And...the Fantastic Four are Raised(Raising Party) -Open-

[Eqwina]

In the pale light of the moon Kabria looked up to study Perivar’s face. The light bounced off the sharp angles of his face, only making his pain more obvious to her eyes. She stood very still just holding his hand, knowing that he would speak when he was ready. The torrent that was released was not at all what she expected, and she found herself inching away from him. Her blue eyes were wide and she gripped the railing of the porch as if it were the only thing holding her up. As he spoke of his desire to hack the body to pieces Kabria flinched and took another step back.

 

Only a few feet separated her from Perivar, but it felt like miles. He was hardly the same man that had left her all those weeks ago. She did not know the man from his story and did not think she ever wanted to know more.

 

"Now I must pay for my transgressions.  I must first prove to the Tower that I am fit.  Then I must prove the same to you though honestly I do not know if I am worthy of your love let alone your bond.  If I were a stronger man I would leave here and save you the choice though I can't bring myself to do it.  I cannot simply walk away from my oaths to you.  I can't walk away from my love for you.  I can't!"

 

As his hard brown eyes met hers Kabria flinched, but she refused to look away. She searched for any sign of the man she loved, but was met with only stony impassiveness. Swallowing audibly she forced herself towards him, not wanting to feel afraid. Some of her fear faded, but only to be replaced by a lingering doubt that made her hands shake. Could she love a man who harbored such sick passions, no matter how rare?

 

"I...I am sorry that I let you down..." As he turned away again Kabria let out a breath and sagged against the railing. Bending down to retrieve her mug she downed the entire cup in one breath. When her coughing stopped she walked slowly over to the steps and took a seat, joining Perivar in his study of the night. Several times laughter from inside broke through the silence, always causing Kabria to grimace and steal a glance at Perivar. For a quarter hour they sat in silence before she was able to draw up her courage to speak.

 

Patting the stairs next to her she looked up at the man she loved. “Come, sit . I will get a crick in my neck staring up at you” Her lighthearted words beliled the fear in the pit of her stomach. He took a seat just out of her reach and with a shaking hand Kabria reached out and motioned him closer. She had to fource herself to hold steady as he moved closer.  “Its cold, the least you can do is keep me warm.” Snuggling in close to him Kabria closed her eyes and tried to remember every embrace they’d shared before he left; his arms were so familiar and yet something was missing. He moved and again Kabria flinched and mentally scolded herself for the slip. He loved her, admitted from his own mouth, he would not cause her any harm.

 

“ I..I would hope that you will not forsake the oaths you gave me, for I do not take promises of love lightly.” Reaching down she lifted up the small charm and lay it on her palm. “ In some places this gift is as good as a promise of marriage, and while I’ll not hold you to that I will not let you take back what was so freely given.” She had not found someone to love only to give up so easily.

 

“I cannot b-b-b..” The words caught in her throat and Kabria struggled for air, she had sworn an oath not to speak of what passed between her and her Ajah Sister and with the Three Oaths that meant the word could never be broken. Changing what she had been about to say Kabria began again. “ Perhaps it is best if we wait to bond. Its not a decision to be made in haste. We can use this time to better get to know each other….and” Her mind flashed back to the last time she’d seen his face, standing in the armory with blood dripping from her hands. Suddenly she was glad for the cover of moonlight to hide her flush. “and to make sure we are making the right choice” she finished. Not wanting to think more on what she could not have Kabria turned the topic back to his story and his..failure.

 

“You said earlier that you were sorry, and while I thank you for your words they are not necessary. Yes..you could have died, but then I could have died as well. So many things could have passed while you were away and I did not back down from any just for fear of hurting you. You made the decision that you felt was right in that moment..and while…while your decision was deemed childish and unjust it is still right that you followed your gut” She could see the shock on his face. “ I cannot tell you that I like what you did and I will not dishonor you with a lie.” Pulling back just far enough to look in his eyes she tried to explain her fears.

 

“Just hearing of such brutal tendencies makes me afraid, because those are not you, those are not the man I love and I am afraid to admit that there is so much about you that I’ve yet to learn. I am not foolish enough to think that I will love your every action and thought, but what if I get to know you better and I do not like what I see? I could not live with that heartache. Plus the very idea of you actually wanting to hack the body…” Kabria shuddered and looked back out into the night. “Its horrible…to horrible to even speak of” she whispered.

 

[_Kynwric_]

"Is this not a shining example of the pot calling the cauldron black?"

 

Kynwric grinned, "Not any more... you took care of that some years back. And yes, I think eachone of those boys could use a lesson or three in how to dance. I know at least two of them will be needing the skill at some point, particularly Jasine as he is getting married and dancing is traditional at all the weddings I've attended." He noticed that Perivar and Kabria were deep in conversation and had a good idea about what they were discussing from the expressions on their faces. He hoped that it went well for Perivar's sake, but knew that a lesson needed to be learned for his sake, as well as anyone who was to be bonded to him. He didn't watch for too long before turning his eyes back to Loraine and smiling. "You don't believe me Aes Sedai?"

[Sieve]

Perivar sat there staring out into the night sky for what felt like an eternity.  He remembered her reactions to his words.  He felt her moving away from him. When he had looked at her she had flinched.  Light what was running through her head to make her react so.  Was she scared of him or for him?  He thought she would be disappointed over the delay in being bound to one another but he never expected her to fear him.  He had formed the void to stabilize himself.  The occasional laughter from inside tormented him though it was distant.

 

When she patted the step asking him to sit, he obediently followed her wish as if it was a command.  Things between them were being held together by a thread and at the moment he would not risk it.  “Its cold, the least you can do is keep me warm."  Although her words seemed distant he knew they were forced.  Her voice did not hold the usual loving tone with which she usually spoke though she snuggled up against him.  Even her close proximity to him seemed forced.  He looked up at the sky as the clouds rolled in to block the moon.  He adjusted his position on the step and she flinched.  It was as if he was hanging off a cliff, holding onto the void by a fingernail. 

 

Her words hammered him, each word of doubt was like a spike going through his heart.  The clouds had darkened and thunder rumbled loudly in the night, it was fitting.  Her words continued to pierce him like arrow points.   Worse than that was her actions.  The looks she gave him, her flinching.  The pain was far worse than any he had felt before.  Even the void seemed little protection from the pain he felt.

 

When she pulled back from him to look in his eyes it shook the void.  It had all gone horribly wrong.  This reunion that was supposed to be a dream come true was turning into a nightmare.  When she shuddered and looked away from him it shattered the void to pieces.

 

Perivar stood then leaned his head against one of the columns that supported the porch's overhang.  He felt as if the light had just abandoned him.  He gripped the column with his hands for support though it did no good.  “Its horrible…to horrible to even speak of” she whispered though loud enough for him to hear it clearly.  Now he felt as if he was on the defensive, as if he was being attacked.  Why did she not understand?    

 

Perivar turned to look at her though he could not face her.  Her words had just ripped his heart from his chest, ripped it out and tore it to pieces.  Light he could not even look upon her.  "You were not there Kabria!" He shouted then walked a few paces out into the cobblestone street in front of the inn.  He carefully took out his sword and dagger then dropped them carelessly onto the street.  Completely unarmed Perivar walked away from his weapons then dropped to his knees with a loud clatter as his armor rang on the cobblestones.  His upper body was erect as he eyed her sitting on the steps of the porch.  His voice held daggers when he spoke "Hopefully by my position, sitting here unarmed you will recognize that I mean you no harm.  If you feel otherwise then simply say the word and I will leave."  A shiver ran through him as he spoke "To think that is even possible that I scare you so is worse than any wound that any weapon could inflict."  He waited, gave her every opportunity to protest though she did not.

 

The thunder boomed and a light rain began to fall.  His anger raged again as he half shouted at her "Thank the light you were not there though you have no idea what it was like.  They were snatching up girls who could channel and doing the light knows what to them.  You did not see the room full of frightened girls hiding in the storeroom praying to the creator that Melenis could protect them.  These men tried to take Loraine Sedai, imagine what they could have done to her, imagine what they would have done.  They knew what she was Kabria.  You did not see the look of fear on her face, I did!  I saw it!  It was that look combined with the thought that in another time and place it could have been you.  That mixed with all the other emotions is what made me snap, it was the final straw.  Can you understand what that is like, do you have any idea?  Do you know that days later we learned that these same vile men had already taken Jasine’s sister?  Does that change anything for you?"

 

"I have no regrets for what I did to that piece of filth.  You want me to have compassion for men who work for the Shadow?  You want me to feel sympathy for their cause?  You look at me like I am a Trolloc!  You look down on me as if I am some evil creature that is the cause of nightmares.  Like I am a tool of the shadow used to scare children.  Just knowing that you can think of me so is beyond what I can endure.  You look on me as if I am the very thing that you need protection against.  Do not tell me different, it is plain on your face!  After all that we have been through you are not convinced of my love for you.  What more can I do?"  He was desperate, his relationship with her hung by a thread and it seemed out of his control.

 

"Loraine Sedai was there, the others were there yet they do not look on me as you do now.  If you don't trust my words then ask her yourself.  She cannot lie to you!  Ask her if she trusts me to do what needs to be done.  Ask her if she is scared of me, ask her if I am some creature of the Shadow!  Would I be standing here before you if I was?  She was there and witnessed it.  She did not shy away from me, she did not look on me as you just did.  Do you know what she did when it was all over.  When I was kneeling there teetering on the brink.  She laid a hand on my shoulder and spoke to me."It's Over"  "She said to me.  It is so clear in my mind like it was yesterday.  I asked her to leave me be but she wouldn't, she didn't abandon me.  I thought I failed her, I think it still yet she would not hear any of it.  I wanted to let the emotions crush me yet she would not let them.  She sat there inspecting every cut in my clothes to make sure that I was alright, my blood was there on her hands and she didn't flinch from me!  Whether she agreed with what I did, she did not look at me like I was Shadowspawn!"  He leaned his head back to let the rain fall on his face.  Hoping something would make this nightmare go away.

 

“There were others that killed that night.  Two more were dead when the night was through.  Mistress Thera and Master Kynwric baited one of the others into a fight before I ever did.  Do you know why?  Because the man was a threat to the White Tower, a threat to Aes Sedai, a threat to you, a threat to all girls who could channel.  Are you going to look on them differently now?"

 

"So yes, I felt like hacking the man to pieces and he deserved much worse.  Since I am such a monster answer me this.  What justice would you have exacted?  What would you have done knowing what they did, what they intended?  What would the White Tower do with those who openly assault Aes Sedai or who kidnap girls who could channel?  Do you think they would have been more lenient than I?  I bet they would have done much worse though in your eyes I am some evil creature that you are unsure if you can love!  I am the same man Kabria, I have a heart!  Right here!" He pounded his breastplate with his fist.  “I have love for you stronger than you can imagine.  I have a place in that heart for my friends inside but I have no place in it for those who stand against our cause.  I don’t know what you expect me to be.  I have sworn to protect you yet now you shy away from me.  I don’t understand!”

 

"What about your precious weave that you laid on me?  You said you would know if I was hurt.  Did you?  Could feel the hurt in my heart?  Did you know that I spent every waking moment thinking of you and then when I slept you were in my dreams?  Did you feel anything, anything at all because I did!  Can you feel anything now?"   

 

"I did what needed to be done Kabria, I did my duty that night for the Tower whether you want to see it or not.  The other two should have paid the same price yet we needed information, precious information about their activities.  That is why they lived long enough to be turned over to the City Guard.  They did not deserve a measure of leniency for their actions yet for the greater good they received it.  Can you not see that?  Now those who supported them will know that their actions will not go unpunished.  They must know that justice will be swift and hard.  It must be so though you act as if I killed a child.  No, I killed a man who threatened what we stand for.  He was not defenseless, I gave him better odds than he deserved.  He had a chance at freedom even though he didn’t deserve it."

 

"You worry that I wanted to hack the man to pieces though that was what he deserved and then some, plain and simple as that.  I am not some Trolloc that kills for the sake of killing, I am a man who serves the light.  I did my duty that night, justice was served for that one and the others were lucky that they were turned over to the guard though it is likely that they were hung for their part in it.  Where I failed was not using all the weapons at my disposal, that was where I failed the others and you.  That’s right, I should have assumed the void yet I took a foolish risk, that is where I failed.  That void, the precious thing that makes me a more lethal weapon, a better protector.”

 

"Before I came here I endured the Borderlands.  I have seen the remnants of a Trolloc's cookpot.  I have seen the mangled corpses that they left when their bellies were full.  I have faced Trollocs and Myrddraal and endured.  I have grown accustomed to things that would make others soil themselves.  I have seen the bodies of those tortured by Myrddraal.  I have lived with the realization that death can come at any time.  It has made me hard but it is necessary Kabria.  I will be prepared for what comes, I will not run nor hide when the odds are against us.  It will take all of our nerve and resolve to endure what we are about to face together.   I was sworn to fight the Shadow long before I came here.  I was hard and my training in the yards only made me harder.  They made me into a more efficient weapon, a weapon for their cause.  Would you rather have a softer man protect you?  A man that has no spine, no stomach for battle."

 

Perivar could see the lightning in the distance.  In his anger he had no idea if his words had any effect at all.  Were his words even comprehensible to her, did she see his point.  He had to be harder than stone.  If he was to be her Warder he had to be.

 

"I swore an oath to protect you.  In order to properly serve you I must be hard, harder than you may wish, though it must be so.  That is the realization of it all.  This is not a game Kabria!  Perhaps our war against the Shadow is more dangerous than you realize!  I will do what must be done to make sure you grow old in your service to the Tower.  My duty to you is strong though my love for you is even stronger if you can believe that.  If you cannot love me for who I am then I can handle that, I will endure it if I must though my love for you will not change.  I will not lie to you, it will crush me to know that you do not love me in return yet I will survive and I will fulfill my duty to protect you.  I swore an oath, if you know me at all you know that I do not take that lightly."

 

He took the gauntlets that she had given him and laid them on the cobblestones at his knees.  He pulled the note from his pouch, read it one last time before placing it on top of the gauntlets.  A sick grin twisted his face.  Standing he said "If you are unsure of your love for me then I cannot accept these.  I will protect you, I swore an oath on it and I will see it through.  I will be ready whenever you need me though I cannot stand here and have you look at me so!  I had a heart Kabria, but seeing you look at me so and flinch from me has shattered that heart to pieces."   

 

Perivar turned and walked away leaving his sword and dagger where he dropped them.   In another pile lay the gauntlets and note that she had given him.  His broken heart lay in pieces in the hands of the woman that he left on the steps of the inn.

 

[U4ea]

Loraine grinned up at Kynwric, her eyebrow arching higher. "Aye, but who will teach them? They'd never believe you can dance, love." She smirked, looking around at the serious conversations suddenly breaking out around them. "I think they're not drinking enough..."

 

OOC: Alright, it was short, sorry. *laughs*

[Eqwina]

There was nothing to do but watch with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. One hand was pressed to her stomach as if holding in her life’s blood, and the other was gripped in her skirts. To say that Kabria was shocked would not begin to describe what she felt as she listened to Perivar rant. It was ludicrous! The ramblings of a mad man! She might not have grown up with the horrors he had, but she was far from uneducated.

 

"What about your precious weave that you laid on me?  You said you would know if I was hurt.  Did you?  Could feel the hurt in my heart?  Did you know that I spent every waking moment thinking of you and then when I slept you were in my dreams?  Did you feel anything, anything at all because I did!  Can you feel anything now?" 

 

Her eyes burned from the effort of holding back her tears, but she vowed that she wouldn’t let him see her cry. Kabria no longer saw the man she loved, but a monster twisted and distorted by rage.  She wanted to stand and run away, but stubborn pride made her hold her ground and listen as he threw insults I her face. “Would you rather have a softer man protect you?  A man that has no spine, no stomach for battle."

 

“Yes” she whispered under her breath; wanting desperately to fling the words at him. Kabria desired a man who could see with his heart, as well as with his sword. “That does not make a man weak” If he even heard her words he gave no sign, and with each new word he spoke the pain that held her heightened. He was breaking her heart and he did not seem to care. She had the feeling that nothing she could say would make him understand that it was not the man’s death that scared her, but the animalist way in which he fought. Dropping both hands into her lap she chewed the inside of her lip and waited for her moment to flee. She’d never wanted anything more in her life than to be away from this spot and this place. Blue eyes drifted to the door, hoping, praying, that Jasine, Arath, Thera..anyone would come out and rescue her from this madman. Light how had she been fool enough to fall for a man who was so flawed?!

 

Thunder crashed over head and lighting in the distance outlined his raging form. Her feet twitched, but it was her will power that held her in place. She was Aes Sedai, she did not need rescue from a simple Tower Guard. Stomping on her fear just enough Kabria reached for Saidar and with the joy of life filling her, the fear fled back to the shadows and she faced Perivar with her head held high and her belly in her knees.

"I swore an oath to protect you.  In order to properly serve you I must be hard, harder than you may wish, though it must be so.  That is the realization of it all.  This is not a game Kabria!  Perhaps our war against the Shadow is more dangerous than you realize!”  

 

Had she been on her feet Kabria would have staggered; the words hit her like 20 pounds of steel wielded by a Blacksmiths arm. Saidar winked out and the tears she fought so hard won. With rain cascading down her face, mixed with tears she cried and she watched him walk away. There was no need to flee with him gone, but still her feet urged her to run. Gathering up the gauntlets and the note, pausing only a moment for his sword she ran…and ran..and ran. Through the streets of Tar Valon and as far from the Tower as she could get and remain within its walls. Her feet had taken her to the North Harbor and she leaned against the wall panting. With a furious scream that drew the attention of the guards she hurled his sword into the harbor. So high up on the walls the splash was barely heard, but even the small sound delighted her, knowing that losing his weapon would be a hit to his pride. Empowered by her anger she ripped the necklace from her neck and began to hurl that as well, only the quick hands of a guard kept the necklace from meeting the same fate. With her hand trapped in a fist twice her size Kabria stood up and presented herself every inch the Aes Sedai. “Unhand me sir. You have no right to interfere with White Tower business!” A bemused grin crossed the man’s face but with a glance at her ring he dropped his hand.

 

“You just looked like that might be a decision you’d regret later Aes Sedai” With a bow he started to back away but Kabria grabbed him by the scruff. “I fear in the morning I will regret more than that!” All the anger and hurt welled up within her and she lashed out, pressing her lips to the guards and kissing him with all she had. A few of the other men stared and Kabria knew that when word got around of a kissing Aes Sedai she would be in for a world of pain, but for a few moments she was lost to her thoughts.

 

Quietly Kabria crept into her room and shut the door leaning against it with a sigh. There was no need for the secrecy, no one could possibly know where she’d been, but Kabria felt shame to bone. Like so many other times in her life she’d let her emotions rule her head. Leaving on her dress, suddenly feeling the need to be as covered as she could, she crawled under her covers and cried herself to sleep.

 

[Quisalas Selene]

"There, there, Melenis.  I know you'd hoped that some day you and I would wed, but it's just not to be.  For while you are fair and enchanting, my heart belongs to another."  He laughed outright at the look Thera gave him and then leaned against her side and laughed with her.  He looked back to Melenis and smiled at her.  "You'll be at the wedding, won't you?"

 

He hailed a serving girl and asked for another round and when the drinks arrived, he lifted his glass in toast and said "To all the Tower Guards who have gone to the Glade before us and to all the trainees who will go there after us.  To the Tower and to our future."  He looked meaningfully at Thera over his glass as he drank deeply of the wine.  He turned and looked towards the front door, wondering about Perivar and Kabria, but then turned back to the table.  Hopefully everything was okay, Perivar hadn't looked particularly well when he stepped out. 

 

Jasine pressed a kiss to Thera's cheek, finished off his drink, and then rose to his feet and formally bowed to Lor. "Loraine Sedai, I would be honored if you would assist my education by favoring me with a dance."  He winked to her and grinned, offering out his hand.  Jasine didn't know much about the formal ballroom dancing, which Loraine would surely have known as a noble of Cairhien well before coming to the Tower.  But he did know his way around the feastday dances and jigs, and it just happened to be a jig that the musicians were playing.  He set his hands on Loraine's hips and twirled her around, laughing. 

 

When the song ended and the next one came as a much more formal dance, Jasine looked over to the table they had been sitting at, expecting Thera or Kynwric to be the culprit.  He looked back to Loraine as she cleared her throat and then he followed her lead with the next dance. 

[Eqwina]

Thera rolled her eyes and laughed at Jasine. She’d come to realize that no amount of words or fists, would ever make Jasine anything less than a flirt. As long as he came home to her every night it matter little how he spoke during the day.

 

As she watched him whirl across the floor with Loraine she smiled; he truly was graceful and beautiful. She thought about asking Kynwric to dance but all his attention seemed to be on his Sister so she looked around the room for another victim. Her eyes lighted on Arath and she smiled a little drunkenly. Holding out her hand she winked when Arath looked up. “What do you say? Care to show them how dancing as really done?” Not even allowing time for the protests to form she pulled him to his feet and wrapped her arms around his neck.  Laughing she led him out to the dance floor just in for the reel.

 

[U4ea]

Loraine laughed, nodding and moving into Jasine's arms as he pulled her around in the lively jig. She was nearly breathless when it was finished and glad to hear a slower, more formal dance starting. She watched Jasine's eyes change and grinned, wondering how much of the wine she was feeling as she was starting to not care overmuch about controlling her expressions. Jasine seemed to be searching for the person responsible for the music and she shook her head, clearing her throat and arranging his hands where they should be. "If you're going to dance at your own wedding, Guard, perhaps you should learn where to put your feet?" She smirked. "I taught Kynwric, you know. Dancing is like sword forms. Once you get the hang of the rhythm, the movement will tell you where to go next. Here, let me show you. When I say the name of a form, you do it, just without a sword and don't move your arms." She laughed, knowing from her rambling that she was truly getting a bit tipsy. She waited, feeling the beat in her head a moment. "Alright, ready? Unfold the fan, make the forward motion deliberate as if you're advancing..." He seemed to be graceful enough, though it must feel terribly awkward dancing sword forms. She just smiled and kept going, though, hoping he'd fall into the cadence of it. "Twisting in the Wind, Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose,Cat Crossing the Courtyard four steps and start over."

 

She went through them again, slowly, leading his steps while watching his mind focusing on the form and his feet. She kept her grip on his hand and his shoulder to keep his upper body from following through, and called them slowly as the dance progressed until she slowly began letting him lead the steps he was comfortable with. She was smiling by the end of the dance. "See? Terribly easy when you already know the steps, isn't it?" She giggled at the expression on his face, then bit her lip. "Light save me, I never giggle..."

[Jehaine]

Melenis smirked at Jasine's comment, simply raising her mug to show him she'd be there. She wouldn't want to miss two of her few friends getting married, especially not if they were marrying each other. She watched as Jasine got up to dance with Loraine, then Thera asked Arath to join them. Getting up, she walked over to Kynwric, giving him a slight bow.

 

- "Shall we? I'm not the best of dancers, and it wouldn't do to not have mastered a dance or two in time for the wedding..."

 

Holding out her hand to Kynwric, she waited for him to accept -- or turn down -- her offer to dance. Though she couldn't remember the last time she did, she had listened to the pointers Loraine had given Jasine, and mimicking sword forms she knew she could manage. There'd be small alterations of course, but she'd just have to keep an eye on the other Tower Guards if she wanted pointers.

 

 

Melenis

...Oh, why not?

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric was watching as Jasine and Loraine danced, sipping slowly from his mug when Melenis approached him and bowed. This made him arch his eyebrow wondering what she was up to. When she asked him to dance Kyn smiled and set aside his mug. "Of course, and fear not for dancing is nothing I have mastered either." He took her hand and led her onto the dance floor just as the music changed to the slower song.

 

Kyn moved his hands to hold one of hers in his and the other placed lightly on the small of her back, leaving a little space between them but not much and began a simple box step dance as a good place to learn what she liked.

[Talavin]

Arath blinked in surprise as he was grabbed by Thera and dragged out onto the dance floor, but he also had had a little too much to drink. The alchohol in his blood fueled him on as he and Thera staggered around the dance floor. "You know what will make us better? More ale!" The two of them stumbled over to the table and downed another mug. They danced, getting better and better (at least they thought they were getting better), downing more ale every time they messed up. Of course, it was amusing to all of the other patrons to see the completely hammered duo trying to dance.

 

Eventually, they both collapsed in the middle of the dance floor, after tripping over eachother. For some reason, this seemed to be the funniest thing in the world to them. They burst out into loud laughter, and then managed to supress it into snickers. Then, they looked at each other's snickering faces and burst out into hilarity once more. This seemed to go on for a while, until Arath did a complete one-eighty and started sobbing. If he was thinking strait, it would be very improper to cry in the middle of the Inn floor, but he was too laden with ale to care.

 

"M-m-mistress Th-th-th-th-thera... I miss her s-s-s-s-so m-m-much," Arath sobbed out. He continued on with nonsense that made sense only to him, and was comforted by the equally drunk Thera. "Now, now- here! Have some more ale! That'll make it better!" It seemed like a marvolous suggestion to Arath, who drank until his sorrow was replaced by a happy buzz and then went out to dance some more with the Mistress of Trainees. Unfortunately, collapsed unconscious about half way to the dance floor.

[Quisalas Selene]

Equating the dance moves to sword forms seemed to do the trick.  Jasine had always had rhythm, but swaying in time to the music only counts for so much in the realm of dancing. 

 

"Oh, but you have such a delightful giggle, Loraine Sedai.  Aes Sedai should laugh and smile more, it would give their long lives happiness." He smiled brightly down to her as he stepped with increasing confidence through the number.  The only other person he had danced with recently had been Thera, and if he was surprised at how light on her feet and fluid the warder had been, he was even more so impressed with Loraine's feminine grace.  She danced as if it was as natural to her as breathing and it was a fascinating thing to experience. 

 

When Arath and Thera fell down together on the dance floor, Jasine laughed outright and paused in his own dancing.  He flashed Lor a smile and winked.  "I think perhaps I should save my fiancée from the clutches of that inebriated Tower Guard." He stepped back and bowed to her.  "Thank you for the dancing, Loraine Sedai.  I think perhaps I will end up meeting with you again for another lesson, if you're willing."  He added softly, "I would hate to disappoint her on our wedding day."

 

He moved over to the pair as Arath stood up from the table and promptly fell down again, this time without rising.  He crouched beside his friend and looked up to Thera. "I was just about to steal you away from him, but it seems he's saved me the trouble.  Do you know if there's a free room I can put him in here for the night?  I really don't want to carry him all the way back to the Yard."  He gathered up Arath in his arms, surprised that the man wasn't a more difficult burden, and asked Thera to balance the man's gift from Kabria somewhere on the pile of Guard in his arms. As he moved up the stairs he marveled at the change in his strength.  In just two years, his body had gone from that of a boy's to a man's.  After settling Arath into the room Thera had quickly arranged for, he grinned and settled the writing set on the table beside the bed and then dipped the quill into the ink and drew on the man's face.  He gave him a curling mustache and thickened the line of his eyebrows until he looked like he was scowling.  He had to fight laughter as Arath stirred lightly, but then he wiped clean the nib of the quill and set everything away again.

 

A smiling and amused Jasine rejoined the remnants of his friends downstairs and for only the second time in their relationship, Jasine took up Thera in his arms to dance.

[Eqwina]

Thera got the hiccups as they stumbled around the dance floor, but even that seemed to carry its own humor. Making each other laugh and making fools of themselves seemed to be the way her dances with Arath went. The few times they whirled past Jasine and Loraine she would pause to give them a grin, but other than that no one existed but her and her former trainee.

 

It had been years since Thera had just let loose and tonight’s festivities seemed the perfect time. In the drunken haze she was unsure who suggested the drinking game, more than likely it had been her though she would never admit it. But soon their laughter turned to tears and Thera sat on the floor laughing and crying with the silly young man. Wiping away her tears and his she grabbed more ale and forced him to finish it all. Pulling him to his feet and wrapping her arms around his waist she tried to pull him to the dance floor and was shocked when he fell on his face.

 

Turning red and barking a laugh that drew the attention on the entire room Thera sat down on the floor next to his crumpled form and tried to pat him awake. When no amount of cat calls and slapping would work she gave up and lost herself in her own laughter. It had to have been a full quarter hour before she could gain control over her giggles. She was out of breath when she finally noticed Jasine standing over her.

 

“What?” she slurred. “You asked me something? Oh yes! A room!! I reserved several upstairs.” While Jasine was upstairs getting Arath settled for bed Thera ordered water, and downed the entire pitcher. Somewhere, in the dancing and the laughing, the room had started to sway. On only slightly steady legs Thera twirled out onto the dance floor with her fiancée. “I am sorry I am not as coordinated as Loraine, for some reason” Thera grinned “I can’t seem to find my footing.”

 

A slower song began to play and Thera laced her arms around Jasine’s waist and laid her head on his shoulder. With all the ale she’d consumed it felt good to rest her head.

 

[Quisalas Selene]

"Coordinated or not, holding you in my arms right now is the highlight of my evening." He spoke softly and as she rested her head against his shoulder, he closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the top of her head.  He hummed softly along with the song, it was a familiar tune that was played in taverns back home, and he wondered idly whether the words were the same here.  He snugged his arms around her shoulders and held her close, letting her find her balance against him.  He didn't feel drunk at all, well maybe a little tipsy around the edges, but he was suffused with a warmth that booze alone could not explain.

 

"Remember that first day we had together? When I arrived at the yard?"  He spoke softly, hoping the general buzz of the common room and the music would drown out their conversation and keep it from other ears.  "I felt just like this.  All soft and fuzzy in my head, hot and breathless.  Like I was running a race even though I wasn't moving at all.  I'm so happy to still have you, Thera.  You make me happy."  He could feel her smile through the cheek pressed to his chest and gave her a light squeeze as they continued to slowly and rather unsteadily circle on the dance floor.

 

"Tonight has been all about reminiscing over our trainee days, and what it took to get it to this point.  And I couldn't say a word about the love and the passion that saw me through to this day, that kept me going when I wanted to give up because I was so tired and my muscles hurt and it was all just so hard.  I know my days as a Guard will be hard too, but nothing could be as hard as having you here, in my heart, and not being able to have you in my arms as well." He grew quiet and just held her as they danced, his eyes closed and his mouth curved in the ever-present smile.

[Eqwina]

Thera was very quickly glad that her face was buried in Jasine’s neck, because her eyes were shedding tears. They were not the laughing tears of a drunk, but heartfelt tears of joy. She had found her one true love, her soul mate and she meant to hold on no matter the cost.

 

"Remember that first day we had together? When I arrived at the yard?"  She did, Thera remembered every moment of that day. The strange elation in which she’d awoken to and the pretty young woman who had caused such feelings; she remembered the wine and the tears. It was the day her life was changed forever, and for that reason it would always be burned into her memory.

Smiling she whispered to herself, unsure if Jasine even heard. “ You will never know how happy you have made me. Your love brought me back to life… you saved me.”

 

As the song ended Thera leaned back enough to look into his eyes; perhaps now was the time for her surprise. “I think I need to lay down, all the ale has gone to my head”He started to lead her to the stairs at the back of the room, but she only shook her head and started for the door. “Say any goodbyes you need my love, I will be waiting outside.”

Stopping by their table she said goodnight to Loraine and Kynwric and gave Melenis a last hug. She noticed the absence of Perivar and assumed he’d run off with his little Aes Sedai, but did not think on it anymore than that. Stepping out into the cool night air her eyes cut towards the tower and she grinned. Home, she was taking Jasine home.

 

[Jehaine]

Melenis had never danced before, and quite honestly didn't really know what to expect from it. As a result, it was only through sheer agility and reflexes that she managed to avoid stepping on Kynwric's toes. Still, she didn't drink enough for her to have lost her ability to learn quickly, and as time progressed she started improving. Kynwric moved on to a more demanding dance, and Melenis grinned, noting to her amusement that even now, the Warder still ended up teaching her a couple of lessons. It felt strangely fitting to her, over time he had become a kind of mentor to her.

 

As time progressed, she was aware of others leaving. Thera was really starting to get drunk now, Arath had passed out a while ago and Perivar and Kabria had gone off to do... Warder-y things or somesuch. She blinked to herself at the thought. Warder-y? I must be more drunk than i thought...

 

Stepping away from Kynwric for a moment, she notied that the dance wasn't the only thing that had made the room sway for her, and she closed her eyes to take a couple of deep breaths. Though she didn't have a particularly large tolerance to alcohol, being raised by two men meant she could at least hold her liquor enough to be drunk and not sick, for which she had been grateful more than once already.

 

- "Kyn? I'z off ta take walk, room feels like fishing boat. Back later, 'kay?"

 

Turning towards teh door, she took the weapon from her back, using it as a walking stick. Though the more observant of people would notice that she was leaning a little more on the weapon than a sober person would have, she thought she did a decent job at acting like one. She just hoped the cool evening air would take care of the rest.

 

 

Melenis

Walking it off

[U4ea]

Loraine laughed, watching the antics of the newest Tower Guards, though her brow knitted together as Perivar and Kabria disappeared. Soon she was smiling and waving goodnight to a thoroughly besotted Thera and Jasine, knowing they'd likely not be seen in the Yards for a few days, now that they didn't have to hide their love for each other, anymore. She grinned at the accent slurring into Melenis' speech and shook her head. "I guess this just leaves you and me, Gaidin," she smiled, snuggling close. "It's too early to go back to the Tower while I'm this tipsy." She giggled again and shook her head. "What do want to do, now that the kids are off to bed?"

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn laughed, he was amused by the disappearance of all the other participants in their drunken social. He wrapped an arm around Loraine as she leaned in against his chest, feelingher warmth pressed up against him and snug in the back of his head as well. "Love, you're well past tipsy and it is always far too early to return to the Tower in my mind." He took her hand in his as the music began to play again. "Can a poor farm boy get a dance from the prettiest girl in the city?"

[U4ea]

Loraine giggled again, then stiffened up and dipped a curtsey. "Alas, I shall have to find her, first. Will I do, in her stead?" She grinned, not bothering to hide either her light-headedness nor her pleasure at hearing his compliments after being bonded so long. "Besides, love, you're hardly a farmboy, anymore..."

[_Kynwric_]

"You are always the prettiest girl in the city in my eyes love, so you will more than do. And it is an ever present reminder that I am no longer a farmboy with all these youngsters running about Master Kynwric this and Master Kynwric that... speaking of which..." He gave her a short bow and began to dance with her slowly and just letting the sentence hang.

[U4ea]

Loraine arched her eyebrow, not being quite tipsy enough to let the conversation die there, no matter how well he'd learned to dance. "Speaking of which...?" she repeated, tilting her head and following his lead around the floor. "You may as well tell me, Master Kynwric. You can't keep it from me for long..."

[_Kynwric_]

"Yes, well that title is actually formal now... I've been awarded Herons." He just kept moving, letting the smile play at his mouth.

[U4ea]

Loraine was speechless a full minute as she watched his smile. He said it as if it were no big deal, but she knew it was. She didn't need the rich feel of his pride in her head to know he was pleased. "Oh, Kynwric!" She laughed and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "How have you managed to keep this from me? I demand you tell me now, so I know better than to fall for it next time!"

[_Kynwric_]

"You've been busy love..." He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor in a hug. "... and it was done last night. The trial and ceremony were all done last night."

[U4ea]

"Aye, busy," she murmured, snuggling into his warmth. "It seems you've been busy as well, gaidin. Do they give you a long list of duties to go along with the herons or have you managed to avoid getting more than teaching children and tending to your Aes Sedai's whims?"