To Ebou Dar! [Bowl of the Winds Part Two]

[claireducky]

 

Cetaile grumbled to herself as she led her piebald mare through the gateway.  The intense heat around Tar Valon trebled as she took a step and was suddenly 1000 miles further south and east.  The sere landscape of Altara surrounded her and stretched away to distant hills and olive groves.  She never wanted to be part of this "embassy", which was already weakening under the surface.  To find the Bowl of the Winds, the heritage of her people, would be a wondrous thing indeed; but Cetaile felt the task was impossible.

 

So what am I doing here tramping through this bloody heat, if it is all going to be for naught?  I have no desire to be lumped in with these sisters simply because I am a 'Seafolk'.  Light, the only one I actually know is Ziya, and she's not said two words to me yet.  Blood and bloody ashes!

 

She clambered up on the horse and gingerly urged her forward to follow the rest of the procession. Cetaile was not an adept equestrian, and would be glad when this ride was over.  The rocking motion of a horse was NOT like the pitch of a deck, no matter what these shorebound might think.  As she clung to the saddle's horn for dear life, she attempted to study the other women in the group. She knew there had to be a reason for the choice of her current company, and although she had been unable to pry it out of Ziya she thought she could figure it out if she worried over it enough.

 

Each woman was a puzzle to her at first.  Ziya was obviously the chosen leader of the company, an adept negotiator.  So the Amyrlin must have thought there might be a need for negotiations in Ebou Dar.  But with whom?  Cetaile's own part in the company was dreadfully clear; she was not a skilled negotiator compared with many other Grays, but she was the only Sea Folk sister currently in Tar Valon and the Bowl was a Sea Folk artifact. 

 

If they think I will be much use in treating with any Atha'an Miere we might find in port, they are in for a poor surprise.

 

That left the other eight sisters. Anthea had already maneuvered her mount close to Ziya's, and was leaning towards her from her saddle to whisper in the Gray's ear.  That Ziya was even deigning to listen was a shock; as the leader of the embassy, she could essentially order the rest of them to do anything.  Anthea must have some hidden bit of influence here, but what was it?  Cetaile mulled over this for a few minutes until she recalled how Anthea had vehemently supported Shevara when her name was put forward for Amyrlin.  Perhaps Shevara had repaid Anthea for her loyalty by putting her here as her eyes and ears.  Well that was almost expected, so Cetaile would take care to not oppose Anthea openly.

 

The other sisters posed a bit of a problem for Cetaile at first.  They had no obvious connection that Cetaile could think of.  Zara was another Red, but not friendly with Anthea, instead gravitating toward Brigita and Sashelle who were Greens.  Viviane was an ancient Brown, who she supposed was along for the historical value of the Bowl.  She was currently riding close with Mariella, who was another older sister from the Blues.  After puzzling over these groupings for a bit, finally something hit her that was so obvious she couldn't believe she didn't see it earlier.  They were all Altaran.  Every last sister but Anthea, Janine, Dulcinea and herself had the same olive skin of Altara.  She wouldn't be surprised if the majority of them were from Ebou Dar itself. 

 

Well, I suppose that makes a sort of sense since we ARE going to Ebou Dar...but why not pick sisters who are more capable?  Do they think that having Ebou Dari sisters will hide they fact they Aes Sedai?

 

She shook her head at the stupidity of the situation and turned her head to consider the only two women she had not figured out.  Janine and Dulcinea...both Greens.  Dulcinea was even younger than Cetaile, a newly-raised sister with no trace of agelessness.  Perhaps that was the reason for her inclusion.  Janine was another enigma, but Cetaile thought the answer was in the woman's skills.  She was the only clouddancer the Tower currently had, and if they actually managed to find the Bowl, she would be invaluable in using it.  Cetaile was strong in the elements that controlled weather through long practice, but Janine's innate Talent far surpassed her. 

 

Dulcinea and Janine were currently riding alone; Cetaile decided that she should take charge of these other oddballs before they get scooped up by one of the other groups.  She kicked her piebald forward and almost went flying off for her effort.  The two Greens looked at her askance as she pulled alongside, but she turned a significant eye towards the other groups ahead of them and wove a ward against eavesdropping around them. 

 

Janine opened her mouth angrily as the ward was closed around them, but Cetaile cut her off and demanded, "So what exactly do you make of the way the others have divided themselves?  Does this look like a unified embassy to you?  Ziya has hardly told us two words of what she plans to do when we reach Ebou Dar, and I think we need to be ready with some ideas of our own.  As much as I despise the thought, I think we should approach some of my kin folk in the harbor, as this IS an Atha'an Miere artifact we are searching for.  They might have useful information about it.  What do you two think?"

 

She settled back in her saddle before she fell out of it and waited for their reply.

 

 

[Quibby]

Janine nodded in satisfaction as the gateway closed.  Another job well done, if she did say so herself.  The rediscovery of the long-lost Traveling weave had been a boon for her; instead of a two-week ride into the middle of nowhere to reach her hideaway and, for lack of a better term, field testing range, Janine could step from her rural cabin into her far more lavish quarters in the White Tower.  In fact, she had set aside one of the antechambers for that express purpose.  There were grooves cut into the ceiling, floor, and walls to prove her earlier inexpert weaving.  Practice had certainly made perfect.

 

Not once did the idea of her thoughts being prideful cross Janine's mind.  There was a special place there that, once upon a time, had decided that she was superior to most people.  There was some contention of that in the Tower itself, but that was to be expected.  Decades, if not centuries of believing thus had made old habit of the idea for many.

 

With a slight start, Janine realized that she was still standing in the middle of a field with the reins of her horse, a brown and white gelding that she had named Mudspot, in hand.  "Fool woman, you'll forget your head next," she muttered as she mounted, shifting her sage gown, divided for riding astride, as she settled in the saddle.

 

The women of the group gave no comment as Janine took a place near the back of the group.  Another Green, Dulcinea, had chosen the quiet isolation of the rear as well.  As one of the newest members of the Ajah, Dulcinea was probably still getting over the shock of the rather odd rite of passage that the Greens had forced on her, just as they had forced it on Janine.  She would get over it; every Green did.

 

For the first time, Janine openly examined the group.  The results were startling.  Ages among Aes Sedai were never spoken of, but they were generally known, and a glance showed that Janine, at 89, was among the youngest Aes Sedai in the embassy.  Only Dulcinea and the Atha'an Miere woman- Cetaile, her mind supplied- were younger than her.  A grim smile crossed Janine's face, the beauty that her smile normally brought turned to a chill prettiness.  She at least knew her purpose; there were none in the Tower more qualified to work anything that dealt with the weather than she was.

 

As her attention shifted from the Aes Sedai ahead of her to the road in front of her, Janine suddenly became aware of a rather bizarre sight.  Cetaile, apparently, was ill-at-ease on the back of a horse, and she proved it quite well as she tried to drop back to join her and Dulcinea.  For a few moments, Janine was certain that the woman was about to be deposited onto the road, but despite all logic, she stayed in the saddle.  Janine would have been impressed if it wasn't so comical.

 

As she settled between her and Dulcinea, the glow of saidar surrounded the Atha'an Miere woman, who swiftly wove a ward against eavesdropping.  The impudence!  Janine openly glared at the girl and prepared to give her something of a tongue-lashing, but the girl added another insult, interrupting her half-formed words.  "So what exactly do you make of the way the others have divided themselves?  Does this look like a unified embassy to you?  Ziya has hardly told us two words of what she plans to do when we reach Ebou Dar, and I think we need to be ready with some ideas of our own."

 

The Gray seemed to pause for breath, the moment that Janine had been waiting for.  Before she could speak, though, Cetaile continued, leaving Janine growing more and more furious.  "As much as I despise the thought, I think we should approach some of my kin folk in the harbor, as this IS an Atha'an Miere artifact we are searching for.  They might have useful information about it.  What do you two think?"

 

Finally!  A pause to actually let the group answer questions!  Janine flicked her eyes towards Dulcinea, silently asking for her to hold her peace for just a moment.  "I think that you bloody well could use a lengthy lesson in the art of subtlety, Cetaile," Janine said, the frost in her voice nearly tangible.  Any more irritated, and Janine would be hard-pressed to keep it from becoming tangible.  "By making a flaming spectacle of yourself while dropping back to us, then throwing up a ward, that ward in particular, you've ensured that the rest of the group will be watching us carefully, wondering what is so bloody important that we have to hide it from them."

 

Janine gave it a few heartbeats for her words to sink in.  Then, in a milder tone, she continued, "As for the grouping situation, who knows?  Like minds seek like, and many of the group know each other rather well.  However, I find myself curious as to why you would suggest seeking out the Atha'an Miere.  The documents that I have seen, as sketchy and useless as they are, suggest that the White Tower, not the Sea Folk, was last in possession of the Bowl.  Since finding the Bowl is top priority, I don't see how your people can help us."

[claireducky]

Cetaile shook her head slightly in bemusement at the older sister's ignorance; her cropped caramel locks bounced around her ears with the movement.  Cetaile knew that when it came to deference, she should *probably* give Janine the lead, but the woman was blind with pride and half the women in the Tower knew it.  The Creator might have bestowed Clouddancing upon Janine, but he hadn't bestowed much wit.  At any rate, even though Janine outstripped her in overall strength, their potential was nearly matched and Cetaile knew her skill was out of Janine's reach on most things except for weather weaving.  So many things colored the shadings of rank in the Tower that Cetaile decided she could take a chance and attempt to bring Janine to heel in the matter.  Sometimes deference was only a matter of who took the lead first.  And if she could have Janine as an ally, so much the better.

 

Janine's voice was rocks ringing on iron.  Angry rocks.  "I think that you bloody well could use a lengthy lesson in the art of subtlety, Cetaile.  By making a flaming spectacle of yourself while dropping back to us, then throwing up a ward, that ward in particular, you've ensured that the rest of the group will be watching us carefully, wondering what is so bloody important that we have to hide it from them."

 

Cetaile did not reply, letting the Green think she had scored a point.  Indeed, her tone was more conciliatory when she continued. "As for the grouping situation, who knows?  Like minds seek like, and many of the group know each other rather well.  However, I find myself curious as to why you would suggest seeking out the Atha'an Miere.  The documents that I have seen, as sketchy and useless as they are, suggest that the White Tower, not the Sea Folk, was last in possession of the Bowl.  Since finding the Bowl is top priority, I don't see how your people can help us."

 

The Gray smoothed a hand over her divided riding dress, more modestly cut than she would have liked.  It was best to not draw attention to themselves though...

 

Like any flaming half-wit with enough mind to lace a boot couldn't see what we are!  What a farce this is.

 

She turned back to Janine, but directed her answer to Dulcinea, who hadn't spoken yet, poor thing.  If she feels overwhelmed and lorded over by Janine, I should easily be able to pull her to my view.   "First of all, nobody else paid a bit of attention the whole time I was studying them, nor did they when I came back to speak with you.  They all have their own wards, and are so thick in their own plotting they could ride into the flaming sea and not realize it til they drowned!  'Like minds seek like', indeed. There are two other Greens out there who are ignoring you, their Ajah sisters. Don't you get it?  They don't CARE about us.  You're only here because of your skill with the weather, Dulcinea because she is not ageless and can be made use of as a spy, and myself because I'm Sea Folk.  If any of those sisters thought us useful to their plans, they would have already scooped us up.  That means that unless we decide for ourselves what direction this embassy should take, we will be dragged along with no say in it whatsoever."

 

Cetaile paused for breath, eyeing the two Greens to see how they were taking this.  She thought she might have Dulcinea, but Janine was red as a beet in anger.  Cetaile used the same tack the Green had, letting her tone become more silky, like a salve to Janine's wounded pride.  "I know your value, Janine, have no fear of that.  There is nobody more talented with weatherworking, and you have the ability innately born in you.  All the skill I have has taken years of practice to get.  If we even find the Bowl, they will need you to use it for them.  But do you have any notion of HOW to use the Bowl?  I sure don't, and it's an artifact of my people!  So imagine for a moment, us recovering the Bowl, and then Ziya and Anthea trying to order you in the proper way to use it.  It would be a travesty, the blind leading the blind.  Nobody in this company is qualified in the use of this Bowl, even you or I.  Thousands of years before the Tower had even heard of the Bowl, it was in the possession of the Atha'an Miere.  In those days, they had many women as skilled in weather manipulation as you are.  Even if that ability has fallen off in recent years, there are still many historians among them, particularly the Windfinders who navigate the ships.  If there is anything more to be known about using the Bowl, THEY would be the ones who would know it.  Now don't you think it would be worth it, to learn how to use the Bowl if possible, so that YOU can use it correctly the moment we lay hands on it--ENDING this blasted heat wave?  You would be a hero.  And that is why I feel we should look for Sea Folk ships in Ebou Dar."

 

Cetaile knew she had to get control of this group, and soon.  She really wanted nothing to do with her kinfolk anymore, but if speaking with the Atha'an Miere would help them heal the weather then it was worth it.  She ducked to avoid a tree limb waiting to knock her out of the saddle, and wondered if her words had been enough.

[Winterwinds]

As the gateway opened and Vivian lead her black-gray mare through she smiled inwardly, she would have to remember the weave for traveling for later as it might be useful on later trips from the tower.

 

Once on the other side she mounted her horse and looked around, and sighed. They were already deep in Altara and perhaps only an hour ride from Ebon Dar itself. She had been hoping to find perhaps a few things along the way to study, she had been meaning to come down and look for a few rare plants she had been wanting to study. But, the will of the tower came first, and this mission was the will of the tower.

 

As the embassy started forth, Vivian was not surprised to see the other sisters split up into groups, and ward themselves aginst hearing.

 

She kicked her mare forward and wandered off into her own thoughts. She had been instructed by an old friend and fellow brown, to seek out the Kin once they reached the city. She believed the Bowl of Winds could be found through them. This was a good theory, one that would take time and effort to prove however. The Kin were hard to find, and there was no garentee that who ever they find would not run.

 

The sound of a horse next to her snapped her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Mariella next to her.

 

Vivian.

Lost in thought.

OOC: I am leaving what Mariella does up to her player. 

[Eqwina]

It had been many years since she’d seen Ebou Dar, and as the gateway turned and rotated into an opening she realized that she had missed it. When you came to the Tower and became Aes Sedai you were supposed to give up all allegiance and loyalties of the past, but as she mounted and rode out into the clearing she had the overwhelming sense of arriving home. For a moment she surveyed the land around her before turning back to watch the other Sister’s pass through.

 

She suspected that her skill as a negotiator had not been the full reason she’d been chosen to lead this delegation, but she would still do her best.  Eyeing her fellow Gray Cetaile coolly she only gave her a small nod before wrapping herself once again in indifference. As the leader of the slightly crumbling delegation she was trying to hold herself apart from the cracks that were already forming within their group. If they were to have any hope of success with the Sea Folk they would have to be seen as a united front.

 

Reaching up to touch the small silver clips in her hair, as she did when she was deep in thought or agitated, a quirk that was well known, she turned to regard Anthea. She could never make herself fully like the woman, but in some matters they were of the same mind. Already she could see that their whispers were being noticed, but there were things to discuss.  Embracing Saidar she wove a ward against eavesdropping, and looked around to see that she and Anthea were not the only ones to wish for privacy.

 

Beyond gathering the group she’d been closed mouthed, of necessity and she could see the confused talk it had caused. Glancing at Cetaile’s ward, something she could order dropped, she wondered what words were being said about her and Anthea and the entire Embassy. Shifting in her saddle she glanced around at the little knots of women and wanted to sigh. She had learned early that it was often best not to exert power too far; even when it was well within your right. People and even Aes Sedai were better led, and conformed to your wishes easier with a firm hand and a smile. Rather than the method of using total control and the whip that some Gray’s preferred. Debates about which method was most effective depend widely on the sister to whom you were speaking. Hoping to make use to the White’s logic she’d once tried to discuss it with them; only giving up her attempts when she realized that she would talk herself hoarse trying to make sense of their emotionless babble.

 

She rode her mount, Arrow, forward and placed herself where she could see each of the sister’s. Slowly one by one the wards dropped and she was able to lead them on towards Ebou Dar. If she was going to make use of the Queen, as she hoped, she knew that taking an Inn close to the Tarasin Palace would be best. So it was to the Fleeing Leopard that she led them.

 

[Arani Lepenque Aes Sedai]

Zara Corez sat very quietly next to her fellow Black, Brigita.  How coincidential it was that a member of her Heart had also been selected for this embassy.  When she had not been around, a note had been slipped into her coat pocket in the White Tower, and had given her some extra information that she was sure that Brigita had recieved as well, and with some orders that were supposed to be carried out urgently, or they would disappear, to scream for days before they died in the basements of the White Tower.  Her green eyes flashed with unbidden anger as she saw men everywhere.  Her mind was full of bitter memories about the way men abused women.  She had experienced it firsthand herself before she reached the White Tower.

 

Turning her mind away from that train of thought, Zara contemplated on the information that she had recieved from the note.  The recent heatwave was the cause of the Dark One.  Any fool could have deduced that from the way summer had extended.  By right, now was nearing the Heart of Winter already, and if it wasn't snowing, then at least the whole ground should have been carpeted with it, and the leaves on the trees gone.  Well, the leaves on trees were partially gone, from the drought and lack of water.  The rivers had now reduced to mere trickles of water.

 

Which now brought her to the Ter'Angreal called the Bowl of the Winds.  Apparently, this Ter'Angreal was very powerful, and last studied by a woman called Tristen Durien, who was burnt out.  And when she disappeared from the White Tower after rightfully concluding that she should not stay, the Bowl of the Winds disappeared from the Ter'Angreal records as well.  It was assumed that she returned to her homeland in Ebou Dar, which was why they were here, to search for it.  But more importantly, the Black Ajah had given them an order, to PREVENT the Bowl from being used at all costs, and to alert the Forsaken about the potential this Ter'Angreal poses to wreak havoc on the world.

 

Zara moved her horse back slightly so that she could look at the whole group in general.

 

Ziya was the leader of the Embassy, and so far had stuck close to her fellow Red Sister Anthea, whom she did not really feel kinship to, nor did she really like.  Cetaile, Janine and Dulcinea made another group, and they were discussing heatedly about something that she hoped fevently had nothing to do with retrieving the Bowl.  Viviane and Mariella made up another group.  She seriously despised the Blue Ajah, and thus she ignored Mariella totally.

 

That left her group, Brigita and Sashelle.  She would have liked them had they not been too fond of men in the first place.  She secretly wished that she had their liking for men, that that incident had not happened.  But she could not make herself do it.  She dreamt of finding those men who abused her and extracting her revenge on them, the foul things.  But that event occured over 100 years ago, the men were most probably dead already.

 

Zara Corez

Red Sister NSW

Bitter Memories

[Arie]

 

Measuring. Each and every woman that sat upon her horse measured and weighed with vicious forethought upon their companions. Strength, Age and Deference, each one weighed the other to know where the true authority lay. Keeping well upon her pale gray stallion, Brigita Lechantin the Green stayed well enough to the back to watch each of them without so much as a word or a glance that would indicated that she cared one wit or other. The only woman in their traveling circus that had any form of grace in Brigita's eyes was the Red Zara who, unfortunately, was part of her own Heart and therefore sat untouchable upon her horse. The woman sat upon that lie, one necessary as her own, and for that reason alone Brigita did not seek, nor granted her thoughts of ill will.

 

Not that she thought ill of any of the women that travelled with her. Hardly that foul of a woman, Brigita instead waited until there were reason to dislike suck women. What instead brought her a certain distaste for the travel was their destination. To this day, Brigita had been successful at avoiding the home she was born to and would have rather kept it that way. The place was she Shadows own cursed hand to her. It is, of course, a set of its own miss placed blessing. Bringing her to the Tower the way that it did, it was hard to hate such an enemy as a place when it is what brought you to the place you were meant to be. Yes, that was exactly how she should look at it.

 

Yet, deep down she could not. Brigita was unhappy with this trip. Believing that she was being sent for more than one reason; the white notes in her saddlebags, ones well burned before they left the Tower Gates, left her with a mission that Brigita wanted no part of. Yet that was the way of the Tower and that of her Ajah. Secrets, Lies and betrayal. And she had but no choice to follow. To far deep into the Black Ajah, Brigita had no chance of ever escaping without her Life. A secret of her own that she wished out, yet at the same time . . .

 

Brigita looked ahead as she could see their destination approaching. What did it matter in the end anyway. There was no Creator to save her, after all.

 

 

 

 

Brigita Lechantin

Green/Black Aes Sedai

[Jaydena]

The view outside her windows was not one that she would have expected at this time of year, it should be dusted in snow, the sun creating diamonds as it shone off of the whiteness. Yet this year was unlike any she had seen in her years. Years was something she could claim, she had lived longer than many in her family and she still looked as though she was in her early twenties. In all those years she had never seen it be this hot when it should be snowing, clearly the Dark One had a hand in this weather and that was one of the reasons she was headed out on this mission. Turning away from the window, she pulled her long blonde hair back off of her neck and quickly began to secure it into an intricate design on the back of her head. Where she was going it was hot, hotter than it was even here and she didn't want to worry about sweating under her hair. It was think, blonde, with no wave, and fell like a curtain to her waist. Despite the fact that she was an Aes Sedai and could ignore heat or cold, it wouldn't look right for a women riding to not be sweating in this heat and to leave her long hair down to her waist would just overheat a non channeler. Part of her purpose on this trip was to blend in and not to look like an Ageless Aes Sedai, which luckily she could pull off with her background and her not yet Ageless face. A simple riding habit hung over the door to her room and she slipped into it, making sure that it was clean and fit correctly still. She wasn't one to put on weight but you never could know for sure with all the rich foods they were exposed to in the Tower. Once she smoothed the pale gray riding habit down, she slid her feet into the boots she had picked out, and slung her saddlebags over her shoulders.

 

As a Red she had been on more than one mission to find male channelers so she was used to the packing and the preparations, and these days that took more time than the actual trip to get there. Light she wished she could be back to the days when they simply found male channelers and gentled them, however those days were long over and a new era had arrived. She shook her head at the foolishness of letting these men run while and set a ward around her room as she shut her door. Wouldn't do to have anyone snooping in her room while she was gone.

 

She made her way out of the Red Quarters and headed out to the area where they traveled from, intent on what her purpose was on this trip. With her long legs she quickly made it to the traveling area and noticed she wasn't the first to arrive. Her horse was saddled with the rest of her belongings, which she added her saddlebags to with deft movements. She thanked the groom who had been holding her mare and watched as more of the group arrived. A short time passed before they were all in position and Janine wove the weave that would take them to Ebou Dar. Anthea watched the disk as it spun and rotated to become a gateway, a gateway that led to her future. If the Bowl of Winds was found, she would become the premier Eyes and Ears of their Amyrlin. It had been years since the bowl was seen, last studied by a Sister named Tristen Durien, who in that studying burned out. The woman had vanished from the Tower never to be seen again, taking the Bowl and several other angreal with her. 

 

So they were here to find out if she had taken the Bowl with her and if it could be located before someone else found it. The tide of the weather needed to be changed before it ruined their crops, their water supply, and so much more. As she looked around her to make sure no one else was going through she could only hope that this trip yielded the results they so badly needed. The gateway was something you couldn't explain, it was like being pulled apart and pushed together at the same time. Quite the interesting feeling, one that it took some time to get used to. As she exited the gateway she looked for threats and then mounted her mare. In just a few moments that rest of the Sisters were through and the gateway and spun shut. Erasing any signs that they were there, other than the sliced ground where it had opened and closed. They began to move off and she quickly took up position next to Ziya, the Gray who was leading this embassy. She began to speak to her in hushed tones about what they should do on this trip.

 

Barely taking the time to notice how everyone else was pairing off, she had a mission and it must be achieved at all costs. "My Sister our best approach is to go to the Queen for help. If we don't and she finds out we are here, which she will, rather while we are here or after, we risk doing damage to her relations with the White Tower. Respect is key when dealing with her and we must respect her enough to go to her for help. With her resources we might very well find this item in a days time, rather than searching endlessly for it. Our Amyrlin will not be happy if we take to long at this, we must make haste and fix this weather. What say you?"

 

Anthea Luin

Red NSW

[Arani Lepenque Aes Sedai]

Zara sat stiffly on her horse, tearing herself away from those bitter memories.  But the first person her eyes fell on, was none other than a man.  Glaring at him so hard that he started and dropped whatever he was holding, she sniffed disdainfully and looked at Brigita, considering her.  Brigita was of her heart, so they knew each other well.  They also knew how they came to be of the Black Ajah, though they kept that secret from the rest of the group.  Nudging her horse nearer to her and Sashelle, Zara looked at the rest of the embassy.

 

"Well Sisters, we are here, in a home that is home no longer.  What should we be doing?  And how should we find this ... object that has the potential to shake the Shadow to its core?  This ... Bowl of the Winds?  How should we approach this problem?  How are we to find where this ... woman, Tristen Durian left it?  Or if she even had it?"

 

Zara Corez

Red Sister NSW

Plottings

[Quisalas Selene]

Mariella liked to think of herself as a warm-weather type of woman, having not forgotten her early years in Altara and the later years she spent here on her travels.  Of all the places in the world, she still looked to the South with warm memories of warm temperatures.  Even more so as her age began to catch up to her just recently.  But this really was just a bit much.  She'd been uncomfortable in Tar Valon, even in the lightdress of Altaran cut, albeit a modest-for-Ebour Dar cut, but it was downright muggy once she stepped through the gateway.

 

"Light have mercy," she murmured as she mounted up and settled astride her dark gray mare.  She smoothed her skirts, glad she had given up the layered short petticoats of Ebour Dar for the longer silk skirts of northern Altara.  At her age, she really shouldn't be dressing like she was in the market for a new husband.  She'd never had the first one, though the knife around her neck said otherwise.  Appearances and all that.

 

With shrewd eyes hidden behind a pleasant countenance, she surveryed the groups as they broke into factions.  It was no wonder the planning would start as soon as they were out of sight of the Tower, but she could still see the Shining Walls through the open gateway when she looked behind her.  It closed as she watched and she nudged the mare forward.  With her as the only Blue and Viviaine as the only Brown, she wanted to speak to her quite soon and while she didn't care for discussing things in public, it was clear that none of the other women were inclined to keep their allegiances secret.  How decidedly odd.

 

As she guided her mount to move in step with Viviaina's similarly colored mare she held herself tall and firm, showing none of the deference that one weak in the power would be expected to.  Sometimes being around for long enough to outlive those who remembered you as a fumbling novice had its perks.

 

"Now, then all these young things running off and joining up together.  I remember every single one of them as Novices, save you, Viviaine.  Snuck sweetcakes to a number of them, too.  Looks like you and I are left to our own devices to plan how a woman of experience would get things done, hm?"  She looked sideways at the Brown, arching an eyebrow faintly.  The Browns were big on knowing what they were doing before they got to it, which might just be a good tactic to stick close to in this situation.  She was getting too old for diving headfirst into the water without checking the depth.

 

 

Mariella Jerin

NSW Blue

[Quibby]

Janine rolled her eyes.  First the girl wanted to console her.  Console her!  Then she tried to dangle the temptation of being a hero in front of her?  It took all the patience that Janine could summon not to fondle the hilt of her belt knife.  A hero!  Hah!  Does she think that I'm as thick as a man?  Out loud, she said, "The odd thing about heroes, Cetaile, is that they end up dead.  If the time comes that I have to choose between my life and the lives of others, I will gladly be the 'hero' then.  Any Green worth her salt would do the same."  Maybe it was petty, but Janine's irritation was beginning to manifest its mischievous side.  Cetaile was still very new to the shawl, probably not tempered enough to ignore little insults, whether they existed or not.  I could always have her punished for not showing the proper deference, but let's not burn bridges just yet.

 

"I'm willing to accept that the Atha'an Miere may know more details about the Bowl than we do.  I know that they have to know more than I.  What I'm unsure about is whether or not the knowledge is as lost to them as it is to us."  As she spoke, Janine began rummaging through her saddle bags.  "Now where is that bloody paper?  The Tower apparently had it up until a couple hundred years- aha!"  The document that Janine held looked nothing like the notes that had accompanied her selection for the endeavor.  Instead, it read like a treatise on the history of storm weaves.  In it, though, Janine had included the relevant information to the item in question.  "Here we go.  Up to four hundred years ago, we have it recorded in the Tower storerooms.  And we had it for quite some time before then."  Replacing the document, Janine returned her full attention to the Gray.  "Now, as far as I can tell, nobody in the Tower was ever able to work out how it functioned, and the passage of time obscures knowledge.  Do we really want to sacrifice our aid in finding the Bowl on a potential wild goose chase to the Atha'an Miere, who, in all likelihood, no longer know how the thing works?"

 

The more she spoke, the more Janine realized that she was probably sounding petulant or mule-headed.  Let the girl think that.  Janine hated jumping before she had a somewhat clear picture of where she was going to land.  Well, sometimes she did.  Okay, if it meant that she had the opportunity to be a thorn in somebody's side, Janine was as careful as the day is long.  Besides, Janine would be damned if this over-stepping little chit was going to take control of the group that easily.

[Nynaeve]

Sashelle clicked her tongue in distaste. The farther the embassy went in the journey, the more she felt their quest was a lost cause. She was of the Green Ajah. Her place was in the borders, protecting the world of the shadow, not going on a wild goose chase to retrieve a power wrought item. Yes, the weather was impossible. Sometimes Sashelle felt she needed to focus harder to ignore the heat. Though it was possible it was just an illusion. Nevertheless, she felt strained and wasted on this sort of mission.

 

She peered around at the group, her gaze sweeping over the party one by one until it settled on both Zara and Brigita. Sashelle didn't particularly like anyone in the embassy. There wasn't a real reason to. But those two seemed to be the most bearable ones in the bunch. She rode next to them quietly, not talking, yet not feeling the need to either.

 

Sashelle eyed the scenery with disinterest as they rode. The fact that she was making her way back to her home didn't seem to lift her spirits, though the thought of House Mitsobar did make her stomach flutter slightly. She doubted she would have the time for any social calls, but just being close by brought back quite a few memories. Nothing she cared to dwell on, though. That wasn't her life anymore. She abandoned it for greater things. Which only reminded her, yet again, how much she was displeased about being forced into this embassy.

 

Sashelle sighed, shifting in the saddle and rearranging her riding skirts. Waste of time, she mumbled under her breath. She made sure it was low enough that no one would hear, though. And despite her frustration, she never let it show. She was all too skilled in making her expression unreadable. As did all Aes Sedai. She relaxed her fist, though, when it carelessly started to clench. The sooner we get there, the sooner this will be over with. That's the only thing that soothed her.

 

 

 

Sashelle

Greenie

[Eqwina]

Ziya pondered for a moment as she studied the Red. “I agree. I do not see another way for this to be accomplished, other than with the Queen’s full cooperation. Our presence will be noticed no matter how circumspect we are.” Glancing around at the other Sister’s she noticed how many lacked the ageless face, and how many shared her own coloring. “The Queen would be offended if we did not ask for her help.”

 

“None more than I want this..’group’ to accomplish their task in a timely manner. It may take some convincing to talk the others around to our way of thinking, once we arrive at the Inn I will see if the skills I’ve been gaining all these years are of any real use.”

 

“Did you have any other advice you wished to share sister?” She arched a cool eyebrow, as was her nature, and waited to see what a Red could add to a negotiators skills.

 

Ziya Asunawa

Gray Sister

in the lead

 

[Winterwinds]

After a few remarks about how se remembered each of the Aes Sedai in the group as novices, save for Viviaina, Mariella got down to buisness. "Looks like you and I are left to our own devices to plan how a woman of experience would get things done, hm."

 

Viviaina thought for a moment, she would need help tracking down the kin as Ebon Dar had likely not changed in the time she had spent at the White Tower, and was likely to still be a dangerous place. Though she was not too worried about the thugs and thiefs it did help to have another set of eyes along, and if she was to find the Kin she could not channal to often without alerting the Kin to her.

 

She decided that it would be better to have another set of eyes as she looked for the Kin, Light knew she might find an interesting thing to study and get side tracked and then nothing would get done.

 

"Well, I have a theory, though perhaps one that is slightly far fetched. I think we may have a good chance of finding what we are looking for if we track down the Kin here. They would liklely know of any stashes of power wrought objects in the area."

 

As she waited for the reply, Viviania again driften off into her own thoughts, this time however they were more focused on how she would find the Kin, and what she would do once she had.

 

Viviaina

Lost in thought.

Brown NSW 

 

((Forgive me for the long wait, I lost the laptop I normaly write these on to the School distict and then procrastinated.))

[Quisalas Selene]

"Viviaina?" She leaned closer to the other woman's mare and spoke again. "Viviaina?  Light, but the browns will be the death of me.  And they claim the Blues care for nothing but our causes and here I am with a Brown lost to her own thinking."  By the end of it she was mumbling more to herself than to the woman beside her but she smiled warmly and set a hand on the other woman's arm.  When the Brown's eyes met hers she continued on with what she'd been trying to say for the past 5 minutes or so.

 

"I think visiting the Kin is a good idea.  They've a lot experienced women there as well, and I think if there's one thing that a group of women in charge of keeping an area to rights knows, it is what's going on in their own town.  So what shall we do, find the Kin and have them take us to whomever they have in charge of them in our quaint little homeland and ask them about the ter'angreal?"  She mused a moment, wondering how the women who were in such fear and awe of Aes Sedai would take being told that they may have an item that the Tower wanted.

 

"How do you think they'll respond best, you've studied the Kin before this trip, haven't you?  Should we be intimidating and demanding, or try to coax them along with smiles and sweet words?"  Mariella had always preferred kindness, but when you were a weak channeler in the White Tower you had to learn other ways to deal with people and Mariella had gotten very good at getting respect for who she was in spite of what strength she was capable of with the One Power. "I don't know if it would be a good idea to show ourselves before we actually get to the Circle.  Poor dears tend to bolt and panic if they so much as sniff an Aes Sedai."

 

Mariella took her hand back from Viviaina's arm and idly traced the faint wrinkles beginning to show on her face, defying the agelessness she had worn for so long.  Perhaps it was a good thing that two of the oldest Aes Sedai on the mission should be the ones to approach the Kin.  It might keep them from realizing they were dealing with the Tower too early.

 

 

Mariella Jerin

NSW Blue

[Jaydena]

Anthea Luin glanced around her as she waited for the other woman to reply, she had to be aware of everything around them, you never knew when a stray Darkfriend could show up or a brigade of Children of the Light. Though as many of them as there were in this party, any Children were likely to turn and run the other way. They were knowns cowards who only hurts those that were weaker or whose numbers were less. Taking on this many women who could channel would be foolish, but then they didn't have ageless faces so they might think they could take advantage of them. Many a women had born a child out of rape performed by the Children of Light to a innocent woman. Of course they often forgot that they proclaimed themselves to be of higher moral value than any one else. She shook her head to rid her mind of these thoughts, now was not the time to be ranting out the blasted Children of Light, the other woman had began to speak, “I agree. I do not see another way for this to be accomplished, other than with the Queen’s full cooperation. Our presence will be noticed no matter how circumspect we are.” The other woman looked around at the other woman as though considering something and than turned back to look at her, “The Queen would be offended if we did not ask for her help.”

 

She looked around once more, checking the Sisters out, wondering what the other woman was thinking. What she was seeing when she looked at their party. Looking back at the other Sister she nodded as Ziya continued, “None more than I want this..’group’ to accomplish their task in a timely manner. It may take some convincing to talk the others around to our way of thinking, once we arrive at the Inn I will see if the skills I’ve been gaining all these years are of any real use. Did you have any other advice you wished to share sister?” She looked back at the other woman who's eyebrows were arched and thought for a minute before she responded, "I think we need to get Mariella on board with this, she's going to be our best option for political feelers and things of those nature. Despite her age, I think she is rather good in that arena, at least that is what I have heard by word of mouth in the Tower. What do you think?"

 

Anthea Luin

RED NSW

[Winterwinds]

Viviaina was roused from her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder, she looked over to find the Blue next to her had been talking, "I think visiting the Kin is a good idea." Mariella said with a smile, "They've a lot experienced women there as well, and I think if there's one thing that a group of women in charge of keeping an area to rights knows, it is what's going on in their own town." The Blue then went on to muse that perhaps they should find the Kin incharge of the city and ask. Viviaina woundered how wise of an idea that might be, but it might work.

 

"How do you think they'll respond best," Mariella said, then looked over at Viviaina, "you've studied the Kin before this trip, haven't you?" Viviaina nodded. Shad studied them awhile before this trip, which hadnt been much but it would have to do.

 

"Should we be intimidating and demanding," The blue said, or mused really.

 

"No that wont work, they would most likely bolt before we even got around to talking to what we want from them." Viviaina said.

 

"Or try to coax them along with smiles and sweet words?" Mariella supplied.

 

"That would be a better idea, we may not want to be known to them as Aes Sedia before we know what we need to know, best not to spook them before we can make use of them?" She sighed, "It is a good thing we are the oldest in the group, we stand the best chance of talking to the Kin. Who would think two old women to be anything then what they say they are?"

 

With that she looked towards their destination, they would be there soon hopefuly, a nice bed and a place to freashen up would be welcomed.

 

Viviaina

Brown NSW

[claireducky]

Cetaile calmly held her breath and counted to twenty after Janine finished her diatribe.  The fiery Green obviously had been much petted over and felt that her way was the right way, no matter what.  Well, she wasn't going to get her way with this Gray. 

 

She fought down her ire and made her voice as expressionless as possible when answering.  It seemed she would have to give up a bit of something to gain in this situation.  She hated to do it though...it felt like she was betraying something of herself.

 

"I said that I did not know how to use the Bowl...but I tell you straight out, so you will know it for truth, that there are women of the Sea Folk who do.  It...is something of a legend among my people, and there are many documents that cover it and its use.  I have not studied them myself of course, but I was told of them as a girl before I came to the Tower."

 

Cetaile avoided meeting the twin unreadable gazes of Janine and Dulcinea, and continued on.  "The Queen of Altara's writ extends not far beyond the city of Ebou Dar itself; I find it extremely unlikely she knows much more than what happens within her palace walls.  I doubt she will have any information about a ter'angreal that might have appeared in Barashta some 400 years ago.  However, if there are any Sea Folk in the harbor, I'd lay a large wager that one or more of the Windfinders or Wavemistresses will be able to tell us all we need to know.  Now, do you see why I feel we should approach my kin?"

 

She failed at keeping a tiny bit of heat out of that last bit, but so be it.  Cetaile, like all Atha'an Miere, was a hard bargainer.  She didn't like giving up an inch she didn't have to, but with Janine proving so stubborn, she could see no other way.

 

 

[Arani Lepenque Aes Sedai]

Are we continuing this RP?