A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (attn: Devrion)

[minisamus]

Being back at the Tower was different. A lot had happened in her absence and Maegan Sedai's behavior had been more confusing than helpful, and Saline tried to appear as though she knew what she was doing although she needed to get together a search party right away. So far it seemed to have worked; sisters who crowded her inquisitively soon left after she mentioned a mysterious mission. 

 

In a way it had been a relief to being so overwhelmed by new tasks she planned to do. She'd always carry the precious few things she had on her person while travelling so that was not such a great change, though her room was moved to a different section of the Red Ajah now that she and Rory no longer shared theirs. What Saline had to hope from her search she did not know, all she knew was that, at the moment she needed help carrying some of her bags.

 

Help was to be enlisted near the classrooms where she hoped to catch a few Novices free after lunch, given break from classes to work on their individual assignments. Walking these corridors felt strange, they were familiar but they were no longer home like they had been for the greater bulk of her seventy five years.

 

However, the sight of a lone Novice hurrying from Claire Sedai's class made Saline smile for the first time in a few weeks. The girl appeared graceful on her feet and seemed to be pondering something. Her studies, probably.

 

Saline took whatever help she could get. "Hi there. I'd like you to come help me, if you do not mind? I'm Saline."

[Guest dragonsworn1991]

Saline Devrion thought to herself, another aes sedai who didn't choose to use the honorific tittle. "Seline, I am Devrion Olgeer, what is it you would wish of me?" Devrion said with a chill in her voice. Obviously she would be scolded but she wanted to push and find some of the boundaries in the tower. The finding of boundaries and secret currents were vital to survival, and they furthermore would help her in her own ambitions.

 

Devrion eyed the aes sedai up and down, most of the girls would have flinched being in the presence of a superior, and they would undoubtedly cringe at being singled out, yet none of this affected Devrion, she took it and discounted it, just like she did everything else. Some superior friends might be helpful but Devrion had mischief on her mind so she poured honey in her voice and added, "I would be overjoyed at helping you Saline, it would be a pleasure that I would honor." The incongruity of this statement compared to the later would throw the aes sedai for a loop undoubtably.

 

Devrion stood nonchalantly and awaited her chore, whilst planning all the while for what she would do to turn the simple request on its head. O this is going to be fun, Devrion mused to herself, Almost to much fun. She ran a hand through her dark hair and looked expectantly towards to aes sedai. Let the games begin, she thought, let them begin. She chuckled inwardly at the last thought.

[minisamus]

While things bagan a little awkwardly Saline was somewhat disconcerted to find herself reciprocating to the friendliness with which the novice welcomed her chore. She could not help but grin ruefully at the girl's impertinance, remembering how her former mentee Rory had punched her in the eye then knocked her out with a library book. Maybe her own training was not *so* long ago, after all.

 

Giving her bags to the child she carried a parcel of Tremalking tea as she beckoned for the girl to follow her. Still grinning Saline admitted "I feel bad for asking, but I need the help and this won't take long if we work fast"

 

After fastening her pack to the girl Saline could not stand still anymore. Almost cheerfully she pronounced "yes, let's do it!"

 

There was another thing she needed to do though, a strange thought which had been continually hovering of late at Saline's mind and it resurfaced as she relapsed into the gravity of her situation. She hardly noticed the Red halls as they navigated through servants and Sisters alike.

 

Realising she had been oddly silent and the novice hadn't volunteered any information concerning her person as they took her belongings up to her room, Saline turned and looked thoughtfully at the girl. She still didn't know the novice's name and, having protested to being addressed as a child Saline added, "what would you preferred to be called by the by?"

[Guest dragonsworn1991]

Devrion winced inwardly when this twit of an aes sedai strapped a pack on her and she inwardly cursed at having to follow her and be at her beck and call. O the great lord better reward me greatly for this. Devrion continued to follow the woman to what had to be the red halls, the floor tiles were prodominately red and they mixed with green and white.

 

Then Saline wanted to know what she should call Devrion. Devrion wanted to reply mistress but she fought down the idea. "Devrion, Saline, please call me Devrion." Devrion stood behind her feeling the weight of the pack on her back. She waited silently in a cool off handed stance for further instructions. O how she hated orders but what must be endured had to for the great lord and his eventual reclamation of this horrid land and the people that inhabit it.

 

Devrion waited, that seemed to be all she was doing as of late, soon would be the time for action, but everything must await the proper timing otherwise it was bound to fail. That would be something Devrion would never tolerate, Failure. So as Devrion and Saline stood outside a door in the red halls Devrion let her mind drift to the rewards the great lord would have for her. That was enough to keep her sedate until the time was rite.

 

 

 

[minisamus]

It was with a certain degree of horror that Saline felt when she realised her mistake. Devrion sounded familiar because the novice had introduced herself, Saline failed to retain that information since she had a lot of other things on her mind. No wonder the novice had been so mute. She couldn't imagine what Devrion must think of her person and character. Nor did she know why she would have cared to make a better impression on novice.

 

Once inside the doorway Saline realised her maid was nowhere to be seen. Up to this point they had a pleasant enough time in lugging Saline's things in harmony up staircases and she was more than willing to free Devrion from her chore. With the non-appearance of Saline's maid at this junction however the atmosphere suddenly changed, the storm clouds began to gather, and before Devrion knew where she was to put down the pack, the jarring note had come bounding on the scene. Saline regretted to say she needed the novice's assistance to unpack her effects.

 

She put this all to the novice, half expecting a pained and disapproving cough from the neighborhood of the carpet where Devrion was situated on the lower level, beginning to unpack.

 

As Saline slipped into a comfortable robe in front of the mirror Devrion rose, holding an object. And at the sight of it, Saline realised it was her book, a precious gift from Rory. Instructing the novice to put it on her bed, Saline went into the kitchen with another parcel. Well-satisfied with Devrion's progress.

 

Now she really wanted a fortefying cup of good tremalking tea.

[Guest dragonsworn1991]

This vapid woman was trying Devrion's patience. Having to repeat her name just showed the incompetence of some of the aes sedai. When Devrion entered the woman's rooms she felt a small pang in the place where her heart was supposed to be. She hated the depressing decrepit aurora her novice quarters eminated and ached for bigger and more luxurious rooms.

 

The woman, Saline was not content with making Devrion her pack mule now she wanted her to be her ladies maid. Devrion let out a cough to show her disgust and continued with the task when she came across a book. Saline's eyes widened and then she designated a special place for the book. Devrion placed it where she was told and when Saline left the room Devrion went back to the book. It was entitled Seven In One Blow, it appeared to be a children's book of fairytales. The illustrations were beautiful and the scroll work on the cover of the book was no less than stunning. Yet it still seemed silly for an aes sedai to have it for a prized possession. Devrion laughed at the frivolity of the aes sedai. She quickly slid the book up her sleeve and situated it so it would not be noticed.

 

Devrion commenced with unpacking the other contents of the aes sedai's bag. A few items struck Devrion as childish but other than that nothing appeared out of the ordinary and all if it was useless to Devrion. Saline walked back into the room just as Devrion finished and asked her to sit for a cup of tea. Yet even request from an aes sedai were commands, and Devrion hated commands.

[minisamus]

The door was standing wide open. Upon hearing laughter from within, she hesitated and, with a steaming cup in hand, stepped back in. How empty her room was! Although its generous space and soft carpetting would have been welcomed during her novitiate here, now Saline was sickened with longing for Rory to share it with. Perhaps she had too many roommates in her day and was not used to living by herself. In fine she was happy for the current company.

 

The wistful look on Davrion's face had not gone unnoticed and, struck by a pange of sympathy Saline set the fragrant tea down for her helper. "Watch out, it's still hot." Saidar was used to help the water along. Digging through her desk, now neatly arranged, Saline did not notice anything wrong. A messy head of amber curls popped up from the depth of her trunk. She had uprooted a cannister of sugar and a small silver spoon. "One lump or two, Devrion?" She had made her own cup very sweet.

[Guest dragonsworn1991]

"Two, I like my tea sweet, almost sickeningly so." Devrion let a little smile slip. Despite her general indignation of the woman, she was beginning to like her. It must be me spending to much time with these incompetent fools. Yet Devrion secretly knew the reason for her budding like of this Saline, she was the only woman who had treated her like a person and not either a tool, or a piece of furniture. It felt kind of nice.

Sometimes I disgust myself. Devrion thought to herself.

 

Devrion decided there might be a few aes sedai she would spare when the great lord beckoned to her. Yeah there would certainly be a few and Saline would be one of them. Devrion found herself opening up over the cup of tea. She had been sure to not include her time with her family or shadow sworn. They had took her in when the world rejected her. Yeah she owed them a debt but that was no reason to not have friends.

Friends that word formed awkwardly in her brains.

 

Devrion peered into her cup while Saline took in her history of first privileged up bringing to becoming a street urchin. Devrion was not proud of her past, the turning to the shadow was the highlight of it however, still she was not proud of being weak and helpless. Yet the past made a person, and without it she would not be who and where she was today.

 

 

 

[minisamus]

Saline's face looked thoughtful but not stern. Her eyes were dark and soft. Devrion and she were facing one another on opposite sides of the table. A moment of silence followed the young woman's words; being destitute was not a nice ending.

 

The light in the room soon died away, but the look of seriousness remained, and Saline, studying her newfound companion with all the zest of a mentor beginning to teach, marvelling at the novice's control. She had noticed in Devrion something unlike other girls, a sort of bitter, hidden determination to bear her training through even in form of an inevitable torture. From Devrion's past Saline guessed at her intention and motivation to make something of herself that went beyond her relationships in the past, as an Aes Sedai.

 

"One moment," said Saline, going to the fireplace and forming flames. Her old advisor Vera had adored the play of fire in a room's aesthetics. Turning back round Saline deliberately drew out from her blouse a plain handkerchief powdered with scent, and set it at the round table where they were sat.

 

Devrion stared into her tea, with a constrained smile.

 

From outside somebody gave a shout; a drunk somebody? She went to the window, rose on tiptoe and looked out into the yard for a long time with an air of absorbed attention. Once during her last year as an Accepted she and 'Rome did some anti-dreadlady training that almost resulted in setting 'Rome on fire had Rory and Lillian not stepped in. Then as a novice there had been that catapult they were building together, and Aramina Sedai yelled at them for an hour or two since Syara and she had accidentally launched Lillian from the catapult. But the yard stood empty and she could not see who had been yelling. In the barracks on the left she saw some opened windows and pots of brightly colored geraniums sat on top, giving her a start. She used to have liliacs on her window-sills. Saline paced restlessly away and sat down on the bed. As she looked around the sheets she started the conversation by thanking Devrion for her visit and all her help.

 

"Here, I have a gift for you, something I cherish" said Saline, "this book has cheered me immensely during my girlhood and I hope it will create some good memories," she went on, growing dreamy and looking down again "I used to read in during my classes and get in trouble, though. I didn't mind washing the dishes and doing laundry but once Saya Sedai confiscated my book for a week and that was disappointing since it was a gift from Rory and I thought I'd never ever get a back again. So yes, it's probably best if you learn from my mistake. It can't grow legs and run away from you." Rory would have approved, she thought as she crouched for a better look under the vast bed. Perhaps the book slipped unto the carpet?

[Guest dragonsworn1991]

Devrion's insides churned over the book. This woman was becoming a friend, and she had stolen the gift she was about to be presented with, how ironic. Devrion cleared her throat. "Saline, who is Rory? Is he your warder?" Even though Devrion was gaining a friend she was still determined to gain information and kept the books location a secret.

 

Why am I feeling like this? Have I become soft from my short stay here? All things aside a few normal friends would have to be acceptable, besides the plenty of darkfriend acquaintances she would acquire. Devrion knew that any relation with a darkfriend could strictly be business because all darkfriends were out for the same goal. Thus there could be no trust. How could anyone live without trust? Devrion was glad fate brought her here today. Perhaps the great lord wanted her to learn about trust. There were so many thoughts and questions running through Devrion's head that she began to feel a headache begin to pulse at her temples.

 

"Saline, I want to thank you for the tea, and also for the conversation. You are the first person I believe I can call friend in a long time." Devrion again debated about revealing the books location but decided she needed to fight her internal struggle. Besides, she wanted to see how Seline would react to her book being missing.

 

 

 

[minisamus]

"Rory Baker is much more to me than a Warder would have been, even were I not a Red Sister and cannot bond any. She and I were paired together during my first year as an Accepted. She had just come to the Tower then, and I was assigned to be her mentor. I was such a dreadful mentor. She had a block, it's one of those things you get when you have tremendous difficulties channelling, and due to a rough start between her and I, a friend Rossa . . . and to a larger extent Lillian Sedai took over and broke the block. Anyway we'd gotten into trouble for creating a miniature whirlpool in the Blue Ajah quarters and reconciled over the punishment and its ensuing fight. One thing led to another as Rory turned out to be extremely mischevious and we had a lot of fun in this little secret society of prankers called the gruelsome girls guild. Despite all the fun that was to be had through pranking, Rory was a fast learner so when she and I were both Accepted we opted to share a room. When we were together, we were together. You'd practically never catch us apart 'cept for lessons. Since my strength wasn't great I struggled with every element 'cept Earth; Rory on the other hand was so very skillful and innovative. Show her a weave and she'll instantly think up ten ways of its uses, particularly on the battleground. We grew so close but I didn't realise I loved her until we were kept apart for one year so she and I would not distract one another from our studies. After that year we had confessed our love and vowed to always be there for one another. We were even raised to the shawl together. I know, it's pathetic." Telling Devrion about Rory was easy, unlike talking to Maegan Sedai or even Timmons about her love. Saline added "But Rory, she . . . changed me. In a good way, she was good for me, too good for me. I doubted I deserved her great love for me. See, I was so happy that I was frightened of my happiness, it drove me to distraction. She started training under a Tower Guard Aran and I was constantly jealous it's absurd. I could barely live with the possibility of Rory finding more interesting people to have fun with. I also boss her around and baby her too much, I was too restrictive. So I felt like the right thing to do would be in letting her go, although it turned out to be the biggest regret in my life, was to let my fears destroy my shot at happiness. Oh my gosh it's as though I can't stop talking about her." Or thinking, she added. But talking about Rory helped even though she felt sad that Rory was not around. "Anyway I broke our promise and left her, went south to Illian the last place where one'd expect to find Aes Sedai, and I've just been informed a fortnight after I shoved off she vanished up north with our friends Lillian Sedai and Abigail Sedai so she doesn't want to see me again. I wonder if she still thinks about us, sometimes. It would almost be better for her to hate me. After all I still can't find the book." During the previous exchange, or rather rant Saline was shuffling almost frantically through her possessions but the book had been, like Rory, a disappointing no-show.

 

Greatly agitated by the double loss Saline laughed a little wildly, "Your gutsy character alone will gain the good opinion and respect of anyone, not to mention being an excellent listener. Truly I am thankful for all that you've done. And I'm sorry I don't have anything to repay you, not sure I can now that I've dumped my troubles on you. Drop by anytime, Devrion, really you're too thin. I'll have to fix you a decent tea next time, with raison scones! So you know I won't permit any of my friends to be so thin, they'll think I don't treat you well. Yes I'm shallow that way. Speaking of, is there anything I could help you with?"

 

At the end of the day her losses were not so severe as she might have feared. Saline had lost Rory's book, but found a new friend. For now she had a lot to think about, such as preparing the search party for Rory Sedai but at least now Rory or her goodness didn't exist only in her memories, and even in the Tower there was help to be found. And foremost, a drop of human kindness.

 

Ooc: edited! Trust is not the only lesson from the Great Lord, I assure you. From this confidence Devrion learns even AS can be very insecure. And it's true. How's that for unexpected weakness. :)

[Guest dragonsworn1991]

Love, what a useless and pathetic emotion. Friends were needed to help reach goals, that one could not reach on their own, however love was completely useless. Saline was either to dim witted to realize her continuos word flow about her Rory or she trusted Devrion. Devrion had never heard of a novice befriending an aes sedai, but she had also only been in the tower for a short while. Devrion kept listen to the woman prattle on but as she did her sleeve had the illusion that it was getting heavier.

 

Friends, Saline used that word referring to Devrion. Devrion was in shock, if only Saline could read Devrion's mind, if only she knew Devrions devotion to the shadow, if only she knew what was up Devrion's sleeve both literally and figuratively. Devrion was not being a very good friend, but she didn't care. She was at war with herself and she didn't know what side she wanted to win.

 

"There is something Saline, I have an assignment for my class taught by Claire, Introduction to Saidar, I have to research a novice that has been burned out. Also I was wondering if you could help me a little with saidar, I can since it when I do my own special exercise more so than any other exercise, but I can't feel the full effects of the power, only a kind of warmth."

 

Devrion sat patiently and waited to see if her attempt at using her new friend, would work out as planned.