Looking for a new warder...I mean Asha'man

[Jaydena]

Jaydena stretched her body, her muscles along her legs bunching and releasing as she lifted her leg and brought it back down while standing on the other one. It took quite a bit of balance but it was something she did very well after all of these years as Aes Sedai. Still standing on one leg she began to do leg bend with the one leg still up in the air. As she did she looked around her and watched to see who was in the yards. Things were a bit strange in the tower right now with the new information. The Reds of all people had decided to unite in the Black Tower in the strangest way. Many of them had bonded or even been bonded by Asha'man. It was so shocking that she still hadn't been able to totally wrap her head around it. Though she had had quite a laugh at the expense of the Highest of the Reds. A young Asha'man had spilled the beans to her about who the Highest of the Red was thinking she was one of them. She was sure he had learned his lesson but during the course of their conversation he had also seemed intrigued when she mentioned bonding him.

 

Jade laughed when she thought about about the Highest's reaction when she had told him that the Black Tower would have been better served to have united with the Greens as they would be the ones fighting back to back and they knew how to treat their warders. The Reds had never been bonded and would most likely never understand the push and pull that was a bond. She lowered her leg and began jogging as she thought about Arath. Sisters of the Greens had been watching to see if he approached her in any way. She had left herself be as accessible as she could be with her own duties. Walking in the common areas of the Tower, in the gardens, working out twice a day, and many other things. So far he hadn't approached her but she was confident he was, judging by the look she had seen on his face when she had walked out of that office. Jade reached back and smoothed and hand through her hair as she ran, making sure the auburn locks were tied back and out of the way for her job. She wore a pair of suede breeches in a deep green on her long legs. Her top was covered in a laced up light green top and matching green leather vest. Jade wore soft kid leather boots on her feet and had her hair back with sworn pins. As she looked off to her left she noticed one of her Greens nodding her head. She grinned and pulled the pins from her hair, her long red hair steaming behind her as she ran. Knowing that she looked wild she came to a slow walk and began to stretch again, moving into sword forms with the wooden lathe she had grabbed from a barrel. She felt a presence behind her and spun towards it...

Jaydena Mckanthur

[Arath Faringal]

Arath resisted the urge to look over his shoulder as he made his way down a corridor of the White Tower.  Ever since the accidental encounter he had had with the Green Sitter, things had been ... strange.  The Reds had given the Asha'man a little more freedom to move around the tower now and it appeared that every Aes Sedai and her mother knew about the Asha'man.  Something had happened, though burn him if any of the Reds would tell him.  Every time he came close to the subject with any of them they simply looked down their nose or raised an eyebrow.  As if that should tell him everything.  Or maybe as though it was his fault.  Bloody Aes Sedai.

 

That wasn't the half of it though, not for Arath anyway.  With the new found freedom to explore more of the White Tower and it's grounds, he also found himself ... not followed exactly, but constantly being watched.  Every corner he turned found himself looking at at least one Aes Sedai whom he couldn't recognize from the Red quarters.  He was sure they must be Green Ajah, but he had no way of being sure.  He'd already shown his inability to pick one ajah from another.

 

Thinking back on that failed meeting, Arath couldn't help feel uneasy about the whole arrangement now.  The White Tower had never been very forthcoming about what they wanted out of this deal.  Evesdropping on the conversation between Zarinen and Jaydena had been very enlightening.  He had been surprised to find that they hadn't warded the room against listeners, and had taken full advantage of the opportunity.  Now he knew at least a little more than he had.  Enough for him to determine that he would never willingly be bonded with a Red sister.  Jaydena's vague offer though ... that had intrigued him.  She had seemed more than willing to bond with an Asha'man.  Though she had also made herself seem like a Red the whole time as well.  Still, her views about what the bond should be were far more to his liking than Zarinen's.  And technically speaking, the arrangement that he and Covai had made with the Amyrlin called for bonding between the Asha'man and Aes Sedai.  Nothing specificly about the Red Ajah and been said, though it had certainly been implyed.

 

Wandering around as he though, Arath soon found himself outside, and headed for the warder yards.  Unfortunately, there also seemed to be a large number of green glad Aes Sedai in the yards today.  And many of them were watching him.  Looking for a place to avoid so many gazes, the Storm Leader picked up a practice sword and moved toward a less crowded corner of the yards, and soon found himself looking right at the woman who had started this whole thing. 

 

Arath wasn't quite sure what to make of this particular Aes Sedai.  Clad in green shirt and breeches, she was running around with her hair blowing behind her, and a wooden practice lathe in her hand.  She looked as though she were having fun.  Somehow that just didn't seem like a very Aes Sedai thing to do. 

 

He was caught a little off guard when she suddenly spun around to face him.  Instinct saved him from an awkward bruise on his face, and he brought up his own lathe bundle in time to block the swing.  Taking a quick step back out of range, Arath grounded his sword and looked quizically at Jaydena.  "You're not quite what I've come to expect from an Aes Sedai," he said after a few moments. 

[Jaydena]

As she spun around her lathe came with her and Arath barely blocked the blow that would have hit him square on the cheek. She almost winced for that would have left quite the bruise and she didn't want to Reds to accuse her or anyone else of mistreating their "visitors". As soon as he has blocked the blow the wooden lathe he had in his hand he stuck it into the ground next to him and began to regard her. He had the strangest look on his face like he didn't know what to make of her and he finally spoke. "You're not quite what I've come to expect from an Aes Sedai." She stuck her own sword in the ground and crossed her arms under her chest. Regarding him she spoke, "Well what do you expect from us. I mean do you like being labeled as a crazy man who is so obviously hearing voices, and oh my light he's going to go insane and kill us all? That's a stereotype, just like the one you obviously have regarding Aes Sedai. Everyone is different, yes we all can channel, and hopefully we are dedicated to our Tower, just as you are to yours, but there are differences in all of us, just as there are in you." She regarded him, looking him up and down, checking out his muscles and his build as well, he seemed to be pretty strong and athletic which was a good thing in her opinion.

 

"I haven't seen you in quite awhile, you seem to have been stuck inside the Tower. What made them decide to let you out into the Tower. I mean I am a little surprised considering the way many of them regard you that they let their "pets" out of the Tower." She reached down and picked up her sword, swinging it over her shoulder like a pike she smiled and continued, "I don't look at you like a piece of meat or a specimen to be studied, is that why I am different?" She laughed and continued, "So while you were trapped inside those all to Red walls, did you end up bonded to one of them?" She regarded him, trying to decide if he had ended up bonded to one of them or if he had decided to wait and stay unbonded or perhaps bond another Sister. He had seemed fairly intrigued when she had mentioned being bonded to a Green. In fact she could see him bonded to a Yellow as well. She could see him working alongside a Yellow and healing in battle, though for some reason she had this image of him in her head, bent over a desk and creating things, working  with those long tapered fingers. Another image flashed into her mind and she imagined him dancing with lighting back to back with her on the battlefield. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and waited to see if he had been bonded...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

 

[Arath Faringal]

"Fair enough," Arath conceded with a shrug and a laugh.  "Every other time I've met an Aes Sedai she's tried to kill me.  Even in these last couple weeks it's been fairly ... tense."  There hadn't been any open attacks, but every so often someone had a panic attack and started shielding people.  This green was far different from what he'd come to expect, and yet in some ways she was exactly like the rest.  Dancing around the truth came as easily as breathing to the lot of them.  "We're allowed to wander about now, because it seems the secret is out, though I can't for the life of me figure out who might have spread it around."  Arath gave Jaydena a very pointed look, plainly placing the blame on her.  "Not much point in keeping us cooped up in secret when everybody knows.  I expect they also grew tired of every other Aes Sedai in the Tower intruding in the Red quarters to question their 'guests'.

 

"And no, I've not ended up in a bond.  The deal was that whoever is being bonded must go into it willingly.  Which I haven't been."  He paused for a moment, considering Jaydena.  She was giving him that sort of look that only women could.  A look so appraising that she could probably guess down to the minute the last time he had bathed.  At least it didn't seem disapproving.  "I suppose I've been rejecting bonds because nobody who has come to me has been willing to explain what she expects out of it.  I will not be bonded only to be a pet or a manservant.  And the few I've approached certainly don't want to be on the 'wrong end'."  Indeed, most of the Red's wouldn't even speak with him at all anymore, let alone discuss being bonded.

[Jaydena]

She watched an amused look cross his face before he replied to her, "Fair enough, every other time I've met an Aes Sedai she's tried to kill me.  Even in these last couple weeks it's been fairly ... tense." She winced at that one, she had heard stories once word had gotten out. The outrage in many quarters was at an all time high and many were very angry at the Reds for bringing this dangerous presence within their walls. Many more were angered at their Amyrlin but there wasn't anything they could do about it. "There hadn't been any open attacks, but every so often someone had a panic attack and started shielding people. We're allowed to wander about now, because it seems the secret is out, though I can't for the life of me figure out who might have spread it around." When he looked quite pointedly at her she almost burst out laughing, did the man really think she had told everyone their secret?  "Not much point in keeping us cooped up in secret when everybody knows.  I expect they also grew tired of every other Aes Sedai in the Tower intruding in the Red quarters to question their 'guests'. And no, I've not ended up in a bond.  The deal was that whoever is being bonded must go into it willingly.  Which I haven't been."

 

She watched him carefully and wondered exactly what he was thinking in that head of his, for some reason he reminded her of a predator, a bear or something along those lines. People were scared of Aes Sedai for a reason, barely leashed power under your skin, even more apparent in a man with the ability to channel it seemed. "I suppose I've been rejecting bonds because nobody who has come to me has been willing to explain what she expects out of it.  I will not be bonded only to be a pet or a manservant.  And the few I've approached certainly don't want to be on the 'wrong end'." She laughed softly and than spoke, "Well that doesn't surprise me my dear, most Aes Sedai wouldn't be willing to be in a bond where a man is likely to go mad and kill everyone, at least that's how it was pitched to me." She ran a hand down the polished wood of the lathe and than continued, "First of all let's clear some things up. I did not tell anyone about the Asha'man, the Reds did that themselves. They came into our quarters and asked many pointed questions about the bond, about the effects of it, and in fact even questions that involved bedding."

 

 

She chuckled and eyed him before continuing, "Couple that with the secret glances, the researching in the library on Asha'man, bonding, and the fact that all of you were kept "secret" in their quarters, someone figured out they had bonded. Eventually it all came out and it didn't come out of my mouth, I respect everyone involved enough not to go telling everyone. I am an Aes Sedai and we learn how to keep secrets very early on." She arched an eyebrow at him, nodded her head, and than continued. Jade hoped that he understood that she couldn't tell a lie to him. "As for the bond, this is what it gives you, a longer life span, which since you can channel already doesn't really effect you. Secondly it gives you the ability to "feel" me. Which means that in a small spot in your brain you will know that I am upset, or that I just cut my thumb, or even that I just bedded someone." She grinned at him and than continued, "I also will be able to feel those same things from. In addition you will be able to endure far more things, cold, heat, lack of food, and exhaustion. I am not sure how this effects you as you already have some of those abilities from your channeling. This is uncharted territory for me and others so the fact is we don't know and we won't know until the bonds have been in place for many years," pausing she thought for a moment, "you also gain the ability to locate me at all times during peril or otherwise and so do I. You also gain the ability to sense Shadowspawn, though I am not sure if you already have that ability as a channeler?"

 

She waited for him to answer and than continued, "There are some drawbacks, if I die you will be in a great deal of pain emotionally and you will "feel" me die. It may also push you into madness further, many Warders kill themselves, or go into the Borderlands and disappear. This goes both ways, if you die I also have the ability to go insane or kill myself. Again I am uncertain, which believe me is not something Aes Sedai like to be." Jade laughed at the irony of this entire situation and than spoke, "So yes you might gain some things, you might also lose some things. However this is what I know you would gain, if you bonded a Sister of the Greens. You would gain a helpmate, someone trained in battle, in defeating Shadowspawn, who knows what it means to be bonded and knows how to treat you with respect. Though you hopefully would get the respect from any Sister you bond. You also will get a relationship unlike any other, a friend, a sister, a lover, a best friend, whatever way a bond develops it is still one of the most special connections you will ever know. That person is there to guard your back and you are there to guard theirs. As for holding the bond, as long as you didn't spend your time trying to "force" me to do stuff, which I am not sure even works with the channeler to channeler bond I don't care who holds it." She switched the lathe to her other shoulder and looked at him to see how he was feeling...

Jaydena Mckanthur

[Arath Faringal]

Arath didn't miss Jaydena's use of 'me' and 'I' as she spoke of the bond.  Almost as though it were a forgone conclusion that Arath would end up as her warder.  He let it pass though.  That prospect was certainly better than the alternatives though.  From what he had heard of her conversation with Zarinen, he would much rather that the Asha'man bond with Green ajah sisters than the Red.  

 

He nodded patiently as Jaydena explained what effects the bond had.  He was well aware of what changes the bond created, having been bonded to Serena Morrigan of the Blue after the small but furious battle with the Aes Sedai on the outskirts of the Farm.  There were a few interesting differences though.  None of the bonded Aes Sedai exhibited the enhanced vitality that their own warders recieved, and the emotional transfer in the Asha'man strong seemed a little stronger.  It would bear some looking into.  When asked about the ability to sense Shadowspawn, Arath simply nodded.  It wasn't a pleasant sensation, but he could feel it when shadowspawn approached.

 

Finally, Jaydena began to explain what Arath was really after.  "However this is what I know you would gain, if you bonded a Sister of the Greens. You would gain a helpmate, someone trained in battle, in defeating Shadowspawn, who knows what it means to be bonded and knows how to treat you with respect. Though you hopefully would get the respect from any Sister you bond. You also will get a relationship unlike any other, a friend, a sister, a lover, a best friend, whatever way a bond develops it is still one of the most special connections you will ever know. That person is there to guard your back and you are there to guard theirs. As for holding the bond, as long as you didn't spend your time trying to "force" me to do stuff, which I am not sure even works with the channeler to channeler bond I don't care who holds it."

 

The last part was interesting to be sure.  Every single Red he had met had cringed at the mere thought of being bonded by an Asha'man.  With the exception of Zarinen herself, he suspected that all of those who had been bonded had only done so under direct orders.  Her statement about being forced into things was also interesting.  It was well known from prior experience that the Asha'man bond had a strong compulsion effect.  It had been used extensively with the captive Aes Sedai to help keep them in line.  The bondholder Asha'man had now been placed under strict orders to not use the compulsion aspect, and Arath wasn't even sure if the Aes Sedai were aware of it yet.  No Asha'man had yet reported a similar effect from the Aes Sedai bond.  Another difference that would need to be investigated further.

 

"Well," he said with a smile, leaning back against the nearby fence, "that's certainly more than I've ever gotten from one of your Red sisters.  I've already had first hand experience with holding a bond, so I'm aware of some of the details.  It is good to know what the Green Ajah expects from a bond though.  But what about you?  What is your personal view on it?  Why would you be willing to be bonded to one of my kind?"

[Jaydena]

She looked at him silently, wondering how the road had led her here, she could still remember well going down to the basements and studying the Asha'man. Though she had gotten permission to be on of those to study them, she had just talked to them and learned more about them as individuals. She remembered how she had been looked down on by the Reds in the room because she flirted in their opinion with one of them. The Reds hadn't treated that young man very nicely and he had gone onto attack the Tower in his madness and kill their Amyrlin and Keeper. That had been a dark day for all of them but part of that was caused by the arrogance of so many. Those women who had thought it was ok to confine a human and study him to learn more about him, instead of inviting him to a mutual location and talking with him. She shook her head and looked at Arath who was smiling at her. That's a good sign, she thought, at least I think it is. "Well, that's certainly more than I've ever gotten from one of your Red sisters.  I've already had first hand experience with holding a bond, so I'm aware of some of the details.  It is good to know what the Green Ajah expects from a bond though.  But what about you?  What is your personal view on it?  Why would you be willing to be bonded to one of my kind?"

 

She nodded and than spoke, "That's something I wasn't aware of, that you had held a bond before. I noticed many of the Asha'man have already bonded, is it this previous bond that made you want to not bond. Were the other other bonded before?" Realizing she was firing far to many questions at him she almost blushed and spoke again, "To many questions and you can answer those if you want later. I should answer your's first." She smiled, "I expect the same things from a bond, it would be nice to be bonded again for one thing. I have missed that friendship, the connection, and the companionship that comes with a bond. I wouldn't say I am looking for a lover, though there are women that enjoy the perks that come with the bond in that area." Jade grinned and looked at the ground to give him a second just in case her frank talk had embarrassed him.

 

Raising her head she spoke again, "I am interested  in someone who is passionate about the things he believes in, is smart, has a sense of humor, can keep me on the straight and narrow when I need it." She laughed softly, "Which isn't very often but it happens. I need someone who knows the business end of a sword and knows how to protect me. I find the added advantage of having someone who can channel watching my back and me watching his to be very interesting. I do think there are more advantages than disadvantages in the idea. As for why I would want to bond an Asha'man. I am not scared of you or any of you in fact. Yes you could go mad but you could also be standing during the Last Battle and fighting for the right cause. I look at this like pretty much any bond I have ever held, I am not one for conventional things. I have bonded more than one female which is often looked down on. I have been lovers with my Warder and someone elses. Again not very popular. I look at bonds as something special and to be taken on a case by case basis. So what about you, what interests you in bonding an Aes Sedai?"

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[Arath Faringal]

Arath listened quietly as the green sister spoke, thoughtfully taking in everything.  When she finished, he remained quiet for a moment, studying the ground between them and working out a reply.

 

"I suppose to answer that, I need to go back to your other questions.  The first time I held a bond was a few months ago when a group of your sisters paid a visit to the Farm.  During that unfortunate incident, I was forced to bond an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.  It wasn't a pleasant experience, being bonded to her.  I'm pretty sure that she tried very hard to keep it that way.  The riot of emotions constantly throbbing in the back of my mind ... she made me pay for bonding her every single day.  It was a relief to finally release the bond."

 

Arath fell silent again for a moment, gathering his thoughts.  "I don't know why I want to do this again.  It makes sense for a lot of different reasons, which is why this is happening in the first place.  But personally ..."  Arath trailed off and stared into the distance.  Northward he realized after a few moments.  Toward Shienar.  Toward Shayol Ghul.  That was the Black Tower's reason.  What was his own?

 

It was an uncomfortable question.  It required Arath to step back and examine his own life.  And so often, it seemed so empty to him.  His life had not been a happy one before the Black Tower.  Nothing remained of his life before the Farm, but life as an Asha'man felt incomplete somehow.  Like something was missing.  It was a lack that Arath had felt keenly lately.  Something that needed to be filled.  But by what, he had no idea.  A friend?  Maybe that was it?

 

"I think more than anything, I'm looking for someone I can trust.  Someone I can trust to have my back, without having to constantly check over my shoulder to make sure they're still ... sane.  I don't know.  My reasons are hard for me to explain to myself, let alone to anyone else.  More than anything I want to fight.  I won't let the Shadow win, and I'll do whatever it takes to prevent that.  If that means bonding with an Aes Sedai ..."  Arath looked up at Jaydena and shrugged.  Hopefully she understood him better than he did.  Women seemed to do that a lot, but this time it might be a welcome thing.

[Jaydena]

Arath stared down at the ground between them and she couldn't help but wonder what this man would be like if he wasn't controlled by the constant worry of madness and what he would be like as the years shaped him into a better man. She could not help but think that he would be quite the man when it was all over with. "I suppose to answer that, I need to go back to your other questions.  The first time I held a bond was a few months ago when a group of your sisters paid a visit to the Farm.  During that unfortunate incident, I was forced to bond an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.  It wasn't a pleasant experience, being bonded to her.  I'm pretty sure that she tried very hard to keep it that way.  The riot of emotions constantly throbbing in the back of my mind ... she made me pay for bonding her every single day.  It was a relief to finally release the bond." She nodded, she could imagine what a Sister of the Blue would do to a man who had bonded her against her will, rather he had done it under orders or not. The Sister would have made his life like walking through Shayol Ghul everyday of the time they were bonded. She had been through a bonding that felt like hell to her, where at the end all she wanted to do was ram a sword through his heart for causing her so much stress, pain, and anger. Honestly the man had acted like he was God's gift to women and that she should fall into bed with him. On top of that he destroyed her relationship with Seia for quite some time and in the end she had picked her Warder over Seia.

 

"I don't know why I want to do this again.  It makes sense for a lot of different reasons, which is why this is happening in the first place.  But personally. I think more than anything, I'm looking for someone I can trust.  Someone I can trust to have my back, without having to constantly check over my shoulder to make sure they're still ... sane.  I don't know.  My reasons are hard for me to explain to myself, let alone to anyone else.  More than anything I want to fight.  I won't let the Shadow win, and I'll do whatever it takes to prevent that.  If that means bonding with an Aes Sedai ..." Jaydena nodded and looked him in the eyes, "You know I am looking for the same time, it's been a long time since I had anyone I could trust. Yes I trust my Gaidar but we are bonded and I feel her feelings at all times. I know what she's doing and how she feels and that alone makes me trust her. However I hadn't been bonded to a man in so long, and I haven't trusted a man in more years than I care to admit. I have to be honest, there is a novelty to being bonded to another channeler, experimenting with linking, with fighting as a team with the benefit of the bond that intrigues me. I am a Green heart and soul, I have fought for well over 100 years against the Shadow and I will continue to do so until I draw my last breath. If that's what you are looking for, as well as a friend, a sister, a companion who knows how you are feeling and wants to help ease things. I know you could go mad, if you want someone who would plunge a dagger into your heart if you go mad than I am a Aes Sedai for you. If those are not things you want than that's fine and hopefully you will find someone to help ease your loneliness and be the helpmate you are looking for." She nodded and gazed at him, without any pretenses or masks. Reaching up she pulled the mask from her face and faced him, her face burned and scared below the mask. "This is what I am, a burned, lonely, bitter old woman who has outlived everyone she loved or watched as they turned that love to hatred. I have watched so many die to the Shadow but I keep fighting on and will continue to do so. I am proud of the work I have done this lifetime, will you be as proud of yours?" Gazing at him she waited...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[Arath Faringal]

Arath found himself nodding in agreement with what Jaydena was saying.  With every word, the idea of being bonded with this particular Aes Sedai seemed more and more like a good idea.  A friend, a sister, an understanding companion ... and someone he could count on to end him if it came to it.  Everything he could ask for.

 

Arath's face never changed as Jaydena reached up and pulled the strange half mask from her face.  He supposed that many people would have a negative reaction to the less than pretty sight, but in his time as training instructor over the soldiers, he had seen worse.  "This is what I am, a burned, lonely, bitter old woman who has outlived everyone she loved or watched as they turned that love to hatred. I have watched so many die to the Shadow but I keep fighting on and will continue to do so. I am proud of the work I have done this lifetime, will you be as proud of yours?"

 

Siezing Saidin, Arath channeled a simple flow of air and pulled the mask from Jaydena's hand, pulling it to his own.  Turning it over in his fingers, he smiled softly.  "I resigned myself some time ago to the fact that I won't have much of a lifetime.  I already feel like I'm on borrowed time.  I've outlasted so many others at the Farm.  But I plan on spending what time I have making the shadow pay."  Reaching up to his collar, Arath quickly undid the buttons on his coat and unlaced the top of his shirt underneath.  Pulling the fabric to the side, he exposed a livid scar, shaped like a dragonfang, that had marred his chest over his heart since he was a small child.  A gift from a darkfriend who had stolen his mother and ruined his life.  "Mine is a little easier to hide, but I feel it every day.  A constant reminder of what I fight against."

 

His decision made, Arath took a small step forward.  Reaching up, he gently replaced the mask over the ruined portion of her face.  "Jaydena Sedai, I would be honored to fight along side you until the Last Battle is won.  I find myself willing to enter a bond with you, if you will have me."

[Jaydena]

Jaydena watched his face closely as she stood before him with her flaws exposed to him. Waited for that tell tale disgust or horror at what was left of her face. She started as something pulled the mask from her hands and she watched as it floated through open air and landed on his own face. None of those standing near them would realize that it wasn't her that had done that, but the man across from her instead. Surprisingly his channeling in front of her didn't scare her at all, she had thought she might feel some kind of disgust the first time he channeled near her but it was obvious to her that any hold up she had was now gone. The old traditions and general feelings of so many in the Tower that she had been taught were gone from her mind, and she viewed him as a man. Yes he was a man with the full potential to go mad and kill her but she knew that they would both choose for her to kill him before he allowed himself to damaged anyone. She barely knew him and somehow she knew that about him. His sense of purpose radiated off of him in massive waves, hid love for the greater good, his intensity beckoned her.

 

She watched his as he stroked the mask he held in his hand with a smile, "I resigned myself some time ago to the fact that I won't have much of a lifetime.  I already feel like I'm on borrowed time.  I've outlasted so many others at the Farm.  But I plan on spending what time I have making the shadow pay." Jade watched closely as he reached up and undid the buttons on the coat he wore, next he unlaced the shirt he wore underneath it, and than pulled the shirt to the side. He wore the dragonfang burned into his skin underneath his shirt, right over his heart. It was faded a bit so she could tell that it had been there for many many years. She could only imagine how long ago it had happened, and she would never understand how anyone could do that to a small child or teenager. Children were innocent and didn't understand the concept of the Shadow or the Light fully, they didn't deserve to be burned like that.  A gift from a darkfriend who had stolen his mother and ruined his life. "Mine is a little easier to hide, but I feel it every day.  A constant reminder of what I fight against."

 

She nodded, this man understood what she fought for, what she fought against and would till the day she died. Hopefully she would go down screaming in the face of that evil that had tried to possess her. Arath reached up and placed the mask on her face, she quickly took it off of her face, and held it in her hands. "Jaydena Sedai, I would be honored to fight along side you until the Last Battle is won.  I find myself willing to enter a bond with you, if you will have me." She nodded, "I would ask that you bond me Arath, I have no need to control you. I come into this with an open mind and heart and it will not serve either of us if you doubt my motive or feel that I want to treat you like a leashed dog. It will be interesting to be bonded instead of being the one one doing the bonding. I want to come into this as equal partners and allies. I want to come into this with no pretenses and so I will not wear my mask when you bond me." She stepped forward and looked him straight in the eyes, she waited to see if he would lay the bonding weave over her or what he would say. "I am ready whenever you are Arath."

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[Arath Faringal]

Well this was certainly unexpected.  Throughout the entire conversation, Arath had recieved the impression that Jaydena intended to be the bondholder.  For a moment his suspicions were raised, but what could she possibly hope to gain by this? 

 

"Very well," he said slowly.  "If you are sure ...?"  He waited for her confirming nod.  Quickly going over the weave in his mind, Arath suddenly felt uncomfortable.  He had done this before, but the circumstances had been markedly different.  Last time he'd been in the middle of a battle, and bonding had been a last resort to avoid killing Serena, or having her kill him.  And she'd been unconscious for the actual bonding itself.

 

"Ummm ... I suspect our way of doing this is a little different from yours.  It's a little ... unorthodox."  To say the least.  The slap Covai had recieved for this hadn't even been the worst reaction.

 

Well, he though, no point in delaying this.  Siezing Saidin, Arath quickly formed the complicated web of Spirit that would form the bond.  Now for the difficult part.  Reaching forward, he placed his hand behind Jaydena's head, stepped forward, and quickly leaned in to press his lips against hers.  It only took a couple of seconds for him to quickly wrap the weave around the both of them.  The sudden blossoming of awareness in the back of his mind was the que to release the surprised Aes Sedai and step back.

 

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.  "One of the Asha'man first discovered the weave with his wife, and so far nobody has been able to do it a different way."

[Jaydena]

"Very well, If you are sure ...?" She nodded her head at him, apparently the man wasn't used to free thinking women who took initiative and just went for. Well he would have plenty of time to become accustomed to her before they both passed for this life, if he did indeed take her offer. "Ummm ... I suspect our way of doing this is a little different from yours.  It's a little ... unorthodox." She blinked and wondered what was going to happen, was she going to feel a burn, or a chill like when someone healed her. Perhaps she was going to pass out or scream in shock. She looked around quickly to see who was in the yard and noticed that no one was anywhere near the two of them at this moment. That would keep her actions from being spread around the Tower for everyone to speculate on. Shock filled her when Arath reached forward and grabbed her head forcefully. A part of her started to fight him but he didn't seem intent on hurting her. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her while she began to feel weaves settle into her head. She was tempted to kiss him back, it had been a long time since she had kissed a man, but she might scare him and that wouldn't do.

 

His emotions slammed into her as the weave settled fully into place and she almost fainted at the intensity of it all. He stepped back with a sheepish look on his face with the emotion strong inside of his head and spoke, "Sorry, one of the Asha'man first discovered the weave with his wife, and so far nobody has been able to do it a different way." Jade stared at him and began to analyze the emotions in her head, she held her hand up and put her head on his chest. "Sorry that's a bit overwhelming, I can't say I have ever had a bonded that strong before. It's a bit hard to get around." She took deep breaths and worked on toning the emotions hitting her down so she could function. "I can feel the taint, I can feel it inside of you when you channel. How do you deal with it everyday?" Tears ran from her eyes and she didn't even notice they were there, "Light it's so strong, and I can feel your revulsion to it." She leaned forward and kissed him and than pulled back, "Thank you for being willing to share this with me!" She stepped back and spoke again, "So shall we go announce this to the Greens, or should we go practice some weaves, learn to link, or do something else? Dinner perhaps?" She did her best to appear normal, although she was shaking inside at the amount of strong emotions pouring through her mind and he had to have known it. This was going to take some serious adjustment.

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

 

ooc- *squeels* OMG we finally did it!! *dances and hugs*

[Arath Faringal]

This bond already felt very different than the previous one.  The storm of emotion was similar, but the contents of the storm were radically different.  Serena had always been furious, while Jade felt almost ... giddy.  As she spoke to him, he began to sort through the emotions pouring through his mind.  She was thrilled to have a new warder.  Or be a warder.  Or whatever one would call this situation.  Excitement and amazement at the bond and the rush of feelings, concern for him regarding the taint ... it was strange to feel all of that at once on top of his own feelings. 

 

"So shall we go announce this to the Greens, or should we go practice some weaves, learn to link, or do something else? Dinner perhaps?"

 

He shook his head slightly, as though to settle the emotions from the bond.  Already it was beginning to soften a little as they both became accustomed to it.  "Dinner sounds like a good idea.  I'd rather wait a little bit before trying to link or channel together.  Let the bond settle some.  Saidin is hard enough to control."  With a small smile, Arath picked up his practice sword and looked toward the White Tower.  "So ... how do you think your Ajah will react to this?"