A broken tool ... A shattered purpose [open]

[tismeb4u]

OOC: This is part one of a two part return for Corin of the Tower Guard, please see: http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php?topic=42008.new;topicseen#new for RP information and OOC conversation. Anyone who might have a character in the area and would like to interact with us please feel free to join in.

 

 

His eyes cut a dark and brooding glance skyward. The full noonday sun’s intensity broken only by the long and ratty bangs of his hair where it fell across his eyes. Corin’s gaze set hard on the flock of birds. Their merry twittering only seemed a mocking condescendance to him. So complete was his humiliation that even the birds laughed at him knowingly. With a grunt he spun back toward the tavern door and slipped inside.

 

Cool musty darkness enveloped him and he held his station at the door, ears focused on the sounds while his vision slowly adjusted to the darker interior. The heat of the day had not fully penetrated the common room with its shuttered windows, but neither had the relative freshness of the air outside. The room was like so many others that he had visited during this never-ending journey of colossal failure. His nose twitched slightly, well perhaps this one was a might bit easier on his sense of smell; but not much. For most of the past year he had spent it in dives and back alley holes chasing a ghost.

 

As his eyes finally cleared Corin made his way to the main bar counter. At one time he would have scanned the room, noted the occupants, entrances, and places of concealment. He would have positioned himself in a corner with his back to a sturdy wall and his eyes covering the room. But that was when he thought he could still be of service to her. That was when he had foolishly believed that he was the one person who could keep Sirayn Sedai alive no matter what. A glaring falsity that he could no longer hid from. Not only did he not protect her, he had lost her and could not even accomplish the simple task of finding her.

 

He had though in his arrogance that he could find her no matter where she might travel or try to hide. That he knew her so deeply, if not intimately as he had hoped, he could follow a trail she would have no doubt taken great care to hide. She was a very secretive and closed off person. He knew that, proved that with the little he could finally piece together of her family. Something that still had glaring holes of missing information. Mothers milk in a cup woman! Why did you not trust me? Why! Why could you not just tell me, leave me a sign, something. You knew I would follow and search for you. Surely you must have known I would. His thoughts were momentarily broken when the owner, a willow of a gent, paused in front of him.

 

Two days he had been in Samara. Two day and not even a whisper of her presence or passing. Two days of gut rot in this very establishment and he still did not know the man’s name. “The usual, in a clean mug this time if you don’t mind.” This tone was neutral, the bitterness long since leached from his voice buy his journey. The keeper simply shrugged and moved off. Sirayn would have flayed him then and there. She had taught him the importance of information, the importance of surroundings and all that could be gleaned in a glance. But she was never going to do that again. Sirayn would never again care what mistakes he made, how foolish he was, or what actions he took in the name of protecting her. She would never again care because she had made sure to distance herself from him completely this time. His return to the Tower was his silent acceptance of that. With luck they may still allow him to serve on the guard and walk the wall as a watch member. He had proven he was useless as a protector of Aes Sedai. No one would want a failure as their warder; and so he accepted the death of his dream.

 

 

The keeper passed again slipping a tankard in front of Corin. The splash of flat dark liquid over the tankard's rim released a bouquet of pungent fermentation. The ale may be flat and past it’s prime, but it was cheap. Something that Corin relied on of late having used all the coin he had saved since his arrival at the tower. This journey had cost him almost everything. He had long since hawked anything of value that he had taken with him, all but his sword, which still sat his hip. That had become his source of income during times when his monetary levels had required it. A hired sword, not a glamorous life like that of a Warder. But it had carried him when it was needed. Looking down at the wavy reflection of himself in the dark liquid an image of Reikan floated across his mind. Hours upon hours he had put into cleaning and tending his sword under the guidance of his mentor. The one on his hip was not that sword, that one had been exchanged long ago; or so it seemed. But the one he carried had seen many days of tender care before it too befell the failure of a misguided search and the lack of time, money, and care on the part of it’s owner. “It is good that you are no longer at the Tower to witness this old friend.”

 

Corin’s hands closed around the tankard as his head slowly sunk forward. It was almost over, a short journey and he would be back at the Tower. Back at the place it had all began. He should stop and see his family; his mother no doubt would have been worried over the silence from him. Two days in Samara and he could still not bring himself to make the small journey down the river Eldar to Boannda. Perhaps that was why he was still here in Samara. Since he had made the decision to give up on his quest and return to the Tower he had not spent more then a few hours in any one town or village. Yet being this close to home had frozen his feet to Samara. His guilt at failing and the disgrace he might have brought on his family did the same in keeping him from traveling that short distance to the place he had know as home.

 

In a way it was ironic that a man trained in Daes Dae'mar by the spider herself would not take notice of the people around him or even those who entered after him. His thoughts continually turned to his inadequacies and the failures they had produced. Those failures and his loss of Sirayn troubled him deeply and consumed a mind that had once proven a sharp competitor in the Great Game.

 

 

 

[Jaydena]

The city loomed dark and imposing in front of them, it's buildings crumbling in many places, in others covered in bright paint amongst the gloom, trying to cover up the decay. It brought to mind the image of a madam, covering the lines on her skin with paint, as though that would hide the fact that she was an aged spinster, to old to still ply her trade. Struggling to get by and grasping at the willowy threads of a fading youth. Jade sighed as the thoughts crossed her mind, lately she had been more than a little negative and tended to spend to much time viewing the dark side of life. It didn't matter what happened, she could never get past the loss of so many warders or the loss of Sirayn and Seiaman. It has been a crushing blow that her heart would never recover from. If there was something she knew in her many years of life, heartache never faded completely. She missed her friends, she missed that connection that she had had only with them and with the people that shared her head. In fact she missed more than anything the feel of a simple touch, not a touch meant to induce lust, but a touch made out of affection and with no ulterior motives. It had been so long since someone had touched her like that, since someone had wrapped their arms around her and held her tight for just a moment. She missed knowing that someone loved her, that they waited in the night, that they thought of her and wanted to protect her and keep her safe, even if she could kill them with one weave, they still felt like they could take on the Shadow for her. Shaking her head she glanced over at Loraine Sedai and her Gaidin, she wanted the kind of relationship that they had together, they had been bonded for many years and had in fact fallen deeply in love from everything she saw. She often wondered why they hadn't married as they had lived as a married couple in the past, as convention didn't allow unmarried couples to live together. With a toss of her long auburn hair which hung down her back in long curls, laying on the saddle and covering her horses rump, she pushed the thoughts out of her mind. The hair was thick and hadn't shown any signs of white of gray at this point, though she knew she was lucky, there were Aes Sedai her age with quite a bit of white in their hair.

 

Her almond shaped emerald eyes were rimmed with kohl and thick lashes and stared out at her companion with intelligence, insight, and confidence, she knew well how to hide the pain, Loraine knew it existed but she hid the pain as best she could from the woman who was born and raised in Cairhien, a master of the Game of Houses.  The woman was happy and she would do her best not to bring her down with her constant drama filled life. Wrinkling her pert nose and caused the freckles to dance, which she hadn't covered up today she spoke, "Do you know what I love best about these burns Loraine, they scare everyone away, they never worry about what I am, they are to scared to talk to me with the mask on." She chuckled softly and touched the dark green mask that was attached to her face with a weave that she had created herself, she had gotten tired of the straps that caught in her hair and the sweating in her thick hair that the straps caused. The mask she wore was made of a strange material, one she hadn't been able to reproduce, she has suspicious of where Cairma had gotten it from. It breathed well and was really quite striking, she in fact had a variety of them in many colors, some very simple and others decorative and lovely. She even had one with feathers and jewels, she herself had used her Delving talent to mine the jewels when Cairma had asked for them. Her favorite though was the first one, which was a clear material with veins and flecks of gold in it, roses of gold ran up the side of it, it was the first one Cairma had made for her, and was a treasure to her soul. Pushing her thoughts away yet again from her once Gaidar she instead thought about the incident that had caused her to have to wear these masks. She was one of the resident experts on the angreal housed in the White Tower storerooms. That day she had gone down to study an angreal of which they had no idea of it's origins or how to use it. She had reached the storerooms and found two bodies on the floor that day, horror had filled her as she sent a surge of urgency through the bond attached to two of her warders. The next move is one she wished she never made, she had embraced the source and moved into the storeroom, ready to kill whoever had taken to of their talented Accepted from them. These young woman had been taken from them before they had a chance, snuffed off in the prime of their life, and she was angry to say the least. When she walked into the storerooms she hadn't seen anyone hiding, she had approached carefully and noticed the very angreal she had set out to study laying on the floor of the storeroom.

 

It was though time had frozen when she picked up that item, her skin had started to burn and melt off of her face, she didn't remember much after that point. She remembered her screams, the horror of her warders, the tears running down Raisa's face and Sirayn questioning her on what had happened. The woman had been her Ajah Head at the time and she had worried about what had caused the attack on one of the Sitters in the Greens. They hadn't realized at the time that they were random acts done by one of the most feared women in the world. A Forsaken had done her best to take that angreal, she had burned her face with an unknown weave, and then for weeks afterwards she had broken through extensive dream wards and haunted her dreams in an attempt to get her to join the dark side. They had managed to save her eye and stop any more burns, they had healed as much as they could but they had never been able to heal all of the burns. A beauty that had been referred to as flawless by Seiaman was no more. There were days where she wondered if the loss of her beauty had caused her relationship with her beloved to fail, if it had caused her to pick the abrasive Sirayn over her. With another shake of her head she turned back to Loraine and spoke again, "Well shall we stop off for a pint, see if we can find this woman once and for all?" Jaydena had been sent out by the Hall with another of the Greens to find a missing Sister. They hadn't heard from her in months, when they finally did get notice from her it was the babbling and rantings of a woman who seemed to have lost her mind. Jade feared the loss of her most recent warder in a battle had caused the Sister to become unhinged. It wouldn't be the first time that it had happened nor most likely the last in fact. "My hope is that we finally find her, I worry about what information she may be spreading if she is unhinged as she seems, she could be putting all of us in serious danger. Those rantings were made by a woman very angry at the Tower and all that had been taken from her. Which don't get me wrong, I get that very well, but still it's worrying." She sighed and motioned over to the tavern, they rode up to the hitching posts and waited for Kynwric, the man was most amusing, he insisted on helping both of them from their horses whenever possible. It didn't matter to him that they were both well versed in horse back and she herself had been riding since age three and helped train the horses that she raised and sold for the Tower.

 

Kynwric lifted her out of the saddle after he had helped Loraine and then bowed his head at her, she smiled with one side of her mouth at him and then smoothed the hearty green velvet down, using a weave to knock the dust from her riding habit and to make herself appear fresh and not travel worn. She turned to Loraine and spoke, "Well shall we my dear, I am quite thirsty and maybe we can gain some information inside of this hovel." Loraine flashed her a quick grin and gave her a nod and they walked gracefully into the room, Kynwric going first to check for danger. Once more she nervously smoothed the velvet with her hands and then stilled her hands, she had nothing to be embarrassed about, she was an Aes Sedai and worked daily to protect these people, she had to remind herself of that. "I sure hope the Hall was right that she will only talk to Green Sisters, I have a pile of work on my desk a mile high I tell you." With a chuckle she glided into the tavern and looked around, accessing everyone who was seated inside. The room was dark and the white of the lace at her cuffs and bodice seemed overly bright in the room. She noticed the tavern master walking up to them and she glanced around one more time, her eyes lingering on the bent head of one man. His eyes lifted to hers and she felt her eyes widen of their own accord before she could control the reaction...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

Head of the Green Ajah and Sitter 

[U4ea]

Loraine’s face hurt. These people could easily pick out what she was, she wasn’t bothering to hide it. With that acknowledgement came an expectation out in the real world and Lor had grown up with expectations. It was second nature to adhere to them, her blue eyes blinking from an expressionless mask. She wore it more to hide the odd collection of emotions flowing through her, than anything else, however. Shock, disbelief, concern, eagerness… they warred for attention as she focused on little insignificant things, instead. Keeping her back straight while riding sidesaddle was as second nature as reading the expressions on the faces they passed, but it gave her something to think about that didn’t make her want to lose her composure. Jade may be used to the expressions on the faces of the people who saw her, but Lor was not. Frankly, it irritated her to see their curiosity turn into something ugly.

 

"Do you know what I love best about these burns Loraine, they scare everyone away, they never worry about what I am, they are to scared to talk to me with the mask on." Jade was smiling, her freckles more evident than Lor could remember seeing them. Hearing the humor relaxed Lor a little, though she knew the woman was hiding how much their reactions to her hurt. She doubted many others would pick up on it, but she remembered the Jade who’d been around the Tower when she was raised to the shawl and this stiff-backed woman had learned far more things than even that Jade had known.

Lor’s eyes strayed to Kyn a moment before turning back to Jade.  How would she have handled things if Kyn had walked away from her? She pushed that thought away, roughly. The hint of concern that floated back to her from him meant he’d probably be asking her about it, later. She sighed inwardly and turned back to Jade. If she was trying for humor, Lor would help. “Know what I like about them? You don’t have to worry about your horse trampling people if they’re all moving backwards.” She smiled slowly. “Perhaps we should make masks standard issue for all Greens while they’re out traveling. There would be fewer complaints about our rough nature filtering back through the Eyes and Ears that way, I think…” She grinned.

 

"Well shall we stop off for a pint, see if we can find this woman once and for all? My hope is that we finally find her, I worry about what information she may be spreading if she is unhinged as she seems, she could be putting all of us in serious danger. Those rantings were made by a woman very angry at the Tower and all that had been taken from her. Which don't get me wrong, I get that very well, but still it's worrying.” Loraine nodded, turning her horse towards the Tavern and letting Kynwric help her out of the saddle. She shook her skirts until they fell perfectly again, the high collar and bright slashes in the sleeves and overskirt gleaming in the sunlight. Even the little emerald  ball hanging between her eyebrows fell perfectly. Once Jade was on her feet, Loraine moved around to meet her, giving Kynwric time to slip into the tavern and make sure they weren’t about to be attacked on the other side of the door. "Well shall we my dear, I am quite thirsty and maybe we can gain some information inside of this hovel."

 

Loraine grinned and nodded, moving towards the door and into the tavern, slightly ahead of Jade to make sure there wasn’t a straight shot at the Ajah Head from any angle in the room. "I sure hope the Hall was right that she will only talk to Green Sisters, I have a pile of work on my desk a mile high I tell you."

 

Loraine laughed at that, turning back towards Jade. “Bah, you are relishing the chance to get away from that very stack of work and we both know it...” She paused, seeing Jade’s eyes widen and shock register on her friend’s face. She tilted her head, every sense she’d trusted since her first trip out into the world with a heap of dangerous weaves in her head coming to the fore. “What is it, Jade?” she asked, her eyes scanning the room. There was a man at the bar who seemed to be looking at them. He looked vaguely familiar, but not enough for Loraine to focus on for long. Her hand moved to the blade hanging on her hip, her fingertips tracing the hilt. It wasn’t like Jade to let her expression slip that much, especially not around all of these people she didn’t know. Something was about to be very bad if that expression was any indication…

 

~Loraine

 

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric had been riding in front of Jaydena and Loraine for much of the journey from Tar Valon to here, Samara, where ever in the blight that was. He was acutely aware that he was the only Warder to watch over a pair of Green Sisters far from the safety of the Tower and that made him nervous. The stature of the pair only made the nervousness more intense. his eyes had been moving constantly since the time they left the stables and hadn't stopped since, now they were stopped in front of some rundown hovel of a tavern and Jade and Lor were apparently intent on entering.

 

Kyn resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the banter between the pair, and although he had paid attention to what had gone on between them he feigned disinterest. Having helped them from their saddles, which was more to engender the picture he wanted to portray than the picture two women who were obviously skilled on horseback would, he entered the tavern first, scanning the inhabitants. The one that worried him sat with his back to the door an obviously well cared for sword hung from his belt and the motions were that of a man who knew how to use it, even if he was well into his cup. Kynwric felt the tension from behind him as the man's head lifted and a brief shot of recognition flashed through them before they were stilled to silence. Kyn tensed, he had no desire to work his trade inside this building and certainly not needlessly... the only question that remained now was who did he recognize?

[tismeb4u]

Light bathed the floor once more, a harsh glare from the corner of his vision as the door swung open and three silhouetted forms began their entry. The light breath of freshened air that brushed over him emphasized how stale the room truly was. He had been here too  long and this procrastination was serving no purpose. Only a fool remained where nothing could be gained. Reminiscent of a life before, of a person he might have been and the guiding hand that directed him. Will I be for ever haunted by your specter? The silhouette's seemed to pause just inside the band of shadow as if adjusting their eyes. Even from the corner of his vision he could note the wealth portrayed by their choice of dress. It made them stand out like the glaring light of noon day bathing the entry way in a harsh and demanding light.

 

Fools, only fools or someone of believed influence would enter such an low brow hovel the likes of this with the arrogance of such display. His vision adjusted to the light and he could now distinguish the party members. A single male in front followed closely by two women. Perhaps a hired sword or house guard, the thoughts tickled at his mind. Begged him to play the game. Fibers now so ingrained from training and use itched to draw in the spectacle and spin out the many faceted reasons behind their appearance here and the goals they may seek. I will not dance to your stings any more Sirayn. You abandoned me. I have no desire for the game. I will not play it. I will not! Even as he waged a bitter argument more for himself then any memory of his former teacher he let his eyes draw his movements to the new arrivals.

 

His hand never left the mug as he turned, view washing over the closest form. The stature of his stance alone told Corin more then he wanted. Eyes that seen everything in a glance yet appeared to be at ease mixed with the light sit of his sword screamed of the tower. So are you here by chance or for a purpose to which I may regret? He left the question to spin in the back of his head as his focus continued back toward the remainder of the party. It caught first on a gleaming display of one of the women. The bight slashes in her sleeves seemed muted and dulled in the shadows when set against the brilliant dazzle her skirt displayed still touched by the open doors light. A mask hid her face, something that would have normally drawn a deeper interest to know it's occupant and the secrets she was trying to protect. But again he resisted the insistent pulling of a life he could have had and forced himself to take in the last member.

 

A Deep green velvet grown revealed nothing in itself of the person it wrapped. Any noble woman might have worn similar though why she would find herself on this side of an alley he could  not fathom. The mask, dark green as well met at first glance with little more then an odd pondering of why they both would be hiding. He did not remember a celebration of sorts in the area, though he had cared little to pay any note to the happenings beyond his failure. It was the meeting of emerald eyes, twining eyes to his own only feminine in a drawing almond shape that stopped him. They tickled a memory that he had pushed back from a life he had given up on. He watched as they widened briefly in recognition before control swept an even coolness back over them. Sirayn, storm grey and so contrasting to these green ones before him bubbled back up again. A purpose, he felt a purpose in their recognition. Seiaman; a faded image rotated around those grey eyes that forever had been a part of his mind and desire. Rotated around beaming of affection, perhaps even love. It stabbed him with a jolt of jealousy he had not expected to still be alive. He knew Seiaman had sought out Sirayn on her return. It was all Corin could do to sway Sirayn's thoughts away from her former warder. He eventually had built a skewed story of another woman that Seiaman seemed to find herself in the company of.

 

Dawning realization struck as the image of Jaydena came into view. Her eyes tied the rest of her outfit together with the sudden control, a reaffirmation of what his mind continued to bombard him with. Jaydena Sedai, member of the Green Ajah and tied intricately to Sirayn in some fashion he still had not puzzled out. He had seen her with Sirayn on a number of occasions, not all had been in their knowing. The realization tightened his grip on the mug. It also completed the picture of the party. Two Aes Sedai, one he still did not recognize to a name and a single guard. No, the man was more then a guard. His attention seemed suddenly very attuned to Corin, as if sizing him and the room for a dance. The timing seemed to coincide with the turning of the unknown. So a Warder and bound to the bright one it would appear at first observation. An ability he once again had Sirayn to thank.

 

His mind became a swirling clatter of chaos as the game and his station with Sirayn came crashing back in. He had worked so hard these last several weeks to mute the game; to turn if off and force it into the dark at the back of his mind so he could forget it existed. Now it bombarded him in a cacophony of questions and angles. Why was she here? Did she know Sirayn's where abouts or was she sent from the tower to find him? Did she know the tales he had spun to Sirayn on her and Seiaman? Was this a convenient opportunity for revenge? Who was the sister with her? Was her loyalty to Tower or the secret game that Sirayn had played at?

 

In a way it was ironic how quickly he had dismissed the only man in the room that would be a dangerous threat if the dance of blades where called upon. In a latent thought he imagined it must be a benefit of being Tower trained that allowed him such an ease. Not that he deemed himself more skilled or more capable then the fellow. Only that he knew instinctively that the man was tethered on an invisible leash. A leash one of the two Aes Sedai held in hand. Most likely the bright one, but at this stage it really did not matter. As long as he was right and the man was bound to one of them he would be held in tight control. Only if Corin seemed to threaten the life of one of the sisters would the man be allowed any large amount of freedom to act. In a way he almost chuckled inside. Something he hand longed for, a bond to Sirayn and a leash snug in his mind tied to her. It had been his goal for many years and now it was little more then water vapor in the heat of a noon day sun.

 

With three set's of now very controlled eyes watching him and a beginning unease starting to build in the room near him. Corin did the only thing that came to mind clearly at the moment and tipped the mug back pulling hard on it's contents. He knew it was a mistake the moment he did it, the dark foul liquid blazing a fiery trail down his throat. His eyes tightened briefly before composure claimed him and a face he had not worn in weeks melted into place. Daes Dae'mar was not about to release him so easily. It took another few moments of internal battle before Corin was able to slip Sirayn's well placed training and become the man he was when they had entered. Nodding briefly to the woman he was sure was Jaydena; hope it was her. He turned back to the bar and tried to puzzle out her purpose here. A brief flair of hope sprung up from deep within; hope that perhaps she had been sent by Sirayn. His eyes cut a quick hopeful glance back to the lady in green before dulling as he squashed the idea ruthlessly. She was gone. He had to accept it and move on. Perhaps if he could convince Jaydena to ..... to what? To help him get reinstated in the Guard? To vouch for his character after what he had used her for with Seiaman? Folding his hands around the mug, Corin let his gaze once more return to the distorted reflection of a failure in the dark reflective surface of the liquid within. 

 

 

[Jaydena]

“Bah, you are relishing the chance to get away from that very stack of work and we both know it...” She distantly heard Loraine speak and knew that something should be said in answer to the comment, but she couldn't seem to push the words past the lump in her throat. Time seemed to stop before her eyes, the tavern keeper moving in slow motion, as though he were treading his way through waist deep water. Her eyes darted back to the mans face, the man that had taken everything from her in so many ways. As soon as Sirayn had met him it was obvious that she had fallen in love with him. Jade still didn't know if they were lovers but Sirayn had rubbed him in her face more than one. He wasn't disformed, ugly, and he was a man, which apparently made him so much easier to love than her. Maybe she was wrong about the whole thing, maybe they hadn't been lovers but there was a part inside of her that would always feel as though he has stolen Sirayn from her. She shook her head and strove to regain her Aes Sedai composure, something that had been beaten into her for so many years. Turning back she looked at Lor and tried to muter a smile, thinking back to what Lor had said as see made the comment about masks, the woman was always trying to put everyone at ease, herself included. “Know what I like about them? You don’t have to worry about your horse trampling people if they’re all moving backwards. Perhaps we should make masks standard issue for all Greens while they’re out traveling. There would be fewer complaints about our rough nature filtering back through the Eyes and Ears that way, I think…” She glanced back at Lor and heard her asking, “What is it, Jade?” She saw Lor's eyes scanning the room as through checking for danger and she felt her tense beside her, as well as the ripple effect that occured in the gaidin who was with them. He had been protecting Lor for many years and he knew when something was wrong. She saw his eyes scan until they landed on him and saw from his easy shift of movement that he was preparing to attack if it came to it.

 

She took a calming breath, squared her shoulders, and adopted the serene mask she knew so well. Jade had faced Trollocs running at her at full tilt with their swords drawn, Mydrall riding giant black horses intent on breeding their spawn in her if they caught her, and Dreadlords dancing their lightning across the sky. She could face this, she would just as she did everything that hit her, with courage, and strength.  Jade watched the man who was still looking at him, it was obvious that he recognized her and that he knew exactly her connection to Sirayn and to Seiaman. She watched as emotions flashed through his eyes and across his face, so many and so fast that she couldn't name them all. The man lifted the mug to his face and her eyes widened in shock, it was absolute disrespect to do so in front of her, when he knew clearly who she was. He took a long pull on the drink within the mug and she saw his eyes tighten in response as whatever it was burned down his throat. A mask slid into place over his face, he nodded his head at her, and then turned back to the bar. She turned back to Lor, worried about what the other woman's reaction was, "A Tower Guard who I knew is sitting at the bar, he disappeared at the same time as Sirayn Sedai and may know of her whereabouts. He also was deeply involved with her and Seia and may have been a lover to either of them." She glanced at Kynwric Gaidin and continued, "He's well trained and dangerous, I plan on approaching him and speaking to him." She didn't need to tell him anymore than that, he was well trained and would protect both of them if need be, though of course Loraine would always be the first in his mind and the first to be saved by his sword.

 

She knew what it had felt like once upon a time to have someone care about you like that, to give their life if need be before their own. She had lost two warders in the hell that had been Namandar. Watched as they were struck down to save her life, one had fallen off the platform and had been pulled down by the Trollocs, she had had to leave him behind. The other had taken a fatal wound and passed away before a Yellow could get to him on the slope above that ancient city. Losing gaidin or gaidar seemed to have become a part of her life, one turned Darkfriend, another bonded to Sirayn instead of her and then falling in love with the woman, one disappeared to never be seen again, another disappeared and showed back up claiming that his brother could channel and that he had gone to him, yet another had never been able to recover from the loss of her first Aes Sedai and Namandar and had left her to find herself, and Cairma of course becoming pregnant and leaving her behind as she went to be with her child. Shaking her head to clear the thoughts from her head, she walked forward with a graceful gait, her riding habit brushing against some of the chairs as she made her way toward the man who she would like to thrash at this instant. She walked up behind the man, took a slow and careful breath so he wouldn't hear her and then tapped on his shoulder, "Hello Corin, do you have a light on you?" With a look at Kyn she brushed the seat off before sitting on it and pulled a ladies pipe carved in roses from her pouch and filled it with tabac. She would be call about all of this and not hit the man in the head as she wanted to. He ripped two things that she loved away from her and she would like to hurt him as he had hurt her...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

 

ooc- Corin can you send me a quick thing on the back history of Seia and Corin and Corin and Sirayn, I don't have anything in my records. Thanks.

[U4ea]

"A Tower Guard who I knew is sitting at the bar, he disappeared at the same time as Sirayn Sedai and may know of her whereabouts. He also was deeply involved with her and Seia and may have been a lover to either of them. He's well trained and dangerous, I plan on approaching him and speaking to him." The set of Jade's jaw told Lor this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. Her eyes wandered to Kyn's and she moved them back towards Jade, sending him a silent message to keep her from getting herself killed. The last thing they needed was a runaway Guardsman who was good with his sword to feel intimidated by a pair of Greens. Especially if he knew what they were, which is was all too clear he did. Was it a death wish that had him raising that mug?

 

Loraine strolled to a table and settled in the corner, her eyes on the door and the bar, carefully threading a nasty little weave together as she watched the exchange. The threading was calming and it gave her mind time to trip through what she knew of Sirayn's disappearance. It wasn't much so it didn't take long. Was it possible she was still alive? She let her eyes scan the man Jade sat down next to with a critical eye, sizing him up and adding a few other twists to her weave in the process. If he moved, he was going to be in a lot of pain...

 

~Loraine

[tismeb4u]

The wavy form offered no answers and only more questions. The game player within rattled about in his head trying to gain a purchase on his thoughts; worked to bring his attention back to the woman in green and what purpose she might serve here. A low soft growl rumbled from deep in his throat as he shook the mug slightly, the wavy image dispersing in the sloshing liquid. The slightly damp coolness of the ale as it wicked over the rim and slide down over his fingers helped bring contrast for him to focus. He used it to mute the players voice in his head and noted the soft sound of fabric caressing wood as someone moved past the chairs. He was guessing it would be the one in green. He was sure she recognized him and was equally sure he knew her name as well. But he fought the urge to turn and meet her in greeting. If I pretend to be average, to be the plain person I am, I will be. Perhaps she will pass by, perhaps she will see the failure before her and not wish to dirty her hands with such filth. Only .... what if she does know where Sirayn is? Could she?

 

Lost to his own thoughts Corin did not attune to her arrival behind him, nor to the momentary pause she used to compose herself. The player he had been before loosing Sirayn would have noted it all. That man would have had several different angles in which to approach the Aes Sedai in conversation to find out what exactly had her in this hovel. But that man was not here. He had been lost the day Corin accepted the fact that Sirayn was gone, vanished, and he had not been there to protect her.

 

He tensed slightly at her touch and mentally berated himself for the action. He was in the company of Aes Sedai again. That meant he had to play the part of a properly trained and truly attentive guard. That was his station now in life and he had to learn to accept it. No one wanted a failure at there side, especially not in their mind. The Daes Dae'mar player flared again briefly but he resisted the urge to draw him on and instead simply turned his head to acknowledge her with a simple nod and then looked back to his mug. He noted how she sat on the stool next to him and began to fill her pipe with tabac. “You know that will eventually kill you.” He tried to make his voice sound subdued, relaxed. But a reed of sorrow vibrated under the surface and it irritated him further. The pipe had brought back yet another example of his ever growing portfolio of failures. Deep brown eyes dance first merrily in his mind and then glass and heavily ladened with verging tears. Lavinya had tried to introduce him to the pipe and he had gaged something fierce. Feelings washed over him, softness, strength, humility, envy, passion, betrayal, and lose.

 

They swirled in him and battled for his attention. His hands clenched the mug tightly as he focused his mind to push it all away. He had hurt her as well. Another woman that had run from the tower, only that one had foolishly run into battle of a sort. He hoped the rumors he had picked up on his journey weren't true. He had driven her away, he could not bear to know that he had driven her into the waiting clutches of those men and their cursed lives. Feeling fell away like the rain shed from the roofs of the buildings in Tar Valon; emptiness rushed in to fill the void. The emptiness added a edge to his demeanor, relaxing hands in a way only a swordsman could appreciate.

 

A measuring gaze swung silently over to meet the mask of the woman at his side. She had been tied to Sirayn in some fashion, she had known her longer the Corin. He had never questioned any of the sisters directly about the disappearance of Sirayn. But here she was, a perfect person and a perfect opportunity to see what else he could learn. Jade green eyes, eyes that swirled with traces of anger, confusion, hope, and need, locked to the emerald green filled with Aes Sedai stoic composure. He was vaguely aware of the dance of life against his fingers; the pulse of her heart as it surged life giving blood through her arteries. His hand had closed firmly around her wrist but he did not remember moving it there. It was a move the player in him would never had done, but the lost soul that presently held sway in his mind cared little for protocol. “What is it you want Jaydena?” His grip was not hard, just firm enough to ensure his point was  understood. His voice remained low, wrapped in the softness he had become use to using in his search; the softness of a swordsman. If there was a chance she had information that lent to the location or condition of Sirayn he would get it. She would tell him what he needed to know or ... or what? Are you mad! Two Aes Sedai, of the battle green even, and a warder. Just what are you thinking you goat kissing wool head. Are you trying to get yourself killed? His eyes never left her own, but as quickly as it had come, the storm left. His eyes softened and became empty once more. His grip loosened, he patted her wrist lightly before returning to his mug; his eyes sweeping back to the mug's contents. This was wrong, if he was to be accepted back in the ranks of the guard he had to get a hold of himself and be what a guard would be. His old life was over, why could he not let go of it?

 

 

[Jaydena]

She felt him tense under her hand and she waited for him to attack if he would, she had no way of knowing how sane this man was, he had vanished just hours after Sirayn had been found missing and hadn't been seen since. Of course Sirayn knew how to weave gateways and had taken an angreal with her to do so. It would be almost impossible for Corin to locate her as she could have gone to any corner of the world but he had left right after she had been found gone. They hadn't had a chance to question him to find out if he knew where she was going or if he had any contact with her. Looking closely at him he seemed sad and didn't act like he was going to attack her, other than the tensing of his shoulder there was no reaction to her touch. It might just be that he was not used to human contact any more, after all she had no idea what he had been through since he left. “You know that will eventually kill you.” She looked down at the pipe and chuckled, "Well everything could kill me and since I am likely to die on the end of a Trolloc's blade I am not worried about a pipe." Reaching into her beltpouch she quickly picked up the tools and lit her pipe. It wouldn't do for her to embraced the Source and channel inside of this hovel, every country was different, and she didn't want to have to fight her way out of here, risking hurting innocent people...looking around she amended her thoughts, maybe not so innocent but still bystanders. Behind her she could feel that Loraine had embraced the Source and out of the corner of her eye she saw the intricate weave the woman had started. She winced and turned her attention back to this man. The weave Loraine was doing wouldn't kill Corin but he wouldn't feel very good when he woke up in the morning. She looked at the side of his face and wondered his part in all of this, she knew some of it, but there had to be so much more that had led to him following Sirayn. Suddenly he turned to look at her, his eyes the same shade as her though a different shape, emotions flashed through his eyes, confusion, desire to know, rage, hope, and so very many more.

 

His hand reached out and snagged her wrist hard, she kept her expression calm, though he was strong enough to cause hurt. She almost winced but ignored it and continued to stare into his eyes. Backing down was not an option and she could feel Lor and Kyn both tensed behind her, they could see his hand around her wrist she was sure. “What is it you want Jaydena?” She continued to look into his eyes, tempted to call him down for the lack of a title, tempted to call him down for his disrespect, so very tempted to call him down for touching her without permission. Instead she sat there calmly and gazed into his eyes, waiting for his anger to fade or for him to act on it. Suddenly the emotions in his eyes faded and a mask slide over them. He let go of her wrist and patted it lightly before turning to stare into his mug. Slowly releasing the breath she hadn't realized she was holding she looked him over and then spoke, "Well that was interesting, shall we try a bruising kiss next, I am sure I could handle some more bruises." She lightly rubbed her sore wrist and kept looking at him, deciding to come to the point. "How did you end up here Corin, last I saw you, it was with Sirayn, and the next thing I know you have vanished behind her. Where have you been, did you find her?"

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[U4ea]

Loraine barely kept the weave from flying as she saw the man's hand clamp down on Jade's wrist. Jade isn't a frail woman, she had to keep reminding herself. She can take care of herself in many circumstances. She can handle a man holding her wrist. She felt Kyn tense, but didn't look his direction. If the man didn't relax or blinked one little eyelash further past what was acceptable, she was letting the weave fly and that was that.

 

She settled back as he released her wrist and Loraine started slowly picking the weave apart, keeping the nastiest elements of it still intact and her eyes still pinned on the bar where Jade and the strangely familiar man were sitting. Was this why their contact had asked for them to come here? Curious...

 

~Loraine

[tismeb4u]

A grin twitched the corner of his mouth at her comment of  bruising kiss, he had an inclination that she was all to familiar with a bruising kiss. Deep brown eyes rose up from the dark depths of his memory, eyes that held an edge of disapproval. Slowly the face of Lavinya began to take form, framed in her fire red hair, anger and ownership etched in her brow. The vision caught him off guard and he choked briefly in mid gulp as Jaydena voiced her question. Wiping some of the bitter dark ale from his chin Corin set the mug back down, cursing his timing and that of Lavinya's vision. Her timing even now, separated and hating him for his weakness, was impeccable. Only Sirayn and Lavinya could cause one man so many trials. How indeed ... the though was heavy with grief and regret, some leaching through his loose grip on control and played in the shadows of his face. “If that is why you have traveled all the way down here Jaydena then who am I to refuse the wanton needs of an Aes Sedai.” The grin was framed in dark sarcasm as Corin tilted his head slightly and leaned toward her as if to take that kiss from her. The vision of Lavinya's face darkened further in anger, but it was her eyes. Her eyes that filled with hurt like they had in the field that stilled his movements and brought Corin back to himself. Not the man that seemed to surface more oft then not of late but the loose control he had on the man that had earned the Red cloak of the guard. “Had I found her Jaydena ... Sedai,” memories of the verbal lashings he received from Sirayn when he forgot the honorific added it finally to her name if slightly delayed. “If I had found her I would not be here. I would be at her side or dead.” Corin could not keep the edge from his voice. He no longer cared if Jaydena knew of their relationship or in what form it took. It was gone, he had been deprived of the goal he had reserved his life to and hurt deeply the only other close friend he had made in the tower. What did it matter now if even the world knew?

 

It did matter of course. It would always matter. Sirayn had secured a private vow of secrecy from him and even in death, and for all likely appearances Sirayn was dead, he would keep it. That didn't explain why Jaydena and her little party would be in this hovel. He let his gaze deepen, taking in the composed mirror reflective eyes of Jaydena searching for telltale signs, then let years of rooted training in the Tower yards take over. “As soon as I heard of her disappearance I left in search of any trail her captives might have left. I could not believe that she would have left willingly in such quiet and secretive ways. Sirayn .... Mother was good at playing in shadows and smoke. Even long before she became mother, but this ....” His voice had been quiet, an uneasy calmness seemed to caress the words as they floated up from within him. “Even for Sirayn this was too much, too out of character to be her own doing. I have been looking ever since and in the process covered more lands then I knew existed before coming to the Tower.” Turning his head slightly he met Jaydena's eyes once more. A cautious hint of desperation and hope seemed to drift in the shadowy depths of them. “Did you find her? Is she here, or perhaps she sent you and the little ones?” his head nodded back toward the other sister and her shield. By now Corin was certain the man was bonded to the other sister. They seemed too in sync with each other and mirrored each others emotions in their subtleties.

 

OOC: sorry for the delay, I'm back now

 

Corin

[Jaydena]

Jaydena watched as Corin coughed and choked on his drink and than wiped at the ale on his dirty chin. At least that section of his face was clean now. She grimaced at him and wondered when he had stopped taking care of himself, probably about the time, he decided that walking into dumps like this wasn't a recipe for suicide. She watched the man closely and remembered well a time when she had hidden in her room, not bathing, not eaten, and sobbing until she had nothing left. The death of two of her gaidin at one time had stripped her of everything she had in her. It took Seia dragging her out of that bedroom to save her life. So she knew that to some extent this man felt that. He hadn't been bonded to Sirayn that she knew but it was obvious in his heart that he had felt like they were bonded. "If that is why you have traveled all the way down here Jaydena then who am I to refuse the wanton needs of an Aes Sedai.” She looked back up at him as he leaned toward her as though he was going to kiss her. Jade felt Loraine and Kyn tense behind her, she held on finger up down by her hip and waited to see what happened. The source was already embraced as though by reflex and she had a weave ready to drop onto him if she tried to injure her, so even if she died, so would he. The man was grinning at her and still leaning closer, she looked deep into his eyes, and suddenly he came back to himself, leaning back with a start and than speaking again, “Had I found her Jaydena ... Sedai, If I had found her I would not be here. I would be at her side or dead.” He hesitated over her title as though it was one he was no longer used to using, she nodded and pondered the man, yes indeed her assessment had been right, he had considered himself to be bonded to her once friend.

 

“As soon as I heard of her disappearance I left in search of any trail her captives might have left. I could not believe that she would have left willingly in such quiet and secretive ways. Sirayn .... Mother was good at playing in shadows and smoke. Even long before she became mother, but this .... Even for Sirayn this was too much, too out of character to be her own doing. I have been looking ever since and in the process covered more lands then I knew existed before coming to the Tower.” She glanced back at him, there was a part of her that agreed with him, it still seemed to rash to be something that Sirayn would do. She was to deliberate and to calculated to do anything like this. She was a master and the Game of Houses and she played it every second of the day. This entire incident was entirely out of character for her.  Corin turned his head and once again began to look in her eyes. “Did you find her? Is she here, or perhaps she sent you and the little ones?”

 

Light how did she answer this man, how did she smash his dreams, they didn't think that they would ever find Sirayn and the White Tower had given up searching, how did she crush that hope in his eyes. She had crushed so much hope in her life and she couldn't do it again. This man was bonded to Sirayn, he might not have been bonded i weaves, but if the fact that he had searched the ends of the earth for a woman he cared for, didn't prove that he was bonded, she didn't know what did. Sighing she wondered where her backbone was today. Oh yes one of the most decorated women currently housed in the White Tower couldn't even tell this man about Sirayn. Though of course she would never be as decorated as the one woman she hated the most in the world and loved the most.

 

Light she missed her, more and more each day she felt the loss of a woman she had come to rely on, not just for those elusive moments when she had seen the love in the other woman's eyes, but she also craved her wit, her sarcasm, her banter, and yes even her coldness and rudeness. She was so pathetic, she thought. Why couldn't she find an obsession that made sense, rather than dreaming about loves that could no longer be. Jade shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, closing it, and than starting again, "Corin I wish we had found her, I wish I could tell you that, I do. I wish that she was currently sitting in the Tower, waiting for trial for abandonment but she's not. She's not sitting in one of the cells and we have no idea where's she at. All I can do is hope that she is alive and well and that one day she will return to us or that we have word that she died peacefully in her bed or fighting to the death in the Borderlands. Knowing her that is the way she would want to go, not quiet in bed but screaming in the face of death and bloody to her eyeballs." She smiled wistfully and continued, "Corin, I can tell you that if she returns to the Tower, it would be better for you to be there and waiting for her, and not wandered the world looking for a woman that no one can find. You dedicated your life to something and that dedication has to be in there somewhere. You can travel with us back to the Tower once we find the Aes Sedai we are looking for. Loraine Sedai and Kynwric Gaidin I am sure would be fine with that. It's up to you, I would never force you to do that, if you don't want to return."

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[tismeb4u]

Corin allowed a flicker of hope to breath inside at the hesitation in Jaydena, the attempt to voice something. The slight softening he seemed to feel from her. Aes Sedai of the Green were battle hard and ruthless when it came to emotions. At least that was the opinion he had created at the hand of their once controlling sister. Sirayn felt no need of emotions, felt them week and a hindered in others. She had done much to try and beat them from himself and offered none to others he had witnessed. No, that was not true as a wavy vision of Seia floated across his minds eye. She had shown emotion there, affection, a hint of loss. It put a foul and bitter taste in his mouth just remembering how Sirayn seemed to soften for Seia when all she seemed to have for Corin was a sharp tongue and a demand for perfection.

 

Jaydena's words washed over him in a torrent of ice and pain, thoughts he had begun to grudgingly accept voiced in another's tone. The talk of wishing her in a cell was too much. It was surely meant to be comforting in some strange manner but in his present state only illicited the darker side of reason; feeding the fires of anger. His eyes cut with a flash of heat to the source of such vial thoughts and challenge edged his eyes. A sister of the Tower he was sworn to, it danced on the edges; tried to gain mastery over the tide of anger and almost failed. His jaw cracked with the tension lacing it but he held his tongue for the moment; mind racing ahead with plans tainted by his emotional state. Plans quickly frozen at the mention of Sirayn passing quietly in bed.

 

Once more unwanted visions swam before him. Visions of an ageless face relaxed of tension and reserve. The softness of her warm cheek against his hand; fierceness of the storm in her grey eyes as she awoke in the cabin. Death then would have bee so much easier then this. Perhaps that was it. Perhaps Sirayn had finally decided the best way to punish her student for such a foolishly bold move was to abandon him. Make him feel as helpless as he had done to her. Terrorize him even a small degree to what she surely must have felt when he .... The image was too harsh, to stark in it's rawness for him to finish. Corin's head dipped slightly as his eyes glassed over, vision distorting slightly behind the unshed tears. A quick thrust of the blade he had given her and he would not be here to live through this nightmare. Even in death the woman found a way to lash out at him.

 

So there it was, the Tower was all that was left to him. Jaydena's remarks almost salt in the wound as she idly spoke of not forcing him. He had lived so long as the tempering steel beneath the hammer of Sirayn and the Anvil of sworn duty to the Tower. Now Jaydena offered him a return without force or tribulation. He hardly believed the Guard would welcome him back with open arms. By now he would have been labeled a deserter, the fact that they had not tried to seize him on sight meant little. It could be a clever ruse to ensure his co-operation and keep him meek as mothers milk. Or it could be genuine concern from a person that held ties to Sirayn and knew something of their history. How much was of each part and what was known were questions he had no answers to. Unlike the player he had been under Sirayn's tutelage and control. He was no longer sure if he wanted all the answers; if he could be subtle in their drawing.

 

He blinked away the unshed tears and rained in the emotions, feeding them to the flame as he had been taught. This was useless banter that was getting him no where. Turning slowly he avoided Jaydena's eyes and instead brought a cool flat gaze to rest on Kynwric. His voice was empty, the void having settled completely on him, as he addressed Jaydena in quiet tones without taking his gaze off Kynwric. “Did you ever wonder why Seia suddenly went so cold on you?” He did not know if she had or not but it was a calculated reality that could have come from his actions. Seia had hated him openly after what he had done to drive the wedge between Sirayn and herself. Jaydena had been the innocent, if there was such a thing in the Tower, bystander he had used for that wedge. “Did you never see the darkness, feel the added edge in Sirayn's voice?” Vengeance flared over the surface of the void and he stuffed it into the flame, dashing the ashes under foot ruthlessly. “She knew you know.” Slowly Corin rose with a swordsman's ease from his stool, his eyes still intent on the Gaidin. The thing he should have been to the woman who had vanished. Right now he hated the man for his status, somewhere in the depths he knew he shouldn't. Raw emotion battered the voids glassy surface and drowned out the inner voice of reason. “I told her. I followed you and Seia in your less then subtle romance. Told her of your prevalent show of affection, the depth of the passion shared in kiss; the actions behind closed doors.”

 

If there was a reaction on Jaydena, Corin did not register it. His focus was on one man only, the words mere fuel to ignite a fire storm of emotions with any luck of the Wheel. “Seia was there when I told Sirayn and denied nothing. Painting you in the broad brush of acceptance. Really, did you think something so dark as taking Sirayn's own Gaidin would go without notice, without consequences.” The tinder lay out in the open now, dry and ready for the voracious embrace of a flame. Not everything may have been as he had said. In fact he had taken liberties to embellish the story some what as he made some of those reports to Sirayn, watched with a buried glee as they seemed to harden her away from Seia and he had hoped turn her to himself. Bitterly that had not happened. Instead of being as Kynwric was to Loraine, Sirayn had only held him at arms distance. Toyed with his emotions until he had foolishly stepped over that invisible line and alienated himself from her permanently.

 

Sliding his gaze away from the Gaidin he let it rest on Loraine. He had no knowledge of her, no past history or unpaid debit between them. But like all things Sirayn touched, she was now a pawn for Corin  and he intended to make use of the pawn. Resting his hand lightly on the hilt of his sword he began to move forward toward the pawn, his senses fully aware of the Gaidin.

 

Corin Danveer

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric kept his gaze on the man, recognizing the fact that this may well come to steel before it was settled. Corin had taken an uneasy stance in Kyn's own mind, as if he were trying to prod a reaction from Jaydena. The words were not hot and angry, but malicious and too well planned to be anything other than the verbal acknowledgment of a long standing feud. Jaydena's back was to him, so he didn't see any reaction she may have had to Corin's words. What he did see was a man close to the edge, if not already over it, and in close proximity to his duty and his love. A man who seemed ready to do violence and that concerned Kyn more than anything. Seeing Corin's hand drift to his sword and not needing to know what that meant from someone trained, <i>never put hand to sword unless you're ready to use it.</i> Kyn was certain that lesson had been taught for as long as there had been swordsmen in the tower. All that thought in the space of nothing as Kyn interposed himself between Loraine and Corin, his own hand on his sword and his eyes hard on focused in preparing for that which might come. The closer Corin came the ore ready Kyn became, his own emotions already coiled within him ready to unsheathe and strike when the time came. For a man Tower trained in weapons his stance was unmistakable, it said come closer and die. There was no need for words or playful banter here, it was a deadly serious transaction that was about to take place and the only way Kyn now saw that bloodshed would be avoided was for either Aes Sedai to render Corin incapable of drawing that sword because short of Loraine compelling him to move from between them it would not happen.

[U4ea]

Loraine didn't have to hear the words to know she'd been insulted. Jade didn't react, though. Honestly, she doubted she'd have done anything but laugh at him. If the signs she was reading was any indication, this man was close to breaking, anyway.

 

He rose, his eyes on Kynwric and his hand straying to the sword at his hip.  Alarmed, she started twisting weaves again. She didn't move, though. When he turned towards her, she tilted her head. It was her only movement until Kynwric stepped in front of her to block her view of him. The urge to laugh was overwhelming.

 

She stood slowly and moved to Kynwric's side, her eyes dancing. "While it is apparent you know what to do with that little stick, you do realize I'm just as Green as Jade there, right? I could slice you into a hundred pieces before your sword was free of that scabbard and be completely justified in doing it. Is it a death wish you have, child?"

 

She rested her hand on Kynwric's arm, though she made sure she stayed clear of his sword and the arm he needed to bare it. She didn't bother moving for the sword she carried on her own hip. Considering what she could do without it, it seemed a bit more like a decoration than a weapon. "I'm sure your death is not the reason we came here, be at ease. It's far too early in the day to kill someone."

 

It wasn't just him she was saying it to, either. Of course, of the four of them, only Jade would know exactly which weaves she'd twisted together and had hovering close by, just waiting to be launched at an attack from any direction.

 

~Loraine

*laughs* I haven't been called a little one in a while...

[tismeb4u]

Like clockwork the Gaidin flowed smoothly between the sister he protected and the threat he perceived named Corin. It was almost child’s play how the reaction was so predictable. Only this type of child’s play could end in blood and death if not balance to a careful mark. Not an emotion cracked the surface of the other man’s façade as his hand drifted to find his own swords hilt; his stance all to familiar. The Gaidin was ready to meet any dance offered and give life if need be to ensure no harm came to his charge. A noble thought, one shared by Corin not that long ago. But it was long enough that the shine had faded to a dry, weathered, and cracked piece of leather ready to be discarded. Only it still fit him to well to completely give up hope. Corin had always strived to reach that position and even in his grief and confusion. Something deep down would not let him through it completely away.

 

Looking everywhere for Sirayn had brought a hard and bitter reality to the boy grown man now hardened into the renegade of requirement. He had seen much in the way of blood in the last year; been the drawer of it more then he ever wanted. Watched as the light of life slowly faded from eyes once bright. Watched them darken and eventually cloud over with deaths full embrace. Hells. They had become his home more then not of late. A Hell was the darkest and seediest of the tavern offerings and it flowed with turned ale, vinegar wine, women, dice, and blood. He had met his fair share of fights that carried to far. This place was not a Hell, but it was no that far of a step above. Already the patrons in the common room had slowly begun to swing their gaze to the two men facing off. No doubt they expected they would see a bit of sport.

 

But they would be sadly mistaken, well perhaps only a little. His conscience, his vow, and his heart would not allow him to do harm to the Aes Sedai. But the Gaidin did not know that, could not know that. He only knew what was before him and that was a threat to the sister he was charged to protect above all others.

 

His charge fit right into the mold of a Green in all their bold and haughty aspects. True to form, brash and forward. She appeared to be ready to take charge and dirty her hands before her Gaidin would even be able to get his hands dirty. Tipping his head to the side for a moment to ponder her words and actions. Corin wondered if perhaps it ever bothered the man that she would rush to seek the dance and deaths embrace before he had little more then planed out the opening steps to the dance himself. True it would have been something the man would have known before the commitment. It was widely known the type of sister you would serve if you accepted the bond of a Green. But then that had been exactly what he had wanted, what he had strived for and what he had lost. He had been bondless and remained bondless, probably would be bondless for the rest of the days the Wheel spun out for him.

 

There was no sense pushing things farther then needed, though of late he was having a harder time discerning where exactly that line was. Dropping his hand from the hilt he spread his arms wide while he dipped his head in a bow. “It is indeed to early to paint the floor in red. Be at ease little sis, I have no quam with you; only to test your friends observations.” He straightened with his arms still outstretched to show that he had no intentions of accessing the blade at his waist. The smirk that sat his face as he rose from that bow set a glint of play to his eyes. “He looked to be board out of his mind and I thought to see how awake he was.” Corin knew exactly how awake the man was, tower trained and Gaidin to top it off. The man would not be left off guard; would register all movements that may bring threat to the Aes Sedai and still appear to be oblivious to the room. He stepped forward still with the smirk, no more then a foot from the pair. “Look, already the folks think they will see sport here. A foolish thought to be sure when the people of your stature are near, but still they look and wait. Almost a shame is it not?”

 

The words barely left his lips before he threw his weight forward into the Gaidin, a fist glancing off the cheek of the man before Corin’s weight and momentum took them both to the floor. He had no illusion he would win this little fist of cuffs. A Gaidin, still in his prime condition and two Aes Sedai; it was only a matter of who really. Who between the three of them would be the fastest to end this. The Gaidin would not take long, especially with the heat of drink in Corin’s stomach. He was certain the sister that had been next to the Gaidin would have already embraced the source. A thought crossed his mind as his head snapped back; wondering if the Gaidin would be annoyed with the sisters if they interrupted a fight he was already turning the tide of. It didn’t matter really, a full smile sat his face as the Gaidin gained the upper hand; Corin wondering if they would stop him or wait until he had released the tension that had to have been wound tight in the man only moments ago.

 

Corin Danveer

 

 

[U4ea]

OOC: I was waiting for one of the others, but I'll post for you. :D

 

IC:

Loraine saw the shift in his weight and shook her head slightly. He got a lucky shot at Kynwric before he was wrapped firmly in Air. She flicked a glance around the room and finally found someone who looked to be the inkeeper, or what passed for security, moving towards them. It was just the person she needed, either way.

 

She smiled warmly at him, extending her hand. "We find ourselves in need of a more..." she looked around and returned her smile to him. "...private place, good sir. Would you be so kind as to lead us?"

 

The man looked glad to have something else to do and nodded, moving off down the hallway and gesturing to a door hidden just inside it. She smiled and nodded her approval, but he didn't wait for her to enter the room before he disappeared to the back. Security, then, she thought, turning her eyes back to the man before her.

 

She hated this persona, this image. Give her a fist of trollocs, any day. It reminded her of her grandfather and his pushy noble attitude. Arrogance, haughtiness, an almost abuse of the abilities the Creator had seen fit to grant her... it disgusted her.

 

It disgusted her more that there was a tavern full of people to see it. It was partly her fault, but she was glad she'd had the weaves started, already. This could've gotten very ugly, very quickly.

 

She focused her eyes on him, softening her expression just a little. It could still get ugly. She'd used the softest weave she had, knowing that Jaydena wanted him alive for some reason. With her eyes more focused on his, she could see the pain he tried to hide. She dissolved the other weaves, letting them unravel without touching him.

 

"I believe this conversation should be more discreet," she said softly. "Do you want into that room under your own steam, Guardsman, or do I carry you?"

 

~Loraine

[Jaydena]

She watched as anger flashed in Corin's eyes and waited for the attack to come. The man looked like a coil ready to spring at any moment, she wouldn't be surprised if he backhanded her. Not that she hadn't had that happen to her before but it wasn't something she had dealt with in a long time. Most people had more respect for Aes Sedai than that, especially a Sitter. She had earned the respect of most if not all of those that said she would never rise to anything, never get past her flirtations of the past to become anything of worth. Oh how wrong they had been in those thoughts, those silent whispers in the corners of the Tower.  Someday she would silence all the whispers and they would all respect her. Shaking her head to clear the thoughts she looked back at Corin who had relaxed some and had adopted a bitter expression on his face. “Did you ever wonder why Seia suddenly went so cold on you?” Her breath left her lungs as he addressed one of the biggest pains she had ever endured in such a cold voice. "Did you never see the darkness, feel the added edge in Sirayn's voice?” Folding her hands at her waist she waited for him to finish, she wasn't sure what this was, but she had been through much worse she was sure. “She knew you know.”

 

She arched an eyebrow and waited as Corin slowly rose from his stool. He leaned only slightly over her body and continued, “I told her. I followed you and Seia in your less then subtle romance. Told her of your prevalent show of affection, the depth of the passion shared in kiss; the actions behind closed doors.” Jade didn't let a single emotion show, why this man wanted to hurt her she didn't know, but she knew it was obvious that he didn't know the entire story. “Seia was there when I told Sirayn and denied nothing. Painting you in the broad brush of acceptance. Really, did you think something so dark as taking Sirayn's own Gaidin would go without notice, without consequences.” She didn't say a word, didn't acknowledge anything he spoke of, he had no clue what he was talking about, and she wondered if he had been pushed over the edge into insanity. She saw his hand reach maybe in reflex for his sword, she felt Kyn move into position between Loraine and Corin. A part of her winced at the pain, she didn't have anyone at her side to protect her anymore. She would protect herself from any harm and hope her weaves were quick and sure. Behind her Loraine began to weave even more deeply, she could sense it, and it brought tears to her eyes. Lor loved her and was willing to die for her, light forbid it should come to that.

 

She turned her body so that she slightly faced Lor and Kyn and watched as her sister came up next to her gaidin and spoke, "While it is apparent you know what to do with that little stick, you do realize I'm just as Green as Jade there, right? I could slice you into a hundred pieces before your sword was free of that scabbard and be completely justified in doing it. Is it a death wish you have, child?I'm sure your death is not the reason we came here, be at ease. It's far too early in the day to kill someone." Lor had put a stilling hand on Kyn's arm as she spoke and she nodded softly to the other woman as she waited for Corin to react. “It is indeed to early to paint the floor in red. Be at ease little sis, I have no quam with you; only to test your friends observations.” The man put his arms out on either side of his body showing that he wanted no fight at their hands. “He looked to be board out of his mind and I thought to see how awake he was.” She rolled her eyes at the man since no one was looking her way, Kyn could deal with the insult on his own. Corin stepped towards Kyn and continued, “Look, already the folks think they will see sport here. A foolish thought to be sure when the people of your stature are near, but still they look and wait. Almost a shame is it not?” Jade watched in shock as the man moved on the balls of his feet and lashed out at Kyn. He must have a deathwish to attack a man of Blademaster rank when he was drunk. Of course that was exactly what he had, he had lived as half a man for some time not and most likely wanted to end it. Looking over at Lor she saw the other woman hold her hand up, Kyn had it well in hand, and she knew he would have this man on the floor with his arm behind him and a knee in the back or something similar in short order. Loraine turned and walked over to the Innkeeper, Jade could hear her speaking softly to him about getting a room. Her friend and Sister came back and let loose one of the weaves on Corin. She could tell he was in pain and she waited as Lor spoke, "I believe this conversation should be more discreet, do you want into that room under your own steam, Guardsman, or do I carry you?" Jade reached her feet gracefully, and stood tall and proud as she waited to see what Corin would do next...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

Green Ajah Head and Sitter

 

 

 

 

[tismeb4u]

Pain lanced through Corin’s upper body as the invisible wrappings of

thickened air tried to press his shoulders together through the center

of his body. His breaths came in heavily exerted gasps as his

diaphragm tried to force his chest out against the air bonds to draw

breathe into his lungs. It was not quiet the reaction he had expected

from the Aes Sedai; the Gaidin had already gained the upper hand with

fair ease. This almost seemed as if she wanted to add insult to his

lose. Yet the Gaidin was her bondmate and if he could get his

scrambled thoughts into a cohesive pattern then perhaps he could see

the totality of the reaction.

 

He had tried to push Jaydena; to hurt her for some reason. He wanted

them to hurt like he did. To feel loss, or anger, or something behind

that cool composed exterior they all hid behind; that Sirayn had hid

behind. It had taken a meaning less threat to break that composure

though it must have been the other one that broke. She was the one

that spoke to him; indications in words and eyes that it was her

weaves that presented him with the blossoming pain and perhaps the

hint of joy an additional offering would give her. He had attacked her

Gaidin so it made sense that she was the one even if he could not see

the weaves as the Aes Sedai could. Mentally he noted how the Gaidin

had kept his composure enough not to take advantage of the restrained

man. Corin was sure that at one time he could have overcome the desire

as well. But that was before Sirayn had abandoned him. Now he would

have found great pleasure in taking advantage of the situation to make

the man pay further. Perhaps he would never make a good bondmate for a

sister. Who was he kidding? He was going back to try to make good on

an oath he had taken when he had been granted the Red Cloak. He was

going back to be a guard, nothing more.

 

Once the pressure on his shoulders and chest abated Corin took a

moment to draw a deep breath. He could see Jaydena rise in Aes Sedai

grace at the counter from the corner of his view. The twisted version

of the game player Sirayn had created was already spinning out ways to

add to the insults he had offered thus far. Even as his tongue began

to form the words he knew it was wrong, lashing out at these people

would not ease his pain or give him any purpose beyond creating new

enemies, he could not stop the need. “It seems you have collected a

new kitten to replace the old Jaydena Sedai. Where the old one danced

with steel this one plays with knitting.” His voice was strong if

still somewhat labored from his exertion at breathing. He offered

Jaydena a sketch of a bow and then one to the Aes Sedai that had held

him. “I believe I will walk in on my own kitten, though it was nice of

you to offer.” Sliding an oily smile toward the Gaidin that still

watched him intently Corin stepped into the room and sat down in a

seat at the table with his back to the door and the others. He was not

afraid for his life like he had been in some of the hovels he had

lived in while searching for Sirayn. These one’s would not kill him.

But he had to find a peace within himself if he was going to return to

the Tower. He could not fight everyone he met, as it had become a part

of him in this failed journey for the past year.

 

Releasing a sigh he tried to settle his mind. The trick came

naturally; falling into a mental exercise he had used often near the

end when he had dealings with Sirayn. In the later part of his

relationship with her he had to keep himself from overstepping

invisible lines once again. How did one go about apologizing to an Aes

Sedai you had wronged both now and in the past? Then there was the

stranger, he did not even remember seeing her prior to today and yet

she stated she was a Green. Sirayn had been Green before she was

raised to the Amyrlin Seat. He should have at least seen her in

passing at some point in his service and training with Sirayn. But he

could not recall her. Perhaps she had been away on leave or out

completing a service for the Tower; so many options with little true

direction. That puzzle would have to wait.

 

He could hear movement behind him in the doorway. His training itched

at him to stand and face them respectfully. An old training, tarnished

with the year of unsavory work that he had taken to for coin or room

and board. Tower guards were not paid elaborately, one did not enter

the service with the thoughts of becoming rich. So he had taken what

he could in order to make the coin he needed to keep on his quest.

That necessity had flourished under the ever-depressing results of his

futile search. It had become the caustic edge that now slipped easily

to the forefront where past training would have never allowed such

response and disrespect to flourish.

 

“She would have had my hide stripped from me for even a tenth of this

wouldn’t she?” Corin’s voice was low and soft. He addressed no one but

knew it would be Jaydena if anyone that would understand the question

out of context. He had gotten away with a lot directed at Sirayn

herself. But the woman had made sure he got away with nothing when it

came to respect for the other sisters of the Tower. If he was lucky

all she would have done was had his hide stripped from him. Why is

it even that thought would be welcome over the acceptance of her gone

from this Age?

 

Corin

A troubled soul

[U4ea]

Loraine watched him turn his back on her and didn't move. She didn't trust herself, if she were truly honest. How long had it been since someone words had irritated her so bad, she'd gladly have left him bleeding for it?

 

She took long breaths, actually pausing to settle back in her chair for a moment to collect herself. The grain of the wood in the tabletop was a good distraction and she moved through every exercise she'd learned as a Novice to get control over her raging anger. He was baiting her. She knew it. Honestly, who called an eighty year old woman a "kitten" ? Even in the Tower, she was old enough to garner respect from nearly everyone with a shawl.

 

She felt Kyn's concern. If she weren't in such a public place, she'd close her eyes and take very deep breaths until she was in control. Light knew, she'd rather be anywhere, at the moment. She'd come after a strange woman and what did they find?

 

She eyed the short corridor and the room the man had disappeared through. A petulant man who was far too old for his silly notions of duty and far too well trained to have such little control over them. The thought helped settle her down and she lifted herself from the chair with her back straight. She'd be damned if she let him win. That meant she wasn't stooping to his level, either.

 

She rolled her shoulders back, smiled a bit at a patron who was watching and made her way into that little room. She even tried focusing on Sirayn and her obvious connect to him as a reason not to unleash her irritation. There must've been something good about him, if she'd taken the time to know him. Right?

 

~Loraine

 

[Jaydena]

 

 

Jaydena watched the man get painfully to his feet and she braced herself mentally in case he decided to attack. Instead of spoke, “It seems you have collected a new kitten to replace the old Jaydena Sedai. Where the old one danced with steel this one plays with knitting." She almost almost laughed at his comments. He knew nothing of Loraine or he wouldn't be so quick to write her off or to compare her with anyone else. He was breathing rather heavily and she could all but feel the satisfaction coming from Loraine who stood behind her again. Corin turned and bowed to her and than to her Sister before he continued speaking with a sickly smile. “I believe I will walk in on my own kitten, though it was nice of you to offer.” She followed him down the hallway as he made his way into the room they had been offered. Luckily it was actually cleaner than the front room. Lor and Kyn followed her into the room behind Corin and she took a seat across the table from her. He looked at her and than lowered his head, speaking softly. “She would have had my hide stripped from me for even a tenth of this wouldn’t she?” Jade looked him up and down and than spoke, "If anyone would have done just that it would have been here. Our Sirayn had a taste for violence but that's what made her such a good Green. She would not have stood for what you did that's for sure Corin. Sirayn believed in many things but one thing more than any other. That Aes Sedai deserved respect from everyone and should be treated as the power brokers so many are. Yes strip your hide she would have Corin."

 

Jade leaned back in her chair and folded her hands at her waist as she continued, "Now let us set a few things straight since you seem to be existing under some very strange misconceptions. Loraine and Kynwric know this entire story and so they are free to stay at their leisure or go find a room." She looked at Lor who has taken a seat next to her and to Kyn who stood behind Corin's chair. They both shook their heads, she hadn't thought they would leave her alone with this man but she still offered. "Corin I know exactly why Seiaman went cold with me. There is so much history behind all of this that you have deluded yourself into believing you know. Sirayn always knew dear. Sirayn and Seia hated each other when I met Seia. They had a bitter relationship and wanted nothing to do with each other. I fell in love with Seia and we decided that we would bond as soon as we were able. We headed to Ebou Dar and that's where it all went down hill. We were attacked in the night and I was hit in the head a killing blow that would have slain me if Seia hadn't blocked most of it, while I was knocked out and Seia was protecting me, she was almost killed. Sirayn chased the ruffians off and while I was knocked out she had to bond Seia to save her life. She did it for me and nothing more, we had become dear friends. Sirayn was like that and so many people never got past the core to see the woman within. She bonded a woman she hated so that I would lose my bondmate, all along planning on passing the bond to me as soon as she was able.  However Seia had different ideas, she refused to pass the bond to me, and that ended out relationship for some time. Eventually we ended back together after much coaxing from Seia and Sirayn was always aware of it. I am not sure where you got the idea we hid anything from her but you are very wrong young Corin. Sirayn became cold with me for another reason that had more to do with her relationship with me than mine with Seiaman. That issue is over for neither of them are in my life any longer but you need to stop thinking that you hold any sway over me or anyone else Corin." She smiled and said, "So you say you watched us, did you enjoy the show?"

 

Jaydena Mckanthur