Getting to Know You....

[TaeaDawn]

The afternoon was beginning to dwindle as Aramina decided to take a break from her reports. It was a good feeling, to know that after her first years of travel and setting up Eyes and Ears that it had finally paid off. Her reports were becoming more and more reliable, her people beginning to understand what it was she was looking for and needed from them. As she exited her room in the Green Ajah's quarters, she paused, noticing a young girl coming out of Halvie Sedai's rooms. A novice that she was trying to place. She had seen the girl before and Aramina liked to remember people. Lillian.. that was her name. Aramina gave her a polite smile. "You seem to be out of place Novice." She said. "Is there something I can help you with?"

 

Turning as she was spoken to, Lillian turned to the Aes Sedai who addressed her, careful not to meet her gaze directly. The voice wasn't familiar, therefore it paid to be careful not to antagonise. A lesson that Lillian always remembered when she was required to see her mentor, as she just had. "No Aes Sedai, thank you. I am just returning to my quarters."

 

Aramina nodded at the girl's demeaner. Completly appropriate, not a hint of anything that would get her in trouble. "It is good that you are not busy. Please, if you would follow me?" Aramina didn't bother waiting for a reply as she began walking back into her own quarters. The girl didn't have any choice but to follow her.

 

Aramina was curious about people by nature, a fact that had only increased as she learned the Great Game. One person that she wanted to learn more about, of course, was Halvie Sedai. A sister of her own Ajah and one that she had never found enough time to delve into. Aramina's craft was subtle and perhaps a conversation with the girl at her side would give her some insight into her Sister's mind.

 

It wasn't unusual for an Aes Sedai to pick out Novice who seemed to be idle for some chore or other, which was most likely why the Aes Sedai had asked her to follow. Not that it was really asking, but it was better than being outright ordered. Falling in behind the Aes Sedai, Lillian had little choice but to follow and wait until the Aes Sedai saw fit to speak to her. Speaking first could easily be construed as impertinence.

 

Aramina walked into her quarters, inviting Lillian to follow her to the comfortable sitting room. The furnishings were all tasteful though expensive. Aramina's life was always appropriate, whether it be her appearance, her manners, or her place of residence. There were a few things that might seem out of the ordinary but they were well hidden though often in plain sight. As she took a seat she smiled again at the girl and gestured to the seat beside her. "Would you like some tea?"

 

As they entered the Aes Sedai's quarters, it became clear that this most likely was not going to be a chore at all. Instead, it was going to be questions, though what questions they would be Lillian couldn't guess. Taking the seat that was offered, the question she was asked was one she could answer quite easily at least. "Yes please."

 

Aramina quickly heated the tea that sat in the table at her side and poured a cup for her guest. She poured another for herself and took a sip, deciding the best tactic for her to begin with. In the end she simply remembered her own early days and decided. It hadn't been all that long ago that she herself had been fodder to any Aes Sedai that walked across her path.

 

"So Lillian, how are your studies going?" She asked, taking another sip.

 

Leaving the tea to cool a little as she waited politely for the Aes Sedai to speak, stray thoughts ran through Lillian's head. Would she one day be sitting Novices before her like this? Would they be just as wary? Such thoughts were banished as the Aes Sedai spoke, she had to focus on the here and now, last thing she wanted was to give the Aes Sedai cause to think she was rude.

 

"They are well, Aes Sedai." Was she going to question her about the farm?

 

There was something about her answer... a certain amount of surprise that made Aramina wonder what the girl thought she was going to ask. Aramina's smile grew a little then. She gave the girl a little warmth, the patient older sister type that was usually indulgent and supportive. "That's good to hear. You were visiting with Halvie Sedai today?" She asked. "I hope you aren't having any trouble with anyone? It's good for you to turn to your mentor in such times, but if you need help, there are others that would lend a hand..."

 

Something was going on. Lillian did not have the volume of experience that sisters had, but she'd been at the Tower for nearly ten years now and had Halvie Sedai for her mentor, a healthy dose of caution never hurt. "No trouble Aes Sedai, and thank you for your offer." Something that dealing with Halvie Sedai had taught her early on, give as little as possible. The less a person had, the less a person could use.

 

Aramina took another sip in an effort to hide a true smile from the girl. She didn't know what she had been taught, but she was certainly very good at answering with as few words as possible. Something she might have appreciated in a novice if she hadn't hoped the girl would be a flap jaw. Well she might have to get creative with the girl. "You're from Arad Doman, correct? How do you find the differences in Tar Valon and your native land?" she asked.

 

Where was this going? Lillian took a sip of her tea as she thought on a reply, which she had by the time she set the cup back down. "Forgive me Aes Sedai, but I am from Tarabon, though Domani born. As to differences, I could not say as it is the Tower, not Tar Valon that I know." Now where would the next question lead?

 

This was why she rarely spoke to people without knowing more first. A small error in her questions, but something she should have learned about before talking to the girl. Still, there had been an opportunity and she had decided to take it. She had to roll with it now. "Forgive me Lillian. I wasn't aware of your upbringing. But I was merely hoping that you were finding your time in the Tower to be fruitful. I... take an interest in some young woman who look to have true talent and I think you may be one of them." She said. "I was hoping to learn more about you to... extend a small amount of friendship to help you along your way."

 

If the girl really had talent then Aramina would find a way to use it later, perhaps to build some bridges in the future with whatever Ajah she chose to enter. If not, then at least Aramina could keep her around for a while and hopefully get some information on her mentor.

 

This was more familiar territory, and something she could better handle. Though a part of her was still wary, after ten years, how could she not be? "Thank you, Aes Sedai. The Tower has been good to me over the years." Especially when it had chosen to show mercy, though its mercy had cut two ways. A broken rule still required punishment, regardless of the circumstances. At least, that was how it had been explained to her.

 

"That's good to hear." She said with an idle sip from her tea. "And Halvie Sedai? I know sometimes training can cause stress between people. Is your relationship still strong with my Ajah Sister?"

 

The conversation was swinging back to Halvie Sedai again, was this deliberate or was she just picking topics randomly? Lillian found herself doubting that very much, this wasn't social as much as she would have liked it to be. "She is my mentor, Aes Sedai."

 

Aramina was beginning to find her obtuse answers a bit irritating. Was she trying to be careful or was she just afraid to talk to an Aes Sedai? Aramina nodded. "Yes, I am aware that she is your mentor. I am concerned that you and Halvie might be at odds since I have rarely seen you in our Quarters. Or perhaps you prefer to stay away for other reasons?" If the girl wasn't going to give anything out she might as well send her off. She didn't want to continue to question her over Halvie if it did her no good and the girl really was going for the shortest answer every time. She was tempted to send her down tot he kitchens for wasting her time as she had. Instead she waited the girl's next answer with her polite smile still in place.

 

That was what it was, though it struck Lillian as odd. Well, not so odd considering it was about Halvie Sedai, but still it was strange to her that a sister should fish for information about a fellow Ajah sister. Lillian knew full well how Halvie Sedai would react if she thought that Lillian had let a thing slip. "I am nearing the end of my novitiate Aes Sedai, as Accepted are fond of saying; The more years you are in the Tower, the less time you have."

 

Aramina let a fond smile slip at that comment. She remembered feeling that way at some point, before her life had collapsed in around her and Natalie had been taken. In the years that had followed Aramina had more than enough time on her hands. In fact, there had been a number of Aes Sedai who had tried to get her to show her former active self but to no avail. Then Aramina had found her own way through her grief and her days had taken on the hurried frenzy that all Accepted showed.

 

"A wonderful sentiment, and a true one." Aramina said as she set down her tea cup. It was in fact time to be getting back to her own work. The girls had no idea how true the comment was. She just hoped that if she lived long enough she would someday see a way to make her days long enough. "And you no doubt wish to be back to your own rooms to whisper about how horrible we Aes Sedai are in a general way and which of the Accepted's clothes you would like to dye blue for their behavior."

 

That was unexpected to say the least. In fact, it was only the years of Halvie Sedai testing and prodding her, trying to push her buttons where she could, that allowed Lillian to keep her eyes downcast though she went still for a moment. "Aes Sedai?"

 

Aramina's eyebrows rose slightly. "I am not so long out of the banded dress that I forget what it was like." She said.

 

Was this baiting? Either way, Lillian couldn't agree with Aramina, that was not who or how she was. Of course, the only ways she could think of to disagree would result in giving the Aes Sedai an excuse, an excuse she seemed to be after. Keeping her eyes averted, Lillian put her cup down and folded her hands on her lap, waiting for the Aes Sedai to speak. No doubt the Aes Sedai would read Lillian's silence as she wished to.

 

Aramina cocked her head slightly to one side as she regarded the girl. There was something about her that Aramina could almost admire, if she could just figure out what it was. There was no point in continuing with the questioning though. Perhaps over time she might be able to let the girl think they had developed a friendship, but until that time, she doubted she wold get anything on Halvie. Besides, the girl did have some promise and Aramina could always use more connections. "Am I keeping you from your studies?" she asked then. "You are free to leave if I am. If not, please help yourself to more tea."

 

There was the out, her way out of the questioning. Then again, if she was being given the option to stay, were the questions over regardless? In that case, why did she offer to let her stay? Maybe she'd been wrong and it had been a testing. Did Halvie Sedai put her up to it? Lillian prefered to think it unlikely, but either way she had to act as if her every action would be known to Halvie Sedai by the end of the day.

 

Besides, Lillian was curious, she wanted to learn why this Aes Sedai had singled her out if she could. Maybe she would learn something about this Green Sister instead. "Thank you, Aes Sedai." Reaching for the teapot, she refilled her cup.

 

Aramina was a little surprised by the girl's decision to stay. She smiled softly at Lillian. "I'm glad I wasn't keeping you from anything." She said lightly. "I would love to learn more about you. Like your interests perhaps?"

 

Still digging for information, but not like she had been before. Or maybe Lillian had just been disarmed somewhat, that and she would have to give to receive. "Jewelry still keeps my attention. When I was tested, I was apprenticed to a Jeweler in Tanchico, the crafting still fascinates me, perhaps more so now that I have no opportunity to use what I learned." Now her turn. "And you? Aes Sedai?"

 

Aramina smiled as she took a sip of her tea to think about what to say. Her true interests would not be best served by spilling them in front of a novice. "Strategy mostly." Aramina said, waving her hand towards a number of books on her desk. "As a Green Sister I find I spend my time most wisely in reviewing strategy. And weapons of course. I'm rather fond of training in the Warder Yards as often as possible."

 

Weapons... Lillian was already familiar with the Green Sister's requirement to use them, and their justification for it. Still, maybe it would lend some insight into the Aes Sedai. The weapon for example, most Green Sisters that she knew used Katana's, was this one any different. "What weapon do you call your own? Do you have use for it often beyond training?"

 

"The Katana is very good at helping fool unsuspecting men into thinking you are working forms instead of watching them." Aramina said with a small, well placed laugh. "But the road is dangerous from Tar Valon to the world and there are always bandits and brigands who aren't ashamed to attack a lone woman." She looked at Lillian seriously for a moment. "I'm a firm believer in training all the weapons you have in your arsenal. The One Power is a strong defense, but there are always times when you might be with out it, when you are too tired to use it. A sword comes in handy then."

 

Lillian thought about her response for a moment, though she was fairly sure of what the answer would be. "If one was too tired to use the one power, wouldn't they be too tired to use a sword?"

 

Aramina smiled. "If you held as much of the One Power as you could and knew that the next touch would burn you out... if you had handled everything you could but it wasn't enough and your enemies still surrounded you. What would you do? Do you just give up? Or do you take the weapon in your hand and continue fighting?"

 

It was a good point, except that it ignored an important point. "By the same token, if your enemies have been able to withstand the one power, would a single sword pose much of a threat to them?"

 

This was becoming far more interesting, Aramina thought with a smile. "How long do you hold out for your Sisters to save you? And if you are alone, would you rather give up?" Aramina shook her head. "I would rather die fighting my enemies than give in for one moment."

 

While Lillian didn't look into the Aes Sedai's face, she could see the smile that was forming. Patronising or amused, she could not tell. There was of course, a third option which hadn't been brought up. "I would rather live to fight another day." It was hard to fight when you were dead.

 

"An option I think we would all prefer." Aramina agreed easily. "But we all must face the Creator some day and if I had to chose how I would die, it would be in battle. I'm sure others would disagree, but I am who I am. I'm sure there are yellow sisters that would prefer to die still tending to the sick. I wish them luck with that. But what of you? How would you chose to face the Creator?"

 

An answer came to mind that wasn't politic, in fact it could easily be counted as impertinence. The difference now though was that Lillian wanted to see what the Aes Sedai's reaction would be to it. Maybe the fact the Aes Sedai hadn't introduced herself spurred her, but regardless her answer was given with a blank face. "Old."

 

Aramina's smile was genuine then. "A good answer, but one that tells me little about you and how you will accept your fate. Still, I think I agree with you. I would like to die an old warrior, with as few scars as possible." Light the scars she had were already more than she could bare somedays, and they were all emotional, not physical. "I am glad to see that you've managed to find your tongue now as well. For a while I didn't think you were going to be able to talk in front of an Aes Sedai. I was beginning to be disappointed."

 

Lillian was tempted to say something along the lines of 'it depends on what questions I'm asked', but that would most likely be too casual and land her in trouble. That and it would let the Aes Sedai know that she had done it deliberately, instead of shyness or somesuch, if the woman believed such. But, a conversation required two people. "You said you were interested in strategy before. Is there anything in particular that interests you?"

 

"I am a lover of politics." Aramina said simply. "I find often that strategy of the sword comes in handy in the political arena as well."

 

"How so?"

 

"They are both battlefields and a sharp sword is needed in both." Aramina said cryptically.

 

"Why?"

 

Aramina looked at the girl with a shake of her head. "The advantage you have in the Battlefield is that it is far easier to tell who your allies are. But in politics the currents shift quickly and if you blink you miss something. You mind if your sword in politics. If you aren't sharp, you lose the battle."

 

Nodding, Lillian took a sip from her tea as she formulated her choice of words. "Is politics always a battle then?"

 

"That would depend on how you feel about politics. I'm sure there are people who see it as something different. But," she said with a smile. "I am a Battle Sister. I look for the day of the Last Battle and until then I do what I can to make the Tower strong. For me, politics will always be a part of that Battle."

 

Nodding, Lillian took a sip of her tea as she considered where to go next. Where could she take the conversation now? "Why did you choose to become a Battle Sister?"

 

 

Aramina was willing to let the Novice take the conversation wherever it went, but some answers went to deep to truely be told. There were so many things to say to that and thre truth was something she couldn't bare to hear aloud. There were lesser truths to be told though. "As a Novice my mentor was a Green Sister, Ladria Sedai. She and a handful of others truely made me feel at home in the Tower. Perhaps those really influences imparted more than I knew, but when other Sisters tried to talk to me about their Ajahs, it was always the Green that held my interest." She took a sip of tea again. "And what do you think of the Ajahs? Have you found a fit yet, or do you still look for that answer?"

 

This could always go any which way with the answer Lillian gave to this question, but the answer despite ten years was still the same. "I am not sure yet, I'm not sure what I would be best suited to yet."

 

Aramina nodded. "In time, you'll find where you belong. It's always good to keep an open mind though. If i'd been forced into the most obvious Ajah for me, I think they would have put me in with the Blues and for all the respect I have for them, I would not have been as happy as I am with my Green Sisters."

 

Nodding, Lillian continued. "I have a number of years yet before I take the test to become Aes Sedai so there is time, as long as I am Accepted at least. Do the sisters of the Green Ajah treat their Ajah Sisters compared to how other Ajahs treat theirs?"

 

"I'm not sure I can answer that one. I know only what I have from my Sisters, not the others. But what I have here is more than I had ever expected to find. For the Greens even more so than any other, you trust your life in your Sister's hands. We walk into Battle together and you must know that the woman at your side will guard your back as you will hers. I would die to protect and defend any of my sisters. And if i died I would know wihtout doubt that they would have done the same for me."

 

All true, but it left out the politics of the thing and though Aramina trusted her sisters with her life, she trusted very few to see the Ajah moving in the same direction she thought it should.

 

Interesting, but nothing that she hadn't been told by other Green Sisters. For all the truth that was told, there was always the unsaid that remained out of reach. But something did occur to her about the Aes Sedai, she said earlier she could have gone Blue, and politics? "Something occured to me. You could have been Blue? But what use would a Green Sister have of politics? The Borderlands are already committed to the defence against the Blight."

 

Aramina smiled. "How do you imagine the Last Battle will be? The evil hordes coming out of the Borderlands with all the nations coming together to fight for a common cause? If so, you have more faith in the world than I. Most of my Sisters will be on the front line of the Last Battle, wielding Saidar in one hand and a Sword in the other. But I don't believe the masses will come. I believe the evil will come from everywhere, not just the Borderlands. And for the nations, I think they will never be able to bow down and take another's lead. Because of that, I believe the White Tower must remain the beacon of strength that it is. We need to order the world in this fight and it will be through politics that we have that power. I will wield a sword with my Sisters on that last day, but I will know that my true abilites have led others to be there with us."

 

Her argument made sense, it reminded her of something a Gray had once told her when she'd asked what right the White Tower had in the politics in others. Whose peace would you prefer? Yours or a stranger's? And at least we know ours is for the greater good. "Where then would you turn your attention to, if not the Borderlands?"

 

"The Borderlands are truely our allies in this. They have no need of us telling them how to use their sword. For myself, I find my own homeland to be in great need of work. The Cairheinin nature of politics makes it hard for them to bend their neck to anyone. It will be a difficult time for the Lords of Cairhein to follow anyone. If we play their Great Game correctly though, perhaps we will be able to find ways to get them to follow in our lead when needed."

 

Aramina sur Dulciena

Young Green Sister

 

Lillian Tremina

Novice

[Wayfarer]

So, her interests were in Cairhien. The next question was the natural one to follow. "Why choose Cairhien to work on instead of other nations? Arad Doman is closer to the Borderlands after all." And always embroiled in conflicts with Tarabon, which had contributed to making her childhood rather... unique. Still, merchants were merchants, regardless of nation, and wars were made by nobles, rarely by people.

 

Aramina smiled. "Perhaps its as simple as my upbringing." She was Cairheinin through and through though she oftern wished she had found a happier childhood. "Or perhaps it is the Great Game and the way they wield it. But though I have interests there it is not the only land I have interest. Like most sisters, I have my hands in a little of everything." She said with a small smile. "The saying about eggs and baskets holds as true to Aes Sedai as well as village girls."

 

In other words, none of her business. Which was more than fair, Lillian hadn't expected to glean much, but it might've been interesting all the same. As it was, she was learning more about the Aes Sedai. "Where else interests you then?"

 

"Mostly my Eyes and Ears. I am certainly more like a Blue Sister in my number of Eyes and Ears. I spent too much time out of the world as a Novice and Accepted. As a young Sister, it was my first drive, to create a network that would one day rival any other. My people are spread out across the world and are reliable and loyal to me. In time the desire to have more than anyone else left and I simply wanted more information. Knowledge is an addiction as deadly as any other." She said as she stopped to take a sip of her tea. "And in the world of the Great Game it is often more deadly than others."

 

Lillian sipped her tea as she took what was said in, the Aes Sedai was free with information if not with details. Perhaps a wiser person would not have boasted so about their eyes and ears, then again Lillian was hardly someone to fear. "Where would one find people to be their eyes and ears?"

 

Aramina smiled. "We all find people in our own way. I travelled a lot until I found people that seemed to fit into what I needed." She wasn't about to go into depth about her contacts and how she found them. The tale of Aramina spending years dancing in taverns and the commonroom of Inns before she got her ageless face was hardly the stuff of legend.

 

"But I'll tell you how I got my first. In a town not far from here, I was visiting with a Blue Sister, taking a lesson for her. The woman was grief striken and I came to her home and I helped her. I made it a point to go back later and check on her. In return for what I had done, she began passing on information." It was a safe enough thing to tell. The woman had been dead for some years even if someone would have been able to trace her back to Aramina. "But we all find different ways to get information. I think most of the Ajah's tend to find people that fit into their own view of the world."

 

"You seem to have an interest in the Eyes and Ears network. Have you begun thinking of those things already?" Aramina asked.

 

"No more than any other subject, Aes Sedai." Finishing the last of her tea, Lillian set the cup on its saucer. Now was the time to leave, before the conversation could swing to her. "Thank you for the tea Aes Sedai and for this time, but I must ask your permission to withdraw. There is only so many hours in the day to do what is required of me, and I would not want to distract you any further."

 

Aramina set her cup down and stood to escort the girl out of her Quarters. "You do indeed have my permission Lililan." She said. Lillian, not child or a title. A name, said in a slightly friendly voice, one that would encourage return visits. Aramina hadn't lied earlier when she said the early influences in her life had made her who she was. Perhaps a gentle hand and warm smile would help to make Lillian someone that Aramina would some day be able to call upon. "It was a pleasure getting to know you. Please feel free to call on me again. I'm only a few steps away from your mentor after all, and your conversation has been entertaining."

 

"Thank you, Aes Sedai." Curtseying, Lillian stepped through the doorway and made her way down the hall even as she heard the door close behind her. The Aes Sedai had a great interest in eyes and ears and politics, information. She must have certainly been after information about her mentor, though the question of motive was one that Lillian couldn't answer. Perhaps it was benign interest, perhaps not, either way Lillian knew that it would be wise to watch what she said about the Aes Sedai.

 

An Aes Sedai with no name, Lillian would have to make sure to learn it. At least from the conversation, Lillian had been able to glean some information about the Aes Sedai. The wisdom of pursuing it further she was of two minds of. If it had been a careless slip that served to warn Lillian, that might be worth chasing for her mentor. If it was deliberate, a way to give her a misguided sense of security, then that was a different matter altogether. But, those were questions that could be pondered later.

 

 

Lillian Tremina

Novice of the White Tower

 

Aramina sur Dulciena

Green Sister