Tempers flare in Heat

[Liitha]

Cema walked through the hallways loosening her braid from the knot she had put it in. Her feets treading through familiar hallways towards the green quarters.

Her fingers started loosening the braid just as she entered the halls belonging to the greens...she should be outside it was far to hot to be inside, there hadnt been much rain at all lately, unfortunatly she had reports to collect, but she would take them with her outside she had already descided.

 

Even trying to ignore the heat beads of sweat could be traced in her neck before she let her hair down shaking it loose. She hardly noticed some of the younger sisters who sat over some books and reports in the comon area as she strolled towards her rooms. Opening her room door she went inside and sliped her shawl over a stool, then went to her bedroom to change into a lighter dress, looking through her wardrobe she picked one in ligth green silk, all her dresses where in perfect ebou dari style and she wouldnt have it any difrent.

 

Picking up some hairpins she made sure to fasten her hair up into a apropriate hairstyle again, though one which would leave her neck bare. Picking up the reports she had collected this morning but hadnt had time to look through she grabed her journal and headed out again after seting a weave on her door.

 

Cema walked through several gardens before she found one not occupied by anyone, seting down on a small bench and looking around, the garden was not one of the bigest belonging to the tower. There was a small pond with a fountain in it and some rose bushes spread around with white roses on. It would do fine, she laid down the reports and put her journal on top to hinder them from flying of, silently watching a couple of butterflies dancing just to the side of her.

 

Slowly she started working her way through reports, most containg old news, more rumors of the dragons whereabouts, dragonsworn, news on how the heat had affected her contacts in hope to have some help from her. Then at the end of the bunch was one from an old contact in ebou dar that she hadnt heard from in quite a while. As her eyes scrolled through the lines her lips went white and then for a moment before she regained posture her cheeks grew red, but there had been no one there to see she was sure, she had taken ample time to asure she was truly alone.

 

Raising her focus was on this report only as she burned it with the help of saidar, picking up the ash into her kerchief and puting the rest of the reports into her journal to be dealth with later.

 

As she walked back up to her room she where in perfect composture and ignored the novices rushing here and there keeping out of her way. This had to be dealth with and at once. Entering her room she put the kerchief into her fireplice and put it a fire then stired around mixing the ash there. No one would ever be able to read those words again. Walking over to one of her walls containing a big map she started tracing her finger over it, counting in her head to estimate her time.

 

Then she left her room with deterimation in search of someone to alert them to be ready to travel before the sun set, there was no time loosing and a plan was already forming in her mind as she walked. Death never escaped you too long and death had already escaped a sertain person a lil too often lately, it was time to put an end to that.

[706Somtaaw]

Nuitari shook his head as he watched the roads, riding near Ata. The day was hot, and he pulled a waterskin from one of his saddlebags and sipped from it. He left the two hanging on his belt alone, in case he was seperated from his horse.

 

Glancing towards Ata, he felt a slight bit of concern. He didn't know what she was doing out of the Tower now, and she hadn't told him, but the Bond had conveyed occasional bits of frustration and even anger.

 

He was more than a little on edge now, and he spent a few useless minutes wishing Ata was a Green. Something had her on edge, and he felt he should be scouting ahead, but he didn't want to leave her alone either.

 

Shoving away the feelings, and touching the sword riding his hip to remind himself of reality, he let his reins go and calmed himself by checking his weapons.

 

The throwing knives on his belt, one in each sleeve, the bow on his back, quiver on his right hip balancing one of his katana's. His other katana hung on his shoulder.

 

Relaxing slightly in his saddle, he stretched. Looking around again, he glanced towards Ata, sitting in her saddle and looking calm as any Aes Sedai.

[Liitha]

The air was flimering in its lack of movement, the sun was frying down, there had been to litle rain lately and some plants where geting burned and brown from the lack of water. A sole Euphrasia stood full of road dust a few feets of the track they where riding on. Ata memoriesed how it could help on eyeproblems, one of her many yellow memories still in there. If she recalled corectly it could also be used for conjunctivitis and other inflammations. It white clocks where hanging now thoug and soon it would be gone.

 

Ata's eyes searched out over the fields, to dry, the crops hanging in the heat, it would be a bad year indeed if the rain didnt come soon, children would starve, some part of her wished she could do something but her erand where not here. Her thougths again trailled back to the leads who had her go to Ebou Dar, and what she had learned there. The dragon was walking, this she had already known, it ment Tarmon Gaidon was coming, if any where in doubt they could but look on the weather and its effects.

 

Adding the attac of caladesh who had rendered her stilled, the miracles come again with her healing where so small compared to all the bad things happening in her mind. There where rumors of more batle in the tower and a new Amerlyn seat, and then there was what she had found, a darkfriend seemingly had once entered the noviceranks, and if she was now rigth was walking amongst her sisters, a older at such from the ajah of the new mother if what she had heard of was true.

 

She had complentated on sending a bird, but she couldnt risk this information to fall in the wrong hands, it was a delicate mather and if one darkfriend entered their ranks more could, migth be the Black Ajah even excisted, an apaling thougth in her mind. However a thougth she dared not dismiss, with all that had happened to her Ata felt tired, and there where litle she dared toss away that she would have before, it seemed to many imposiblities had happened lately. Before they knew Tarmon Gaidon would come knocking and they had to be prepared, it was time for the tower and the hall to stop dally, and start acting, and she intended to do her best to make it happen when she but returned to Tar Valon.

 

The snort from her mare brougth her back to the world and she looked up on the back of Nuitari, he had been through so much, in many ways he deserved the truth but this was not something she could share, she would shield him from this pain. He had been through so much loosing an Aes Sedai to the dark forces from what litle she had found out, and almost a second, no this was her burden to cary. But tonite they would rest properly in the next village, she wouldnt atempt to cross through Braem Woods during the midle of the night, bether to wait. The horses needed rest as well, they would sleep well and eat properly both this evening and the next morning, then ride out, reach and pass through the woods during the afternoon by her estimate.

 

She could see the ligths up ahead, and put her mare to a troth. "Nuitari, we will rest at the inn in the village" she smiled up at her travel companion. She had no clue what the future held for her, if she wasnt belived who knew what her fait would be, and if there was a Black Ajah who knew if she would survive, she had learned by now that the White Tower wasnt as safe a place as they thougth the initates, by far.

[706Somtaaw]

Nuitari twisted around in his saddle after a moment when he felt eyes on him, and a slight change in the bond coming from Ata.

 

Glancing back at her, he softened a bit, and went to rein in dovienya but she trotted her mare up next to him.

 

"Nuitari, we will rest at the inn in the village" Nuitari nodded slightly, and smiled slightly back in response to Ata's smile.

 

The ride into town was quiet, like the rest of the trip so far had been. Riding into the stableyard of the Inn, he quickly dismounted, and tossed dovienya's reins to the stablehand hurrying over.

 

"Rub the horses down, and make sure they get some extra food. We've been on a long journey, and they could use it," he told them, tossing a silver coin.

 

Waiting for Ata, he stepped inside the Inn just a few steps ahead of her, and stopped the Innkeeper with a hand on the man's shoulder before he got close. "This is the Lady Latisha, and my name is Varien. We would both like rooms, and a good meal for the night."

 

The Innkeeper was already stooping and nodding his head. "of course good Lady, and master. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your rooms right away."

 

Glancing back at Ata, he followed the Innkeeper and checked Ata's room, before stopping the man. "Is there a room right next to this? I'll take it, no matter who it's for."

[Liitha]

As they neared the in a small two etage building Ata could feel the wearyness in her body. She left it for Nuitari to handle the stable hands and hire them room, just paying after they had goten instructions. She looked forward to get upstairs and get some of the road dust cleaned off her body and out of her hair. Walking composed up the stairs she turned to Nuitari as she stoped outside her room "I'll meet you downstairs for a meal in half an hour"

 

Inside her room she used saidar to ligth a candle and heat the water in the wash basin. Washing her face she pondered on another fact she had come by, Tanitsja had had a daugther, she had a live relative that by what she had heard had gone to the yard to follow in her mothers footsteps. But it was of minor importance, she had no time to care for such things anymore, and she was not about to let anyone know and make it a potential weakness, she would rather not know if the girl even was alive.

 

Finishing washing her hair she twisted some water out of it and braided it, then doned new clothes, a fine coton dress in ligth blue with some flower and butterfly embroidery. Looking herself in the litle mirror on the wall she nodded to herself, then turned and left the room only after seting a protective ward on it that would alert her if someone tried to enter it.

 

Walking down the stairs she let her eyes scan the room, it seemed quiet and harmless enough and she chose a table in a corner where they would be able to talk undisturbed. She ordered a botle of wine while waiting on her warder.

[706Somtaaw]

"I'll meet you downstairs for a meal in half an hour" Nuitari nodded and glanced in his room only long enough to toss his saddlebags on the small narrow bed, and set the blades down. Wearing two at once was sure to draw eyes, and he had no desire to draw more notice than he needed to.

 

Walking back out, he stopped briefly in the common room to get a feel for the atmosphere of it, before he went back to the stable to check on dovienya.

 

Rubbing the stallion down, he patted him on the neck and left, glancing around the common room. He didn't need to, the Bond told him exactly where Ata was, but over the years he'd learned to at least pretend it didn't exist.

 

Walking over, he sat down and waited, watching the rest of the room. He glanced at the bottle of wine that was delivered and glanced at Ata, before asking for two stews. The serving maid seemed a little surprised that he asked for two, and more after Ata ordered something for her.

 

After the serving maid left, he felt Ata's eyes on him and turned to look, to see and feel the unvoiced question. "I'm a little hungry," he told her simply.

[claireducky]

I would leave this according to the normal methods, but this is urgent.

Hopefully I have not wasted half the blasted day trying to track you down.

Be ready to ride hard for Braem Wood before sunset. I shall meet you there in 24 hours.

Do not fail me in this.

 

C.

 

Brigita Lechantin's eyes tightened at the corners as she re-read the short note Cemarillinin had left her. After a third reading, she channeled saidar to burn the paper to ashes in her hands. She began packing a small scrip absentmindedly as she reflected on the method of receiving it, not an hour ago....

 

Brigita Lechantin had tuned out the world around her as she read. In a secluded alcove of the Tower Library, she kneaded her temples and tried to sort out the intricacies of the Fifth Treatise of Falme. As a Grey, she knew much of the details already, but a proposal she was working on touched on many issues that this Treatise pertained to. She meant to know it inside and out.

 

Sighing, she tossed her head back to stretch her neck; dark ringlets of hair shook from side to side at her waistline. Bending over the text again, she jumped with a start as hands slammed down on the table top in front of her. Brigita looked up into the severe dark eyes of Cemarillinin.

 

Suppressing a frown, Brigita rose to look the woman in the eyes. She did not like her, and the fact they both were from Ebou Dar did not help matters. Cemarillinin was one of the few women who knew her secret past, and only one of three other Blacks she knew in the Tower. Sisters of the Heart, they were called, although Brigita would be hard pressed to consider the Green a sister of any sort.

 

What surprised Brigita was her presence here. If she was on secret business, Cemarillinin had ways to leave her messages safely. To risk meeting her openly meant that whatever it was, it must be dire.

 

Before she could open her mouth, Cemarillinin simply tsked in disgust and placed a sealed parchment envelope upon the open pages in front of Brigita. Without another word, the Green turned heel and practically stalked out of the Library. Brigita had stared after her a moment before placing the envelope in her belt pouch, carefully replacing the text on its shelf, and heading towards her own quarters.

 

Brigita came back to herself, folding the same shift over and over upon her bed. She shook her head to clear it of a train of thought that would get her nowhere. Obviously the task Cemarillinin wanted her to help in was important, but nothing the woman had written would give her any clue as to what it was.

 

Done with packing, Brigita headed down to the South Stables and mounted a slab sided gelding. An unlikely looking mount, Valar had carried her far and wide many times. He was not one to win a beauty contest, but his confirmation and staying power were what made him an asset.

 

Hours later, Brigita was traveling down the Caemlyn road towards Braem Wood. She was nearby the southern edge of the Black Hills now, and the rolling country to the north gave way to glaciated flatness, almost as if the road itself marked a boundry.

 

The sky was dark, heavy clouds shrouding a fingernail of a moon. Perhaps Cema was simply luring her out here to kill her. She surely had to be traveling the same road as Brigita, after all. Only a madman would try traversing the Black Hills cross country in the middle of the night. For not the last time, Brigita wished she had a Warder. Of course, that would mean finding a Darkfriend to Bond. And all manner of other complications.

 

Sighing, she settled her dustcloak around her and moved off the road fifty paces or so. She would rest an hour and then continue on. Hopefully she could make Braem Wood by mid-morning.

 

The night is Black...and so am I.

 

Brigita Lechantin

Grey/Black Aes Sedai NSW

 

OOC: Cema, if you will start your post flagging me down as I approach the edge of the woods, we can plan our capture of Ata and Nuit and then get it going!

[Liitha]

Cema had no love for the younger grey sister of her heart, but the woman was coming along and had learned a lot since she was raised, though she was not about to admit that openly to the other. As it was it where a bether cover if they seemed to have no love for eachother.

 

And at the very moment Cema was geting rather anoyed that she couldnt find the younger, though finaly word had reached her she where to be found in the tower libary, which where the place Cema's feets now where carying her steadily and determinated.

 

As the other where about to talk, Cema could but frown, she left the letter she had writen with Birgita and turned on her heal, the libary had to many eyes and ears in it to talk safely. That much at least she should have learned by now.

 

Gracefully walking back to her room not even registrering the initiates and but noding her head when she saw a sister she soon found herself packing. She would leave now, hopefully not to many would have gathered that she had had contact with the gray, nor put togheter the fact both left the city on the same day.

 

She already sent a novice down with a message to the stable to keep her roan stallion and her bay gneldring ready to ride, and grabing her sadlebags she headed out, she knew exactly where to go. Wild dreads where not to her liking but there where this one lady she had met many years ago in her youth that she held in some regards, and she knew the woman kept a hideout in braem woods, hopefully the hut was still there.

 

Within the hour she where mounted and on her way through the city, her long black hair where gathered in a braid, and she had her sword at her hip, thoug her real weapon was in saidar. She kept a good pace through the city and an even bether when she came outside, she didnt focus on the landscape passing by her though, instead her thougths where directed inwards to planing the demise of the person who where becoming a nuisance and danger.

 

As the evening came she had to slow down and she changed from her roan to her bay, she had every intention to arive in the hut before morning and instead catch some sleep then before going to meet the gray sister. Her bay had a more steady foot though and where less likely to get hurt, while her roan where more made for speed, and she often would do this type of change riding the bether for whatever landscape she rode through leaving the other to be able to have a break of a rider and focus on itself.

 

The moon where up and lighted the game tracks just enough for her as she rode through the forest, untill she found the old hut, it seemed desolated which where good, she had no illusions that she would have been allowed to reign as she wanted had the mistress of the place been home herself. As much as she migth hold some regards and respect for the dreadlady Cema none the less disliked the fact the other where clearly her elder and superior.

 

Unsadeling the horses she quickly and with a steady hand rubed them down before leaving them to grass. Inside she removed the sheat covering the bed before laying down to catch a nap, in some hours the daylight would break and she would need to head out again to find Brigita, the woman didnt know of this place, and Cema wouldnt have let it be known to her either except for the need that had arisen.

 

--

 

As the first beams of sun touched through the window, Cema would wake to shake her head off the dreams that had haunted her that nite. But no she wouldnt allow that to happen, there where to much undone yet.

 

After a wash and a change into green riding skirts and a white new blouse she found herself once again in the sadle on the back of the roan, riding for the edge of the forest.

 

Breakfast consisting of aples and grapes where eaten in her sadle while she unpatiently waited for the gray sister, when she finaly spoted the dust in the horison she drew a deep breath, she had just been about to think the other had dared not head her message.

 

As Brigita arived Cema nodded, "It was about time you came, now come along we dont have any time to waste, we have a trap to set and spring." she knew the other had no clue what she was talking about as she turned her roan around and headed back towards the hut, they best loose the horses, as far as she knew her target wherent alone and horses had an anoying habit of whining in the worst posible times.

 

"I am sure you want to know what is up, but all you will need to know for now as there isnt much time to explain is that we are gonna finish a job one sertaint other servant of the dark didnt manage. Our target today is a former yellow and present blue on her way from ebou dar to tar valon after geting her hands on sertaint facts down in our hometown that she should have left alone." Hopefully that would have the other more willing to listen, the underlaying treath of exposure was sure to gain her attention. Though Cema wasnt sure just how much Ata had found out.

 

As they arived at the hut, Cema was soon to drop out of the sadle and remove it out of habit to allow the horse to grass freely, waiting for the other before heading into the woods, though turning her head so they could start planing as they walked, by estimates Ata would arive during the afternoon or evening sometime.

[claireducky]

Brigita drew rein after topping a rise. Braem Wood lay green and deep before her; the sun was just touching the tree tops.

 

Congratulating herself on making it alive, she clicked to her gelding and rode towards the woods. Now if only she could find Cemarillinin and figure out what she was up to.

 

It seemed she didn't need to find Cema after all. As she neared the edge of the woods, Cemarillinin walked onto the road, leading her roan. She addressed Brigita curtly, turning them back towards the woods.

 

 

"It was about time you came, now come along we dont have any time to waste, we have a trap to set and spring."

 

So a trap it was to be. She wondered who it was that would be caught in it. Before she could do much more than speculate, Cema made all clear with a few sentences.

 

"I am sure you want to know what is up, but all you will need to know for now as there isn't much time to explain is that we are gonna finish a job one certain other servant of the dark didn't manage. Our target today is a former yellow and present blue on her way from Ebou Dar to Tar Valon after geting her hands on certain facts down in our hometown that she should have left alone."

 

Brigita could not control the gasp that escaped her mouth. She knew of only one sister who fit the description. Ata used to be a Yellow, but after she was severed by Caladesh, the impossible had been done. Somebody had Healed her stilling. Now she was of the Blue, another oddity. Although Brigita supposed it did stand to reason that stilling would sever all ties with Tower and Ajah, and by being Healed, Ata had the right to change her ajah.

 

It was not the target that made her gasp, but the reason. Brigita had dark secrets hidden in Ebou Dar, dating to before she came to the Tower. If any of them were rooted out, it meant not only danger to her, but also to the Black Ajah.

 

She will die. I will see to that personally....

 

Since Cemarillinin had called her here, she listened carefully as the other woman laid out her plans. Brigita had suggestions to add once or twice, but for the most part held her peace. She could care less about Cema's reasons for wanting Ata dead, but Brigita planned on finding out every last scrap Ata knew. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation before letting them drop back to her reins.

 

Oh yes, this will be quite good.

[Liitha]

"I'm a little hungry," Ata smiled, she felt hungry herself but didnt have the apetite of her warder, it didnt help what she knew and kept to herself. "We will start early on the morrow, try to get throug Braem Woods before camping for the night, and then reach the city the day after." she sipped her wine.

 

--

 

She thougth back on the dinner the evening before, once again she had had the chanse to tell Nuitari what she knew, but it was her burden to bear, and now they where closing on Braem wood, she could see it a few hundred feets infront of them, this would all be over in 2 days, and hopefully once again she would have some sertainty in her life.

 

She could feel the frying sun on her neck as they entered the forest, then the shadows gave some refreshing drop in temperature though it was still hot, her minds kept spining aorund what she had found out, leaving her mare to blindly follow the horses infront of her, she trusted the horse by now.

 

Sudenly she felt someone drawing on saidar and she snaped out of her thougths reaching out to find something smooth hindering her from reaching it, she hammered on it then went dead cold, her eyes starting to scan the forest wildly, tuging her horse into circles, no this couldnt be happening, she felt dead scared.

[claireducky]

Brigita peered out cautiously from behind the tree. Were those hoofbeats? She scanned the wide trail leading into the forest. Finally her eyes caught movement as a Warder and Aes Sedai entered the woods. There could be no doubt it was the two Cemarillinin and she sought.

 

She slowly pulled her head back behind the wide bole of the oak as they approached. Brigita had no wish to alert the Warder's keen senses before time. When she estimated they were within 100 paces, Brigita stepped out from behind the shelter of the tree and channeled.

 

As soon as saidar was in her grasp, she sent a thick shield of Spirit towards the woman in the saddle, effectively cutting her off from the Source. Smiling with satisfaction, she watched as Cemarillinin stepped out on the other side of the trail and bound the Warder up with flows of Air as hard as steel. Another knot of Air created an effective gag that the man grimaced around.

 

The Aes Sedai twisted in her saddle frantically, jerking her horse's reins. Purposefully, Brigita wove her own bindings and gag of Air for Ata. The woman's hands froze on the reins.

 

Looking across the trail at Cema, she nodded and they moved to the horses quickly. Just because they had the two in hand was no reason to dawdle. This was a well traveled road, after all, and they could not risk being seen. She stopped in front of Ata's horse and seized the reins from the woman's stiffened hands. Cema did the same for the Warder, who was staring death at them.

 

They turned off the trail, moving at an oblique angle to it into the deep of the woods. Brigita maintained her flows on Ata as she also channeled minute amounts of Air and Earth to cover their backtrail.

 

Disappeared without a trace...so sad.

 

She held back a giggle as they made their way to the abandoned hut. When they arrived there, the real fun would begin.

[706Somtaaw]

"We will start early on the morrow, try to get throug Braem Woods before camping for the night, and then reach the city the day after." Nuitari nodded, and as he looked to the side and saw the bottle of wine, he frowned a moment.

 

"Is there something you are celebrating, or an anniversary that has slipped my mind?" he asked quietly

 

Shrugging, he tucked into his meals and ate, paying only light attention to the rest of the room.

 

After waiting for Ata to go up to her room, he stayed a little longer to overhear other men speaking, and get a feel for the area before going up himself.

 

Waking at the light tap on his door, he got up and picked up his unopened saddlebags. Slipping back into his sword harness, he stepped out the door ready to move and waited while the stablehands brought out their horses.

 

Once dovienya was led out, he checked the saddlegirth carefully himself, before doing a thorough inspection. While he was sure the stablehands were competant, they wouldn't be around if he needed to ride hard.

 

Riding close to Ata and watching, he also rode about as relaxed as any other warder might. The heat was a mild nuisance, but once he could endure although he did look more than once at Ata.

 

As they entered the woods, he smiled slightly. The shade was welcome, but he sat more upright and started a harder watch. The heat outside of the shadows made it harder for someone to make an attack without giving something away.

 

He also moved slightly closer to Ata, and pulled more ahead as they rode deeper in. He felt a brief flash through the Bond, and started to turn to look but moments after he started to turn couldn't move.

 

Twisting his head, he tried to see what was happening, and strained to move his hands. He opened his mouth to curse, and felt something form in his mouth leaving him unable to even close it.

 

Growling softly, he looked daggers at the Aes Sedai who came out and took his reins, trying to give a signal to dovienya to kick out, in the hopes this Aes Sedai held his restraints. If he could get free, he might be able to carve both women apart and get Ata free.

 

Sighing when his last attempt failed, he continued to glare as he and dovienya were led away from the road.

[Liitha]

Cema heard the hoofbeats against the soft forest layer and then she felt Birgita channel on the other side of the road, she opened herself to saidar as well and focused it on the warder, sorounding him by treads of air, and as he tried to talk she jamed in a gag as well.

 

Steping out on the road she walked towards the horse, though as she closed she wove thin treads of air around the feets of the horse as well before looking up on the warder. "Now your gonna come along silently, we wouldnt want anyone to get hurt." she smiled friendly as she slowly loosened the horses feets but kept flows ready, then grabed the reins and lead him into the forest towards the hut.

 

The play had begun, he migth know something and she needed to get him to fess up, the easiest way would be if she had him belive she was at his side, if it failed she could always change tactics later on.

 

Afer about a couple hours walk they arived at the cabin, she knew Birgita had covered their tracks, none would ever know what had happened to the former yellow and her warder. Lifting the gaidin from his sadle she let him wait on the ground as she bound the feets of the stallion so she could unsadle and rub it down, for all else she wouldnt mistreat an animal, and not such a good one as this, she could surely loose it into her network and have it sold to make money to someone who needed it. She did suport a home for orphenants back in Ebou Dar.

 

She knew Birgita now feeling at treath would be more then competent to handle the yellow and she where the one with more strength in spirit, even if that nagged Cema she knew it where sence to leave the blue to the grey. As far as she had been able to judge Birgita had taken her inside the hut, it was best to keep the two separated. Cema removed the gag from the warders mouth and sat down on the stairs looking on him. She had patient when needed and for a starter she would not break the ice, let him have some time to think first.

[Liitha]

As two Aes Sedai steped out into the road Ata used some time to call forth the memorie telling her that they where of the green and gray, some parts of her memorie was still lost, while all over she still used time recaling things it was geting bether.

 

But why, and then she had a second look and realised one of them had the name she had found, and a second glance told her that also the gray had ebou dari traits. Her worst thougths and dreams materialised infront of her, if there where two cooperating surely there could be more, the Black Ajah migth just be a fact, less this was some ebou dari thing. She tried to keep composed thoug as the gray, Birgita poped to her mind, lead her horse into the forest, their tracks where beeing covered and she tried to send calming emotions to Nuitari but she was scared through and throug only years of practise made her able to hold her mask as they arived at a hut.

 

She where taken inside and found herself alone with Birgita, she now regreted not sending a letter ahead, no one would learn, she knew this was her end though and the fact was about to sink in giving her calm. This time she wouldnt escape, but she would not go down easily and she would go down with grace at least. It was defidiance that showed in her eyes as she met the greys, this wasnt over, as long as she lived she would figth however slim her chanses where.

[706Somtaaw]

As they approached the Braem Woods, Nuitari guided dovienya a little closer to Ata and looked around.

 

After the first dozen steps into the Woods, he relaxed again and rode a little easier, since they were safe in the most dangerous part of the entry into the woods.

 

He kept an eye on the surroundings, but he felt safer in the woods. He'd spent long hours in the woods of both the training yards, and the Ogier grove outside Tar Valon and felt relaxed.

 

He kept looking around by reflex, but he didn't expect anyone to be dumb enough to attack. They may not be at Tar Valon yet, but even brigands would have to know Aes Sedai and warders would take this road.

 

Taking a deep breath, he felt a brief twitch in the Bond from Ata behind him and turned around only to be frozen where he sat. Looking around wildy with his eyes, he saw a woman riding out with hard eyes and opened his mouth to warn her off only for his mouth to feel full and heard it creak as it was pushed even further open.

 

Eyes hardening, he wrapped himself in the Void and felt his body tensing even though he was completely frozen.

[Liitha]

Cema looked up on the skies wishing there where more of them, it was too hot. Nothing so far had been spoken from the warder siting on the ground, the horses where resting in the shadow of some trees. She smiled at him, the dark one only knew what must be going through his mind at the moment.

 

She knew the task at hand wouldnt be easy, faith where never easy to come by in strong belivers, but all had a limit. They just had to find those limits. Looking up at the sun she deemed a good hour must have passed, and she opened the top buton in her shirt. "You where bonded to Calliste once?" the question was totaly taken out of the setting and likely one he wherent prepared to hear, hopefully enough to puzle him out of his shell.

_________________

[706Somtaaw]

Nuitari scowled at the woman as she led dovienya off the road, and eventually to a cabin.

 

His mouth was gagged the entire time, and he had just watched, silently promising the womans death and announcing that intent with his eyes.

 

He was lifted off his saddle and set on the ground before the woman rubbed down his horse and then sat down on the steps into the cabin that Ata had been brought through.

 

He closed his mouth the moment the gag was gone, and watched sullenly not willing to say the first words. He didn't know what she was after, and she may be an Aes Sedai somehow, but he would not talk to her first.

 

Nuitari didn't move a muscle and just sat watching the woman, ready to make an attempt to break himself and Ata free at any moment.

 

She had sat there without moving for a time, only blinking as she watched him as he watched her. He watched her look up, before undoing a button and waited. He hadn't moved since he had been caught in the woods and led here, and he refused to do anymore.

 

"You where bonded to Calliste once?" she asked almost casually. He blinked in surprise, and then gave a short curt nod. It didn't hurt to answer a question of that regard, not many Warders survived their Aes Sedai.

[Liitha]

A nod but it was a begining, there where enough time to take off, specialy in a sever case like this. What she aimed at was beeing in control instead of having questions fired back at her, and avoid him geting any thougths of what was going on. "The stallion does he have a name?" she smiled

[706Somtaaw]

Nuitari blinked again at the new question, he hadn't expected a jump like that. "Dovienya," he said after a moment, to consider whether or not this would hurt his chances of preparing an escape.

[Liitha]

she nodded, "an old name for a horse of a great stock, fitting. Your Tairhien, not very usual in the yard, with what their resentment against the Aes Sedai." she waited to see if she got an response to that one, at the same time pondering what leap to take next.

[706Somtaaw]

"Tairens have a very big distrust of Aes Sedai, and good reason," he said, looking squarely in the womans eyes. If she expected him to be meek, or be a usual Tairen and shy away from an Aes Sedai then this would throw her off.

[Liitha]

Cema chuckled friendly, "Yes indeed, i can see how you became a green gaidin, i have more troubles seeing how you ended up yellow or blue." she nodded towards his sword, "those herrons if not would be proof enough you belong in the batlefield" she only belived half of what she said, the rest was just offputs. "Have you ever tried hunting with birds?" She needed to bring him of his thigth spot.

[706Somtaaw]

Nuitari's hand twitched towards his blades at the comments of his herons before he pulled it back and gave a simple nod.

 

"yes I have hunted with birds," he said simply. He didn't know what this woman was doing, but she jumped around a lot, and he didn't like it.

 

He preferred thinking directly, along one line before switching, and this random jumping was hard to follow.

[Liitha]

She nodded, "Its a wonderfull experince, relaxing, not like on the road, i am sure you are looking forward to get home to Tar Valon" though that shouldnt happen, not as long as she lived, he where a loose end after they finished with Ata and that couldnt be allowed.

 

This ended here, she couldnt aford anything to go past here, as soon as they got names of the traitors the messages would go out into the system and their heads would roll as well for cooperating with Ata.

 

She couldnt belive how close it had been, if only the dreadlord hadnt been such a fool not to finish his job this would never have happened. Of course he had later shown to be an even larger fool for that mather.

 

"When did you last eat?"

[706Somtaaw]

Nuitari heard the question, but chose not to answer. Over the Bond, he could feel Ata being tortured, and his muscles started winding tight while his mind flailed his failure to protect Ata.

 

Dropping his head, he closed his eyes and tried to focus himself. He would have only one shot to make a good attempt at escape and his failure to keep Ata from being captured in the first place beat at him.