Namere, I have found an Aes Sedai ready to talk to you, the Mistress of Novice is out for the day and cannot see your daughter herself,†she explained as they followed her out into the corridor. “We can come back some other day,†Alex started but Fawne interjected quickly, “No, we don’t need to see the Mistress of Novices, I am not of age to enroll, this is a test,†how did she know so much about this already? With her twelve years of age, Alex suddenly saw a whole different person walk next to him. No longer his little girl, but a strong determined young woman, ready to grow up to her full potential. They walked up the stairs and down a long corridor, finally the Accepted stopped and showed them into a large room with long tables and great windows that went from the floor all the way up to near the ceiling. Fawne jumped around as Alex took a seat at one of the table. “The Aes Sedai shall meet you here shortly, she told me she would come to this meeting room, can I get you some tea maybe?†Alex waved her offer away and thanked her for taking them in. The Accepted nodded and left, closing the door behind her. Fawne came running up next to her dad and said in a soft whisper, “Is she not amazing? I want to be just like her when I grow up!†she said and then turned away and ran to stare out the window again. Alex shook his head and felt his neck turn cold as the door opened and a woman entered. He thought he recognized her, he was not sure until their eyes met and he knew he recognized her, no longer in a banded dress, no longer the Accepted he once knew, Leona. Aes Sedai now, standing before him, ready to test his daughter. “Leona,†he said and felt his mouth go dry on the spot.

 

Alexander Namere

 

***

 

The dark clouds in the sky matched Leona's mood, she was walking with big strides towards the office of the Mistress of Novices. Although it had not been too long ago when Leo was still an initiate herself, the kind Yellow who had held the office then had already given up the position to a Gray Sister. But all women who held the office quickly grew to the motherlike figure, and Leona was sure Faerzynne would have become an archetype MoN as well. Behind her was walking, no almost running, a young Novice, tears shone brightly behind her eyes. Leo had caught the girl trying to bully another Novice in to doing her homework.

 

Her temper was colling down already a bit as she reached the door she herself had feared to enter not too long ago. She knocked sharply and entered the antechambre of the Mistress of Novices' rooms. There an Accepted was scribbling down notes and copying down the adminstration of the Gray Sister. The young woman stood and curtsied to the Red Sister. She informed Leona that the Mistress of Novices was out for the rest of the day, and if she could help the Sister. With a curt nod to the young girl standing behind her, relieve was starting to show in the child's eyes, Leo informed the Accepted of the Novice's crime and that the girl was to have an appointment with the MoN in the morning. For the moment Leona was sure that Mistress Laras could use her in the kitchens...

 

When Leo was about to leave another Accepted entered the room, and inquired where the MoN was. When she heard that Faerzynne was not present anymore she looked at Leona and asked her what she was to do with a young girl who had come with her father to be tested. The Red Sister nodded to the girl, "Please lead them to the left waiting room just before the Red Quarters. I will see this child to Mistress Laras and attend to the girl then."

 

After Leona had delivered the Novice to the Kitchens and explained the situation to the formidable woman swaying scepter there. She quickened her step back to the Red Halls. A smile started to appear on her face, it was always a joyious moment when a girl tested true, and she surely hoped this girl would be one of those. Their ability seemed to be dwindling, less and less girls with the ability to learn were found, and those found seemed to have lesser strenghts than those who had come to the Tower a century before.

 

Somehow Leona started to feel nervous as she reached the room, she couldn't understand why, as she had tested girls before. Then she entered the room with a smile and felt her knees weaken. The man standing there, with his daughter, unmistakenly his daughter, was no other then Alexander Namere ... The man she had once loved, still loved, deep down in her heart. But Leona was an Aes Sedai now, and she knew how to control herself. It took her only a second to weep all the mixed feelings and emotions of her face and resume that famous Aes Sedai calm.

 

Alex had not had that long training, even though Warders were known for their straight faces as well, but Leo could hear a small tremble in his voice as he spoke her name. She couldn't help but feel a small trickle of joy and hope, it was not like she didn't mean anything anymore to him. But anger was also still burning hot in her. Through her mixed emotions she coldly nodded to him. "Alexander Namere Gaidin, what brings you here."

 

Leona

 

***

 

Was this a trick? Somehow the Aes Sedai had found out about Alex’s short love affair with Leona, and now he had to pay for it. That was what this was and the look on Leona’s face betrayed it. She was part in on it, though she had not expected him to take his daughter into this. Alex rose from the chair and greeted Leona properly, “May the Light Illumine you Leona Sedai,†he said, assuming that she was in fact Aes Sedai. At hearing these words, Fawne turned and rushed over, her eyes flaring from her father to the Sister, “May the Light Illumine you Aes Sedai,†she said and curtsied, “My name is Fawne Namere,†she stated and then seemed to realize that her father had mentioned this Aes Sedai by name, not merely by title. She leaned towards her father, now only a few steps away from Leona and whispered, “Do you know her?†at which the reply was a curt nod.

 

“How have you been?†he asked her, not sure that he wanted to hear her reply. Leona stayed quiet and instead took a seat, Alex did the same and waited as the silence filled the air. Fawne looked from one to another, opened her mouth and then clasped her lips together again in silence. She took a seat and started fussing with her hands, taking a ribbon out of her pouch and letting it glide over the palm of her hands. Finally Alex said, “This is my daughter, Fawne and we are here to have her tested. To see if she, has the ability to learn how to channel,†Fawne’s eyes had never been on the ribbon and it was clear that she had been waiting for this moment for a long time. She rose up in her seat and said, “I am here because I might one day join the novices and become an Aes Sedai,†her glowing face proud and shining with hope.

 

Mael, her middle name, meaning Hope, a title well deserving of this child who was born under the stars and had lost so much at such a young age. Alex suddenly realised that to Fawne, becoming Aes Sedai was a dream, it was what she wanted. And it was time that he helped her get what she wanted, instead of fighting it out of his own fear. “Yes, could you test my daughter, I want her to be safe,†he said calmly. It was not that he wanted to say that he trusted Leona with his daughter, but she was here now and maybe the old wound had healed and he was cautious for no reason. After all, it all happened over 15 years ago, time healed all wounds they say, he found Leona’s eyes and wondered if that saying went for this Sedai too.

 

Alexander

 

***

 

The little girl looked so much like Alexander, it sent a small pang of pain through Leona's heart. The girl reminded her of her dreams and hopes. She had be young then, so convinced that things would have been different for them. They would have made it work, somehow. But things had turned out quite differently. Alexander had left her, Bonded the Blue Sister Melissande. And Leo had been sent to the Farm. It had been there where she had finally chosen her future Ajah, the Red.

 

Perine, who had not been her official mentor, but who had mentored her non the less, was the only Aes Sedai interested in her thoughts and problems. Or at least it had seemed so at the time. It had been Perine who had helped her through the pain caused by the man standing in front of her. He seemed as confused as she was, judging by the formal way he greeted her. Leo gazed at him as she took her seat, unable to answer his question on how she had been, for she needed all her concentration on keeping her face straight.

 

Her concentration was broken by the enthusiasm of the little girl. Who was now figgiting with a ribbon in her hands in anticipation. Leona couldn't help but smile at her. Her eyes met Alex' for a second, before she nodded and turned to Fawne.

 

She slowly rose from her chair and knelt next to Fawne. Unfastening the small golden chain around her neck she took the shining red gem in the palm of her hand. Closing her eyes for a second Leo did the rosebud exercise a few times to calm herself down and open up to all signs which could come from the girl sitting next to her. She channeled a small thread of Air to close the velvet curtains, dimming the bright light from outside. Stretching out her hand she told Fawne to concentrate on the gem.

 

Leona

[Guest Celes]

Fawne stared intently at the gem Leona held in front of her, she had risen from her seat and stood quite wobbly as all her concentration was on the gem. “I’m not sure,†she said but Leona shushed her kindly and told her she was doing alright. Fawne nodded and let her lower lip drop slightly, her breathing going slower, her concentration deeper. Then suddenly she shrugged and said, “I don’t know what’s supposed to happen, but I am sure it is not happening. The gem does not glow up and I don’t feel any different,†she felt tears burn behind her eyes but was fighting them back with all her might. Her father had also risen from his seat and Fawne could not tell what his reaction to her failure was, was he happy that she could not channel? So Fawne decided to go out on a dare and let her father know that she was not afraid and he had better be happy about that.

 

“Leona Sedai, can I be allowed to study with the novices?†even if she could not channel like they could, maybe she could learn the other lessons? She held her breath and pursed her lips together, feeling her cheeks heat up with the tension she built up in them. Her dad put his hand on her shoulder, gripping it as if to hold her, as if to protect her from Leona’s reply. He stood facing the Aes Sedai, calmly gazing into her eyes with a look that betrayed nothing, but Fawne did not catch any of this. She just felt his fingers pressing down on her shoulder and she wanted him to stop, she wanted to know and then be done with it. Hopeful eyes turned to Leona as the woman spoke.

 

Fawne Namere

[Leona]

The gem which layed outstretched on Leona's hand didn't give any signs of a spark of Saidar. The longer the little girl concentrated, and the longer nothing happened, the more Leona could see relieve dawning on Alexanders face. Finally Fawne took het own conclusion, just as Leo thought she saw a really tiny spark of light. The Red Sister kept silent about that though, because the spark was so small that the girl would never make it any further then the Novice whites.

 

Alexander rose and looked her in the eyes, as he took Fawne at her shoulder. His eyes were dark and almost unreadable, but Leo thought she saw a hint of fear, fear that she would take out her anger on his daughter. His so obvious love for Fawne softened Leona's heart, and that moment she realised that she was not angry at Alex any more. She had cherished that anger for way to long, it was time to let go now.

 

“Leona Sedai, can I be allowed to study with the novices?†Fawne said, her voice suprisingly strong and determined. Leo looked down to the girl and back up to Alexander, her eyes for the first time during their little meeting warm and friendly. She smiled at him, a soft smile remembering the good times they had had together. Then she turned back to Fawne.

 

"Yes child, I will personally see to it that you can study with the Novices once you return from your trip with your father." Leo looked at Alex again, "If ofcourse, you agree Alex."

 

Leona

[Guest Celes]

Alex nodded as Leona told him that his daughter would be allowed to study with the novices when she returned to Tar Valon. For an instant he contemplated telling her that he would leave her in Cairhien, but he knew that he would not. What would be the point in saying such a thing, if it could only hurt his princess. He nodded and said, “Yes, when we return she will study here,†he could feel Fawne’s excitement bubble up and she danced around them both.

 

“Yes, yes, yes!†she smiled and then curtsied deep before the Aes Sedai. “Thank you Aes Sedai,†then ran off towards the door, “Dad, can I have a look outside before we go?†and Alex nodded, “Don’t stray too far, I’ll be there soon,†he said and then smiled at Leona. “It’s been a long time Leona, Aes Sedai,†and smiled awkwardly at her. “Thank you for testing my daughter, I could not have asked a better Sister,†he meant one that he could actually trust. He remembered the happy times with Leona, long ago and far behind them both. So much had passed since then, but he did remember.

 

“I should be going,†he curtsied before her and said, “until we meet again, Leona Sedai, when I deliver that wild thing at your doorstep,†he chuckled and then returned and kissed her lightly on the cheek, a soft whisper “Thank you,†and he was gone. Outside, he found Fawne gaping up at a large portrait of an Amyrlin of times long past. “What a beautiful lady, daddy,†she said and stared up into the deep brown eyes. “Will I be like her one day?†and Alex lifted her up and put her on his arm as he said, “No my dear, you will be even more beautiful,†and kissed the tip of her nose before walking out. Out of the Red quarters and out of the Tower, down to the Yards, outside and back to Tar Valon, to the Sirens Call where Elia would be waiting for them.

 

Alexander Namere & Fawne Namere