Reuniting Over a Common Foe

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ooc: Left it open for you darling! Continue as you wish. Also, it's the very last day of November (at least here) so this counts for my first report *grin*

 

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Night set in briskly as the unaccompanied Blue made her way back to the Tower. It had been many years, and truth be told, many horses, since she’d seen the Shining Walls. She, like Tai’Mahdi her stallion, was a little anxious. It would be lovely to see her Sisters again, especially Regalia, but the Tower was like quicksand. Every time she tried to leave something sucked her back in for another day, week, month, and so on. The last time had been the longest time yet that she had stayed and had been promptly followed by the longest time between visits. Which she was breaking now. Her prey had led her to Tar Valon, where else would she stay?

 

Sighing, Miahna scrubbed a hand across her ageless face and kneed Tai’Mahdi to move forward. The black stallion complied, clipping forward at a slow pace. Though the sky had darkened considerably since she’d entered the city, there were still people out and about. Merchants using the last bit of light they could to sell their wares, women carrying bundles of clothes, children scampering to and fro – not paying any mind to the horses and carriages in the street. The Blue smiled faintly at the young boys and girls, remembering her siblings and how they used to play in town, also heedless of the passing travelers.

 

Her faint smile remained as she passed through Tar Valon to the gates of the Tower. It had taken a long time, but Miahna no longer grew sour at the thought of her family. It had happened and wishing it didn’t would not bring back Henry and Rilanne, Jenelle and Cale, Kagan and Rolland. She still harbored a thirst for vengeance but it was locked deep inside. She couldn’t make every fight personal or she wouldn’t survive. Her early years had proven that. Years spent doggedly chasing down any mention of Tessa or the darkfriends that harbored her. Years spent without sleep, often without food, years where she wasted away to nothing more than the ring on her finger and the revenge in her mind. Shuddering, Mimi pushed those memories away. There was a time and place for reflection – the gate of the Tower was not it.

 

The guards let her in swiftly. An ageless face would close as many doors as open them through the land, but was always welcome at the White Tower. The majestic building stood in front of her, a beacon in the now dark night silently calling out for absent Sisters to return home. She passed Tai’Mahdi off to a stable boy, promising the stallion she’d return in the morning. Another stable boy – well, man – offered to take her saddle bags but she waved him away. Hefting the bags, Mimi carried her belongings up the wide staircase and into the Tower.

 

A few girls in white dresses and banded hems were walking through the hallways. Easily spotting the ageless face, they all dipped curtsies to the Blue. The girls in banded dresses even proffered to take her things, but she refused them as well. She had two hands and two shoulders, why should she need help? Some Sisters were prissy, but not Miahna. Not unless she had to be. She gave them a short no and kept walking to her quarters. At least where she remembered her quarters to have been.

 

Stepping into the Blue hall, Mimi breathed another sigh. She smiled widely at two youngish women in the hall. They weren’t even old enough to have the ageless face yet. Each of them twitched as if they wanted to curtsy, deciding in the end to give her a nod. New Sisters indeed. Excellent – they needed new blood around here. She shifted the bags a bit and stalked to her room in the middle of the hall. Yes, it was just where she remembered it.

 

As bare as she remembered it too, occupied with just the necessary essentials. Miahna had never been one to overly adorn things and she didn’t see the right in cluttering up her rooms with things that wouldn’t often be used. She was impressed to find no dust on the furniture. Either the servants were mind readers or Regalia had instructed them to clean Miahna’s rooms, probably every day since she’d received Mimi’s letter – the woman didn’t do things half heartedly. In fact, Mimi was surprised that her fellow Blue wasn’t waiting for her in the room. Of anyone in the Tower, including other members of her Ajah, the Arafellin would have bet her life that her friend had the best Eyes and Ears.

[Wayward_fool]

A tendril of fog curled around Regalia's fingers as she stared into the blazing fireplace. In her other hand clutched a thick missive that explained a little about the worried look in her eyes. Around her the remainder of the fog hovered, creating a blurry effect. Regalia's room was neat. A large vase filled with a myriad of flowers stood on a table in a corner, the only decor the room had. Regalia did prefer practicality over the need to accessorise.

 

But those thoughts did not bother her this evening. With a sigh, she dropped the missive on the table before her and waved her hand. The mist in the room cleared and she stood up. Mimi would have returned from her adventuring, according to her sources. The other Blue would need to know information. Especially what was reported recently. It was troubling news, but as a Blue, Regalia was used to it. Everyday, it seemed that the Dark One reached further out from his prison at Shayol Ghul. Not directly, perhaps, but through his minions. And more disturbingly, through human agents. Regalia no longer childishly denied the existence of Darkfriends, especially not in the White Tower. It was something that irked her, not to be able to root out the fools who called themselves Black Ajah, but she worked at it nonetheless.

 

A knock startled her. Throwing a cloth over the leather bound missive, she darted to the door to open it.

 

"Good evening, Aes Sedai." Regalia eyed the Accepted that curtseyed low before her. Rihandra Lepah was a petite, pretty Cairhienin who had been brought back to the White Tower on one of Regalia's trips and had since been loyal to the bone since. Still, Regalia never trusted anyone absolutely, and she was not about to start. The Ward in the room held and the girl would see nothing but darkness in Regalia's room. Nor would she be able to enter. Noone except Regalia could.

 

"Yes, Rihandra?" Regalia's voice was cool, serenity never left her face.

 

"Miahna Sedai has returned, Regalia Sedai, and is currently in her room." The Accepted never lifted her eyes, nor did she recover from her curtsey.

 

"Thank you, child." Regalia said dismissively. And the Accepted got up and left.

 

Regalia closed the door and permitted herself a little smile. Mimi would be anxious for news. Regalia sometimes wondered if Mimi even spent much time in her room, living off horses and in the world. Not that Regalia herself spent much time in the White Tower, but compared to her Blue sister, Regalia was practically docile. Her hand reached out for the report on her table and paused. Perhaps...

 

As Regalia swept out of the room, towards Mimi's her room cleared of smoke. Of the leatherbound missive, there was no sign. In fact all one could see was the thick mist that hovered about the room like a protective blanket.

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Miahna had barely put her things away and sent for some refreshment when Regalia glided into the sitting room and closed the door firmly. The Arafellin smiled widely at the sight of her old friend and even stretched it a bit more as the other Blue embraced the Source and wove a Ward to surround the two of them. Like most Sisters and the entire Blue Ajah, Regalia and Mimi were cautious when it came to information. Both women preferred to control the spread of it on her own terms. Enveloping her friend and confidant in a quick hug, Miahna motioned for the woman she remembered as ‘Ray-ray’ to take a seat next to her on the sofa.

 

“I am assuming you have important information Ray-ray, as you most often do. You may even know the reason that I have come back to Tar Valon as I don’t often return for no reason. It is delightful to see you again though! A regular conversation instead of a short coded missive sent on the leg of a pigeon.” She smiled again, her blue eyes twinkling with happiness. Constantly on the move and neck deep in darkfriends, corruption, and death had taught the Borderlander to enjoy little pleasures.

 

Before Regalia had a chance to respond a knock sounded at the door. Mimi patted the knee of her friend and then moved to answer. A stocky girl in novice white carried a tray containing steaming liquid, a large bowl with a delicious looking hearty soup and utensils and empty dishes for two. She curtsied to Miahna properly, though her eyes roamed inside the Blue’s quarters as she straightened. Thanking her, Mimi took the tray and gently closed the door. The girl in white widened her eyes at the Aes Sedai taking her tray but she recovered quickly, dropping into another curtsy before the door was closed. Mimi chuckled softly at the novice’s surprise. Did the Sisters in the Tower not occasionally do things for themselves?

 

The silver bells on her dark braids chimed and winked dully in the dim room. Miahna embraced Saidar and deftly wove three thin strands of Fire, simultaneously increasing the flame and therefore light of each globe on the wall. She crossed the room then, setting the tray on the small table in front of Regalia and the sofa. “Would you care for some dinner Ray? I wasn’t sure if you’d eaten so I took the liberty of ordering extra soup. It smells divine.” She sat on the cushion she’d just vacated and spooned some of the thick soup for herself, making sure to catch extra potatoes and extra chunks of meat. Settling back against the navy colored couch, the Aes Sedai spooned some of the meal into her mouth and let out of a sigh of contentment.

[Wayward_fool]

Regalia eyed Miahna evenly. She was not sure if she should break the news whilst her sister was eating. It was, after all, not pleasant news. If her understanding was correct, the world was about to shift again and Regalia's days in the Tower were soon to be over. She sighed inwardly. Going about the world was lots of fun, but when there were things to do... no, she would not dwell on that. She had chosen the Blue precisely because she knew there would be a need for her to ensure everything about the world went on as it should. As if to prepare Mimi for the severity of the report, Regalia embraced Saidar and wove a Ward against eavesdropping.

 

"Mimi." The other Aes Sedai looked up, a brow cocked in intrigue. "We have a problem." Regalia set down her cup of tea on the saucer and sat back. "I am not sure what we're dealing with to be honest. But something is definitely wrong. Four reports came to be this morning. All village healers. Killed in mysterious ways. Without wounds or traces of poison. Which can only mean..."

 

"The Power." Mimi's eyes widened. "Where is this?"

 

"Villages surrounding Tar Valon. All without Healers. Three of them have since had successors, but they are new and inexperienced. One of them was the mother of my Eye and Ear." Regalia shook her head. Yvaine Prendula was a pretty blonde girl who had been inconsolable since the death of her mother. "I cannot understand what would be the reason. Perhaps you can puzzle it out for me. None of them can channel. I have made sure of that. Two of them had contacts with the Yellows, as suppliers of herbs I assume. The forth is a widow whom, as far as I can tell, had no contact with any Aes Sedai. None of them had contact with each other but..." Regalia frowned. Something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. "Last week I had reports of a few murders as well, but nothing concrete. But together with today's reports..." Murders were commonplace in a Blue report. Especially in dark times. The Shadow had its tendrils in every corner, and man turned against man for power, riches or just malice. "Let me see. The only pattern I can see are that they are all women. None of them have similar traits, except for the four this week."

 

Regalia sighed. "I cannot vouch that they are all connected, but my gut feeling says they are. And the four this week, killed with the Power. I wish we could have some of our sisters with Residue Reading visit the scenes, but unless we can prove that they are serious they probably aren't going to." Regalia took a sip of her tea. She didn't want to say it, but it had to be said. "Mimi, we've got Dreadlords on our hands. Or worse... the Black Ajah." It made Regalia cringe inside to admit it, but what choice did she have.