One of those Necessary Discussions (ATTN: Jade)

[U4ea]

Loraine dressed carefully. She always dressed for a purpose and this was no exception. Jade would see right through it, but she couldn't bring herself to do anything less. Her dress was perfectly pressed and sheathed her body in the current Cairhien fashion. The sleeves and skirts were slashed, flashing purple through the green fabric with each movement she made. Her House colors, which were normally a subtle addition to her clothes, were a bold statement in this dress. A froth of lace erupted over her hands, partially concealing her hands. Loraine looked down at her hands and sighed. The lace would hide the wedding band for only so long. A sip of tea and it would be obvious that her Great Serpent Ring had moved.

 

She shook her head, checking the knot on the back, even though she knew each strand was perfectly in place. She was nervous. This wasn't good. How would Jade react to hearing the news Loraine had to impart? She'd heard of Greens marrying their warders, but hadn't actually ever met one that had! She'd even avoided telling Kynwric what she'd planned to do this morning, knowing this needed to come from her, instead of from them. She wasn't even sure what to say when Jade asked why. Light knew she couldn't mention the boys...

 

She stiffened her back, thinking of them. In full protection mode, she pulled the door of her room open and moved down the corridor to Jade's door. She took a deep breath and knocked, hoping to find Jade, her friend, and not have to hunt down Jaydena, the Captain General. There was a really big difference in how you approach either one. She pasted a smile on her face and waited on Jade to answer the door. Focusing on the serenity was enough to make it through the few seconds she had to wait for someone to answer the door...

 

~Loraine

[Jaydena]

She glanced down in the book in her hands and than around her room, for some reason she had the strangest feeling that something was about to happen, she couldn't shake the feeling, yet she didn't want to waste the little bit of free time she had. Jade shook her head and looked back down at her book, a romance, a guilt pleasure that she tried hard to hide from her Ajah Members. She even had a special bookcase in her room so that the romances didn't still in the larger book cases out in her room. Very few of them knew about the romantic heart that beat beneath the breastbone of one of the most decorated women currently housed in the White Tower. Though of course she would never be as decorated as the one woman she hated the most in the world and loved the most. Irritated she pushed thoughts of the woman out of her head and focused on the book, a story of a woman who had left her home to be with a man who later left her stranded in another town and pregnant with his child. The good news was that eventually she fell in love with another man who was willing to take care her and her daughter. Love them both the way they deserved to be loved.

 

Curling her legs under her she picked up the blanket off the couch next to her, a hunter green velvet blanket with a white Aes Sedai flame stitched on it, as well as a  her name embroidered across the flame. Her mentee had stitched it many years ago for her. When she had been raised to the Shawl the girl had given it to her and than her mentee had promptly vanished to the Farm, never to return. She had to weave a Keeping around it to protect it but it seemed to be doing well over the years. Jade picked up the tea from next to her a took a sip, getting absorbed in the story again. Startled she looked up as a knock sounded at the door, she ripped herself out of the book and called out. "Who is it?" When she heard the answer she spoke, "Come in." She stayed as she was, curled up on her couch, with a blanket over her lap, and pillow under her arm, a romance book in her lap, and a cup of tea and scones at her elbow. Her dress was simple and something she would never wear in the Tower, it has no sleeves, just should straps that were fairly wide and low on her shoulder. It was one of the few off the shoulder dresses that she owned. The fabric was white with light and dark green flowers on it and the waist of pleated heavily. It showed off her large bosum and plunged rather low in the front. It was long enough to totally cover her toes and had no decoration. She wore her old marriage dagger with it. Lor would see it but she often wondered if the woman already knew the story behind it. Today she hadn't put a mask on and she would have to pick it up and put it on if Loraine seemed unable to handle the burns. She looked back up at the door and waited for Loraine to walk into the room. When the woman finally did she arched her brow at the other woman and than spoke, "Well I just ordered a snack and some tea, must be important for you to wear that finery, why don't we have some tea and talk about it." She smiled, her green eyes twinkling at her friend as she pushed her waist length hair over her shoulder where it was hanging loose...

Jaydena Mckanthur

[U4ea]

Loraine heard Jade's voice inviting her in and paused. It was another attack of nerves, she knew, and started getting angry with herself. She was old enough that this shouldn't be a problem. She and Kynwric had been together so long, it shouldn't be a surprise. It wasn't against the rules for a Green to marry her warder. Why was this so hard?

 

She pushed the door open and found Jade curled up with a book. Her smile widened as she took in her friend's appearance. She hadn't reached for her mask, her hair was down, her dress was not overly formal and the blanket looked like a cherished keepsake. She felt a little tension leave her shoulders as she acknowledged that it was Jade she was talking to, not the whole Ajah.

 

"Tea would be lovely," she said, closing the door behind her. She crossed the room in measured strides, still not completely devoid of her nerves. She settled on a chair near where Jade was curled up. "I'm afraid I've news, but I'm not sure how to impart it. It's not terribly important news, in the grand scheme of things, but..." she let her guard down a fraction to bite the corner of her lip. "I'm afraid it's important to me."

 

She smiled at the Novice who knocked and entered slowly, delivering her burden before ducking a curtsy to them both and disappearing. "Do you suppose we frightened her? Two old ladies tucked in a room waiting on tea?" She laughed and it felt good. She poured herself and Jade a cup of tea out of habit, another sign of her nerves getting the best of her. She didn't even realize she'd done it until she stretched her hand to give Jade her cup. In fact, she didn't even realize it was her left hand that stretched the cup towards her friend, or that her wedding ring was shining in the light from the window. "Light, Jade, I'm sorry. I guess I needed something for my hands to do more than I thought I did..."

 

~Loraine

hasn't been this nervous since the day she was raised!

[Jaydena]

"Tea would be lovely," Loraine said and closed the door behind her. Jade smiled and watched as Lor walked across the room in her quick way, she walked quite fast for a shorter woman. She always wondered how fast Loraine's legs moved underneath her skirts, did she look like some kind of rapidly running rabbit under there. A giggle almost escaped her at the thought, considering it was quickly followed by her own thoughts of looking like some tall bird under the skirts. The woman reached her noting her expression and than sat down in one of her green chairs across from her. She loved the chairs, they were soft, plush, and deep. There was nothing she liked better than curling up in that chair with her book or her journal and just lazing the day away. Though that didn't seem to happen as often as she would like it to, "I'm afraid I've news, but I'm not sure how to impart it. It's not terribly important news, in the grand scheme of things, but..." She watched as the woman bit her lip and Jade's reaction was quick, she arched an eyebrow and looked her friend up and down. Lor never let her emotions slip that much, so something major was going on. "I'm afraid it's important to me."

 

She was about to speak when a knock sounded at her door, she called out for the Novice to come in and watched as she looked at her and gasped in shock. She cursied quickly, spoke quietly, set the tea tray down and all but ran from the room. She shook her head as Loraine spoke, "Do you suppose we frightened her? Two old ladies tucked in a room waiting on tea?" Jade laughed with her friend and spoke, "It might have been that or the scars on my face, they did to scare the dickens out of me still." She shook her head and watched as Lor poured the cups of tea, and reached to hand her hers. As she did the light glinted off the ring on her hand, instead of her serpant ring, there was now a wedding band. She looked to the other hand and saw that the ring had moved to that hand.  "Light, Jade, I'm sorry. I guess I needed something for my hands to do more than I thought I did..." Picking her tea up she added lumps of sugar to it and began to sip on it as she thought about what this meant. Time passed and Loraine seemed to get more and more nervous as she sipped on her tea. Finally she set her tea cup down and pulled the marriage knife out from inside her bodice and spoke, "How could I condemn you for something I did myself Loraine?"

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[U4ea]

Loraine closed her eyes and dropped her head, her gaze focused on her wedding ring. "We didn't ask permission," she said quietly. She raised her eyes again, the nervousness gone. "Even aside from the rules, you should've known, Jade. I could've put it off a little while, long enough to make sure..."

 

She shook her head and reached for her tea. "I'm sure it's not a surprise, and, as Head of this Ajah, you probably saw it coming a mile away. I should've, I guess. I'm too old not to have. It's not the Captain General I came to apologize to, though." She tilted a slight smile at her. "It's my friend, I came to apologize to. It's my friend I came to make sure it was fixed the next time."

 

She paused a moment. "My legal representatives in Cairhien aren't happy with the documentation supplied as proof of our marriage. They're insisting that we have another ceremony, in keeping with my title in Cairhien, to prove that we've married. They won't acknowledge..." she stopped and shook her head. "... the contract." Please don't ask me why... she chanted in her head. Already her oaths were tightening across her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She couldn't lie to cover anything up and not answering questions with Jade only meant she'd get them some other way. Please...

 

~Loraine

[Jaydena]

Jaydena watched as her friend closed her eyes and dropped her head, she wanted to reach out and touch the woman, who was showing emotions she rarely allowed herself, but she knew that comfort would not help the woman get through this conversation. "We didn't ask permission." She arched her eyebrow as the other woman raised her eyes to hers again and continued, "Even aside from the rules, you should've known, Jade. I could've put it off a little while, long enough to make sure..." She almost smiled, as Ajah Head she shouldn't, but a part of her wanted to laugh. Never the conventional one herself, it didn't bother her that Lor had gone and gotten married to the man she had been in love with for so many years. "I'm sure it's not a surprise, and, as Head of this Ajah, you probably saw it coming a mile away. I should've, I guess. I'm too old not to have. It's not the Captain General I came to apologize to, though. It's my friend, I came to apologize to. It's my friend I came to make sure it was fixed the next time." She smiled and nodded at her friend, she appreciated the consideration and respect but it wasn't needed. They were married to the Tower, nothing said they couldn't have two husbands, and things happened.

 

 

 

"My legal representatives in Cairhien aren't happy with the documentation supplied as proof of our marriage. They're insisting that we have another ceremony, in keeping with my title in Cairhien, to prove that we've married. They won't acknowledge the contract." She gazed at the other woman, deep in thought for a moment before she spoke, "Loraine, I have no issues with your getting married to your Gaidin, it's not something that happens very often, but it does on occasion. If there were one person in this Ajah that I would say should be married it would be you. You have loved this man for so many years that I can barely remember when it started, he loves you, and would give his life for you. I am sorry you didn't have time to tell me before it happened but I am not upset about that, in this life things happen and can't always be planned. I have lived a very long time and have come to accept that. I was once married though only two people know who are still alive and neither of them are here to tell. So I won't be issuing a penance for something I did myself not that long ago. As for the contract, where were you married that they aren't honoring the contract, it's not like they can deny that it happened. Why are they denying the contract, it makes no sense to me?" She put the marriage knife back into her bodice and waited for Lor to speak...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

 

[U4ea]

Loraine curled her hands into fists, setting the tea cup down and rising to wander towards the window. Why, indeed. Her chest tightened and she fought for air. She couldn't answer the question, so she wasn't going to. She chose the question she could answer, instead. It wouldn't fool Jade, so she prayed her friend took the hint. "We were married in the far end of Andor, in a little town that I'm afraid time has quite forgotten. It's a lovely place where the mayor knows everyone's name. Where, when your neighbors know you need help, they don't ask, they just give it. Where Kyn can be the man of the house for a change."

 

She grinned at the last, having gotten control over her wayward thoughts. "He looks like a completely different man when he's been out in the fields all day. It's easy to forget those little things when you're trapped here in all this..." She waved her hand around them. "I'm afraid the mayor's signature isn't good enough for Cairhienin law. Something involving my grandfather's will, I'm sure."

 

Now, that wasn't a lie. He had, in fact, outlined exactly what type of heir he'd accept from her. Illegitimate wasn't one of his pre-requisites. "What was it like, Jade?" She turned back to her friend and sat down again. "Were you here? Hiding it from everyone?"

 

~Loraine

[Jaydena]

"We were married in the far end of Andor, in a little town that I'm afraid time has quite forgotten. It's a lovely place where the mayor knows everyone's name. Where, when your neighbors know you need help, they don't ask, they just give it. Where Kyn can be the man of the house for a change." Jade noticed that her friend didn't answer the question and she let it drop. After all she had her fair share of secrets that she didn't want everyone knowing and perhaps it was one of those type of secrets to the other woman. Just as likely Lor was protecting Kyn or someone else from something. The woman was one of the most protective and Motherly Greens that she had ever met. Though you wouldn't know it from the woman she had first been when she came to the Tower. She looked over and saw Lor grinning and she returned the grin. Thinking how she was sure that Kyn had liked actually being in charge for once, Loraine was strong and dominate in many ways and she knew the two had clashed a time or two over her trying to protect her Gaidin from harm.

 

 

"He looks like a completely different man when he's been out in the fields all day. It's easy to forget those little things when you're trapped here in all this... I'm afraid the mayor's signature isn't good enough for Cairhienin law. Something involving my grandfather's will, I'm sure." She nodded and decided than and there that she would let them have the marriage anywhere they wanted. Of course she would have to most likely get permission from the Amyrlin but it could be seen as a very wise political move and she was sure that their Amyrlin would see that right away. "What was it like, Jade?" Loraine wandered back over to where they she was seated and sat down, "Were you here? Hiding it from everyone?" She nodded and looked at the other woman, "I couldn't tell anyone that I was married, I hid it every single day from every one I cared about. None of them would have understood what I felt for my spouse. They didn't know that kind of love or that a Aes Sedai can be in love and be just as devoted to that love of the Tower and not forsake the Tower. After all I had a Forsaken coming into my dreams, offering my lover back to me when the fickle lover had chosen another over me. I picked the Light and the Tower over being with my spouse. I wear the ring as a reminder of what happened and that I am still married every if my lover is not." She picked the chain up and dangled the marriage knife in front of her face for a moment. "How I would have loved to escape the Tower and be like you were, with the fields, the horses, and the dirt for awhile." She chuckled, "What was it like Lor, were you like a little family, didn't anyone know who or what you were?"

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[U4ea]

Loraine smiled and shook her head slowly. She'd never hid anything from anyone, couldn't imagine hiding how she felt about her husband from anyone. "What was it like Lor, were you like a little family, didn't anyone know who or what you were?"

 

"Ah, you can't hide an ability like this from a Wisdom, at least, not one who knows what she's about." She couldn't mention that she'd been pregnant at the time. Six months along by the time the Wisdom had figured her out. She'd needed the woman's help, so there was no hiding what she was capable of. "She understood that I was not after her position and we came to an agreement."

 

She smiled again. "Kynwric was ever glad that I learned how to cook quickly. I've little experience with it and it took me quite a while to manage a decent meal that didn't have him heading to the inn for a better one. Poor man. I'm afraid it's rather humorous, now that my pride is not wounded by the mounting list of things I could not do for him. A regular fish out of water story. Imagine the haughty noble trying to find her way around a kitchen and the farm boy she loves not lifting a finger to help." Her eyes danced in humor.

 

~Loraine