A Warm Welcome? (attn: Greens)

[Jaydena]

Jaydena looked down at the hand that reached for hers and the fingers that squeezed her own at the words. It had been so long since anyone touched her. No one dared, they all though she was crazy in her old age or senile. She often thought they were scared of her, but Lor hadn't been here during this years and she didn't have the same opinions that the other Sisters did. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for you, Jade. I, too, have suffered at the hands of a Forsaken since I left for the Borderlands, so I can understand the pain of fighting their will. It nearly cost me everything I love, too." Jaydena gazed at Loraine in shock and glanced back at her warder, she wondered what had happened to Lor and him while they were gone and how a Forsaken had been involved. The woman holding her hand shook her head and sighed before she continued.

 

"I can't imagine having your love thrown back at you, though. The pain you must feel weighing you down on top of the strain of running this Ajah..." Jaydena let a small smile curl up one side of her head as she struggled for control. It felt like years since anyone had showed her any kindness. She was built to be strong as stone in the face of the coming war but even she needed some friendship and tenderness once in awhile, it helped her to remember what she was fighting for. Loraine set her tea down and continued, "Perhaps gaining this position was neatly timed, though. It can't afford you much time to focus on other things. And you did beat her, Jade. You're alive and you know she'd rather you weren't. Be well, knowing that knowledge must be extremely annoying for her." Jaydena chuckled and spoke, "Well from what I hear, she was killed and is not a threat anymore, though who knows is that's true or not. I do hope that she burned in pain. Just the horror she inflicted on this Tower is more than enough to send her burning for life. After I was burned the Amyrlin worked so hard to keep the matter hushed, but it somehow leaked and before we knew it. No one would go near the angreal and people looked around corners before they walked around them. The knowledge that a Forsaken could get into the tour undected and inflict harm on an Aes Sedai about brought this Tower to it's knees. Believe me it gave me immense joy to turn her down and to turn my eyes to the Creator. I know how mad she was that I didn't turn to the Dark One and since then I have been more careful about shielding my dreams. No one will ever again get in and use my feelings against me." She eyed her tea and then took a sip before she spoke, "Well my dear, you seem to have survived your own brush with one of them. May I ask how you have been and what has transpired over the years?"

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric stiffened at the mention of their own brush with the minions of the Dark One, turning his head as he felt Jade's eyes on him. He fought to hold his composure and gave a simple nod of acknowledgment to the veracity of the statement. It was not something he was going to discuss under any circumstances. He carried the tea to Loraine and Jaydena, serving them carefully and then retreated back to near the sideboard to lean against the wall as he listened to Loraine tell of their story.

[U4ea]

Dead? Light, where had they been to have missed such news as that? It was a tidbit to file away for later, for she had a hard time accepting that a Forsaken could ever truly be dead. They'd lived so long with the Dark One that the thought of them being gone...

 

"Well my dear, you seem to have survived your own brush with one of them. May I ask how you have been and what has transpired over the years?" Loraine felt her attention snap almost painfully back to the conversation. Had her mind wandered that badly? She felt Kynwric's discomfort and stiffened, too. It wasn't their finest hour and some days she prayed she'd died. She took a deep breath and a sip of her tea, casting a look at Kynwric.

 

"We were caught crossing the border to Arafel. It was quite a long time ago and we had a long road to recovery from there." She paused and closed her eyes, fighting her memories for control of her features. Would the day ever come that she put this behind her? "Apparently, my strength was quite a lure for one of the Forsaken. He claimed to have witnessed it during a rather ugly battle in Murandy. With some digging, he learned my name, my history..." She lifted her eyes to Jade's, their stone cold expression feeling heavy, even to herself. "He forced me to choose between life with him and death for us both. I did what I had to do and nearly died for my efforts."

 

She reached for her tea cup again, sipping lightly. "As for what's happened since then," she shrugged a dainty shoulder. "Recovery, mostly. It has taken a long time to be comfortable in my own skin again."

[Jaydena]

Loraine took a deep breath and Jade literally saw Lor focus her eyes back to her. Those eyes had changed, when Lor had gone out into the world they had been so friendly and innocent. Things were different, Lor's eyes spoke of pain and loss that bloomed from her soul. Tears gathered in her eyes and she pulled her tea up to her face to cover the emotion. Green sisters were masters at supporting each other without showing their emotions. She had been closer to Loraine that she was to many others but she didn't want Lor to feel like she felt her weak for that flash of emotion in those deep fathoms of her eyes. It was sad almost how the Tower and being Aes Sedai changed them, how it made them hard and unable to deal with the fact that they might feel pain. Light how horrible that we might have pain, that we might get angry that our sisters die, that our warders fall to a Trolloc's blade, and that we can never have children or a husband, she thought. Anger made her breath come fast and she worked on controlling it quickly, imagining the rose closing closed in her mind. It was a technique she had learned long ago to control her redhead temper. She had her Mother's fiery temper to be sure and it often exploded like sulfur on fire, with a boom that was hard to control. "We were caught crossing the border to Arafel. It was quite a long time ago and we had a long road to recovery from there."

 

Jaydena looked up at Loraine and realized that her attention had wandered from the topic at hand. She saw Lor close her eyes and once again she looked down into her teacup. Lately, she had noticed that her anger was harder to control, she didn't know if it had to do with what had been done to her by the Forsaken but it was quite an interesting thing to deal with. She almost laughed at that understatement in her mind, it was a monster waiting to get loose. "Apparently, my strength was quite a lure for one of the Forsaken. He claimed to have witnessed it during a rather ugly battle in Murandy. With some digging, he learned my name, my history... He forced me to choose between life with him and death for us both. I did what I had to do and nearly died for my efforts." Jade looked up quickly in shock and saw the expression  on her friends face. Did she kill a male forsaken? Did she take on one of them and survive. If anyone could do it, it would be Loraine, she was quite strong. Does she have an angreal or did she sleep with him? Light no Kyn would never allow that, he would die trying to kill him. I would which Forsaken it was and how she survived it, she thought as the thoughts flashes rapidly through her mind. "As for what's happened since then, recovery, mostly. It has taken a long time to be comfortable in my own skin again." Jaydena nodded and sipped her own tea again before she spoke, "It seems like you had your fair share of issues my dear and I would never disrespect you by asking you how you survived it. I am just so overjoyed that you did and that you have returned how to us. I do caution you against telling anyone what happened. Many of the people in this Tower are frightened and couldn't deal with what happened to you. Light I have been called liar to my face when I mentioned her. No one wants to admit that it's possible that a Forsaken got into the Tower, killed Accepted and almost killed a Sister of the Green, the idea is to hard for them to deal with. It's up to you what you tell anyone but I want to warn you against it. So is there anything you want to know about current situation in the Tower?" She sipped her tea again and waited for Lor to speak...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur 

 

 

[U4ea]

Loraine nodded, acknowledging the reinforcement of what she'd already decided. Light, she hadn't even told Jade everything. Ah, for the carefree Sister who left the Tower so long ago, she thought.

 

"So is there anything you want to know about current situation in the Tower?" Loraine tilted her head at Jade lifted her teacup again. Hiding behind a cup? Her eyes followed the line of Jade's hand and noticed the slight press of her fingers around the handle. The woman's stressed about something. What does she want me to ask?

 

She straightened her head and took a sip of her tea. "We could start with what has you so tense, perhaps. The Tower has rarely been a place of great relaxation. From the emptiness in the halls and the furtive glances, I'm guessing that hasn't changed..."

[Jaydena]

"We could start with what has you so tense, perhaps. The Tower has rarely been a place of great relaxation. From the emptiness in the halls and the furtive glances, I'm guessing that hasn't changed..." Jaydena chuckled ruefully and smiled, "I forgot what it was like to have a master at the Game of Houses in my Ajah and as one of my friends." She almost put her head in her hands but realized that it might scare Lor. It would be a sign of weakness that she never would have showed back in the day, one that she would do well to remember not to show now. "Light, Lor what doesn't have me tense. The Dragon has been discovered, and this time it's not a fake one, it's the real deal. Which means the Last Battle will be coming in our life time. We will stand next to his side and fight hordes of Trollocs, with one hope, that we live long enough to take down some Trolloc butt and keep him alive. The Black Ajah exists and they are hiding in our Hallways, killing innocent Accepted and Sisters. Forsaken roam the halls and the plains of our lands and take nations in their hands. I never thought to saw this in my lifetime but yet here I am. Add to that that I am the Head of an ajah that is torn down the middle with it's views on how to deal with the Dragon and it can be something to cause tension at the best of times. Sirayn left a mess for me in many ways, she wasn't really one to try and compromise between the two factions, basically it was her way or the highway, though she was fairly lenient with some of us, but still it has left a rift in this Ajah. I don't care about how we deal with the Dragon, all I care about it that we save him if we can, and that we defeat the Shadow and save the world. That's my goal in all of this."

 

She sighed and then continued, "The new Amyrlin is a Sister raised from the Red Ajah and she is one of the more liberal of the Reds, which is actually a good thing. She has allowed negotiations to continue with the Black Tower instead of trying to kill or gentle all the Ashamen as some of the Reds are wont to do. The relations between Reds and Greens have gotten better since we sided with them on allowing researching of the channelers to happen instead of just gentleing them, which of course did not sit well with many of the other Ajahs. Though we have our enemies, as always the Browns do not like us and haven't since the Namandar fiasco. Sirayn disappeared on us and in the light of day I lost my best friend. I have lost several warders in the last few years, one turned to the Shadow, two just disappeared, one because his brother turned out to be an Ashamen, and another decided to have a family and became pregnant with another Tower Guards baby. You can imagine what that did you me through the bond. We are still bonded so I know she gave birth and I felt that as well. It had not been a easy time for me since you left personally and life as Ajah Head and Sitter hasn't been all roses either." She grinned and took another sip of tea as she waited for Loraine to speak...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[U4ea]

Loraine could only stare as Jade began to rattle through the wreck that had become of what she'd considered her home for many years. The tea sat forgotten in her lap and only the clink of Jaydena's cup snapped her out of a confused daze. The Black Ajah? Forsaken? The Dragon? It made her head spin. She'd heard rumors but to have them confirmed...

 

She blinked, taking a moment to sip her tea and formulate an answer. "The rift within the Ajah must be the highest priority, I would think. There must be some common ground to start from. We all joined this Ajah to take our place behind the Dragon at the Last Battle, after all. It's what this Ajah has always stood for." She set her tea aside, thinking aloud. Jade was one of the few people she'd ever let her guard down around enough to think out loud. Normally, there'd be some hazy response and they'd part ways before she started pacing and thinking. "Is there anything the sides agree on? How bad has the rift gotten? We are still talking to each other, right?"

 

And Sirayn? That would have to be filed away and dealt with, later. Her picture was hanging in the Vault, that had to mean something bad had happened. She sighed, wishing she'd kept in better contact with the Tower while she'd been away. She simply couldn't have risked the twins being found, though.

 

"As for warders," she sent hers a look. "Sometimes they're unpredictable. Let's pray they return when they're needed." She didn't mention that it would be impossible for them to resist the urge if the right pressure were added to those bonds. She tried to smile. "Now you know why I've only ever had one warder. He's quite enough for me to keep up with. I can't imagine him having company to overwhelm me with."

[Jaydena]

Loraine blinked and Jaydena glanced at her to see her reaction to all this, for the woman who was trained in the art of the Game of Houses to show any tells was a major this. Jade could all but feel the shock coming off the other woman. "The rift within the Ajah must be the highest priority, I would think. There must be some common ground to start from. We all joined this Ajah to take our place behind the Dragon at the Last Battle, after all. It's what this Ajah has always stood for." Jaydena nodded and waited for Loraine to continue as the other woman set her tea down on it's saucer and regarded her with a thoughtful expression. "Is there anything the sides agree on? How bad has the rift gotten? We are still talking to each other, right?" Jade watched her friend pace back and forth and smiled as she began to speak, "One thing we agree on is that the Last Battle is coming and that it is our duty to stand with the Dragon and fight for the world. The thing is that some women believe we should be at his side, some believe we should be at his back, and others believe he should be collared and controlled at any cost. The rift has gotten better since I became Ajah Head and Sirayn is gone from the Tower. A part of me knows that her objective was so important to her that she didn't always consider the damage she was doing to the Ajah. She wanted us united but the factions were ripping out Ajah apart. 

 

And Sirayn? That would have to be filed away and dealt with, later. Her picture was hanging in the Vault, that had to mean something bad had happened. She sighed, wishing she'd kept in better contact with the Tower while she'd been away. She simply couldn't have risked the twins being found, though.

 

"As for warders," she sent hers a look. "Sometimes they're unpredictable. Let's pray they return when they're needed." She didn't mention that it would be impossible for them to resist the urge if the right pressure were added to those bonds. She tried to smile. "Now you know why I've only ever had one warder. He's quite enough for me to keep up with. I can't imagine him having company to overwhelm me with." Jade sipped her tea again and then continued, "We are still talking to each other, at least most of us are. You know how things are in this Ajah, it's a lot of passionate women living in a small space. We have our tiffs over warders like normal but for the most part everyone gets along. The big problem is that there are ajahs that aren't even talking. Everyone walks in groups of three or more and you never see a Green with a Yellow or a Blue with a Brown, or in fact any two women from different ajahs. It's gotten so you look over your back everywhere you go and if you have a Warder, he won't let you go anywhere without him."

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[U4ea]

"It's gotten so you look over your back everywhere you go and if you have a Warder, he won't let you go anywhere without him." Loraine eyed Kynwric, felt his slight tensing and sighed inwardly. Before Jade had mentioned it, he'd have let her do what she needed. She wondered slightly at whether she'd need to keep a Novice with her at all times to run notes to him in the Yard letting him know she needed to walk from one place to another. It was rather funny to consider, but she saved that for later.

 

"If people are talking, that's a start, I suppose." She picked up her tea again, taking a sip and settling down again. "What do you need me to do?" She didn't bother asking whether there was anything to be done. She never doubted Jade would have a plan. Even if only an idea of a plan...

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric had been listening to the entire conversation, taking mental notes of what was going on. the mention of strife within the Tower wasn't surprising from what he had observed, but the level of discord between the Ajahs was disturbing. The Tower had never been a harmonious place, but it had never been openly hostile either. He waited for Jade to outline her plan, someone had to have one to bring things back together again and he doubted that the new Amyrlin was the right choice for forgiveness, Reds were not known for that quality.

[Jaydena]

Jade glanced over as Kyn tensed in response to her words, she winced and wondered if she should have avoided saying that with the warder in the room. All Warders were protective but Kyn was more so than many she had met. It may have had something to do with being Lor's only warder despite her being a battle sister, or the fact that they were in love. She wasn't sure but she knew that he wanted her every movement whenever they were together. It would be nice to have someone love her again or for that matter to have a warder at all. Lonely didn't begin to describe how she felt these days, she had gone from having four warders, two lovers, a best friend, and many more friends, to having everyone gone and everyone she loved either dead or gone without a trace. With a sigh she tuned back into what Loraine was saying, keeping her mind on those tracks would do nothing but sink her into a week long depression.

 

"If people are talking, that's a start, I suppose." She nodded and sipped her own tea as Loraine picked hers up and took a drink before continuing. "What do you need me to do?" She thought for a moment then spoke, "Keep your ear to the ground, let me know anything you hear that could help with the situation. Be constantly aware and careful, I don't want anything to happen to you and I believe that there are Blacks walking these Halls. I know it's hard to imagine anyone joining them but we know that being an Aes Sedai gives you a huge amount of power and some aren't happy with just that power." She shuddered as she thought about her own brush with the dark side and then continued, "Be prepared, if a Sitter position opens up I intend to put you in it. I know you don't want to hear that but I need someone I can trust in the Hall. Of all the people in this Tower, you are one of the ones I am sure if not a sister of the Black Ajah." Brushing her skirts off she stood up and spoke again, "You have always been here for me Loraine and I hope I can still count on you. I will go and finish my duties now and I will let you be alone and concentrate on unpacking and getting used to being home again. Would you be interested in a trip to town sometime soon?"

 

Jaydena Mckanthur 

[U4ea]

"Yes, of course," Loraine murmured, rising to her feet to follow Jade to the door. "I'm afraid I'll need new clothes, as the ones I left are in a sorry state." That was putting it mildly, but she'd had twins, so she truly didn't expect anything to fit. "Just let me know when you're free and we'll rescue Kynwric from the trainees." She smiled, but her thoughts were still focused on the words Jaydena had said.

 

"Be prepared, if a Sitter position opens up I intend to put you in it. I know you don't want to hear that but I need someone I can trust in the Hall. Of all the people in this Tower, you are one of the ones I am sure if not a sister of the Black Ajah." She was right, Loraine had never been one to stand on ceremony, at least not if she could get out of it. As a Sitter, she would have no choice, though. She felt the weight settling on her shoulders and fought to keep her expression clear of her thoughts. There would be time to think about the implications of this new direction her life would take when she could talk to Kynwric about it freely.

 

Jade was nearly out the door, when Loraine caught her elbow. Her grip was slack, more friendly than trapping. "You can always count on me, Jade. Whether it's my shawl or my shoulder you need, you know I'll be here." She smiled, softening the seriousness of her words with genuine emotion. "Just don't get buried too deeply in your duties that you forget that, alright?"

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric waited til the door was shut and turned sharply. "Black Ajah? A split in the Tower? Light Lor, you've just gotten an admission that once was unthinkable. There are Darkfriends amongst the Aes Sedai. On top of that you've just been basically ordered to join the Hall as soon as Jaydena can accomplish it." He wasn't angry, but he was very frustrated. What had started out as a trip back to become reacquainted with the Tower had just become a life sentence... and from what he was hearing a very short and violent one. "The entire tower should be readying itself to follow the Dragon into the last battle and instead they are still here, still squabbling like little lost children who can't fathom that the world is about to end."

[U4ea]

Loraine had expected him to explode, so she was rather glad he'd simply... well, ranted? She sighed and made her way back to the couch, sinking onto it and closing her eyes. "Perhaps we've made it just in time, then." She'd never been the Save the World type and she didn't once consider this to be the beginning of it. She'd simply played the Game too long not to know when to hold her tongue. "In order for us to be successful, we must be together. It must start within these halls, too. If the Greens can't agree on what we should be doing, then the Dragon is lost..."

 

She shook her head and looked up at him. "Jade knows I won't be trapped in these halls, Kynwric, so don't start thinking you'll be damned to walk them for the rest of your life. I couldn't do that to you." Or the boys, she said softly in her head. "It does make me curious to see what the Yards must look like, if the Tower is this shredded..."

 

~Lor

[_Kynwric_]

"Loraine, I will be where you need me, be it here or outside. I vowed that many years ago. I knew that being here was a very real possibility when I took that oath and I won't be forsaking it. So if it is here we are, then so be it. That isn't the problem. The yards will be the yards, Warders guard their Aes Sedai and will do that no matter the opposition. We aren't bound to those Oaths for a reason. The Tower Guard answers mostly to the Commander of the Guard, nominally to the Amyrlin Seat... but mostly to the Commander. They'll be doing what they always do, which is watch the walls... and Trainees?" he just shrugged. "They're too worried about Matalina to worry about anything else."

[U4ea]

Lor nodded, knowing he wasn't leaving. He wouldn't be truly happy, but he wasn't going anywhere. It made her smile, though she knew it would make others within these walls jealous. She sighed, wishing the life of an Aes Sedai were as uncomplicated as that of a Tower Guard. "Some days, I'd happily switch places with them," she murmured, standing and walking into the bedroom to unpack. "Should I unpack your things here or leave them packed up for your room in the barracks?"

 

She paused, looking over their shoulder. They hadn't really discussed it, but they hadn't slept apart in more than twenty years. She wasn't sure she could even get comfortable without the sound of his breathing nearby. He'd been nervous while they were hear before, choosing to spend most of the night in his own rooms and away from these halls. With this new threat, though...

 

~Lor

 

[_Kynwric_]

"No you wouldn't, you aren't cut out for the monotony that kind of life brings. I'm not cut out for it either, I'd have left long ago if it weren't for being a Warder instead of in the Tower Guard." The question about where he was staying caught him by surprise, fortunately he answered without thinking. "I'm staying here." The thought of sleeping in his barracks room had not really crossed his mind. Then he realy heard what she had said and the thought of an Aes Sedai unpacking his things made him grin. "You've changed..."

[U4ea]

"You've changed... came his response with a laugh. Loraine turned, ready to deny it. Her lips were parted, she felt the heat in her face...

 

Then she had to laugh. "It's all your fault, too! If you'd wanted a housewife, you should've gone back to that farm and married one!" She grinned as she tossed a pillow from the bed at him. In the old days, she'd have a Novice unpack all of this. Not because she was lazy, but because it was expected of her. She shook her head, setting about unpacking their luggage. After twenty years of raising her children and caring for her family, thoughts of servants were rather strange. "I suppose I'll have to get used to these things again. It'll raise too many questions otherwise."

 

She packed their things away and turned with a smile. "I also need some refresher courses on swinging my sword. Care to help me out there, too?"

 

~Lor

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn caught the pillow and tossed it gently back on the bed, then settled himself in a chair. "I am at your service Aes Sedai. And, I went back to a farm, I just took the woman I want to marry with me."

[U4ea]

Loraine laughed, shaking her head. "You're no use to me sprawled out in a chair, lazy lout!" She grinned and tossed one of his shirts at him. She was apparently in the mood to throw things. "And if you wanted to marry her, why didn't you?" She arched her eyebrow and smirked, then turned and started hanging gowns she hadn't worn in years up in the bureau.

 

"If you are truly 'at my service,' Gaidin, why don't you drag that big trunk in here so I can decide what I need to replace? I think we need a trip to town. Twenty years of being a farmer's wife has done bad things to my figure..."

 

~Lor

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn just let the shirt land on him. "I'm a clothes rack... and I might just have to do that." At her request he climbed out of the chair and lay the shirt aside, bringing the trunk to her and opening it. "Being a farmer's wife has done nothing to your figure, you haven't changed a inch since after the boys were born." He paused and realized she had said something about going into town. "We're going shopping?"

[U4ea]

She shook her head, pretending not to hear him as he complimented her figure. Sometimes she swore he still saw her as that silly Accepted who found a broken lathe in the Yard and spent a week cleaning every blade in the armory for her trouble.

 

"We're going shopping?" She wrinkled her brow and looked back at him. He'd said it pretty flat, as if it were a shock.

 

"Well, the clothes I left here are in pretty bad shape and the ones I took with me have been packed away for the last twenty years. They're not looking too good, either." She shrugged, turning back to the fabric not littering the bed. When had she taken all this out? "Perhaps we can make a trip of it? Find an inn, spend all day wandering through the stalls and shops..." she smiled and wrapped her arms around him, tipping her chin up at him. "I wonder if you can still travel the rooftops like you did when you were younger..."

 

~lor

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn wasn't one to miss an opportunity to leave the Tower, and particularly not when she was flirting with him to go out. He wrapped his arms around her. "It isn't so much the ability that is lacking as the desire. A day in Tar Valon, I suppose that can be arranged..." He was still concerned, despite her seemingly ignoring Jaydena's warning, it didn't seem safe to be wandering if there wa that much mischief wandering the Tower. Of course, if it was in the Tower then Tar Valon may be more safe. There was no good reason not to go out on the town, as a matter of fact there were a number of reasons to do so. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

[U4ea]

Lor smiled, knowing she'd won, despite the hesitation she felt from him. She didn't even need their bond to tell her he wasn't sure that trip was a good thing. She let him think it through, though. She pulled away, laying clothes out and taking stock of what she needed to purchase. "I hope Madam Benoit still has her shop in town. She's the best at mimicking Cairhienin styles with little subtle differences." She shrugged and turned towards him. "Care to go now, or do you want to wait until tomorrow?"

 

~Lor

OOC: We can always do this shopping trip, too, if you're really bored... *smirks*

[_Kynwric_]

He looked at her and smiled, it had been 20 years since she had bought a dress from madame Benoit. "Tomorrow love... we've just gotten in today."

 

OOC: Sure, why not. I am really bored.