The Graceful Flows of Water

[Asfaloth]

  The first rays of pre-dawn light slowly lit the practice yard dotted with trainees, Guards, and a few Warders.  Most residents of the Yard found it best to do their personal training early so they could be available the rest of the day for the Tower's needs.  Most days would find Anwashawn Ellasser among them, but not this day.  Today he was preparing for a trip intended to push his training to the next level.

  He had returned from hiatus to discover that Lyv and the other masters of the Path of Water were gone and in fact the path was no longer officially taught at the Warders Yard.  Shawn had considered changing the focus of his training to another path, and had spent some time looking into all of them.  But, though they all had their own advantages, none of them really fit him as well as the Path of Water.  So, he had decided to continue training using what Lyv had shared with him and what he'd been able to discover in the library.  But, it was slow going trying to train alone.

  Recently though he had served on the wall with another Guard, Edana, who was struggling with the exact same problem.  They had spent most of that shift discussing the finer points of their path, its unique advantages, and how it was often underestimated by others.  They had also started making plans for the trip they would begin this morning.

  The plan was to cross the bridge out of Tar Valon to the northernmost of the towns on the West bank.  From there they would follow the course of one of the many smaller rivers feeding the Erinen.  Their goal was a glade that had been used by disciples and masters of the Path of Water for years and years.  Neither of them had been there yet, but it was said to be beautiful.  It was described as containing all that they needed, including a waterfall-fed lake with a beach area and plenty of variety in terrain to challenge their balance and footwork as they practiced forms and sparred.

  As was usually the case, Shawn was packed and ready to go, standing beside a saddled Blaze, before his companions had even arrived at the stable.  Not that they were late, it was just that Shawn was compulsively early.

 

OOC: Take us at least as far as the crossing the bridge and feel free to add dialog for Shawn if you want to.  Wasn't sure if Kynwric was still going to join us so didn't include him in this but left it vaguely open so he could be.

[U4ea]

Edana moved with purpose, ensuring that her sacks were packed the night before hadn't stopped her from repacking them this morning. She'd had too many experiences with needing something while away from her usual home for her to trust her ability to remember things the first time. Once she was satisfied with her pack, she moved out of the room, pausing to look it over one last time before stepping out into the corridor and pulling the door shut behind her.

 

She made her way through the Barracks and out into the Yard, waving to a few people she knew before ducking through the gate and into the stable. She wasn't surprised to see Shawn already there and knew Dante would be behind her pretty quickly, too. She nodded to Shawn, then moved to start saddling her horse. "Lovely day for a trip," she said, eying the cool day outside the stable. "Do you suppose the Dark One knew we were leaving today? Or was it just the Captain sending me a going away present?"

 

~Edana

OOC: I'll leave it open for Dante and Kyn, if he wants to come along. If I can't get them to post, then I'll edit this one and get us across the bridge. OK with you?

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn wasn't sure why he agreed to this trip, he must have been more restless in the yards than he thought. he had arrived in the stable with his usual saddlebags filled for traveling and his cloak slung about his shoulders, Loraine had forewarned him of the change in the weather, his sword hung from his belt.

 

His big black horse was already saddled and ready and once he settled the saddle bags and strapped his shield into place he was as ready as he was going to be. He led the horse up to the entrance of the stables where Edana and Shawn were already waiting. "You all picked a fine day for a ride... it couldn't be much worse..." and almost as if on command it did, the sky darkening with clouds and threatening with the promise of rain to come shortly there after. Kyn just gave a shake of his head and sighed deeply.

[U4ea]

OOC: OK, Dante said he'd be along, so it looks like he'll just have to kick his horse into high gear. ;)

 

IC:

Ed looked up as Kyn's horse approached and felt her lips twitch into a smirk. "I ordered this fine day just for you, Master Kynwric! Nothing like a constant blast of cold air to make you miss your Aes Sedai's nice warm hearth, right?" She moved her horse towards the gate and shrugged. "I would guess that the Path of Water would mean it comes from any direction. May as well train in the conditions you mean to dance in, right?"

 

She nodded to them both and set her knee into her horse's side, urging him forward. "Come, then, let's get on with it. The sooner we're gone, the sooner grumpy Master Kynwric can get back to the poor woman who bonded him!" She laughed and kneed her horse a bit more, putting some little distance between their horses as they made it through the gate. She waved at the Guard, who shook their heads at her and continued on over the bridges into the city. She and Shawn had narrowed down where they believed the Glade to be, based on what he remembered of his earlier training and what they could find in the records among the Guild's older members.

 

She navigated their way towards the bridge that would take them just North of the West Bank, her shoulders tense as her gaze swung around the streets as they moved through them. She'd not worn her Guard uniform, choosing a much more non-descript collection of dull grays and browns to clothe herself in. She doubted anyone on the street missed Kyn's shield or the way Shawn sat in his saddle. Not that they'd be targets inside the city. Their biggest problems lay outside the Shining Walls.

 

She wondered idly what would give her away, excepting that she was a woman in this company and not wearing skirts. She laughed inwardly, vaguely wondering if she should be training in heels and skirts, instead of water. Was there a Path of Skirts in the Guild? She grinned, her usual humor returning, despite the dreary day. It caused a few strange looks from those who stepped out of the way of the horses, but not enough to make her smile fall. She was going to enjoy this, no matter how sour the weather may turn!

 

~Edana